ARC Review
80s Ghosts by V.S. Lawrence
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🗓️ Release Date: July 8, 2035
Format: Audio

80s Ghosts is a fast-paced, nostalgic ghost story with just the right mix of scares and sass. Imagine Stranger Things colliding with Ghost Adventures and narrated by the spirited love child of Elvira and a YouTube vlogger — that’s the vibe V.S. Lawrence delivers in this eerie, retro-fueled ride.

At the heart of the story is Chrissy Rodriguez, the bold and often hilariously chaotic lead of a small-time paranormal investigation team desperate to boost their channel’s following. When they’re invited to film at a high school abandoned since a deadly fire in the 1980s, Chrissy thinks it might finally be the break they need. But the spirits of Merlin High aren’t just local legends — and Chrissy’s unsettling dreams, strange visions, and mounting tension within the team make it clear: something is very wrong.

The 80s aesthetic is pitch-perfect, grab your Aqua Net and tease your hair, put on an and cassette tape because this story brings you right back to the 80’s in every-way including ghostly flashbacks that tug at your nostalgic heartstrings. There’s a steady build of tension, moments of true creepiness, and a surprisingly touching exploration of loss, guilt, and buried secrets. I loved the dynamic between Chrissy and her laid-back cohost — their banter offered light relief in all the right places. And while the twist snuck up on me, it landed with a satisfying punch.

It’s not overly complicated, and that’s part of the charm. With engaging narration, distinctive characters, and a setting that practically screams VHS horror night, this book is perfect for fans of indie horror with a splash of heart and humor.

Whether you’re a ghost story junkie, an 80s kid at heart, or just looking for a fun paranormal read that doesn’t take itself too seriously — 80s Ghosts will definitely keep you entertained (and maybe sleeping with one eye open).

Highly recommend for fans of retro horror, spooky vibes, and strong female leads who are just trying to survive haunted high schools and social media.

Thank you to Netgalley and RBmedia for providing me with the advanced audio copy of 80s Ghosts. All opinions are my own.

eh, could have been better. It could have been worse. This would be a good beginner horror book for someone. I had trouble figuring out how old these characters were at times.

80s Ghosts by V.S. Lawrence is a story about an aspiring ghost hunter named Chrissy which takes place in 2009. She and her crew are struggling to break into this world, putting themselves into financial ruin and eventually through mental torment.
Chrissy gets an email asking her to investigate a haunted high school that had caught fire on prom night in the 1980s. After Chrissy and her crew accept the invite, they realize ghost hunting isn't just catching creepy sounds on the EVP and cold spots on the thermal cam. Shit can get real.

80s Ghosts was double nostalgia. It took place during a time when my family and I would watch Ghost Hunters regaurly (2009), and I also rember the '80s with fondness, me being 41. There's a touch of the Grady Hendrix vibe going on here also, but not enough to be derivative or anything. Just good ol' nostalgia horror done better than some other crap that's floating around.
The audiobook was well performed and audio quality was good. I will say there were a couple places that I could see the lines being drawn. I'm not sure if these moments were just being laid out or were meant to be surprises in the story, but I felt they kind of fell flat when dropped. Either way, the story was a good time. It made sense, so that's good! I feel like it could be adapted well into a miniseries or movie if done correctly.
It brought me back to two eras I enjoyed. And it did have two spots in the story that gave me actual chills. That's hard to do these days. So that's impressive. But you don't have to take my word for it.

This was okay. It was a fun little ghost story that takes place in a high school for the most part (when it comes to the ghost bit). The year is 2009 and a group of ghost hunter types are working on creating an internet show about paranormal activities. They haven't filmed a ton of good "evidence" but then they get a call to come out to a school that had a terrible fire back in the 80's where lives were lost. They head out there to see what they can see.
This one wasn't quite what I thought it would be but it was still fun. I listened to the audio of this and it did help to bring the story to life. The narrator has a really good voice for audio but you could hear a lot of breaths so it might not be one you want to listen to in your headphones if you have sensitive ears.
All in all this really wasn't bad and you may find that you like it a lot if you give it a read/listen to.

This was such a good book. I loved the story and the writing so much. The characters were great and the story flowed smoothly. Will definitely read more books by this author in the future

I really enjoyed this audiobook! I thought the story was thorough, most of the characters were well thought out with good back stories, and it had a pretty unique overall premise. Our main character, Chrissy, who was the ghost hunter connoisseur was kind of the only one who lacked history with her story, and I’d wished we got more of her to be able to weave into the plot that ends up heavily involving Rodney and Bill. Also, I think this audio would have highly benefited from being an immersive experience with being a haunting theme. Could you imagine some ghostly sounds, slammed doors, glass shattering, etc? I woulda been shaking in my boots! Otherwise, Bianca Bryan did an amazing job with this performance!

Creepy, nostalgic, and surprisingly emotional. 80s Ghosts is a slow-burn paranormal mystery with a haunted high school, a desperate podcaster, and secrets that won’t stay buried. I guessed the ending, but getting there was eerie and addictive. Think: ghosts, cassette tapes, and trauma in the locker room. Loved the vibes.

This was a fun read. It felt like goosebumps/fear street for adults. I felt like the cast of characters was well fleshed out and I cared about them. I also enjoyed the twist!

