This audiobook didn’t work for me, and the story was a bit slow for my taste. If you’re really into ghost hunting shows you may get a kick out of this, but personally it wasn’t my favorite.

Chrissy and her friends have this ghost hunting show, and her goal is to make the show an internet success. The only problem is there aren't really any ghosts and they've been faking the encounters. But one day she's asked to investigate Merlin High School, the site of a devastating fire in the 80s.

My major problem with this book is the narrator. Bianca Bryan was not a good fit for this book. Even though it's not in 1st person, the story does follow Chrissy, and Bryan sounded like an elderly woman, not a woman in her 20s (and not an exciting one at that). After the awful narration, the story suffers from a lot of info dumping. While I was initially intrigued by the beginning, I lost interest in the middle and end. I also didn't care for the romance, which felt like it was just thrown in there.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ALC. Unfortunately, this book was not for me.

It was a good story (80's Ghosts by V.S. Lawrence) but I just wished it was a little bit spookier than what it was. Narrator was great bringing it to life.

This was a great ghost mystery. The narrators did a great job. There were lots of twists. Definitely recommend.

3.5 stars rounded up.
This was a good ghost story. The narrator did a good job also. I enjoyed the 80’s background along with the goings on of the real time. This reminded me of the 80’s horror stories from Zebra Press. I enjoyed my time in the past. Thank you to Netgalley for the early listen.

Such an interesting book and a suspenseful story. I didn’t want to stop listening to the audiobook and when I wasn’t listening I wanted to be. Really well written and a wonderfully thought out and developed story.

I was given an advanced reader copy of this book in audio format free of charge via Netgalley in return for an honest review.

The narration quality is excellent and the book is brilliantly read and complete brings the story and characters to life.

I was drawn in by the cover art. The bright 80s neon colors with the old style cam corder and the fuzzy haze of a figure reaching towards the screen. It just caught and held my imagination. The blurb hooked me and sealed my fate.

I used to watch America 's most haunted and ripples believe it or not and this book gave off those vibes big time.

I loved the characters they felt real and well written. The story is intresting and well paced there were some moments where my heart was definitely in my throat. The fear factor gradually built and there were totally things I did not see coming.

A perfect read for a late night or at Halloween . Brilliant from start to finish.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tantor Audio for this ALC!

I really enjoyed 80s Ghosts and I think it’s a great debut novel. I love anything paranormal and this book had some creepy moments for sure. The narrator added a lot to the story and made it even better!

This book was just right amount of fun and spooky. The narrator was convincing, the writing was good, and I was invested the whole time. I can’t wait to get my hands on a physical copy.

I was expecting more 80s feel. I wasn't so much scared as annoyed by most of the characters though the visuals of her dreams were creepy

Misogyny is the real ghost that haunts us

The year is 2009, and when Chrissy Rodriguez decides to take the case that might be their big break in the paranormal world, her and her team come face to face with a true haunting and skeletons in their pasts that refuse to stay buried.

A group of ‘paranormal researchers’ who tend to fake their content, coming in contact with a full haunting situation is a trope that I enjoy greatly. At first I was expecting the usual run of things – group enter a haunted location and are met with violent ghost activity, along the lines of Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum or Graven Encounters. Instead, we’re given a well crafted mystery, a tragedy which has rotted the town from its core, and a charming story of grief, longing, repression, and the dangers of violent/possessive behavior.

The slow unravel of the events that lead to over sixty students/faculty being killed in a fire was well paced. Each little bit of information we are given helped to piece it all together, and when the deep secrets of that night were revealed, there were just enough crumbs for the reader to get an itch of what may be occurring. There was one section that had me a little annoyed, where Chrissy needed far too much explained to her; felt as if the author needed to spoon feed us information we would have already figured out. However, there was only one instance of that happening.

The “Othersiders” are a charming little group, playing off each other easily. Theres a chemistry between them that makes it seem like they have indeed been working in close contact with each other for the last year. The earnestness that Chrissy entertains the paranormal world, coupled with the skeptic eye rolls of Rodney and the calm presence of Bill makes their interactions really enjoyable. They read as friends, and they read as early internet personalities who would indeed make a good ghost hunting show.

The story used “audio transcripts” as a fun little medium to give the story come unique flare. I greatly enjoyed the little files, as the first one that happened caught me off guard and had my interest fully focused. I have watched enough ghost shows to know when to perk my ears for any tiny noise that may be heard.

The ending was a bit predictable, but even with the kinda tropey aspects, that ending does pack a heartwarming punch. A must read for ghost hunting fans.

Honest review in exchange of ARC, via Netgalley

I was excited to see an audiobook release for 80s Ghosts. It was nostalgic, fun, and definitely spooky. I appreciated how relatable the characters were and the setting was /chefskiss.

