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Ghostwriter

by Lissa Bryan (Goodreads Author)

4.56 of 5 stars 4.56 · rating details · 86 ratings · 52 reviews

After being laid off from the newspaper where she worked as a
journalist, and losing her boyfriend in rapid succession, Sara Howell is looking to downsize before her dwindling savings run out. Things are finally starting to look up when she lands a job ghostwriting the biography of a popular politician and rents an isolated island house which turns out to have once been the...more

Paperback, First, 213 pages

Published October 11th 2012 by The Writer's Coffee Shop (first published October 9th 2012)

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Oct 16, 2012 Jill rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy-pnr-sci-fi-romance

3.5 stars

Sara Howell has just lost both her job as a journalist and her boyfriend. Moving to save on expenses, she rents a house on a remote island along the Outer Banks where she hopes to work freelance as a ghostwriter for a politician's biography. Coincidentally the house was owned in the 1920s by Sara's favourite writer, Seth Fortner. His death in 1925 is still a mystery and a secret that his descendents who now own the home, never talk about. When Sara finds a trunk in the attic with letter...more

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Aug 26, 2012 Passion For Pages rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: twcs-arc, supernatural

Review on http://passionforpages.blogspot.ca/20...

Move over vampires and werewolves, I’m in love with a ghost.

I said in my latest post that I’ve been in a reading funk. It doesn’t matter how good the books have been I just haven’t been able to get into them. Almost two weeks ago I received the ARC of Ghostwriter but haven’t had the heart to read it. Today I finally decided to take a peek at it. Now I only have one question. Why did I wait this long?

I read this book cover to cover in just a coupl...more Review on http://passionforpages.blogspot.ca/20...

Move over vampires and werewolves, I’m in love with a ghost.

I said in my latest post that I’ve been in a reading funk. It doesn’t matter how good the books have been I just haven’t been able to get into them. Almost two weeks ago I received the ARC of Ghostwriter but haven’t had the heart to read it. Today I finally decided to take a peek at it. Now I only have one question. Why did I wait this long?

I read this book cover to cover in just a couple of hours. I couldn’t put it down, and when I had to put it down (blasted children and pets!) I needed to pick it right back up again so I wasn’t left wondering what happened next.

Ms. Bryan weaves a wonderfully creative tale of a lonely woman and a ghost haunted by his past.

I fell in love with Seth from the second he stopped trying to scare Sara off—actually I might have started falling for him a little before that. His story is so romantically sad that my heart hurt while reading his story through his old letters. I hated the way he was taken advantage of while he was living, how everyone in his life expected so much from him but didn’t want anything to do with him. It pained me to read how in love with Marcella he was and have it destroyed by the terrible things he witnessed in the war.

Sara, while a somewhat plain character, was enjoyable to read. There wasn’t anything about her that you could dislike. I liked how she grew a backbone and faced off with her ex and put her mother in her place. The love story that develops between her and Seth is both beautiful and heartbreaking. You fear what will happen when it all comes to an end. How can a relationship work between a human and ghost? How will she ever be able to leave him? How will he feel once he’s once again left with only his nightmares as he wanders the island that he loves so much? All those questions flew through my mind as I devoured this book. Not to worry though, you do get your answers.

It was the character of Ginny that surprised me the most. Ms. Bryan did an excellent job of throwing in that little twist.

If this debut novel is any indication of what’s to come from Lissa Bryan, I think we’re the lucky ones to have found another great author.

**ARC given for honest review (less)

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Oct 11, 2012 Funmbi rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: supernatural-romance-erotica

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I was very pleased to have received a ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for my review.
Lissa Bryan has been on my radar for some time, so when I found out about Ghostwriter, I knew I needed to read it as soon as possible. I tell you now: Bryan supersedes every single one of my expectations. She writes with such evocative and descriptive language. It's easy to place myself in the protagonist's shoes, to visualize and experience the settings, conversations, and events. I enjoy every...more

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Aug 31, 2012 Sydney Logan rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I was honored to have the chance to receive an ARC of Ghostwriter. I am such a fan of Lissa Bryan’s work, and this book is a clear indication as to why.

