DNF @ 20%

I'm just not the audience for this book. It's a Serious Literary Book, and I'm just not the best reader for those kinds of stories. I was intrigued by the premise, and think this might work for readers of a certain age, or those who are bigger fans of literary fiction.

Thompson has created two characters in Jake and Theron, who tells the story, who feel very real, Their experience is not my experience but I appreciate the thoughtful portrait of their coming of age. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. A good read.

Initially, I had reservations about this book because I don't enjoy reading tragic gay/bi love stories (this isn't a spoiler, it's revealed literally in the first sentence). But this was much more heartwarming than I thought, even in its tragicness and how fucked up all the characters were.

Anyone's Ghost by August Thompson is the story of Theron (told from his pov) and Jake, a boy several years older than him whom he meets while working a summer job. Over the course of a few months, their lives entangle inextricably, and that link doesn't get fully broken even when they drift apart later on.

Normally I hate reading about self-destructive people but I guess I just cared too much about these characters so instead of cringing through the book, I genuinely rooted for them even though I knew one of them wouldn't make it.

The first part of the book that describes the iconic summer holiday they spend together was pure perfection to me. There's a lot of internalized homophobia, denial of attraction, parental neglect, and drugs but somehow it still feels like a warm blanket.

As a kid and a teen, I used to be obsessed with stories of boys, especially stories that took place over the summer, stories about adventures and camaraderie, or better yet, unspoken crushes (even though there were not many stories like that back then), stories that barely had girls. Now I know why that was but the point is, this book reminded me of the stories I used to love, back when I didn't understand myself. It evoked that sense of anemoia, the feeling of nostalgia for something that you've never experienced.

Even though I gave this 5 stars and it comes with my warm recommendation, I know not everyone will enjoy it to the same degree I did. It's very testosterone-fueled and while that might not seem up my alley based on what I usually read, a certain brand of that is very much my thing, I just don't talk about it enough for *reasons*. It was a rare case of a book that spoke to something deep and almost forgotten inside me and I felt it more viscerally than most of the stories I usually encounter.

Thanks, Netgalley & Penguin Press for the ARC of this fantastic book 🙏🏻💜

August Thompson's "Anyone's Ghost" is a poignant and heartbreaking examination of queer love, teenage desires, and a coming-of-age love story that sticks with you long after the last page is read.

I was really drawn to Jake and Theron. The end of this narrative is clear from the start. But knowing the outcome doesn't ruin the journey. I was engrossed in Thompson's writing from the very first page. It's clear how much thought he put into the narrative and characters as well as how he sets the scene. Even if August's next move breaks my heart yet again, I can't wait for more!

The pace, especially when we transitioned to the current day, felt a little hurried in comparison to the rest of the book, which is my only minor complaint. The conclusion, however, was fitting and didn't leave me feeling let down.

This book was just okay. I feel like the author was trying too hard. The characters felt paper thin and unpleasant to me. I didn't like the main character. He was the biggest complainer, and his dad is just horrible. This book was decent, but nothing special.

For being a debut novel, I found it hard to believe. The writing was transformative and the prose was heartbreaking. While I usually enjoy a coming of age story, I did find this one lacking in specific ways. I did not feel a connection to the characters throughout various parts of the book. Certain points were slower and made it difficult to want to continue on the story. I think others would truly enjoy this novel, but overall it was not for me.

Oh this book. This book! heartbreaking and beautiful and frustrating and incredible all at once.

I absolutely loved it. A quick read that packs a huge punch. Following the main characters over about a decade, you get to know them at all stages and see the changes, or lack thereof, the development of the sense of self (again, or lack thereof), and get a beautiful reminder on what it means to be human.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC

From the very prologue I was obsessed with the voice of the narrator. A fraught coming of age story that felt so engaging and real with all of its teenage angst and fear, it's the story of a child of divorce and the way he tries to navigate the world while hating everything in the most teenage way possible. The voice and the story itself are so relatable and almost like a memory, that even though I'm not a gay man, I felt the large feelings of just being full of hormones and trying to figure it all out.

There were beautiful lines and the plot moved along slowly, or at least at the speed that summer and memory moves and I enjoyed every second of it.

This did not feel like a debut novel! I got so immersed in August’s writing that I purposely made myself read slower so the story wouldn’t end.

Theron and Jake meet during a summer job in NH and become inseparable, then the first crash happens and everything changes.

The whole book is told through Theron’s POV and it’s done so powerfully that, as a reader, you feel as if the experiences are happening to you.

Read this if you enjoy coming of age stories and the many layers and complications of friendships.

I am so thankful to PRH Audio, Netgalley, August Thompson, and Penguin Books for granting me advanced access to this book before it hits shelves on July 9, 2024. It was just a bit too "coming of age" for me to get down with its premise.

