
Member Reviews

An incredible story that blends human experience, ghosts, and trauma together seamlessly. What starts off as a run of the mill ghost hunters story quickly evolves into something deep and poignant, with a mystery and payoff as satisfying as it is sad. All together, a wonderful read.

The year is 2009, and Chrissy Rodriguez is determined to make her ghost hunting vlog an internet success. She’s only one more failed investigation away from financial ruin and having to move back home. When she receives an email asking her to investigate Merlin High, a school that burned down in the 80s, she is presented with a unique opportunity that could make or break her. As they explore the decaying halls searching for evidence of the paranormal, Chrissy notices that her team is acting a little…off. Everything begins to unravel, blurring the lines between past and present. With her team stretched to its limits, Chrissy realizes that some secrets want to be found. And some of them have even been waiting.

80s Ghosts weaves a compelling blend of 2000s vlog culture and eerie ‘80s nostalgia. Through the lens of Chrissy Rodriguez’s ghost-hunting vlog, the novel kicks off with a unique hook: a haunted high school that burned down in the ‘80s. Readers have praised the “very cool premise” and atmospheric setting that feels genuinely immersive. Chrissy is well-drawn and relatable—her desperation to revitalise her failing vlog runs parallel with the emotional stakes she carries. Episodes of her team acting strangely (especially Bill’s eerie behaviour) add a gripping sense of mystery. Dialogue is crisp and authentic, reinforcing the dynamics of a small, close-knit crew.
The haunted school comes to life with richly painted sensory details—hallways dripping with dread, crumbling remnants heavy with history. Many readers admitted to tensing up during key scenes; while not outright terrifying, the book did elicit genuine “spooky” thrills. A few moments felt slightly predictable, and some found the romantic subplot a bit forced amidst the main haunting storyline. Others noted one character’s decision to return to the haunted town felt unlikely given their traumas. But these issues hardly detract from the overall enjoyment. The climax is paced well and maintains tension through to the end. The epilogue jump, set three years later, gives a strong sense of closure.
80s Ghosts is a vibrant, entertaining supernatural horror debut with a clever setup, enjoyable characters, and a nostalgia-soaked atmosphere. It earns 4 out of 5 stars for delivering spooky thrills and emotional engagement, even if it doesn’t reinvent the genre. Highly recommended for fans of ghost-hunting, paranormal vlogs, and ‘80s-themed horror with a modern twist.

👻👻👻👻👻
I do judge a book by its cover, and this cover is EVERYTHING!
80's Nostalgia, ghosts/ haunted houses, truecrime ✔️✔️✔️
It's 2009, Chrissy, Rodney & Bill are Ghosthunters filming in high school that had a huge fire in the 80s.
Not long after they start investigating what happened and the circumstances surrounding the fire, things get pretty weird & creepy. Chrissy is having nightmares, and her team is acting.. off.
There are many twists, an ending I never saw coming and I really want more! These 80s teen ghosts have been waiting a while to spill the tea!
I listened to this story and the mixed media style with the transcripts doesn't translate very well and I'm not a huge fan of this narrator for this story. While I still loved the story, I think I would have enjoyed reading it more. She's sometimes a little monotone and other times she sounds more like she is reading children's book than a ghost story. I will definitely be picking up a physical copy of this book and 100% recommend this as a summerween or even great October read!
5/5 ⭐️
Thank you Netgalley & Tantor Audio for this ALC in exchange for my honest feedback. V.S Lawrence.. please give us MORE!

Thank you, NetGalley and the publishers, for an opportunity to listen to this.
80s Ghosts wasn’t bad—very 80s-esque in tone and vibe, which was fun in its own way. That said, the twists leaned a little too heavily on coincidence for my taste, and it wasn’t scary at all (which I was really hoping for!). Still, a nostalgic, quirky ride and worth a listen if you’re in the mood for something light.

I knew I had to read this one as soon as I saw the amazing cover! I also really enjoy mixed media formatting and was really excited about the 80s aspects. I thought the mix of characters on the ghost hunting team was interesting, and I was really excited to go on this adventure with them.
As I got into the story, I felt like I knew where we were going twist wise pretty early on, but that didn't totally bother me. I did feel like this story could have been condensed slightly, as I found it began to feel repetitive at times which caused my interest to wane at some points. But, all in all this was a fun ghost story with interesting characters and very good narration audio wise! I would recommend giving this one a read or listen. It really nailed the Ghost Hunters vibes while being supported by a pretty emotional ride.
Thank you, Netgalley and Tantor Audio, for this ALC in exchange for an honest review.
3.5/5⭐️

80s Ghosts follows Chrissy and her crew as they try to make a ghost hunting blog into something special. The year is 2009 - lots of ghost hunter shows are on TV, but the internet is something different all together - and Chrissy is hoping for her big break. That big break comes when she is invited to do a show at a high school that has seen trauma.
I wasn’t sure what to expect from this audiobook - there have been a LOT of books tacking this subject matter recently, so I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed 80s Ghosts. The story focuses much more on the murder mystery aspect of things and less on the “ghost hunter” aspect. The story had good pacing and I actually liked the main character, which is not always guaranteed - and I always love it when I don’t see the twist coming.
A couple of things that I didn’t love - did there really need to be a romance sub-plot? Probably not. Also, the sections that were described with timestamps didn’t translate into audiobook very well. The narrator was not my favorite - I kind of just felt like I was being read to - she just didn’t seem super into it (but that is totally a me issue). There were also a few places where words were repeated that should not have been.
Overall I definitely enjoyed this story and would recommend to to a friend!

