Although this is not normally the type of ghost story I would gravitate towards, this offside contemporary ghost approach worked. Christmas added to the mix, and well , it became its own type of Canadiana Christmas classic.

Quirky at times, and unsure how to react in some of the scenes, I did find myself a little unsure how to respond. When reading this book, the reader must be ready for the satire and some subjects that aren’t quite for everyone.

The characters are difficult to like, but that is the intention of the writer, so that we feel for the children Charlotte and Poppy. I liked this book, but think people sometimes struggle to see a book when it is presented in an untraditional way.

SPIRITS UP is about Benedict the inventor of a clean energy machine and his family.
Benedict has received substantial funding to aid in the development of his invention.
Despite being well off the family is unhappy. Benedict has run into some difficulties with his invention and must work long hours. Karen his wife is unhappy. Their two teenage daughters are unhappy too. Charlotte suffers from a chronic condition that is becoming all consuming. Poppy the youngest daughter is becoming overwhelmed by peer pressure.
Late on Halloween night, Benedict unable to sleep goes outside to investigate a noise.
An accident occurs that leaves Benedict scared and uncertain of what took place. This is followed by the appearance of ghosts. The whole family experience contact with the spirits individually but keep quiet.
SPIRITS UP is an okay read. I think it is more of a story with ghosts as opposed to a ghost story. I was hoping for a ghost story. The family and their problems appear to be the main focus.
Thank you to Penguin Random House Canada and NetGalley for allowing me to read an advanced digital edition of this book.

I guess I wasn’t quite sure what to expect from The Spirits Up, and at times although it was a bit weird and definitely not the type of book I would usually pick up, I’m glad I pushed through. The description of “part social satire and part contemporary ghost story (with a hint of Dickens’s A Christmas Carol)” is very accurate and if that even slightly peaks your interest, I would recommend it.
There were so many great Canadian references I really enjoyed. Definitely contains many timely themes, with heavy emphasis on COVID. I also really liked the book cover on this one- the title and cover definitely caught my eye.
Big thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for an ARC!

If you're looking for an unusual ghost story, then this book is for you!

This is the second book I've read by Todd Babiak and I think it is now safe to say that I enjoy his writing very much and will read any book that he writes.

The Spirits Up is about a family of characters that are struggling to see the big picture in life. There's Benedict, the brilliant inventor who is under a lot of pressure working on a clean-energy machine; Karen, his unhappy wife who is struggling in the marriage and with her past; and their two teenage daughters: Poppy who has body-image issues; and Charlotte, who shares Benedict's exceptional intellectual power and manages a serious chronic illness. 

After a strange event occurs on Halloween, the family members each start experiencing bizarre hauntings in their home.  They each must figure out what is going on and the meaning of it all. 

This is the first book I've read that is set during the pandemic which I much appreciated. I also loved that the book is set in Edmonton, where I live, so it's extra special reading about all the local landmarks and places where I spend a lot of time. It's rare to find books set in our lovely city.

I was also grateful that Todd included a character suffering from a chronic illness.  Charlotte suffers from Crohn's disease, as do I. It's the first time I've read about a character having this disease and I very much appreciated the realistic representation of the condition. Invisible illnesses and disabilities are often misunderstood and not often discussed so it was really great to see it included in the story.

Finally, I loved the themes of family, money and wealth, losing everything and finding perspective that were in the book  -- actually it reminded me a little bit of Schitt;s Creek in that way.

So the moral is if you are into ghost stories, social satire/commentary, Schitt's Creek and/or books that are set around the Halloween/Christmas holiday seasons, I think you may like this book!

Thank you to NetGalley, Penguin Random House Canada and McClelland & Stewart for the advance e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Spirits Up by Todd Babiak is about Karen and Benedict and their two teenage daughters Poppy and Charlotte who are living in a house with ghosts. Benedict has built what he is promoting as a clean energy machine to investors.

The story begins on Halloween night, during which Karen and Benedict, are alerted to a noise outside. As a result of this incident the couple are haunted by what they believe happened. Over the next couple of months the ghosts are revealed and lead to both some scary and some hilarious outcomes.

As for the character, one of the daughters is envious of her sister’s beauty and brains but not by her oddness. Both Benedict and Charlotte are on the spectrum and look at things more analytically and with almost no emotion. Charlotte tinkers in her room much like her father does at his office. Karen tries to avoid being a “‘Karen.”

The author has done a great job of showing people’s true colours where money is involved. When everything is going well and you can boost social status then you are the popular family but if that goes away one finds out who their true friends are.

There is some teen angst and body image issues discussed here. The result however still views thinness as the ideal. I would have like to have this tackled a little more substantially.

Now, the ghosts. I don’t read spooky stories or stories that have ghosts often so I don’t know what to expect. I found them confusing here and didn’t understand how they lent themselves to the message of the book. There was a change to the characters due to the ghosts but it seemed a bit too perfect for me. If you enjoy ghostly books then this might work perfectly for you, it just fell flat for me.

This is the fourth book I’ve read by this author and will continue to read what he writes but I think I will stick to the natural realm.

Thank you to @netgalley and @mcclellandstewart for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinions. The Spirits Up comes out October 26, 2021.