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Hauntastic Haunts #1
Dan's Hauntastic Haunts Investigates: Goodman Dairy
When ghosts reach across the veil, Daniel Collins is there to tell their stories.Dan is a vlogging ghost hunter. He has devoted his life to documenting paranormal activity. In his converted van, he travels around the country exploring haunted sites. He loves the thrill of filming restless spirits.Chad Brewer, skeptic, works for an insurance company. He doesn’t believe in ghosts, but watching Dan’s vlog is his guilty pleasure. The cute vlogger is accident prone. He has Chad’s work extension on speed-dial. The two talk whenever Dan gets hurt during an investigation, a frequent occurrence. When Chad loses his job for approving too many claims, Dan offers him a position as his personal assistant.The pair sets out to investigate a haunted dairy barn for the vlog’s next video series. The catch is that they must live and work together in Dan’s tiny traveling home. As the paranormal activity at the haunted dairy ramps up, so does the romantic tension between the two men. Can the love between a skeptic and a social media sensation conquer a vengeful ghost?Dan's Hauntastic Haunts is a paranormal MM romance between a gay vlogger and his trans personal assistant. Buckle up for a hauntastic good time.
363 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 22, 2019
50 people are currently reading
121 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews
February 10, 2023
Anyone that has read my reviews for the past dozen or so years, knows that I love a good ghost story and I also read a truckload of M/M Romances so this being of both genera's I thought, "okay...why not"? Two for the price of one. I had a few reservations, but it started off fairly well. Both characters were likeable, especially Dan. The flow of the book was easy, so no problems there. For me the issue I had as I got further into it was, I simply seemed for some reason to lose interest in the story. Dan came across as somewhat of a fraud. He says he’s all about helping ghosts find closure and move on, yet he has zero skills as a medium...not even the basic ones. How can he help them move on without the ability to contact or communicate with them? Does he just show up and hope that the ghosts do also and then just wish they will magically leave the place they are haunting? He even calls a well-known medium who rather harshly judges him, to help and then Dan himself says he "feels like an imposter"...and he then ignores her advice. This should have just been called a paranormal book that happens to feature two guys...one that is gay, and one is Trans....which, by the way was handled very well. However, that aside, the romance was almost nonexistent, except that each chapter started out with them "thinking" about one another and how they each felt... but it was mostly all the reasons why they COULDN'T be together. They did go on one semi date. I gave it 3 stars as it had the bones of a really good story and did start off with my interest piqued but ultimately it just couldn’t hold that much interest in the end. I'm not sure if I will try this series again.
May 23, 2023
cute start to a series
I did like this and enjoyed reading it
I wish the the build up to the relationship was slower because this is a series I don't know why we had to go so fast
I'll probably read the next one because it was good but if I don't I won't be heartbroken
I did like this and enjoyed reading it
I wish the the build up to the relationship was slower because this is a series I don't know why we had to go so fast
I'll probably read the next one because it was good but if I don't I won't be heartbroken
May 28, 2020
Dan's Hauntastic Haunts
MMy Thoughts Confessions and Review:
This story blew me out of the water! I cannot believe that more people haven't jumped on the ALEX SILVER Train of Paranormal Fun. You guys have got to pick this book up and give it a read. Why? Well, for starters it is a very well written ghost story. Silver delivers in the scary department, and the ghost in this story is one angry malevolent spirit out for his pound of flesh...literally.
Another reason to love this book is, the MCs are fully actualized characters, and guys you could see yourself subscribing to and following on their YT vlog.
Dan is the vlogger and ghost hunter and travels around in his van, "Vanessa," following leads on hauntings. He is tricked out with all kinds of tech and specialized scientific gear to help him find any unexplained phenomenon and IF it is paranormal see if he can help in any way. As with anyone who puts themselves out for public view, Dan has critics, as well as fans and loyal followers.
RedHerring99 is one of Dan's loyal crew and Dan loves being able to interact with him. Red also happens to be Dan's insurance agent and works very hard to keep Dan from losing his insurance. Daniel knows Red IRL as Chad and has his number on speed dial since he is constantly getting into scrapes and considers himself a klutz when dealing with the supernatural. Dan has no idea Insurance Guy Chad and RedHerring99 are the same person.
After bending one rule too many, Chad loses his job and on a whim takes on the PA position that's open, working for Dan.
The two get along like a house on fire and have more chemistry together than a lab at the CDC. The friendship that forms is instant, and from there a slow progression to something else begins to take shape.
I loved how Silver was able to introduce Chad's character as trans. Chad's character explained things about himself in such a way that if someone were reading the book and had questions about themselves or someone they knew, they might have a little more understanding after getting to know Chad. I absolutely loved that. It endeared both the character and the author to me more.
This dynamic ghost-busting duo is coming back for more, as there is a second book due out soon. YAY! So, if you are looking for an escape, a great ghost story, an LGBT+ Romance, or just want to support an #ownvoices indie author, look no furthur...this book will NOT disappoint!
4.50 I-got-forked-by-a-ghost-stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟🔹✨
I received a complimentary copy of this book from QSF/QRI in exchange for my review.💐
MMy Thoughts Confessions and Review:
This story blew me out of the water! I cannot believe that more people haven't jumped on the ALEX SILVER Train of Paranormal Fun. You guys have got to pick this book up and give it a read. Why? Well, for starters it is a very well written ghost story. Silver delivers in the scary department, and the ghost in this story is one angry malevolent spirit out for his pound of flesh...literally.
