****4 stars!

“You see, when you love someone, when they’re your whole heart…you’ll do anything to find them.”

First I would like to thank St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for allowing me to read an ARC of this book. I am honored to have been given a chance to read it and give an honest review.

Hattie Tilney isn’t a believer. Yes, she is a senior at America’s most haunted high school, Northanger Abbey, but ever since her paranormal loving father passed away, she put it all behind her and moved on. She has enough to worry about in the land of the living--like taking care of her younger brother, Liam, while their older sister spirals out and their mother, Northanger’s formidable headmistress, who buries herself in her work. If Hattie just works hard enough and keeps that overachiever mask on tight through graduation, maybe her mother would finally notice her.

But the mask starts slipping when Hattie is assigned to be an ambassador to Kit Morland, a golden retriever of a boy who transferred to Northanger on a ghost hunting scholarship. The two are partnered up for an investigative project on the school’s paranormal activity, and Hattie quickly strikes a deal: Kit will present whatever ghostly evidence he can find to prove that the campus is haunted, and Hattie will prove that it’s not. But as they explore the abandoned tunnels and foggy graveyards of Northanger, Hattie starts to realize that Kit might be the kind of person that makes her want to believe in something--and someone--for the first time.

This book was a very interesting modern take on Northanger Abbey, it was fun seeing these characters in a modern setting. I felt the characters were very relatable and the overall theme of the story was really different and fun to read about! I really enjoyed seeing the character development between all the characters; watching them grow overtime and form stronger and better relationships as the story progressed.

The pacing of this story was very well done as well; it was a nice and quick read. The words used to describe Northanger Abbey were also really great; I felt I could picture the campus very well as I read along with the story.

This was a very adorable and genuine story; it is one I would recommend if you enjoy Jane Austen retellings and stories about ghosts and romance. I am very much looking forward to reading whatever Amanda Quain writes next!

Everything I know about ghost hunting, I've learned from modern Northanger Abbey retellings.

...which is ironic because I remember next to nothing about Jane Austen's Gothic parody. (At risk of making true Austenites to reach for their smelling salts, I sometimes get Northanger Abbey and Mansfield Park mixed up.) Though, in my defense, I read it a long time ago and didn't pick up on any of the satire when I did.

All this to say, as excited as I was to read Amanda Quain's sophomore novel, I'm not the reviewer to go to if you're looking for someone intimately familiar with Austen's first book.

While Ghosted was enjoyable, I didn't like it as much as Quain's debut. Whether I liked it more because I'm much more familiar with P&P (and could appreciate the spin she put on the famous classic) or because it was a stronger story, I can't really say.

The Good.
The Tilney's. The Tilney's, the Tilney's, the Tilney's.
I love family-centric stories and watching each individual member in this poor, dysfunctional, broken family try to navigate their grief independently and eventually come out of their silos of sorrow to slowly a rebuild new life together was my absolute favorite part of the book. It didn't really feature in the story until the latter half of the book, so I do wish it had been developed more, but what we did get, I loved. Baby Liam was so precious, and Freddie, the rebel big sister, managed to be a great interpretation of Captain Tilney while still remaining sympathetic. I do think Hattie's relationship with her mom was a bit rushed, but overall, I loved the quiet family moments and thought the gradual development was well-done.

The Bad.
Hattie.
I just wasn't a huge fan of Hattie, which is kind of a problem because we spend 320 pages in her head. In general, her humor and random asides were entertaining, but her overall character was frustrating and one-dimensional. Her grief-induced denial and adamant refusal to acknowledge her feelings were certainly understandable but that didn't make her likeable. Her overall arc felt superficial and stagnant, and much like Austen's relatively obvious satire, Hattie's flaws were extremely heavy-handed and made watching her incredibly slow growth painful to read.
(I just realized, was Hattie's hit-you-over-the-head obliviousness some kind of meta- satire? Because if it is, I totally missed it.)

The Meh.
The romance. It's hard to root for a romance when you don't really care about half of the relationships. Kit was an endearing enough character that he might have been able to carry the romance if it hadn't been so crudely developed. The romance was pretty insta-lovey which isn't my favorite even when I do like both characters and didn't feel particularly developed. Because Quain established the attraction between Hattie and Kit pretty early on, I never really found the "we can't be together" tension believable. Again, Kit was a perfectly sweet cinnamon roll of a love interest; unfortunately, he was wasted a bit on a lackluster love story.

For someone who may or may not have had to skim bits of the Northanger Abbey Sparknotes page to refresh her memory, Ghosted was a fun read, albeit one that lacked finesse. Would I recommend this to Austen fans? 🤷🏻‍♀️ I honestly have to reread Northanger Abbey before I could say. I'm definitely going to read Amanda Quain's next book though.

