Cover Image: Jamis Bachman, Ghost Hunter

Jamis Bachman, Ghost Hunter

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This is the second time I read the book (first time when it came out) and I enjoyed it as much or more this round.

As the name suggests, this definitely hits the paranormal definition with a ghost hunter and a poltergiest phenomenon and it adds a nice bit of mystery to the mix as Jamis tries to find out what is causing Stephanie to linger as a “hungry ghost”. There was a nice bit of misdirection with who- at first the reader thinks that there is Stephanie trapped by a more malevolent ghost but as things unravel, that isn’t the case. The mystery worked particularly well as there was enough doubt (and plausibility) over what happened to Stephanie.

I really enjoyed Jamis- she was such an enigma at times. So confident on the surface but with a lot going on in that brain of hers. She added a really interesting level of gravitas to the idea of ghost hunting and watching her work things out (on a personal level as well as sorting out the murder) gave the story depth. She’s got a lot of baggage and Ms Jensen does a really great job of providing just enough exposition to help flesh out Jamis and seeding things may be explored in the next book(s).

From a paranormal perspective, there was definitely a creep factor – the poltergeist phenomena with Jamis and others actually physically as well as emotionally impacted. I wouldn’t have gone into the house in the first place – let alone return. The scenes in the house, with the malevolent force, worked particularly well – it gave the right level of unease and creepiness. And as Jamis dug deeper into the truth, it became more sad than creepy and you couldn’t help but sympathize with poltergeist. It’s really refreshing to read a book that takes the paranormal subject matter seriously – so even if you don’t believe in ghosts, the characters and plot makes it plausible – and not completely over the top. This book was a bit more intellectual – with some interesting ideas and information on budhism, death and the after life and I rather liked it as it gave a better grounding and it made some of the synchronicity of events and people easier to accept.

From a romance standpoint, this was pretty light – Jamis becomes captivated with Johnna early on and its more about being in love then falling in love. It was an instant attract/love – but it was paced in such a way that they both decided to take it slow and not rush in as most instaloves. I’m looking forward to the next book and how their relationship evolves.

This is definitely a strong debut and hits everything you would expect for a paranormal lesfic – with the understanding that the romance is just starting and will be further explored in the next book.

This is a great read and hits everything you would expect for a paranormal lesfic - with the understanding that the romance is just starting and will be further explored in the next book.

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The story is fast-paced, well-written, and perfect for those of you who need a little more paranormal in your lives. I hope that there will be more!

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This is a fun and unique paranormal f/f romance. The characters are flawed and very well written. The story line is intriguing and moves at a good pace. No boredom here.

It didn't seem like it, but I'm hoping there will be more in this series. The characters felt like they had more stories to tell. Perhaps a prequel.

ARC received for a review.

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Review excerpted from my blog post over at Pan/Cis LGBT2SQ+ Romance Reviews (https://pancis.wordpress.com/2020/02/27/jamis-bachman-ghost-hunter-by-jen-jensen/)

Overall Rating: 2.5 stars

Library recommendation: Not recommended for public library LGBT2SQ+ romance collections.

Warning: Hereafter, you chance spoilers. I will try never to reveal major plot points, but to review any book, you must reveal some parts of the story.

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Number of titles I have read by this author: 1

Love story speed: Extremely slow

Relationship dynamics: The Ghosthunter (h1) / The Luddite Veterinarian (h2)

Sexual content: Vague references to off-screen sex (not main characters)

Gender Identity: Cis (h1) / Cis (h2)

Sexual Identity: Lesbian (h1) / Lesbian (h2)

Triggers: Graphic discussions of why a main character became a vegan; discussion of sexual abuse; homophobia; descriptions of conversion therapy; descriptions of parental abuse; descriptions of brutal violence; descriptions of rape

Acceptance Rating: 2 stars

Acceptance Rating Explanation: Denial language; online and in-person homophobia and bullying; conversion therapy; parental estrangement; religious oppression

Grammar/Editing: My ARC had some typos; some need for editing for clarity and to fix logical errors

Review: This moderately-paced story is set in contemporary Utah. While the setting seemed well-researched, there were some details, particularly related to archives, that were not particularly well-done (I confirmed this with a professional archivist). The prose also reads disjointedly and the style would be better suited to a visual medium. The writing style also makes it incredibly unclear who is speaking because “X character said” is not used throughout. The novel also references a fair number of Buddhist concepts, such as “hungry ghosts,” but does not adequately explain these concepts, which I believe would be considered obscure by general readers.

