I received an E-ARC copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

So, all in all, this was an okay book. It didn't have me falling in love with it, but nor did I hate it either. It was simply okay. One thing I did like about this book was that for the most part, it was really easy to read. I literally flew through it which was great.

But I also had a few problems with this book. Firstly, I wasn't entirely connected to the characters at all. I wasn't drawn to them or interested in their lives.

Also, the story felt more like a collection of different events rather than one cohesive plot line.

In addition to this, I felt like the pacing was a bit off, but what I did appreciate were the few extracts written from the points of view of the other characters - it was definitely interesting to see their perspective but it seemed that these extracts appeared rather sporadically in the text rather than evenly distributed.

And finally, I felt like the actual plot didn't get going until the last fifty or so pages but by then I had lost some of the initial interest I had in this book.

But it was still an okay story, I definitely didn't hate it which is why it sits at 3 stars

Anna Fagan’s mother was possessed and killed by a demon when she was a child. Her father never recovered from the loss and buried himself in his work, the exorcism of ghosts from haunted relics. Anna’s home life is definitely not the norm, but when she see’s people from school going off the deep end she starts to wonder if there’s not something going wrong in her hometown. When her own thoughts start to become murderous, she shies away from her best friends Freddy and Dor and tries to salvage the scraps of her sanity. What she doesn’t realize is that her friends lives are also getting blacker and by the time she realizes it, she’s almost too late to save them.

Anna’s home life was a wreck. Her father was not just a ghost hunter, but he was also a hoarder. His things a labyrinth that blocked light and created an even more creepy atmosphere for the setting of this story. Known as the “Goblin girl” at school because of her dad’s job, Anna struggles to overcome that stigma and her feelings of shame. It’s only because of her best friends support that she had any light in her day. It’s when she becomes fixated on a boy at school and her fixation starts to turn unhealthy that I got an inkling that I might become uncomfortable with the direction this novel was headed.

I don’t want to sound too dramatic, but I kept looking for those moments of light in this story where I’d finally get to start rooting for Anna. There was just so much going on, and all of it was pretty dark and depressing. Anna does realize the town has been taken over by an evil demon and she does overcome all odds to save the day, but that only happens near the end of the book. On my wait for that to happen we see her father advance further into depression and hoardom (is that a word?), her friends become suicidal, and the bully at school turn into being bullied (by Anna!). Not to disrespect this author because I could see the work she put into it, but it really just wasn’t for me.

I am a huge fan of urban fantasy, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, etc. and I went into this with my eyes wide open, hoping for the best. If there had been a few more kernels of light or humor I think my feelings would have been different. I will say that I do believe every book has it’s reader and I just wasn’t a good fit for The Ghost Hunter’s Daughter. If you like creepy fantasy-type novels The Ghost Hunter’s Daughter may be the right fit for you, so please give it a try.

I received a free ARC of this novel through NetGalley for my honest review and it was honest!

I want to thank Netgalley for providing me with this book in exchange for my honest review.

This book was so amazingly good.
I was not expecting it to be so creepy and suspenseful!
I quickly got sucked into this book the plot is fast paced and the writing style is amazing!
The descriptions of everything in the book were so clear and vivid I felt like a movie was playing in my mind!
If you love mystery thriller books then you need to pick this one up as soon as possible!
4 stars.

I love all things ghosts and ghouls but unfortunately this wasn't for me.
My main problem with this book is that I couldn't connect with the main character Anna and I found her to be unlikeable even at the best of times. I sympathised with her in regards to her fathers hoarding and her mothers death but the way she discarded her supposed best friends, even if it was because of demon intervention, it didn't make me want to root for her.

Also … why'd you gotta kill the dog dude?

For a teen\YA novel this story dives into dark subject matter that might not be for teens. The book will suck readers in with it twisted tail of mystery and understanding of one self.

The Ghost Hunters Daughter is length, speed, and darkness for the subject matter ad audience who are looking to read this book.

As a debut novels Caroline Flarity will have readers needing more as soon as they put down her book.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher East Side Press for the advance copy of Caroline Flarity The Ghost Hunter's Daughter.

The writing style for this book turned me away. There was a lot of repetition per page which distracted me from the actual story. I ended up DNF-ing this one.

In an industry where a lot of YA intentionally targets adults, it's comforting to read a novel truly speaks to teens. Don't get me wrong: The supernatural elements in THE GHOST HUNTER'S DAUGHTER make this a fantastic guilty pleasure read for adults -- but the way Flarity expresses the desire to learn more about who you are and where you belong makes this a must-read for teens -- especially girls.