This story is about a writer named Sara who has been hired to be the ghostwriter for a political biography. Tired of her badgering mother and jerk ex-boyfriend, Sara rents a home on an island. The first chapters of the novel are so descriptively written that you actually feel as if you're right there on the island. Lissa Bryan’s attention to deta...more

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Jun 16, 2012 Kathie (katmom) rated it 5 of 5 stars

I've read this, in manuscript form...and I LOVE it...

Had the hair on the back of my neck stand up a couple of times. It was great!

I kept thinking: HOW can this WORK?

And this new author, Lissa Bryan, MADE IT WORK.

I love it, totally. Can't wait to get my hands ON the book. This one is going on my BEST BOOKS EVER shelf...and not because I work for the publisher, but because it IS that good.

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Sep 09, 2012 Julz04 rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: angsty

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.
This was a fantastic story that really drew out a lot of emotions. I was so excited about the concept that it made me impatient to get to the "good stuff." And when we did, it definitely paid off.

The setting is beautiful but simultaneously eery because our heroine, Sara, is isolated, alone on an island, living in an oooooold house, complete with dark attic, far from help. There were so many creepy moments that had me wanting to read between my fingers and yell out "Don't go there! Haven't you e...more

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Aug 24, 2012 Cherie rated it 5 of 5 stars

I am currently giving this novel a 4 out of 5 stars only because I haven't finished it yet. And I am enjoying reading it so much that I get sulky and put-upon when I have to stop. Will record a full review later

UPDATED:

I will begin this review by stating that I have read Lissa Bryan previous to her debut novel, Ghostwriter. Ms. Bryan has her roots in Twilight fan fiction, and while some readers may arch their eyebrows at that admission, I would like to respectfully remind them of the meteoric su...more

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Sep 26, 2012 Michela Walters rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc-netgalley, paranormal, romance, afterlife

3 1/2 stars, rounded up for GR purposes.

First let me thank NetGalley and The Writer's Coffee Shop Publishing for giving me an ARC of Lissa Bryan's first book.

The story revolves around Sara, a woman who just recently dumped her cheating boyfriend and due to budget cuts is laid-off from her current job as a writer for a local newspaper. All in all, her life begins to crumble around her when she is given the chance to ghostwrite a novel for a local politician. Unable to afford her apartment withou...more
3 1/2 stars, rounded up for GR purposes.

First let me thank NetGalley and The Writer's Coffee Shop Publishing for giving me an ARC of Lissa Bryan's first book.

The story revolves around Sara, a woman who just recently dumped her cheating boyfriend and due to budget cuts is laid-off from her current job as a writer for a local newspaper. All in all, her life begins to crumble around her when she is given the chance to ghostwrite a novel for a local politician. Unable to afford her apartment without her boyfriend's help, she begins to look for other places to live.

Fate stumbles in and Sara meets a Realtor who has a lovely house on a remote island just off the coast that she's willing to rent to Sara for a very good price. With just one look, Sara falls in love with the place and rents it. The story takes off from here and moves towards the paranormal when a ghost on the island really wants Sara to leave his island.

The beginning of this story was a bit slow for me. The author dumped so much irrelevant information into the beginning that it took me a while to get through the minutiae. (I don’t need to know every single detail about how a character takes a shower.) I also found the main character’s inner thoughts to be a bit annoying, rambly and immature sounding. There were times the author was pointing out obvious things that perhaps she didn’t think the reader would conclude on our own. It felt like she didn’t trust her own storytelling enough to let us readers put two and two together.

Once Seth comes into the picture, the story picks up a lot. I enjoyed how well the author wove in old letters into the story, especially how different the voice of the letters and Seth were from Sara’s. I appreciated the author’s differentiation between these characters tone, speech and values.

