What do you think?
Rate this book
Secrets of Ghosts
A Secret Society An Abandoned Church And a Shadow Brought together by their mysterious gifts, seven teenagers have been stranded in no-time by their Secret Society. In an abandoned church they find a gathering of ghosted orphans, trapped for over one hundred years. To free these ghosts they will need to discover each of their identities, and to do that, this group of misfits will need to face the secrets that have haunted their own lives. It is the only way they will survive. And time is running out. A haunting fantasy, Secrets of Ghosts will intrigue those of us who like to seek amongst the shadows.
450 pages, Paperback
First published June 15, 2012
94 people want to read
About the author
Mardi Orlando Edwards
3 books491 followersIt was writing books that introduced Mardi to the love of her life, Kevin Edwards. They met by sharing each other's books. Kevin's book, Grand Duchy, was funny, original and a brilliant exploration of American society and Mardi was intrigued. Over the next few years, they shared music, stories, humor and joy. Across the globe they fell in love. Even though Kevin had never been overseas, he packed his bags and moved from his home town of Illinois in America to the small town of Lakes Entrance in Australia where they married and live to make every day perfect.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
July 16, 2012
This is a terrific read! It’s got it all: Mystery, Danger, Fantasy, Darkness and Romance. You get a really good feel for the characters and their backgrounds – their troubled backgrounds and secrets must eventually be revealed – it is the only way they can discover their strengths and the enormity of their gifts. The mood is haunting and yet it’s a real page turner! I couldn’t stop reading. I really like the writing style and am really looking forward to the sequel.
“I know that if we fade before we are found we will never be able to go home. If we fade, we disappear forever as if we never existed. That is very dangerous for everyone, ghosted or not.”
OSCAR is hiding in an abandoned church with his gathering of ghosted orphans trying desperately to find a way to save their souls. He ghosted at the frontlines in WW1 where he fled to escape the loss of his entire family and now he is here, trapped in limbo. He is very powerful but his control is causing more problems than any of them can know – until it’s nearly too late. Through static recordings they call for help but slowly they are forgetting everything. If they forget to hide from the Shadow it will consume them, taking their existence-time, and that will be disastrous for everyone – living and dead.
Sixteen-year-old Daffodil has escaped the Institution where she was sent after both her parents died. The abuse she received there didn’t stifle her gift but it did prepare her for her first mission with The Secret Society of Gifted Teens. And now she finds herself stranded in an icy wasteland surrounded by an impenetrable mist with six other gifted strangers.
Madame Glizsnort has carefully orchestrated their demise and is going to manipulate their fears to get them to do what she has been unable to – save her Lost Children. Even death cannot release her from her obsession; after all, she has more than a vested interest in the outcome. The survival of these teens is unlikely – for that would mean they would have to destroy the Shadow – a teeming whirlpool of hatred borne from a place of such human darkness that it turned Blackwater into a ghost-town decades ago.
All devices are taken from them and Jake, who has suffered terribly in his short life, is desperate – without static he won’t be able to sleep.
When Madame Glizsnort doesn’t turn up for the required instructions at the old church, the group makes an expedition to the ancient graveyard where they find several unmarked graves and where they discover the heinous power of the Shadow – it feeds off misery and shame and there is plenty of that here. And so begins their battle for survival.
I can’t recommend this book more highly. I want everyone to read it. Enjoy.
“I know that if we fade before we are found we will never be able to go home. If we fade, we disappear forever as if we never existed. That is very dangerous for everyone, ghosted or not.”
OSCAR is hiding in an abandoned church with his gathering of ghosted orphans trying desperately to find a way to save their souls. He ghosted at the frontlines in WW1 where he fled to escape the loss of his entire family and now he is here, trapped in limbo. He is very powerful but his control is causing more problems than any of them can know – until it’s nearly too late. Through static recordings they call for help but slowly they are forgetting everything. If they forget to hide from the Shadow it will consume them, taking their existence-time, and that will be disastrous for everyone – living and dead.
Sixteen-year-old Daffodil has escaped the Institution where she was sent after both her parents died. The abuse she received there didn’t stifle her gift but it did prepare her for her first mission with The Secret Society of Gifted Teens. And now she finds herself stranded in an icy wasteland surrounded by an impenetrable mist with six other gifted strangers.
