Ghostland

All I can say is wow! This is my first from Duncan and I'm wondering why I haven't heard of him before!! Totally blew me away.

I received a copy of this novel from net galley in return for an honest review.  I have never read anything by Duncan Ralston, in fact I have only heard of him a few times from authors that I follow recommending his novels to their audience and nothing really jumped out at me screaming "read me" until Ghostland.  I am not sure if it was the cover, or the description that drew me in first...I do know seeing Duncan Ralston's name as the author caught my eye because finally here was a book by an author that continued to be recommended to me that I might enjoy.  So here I am the day after starting the novel writing this review and low and behold I freaking loved it.  I loved that it had interactive notes within the story that brought you to a more in-depth story of the ghosts we were coming into contact with but I also loved the characters and the way the story wove seamlessly from initially meeting the characters all the way through to the very bitter end.  I really hope there is more to come in this little series as it was a great ride to take.  I would recommend this to anyone who likes fast paced reads about ghost and theme parks.

What a wonderful and terrifying rollercoaster ride this book was!

The whole time I was there in Ghostland with Ben and Lil and it was great. I loved the vibe, the characters, the worldbuilding, the overall voice of Duncan Ralston. The friendship of Ben and Lil was slowly building again and the fact that both of them are horror nerds was so endearing. There were also strong side characters like a former detective and Lil's therapist. 
And the ghosts! Let's just say that the tortured beings of the movie 'Thirteen Ghosts' would feel right at home here.

So, without wanting to spoil anything, the only thing that bothered me, though, and that I would have loved to know at least something about was a certain character's ending. He was there at the final stand and then, fast forward a few months, he was not really there anymore... I even went back a few pages to see if I missed anything somehow, but no, it was just over.

Overall, this story is still awesome and has a great twist on technology, too. If Ghostland was real, I would totally go for a ride. It's to die for!

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

All right, are you all strapped up tight and ready for some action ? Because this book will toss you around and drive you wild for over 400 pages !

I requested this book on Netgalley because I'm in this huge paranormal reading phase lately and I'm also a massive amusement park lover. Ghostland has both of those elements so yeah, I kind of threw myself on it. The best part is it's just been released last week so you and I can hype it up real good people ! Fair warning though : it's not for the faint of the heart. If you don't like violence and gore, you should stay away from Ghostland. I'm pretty tough when it comes to those things and even I got sometimes surprised by how graphic the descriptions were. So, be careful about that !

The plot revolves around Ben, Lilian and Allison, two teens and a therapist (yes, I know, that sounds weird) who decide to go to the latest "amusement" park in town, Ghostland, that is exhibiting real ghosts (because yes, here ghost have been proven to exist). Except something goes wrong and the ghosts are all released from their virtual cages and are let loose in the park to unleash their violence. Ben, Lilian and Allison must try to escape and survive this whole nightmare while uncovering the secrets of the park.

The plot itself is fantastic ! I loved the fact that over 90% of the book is actually set in the park and stayed true to its promise. The whole park adventure is thrilling and action-packed. There's really no dull moment, no time to breathe. Once the real action had started, I didn't put the book down and had to finish it, because I wanted to know what happens ! I really liked the fact that the author put "real life" ghosts in his story. We get little references to Annabelle, Robert the doll etc. and that was a nice touch. Truth be told, I kind of want to visit an IRL Ghostland, even after reading about ghosts unleashed in the park.

A few things were a little annoying but nothing too repulsive for me. The beginning of the book throws you right in its world, with very little context. I didn't realize ghosts were actually real there until 15-20% of the book where it's written. Meaning I was a little confused about things until then. I also think the ending was rushed. We get this peak in the action, you feel that this is a big moment with crucial decisions, and.... Right at that moment there's a time ellipse skipping all the finale action to the epilogue. And that's it. I mean, I wanted to read more about what happens towards the end... That's the only thing that disappointed me.

The characters are all pretty okay, even though it makes no sense to me why Allison the therapist would take two kids to a ghost park just for the sake of "social experimenting". Besides that, I didn't think any of them was too remarkable, but Ghostland isn't the type of book you read for the characters. You read it for the plot, and that was perfectly executed. I did like Ben best though. He seems to be the most down to earth of the trio, even when all hell lets loose. There could have been some more character development for some characters such as Garotte but hey, we can't have everything !

