I have mixed feelings about this book. Despite the great premise, unfortunately, some parts didn't work for me as it was slightly confusing. That said, I liked the protagonist and hope to read more of the author's books in the future.

Ghost Slayer has a fantastic concept and gave me plenty of chills while reading, but at the end of the day, the book ended up flopping. From the very beginning, Verstraete goes straight into the action that kept me turning the pages and invested in finding out what would happen next, but it is very much a plot-driven story with a lot of action... and not much else. The characters aren't memorable and bland - hell, I don't even remember who's who and what, and I'm writing this review mere hours after finishing the book. The world feels very undeveloped even for a first novel in a series; while there are some questions that are answered,there are plenty of more left unanswered. At the end, I ended up feeling like a more jumbled mess than before I started the book.

Ghost Slayer by Majanka Verstraete is the first book in a new adult series. Twenty-one-year-old Kaelyn has spent half her life hunting ghosts and killing them. But she's not like the other ghost hunters who have to rely on spells and curses to banish ghosts back to where they came from, hoping that they don't come back. When Kaelyn kills a ghost, they stay dead. But in Mortimer Hall, a behemoth of a house, Kaelyn is about to face the most powerful Twenty-one-year-old Kaelyn has spent half her life hunting ghosts and killing them. But she's not like the other ghost hunters who have to rely on spells and curses to banish ghosts back to where they came from, hoping that they don't come back. When Kaelyn kills a ghost, they stay dead. But in Mortimer Hall, a behemoth of a house, Kaelyn is about to face the most powerful and life-threatening ghost she ever met, and what she doesn't know is that the ghost has been waiting just for her.

Ghost Slayer is an interesting read with a few problems. I liked the idea of the story, and the twists and turns that the story takes. Let's start with the good. I liked the twist on ghost hunting- that while most have to rely on tools and magic Kaelyn has a special level of control with the dead. I liked the role her mother plays and that she is doing her best to get by and get through college while working a less than typical job. I get her loner attitude, and her reluctance to take part in ghostly activities with her class. Now, I did think that there were several contradictions in the story that irked me as I read. I am not sure if this is supposed to be happening in the real world or an alternate world with different rules- as that is never made clear and either could be true. Kaelyn says that she is not a drinker- but downs straight vodka and a whisky and soda with ease and no effect. Also, she is very much a loner and refers to her classmates as people she barely knows but that quickly changes to one of the friendlier girls suddenly being her best friend. As I read bits of the story seemed vaguely familiar- but I think that boils down to having read enough paranormal books that feature ghosts and secrets as major plot points. I did like the book overall, but it did have its issues. I suspect that as the author continues to write this series it will improve- especially since they left themselves plenty of interesting directions to take the story.

Ghost Slayer is an interesting read, but one that had both good and bad moments. Fans of the paranormal and gothic genres are most likely to enjoy it.

*copy received via netgalley in exchange for an honest review*

This book wasn't my favourite but I didn't hate it.
I was really excited because the plot seemed really cool but I was a bit disappointed to be honest.
It was an OK story but I didn't really get the storyline that much and it felt like a lot of it was based on something stupid.
There were lots of things that could have been explained better (or at all, for that matter) and we also don't know that much about the characters.
There were some parts that were a bit boring and some other parts that were just there without a valid reason. I felt like there were also some clichès here and there. So, overall I would say this book could have been structured a bit better.

Oh god I'm the bad guy don't make me the bad guy I really wanted to like this book so here's an extra star for eff--ugh.

Sometimes the book was eerie, and ghost stories are always things I have to read in the mornings. I admit I really wanted to try a new adult urban fantasy...but honestly, this wasn't very new adult-y. Big whoop at the whole college let's party and drink at a haunted mansion, but whyyyyy did I feel like I was reading a party hosted by a bunch of teenagers attempting to be rebellious?

I had much more to say about the supernatural aspect of it, but I'm mostly still reeling from the unresolved plot twists and the romance that seemed to have been a love triangle except not?

