Thank you to NetGalley and Black Rose Writing for the advance reader copy.

Although this book is marketed for young adults, I feel like there were some issues which came up that didn’t feel like they should be for a YA book.

The characters also felt flat and there were issues which were glossed over including suicidal tendencies that probably needed more research or more insight.

The main character Leigh was sometimes interesting and other times weirdly sexualised especially for a 16 year old.

This was a book I had to push to read and it felt like some edits were needed.

While there were things I liked about this book, particularly the protagonist, Leigh, who is likable as she bravely navigates life after her parents died and she was hospitalized for trying to commit suicide, it didn't quite work for me.

I think part of the problem is that it's hard to classify exactly who this book is for. On the one hand, the dialogue is almost cringily clean, as if it's written for a middle school audience, but the main character is fresh out of the hospital for a suicide attempt and for the first half of the book, she still wants to commit suicide, which would make me hesitant to recommend it to younger students.

Initially, the novel seemed like it was supposed to be a ghost story, but it turns into a murder investigation of a mafia-type group, making the ghosts almost incidental to the story (and Leigh's investigations aren't prompted by clues that the reader can follow along and piece together as well). The pairing seemed like a tonal clash.

Interesting read, but definitely for older YA, maybe 13-15+. Some of the characters were flat, while others were entirely absorbed in themselves. I guess maybe that appeals to the younger crowd? Not one of the favorites that I have read this year. The book could do with some better editing. There are several places where the text seems to contradict itself, and leaves the reader wondering if they missed something, or if pages are missing.

Really enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it! Leigh Howard and the Ghosts of Simmons-Pierce Manor was a book I was glad to have found and picked up. The interactions between Leigh and her ghost inhabitants were hilarious and I can't wait to read more of the author's books.

What a fun read! After seeing the book and author go viral on TikTok, I knew I had to read it. I didn't want to put it down, but I didn't want it to end. I loved getting to know each of the characters, yes, even the ghosts. It is an excellent mix of mystery, friendship, and family.

Thank you, NetGalley and Black Rose Writing, for a copy!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was a very well written upper YA novel. The language was very sophisticated and descriptive and was amazing. The mystery in the book was great and Leigh was an amazing main character and I loved how flawed she was. I do think this needs to really be marketed as an upper YA novel as there are many things that would be more suited for older readers. Overall though this was a great book and I really enjoyed this adventure. I look forward to seeing what comes next for Leigh and hope to learn more about the ghosts in the manor.

Thank you to Netgalley for a copy of this book for a honest review

I really enjoyed ‘Leigh Howard and the Ghosts of Simmons-Pierce Manor’ and would highly recommend it.

Rating 5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This was a young adult mystery, and it was an entertaining read.

I warmed to the protagonist, Leigh, and she was a character that came to life for me easily, as I pictured her in my mind. I felt protective of her and cared about what happened to her.

I think this is the type of book that my younger self would have been interested in, but I still enjoyed it as an adult too. I have always liked ghost stories, and this ghost story wasn't particularly scary, but it was a lot of fun. Manor houses are a classic choice for a setting, so that always goes down a treat. In parts, the story was a little darker than I expected, but it still brought a smile to my face.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for a free copy to review.

This was such a wonderful and enjoyable read!!!! I loved this book and highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys this genre. Thank you so much to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed what I read, it had everything that I was looking for in this type of book. Shawn M. Warner has a great way of telling a story and a good mystery going on. The characters were everything that I was hoping for in this world.

This story did well at exploring grief and loss as Leigh deals with the loss of her parents in the only way she knows how - by trying to solve their murder. The addition of ghosts to this makes the story very interesting. I had some issues with the character development, which at times seemed very good and then at others was quite stereotypical. My other complaint would be that the reveals happen and resolve very fast. The book was still a fast and fairly interesting read, and I would read more if this becomes a series.

Note: arc provided by the publisher via netgalley in exchange for honest reviews

A well plotted and well written story about loss, grief but also being brave and facing something that can be dangerous.
I think it's an entertaining and poignant story, i loved the storytelling and the world building.
Leigh is a fleshed out and likeable character
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

This book would fall under — Young Adult, New Adult and paranormal murder mystery. A teen named Leigh’s parents have been murdered under suspicious circumstances— and after a mental breakdown due to losing her parents and attempted suicide— she is taken to live with distant relatives — who seem to have connections to her parent’s murder — the house she is living in supposedly haunted and Leigh begins to see/interact the ghosts that live in her distant relatives home — will they help her in her research into her parent’s death or hinder her efforts? For a debut novel, this author has come up with a fun idea and the main character Leigh is likable—. I found the first chapter’s introduction of the characters and situation a bit confusing but as you keep reading everything clears up. I was intrigued by the murder mystery and invested in Leigh’s mission to find out what happened and how her relatives were involved — the ghost side story was an interesting twist to the story. The more I read into the story the more I got invested in Leigh`s outcome — there were twists and turns and unexpected results for characters — and a kind of realistic ending— maybe there will be a sequel？ A lot was going on in the story and a lot of characters to keep track of — but overall I enjoyed the story!