Another reason to love this book is, the MCs are fully actualized characters, and guys you could see yourself subscribing to and following on their YT vlog.
Dan is the vlogger and ghost hunter and travels around in his van, "Vanessa," following leads on hauntings. He is tricked out with all kinds of tech and specialized scientific gear to help him find any unexplained phenomenon and IF it is paranormal see if he can help in any way. As with anyone who puts themselves out for public view, Dan has critics, as well as fans and loyal followers.
RedHerring99 is one of Dan's loyal crew and Dan loves being able to interact with him. Red also happens to be Dan's insurance agent and works very hard to keep Dan from losing his insurance. Daniel knows Red IRL as Chad and has his number on speed dial since he is constantly getting into scrapes and considers himself a klutz when dealing with the supernatural. Dan has no idea Insurance Guy Chad and RedHerring99 are the same person.
After bending one rule too many, Chad loses his job and on a whim takes on the PA position that's open, working for Dan.
The two get along like a house on fire and have more chemistry together than a lab at the CDC. The friendship that forms is instant, and from there a slow progression to something else begins to take shape.
I loved how Silver was able to introduce Chad's character as trans. Chad's character explained things about himself in such a way that if someone were reading the book and had questions about themselves or someone they knew, they might have a little more understanding after getting to know Chad. I absolutely loved that. It endeared both the character and the author to me more.
This dynamic ghost-busting duo is coming back for more, as there is a second book due out soon. YAY! So, if you are looking for an escape, a great ghost story, an LGBT+ Romance, or just want to support an #ownvoices indie author, look no furthur...this book will NOT disappoint!
4.50 I-got-forked-by-a-ghost-stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟🔹✨
I received a complimentary copy of this book from QSF/QRI in exchange for my review.💐
June 19, 2020
Somewhere between 2 and 3 stars.
The word that kept coming to mind as I read this was "clinical." Technically the writing is good. It feels practiced and is generally a smooth, easy read. The problem I had is that overall, everything felt lacking in emotion. The characters felt a bit cold. Most of the novel is spent describing things that are happening in a good (perhaps unnecessary) amount of detail. This leaves little focus on Chad and Dan's connection or growing relationship. If you want a thorough how-to on how to live in a converted van and run a successful YouTube vlog and Patreon, this book would serve you well. If you want a romance that feels real and sweeps you along, you'll have to keep looking. Throughout all of that, the characters didn't feel genuinely sad or in love. Subsequently, I didn't really care. Dan and Chad couldn't convince me. I'm kind of bummed about that.
The word that kept coming to mind as I read this was "clinical." Technically the writing is good. It feels practiced and is generally a smooth, easy read. The problem I had is that overall, everything felt lacking in emotion. The characters felt a bit cold. Most of the novel is spent describing things that are happening in a good (perhaps unnecessary) amount of detail. This leaves little focus on Chad and Dan's connection or growing relationship. If you want a thorough how-to on how to live in a converted van and run a successful YouTube vlog and Patreon, this book would serve you well. If you want a romance that feels real and sweeps you along, you'll have to keep looking. Throughout all of that, the characters didn't feel genuinely sad or in love. Subsequently, I didn't really care. Dan and Chad couldn't convince me. I'm kind of bummed about that.
dnf
February 8, 2023DNF @ 22% I wanted to like this book but the writing didn't work for me. It felt too padded and filled with uninteresting minutiae, so while I liked the premise and the characters seemed to have potential, I struggled to get interested in the story.
February 19, 2022
Follow link for the full review Dan's Hauntastic Haunts
So I bought this one a while back and as I’m old and my brain refuses to work like it did 20 years ago I don’t know how I came across it. That being said I like a good ghost story, so I went into this with high expectations. To be fair, it started off fairly well. I was in it but I had a few reservations about it. The story was good so I was merely holding on to those to see how they panned out. Ultimately this story ended up just being okay.
Both characters started off extremely likeable. Especially Dan. Chad’s sister needed more page time though. She was all sorts of awesome. Also, Chad’s character dynamic was handled well. The flow of the book was easy so no problems there. Unfortunately for me the issue I had as I got further into it was I got less interested in reading it.
My first issue was that Dan came across as a bit of a fraud. Even when I liked the book he clearly states he’s about helping ghosts find closure and move on yet he has zero Medium skills. Not even basic ones. How is he helping them move on without physically contacting them and actively trying to get them to the next plane? So he just shows up, hopes for ghost activity and just magically hopes that they will leave the place they are haunting? This becomes evident in the middle of the book when he has to call a well-known medium who, rightfully judges him, and Dan himself says he feels like an imposter. This was literally riding on my mind the entire time when I was most interested and once interest waned that he’s a ghost hunter with no skillset on actually expelling ghosts. I’m surprised he’s alive. And, most importantly, it says a lot about his character that he doesn’t care enough to take the advice of real mediums, or be on good terms with one for serious encounters, or at the very least know enough to stay alive long enough to contact someone with more expertise. Someone with whom he has built a good relationship by proving he’s serious about ghosts, hauntings, and closure.
That aside Chad was fine. Him not believing in ghosts, also fine. When it started to slowly fall apart for me was the constant need to directly tell me he didn’t believe. It would’ve set a lot better if gradually by events happening, he started to question his beliefs instead of outright deniability every time. Instead, it literally takes one big incident and suddenly ghosts are real. Almost like the progression up to it before that wasn’t important. In which case we could’ve just gone for the shock reveal to begin with.
