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Melody Jackson v. the Woman in White
Melody's eyes met with the Bardo -- and she knew she would never be the same again.
It all began with a blood-curdling scream in the middle of the night. This spurs on an investigation by Melody Jackson and her family which leads all over Portland. Enlisting the help of Lonnie's friends, Chazz and Malika, the group looks to resolve the mystery of not only the woman in white, but of two mysterious men in a van, and the dreaded Bardo!
It all began with a blood-curdling scream in the middle of the night. This spurs on an investigation by Melody Jackson and her family which leads all over Portland. Enlisting the help of Lonnie's friends, Chazz and Malika, the group looks to resolve the mystery of not only the woman in white, but of two mysterious men in a van, and the dreaded Bardo!
- GenresFantasy
119 pages, Paperback
First published February 27, 2015
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461 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
January 1, 2016
Pretty great. If I do say so myself.
March 21, 2017
Melody Jackson v. The Woman in White is the first in a series of books for young readers.
It is a really cute light supernatural story with a plucky girl as the lead character. I think it would be perfect for readers 9-12 depending on your child's reading skills. The story is easy to follow with characters that I think they would enjoy.
It is a really cute light supernatural story with a plucky girl as the lead character. I think it would be perfect for readers 9-12 depending on your child's reading skills. The story is easy to follow with characters that I think they would enjoy.
April 9, 2019
There are mysterious goings on on Lafayette Street. In BMB Johnson’s latest mystery Melody Jackson v. The Woman in White, Melody is set on a new case. After encountering a mysterious figure in the night, Melody and her family must investigate in an adventure that takes them all over town. I was pleasantly reminded of Sherlock Holmes and the Hardy Boys, and Johnson’s writing really brings everything to life! This is a great mystery for anyone that loves a good light-hearted and thoughtful investigation novel!
February 28, 2017
Captures the imagination! Melody Jackson is a character to remember with her antics and precocious personality. I loved that it turned into a family adventure as everyone joined together to solve a mystery turned ghost story. I enjoyed the quirky characters and their sometimes off the chart interactions. I was drawn into the story immediately and was delighted that the mystery carried me right to the very last page with an ending that foretells lots more adventures to come. This is going to be a fun series with my family asking when is the next book is coming as each tale leaves us wanting more. A great book for all ages and a good read.
February 27, 2016
Cross a Nancy Drew mystery with a snarky 12 year old (and her parents) and you get Melody Jackson v. the Woman in White.
Loved the interplay between the parents and their daughter, Melody. She drags them into solving the mystery of the weather station next door which appears to be haunted by a ghostly Woman in White. Something missing from almost all Y/A are the parents, but in this story the parents are right there the whole time, providing a sounding board and comic relief. Melody's bumbling father was a particularly interesting character.
The sense of humor was perfect for me, but much of the older pop culture references would be lost on actual 12 year olds. Melody has an interesting and unique personality, maybe a little too adult and self-aware, but the odd personality made up for it in laughs. The ending is a bit rough/rushed and the storyline is not actually resolved, but this is the first in a "series" meaning the full story is probably broken out over the multiple books, like Hunger Games, etc.
Minus one star for the head-hopping POV, ending and typos, but all-in-all a wholesome, quick and fun read with interesting characters.
Loved the interplay between the parents and their daughter, Melody. She drags them into solving the mystery of the weather station next door which appears to be haunted by a ghostly Woman in White. Something missing from almost all Y/A are the parents, but in this story the parents are right there the whole time, providing a sounding board and comic relief. Melody's bumbling father was a particularly interesting character.
The sense of humor was perfect for me, but much of the older pop culture references would be lost on actual 12 year olds. Melody has an interesting and unique personality, maybe a little too adult and self-aware, but the odd personality made up for it in laughs. The ending is a bit rough/rushed and the storyline is not actually resolved, but this is the first in a "series" meaning the full story is probably broken out over the multiple books, like Hunger Games, etc.
