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Ghoster

Jason Arnopp (Goodreads Author)

3.41 · Rating details · 1,277 ratings · 377 reviews

Jason Arnopp - author of acclaimed cult hit The Last Days of Jack Sparks - returns with a razor-sharp thriller for a social-media obsessed world. Prepare to never look at your phone the same way again . . .

Kate Collins has been ghosted.

She was supposed to be moving in with her new boyfriend Scott, but all she finds after relocating to Brighton is an empty apartment. Scott ...more

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Paperback, 496 pages

Published October 22nd 2019 by Orbit

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Average rating 3.41 ·

Rating details

· 1,277 ratings · 377 reviews

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Sep 29, 2019 karen rated it really liked it

Shelves: october-is-spooky, from-publisher-or-author, death-is-not-the-end

this is a zoomy and entertaining horror-comedy novel that makes me very glad i have never owned a cellphone.

kate collins thinks she’s hit the romantic jackpot when, after a whirlwind courtship of only a few months, her dreamy boyfriend scott—so easy to talk to, so in synch with her own interests, so good in the bedroom—asks her to move in with him. ignoring the tiny red flags—why hasn’t she met any of his friends or family?, how well does she really know this guy?, why does he sometimes seem a ...more

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Oct 01, 2019 Paromjit rated it liked it

Shelves: mystery, contemporary-fiction, netgalley

An entertaining if slightly bonkers read from Jason Arnopp with its focus on social media, dating apps, and the phone addictions so prevalent in our contemporary society. Kate Collins is a paramedic in Leeds, a woman with a phone addiction that has led to her getting rid of her smart phone in favour of a call and text only model. We learn later the specifics and exact circumstances that led to her disposing of her phone, and its not pretty, with her worryingly concerning behaviour and actions. S An entertaining if slightly bonkers read from Jason Arnopp with its focus on social media, dating apps, and the phone addictions so prevalent in our contemporary society. Kate Collins is a paramedic in Leeds, a woman with a phone addiction that has led to her getting rid of her smart phone in favour of a call and text only model. We learn later the specifics and exact circumstances that led to her disposing of her phone, and its not pretty, with her worryingly concerning behaviour and actions. She comes across a picture of 37 year old Scott Palmer on a dating app, and whilst knowing he is out of her league handsome, she tags him as super hot, an action that alerts him to her interest in him. Kate is not really surprised that she does not hear from him. However, she ends up meeting Scott, an IT guy, and the two of them appear to click, with much in common, including the two of them being vegetarians, and before long the two are sexting each other.

Kate visits Scott in Brighton, finding herself impressed with his swanky flat with its fabulous views and balcony. Although the two of them barely know each other, Scott asks Kate to move in with him. Perhaps blinded by lust, Kate jumps at the proposition, something she is going to regret later. She packs up her life in Leeds, resigning from her job, and getting a paramedic position in Brighton instead. However, in the immediate period before the moving vans shift her stuff, she is unable to get in touch with Scott. From niggling worries at this, this blows up to a full scale panic as she seeks reassurance from her good friend, Izzy. Terrified she is being ghosted, she decides to go down to Brighton ahead of the moving vans. When she gets there, Scott is not answering her insistent doorbell rings, but an angry Kate is not going to give up. Upon gaining entry into the flat, she is shocked to find the flat is empty and cleared of Scott's belongings, but for his phone. A persistent Kate is determined to break into his phone and locate the guy. In a narrative that goes back and forth in time, events move in decidedly strange pathways.

Arnopp writes a novel which will be an eye opener for many readers, and that includes me, in its portrayal of the nature of dating in today's world. This is not a world I am that familiar with, having no experience of dating apps, or how social media can fuel the oddest of behaviour, such as stalking. For needy, insecure and obsessive characters like Kate, it can prove to be an absolute minefield. Phone addiction is more clearly observable, given just how widespread and prolific it is across society, particularly among the young. For these reasons, I would recommend reading this novel. Many thanks to Little, Brown for an ARC. ...more

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Oct 03, 2019 Chelsea Humphrey rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: netgalley, from-publisher

3-3.5 stars

If you can suspend your need for credibility in a believable plot, this story was a lot of fun. I'll admit I've never been a part of the online dating scene, as my husband and I started dating before that really took off, but it still fascinates me to no end. The real driving factor to this tale is the question of whether Kate is being subjected to some sort of vila prank, or whether a supernatural entity is at work. I won't tell you which it is, but I found myself shocked by the endi ...more

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Aug 22, 2019 Michelle rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: netgalley-arcs

Imagine that you meet the guy/gal of your dreams and after a short courtship said guy/gal invites you to move in. You are over the moon and giddy with joy. So what if it's a couple hundred miles way and that you've left your flat, your job, your friends, and your life as you know it behind. All that matters is that you and your soul mate are together, right?