There was a continuity error that probably should have been caught during the editing process, along with some tightening up of the story that could have been done, but overall I enjoyed this book. I did get a little bit confused during the main climax of the story, but I understand where the author was trying to take the reader.

If you’re looking for an interesting take on a paranormal romance story, I would suggest Ghostwriter.
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Jun 29, 2012 Alspitz rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, favorite-books

Paranormal romance is not my usual genre but the premise of Ghost Writer sounded interesting and let me say it doesn't disappoint! I was lucky enough to get an Advance Reader Copy of this book and I have to say wow!
I kept thinking I would read one more chapter and then set it down and do some work I needed to do but I couldn't put it down. One chapter turned into two which turned into staying up until one AM so I would know how it ended.
The romance is sweet and the story is interesting with a...more

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Sep 15, 2012 Sarah Aisling rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Lovers of supernatural romance

Shelves: arc

I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of Lissa Bryan’s debut novel, Ghost Writer, from TWCS PH.

Sara Howell is a likable character who taps into a well of inner strength. She finds herself at a point in her life where she’s very much alone and ready for change. Her mother is a demeaning harpy who never has a nice thing to say, and her ex-boyfriend is a controlling, disapproving, jerk who treated her to scathing remarks about every aspect of who she was. More than once throughout this book, I balle...more I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of Lissa Bryan’s debut novel, Ghost Writer, from TWCS PH.

Sara Howell is a likable character who taps into a well of inner strength. She finds herself at a point in her life where she’s very much alone and ready for change. Her mother is a demeaning harpy who never has a nice thing to say, and her ex-boyfriend is a controlling, disapproving, jerk who treated her to scathing remarks about every aspect of who she was. More than once throughout this book, I balled my fists and even found myself talking out loud in some colorful language at the audacity of these two. Thankfully, Sara developed a backbone—although I’m sure it wasn’t easy with her upbringing—and faced off with them in a way that will make you cheer. She also has a little help at one point from someone very special (a moment I actually cheered out loud), but I’ll let you discover that for yourself as you read.

Lissa Bryan’s prose flows beautifully. I’ve read overly-descriptive writing that actually draws me out of a story, but that definitely doesn’t happen here. There’s nothing I love more than escaping inside the pages of a book, and I was able to do that here. I was sucked into the story and forgot my surroundings altogether.

It’s difficult to write a story surrounding a single character who is by themselves for a great deal of the story, and I was concerned about this when I started reading, but the author did an amazing job of keeping it interesting without repeating a lot of boring inner monologue. The writing was always fresh, and I never found myself wishing she’d move on to something else.

I was extremely impressed by the description of moments on the battlefield. If I didn’t know a young woman wrote this book, I would have thought she’d actually been there and experienced the horror firsthand. I was right there, and it was devastating and raw and ugly.

The love story in Ghostwriter develops naturally. That seems like an oxymoron when speaking about a ghost and a human, but you’ll understand when you read it. If a ghost met a girl on an island, and if they could communicate, their relationship developed in a very natural way. It wasn’t a “love at first sight and they fall into each other’s arms” type of scenario. I found it a very satisfying and beautiful journey.

The reason I gave this story four stars instead of five is because I saw several things coming in the storyline and a few things were too pat or convenient for my tastes. That said, it does take a lot to surprise me, and my intuitiveness sometimes ruins things for me when reading.

Lissa Bryan weaves an achingly beautiful love story, built around suspense, intrigue, the devastation of war, family secrets, and interfering loved-ones, rich with descriptions that will pull you right into her world. Give this one a read—you won’t regret it.(less)

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Apr 23, 2013 Jackie Lane rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ng-arc

For Sara Howell who loses her job and her boyfriend, finances being low, she moves to a remote island and works as a ghostwriter for a politician. The isolated house she moves into is the home a famous writer and one that Sara loved.