The romance didn’t really take off. This book definitely reads a lot about how to successfully run a YouTube channel. There are even bits explaining the ghost hunting gear which are fun. But overall, the scenes don’t really do anything to bring the characters together. Most times when all of this is going on it’s very business. Dan is explaining stuff and Chad is learning stuff. Or Chad is organising meetings and things and Dan is confirming. Research is being done and things are being found out, this part is fine because we need to know more about the ghost, however, since so much of the book is spent doing things for the vlog, when we do get those side comments of them checking each other out it’s very brief and always ends with but I can’t he’s my boss, but I can’t he’s my employee, and it’s back to business. The chance to use all the above-mentioned stuff as ways to build up some romantic tension wasn’t big enough. It definitely felt all about the YouTube channel and the Ghost which is fine, but the payoff for the relationship didn’t come because it was like they just woke up one day and said yeah let’s date.
That being said, in almost every chapter the start of with either Chad or Dan thinking about each other in romantic and steamy ways and then saying they can’t because of their working relationship and this would happen within the first few paragraphs. Sometimes multiple times within the chapters too. The ‘I can’t because’ got to a point where I almost stopped reading one time. If you think the other is hot just enjoy your fantasy guilt-free. Constantly being reminded of this every few pages or so got grating, especially because this, like I said above, led to the attraction never really breathing through and the ‘how to’ vibe of the book shun pretty bright as a consequence.
And I am not a fan of insta-love. Chad gets a call from his sister, Dan confronts him about it at breakfast in a smooth playful kind of way and next thing we are making rules for dating and planning a first date. Then the date gets into more Vlog stuff, creatures of habit, but it stays for too long before one of them says no more work stuff. I’m thinking oh finally first date fun flirtations is coming. But nope. They eat in salience and then make out in the parking lot. Sigh. After all this waiting nothing actually happened. I’ve been on a few food dates, you definitely do talk while eating so this was a missed opportunity to finally let them embrace their attraction for each other in a nonsexual way.
When it comes to Chad I had a few issues too. Just like Dan I started off liking him. And him being Trans just like most reviewers have stated was handled extremely well. I am more than here for it. But it was, just like Dan, some of his actions that seemed a bit of in context to how his character was explained to be. Specifically after this date night. I describe it in more detail on my blog here But the following is about an argument that leads to a breakup.
Chad is travelling with a ghost hunter who routinely injures himself. So he knows this job is dangerous. Secondly, the ghost tried to attack him and almost killed someone else. I can’t wrap my head around how he is even a teeny bit shocked that Dan is super excited about this. He is one of Dan’s followers and biggest patrons. This is Dan’s entire life. It’s so odd that he’s mad Dan is excited to be almost killed by a ghost, even if it could’ve been prevented. If he was mad from the fact that he didn’t think he could put his own life in danger like this and needed time to think about the real existence of ghosts I would’ve been much on board with this. But he says I don’t want my boyfriend out there endangering his life and… I’m just going to stop there.
Boyfriend? They went on one semi date that ended with his full indoctrination into the reality of ghosts. That does not a full, it takes months to get to know each other relationship make. To be fair Dan called him his boyfriend quite literally the next day after the first date so I was already not on board with this. This instance just specifically felt like the wrong angle to take. Even though Chad was right, as I have stated above that Dan is negligent and basically a fraud, it’s the reasoning behind why he is mad that is odd. I don’t think Chad would not be smart enough to understand after so long following him that this would indeed excite Dan. If anything he should’ve expected this response.
And, they break up. This was an eventful week or less than a week. And considering the first date was essentially a wash there wasn’t anything for me to emotionally invest in this breakup. It hadn’t even begun yet for this type of big drama piece.
Overall, this book was okay but for me, the constant reminders of why they couldn’t work was off-putting. Not finding a way to use all the lessons on how to run a Vlog as character development and relationship development pieces didn’t allow the romance side plot to take off and made this an insta romance and equally quick breakup, (probably the fasted I have ever seen from start of relationship to end) hard to invest into. And then the too many emotional things thrown in at the end that didn’t fit the plotline set up beforehand were odd. The really good ghost plot reveal got side-lined for the ending that was full of quick insta type material also was a letdown. It was an okay book that started off with my interest piqued but ultimately couldn’t hold that heightened interest to the end.
So I bought this one a while back and as I’m old and my brain refuses to work like it did 20 years ago I don’t know how I came across it. That being said I like a good ghost story, so I went into this with high expectations. To be fair, it started off fairly well. I was in it but I had a few reservations about it. The story was good so I was merely holding on to those to see how they panned out. Ultimately this story ended up just being okay.
Both characters started off extremely likeable. Especially Dan. Chad’s sister needed more page time though. She was all sorts of awesome. Also, Chad’s character dynamic was handled well. The flow of the book was easy so no problems there. Unfortunately for me the issue I had as I got further into it was I got less interested in reading it.