Now imagine that after making the couple hundred mile trek with all the belongings you have left in tow only to discover that your soul mat Imagine that you meet the guy/gal of your dreams and after a short courtship said guy/gal invites you to move in. You are over the moon and giddy with joy. So what if it's a couple hundred miles way and that you've left your flat, your job, your friends, and your life as you know it behind. All that matters is that you and your soul mate are together, right?

Now imagine that after making the couple hundred mile trek with all the belongings you have left in tow only to discover that your soul mate has disappeared without a trace. The flat is entirely vacant. Entirely vacant except for one small object: Their cell phone.

That's what happens to Kate Collins. She really thought Scott was the one but what kind of guy ghosts a girl at this magnitude? Well, she becomes a bit obsessed and also maybe even a bit unhinged in finding out what the hell is actually happening. Things only become more peculiar when she begins receiving ominous messages through Scott's phone and also discovers strange scratch marks on the front door. Is this some sort of elaborate prank or is something sinister at play here? You will have to read this to find out.

"Here in the belly of darkness, on this fucking toilet seat, I've somehow adopted the aeroplane brace position while waiting for something godawful to happen. Could I open my eyes? Yeah, sure, I could open them. But dare I? Fuck no. I dare not." <----- And that right there folks would be my luck. To have it all go to shit while I'm on the damn toilet with my pants around my ankles. Now THAT truly is a nightmare! 😂

I have got to tell you all that I found this book to be one heck of a fun and entertaining read. It's not always easy for male authors to convey a female character properly but Mr. Arnopp nailed it here. In the first few pages I was worried that Kate would become some sort of male fantasy but my goodness did I love her and her BFF Izzy. These ladies are hilarious even in the midst of all this fuckery they are able to maintain their sense of humor which makes this horror story have a bit of a lighter feel to it. Almost as if it's not taking itself too seriously and I completely appreciated that. Now with that being said this is a horror novel so you will need to put on your suspension of disbelief pants to enjoy this. I don't always have the ability to do that but I gladly chucked reality out of the window to ride this crazy train and I'm so happy that I did. 4 stars!

Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit Books for providing me with a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review. ...more

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Oct 12, 2019 Tucker (TuckerTheReader) rated it really liked it

Recommended to Tucker by: Orbit

Shelves: arc-physical, science-fiction, 4-stars, thriller, horror, adult

Many thanks to Angela at Orbit for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review

"You will die."

3.5 stars. This was truly one of the strangest, most confused books I've read this year (maybe even ever) but I still... somehow... enjoyed it? Honestly, I am not quite sure how that ended up happening but oh well.

So, what's this book about?
Ghoster follows Kate Collins and she has been ghosted by her boyfriend Scott.

Kate met Scott at digital detox retreat and starting seeing each o ...more

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Sep 04, 2019 Sara rated it liked it

Shelves: contemporary, arc, mystery-thriller, fiction

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Kate Collins has been ghosted. Ready to start a new life with her supposed soulmate Scott, she finds herself suddenly adrift in an empty flat with only silence. Has he simply lost interest? Is it a joke? Or something more sinister?

I’ve enjoyed this little furrow into techno thrillers. They offer a new and different perspective on the mystery genre, with the added dimension of technology as an underlying threat. This is a really ori ...more

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Oct 01, 2019 Rachel (TheShadesofOrange) rated it really liked it

Shelves: review-copy, horror

3.5 Stars
Video Review: https://youtu.be/tZf_9HEMOIM
This horror thriller felt like reading an episode of the Black Mirror. Dark, smart and twisted, this novel hit so many of the notes that I love in that tv show. At its core, this novel explores our culture’s obsession with social media and the ways that those tools shape our lives.

With this focus on technology and social media, Ghoster felt like an ultra modern horror story. The book is saturated with references to Tinder, Instagram, What’s App 3.5 Stars
Video Review: https://youtu.be/tZf_9HEMOIM
This horror thriller felt like reading an episode of the Black Mirror. Dark, smart and twisted, this novel hit so many of the notes that I love in that tv show. At its core, this novel explores our culture’s obsession with social media and the ways that those tools shape our lives.

