➽ <strong>I liked the original approach to ghosts and the afterlife</strong> This is the perfect October read, as the book is all about ghosts and life after death! The approach to ghosts was very interesting and definitely added something new. Basically, ghosts are bound to the place they have died in and cannot escape it without disintegrating. The latter would cause them to cease to exist and move on to whatever truly comes after death and the ghostly afterlife. I also<strong> liked that all of them have energy levels that determine if they can move around and use their powers, as every ghost develops a special power</strong>! That was so cool, as I love superpowers and here it<strong> added to the existing social dynamics</strong>! A lot of ghosts died in this particular building, so there are several groups with different standings and especially the sinister Tricksters who offer deals in exchange for favors, usually with people who have useful and interesting powers. Several powers that we see include possession, hypnotism, barriers, invisibility, shapeshifting, and much more. I loved exploring all the powers and that they come with a price, as using them drains energy. Once a ghost has lost too much energy it becomes a 'Shell', basically turning into a vegetative state, unable to do anything. If someone else dies closeby - as Harriet did - a burst of energy is unleashed and reawakens ghosts that lost most of their energy. That's how the story got started!

<strong>“You aren’t as funny as you think you are!” Kasper yelled at Rima. “Once I overheard you memorizing puns in the bathroom!” Leah interjected, “He’s right. You said that even your mum never used to laugh at your jokes, Rima.” “All of my jokes,” Rima corrected. “I said all of my jokes. And I told you that in confidence, Leah! If you keep this up, I’m gonna stop being best friends with you.” “When?” Leah asked, longingly.”</strong>

➽ <strong>The characters are the heart of the story & there are so many found family vibes.</strong> Apart from Harriet - who is new to this whole ghost thing - we have a crew of ghosts who have been together for decades and now find themselves reawakened again. I loved their strong bond and how they had carved out a piece of their afterlife for their little family, as all of them mostly stay together and apart from the other ghosts. My favorite had to be <strong>Felix</strong>, a gay boy who's spent his afterlife pining after a boy (<strong>Kasper</strong>) who might not ever love him back. However, he loves his little friend group so much and is suspicious of any newcomers like Harriet, especially when she starts to act out. I also love <strong>Rima </strong>who's a very warm-hearted, bubbly, and friendly person who is immediately open to including Harriet in their group, but who can also be frustratingly naive at times. She always believes in the best in people, even when this is a bad impulse. Her best friend is<strong> Leah</strong>, one of the oldest ghosts in the building, who is more sarcastic and pragmatic, more like the Mom Friend! I liked that we got the perspective of all the characters and not just Harriet, as it provided a balanced story and let us see things from different angles!

<strong>"She was very aware that she was pretending to be upbeat and calm about this whole thing. If she stopped smiling, she would break down, and that wasn't something she could do in front of strangers. She'd always been taught never to show anyone a sign of weakness because someone would try to use it again her."</strong>

➽ <strong>Harriet is a great anti-heroine with an interesting character Arc. </strong>The title alone tells us that Harriet's afterlife is not peaceful and among the established found family of Ghosts (Felix, Kasper, Rima, and Leah) as well as the other ghosts in the building, she is the newcomer. Harriet has no idea about how to cope with her new death and is desperate to leave the building and return to her grandmother. Right from the beginning, I found her interesting, as we quickly learn that Harriet is manipulative, ambitious, and cunning, trying to use the ghosts who take to her as information and trading what little she has to offer. <strong>Harriet is definitely adaptable, but also reckless and unable to connect with others</strong>. She never had any real friends and was taught by her grandmother to see others only for their social capital. So all Harriet knows is how to use people to her advantage, not how to be comfortable among friends. It's hard for her to see that Felix's friend group could help her. Instead, she often only relies on herself, making many grave mistakes because she lacks the important information about the dynamics between all the ghosts. Her a<strong>nti-heroine Arc was well-written</strong> as you could see where she comes from and how all her desires and decisions escalated into making her into a threat. This was especially interesting as we also saw the other characters' perspectives in addition to her own. Harriet ould be unlikable but her character was well explored and she does face consequences and gets called out. <spoiler>We later learn that Harriet was abused all her life by her grandmother who not only killed her parents but isolated her on purpose so she would always be there when she needed her. <strong>The book is also about Harriet slowly unpacking her trauma and realizing that she is actually afraid of her grandmother and that she was actually abused all her life</strong>. It's a difficult scenario to write but I thought that the author did a good job showing the signs of Harriet's abuse way before her grandmother joins her in the afterlife. I also appreciated that Harriet got turned around and joined the others in the fight in the end. She accepted the consequences of her actions and tried what she could to redeem herself. The others still didn't 100% forgive her, but the end gives hope for Harriet to one day get a second chance with them.</spoiler>