My first issue was that Dan came across as a bit of a fraud. Even when I liked the book he clearly states he’s about helping ghosts find closure and move on yet he has zero Medium skills. Not even basic ones. How is he helping them move on without physically contacting them and actively trying to get them to the next plane? So he just shows up, hopes for ghost activity and just magically hopes that they will leave the place they are haunting? This becomes evident in the middle of the book when he has to call a well-known medium who, rightfully judges him, and Dan himself says he feels like an imposter. This was literally riding on my mind the entire time when I was most interested and once interest waned that he’s a ghost hunter with no skillset on actually expelling ghosts. I’m surprised he’s alive. And, most importantly, it says a lot about his character that he doesn’t care enough to take the advice of real mediums, or be on good terms with one for serious encounters, or at the very least know enough to stay alive long enough to contact someone with more expertise. Someone with whom he has built a good relationship by proving he’s serious about ghosts, hauntings, and closure.
That aside Chad was fine. Him not believing in ghosts, also fine. When it started to slowly fall apart for me was the constant need to directly tell me he didn’t believe. It would’ve set a lot better if gradually by events happening, he started to question his beliefs instead of outright deniability every time. Instead, it literally takes one big incident and suddenly ghosts are real. Almost like the progression up to it before that wasn’t important. In which case we could’ve just gone for the shock reveal to begin with.
The romance didn’t really take off. This book definitely reads a lot about how to successfully run a YouTube channel. There are even bits explaining the ghost hunting gear which are fun. But overall, the scenes don’t really do anything to bring the characters together. Most times when all of this is going on it’s very business. Dan is explaining stuff and Chad is learning stuff. Or Chad is organising meetings and things and Dan is confirming. Research is being done and things are being found out, this part is fine because we need to know more about the ghost, however, since so much of the book is spent doing things for the vlog, when we do get those side comments of them checking each other out it’s very brief and always ends with but I can’t he’s my boss, but I can’t he’s my employee, and it’s back to business. The chance to use all the above-mentioned stuff as ways to build up some romantic tension wasn’t big enough. It definitely felt all about the YouTube channel and the Ghost which is fine, but the payoff for the relationship didn’t come because it was like they just woke up one day and said yeah let’s date.
That being said, in almost every chapter the start of with either Chad or Dan thinking about each other in romantic and steamy ways and then saying they can’t because of their working relationship and this would happen within the first few paragraphs. Sometimes multiple times within the chapters too. The ‘I can’t because’ got to a point where I almost stopped reading one time. If you think the other is hot just enjoy your fantasy guilt-free. Constantly being reminded of this every few pages or so got grating, especially because this, like I said above, led to the attraction never really breathing through and the ‘how to’ vibe of the book shun pretty bright as a consequence.
And I am not a fan of insta-love. Chad gets a call from his sister, Dan confronts him about it at breakfast in a smooth playful kind of way and next thing we are making rules for dating and planning a first date. Then the date gets into more Vlog stuff, creatures of habit, but it stays for too long before one of them says no more work stuff. I’m thinking oh finally first date fun flirtations is coming. But nope. They eat in salience and then make out in the parking lot. Sigh. After all this waiting nothing actually happened. I’ve been on a few food dates, you definitely do talk while eating so this was a missed opportunity to finally let them embrace their attraction for each other in a nonsexual way.
When it comes to Chad I had a few issues too. Just like Dan I started off liking him. And him being Trans just like most reviewers have stated was handled extremely well. I am more than here for it. But it was, just like Dan, some of his actions that seemed a bit of in context to how his character was explained to be. Specifically after this date night. I describe it in more detail on my blog here But the following is about an argument that leads to a breakup.
Chad is travelling with a ghost hunter who routinely injures himself. So he knows this job is dangerous. Secondly, the ghost tried to attack him and almost killed someone else. I can’t wrap my head around how he is even a teeny bit shocked that Dan is super excited about this. He is one of Dan’s followers and biggest patrons. This is Dan’s entire life. It’s so odd that he’s mad Dan is excited to be almost killed by a ghost, even if it could’ve been prevented. If he was mad from the fact that he didn’t think he could put his own life in danger like this and needed time to think about the real existence of ghosts I would’ve been much on board with this. But he says I don’t want my boyfriend out there endangering his life and… I’m just going to stop there.
Boyfriend? They went on one semi date that ended with his full indoctrination into the reality of ghosts. That does not a full, it takes months to get to know each other relationship make. To be fair Dan called him his boyfriend quite literally the next day after the first date so I was already not on board with this. This instance just specifically felt like the wrong angle to take. Even though Chad was right, as I have stated above that Dan is negligent and basically a fraud, it’s the reasoning behind why he is mad that is odd. I don’t think Chad would not be smart enough to understand after so long following him that this would indeed excite Dan. If anything he should’ve expected this response.
And, they break up. This was an eventful week or less than a week. And considering the first date was essentially a wash there wasn’t anything for me to emotionally invest in this breakup. It hadn’t even begun yet for this type of big drama piece.
Overall, this book was okay but for me, the constant reminders of why they couldn’t work was off-putting. Not finding a way to use all the lessons on how to run a Vlog as character development and relationship development pieces didn’t allow the romance side plot to take off and made this an insta romance and equally quick breakup, (probably the fasted I have ever seen from start of relationship to end) hard to invest into. And then the too many emotional things thrown in at the end that didn’t fit the plotline set up beforehand were odd. The really good ghost plot reveal got side-lined for the ending that was full of quick insta type material also was a letdown. It was an okay book that started off with my interest piqued but ultimately couldn’t hold that heightened interest to the end.