Okay...must. End. Rant. Now.

Thank you to Fire Quill Publishing/NetGalley for sharing a copy of the first book in Ghost Slayer series. I thoroughly enjoyed reading Ghost Slayer. It had me at the beginning with "toddler ghost". I wanted to know how a ghost slayer deals with child ghosts to the old and wrinkly. Is she ruthless? Does she have compassion? How did she acquire her supernatural powers?

The story does not disappoint. Action packed and exhilarating from start to end. I didn't want to put it down until the very last chapter. Since the story was easy to read and fast paced, the book felt more like middle school genre than new adult. Lastly, I'm very intrigued with Kaelyn's paranormal background. Would love to read more.

Read by Tina of tanglednbooks.blogspot.com

❝ Mary-Ann had warned me, she'd had dreams about the ghost from Mortimer Hall calling for a ghost slayer. Now I'd come and every life lost was on me. And I feared that by the time dawn approached, many more lives might be lost. ❞

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book!

Wow! You know, I just had a really fun time reading this book. Being a big Buffy the Vampire Slayer fan I really enjoyed the idea of a young adult/new adult trying to balance her home and school life with fighting supernatural creatures. Although the story spent less time in the classroom/school setting. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing. I feel like many times books stuck in the school setting can get stale, but I didn't get that from Ghost Slayer. 

Aside from the total Buffy fangirl appeal, I also loved this book because it read like a semi-cheesy horror movie. We had this group of students going to a haunted mansion for a weekend and then suddenly finding themselves trying to fight for their lives. Of course, there was also a big reveal about one of them being a traitor, there was a little bit of romance, and the main character having to face the truth about the past. It just all came together to create the kind of scene you'd end up watching with a bowl of popcorn late at night. 

Now, let's talk details. Ghost Slayer, Kaelyn Rivers, does not live a normal life. The only real perk of being a ghost slayer is that she gets to interact with her deceased mother. Kaelyn doesn't have much of a social life given that she spends most of her time with the dead (either with her mother, or slaying other ghosts). What little free time she has is spent in class it seems. So she totally fits the role of the solitary protector. 

She doesn't stay in one place for very long, she's barely getting by, doesn't really get paid much for her work (when she is lucky enough to get a paid job). She seems underappreciated and kind of lonely. But I think that's part of the appeal of her character. I liked that she used her powers to help others without expecting anything in return most of the time and that she didn't fight her calling. It definitely made things interesting when Verstraete introduced the plot twist about Kaelyn's powers.

❝ I'd always been good at ghost slaying. In fact, it was the only thing I was good at. Without that... who was I? What was my purpose? ❞

I also want to say that I enjoyed the lore about ghost slayers that was introduced into the book. It was nice to have some theories thrown out there by some of the characters, but I also enjoyed the mystery of not completely understanding how Kaelyn came to be. I know for one, I did not see the reveal about her father coming. I'm curious how that will play into the next book in the series. 

One thing about that I think could've used some more work was the plot. At times the motivations for the characters didn't make sense. I can't say who without spoiling things, but it didn't make sense for one of the antagonists to have been working with the enemy in my opinion. If you read the book I'm sure you'll figure out what I mean.

There was also the big bad enemy inviting the one person who could defeat them to the mansion. It was interesting for sure to have these different pieces come together, but some of the plot felt a bit forced. It just seemed like all these elements were against Kaelyn and not all of them felt like they made sense.

Still, I think overall it was a good start to the series and it was an entertaining enough read. It's the kind of book you'd enjoy if you like light-horror. Not too creepy or gory, and it'll keep you guessing until the end.

Ghost Slayer was just released today, April 24th, so go check it out!

Ghost Slayer is the first installment in author Majanka Verstraete's Ghost Slayer series. The story really starts out wonderfully. Kaelyn is on a job trying to get rid of a 19th century ghost who has killed several people. Why should I care, you ask? Because when Kaelyn gets a job, she does what she is paid to do; remove ghosts permanently. The other curiosity is her relationship with her mother. No, I am not going to spoil it for you.