Minus one star for the head-hopping POV, ending and typos, but all-in-all a wholesome, quick and fun read with interesting characters.
May 5, 2015
The concept of the story was very good. I love ghost stories and hauntings. This book started off well, but it quickly declined. Without giving away anything about the story, the author just seemed to rattle on. This novella could have been 20 pages and have been better. There were also several typos and spelling errors throughout.
August 1, 2015
truly a fantastic book...the author has crafted a tale to enthrall and delight the reader. i found myself turning the pages with ease as my eyes remained glued to the pages. The narration and the flow of the story is truly grand as it skips you through the book like you were upon the breeze.
A truly outstanding piece of work from a truly outstanding author
A truly outstanding piece of work from a truly outstanding author
February 27, 2017
Ok, LOVED this book! It is a page turner and a quick read at the same time. It's also a cliff hanger and I can't wait to read the next one!!! This book is about a very curious 12 year old girl and her parents working together to try to get to the bottom of a mystery on their street. I love how the family works together as one unit.
Is it a ghost or is it something real but just as scary?! I am a big time fan of things supernatural or just plain unexplainable! This book has that. I have a feeling it is just the beginning of an incredible story and journey for the Jackson family and it's readers alike!
Is it a ghost or is it something real but just as scary?! I am a big time fan of things supernatural or just plain unexplainable! This book has that. I have a feeling it is just the beginning of an incredible story and journey for the Jackson family and it's readers alike!
November 9, 2015
Prose
The writing is wonderful and quirky, depicting the characters’ unique way of thinking and viewpoint of the world in a clear way, as you can see below.
Melody slumped, and more or less gave the impression of a melted candle.
Besides this distinct writing, there were delightfully few flaws or mistakes. Whoever did the editing did a fantastic job. Spotless!
Characters
Clearly, this is where the book shined. Melody is a scatter-brained pre-teen, well versed in her world despite being home-schooled. She is unusual, but not so much so that it doesn’t fit in with the neighborhood around her. It is obvious right away that she’s inherited her unique point of view from her parents—two oddballs in their own right.
No one fills a stereotypical role in this story, which does grant it a great amount of creativity and fun. The father is snarky and witty. The mother is sharp, but boisterous, and all the side characters are menacing, but peculiar. Nobody acts the way you would think they’d act.
Structure
Here’s where I had my problems.
Immediately, I found it hard to get into the story. First off, it had a prelude that was a bit hard to sink into. This was followed by a first chapter, which showed more characterizing than plot. It wasn’t until the father popped up in the second chapter that I actually got to see a bit more appear as for story content. On top of this, the father’s personality is a perfect contrast to Melody’s and highlights her much better than the mother’s.
Once the plot got rolling, it kept on going except for the occasional pauses when characters rambled on tangents or added snarky side notes. For the most part, it was entertaining, but sometimes annoying as I wished it stuck with the story.
On top of this, the chapters were a certain size until midway through when an enormous one was dropped on me, spanning triple the size of other ones. Reviewing over the aforementioned chapter, I noticed a point or two where it could’ve been broken up to add more cohesion to the book flow as a whole.
Lastly, the book ends suddenly with a dramatic twist. I’m not saying that it’s bad, but it feels off for such an oddball cast of characters. Added to this, I was left with little sense of closure. The story greatly feels open-ended. I’m not sure if the writer chose this in order to bring readers back, or if the story continues on in the next installment. Either way, it was unsettling, and I know from experience most readers don’t enjoy being so sorely left on the hook.
Overall
In short, it was fun. The characters cracked me up a lot. They had delightful dialogue and a good amount of witty back-and-forth. Everybody was loveable and convincing in their own weird ways. In the end, I just wished the resolution tied more together and didn’t leave so many unanswered questions. On top of this, I kind of wanted to see more of the army of boys Melody so often references. Seeing them in action would’ve been awesome, especially in the climax.
The writing is wonderful and quirky, depicting the characters’ unique way of thinking and viewpoint of the world in a clear way, as you can see below.