February 24, 2021
What a complete mind-blower! This book is an absolute delight! There is nothing better than passion and enthusiasm. Dan possesses both concerning his work investigating haunted places. The writer pairs him with a trans guy (Chad) who is just as enthusiastic but a lot more skeptical of the paranormal and the two are totally adorable. Alex Silver does a beautiful job getting us to fall in love with his characters and get all caught up with their admiration for each other. Then WHAM!!! Out of what seems to be left field, the haunt starts haunting! I love that the writer gives readers a glimpse of the life of a trans guy with chest surgery, testosterone shots, genital dysmorphia all wrapped in a story that's exciting, invigorating, and just plain wonderful! I fell in love with this writer's other work but with this series, the writer has earned my undying respect. I appreciate that this book is available in audio format through authors-direct.com and the narrator, Jack Ravenscroft, is simply perfect for the story!
October 22, 2023
The writing was okay, the characters were totally adorable.
August 21, 2023
Update 8/21/23 - I officially have the ONLY autographed copy of this book that exist. I might be freaking out just a LOT.
To see more reviews check out MI Book Reviews.
I got an ARC of this book.
I am FREAKING OUT over this book. I messaged iam all through the night even though time difference between US and Germany. They woke up to some interesting messages and drastically different feelings.
The biggest thing is one of the MC is trans. Even bigger is this trans MC is written by a trans author. I was never triggered by sexual assault, rape, or misgendering. I never had to worry that the trans guy was going to only have plots about being trans. I never had to worry that I would read terrible things and be told that it was good rep. Instead I got a fully fleshed out trans guy that had wants and need AND PLOTS that were not about being trans. There was romance. There was a tragic back story. There was a weird intensity about paperwork. I love this.
Since there was romance, lets talk about sex. Both men are verse which was actually discussed before sex. Also talked about before sex was boundaries which I am always about. Give me that consent talk and I am putty in your hands. I was really excited that Chad was the top in all the scenes in this book. I loved that Dan never had issues with Chad being trans. It was just so heartwarming to see a trans person get basic respect about their bodies. It shouldn’t be that hard and Silver shows it really isn’t.
So I am all about ghost hunting shows and ghost horror movies. I love ghosts. The plot was really heavy on the ghost hunting and the ghost stuff. So that might put some people off since it isn’t a very strict romance. Instead the romance is kind of a back burner plot. I loved all the plots. I just really appreciated a focus on other things. The romance could have overwhelmed the ghosts which would not have fit Dan’s character. Everything just worked really well. All the ghost equipment from what I know was accurate to what I have seen in ghost shows. So it felt realistic as much as a ghost show can.
This book is just an amazing example of what happens when a trans person write a trans character. Give me more ghosts. Give me more tentacle dildos. I am here for this series. I already downloaded the two bonus short stories and have the next book in the series. Reviews on those to come in the next day or so!
To see more reviews check out MI Book Reviews.
I got an ARC of this book.
I am FREAKING OUT over this book. I messaged iam all through the night even though time difference between US and Germany. They woke up to some interesting messages and drastically different feelings.
The biggest thing is one of the MC is trans. Even bigger is this trans MC is written by a trans author. I was never triggered by sexual assault, rape, or misgendering. I never had to worry that the trans guy was going to only have plots about being trans. I never had to worry that I would read terrible things and be told that it was good rep. Instead I got a fully fleshed out trans guy that had wants and need AND PLOTS that were not about being trans. There was romance. There was a tragic back story. There was a weird intensity about paperwork. I love this.
Since there was romance, lets talk about sex. Both men are verse which was actually discussed before sex. Also talked about before sex was boundaries which I am always about. Give me that consent talk and I am putty in your hands. I was really excited that Chad was the top in all the scenes in this book. I loved that Dan never had issues with Chad being trans. It was just so heartwarming to see a trans person get basic respect about their bodies. It shouldn’t be that hard and Silver shows it really isn’t.
So I am all about ghost hunting shows and ghost horror movies. I love ghosts. The plot was really heavy on the ghost hunting and the ghost stuff. So that might put some people off since it isn’t a very strict romance. Instead the romance is kind of a back burner plot. I loved all the plots. I just really appreciated a focus on other things. The romance could have overwhelmed the ghosts which would not have fit Dan’s character. Everything just worked really well. All the ghost equipment from what I know was accurate to what I have seen in ghost shows. So it felt realistic as much as a ghost show can.
This book is just an amazing example of what happens when a trans person write a trans character. Give me more ghosts. Give me more tentacle dildos. I am here for this series. I already downloaded the two bonus short stories and have the next book in the series. Reviews on those to come in the next day or so!
August 1, 2020
This really was an interesting start to the series with quite a bit more honesty than I expected. There were moments of irresponsibility and selfishness, but other than that there were some solid foundations being laid that bode well for what comes next both in the relationship and the video series they work on together.
I really liked the premise a ton and the circumstances that brought the men together. Both men were interesting in a simple way and I was liking that they didn't get together right away. Letting them build something together with shared goals and different strengths coming together to create a good product was mature in a way I didn't expect from this story.
What got in the way of that maturity were Dan's irresponsible and selfish actions in the name of getting good haunting shots. He put everyone in danger and was intentionally untrained where he had ample resources and opportunity to figure out how to be an effective medium instead of stumbling on hauntings of various types and bumbling his way through giving them peace. His actions appalled me and I was absolutely on Chad's side when he called him out on it and left. Dan's idea for giving the ghost resolution was far more dramatic and unhelpful and executed quite poorly because of his tunnel vision.
