Ghost Hand

The PSS Chronicles #1

by Ripley Patton

Seventeen-year-old Olivia Black has a rare birth defect known as Psyche Sans Soma, or PSS. Instead of a right hand made of flesh and blood, she was born with a hand made of ethereal energy.

How does Olivia handle being the girl with the ghost hand? Well, she's a little bit morbid and a whole lot snarky.

Her mother thinks her obsession with death, black clothing, and the local cemetery is a bid for attention. But when Marcus, the new guy in Olivia's calculus class, stares at her like she's a freak, Olivia doesn't like it. And when her hand goes rogue, doing things she never imagined possible, Olivia finds herself running for her life with Marcus from a group of men bent on taking the power of her hand for their own nefarious purposes.

Genres: Paranormal, Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance, Science Fiction, Urban Fantasy, Thriller

372 pages, Paperback

First published November 28, 2012

About the author

Ripley Patton lives on 22 wooded acres on a lake in Southern Illinois with a cat named Lemmy. Her two young adult children, a daughter and a son, are her favorite people. When Ripley's not out exploring nature and getting her hands dirty, she's usually reading or writing a book.

Reviews

[Vicki · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found the book Ghost Hand on Amazon and it was free. I thought ok, it sounds cute on the blurb, so I picked it up and what a little gem it is. The concept is a little strange,but I will try to explain. There is this birth anomaly that occurs and it is where a limb is filled with this energy source.

Olivia had such an anomaly and it was her hand, she called it her ghost hand. At school one day, the hand takes on a life of its own and kind of scares her. While it was groping around where it had no business it retrieved something and things changed forever for her in that moment.

Marcus, the new kid at school helps her as she runs away from her fears when suddenly people she knew and trusted are after her. Not just chasing her, but wanting to harm her. Marcus introduces her to his group of campers and the real adventure begins. Olivia and Marcus, Emma and her own mother are all entwined in this strange dangerous mess. all Olivia wants is to find out if what she thinks she is feeling is real and maybe even returned.

This book is really well written and draws you in from the beginning. It is considered a YA book and the characters are school age and the paranormal aspect is perfect for the genre.

I am so glad I picked this book up. There is a second book that will take us even deeper into the mysterious power and the people that would destroy it for their own goals.

[Liliana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reviewed on Lili Lost in a Book

This book was just...wow! I freakin' LOVED it! It was just absolutely amazing! I literally read it in ONE sitting! ONE!

What initially captured my attention about this book was the premise. It just sounded very intriguing, and the story did not disappoint! And that cover? Love it!

What did I love about it, you ask? Well, first of all, it was action-y right from the start, and you all know how much I love my action! There were also some very funny parts, and I really love a book that can make me giggle out loud.

The romance, oh the romance! First of all, there was NO insta-love...hurray! I cannot tell you how much insta-love bugs me! It just seems very unrealistic to me. But Olivia and Marcus's relationship progressed steadily and bloomed into something beautiful. I especially liked their acquaintance in the beginning...it really amused me :)

I also liked the uniqueness of the ghost appendages and Olivia's ghost hand being able to pull things out of people. It's just SO creative and I've never heard anything like it! While this aspect of the story was unique, the story also kinda reminded me of Kelley Armstrong's Darkest Powers Trilogy and Darkness Rising Trilogy. No, this isn't a bad thing because I LOVE both of these series! So, if you like Kelley's books as well, I highly recommend Ghost Hand!

Also, I've probably mentioned this about a million and a half times, but I LOVE surprises! And there was a particular one in Ghost Hand that caught me off guard and had me going, "whoa!" I like when things jump out at me out of nowhere. Surprise!

I thought Olivia was awesome, a very strong leading character, and very likable too! She could definitely become one of those awesome kickass heroines! And Marcus? *swoons* I freakin' ADORED him! He was an awesome leader very protective, and a total gentleman! Have I mentioned that he's absolutely hot-mazing? Because he totally is!

There were also great supporting characters and...well, I can't really think of anything I didn't like! I just love the world Ripley created! It's so imaginative and, as crazy as it sounds, it kinda makes me want to live in this world (especially if Marcus is there!)

A great read and great start to a new series I am already loving. I cannot wait to get back to this world in book 2 and find out more about Olivia and the mysterious power her ghost hand has.

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book had me hooked from the title alone. The ghost hand concept is immediately compelling: part-gift, part-curse, Olivia Black was born with a Psyche Sans Soma (PSS) hand and a condition even her mother finds creepy. I enjoyed a YA novel with a gutsy, take-charge goth heroine rather than the bland, insipid protagonists who unfortunately populate too many paranormal romance novels, standing back feeling insecure and waiting for hunky supernatural guys to fall in love with them. Olivia is a strong, complicated character who drives her own story. The only downside is that the secondary characters don’t quite leap off the page with as much personality and depth, but there are plenty of tantalising moments of compelling back stories and potential for interesting developments ahead in the series.

It’s a page-turning, fast-paced read with some brilliantly tense moments and lots of gripping, visceral action. The explanations of the PSS conditions are deftly woven through the story. Ghost Hand is a clever and original speculative novel with refreshingly self-reliant and believable teenagers.

[SoWrongItsRANDI {Bell, Book & Candle} · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bell, Book & Candle | Ghost Hand Review



I wasn't sure what I was walking into when reading this book, but I can officially say that I am pleasantly surprised. Let's start of discussing that cover: weird, right? For some unknown reason it kind of has that creep factor to it; like the hand is going to reach into my body and extract my soul or something. I know I'm a bit over dramatic, but it is freaky right?

The premise is very interesting and, to me, original. I'm all into the supernatural and the various powers that come from it, but I have never heard of Psychic Sans Soma. The whole idea of having some part of your body that's, shall we say, there but not there is a little disconcerting. I suppose the politically correct description is a limb made of energy; now if only the amputees of the world could somehow get this PSS.

I actually liked the overall plot and characters. Like in any story full of people with extraordinary gifts, there are those select few who seek to experiment and abuse the "gifted" following close behind. But thankfully they can't hold a candle to the heroine, Olivia. I admit she's got one hell of a strange gift: being able to pull certain things out of someone's body. The first time she did it, I thought she was about to be a body snatcher, or absorb Passion's (Olivia's classmate) brain juice. Anyways I liked her character: she wasn't too whiny and was actually very brave when the situation called for it. I liked Marcus, too, at times, although I didn't see that plot twist that shows up later coming.