I’m not usually one for paranormal books but I really enjoyed this book. I might just be a crybaby, but I cried reading this. I am very close to my father and I can’t imagine the pain people that have lost a parent feels. I believe that Amanda Quain expresses that feeling very clear. My heart was broken for Hattie and her family and I wanted nothing more than to give them a hug, specifically Liam. God Liam was such a cinnamon roll. He was so adorable. Kit was just amazing all around. He was very witty and cared so deeply for Hattie. I loved both him and Liam from the start.

I loved Quain’s ability to show people’s faults without making them the villain of the story. Everyone had their flaws but no one was the true villain which I really enjoyed. Quain did an amazing job at showing that even though we, as humans, make bad decisions that it doesn’t make us bad people. Overall such a cute story and I loved it.

Thank you for letting me get a copy of this arc. This book was an interesting read. I think it'd be perfect for the fall time. Hattie is a senior in a haunted high school and gets paired on a school project with Kit. After her father passed Hattie has given up the ghost hunting but being with kit has made her want to believe in something. A slow burn with dealing with a family dynamic after a loved one passes. A good YA novel!

This was a cute YA romance novel with ghosts. I thought this was an easy read. I liked the overall story. I think I would suggest this one.

I have never read any Jane Austen retellings but I came across this book and it sounded interesting. I enjoyed the retelling and was able to fly through this one. I was lucky enough to get an advanced copy and glad that I did. I would highly recommend this book when its released.

I had enjoyed Accomplished by Amanda Quain a lot and was excited to read more books by her. This book had a great retelling in the classic Northanger Abbey. I enjoyed how well the characters were written and enjoyed the plot going on. It was just as good as Accomplished and I really enjoyed this book. I can't wait to read more from Amanda Quain.

“Is this really the best training for cross-country?” I asked Priya as we stretched against the side of the bleachers. Izzy had commandeered a golf cart from somewhere and was currently driving laps around the track, whooping as she went. No way that was going to end badly. “I can always go into the woods and get a bunch of sticks and dirt to lay in front of you.”

This Jane Austen retelling follows Hattie through the trials and tribulations of High School, but not just any high school. Northanger Abbey. A school known for its ghost and for being the location of a world famous horror movie. Only problem, Hattie doesn’t believe in ghost, or she doesn’t any more. Not since her Dad died and she’s decided to be the perfect daughter for her Mother, who just happens to be the Headmistress. One day, she’s asked to show around Kit the new student who happens to be there on a scholarship for his interest in the paranormal. What ensues is a whirlwind of ghost, friends, family, and self discovery.

I went into this book skeptical about the theme of ghost hunting. However, I soon realized this book was more than just that premise. This book is a adorable YA about family, grief, self growth, and ghost of both Hattie’s past and her present.

I think all the characters were well written. However, I would have liked more development between Hattie and her Mother seeing as how that was a main plot point of the book. I also felt like Freddy’s character could have had more of a role in this book than just being seen as the “problem child” in Hattie’s eyes. Kit Morland stood out most to me as the handsome ghost hunter. Kit definitely has golden retriever energy and it’s adorable.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Wednesday Books for a digital advance readers copy in exchange for an honest review.

The idea of a Jane Austen rewrite and this taking place at Northanger Abbey really caught my eye. I liked the idea of the Abbey being haunted and paranormal investigators and just thought it was pretty unique. It was fast paced as well.

This is my first book by this author who has previously released another Jane Austen retelling. This book is a retelling of Northanger Abbey and for the most part I enjoyed this book. This was an interesting take on the story and switches the roles around in this retelling. The book has steady pacing filled with humor and supernatural elements. Overall, a fun, quick read.

4.25/5 stars! Another amazing Jane Austen adaptation. I've rarely found a Northanger Abbey re-telling but this one knocked it out of the part. The author hit the nail on the head with the balance between supernatural gothic vibes, humor, and depth.

I received an advance review copy for free through NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily

Thank you to the publisher for allowing me to read this eARC.

Another great Jane Austen retelling!! I honestly didn't think I was going to like this book but I kept getting sucked back into reading it. I really enjoyed the world, the pacing, characters, and the writing.

I have read quite a few YA adaptations of Austen's novels (and grew up with Clueless, so I have been primed for these since adolescence!), but most of them have been takes on Pride and Prejudice. It's probably not surprising that there aren't very many attempts at Northanger Abbey. (The only other one I've encountered was Val McDermid's, and I'll admit to quitting that one less than a quarter of the way through.) Austen's Northanger is hilarious, but it's also so deeply entrenched in Gothic literature that you have to do a lot of homework to get all of the jokes.

Quain makes a lot of, in my opinion, wise decisions in tackling Northanger Abbey for a twenty-first century YA audience. First, she switches perspective and genders, telling the story from the perspective of Henry (here Hattie) Tilney and repositioning Catherine (here Kit) as the love interest rather than protagonist. Quain also decides not to attempt the kind of parody or humor that define Austen's novel; though there is humor here, Ghosted is more interested in exploring teenage anxiety and the question of belief. Turning Northanger into a boarding school and making ghost hunting a central part of the campus culture (and the plot more generally) are both reasonable tweaks as well.