<strong>"Kasper Jedynak", the blond boy said, preening slightly. "4B". He shuffled his hand through his hair, which was surprisingly fluffy. "Casper? Like the friendly ghost?" A much-beleaguered look crossed his face. "Bad coincidence. Don't bother with the jokes, I've heard them all before." "Though he is very friendly", Rima piped up. Kasper sighed."</strong>

➽ <strong>The plot also stayed interesting and with high stakes.</strong> The dynamics and hierarchy among the ghosts were interesting to explore, especially with Harriet's arrival as a new ghost who quickly become a threat.<strong> There is a great sense of foreboding </strong>and though the story is set only in one place (the building Harriet died in), there is never a dull moment and I was on the edge of my seat the whole time. There was quite a bit of mystery in the story and adding an almost omniscient character in between the chapters was interesting, as we try to uncover who is talking and what secrets they are hiding, as some things are slowly building up. <strong>The author also has a fantastic writing style</strong>, which I found great to read and got me really invested in the story! I read another book by her - The Loneliest Girl in the Universe - and her books are perfect to binge-read!

<strong>IN CONCLUSION.</strong> ➽ <em>The Reckless Afterlife of Harriet Stoker </em>was an<strong> interesting new approach to ghosts and the afterlife </strong>with found family vibes and an interesting anti-heroine. The plot is full of suspense, mystery, and a great sense of foreboding, that made this a thrilling and high stakes reading experience! If you're looking for a new take on ghosts to read in October this is your book! 👻

When I venture into fare unusual for me, I end up with some good surprises and sometimes not. This book was a miss for me. The only reason I finished the book was that the writing was nice, and the imagery created by it was very vivid. The characters, for the most part, were likeable.
Harriet, the titular protagonist, was not likeable. She was so fixated on getting out that it overtook all her senses and kept driving her to extremely dangerous behaviour. Her thoughts revolved solely around herself with only twinges of guilt. The twists were unexpected (except for the second-last one, which I saw coming). The end seems rushed, and the diversity seems very casually thrown in. The latter part worked in some places and felt gratuitous in others.
The story is of Harriet who dies after a fall, and the chapters are alternatively narrated by an unknown narrator who does not reveal their true self until the very end. That part was well done, in my opinion. It is aimed at a younger audience than me, which might be one of the reasons it did not work but mostly given the writing quality, I expected to like the entire story better.
I would pick up another book by this author given a chance.
I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers. The review, however, is entirely based on my own reading experience.

Harriet Stoker dies and is thrown into a house full of ghosts and trouble. She's not the most likeable character and is out to get as much energy and power as she possibly can.

There's a great group of ghost friends in the house and I really enjoyed their banter and love for each other. I found the character of Claudia, who is a baby, very creepy as you hear her thoughts. This story had some GRUESOME moments, too gruesome for my liking! But the story was well plotted with a few twists and turns. I really enjoyed reading about the Roman element to the story, that was really clever.

This was a wonderful book. Spooky, creepy and some good mystery. First I've read of Lauren's books, and I will read more for sure.

Ghosts with powers, familial intrigue and more twists than a spooky game of twister. I swear this book gave me whip lash in the best way possible

Lauren has such a gift with words and this novel was so spooky and creepy, and I adored it. The protagonist wasnt particularly likeable but that only added to the eagerness in which I followed her journey.

Simply wonderful.

Ghosts, anti-heroes, mysteries. The Reckless Afterlife of Harriet Stoker has it all. After an accident exploring an abandoned student building, Harriet wakes up to find herself, well, dead. Trapped in the place she died, with a group of students (all who mysteriously died at the same time many years before) and the evil tricksters locked in the basement, Harriet is determined to do whatever it takes to find her way back home to her Gran.

From the start I was pulled into this twisty haunted house of a read. It is fast-paced and the snappy chapters just keep you wanting to read more. Harriet Stoker is a fantastically dastardly evil but occasionally sympathetic villain which was a refreshing change from other books I’ve been reading recently. The other characters all instantly made an impression, from Felix with his decades-long secret crush to Rima with her pet fox ghost to Leah and Claudia and their hidden past. I enjoyed seeing the different perspectives, including the narrator whose identity is gradually revealed throughout the book.