I'll tell you who I couldn't stand-- Jason. The guy is seriously paranoid. I nearly wanted Olivia to slap him around a bit with her ghost hand. Yale and Nose were awesome too. As I had previously mentioned, the plot was neatly done. Too many times have I read a book that tried to do too many plotlines at once, only to turn into a horrible book. Simplicity can go a long way, and this book is evidence of that. There was gradual character growth and the plot was paced just right. In my opinion, nothing took away from that. I can officially say that I will be checking out the next book.

[Eren · Rating 3 out of 5]

So I'm still trying to decide what I think of this one. I liked the idea of the book. Not sure about the characters. I think my issue with the book was Olivia. I get that she's special or she can be sensitive about the PSS or whatever, but I think she was a jerk. She didn't really give a crap what she did or who it affected. It's like "Screw you, I march to the beat of my own drum, and you be damned if you don't follow me." Idk, she didn't really give Marcus a fair shot either, I think she was a realllllll jerk to him.

There really wasn't much of an explanation for PSS. I mean, they were very vague about everything. I'm hoping as the series progresses there will be more about this, and that Olivia lightens up.

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ghost Hand gets straight into the action from chapter one when main character Olivia's own ghost hand - a result of a birth defect - starts acting up.
From there, the action continues. The pacing is good, with many twists that force the characters to change their plans. It was a little predictable and cliché in some places in that I see a bit too many characters trying to be heroes and sacrificing themselves in books.
Ghost Hand is told in first person, and you can clearly recognise Olivia's teenage voice in the narration. She's a little snarky - sometimes she made me laugh out loud a little - has her own faults, and is generally a pretty good character. However, it felt like she was trying too hard to be edgy in the way she wore all black clothes + had a coffin schoolbag + liked cemeteries, and it felt a little over-the-top.
The other main characters in this novel have their own evident personalities - that, as they realistically do, cause conflict - which is a good thing.
Overall, Ghost Hand is a fun, thrilling read and I'll be looking forward to reading the sequel!
I shall end this review with my favourite quote from the book:

"For a moment, I considered lobbing the entire red canister into the fire, but I was afraid it would explode or something. Instead, I set it down, and it rolled away like some giant, sentient hot dog."

(Is that not the best simile you've ever read?)

[J.C. Hart · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fab book! I've gone off YA a little bit these days, but this one was so good that it makes me wonder what other gems are out there.

Olivia is smart, determined and far less self-centered than many YA novels seem to think teenagers are. I really appreciated her as a character and enjoyed this novel immensely. Her potential love interest, Marcus, is a twisty fellow who one can't help but be curious about, even if you're never sure whether to trust him or not. I loved that the other characters all have unique personalities as well, and the way the author developed the relationships not just of the main characters, but of the group as a whole.

This is a fast, well paced story that plays its hand close to the chest. It kept me guessing about what was coming next, and didn't give away anything before it's time. I am very much looking forward to seeing what happens in the next installment! (That said, I REALLY appreciate a novel that doesn't end on a cliffhanger. It's a great novel that was wrapped up nicely, while still leaving room for more to come.) 4.5 stars from me :-)

[Kat · Rating 4 out of 5]

agh why does goodreads do that!

Spent ages writing a review and it goes and looses it!

#2nd go!

*gifted by the author via my blog Kats Book Promotionsin exchange for my honest review, I gave this book an overall 3.5 stars out of 5 stars, the reason for it being 3.5stars is in the last paragraphs and this was a decision I had to think about but then this is my honest opinion so I am voicing it.

So heres a breakdown of the book

PLOT line - 4 out of 5 - the storyline is something new, PSS is a fictitious condition but the author has written it in a way that it makes you google it to see if it is based something real! (yes I did I admit it!!)
But I wanted more about the PSS, why are the 'CAMFers' so determined to snatch them all.
And another thing that seemed a bit unbelievable was why these PSS kids are not being tested by a "Governed Medical body" in the first place... because come on if this was a reality - these kids would be in a lab before you could say OMG as they popped out their mums! The storyline runs to a predictable conclusion, and it was said somewhere it was a standalone but to me its left open to continue into the next book. ITS not a Cliff hanger though.

Character Development - 3.5

Olivia is a strong main character, she is a bit of a loner, but has a best friend who she knows has her back no matter what. I liked how she could think herself out of a problem rather than expecting the Male MC to rescue her. I like my Female MCs to be strong and not simpering wallflowers. Although she wasn't perfect, she has her faults and that makes her more relatable.

Marcus - Well he was a bit of a unknown and this book was sold on a basis that it was a standalone, so to me we should know more in the book about him, if he comes back in others then he is a secondary character. We dont get much on his background but we are told the basics by the end. In respects of how he was with Olivia's romantic counterpart, on the one hand he was there for Olivia but then on the other he kept secrets from her but expected her to trust him and for her to go with him. He even kept secrets from the majority of his group of his group.

the secondary characters and my views on them:

Olivias Mum : what a total 'biatch' she needed to put herself in the therapy chair and give herself a talking too! The way she treated Olivia was awful. It seems even before her husbands death she didn't really want Olivia because of her PSS. How she and Olivia's dad got together is beyond me as they were total opposites in my opinion.

Olivia's Dad - we learn about him via Olivia's thoughts and memories, he sounded like a very cool dad to have and I can understand why she misses him so much.

Marcus's Gang:
Jason - well Boy he is a wild card, he was brutal, but he had his reasons due to the way he was brought up, but he has some serious making up to do with Olivia!

Nose - he was the sweetest one of Marcus's group but even he had his faults in not being strong enough to do the right thing

Moon - well he was? I can't remember much about him other than why he got his nickname (you will snigger too when you get to it)

Now to the villains the 'CAMFers', well we don't really get much on these guys they are shady, vague and will the story being in Olivia's POV I guess seeing she has no idea that is why, but I would have liked to know a bit more about the group and why they were so anti PSS.

COVER: 2.5 out of 5 - ok this was my main bug bear at first - I know the cover reflects the main character, but I am sad to say it did nothing for me, (I judge a book by its cover - It is what draws me to a book on the shelf) the cover designer used a font for the Title that disappears into the background and is hard to view on a thumbnail, there is NO Series title (but its there in the interior of the book) The Author Name is ok though you can read this easily on a thumbnail.

Editing: 4 out of 5 stars - Not bad, the storyline flowed well, the speech is quite juvenile but the characters are young so this is fine.