If you enjoy horror and paranormal story, this is a gem for you to read. It seriously is amazing and will keep you entertained until the end !

Amazing book! I couldn't put it down. This book pulls you in and is one check of a thrill ride. This was my first read of Duncan Ralston and it definitely isn't the last.

Welcome to Ghostland, the ultimate horror theme park.
A place where a breakthrough in technology allows visitors to witness ghosts repeating their final acts in life. And no expense has been spared to gather some of the most violently haunted buildings and objects known in paranormal circles.

For estranged friends Ben and Lilian, Ghostland is more than just another overhyped attraction. Lilian has come at the request of her therapist, to face the traumas that are crippling her emotionally.
Ben has come to put an end to the ghost that nearly took his life.....a ghost that isn't listed among the attractions.

When an act of sabotage unleashes the entities of Ghostland upon a full park, and putting the entire complex on lockdown, the horror attraction becomes a blood soaked abattoir......forcing Ben, Lilian and a handful of survivors into a race against time and certain death. A race to find a way out, a way to stop what stalks the park from breaking loose into the world outside......and to unmask the puppet master behind it all.

Ralston brings the big guns in this coming of age/horror novel......combining the movie 13 Ghosts and the novel Hell House with epic results.

Highly recommended.

4 1/2 Stars

Ghostland is a bloody, gory chaotic tale that’s a little bit short in character development, but more than makes up for that in incredibly visual world building and non-stop action. I have a feeling this will be in my top five list of favorite books at the end of the year and I cannot wait to see where Ralston takes this next!  I highly recommend this to hardcore horror fans.

Full review forthcoming.................................................................................................................................

A well written and composed horror title, up there with the best horror writers.
we follow our two main protagonist's Ben and Lil, on their journey with many many ups and downs , if you think you can read a chapter or two before bedtime ,think again, this book will keep you up until dawn ,either out of fear or the overwhelming urge to carry on and on, It is like a mixture of 13 ghosts and Jurassic park,  (there is a map, which will become clear why) and a ghost 'encyclopaedia' to identify the various spectral entities, so one can know which nasty just scared the hell out of you, highly recommended, stephen king watch out !

OH MY GOODNESS!  What a creepy, scary fun ride this book was! Blood, gore, ghosts and mayhem! I really enjoyed this book. I love amusement parks and the idea of an amusement park complete with REAL ghosts just sounded like the ride of a lifetime!

Ghostland is centered mainly on the character of Ben, a sensitive teenage boy who loves all things horror and has read every book by Rex Garrote. He is his number one fan! He is fourteen when he watches the authors house rolling by his window thru the middle of town. It is headed to the site of construction for the Ghostland park. When he sees who he believes is Rex Garrote in one of the houses windows, he instantly has a heart attack! 

Fast forward to four years later when Rex is currently ostracized by everyone including his former best friend Lil (Lillian is what she prefers to be called now). Ghostland's grand opening its coming and Ben is determined to go to it with Lil in tow.

What follows is the story of that crazy day when Ben, Lil, and her therapist Allison do go to the new amusement park and all the insanity and murder that ensues.

This is a wild ride and so so good. I have not read a book in this genre that was this good, in so long!!! What a refreshing surprise! I highly recommend this book for lovers of a good, old fashioned, straight up horror story!!!

Thank you so much to Shadow Work Publishing, and #NetGalley for the opportunity to read this real gem!

After suffering a heart attack and nearly dying after seeing what he thought was a dead author in the doorway of the author's home whilst the building is in mid-transit to Ghostland, Ben becomes an outcast. Even his former best friend, Lilian, has deserted him. So Ben decides to visit Ghostland - which houses a host of murderous ghosts in a technological theme park which includes areas such as an asylum and a prison. Ben not only wants to reconnect with Lilian, but to take his revenge on whatever he saw that first day, but things go wrong and the ghosts escape.  

I enjoyed this for the most part. It was fairly pacy, and this meant that character development was sacrificed a little, but it worked in the main. I also liked the descriptions of the different types of ghosts and the background to the exhibits that you could flick back and forth between whilst reading the main story. I was slightly disappointed in the ending as you don't find out what actually happens to one character and it leaves you feeling slightly cheated. Overall though, I thought it was an entertaining read and certainly a novel idea, but it was rather gory in places.   