Melody slumped, and more or less gave the impression of a melted candle.
Besides this distinct writing, there were delightfully few flaws or mistakes. Whoever did the editing did a fantastic job. Spotless!
Characters
Clearly, this is where the book shined. Melody is a scatter-brained pre-teen, well versed in her world despite being home-schooled. She is unusual, but not so much so that it doesn’t fit in with the neighborhood around her. It is obvious right away that she’s inherited her unique point of view from her parents—two oddballs in their own right.
No one fills a stereotypical role in this story, which does grant it a great amount of creativity and fun. The father is snarky and witty. The mother is sharp, but boisterous, and all the side characters are menacing, but peculiar. Nobody acts the way you would think they’d act.
Structure
Here’s where I had my problems.
Immediately, I found it hard to get into the story. First off, it had a prelude that was a bit hard to sink into. This was followed by a first chapter, which showed more characterizing than plot. It wasn’t until the father popped up in the second chapter that I actually got to see a bit more appear as for story content. On top of this, the father’s personality is a perfect contrast to Melody’s and highlights her much better than the mother’s.
Once the plot got rolling, it kept on going except for the occasional pauses when characters rambled on tangents or added snarky side notes. For the most part, it was entertaining, but sometimes annoying as I wished it stuck with the story.
On top of this, the chapters were a certain size until midway through when an enormous one was dropped on me, spanning triple the size of other ones. Reviewing over the aforementioned chapter, I noticed a point or two where it could’ve been broken up to add more cohesion to the book flow as a whole.
Lastly, the book ends suddenly with a dramatic twist. I’m not saying that it’s bad, but it feels off for such an oddball cast of characters. Added to this, I was left with little sense of closure. The story greatly feels open-ended. I’m not sure if the writer chose this in order to bring readers back, or if the story continues on in the next installment. Either way, it was unsettling, and I know from experience most readers don’t enjoy being so sorely left on the hook.
Overall
In short, it was fun. The characters cracked me up a lot. They had delightful dialogue and a good amount of witty back-and-forth. Everybody was loveable and convincing in their own weird ways. In the end, I just wished the resolution tied more together and didn’t leave so many unanswered questions. On top of this, I kind of wanted to see more of the army of boys Melody so often references. Seeing them in action would’ve been awesome, especially in the climax.
June 29, 2016
At the start, Melody Jackson v. the Woman in White by B.M.B. Johnson appeared to be an excellent read. I loved Melody Jackson's character and the repartee she had with her parents made me laugh. Though the dialog drags at times, I found it fun to read.
The plot is original. Melody's curiosity and imagination led he to believe that there is something unworldly happening at the weather station in her neighborhood. A ghost woman dressed in white appears at the same time each week and then is taken back into the building by a creature. The night Melody and her parents go to witness the apparition, they notice a van with two passengers who are also interested in the apparition. They seek the help of Chazz, a former police officer, and her friend Melika who have explored other ghostly apparitions. The night the four investigate the woman in white, strange things happen with the van and it occupants. Then, someone goes missing.
Up to this point, I enjoyed the book. Then, it ended abruptly with nothing resolved. The author apparently thought he was hooking the reader for the next episode, but it did not work for me. I felt cheated.
If you don't mind reading books that take you to a climax without a denouement, you might enjoy this book. Hopefully, the second book in the series will resolve the mysteries and not keep you hanging until the third installment to find out what happened.
The plot is original. Melody's curiosity and imagination led he to believe that there is something unworldly happening at the weather station in her neighborhood. A ghost woman dressed in white appears at the same time each week and then is taken back into the building by a creature. The night Melody and her parents go to witness the apparition, they notice a van with two passengers who are also interested in the apparition. They seek the help of Chazz, a former police officer, and her friend Melika who have explored other ghostly apparitions. The night the four investigate the woman in white, strange things happen with the van and it occupants. Then, someone goes missing.
Up to this point, I enjoyed the book. Then, it ended abruptly with nothing resolved. The author apparently thought he was hooking the reader for the next episode, but it did not work for me. I felt cheated.