Madame Glizsnort has carefully orchestrated their demise and is going to manipulate their fears to get them to do what she has been unable to – save her Lost Children. Even death cannot release her from her obsession; after all, she has more than a vested interest in the outcome. The survival of these teens is unlikely – for that would mean they would have to destroy the Shadow – a teeming whirlpool of hatred borne from a place of such human darkness that it turned Blackwater into a ghost-town decades ago.
All devices are taken from them and Jake, who has suffered terribly in his short life, is desperate – without static he won’t be able to sleep.
When Madame Glizsnort doesn’t turn up for the required instructions at the old church, the group makes an expedition to the ancient graveyard where they find several unmarked graves and where they discover the heinous power of the Shadow – it feeds off misery and shame and there is plenty of that here. And so begins their battle for survival.
I can’t recommend this book more highly. I want everyone to read it. Enjoy.
September 1, 2016
You can also find my reviewt at my book blog and other reviews and book related things., Michelle's Paranormal Vault of Books
This book really was intriguing, it’s got it all, Mystery, Danger, Fantasy, romance, and darkness too. It’s like several different types too, like science fiction, fantasy fictions, and mystery, with some paranormal thrown in. Certainly can keep your interest.
When reading I really felt like I got to know the characters too, its was beautifully written, and you can tell that Mardi did extensive research for the historical facts. Very impressive.
The plot never really slows down, and the characters come to life for you it seems. You can visualize every word they speak, and what expressions they make. I am not usually one to read a book with this much history type stuff in it, as it usually will bore me. But I really wasn’t. We do get some going from the present back to World War 1 and 2 days, but it’s done well.
The tragic stories of the ghosted children touch your heart. She does an amazing job in weaving a haunting tale between the ghosted children, the local town, and the seven teens. It turns into a haunting tale that keeps you interested.
Here is a quote that is very touching:
I don’t know how much the others have figured out but I am very worried for us. I know our time is running out. I don’t think we are supposed to stay here but we can’t leave or the Shadow will get us. None of us like the Shadow. I can tell that we are fading. When I look at everyone they are starting to look different and Bruises is almost gone. I know that if we fade before we are found we will never be able to go home. If we fade, we disappear forever as if we never existed. That is very dangerous for everyone, ghosted or not.
I do not want to give too much away, trying to keep this spoiler free as I can.
It really is a interesting book, and I highly recommend it. The writing is flawless, it really is. Mardi is amazing how she brings these characters to life.
I give it 5 out of 5 stars.
July 15, 2012
This book defies categorization. Is it Paranormal - certainly, YA Fantasy - most definitely, Mystery - again, yes? It is all of these, but so much more. In Secrets of Ghosts, Mardi Orlando has developed a tale that touches the heart. This book goes far beyond well-developed characters, intriguing plot, and unique formatting. This is the tale of a group of damaged teens struggling with powers and concepts that would tax the strongest and most self-assured of us. This motley group must overcome their troubled pasts while facing their internal fears and learning to understand and coordinate with each other. Mardi Orlando's superb prose breathes life into her characters while unfolding the story's mysteries like the peeling of an onion. With the deft hands of a master, the author reveals enough to keep interest peaked without frustrating the reader. Fortunately, she has left the way open for a sequel.
July 25, 2012
“This is a marvelous story!!! It is a combination of several fictions, science fiction, fantasy fiction, and mystery fiction. In reading this story I felt like I really knew the characters. The characters all have different issues but these issues are part of what makes them interesting and unique. I found myself not wanting to put the book down and I was rushing back to read it because I kept speculating what would happen next. The way it is written, it’s style is very to read and to enjoy!! This is a fun, interesting, and exciting book to read.
Secrets of Ghosts, by Mardi Orlando is a story that touched me. I could see myself being any one of the characters. They all have a life that not every character has in some stories. Mardi kept me guessing all through the story and I think she could do a series from this, hopefully, first story, Secrets of Ghosts!!! I highly recommend Secrets of ghosts!!!!”
Secrets of Ghosts, by Mardi Orlando is a story that touched me. I could see myself being any one of the characters. They all have a life that not every character has in some stories. Mardi kept me guessing all through the story and I think she could do a series from this, hopefully, first story, Secrets of Ghosts!!! I highly recommend Secrets of ghosts!!!!”
