There she remained for years, striving to find a semblance of normalcy in her new foster home and struggling with the trials and challenges of school life.
When readers first meet the heroine in the first novel in the Ghost Files series, Mattie looks a lot like the average well-adjusted teenage girl, albeit one with a tragic past.
But not even the people closest to her know the truth. Mattie can see ghosts. The ability manifested after her near-death experience. And by the time the events of the first Ghost Files novel roll around, she has more or less acclimated to her unique condition.
For a while, Mattie thought she would walk through life unperturbed by her gift. But then Sally, her foster sister, died, and when her ghost came knocking, Mattie realized that the girl had been murdered. That revelation set Mattie on the path to a life spent combating the nefarious forces walking her world, using her gift to help the helpless.
Each new installment in the series finds the heroine facing off against a new mystery, one that she can only solve by deploying her gift and looking to the spirits for answers. The Ghost Files novels are categorized as YA. As such, they feature a lot of the tropes you would expect to encounter in the genre. For instance, Mattie, the heroine, is so self-conscious. She spends most novels dealing with anxiety over her appearance, her actions, and the way people perceive her.
She also spends considerable portions of her time over-analyzing every furtive glance the boys she likes give her.
Interestingly enough, this one aspect of the heroine has turned a lot of people off the Ghost Files series. The author tries to present Mattie as a strong, forceful heroine with a fiery will and a desire to do the right thing. But according to some readers, Mattie is too whiny. Even when things go her way, even when she asserts herself in difficult situations, the heroine eventually devolves into a mess of tears which these readers consider a turn-off.
Mattie develops a crush on Dan almost immediately. Mel alters her look from darkly Goth to light and blonde. Can Mel get the vengeance she so desperately craves? Read The Oath to find out! The links beside each book title will take you to Amazon where you can read more about the book, or purchase it.
As an Amazon Associate, I earn money from qualifying purchases. If you would like to link to us, Get the Code Here. I often get asked by readers if they can donate to the site as a thank you for all the hard work. Any issues with the book list you are seeing? Let me know! Book s. She released 10 highly rated books and is still going strong. What a great writer. She is our author of the month! More Details.
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Apryl Baker Books In Order. The Blackburne Legacy Amazon. Homecoming Amazon. The Promise Amazon. The Decadia Code Amazon. Burning Passion - A Mated Lovestory. Zoe is a rogue who is forced to attend a school for werewolves for a year thanks to a new law. Babysitting The Bad Boy. Submitting to the Alpha. Toying with an alpha never felt so good. Isabella is in trouble.
Big trouble. She knows that openin Paid Stories Badge Bite Me. Werewolves and vampires don't mix, or that's what Kieran Callisto, a seventeen-year-old vampire, ha You don't need to remind the reader that it's "out of character" for your m Oh my goodness. You don't need to remind the reader that it's "out of character" for your main character to cry every single time she does so.
Again, not sure if it's because I'm definitely out of the targeted audience for this book, but I was skimming it by the end. Also the boys in the book. My goodness! Does every boy have to be charming and handsome and in love with the main character?
Can she stick with one love interest? I'm ok with two, but FOUR?? I hung on til the end because I really needed to know who the killer was and if Mary was alive. I'll give the author a few points for building the suspense and maybe like half a point for originality but seeing ghosts isn't really a new concept. I mean A LOT. We're talking mixing up pronouns writing he instead of she and leaving out words in a sentence. I'm not sure where the copy editor was on this, but they missed several mistakes.
Anyway I won't be recommending this book to anyone. Not to adults for the dialogue and constant hand-holding by the author. And also not to young adults as I found the content a little too gruesome for most teens. I wouldn't want my 16 year old cousin reading about rape and pedophiles. View 1 comment. Apr 27, Dianne rated it it was amazing Shelves: own , 1-in-series , ya , dark-fantasy , zread , ya-paranormal , fabulous-freebie , great-teen-dialogue.
Mattie is no ordinary teen, not in her speech, her tenacity or her need to help others, and she stole the show for me. Living in her mind, knowing what she is thinking and how painful her life has been, she was one heck of a heroine! With a young cop as a sidekick, they make an unlikely dynamic duo that was completely entertaining to watch.
A lot of intrigue, a ton of danger some truly heartbreaking moments, and never once did I doubt that Mattie would save the day. Although a young adult read, clearly, this is great reading for those who are young at heart, too! Feb 02, Brynne Shelton rated it did not like it Shelves: on-my-kindle. Yikes, this book was terrible. I don't even know where to begin. Perhaps with an editor, which Apryl Baker very clearly did not utilize.