Anna waked up to a world that is literally fallen to the demons. What happens when a teenage girl has to face her demons and those of the past as well? This is a book that started slow for me but eventually is started picking up the pace and held on. Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read this.

Enjoyed this but felt largely was aimed more at a younger YA market than I’d usually read. Fast paced and fun. The MC is a bit irritating at first but you do warm to her as the story goes on. Covers bullying and grief in a sensitive manner. An enjoyable read

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

3.75 stars.

It was okay but I was expecting more out of it since it started off great. I was expecting there to be more investigations but the book was more focused on the characters' emotions and psychology. The writing style was good but I found the nicknames for stuff to be a bit on the cringey side. But then again it was in the point of view of a high school student.

Now the story is about a girl named Anna and she's the daughter of a ghost hunter who, after his wife died, has a very serious case of hoarding. She's being mocked in school about her father's job and she started being embarrassed to be seen with him. But of course weird things started to happen and she's thrown in the middle of it and is the only one who figures out and solves the paranormal mystery in the end with some help. So in the end, she doesn't care what people thinks and starts liking being a ghost hunter.

What I liked about the book is the character development of Anna. In the beginning she is a bit unlikable (at least to me, she was) but becomes better in the end. Freddy and Geneva are my faves. I like nerdy characters.
I also love what the author incorporated into the paranormal activity that was happening in town. I found it to be unique.
The descriptions in the story is really good but from the very beginning towards close to the end, things just keep on spiralling down without any uplift. I found it to be somewhat exhausting. The ending was the only happy moment in the book with very minimal tiny happiness placed here and there.


TW for some pedophilia, and bullying. Also a sicko with dark and sick perversions.

Thank you Netgalley for providing an ARC for an honest review.

A light, fun read! Definitely recommended for teens which means that I’m not the target demographic but I still enjoyed this. The author delivers a rapid-paced, suspenseful, well-written and perfectly executed fantasy you won’t be able to put down.

This short novel is a quick read that sucks you in and keeps you in its grasps until you finish it.

I requested a copy of this book on netgalley because I was really in the mood to read something that satisfied my guilty pleasure for paranormal YA. This book did just that; 13 year old me would have been in love!

This book explores some interesting themes such as grief, bullying and has multiple characters who care for their parent in one way or another. Although at times there are some situations that are not handled as they should be and do not appear to hold the weight they should have (the video), the book overall tells an interesting narrative with a complex main character and interesting surrounding characters. Most of the characters featured in the narrative are well fleshed out and have their own personality rather than just being the side-kick or bad guy.

I gave this three stars because whilst I thought the book was good, I do not think that I am the target demographic. The plot was interesting and original (at least I haven't read something similar) and I read this in a couple of sittings. As the novel is relatively short there was always something to pull you in and make you read on in almost every chapter which made me want to come back to it and finish it. Overall, I am glad I read this book, I feel like it has pulled me out of a reading slump and definitely satisfied my need for some paranormal fiction.

I received a free copy of THE GHOST HUNTER’S DAUGHTER by Caroline Flarity, through NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review. Anna Fagan is a social outcast with only two close friends. Anna, who witnessed her mother’s murder, has more problems than her high school classmates calling her “Goblin Girl.” Though Anna’s dad is a famous ghost hunter celebrated for his innovations in the field, he’s a wreck in private; his hoarding’s spilling out of the house and onto the lawn. However, when the high school hijinks turn even crueler than usual, Anna begins to suspect there’s a larger problem than teenagers being teenagers. Can Anna figure out what’s going on before she loses her two friends, what’s left of her family, and her self-respect, or will Anna become a victim of her own dark impulses?

This was an interesting book. It was pretty dark. Anna is damaged from her past and lives in a pretty grim environment with no support from her remaining parent. Moreover, Anna has to face the derision and abuse of her classmates on daily basis. Anna’s entire world is already so dark, she’s the only one to notice when the little remaining light begins to disappear. In trying to save her town, she manages to save herself.

🤯🤯🤯

This book was beyond amazing, it was spooky and creepy and absolutely hooked me.

I wish I could read this book for the first time again and again.

