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dmccauley's review against another edition
4.0
The story unfolds in a hectic nonlinear way which made it a bit hard to get into however, the ending brought everything together. Unexpected, but satisfying read.
lilibetbombshell's review
4.0
What I liked best about this book is that it’s got the perfect tone and pitch for a YA paranormal/ghost novel. I’m middle-aged now, but as I was reading I reflected back on my teenage years and how much I loved ghost, horror, and paranormal novels and this book would have fit perfectly among those books. It has spunk, an interesting premise, and a touch of both occultism and the phenomena of urban legends that I’ve always adored.
One of the most interesting dichotomies in this book is how no main or supporting character in this book is reliable. We can’t even trust the tale of what the book’s protagonist, Erasmos, went through that has made him so notable in his hometown that gives birth to not only the book’s title but also lends him the authority to put the book’s plot into motion. And once that plot is put into motion, Erasmos and his best friend (and business partner), Rat, are suddenly sucked into what seems to be a never-ending series of events that take twists and turns over a series of months that only seem to become creepier and more violent as time goes on. And as events spiral downward, so does the physical and mental health of both Erasmos and Rat.
There is a romantic subplot in the middle of the book that I felt would’ve done the book a world of good had it been left out or changed. It slowed the book down and lessened the nice tension and suspense that permeated the rest of the book. It would’ve made the book shorter, but I think the book would’ve been much better for it.
All in all, it really is a great young adult ghost/paranormal story. If I were a teenager who devoured these sorts of books, I’d definitely pick it up.
One of the most interesting dichotomies in this book is how no main or supporting character in this book is reliable. We can’t even trust the tale of what the book’s protagonist, Erasmos, went through that has made him so notable in his hometown that gives birth to not only the book’s title but also lends him the authority to put the book’s plot into motion. And once that plot is put into motion, Erasmos and his best friend (and business partner), Rat, are suddenly sucked into what seems to be a never-ending series of events that take twists and turns over a series of months that only seem to become creepier and more violent as time goes on. And as events spiral downward, so does the physical and mental health of both Erasmos and Rat.
There is a romantic subplot in the middle of the book that I felt would’ve done the book a world of good had it been left out or changed. It slowed the book down and lessened the nice tension and suspense that permeated the rest of the book. It would’ve made the book shorter, but I think the book would’ve been much better for it.
All in all, it really is a great young adult ghost/paranormal story. If I were a teenager who devoured these sorts of books, I’d definitely pick it up.
chelseaslilbooknook's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
oracle_of_madness's review
4.0
Thank you Netgalley for this fun arc!
Erasmo Cruz becomes a paranormal investigator so he can make money to help pay for his Grandfather's cancer treatments. He begins working with a friend on several cases that seen right up his alley.
I had a lot of fun reading this but overall this story just didn't seem to do it for me personally. I was having a hard time relating to the characters and scenarios but I still really enjoyed reading this!
Definitely give this book a shot, especially if you love paranormal investigations!
Erasmo Cruz becomes a paranormal investigator so he can make money to help pay for his Grandfather's cancer treatments. He begins working with a friend on several cases that seen right up his alley.
I had a lot of fun reading this but overall this story just didn't seem to do it for me personally. I was having a hard time relating to the characters and scenarios but I still really enjoyed reading this!
Definitely give this book a shot, especially if you love paranormal investigations!
asgardsacademic's review
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
jwdonley's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
44kruna's review
3.0
thank you to netgalley and inkshares for providing me with a digital arc of this book!
2.5/5
-------------
I still don't really know where I stand with this novel.... the writing was okay, it could definitely be better, but at a nice standard for a debut author. The characters weren't the most likeable, and sometimes I felt like the side characters- mostly Rat- dropped or acquired personality traits for the sake of the plot or the scene.
At the beginning, I felt like the pacing was too fast, and didn't provide enough context for me to not be confused for a few chapters. This issue was resolved by then, but still a little bit of a shaky start. Another thing is Erasmo's grandmother's illness. The synopsis makes it out to be a large part of the plot (to me, at least) but in reality it's only there to kick off the story when Erasmo places the advertisement. He didn't really seem desperate enough for the money to help her. There are a few other thing I want to nitpick at, but I won't for the sake of spoilers. One thing I will say though, is that I really wish the conclusion to Nora's storyline had been extended.
Now onto what I like!
This is a horror novel, and while it isn't your typical thriller /slasher, it still managed to keep me up at night (chapter 17, i'm looking at you). My favourite storyline out of the three was Nora and Sonny's. Every time their situation was discussed, the mood instantly grew darker, and actually really creeped me out (lol)
I don't know how to say this properly without spoilers, but perhaps my favourite part of The Ghost Tracks was the difference in the reader's and Erasmo's opinions and thoughts, how you are inclined to believe the opposite of what he believes, and what you find out at the end. Actually, there are quite a few shocking things..... when the book is released I will come back to explain but hopefully you know what I mean!
