Reviews

Ghost Time by Courtney Eldridge

willac's review against another edition

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5.0

I have had a little bit of difficulty deciding how to review this book without filling it with spoilers. I adored it from the start, right up until the very end. I did a little research and found out that this is the first book in a trilogy, which now makes sense.

This is a young adult book about a teenager, Thea, who is having a hard time believing that her previous math tutor slash new boyfriend Cam really wants to be with her. She's never really had a boyfriend before, and he's older, but it sure seems to be true love. Then he disappears, and some very strange things start happening, including YouTube videos of Thea and Cam making love that she is sure could not possibly exist. And they are impossible to remove.

The FBI gets involved, news vans start showing up, and Thea's live gets much more complicated than it should be. She would like to be able to just go to school and worry about and/or grieve Cam's absence, but she is constantly forced to explain herself. A local police detective becomes an unlikely ally, as does the detective's handicapped daughter, with whom Thea seems to have a psychic bond.

As the books winds to a close, I started getting worried that nothing was going to be explained or resolved, and that turned out to be the case. Still, I loved the book, and it has stuck with me. I hope the second part of the trilogy is published soon so we can find out what happens with Thea and Cam.

I received this book from NetGalley in return for a review; I was not paid for this review, nor required to post a positive review.

xxsquigglesxx's review against another edition

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2.0

OVERALL IMPRESSION: What? That's what I said to myself as soon as I finished reading this.

It took me a little bit to get used to the writing - we hear Thea's scattered thoughts, it was a little annoying to me, but I adjusted eventually.

The whole story line captivated me. I was really interested in finding out what happened to Cam and why all of the strange things were happening throughout the story.

The timeline jumps back and forth starting from the disappearance of Cam and going backward and forward in time with each chapter. It sounds like that would be confusing, but I had no trouble following it, and for me it really added to the interest of the story.

Then, I got to the end and I was extremely disappointed. From what I now understand, is that there is going to be a followup book to this one. When I was reading it, I had no idea, I thought it was a standalone book. I felt like the book kept picking up speed, going faster and faster, and then just - BAM. It stopped and there nothing. No crash, no explosion, just nothing. It just ended and left me feeling unsatisfied. I understand that authors want to pull you in and get you excited to read the next book in a series, but this one just left me confused with no idea where the story is going to lead next. I don't think I'll be picking up the next one in this series.

CHARACTERS: The characters were fine. I didn't get particularly attached to any of them, but I am curious to see where they take Mel's character. I liked hearing her thoughts and her feelings towards her father.

COVER: I do like the cover. I'm not really sure how it ties in with the book, because I'm so confused about what this book was trying to accomplish, but I do like the way the cover looks.

**I received an ARC copy of this book from Amazon Vine for my honest opinion.

alyssaarch's review against another edition

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2.0

Ghost Time has an interesting premise, but there just wasn’t enough story to hold my interest throughout the entire novel. Thea, the main character, goes through a tough time when her boyfriend, Cam goes missing. The book is written in an alternating present-time/flash-back sequence, which was a cool method of slowly learning more about the characters while also progressing the timeline. My main issue, though, is that there is very, very little resolution to all the questions and weirdness introduced throughout the story. I believe this was meant to be a series, and maybe this would have been a good first book if those answers were promised, but it looks like no sequel is forthcoming, so this is all we get.

I wish there were more substance throughout the book: even just a hint or a clue as to what was going on. As it stands, I was rather confused throughout the entire novel and then it sort of just ended. With that said, I think Thea is a fun character to read about — she has a great backstory and a voice that I jived with. But, that wasn’t enough to carry the novel through.

I really wanted to love this–it’s a shame that the plot didn’t really go anywhere.

Also posted on Purple People Readers.

ltg584's review

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5.0

This book blew me away. Plain and Simple. Any expectations I may have had could not be compared to what I experienced reading this. It's one of those books that you love so much that you feel the need to recommend it to absolutely everyone you know, and maybe even some people you don't. So, why am I not calling every one of my second cousins (twice removed) to tell them about it? This book is not going to be one that everyone will love.

Not like I did.

I have tried and tried to put words together in a way that I can describe the book. I want people to get a good idea what they can expect from Ghost Time. So here goes...

First off, it's like someone is telling you a story; there are no quotations, there are mannerisms. It can come across as awkward to read, but I promise you get used to it. It's not exactly a journal, but you feel like you're getting a very intimate look into someone's life. If you've ever read The Perks Of Being A Wallflower, you will understand what I mean. Personally, I felt that this brought me closer to the main character. I felt like I knew Thea by the end of it, and now that I'm finished the book, I feel like I'm missing my best friend!

Second, it has a timeline a little like Memento (the movie with Guy Pearce), although it is simultaneously moving forward AND back, in alternating scenes. We learn about Thea and Cam in the past, watching their budding relationship in reverse, to figure out what happens in the future. And it all hinges on one moment in time, when Cam disappears. When I'm reading the past scenes, I lose myself in Thea and Cam's relationship, their chemistry. And then I come to the future scenes, and I have to remind myself that he's gone. I'll admit that I kind of miss him too...

It's a good thing there's a sequel in the making; I won't have to miss them for long! I had been under the impression that this book was a stand alone, but when I got the end, I was downright heartsick! I immediately went online, and breathed a small sigh of relief. The story is NOT at an end. There may not be an expected publication date yet, but I know that I can at least hold on to hope.

The two halves of the story, past and future, have very different vibes to them. It's like, sweet love story vs. paranormal conspiracy theory. And I LOVE the way they collide! I was instantly fascinated, constantly enthralled, and covered with goosebumps from beginning to end!

I feel the need to tack on a warning for language and mature themes. Though this is being published by Amazon Children, and the protagonist is 15, it doesn't necessarily mean that this book is for your kids. I recommend parents giving it a read first.

A copy of this book was provided by Netgalley.

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