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garnetofeden's review against another edition
1.0
I WANTED to like this. The premise sounded so good. A murdered ghost helping solve crimes and solving the mystery of her own death in the process? Check my urban-fantasy- and mystery-loving boxes!
However, it quickly went downhill. Exhibit A: "(...) the Internet said that he had made a mint creating video games, and I'm not talking Ms. Pac-Man or Donkey Kong, either. From my marathon TV and computer binges, I noticed that a lot of modern game play basically trained a person to mutilate and butcher. And guess what. Our suspect in Elizabeth Dalton's murder had gifted society with Blood and Blades about four years ago. Coincidence?" This is followed by the two characters concluding that his game shows that he's violent. WHAT?!
Okay, well, maybe she'll learn about video games not defining people that way as we go on? I mean, OBVIOUSLY Gavin won't really be the killer because that would be, well, too obvious. And then, Exhibit B: "Actually, she seemed Asian-a kind of cool nerd with a pink streak down the side of her hair." A couple paragraphs later, this character is referred to as a 'geek' for wanting to study instead of party. Her appearance and academic ambitions couldn't be described without resorting to racial stereotypes?
This was followed shortly by further exhibits as I started scanning ahead to desperately see if there was anything that sounded redeeming. As I have historically had a bad habit of giving books multiple chances, ballooning my to-read list, this time I am sticking to my guns, marking this as "did not finish", and moving on...
Rating reviewed 12/26/2022.
However, it quickly went downhill. Exhibit A: "(...) the Internet said that he had made a mint creating video games, and I'm not talking Ms. Pac-Man or Donkey Kong, either. From my marathon TV and computer binges, I noticed that a lot of modern game play basically trained a person to mutilate and butcher. And guess what. Our suspect in Elizabeth Dalton's murder had gifted society with Blood and Blades about four years ago. Coincidence?" This is followed by the two characters concluding that his game shows that he's violent. WHAT?!
Okay, well, maybe she'll learn about video games not defining people that way as we go on? I mean, OBVIOUSLY Gavin won't really be the killer because that would be, well, too obvious. And then, Exhibit B: "Actually, she seemed Asian-a kind of cool nerd with a pink streak down the side of her hair." A couple paragraphs later, this character is referred to as a 'geek' for wanting to study instead of party. Her appearance and academic ambitions couldn't be described without resorting to racial stereotypes?
This was followed shortly by further exhibits as I started scanning ahead to desperately see if there was anything that sounded redeeming. As I have historically had a bad habit of giving books multiple chances, ballooning my to-read list, this time I am sticking to my guns, marking this as "did not finish", and moving on...
Rating reviewed 12/26/2022.
inmyhumbleopinion's review against another edition
5.0
When I read the blurb for this book I thought it was going to be a light hearted YA type read. However, having read the Anna Strong/Vampire Babylon novels by this author I know that nothing is ever predictable. And so it isn’t with this book. This isn’t your average ghost story. Take nothing for granted. This is the start of a rockin’ good paranormal mystery series and I cannot wait to see what new spin will await us in Jensen Murphy’s next adventure.
I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for a fair and honest review
I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for a fair and honest review
git_r_read's review against another edition
5.0
I can sometimes be daunted by the amount of pages in a book and set it aside for later. Not so with this one. It is 403 pages, but it moves super-fast and I finished in a couple of mornings of coffee and reading time on the back patio. It was so enjoyable with such a cool premise that it was difficult to put down to go to breakfast or movies with the young'n who is on summer break and likes to go to breakfast and the movies with me. So I did...I'm a mom..but I was glad this was my purse book and it could go along with us....
Jensen Murphy was murdered in the 80's and was caught in a time-loop until Amanda Lee, a psychic intuitive, brought her out of it. Amanda Lee wants to help Jensen solve her murder, but Jensen finds out Amanda Lee wants more than that.
I liked watching Jensen come to terms with being a ghost and how to be one. It's a process, one doesn't automatically know the ins-and-outs of ghost-dom apparently. Jensen is smart and ready to figuratively stand on her own two feet as a ghost, especially after finding out Amanda Lee isn't all she claims.
There are other ghosts to meet and learn from, all from different eras. They get bored easily, do ghosts, so they like helping Jensen. For the most part.
I am really looking forward to the rest of this series. It's scary, sweet, funny, back to scary.
Definite recommend.
Jensen Murphy was murdered in the 80's and was caught in a time-loop until Amanda Lee, a psychic intuitive, brought her out of it. Amanda Lee wants to help Jensen solve her murder, but Jensen finds out Amanda Lee wants more than that.
I liked watching Jensen come to terms with being a ghost and how to be one. It's a process, one doesn't automatically know the ins-and-outs of ghost-dom apparently. Jensen is smart and ready to figuratively stand on her own two feet as a ghost, especially after finding out Amanda Lee isn't all she claims.
There are other ghosts to meet and learn from, all from different eras. They get bored easily, do ghosts, so they like helping Jensen. For the most part.
I am really looking forward to the rest of this series. It's scary, sweet, funny, back to scary.
Definite recommend.
chaosqueen's review against another edition
So glad I gave this another chance. So good
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