If you don't mind reading books that take you to a climax without a denouement, you might enjoy this book. Hopefully, the second book in the series will resolve the mysteries and not keep you hanging until the third installment to find out what happened.
March 24, 2015
After reading Melody Jackson and The House on Lafayette Street, I had to read this book. It fits right in with what I remember from Lafayette Street and Melody. However, in this book, you get a greater feel for the character, Melody, and reasons why she acts the way she does. The characters Bernie and Lonnie are also richer in this title, and you get a pretty good sense of who they are. Additionally, more details emerge about the street they live on and of course, a new problem/project has emerged for Melody to solve. I really like this book and I hope to read more about Melody and her shenanigans in the future.
April 5, 2016
Firstly I would like to thank the author B.M.B Johnson, for kindly sending me an e-copy of Melody Jackson v. The Woman in White in exchange for an honest review.
This book certainly took me back many years when I used to enjoy books for young teens. Those books used to grab my imagination and in turn, I often wrote my own stories when the classroom teacher wasn't looking. Many years later, I find myself still enjoying books for young teens.
I rarely write what a story is about for fear of spoiling for others. I loved the characters in which Melody and her parents were the main. The story flowed well and one that I enjoyed reading mainly when curled up in bed. I would recommend.
This book certainly took me back many years when I used to enjoy books for young teens. Those books used to grab my imagination and in turn, I often wrote my own stories when the classroom teacher wasn't looking. Many years later, I find myself still enjoying books for young teens.
I rarely write what a story is about for fear of spoiling for others. I loved the characters in which Melody and her parents were the main. The story flowed well and one that I enjoyed reading mainly when curled up in bed. I would recommend.
April 4, 2015
I think this is a great book for young adults and adults. Readers meet Melody Jackson, a girl of twelve with a highly over active imagination that sometimes is also spot on. When Melody sees a mysterious woman in white the adventure begins. Melody's parents, Lonnie and Bernie, join in the adventure as do a couple of paranormal investigators as the mystery unfolds. The author did a great job in a story that will satisfy a lot of readers.
October 14, 2015
XXX This is an excellent book for tweens and teens. My mother, bless her 85 year old heart, loves it as well, so I would think anyone would. Melody is my favorite youngster of the last several years. I love her feisty comebacks and her sense of self. I hope there will be many more to come.
I really enjoyed the bad guys in Lady in White, and I would love to see more of the neighborhood boys, every neighborhood has them.
I really enjoyed the bad guys in Lady in White, and I would love to see more of the neighborhood boys, every neighborhood has them.
May 30, 2017
It is a relief and a delight to find an author of whimsical fiction. This novella is humorous and has very interesting and lively characters. The mystery of the "ghost" kept me reading with curiosity.
The book could use a round of copyediting and proofreading. In particular, it has a lot of unnecessary commas (separating phases rather than just clauses). But those issues don't stop the reader from enjoying the story. .
The book could use a round of copyediting and proofreading. In particular, it has a lot of unnecessary commas (separating phases rather than just clauses). But those issues don't stop the reader from enjoying the story. .
January 8, 2023
3.6 out of 5 stars
Melody Jackson v. the Woman in White by B.M.B. Johnson is an exciting and empowering book for children aged around 9-12 years old.
It follows Melody Jackson (and her parents) and is the first in a series about our main character Melody. Melody is a curious child, and the Woman in White is a great mystery for her to try solving.
Melody’s feisty personality is what I really enjoyed from the beginning. I think many younger readers would really look up to Melody for not being afraid to be herself and it’s a message that really came across. The beginning really was fantastic, but then it really went downhill for me.
I must say I found this book very patronizing. It was always referring to Melody’s age (12) and how she was grumpy or about her hormones etc. I also found that at times it was very childish but at other points it dealt with scary-ish events which may be too mature for younger readers.