Formatting: 3.5 out of 5 stars - it was ok but the chapter of contents was centered, these look much better left aligned. The body text was fine,justified, was easy to read having big gaps in between the words.



So the reason I have done this review this way is because on researching this book I found that it was funded by kickstarter, and OK the author rewarded her supporters with free copies of the books, and I guess these supporters are happy with that, but do they get a share of the royalties? I don't know and this is why I am very wary and not a fan of funding a book this way.

The MAJORITY of indie authors scrimp and scrape to get their books out to the reader, then then fund their subsequent books from the sales of the books published, they don't ask someone to fund it,they then get the royalties, well earned royalties too, its a hard thing to do, making a living from writing! - when a book is published by a traditional route - the royalties are shared between the publisher and author. So they are entitled to the royalties that they earn.

so in conclusion using Kickstarter or a similar scheme to fund your book series (and it was a fair amount of money and also for the amounts for the other books in this series) and to me that means you should put out a much better quality product than other indie authors who have not got the money this way.

so that's why it gets a 3.5 star because I have split it into the elements of the book and then made an overall final total, because I have and will see again, books that have great covers, great formatting and editing and the author has paid for it themselves.

NOW I guess some people will not agree with my view on the Kickstarter funding and that is fine, each to their own, BUT THIS IS MY opinion so I am not keeping it out of the review.

If this offends the author and I don't get another book of hers to review then that's her choice, I have no problem with that.

Would I recommend it to readers - Yes. It was a new twist to the paranormal, but other than the PSS the rest of the plot runs on a predictable course, with a few twists here and there.

My advice would be to read the free sample and then if it grips you into reading further then you can #oneclick.

Thanks to the Author for contacting my blog to review.

[Brenda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I managed to finish Ghost Hand in a relatively short amount of time. This was helped along by the fact that the pace was quick and I didn't really come across too many lulls in the story. Plus, I really enjoyed reading about something that I hadn't come across before.

So after first reading about Olivia's ghost hand, or psyche sans soma, I googled the hell out of it and couldn't find anything. According to the novel it's a real documented thing (although I do realize that this has been fabricated). I couldn't help but hope it was real, since that would have been so freaking cool...

As for the actual plot: it was fun! I had fun guessing what was going to happen and guessing who the bad guys were and what they wanted. It was fairly obvious, but again I attribute this more to my reading too much YA and not to the writer making it predictable. The whole booby trapped house was by far my favorite part, with the razorblades and the secret stairs. Awesome.

I really enjoyed the side characters too. Emma was steadfast and non-judgmental, which I really liked. I've seen a lot of the best friends be all whiny and get pissed at the main character and then there's this time-wasting fight between the friends. In Ghost Hand, we don't have that issue, and I can't possibly explain how much I enjoyed having a loyal and strong best friend.

I also really enjoyed the differences in the PSS for the characters. Of course, Marcus' was by far the most fascinating. I feel like I'd constantly be wanting to watch his chest just to see the blue ghostly lungs inhale and exhale and watching the heart pump. But even Olivia's and Yale's and Nose's were interesting, and I do wish a bit more time had been spent on them.

Which brings me to what I had wished for more of. I wanted to see more examples of what Olivia's hand could do. I think I'm just too greedy, but I really wanted to see what she would pull out of everyone. Marcus, Yale, Nose, Emma, and Olivia herself included. I realize that there wasn't a need for this plot wise, but I was just so damn curious.

One thing I didn't really like, and what kept irritating me with the story, was Olivia. I'm not quite so forgiving I guess, because I couldn't understand how she was so weak. Mike Palmer is a prime example of this. He very clearly doesn't want her alive, and would do what he could to kill her. Yet she does the whole "no don't hurt him I'm squeamish" thing. It just annoyed me.

Overall though I really enjoyed this story. It kept me interested and I kept wanting to see what would happen next. And that always makes a book better!

[Mills · Rating 4 out of 5]

Awesome.

I've got to admit, I picked up Ghost Hand, not expecting much more than a ten-a-penny YA. The description and the cover looked like a hundred such books I've read before.

Ghost Hand blows those books out of the water. It is action packed without having the ridiculous schoolgirl-heroine who turns into Xena, Warrior Princess over night. Things happen quickly but believably while still managing to fit in plenty of characterisation. Olivia is a really well formed character who deals with huge changes in a realistic way. We see how she carries the death of her father with her - like people in grief do - and how it forms her choices, without the book becoming maudlin. We hear her speak like a real teenager, not like the diluted PG versions so many authors seem to think are necessary in YA. When she says fuck or shit, I'm like "Thank God!" because seriously - I don't care if your readers are under 18; if a character is in fear of their life or faced by really strange or frightening circumstances, they are going to swear! It's just not realistic for them to use mummy-swear-words.

Olivia's rows with her psychologist mother are EXACTLY how I remember my teenage rows with my sort-of-therapist mother. And her relationship with the hero? It's normal! And healthy! Sure, he becomes a love interest, but she doesn't just trust him and suddenly run off with a complete and utter stranger because he's pretty and he told her to! She calls him crazy and runs away, like a sensible human being. Even when they get closer, she doesn't go all gooey eyed and abandon her brain like a lot of heroines. And when he pulls that self sacrificing hero crap, how does she react?

'"What is wrong with you?” I asked. '“He saved you. All three of you. So, when he says he’s going on a suicide mission, you just nod and agree and follow orders? What kind of idiots are you?”... I didn’t know who I was more pissed at - Marcus for lying to me once again and going off to be the hero or these morons for letting him do it.'

I mean, seriously - thank god for heroines who have personalities and are funny and behave like real people! Bonus points if they manage to keep that personality rather than falling down swooning at the hero's feet. Double bonus points when the hero manages to be complicated and conflicted* (you know, like most real people) without either being idealised or being a total asshole!

Win! A great Indie YA.

*What with the whole David/Marcus thing.

[Jess at Such a Novel Idea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Visit Such A Novel Idea for more information!

Why You Should Buy It

This book steps out of the gate with an amazing story line, characters, mysteries, and thrills. It never slows down and rivals Hourglass, Open Minds, and Enclave for a kick ass science fiction book with a female protagonist.

My Thoughts

*I received this e-book in exchange for an honest review.*

This book. THIS. BOOK.

Sometimes when you read a book, you know you love it pretty much right away. And Ghost Hand was like that. It wasn’t even a chapter into the story, and I was already addicted to the brilliant story that Ripley Patton created.