Sara and Seth strike up a friendship and she finds a trunk of his letters and through them she discovers what has happened to him. They strike up a friendship and together they begin to uncover the truth of what happened to him and to make an attempt to make thing ri...more

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Sep 02, 2012 Sandra rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc-publisher-direct, contemporary, supernatural, flowers-and-chocolates

I had to mull this over for a few days before I was ready to write up a review.

Ghostwriter is a good book. The writing is mostly flawless and flows well, though it could use another edit or two to tighten things up and fix the errors within.

It tells the story of Sara Howell, a young woman who has recently broken up with her boyfriend and is now living alone in an apartment she cannot afford. Her journalist career has been derailed, and she recently agreed to be a ghostwriter for a politician. W...more

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May 14, 2013 Beyond the Squee rated it 5 of 5 stars

After being laid off from the newspaper where she worked as a journalist, and losing her boyfriend in rapid succession, Sara Howell is looking to downsize before her dwindling savings run out. Things are finally starting to look up when she lands a job ghostwriting the biography of a popular politician and rents an isolated island house which turns out to have once been the home of her favorite author, Seth Fortner, who mysteriously disappeared in 1925.

But when strange things start happening, a...more

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Feb 03, 2013 Rel8tivity rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Sara Howell is a former journalist, trying to break into the publishing business, and lands a contract to ghostwrite a biography for a politician. From before the story begins, Sara seems to be going through a run of bad luck - she's recently been in a car accident that totaled her car, her boyfriend (serious jerk, so glad when he got his just desserts) dumped her for someone else, she needs to find a cheaper place to live, since the advance she got from the publisher only goes so far, and buyin...more Sara Howell is a former journalist, trying to break into the publishing business, and lands a contract to ghostwrite a biography for a politician. From before the story begins, Sara seems to be going through a run of bad luck - she's recently been in a car accident that totaled her car, her boyfriend (serious jerk, so glad when he got his just desserts) dumped her for someone else, she needs to find a cheaper place to live, since the advance she got from the publisher only goes so far, and buying a replacement car ate most of the insurance payment. She's also experiencing headaches with increasing frequency since the accident.

Sara's luck seems to shift when she somehow lands a cheap, secluded rental on a charming island on the Outer Banks. And as luck would have it, it's the family home of her favorite author, Seth Fortner. But it isn't as empty as it first seems.

One thing I really enjoyed was the island house setting. The author's description painted a lovely image of a home on the beach with a great view of the ocean, the dunes, the stars at night. Ahhh, I couldn't think of a nicer writer's retreat. I wanted to make a cup of coffee and sit out on the dunes myself.

Maybe it's just me, but the hair seriously stood up on the back of my neck when the ghost of Seth Fortner began to make his presence known, and he wasn't happy about sharing his house. For a moment, I was worried the story would take a turn down the lane to Amityville, but fortunately it didn't. I found it very interesting and entertaining to watch their relationship go from poltergeist and victim to mutual friends.

Granted, it takes a little suspension of disbelief, to imagine that ghosts would interact in much the same way that humans do. But once you do that, you still have what is a sweet, happily ever after romance. Sara finds someone who fills the emotional voids that her past life created, and Seth is healed from the terrors and stresses that haunted him and trapped his spirit.

One thing I didn't get was the motivation for how Sara's mother treated her. She took pushing Sara to be her best to abusive, controlling extremes, but it wasn't clear to me why she did that. What was in the mother's past to make her act this way?

All in all, I enjoyed this story very much and look forward to reading more of Ms. Bryan's work.(less)

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Oct 11, 2012 CookieDemon rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, ghost-story, netgalley-early-reads

“What is a rational person supposed to do when confronted with the impossible?”

*I received an ARC of this novel through Netgalley.*

This was a beautifully written paranormal romance and I am so glad I had the opportunity to read it. I am literally the biggest wimp when it comes to ghost stories, but I couldn’t resist the premise for this one- it sounded like a brilliant read.