I loved the teamwork and relationship between Melody and her parents, and I thought it was exciting to read. The mystery was actually interesting and rather spooky, but I loved the elements of humour and banter between Melody and her parents which always lightened the mood. There were several problems with grammar, but they were purposeful (at least I hope) because they really added to the enjoyment of the book, and I think children would really like it!
The ending was underwhelming and left a lot of questions, so it didn’t really work for me unfortunately.
All in all, though, I think younger readers would really love Melody Jackson!
Thank you B.M.B Johnson and Overlord Services for my copy.
Melody Jackson v. the Woman in White by B.M.B. Johnson is an exciting and empowering book for children aged around 9-12 years old.
It follows Melody Jackson (and her parents) and is the first in a series about our main character Melody. Melody is a curious child, and the Woman in White is a great mystery for her to try solving.
Melody’s feisty personality is what I really enjoyed from the beginning. I think many younger readers would really look up to Melody for not being afraid to be herself and it’s a message that really came across. The beginning really was fantastic, but then it really went downhill for me.
I must say I found this book very patronizing. It was always referring to Melody’s age (12) and how she was grumpy or about her hormones etc. I also found that at times it was very childish but at other points it dealt with scary-ish events which may be too mature for younger readers.
I loved the teamwork and relationship between Melody and her parents, and I thought it was exciting to read. The mystery was actually interesting and rather spooky, but I loved the elements of humour and banter between Melody and her parents which always lightened the mood. There were several problems with grammar, but they were purposeful (at least I hope) because they really added to the enjoyment of the book, and I think children would really like it!
The ending was underwhelming and left a lot of questions, so it didn’t really work for me unfortunately.
All in all, though, I think younger readers would really love Melody Jackson!
Thank you B.M.B Johnson and Overlord Services for my copy.
March 14, 2017
Outside my usual genres. I love mysteries and young adult fiction but don't usually go anywhere near ghost stories. That being said, curiosity won out and I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed this story. The dialogue was ridiculously funny at times and the characters strong. Glad I tried it. Reminded me of how painful it was to be a 12-year-old! Very unique story and good groundwork for the series.
February 26, 2017
Loved this Book!!!! It begins with a scream in the middle of the night!!!! Melody Jackson and her family investigates all over Portland!!!! Enlisting the help of lonnie's friend Chazz & malika they try to resolve the mystery of the woman in white and of 2 mysterious men in a van and the dreaded Bardo!!!! A laugh out loud great book cant wait to read the next one!!!!! Loved how close the family is with each other and family working together!!!!!
February 21, 2016
This is a genre I enjoyed a lot as a tween but haven't indulged in for years (well, decades), so it was fun to return to it. Melody is a delightful character--intelligent and precocious, but also prone to mood swings and irrational fears--and her parents are also charmingly humorous, as are the interactions between the characters. In proper tale-of-the-fantastic form, the mystery that presents itself originally seems like it could have a mundane explanation, but as the story unfolds, we discover--of course!--that things are more than they seem, and it is up to our intrepid sleuths to get to the bottom of the mystery. Be warned: the book ends on a bit of a cliffhanger, presumably setting up further installments in the series.
The book goes back and forth between concrete detail of ordinary life--going out to dinner, visiting the library--and supernatural activity in a way that some readers might find disconcerting, but that I personally enjoyed a lot and thought that it added to the charm of the story. The dialogue sparkled with lighthearted wit, and pretty much every chapter contained scenes that elicited a heartwarming chuckle. While the murder and haunting that form the basis of the story means that it is probably a little too scary for very small children, overall, this is a fun, easy-to-read book (I raced through it in a couple of sessions) that can be enjoyed by adults and, I would think, by tweens (Melody is 12) as well.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The book goes back and forth between concrete detail of ordinary life--going out to dinner, visiting the library--and supernatural activity in a way that some readers might find disconcerting, but that I personally enjoyed a lot and thought that it added to the charm of the story. The dialogue sparkled with lighthearted wit, and pretty much every chapter contained scenes that elicited a heartwarming chuckle. While the murder and haunting that form the basis of the story means that it is probably a little too scary for very small children, overall, this is a fun, easy-to-read book (I raced through it in a couple of sessions) that can be enjoyed by adults and, I would think, by tweens (Melody is 12) as well.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
June 5, 2016
This is a great introduction to the world of Melody Jackson, her family and her curious mind that seems to uncover mystery no matter what she decides to champion at any given time. In this episode Melody shows her philanthropic side by wanting to tear down an old house across the street to make way for a park to benefit local residents. Needless to say not all goes well with this plan and we begin a race against time to solve the clues before two mysterious men in a white van who have begun stalking Melody and her family.
