A warm and funny ghost tale
594509
Twelve-year-old Eric has a secret he cant even share with his parents and younger brother, Nate; he can see ghosts. Eric is a likeable and intriguing character who is unschooled, that is, he learns naturally through having an interesting life visiting museums, reading books and going on nature walks with his younger brother and mother. When Eric accompanies Nate on a scout camp, he is stunned to meet Mr Francis, a scout master who also sees the annoying ghosts hanging around their Pennsylvanian town.

Just before Eric meets the Yama, the Grim Reaper and his family move to New York, Mr Francis teaches Eric how to deal with the ghosts with an ingenious invention. Moving to the city complicates life for Eric as he juggles trying to keep his secret while dealing with an influx of ghosts who leer at him inside and outside trains and inside their new apartment.

Eric is a gentle hero, who uses his powers of empathy and logic, and the support of his family to help confused ghosts and counter the more daunting Black Mist and the shadow ghosts. Sheila Baranoski balances the scary notions of death and ghosts by using funny descriptions and dialogue. Cellular Spirits is a warm and humorous tale that leaves you with a great feeling and I thoroughly recommend it for kids of all ages.
3072998
In the anthology, The Ghost of Carmen Miranda and other spooky Gay and Lesbian Tales, the editors Julie K. Trevelyan and Scott Brassart have assembled a lively, lavender corps of ghost stories. As the title implies, this Alyson publication is not strictly a horror collection, although some of the tales certainly qualify.  All the stories, however, focus on lesbian or gay characters as well as elements of the supernatural with manifestations of ghosts in some form or another.
Many of the stories, like Don Sakers' title entry "The Ghost of Carmen Miranda" -- wherein a morbidly obese gay man, trapped in a dead end existence on a space station, finds help and inspiration in a different kind patron saint -- are queerly witty and delightfully amusing.  Several stories address the idea of the spirit of a loved one returning or being trapped until some unfinished business can reach closure. A. J. Potter's "Taking Care of Faith" fits this theme.  The peanut butter eating ghost, Brandon, returns to his apartment, to check on his "widowed," lover, Evan. When Victor, the new renter, realizes it's not really strong cockroaches raiding his peanut butter, he is taken aback, to say the least. A rather nonchalant spectral Brandon, complains about Victor's choice of low fat variety, "It's peanut butter, for chrissake. If you're going to eat peanut butter, eat the real thing." (p19)
Abbe Ireland's "Case of the Sapphic Succubus" features a "ghost busting" Frances who must face another kind of "bust" when she agrees to spend the night in a historic bed and breakfast with an unusual guest service. Frances learns that facing a succubus isn't as difficult as facing what resides in the researcher's heart. "Paisley" has an archaeologist in the Appalachias of East Kentucky disinterring a casket that holds the bodies of two women. When the image of a woman in a paisley print dress begins to visit Charlotte, one of the summer's grunt workers, the story of those long dead women becomes hauntingly real.
While many of the stories are touching, arousing, and humorous; several are spooky, and some of these tales  brought genuine shivers to this reader.  A leather master learns what it really means to own and be owned when a neglected lover returns as illusrated in Simon Sheppard's intense, erotic, and ultimate power exchange, titled "My Possession."  From the skillful storytelling of M. Christian, readers are treated to "Echoes." And are asked to question how and why a man might become haunted and what lengths he might consider to exorcise himself.  The idea of possession is further explored by Hall Own Calwaugh in "amat67.jpg." Keith has just been sent an email that will change his life and prompt him to question his desires, briefly. By far the most chilling story to this reader was J.M. Beazer's "The Thing at the Bottom of the Bed." Haley returns from her father's funeral to find herself facing a horror from which she has hidden for much of her life.
The Ghost of Carmen Miranda and Other Spooky Gay and Lesbian Tales, found its way onto this reader's bookshelf when it was published in 1998. A seasonal rereading of its stories, was no less touching, arousing, humorous, and most importantly, thought provoking. The stories mentioned here are just a few of the 23 contained in its cover.  Although out of print, this title is worth tracking down. Think of it as your own little seance for the Halloween season and enjoy.
4327507
Grab a snack and snuggle in because this book is awesome! Don't Wake The Dead is a funny, fictional tale about a woman named Zoe who can see, hear and talk to ghosts, ghouls and all things other. Her roommate Teri and her best friend Jonelle are hilarious and the 3 men she meets are great too. There isn't anything scary about this book however it is filled with enjoyable banter that made me laugh and some pop culture references that make me smile. A mystery is part of this story, one that brings the gang closer and they solve it too. The epilogue is intriguing and left me wanting more. It's clear there is going to be more and I can't wait. If you're fans of a certain ghost show with J-Love as the lead, that airs only re-runs now, you'll like this book. This book is similar in premise except leave out the drama and add in the comedy. I hope to see the chemistry between Mal and Zoe build and become more as the series progresses. Great book, spunky, funny, light and a fast read.
3298318
There s something about Southern hospitality that always seems to shine through, no matter how bizarre the situation appears to be. Even if you suddenly find yourself haunted by a ghost from the Roaring 20s.
1237227
this was a great story and had me hooked with in a few pages. it has ghosts and snarky humor and laugh out loud moments. this author has a hit on her hands
498786
When I was the age of the young girl in this book, one of my favorite syndicated tv shows was The Ghost and Mrs. Muir. Edward Mulhair portrayed the ghost of a salty sea captain haunting a hundred year old cape home shared by a widow and her children. It was loads of fun with a touch of impossible romance. Reading the description of this book, took me back to my childhood and I couldn't wait to jump into it.