Thanks to NetGalley and publishers, Shadow Work Publishing, for the opportunity to read an ARC.

While Ghostland is extremely well written and has a fascinating, completely in-depth narrative the ending came rather quickly and left things a bit open ended. Which may have been the point; maybe there are plans for a sequel, I don't know.
Up until the last chapter I loved it COMPLETELY. It had the right amount of character building and backstories. I loved the added information about each ghost we encounter. The coming of age angle hit just right. The characters themselves are likeable. I loved it all.
Now, even with the ending leaving me a bit wanting I still give it 5 stars. It has quickly become one of my top favorites and I'm secretly cross my fingers for a continuation.

Hi all!
Before I begin, I just wanted to let you all know I've created a couple of bookish templates on my Instagram: @my_bookish_universe - so go check them out if you like! Here's an example of one I created on an app called Canva. 

Today I am back to review another new release – Ghostland by Duncan Ralston  – which was published on November 8th 2019. I was permitted to read an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) thanks to NetGalley. This horror story follows former best friends, Ben and Lillian, who decide to check out Ghostland (a spooky amusement park) on opening day together. But when a computer virus sets the ghosts free and the park goes into lockdown, the pair find themselves trapped in an endless nightmare. With their video game knowledge and expertise on all things horror, Ben and Lillian must stay alive for as long as possible or become Ghostland's newest exhibits. As always, I am going to provide my honest thoughts and let you know whether I think it’s worth checking out or not. Without further ado, let’s get into it!

This is a snapshot from my NetGalley account
WHAT THIS BOOK DOES RIGHT 
Everything! This book is by far the best I've ever read and reviewed on NetGalley. I was hooked from the very beginning. I was also extremely impressed with the amount of detail. There was an actual glossary at the back outlining every different type of ghost, plus some history on the famous spectres mentioned throughout. The author has even created a website completely dedicated to the park itself. You can check it out here. The story begins when Ben and Lillian are young children and then flashes forward to present day where they are struggling to reclaim their friendship after a tragedy that occurred in the past. With any horror, it has to have a good story to keep my interest and this one ticked every box. I read some of it at night and was legitimately scared. Because it was so fleshed out, I was able picture myself inside the amusement park; running and hiding from the ghosts. There are a lot of twists, plenty of action, gore and a wide-open ending, which leads me to believe that a sequel is in the works. I hope it is! If you love a good scare, amusement parks, video games, tales about friendship and survivalism, this is for you. 
WHAT THIS BOOK DOES WRONG
You would probably assume I have nothing negative to say about this book...but that's not true. There are two things I took a slight issue with, but they were very minor. 
1.) Lillian's therapist Allison, accompanies her to the park because she is curious about the Recurrence Field technology used to bring the attractions to 'life.' I don't know what it's like in America, but here in Australia your therapist would never join you on an excursion. To do so would break a law or two I would imagine? 
2.) The ending was a little bit rushed and confusing, so I would like to re-read it just to fully understand it. 
OVERALL STAR RATING 
I gave this book 5/5 stars. It's definitely going on my top reads of 2020 list.
If you are interested, you can order a copy here.
I hope you enjoyed this honest review. Let me know your thoughts down below. I appreciate all feedback. Thanks for reading!
Peace & Love xoxo

Another really good book by Duncan Ralston! Will definitely look for more of his work soon. Thanks for letting me read it.

Ghostland, or "When Jurassic Park meets The Stand." -Duncan Ralston 

This story was sick!!!! Kuddos to Mr. Ralston for coming up with this terrifying ghost theme park which gets taken over by the ghosts themselves. I enjoyed the main theme of friendship throughout the book: Lilian Roth and Ben Laramie are two nerdy teenagers from small town Duck Falls. They are besties. The first scene sets the tone and dives right into the heart of the story. "Most Terrifying Man in the World" Rex Garrote, famous horror writer, has been dead for years, and Ben, his #1 fan, sees Rex's house floating by his house through his window. He reaches for the window, not believing what he is witnessing. He stares at the moving house and he sees the worst thing you can ever imagine: Rex is at one of the windows, starting back at Ben, with the scariest look you can imagine on his face. This causes Ben's heart to stop beating. 