There are a number of different plot threads and I really enjoyed seeing them come together towards the end as everything started to click into place and reveals occurred. While the general pacing of the book is well done, I did find it felt a touch rushed towards the end with a couple of things I had to read twice in order to appreciate what had just occurred. That being said, the ghost mythology in this book was great and I loved seeing it in action.

Overall, The Reckless Afterlife of Harriet Stoker is exactly what the title implies. It is entertaining, wild, twisty and Harriet is incredibly reckless. This is probably an ideal book to get into those spooky reads in the run up to Halloween; although, while there are a couple of slightly gory and creepy parts, this is not a horror book so don’t go in expecting any scares.

This could be a typical YA read. Take a group of people from different backgrounds, throw them together at university and watch their relationships develop or fall apart. What makes this group different is that they are all ghosts. It's a brilliant idea. The book opens with the death of the title character, and what follows is the tale of how she adjusts to her new found state. I don't know how I would categorize this book; maybe spooky, horror thriller. Whatever you want to call it, I found it to be an exciting read.

Normally a huge fan of Lauren's books, I have to admit to being disappointed wirh The Reckless Afterlife of Harriet Stoker. Harriet is an unlikeable main character, and I honestly could not have cared what happened with her. I actually stopped reading the book for about 6wks when I hit 18% and nothing much was happening, I finally managed to push through as I was hoping that the book improved, but unfortunately it didn't for me.

The side characters (can we call them that if they have povs?) were much more engaging and I was really keen to hear more from Leah, and the narration/narrator was cleverly done too, hense the 3* rating. The final few chapters felt really rushed and I felt, didn't make much sense - good premise, just not particvularly well executed unfortunately.

Firstly, I want to say thank you to Walker Books for approving my request to read an advanced e-copy of The Reckless Afterlife of Harriet Stoker, I really appreciate this opportunity. When I heard this book was coming out I felt so excited to give it a go, I was blown away by how much I loved the premise, how original it felt and how intrigued I was by it. For the first 100 pages I continued to feel this way, I liked the execution and wanted to read more and more. I struggled to put down my kindle at this point. Unfortunately this changed for me. I began to not understand the point in certain things, including the point of the mystery narrative that was adapted throughout. At first I could not wait to find out who it was and how they linked with the story but after a while I lost interest and just did not care. I could not get on with the writing style, I found that even though this is a YA book it felt very juvenile and in parts of the book I was skim reading because I just could not get on with it anymore. I did like some of the characters, especially Kasper and Felix, I loved them so much. I feel like they maybe could have been developed a little bit more so that I could build up more of a connection with them. I wanted to love Harriet, I wanted to feel sorry for her. I did in the first 100 pages but after that I just lost interest. I didn't get the ending either, is there meant to be another book? I can't see anything anywhere that says it will be. It just seemed to end very abruptly I wanted more. I'm so sad to be writing this review, and from reading other peoples views I am definitely in the minority so please don't let what I think put you off reading. You may well love this one!

I think i’ve accidentally found myself in the position of being a Lauren James fan. I think she’s really cool, super clever and I love the way her books usually have a twist or four that make you double take. The Reckless Afterlife of Harriet Stoker is no different even if the premise and genre does differ from Lauren Jame’s usual genres & Style. Thank you so much to Walker Books for letting me have an early look at this book through Net-galley!

In Short: Anti-Hero + Queer Side Lovestory + Great fun cast of main characters + Ghosts = The Reckless Afterlife of Harriet Stoker

Usually with a Lauren James book I love the main protagonist but the rest of the cast of characters usually feels a little bit flat, but i’m so glad that this book most of the core cast of characters feel a lot more believable, fun and interesting to read. I think this really comes down to the core plot of the book if i’m honest. With most of her books it tends to this _us against the world_ almost theme to them, with The Loneliest girl in the universe there weren’t many characters ***to*** realise, but with book there was a whole cast of characters that almost feel like they were designed for you to love or hate. And I think that's where Lauren James really excels with this book. I adored it so much!! Plus the story itself is just addictive, I loved watching the whole journey of Harriet where usually it would be ahh bad guys lets take them down, when in this it's almost the opposite and I loved the whole grey morality area of it all

I had to DNF this book at 200 pages as it just wasn’t for me. The plot definitely had me intrigued and the writing itself is brilliant. I just found myself not caring for the characters and that made me struggle to pick the book up. I decided I couldn’t commit to finishing it as I could feel myself entering a reading slump. Would still recommend people give this as try but unfortunately it wasn’t for me.