September 25, 2012
Mardi Orlando’s Secrets of Ghosts is an excellent novel of the fantasy genre. In fact, it’s an excellent novel in any genre. The plot never slows, the characters lift off the page and you can easily visualize every word they speak, expression and action they make. I must admit that I am not a reader of this genre, but Orlando knows how to draw her reader into a tale and she certainly kept me engrossed.
Using historical events as a backdrop Orlando artfully weaves a tale that had me up late nights, wanting to read just one more page…then another. I simply didn’t want the book to end. I look forward to reading more from this incredibly gifted author.
Using historical events as a backdrop Orlando artfully weaves a tale that had me up late nights, wanting to read just one more page…then another. I simply didn’t want the book to end. I look forward to reading more from this incredibly gifted author.
September 21, 2012
Absorbing Journey with Mystery, Magic and Heart
Brought together by their mysterious and powerful gifts, seven teenagers have been stranded between worlds. Their mission is simple: uncover the hidden past, free the ghosted children stuck for a hundred years in an abandoned church, defeat the shadow…and try to survive the experience.
The problem is, while the ghosted children are fruitlessly trying to remember their past in order to move to the light, the seven teenagers who are tasked with saving them, desperately want to forget theirs. However, without releasing their own demons, the teens won’t be able to help the ghosts, moreover, they won’t be able to save themselves.
The book alternates between the past—devastating times of World War I & II—and the present. The tragic stories of the ghosted children, of the local town and of the seven teenagers are woven together into one absorbing, haunting tale.
I found myself deeply engrossed in this book, trying to find out what happens next. The war time newspaper clippings provided the local perspective of the events of War World II, particular to the British and Western point of view.
I especially want to commend the author for her wonderful descriptions of the teens’ rare metaphysical gifts, from telepathy and clairvoyance to working with crystals and empathy. This is the subject that is very dear to my heart and I find that the author understands and feels what she is writing about on a very profound level—true, and fascinating to read about.
The main characters are interesting to read about, especially Daffodil, Jake and Santu. Besides, you can’t help but feel sorry for the ghosts and root for their salvation. There is profound humanity in how the author paints the ghosts’ touching protectiveness of each other and their ghosted animals.
There are valuable lessons to be learned from this book. A great read – highly recommended!
Brought together by their mysterious and powerful gifts, seven teenagers have been stranded between worlds. Their mission is simple: uncover the hidden past, free the ghosted children stuck for a hundred years in an abandoned church, defeat the shadow…and try to survive the experience.
The problem is, while the ghosted children are fruitlessly trying to remember their past in order to move to the light, the seven teenagers who are tasked with saving them, desperately want to forget theirs. However, without releasing their own demons, the teens won’t be able to help the ghosts, moreover, they won’t be able to save themselves.
The book alternates between the past—devastating times of World War I & II—and the present. The tragic stories of the ghosted children, of the local town and of the seven teenagers are woven together into one absorbing, haunting tale.
I found myself deeply engrossed in this book, trying to find out what happens next. The war time newspaper clippings provided the local perspective of the events of War World II, particular to the British and Western point of view.
I especially want to commend the author for her wonderful descriptions of the teens’ rare metaphysical gifts, from telepathy and clairvoyance to working with crystals and empathy. This is the subject that is very dear to my heart and I find that the author understands and feels what she is writing about on a very profound level—true, and fascinating to read about.
The main characters are interesting to read about, especially Daffodil, Jake and Santu. Besides, you can’t help but feel sorry for the ghosts and root for their salvation. There is profound humanity in how the author paints the ghosts’ touching protectiveness of each other and their ghosted animals.
There are valuable lessons to be learned from this book. A great read – highly recommended!
November 7, 2012
This book has been quite an interesting read. It got me hooked from the beginning. A story of ghosts and mysteries that will keep you reading from beginning to end. Even though at the beginning it may seem a bit messy, since it keeps on going from the present time to the past, via some newspaper clippings and articles, once you get to know the different characters and what is going on, it is very easy to follow.