All that said, the reason this is a 3 star for me is because it was a little slow and repetitive at times. I felt like so much time was spent stating info all over again and it felt like it started dragging because of this.

I really enjoyed this book! It definitely took me on a ride! The book reminded me of a roller coaster: the beginning was the slow build as the roller coaster climbs up the hill. Once everything really got started, it was a wild ride (much like when the rollercoaster crests the top of a hill and starts its descent)! I appreciated the mixed media segments along with the main narrative. This book had a lot of 80s nostalgia! I loved the ghost hunting aspect of it and love all things ghosts and spooky, so this was right up my alley! Parts of the book gave me Heathers and Carrie feels mixed in with Ghost Adventures and Paranormal State. I found the book to be very entertaining and did not guess any of the twists. I enjoyed Chrissy as the main character and getting to know her. The audiobook narrator did a great job, and the cover is wonderful! I highly recommend this book!

Another really fun audiobook! Thanks to Netgalley and Tantor Audio for the chance to check this out!

When Chrissy gets an email asking her and her ghost hunting team to come check out an old high school that burnt down in the 80s, she can't find a good reason to say no. As the team arrives, almost instantly things start feeling off and the team begins to act strangely. The more she investigates, the more Chrissy feels herself being pulled in.

My thoughts:

I had a really good time with this, the narrator was not playing around! She put all the energy and more into this, and I sure did appreciate it! As for the story, I did find a couple things to be a little predictable, but that's not always bad. There were found footage parts sprinkled in that added some tension and kept me on my toes. I'd definitely recommend 80s Ghosts to anyone that likes haunted house stories, found footage, or ghosts in general!

Only about 15% into this one, and while I am interested in the story so far, the narrator / production is not great. It may just be me but I cannot stand hearing every inhalation when someone speaks. In normal life, I don’t hear this but with audio books this can be an issue if the microphone pics up every breath. In this case, it’s almost as if the narrator is drowning, her breaths sound so exaggerated, it’s taking me out of the story,

I will edit this review further if I am able to continue listening. However at this rate, I would be returning this book if I had purchased or borrowed it.

2.5 rounded up to 3
While this book was an easy listen, the story was just ok. It doesn't add anything new or outstanding to the genre. I loved the premise, and had high hopes for it. Maybe my expectations were too high. While it wasn't groundbreaking, I was still entertained which is the point of reading.

I wanted to like this one more than I did, however I really enjoyed the setting, the three main characters and the ghostly feel. I also loved the eighties vibe but at times it seemed a little long with gaps between the action where not much happened. Needed more punch.

So there was a lot to like, including the narration but it fell just short of the mark of being a four star for me. That being said, I would read another by the same author as I liked the style.

Thank you for the opportunity for the early listen and wishing you all the best with the new release..

Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an eARC of this book via NetGally in exchange for an honest review!

This book is a supernatural ghost story with a mystery.
We follow our main female character Chrissy Rodriguez in the year of 2009. She has left home against her parents wishes to follow her dream and try to prove to the world that the supernatural is real via her ghost hunting vlog. She is in a though possition financally and is depending on her next job to «save» her situation. A perfect opportunity arises when she recieves and email asking her to investigate Merlin High, a school that burned down in the 80s. She is bringing her coworkers Rodney and Bill to this school to search for evidence of the paranormal. Rodney do not really believe in the supernatural and he is really hesitant to join this job. Why that is, you have to read the book to find out!

If you like a good ghost story this book is for you! I liked the supernatural aspect of the book. I enjoyed following our main characters and how they evolved trought the book. There might even have been a small romance side plot here! The mystery hold my attention trough the book and I was exited to know how the book ended! How did the school burn down? Was anyone involved in setting the fire? And are there actually any ghosts inside. This school?

This was a great story for people like me who enjoy shows like Ghost Hunters. The characters were multifaceted and well rounded. The ending was great and had some interesting twists. Bianca Bryan's narration was excellent even though there were some spots where the audio was a little hot and some plosives made it through the pop filter. Overall I highly recommend this audiobook.

This ARC was provided to me by NetGalley.

🎧 I’m always intrigued by paranormal stories. And being an 80s kid, combing both in 80s Ghosts was a big draw for me.

A tragic event unalives a gymnasium full of students. Years later Chrissy is desperate for her paranormal vlog to take off. After receiving what seems to be a miracle request, Chrissy and her team are off to investigate the abandoned school.

Haunting, nostalgic, unexpected connections and secrets. This was a fun adventure!

Thank you NetGalley and Tantor audio for a gifted audio copy.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this audiobook ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This book was a 4.5/5 stars for me!

Such a good ghost story with a bit of a nostalgic vibe! The right amount of creepy with the right amount of thrill.

The plot twists that came did surprise me and the characters were all so well developed.

The narrator also did a great job!

A great quick listen or read!

What a fun and scary listen! I had wanted to read this from Kindle Unlimited for a while, but listening to the audiobook was a great chance to read this story. I thought it was genuinely scary and the nightmare sequences definitely had my heart rate increasing.

I was excited to read this but I couldn’t get past 2% because the narrators breathing was bothering me. It felt like she was gasping after every sentence so, unfortunately, I had to DNF.

This was a solid haunted school situation. my issue is that I did it on audio and the narrator was weirdly chipper and it just did not fit with the story. ruined my vibe.