I will say that they've moved plenty of times over the course of the past 10 years. They travel from town to town removing maleficent ghosts. But, Kaelyn also has plenty of issues outside of her attending college for parapsychology and other courses. The first issue is one Alex Miller who she was once smitten with and returns to her life asking for assistance with an exorcism. The second issue is that she is about to take a field trip to one of the most haunted houses in existence; Mortimer Hall. Mortimer Hall has a long history of accidents, deaths, and mayhem.

As a ghost slayer, Kaelyn is sensitive to ghosts. But, that won't prevent her from stopping what's coming her way. It won't stop Alex from re-entering her life with a shocking secret that really explains Kaelyn's history before this story even opened. There is no complicated world building. There are, however, a rather large cast of characters. From Kaelyn's professor who carries a rather large secret, to her best friend who has no clue what she is, to Kaelyn's fellow students who could wind up as cannon fodder if she doesn't do her job.

So, the book starts out quickly, fades to mediocrity, and then rushes towards the ending in a breakneck pace. Oh, and the ending leaves no doubt that this isn't a standalone, and that if you are full invested in this story, you should also be prepared to carry on to the sequel. The story is a bit on the creepy and dark side, that I will admit. However, I could have done without the whole romance angle that just seemed to come out of the blue and added nothing to the story itself. I loved the gothic setting of Mortimer Hall. Add to it the plethora of ghosts, and one disturbingly powerful ghost who seems to not only know Kaelyn, but is 5 steps ahead of her.

Will I read the sequel? Sure why not? After all, there is a huge storyline that is still be be wrapped up and I'd like to see what happens next after Kaelyn's trip to Mortimer Hall opened her eyes to her own past.

I read this book pretty quickly because i just couldn't put it down.
I love the story.

I recommend this.

This is the first book I’ve read by this author, but I no means want it to be the last. I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of this book! Yes, there were a couple things that bothered me about this book, one being that while the protagonist is only 21, she’s already had a terrible relationship at 16 that soured her on relationships. I think that would have worked a little better if it hadn’t been that long or if she were older. And, her sort-of love interest wasn’t as fully fleshed out as I would have liked. However, all that aside, I quickly read this in one setting as I was anxious to find out what would happen next. That is a mark of a good book to me whether or not there were other issues. I really enjoyed this part paranormal/part horror story from beginning to end, and I’m really looking forward to more! Highly recommend! I was provided the e-book which I reviewed voluntarily.

*I received this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*

I always request Net Adult books and then get really nervous I won't like them, since that is what tends to be the case. I'm glad to say, I quite enjoyed this one-- but I also raced through it.

This book has a lot of problems. The characters run kind of flat, things don't always make sense or it is like the author changed their mind (person who Kaelyn barely talks to later is known as their best friend, never hangs out with people yet she totally does and it is messing with her, and Kaelyn's powers seem all over the place and aren't actually defined).
Along with Kaelyn's powers not being defined, the world/setting itself isn't defined either which made the book a little confusing. There is a course at the college about ghost hunting and some people pay for ghost slaying and exorcisms, yet people also don't believe in ghosts. Which is it?? And the college thing, COME ON! It was written more like high school in the way that 1. there is a field trip for a WHOLE weekend (okay, yeah I have heard of this happening but it is rare), 2. the course spans TWO semesters??? No. No way. Not the same course-- it would be marked different and the same students might not be in it.

The most confusing character is Professor Logan. Just pick what you want him to be!! He seemed all over the place and making him a potential love interest was so weird.

The romance isn't prevalent, which I kinda liked, but the whole thing was so silly.

BUT, I did enjoy reading this book. I sped through it, reading it in about 3 hours, but visualizing what was going on did frighten me -- yeah, I'm a scaredy cat. It was fun though following Kaelyn around even though I didn't understand the world and things kept contradicting themselves.... honestly, I don't know why I enjoyed this so much. If I had read this at any other time I'm sure my rating would be even lower.