Overall, I gave this novel 2.5 stars as it is a little difficult to get into, especially as it is so confusing to understand to begin with. I did enjoy it however, and will definitely remember it for a long time thanks to how unnerving it was for me (especially for someone who 1. is scared fairly easily and 2. reads almost exclusively at night >.
2.5/5
-------------
I still don't really know where I stand with this novel.... the writing was okay, it could definitely be better, but at a nice standard for a debut author. The characters weren't the most likeable, and sometimes I felt like the side characters- mostly Rat- dropped or acquired personality traits for the sake of the plot or the scene.
At the beginning, I felt like the pacing was too fast, and didn't provide enough context for me to not be confused for a few chapters. This issue was resolved by then, but still a little bit of a shaky start. Another thing is Erasmo's grandmother's illness. The synopsis makes it out to be a large part of the plot (to me, at least) but in reality it's only there to kick off the story when Erasmo places the advertisement. He didn't really seem desperate enough for the money to help her. There are a few other thing I want to nitpick at, but I won't for the sake of spoilers. One thing I will say though, is that I really wish the conclusion to Nora's storyline had been extended.
Now onto what I like!
This is a horror novel, and while it isn't your typical thriller /slasher, it still managed to keep me up at night (chapter 17, i'm looking at you). My favourite storyline out of the three was Nora and Sonny's. Every time their situation was discussed, the mood instantly grew darker, and actually really creeped me out (lol)
I don't know how to say this properly without spoilers, but perhaps my favourite part of The Ghost Tracks was the difference in the reader's and Erasmo's opinions and thoughts, how you are inclined to believe the opposite of what he believes, and what you find out at the end. Actually, there are quite a few shocking things..... when the book is released I will come back to explain but hopefully you know what I mean!
Overall, I gave this novel 2.5 stars as it is a little difficult to get into, especially as it is so confusing to understand to begin with. I did enjoy it however, and will definitely remember it for a long time thanks to how unnerving it was for me (especially for someone who 1. is scared fairly easily and 2. reads almost exclusively at night >.
brandonstanwyck's review
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
chadleyc's review
4.0
Thank you to NetGalley for yet another arc.
The Ghost Tracks follows Erasmo Cruz, a teenage boy who has decided to turn a paranormal experience and an interest in the supernatural into a business to help pay for his grandmother's cancer treatments. He and his friend Rat put an ad on Craigslist and receive three responses. A novel ensues.
I read The Ghost Tracks in one day. I enjoyed it very much. I liked the character development and the twists and turns of the plot. It took me a little while to get into, but once I did it was an afternoon well spent.
The premise sounds a little made-for-tv, but the books deals with some very serious themes and goes to some very dark places. The supernatural aspects of the book are handled well, but it's the actions of humans that bring the real horror.
I enjoyed this book a lot.
The Ghost Tracks follows Erasmo Cruz, a teenage boy who has decided to turn a paranormal experience and an interest in the supernatural into a business to help pay for his grandmother's cancer treatments. He and his friend Rat put an ad on Craigslist and receive three responses. A novel ensues.
I read The Ghost Tracks in one day. I enjoyed it very much. I liked the character development and the twists and turns of the plot. It took me a little while to get into, but once I did it was an afternoon well spent.
The premise sounds a little made-for-tv, but the books deals with some very serious themes and goes to some very dark places. The supernatural aspects of the book are handled well, but it's the actions of humans that bring the real horror.
I enjoyed this book a lot.
breezer's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Sadly I was disappointed by The Ghost Tracks which centres around a young man called Erasmo who has started a paranormal investigation venture to pay for his Grandmother's medical treatment. The narration felt really flat and the pacing (especially at the start) was either too fast or too slow making the whole novel feel super disjointed.
The horror just wasn't there either. Although it had some particularly gory moments they were not scary/creepy and just felt like an obvious attempt to add a shock factor. I also really did not like the direction the plot took. We follow Erasmo's investigation into three cases and I disliked to conclusions to all of them. At one point in the middle it looked like the plot would take a turn for the better but sadly this was not the case.
Moving onto the characters, there was no good female leads AT ALL and all the male side characters were incredibly unlikeable and one dimensional. Something I did particularly like though, was our protagonist Erasmo. He showed some brilliant growth throughout and I felt his heartbreaks along with him.
Thank you to NetGalley and Inkshares for an advanced reader's copy.
The horror just wasn't there either. Although it had some particularly gory moments they were not scary/creepy and just felt like an obvious attempt to add a shock factor. I also really did not like the direction the plot took. We follow Erasmo's investigation into three cases and I disliked to conclusions to all of them. At one point in the middle it looked like the plot would take a turn for the better but sadly this was not the case.
Moving onto the characters, there was no good female leads AT ALL and all the male side characters were incredibly unlikeable and one dimensional. Something I did particularly like though, was our protagonist Erasmo. He showed some brilliant growth throughout and I felt his heartbreaks along with him.
Thank you to NetGalley and Inkshares for an advanced reader's copy.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Gore, and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Sexual assault
Minor: Addiction
Notably animal torture (dog) and detailed suicidal thoughts.