Jamis and Johnna are the main characters of this novel, and it is told primarily from Jamis’ point of view. This renders Johnna as an extremely flat character. There is also very little chemistry between them. What is described is almost exclusively Jamis’ attraction to Johnna. The focus of the story also seems to be far more on the haunting and mystery than on the relationship, which will not suit a lot of romance readers. By contrast, many of the supporting characters are well developed, including Sapphire (the best friend), and Johnna’s mom, Emma (there are several chapters in her POV). I found that Emma’s circumstances and her relationship with Carmen were far more compelling than that of the main characters. In fact, Stephanie (the ghost)’s story felt central until it seemed that the author decided that Emma was more important. Overall, the story would have benefited greatly from an expanded set of points of view, including that of Stephanie.



Full disclosure: I received a free advance review copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

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So this is a really great paranormal read about ghosts. I love the story and all the suspense and unpredictable twists. I loved how the story develops and how Jamis changes. I love the creepy part and although though when I started the book I didn't thought that I will but I really enjoyed the story,
I volunteered to review an ARC of this book for NetGalley

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A supernatural mystery filled with intriguing characters, traumatic events, and the complexities of the afterlife.
I was hooked from the moment Jamis first comes into contact with the poltergeist and its supernatural shenanigans. The intense interaction had me on the edge of my seat.
The supernatural elements were much more prevalent than I was expecting. I enjoyed the way Jensen theorized explanations for they way the afterlife and ghosts exist and interact with our world. The dialogue between characters on the subject was fascinating.
Each of the characters possessed so much depth and were all thoroughly intriguing. They also each carried a great deal emotional trauma. There was a lot of good personal introspection due to that, especially for Jamis. Of all of the tragic back stories Emma's hurt me the most.
Jensen tugged at my emotions and ripped them to shreds multiple times throughout the story. Luckily she balanced it out with humor and a blooming love story so I didn’t walk away completely devastated. The fact that a story that should have been completely depressing had me excited, laughing and hopeful is a true testament to Jensen's abilities as a writer.
My only complaint would be dialogue which sometimes didn’t flow and other times it was difficult to tell who was speaking. But besides that the dialogue was really great.
I absolutely loved Jamis' story. The mystery, the romance, the supernatural, and the found family all filled out an exciting story that I could not get enough of.

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What a fun read! I've been really in the mood for paranormal thrillers lately and this book really hit the mark for me. It also scratched a very specific itch I seem to have for books about tv show hosts, specifically those of the paranormal/adventure variety. Some others I've really enjoyed are Into The Drowning Deep by Mira Grant and The Anomaly Files series by Michael Rutger. Jen Jensen slid right in there along those two as a new favorite.

I love how real the MC feels. She has flaw and very relatable anxieties bout being burnt out and unsuccessful. The ghosts in the story are creepy and feel real in a way that kept me on the edge of my seat. The writing was good, with room for improvement, so I c an't wait to see what Jen Jensen does in the future. Overall, fantastic read and I would recommend to anyone who appreciates a good paranormal story!

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When I first heard about this book, it sounded right up my alley. Jaded former tv-star turned freelance ghosthunter who gets up to paranormal shenanigans and falls in love at the same time? Also, it's sapphic, which is basically all I need to know about a book these days before I pick it up.

So what went wrong? Why didn't this book work for me? It's honestly hard to say, because from a craft perspective there's nothing wrong with it. I adored the premise. The writing is fine - nothing groundbreaking, but certainly not bad. The pacing is good, the plot is interesting enough - your typical ghostly mystery - and the characters are all likeable. There was just something that didn't click for me here, and I can't put my finger on it. I felt emotionally distanced from the characters, as much as I liked them; I felt no real urge to unravel the mystery. Ultimately I just wasn't invested, and the overall effect was like watching a show that you aren't really enjoying because there's nothing else on.