2.5 rounded up for goodreads and netgalley.
Unfortunately, I did not enjoy this very much. The story was fine but I did not like the characters. And I did not like the (very) unnecessary romance that threw me off. The main thing that I liked was actually the narration: the narrator did a great job at keeping me interested despite some aspects of the story that made me roll my eyes.
Thank you to Netgalley for an e-ARC in exchange for a honest review.

ARC Review – Thank you to NetGalley and Tantor Audio for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
This audiobook was a nostalgic delight, dripping with '80s atmosphere—from the cultural references to the overall tone, it felt like stepping into a VHS-era thriller, in the best way possible. The sense of time and place was vivid, and I really appreciated how the story leaned into its retro roots without feeling forced or gimmicky.
The narrator was fantastic. Her voice was clear, well-paced, and engaging from the very start. I especially enjoyed how she gave each character their own distinct voice and cadence, which made it easy to follow who was speaking even in more crowded scenes. Her delivery added an extra layer of immersion to the listening experience and enhanced the tension in all the right places.
The plot itself was unique and intriguing, with just the right amount of creepiness. It had that eerie, slow-burn vibe that kept me curious without veering into full-on horror. The characters felt believable, with enough depth to keep me invested. Some of the themes—like memory, perception, and the idea of past sins catching up—added an extra layer of emotional weight I didn’t expect but welcomed.
There were a few moments where the pacing dipped slightly, but the atmosphere and tension pulled it right back. Fans of Stranger Things, Paper Girls, or even Are You Afraid of the Dark? will probably find something to love here.
Overall, a solid listen and a great throwback-style story with modern polish. Highly recommend for anyone who enjoys nostalgia-infused suspense with just a whisper of the uncanny.

3.5 stars rounded up
It took me about 50% of the book to truly get into it, but when it started to get good I couldn’t stop listening! The connections to the school fire weren’t that surprising and seemed a bit of a stretch but still made the storyline entertaining. The whole story gave School Spirits vibes and I loved that.
The cover of this audiobook of course drew me in! 80s, ghosts, and in a school? Count me in! I was hoping for a bit more spirits or ghosts involved and some more scares.
The narrator was great and I listened at 2x.
All in all, a good audiobook/story when it got going!

Omg the nostalgia in this book!
I have such lovely for books that take place or talk about The 80s and 90s. This book hit the spot.
I could almost smell moments of this book.
Read it to find out what I mean!

I enjoyed listening to this creepy ghost story! It has all the great elements from a rundown school with a tragic fire and many deaths, to nightmares connected to ghostly elements in that school and a group of ghost hunters one episode away from seeing their show be taken off the air if they don't find proof of ghosts, and of course lots of Aqua Net hairspray to hold it all together!
Chrissy as the main narrator was likeable and I liked how though she was looking for proof of ghosts, she wanted to find them and help them cross over. The tension ramps up nicely when her two partners have second thoughts and secrets about heading to Merlin High for one last chance at success and though I guessed one of them, it still made for an exciting twist to the story. And I will say that the nightmares were doozies and really good.
I really enjoyed listening to this audiobook and the narrator, Bianca Bryan, did a wonderful job in bringing Chrissy and the other characters to life in this spooky tale of homecomings and fires and chances to put things to right! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this chance to listen to this audiobook!

The books starts off slow developing the characters not knowing if they’re real investigators or if they are just trying to have a hit YouTube channel. Once they get their assignment of the school it became kind of predictable with two of the 3 not really wanting to go (that there was a reason for their discomfort). It picks up a little in the middle of the book before the big reveal and crosses the finish line on an empty tank of gas.
Thank you NetGalley and Tantor Audio for a copy of the ALC to listen to.

A struggling ghost hunting show & a cheesy 80's setting?! What more could a girl ask for?!
I absolutely loved this one. Was it cheesy? Yes. Were the 80s references mostly obvious 80s staples? Yes. Was it still a really fun, cheesy story I would absolutely love to see made into a miniseries? Absolutely.
I do generally think the ghost hunting show plot is a little overused recently, but I think the approach here where it's a very specific setting (both in time and place) did a lot to set this one apart and make it very memorable. The characters felt believable and the whole tragedy that sets up the ghost thing in the first place is a pretty solid story in its own right. I really enjoyed the way the two time periods interacted and the way the story resolved. Really a great story, I'd love to read more from this author and would REALLY love to see Netflix turn this into an extra cheesy movie!!