8 autumnal books that you should read right now
As soon as it turned 1st September, I was all ready to curl up with a book and a blanket. I had a look through my TBR and picked out some autumnal books – and I thought I’d share them with you too!

The Reckless Afterlife of Harriet Stoker by Lauren James
Lauren James’ latest novel sounds like the perfect Halloween read! When Harriet Stoker dies after falling from a balcony in a long-abandoned building, she discovers a group of ghosts, each with a special power. Felix, Kasper, Rima and Leah welcome Harriet into their world, eager to make friends with the new arrival after decades alone. Yet Harriet is more interested in unleashing her own power, even if it means destroying everyone around her. But when all of eternity is at stake, the afterlife can be a dangerous place to make an enemy.

<b>*4.5 Stars*</b>

The Reckless Afterlife of Harriet Stoker is a ghost story. It starts when Harriet takes a fall and dies in an old university building. Turns out, a lot of people whom have died in that building are still there, as ghosts. There's a kind of hierarchy and the criminals are locked in the basement. A LOT happens but I don't want to get into it more than that, I think it's better to discover it just as Harriet does, learning alongside her.

I really loved this. The characters were layered, in the best way. I ended hating some of them and finding redemption for them in very little time, it was all done so perfectly. A couple of them were also my little angels and I loved them to death from the start.
I was also enthralled by the setting, the plot, all of it really. It was very well constructed from beginning to end and the twists took me by surprise.
Also, it was very gay, which is always an added bonus. Oh and I liked that we had several points of view. I also liked the italics parts even though I was very confused at first.
Honestly, just a great story from beginning to end. I had heard a lot about Lauren James before and I now know for sure that I will read all of her books.

'The Reckless Afterlife of Harriet Stoker' has had me on the edge of my seat for the past two days - it was tense! I don’t think I am going to be able to stop thinking about it for a while. It was such a unique ghost story and the (not at all perfect) characters really got to me. The perfect read for the Halloween season! Thank you for the review copy!

2.5

TW: death, murder, gore, emotional and physical abuse, emotional manipulation

I think The Reckless Afterlife of Harriet Stoker is going to be what a lot of people are looking for in a book.

This follows Harriet Stoker's afterlife, as the title implies. Harriet dies in a tragic fall and wakes up in her afterlife as a ghost. There she meets the group with Rima, Felix, Kasper, Leah, and Claudia who immediately help her deal with her death and learn about her new life as a ghost.

However, nothing in this book will go as you think it will and I enjoyed that aspect. It's an action-packed story with twists and turners as it unfolds. Harriet is a motivated morally grey character, with no qualms about her choices, and you spend a lot of time trying to understand her.

The group of friends will also steal your heart: Rima with her cheerfulness, Kasper with his dreams, Felix with his protectiveness, and Leah with her brutal honesty (quite literally).

There are many layers to this story, I would recommend not paying much attention to the synopsis and just dive right in.

What didn't quite work for me was the writing itself - I read The Starlight Watchmaker by James and the writing seems quite different. I wish the author had pushed Harriet's character further and not made her a cliché if I could call it that. Similarly, the way some truths are discovered seemed unrealistic as in, the character all of the sudden discovers by themselves a years-old secret or truth.

The characters also felt superficial to me, especially in their banter. I don't think the narrator's style quite worked in connecting me to the characters and creating depth in their personalities. Also, the number of times I confused Kasper with Felix...

Even though this wasn't the right book for me, I do believe many people would enjoy it. If you want horror with some comedy, ghost battles, then look no further. Perfect for the spooky season.

A unique and individual take on a ghost story! The Reckless Afterlife of Harriet Stoker explores the concept of the “hero” and the “villain” and what happens when a character is both, or perhaps neither. This was unlike any other Lauren James book I’ve read, and while I didn’t enjoy it quite as much it definitely piqued my interest.

This book took a lot of twists and turns, some
I saw coming and some I definitely did not. I enjoyed the fact the story was told through multiple perspectives, all of whom were so clearly distinguishable from one another.

The Reckless Afterlife of Harriet Stoker was also a diverse read. There were characters of varying ethnicity and sexual orientations across the spectrum which I was really pleased to see.

The feeling of tension and unease ran through the book like a current, keeping you on the edge of your seat as you wondered where this story would go. It’s also worth noting that this book takes place in one location!

The Reckless Afterlife of Harriet Stoker is a great read for Halloween or any time of the year when you are looking for a ghostly read.