What I was glad for in the outcome was that Dan acknowledged his actions, even if it took a while, and went about making amends in healthy ways. I'm really interested to see where the training aspect will go from there. And giving Chad the new position was an excellent way to maturely move forward both in the relationship and the show. With an average plot evolution and getting a little bogged down in the mundane details as well as simplistic characters this should have been an average story, but I ended up more curious than I thought I would be by the end. There are a lot of places we can go from here and I'm willing to see them through it.
I really liked the premise a ton and the circumstances that brought the men together. Both men were interesting in a simple way and I was liking that they didn't get together right away. Letting them build something together with shared goals and different strengths coming together to create a good product was mature in a way I didn't expect from this story.
What got in the way of that maturity were Dan's irresponsible and selfish actions in the name of getting good haunting shots. He put everyone in danger and was intentionally untrained where he had ample resources and opportunity to figure out how to be an effective medium instead of stumbling on hauntings of various types and bumbling his way through giving them peace. His actions appalled me and I was absolutely on Chad's side when he called him out on it and left. Dan's idea for giving the ghost resolution was far more dramatic and unhelpful and executed quite poorly because of his tunnel vision.
What I was glad for in the outcome was that Dan acknowledged his actions, even if it took a while, and went about making amends in healthy ways. I'm really interested to see where the training aspect will go from there. And giving Chad the new position was an excellent way to maturely move forward both in the relationship and the show. With an average plot evolution and getting a little bogged down in the mundane details as well as simplistic characters this should have been an average story, but I ended up more curious than I thought I would be by the end. There are a lot of places we can go from here and I'm willing to see them through it.
June 22, 2020
Okay some of that scared the crap out of me. That was one evil ghost. Full RTC
September 29, 2020
This was the first book by Alex Silver that I read and it was wonderful! The characters are wonderful and I was really happy that he wrote a trans male character in one of the roles. Dan Collins is a vlogging ghost hunter who uploads all his haunted findings on the web. He spends his life in a converted van that he named "Vanessa". His day job is documenting paranormal activity and traveling the country to explore and film haunted sites.
Dan calls his insurance agent, Chad Brewer, whenever he has an injury or need to file a claim due to his paranormal day job. Chad is a skeptic and he doesn’t believe in ghosts but he enjoys subscribing to it to watch the cute vlogger. They always talk whenever Dan has to call his agent and both of them always enjoy these calls. Unfortunately, Chad gets fired for approving too many insurance claims and is offered a personal assistant position with Dan and his Hauntastic Haunts.
Their first job working together is to go to the Goodman Dairy Farm to find out what type of haunting is going on. Along the way, they have to figure out how to live and work together while trying to maintain their professional boundaries. I loved how both Chad and Dan fought their attraction and tried to keep the professionalism going for as long as possible. Of course, when they finally do decide to date off-hours, it isn't long before a miscommunication separates the men. I'm so happy they were able to sort everything out and find their way back to each other. Chad's surprise visitor near the end was so touching and I love the message that is left behind. I also really liked the way that Alex Silver wrote Chad's character. It was a very straightforward explanation of Chad's transition and explained Chad's personal life. Dan's matter-of-fact acceptance of Chad telling him that he is trans was really touching and nice. He was so sweet trying to give him some privacy when Chad had to do his testosterone injections.
Dan and Chad are a wonderful and amazing couple with just the right level of heat and sweetness as they travel the country in Vanessa. I love this series and I'm so excited for Book 3 :) I really love enjoying new authors to read and now my TBR list just keeps growing.
Dan calls his insurance agent, Chad Brewer, whenever he has an injury or need to file a claim due to his paranormal day job. Chad is a skeptic and he doesn’t believe in ghosts but he enjoys subscribing to it to watch the cute vlogger. They always talk whenever Dan has to call his agent and both of them always enjoy these calls. Unfortunately, Chad gets fired for approving too many insurance claims and is offered a personal assistant position with Dan and his Hauntastic Haunts.
Their first job working together is to go to the Goodman Dairy Farm to find out what type of haunting is going on. Along the way, they have to figure out how to live and work together while trying to maintain their professional boundaries. I loved how both Chad and Dan fought their attraction and tried to keep the professionalism going for as long as possible. Of course, when they finally do decide to date off-hours, it isn't long before a miscommunication separates the men. I'm so happy they were able to sort everything out and find their way back to each other. Chad's surprise visitor near the end was so touching and I love the message that is left behind. I also really liked the way that Alex Silver wrote Chad's character. It was a very straightforward explanation of Chad's transition and explained Chad's personal life. Dan's matter-of-fact acceptance of Chad telling him that he is trans was really touching and nice. He was so sweet trying to give him some privacy when Chad had to do his testosterone injections.
Dan and Chad are a wonderful and amazing couple with just the right level of heat and sweetness as they travel the country in Vanessa. I love this series and I'm so excited for Book 3 :) I really love enjoying new authors to read and now my TBR list just keeps growing.
October 27, 2025
This was quite good, lots of scares and thrills. The plot was great and they did a good job of introducing the social media show, how it worked, and what it did with showing rather than telling.