First off, I had to Google PSS, because I was so convinced by the synopsis that it could be a real, true thing. When a book is THAT real, you know the story is going to be great.

I really liked Olivia. She was smart and didn’t trust Marcus right off the bat, unlike a lot of books I read. It’s refreshing when a girl doesn’t fall in love at first sight. And I love her snark! She is just someone I could easily see being friends with. And even when the story was at an intense moment, Olivia still managed to make me smile. On the other hand, Olivia’s mother was intense. I think teens can definitely relate to the tense relationship between the two.

I really look forward to learning more about PSS, what caused this to start happening in kids, and what the people trying to steal it want to use it for. I think this first book was story driven enough for me to not have to ask why we didn’t find out more about the ‘what it is’ and ‘why it is’. We knew what the protagonist knew — and hopefully we will learn more as she does and the story unfolds. I know I’m excited about this aspect!

The writing was great, the story was dynamic and well paced. This was just a well done book and I kept finding it hard to believe it wasn’t published through a mainstream publishing company.

I really love that Ghost Hand and Ghost Hold (book two!) were funded by Kickstarter! As Patton said, this allows the funds up front to make sure the books are done really well. And I can honestly say it was money well spent.

So — do not pass GO, do not collect $200, go directly to your favorite book website and order this book! You are surely in for a treat.

Overall

Five out of Five Stars

[Michelle's Paranormal Vault of Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, what a great book! I was so hooked from the first few pages, and that doesn’t happen to me very often. See I was supposed to be reading another book for a tour, but had not put it in my Kindle yet, so just randomly picked a book I had on there now, and knew it was one I needed to read soon, and bam, was hooked and could not stop reading till I was done. Lol. Yeah, it’s that good.

I took just a bit to warm up to Olivia, but did pretty soon. I really liked Marcus, and the mystery surrounding him. I think he is a wonderful person to do what he does to help other like himself and Olivia.

This whole idea of the PSS (Psyche Sans Soma) was unique, which of course I never heard of and thought it was very interesting, even if it was a bit hard to believe at first. But the paranormal lover in me got my head around it pretty quick and went on and really got into this story.

I can’t wait to get my hands on the 2nd book, Ghost Hold. I loved how this book did not end in some climatic cliffhanger, which I hate, so will for sure continue with the series. I now got to where if there is a huge cliffhanger in a series, I generally won’t read the next, as it just makes me so mad I get fed up. I only will continue a series like that after several books in it are out, then I will read them back to back.

So I love the ending, it was just right, pointing to more to come, but not where you want to throw the book against the wall.

I highly recommend this book, especially if you’re looking for something a little different than so many books out there.

I give it 5 out of 5 stars. It’s very well written, and original. I also love that the author lives in my part of the country, I think that's cool.

I was provided a copy of this book from the author for my honest review.

You can get this book FREE at Amazon for Kindle. If you Just want to read the first chapter for a sample go to my blog post Here

[Paige Bradish · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was contacted by the author to read and review Ghost Hand. This is my honest review.

To start off, I must say that I am the biggest ghost fan ever. As far back as I can remember I have always loved horror movies, ghost shows, anything like that especially books. So when I was asked to review a book that sounded good, the fact that the title was Ghost Hand just put it over the top for me.

Ghost Hand is about a girl named Olivia who was born with PSS, which is a condition in which instead means she has one regular hand, and one ghost hand. Turns out that she is not the only one like this. Throughout the book she meets quite a few people with PSS. Do these people become like family to her? Or enemies? Find out by reading the book, you won’t regret it.


When Olivia is first introduced she is at school being introduced herself to the new guy, Marcus. She finds him staring at her hand and it angers her quite a bit. Next thing she knows her hand is slithering its way into the poor girl in front of her. Little does she know this is going to lead her on a crazy life threatening adventure, one that she will never forget.

Sometimes its hard to read books when they are all going along with one theme. For example, when Twilight came out, hundreds of vampire books were coming out every day it seemed like. The whole theme was just getting drowned in too many books that were similar. One of the great things about this book is that, as far as I know, nobody has written a book about people having ghostly body parts. Reading this was like a breathe of fresh air, because I had never read anything quite like it.

Patton definitely did amazing things with this story. I found myself laughing out loud multiple times; to where I did get odd looks from people around me, swooning at the same times Olivia did when Marcus was a complete sweetheart, getting angry also when the boys were absolute idiots. Its hard to pick my favorite part of this book, because there were several. The many intimate moments between Olivia and Marcus. The snide remarks from Jason, to Olivia even though they were mean some of them were entertaining.

Overall the book was amazing, I wish I could go into complete detail with you without giving away spoilers. But please read this book, you will love it I promise.

[Michael Alltop · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like the shape-shifting and flesh-piercing fingers of the title, Ripley Patton’s GHOST HAND grips and unnerves and shakes the reader with a plot that races from one high-stakes scene to the next. Woven into this thriller, which features a ragtag band of paranormal outcasts being hunted by an evil scientist and his militant lackeys, is an unusually textured coming-of-age story centered on seventeen-year-old Olivia Black. Patton gives the generation gap a new twist, in that Olivia and her cohort—including fellow-freak and love interest Marcus—are afflicted by an extremely rare condition whose first documented case occurred only two decades earlier. In other words, some young people don’t just seem like mutants; they ARE mutants. Their condition, known as Psyche Sans Soma (PSS for short, “minus flesh” for the haters), is so new and strange that a radical scientific/political fringe has sprung up to harness the teenagers’ psychic energy for commercial gain—or else eliminate them altogether.

There’s a lot of violence here, a lot of bullets and blood and raw language. Although the book zeroes in on the struggles and pains and budding love of adolescents, this is by no means a book for younger readers. In fact, Patton could very well have more of a political thriller and/or eco-thriller on her hands if she chose to delve more deeply into the origins of PSS and how its presence in the world threatens the existing power structure. The idea that an organization like CAMF (Citizens Against Minus Flesh) could be operating in small towns across America is just plausible enough to be scary, especially considering America’s long history of mob violence when facing irrational fear.

No matter what threads of narrative Patton chooses to pick up in books 2 and 3 of the PSS CHRONICLES, it is certain that Olivia Black—broken, confused, brave, brilliant, and above all resilient—will be at the center of the action, along with reluctant hero and possible beau, Marcus. Olivia Black is just beginning to understand the power she wields. The same could be said for Ripley Patton’s storytelling skills.