A group of teenagers from different parts of the world are recruited by a secret society. When they discover that the place where they have left abandoned is haunted by a group of ghosts, they must face their own realities and lives to try to help this ghosted kids. All these teenagers have been chosen because they have some kind of gift or ability, like the ability to heal, the ability to read minds, the ability to control fire, or the ability to hear the statics from the ghosted ones.
By helping the ghosts, the teenagers will help themselves too, since they start to understand things about their own lives in a better way, confronting their fears and accepting their fates. The development of the characters is very good, although sometimes they look a bit stereotypical. I am Spanish, and I found the Spanish character in the book highly annoying, mainly because of the language and grammar he used. By the middle of the book, I was wishing that he could stay silent till the end of the book.
The plot is a great one, and the author did an amazing job linking both the present time and the time when the World Wars took place. We go back and forwards in time in this book, but the transitions are smooth and you don't get lost too much. However, sometimes I felt the newspaper accounts should be shorter, since they weren't adding to the story.
If you like ghost stories with a twist and a bit of history, this is the book for you. I highly recommend it, and I would have given 5 stars to it if it hadn't contained typos.
A group of teenagers from different parts of the world are recruited by a secret society. When they discover that the place where they have left abandoned is haunted by a group of ghosts, they must face their own realities and lives to try to help this ghosted kids. All these teenagers have been chosen because they have some kind of gift or ability, like the ability to heal, the ability to read minds, the ability to control fire, or the ability to hear the statics from the ghosted ones.
By helping the ghosts, the teenagers will help themselves too, since they start to understand things about their own lives in a better way, confronting their fears and accepting their fates. The development of the characters is very good, although sometimes they look a bit stereotypical. I am Spanish, and I found the Spanish character in the book highly annoying, mainly because of the language and grammar he used. By the middle of the book, I was wishing that he could stay silent till the end of the book.
The plot is a great one, and the author did an amazing job linking both the present time and the time when the World Wars took place. We go back and forwards in time in this book, but the transitions are smooth and you don't get lost too much. However, sometimes I felt the newspaper accounts should be shorter, since they weren't adding to the story.
If you like ghost stories with a twist and a bit of history, this is the book for you. I highly recommend it, and I would have given 5 stars to it if it hadn't contained typos.
November 7, 2012
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This is one of those very difficult reviews to write because the author has wonderful ideas and great characters. I appreciate the time and effort that has gone into the story’s development, but the novel clearly hasn’t been either structurally or copy edited. This is the kind of book that gives self-published books a bad name. When I see the words ‘there’, ‘they’re’ and ‘their’ being used incorrectly, I lose confidence in the author, add a lot of other copy errors, (punctuation, extra words, missing words etc) an extremely bad infestation of head-hopping and pages of prose that should be edited back to a couple of paragraphs, and it was amazing that I got as far into the book as I did before giving up. All credit to the author that despite the poor craftsmanship, I did care about the characters and did want to know what happened, but by 80% of the way through, the excessive wordiness of the writing made it too much of a slog to continue.
Pretty much every section needed to be heavily pruned. The head-hopping weakened what were otherwise powerful scenes. We jumped one paragraph at a time from the thought processes of one character to those of another, then yet another one. Instead of showing us how characters felt through the eyes of one point of view, the author had each character tell us how they felt. This is weak writing. If the author studied how to work with point of view and the differences between telling and showing, and cut out about 50,000 words they’d have a really good story.
I find it hard to believe that people have given this 5 stars. Apparently, those readers don't mind excessive wordiness and got caught up in what is a highly imaginative and quite dramatic story. There are many excellent self-published books available. Unfortunately, despite it’s great promise, this isn’t one of them.
This is one of those very difficult reviews to write because the author has wonderful ideas and great characters. I appreciate the time and effort that has gone into the story’s development, but the novel clearly hasn’t been either structurally or copy edited. This is the kind of book that gives self-published books a bad name. When I see the words ‘there’, ‘they’re’ and ‘their’ being used incorrectly, I lose confidence in the author, add a lot of other copy errors, (punctuation, extra words, missing words etc) an extremely bad infestation of head-hopping and pages of prose that should be edited back to a couple of paragraphs, and it was amazing that I got as far into the book as I did before giving up. All credit to the author that despite the poor craftsmanship, I did care about the characters and did want to know what happened, but by 80% of the way through, the excessive wordiness of the writing made it too much of a slog to continue.