Fast forward 4 years later.. Ben is still alive. He had open-heart surgery and his parents safely turned to home-schooling. All his friends stopped talking to him, to include Lilian. That Rex episode scared her so much that she distanced herself from her best friend. But Ghostland is about to open to the public and Lilian's therapist, Alison, pushes her to visit Ghostland with Ben in order for Lilian to get over her fears. Ben, Lilian and Alison enter Ghostland and things very quickly go south.. 

If you like horror and not turned off by gory scenes, bloodbaths, and evil, you will love jumping on the Ghostland ride. Not only is this a scary book, but it also has a good story with strong characters. I particularly enjoyed entering the exhibits of the park and learning the story behind each one of them, along with meeting the haunting ghosts attached to them. 

Thank you very much Net Galley and Shadow Work Publishing for this e-ARC in exchange for a honest review.

People are dying to get in. The ghosts will kill to get out.
Be first in line for the most haunted theme park in the park in the world - GHOSTLAND! Discover and explore hundreds of haunted buildings and cursed objects! Witness spectral beings of all kinds with our patented Augmented Reality glasses! Experience all the terror and thrills the afterlife has to offer, safely protected by our Recurrence Field technology! Visit Ghostland today - it's the hauntedest place on earth!
________
After a near-death experience caused by the park's star haunted attraction, Ben has come to Ghostland seeking to reconnect with his former best friend Lilian, whose post-traumatic stress won't let her live life to the fullest. She's come at the insistence of her therapist, Dr. Allison Wexler, who tags along out of professional curiosity, eager to study the new tech's psychological effect on the user.
But when a computer virus sets the ghosts free and the park goes into lockdown, the trio find themselves trapped in an endless nightmare.
With time running short and the dead quickly outnumbering the living, the survivors must tap into their knowledge of horror and video games to escape… or become Ghostland's newest exhibits.

This is a brilliant read.
Wonderful well written plot and story line that had me engaged from the start.
Love the well fleshed out characters and found them believeable.
Great suspense and found myself second guessing every thought I had continuousluy.
Can't wait to read what the author brings out next.
Recommend reading.

I was provided an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher.  This is my own honest voluntary review.

“Ghosts are real.”

If you want to visualise the gorefest that is ‘Ghostland’, imagine the ectoplasmic mayhem that would have ensued if ‘Jurassic Park’ had been populated by ghosts instead of dinosaurs. Featuring such haunts as a prison, an asylum and Garrote House, home of “the Most Terrifying Man in the World”, and 300 ghosts (at the beginning of the book) ranging from former prisoners to an evil sex nun, the promised fun of this amusement park quickly descends into a “concerto of chaos”. 

Putting their knowledge of “All Things Horror” and gaming skills to the ultimate test are Lilian Roth and Ben Laramie. Ben has serious physical health problems and Lilian’s thanatophobia, a result of a trauma she experienced four years ago, add to the potential dangers these former best friends will be facing. 

Joining them on what may be their final day as corporeal beings is Dr Allison Wexler, Lilian’s therapist. Having your therapist along for the ride is not awkward at all … 

Exposure therapy has never been so intensive!

“What’s the worst that could happen, right?”

You do realise you’re one of the main characters in a horror novel, don’t you Lilian? 

Don’t bother trying to form any emotional connections with any of the breathers who decide that opening day is a good time to visit this amusement park. Chances are they’re going to be the recently deceased before they get their $40 ticket price worth of scares. 

Usually when I read horror stories I tally a body count but there’s just no point here. Even if I counted all of the bodies I tripped over along the way, I would have missed dozens of them. Not as many people died in front of me as I had hoped but I did get to witness the results of a fair amount of the carnage as Lilian and Ben attempt to navigate their way out of Ghostland, hopefully with heartbeats.

“This is what happens when you mess around with things you can’t possibly comprehend.”

I haven’t had this much fun anticipating footnotes since Mark Z. Danielewski’s ‘House of Leaves’. While the “Know Your Ghosts” guide occasionally only repeated the text in the chapters and didn’t seem necessary, I enjoyed the majority that provided additional information. I expect they’re going to be useful in the sequel. Incidentally, if ‘Ghostland’ is ever made into a movie, I’ll be there for the ride.