Random moments of forgotten tenses, completely unnecessary plot developments, unreliable characters and not in a psychological-thriller way, mostly in a this-character-is-not-behaving-the-way-the-author-tells-me-they-behave way--which is a sad result of the telling-not-showing writing style, one that Baker suffers from immensely.
The repetition was bad e Yikes. The repetition was bad enough to make the Hail Mary prayer sound refreshing and new. I'm not sure how many times Baker had to tell you how good the doc was at storytelling or how weird it was for Dan to fester in Mattie's heart so easily or how Mattie never cries she says she never cries but the main character shed so many tears in that novel I'm surprised they didn't soak through my kindle and ruin it. Every sentence must have been repeated sometimes word for word or rephrased at least once, making me believe it's actually a page book at heart.
If it had been edited. Words and phrases were overused. Everything was so not good. Everything hurt like nobody's business. Every voice dripped with sarcasm one time a voice was heavy with sarcasm and I was grateful not to be further rained on by so many drips. Please, Ms. Baker, end one more sentence with the words "not really," I don't think you put enough, not really.
But the worst part was Mattie's character. She seemed less like a person and more like a wish fulfillment for the author. She was above every girl. Every girl in the book was either dense, scared, helpless, or clueless and Mattie was the only one with any sensibility. And the guys? Baker also felt the need to toss in some extra unnecessary male characters just in case we didn't get the hint that all guys want to flirt with Mattie.
Hello and goodbye, Dan's friend who made an appearance long enough to harass Mattie for her number and then leave the book altogether. The inconsistencies hurt. Mattie loved her boyfriend Jake because he saw who she was and accepted her, but the moment he saw who she was he no longer accepted her also are they still together? I understand that there's a second book but certain loose ends need to be tied by the end of the first book, otherwise Jake's character was pointless and needed to be burned.
Mattie was supposed to be a tough fistful of a character but she never spoke up to her friend about the girl's terrible boyfriend, and she uncharacteristically grew helpless when there was a boy around to help her. Also the interest between Mattie and Eric is the worst romantic subplot to come out of nowhere in the history of terrible, unedited literature. Mattie can't feel attachment to other people, but suddenly there's a ghost and suddenly they're in love with each other, even though Mattie is also in love with her boyfriend and she has strong feelings for this adult cop that comes into the picture.
A sixteen year old and a twenty year old is just. Just don't. Don't do that. This is fiction for teenagers. Everything about a twenty-year-old love interest in a teen novel screams further wish fulfillment from the author. I've seen it before: authors trying to make their teenage love interests as old and adultlike as possible so they can be sexy for an older audience or for the authors themselves.
Write about teenage boys and all their greasy acne'd glory and stop glorifying jailbait. Aug 06, DelSheree rated it it was amazing. Mattie Hathaway pretends she's a normal girl This is the closest she's ever been to a regular average girl next door.
Her current foster family is a little odd, but they're nice enough. Mattie has a boyfriend she's happy with. So, what's holding her back? Seeing ghost on a daily basis. Even still, that's nothing new, she deals with it by ignoring the ghosts. Until her foster sister becomes one of them. Now Mattie must start listening to the gh Mattie Hathaway pretends she's a normal girl Now Mattie must start listening to the ghosts clamoring for her attention and do something else she's never done before, trust someone with her secret.
Mattie's story is one readers will have a hard time putting down. Not only is Mattie a great character all around, the story is spooky and well planned, and Officer Dan is a whole other draw.
But, one at a time. Mattie is a complex character that readers will connect with from page one. Maybe not everyone knows what it's like to be a ward of the state and bounced around from home to home, but Baker has an effortless way of bringing readers into Mattie's life and showing the reality of her experiences without making it overwhelming. Mattie is strong, but not so strong that nothing can hurt her, quite the opposite in fact.
Mattie is vulnerable in many ways, and overcoming her fear of being hurt or abandoned is where she truly shows her strength. As Mattie struggles to identify the killer with the help of the ghosts, she is forced to accept the hep of a young police officer. I love Officer Dan. He's adorable and sweet and everything Mattie needs in this situation. He's a very likable character, and very realistic. What I really enjoyed was how Baker kept the status of their relationship balanced on the tipping point between caring for each other like siblings and romantic feelings.
Their interactions are as big of a draw as the storyline, the characters are that good. Now, for the story itself. I can honestly say, Baker had me guessing right up to the end. She wove a complex plot that kept me interested and eager to turn the page.