The characters were really well done. The trans stuff was awesome. The discussion of gender dysphoria was appropriate for a new relationship and for coming out to a group. For example, how trans people don’t like being asked about their previous name. It isn’t who they are. What they’re called now is their name and who they are. I had/have a daughter and a son who are trans and this felt true to the things they have said they felt and they wanted. They both got really upset and angry if people even found out the name on their birth certificates. I liked that Dan was completely accepting, wasn’t clueless and asked very few questions while still being totally supportive and engaged. He didn’t assume anything though. He let Chad lead the way. It wasn’t about Chad being trans either. It was just another aspect of the book.
I like they didn’t jump into bed the second they admitted feelings for each other. They did stuff they had to do. They had sex quickly after that, though, which was understandable.
There were some things that annoyed me like the van was ridiculous. It would have to be the size of an RV including width (he had a king-sized bed in the back to begin with and that’s huge). I’ve never seen a van that big. And insurance open enrollment is just for switching within your organization’s policies like with Medicare. You can get a new policy with a new insurance company at any time.
I definitely want to read the next one.
The narrator was awful. There wasn’t any variation in the voices but the really bad point was that he sounded like he was shouting the whole time. If I hadn’t really wanted to read this book and needed it for a challenge, I wouldn’t have listened to it.
The characters were really well done. The trans stuff was awesome. The discussion of gender dysphoria was appropriate for a new relationship and for coming out to a group. For example, how trans people don’t like being asked about their previous name. It isn’t who they are. What they’re called now is their name and who they are. I had/have a daughter and a son who are trans and this felt true to the things they have said they felt and they wanted. They both got really upset and angry if people even found out the name on their birth certificates. I liked that Dan was completely accepting, wasn’t clueless and asked very few questions while still being totally supportive and engaged. He didn’t assume anything though. He let Chad lead the way. It wasn’t about Chad being trans either. It was just another aspect of the book.
I like they didn’t jump into bed the second they admitted feelings for each other. They did stuff they had to do. They had sex quickly after that, though, which was understandable.
There were some things that annoyed me like the van was ridiculous. It would have to be the size of an RV including width (he had a king-sized bed in the back to begin with and that’s huge). I’ve never seen a van that big. And insurance open enrollment is just for switching within your organization’s policies like with Medicare. You can get a new policy with a new insurance company at any time.
I definitely want to read the next one.
The narrator was awful. There wasn’t any variation in the voices but the really bad point was that he sounded like he was shouting the whole time. If I hadn’t really wanted to read this book and needed it for a challenge, I wouldn’t have listened to it.
August 23, 2022
"Dan’s Hauntastic Haunts Investigates: Goodman Dairy" received THREE stars.
Loved the relationship between Daniel and Chad. 💕
The novel gained *stars* for these items:
* gained for: "The book caught my interest in the first five pages."
1/2 * gained for: "I thought about the book when I was forced to set it down and re-enter society."
* gained for: "There were no info dumps, poor writing, or copy edit mistakes that jerked me out of the story."
1/2 * gained for: "I was sad when the book ended. I wanted more!"
The novel failed to gain stars for this item:
NO STAR gained for: "That's it. I'm hooked on this author. I will automatically try anything she/he/they writes."
Loved the relationship between Daniel and Chad. 💕
The novel gained *stars* for these items:
* gained for: "The book caught my interest in the first five pages."
1/2 * gained for: "I thought about the book when I was forced to set it down and re-enter society."
* gained for: "There were no info dumps, poor writing, or copy edit mistakes that jerked me out of the story."
1/2 * gained for: "I was sad when the book ended. I wanted more!"
The novel failed to gain stars for this item:
NO STAR gained for: "That's it. I'm hooked on this author. I will automatically try anything she/he/they writes."
May 23, 2023
Audio: PLEASE do not use this narrator again, AWFUL!!!!!
Story: Had lots of potential but it is definitely NOT a romance. The writing is interesting and the story telling is good with the exception of the fact that Dan has NO medium powers, so what is the point of saying you are trying to "help" the spirits. If you are not a medium, then you can't help, you are just a ghost "finder" I guess.
Not sure if I will continue the rest of the books, still TBD. Hope you enjoy! On to the next one, Happy Readings!!!
Story: Had lots of potential but it is definitely NOT a romance. The writing is interesting and the story telling is good with the exception of the fact that Dan has NO medium powers, so what is the point of saying you are trying to "help" the spirits. If you are not a medium, then you can't help, you are just a ghost "finder" I guess.
Not sure if I will continue the rest of the books, still TBD. Hope you enjoy! On to the next one, Happy Readings!!!
November 14, 2019
This story was unlike any I’ve read before, I can’t really put my finger on why it was different, but I definitely felt it. Alex Silver can definitely write, although I think sometimes less is more and that’s the only reason this was 4 stars instead of 5 for me. But if you’re a tech junkie, I’m sure you’ll love all the added detail! I loved Chad and Dan though and thought their romance was very sweet.
July 1, 2020
Great book
This was very nice story.
I liked both Dan and Chad. They are fun, sweet guys. I really liked how they meet, connect and get together. Some parts of the book were a little predictable, but otherwise, it was good.
I liked the ghost plot, that part was very well done and I really enjoyed it. I liked the resolution as well.
Overall a good book, can't wait to read the next one
This was very nice story.
I liked both Dan and Chad. They are fun, sweet guys. I really liked how they meet, connect and get together. Some parts of the book were a little predictable, but otherwise, it was good.
I liked the ghost plot, that part was very well done and I really enjoyed it. I liked the resolution as well.