At times it felt like there were an over abundance of similes and I simply shook my head when our lambs to the slaughter took the time to locate toilets on the map. If all hell was breaking loose and I had to use the bathroom I doubt I’d risk my life further by detouring to find a public toilet. A few question marks appeared over my head as I was reading, including when Dr Wexler contradicted herself about how long Lilian had been in therapy for, but they are essentially quibbles in what was a fun bloodbath. 

My disappointment came when, after such a build up, I blinked and missed most of the final battle. Maybe I’ll get to enjoy the hopefully bone snapping, blood spurting, organ squishing climax in a flashback scene during the sequel but right now it feels like a crucial chapter was accidentally deleted.

Favourite phrase: “You cain’t be alive. You ain’t got a head.”

You can download a free copy of the short story prequel, ‘The Moving House’ when you subscribe to the author’s website. There’s also a Ghostland website to explore.

“Please keep your head and hands inside the ride and enjoy your time at Ghostland, the most terrifying theme park on earth!”

Content warnings include mention of death by suicide and paedophilia.

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Shadow Work Publishing and Victory Editing for the opportunity to read this book.

Ghostland by Duncan Ralston was a fascinating read. I was given a digital copy for review by Netgalley and Shadow Work Publishing. The story starts right out and grabs your attention from the first page. Two childhood friends, Ben and Lillian have grown apart and find themselves together again going into a haunted theme park. Shortly after arriving things go haywire in the park and ghosts are set loose to do what they want on the living. Ben and Lillian will need to use their knowledge of video games and the horror genre to navigate the angry ghosts and ghouls within the walls of Ghostland.

The author does an amazing job with visuals in this book. As I was reading I kept thinking to myself, this is a story of Jurassic Park meets 13 Ghosts. What's crazy is the author actually acknowledges Jurassic Park in the back of the book. Job well done and message conveyed! I was also glad to see a change in the typical ghost story. This was something I hadn't heard or seen before and was a breath of "decaying rot air" in a good way.

Not only does Duncan Ralston give us an amazing story but he takes it a step further. In the book is an actual map of Ghostland that you can check back to and follow the team through the park. He also set up an online presence for Ghostland that you can go to at www.ghostlandpark.com that has all kinds of information about "that day" at the park. In addition to all of that there is a classification of ghost index that you can turn to in order to figure out all they types of ghosts in the story.

This book hit the money in storytelling and consumer interaction. This is a definite must read for young adults and adults who enjoy twists, turns and a good ghost story. I can't wait to see what's next.

I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. 
“The first time Lilian Roth saw the haunted house it was floating down Main Street, and if she’d known the trouble it would cause them, she never would have pointed it out to her best friend.”
Ben and Lilian are going to the grand opening of Ghostland with Lilian’s therapist, Dr. Allison Wexler. Allison thinks the new theme park will help Lilian deal with her fear of death. 
Ghostland is a state of the art amusement park with technology that allows guests to see actual ghosts and the violent acts they have committed. With the augmented reality glasses provided, ghosts can even interact with the guests. Things quickly go wrong and ghosts are attacking the visitors. Ben, Lilian, and Allison find themselves running for their lives trying to escape the park. 
This is a fast paced, exciting, fun story. I wanted to go to Ghostland. I wanted it to be real. I want to be friends with Ben and Lilian. I didn’t want to read any more because I knew the book would end and I would be left wanting more. Luckily, the sequel is coming out later this year. 
I would have given 5 stars but it was a little long. I may have not wanted it to end but I needed to find out what happened.

As the author puts it in the notes this is Jurassic Park but with ghosts. We follow two teenagers who've fallen apart into a theme park full of real ghosts. When setting a book in an environment like this it's easy for an author to lose you in the various places, but this one does a good job. 

The ghosts within are vividly described and the man villian is set up well. The book does get lost a few times in getting away from the fun with some long explanations, but overall I think this is a fun read and well written.

It is my first time reading this author and I'm really surprised, in a good way. The idea of the plot was very good and I liked the story just as much as I enjoyed the idea. The fact that the story had interactive notes made it even more enjoyable. Overall I loved the characters and their evolution from the beginning to the end of the book. This book is very hard to put down and I would recommended it to anyone who likes ghost stories.

I really liked this book. Ghosts and VR is a concept you don't really see much and this was delightful! I loved the feel and the setting of the book. It was a well executed horror thrill ride! (pun intended). It felt like a late 90s horror movie (in a good way) and I enjoyed it cover to cover.

I really loved this book!  Although the main characters are YA, this is by no means for a YA audience.  The premise is very original.  A haunted theme park!  Ben and Lilian used to be best friends, until Ben almost died.  Because of this, Lilian has PTSD and started seeing a therapist.  Ben really wants to go opening day to Ghostland and invites Lilian who reluctantly goes, along with her therapist, Dr.  Allison Wexler.  Ghostland is advertised as safe and you can only interact with the ghosts via special glasses.  However, there are some bugs in the system that weren't worked out before opening day.  
There are descriptions of the ghosts at the end of the book and you can look them up throughout your read.  If you are an avid fan of killers, you may know some of them.  I certainly did.
I would recommend this to those who like a good horror novel!
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

If you are looking for a fun, creepy, atmospheric romp through an amusement park full of ghosts, this is the book for you! This story was so much fun! Quite far-fetched but completely enjoyable, I really felt like I was right beside the characters in Ghostland on their adventures. 

I highly recommend this story!

I received an e-arc of this book from NetGalley and Shadow Work Publishing to read and review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Wow!  What a ride!  What could be more fun than a theme park centered around haunted buildings and objects?  One that also features the actual spirits attached to them, of course!  And when a computer glitch allows the evil, revenge-seeking spirits to wander freely throughout the park to wreck havoc and reenact their own brutal demises on unsuspecting tourists, well, that's when all hell breaks loose.  Fair warning:  this is not for the squeamish.  I've read my share of splatterpunk and gore and even I was feeling a bit of ewwwww with a few scenes.    There were a couple of times I thought the story slowed down a bit, but overall this was a great introduction (for me) to Ralston's work........and after reading his end notes, could a sequel be in the future??  Thanks to NetGalley for sending me an ecopy for review.

This book needs to be longer! In the beginning Ben and Lil visit a theme park, with the main feature being ghosts. I loved the descriptions of the rides and how the writer immersed the reader in the experience of being in the park. Unfortunately, (you knew this was coming!) the ghosts break free and cause all sorts of mayhem. I would have loved more of a description of how the park was made, and the ghosts trapped there. Don't skip reading the footnotes about the park and the characters- the park manual may have been my favorite part. I'm hoping this is the first of many in this series.

“The most volatile waste energy is released when a person passes on.  All of that waste energy-or dead energy, as we like to call it-has to go somewhere.”-Sara Jane Amblin, inventor.

That somewhere is Ghostland, a theme park utilizing augmented reality to connect visitors with orbs, revenants, poltergeists, elementals, possessors, doppelgängers, and tricksters.  Just pop on the VR headset and you can view these various entities through some of the most appalling and abysmal exhibits-a prison, a mental hospital, a haunted mansion (original structures transported to the property, I might add)-that were functional at one point, and housed some of the most abhorrent and vile figures.  There even more disgusting when they’re dead and virtually taunting park goers, but it’s all part of the thrill and chill, right?

The plot begins with a plausible backstory involving two reconciled teenagers, Ben and Lilian, who have their own undisclosed reasons for attending Ghostland on opening day.  The relationship between the two is contrastingly charged-Lillian’s bullying and sarcasm accompanies Ben and his weakened. adolescence.  The fun begins once the two pass through admissions, and Ralston uses every reference at his disposal to engage ebook readers, particularly the park map and ‘know your ghost’ exhibit index (my favorites were Stemroller and the Picasso monster).  There’s nothing about this novel that’s cutting edge, per se, but years from now when digitalized books become more innovative and holographic, the ideas and creativity presented here might serve as a precursor as to what modern horror might offer.

The rest of the story, after a malfunction at the park’s control center sends the spirits on a spectral rampage,  is strewn with with some captivatingly strange philosophy.  Do ghosts, or non-corporal beings for the politically correct, have rights?  Should they be subjected to ridicule and enslavement for amusement?

Ghostland is a brilliant premise. A theme park built using actual haunted houses transported from around the country.
Technology has been an invented that can build an avatar around 'dead energy' ie ghosts, so they can be seen and heard using headsets on offer at Ghostland.
But what happens when the ghosts break out of their confinements?