Journalist Sara Howell has just taken the leap to becoming a ghostwriter for a prominent political figure. Working on the...more “What is a rational person supposed to do when confronted with the impossible?”

*I received an ARC of this novel through Netgalley.*

This was a beautifully written paranormal romance and I am so glad I had the opportunity to read it. I am literally the biggest wimp when it comes to ghost stories, but I couldn’t resist the premise for this one- it sounded like a brilliant read.

Journalist Sara Howell has just taken the leap to becoming a ghostwriter for a prominent political figure. Working on the politician’s biography has given her serious writer’s block however, and after a recent break-up she is also struggling with mounting debts. When the opportunity comes up for her to rent an old house on an isolated island for a dirt cheap price, she positively leaps at the chance. Once there she feels an immediate connection to the place and is later thrilled to discover that the house once belonged to one of her favourite writers- the now unfortunately deceased Seth Fortner. What really happened to Seth back in 1925 remains something of a mystery however and his family seem reluctant to talk about it, but once Sara moves in, some strange occurrences begin happening and Sara realises that Seth may never have actually left the property...

This was such an addictive read! Thankfully it wasn’t particularly creepy and too ‘in your face’ spooky, though it did have a few perplexing moments- namely things that went bump in the night, missing objects and the like that really freaked Sara out- as well as me! It was interesting witnessing her more rational side trying to come to terms with what was really happening to her- especially given her isolated location and the fact that she had nobody to turn to for help.

There are many strong themes interlinking in this novel- family, romance, marriage, war, career- yet the balance to all of these elements is perfectly maintained. Though the romance/paranormal aspect is clearly at the forefront of the plot, I felt like I learned a lot about the characters themselves and a great degree of depth was also given to Seth’s past and his time during the Great War which added some real emotion to the storyline. The flashbacks told through his memories, as well as via his letters to his wife, were beautifully and sensitively written, as well as the depiction of his trauma following his time at the front and his continuous grief over eighty years after the events took place. Sara’s relationship with her mother was also complex, and though I don’t usually like characters that are unable to stand up for themselves to domineering ex-boyfriends or family members, something in me warmed to her. I really wanted Sara to have her happy ending and I loved how Seth was able to fulfil all of her long-held heart’s desires within their shared dreams. That might sound a bit corny, but it isn’t- trust me.

This was a really hard storyline to pull off successfully and I did think that perhaps it might become a bit overly sentimental in places, but it genuinely didn’t. It just works. The relationship between Seth and Sara evolved naturally and their bond was evident from the start- they had so much in common that by the time it eventually happened it felt right- this was a slow burner of a romance but well worth the wait.

I have to say that I did sense what the ending would ultimately be overall and it was poignant, but again, appropriate given what had already been played out with the characters throughout the book. I suppose my only complaint is that the final few pages ultimately felt a little bit rushed for my tastes, and as I said, I did see it coming.

I am very pleased to have been introduced to a new literary talent and am keen to see what else Lissa Bryan comes up with in future
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Aug 23, 2012 Melinda Gray rated it 5 of 5 stars

I'm excited to review a book by an awesome author. This author is new to the publishing world but not new to the many fans of her stories published on a fan site.

Ghostwriter Summary:

Unemployed, with her savings dwindling, Sara Howell thinks things are looking up when she lands a ghostwriting job and rents the affordable island home of her favorite author, Seth Fortner, who mysteriously disappeared in 1925.