With this focus on technology and social media, Ghoster felt like an ultra modern horror story. The book is saturated with references to Tinder, Instagram, What’s App and all the other forms of digital connectedness. Between the chapters, there were text message conversations between the main character and her best friend. I often do not enjoy reading these kinds of sections, but in this case, I felt that they fit well with the narrative style of the book.

The story starts out strong with a snarky tone that pulled me right into the narrative. While this is a fairly serious horror novel, there is quite a bit of tongue and cheek humour sprinkled throughout the narrative. To be clear, this novel is very adult. As a story about dating, the narrative revolves around topics from sexting to erections. The story is not overly dirty, but it is certainly mature with a healthy dose of f-bombs. I personally love a story that is decidedly written for an adult audience and does not shy away from these mature topics.

In terms of structure, this novel is constructed like a thriller. The narrative shifts between the past and present, as the full relationship history is slowly revealed to the reader. Yet, this book is horror at its core with the story eventually dipping into the realm of speculative fiction.

The novel clocks in just under five hundred pages and it did feel a bit longer than necessary. There was a lot of relationship talk in this middle section, which could have been cut down. When the novel finally shifted from thriller to horror, I found the transition to be a bit disjointed and disorientating. Yet, I did like the ending for most part. I had a feeling that the story would end that way, but I did not mind seeing my prediction come true.

Personally, I really enjoy this new emerging subgenre of horror that infuses modern technology into horror stories. I find it refreshing to read since horror stories are notorious for avoiding technology at all costs. The failure of technology has become an overused trope in the genre. However, the challenge of these modern narratives is that it can be difficult to make these stories feel atmospheric. This was the case here. The novel managed to be suspenseful in places, but I never found it scary or even creepy. Certainly, I do not need a book to be scary in order to enjoy it, but it would have added to the reading experience.

Overall, I would recommend this one to anyone who is looking for a fun, twisted thriller with a modern approach to the horror genre.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher, Orbit Books. ...more

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Sep 07, 2019 Lisa rated it it was ok

Shelves: net-galley

This was not my kind of story. At all! I kind of knew from the book cover that this might not be my thing, but sometimes I need to try. First of all, I had no clue what "Ghosting" was, so I had to look that up. Sounds awful, by the way! Also, dating app's. I haven't a clue how that works. I've been stood up before, but the thought of judging people just by their looks is appalling.
So, the book. I never did finish it. Technology, and incredibly gullible characters made this a no go for me. I did ...more

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Oct 18, 2019 Sadie Hartmann Mother Horror added it

Holy Hell! I need to write this review

Right.

Effing.

Now.

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Oct 25, 2019 Bex (Beckie Bookworm) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: horror, mystery, book-reviews, netgalley, paranormal, psychological-thriller, arc

This story is completely ingenious the concept of this totally reminds me of an episode of Black Mirror and I adore that show.
This is actually rather scary if you examine the deeper implications this story explores.
Genre-wise I would describe this as Horror with a touch sci-fi and paranormal included its a hard one really to categorise as it crosses the genre lines.
So after a whirlwind romance, Kate is moving to Brighton to live with Scott only issue is Scott seems to have gone AWOL and when Kat ...more

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Oct 30, 2019 Danielle (The Blonde Likes Books) rated it liked it

Shelves: horror, thrillers-mystery

Well, this was definitely NOT what I was expecting. It was positioned as a thriller, so I wasn't expecting it to end up being horror! As other reviewers have mentioned, you'll definitely need to suspend disbelief for this one, especially if you aren't used to reading books with supernatural aspects. I do enjoy horror novels, so I kept reading.

The book immediately had me hooked, with Kate planning to move in with her long distance boyfriend Scott, only to arrive and find him gone, and his apartm ...more

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Jul 25, 2020 Kimberly rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery, books-i-own

Honestly, this book just didn't do anything for me. I've read some great reviews for it, since, but can't identify with any of those feelings here. From the very first chapter, I felt it was painfully obvious that a man was writing a woman's (Kate, the main character) point-of-view. The things she "said" and "thought" just weren't in line with what I would expect most woman to focus on.