I've listened to the audiobook of this novel.
A short *synopsis*
The year is 2009, and Chrissy Rodriguez is determined to make her ghost hunting vlog an internet success. She’s only one more failed investigation away from financial ruin and having to move back home. When she receives an email asking her to investigate Merlin High, a school that burned down in the 80s, she is presented with a unique opportunity that could make or break her.
As they explore the decaying halls searching for evidence of the paranormal, Chrissy notices that her team is acting a little…off. Everything begins to unravel, blurring the lines between past and present. With her team stretched to its limits, Chrissy realizes that some secrets want to be found. And some of them have even been waiting.
Intriguing: 1
Scariness: 0
Unsettling: 1
The audiobook narration of this book is really good! I would give it a 4 ⭐ for it but the book itself is overall a 3 ⭐ read for me. I did enjoy the plot even though I didn't care for the characters that much, specially at the end. It was an entertaining novel. It's a supernatural horror novel. The cover is really cool. Overall, I had a fun time with it.
Thank you Netgalley for the audiobook, ARC.

The story follows Chrissy Rodriguez who along with two other acquaintances wants to make her ghost hunting vlog a raging success on internet. It's true the 2009 and success on internet was equivalent to everything concrete. Desperation and the looming anxious financial ruin with eviction notice makes her distressed until one email changes it all.
They have been invited to investigate one of the most baffling haunted place, Merlin High which burnt down in the 80s. With such an impactful tragedy, Chrissy couldn't help but agree to investigate immediately. However spending some time here and there inside the school, it becomes imperative that there were things happening to all three of them and their sanity that could not be fathom. Pushed beyond the boundaries of sanity and surety, Chrissy, Bill and Rodney need to get to the bottom of this tragic event.
As one of the avid audience of the tv shows pertaining to paranormal and supernatural investigations, this book was immediately on my radar. And it definitely delievers the promise of scares and eerie conjurings. The story takes an extraordinary turn when the paranormal activities becomes real and begins to affect them in their lives. But curiosity and anticipation gets the better of them as they continue with their investigation.
This was an amazing book. I loved the way the plot execution was done. The story definitely keeps you on the edge of your seat with its revelations and surprises. Although there were a few times where I felt the pacing was a bit off but nonetheless it didn't disappoint me. The conjunction of the present being extensively connected to the past where secrets are buried and pain is hidden, these characters will push you to experience the nostalgic emotions unlike anything.
If you loved Ghost hunters tv show then you will love this one too.

I wanted to love this one. Ghost hunters, spooky burned out setting, 80s flashbacks, all right up my alley. And while the story kept me engrossed, I ultimately wanted more. More scares, more plot, more mystery. There was just too much time spent sitting around, talking at the hotel, trying to find people, and not enough time being terrorized in the school. The nostalgia bits were fun, and the characters decent, but the twists weren't all that shocking.
This is a good read for people who like cozy horror or thrillers with paranormal aspects. Definitely comparable to Victoria Laurie's Ghost Hunter Mystery series.

Overall I really enjoyed 80s Ghosts! I'm not sure I'd call this horror but there were a couple creepy moments. One in particular had me full cringe. If you're like me and would love spiders to disappear off the planet, without spoilers, just prepare yourself now.
Chrissy and her team had me from the get go. I really enjoyed her dynamic with Bill and Rodney.
There were some really good twists that I didnt see coming and I love when a book manages to surprise me. The title/cover are a little goofy for how serious the book was.
I liked the audio transcripts esp in an audiobook. Very creepy. The narrator did a good job with the pacing and being consistent in all the different voices.
A couple intense emotional moments but as serious and 80s Ghosts was, it has some good laughs to it too. A good psychological/paranormal thriller!

A ghost-hunting podcaster and her team get invited to a haunted high school.
A great, easy-to-digest thriller/horror. I predicted one of the twists but not the other! A satisfying ending too, which is rare.
I received an audio copy to review. The narration was easy to follow, even at an increased speed.
It was very easy to picture the scenes being described. Great descriptions throughout the story, I could easily see this being made into a movie.

80s Ghost by VS Lawrence, I listened to the audiobook narrated by Bianca Bryan and although she didn’t give the best performance she still had character distinction and I think with the little practice would be much better. The book is about Christie Rod and Bill three ghost hunters who are faking it until they make it. Rod put in tricks to make their tapings look way more paranormal than they actually were, but when they get called to investigate a school that burned down in the 80s during the homecoming dance bill at first is reluctant but Christie talked him into it it isn’t long before the reader is privy to the fact Bill has a secret but what is it and what does it have to do with Merlin high school and it’s tragedy. Christie and Rod are complete opposites Rod doesn’t believe but Christie knows there are those on the other side but before they finish the case at the high school everyone will be a believer or at least everyone who lives through it will be. I love a book where people fake ghost hunting shows only to come up on the real thing and this one was exactly that and I totally enjoyed it I do wish the narrator would’ve been a tad bit better but everyone must start somewhere and for the most part I didn’t at all find it hard to listen to her. I definitely recommend this book whether it be in Kendall form or audio as it is definitely worth the read and thoroughly entertaining. #NetGalley, #TantorAudio, #TheBlindReviewer, #MyHonestReview, #VSLawrence, #BiancaBrian, #80sGhost,