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heinsohn42's review
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
4.0
paperbacksandpines's review against another edition
2.0
I'm assuming that when other reviewers have rated this book as spooky, they meant spooky for a middle grade book. But I didn't find this book spooky, even as a book intended for younger readers.
I had a hard time relating to the main character, which is probably my biggest problem with the book.
I think reading this book as an audiobook didn't do this book any favors, either. The narrator kept pausing throughout the reading, making the main character sound automated. The main character's elder sister sounded like a valley girl and her younger brother was so whiny, it made me want to pull my hair out.
It's been about a week since I read this book and the memory of the plot is starting to fade from my mind.
I had a hard time relating to the main character, which is probably my biggest problem with the book.
I think reading this book as an audiobook didn't do this book any favors, either. The narrator kept pausing throughout the reading, making the main character sound automated. The main character's elder sister sounded like a valley girl and her younger brother was so whiny, it made me want to pull my hair out.
It's been about a week since I read this book and the memory of the plot is starting to fade from my mind.
brandypainter's review against another edition
4.0
This is a creepy ghost story. Really creepy in some places. It is a perfect book to have on hand for kids who enjoy the scary kind of ghost stories and want to read about kids battling ghosts. It is well written with excellent world building and fully rounded characters. It is a hard book to put down. (I was forced to put it down for a little while and couldn't wait to get back to it.) The pacing and the plotting keep the reader engrossed until the very end. Also it's a sibling story so it gets bonus awesome points of that.
kawarwick's review against another edition
4.0
This is a scary ghost story that is perfect for middle school readers. It kept me on edge of my seat and a little freaked out in parts.
mercipourleslivres's review against another edition
4.0
Dang, this was creepy! Loved the cultural aspects, and despite the straight-forward creepy child trope, there were still a few slight twists.
fleurdujour's review against another edition
4.0
I thought Spirit Hunters had a great atmosphere. It was spooky and original with enough creepy moments that any horror interested kid will find something to like in this book. I'm looking forward to the world being expanded upon in the next book.
fallingletters's review against another edition
5.0
Review originally published 26 June 2018 at Falling Letters.
Spirit Hunters, the first book in an upcoming series, is a classic haunted house tale with a Korean-American perspective. (This book is #ownvoices for Korean-American representation.) Harper’s family has just moved from an air conditioned apartment in New York to a stuffy old house in Washington D.C. Harper knows the move has something to do with a fire at school and a serious accident that put her in hospital, but she has no memories of the incident. Harper is wary of her new home, especially when she learns of its’ supposedly haunted past from her new friend Dayo. When Harper’s usually sweet little brother Michael starts acting sullen and mean, Harper and Dayo begin investigating the history of the house in an attempt to uncover the root of Michael’s behaviour. Harper unblocks her memories halfway through the book, remembering everything that happened around her accident as well as the critical fact that she can see and communicate with ghosts – a skill that Harper will need to use to her advantage if she wants to save Michael from a nasty ghost’s possession.
What sets Spirit Hunters apart from other middle grade books with ghosts is that Spirit Hunters feels properly frightening. The sharp change in Michael’s personality demonstrates the threat that Billy, the older boy who haunts the house, can be. As Harper and Dayo uncover more of Billy’s history, they learn just how awful he was when he was alive. Billy is a real threat to Harper and her family, and the creepy happenings he raises around the house invoke the same kind of chills I experience when reading adult haunted house stories.
In addition to being a ghost story, Spirit Hunters deals with themes of cultural identity. Harper is Korean-American and has a Korean grandmother who lives near Washington, but whom she’s rarely met because her mother and grandmother are estranged. Harper eventually reconnects with her grandmother and learns that she is a mudang, a shaman who can hunt spirits, and that Harper has the same ability to do so. Family conflict arises because Harper’s mother does not have that ability and denies the existence of ghosts. Racism is also addressed, not as a primary theme in the novel but something that Harper, as a visible minority, has to deal with in her everyday life.
The Bottom Line: Recommend for readers who love truly frightening books. Extension activities could include filming a book trailer or sharing ghost stories from other cultures/comparing them to Korean beliefs about ghosts.
Spirit Hunters, the first book in an upcoming series, is a classic haunted house tale with a Korean-American perspective. (This book is #ownvoices for Korean-American representation.) Harper’s family has just moved from an air conditioned apartment in New York to a stuffy old house in Washington D.C. Harper knows the move has something to do with a fire at school and a serious accident that put her in hospital, but she has no memories of the incident. Harper is wary of her new home, especially when she learns of its’ supposedly haunted past from her new friend Dayo. When Harper’s usually sweet little brother Michael starts acting sullen and mean, Harper and Dayo begin investigating the history of the house in an attempt to uncover the root of Michael’s behaviour. Harper unblocks her memories halfway through the book, remembering everything that happened around her accident as well as the critical fact that she can see and communicate with ghosts – a skill that Harper will need to use to her advantage if she wants to save Michael from a nasty ghost’s possession.
What sets Spirit Hunters apart from other middle grade books with ghosts is that Spirit Hunters feels properly frightening. The sharp change in Michael’s personality demonstrates the threat that Billy, the older boy who haunts the house, can be. As Harper and Dayo uncover more of Billy’s history, they learn just how awful he was when he was alive. Billy is a real threat to Harper and her family, and the creepy happenings he raises around the house invoke the same kind of chills I experience when reading adult haunted house stories.
In addition to being a ghost story, Spirit Hunters deals with themes of cultural identity. Harper is Korean-American and has a Korean grandmother who lives near Washington, but whom she’s rarely met because her mother and grandmother are estranged. Harper eventually reconnects with her grandmother and learns that she is a mudang, a shaman who can hunt spirits, and that Harper has the same ability to do so. Family conflict arises because Harper’s mother does not have that ability and denies the existence of ghosts. Racism is also addressed, not as a primary theme in the novel but something that Harper, as a visible minority, has to deal with in her everyday life.
The Bottom Line: Recommend for readers who love truly frightening books. Extension activities could include filming a book trailer or sharing ghost stories from other cultures/comparing them to Korean beliefs about ghosts.
cat_thecatlady's review against another edition
3.0
this was a fun read.
I like the scary aspect, although it was a bit predictable and too scary. but the writing was a bit off for me, reading as too childish or too adult at times. still need to gather my thoughts better on this one.
full review here: https://catshelf.wordpress.com/2017/07/25/arc-book-review-159-spirit-hunters-by-ellen-oh/
I like the scary aspect, although it was a bit predictable and too scary. but the writing was a bit off for me, reading as too childish or too adult at times. still need to gather my thoughts better on this one.
full review here: https://catshelf.wordpress.com/2017/07/25/arc-book-review-159-spirit-hunters-by-ellen-oh/
tobyyy's review against another edition
4.0
Unread shelf project 2022: book 45.
Perfect read for Spooky Szn!!
Perfect read for Spooky Szn!!
mandyandlo's review against another edition
5.0
Very good book! It tackles race, family and all things people should learn and understand.