Pretty much every section needed to be heavily pruned. The head-hopping weakened what were otherwise powerful scenes. We jumped one paragraph at a time from the thought processes of one character to those of another, then yet another one. Instead of showing us how characters felt through the eyes of one point of view, the author had each character tell us how they felt. This is weak writing. If the author studied how to work with point of view and the differences between telling and showing, and cut out about 50,000 words they’d have a really good story.
I find it hard to believe that people have given this 5 stars. Apparently, those readers don't mind excessive wordiness and got caught up in what is a highly imaginative and quite dramatic story. There are many excellent self-published books available. Unfortunately, despite it’s great promise, this isn’t one of them.
December 2, 2012
This compelling fantasy portrays contemporary teenagers from several different countries and a number of characters who have long-since “ghosted.” All are trapped in time and space, and struggling to save themselves as well as others. The plot is unique and the characters are beautifully developed.
In this story, survival requires both comprehension and courage. The seven teens are caught in a state of reality they have to understand, facing a deadly evil they have to overcome. Each teenager is distinct, with his or her own issues, challenges, and extraordinary gifts. Their individual strengths and weaknesses shape their successes and failures. And author Mardi Orlando handles shifts among their many points-of-view with rather amazing deftness.
This is a complex tale, with layered story lines and multiple characters. The various time periods are charmingly established with “clips” from a local newspaper. Although the book could use proofreading, there are many exquisitely written passages that make for delightful reading.
A book this unusual and intricate might not be for all readers. There are no monsters cropping up every few pages, although the danger is palpable enough when it arrives. This is for young adults and adults who enjoy literary quality along with their adventures. The ending suggests further quests for these teens, so perhaps we can look forward to more excellent words from this author.
In this story, survival requires both comprehension and courage. The seven teens are caught in a state of reality they have to understand, facing a deadly evil they have to overcome. Each teenager is distinct, with his or her own issues, challenges, and extraordinary gifts. Their individual strengths and weaknesses shape their successes and failures. And author Mardi Orlando handles shifts among their many points-of-view with rather amazing deftness.
This is a complex tale, with layered story lines and multiple characters. The various time periods are charmingly established with “clips” from a local newspaper. Although the book could use proofreading, there are many exquisitely written passages that make for delightful reading.
A book this unusual and intricate might not be for all readers. There are no monsters cropping up every few pages, although the danger is palpable enough when it arrives. This is for young adults and adults who enjoy literary quality along with their adventures. The ending suggests further quests for these teens, so perhaps we can look forward to more excellent words from this author.
July 14, 2012
‘Something is trying to disappear me and I do not like it. It feels like I am being slowly undone.’
In 1917, at the age of 14, OSCAR ghosted at the frontlines of Passchendaele where he fled to escape the loss of his entire family. Now, trapped in limbo, he is hiding in an abandoned church with his gathering of ghosted orphans trying desperately to find a way to save their souls. He is more powerful than they know but his determination is more damaging than he realizes. Through static recordings they call for help but slowly they are forgetting everything. If they forget to hide from the Shadow it will consume them, taking their existence-time, and that will be disastrous for everyone – living and dead.
Possessing the power of crystals, Daffodil invites the trust of the ghosts whilst getting her suspicious and secretive companions to reveal their damaged pasts and the truth behind their gifts. She knows it is the only way they will free the ghosts, escape the Shadow and hopefully, survive. But time is running out.
This is a mystical story haunted by the demons of both life and death.Mardi Orlando
In 1917, at the age of 14, OSCAR ghosted at the frontlines of Passchendaele where he fled to escape the loss of his entire family. Now, trapped in limbo, he is hiding in an abandoned church with his gathering of ghosted orphans trying desperately to find a way to save their souls. He is more powerful than they know but his determination is more damaging than he realizes. Through static recordings they call for help but slowly they are forgetting everything. If they forget to hide from the Shadow it will consume them, taking their existence-time, and that will be disastrous for everyone – living and dead.
Possessing the power of crystals, Daffodil invites the trust of the ghosts whilst getting her suspicious and secretive companions to reveal their damaged pasts and the truth behind their gifts. She knows it is the only way they will free the ghosts, escape the Shadow and hopefully, survive. But time is running out.