I'm a sucker for a good coming of age story, especially one that also weaves I'm ideas of what masculinity/self are-- this book tackles both, often successfully. I didn't always relate to the characters but I did appreciate the gamut of emotions I went through. The book is well-written, but a bit slow at some points with loose ends. Overall, I enjoyed this debut.

This story tells us the ending from the very first line. And yet, knowing the ending spoils nothing. It allows the freedom to be taken on a different journey—one that is captivating, heartrending, sincere, and wistful about self-discovery, love, sexuality, friendship, boyhood, masculinity, complicated family relationships, and life’s fulfilling and unfulfilling moments.

In August Thomspon’s debut ‘Anyone’s Ghost,’ we meet Theron, nearly thirty, about to attend the celebration of life for his friend Jake. However, he reveals they’ve barely spoken in the past decade, and his death does not come as a surprise. We are then taken to the summer where it all started, where David, 15, and Jake, 17, meet and follow nearly 15 years from New Hampshire to New York, where we see the moments in life that have bonded and broken them.

These are the coming-of-age stories I love the most - that show youth & adulthood in all their colors. I honestly don’t think I’ve read a story that so perfectly captures the range of emotions so well from insecurity, pining, rejection and self-morphing to the power dynamics and nuance of a complicated relationship with a parent and the limitations and misperception of our understanding of others.

August credits Luca Guadagnino as one of his inspirations in his acknowledgments. I shockingly hadn’t watched Call Me By Your Name before, but this inspired me to watch & I immediately understood. If you loved that story, this should be on your reading list.

I would be remiss not to mention his relationship with his father. This storyline tugged at my heartstrings just as much as his relationship with Jake.

I highlighted so many lines. I loved the dry humor, & the pacing was *chefs kiss* I now realize the perfect length for a chapter.

I don’t think my words can do August’s book justice. (Longer review on my Goodreads as there’s so much I loved & connected with🥹) All the early praise is truly well-deserved. I feel so lucky to have received a galley.

Thank you, Penguinpress, & Congratulations, August Thompson. I already miss it, and to pull wisdom from the story…“all I know is I’ve never missed anything I didn’t love.” 🖤🥺

Beautiful, heart-wrenching, and immediately engrossing. This is a new all-time favorite book. I loved its exploration of queerness and how it can intersect with masculinity, and I found Theron to be an unflinchingly honest and real protagonist. One of those books that I just want to sit with for a while and hold close to my heart.

what a knockout of a debut from Thompson! I was so hooked on Davey’s story as he comes to terms with his identity. we follow his relationship with his best friend (kinda?) Jake over the course of 3 separate periods in their lives. it mostly reads as a coming-of-age type of story but the writing is full of so much emotion and friction that sets it apart. there was even a particularly sweet scene with Davey and his father that made me tear up a little. I don’t wanna give too much away about the story but lovers of queer litfic / coming of age type stories will enjoy this.

Anyone’s Ghost by August Thompson had an intriguing premise but ultimately fell short in execution. The characters felt underdeveloped, making it hard to connect with their journeys. The plot had potential but often seemed disjointed, leaving several threads unresolved. While there were moments of compelling writing, they were too few and far between to carry the story. Overall, it was a disappointing read.

"Anyone's Ghost" by August Thompson is a unique exploration of love, loss, and self-discovery through the characters of Theron and Jake. The novel captures the complexities of human emotions and relationships, from Theron's journey from adolescence to adulthood to the evolution of his relationship with Jake and Lou. Set in various locations from New Hampshire to New York City to Texas, the story delves into the heart-wrenching experience of growing up rural and queer, challenging societal expectations and exploring themes of intimacy, confusion, and internalised homophobia.

The narrative opens with Theron reflecting on the crashes that ultimately took Jake's life, emphasising the importance of their friendship and the emotional immaturity that led to their reckless behaviour. Through Theron's adolescent insecurity and his attraction to Jake's confident and attractive personality, the novel delves into the complexities of their relationship and the impact of their choices. Theron relationship with his parents (his father in particular) adds a good layer of character development. His relationship with Lou adds another dimension to their dynamic, leading to an open relationship that evolves into something more complicated and unhealthy.

Thompson crafts deeply complex and nuanced characters in Theron, Jake, and Lou, slowly revealing their layers as the story unfolds. The emotional and raw journey from Theron's past to Jake's funeral in present day resonates on both an emotional and intellectual level, keeping readers engaged with evocative prose and flawed humanity. "Anyone's Ghost" stands out in contemporary fiction with its skillful storytelling, underlying social criticism, and a unique and authentic exploration of love, loss, and self-discovery.