Will I recommend it to people? Probably not unless they are looking for a book exactly like this. I don't think I'll read the sequel.

Kaelyn has a special ability to kill ghosts, which she uses to support herself. Then her college class goes on a field trip to Mortimer Hall, which is purportedly haunted, and suddenly all of Kaelyn's skills might not be enough to fight against these ghosts.

This story had a lot of potential. I liked the idea of Kaelyn's powers and watching her fight off ghosts and send them on was interesting. I also liked that she didn't have to kill every ghost that she came across. The distinction between good and bad ghosts provided even before she gets to Mortimer Hall really helped put the ghosts she meets there into perspective.

Unfortunately, I didn't enjoy the characterizations in this story. Kaelyn is described as being sheltered and ignorant of the world. She reads as very young and very naive, and had she been in high school I might have believed it, but she's in college and spends a lot of time in the seedier parts of the world fighting ghosts. In fact, this story felt like it was written by a high school student imagining what college would be like if they were attending right then. Because Kaelyn's characterization did not work for me, the rest of the story suffered.

I tried but couldn't get into this book. I found the writing not very strong, the story started taking me all over the places and I couldnt follow it. I DNF'd shortly into the book unfortunately.

I try not to give books genuinely harsh reviews unless they’re downright offensive. If you look at my 1-star reviews, almost all of them are because the book was incredibly problematic, and that’s not an issue with this book (there are a few issues, but nothing blaring). I made a concerted effort to round this up to 2 stars, but while jotting down the outline of this review, I realized it didn’t stand a chance. I actually tried to write a comprehensive, full review for this book, but after it reached several paragraphs of ranting, I decided to just make a list of all the reasons why I hate this book.
• The dialogue is incredibly stilted and has no natural flow. It’s honestly downright awkward to read.
• Kaelyn, the narrator, repeats and contradicts herself <i>constantly</i>.
• The MC makes herself out as a lonely old woman recovering from an abusive relationship or something, when we find out she’s 21, her only relationship was when she was 16, the whole thing was a bizarre misunderstanding, and, oh, right, they never stopped loving each other. Of course.
• There’s a side character at the beginning of the book who we are told Kaelyn hardly knows, and has barely spoken to, but two chapters later, she begins referring to the character as her “best friend”. And that character proceeds to almost never be called by name, she’s just “my best friend” or “my BFF”. Despite, you know… the girls hardly knowing each other. Oh, and Kaelyn slut-shames the “BFF” at the beginning of the book.
• Hoooooooly Mary Sues, Batman! This MC is completely inept, but considers herself a gift to the world of ghost slaying, and we are constantly reminded of how powerful she is, how strong her “senses” are, etc.—despite the fact that she literally fails at 99% of the tasks she sets out to do in this story.
• Plot twists! Everywhere! And none of them make any sense or get any explanations!
• We’re expected to believe that Kaelyn’s mother has been dead for, like, a decade, and CPS never took this little girl in? Also, ghosts can’t touch things and non-slayer people, except her mom makes her pancakes every morning?
• Characters <i>constantly</i> start to say terrible, foreboding things before being cut off and then it never gets brought up again. WHY DID YOU START THE SENTENCE, THEN?
• Every single side character is horrible, one-dimensional, boring, plain, and overly simplified. There is literally no exception to this statement.
• So many things happen that just aren’t realistic, but not even in a paranormal way. Like, Kaelyn says she’s never had alcohol, but then downs half a tumbler of whiskey and says, “Mm, tastes good!” … what? Have you ever <i>had</i> whiskey? Nobody likes cheap whiskey on their first try. (Most people don’t like cheap whiskey on their <i>hundredth</i> try.) (I’m going to stop being so petty now.)
The only thing I liked about this book was that it was an incredibly quick read, but even that was a double-edged sword, because I have a hard time DNFing short books (“it’s only gonna take me another 30 minutes!”) and then I finish the book and think, “Okay, but, every minute I spent on that book was still a waste.”
Like… I honestly wanted to like this book. I was <i>pumped</i> for it. I loved the cover, I loved the idea of it, and I was like, “Yeah! Finally gonna start reading some new adult ARCs! Finally gonna get some good ghost hunting stories started!” And then this book just fell flat in literally every single possible way I could ever have imagined, and I am so sad that I ever read it at all.