The things that occurred (and how she decided to stay on), just didn't ring true at all to me. Most of the boo ...more

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Dec 01, 2019 Sarah rated it it was ok

This book started really well and I got hooked immediately. As soon as the supernatural stuff started happening it just became annoying. The second half of the book was terrible and it just bored me so much. I hated the supernatural aspect and it completely ruined the book for me. It had so much potential but definitely didn’t live up to expectations. It just became silly and ridiculous. I definitely don’t recommend this book.

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Sep 14, 2019 amanda rated it it was ok

Shelves: netgalley-reviews

I read Jason Arnopp’s previous novel The Last Days of Jack Sparks and liked it okay. It was fun and fairly creepy.

This? Idek what this is. From the start I despised the main character. Male authors absolutely love to write female characters as these sex craved cool girl Barbies and it is beyond cliche.

I honestly have no idea what was going on in the book. It was all over the place. A bunch of ghosting/Tinder nonsense. This wasn’t for me sadly.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of t ...more

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Oct 10, 2019 Lisa Wolf rated it liked it

Shelves: horror, ghosts-graves-and-hauntings

SMART PHONES BAD.

That seems to be the thesis statement of this horror novel in a nutshell.

Smartphones, and people's obsession with them, may literally be the root of all evil.

Kate is a successful paramedic who has only recently kicked a very nasty smartphone habit. She finally recognized that she was addicted to stalking exes through Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, and hooked on the mini-highs caused by the dopamine rush she gets each time someone likes her posts or tweets.

And then she meets S ...more

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Oct 22, 2019 Athena (OneReadingNurse) rated it really liked it

Thank you to Orbit Books via NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review! All opinions are my own!

Ghoster by Jason Arnopp is a fairly long book at 496 pages, but it reads super quickly. Kate meets Scott on Tinder and then at a social media retreat, and their relationship takes off running. It seems idyllic but rushed, and 4 months later Kate is moving in with Scotr...but he is gone. His stuff is gone. His phone was left behind. So the mystery of "where did Scott go" ends up enti ...more

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Jan 03, 2020 Steve Tannuzzo rated it really liked it

This book drew me in from the opening pages. It's a mystery/thriller/ghost/horror story about a paramedic who is ghosted by her boyfriend — who has seemingly vanished into thin air along with his belongings — just as she's moving into his empty apartment with no electricity. She finds his phone inside along with some claw marks on the door and an unnerving devil-face drawn on a window. Alone and just a little freaked out, she proceeds to unravel the mystery of his abrupt disappearance.

This was ...more

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Sep 06, 2019 OutlawPoet rated it it was ok

This one. Oh…this one.

I detested the main character with every fiber of my being. I mean, like, I wanted her to end up dead and dismembered or something. (Yeah, violent tendencies, whatevs.) To be fair, I also hated her best friend, her workmate, her boyfriend, and everyone else we met in the book.

But, oh, I wanted to know what was going on. I was confused and intrigued and simply knew that when all was revealed it was going to be a mind-blowingly amazing thing that would make it all worthwhile. ...more

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Aug 23, 2019 Liz Barnsley rated it it was amazing

I was probably the biggest fan in the world when it came to Jack Sparks so take it as read that when Ghoster dropped through my door it was, erm, read.

Shortly thereafter I locked my mobile phone in a cupboard and there it stayed until the random buzzing drove the rest of the household mad so I had to gingerly retrieve it.

Ghoster is a modern day tale of social media obsession and possession- it insightfully explores the realities of being electronically attached 24 hours a day then spins a cautio ...more

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Sep 10, 2019 Erin marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Giveaway win!

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Nov 14, 2019 Matt (TeamRedmon) rated it really liked it

Shelves: horror, read-2019

3.5 stars.

Kate Collins is addicted to social media. In order to crack the habit, she enrolls in a technology detox program and buys an old school indestructible Nokia phone. At the detox program, she meets Scott Palmer. The two hit it off and soon, Scott asks Kate to move in with him. On the day she is meant to move in, she arrives at his apartment in a new city to find it abandoned with no Scott, no furniture, and the utilities cut off. She does, however, find his cell phone. Knowing no one in 3.5 stars.

Kate Collins is addicted to social media. In order to crack the habit, she enrolls in a technology detox program and buys an old school indestructible Nokia phone. At the detox program, she meets Scott Palmer. The two hit it off and soon, Scott asks Kate to move in with him. On the day she is meant to move in, she arrives at his apartment in a new city to find it abandoned with no Scott, no furniture, and the utilities cut off. She does, however, find his cell phone. Knowing no one in town, and having nowhere else to go, she crashes in his empty apartment with her moving boxes. In the apartment, she finds some oddities, scratches on his door, the feeling that she's being watched, and a strange phone call on Scott's cell.