[Kris · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED THIS BOOK. SO MUCH. Many thanks to the author for sending the book in exchange for an honest review. And, honestly: I LOVED THIS BOOK. SO MUCH. And it’s not just me: Ghost Hand was recently selected as a semi-finalist for The Kindle Book Review 2013 Best Indie Book Award in the YA category.

Olivia Black has Psyche Sans Soma, a rare birth defect affecting one or more areas of the body. Instead of flesh and bone, the body part is made of a transparent, ethereal substance, giving it a ghostly appearance. Olivia’s PSS is in her right hand. One day, her ghost hand takes on other qualities, making her unusual condition extraordinary. She tries to keep what happened a secret, but soon finds herself on the run, not knowing who is after her or why. Marcus, the new kid at school, offers his help, but he may have his own agenda. The action and suspense begin in Chapter 1; the plot unfolds in a series of arguments, chases, surprises and narrow escapes. It is a thrilling, unpredictable ride along the way and fulfilling at the end.

Ghost Hand has an innovative plot, believable characters and entertaining dialogue. Olivia is convincing as a teenager whose world is coming apart at the seams, and unraveling the mystery of Marcos is fun. Their world becomes hinged on people with PSS and people who want it. Now I must admit something embarrassing: one-third through the book I was so convinced of Olivia’s malady, I freaking Googled ‘Psyche Sans Soma.’ I’m a bright girl, but I started to wonder maybe I missed the 60 Minutes report Olivia mentions on page 1. I can only hope this is a compliment to the debut author.

It’s a challenge to convey why I liked it without including spoilers; the secrets are what make the book such a good story. I can say I have never read anything like it, and I am telling my friends who enjoy good books to read it. Don’t miss this book!

[Deb · Rating 5 out of 5]

So, there's this chick, and she has this ghostly-lookin' hand... weird, huh? Yeah, well, that's just the start of it...

This story is really nicely paced to keep you guessing what might be going to happen next. I'm not going to say it was full of surprising twists and turns, because most of them I guessed earlier--not because I'm magic, but because the clues were all there, in a good way. The breadcrumbs were dropped drawing me in, wanting to see if I was "right"... And this book taught me how to make an important non-POV character rootable... uh... not in that way... well, kinda, but, I mean the kind of character you root for. Ya know. Well, this book, and "Hart of Dixie" and Beautiful Lies (which, while it had some pretty big issues, was actually a good read... basically because the main male character was hawt)... Perhaps it is just a theme I've been pondering lately, and all these things happened to coalesce in my brain at the same time... any way, can someone say tangent?

What I'm trying to say is that I cared about what happened to the characters, I care about what will happen to them in the future, and I enjoyed this journey.

Great last line, by the way (do NOT spoil it for yourself by jumping ahead, though, people).

Oh, and this is the first time my name has appeared in a book... yeah... I totally made the acknowledgements. *buffs fingernails over shirt*... yeah...

If you like YA, I suspect you'll like this one. Like a bit of Spiderman? Batman? I could see this appealing, too... There aren't many people I wouldn't say "Give it a go" to.

[Resch Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alright before I even get into the story…I have to say the cover and title definitely cause it to not be 5-stars for me. In addition, I read the synopsis before I read the book and fell in love; however, you all know I judge a book by its cover and the cover and title of this book just did not do it for me. Quiet the opposite, it made me reconsider even reading the book.

I decided to take the plunge and thankfully the story was fantastic. It had everything I want and hope for in a paranormal romance. There is mystery, excitement, action, and they mysterious new guy who has you swooning in 10 pages. I love the fact that there was no love-triangle that plague a lot of paranormal books. This book stuck to the plot, the drama, and the story. The story is refreshingly unique, I have yet to come across anything like this in the paranormal genre.

I don’t want to give any bit of the story away but I hated Olivia’s mother, she is absolutely awful. Olivia and Marcus are absolutely brilliant, I love the banter and discussions between them, they are both strong and enchanting. There is also Olivia’s best friend, Emma, who is sweet but honestly she is an idiot. Finally, there is the ever paranoid and crazy Jason who as much as I hate him brought a nice/necessary character contrast. Overall, I really enjoyed the book and would give it 4-stars.

[Paula · Rating 4 out of 5]

R2R: Ghost Hand

(I received a free copy, in exchange for a review)

Olivia was born with a very rare birth defect, something referred to as PSS, Psyche Sans Soma. For her, she refers to it as her ghost hand, an otherworldly glowing hand, of energy. One day in class, she finds out the hard way that the hand can do much more than she ever thought. It can reach into a person and take something from them, their secret. Marcus, the new kid, sees this happen and knows that she is the person he has been searching for, to protect from the CAMFers, who want this power for something sinister. Thus begins the travels of Olivia and it's not something she thought would ever happen.

'PSS as a renewable energy? That was crazy. My hand wasn't a resource; it was my hand. You couldn't farm people's body parts for energy. That was insane. Then again, there was a booming black market for healthy transplant organs, live tissues, babies, and children as sex slaves. The world wasn't exactly picky where it got what it thought it needed. And PSS might be easier to sell than any of those, once it was removed from its source.'

This was a great, interesting and fun read! It had just enough detail, without going overboard. Highly recommend and I can't wait to see what happens!

[Heidi Hansen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A small number of children were born in the world with Psyche Sans Soma (PSS), a condition where some portion of the physical body is metaphysically present instead of being "real." A reaction you would expect from some people - differences are neither accepted nor welcomed. In fact, some are very threatened by their existence. In this first book of a trilogy, Marcus had discovered a list of these special teenagers who are being targeted. He has made it his mission to save the people on the list, even though it may be dangerous.

The interaction in this book between the characters and the characters themselves were believable. The storyline, drama, and suspense held interest throughout the book. I am looking forward to the next book to see if the other teens with PSS are located and saved, and hopefully see the romance develop between Marcus and Olivia. I would also like to find out more about the background of PSS and why the condition affected only certain children.

I would recommend this book to all who enjoy paranormal suspense - a quick, good read!

[Jennifer (Bad Bird Reads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

http://readingandwritingurbanfantasy....

3.5 stars

At A Glance
So different, so interesting. Ghost Hand is a great start to a great series (I just have that feeling).

The Good
I was so surprised by Ghost Hand. It started out with a bang and ended perfectly to make me excited to get my hands on the next book. The suspense, action, and little romance was a perfect blend to keep me reading in one sitting. The best part though was the unique paranormal aspect. A ghost hand??? Weird, right? But this whole PSS aspect really amped up this story.