I did try to persevere with it - I got well past the halfway point - but ultimately I just felt more and more apathetic about the plot. I wasn't drawn to pick up the book - in fact, I've been actively avoiding it for a week. To me, that's a sign that this just isn't working for me.

A lot of other people seem to have enjoyed this one, and as I mentioned there's nothing objectively wrong with it, it just didn't have that spark for me. DNF'd at 64%

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actual rating: 3.5

This was a interesting book and a pretty quick read, but I definitely felt like it had some pacing issues. I was hoping for more of a straight-forward ghost story with a lesbian protagonist but it turned into more of a murder mystery and character study kind of thing complete with random flashback POV shifts to one of the character's mother towards the end. I like the general idea for the story and also the diverse female cast, but I did not feel like the plot moved steadily or really kept me interesting. I'm sure this wouldn't be a problem to people who don't mind a more meandering pace in their novels but I like something a bit more action-heavy.

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This book made me feel so much; fear, anxiety, sadness, loss and more. There wasn't a single line in the book that took me out of the story. It had excellent flow and led me through the storyline masterfully. I remember at the start of the book thinking that I'd start my review already about how scary it was. It definitely had scary (to me) moments, but so much more than that and I felt touched by reading it. The ending brought me to tears. This book is deep in the best ways and I couldn't not recommend it.
I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

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I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review of the story- can I just say THANKYOU BOLD STROKES and NETGALLEY for this book!

Sometimes. We read books with writing or stories that are just ok because they have LGBTQ characters. This book is NOT one of those. The story doesn't rely on gratuitous sex or violence to sell.

The story is complex, spanning several lives and times. The characters are extremely relatable. The conversation is witty and flows easily. I read it in one sleepless sitting last night.

The paranormal aspect introduces religious and psychiatric ideas while looking to prove things that go bump in the night are real.

Johnna is a ghost buster by trade who recently lost her well received television show. A fan reaches out to her for help with a possible poltergeist. The request leads johnna to a small town in Utah and evolves into so much more. Murder, loss, self growth, new relationships, vindication and a splash of current events.

I love this book and hope te read more of Jen Jensen's work.

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Since her TV show, Ghastly Incidents, was cancelled, Jamis Bachman has been struggling with depression. She’s also questioning her sanity: she believes ghosts exist, but not being able to get proof makes her doubt everything she’s been working for.

A call from a couple who think there’s a poltergeist in the house they’re renting brings her to Sage Creek, Utah. Jamis has promised herself (and her psychiatrist) that’s it’s her last chance to prove she’s right. If she can’t get anything out of this, she’ll stop chasing. The trip will get her a lot more than she bargained for. A poltergeist, a twenty-five-year-old murder, a new group of friends, the love of her life…

In what I think is her debut novel, Jen Jensen weaves a fascinating story, fast-paced and gripping, with just the right amount of twists to keep me captivated without losing me. Maybe a tad too didactic at times but that’s a common flaw with first novels and it wasn’t a real problem.

What was a problem for me, however, was the writing. I’m sure it will keep improving. At the moment, it’s a little jerky and chaotic, and at times tore me out of the story. Some authors use too many exclamation points and coordinating conjunctions, this one doesn’t use enough. And I also felt the tenses used were wrong sometimes but I’m not a native English speaker so the mistake might be mine. Anyhow, some sentences or even paragraphs are beautiful and it makes me very hopeful for Jensen’s next book.

The jerkiness actually works really well for dialogues (though it wasn’t always clear who was talking). I really loved all the characters, and the dialogues fit them perfectly. Jamis is wounded and scared and sarcastic yet kind. Johnna, the woman she meets, is sweet and patient, and introduces Jamis to other sweet people, like her brother Sam and super geek Sapphire (my favourite of course). Then there’s Carmen, an older lesbian whose past Jamis will find out while chasing her ghosts. From the moment she began meeting them all, there was no way Jamis would go back to her former life in California.

From what I understand, this novel is the first in a series, which is excellent news.

I received a copy from the publisher and I am voluntarily leaving a review.

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A paranormal/ghost/mystery story is right up my alley. Especially when it's a main plot with a side of lesbian romance.

Jamis is a burned out ghost hunter with a cancelled TV show. She comes to Sage Creek, Utah after a cry for help from a young couple who claim that their house is hunted. Jamis decides this is the last shot she will give the ghost hunting business if it turns out she can't prove the existence of ghosts.

On her first night, drunken, she meets veterinary Johnna. While dealing with her personal demons, her burn out and the current poltergeist, Jamis falls for Johnna.

The book is fast-paced with several interesting side characters. My only complaint is that it ended too soon and I want to read more about Jamis, her ghost hunting business and Jamis and Johnna's relationship.

Bonus point for Jen Jensen to mention of Jung's theory of Synchronicity. Shows she knows what she's writing about.

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This book would make a great TV show. If you're looking for a cool ghost hunting/crime story then you'll love this book. If you're looking for a romance book, although there is definetly love in it, it's not the focal point. This book's strongest points are the supernatural happenings in the house Jamis is sent to and the past crime that may be contributing to the hauntings.

The building of the evidence was well done and I couldn't say 75% through the book who had done it. Testament to the author on that. There is a bit more supernatural events in this book besides the normal ghost haunting, and occasionally I'd get confused by it. I don't think it took anything away from my enjoyment - I just had those moments of "Is she dreaming or having an episode awake?" and "is she somewhere else or still in her current location?" It's a hard thing for the author to incorporate into a book so cheers for not losing me completely!

Overall I thought it was a really fun book. The scenes with Jamis and Sapphire alone are worth it. I want them teaming up on another case!

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I admit, I'm not much of a paranormal / ghost style reader. Not sure why, but it's just not a genre that I typically read. I'm SO glad I picked up this story despite all of that!

Jamis, our MC is burned out. She used to have her own ghost hunting show, but now it's canceled and she's stuck facing her own demons more than anything else. After receiving a call for help, she goes on one last paranormal hunt, but this last one's a doozie!

Jensen created a perfect blend with this story and I could almost feel the ghosts right along with the characters. I loved that Jamis is a messy character, complex, real, and not at all perfect. The rest of the characters are just as rich, from the tech geek Sapphire to the more simple and calming romantic interest, Joanna. Even the ghosts are rich and complex!

The story is fast-paced, well-written, and perfect for those of you who need a little more paranormal in your lives. It doesn't look like this is going to be a series, since it's mentioned several times that this is Jamis' last case, but I could easily see this as a series. Hopefully Jensen will continue! 4 stars.

**Many thanks to Bold Strokes for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.**

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Hungry ghost.

Jamis used to have her own ghost hunting television show. Now she is struggling to find purpose. She takes on one last client in attempt to capture proof of paranormal activity and finds that she is connected in a way that is difficult to understand.

I love ghosts. I love ghost hunter shows. And I loved this book.

Jamis is a sarcastic woman with a bit of an ego despite her internal struggles with simply dealing with life. She was a messy and complex character that I couldn't get enough of.

While this had a bit of romance in it, the real relationship that shined was that between Jamis and a spunky library techie, Sapphire. They met and became instant besties. Their snarky interactions were amazing and scenes with these two were super entertaining. They work together to solve the crime they suspect resulted in a poltergeist. terrorizing tenants.

The ghostly occurrences were pretty tense and suspenseful in the beginning. A lot of things happen in dream sequence, which I'm not particular fond of, though. As Jamis starts to understand the poltergeist more, she becomes brave and even invites the paranormal to surface.

So back to the romance bit. Jamis sees Johnna for the first time while in a drunken stupor and believes Johnna to be the most beautiful creature to ever walk the planet. She still feels that way the following day. There is just something pulling Jamis toward Johnna. Both women have been dealing with issues for a long time and that gives them some common ground.

The author has a way of writing that is fast paced, brief, and cutting. That was mostly apparent with the dialogue. There were so many conversations that I adored. A scene in a diner where Johnna is amused with things Jamis is saying and facetiously calls her charming and humble. There is another scene when Jamis is at Johnna's house and they are revealing some personal things and Johnna just rattles off a ton of psychiatric diagnoses and ends with an abrupt root cause.

There was a point in this where it becomes a bit spiritual and cosmic or something. It lost me a bit there. I'm not a huge fan. Very hard for me to suspend belief. Ghosts, yes! Cosmic meetings over time, no. And I don't think this particular aspect added to the story much.

Overall, I liked this a lot. There were some intense moments. Great characters and friendships. A cute little romance. Crime solving mystery. Definitely worth your time.

I recommend to anyone who likes to read about the paranormal, mystery, romance, snarky main characters, quirky side characters, great dialogue, birdie fingers, and names you have no idea how to pronounce.

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This was another book my tablet didn't want me to read. I can't tell you how many times I had to re-download the thing! But in the end, I'm glad I did. This was my introduction to this author, and a little birdie tells me this book is going to be the first in a soon-to-come-series! Yay!

There were parts I would not recommend reading alone in the dark if you're sensitive. During the day perhaps... I enjoyed the layers this story had, and how those layers were all interwoven. I would have liked to see more of a wrapped up ending, and I look forward to reading more about Jamis. But overall, I enjoyed this tale. I cheered for some characters, shed a tear for a couple of others and wagged my finger at a certain tree. But in the end, that tree helped answer some questions.

As I said, I look forward to reading more about Jamis.

Thanks go to the author, NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for the opportunity to read an ARC in exchange for this review.

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This is definitely a book you want to read in the daylight hours with lots of people around you. Jamis Bachman, Ghost Hunter by Jen Jensen is exactly the type of book you expect with a name like that.

Jamis has spent a good portion of her adult life hunting for ghosts, aliens and other unexplained subjects for her television show. Now that the show has been cancelled, she is out of sorts and depressed. Then she gets a video from a couple who live in Sage Creek, Utah and a plea for help. Their home seems to be taken over by a poltergeist. The video caught her interest, and she decides to go to Sage Creek for one last chance to prove that ghosts are real. She ends up becoming immersed in a cold case murder mystery, the airing of the town’s dirty secrets, and a bit of romance.

This is a pretty fast paced novel with lots of action. It is a good read if you love ghost stories. The characters are well developed and mostly easy to connect with. The plot is intricate and complex, and you do have to pay attention as you read or you could miss out on snippets of information that you need to understand the whole tale. Ms. Jensen also has a wicked and twisted sense of humor that pops up occasionally in the story. I thoroughly enjoyed those moments.

I do wish the romance between Jamis and Johnna would have been developed a little more than it was in the tale. I’m a sucker for a good romance even in a story like this one, and I wanted more. There was actually more romance between two secondary characters than between the two main characters.

The biggest problem I have with this book is the abrupt ending. I wanted to see more, especially more about Jamis and Johnna. This story really needs an epilogue added to the end.

In spite of that, I truly enjoyed this book. It kept my interest from the beginning to the end, and the fast paced action never let me become bored. I’m giving this book a 3.5 rating and upping it to a 4 overall. If you love a good ghost story with lots of action, this might be the book for you.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for an honest review.

Rainbow Reflections: https://rainbowreflections.home.blog/

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I received an ARC copy of this book from the Publisher via Netgalley and voluntarily leaving my review.

I love it. This was a really good read. It was scary at times with Jamis seems to be moving from different places.

Jamis is a ghost hunter she once had a popular tv show. When a young couple send her video of haunting in their home she decide to see if this the real deal.

When she arrive in Sage C reek Utah she feels her life will change forever and she not wrong. While there she meets people along the way who helps her solve 25 years old murder of the ghost Stephanie Gardner who haunting. We learn that Jamis been having a recurring dream of woman she can't see her face but she wonder if this dream is connect to Stephanie.

I like the supporting characters Sapphire she really smarts and her instant friendship with Jamis if this was a series I could totally see them teaming up as a ghost hunting team. Jamis and Johnna chemistry was great I like them getting to know each other falling for each other. Johnna twin Sam although in a wheelchair is very upbeat and a fan of Jamis who is so oblivious to the way Sapphire loves him I'm glad Jamis pointed it out to him. Carmen was a cool character love them getting drunk together and her making fun of Jamis always having to talk. It was sad what happen to Johnna and Sam mom Emma and their brother Jacob.

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