Convinced that something bad has happened to Scott, Kate hunkers down to solve the mystery. As she slowly begins to unravel the mystery, she meets people that knew Scott and she also hacks his phone to access his social media, Tinder, texts, and personal diary. Kate discovers that she didn't really know the man she loves as much as she thought. Did these secrets lead Scott to a bad end and will Kate follow?

Let's get this straight, I loved the concept of this book. However, the execution of that concept left me wanting. The first half to 75% of this book is written like a thriller with almost no horror elements thrown in besides some creepy phone calls and an overly aggressive dog. There are supernatural elements to the story in the first half but they are presented in a very nonchalant way with little reaction from the characters. The mystery surrounding Scott is intriguing and kept me involved but I kept waiting for the supernatural or something scary to happen. When the mystery answers start to reveal themselves, the book had felt like it was dragging along and I was too checked out for the finale.

That said...hoooooooooooly crap. The ending was superb. Even though I felt like this book needed 100 fewer pages and I was happy to get to the end, the end did not disappoint and brought me right back to being super invested. I was, and remain, shocked by what transpired at the end of this book.

Jason Arnopp uses horror like he's seasoning food with a broken salt shaker. He sprinkles a little bit, here a little bit there, until the lid falls off and all the horror salt falls out. This is a fun horror/thriller that's definitely worth your time to check out. ...more

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Mar 20, 2020 Elle's Book Blog rated it really liked it

Shelves: standalones, thrills-and-chills, suspense, crime, ghosts, big-twist, mystery

Release Date: October 22, 2019
Actual Rating: 4 stars

Supernatural | Mystery

A supernatural mystery centered around social media? Yup! That’s this book in a nutshell. In an attempt to get out of my current book slump I’ve decided to pick up books from different genres off of my bookshelves. Ghoster immediately drew my attention because I loved the authors first novel and I needed something totally different than romance. Am I out of my book slump after reading this one? Not completely but thi ...more

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Aug 15, 2019 Nicki rated it it was amazing

Kate Collins has been a paramedic for fifteen years,she loves her job,she loves helping people and saving people's lives. She also loves her boyfriend Scott,in fact she loves him so much that she is prepared to transfer from Leeds to Brighton and move in with him.

Only when she arrives at her new home,there is no sign of Scott,he has completely vanished along with all his possessions. The only thing that Kate finds in his deserted flat is his mobile phone.

Soon after,Kate starts receiving sinister Kate Collins has been a paramedic for fifteen years,she loves her job,she loves helping people and saving people's lives. She also loves her boyfriend Scott,in fact she loves him so much that she is prepared to transfer from Leeds to Brighton and move in with him.

Only when she arrives at her new home,there is no sign of Scott,he has completely vanished along with all his possessions. The only thing that Kate finds in his deserted flat is his mobile phone.

Soon after,Kate starts receiving sinister phone calls,are they really threatening or is someone trying to warn her that her life is in danger? what has happened to Scott? Does his brother Ray know more than he is letting on? The mind blowing truth is totally unexpected,shocking and very chilling.

This mesmerising thriller has chapters that alternate between the early days of Kate and Scott's relashionship and Kate's obsessive quest to find out why Scott has vanished and where he had gone. The story is voiced from Kate's perspective,a wonderful character who had some complex issues including one that many many people have no idea that they suffer from,a addiction to social media. The obsessive need to check how many likes,shares and comments we have received on our various social media sites. An obsession that resulted in a bad incident whilst Kate was at work and caused her to do a self imposed social media detox. I really liked Kate's character,I loved her feisty attitude,her wonderful sense of humour and her battle of wits with her conscience. There was not many secondary characters in this story but the ones who had more input into events were Kate's best friend Izzy, Scott's brother Ray and Tyler,Kate's work partner after she moves to Brighton. Vivid characters who I didn't think were very likeable for various reasons.

