Gina Rae Mitchell

Specter by Katie Jane Gallagher | Review | Book Blog Tour

Specter finished eighth in the 2020 Book Bloggers Novel of the Year competition.

I received this book to read and review as part of the BBNYA 2020 competition and/or the BBNYA tours organised by the @The_WriteReads tours team. All opinions are my own, unbiased and honest. 

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Specter by Katie Jane Gallagher
Published by Hidden Bower Press on 07/07/2019
Genres: Dark Fantasy, Fantasy, Fiction, Middle-Grade, Mystery, Paranormal, Teen, Urban Fantasy
Format: eBook, Paperback
Pages: 259

"Would I recommend this book? Abso-bloody-lutely." Bookish Beyond, 5 stars
Stranger Things with a ghostly twist! This gripping, genre-bending debut will keep you holding your breath till the very last page.

Horror aficionado Lanie Adams should be thrilled when two eighties-era ghosts materialize in her bedroom. Yet after a fainting incident unbecoming of a horror nerd, she would rather her haunting just go away—the ghosts’ waterlogged voices and ice-cold auras are more terrifying than any movie. Enlisting the help of Ryan, an entirely-too-cute stoner, she makes it her mission to put the spirits stalking her to rest.

Some sleuthing reveals that their sleepy Connecticut town is host to a shadowy, decades-old conspiracy. If Lanie wants to say a final goodbye to her ghosts, she’ll need to keep digging. But it’s important to tread carefully. The culprit is still in town—and they’ll stop at nothing to keep the truth buried.

Perfect for fans of Stranger Things! With strong characters who are easy to root for, this stunning, multilayered debut is not to be missed.
"Fans of Marissa Meyer's The Lunar Chronicles, Meg Cabot’s The Mediator (throw-back!), and Netflix’s Stranger Things will binge this book from cover to cover... a strong female lead + a well-rounded mystery + a believable setting? What more could you ask for?" Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

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Source: BBNYA, The Write Reads Tours

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SpecterShop on Amazon Digital SpecterShop on Amazon Paperback

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My thoughts on Specter by Katie Jane Gallagher

Specter by Katie Jane Gallagher is a fast-paced mystery, thriller, paranormal, urban fantasy story. That’s a mouthful of genres, but the book fits them all.

The story could be classified as a young-adult, coming of age book, but I think it will entertain readers of all ages.

The main character, Lanie, is a loner from a reasonably well-to-do family. She is haunted by the ghost of a long-missing teenage girl. In her quest to figure out what is happening to her, she turns her life upside down, and events conspire against her.

Along the way, she bonds with her first boyfriend, Ryan. When they put their lives on the line to solve the mystery, they grow ever closer, but not without some bumps in the road.

The story touches on many tropes, but they all work well within the plotline. Ghosts, demons, CIA, first love, lucid-dreaming all play an intriguing part in solving the mystery.

Specter will appeal to a wide range of readers. I enjoyed the story and recommend everyone give it a chance. It’s a solid debut novel.

You can find my ranking system HERE.

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Specter by Katie Jane Gallagher

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Buy the Book Here to Support Local Book Stores:

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Ever Alice by H.J. Ramsay | 2020 BBNYA Finalist Tour

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I also share many of my reviews on the following websites:

Lovely Audiobook’s Monthly Link-up (Not limited to audiobooks)

The Inspire Me Monday Link Party

Inspire Me Monday with Anita Ojeda

Grammy’s Grid Unlimited Monthly Link Party