Despite the superficial resemblance to my childhood favorite this was a unique and enjoyable take on a ghost story.

Remy Galway plans to buy the old long island home as a sign of her Independence after a long recovery from her divorce. With her parents support she has slowly rebuilt her life and opened her own business. Now she is ready for her and her daughter to stand on their own. What she doesnt know is that her home is haunted by a crusty whaling captain who is not amused by two females moving into his house, changing things. It doesnt help that Olivia seems to be able to see him and isn't at all frightened. His childish attempts to get them to leave is lost in the mystery of bad luck seemingly following Remy. Her home and business are vandalized and her car is run off the road. She doesnt see any connection, however she cant shake the feeling that someone is watching her and when she begins to receive phone calls that don't show up on her cell phone history she begins to doubt herself. Luckily Hugh, a friend of her mothers, is there to help see her through the trouble.

This is the second book written by Mr. Cash that I have read and I continue to appreciate his writing style. His characters are larger than life and his story is exceptional. The historical aspect of the tale fit together beautifully with the modern day story. While this story focuses on Remy and her new found life, it is really about Captain Eli. I loved how Hugh, in his role as curator of the local maritime museum, holds the key that may give the Captain a chance to finish his tale.

I would appreciate longer books from this author, but I can honestly say this book was exactly as long as it needed to be and there were no loose ends or rushed storylines.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest written review.
2946410
I really enjoyed this story.  The quirky little town, company, and characters that make up the story are truly endearing and really make you want to read more. I read a lot of paranormal stories and I liked this as an original take on communicating with the dead.  I can't wait for "A Gift of Thought" to come out in June!
2004452
Not a typical ghost story is right...It is a unique, fresh, funny ghost story... and so heartwarming in the end!

This clever story is told more from the ghost's point of view. May Trump is a stubborn 75 year old woman that has just discovered that she is dead and she can be heard by the living. May had me laughing from the first chapter; she is a colorful, genuine character. Her talking back to the people on 'the gossip shows' on television reminded me of my own Grandmother. May's only soft spot is for Mr. Kibbles her dead cat until she is drawn to help a recently deceased ghost and the ghost's living daughter. May, Penny, Gary and Chloe team up with an equally entertaining group ladies that dabble in the supernatural. The story is full of humor as May and the others try to figure out how to accomplish their goals. I love the cauliflower on the mannequin and May's matter of fact reactions to these odd situations.