Ghoster is a extremely well written thriller that has laugh out loud moments and moments that chill you to the bone. It's a totally enthralling mix of thriller,mystery,romance and the supernatural that had me hooked in from the first page,right through to the chilling conclusion. I genuinely didn't want to pit this book down. Worth far more than five stars and very very highly recommended

Many many thanks to Jason Arnopp and Little Brown Books UK/Orbit for a arc of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review ...more

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Jan 18, 2020 destiny ♡⚔♡ [howling libraries] marked it as dnf

Shelves: review-copies, owned-ebooks, owned-physical

~~set aside~~ DNF @ 100pg

I don't want to officially DNF this one yet because I do think I want to try it again at a later date, but I've been sitting at the 100pg mark for months with zero interest whatsoever in picking it back up. I'm finally going to allow myself to move it to my "finish-me-soon" shelf so I can move on.

Actually... scratch that. I'm going to start saving the "finish-me-soon" shelf for books I know I want to try again later, and moving books that I realistically probably won't ever ...more

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Mar 13, 2020 Tash Webster rated it did not like it

The premise and the social commentary on phone addiction was interesting but overall it felt like a cheap vaguely entertaining horror-comedy flick and so seems fitting that I finished it on Friday the 13th.

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Aug 20, 2019 Will Klein rated it liked it · review of another edition

Rating: Ghoster - 6.5/10
-Will

Initially reviewed here at thequilltolive.com

I don’t have a lot of experience with dating apps, having been in a long term relationship until recently, and as such have viewed them with the same amused indifference granted to most of the technology I don’t interact with. Having spoken to friends that have used them, and through some low-level environmental exposure, I have, however, picked up on some key facets. All of this personal information none of you care about Rating: Ghoster - 6.5/10
-Will

Initially reviewed here at thequilltolive.com

I don’t have a lot of experience with dating apps, having been in a long term relationship until recently, and as such have viewed them with the same amused indifference granted to most of the technology I don’t interact with. Having spoken to friends that have used them, and through some low-level environmental exposure, I have, however, picked up on some key facets. All of this personal information none of you care about is here to explain that I have not personally experienced “ghosting,” but I do understand what it is through the cultural zeitgeist of modern dating technology, and have a general understanding that it is “bad.” Pretty great lead-in to the review of Ghoster by Jason Arnopp, eh?

Ghoster is a Schrodinger’s Book for me, a story that appears to have been written directly for me and one that is so far outside my normal sphere of enjoyment I would never pick it up on my own volition. A horror story about a relationship gone wrong written through the lens of modern technology and dating apps is very much not my normal fare and with the cover on the ARC we received displaying a text messaging screen, I began reading with no little apprehension, steeling myself for what I was fairly sure would be more toil than enjoyment. I am happy to report that I was pleasantly surprised by Ghoster. While not without its faults, there are some very strong foundations to this story, and I came out of this reading with a fresh lesson in not judging books by their covers.

In Ghoster we follow Kate Collins as she moves across the UK to begin living with a new boyfriend, Scott. It should not be surprising based on the title, cover art, back of book blurb, and the fact that this is advertised as a horror book that the move-in does not go according to plan and Kate finds herself “ghosted” by Scott. This already fraught situation is complicated by two large problems. Firstly, Kate is a social media addict (and something of a stalker), and has gone cold turkey from digital media in general, trading her smartphone in for a simple texting device. This complicates her search for Scott’s whereabouts and forces her into more and more outlandish actions to try to find him. Secondly (and arguably the less weird problem), Scott’s apartment that Kate has recently moved into appears to be haunted.

Let’s start with the phone stuff. I’m not going to get into the believability of having such a severe addiction to social media that you revert to what is essentially an old Nokia brick, I’m sure there are people out there like that, but I did find it hard to sympathize with Kate a lot of the time due to the nature of her character flaws. I’m sure that says something about me, but while I like my protagonists to be flawed I did feel like this particular issue was pretty overblown. Additionally, and I think this is probably the biggest issue with the book, the references to specific apps and reliance on current technological jargon means this story will age poorly. Not every book needs to be a classic, and there is a time and place to pig out on popcorn, but if you’re looking for a full meal (excuse the metaphor) I would recommend another choice.

The thing that really bugs me about the issues I had with the technobabble and constant references to dating app etiquette, is that I honestly don’t think it was necessary. If the tech addictions and more romance-heavy aspects of the book were removed, I think the horror story at its foundation would be stellar. The bones of this book, the novella that lives within this full-length novel, is outstanding. I did not see the twist coming and the ending goes toe-to-toe with a number of horror shorts I place at the very top of my list. I was expertly misdirected, and the pacing of the horror elements, as well as what information is given, is fantastic. I wish I could say the same for the pacing of pretty much everything else.

