This was the coziest, most delightful read! The descriptions were warm and beautiful and never got out of hand. The whole book left me with such a lovely feeling of nostalgia. The queer relationship had me giggling and kicking my feet, and the found family aspect of the main characters' little group of misfits was lovely. The tensions and heartache were palpable, but the way the story soothes your feelings as the reader as well as the characters feelings was perfect.

Thank you NetGalley and Scholastic's Chicken House for giving me the opportunity to read and review this fantastic book!
This book is technically rated 4.5/5 stars!
The Other Ones is a cute YA contemporary novel that is perfect for Heartstopper fans looking for something to read during the fall season!
In this sweet story, we are introduced to Salem "Sal" Amani, the 16 year old resident of a haunted house. Sal just wants an ordinary life as a high schooler capable of flying under the radar, but he starts to find that difficult when the new boy in town, Pax stops by with eager introductions and invitations to help with Sal's ghost problems. What starts off as a spooky concept soon turns into something more complex and riveting. Soon Sal finds himself balancing his ever-growing relationship with Pax and the secrets he has been hiding.
This book has been my favorite ARC that I've had the opportunity to read so far. It was so sweet but also had such an emotional foundation that made the story and its characters more complex. I loved spending everyday life with these characters, watching their relationships grow over time. For some, the slice of life pace may be too slow for them, but I loved it. The story made me feel like I was wrapped up in a nice, warm blanket. I loved the different dynamics that Sal had with every character, particularly with his sister.
I will say that if you're looking for something more Ghostbusters and less Osemanverse, you may be disappointed, but I would still encourage you to give this book a chance! It really is a great, cozy YA novel. I would love to read more from Fran Hart, and you know that I will be going to the bookstore to buy my own physical copy of this when it comes out on Tuesday.

The Other Ones is a YA book with a cute, fluffy romance, but it also addresses how difficult family can be. Sal lives his life in silence, happy to be mostly unnoticed, until the new kid in town shows up at his door with a casserole. Sal doesn't know what to make of Pax, with his boundless enthusiasm and his odd fashion choices, but he slowly finds himself becoming enamored of the strange boy in spite of himself.
Pax is a little lonely and very fond of ghosts. When he moves to town and discovers there's a haunted house nearby, he happily volunteers himself to bring his new neighbors a homemade meal. As he befriends the boy living there, he sees how tired he is and offers what little assistance he can to drive the ghosts away. What he later learns, however, is that some ghosts can't be so easily chased away.
This book does an amazing job of balancing sweet moments with more complicated family dynamics and teenage angst. It's very well-written, and I couldn't put it down; I read it all the way through in one sitting! I loved how the relationship between Pax and Sal developed, as well as the new friends they each picked up along the way.
The family drama was addressed in a very realistic way, and Sal's reactions when everything came to light felt very much like a teenager in over their head. Sometimes, YA books tend to miss the mark on the way teenagers handle problems, as the authors have grown out of that by the time they're writing them. I think this book managed a more accurate portrayal than I've seen in a while.
I loved everything about this book, and I hope more people find the opportunity to pick it up. I want to thank Netgalley for the chance to read this in advance of release day.

Thank you for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review

The book follows Asha and Pax after they've just lost their father. Sal meets Pax who he finds strange at first, but soon a beautiful friendship began to develop and it eventually turned into something more. This book had the perfect fall-esque vibes to it, much like Heartstopper. I also really liked Sal's friendship with Dirk and Elsie who were both loveable and fun characters. The romance between Sal and Pax were precious, both characters being innocent and new to love.

I did expect there to be actual ghosts in the story, but there wasn't. However, I don't think that was an issue because towards the end, I figured out that the 'ghosts' were figurative. It was about the ghosts about the past, about trying to move on from grief and loss.


Since fall is right around the corner, i definitely recommend this book for anyone looking for a wholesome queer romance with a pinch of spooky fall vibes!