Overall a good book, can't wait to read the next one
August 30, 2020
Haunts and Romance
I'm excited to dive deeper into this series. Chad and Daniel have undeniable chemistry. The ups and downs in their relationship felt very natural and had me rooting for them. The investigation unfolded nicely, and I confess I was hoping for a more detailed resolution. Even so I'm looking forward to learning more about Daniel and Chad and what ghost they're up against next!
I'm excited to dive deeper into this series. Chad and Daniel have undeniable chemistry. The ups and downs in their relationship felt very natural and had me rooting for them. The investigation unfolded nicely, and I confess I was hoping for a more detailed resolution. Even so I'm looking forward to learning more about Daniel and Chad and what ghost they're up against next!
October 16, 2020
You guys know I usually stick to the genre I write in, but I treated myself to a contemporary ghost story as a Halloween brain candy. And it was delicious!
Alex always creates characters I kind of want to treat like a cousin, aka give a hug and then a lecture. Dan is no exception. And Chad is such a great match for him. Add in a haunted rural setting and a nasty ghost, and it was a sweet Halloween read!
Alex always creates characters I kind of want to treat like a cousin, aka give a hug and then a lecture. Dan is no exception. And Chad is such a great match for him. Add in a haunted rural setting and a nasty ghost, and it was a sweet Halloween read!
February 8, 2022
2.5ish stars
the premise was so good? i mean the titles sounds fun and the premise of ghosthunters was cool! The issue was this works as a guide on how to become a ghosthunter with a youtube channel more than anything else. Like the fantasy and romantic elements which I wanted to see were largely in the background and I didn't completely vibe with the humor. i wanted to give 4-5 stars badly, i just didn't enjoy this
the premise was so good? i mean the titles sounds fun and the premise of ghosthunters was cool! The issue was this works as a guide on how to become a ghosthunter with a youtube channel more than anything else. Like the fantasy and romantic elements which I wanted to see were largely in the background and I didn't completely vibe with the humor. i wanted to give 4-5 stars badly, i just didn't enjoy this
May 22, 2025
The real mystery to me is how this book appeared on my desk, in my locked office. Did a stranger really break into my office to give me smut??
We need more stories from queer, and particularly trans, authors. Especially those of joy! Unfortunately, this book was let down by poor sentence structure, formatting and lack of editing. I felt like I was marking my assignments, rather than enjoying a mysteriously appearing novel.
We need more stories from queer, and particularly trans, authors. Especially those of joy! Unfortunately, this book was let down by poor sentence structure, formatting and lack of editing. I felt like I was marking my assignments, rather than enjoying a mysteriously appearing novel.
June 11, 2020
Really loved all the details on the haunting equipment and set up. Great main characters. I can only assume research was done about being a trans person. I felt like I was getting an education (in a good way) and it made me aware that I have a lot to learn and I want to do so. I have an arc of book 2 so I'm heading back to Chad and Dan
October 17, 2023
Audio review- a fun paranormal series by a new to me narrator. His voice is upbeat and engaging. I wish there was more character voice distinction. I really had to pay attention to who was speaking. If more audios are produced I will definitely listen. Otherwise I'll continue the series in ebook format.
September 23, 2024
This book was a great read! I loved the trans representation, and the ghost hunting added a lot of fun and excitement. The only reason I’m giving it 3 stars instead of 4 is that, at fifty chapters, it felt a bit long. I think the story could have wrapped up around thirty. Still, the plot kept me engaged, and I really enjoyed it overall!
May 6, 2020
Very fun read!
This is my first book from this author, and I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it. I will be waiting for book 2. Paranormal with a bit of angst. You get to know the main characters on a personal level and I like that in a story.
This is my first book from this author, and I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it. I will be waiting for book 2. Paranormal with a bit of angst. You get to know the main characters on a personal level and I like that in a story.
June 16, 2020
Enjoyed It
Okay so I'm a paranormal junkie, and this one fulfilled that need for the paranormal activity. Plus you get the nice little addition of watching Chad and Dan's relationship grow which is very sweet and cute.
I can't wait to read their next haunting...
Okay so I'm a paranormal junkie, and this one fulfilled that need for the paranormal activity. Plus you get the nice little addition of watching Chad and Dan's relationship grow which is very sweet and cute.
I can't wait to read their next haunting...
April 30, 2021
Engaging
I’m a big fan of ghost stories, and this book has a good haunting that is mixed together with a sweet romance. I liked reading about these two, but I never felt especially connected to them. Worth a look.
I’m a big fan of ghost stories, and this book has a good haunting that is mixed together with a sweet romance. I liked reading about these two, but I never felt especially connected to them. Worth a look.
February 9, 2023
Enjoyed the characters, especially that one was trans. Enjoyed the ghosts & paranormal activity. Learned some about the "vlogging" business, but don't know how much was true or not. Sorta scary if you believe ghosts can do the stuff this ghost did.
November 14, 2023
3.5
Loved the ghost story. Had some scary moments.
But I wasn't too keen on the romance especially since Chad had some issues on staying power and Daniel offer some things to Chad that would make me nervous with someone new.
Loved the ghost story. Had some scary moments.
But I wasn't too keen on the romance especially since Chad had some issues on staying power and Daniel offer some things to Chad that would make me nervous with someone new.
January 26, 2023
Good read
Not a fan of the trans genre but I like the story and the characters. Very real and I could empathise with them.
Not a fan of the trans genre but I like the story and the characters. Very real and I could empathise with them.
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