Entertaining Modern-Day Phantom Story.
346319
Normally, I don't usually care too much for modern-day retellings of the Phantom of the opera, but I did enjoy this one. I think the heroine being homeless or jobless for six straight years from the age of 18-24 a bit of a stretch, but overall I l found this novel highly entertaining and a  good read. If you are looking for a lighthearted feel-good romance then this is for you. Also, I definitely recommend it to Phans.
2785048
Begin with the fresh setting of a family-owned auction house and throw in a spooky camera: whenever you take a picture, the same sad old man appears in it along with whatever you shot. He's a ghost, but whose? And what does he want? When Josie and her brothers Fox and Mason try to find out, they run afoul of a curse and a terrifying figure known as the Mothman. Author Christine Hayes does it all here: ghost story, supernatural thriller, and coming-of-age story. All nicely balanced, beginning with strong, appealing characters. Outgoing, colorful junior auctioneer Fox seems like the obvious leader for these escapades, but it is steady Josie who takes the helm and carries us through. The plot takes curious twists and turns, pulling you along to see what happens next. Poltergeist in the storeroom? Check. Glowing red eyes in the night? Check. Natural disasters that seem a little unnatural? Check. Major threat that must be averted by our young heroes? Well, check, of course! Hayes's use of the Mothman is especially fun because he is an urban legend from back east, like the Jersey Devil. Only she gives him an intriguing backstory, eked out in bits and pieces. (A nice author's note at the end tells us more about the legend.) Illustrations add to the whole effect. Mothman's Curse is scary enough for the kid who wants to be scared, but not too scary for most middle grade readers. This would make a good classroom or family read-aloud!
3227543
In typical Clancy fashion, the stories that unravel actually appear realistic and relevant to current events. The storyline keeps the reader's interest and it is quite entertaining.
1331313
15-year-old, down-to-earth, tomboy Dibby is about the last person youd expect to get caught up in the world of ghosts and witches, but thats exactly what happens when a young phantom starts making nighttime visits. Hes eager for Dibby to uncover the truth about his passing. Even more unbelievable for Dibby is that the cute new boy in school seems to be interested in her! Between ghostly visions, chasing down clues, and contemplating her first real date, whats a girl to do? With his trademark wry humor, author Stuart West takes us on another enjoyable ride!
4948431
This story is entertaining and has a slight "Twilight" edge to it. Fortunately, the characters and creatures had their own unique story to tell. I liked that the story line hooks the reader early on, but wish there was a little more time spent on the foundation. Overall, this was a quick and entertaining story with just a few edit errors. I look forward to reading the next story.
961822
In this short but satisfying ghost story, a woman trapped by circumstances in a house that would rival the hotel in The Shining fights off spirits with less than good intentions at heart.

The main characters back story adds to the readers empathy of her plight, and makes her battle much more difficult and believable. And the out-of-the-blue plot twist either leads to dismay or joy  depending solely on the readers imagination.

The Flies is a quick, scary read.
4907881
I thought this was an enjoyable book.  It appealed to me because of the main character being a doctor, and the fact that it was a ghost story.  I thought it was well-paced and kept me engaged throughout.  I have to admit that there seemed to be something missing between Anna discovering she has powers and being able to use them immediately, but it didn't really detract from my enjoyment of the story.  I listened to the Audible audio version of the book narrated by Elizabeth Saydah, and I really enjoyed her narration.  She has a really pleasant "alto" voice, which blends well for both male and female characters, and she does a good job of giving each character a unique voice.
1198734
I really enjoyed this book. It's a bit hard to classify (which I kinda like), a ghost story but not particularly scary. The protagonist has a very sardonic sense of humor and is very perpetually down on his luck, so he's pretty easy to root for. The story is pretty straight forward, moving from one "episode" to the next as Mike learns more about his connection with the supernatural and the afterlife, but there's some neat twists thrown in here and there. If you're a history buff you'll enjoy the historical characters intermixed as well. Overall a very fun read!
2697961
I enjoyed this take on mermaid mug in modern times. The story is well paced and kept my interest. A few minor edit issues and such but nothing that forced me out of the narrative.
4851005
Forged in Fire is a good read with clear, recognizable characters that does not take itself too seriously. The various plots are each their own good stories, and I am eager to find out how they all intersect. Forged in Fire does not contain any naughty bits or gratuitous violence, but the plot twists and storylines provide an entertaining  diversion from the real stories of the day.
2050188
Very original tale! Takes the familiar characters and twists them around into a book I found hard to put down.

And unlike a lot of "Phantom" novels I have read, this one has very few editing errors--some missing quotation marks here and there, and one point-of-view change in the middle of a papagraph. Anyone who wishes to publish their fan fiction can take a lesson from this author.

