Gap Year in Ghost Town

By Michael Pryor

                 Published – August 2017 by Allen & Unwin                      R.R.P:19.99

I don’t normally do this but I have to be honest with my readers, I just couldn’t read this book…Yep you heard me right, I tried and tried and I juggled my way through the first couple of chapters.  I wanted to enjoy reading about those ghosts, I was interested in the ghost chasing, but no matter how hard I tried I just couldn’t read it.  I take pride in reading many genres so that I can share with a multitude of readers and I really wanted to connect with any ghoulish teens out there that feel like the biz of hunting ghosts.

When I realised that there was no hope for me I tried the next best thing…my 13 year old nephew.  He likes anything a little scary, he is witty and a good critic and I thought he would have a lot of great things to say about the book. I thought that if anyone would have ghost-sight it would be him and I was excited about what he would write.  Ummmm, the news from my sister wasn’t good, he couldn’t get into it. The photo below is his look of disappointment about the book. I was disheartened.

That particular weekend there was another teenager in the house…it was worth a shot right.  Teenage girls like ghost hunting and brushes with death right? Turns out this teenage girl doesn’t.  It was here I felt I had let the author and publishers down.  This terrifyingly, ghoulish read set in Melbourne just didn’t capture our imagination.

It was then I realised that it is ok that it didn’t work out, I cannot love every book that I pick up.  I cannot make those around me love every book I want them to love. I also realised that it doesn’t make it a bad book.  From social media I have seen so many teens and adults that love this book, that couldn’t get enough of it. I would totally still recommend it to readers at the library I work at.

So I encourage you if you want to read about outcasts in the ghost world, liked being scared and want a good laugh, then this is the book for you…and I would love to hear what you think of it.

Thank you to Allen & Unwin for the opportunity to read and review this book.