Olivia seemed pretty average at first, well, except for the ghost hand. A little dramatic, petulant, and scared by all the crazy changes in her life. But by the end, Olivia is a strong woman who is taking control of her life. Leaving her childhood behind and getting ready to face the monsters chasing her. I felt so bad for her. Her mother cares very little for her, she has people after her for something she can't help, and now she has to trust this random boy with her life. But I think she did the best considering her situation.

Marcus was such a mystery. We learn about him in small parts, and we still don't know the true him until the very end. I totally understood his reluctance to let people in, but I hated how it hurt Olivia. But he is obviously an amazing guy. He's brave and determined. You can't help but like him. And he's cute, that always helps. :)

The side characters all interested me too. They had individual personalities which I loved because I feel like a lot of authors are reusing "personalities" on all their characters and it's getting annoying. No two people were alike. And that was made obvious with Jason's rage and hatred, Emma's determination and love, and Olivia's mother's lack of compassion and basic motherly instincts. A really diverse cast of characters.

The plot held up well and left room for the series to grow. The action and drama was fun to watch unfold. The writing flowed well ,as did the pacing. This is definitely a book/series to watch out for.

The Bad
Be ready to be annoyed with these teenagers actions. They do stupid things that almost get people killed. So frustrating. Then there is Jason. I HATE him. He is a nasty piece of work but no one makes him responsible for his actions, and he is suppose to be a GOOD GUY. Yeah, right! I would have punched him in the throat from the get-go. Marcus should have had better control of him, but he didn't and it made me think less of him.

The Snuggly
Marcus and Olivia's relationship had a nice, slow build. So cute. I loved them together. Marcus took such good care of Olivia (except with Jason), especially when she needed someone to finally care about her the way she deserved.

The sexual content is very suitable for the YA audience. Some language.

Final Thoughts
I almost gave Ghost Hand 4 stars, but the screw ups and bad decision making really bothered me. But that stuff tends to get to me very easily, which is why YA books are tricky for me sometimes. But this is a solid book that any YA lover will enjoy. Very recommended.

Quotes
Something was crawling up Passion's back.

Not just one something. Five somethings. Five elongated, wisp-thin tendrils, winding their way up strands of hair that escaped from her ponytail, making a moving, barely-perceptible pattern of bluish light on the back of her white turtleneck so faint I could almost convince myself it was an optical illusion.

But it wasn't.

It was my hand.


"What the hell was that about?" yelled the guy on the ATV. "She pepper-sprayed me. My eyes are burning."

"Shut up, you p*ssy!" Marcus yelled back. "She threw almonds at you. You've got salt in your eyes. I think you'll live."

*Free book from author for honest review*

[Declarations of a Fangirl · Rating 5 out of 5]

You can find this review and more like it on my blog, Declarations of a Fangirl.

HOLY CRAP ON A CRACKER!


Stop what you're doing right now and download this book. It's FREE on Amazon. What are you waiting for? Go! Go! Go!



I had no idea what to expect with Ghost Hand and so I went into it with zero expectations. All I knew was that it was about a girl with a ghost hand. That concept alone was enough to draw me in. Little did I know that I was in for a roller coaster ride of twists and turns. Just when I thought I had things figured out, another twist would trip me up.



I really liked Olivia's character. She was easy to relate to and her reactions and insecurities were real. All the poor girl wanted was to live a normal life, well as normal of a life with a ghost hand. She was sassy and had an arsenal of one-liners.

I was beginning to appreciate Marcus's intelligence almost as much as I appreciated his exterior.



And Marcus!!! 38% in and I was already in love.

As I looked at it a memory flashed in my mind-Marcus asleep in that chair, pulled up next to me, his long arm stretched over mine, his hand cupped protectively over my ghost hand.



He's got secrets, lots of them. Some are sad, some are devastating, and there's one that had me spazzing out.



I won't go into much details because it's best if you have no clue at all. So many characters had secrets of their own. One twist caught me SO off guard that I had to stop reading and just stare at my Kindle for a moment. I usually can get a sense of characters and where a storyline is going to go, but this 100% caught me off guard.



Seriously, for real...read this book. You will NOT be disappointed!!

[E. Bard · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a great idea for a book. And the story was entertaining as well. Imagine being born and growing up with a physical part of your body missing - but not entirely. It is replaced by a ghostly representation of that part, and although it can function like the missing part, it can also have unusual qualities. The author did a wonderful job of creating a world where this condition exists - Psyche Sans Soma or PSS. It makes for a very unique tale.

There is quite a bit of action throughout the story and the book is fairly fast paced. The main character, Olivia, has PSS and as a result tends to be a little irreverent and headstrong. She has a strained relationship with her mother - a mother who has difficulty accepting Olivia's ghost hand to the point of being repelled by it. In fact, Olivia has a difficult relationship with people in general because having PSS isn't well accepted. Luckily, Olivia has a best friend who does accept her completely and when the new kid Marcus shows up, he too is drawn to Olivia (something Olivia immediately misinterprets). These relationships all become important once the plot starts moving - and the plot starts moving quickly. The fun begins when Olivia's ghost hand gets a mind of its own, deforms and goes into a classmate to extract something from her. It's a little strange but a great way to get the story going. In no time at all Olivia is in danger. She gets followed by a stranger, is hunted by a fringe group and betrayed by an important member of the community Olivia had known for years. Her weird hand isn't just ethereal energy with a nifty glow in the dark feature. It has weird powers - or you could say it causes Olivia to have weird powers.

Overall, the book was fun and the writing good. There was humour and one wonderfully creepy/tense scene involving hanging razor blades in a hidden basement dungeon accessed through a freezer (you'll just have to read the book to make sense of this sentence). I did flounder a bit with the book in the second half - I thought Olivia became wishy-washy in her decisions and a little annoying. And the real reason behind the CAMfers chasing the kids was a bit of a stretch for me, although there may be more to it in the next book. I did like the new characters in Marcus' group though (even the hot head Jason). As for the relationship with Marcus - I don't know that I really bought it. It's probably something the second or third book in the series will work out but it was a bit too quick to develop I thought. Also, I was hoping for more on the whole PSS thing. It was such a unique part of the book I had hoped the author would give the reader more details.

I do recommend the book to YA readers - it's kind of urban paranormal, action and romance. I loved the whole PSS idea and hope the author will expand on it in books two and three.

[Sandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hmm... I enjoyed this book and liked the premise, it sort of reminded me of Shade, by Jeri Smith-Ready, in how only people born after a certain date are affected (although here it's only a select few as opposed to the whole population). They didn't really fully explain PSS, although I assume they'll get to that in a later book. But I have to say it's a little weird that she has 'special powers' when no one else does. I know little bits were revealed about others here and there, but she can pretty much just do whatever the fuck she wants, AND I still don't understand exactly what it is she does. Is she pulling something bad out of people or is she stealing a piece of their soul? Jason said he could feel it's absence, that's pretty fucked up. She's really doing a lot of this considering she doesn't even now if it's damaging or not.

And I can't exactly say I liked Olivia, per se. She was a little high and mighty. I admit I've never been forced with the decision of having to kill someone or not, so maybe it's not fair to judge, but I hate in books or movies when people are running for their lives and they catch the person(s) who are trying to kill them and they just let them go or something. It's fucking survival! They will come back and they will most likely end up killing your mom or best friend or something, don't be a pussy. Like when she didn't let the guys bring guns and then their opponent had a gun and she's all "Whoopsies! They have guns, my bad!" But she still didn't really realize how serious things were and change her attitude. Don't bring a freaken' water pistol to a gun fight!

I also think she was really unfair with Marcus. Yes he lied about some stuff, and yes he didn't tell you everything... but he's known you for all of 2 DAYS! Whereas I had the opposite issue with Jason, he got away with some ridiculous shit that I am just not buying They're really gonna keep a guy around who is constantly pulling a loaded gun on them!?! Yeah, no..

Anywho, those are my qualms. I often expect the stars to speak for themselves (3 stars means I liked it and I may check out the next in the series) but often vent a little in my reviews to explain why I didn't rate higher.

Book provided for free from the author in exchange for an honest, unbiased review, as a part of R2R (read to review) in Lovers Of Paranormal Group. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Dianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the “Hidden Gem” pile, comes Ghost Hand by Ripley Patton and I have to say, I like her style! There is no slow build up, no waiting for the action to start, it was BAM, outta the gate and they’re off! From the quick jump into the action to the unique twist on YA Paranormal/Romance/Fantasy, my inner YA was hooked and lost in the world created by Ms. Patton.

What is so different, you ask? Have you ever heard of PSS? It’s a birth anomaly where a body part is made of pure energy, for our heroine Olivia, it is her hand, and it is starting to do things it has never done before. Thankfully, the new kid in school saves her from guaranteed disaster, but Olivia’s tendency to be a little snarky, (okay she has some attitude problems), prevents her from appreciating what Marcus has done for her. Meanwhile, Marcus has his own agenda and it includes Olivia and her hand. Together with a group of PSS endowed teens, they face almost certain death as they go up against a powerful organization of PSS hate mongers and twisted scientists who have their own evil plans for these kids and anyone like them.

Toss in some budding romance and some dissension in the ranks between the kids and this really becomes one great read, thanks to Ms. Patton’s ability let her characters take over and run with the realistic dialogue and fast pace, as well as the element of danger and risk taken. There are secrets, there is deceit, there are prejudices from unlikely places, loyal friends, the creepy, foreboding and mysterious dark man and best of all, another book on the way!

Series: The PSS Chronicles, #1
Publication Date: November 28, 2012
Publisher: Ripley Patton
ISBN: 0988491001
Number of Pages: 386
Genre: YA Fantasy
Review Source: I own this book
Available from: Amazon / Barnes & Noble
For more reviews check out Tome Tender's Book Blog or find us on Facebook.

[chucklesthescot · Rating 3 out of 5]

*I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review*

Olivia has Psyche Sans Soma, and it means that one of her hands is made of ethereal energy. Now her hand seems to be malfunctioning and doing strange things, just as a shadowy group are trying to kidnap her to harvest her PSS for their criminal purposes.

This book sounded totally different to anything that I had read before and I did like it. I liked the concept of a normal girl having this 'ghost hand' and everyone in town seems fine with it until Olivia is made aware of a group of people who will kill her to get her hand. Now she doesn't know who to trust and she has the added issue of her hand doing strange things and obtaining weapons to be used against her enemies. I liked the whole plot for this book and I think that the author did a good job of making Olivia likable and a girl that you can easily relate to. I always get concerned that these kinds of books go a bit too much into complicated sci-fi but this book does not do that. The story flows nicely, it is easy to follow and uncomplicated. The plot changes constantly and evolves nicely, taking the story along in new directions, which was good.

I mostly liked the characters with the exception of Jason who I can't stand the sight of. Even the bad guys have a bit more personality than Jason. The action sequences are good though the book does slow down in places as we deal with Olivia's emotions.

My gripes with it are the usual complaints I have about the YA genre. This falling instantly in love with a stranger thing seems to be the norm in this kind of book and it does get a bit wearing to see it in every book. Still I guess this is what the target audience want so I can't really blame the author for doing it. I'd like to see a few more books where the teenagers can just be friends with members of the opposite sex! I felt that the story was strong enough on its own without introducing an unconvincing love affair into it. I never really felt any chemistry with Olivia and Marcus. I was more interested in the fight against the enemy.

Overall I think that this series really has some potential. The concept is original and fresh, and future books could take this story forward in many different directions. Hints are given about how book 2 will develop so that could be interesting. I would probably take a look at this book sometime in the future. I recommend this book to readers of YA paranormal, dystopia and sci-fi.

[Ira · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 stars for Ghost Hand :) okay, so it doesn't mean that this book is horrible nor does it make it seem that it's a mindblowing read. It was just...okay.

What I liked about the book is how well-written it was. At first it was kind of interesting but I lost it somewhere mid part when I can't seem to really get into the story. The spark that we expect to feel in a book somtime after reading maybe 5 chapters was nonexistent. I kept going and reading thinking that "I'll get there, this book will have me hooked in no time" only to be disappointed.