The Other Ones by Fran Hart 3⭐️

In this book,we follow Salem and his sister Asha as they navigate living in a haunted house in a small town. Overall I enjoyed reading this book! I don’t want to spoil anything but I definitely went into this book with a completely different idea of what was going to happen. The plot twist definitely surprised me but I feel as though it was revealed so late in the plot that the resolution happened far too quickly for me. The plot was lacking a bit for me in this book but I loved the characters so I didn’t mind too much. I enjoyed watching Salem(a certified loner) make friendships and fall in love. Found family is one of my favorite tropes so I’m always happy to read it. I really appreciated the older sister acknowledgement regarding Asha. She really held it down for Sal and it was great to see her get the recognition she deserved.


Thank you to NetGalley for sending me an ARC in exchange for my honest review!

I loved this wholesome coming-of-age story about Sal and Pax. I frequently found myself laughing to myself as I read it - and, towards the end, crying as all the details came together. This is a beautiful story about growing up, grief, and finding yourself, wrapped in spooky autumn vibes. Pax and Sal's friendship and ultimate relationship is so wholesome and gave me butterflies as I was reading. What I love most about them, however, is the way they both grow together over the course of the book. The side characters (Asha, Dirk, Elsie) were just as well-written as the two main characters and I really enjoyed following all of them through the story.

This has to go on your fall TBR if you're a fan of low stakes YA queer romance! It's definitely written for a younger age range than I typically read but I was craving some Heartstopper-esque vibes and this delivered. Some of the other reviewers seemed let down that this didn't have more overt spooky/horror vibes, so I'll note that this definitely isn't an *actual* haunted house book. The autumn vibes are immaculate, the characters are diverse and lovable, and the way it explores how we can become haunted by those we lose is so powerful. Thank you to NetGalley and Chicken House for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Other Ones is a wholesome romance story of Sal and Pax, two teens in sixth form, who meet under mysterious pretense. A rumor spread that Sal’s house is haunted. It’s true that Sal’s dad died five years ago and his mother is absent in his life. There are pumpkins, a graveyard, a Halloween party, crystals and sage burning in the book. The spookiness factor is missing. It’s the ghost of grief that is present throughout. This book might appeal to a fifth or sixth grader. ARC was provided by Scholastic/Chicken House via NetGalley. I received an advance review copy and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I got an ARC of this book.

The first mistake of this book is comparing it to a beloved series. This book just doesn’t hit the same power levels. That comparison hurt the book so much. I was expected deep emotions, I was expecting cute fluff. I was expecting so much more. This is not a bad book, but it is compared to Heartstopper which makes it incredibly weak. If that comparison was not there, I might have had lower expectations.

The second mistake is making it sound like this is a haunted house book. It is not. It really is not. There are no ghosts. There are no jump scares. This is not a horror or even a horror lite. It is a romance. I was thinking it was like Dan’s Hauntastic Haunts, but there are no ghosts. It just felt like a let down the whole time based on how it was marketed.

The actual story was ok. I read it in two sittings. I enjoyed reading it, but it was just not great. It didn’t lean into romance or ghosts enough to be exciting. The MC went from assuming he was straight to making out with a boy with no angst. There was no real emotional depth. It was just sort of the MC wandering from encounter to encounter. There were some high stakes things, but it felt like nothing really mattered. So if you are looking for a fluffy read, but that isn’t sickeningly sweet you might enjoy this one.

The big twist was about 63% of the way through the book and it felt like a let down. It felt like “its all a dream” level let down. Blah.

Salem is living with his sister and mother in a haunted house. When Pax, the optimistic new kid, offers to help with the ghosts, Sal is reluctant. However, the two grow closer and Sal discovers that ghosts are maybe not real, but grief can be a tangible thing.

