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A review by brandinh
The Ghost Files by Apryl Baker
2.0
2.75 stars
It really is too bad that this story didn’t land in the hands of a good editor, because the bones of the plot line are really great. Good enough to almost push this up to a three star rating, despite its faults. I actually did enjoy reading this book. Mattie (MC) just didn’t feel like a real person and her internal dialogue didn’t feel authentic. Her referring to ghosts as “little buggers” multiple times took me out of the story because it felt so weird, and that’s just one example. Also, Mattie’s cavalier attitude about everything (including being almost molested by a foster parent more than once) feels dangerous. I’m not on board with sending the message that you should just get tough and get over it when it comes to traumatic events that many teen readers have experienced. I don’t think I’ll continue with the series, but I will cross my fingers that someday this book will be picked up by an experienced and talented editor that leads to a rerelease.
It really is too bad that this story didn’t land in the hands of a good editor, because the bones of the plot line are really great. Good enough to almost push this up to a three star rating, despite its faults. I actually did enjoy reading this book. Mattie (MC) just didn’t feel like a real person and her internal dialogue didn’t feel authentic. Her referring to ghosts as “little buggers” multiple times took me out of the story because it felt so weird, and that’s just one example. Also, Mattie’s cavalier attitude about everything (including being almost molested by a foster parent more than once) feels dangerous. I’m not on board with sending the message that you should just get tough and get over it when it comes to traumatic events that many teen readers have experienced. I don’t think I’ll continue with the series, but I will cross my fingers that someday this book will be picked up by an experienced and talented editor that leads to a rerelease.