Thanks Netgalley

Thanks to the publisher and author for the opportunity to review. "Anyone's Ghost" by August Thompson is a moving coming-of-age story about love, loss, and self-discovery. The relationship between Theron and Jake, set against the backdrop of New Hampshire and New York City, is both tender and heartbreaking. Thompson's lyrical prose and the emotional depth of his characters kept me engaged, despite the sometimes slow pacing, descriptions of drug use, and . The novel included a stark exploration of teenage masculinity and the struggles and frustrations that come with it, including internal battles with identity and self-acceptance. I had a different coming of age but the identity pieces around queerness and family all resonated.

It's been a long time since a book hit me this hard.

Kirkus' description of Anyone's Ghost as "[a] dirtbag Call Me By Your Name" is perfect. This book really runs the gamut of tender, romantic, devastating, and grimy.

Taking place from the wilds of New Hampshire, to the busy streets of New York City, and ultimately a funeral in Texas, Anyone's Ghost is transcendent. Thompson brilliantly depicts the heart-wrenching experience of growing up rural and queer, the intimacy and confusion of one's uniquely close (same-sex) Friend, and the lifelong turmoil that can follow.

Jake and Theron are both deeply complex and nuanced characters, slowly unfolded throughout the story, told largely as a recollection of the past when Theron finds out Jake passed away in a car crash. Theron, having experienced two rather traumatic (but survivable) crashes with Jake in their younger years, is thrown into a memory spiral at the news. The journey -- through Theron's past, all the way to Jake's funeral in present day -- is emotional and raw and unsurprisingly resonant.

The fact that this is a debut from August Thompson has me so thrilled at the prospect of more from this incredibly talented writer. Thank you to Penguin Press for allowing me the opportunity of an advanced copy -- and f0r introducing me to an impactful new literary voice.

For a debut novel this was INCREDIBLE. The writing was spectacular, the characters felt like old friends or people I met at one point in my life and the overall story had me invested from start to finish. I INHALED this story. You can tell Thompson put so much of himself into this story, everything about it just feels very personal yet still fictional. I can't wait to see what everyone thinks of this once it's officially released!

I requested and received an eARC of Anyone’s Ghost by August Thompson via NetGalley. I’m going to be completely honest and say what first drew me to this book was the cover art. It definitely stood out against the sea of cartoonish covers (not a criticism, just an observation) that I’m accustomed to browsing and it also works very well for the story contained within. I appreciate any book that is upfront about the fact that it isn’t about to offer up a happy story, so kudos for that. Anyone’s Ghost explores the relationship between Theron David Alden and Jake, the charismatic and slightly older boy he befriends at the job he is forced to take during a summer spent visiting his father in New Hampshire.

As previously mentioned, the author is upfront about the gloominess of the novel. The narrative opens with Theron observing that it took three crashes to kill Jake, two of which he was present for. This admission adds an immediate weight to the text that sets the tone for the novel but also stresses the importance of the friendship between these two young men. Through Theron’s adolescent insecurity, which Thompson does an impeccable job of capturing with his prose, we can immediately see why he is drawn to Jake. He is confident and attractive (at least to Theron) and represents everything the boy wants to be. Honestly, cue up the “My So-Called Life” theme because the introspection is giving Angela/Jordan Catalano vibes. I don’t necessarily see Jake as someone my teenage self would befriend (I also very rarely had male friends) but he is someone who really comes to life through Theron’s eyes. His presence breathes life into the narrative, softens the surliness of Theron’s teenage voice.

It’s difficult not to get invested in these boys and their well-being. There were so many times I wanted Theron to do a better job of protecting himself (emotionally) or push him to ask questions rather than accepting things out of fear or insecurity. I think I expected this to be a novel about grief, which has been a recurring theme in some of my recent readings, but that wasn’t what I got from this story. Instead, it’s really an exploration of bisexuality, the intensity of attachment, and male vulnerability. These are all issues that Thompsons treats with sensitivity and what reads as great insight. The writer also does an excellent job of presenting the reader with conflicting emotions in how we respond to Jake, allowing Theron’s confusion to become our confusion.

I really enjoyed this novel, even if I had mixed feelings during my reading journey. The characters aren’t necessarily likable, but their flaws, their moments of viciousness and quiet vulnerability, are what allow them to come alive on the page. Their words and actions elicit an emotional response that is brilliant, even when uncomfortable. Theron’s teenage yearning really speaks to this desire queer people struggle with in youth (and beyond) to be seen, recognized, and loved in our entirety. It felt very familiar and very sad. Even with the inevitability of the ending, I still found myself shedding a tear or two, both for those lost and those left behind. Thompson really lays everything bare on the page and it pays off.