I would recomend this book to the legion of "Phans" out there--this is an engaging, fun read.
3028684
This book takes a very interesting approach to the young adult ghost story. Usually you have a crew of teens who are there to provide variety and drama. Just pick from a list - good girl, bad girl, jock, slacker, nerd, guy with ulterior motives, sneak, smart aleck, and so on. St. Clair doesn't go there. Instead, he puts together a crew of varied but pretty straight arrow characters and focuses on the actual details of ghost hunting. Along the way the characters are developed in interesting ways and a good ghost story is told, but the underlying action turns on the job of detecting and proving the existence of ghosts. So, this becomes a sort of YA History/Discovery Channel adventure, which is a nice change of pace.

That said, it is a good ghost story. The ghost's despair is nicely layered into the running story and the resolution makes sense. Some plot angles are a little pat, but I'm willing to trade that off in exchange for a clear story with a clear ending. At first our ghost hunters are a little hard to distinguish, but they develop into separate and interesting characters as the book goes on, and I was willing to be patient instead of just be handed a bunch of ready-made types.

The book is a bit formal and old school at first, but it picks up speed once the plot's wheels have been turned into motion. Suspense builds slowly, but there is a solid enough payoff at the end.

So, it isn't horror; it's searching for supernatural evidence. That touch of earnest ghost hunting science made for a nice and appealing change of pace. (Please note that I found this book a while ago while browsing Amazon Kindle freebies. It is currently a kindleunlimited choice. I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)
1887970
A modern ghost story set in New Orleans. The author is familiar with the city and it was used well in telling this story.  I don't usually read ghost stories, but glad I gave this one a chance.  I stayed interested and found the story moved along at a good pace. This is good reading for the summer.  M.A. Harper had already impressed me with "The Worst Day Of My Life So Far." Looking forward to seeing what story the author will tell next.
3264578
I met the author of this book by a chance encounter and became acquainted with this novel inspired by the Phantom of the Opera. I love a good piece of Phan-Fiction so I picked up a copy.

Having just finished it, I'll give some thoughts.

First and foremost, it is important to be able to let go of your own visions or images of the Phantom's/Erik's character while reading this story. Failure to do so will leave you frustrated with some of Erik's choices, manners and dialogue. Sharon makes note of this in her prologue that everyone has their own idea of who the Phantom is. I certainly have my own ideas and not all of them jive with Sharon's. Nevertheless, don't let those things be a stumbling block to accepting the story for what it is and letting it be told.

Second, I like how the author borrowed multiple elements from many of the "canon" Phantom backstories. You will find that Sharon has borrowed elements from Leroux's Erik, Andrew Lloyd Webber's and Joel Schumacher's. I was happy that the Persian is present in this story, for example, and that Erik's backstory working for the Shah is referenced.

The pacing of the story is somewhat inconsistent. The first few chapters of the story fly by far too quickly. I would've liked it more had the author spent more time developing the romance between Claire and Erik. As it is, the falling in love between them is too quick and fantastical for me to suspend my disbelief during those portions. Once they are established as a couple, however, things get better. The second half of the book gives more depth to the emotions of the characters and in some ways has a shifted tone which is suitable given the change in locale and lifestyle (saying more than that would be spoiling it).

Joseph Merrick's cameo is nicely integrated into the book and, indeed, his scenes were perhaps my favorite. As has been noted by other reviewers, Merrick's real life case provides a nice parallel to Erik's fictional predicament. Indeed, I actually wish Erik and Joseph had exchanged more dialogue and gotten to know one another more deeply. I believe such a conversation would have added many more layers of depth to both Erik and Claire.

Also, no review is complete without it being said that this book has plenty of tantalizing bits of Phantom Phantasization.

Overall, I'd recommend this book to people who enjoy reading different perspectives on the Phantom of the Opera. This book doesn't have the quality of widespread appeal but it does have those bits which will appeal to niche audiences like Phanatics, equestrian hobbyists and folks interested in the social status of women in the late 19th century.
1071213
Fast-paced fantasy/adventure with a small group of friends who accompany a newcomer to this apparently alternate Earth as he tries to return to his 21st-century home. Lots of human (and not-so-human) cultures, fantastic beasts, and fight scenes. Not as much character development as I'd like, but the story is thrilling and the plot interesting. No sex, almost no foul language, quite a bit of violence but not gory. Not a cliffhanger ending but the first of a trilogy; be prepared to continue this fun series. Pulp fiction for modern readers.
158130
Good, crisp story told with humor and insight. A ghost story in the old style, the captures the connections and irony of boy becoming man.
3330827
This one sort of grabs you at hello.  The key to the story is interesting enough to make up for a less than perfect delivery.  The characters are interesting as well.  The ending has been used a few times, but all in all a pleasant way to pass the time--particularly if you're like me and trying to quickly and cheaply download something because you forgot to bring a book for that long flight.

I would recommend this book to a friend.  I wouldn't recommend the sequel "Soul Intent" though.  The clever basis for the series is already out of the bag and the plot for that effort is even more obvious and convenient--plus it flows rather awkwardly between the past and the present.  Sometimes you read the story from the past and then have to read as a character in the present retells it...feels like the author needed to stretch things out to fill up enough pages.