Strange things happen, making Sara wonder if Seth ever left. When she finds an old trunk of...more

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Aug 09, 2012 Sherry Gomes rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is the story of Sarah Howell, a struggling ghostwriter, who as the book begins has recently had a break up with her boyfriend and is struggling to write the autobiography of a politician. While searching for a new apartment, she is invited to look at the home for rent on a small island, an island where she will be the only resident. She discovers this is the actual home where her favorite author, Seth Fortner, lived and died, and she jumps at the chance to live there. She enjoys her quiet s...more
This is the story of Sarah Howell, a struggling ghostwriter, who as the book begins has recently had a break up with her boyfriend and is struggling to write the autobiography of a politician. While searching for a new apartment, she is invited to look at the home for rent on a small island, an island where she will be the only resident. She discovers this is the actual home where her favorite author, Seth Fortner, lived and died, and she jumps at the chance to live there. She enjoys her quiet solitary life, until some strange things begin to happen.
I am addicted to stories that take place on islands. And I still love the gothic novel, stories that often take place in big lonely houses in isolated locations, so I was thrilled at the chance to read this. I just about squealed and rubbed my hands together with pure glee, when I realized we’d get to visit that house on that island. And I was not disappointed!
The first time Sarah’s picture of the famous author flies off the wall, where it had been hung securely, I almost jumped out of my seat! The series of events that follow, events which frighten Sarah but don’t push her away from the house and the island are in the best sort of ghost or gothic stories tradition. Is there a ghost in the old house, or is there a living person trying to get Sarah to leave?
This story had me spellbound, a little nervous, looking over my shoulder and listening for strange sounds and eager for the outcome. Even when I thought I’d realized what was happening, I couldn’t stop reading and wanted more. And every time I thought I knew what was coming, I didn’t. The details from Seth’s letters of his time in World War I were fascinating and added to the richness of the story. Sarah’s friendship with an unlikely character, the main relationship of the story, at first had me thinking, “What?” and then warmed and delighted me. I love stories about friendship. The strength of such a bond is one of the most interesting things to me, and if that friendship can move to love that’s the best.
The ending both surprised me and yet I felt it was actually right for the story and the characters.
This book is really about characters, Sarah, Seth the author, the others who come and go in her life. They are strong, well-drawn people. You come away feeling you know them and wishing you could. I wanted to be able to read Seth’s books, visit the island and punch the ex-boyfriend in the nose!
A truly wonderful story!

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Oct 02, 2012 Kimberly rated it 4 of 5 stars

Review written for www.books-n-kisses.com

This is a beautiful story with a lovely concept but I had a really difficult time getting interested in it in the beginning. While written wonderfully it was very slow in the beginning. I kept waiting for something to happen and when it did I just didn’t find myself interested for some time. I thought the relationship between Sara and Seth was beautiful as far as the love of characters go but didn’t understand how they could “fall in love” I wish the book...more

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Sep 09, 2012 M.B. rated it 4 of 5 stars

After receiving a few ARCs that I couldn't get into, I stumbled over this little gem. I'd had it on my phone for about a week before I finally opened it up to read. It was one of those "why did I wait?" moments.

Admittedly, a little slow in the very beginning, but once Sara moves onto the island, the story picks up very quickly, without ever feeling rushed, and the reader is drawn into it.

The mixture of the modern day and the 1920s is very good as it sows how much the world has changed and moved...more

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Oct 14, 2012 Ivana rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: netgalley, for-review

To be completely fair, there were parts of this book that deserved more than 3 stars, but looking at the complete book, and the few bumps on the road, 3 stars seem like a fitting rating.

Ghostwriter starts out rather slow as we get to know Sara in midst of the mess that her life has become: she's unemployed, she broke up with her boyfriend, is on bad terms with her mother and struggling to ghostwrite a biography of a rather dull politician. She accepts the offer to cheaply rent a cabin on an isol...more

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Aug 16, 2012 Jennifer Garcia rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc

Italian Brat's Obsessions ~ Reviews One Book at a Time

Right off I must say this book is oh so good! I guarantee you'll love it!

Lissa opened the book with us getting to know Sara. College graduate, aspiring journalist, struggling writer, broke, bitchy mother, and jack ass ex boyfriend pretty much summed up Sara. Lissa did a wonderful job not telling us who Sara was but showing us. I was completely intrigued from the get go and found Sara to be relatable and real.