The premies and the format of The Reckless Afterlife of a Harriet Stoker are both interesting. The format of the story is told via multiple points of view with one mystery point of view. This kept me interested, especially trying to figure out the mystery point of view. Also having the multiple points of views kept the pace moving which meant I finished the book in one night.

The cast of characters in The Reckless Afterlife Harriet Stoker is a mixed bag. Some characters I liked some I didn't like so much. As you read their point of views I was torn between not liking a certain person or feeling sorry for them when you hear about there past.




One of my favourite aspects was that all the Ghosts have different and unique powers. I liked that depending on the person if they use their powers for good/bad. It's fascinating as well as they use the abilities to barter for things/ items.

I wasn't sure what the endgame was for The Reckless Afterlife of Harriet Stoker when I started reading it, I did enjoy the journey, the revelation and the ghostly powers.




Overall The Reckless Afterlife of Harriet Stoker is an enjoyable read especially if you like to know what happens to you after you die.

My Rating for The Reckless Afterlife of Harriet Stoker is 3.7 out of 5.

WHAT?! WHAAAT?? 5 STARS PLEASE!!!!

I have just finished this book and honestly I wish I had the exceptional vocabulary needed to describe it. I wish I could do it justice. I wish I could explain everything I'm feeling right now. Honestly my brain is blown and I fear I will spend the rest of my life thinking about this book.

Lauren James has created such a unique masterpiece that I honestly can't fault it. Everything about this book was good. The characters, the plot, the writing, all of it is woven together in such a way that makes it absolutely impossible to put it down.

No one is prepared for the adventure that Harriet Stoker provides and honestly I highly recommend going into it without knowing too much about it because it will make your reading experience all the more mind blowing.

I need to reevaluate everything I know about ghost stories now that I've read this so just excuse me whilst I search my brain for words to describe how I'm feeling.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Happy book birthday !!! Okay, I am little bit late to write my review but here it is. This book was absolutely wonderful. I love Lauren James' other books and this one didn't disappoint me either. It was everything that I wanted. The plot was super interesting. It got me hooked from the first page. It was twisty and complex. Overall I think this one was amazing and if you like Lauren James' writing, you will definitely like this book too.

The Reckless Afterlife of Harriet Stoker opens with the death of university student Harriet Stoker, who is exploring a former hall of residence which was closed down years ago following a gas leak that caused the deaths of several students. Following a fatal fall, Harriet awakes to find herself surrounded by the spirits of those students, ghosts who are tied to the building and survive by ingesting the energy of various small animals. Harriet is shocked to find she is dead but when she learns that each ghost has a special power she is determined to find out what hers is, even if it means destroying her new found friends, the ghosts who have tried to ease her passing and welcome her to her new home.
The characters were easily my favourite thing about the book. Harriet, though she is not a character I liked, is one I found intriguing, and I was invested in her story. I loved the various ghosts, especially Kasper and Felix, as well as the sinister "Tricksters" in the creepy basement. The (really) slow burn romance between two of the ghosts was beautiful and sweet, while the revelations about some of the others added a nice twist to the story.
Speaking of twists, I have to admit that I found the ending disappointing. It felt rushed and I was let down with how it played out, it just didn't fit with the rest of the book in my opinion, which is a shame as I was really enjoying the book up to that point.
This was my first experience reading Lauren James, and I would certainly pick up another of her books as I think she has a fantastic skill when it comes to creating mood and tone, and a real way with characters and dialogue.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher , all opinions are my own.

Lauren James is the queen of foreshadowing. She just is. Moments, words, looks that you think nothing of at the time take on huge significance later, when you realise what they really meant.

Several of Lauren's novels, although they cross genres, are set in the same universe. This one is a sort of action horror, a story about ghosts with special powers and vendettas that literally last beyond the grave. The group of ghosts Harriet meets are fascinating (although the idea is creepy; are there ghosts in my house eating spiders and watching me?) I have occasionally wondered about all the people who lived on this land before it was my house!

So far, apart from being gently linked, these novels don't have sequels. That's a shame, because I'd love to know what happens next. Although the story we've been following is over, there's plenty more to know about these people and more adventures they could have. (I have a question about Leah, but I don't want to spoil anyone reading this!)

I really enjoyed this. I liked the characters, even the ones I didn't like, the idea was very clever, and, if possible, I'm even more of a Lauren James fan than I was before. Brava.

And although this isn't so much Lauren's doing, I love the cover on this one. It matches her others without being exactly the same, just similar enough to be noticed, which I think is really clever. And the title, as always, is excellent.