The story is well written with characters that meld together extremely well. There are many amusing moments between Melody and her parents that show the authors complete grasp of family angst in a household that contains a pre-teen.
I definitely recommend this book to anyone who likes to read!
This is a smashwords freebie
The story is well written with characters that meld together extremely well. There are many amusing moments between Melody and her parents that show the authors complete grasp of family angst in a household that contains a pre-teen.
I definitely recommend this book to anyone who likes to read!
This is a smashwords freebie
February 25, 2016
I was invited to become part of a reviewer/discussion group here on Goodreads, this is where I was provided a copy of this story. I'm honored to share my honest opinion.
This is a YA Mystery with a paranormal twist.
Melody is a precocious 12 year old who isn't afraid to speak her mind granted it is mostly to her parents. One day, Melody is going on and on about the building across the street from her house. When her parents discover what is really bothering her, they decide to help Melody get some data to put things into perspective.
In all the mysteries I've read, I don't recall a whole family working together... siblings yes but parents... not so much. This was refreshing and if you aren't afraid of few paranormal beings then you should love this story as much as I did.
This is a YA Mystery with a paranormal twist.
Melody is a precocious 12 year old who isn't afraid to speak her mind granted it is mostly to her parents. One day, Melody is going on and on about the building across the street from her house. When her parents discover what is really bothering her, they decide to help Melody get some data to put things into perspective.
In all the mysteries I've read, I don't recall a whole family working together... siblings yes but parents... not so much. This was refreshing and if you aren't afraid of few paranormal beings then you should love this story as much as I did.
April 20, 2016
This was another great book by BMB Johnson.
If you like old school mystery books and a funny little 12-year-old with her parents then you will love Melody Jackson V. The woman in white.
This book was very interesting and overall a really fun read. Johnson is able to create characters that are very well developed and complex. This was a very humorous book, which was very refreshing. I would highly recommend this book to anyone!
If you like old school mystery books and a funny little 12-year-old with her parents then you will love Melody Jackson V. The woman in white.
This book was very interesting and overall a really fun read. Johnson is able to create characters that are very well developed and complex. This was a very humorous book, which was very refreshing. I would highly recommend this book to anyone!
March 27, 2016
This is vintage Melody Jackson. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it, as much for the plot as for the Jackson family dynamics that always make me laugh. I know it's the first of a series but please let us have the next one as soon as possible, as the ending left me with a lot of unanswered questions!
August 18, 2016
Melody reminded me of a book character I would have enjoyed growing up. I liked how close she was with her parents and how they acted together to try to solve a mystery. There was humor and plenty of curiosity. The book ended with the mystery unsolved --which leaves me waiting for the next book.
April 2, 2017
I got this book for free from the author in exchange for a review. First off let me start this off with an apology as due to private matters I did not finish the book within a timely period, I am very sorry about this. I did however make sure to read from start to finish in one sitting. Melody Jackson v. the Woman in White is okay. The characters were flat and almost one dimensional. I also found the relationship's odd and while no family is normal I found even their dynamic odd and extremely unnatural to where it was jarring. I do believe though if they are expanded upon and fleshed out more it would make it more enjoyable to read and watch them go. The plot is good just needs a little bit of tightening in a few areas and while I understand that this is structured like a television show the flow is a little choppy. The plot has great mystery and suspense and it did keep me speculating about what was going on till the end.
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews