Admittedly, I don’t remember Northanger Abbey all that well, but I love a modern Austen adaptation no matter what. And this one was super fun. It had just the right emphasis on ghosts and ghost hunting, paired with relatable issues for the lead characters that made them feel real. And made me feel old and so far removed from high school, but overall, this was a really fun read.

The way Hattie closed herself off from people was hard to deal with at times, but I understood that was her big flaw, one she was going to learn and grow from, so I went with it. She can be the typical judgmental teenager but that just made her believable and not falsely perfect.

The romance aspect was very sweet, I loved Kit as a character in general. He’s sweet and earnest and clever and a good friend. But I especially loved him as someone Hattie found herself unwillingly falling for, for all the same reasons I loved him as a reader. The pace of their relationship was really good too, the progression very natural. I loved them together.

Burdened by the promise she made her father on his deathbed, Hattie struggles to maintain the image of the perfect daughter and to basically raise her younger brother. Her mother is mostly absent and her older sister is nearly a train wreck. But not everything is as Hattie thought it was. Realizations are made as the story progressed, particularly as her unlikely friendship with Kit evolves. Kit is the sunshine where Hattie has only ever seen ‘gloom’ through the barriers she has put around herself.
This story is about ghosts (actual ghosts and ghost stories), but it is even more about digging up the ghosts from within - discovering the path towards finding your true self. Hattie is a master at keeping people at a distance - even her best friends - but Kit chips away at this throughout the story.
If you’re looking for a hopeful coming of age story, then this is a good one. I really enjoyed the relationship between Kit and Hattie, but I loved how her bother Liam also came out of his shell. This story is also about grief and healing broken relationships. On the surface it may seem like just a book about ghost hunting, but it is so much more. I hope it can touch your heart the way it did mine.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an e-arc of the book. The opinions expressed are honest an my own.

A big thank you to Amanda Quain, St. Martins Press and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for my honest opinion. Ghosted is out and ready to enjoy.

In this retelling of Jane Austen's Northanger Abbey, Hattie is forced to confront her very complicated feelings towards ghosts and ghost hunters. After losing her ghost loving father at the beginning of high school Hattie has vowed that she will have nothing to do with any of the ghost stories that surround her famously haunted school. That is until she is paired with the cute new cute to write and film a journalist story about said hauntings. At the same time, she is forced to examine the complicated relationships she has with her family, her friends and the new guy, Kit. I though this book was a beautiful look at the way grief effects different people and how they change the way we view and experience relationships. I think it also touched on what it feels like to go through the growing pains that is becoming an adult. Even with the sadder aspects of the book, it was still packed full of humor, romance and warmth. If you are looking for a spooky and endearing read, please go check out Ghosted.

I haven’t read Northanger Abbey so let me start this review by saying I don’t believe I needed to have read it to enjoy this novel. It is an interesting and engaging story on its own. However, due to my lack of knowledge on Jane Austens classic, I’m sorry to say I can’t offer any insight into the books’ connections to its predecessor. That being said, I really enjoyed this novel. I found Hattie’s mental gymnastics of trying to be perfect all the time exhausting but she was also a realistic depiction of a teenage girl going through more than she knows how to handle. The nuances of her relationship with her family, her friends and herself while navigating the loss of her father made her a character I couldn’t help but root for. She was sympathetic and Kit became a likeable character very quickly by just being someone she was able to ease up around. Overall this story stood on its own as a quality YA novel about grief, family turmoil and personal growth.

I really enoyed this book. I think that it has so many elements that i enoyed. i loved the ghost elements and the romacne was really fun. This book was more friends to more or strangers to friends to more with a bit of tension. I loved the setting and also really liked all the elements in this story that adressed like graduation and end of the high school thing including romance and drama. I got def see this series going several different ways def a soild read!

I think I just wasn’t in the mood for this one? I liked her previous novel. I also haven’t read Northanger Abbey and that might have been the problem.

I went into this book expecting ghost adventures and came out feeling so wholesome about a girl who finally found herself, and dealt with the ghosts of her own past. It’s been a little minute since I’ve read a coming-of-age story, but I forgot how good they can be. This was really well written and touched on how loss can effect everyone in a family, and how differently they cope. Especially when children are involved. Being a teenager in itself is hard, but added in with grief, trying to find your way with no guidance, and then elevated expectations to live up to… it can feel so daunting.

Hattie attends Northanger Abbey high school, which is famously and allegedly haunted. Once upon a time, this would have been a dream for her. She and her dad bonded over their love for the paranormal. But her dad passed right before she started at the high school, and now she’s no longer a believer. Very anti-ghost. Her mom is the headmistress, but this doesn’t make it any easier for her. Her mom is just as detached and cold as if they don’t even know each other. But yet she has all these expectations of her, making Hattie feel like she has to be the perfect daughter; an opposition of her older sister, Freddie, who is what one would call “a mess”. Their younger brother Liam has cocooned himself in his shell, and Hattie feels doubt he’ll ever come back out.

But then everything changes once Dr. Tilley (her mom), assigns her to be an ambassador to Kit Morland, a new student who is there on a ghost-hunting scholarship. The two are paired up on a journalism assignment to investigate the paranormal activity that makes Northanger Abbey so infamous. But as Hattie and Kit explore the school, and get to know each other better, those of Northanger Abbey are not the only ghosts that will be dug up.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Amanda Quain for an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Please don't come for me, but I've never read Northanger Abbey. I don't know how much, if any, this book has in common with that one, I was sold by the title, a haunted high-school, and the idea of a ghost-hunting scholarship - sign me up!
There was so much more to this story than just ghost-hunting, though. It's a story of a broken family trying to pick up the pieces after the tragic loss of their father and husband. It's the story of Hattie, whose facade as the perfect daughter and student is about to crumble under the weight she's placed on herself.

I very much enjoyed this book. Of course I loved the idea of a haunted high school and I would have been thrilled to be Kit's ambassador. And I wish there had been a little more focus on the ghost hunting, to be honest. But as fun as that aspect of the book was, it was second to Hattie's journey and how she needed to reconcile who she was before her dad died, with who she is now- and who she wanted to be. It wasn't an easy journey by any means, there were a lot of bumps along the way, and a lot of growing up to do, but I really liked the person she became.

As a huge fan of Jane Austen, I found Amanda Quain's Ghosted, to be a superb retelling of Northanger Abbey. Realistic and spooky, the characters were endearing and I walked away thinking this wasn't the typical YA story. 5 stars!

I really enjoyed this loose Northanger Abbey retelling from Amanda Quain. I can definitely tell that there has been some growth in her writing since Accomplished. The author had more of handle on the pacing and plot, which helped make her character work shine a little more. Not that I didn't like her previous book, I did. I just really appreciated how the plot points of Northanger Abbey were reworked and adapted for a young, contemporary audience.
In Ghosted, we follow Hattie Tilney, middle daughter to the headmaster of Northanger, a former abbey turned boarding school with a haunted past. Hattie works very hard to maintain her status as overachieving golden child and semi-popular girl in school. The first day of senior year, Hattie is assigned to be Northanger Abassador to new kid in school, Kit Moreland (our Catherine Moreland), who is there on scholarship from a paranormal investigative society who donates money to this 'haunted' school. What starts as an assignment, soon turns into a friendship as Hattie finds that she is able to let down some of her walls around Kit. I really liked their dynamic!
What I really appreciated was the exploration of Hattie's family life. Her father passed away suddenly a few years before, her mother is work oriented and not very involved, and her older sister is spiraling a little bit after dropping out of college. The only family she gets along with is her little brother Liam. I liked seeing how the interpersonal relationships between family members changed throughout the story. As much as this is a cute, fun story about friendship, it is also an exploration of identity, relationships, and not hiding yourself away.
I think if liked her previous book or books by Emma Lord, this would be one to check out!

I wasn’t really sure what to expect going into this one. I was unsure of the voice of the MC and if it would sound realistic. I can tell you it is definitely believable and the story kept me curious for what was coming. It’s a compelling read that I am still putting together my thoughts on. Although it deals with tough topics, it’s well written and I encourage others to check it out.

Thank to NetGalley and the Publisher for the arc.

Ghosted is a quick-witted, humorous, and banter-filled novel that also offers a delightful slow-burn romance. This book is sharp, funny, and brimming with heartfelt moments.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

As a high school English teacher, when I saw this book was based of a Jane Austen novel, I knew I had to read it. This is a well done gender role reversal of the original novel. At the heart of the story we have Hattie and her family who are trying to work through their grief after their father's death. Hattie has been hiding a lot of herself away and trying to put on a front that would protect her. Enter Kit Moreland, he helps her break down her barriers.

Although this book dealt with some heavier themes, it was still a fun read. The author has a really witty writing style which I loved. If you like Jane Austen retellings and slow burn romance then this book is for you.

Anyone who knows me has heard my very passionate rants about how Northanger Abbey is the superior Jane Austen novel. So, to say I lost my mind to see a retelling of my favorite Austen that was not another "Modern day 'Kat' likes Twilight" (insert eye roll) is an understatement.

I am not personally a huge fan of the gender bending of classics as my mom and baby sister have heard re: Elementary many a time but my GOODNESS was this book so perfect. I loved that they took my favorite part of the book Catherine's innocence and naivety towards the world and made it work in the modern world (in a not eye roll inducing manner) and for a MALE character too. It held my favorite parts of the classic novel while giving it a realistic modern day spin. I love Hattie and Kit together. I loved getting more of the Tilney family backstory and growth in the modern setting.

My only regret is I took so long to finish and review the book. I spent my time reveling in and enjoying this book because I was so impressed to find a modern adaptation that worked.

Stunning!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review. 3.5/5 stars.

Ghosted is loosely inspired byJane Austen's Northanger Abbey. Ghosted follows the main character Hattie Tilney as she tries to navigate college applications, familial relationships, and senior-year anxieties all while attending America's most haunted high school - Northanger Abbey. Hattie is firmly opposed to anything that has to do with ghosts and tries to avoid them at all costs.
However, her plans get ruined when she's assigned to be the ambassador to Kit Morland - the new transfer student who's absolutely obsessed with ghosts. Naturally, the two are promptly paired together for an investigative project all about the school's haunting history. Although Hattie and Kit are almost total opposites, they slowly begin to find that they get along better than either of them could expect.

Overall, I thought this was a really quick and cute YA read. I enjoyed the first-person narration (although at some points I found Hattie's snappy tongue-in-cheek humour a bit cringy at some times). I loved the emotional journey that Hattie goes on throughout the novel and I love how she slowly becomes aware of the emotions she's been repressing since her dad died as well as how she dealt with her grief. I also really liked Hattie and Kit's relationship as I felt like the pacing was just right and i enjoyed how they supported each other.

I do think there were some parts that were rushed, like Izzy's whole redemption arc and Hattie forgiving her. Additionally, I was a bit bummed out about there not being more spooky ghost action like in Northanger Abbey. Throw those in with the timeskip at the end of the book and I was left a little bit unsatisfied by the time I finished the book. However, this was still a very enjoyable book and I'm eager to reread it!

This book, oh this book, it gives you soo many feels, so many moments that surprised or engaged me, and ohh so much ghosty baggage to unpack.

What I thought was going to be a light-hearted ghost-hunting adventure in a haunted high school was so much more, and I loved it.

Hattie has had her fair share of tragedy and has found a way to cope with it all, or at least she thinks she has until Kit turns up and turns her world upside down.

Through family drama, having her dreams crushed, then figuring out her dreams aren't what she thought they were we see Hattie grow up, Liam come into who he was born to be, and see Kit becomes the person that ties it all together.

While there weren't as many actual ghosts as I was expecting we had a busload of emotional spectres that are haunting so many people in this book.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for Providing an advance copy of this E-Book, I have voluntarily read and reviewed it and all thoughts and opinions are my own.

This book grew on me as I continued to read it. I thought going in I was going to get a cute romance book with some paranormal activity. The summary of the book definitely threw me off and made me actually think about what it meant to be ghosted. In the end, Amanda Quain gave me a beautiful book. This book does such a good job talking about grief and how no matter how long it has been, there is no timeline on when it (if) it'll get easier.

The story follows Hattie throughout her senior year of high school. 3 years after her father's death, her family is still struggling with the aftermath. Her mom is emotionless and hides behind her work, Her sister goes to the bar every night and her brother has isolated himself from the world. Hattie has taken up the responsibility of cooking and making sure her siblings are functioning as best as they can.

Meet Kit, a transfer from Florida who is carefree and down to earth. The relationship between him and Hattie is so healthy that after 3 years, Hattie has space to talk about what has been weighing her down. Kit gives her that space that she has needed to start to become who she was and who she wants to be without expectations weighing down on her. Through their relationship, Hattie also re-finds her love for the paranormal.

This book is not only a coming-of-age book, but it talks about grief in such a great way and how it can impact families. Follow Hattie as she navigates the struggles of falling in love, friendship, disappointment, and coping with loss (and has a lot of paranormal/ghost stories). I highly recommend this book and give it a chance because it is a slow burn, but as I said earlier, it definitely grew on me!

4/5 stars. Thank you Netgalley, Amanda Quain, and St. Martin's Press for a free eARC in exchange for an honest review!

3.5 rounded to 4

The characters in this book really are haunted, but not by ghosts except in the metaphorical sense. The Tilney family is still caught in grief mode after the death of their much-loved father.

Hattie, our stand-in for Henry Tilney, is responding by being a perfect preppy, as smooth and superficial as possible, a complete turnaround from her days following her ghost-loving dad around. Her mother is the stern, no-nonsense headmaster of Northanger Abbey high school, and as such is far more interesting than the obnoxious General Tilney of Austen's book.

Most of all I loved Kit Morland, who is a sweet guy, eager and enthusiastic--a perfect version of the eager and enthusiastic and kind Catherine Morland of the book. I loved what Quain did with the characters of Austen's story. However, I do wish that there had been more tongue in cheek ghostly action, even a little. Instead, what we get is a very well-written teen problem novel. Which kind of misses the fun of Austen's tale, even if it does well by the emotional complexities.

Northanger Abbey is one of my favorite Jane Austen books. This gender swapped YA retelling did it justice for sure. It was heartwarming and spooky all in one. Hattie had so much character growth in this book. I loved the family story. The book did a great job of showing grief, family disfunction and self growth. I loved how the relationships throughout the book changed and grew. I cannot wait to read more. Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

Ghosted by Amanda Quain is an emotional and engaging story that broke my heart and, by the end, stitched it back together. YA stories about teens grieving a dead parent often move me to tears, and Ghosted was no exception. I spent as much time in tears as I did laughing. Henrietta, a senior in high school, lost her father a year ago, and she, her two siblings, and her mother are all stuck in their grief. Of course, they are all experiencing grief differently, but for each of them, it is all-consuming, and they’ve lost their familial bonds with one another. The situation is overwhelmingly sad for me, and the counselor in me just wanted to step in and help this fictional family that is so well fleshed out and developed that it felt very authentic.

The romance is very innocent, and I loved Kit’s pure soul and his small part in significantly changing Hattie’s life. I also adored Hattie, who works so hard to be strong that she loses her identity. The romance is more of an enemies-to-lovers romance as Kit represents everything Hattie says she doesn’t want anything to do with. I always enjoy that relationship dynamic.

I also found the ghost-hunting part of the story fun. Hattie’s mom is the headmistress of the boarding school she and her brother attend. The school has a long history that is featured in ghost documentaries and movies, so it’s a mecca for ghost hunters. This paranormal aspect brings a lot of fun to the story but is also very relevant to the central theme and plot. Ghosted is much more than it might seem from the cover and blurb. It is a multi-layered story about grief and self-discovery.