It was kind of hard to understand the whole PSS thing and was weird to imagine people having glowing parts of their body. I can't seem to fully grasp the image nor understand how such thing works. I mean the idea is unique and that is what actually piqued my interest into reading this book but it felt like the phenomenon was not explained enough for the readers to have a deeper connection with the book. And the protagonist was... meh. She was okay. Although her struggle of being misunderstood and ousted by her peers was also not believable. I can't see her as the broken and misunderstood teen as she should come across, you know having the whole PSS thing. And how come she hates doctors! I mean, come on. Sometimes when your loved one has cancer the only assurance the doctors can give you are hope and faith and that is actually a nice thing. Would you have liked it better if the doctor was cold saying outright that your father is going to die, you should stop trying to fix him? I don't think so. Also she said doctors are cold and calculating then how come she still hates it when the doctors gave her hope, surely that's not a sign of hostility as how she described them, right? And the part where they all found out that Marcus is David she went all anti-Marcus saying how can they still follow his lead and then few hours after when the guys stayed behind as instructed by Marcus she chastises the guys saying how dare they stay behind after what Marus did for them. Seriously. She has some serious bipolar issues.

Also abnormalities like super powers are actually cool in X-Men but this was just.... I guess a failure to deliver a unique idea.

All in all I think the book was not able to captivate its audience as it should be although this book had a lot of potential. But I'm sure this will still be loved by sci-fi lovers out there. This book was just not for me. :)

[R.E. Weber · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’d been browsing the web for free ebook downloads, when I first came across ‘Ghost Hand’. Although I’m not a huge reader of fantasy (instead preferring Sci-fi) I was intrigued by the book’s description, and so I downloaded a copy. Initially, I had planned to read it at some point in the future, having already queued up several other books to read first. However once I had browsed the first few pages, I found myself being drawn in, and I started reading properly. Two hours later, I literally had to drag myself away to make dinner.

Put simply, Ghost Hand is an excellent read. Although the concept of teenagers with supernatural powers isn’t exactly original, this somehow feel fresher than any of its contemporaries – what a great idea, being able to pull things out of people’s psyche to make them real. The story moves along at a brisk pace, the characters are interesting and three dimensional, the dialogue is sharp, moving & occasionally funny, and the lead character, Olivia, is very likeable and believable. Despite being a fantasy novel, Ghost Hand feels firmly rooted in the real world, and the characters behave in a realistic fashion – Olivia’s strained relationship with her mother feel totally believable. Unlike some novels, people don’t just spout convenient dialogue to explain what is happening. Instead, events unfold naturally and the story unfolds along with it.

It’s been a long time since I have been this gripped by a novel, and even though I’m not the quickest reader in the world, I ploughed through this one really fast (and I doubt I’m even the target audience, being a 47 year old man). Although the book was offered free as part of a promotion from Amazon, had I known it was going to be this good, I would have quite happily paid for it. And now that I’ve found out that this is going to be a trilogy, I can’t wait for parts two and three. If her debut novel is this good, Ripley Patton is definitely going to be an author to watch.

Whole-heartedly recommended.

[Regan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Author Description: "Olivia Black just discovered that her ghost hand, a rare birth defect, can do more than light up a room. It can reach into people and pull things out. Things from the darkest depths of the human psyche never meant to exist in this world.

Olivia can pickpocket the soul.

But she can't control her ability, or the strange items it extracts, and the only thing between Olivia and the men bent on taking the power of her hand is a boy she barely knows and doesn't trust."


I loved this book. I have read, and reviewed, an good amount of "ghost" and "paranormal" based books over the last 10 years, and the all pretty much have the same content:
Ghost/Haunting or Possession of someone, family/friends trying to figure out why, etc.

This book take ghost/paranormal into a FRESH and INNOVATED idea. It was quite refreshing to read a book that takes a new approach to ghostly content. Olivia Black is the main character with PSS- Psyche Sans Soma... a Ghost Hand. She's an angry teen who is suffering from the loss of her father.

Author Ripley Patton does a phenomenal job painting the life of Olivia, her father and the pain she felt when her father passed away. It has been a long time since I have found a book that actually made me cry, Ripley's book did just that. The way she composed the loss of Olivia's father, and the pain left behind married with the anger she has towards the hospital and her mother, is very... very RAW.

Now, add drama, suspense, and creepy government agencies out to do harm... this book is just wonderful. I hope Ripley Patton gets the recognition she deserves!

Thank you for the copy to review, I feel grateful to have been privy to reading and reviewing this book.

[Tanja (Tanychy) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review also posted at Ja čitam, a ti?

First time I have heard of this book was when Kindlemom hosted it as Indie book of the week and from her review it sounded like a really unique read and I'm always in when it comes to unique stories. Luckily for me it really was unique.

So this is a story about Olivia, a girl with a ghost hand. Yeah literary she has a ghost hand meaning her hand is translucent and glowing. With time she got used to it and while no one really had any logical explanation for that phenomena Olivia learned how to live with it. Up until one day in school when her hand did something really unusual and all that in front of a new guy, Marcus, in her class. Little did she know that a group of men are coming to get her and that Marcus knows more than she imagined.

As you could gather from that ghost hand or Psyche Sans Soma is something I haven't heard of and please don't bother google this is pure fiction. While the whole idea is really unique and to my liking I guess that some readers will mind the lack of explanation. It didn't bother me because I like to see it as mystery and with so many things in universe unexplained one more doesn't make some big problem.

Probably the only problem here was that story was predictable from time to time. But still other things made this book likable. Not only the idea, but Olivia as well as she is strong and not whiny and the romance was really sweet. I couldn't but cheer for them.

Bottom line that for me this was a really enjoyable and relatively fast read. The whole idea got me interested from the start and different twists made me read it even faster.

[Jeremy Zimmerman · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Ripley Patton's Ghost Hand, we are presented with a world much like our own. The primary distinction is that some people are born with a glowing spectral body part instead of the usual one. The medical term is Psyche Sans Soma, or PSS. Such is the case of Olivia Black and her "ghost hand": though she can pick things up with it and wear gloves over it, she can also pass it through things and it cannot be hurt.

Until, of course, it starts acting up and the militant branch of an anti-PSS lobbyist organization comes after her. She soon finds that nothing in her small town is what she thought it was, and she has to join others with PSS to stay alive.

I'm usually hard pressed to give a book five stars, even ones that I love. But I think this one truly warrants it. From the very start, I was absolutely sucked in. The part I think I most loved was how real and relatable Olivia and the other characters felt. All too often I find YA books with simple caricatures of what a teenager is expected to be like. But with Olivia she felt very much like someone I could have met, with very understandable problems. I immediately empathized with her from the first few pages and that fed into heavy emotional involvement with the characters.

So with this, her fear and confusion over the threats aligned against her, her moments of insecurity about herself and her budding relationship, and her conflicts with her mother, she felt like someone I could know and want to help in real life.