Approximately 37 pages in and the...more

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Aug 27, 2012 F.S. Meurinne rated it 5 of 5 stars

"Lissa Bryan is a writer extraordinaire even if she didn't include it in her autobiography.

In this novel you will get carried away by a character facing many adversities. She is trying to gain her mother's approval to achieve her goal as a writer when she suddenly finds herself alone, after being in a car accident and her boyfriend leaving. These circumstances force her to accomplish something solely by her own means.

Her fear of being unemployed makes her accept a job as the ghostwriter for the...more

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Jan 21, 2013 Lisa Markson rated it 5 of 5 stars

I received a copy of Ghostwriter by Lissa Bryan in exchange for a unbiased an honest review. The author told a good story about Sara it seemed that it was one thing after another for her getting dumped by her boyfriend and losing her job most would give up right there. She lands a job as a ghostwriter for a politician. She had to move and lucks into a house conveniently located on a remote island. If anyone has ever read paranormal they know that is first mistake. Well there is something else th...more

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Dec 11, 2012 Rob Fuller rated it 4 of 5 stars

Ghostwriter held so much depth that I continually found myself lost in the richness of the romance between two people drawn to each other across different times. The overflowing details reminded me of Stephen King's less macabre work. Lissa transports us into the lives of her characters, and envelopes us in the story. The story takes a few surprising twists and turns that kept me enthralled and a little on edge. Any fan of paranormal romance should seek out this book. Of course for me, any book...more

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Apr 06, 2013 Melissa Fox rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A well-written, sweet, and captivating tale of romance interwoven with suspense and mystery. I loved the use of the letters to get to know Seth, a very clever and well-executed way to let us learn about him in his time, his thoughts, experiences, and feelings. Getting to know Seth through Sara's discoveries is where this really shone for me. A bit too much introspection and backstory in the first part, but once the story got rolling, I was caught up and intrigued. The romance between Sara and Se...more

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Oct 18, 2012 Dawn added it

Lissa Bryan's story Ghostwriter is an amazing and beautiful story of love, healing and forgiveness. From the very first page I was drawn to it. As the story unfolded I was lured in more and more feeling as through I was watching a play as it unfolded in front of my very eyes. Through this story I found myself more and more capiviated by the story that was being told. As the story approacheed its close and came to the end I found myself in wonder by how beautiful and fitting the ending was for Sa...more

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Aug 22, 2012 Raum rated it 5 of 5 stars

The following review has been originally posted on My Reading Lounge, where you can find more reviews about original and derivative fiction.

-x-x-x-x-

Imagine you're alone in the middle of the night, snuggled on your favorite armchair, sipping a cup of tea. Which would be the ideal book to read? If your answer is “a ghost story,” or “a romance,” the perfect choice for you would be Ghostwriter by Lissa Bryan. To tell you about it Camilla and Raum have joined forces.

Lissa Bryan's first published nov...more The following review has been originally posted on My Reading Lounge, where you can find more reviews about original and derivative fiction.

-x-x-x-x-

Imagine you're alone in the middle of the night, snuggled on your favorite armchair, sipping a cup of tea. Which would be the ideal book to read? If your answer is “a ghost story,” or “a romance,” the perfect choice for you would be Ghostwriter by Lissa Bryan. To tell you about it Camilla and Raum have joined forces.