The author really brings this story to life with all rich characters and realist interactions. Peter John did an excellent job of making the characters believable, even lovable. George is written just how I would expect him to sound having died so long ago. May's time period in the other realm captivated my attention as well. Then the plot thickens and just when I thought I could predict the direction of the story it went another way! I was thoroughly entertained throughout this book and anxious to know what was going to happen to May in the end. I almost cried during the last chapter; I had a big smile on my face too. The ending is perfect and I had no clue that it was going to happen. This is a brilliant story and I highly recommend it to anyone that loves a great ghost story.
4924785
This was a really fun book! The main character is haunted by a mysterious ghost, who in the tradition of ghostly partners is insufferable yet occasionally helpful. I think the ghost is a hilarious character, among a cast of great characters. This is a fast read and a good way to kill a rainy Saturday!
4085225
Fifteen-year-old Gala Rhyce is an illustrator for comic books, touched by one ghost, and has this fantastic paranormal power. She sees ghosts and their auras. She also see human auras. All this makes her different, and she wants to be normal as she approaches her first day of a brand new school, in her new hometown of Flagler Beach, FL. But the spirits are determined Gala won't be normal. She has a job to do, and a boyfriend, Cy, to break up with now that he's in college. Her latest adventure doesn't start off great, what with a ghost dog causing her tremendous physical damage, but Gala meets a "Ghost Boy" she names Jaylen. Things really heat up when a prank crazy ghost, Roy, attaches himself to her. Just when she thinks she has things figured out, life throws Gala a curve ball she never saw coming.
Becky Pourchot weaves a paranormal tale of one teen's calling to help clear ghosts from the human plane with ease. To Kiss a Ghost is a fun easy read for any and all teens. The action is believable, and hysterically funny as Gala's ten-year-old brother gets into the act by "enchanting" food for the ghosts. There is heartbreak when Gala must give up a ghost she's come to love, with a sweet, enduring kiss, but there is also hope for the future when she discovers her ghost is actually a teen not much older than her recovering from a fire that destroyed his home. To Kiss a Ghost garners five stars for it's entertainment value, it's realism, and for being good enough to hope the sequel comes out soon.
Note: I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are 100% my own.
2588422
I love a good ghost story and with romance subtly included only makes it better.  The characters are vivid and complex. My real favorite ingredient is all the animals especially Bear. Strongly recommend this book.
1275595
This book was recommended to me by a friend and though I normally veer away from the average ghost story, my friend promised me I would enjoy it. How right she was. It was a fun story with a decent plot, a little bit of romance, action and suspense. Some of the scenes made me laugh out loud. The characters were believable and likeable.
3946499
A wonderful book. I'm not into vampires, ghouls and things like that, but ghost stories are fun, but this is the first time I read about a living skeleton. Funny and very well plotted and written. I can't wait to read the next in her series.
4566236
I was looking for something that would make me laugh and lighten my heart.  I found it in "A Modern Witch."  The characters are warm and easy to like the story was engaging and I look forward to meeting them all again.<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/A-Modern-Witch/dp/B004RZ2660/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">A Modern Witch</a>
1531192
I really enjoyed this Howloween mystery! Pampered pets, ghost hunters, quirky guests and ghosts will tickle your funny bone in this cozy mystery.
4501731
Note: I received a free copy of Haunting Joy by Lena Goldfinch in exchange for an honest review.

Well-written and thoughtful ghost story. Joy gets a dress, necklace, and pair of flip flops from a thrift store and it turns out the previous young owner died in a car crash. Joy can feel Beth, the previous owner, haunting the dress and wanting her help. Eerie at points, but not scary. There is also some romance between Joy and Nick, the good looking guy she's had a crush on for so long, as he helps her through her mission. A good deal of the tension comes from Joy not wanting to look to crazy in front of Nick or her other friends as she can't logically explain what's going on. Definitely reminded me of that tv show Ghost Whisperer - kind of sappy and a little weepy.

Thanks very much for the free copy! I enjoyed getting to know the characters.
4944930
I enjoyed this book.  I laughed out loud several times.  Nate inherits a dilapidated haunted mansion in Louisiana with a cranky ghost!  My favorite supporting character was Gilligan, the cat, who could speak to the ghost.  There is some heart to the story too.  All in all, a fun and engaging read.