It's not very often that I encounter a book that perfectly fits the mould for young adult fiction, but Majanka Verstraete's Ghost Slayer does just that. The book is a pleasant, quick read that kept me just interested enough for me to devour it in a few days. Also, I find that it would appropriate for teens, even though its main character is a twenty-one year old college student.

Kaelyn isn't your average college ghost hunter. She's a bit more of a Winchester sort, with less flash and more stab. Fortunately for her, she's got a ghost to deal with in an old haunted house and the an old flame on her mind. As if that's not enough, something's wrong with her powers! It's a pretty standard paranormal plot, largely feeding off cliché haunted house movie tropes - which I feel is a great beginning place for teenagers.

Character-wise, we see much of the same themes. I don't want to go into spoilers, but we do encounter a damsel, or rather several, damsels in distress as well as a strong female lead character. So I guess there's that. I feel that main character's love interest could have been a little less stereotyped and a bit more fleshed out, too. He was a tad too generic.

Overall, I liked several elements of this book. I think it finished more strongly than it began and had a few excellent concepts at its closing. I look forward to possibly checking out the second book. A special thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a copy for the purpose of an unbiased review.

I was very excited to read this book. I loved the cover and it caught me and pulled me in to look closer at this book. I liked that the main character, Kaelyn, likes to kill ghosts but I was confused a little in the beginning of the book because the author didn't tell me enough about the characters or pull me into their lives the way I was hoping. All in all, this book was not bad but I was hoping for more. "This book was given to me for free at my request by NetGalley and I provided this voluntary review."

Brilliant book , thoroughly enjoyed it.

AImed at the teenage market i guess, i am almost 50 and had a really great time. Kaelyn is a Ghost slayer, she lives with her mum in a tiny apartment and gets paid to kill ghosts.

SHe is forced to go on a school trip with her class to a haunted mansion, when she gets there however she and the others are shocked to disover that the ghost is evil and is going to kill them all unless Kaelyn stops them.

Great fun.

I have been trying to dig deep and recall when was the last time I read a ghost story like that one that is nota pure horror story, and for the life of me I cannot recall. I would have preferred to be reading this one for sure for Halloween than some of the very scary book, I did read for the occasion.

Here we have Kaelyn that is a Ghost Hunter, she is also a college student and lives with the ghost of her mom.

She pretty much kills mean ghosts.

Then for a week end she goes with her classmates to a "Haunted House" for her paranormal class and let me just say that things go to hell...

Yup.. pretty much!

You know, I try not to give out too much spoilers, but I can tell you that I really like Ghost Slayer! I am not sure if this will become a series, it certainly has the potential and the characters have a lot of room to grow and misbehave...

I have a lot of questions, and there is a lot of backstory that I am really curious about, that again can be filled in future books; it really depends on Majanka's plans.

As a character, I really liked Kaelyn quite a lot!

Though dabbling in killing ghosts which is quite uncommon, I found her to be relatable and actually down to earth; I enjoyed her spirit and her fight. I mean you can clearly see that she is, despite her powers a normal girl wanting what we all do.

The other characters are equally as good and certainly entertaining some providing levity when needed.

Ghost Slayer is a lovely read, it had good characters and an interesting story, I am now hoping that this is the first book of a series where Kaelyn will have a lot of adventures in hunting ghosts!

I would love to see the gang back!

When can we expect book 2? I am only asking cause I read this one in one go and I am not crazy about waiting for a year for the next one pretty please!!!

I started this book a while ago and then stopped as I thought it was going to be a bit odd... but when I re started it, I found that it was well written with believable characters who were interesting and the plot was thrilling. The author puts an interesting spin on ghosts and the story was exciting with a good boils up of tension and a fulfilling ending.