Ghostland is labeled an interactive book, for each ghost or exhibit the characters encounter in the book you can choose to click to a paragraph long backstory and then jump back to the page you were reading. Its down to you whether you want to take this in during the plot or read about them afterward.
In the beginning I was jumping back and forth but when the tension was high I chose not to slow it down and instead learned more about those ghosts at the end.
I thought this a great idea, like having the choice whether to watch deleted scenes during a movie.

Okay MC Lilian has suffered a trauma, but she's become your typical arrogant teen in the years to follow and has the shrugging attitude you'd expect of a younger person. I found her mostly unlikeable compared to her counterpart in this story, Ben although she does get some decent development.

Perhaps it's because he was abandoned by his peers, had a rougher time of it that Lilian, or maybe because he just tries so hard but I though Ben was endearing. He was definitely the redeeming character in Ghostland.

Dr Allison Wexler was a smug cow and I was quickly irritated by her 'arching her eyebrow' twice every page but thankfully Ralston dropped that after a while. Worth a mention also was Stan the retired detective who brought some light hearted relief from the terror!

Ghostland is both fun and absolutely brutal. Two nerds encounter a glorious mixture of violence, gore and paranormal activity in a theme park full of friendly employees.
The pace is hectic yet Ralston is still descriptive enough to give the reader full visualisation at all times.
 A wild ride, definitely worth a read.

This is such a fun book with nods to Jurassic Park and the Resident Evil games (well, the early ones I used to play). Ben and Lillian, friends who have grown apart since Ben's heart attack four years earlier at age 14, visit the newly opened Ghostland with Lillian's therapist. The theme park brings back the ghosts of murderers and psychopaths to give you the ultimate horror experience. In a matter of no time, the technology goes wrong and the killings start.
Duncan Ralston does not hold back in the gore and seems to take delight in sparing no one as the mayhem ensues. Well recommended and hopefully not the last book about Ghostland and the after-effects.

“The world doesn’t belong to us anymore. It’s theirs now. A world full of ghosts.”

Complete upfront confession: I loved this book.

That said, bad news first: as with the last Ralston novel I read, there were some obvious editorial oversights which took away slightly from the read. And I’m still trying to figure out if the author meant to call it a mazel tov cocktail as some sort of humorous pop culture reference that I’ve missed, or if he really doesn’t know it’s actually Molotov cocktail. Hmmm.

But, those things aside, this book was one giant rollercoaster ride of horror, gore, mystery, and teen angst. The very premise makes my eyes light up: a theme park devoted to ghosts and hauntings. What horror lover wouldn’t jump at the opportunity to visit?

Ghostland gathers together a multitude of haunted places in one spot, places like Garrote House, Bright Falls Sanitarium, Fontaine County Correctional, and many others. The hauntings are put on display through “Recurrence Field” technology, which traps dead energy and amplifies it, making ghosts visible through fancy AR headsets.

Lilian and Ben are there for Opening Day, along with a cast of supporting characters, and boy do they all get more than they bargained for. Three hundred undead baddies brought together in one place? Of course all hell breaks loose. Our heroes must make their way through a series of terrifying locations facing down evil ghosts, sentient holograms, friends who may not be quite so friendly, and their own feelings for each other, while trying to make it to an escape hatch that may or may not actually exist.

The scenes in the Mirror Maze gave me a definite sense of claustrophobia and the ghosts of Emma Lou Amesbury (aka Sister Serpent) and Dr. Hammersmith (aka Dr. Death) had their creep factor turned up to eleven.

Bonus points for this book for:
1) We get a map. Of Ghostland. I’m a sucker for maps.
2) The novel comes complete with a copy of KNOW YOUR GHOSTS: A Ghost Hunter’s Guide to GHOSTLAND, which I must admit I read first before delving into the story and loved it.
3) Ben proclaims he likes the miniseries of The Shining as it stays truer to the book (me too, Ben, ME TOO)
4) Has Stephen King misplaced a blue chambray shirt? It’s here, in Ghostland.

The book was scary. The action kept coming. The story managed to somehow be disgusting and frightening and FUN all at the same time. It was sort of like an adult version of a Goosebumps book, and I mean that in the most perfect way possible. Would I recommend this book? Yes. Will I be anxiously awaiting the sequel (rumored to be out possibly as early as this summer)? Absolutely. Should you get your hands on a copy and read it as soon as possible? Duh.

I was given a free electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This review was posted to NetGalley, GoodReads, Amazon, Instagram, and my personal blog.