3.75 dark stars, willingly given

The blurb to #theghosthuntersdaugher sounded intriguing but I wasn't really sure what to expect. It's good, then, that #NetGalley and the publisher East Side Press gave me the opportunity to have a look at this short book. Even the amazing cover already suggest that goosebumps-inducing hours lay ahead for me, but - heck - this is one dark story and not just because of the supernatural elements. Who would have thought? Do not let the main character's age and circumstances (high school) fool you. I would go as far and say this book needs a trigger warning, as cases of sexual pedophilic(ish) assault and self-harm are treated in this book. I must say I loved the sinister atmosphere of the book. The author made the world come alive vividly and it helped me to get sucked into this book. Usually, mystery and thriller are not on top of my genre-list but this obviously needs to change! So, let's dive into this book.

To most people, teenager Anna is known as Goblin Girl. Her Dad Jack, supernaturalist expert on everything that could even remotely be creepy, hunts ghosts, shadow people and demons for a living and is undeniably one weird character. Ever since his wife Helen's death - inflicted on her by a demon that possessed her - his hoarding has gone out of control and self-care doesn't seem to be a top priority on his agenda either. He also appears to be a bit out of date, as Anna frequently reminds him of: "There is a thing, Dad, a research tool you may not have heard of. It's called the internet." As someone whose dad still asks about "this google", I can relate 100%. Although I am pretty confident my dad's awkwardness would never result in "social death", something, Anna swears frequently, her Dad would be easily capable of by expanding his "business".

Anyhow, the weariness of the townspeople and her peers and the burden to be the one to keep Jack's sense for reality in check lie heavy on Anna's shoulders. This only adds to the hard life of a high schooler that gets taunted day in day out by her peers. Things with her friends aren't ideal at the moment either, and they keep getting worse. Just like everything else in this god-forsaken town seems to spindle down the moral scale about 50 m/h. This can't be normal, can it? Sure, teenagers are among the cruellest beings on earth, but the reader can't help noticing that things are getting increasingly hostile around town. Anna herself can't keep from snapping at her friends and forsaking them for the school musician and douche Craig and having hostile urges that are just a tad too violent to be regular emotional outlets. Supported by her dad's new assistant Genevieve, a hippie but hot PhD that has invented a special EMF detector that is supposed to seriously up their game, Anna starts digging and doing some research. And sure enough, there are bigger powers at work. And they are, for sure, not good.

Before closing this review, I would like to get back to the beginning of my review and draw special attention to a couple of quotes. Now, sit down, because I almost screamed out loud when reading this. There is this instant when "...Pickens pulled Sydney on his lap [and] she smiled at him, conditioned as she was to be a good girl and not hurt anyone's feelings." Serious groping on his part was involved shortly after, accompanied by panicked looks from Sidney. Sidney, Anna and Dor do what they can and group up against Pickens and tell Sidney's dad about, and "He looked at her with hard eyes. "Boys will be boys.", he said." Nooo, he didn't, you might think. It's his own daughter, you argue. Well, Duh, but MEN WILL BE MEN, won't they? It is clearly intended to add to the eerie feeling of the story and even though this is not discussed explicitly further, the author clearly criticizes this and other flaws of today's sexist, victim-blaming patriarchic society. To close this sexist rant with a couple of encouraging words for anyone who is tortured by average gobeshytes or even their S.O. who is SO NOT worth it by the Goblin Girl Anna herself: "Let's leave that jerk in the trash where he belongs."

Just about over 200 pages, this author did a very good job developing the story and speeding it up just in time to not make me wonder when the actual action would start. I had a bit of trouble getting in touch with Anna sometimes, but this is definitely owed to the fact that I am about a decade older than her and could probably still relate a little too much to the annoying stupidity of teenagers. "Over the summer, she and Craig shared music and chatted online, and since junior year started a few weeks ago, they'd flirted in the hallways, exchanging a few heat-inducing glances." I am pretty sure anybody my age knows exactly, that by "heat-inducing glances" between teenagers pretty much translate to smug but awkward staring. Also, Anna's character traits are badly influenced by the forces at work, so that excuses the action that made me want to squeeze her neck just a little too tight *insert creepy smiley here*.
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Writing Quality + ease of reading = 4*

pace = 3* (At about 25% I was getting worried the highly expected thrills would not kick in)

plot development = 3,5*

characters = 4* (yes, I'm sorry, teenager are exhausting and yeeees I knew from the beginning what I was getting into...)

enjoyability = 4* (This book was so deliciously sinister, know I want MORE)

insightfulness = 4* (there were some very serious issues tackled here and I actually liked that the flaws of today's sexist society were put on display so many times, because PEOPLE NEED TO HEAR THIS)
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This eArc was provided by the publisher East Side Press via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley for this ARC! 