Such a good read, saw something about it on tik tok and just had to get it. I really enjoyed it. Thank you! Can’t wait to read more books from the author.

After her parents are murdered, devastated teenager Leigh moves in with her uncle and aunt who live in a haunted mansion of sorts. Bodie the ghost is one of my favourite characters in this story, and I also liked that Leigh quickly finds a family member to become close with, namely her cousin.

What follows Leigh's arrival in her new home is an eventful series of adventures, involving not only ghosts, but also criminals, oddballs and drug peddlers. In the process, she comes closer to discovering what actually happened to her parents.

The book deals with important issues such as grief and loss and also the challenges of coming to terms with those difficult emotions. However, I was not entirely comfortable with its sometimes less-than-sensitive handling of mental health issues, or the choice of the nickname Nacho...So overall, a mixed bag.

Holy smokes there's a lot going on here. "Leigh Howard and the Ghosts of Simmons-Pierce Manor" is an action-packed ride through several months following Miss Howard as she moves in with her aunt and uncle and cousin following the killing of her mom and pop. Of course, she takes the murder hard, as evidenced by the scars she wears, but perhaps the move to her relatives stately old mansion in Maryland will be the ticket to a new life - a new beginning. You'll love following along on the twists and turns of her encounters with drug dealers, organized crime members, and let's not forget the ghosts of Simmons-Pierce. They make themselves known quite early and play a big part in what happens. A fun book for all ages!

This book is a wholesome, fun, action packed murder-mystery. The book starts off with Leigh’s arrival at her new (castle like) home. Her Aunt and Uncle take her in after the death of her parents.

Out of her extended family, I absolutely adore Myra, her cousin. They quickly become fast friends and she has a very uplifting, comforting personality, exactly what Leigh needed to help start the healing process as she grieves.

As you can tell this book features ghosts. Bodie the ghost is highly entertaining with his multiple personalities keeping you on your toes.

Leigh decides to embark on a journey to uncover the truth about her parents passing, and in doing so there are many twists, turns and shocking revelations that come to pass.

This book is worth the hype, I am so happy to see the author gain some notoriety and success. Would definitely recommend giving this book a read, it is a fun experience!

Trigger warnings:
Mentions of the following subject matters - suicide, loss / grief, murder, self harm.

Thank you to NetGalley and black rose writing for a copy of this book!

I’ve been seeing this book all over social media and was excited to see it on netgalley! Thanks so much to the publisher and netgalley for the earc of this in exchange for an honest review!

Unfortunately this book was a DNF for me. I tried getting into it and it was just not working for me. I couldn’t connect with the characters or the plot. I know I’m not the intended age for this book so it might just be that. I have seen a lot of others love this book so it was probably just me!

Thanks again to the publisher and good luck to the author!

This is an entertaining and action packed adventure mystery for older teenagers and up. Leigh is an emotional wreck after her parents are murdered, and finds herself living with relatives she never knew she had. Family who welcome her in. There’s lot of humour in the book, especially the cousin’s witty remarks with her mum and dad. Leigh discovers there are ghosts in the millionaires mansion she is living in. Ghosts with their own issues, But these ghosts might be part of turning Leigh’s life around. But one thing is for sure, if the police can’t solve the murder, Leigh is going to do everything she needs to find the answers she needs. Issues with attempted suicide and recovery are raised, but are handled sensitively as part of the story. Thank you to Black Rose Writing and NetGalley for the ARC. The views expressed are all mine, freely given.

It was what it was.

I was going to leave it at that out of guilt of disparaging the viral TikTok darling author, who does for what it’s worth seem sweet on social media.
But this book is majorly flawed. Many of the flaws stem from lack of both writing experience and editing, but the most egregious come from the lack of care put into or research done about the mental health issues portrayed in the book.
I could overlook the contradictions about the protagonist - in one scene her cousin enviously remarks upon Leigh’s muscles, including her six-pack, but a few scenes later, Leigh struggles to do basic push-ups and sit-ups. She’s somehow both a sniveling, incompetent child, and doing tricks on a Ducati motorbike. Likewise, I could ignore the plot so full of holes as to be hanging by a single rule-of-cool thread suspended from a dues ex machina.
What I cannot overlook, however, is that this book is extremely cavalier about self-harm, suicide, the deliberate baiting of these tendencies, and once, eating disorders. Additionally, there were some racial stereotypes used that felt very icky - the Spanish speaking character’s dialogue was extremely stereotyped, not to mention his name was Nacho, which felt extremely gross.
I know people want to be nice, and I understand the impulse, but reader beware

Edit: it hit me while discussing this with a friend. The contradictions about Leigh’s character? They’re all sexualized. Every discrepancy is a conflict between her childish nature and her sexually objectified nature. She’s a whiny child, but she’s also riding a motorcycle. She’s totally lazy and unathletic, but she’s stereotypically hot with a six-pack. As this character is 16, fucking yikes. I’d like to give the author the benefit of the doubt and say he’s trying to make her look “cool” and sexual imagery is his schema to do that (and that’s a whole other kettle of media fish) but I don’t even know. Racism, carelessness about mental health, now this. Bleh. I am changing my rating from 2 stars to 1.