Lissa Bryan's first published novel will take you on a little island where strange things happen and where Sara Howell, the island's newest resident, will unravel secrets that had been hidden for decades.
We'd like to highlight how well Lissa Bryan's has developed her main character. Since the first chapter, the readers get to feel that they know Sara as if she were a friend. We can understand her worries, and we particularly admired the way Sara deals with her problems with great courage and a touch of irony. She hasn't had an easy life, but the difficulties haven't made her bitter or devoid of hope.
However, Sara is almost at the end of her tether: she's broken with her boyfriend and needs to find cheap lodging. An apparently fortuitous meeting with a realtor, a smart woman called Ginny, offers her an unique opportunity, almost too good to be true. Ginny and her brooding cousin Becca will have a role in the story.
The opportunity Sara is offered is to rent the island home of Seth Fortner – her favorite writer, a tragic and fascinating character whose untimely death remains a mystery; she goes to live on that secluded haven to write her own book.
It is a distasteful task, the biography of a politician who has fed her only empty platitudes as reference. But it has to be done: Sara has no money, and the book is her last chance of independence. Therefore, it's understandable that, tormented by continuous headaches, she lets the work she's supposed to be doing lag behind, while the figure of the house’s dead owner captures her imagination more and more every day.
Seth's and Sara's paths cross three times: the first one was when a younger Sara fell in love with Fortner's novels; the second one is when Sara discovers Seth's letters that had been hidden in the cottage's attic, and the third one...you’ll discover it through the book, albeit, since this is a ghost story, you can imagine what happens. How it happens is full of magic and wonder.
But, as the gripping back story of Seth Fortener slowly emerges, we understand that fate has brought Sara where she was meant to be, to fulfill a very unconventional, surprising but deeply satisfying destiny, one where love is capable of performing miracles.
Lissa Bryan has the rare gift to deal with themes such as forgiveness, greed, redemption, and guilt with an elegant, light touch. Mystery, romance, and the characters' views about war, political themes, and family are perfectly balanced. We had the opportunity to admire Lissa Bryan's talent since her previous works – she wrote some fan fictions that had been highly praised for the way she found new paths for famous characters. With her original fiction, she's showing how her talent is coming to a full bloom.

You'll find yourself turning page after page of Ghostwriter and, just like Sara, you'll discover that you don't want to leave the island till the solution of ancient mysteries will be revealed.

Camilla & Raum(less)

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Dec 09, 2012 Denise rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-and-relished

Lissa Bryan’s "Ghostwriter" does a great many things. It paints a heartbreaking portrait of an idealistic man corrupted by the horrors of war and scarred by his literary gift. It illustrates the destructive power of greed and the joy-inducing power of selfless living. It employs an engaging plot which culminates in a conclusion which makes me smile whenever I envision it.

But its greatest accomplishment is showcasing a woman’s bold decision to follow her heart in spite of its illogical destinati...more

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Aug 20, 2012 Jedigirlsc rated it 4 of 5 stars

Ghostwriter is a love story with supernatural elements. Along with the romance of two unlikely people, there is a mystery that surrounds them. There are some suspenseful scenes that make the story a page-turner. There is great character development and after reading the Ghostwriter, the reader feels that they know these people and can cheer them on. It is a well thought out story with a satisfying ending. I had read the author's other writings, so I knew that this one would also be entertaining...more

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Sep 29, 2012 Monique rated it 4 of 5 stars

I was fortunate to receive an ARC of Lissa Bryan’s debut novel, Ghostwriter.

So this was the first time I’ve ever read a ghost novel and I can assure you it is a very different and interesting experience, and nothing like anything I have ever read before.

My heart broke a lot for Sara with the living conditions she had to endure and having to be surrounded with two people, her mother and ex boyfriend, who don’t deserve a place in her life.

It was so humorous to read about Sara trying to explain t...more

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About Lissa Bryan

Lissa Bryan is an astronaut, renowned Kabuki actress, Olympic pole vault gold medalist, Iron Chef champion, and scientist who recently discovered the cure for athlete's foot.... though only in her head. Real life isn't so interesting, which is why she spends most of her time writing.

Her first novel, Ghostwriter was released October 11, 2012, and her second, The End of All Things, was released on J...more

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“But more importantly, know I love you more than I can say with simple words. Poets have attempted for centuries to find the perfect combination, and I don’t imagine I shall have more luck than they.” — 6 people liked it

“Seth: "I write of love in my novels, write of it well, if my critics and fans are to be believed, but in all of my years at that typewriter, I never found the combination of words that would convey how I felt about you. You were my everything.” — 4 people liked it

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