I’m usually not a big fan of stories about the supernatural but this was a surprisingly good read. It reads a little like Buffy but for a much younger crowd.

At its core, the book is very much about the father-daughter relationship between Anna and Jack following years after her mother’s death AND how they deal with Jack’s mental health. The supernatural element was a nice aspect to what could read as Quiet YA.

In my opinion, this book would fit into the Teen shelf of a bookstore. The book reads a bit juvenile at times but that’s nothing bad - I think I just prefer books which read at the older end. One big plus for Teen readers is the humor which is effortlessly written.

The main issue I have with this book is the fact that a lot of the characters were quite… meh. They don’t seem to be very interesting or have much depth to them. I would have really liked to explore Jack’s hoarding in much more detail as well as more about Anna’s grief regarding her mother.

All in all, the book is a pleasant read and something to keep your mind off day to day things!

I really liked this book! I was not able to finish it because of the book glitching on the device I am using but since I really liked it I hope to get it in a physical copy since it is out now and finish it up. Overall this was such a fun light read and I can’t wait till I finish it up.

This book will appeal to younger YA readers who enjoy being mildly spooked. I appreciated the unique quirks of certain characters that you do not usually see represented in YA fiction (from hyperhydrosis - never see that talked about in fiction - to hoarding).

An escapist read that would be perfect for a summer camping trip, or in September when fall is just creeping into the edges of the season.

Thank you so much to Netgalley for this ARC! As an avid fan of Buffy, Supernatural, and The X-Files, I was immediately drawn to this story of ghosts, demons, and the heroes that hunt them. It was a thrill ride to say the least; Sunnydale's Hellmouth on CRACK!

We dive into Anna's life, which is as messy and rotten as the house she lives in. Her mom killed herself because of a demon that had possessed her, and her dad was never the same after. I loved the exploration into his grief, which manifested itself in his hoarding. It gets worse as worse as the story reaches its climax, and it's heartbreaking to actually see the physical sign of his pain. He's unable to let anything go, including the memory of his late wife.

Anna has her own problems outside of this, though. She is constantly bullied at school for being the daughter of a ghost hunter. Nicknamed Goblin Girl, kids are either scared of her, disgusted by her, or turned on by her. None of this is wanted attention, and so she seeks affection from a boy in a band who could care less about her. She finds her only other solace in her two friends, Dor and Freddy.

Things start to go sideways, and Anna is plagued with nightmares, headaches, and violent thoughts. She sees people she's been surrounded by her whole life turn nasty or sullen, and she knows something supernatural has to be to blame. By tapping into her genetic connection to the Source (the metaphorical light at the end of the tunnel), she uncovers the truth of her diseased and demon-infested town, and begins a journey to not only save her town, but to finally figure out who she is.

The thing I loved most about this narrative was the supernatural lore. It was interesting and compelling, and unlike anything I've ever read before. There was a myriad of beings: shadow people, Tricksters, demons-- all who had their own time to shine and it never felt like there was too much being crammed into one story. They all had their own specific purpose and I was left feeling like I had just finished watching a season of one of my favorite supernatural shows. It was a rollercoaster ride of thrills, chills, and despair, and I loved every second!

A book that sounds like it should be the love child of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Supernatural ends up being a bit too juvenile for my tastes.

“The Ghost Hunter’s Daughter” finds Anna struggling to pick up the pieces after her mother’s death while handling the social consequences of her fathers profession when painful headaches and uncontrollable thoughts of violence threaten to tear her apart and it doesn’t take long before she realizes that whatever this evil is has set it’s sights on everyone in town.

This book is okay I feel like it would appeal to a younger crowd than myself which is fine. I felt like a lot of the problems outside of the demon hunting were way too cliché for me to really care but it did get interesting to see how the demons influence was able to take these conflicts and twist them into something far more unsettling that they usually play out.

Anna was great but she has her moments when I wanted to shake her especially when it came to the love story. I feel like she went through a lot and it was nice to see how strong she was fighting both the mundane and supernatural forces that were determined to drag her down but everyone else were pretty forgettable.

This isn’t a bad book and there’s definitely a lot of action and gore to keep things moving but unfortunately it just didn’t work for me.

**special thanks to the publishers and netgalley for providing an arc in exchange for a fair and honest review**