The climax of the story happened so quickly that I’m fairly certain it was purposeful to instill a sense of shock in the reader, and while it did have something of a shocking effect, I felt more bemused than anything. Additionally, there’s a fairly long final chapter that seems almost like a postscript to explain all the things that got sidelined during Kate’s search for Scott. Once I finished and closed the book for the final time I was struck by how much more coherent and enjoyable the story would have been to me if it had a runtime of 100-150 pages and stripped all the fat from its bones. There is a story in here that I think would win awards if it were distilled to its core, and I think that a lot of what’s in there distracts from what could be a truly terrifying tale.

I’m conflicted about Ghoster. I went into it expecting a painful trudge through a horror-romance and ended disappointed in an entirely different way. I did truly enjoy my time reading it, which is more than I was expecting, but was left unsatisfied by the heights it failed to attain. There are aspects of this book that will remain memorable for a long time, but a large portion of the book has already slipped from my ability to recall. I sense that the parts I liked will eventually be all I remember of the book, and I wish Arnopp had written a novella or short story with just those bits, but this book probably isn’t really for me, and as such I will take the enjoyment I received and selectively remember it as shorter and scarier than it ended up. ...more

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Nov 28, 2019 Mindi added it

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Aug 06, 2019 Kate rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: favourites-read-in-2019, out-in-2019-and-read

Very entertaining, fast and fun read that provides both chills and laughs. An enjoyable premise, albeit one that did test my powers of disbelief. Review to follow closer to publication on For Winter Nights.

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Oct 19, 2019 Mogsy (MMOGC) rated it liked it

Shelves: review-copy, horror, arcs-and-galleys, paranormal, ghosts

3.5 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2019/10/22/...

Like many readers who came to this novel, I am a huge fan of Jason Arnopp’s The Last Days of Jack Sparks so needless to say I could hardly wait to get my hands on Ghoster. Some of the early mixed reviews had me nervous though, so I went into it with my expectations in check. In some ways, I’m glad I did, because the book did not turn out the way I thought at all, and that was both a good and bad thing.

At the center of Gh 3.5 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2019/10/22/...

Like many readers who came to this novel, I am a huge fan of Jason Arnopp’s The Last Days of Jack Sparks so needless to say I could hardly wait to get my hands on Ghoster. Some of the early mixed reviews had me nervous though, so I went into it with my expectations in check. In some ways, I’m glad I did, because the book did not turn out the way I thought at all, and that was both a good and bad thing.

At the center of Ghoster is protagonist Kate Collins, a somewhat self-doubting paramedic who has an addiction to social media. Recently, she has made a conscious effort to put some distance between herself and her phone, and around the same time, she also started going out with a man named Scott Palmer. Sweet, charming, and handsome, he seemed like the perfect guy, except for the fact he hardly talks about himself and can be quite guarded about his life. Still, when Scott asks her to move in after just a short period of dating, Kate is ecstatic and agrees immediately, quitting her job, packing up all her belongings, and driving straight to Brighton where her new life awaited her.

But upon her arrival, she is surprised to find an empty house. No furniture, no electricity, no boyfriend. Scott also hasn’t been answering her calls or her texts. Soon, she discovers the reason why, as he appeared to have left behind his battered but still working cell phone, the only sign of him left in the entire place. Refusing to believe she has been ghosted, Kate convinces herself that something must have happened to Scott, and decides to unlock his phone and start digging into his life to find some answers. What she discovers, however, is devastating. Everything she thought she knew about the man she loved was a lie. Worse, the shock accompanying these new revelations is compounded by the strange atmosphere Kate has been getting from Scott’s apartment.

With all the lies and half-truths being flung around social media these days, one of the main takeaway messages from Ghoster is, just how do you know if a person is really who they say they are online? This book definitely a cautionary tale against the overuse of electronic devices and the danger of being too connected. However, I also think it serves as a great guide as to what not to do when you’re in a relationship! It’s simple, really—just do the opposite of everything Kate does. When a guy refuses to tell you important details about himself or talk about his family, warning signs should be blaring in your head. Also, out of all the movies in the world, he names as his favorite the one that just happens to be your favorite as well? And you’re really naive enough to buy that? Don’t even get me started about the part where she throws her whole life, her brains, and all her self-respect out the window the moment Scott asks her to move in. And when she finds the place empty, she just decides to settle in anyway like everything is normal? Any average person would have drawn the logical conclusion that they’ve been dumped, and move on. But oh no, not Kate. She continues to pine and obsess even though every sign is telling her to pull her head out of her ass and get out of that place.