Hattie's relationships with Kit and her siblings are well developed, though her interactions with her mother feel a little rushed in terms of both establishing family dynamics and finding resolutions. The discussions of belief may also be a little too earnest, though there are some poignant moments in Hattie's reflections about her late father.

This is a text that does not require knowledge of the source material to work, but it's also one that may not necessarily enhance young readers' interest in that source material. That said, reading Ghosted now may lead to some readers getting a few extra chuckles or taking a closer look at Henry when they do eventually get around to Northanger Abbey.

"My dad loved ghosts. And that's why I didn't. Not anymore."

Thank you to Rivka Holler, Wednesday Books, and Netgalley for sending me an advanced copy of Ghosted in exchange for an honest review.

Ghosted is a YA retelling of the classic novel, Northanger Abbey, centering around Henrietta "Hattie" Tilney, a senior at Northanger Abbey, America's (allegedly) most haunted high school. She has enough to worry about in the real world, being the daughter of the headmistress and maintaining her perfect reputation through her two best friends, Izzy and Priya. Enter Kit Moreland, a ghost hunter, that just might force Hattie to confront her own ghosts in his quest to prove that Northanger Abbey is indeed truly haunted.

I went into this book simply thinking that it would be another typical YA ghost story but I could not have been more wrong. Hattie and Kit are such loveable characters while also being extremely realistic in their daily struggles to survive high school. Izzy and Priya annoyed me through much of the book but by the end, the author actually had me sympathizing with them and wanting Hattie, Izzy, and Priya's relationship to improve past the end of the novel. Ms. Quain dealt with grief in children in such an interesting and relatable way while striking an incredible balance with the paranormal. By the end of the book, she certainly made a believer out of me.

I thoroughly enjoyed Ms. Quain's first book, Accomplished, but she really upped her game in this book. The writing felt miles above Accomplished and her storytelling was extremely compelling, keeping me turning the pages until the very end and left me wanting more! I can't wait to read more of this author. Do yourself a favor and read this book! 5/5 stars!

This Jane Austen retelling was everything I hoped it would be.Highly unexpected and a fresh take on a beloved classic.The pacing was really well done as well slow burn romance,
Amanda Quain did a phenomenal job capturing the essence of the characters and carrying them into a new story while at the same time remaining true to its roots. Highly recommend for any Jane Austen fan.

A special thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press & Wednesday Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Wow, gender reversed version of underrated gothic masterpiece of Jane Austen couldn’t be so good!

The quirky Henry Tiley turned into Hattie Tiley and the despotic general of three kids retold as headmistress Tiley: the mother of Hattie, Freddie, Liam.

Catherine Morland at the original manuscript who was naive, 17 years old girl changed as Kit Morland, a member of National Paranormal Society of Investigators, earned his scholarship to become new student at Northanger Abbey!

The headmistress’ overachiever, reserved, responsible daughter Hattie becomes his ambassador to introduce him to the school activities. They also become project partners for digging out the history of Northanger Abbey’s paranormal activity.

After losing her father to cancer, Hattie stopped believing in ghosts. Ghosts were their common interest. They read the history of the town and search for the best ghost stories by visiting the monuments and attractions they have been pressured to live. Losing her father meant losing her cheery, quirky self! She boxed everything that reminded her father and made over herself as ambitious, career oriented, regular high schooler by befriending popular girls, burying her quirky side.

She’s not the only one who is crumbling apart. Her big sister Freddie dropped out from college, lurking in the house without proper future plan and her 15 years old brother is hiding inside his shell at each day, spending his hours in front of computer to play games. And their strict mother headmistress Tiley becomes even more workaholic, barely stopping by at her house, burying herself into more school works.

Hattie’s interaction with Kit help her to pull down her barriers, embracing her old happy self at risk of losing her popular friend circle, her detailedly planned future college application.

This is sweet, genuine, absolutely enjoyable YA novel about grief, dysfunctional family, the ghosts of our pasts, friendship, self growth. Especially I enjoyed the last third which made me give extra half stars more to round up 4.5 to 5 amazing Jane Austen retelling stars!

I loved the previous book of the author which was also another great gender reversed Austen retelling. But I loved Ghosted so much more! Kit Morland is absolutely dreamy book boyfriend and ghostbuster!

Special thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/ Wednesday Books for sharing this amazing digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest thoughts.

Ghosted by Amanda Quain was an absolute blast!
And here I thought I loved Quain before with Accomplished!
She outdid herself here!

I thought this was a fun and nice original retelling of Northanger Abbey.
The most clever and engaging contemporary YA novel I've read all month!
The characters are lively, well-written with amazing personalities.
Featuring a well-rounded cast of characters who are impossible not to fall for.
I thought it was nicely paced and had enough humor to make the story fun and bright.
This was a really fun YA retelling and I had the best time reading it.

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I loved it! Amanda Quain is a genius, this is a beautiful book.

This would be easy to teach alongside Northanger Abbey, but works on its own accord as well. A ghost themed book that isn’t tied to one time of year.