This is a mystical story haunted by the demons of both life and death.Mardi Orlando
October 27, 2012
Seven teenagers from around the world are on a magic bus-ride to participate in a project called The Secret Society for Gifted Teens. All of the participants have special abilities. For instance, Jake is one of only 2 people in the world who hears high frequency wavelengths and he is the foremost expert on all things antique. Another is a healer/mage, using crystals in her craft while simultaneously working with them in the scientific community.
A screeching, dictatorial older woman named Madame Glizsnort runs the program but the teens realize almost immediately that all is not as it appears to be: Madame has an agenda.
For Jake, Annabelle, Santu, Daffodil, Blaze and the twins Duel and Duette, life with exceptional abilities has brought nothing but ridicule and unhappiness. They all have secrets and no one to trust. As the moments tick on the situation seems to validate the need for their guarded natures.
In another realm a group of child ghosts, whose secrets have also imprisoned them, prove to be the real reason the teenagers were recruited. It remains to be seen if they can learn to trust each other enough and use their gifts to help the wanderers get Home.
This is an epic tale, running through the 2 great wars and intersecting in present time in the fictional town of Blackwater. Mardi Orlando uses newspaper clippings from both of the historical times to flesh out and explain the past to the present without undue description. She has a keen understanding regarding the psychology of being different as well as the process out of the loneliness that defensiveness causes. It was easy to care for the characters.
The pace was interrupted by grammatical errors and poorly delineated POVs along with word repetition in adjacent sentences. There were also some subplots that might have been deleted to prune the book into a healthier product. Some of the backstory of Blackwater’s past could have been shorter and navigation between child-speak to adult was problematic.
Still, a lot of the prose made the tale real for me, such as: “The smoky haze that stirred around them looked like warm breath hitting icy air.” At one point the story was free of the above issues and I was racing along with it. Then came a passage that was something like foreshadowing (maybe there is a sequel coming?) and an epilogue that seemed unnecessary.
The character development and central ideas for this book, that wholeness comes from vanquishing our Shadow and that we don’t have to do it alone, are excellent but the errors in construction and interruptions in flow keep it earthbound when it might have soared.
A screeching, dictatorial older woman named Madame Glizsnort runs the program but the teens realize almost immediately that all is not as it appears to be: Madame has an agenda.
For Jake, Annabelle, Santu, Daffodil, Blaze and the twins Duel and Duette, life with exceptional abilities has brought nothing but ridicule and unhappiness. They all have secrets and no one to trust. As the moments tick on the situation seems to validate the need for their guarded natures.
In another realm a group of child ghosts, whose secrets have also imprisoned them, prove to be the real reason the teenagers were recruited. It remains to be seen if they can learn to trust each other enough and use their gifts to help the wanderers get Home.
This is an epic tale, running through the 2 great wars and intersecting in present time in the fictional town of Blackwater. Mardi Orlando uses newspaper clippings from both of the historical times to flesh out and explain the past to the present without undue description. She has a keen understanding regarding the psychology of being different as well as the process out of the loneliness that defensiveness causes. It was easy to care for the characters.
The pace was interrupted by grammatical errors and poorly delineated POVs along with word repetition in adjacent sentences. There were also some subplots that might have been deleted to prune the book into a healthier product. Some of the backstory of Blackwater’s past could have been shorter and navigation between child-speak to adult was problematic.
Still, a lot of the prose made the tale real for me, such as: “The smoky haze that stirred around them looked like warm breath hitting icy air.” At one point the story was free of the above issues and I was racing along with it. Then came a passage that was something like foreshadowing (maybe there is a sequel coming?) and an epilogue that seemed unnecessary.
The character development and central ideas for this book, that wholeness comes from vanquishing our Shadow and that we don’t have to do it alone, are excellent but the errors in construction and interruptions in flow keep it earthbound when it might have soared.
November 12, 2012
I received this book from the author for an honest review.
This was an interesting story of ghostly encounters, history and tragic lives. The Author has a unique way of story telling using ghost static transmissions, newspaper clippings on the history of the town of Blackwater in England as well as historical facts from WWI and WWII. With a group of young teenagers gifted with paranormal powers, a mystery must be solved in order to free the Lost Children and save their own lives before the Shadow of darkness consumes them all.