I loved the interactions between Mattie and the ghosts, and especially learning more about who some of the ghosts were. Some of the interactions were downright scary, and a few might surprise you by how emotional they are. My only word of caution with this is that it may be too scary for young readers. I'd definitely recommend this to older teens and adults looking for great characters and a fabulous scary story.
Dec 15, Tyler J Gray rated it liked it Shelves: s , own , own-kindle , horror , young-adult , ghosts , well-read-series-to-finish. I really did enjoy this over-all. I was able to overlook some flaws like quite a few typos and some cringey moments because they didn't sour my enjoyment. I felt so much for Mattie. A foster kid who has been through absolute hell in her life. It was emotional and horrifying imo. Eventually I got to a point where I couldn't put it down and it had me on the edge of my seat.
Plot twists left me stunned and felt like sucker punches. But there is one that leaves a bad taste in my mouth, however it' I really did enjoy this over-all. But there is one that leaves a bad taste in my mouth, however it's a spoiler so here if you want to know view spoiler [The killer has DID, a mental illness that is very misunderstood and stereotyped, exactly like it is here from the looks of it.
It seems like it'd be very hurtful to people with DID. I say it this way because I don't have DID but i've heard people talk that do. I'm interested to know where it goes. But i'm struggling to figure out a rating. Maybe i'll figure out a rating at some point, maybe not. If you are into paranormal horror, ghosts and don't mind some cliches you may enjoy it like I did. Edit not a few minutes later: I went through my notes and yea It's odd.
I enjoyed aspects of it a lot but other aspects I really didn't. So it's hard to rate. And at this point I don't know if I want to continue the series or not. So I think i'll give it 3 stars for now at least. Edit the next day: Going with 3. Oct 08, Mauoijenn rated it it was ok Shelves: fantasy-sci-fi , rc , paranormal-out-of-this-world , e-book-kindle , creepy-fun-times , ghosts-spirit-ghouls , teenage-drama-ya , dont-go-in-haunted , amazon-unlimited-book.
This book was okay. I too, thought the boy characters were annoying. Also feel it was quite predictable. Aug 27, Lauraeimre rated it really liked it. When you have no money for books, you just buy free Kindle books. Apr 11, Nancy Silk rated it it was amazing. Mattie Hathaway is 16 years old. She has been in foster homes since she was five years old, and is pretty savvy. This evening she is getting ready to go to a party to which she and boyfriend, Jake Owens, have been invited. While checking herself out in front of the mirror of the bathroom, a young blond girl in a cute sundress appears to her.
Matt "A Haunting and Chilling Story" This outstanding teenaged novel will definitely excite young readers, but it has also drawn this grandma into the drama. Mattie has been seeing ghosts since her young age of five, but she's learned that if she ignores them, they will fade away. Mattie has many secrets that she has never shared with anyone, even Jake who is a hottie and also team football captain who girls drool over.
Her foster sister, Sally, would never go to such a party which is being held in an old, abandoned mill. Meg who is giving the party is the most popular girl in school, also head cheerleader, who enjoys spending daddy's money and hopes to keep her boyfriend, Tommy James, happy as he tends to have a roving eye. Maddie appears to be a more confident, mature teenager, able to take care of herself.
She's not a member of any clique and seems to be acceptable to her school mates. Mattie doesn't drink and she's not enticed to experience sexual activities like some girls her age. She is a good student trying to qualify for a college scholarship. While at the party, she sees another ghost, with a bullet hole in her head just like the young girl in the bathroom earlier.
But she panics, and needs to get home quickly Jake rushes her home without understanding the fear that Mattie exhibits. Sally's room is empty, she has disappeared while in her pajamas. After having a severe reaction and falling to the floor under such stress, she wakes up in a hospital bed.
She's still panicky, and even though the police have been notified by Mrs. Olson, her foster mom, the police are confident that Sally has just run away. But the young officer, Dan Richards, takes time to listen to Mattie and she eventually divulges secrets to him which she's never done before. Together they seek the mysterious disappearance of not only Sally, but many other missing young people in and around their community.
Gifted author Apryl Baker is certainly a very impressive author who has written a spellbinding, emotional, and very engaging story. I could not put it down as the mysteries intensify into unbelieveable, spooky ghost-filled scenes. There is much trauma in this story and I would only recommend this to older teens.
Also adults, who like scary movies or stories, will love this powerful thriller. Oct 27, Janie Johnson rated it really liked it Shelves: I read this book for one of the challenges for the Read Your E-Reader read-a-thon. It is a great YA paranormal horror story.
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