This was such a fun audiobook! It had been a while since I listened to an audiobook for myself in general but I am a first time mom to a 3 month old so sometimes it’s hard to read physical.

I loved the story! The 80’s are such a fun and unexpected time period for the ghosts to be from and I love seeing the other side of ghost hunting investigations. The narrator’s voice was so nice to listen to as well and that’s usually the part I’m most picky about!

Thank you to NetGalley and @TantorMedia for this ALC in exchange for an honest review.

This was such a fun and spooky audiobook! The story follows Chrissy Rodriguez, a ghost-hunting vlogger in 2009 who’s on the edge of going broke and moving back home. She gets one last shot at saving her channel when she’s invited to investigate Merlin High, a school that mysteriously burned down in the 80s. It’s creepy, decaying, and possibly haunted... so of course, she and her team dive right in.

What I really liked is how the story slowly unravels. At first, it’s your classic ghost hunt, but then things get weird. Chrissy’s team starts acting strangely, timelines start to blur, and it becomes clear that something much bigger and darker is going on. The pacing was solid, and I appreciated how it balanced paranormal suspense with the emotional strain on the characters, especially Chrissy trying to keep everything together.

Bianca Bryan did a phenomenal job narrating. She brought so much personality to Chrissy and gave each character a distinct voice without overdoing it. Her performance really pulled me into the story and made the tense moments hit harder.

My only small critique is that I wish there had been a bit more clarity around the ending and the team’s dynamics, it felt a little rushed. But overall, this was a really entertaining mix of ghost story, character drama, and 2000s internet nostalgia. Definitely recommend if you're in the mood for something eerie but character-driven.

4 Stars!

#80sGhosts, #VSLawrence, #SpookyAudiobooks, #TantorAudio

This book was so entertaining. The setting was spooky and the ghosts and reality bending kept it super interesting. The cover of this one drew me in right away and I knew I had to read it. The narration was great too. 😊 👻

3.5 stars

If you are a fan of YouTube or TV paranormal shows like Buzzfeed Unsolved, Ghost Adventures, or Project Fear, I think you would enjoy this book. It was creepy and I liked the general mystery about the burned-down high school. The scary aspect of this book went from 0% to 100% real fast so be ready for that.

Overall it was a good quick read and I enjoyed the audiobook.

Thank you NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for this ALC in exchange for an honest review!

A nostalgic, paranormal mystery with the perfect blend of suspense and creepy vibes.
In 2009, a group of strangers come together to create a ghost-hunting YouTube show called The Othersiders. With their resources running low, they take a chance filming at an abandoned high school—where a deadly fire claimed several students during a '80s homecoming dance.
Once on site, it’s not just the ghosts they need to worry about. Strange events begin unfolding, and tensions within the group rise as secrets are revealed about what really happened that night.
I loved the way the story was told—mixing investigative interviews, recording transcripts, with eerie flashbacks. It gave the book that “found footage” feel, helping to keep the story feeling fresh and immersive. While a few twists were easy to see coming, watching everything unravel was fun to watch.
I received the audiobook from NetGalley and Tantor Audio, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The single narrator did an excellent job voicing different characters and really brought transcript scenes, that can sometimes feel flat when in print, to life. The tension and fear in their voice added an extra layer of suspense that worked especially well to keep readers/ listeners on the edge of their seats.
If you enjoy ghost stories with a nostalgic flair, a ghost-hunter blog/podcast vibe, and several cringeworthy moments ( nothing too gory), this one’s worth checking out.

80's ghost is about Chrissy Rodriguez's drive to want to make her ghost hunting vlog a success. Her team of 2 men (totally opposite personalities) have created some videos but not enough to be financial stable. Chrissy receives an email to explore Merlin High, a school that burned down in the 80's. He team scrapes together enough money to make their way to discover what Merlin has to offer. While they are exploring for ghost, she notices that her teammates are acting differently. The lines blue with reality as everything unravels.

I had the great opportunity to listen to the audiobook through Netgalley. I am normally not a person who enjoys paranormal books or shows, however, I enjoyed the pacing to the story. Some parts were slightly predictable BUT some moments shocked me! I enjoyed this book. I listened to it within 2-3 days. I have not read anything by V.S. Lawrence, but I will have to try out more of their stories.

Thank you NetGalley & RBMedia for the audiobook in exchange for an honest review
3.75 stars

This was a fun nostalgic read. Kind of have me Strangers Things vibes but I think this was just because some of it is based in the 80s. Plot was a big predictable and stale but overall an enjoyable read (listen)

I had so much fun listening to this book!! It felt so nostalgic, like Goosebumps meets Ghost Adventures meets Scooby Doo. Such a fun story and very well done. I will say that the “audio transcripts” were a bit tedious to listen to in the audiobook version but not sure how else they could’ve been portrayed. Also maybe worth noting that I am not usually an audiobook listener but this book captured and held my attention all the way through!