The book is classified as romance on B&T (and netgalley), so I' was surprised by the reviews that thought it would be spookier; also. the description makes it pretty clear that ghosts are a metaphor for grief 🤷‍♀️I was not able to finish this book because the format was really wonky and distracting - I'm sure that this will not be the case in the final, physical copy. My library has purchased a copy and I'm excited to dig into it when it arrives!

i received an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review :)

this book is similar to the feeling of realizing that memories of your dead grandmother are no longer laced with grief, but rather fond memories that remind you of when she was alive. it’s a great feeling, one that i hadn’t realized id gotten to until reading this. sal’s grief for a variety of things was so incredibly well written. his grief for his father, for who his mother was, for his sister’s missed opportunities, for his old life. the ghosts were such an incredible inclusion, and i’m trying not to spoil anything so this review may seem as if i haven’t read it but i swear that is purposeful!! anywho, the characters were all so multifaceted, but not in a way that made the reader overlook sal. he was still most definitely the main character, and very well written and done. i could go on about this book for ages and ages, it healed something in me i hadn’t realized was broken. there were a few scenes that hit close to home, in a ‘i never got to have that way,’ and yeah it made me teary eyed but not in a bad way. rather ‘i made it and now im reading this book in my apartment with my cat, going into my third year of college and teaching kids art.’ it was a startling moment, in a good way! this review is getting incredibly personal, but this is one of my new favorite books for sure. (okay this one is a spoiler so spoiler beware) third act breakups stress me the fuck out, and this one definitely still did too but i heavily appreciated the immediate gravitating back together. no ‘together but cold to one another,’ just full on ‘i missed you so much and im so happy i have you again.’ the moment this hits the US shelves i’m buying a copy to put on my shelf of favorite books. i highly recommend this book to anyone, and will be utilizing it in the classroom. i can not stop thinking about pax and sal and it’s becoming a problem /pos

𝐌𝐂𝐬: Sal + Pax
𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

𝗜𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝘄𝗲𝗶𝗿𝗱 𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗲, 𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁. 𝗕𝘂𝘁, 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀, 𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗴𝗹𝗮𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝗵𝗼𝗺𝗲.

Sal is a grumpy seventeen year old who lives in the haunted house in Holden. Pax is the new kid who seems a bit neurodivergent and unapologetically optimistic. Sal’s best friend is Dirk, who’s kinda popular and a bit unfiltered. And then there’s Elsie, who used to be popular until everyone turned against her because of her ex. These four make up a group of misfits that stole my heart.

The writing is FANTASTIC, especially for a debut author. It reads like a gripping scary story told around a campfire on All Hallow’s Eve. An unsettling-at-times coming of age story reminiscent of Heartstopper (the vibes 🤌🏻). The setting is rich in darkness and creepy vibes. The house itself is a living being because it felt alive. The characters had depth and personality and quirks that made them addictively unique. Pax is the SWEETEST babe ever. 🥹

The romance was a part of the story and quite adorable. It’s a bit of a slow burn but it was so beautiful watching Sal fall for Pax. Innocent yet their chemistry was tangible. And I just ADORED Pax and Elsie’s friendship. The absolute cutest! Dirk really grew on me too.

I honestly didn’t really see the twist because I was absorbed with the little romance. It hurt. A lot. Especially watching Sal pull away and fall into depression. That part was rough and so real I felt it. My heart broke for all of them.

But then it was wrapped up in the absolute best way and I finish this book knowing I’ve read a forever comfort read and excited to see what else this author gives us!

𝘙𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦 𝘋𝘢𝘵𝘦: August 20, 2024
𝙄 𝙧𝙚𝙘𝙚𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙙 𝙖 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙥𝙡𝙞𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙧𝙮 𝙘𝙤𝙥𝙮 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙠. 𝘼𝙡𝙡 𝙧𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙬𝙨 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙢𝙮 𝙤𝙬𝙣.

I originally thought this book would be a little bit more spooky, due to the summary, but it ended up just being wholesome. The whole haunted concept was a metaphor all along. I forgot that some stories don't have to be a big adventure and this book reminded me of that. I really love the development of the story and how Sal as a character grew. the growth was not a linear line to growing and healing which I appreciate. Sal definitely had his ups and downs throughout the story, which made it all the more realistic. The big secret was also neat, it was incorporated well where the reader could barely tell due Asha and Sal keeping up the act through most of the book. Even though Sal was my favorite, I did want to learn a bit more about his friends too. I barely knew anything about any of them especially. Elsie. Overall I really enjoyed this book and would definitely recommend it.

Sorry to say this one was a miss for me. The writing felt so simplistic and at times clumsy, to the point that the book felt confusing at times and at other times had me longing to just skim and get it over with. Pax is cute, but I wish he was less of a manic pixie dream boy, and wish all the characters had felt a little more real. I did like the friend group, and there were some fun moments, but I was disappointed in the "spooky" aspects and really did not vibe with the writing. I would have DNF'd if it wasn't an ARC. Not one I'll be recommending, unfortunately.

THE OTHER ONES is a hauntingly beautiful queer YA about grief and the effect it has on us. sal is a teenager who just wants to be like any other sixteen-year-old, but living in an infamous haunted house makes it hard to be ordinary. when pax moves to town and offers to help with the ghosts, sal begrudgingly accepts but finds himself warming up to this odd boy.

i wasn't sure quite what to expect from this book, but i found it so heartwarming and tender and i absolutely loved sal, his sister asha, pax, and all the other side characters. this was a very sweet story about grief, love, and friendship and i would definitely recommend it!

read if you like:
- the haunting of bly manor
- lovable teenage boys
- found family

thanks to netgalley and scholastic for the advanced copy. THE OTHER ONES is out august 20!

Sweet romance ina. Haunted house with gorgeous illustrations? What more could you want. Fun fall addition to any library with the right balance of sweet and spooky.

For some reason I went into this book thinking that the focus would be on the haunted house. Turns out I was wrong but that didn't detract from an overall enjoyable read. This book is definitely going for little plot, mostly vibes but the vibes are comforting and warm. My heart went out to both Sal and his sister Asha as they navigate an incredibly difficult set of circumstances. The found family aspect coming from Dirk, Elsie, and of course Pax and his mother Annie was wonderful. It's a perfect book to read on a cold, dreary day to brighten one's mood.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!!

This story was adorable. No real plot and just fall/winter vibes. I know people probably don’t like that, but I don’t mind a story that’s just cute to be cute. The drama was a good break near the ending as well. Pax was so cute! I loved the little weirdo. And even though Sal is gloomy and brooding he grows on you. This is set as a haunted house story and even though you expect more ghosts and don’t really get them, there’s still some things going on behind the scenes that I appreciated. This is a simple low stakes romance and if you want some good fluff I suggest it!

i think i went into this book with the wrong expectations. i thought it was going to be a spooky fun halloween romance but no. i thought the pacing was really slow and barely anything even happened.

thank you netgalley for the e-arc!

If you want a Halloween romance that is more sweet than spooky, this is the book for you! I loved the atmosphere in The Other Ones, the friendships built, the characters, and the romance. Outsiders finding each other, figuring out what friendship means, and finding love, what's not to like?

The Other Ones features Sal, a brooding outcast who lives in a haunted house, and Pax who embodies sunshine as they are navigating high school and going through family drama. An opposites attract slow burn, I found myself glued to the pages with a grin on my face for most of the book. Definitely more treat than trick, this is a perfect autumnal read.

I really felt the pain the characters were going through as they navigate grief and loss, and I felt that the many ways it comes up in different character to be very realistic. The reveal there got me good, it was hinted at and I could've gotten it, but it was still a big enough surprise to hit me in the feels.

Well worth the read! 4.25 stars!

This book was really cute I liked it a lot! It was not quite what I was expecting based on the description- I thought there would be more of a supernatural focus. Not a problem though! It was more of a family drama/romance. I liked all the characters and Sal, the narrator. It had some found family vibes which I like alot. There was a plot twist which I had mostly predicted but it was still well done. I found this book engaging- I read it in one day! I’d recommend it to fans of YA character driven books, I would not describe it as plot driven but I really enjoy more character driven books

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an E-arc in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own!