I suppose that was the main issue I had with the novel. Kate is a horrible protagonist, one I couldn’t sympathize with no matter how hard I tried because everything she did seemed at odds with what common sense would dictate. There’s really no nice way to say this, so what the heck: she’s an airhead. What else would you call a person who actively creates problems for herself by making staggeringly dumb choices, and worse, never learning from those lessons and repeating the same mistakes? On some level, I understood that Arnopp wanted to make an example of her, but I didn’t like how everything about her personality was so off-putting. After all, Jack Sparks was unlikeable in the author’s last novel, but the character was at least funny, interesting, and displayed some semblance of intelligence.

But now on to the good parts, to the elements I really enjoyed about Ghoster, and I have to say most of them have to do with the actual story itself. Overall, the plot presents a good mystery, if you can ignore all the protagonist’s questionable choices to make it possible. There’s a thrill, for example, every time Kate discovered some new clue or disturbing little tidbit in Scott’s phone which would lead to more puzzles and secrets. And there were plenty of scenes that were genuinely creepy, especially those ghostly nighttime moments at Scott’s apartment, as well as the chilling twists revealed towards the end.

Overall, if only I could have gotten over my intense dislike of the protagonist, I think I could have found Ghoster immensely enjoyable. Of course, there were other minor issues, like some disjointed pacing and several situations that strained my ability to suspend my disbelief or were just downright bizarre, but Kate presented the biggest struggle. Still, in deciding how to rate this book, I chose to believe everything about her character was by design and ultimately went with my gut instinct based on how much I liked the novel. And by that measure, I found it quite entertaining. This book was not nearly as awesome as I wanted it to be, but I had fun with it nonetheless, and I will be looking forward to more by Jason Arnopp. ...more

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Nov 19, 2019 Joanna Park rated it it was amazing

Wow Ghoster is quite an intense, addictive, creepy read which was very difficult to put down. It’s going to be a difficult book to review as I don’t want to give anything away!

I think what makes this book so interesting is how realistic it seems as we are all guilty of spending too much time on social media and perhaps sharing too much. This book perfectly shows how important it is for people to feel accepted on line, how it feels to get a like, a comment or even a follow from someone. It gives Wow Ghoster is quite an intense, addictive, creepy read which was very difficult to put down. It’s going to be a difficult book to review as I don’t want to give anything away!

I think what makes this book so interesting is how realistic it seems as we are all guilty of spending too much time on social media and perhaps sharing too much. This book perfectly shows how important it is for people to feel accepted on line, how it feels to get a like, a comment or even a follow from someone. It gives you a boost even if you don’t want to admit it and can help with low self confidence or mood but therefore can make a person more vulnerable as their new found self is linked to their on line presence. I found this quite thought provoking as I’ve read a lot about how it is damaging society and particularly the young. It made me wonder how much danger we are a opening ourselves up to.

This book was very fast paced and gripped me from the start. The narrative manages to be both hilarious at times but also quite scary as the book continues and the reader is made more aware of what’s going on. The descriptions are very vivid and made me feel like I was actually there alongside Katie experiencing everything alongside her. It’s not a book to read on your own and I found myself sleeping with the light on after reading or questioning shadows and noises. I always think it’s a sign of a great book when the author can get in your head that way and make you think about the book long after reading.

The tension in the book slowly builds as we learn more about the characters past and about Kate & Scott’s relationship, becoming ever more sinister and creepy until it seems like a completely different book from about half way through. There is lots going on to keep the reader absorbed in the story but the reader is kept guessing about what is going on until the end if the book which I thought was cleverly done. I had lots of theories but didn’t guess how the ending which I always enjoy.

Huge thanks to Tracy Fenton for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Orbit for my copy of this book via Netgalley. ...more

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About Jason Arnopp

Jason Arnopp

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Jason Arnopp is the author of the brand new chiller-thriller novel Ghoster (2019) and The Last Days Of Jack Sparks (2016). He is also the co-author of Inside Black Mirror with Charlie Brooker and Annabel Jones.

Arnopp wrote the Lionsgate horror feature film Stormhouse, the New Line Cinema novel Friday The 13th: Hate-Kill-Repeat, various official Doctor Who works of fiction (including the BBC audiob ...more