I think this book was good but it took me a long time to get through it and I am normally a fast reader. At times it seemed to spin its wheels trying to get a point across to the reader. I am also confused if this is geared towards a YA audience or an adult one, as the characters are all teenagers with little or no adult interaction. That being said I don't know of many YA who would spend the time reading this story as it was a very hard read with lots of hopping around and at times I had to force myself to finish it. Not because I didn't like the story, I really did, it just never engrossed me and for being 450+ pages, I would expect it to. The characters are very descriptive and again the Author did a great job in developing them all, ghost bugs included! You can tell there was a lot of time spent on the characters and their individual stories especially the twists that tie them all together. The ending was a bit of an anticlimax as most of the characters had such sad pasts and then they just kind of return to them. I am not sure if this was done intentionally leaving an opening for a continuation, but after all the time spent reading I was hoping for a more show stopper of an ending. I guess I will just have to wait and see where the story goes from here in a future book 2.
This was an interesting story of ghostly encounters, history and tragic lives. The Author has a unique way of story telling using ghost static transmissions, newspaper clippings on the history of the town of Blackwater in England as well as historical facts from WWI and WWII. With a group of young teenagers gifted with paranormal powers, a mystery must be solved in order to free the Lost Children and save their own lives before the Shadow of darkness consumes them all.
I think this book was good but it took me a long time to get through it and I am normally a fast reader. At times it seemed to spin its wheels trying to get a point across to the reader. I am also confused if this is geared towards a YA audience or an adult one, as the characters are all teenagers with little or no adult interaction. That being said I don't know of many YA who would spend the time reading this story as it was a very hard read with lots of hopping around and at times I had to force myself to finish it. Not because I didn't like the story, I really did, it just never engrossed me and for being 450+ pages, I would expect it to. The characters are very descriptive and again the Author did a great job in developing them all, ghost bugs included! You can tell there was a lot of time spent on the characters and their individual stories especially the twists that tie them all together. The ending was a bit of an anticlimax as most of the characters had such sad pasts and then they just kind of return to them. I am not sure if this was done intentionally leaving an opening for a continuation, but after all the time spent reading I was hoping for a more show stopper of an ending. I guess I will just have to wait and see where the story goes from here in a future book 2.
June 25, 2013
Secrets of Ghosts by Australian writer Mardi Orlando is the story of seven gifted teens coerced to a ghost town to save the souls of ten ghosted children from the hungry jaws of Shadow, a monster composed of pure evil.
Madam Glizsnort, chief administrator of the Society of Gifted Teens is responsible for recruiting Jake—an autistic savant, Annabelle—a heartless heroine, Duel and Duette—twins with psychic powers, Blaze—a girl with a weird power over fire, and Santu—a visionary with potential leadership skills.
With an engaging writing style that will keep the reader flipping pages, Orlando brings YA readers and anyone else fascinated with the supernatural a superb novel that shows a creative story on three planes. First, the novel unfolds through the eyes of the seven teens as they try to deal with the very strange Madam Glizsnort. Then flash backs are provided by newspaper clippings going as far back as World War I. Finally, the ghosts get to tell their stories through old recordings made on an ancient radio.
This writer’s only criticism of this superb novel is that it ended. He looks forward reading other novels written by Mardi Orlando, an author to watch.
Madam Glizsnort, chief administrator of the Society of Gifted Teens is responsible for recruiting Jake—an autistic savant, Annabelle—a heartless heroine, Duel and Duette—twins with psychic powers, Blaze—a girl with a weird power over fire, and Santu—a visionary with potential leadership skills.
With an engaging writing style that will keep the reader flipping pages, Orlando brings YA readers and anyone else fascinated with the supernatural a superb novel that shows a creative story on three planes. First, the novel unfolds through the eyes of the seven teens as they try to deal with the very strange Madam Glizsnort. Then flash backs are provided by newspaper clippings going as far back as World War I. Finally, the ghosts get to tell their stories through old recordings made on an ancient radio.
This writer’s only criticism of this superb novel is that it ended. He looks forward reading other novels written by Mardi Orlando, an author to watch.
Read
October 19, 2013Did Not Finish so no review or no stars
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews