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The Second-Best Haunted Hotel on Mercer Street
A family-run haunted hotel’s livelihood is threatened when a bigger haunted hotel opens nearby in this hilarious, spooky story Twelve-year-old Willow Ivan’s family has run the Hotel Ivan for four hundred years. Through thick and thin, they’ve held on tight to their title as the Best Haunted Hotel on Mercer Street. That is, until the Hauntery—a corporate chain of haunted hotels—moves in down the street. As the Ivan’s business fades, so do their ghostly staff. And Willow begins to worry that The Ivan’s days are numbered. Then Willow meets Evie, a Hauntery ghost who’s forced to play the part of a Spooky Little Girl even though she longs to be a Terrifying Phantasm. So when Willow offers her a job at The Ivan, Evie accepts—but she doesn’t tell Willow that she’s still working for The Ivan’s competition, for fear of losing her new job and friend. Together, the girls come up with a plan to save The Ivan. But with The Ivan ghosts already fading and Evie’s secret threatening to come out, will it be too late?
304 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 18, 2020
4 people are currently reading
307 people want to read
About the author
Cory Putman Oakes
9 books211 followersCory Putman Oakes was born in Basel, Switzerland, but grew up in Novato, California and attended Marin Catholic High School. She then spent three fantastic years at the University of California at Los Angeles before graduating in 2001 with a B.A. in Psychology. In 2004, Cory graduated from Cornell Law School with a Juris Doctorate Degree and her husband, Mark (the first was the intended consequence of attending the school, the second was a bonus). Since then, she has been an associate at a big law firm, taught business law to undergraduates at Texas State University and written several books for young people.
Cory now lives in Austin, Texas with Mark and their two kids. In addition to writing, Cory enjoys reading, cooking, running, and hanging out with her family and pets.
Cory now lives in Austin, Texas with Mark and their two kids. In addition to writing, Cory enjoys reading, cooking, running, and hanging out with her family and pets.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews
June 29, 2021
3.5 stars
What does a small mom-and-pop haunted hotel do when a big chain business comes into town? Up their game, of course. Ghost-y style. This was so fun to read!
Concept: ★★★★★
Pacing: ★★★
Characters: ★★★ 1/2
Do you like ghosts? Do you like light-hearted fun? Do you like middle grade? If you answered yes to any of those questions, I'd love to recommend this book directly to you.
I picked this up on a whim from my local bookstore because I was immediately drawn in by the title, The Second-Best Haunted Hotel on Mercer Street. It's a mouthful (true) but it's also the kind of title that screams to be read (ahhh!).
In this book, you can expect: a 6th grade girl doing her best in a family reeling from a recent tragedy, an eclectic family of ghosts that leap off of the page, a dramatic showdown between characters that reminded me heavily of the sense of drama in A Series of Unfortunate Events, and a whole lotta cool dialogue surrounding ghosts and their integrations into our "living" society.
Read it! I promise you'll have a good time.
Blog | Instagram
What does a small mom-and-pop haunted hotel do when a big chain business comes into town? Up their game, of course. Ghost-y style. This was so fun to read!
Concept: ★★★★★
Pacing: ★★★
Characters: ★★★ 1/2
Do you like ghosts? Do you like light-hearted fun? Do you like middle grade? If you answered yes to any of those questions, I'd love to recommend this book directly to you.
I picked this up on a whim from my local bookstore because I was immediately drawn in by the title, The Second-Best Haunted Hotel on Mercer Street. It's a mouthful (true) but it's also the kind of title that screams to be read (ahhh!).
In this book, you can expect: a 6th grade girl doing her best in a family reeling from a recent tragedy, an eclectic family of ghosts that leap off of the page, a dramatic showdown between characters that reminded me heavily of the sense of drama in A Series of Unfortunate Events, and a whole lotta cool dialogue surrounding ghosts and their integrations into our "living" society.
Read it! I promise you'll have a good time.
Blog | Instagram
October 1, 2020
This was such a fun book! I loved it!Perfect for this time of year! I loved the Hotel Ivan so much. I got all the cozy vibes from it. Each chapter alternates b/n our 2 main characters Willow & Evie. Willow is a living girl trying to run her family hotel on her own after her mom passed 6 months before, & her dad is suffering from depression. She’s trying to keep the hotel open & her ghosts from fading. Evie is a ghost & her & her family work at the Hotel Ivan’s new competition, The Hauntery Hotel. The girls meet & things take off from there. This touches on grief & handles it very well I thought. I loved the friendship these 2 girls developed. I loved seeing the story unfold & loved how it ended. I loved all of the ghosts especially Pierce. Just a great story. There are also beautiful illustrations all throughout the book to go along w/the beautiful cover. There’s no dust jacket, & it’s beautiful!😍😍Highly recommend!!💜💜
Synopsis: Twelve-year-old Willow Ivan’s family has run the Hotel Ivan for four hundred years. Through thick and thin, they’ve held on tight to their title as the Best Haunted Hotel on Mercer Street. That is, until the Hauntery—a corporate chain of haunted hotels—moves in down the street. As the Ivan’s business fades, so do their ghostly staff. And Willow begins to worry that The Ivan’s days are numbered.
Then Willow meets Evie, a Hauntery ghost who’s forced to play the part of a Spooky Little Girl even though she longs to be a Terrifying Phantasm. So when Willow offers her a job at The Ivan, Evie accepts—but she doesn’t tell Willow that she’s still working for The Ivan’s competition, for fear of losing her new job and friend.
Together, the girls come up with a plan to save The Ivan. But with The Ivan ghosts already fading and Evie’s secret threatening to come out, will it be too late?
Synopsis: Twelve-year-old Willow Ivan’s family has run the Hotel Ivan for four hundred years. Through thick and thin, they’ve held on tight to their title as the Best Haunted Hotel on Mercer Street. That is, until the Hauntery—a corporate chain of haunted hotels—moves in down the street. As the Ivan’s business fades, so do their ghostly staff. And Willow begins to worry that The Ivan’s days are numbered.
Then Willow meets Evie, a Hauntery ghost who’s forced to play the part of a Spooky Little Girl even though she longs to be a Terrifying Phantasm. So when Willow offers her a job at The Ivan, Evie accepts—but she doesn’t tell Willow that she’s still working for The Ivan’s competition, for fear of losing her new job and friend.
Together, the girls come up with a plan to save The Ivan. But with The Ivan ghosts already fading and Evie’s secret threatening to come out, will it be too late?
August 10, 2020
This was such a cute story! For anyone who doesn't know, I am a sucker for ghosts in stories, and so when I read this description, I knew it was something I wanted to read.
The Second-Best Haunted Hotel on Mercer Street is about a girl who is trying to save her family's haunted hotel from a corporate haunted hotel that opens down the street. She meets one of the ghosts who works for the corporate hotel, and together, they work on saving her hotel.
I really liked that this was a story about family and staying true to one's self. It was a very uplifting sort of read, and I really felt for both Willow and Evie and the things they were trying to deal with. There was a good mix of darker and lighter themes throughout the book, and I think the author did a good job depicting these things. Overall, I think this was a really fun read and it's a book that I would recommend.
Thank you so much to Netgalley and ABRAMS Kids for this e-arc, in exchange for an honest review.
The Second-Best Haunted Hotel on Mercer Street is about a girl who is trying to save her family's haunted hotel from a corporate haunted hotel that opens down the street. She meets one of the ghosts who works for the corporate hotel, and together, they work on saving her hotel.
I really liked that this was a story about family and staying true to one's self. It was a very uplifting sort of read, and I really felt for both Willow and Evie and the things they were trying to deal with. There was a good mix of darker and lighter themes throughout the book, and I think the author did a good job depicting these things. Overall, I think this was a really fun read and it's a book that I would recommend.
Thank you so much to Netgalley and ABRAMS Kids for this e-arc, in exchange for an honest review.
August 20, 2020
This was such a fun, easy read! There was plenty of humor coupled with some deeper issues of family business, depression, and LGBTQ topics. My favorite character was definitely Leonata, the opera singing drag queen ghost! In a world where ghosts are part of everyday life, greedy corporations are shown to be the real threat. Middle grade readers will enjoy the action and the slight scares involved as well as the humor and fun. More mature readers will also pick up on the deeper levels. I recommend this across the board!
October 18, 2021
I waited almost a year to read this as part of the spooky reads for October.
To summarize the novel: The Living’s fears keep ghosts from fading and possibly fading to Move On (or that’s what research say).
Willow is grief stricken with the passing of her mom. Her dad is in a depressed state and Willow has take it upon herself to run the Hotel Ivan for the past six months.
With the declining number of scared guests, the long time residents of Hotel Ivan are slowly Fading. Now a new haunted hotel, the Mercer Street Hauntery, a chain of haunted hotels (which hide a deceptive secret), ruin the risk of closing Hotel Ivan’s doors for good.
Then there’s Evie who just moved into town with the new opening of a new haunted hotel, which is a threat to the already struggling Hotel Ivan. Evie is unhappy and feels ignored by her family. All she really wants to do is become the most frighten Phantasm.
This book is a perfect spooky read. The ending is spot on and remember to ask yourself, “are you living for yourself?”
To summarize the novel: The Living’s fears keep ghosts from fading and possibly fading to Move On (or that’s what research say).
Willow is grief stricken with the passing of her mom. Her dad is in a depressed state and Willow has take it upon herself to run the Hotel Ivan for the past six months.
With the declining number of scared guests, the long time residents of Hotel Ivan are slowly Fading. Now a new haunted hotel, the Mercer Street Hauntery, a chain of haunted hotels (which hide a deceptive secret), ruin the risk of closing Hotel Ivan’s doors for good.
Then there’s Evie who just moved into town with the new opening of a new haunted hotel, which is a threat to the already struggling Hotel Ivan. Evie is unhappy and feels ignored by her family. All she really wants to do is become the most frighten Phantasm.
This book is a perfect spooky read. The ending is spot on and remember to ask yourself, “are you living for yourself?”
February 17, 2022
I have a new favorite middle-grade book! This was absolutely WONDERFUL, and I devoured it in just a few sittings! I loved the illustrations, the characters, the plot, and the themes--everything about it was just top tier. Books like this are the reason I love the genre, and I cannot wait to pick up more.
I'll have a reading vlog for this book coming out soon.
I'll have a reading vlog for this book coming out soon.
August 20, 2020
The Second-Best Haunted Hotel on Mercer Street is a fun book that isn't afraid to make its characters fight hard for their goals.
At the crux of the story is a competition between two haunted hotels to prove which is better and which is going out of business. Imagine Borders still existed and a huge one just moved in next to your local independent bookstore. Except you can stay overnight in the bookstore and it's full of ghosts. (I kind of want this in my life right now.)
The story is told from two points of view. First is Willow, a twelve-year-old trying to maintain the historic, independent haunted establishment, Hotel Ivan. Willow's dad is a widower struggling with depression who doesn't really notice day-to-day events, leaving Willow to run things solo. Willow's mother is a ghost as well but one who floats around aimlessly, not seeming to understand where or even who she is. While the emotional toll on Willow is heavy, she's often so busy pushing forward with the needs of the hotel that she doesn't stop to process what all this grief and stress is doing to her. For all the lightheartedness of the book, it certainly has its heavier and more serious moments.
The second POV character is Evie, a ghost girl working at a new, upscale, corporate-run hotel called The Hauntery. Corporate has highly specific guidelines for its "non-corporal entities," and Evie is assigned the role of a creepy little girl, stuck forever wearing poofy dresses and chanting "come play with us" alongside another identically dressed ghost. (Evie later comments that she doesn't hate dresses in general, just being forced to wear specific ones at specific times. It was a very minor piece of dialogue, but I really appreciated the author taking a swing at the myth that girls can either be strong and independent or like dresses and bows but somehow not both.) Evie dreams of playing the role of a Terrifying Phantasm, a job reserved for the scariest ghosts in the business, and suffice it to say, no one believes she qualifies.
For the first half of the book, both Evie and Willow are struggling to stay afloat in their present circumstances but not really making any progress forward. The misfortunes that pile up on both of them largely have a classic middle-grade humorous bend. (Let's face it, a little ghost girl getting a lecture about cuteness protocols to achieve the proper level of creepiness is pretty amusing.) I wish the girls would have had some opportunity to improve things for themselves earlier in the book, but once they connect, the plot really picks up, and the moral debate of Evie trying to decide what (or who) is most important to her became a key point driving the plot. Middle grade fiction desperately needs more good characters who still make poor decisions, and Evie and Willow both struggle in this area at some point in the story. It was refreshing and made the girls easy to relate to, especially when their hearts were in the right places, but fear of rejection or failure steered them off-course.
Overall, the book has a catchy premise, superb illustrations that bring the characters to life, and a heartfelt ending that made it well worth the read.
At the crux of the story is a competition between two haunted hotels to prove which is better and which is going out of business. Imagine Borders still existed and a huge one just moved in next to your local independent bookstore. Except you can stay overnight in the bookstore and it's full of ghosts. (I kind of want this in my life right now.)
The story is told from two points of view. First is Willow, a twelve-year-old trying to maintain the historic, independent haunted establishment, Hotel Ivan. Willow's dad is a widower struggling with depression who doesn't really notice day-to-day events, leaving Willow to run things solo. Willow's mother is a ghost as well but one who floats around aimlessly, not seeming to understand where or even who she is. While the emotional toll on Willow is heavy, she's often so busy pushing forward with the needs of the hotel that she doesn't stop to process what all this grief and stress is doing to her. For all the lightheartedness of the book, it certainly has its heavier and more serious moments.
The second POV character is Evie, a ghost girl working at a new, upscale, corporate-run hotel called The Hauntery. Corporate has highly specific guidelines for its "non-corporal entities," and Evie is assigned the role of a creepy little girl, stuck forever wearing poofy dresses and chanting "come play with us" alongside another identically dressed ghost. (Evie later comments that she doesn't hate dresses in general, just being forced to wear specific ones at specific times. It was a very minor piece of dialogue, but I really appreciated the author taking a swing at the myth that girls can either be strong and independent or like dresses and bows but somehow not both.) Evie dreams of playing the role of a Terrifying Phantasm, a job reserved for the scariest ghosts in the business, and suffice it to say, no one believes she qualifies.
For the first half of the book, both Evie and Willow are struggling to stay afloat in their present circumstances but not really making any progress forward. The misfortunes that pile up on both of them largely have a classic middle-grade humorous bend. (Let's face it, a little ghost girl getting a lecture about cuteness protocols to achieve the proper level of creepiness is pretty amusing.) I wish the girls would have had some opportunity to improve things for themselves earlier in the book, but once they connect, the plot really picks up, and the moral debate of Evie trying to decide what (or who) is most important to her became a key point driving the plot. Middle grade fiction desperately needs more good characters who still make poor decisions, and Evie and Willow both struggle in this area at some point in the story. It was refreshing and made the girls easy to relate to, especially when their hearts were in the right places, but fear of rejection or failure steered them off-course.
Overall, the book has a catchy premise, superb illustrations that bring the characters to life, and a heartfelt ending that made it well worth the read.
August 7, 2021
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“The Second-Best Haunted Hotel on Mercer Street” is a charming middle-grade novel of friendship and family mixed with spooky ghosts and haunted hotels.
I enjoyed the way the author executed the story. She includes a lot in the story, like grief, loss, friendship, humor, and even suspenseful moments. The author also makes the tale so creative, like coming up with GhouledIn, a professional networking site exclusively for ghosts. I also loved the movie references she includes, like the twins from the Shining. Moreover, the author created the setting in an atmospheric yet family-friendly manner. If this hotel were actual, it would be one of the very few Haunted Hotels I would not mind checking out.
The main characters are well written. Willow and Evie are lovely, and I enjoyed how the author progressed the story alternating between their perspectives. It was interesting to see how they meet and form a friendship. They have contrasting personalities, and you would think they have nothing in common, but they fit nicely. Moreover, I liked how the author handled Willow’s relationship with her father over the loss of her mother. The author also adds exciting moments, particularly around Mr. Renard’s character. I also found Pierce to be a memorable character.
Similarly, the illustrations by Jane Pica adds beautifully to the book, and I loved the way she drew the expressions on the characters. The pictures give the story a whimsical feel and would appeal to the reader.
Overall, “The Second-Best Haunted Hotel on Mercer Street” is the perfect middle-grade book to pick up for Halloween or if you are in the mood for fun haunted house (or, in this case, Haunted Hotel) story.
November 24, 2020
Willow will do anything to make sure her family’s Haunted Hotel runs perfectly and that the ghosts DO NOT FADE. But it’s a hard job. Dad is depressed, mom’s floating around (and not in a good way), and a truant officer is coming to get her. But she needs her family, and her famly of ghosts to keep the tradition and the hotel alive. But bad news has moved in down the street: a Hauntery opens up next door, Willow has got to come up with some way to keep the Zagged guide star.
Evie, is a new resident of the Hauntery. She is doomed to forever play scarly little girl in a pink dress and pigtails. What she really wants to be is the star attraction of a haunted hotel, a scary Phantasm. But she’s a ghost, and must play on people's fears to keep from fading. When these two girls get together there is nothing they can’t do.
This book was charming. It’s peppered with illustrations. The way the ghosts interact and are a part of the story is not scary, but loving, and an everyday occurrence. You feel for Willow who with little to no notice when from normal girl, to person in card over night. You also fee for Evie, constantly being told she must forever remain one thing, a kid. This book looks at loss in a very loving and moving way, while also being a comedy delight. It was a thoroughly enjoyable read for 3rd grade and up (maybe even younger) and would probably be a great audiobook. I can easily see it being snapped up for a movie or a series.
Evie, is a new resident of the Hauntery. She is doomed to forever play scarly little girl in a pink dress and pigtails. What she really wants to be is the star attraction of a haunted hotel, a scary Phantasm. But she’s a ghost, and must play on people's fears to keep from fading. When these two girls get together there is nothing they can’t do.
This book was charming. It’s peppered with illustrations. The way the ghosts interact and are a part of the story is not scary, but loving, and an everyday occurrence. You feel for Willow who with little to no notice when from normal girl, to person in card over night. You also fee for Evie, constantly being told she must forever remain one thing, a kid. This book looks at loss in a very loving and moving way, while also being a comedy delight. It was a thoroughly enjoyable read for 3rd grade and up (maybe even younger) and would probably be a great audiobook. I can easily see it being snapped up for a movie or a series.
July 4, 2020
The Second-Best Haunted Hotel on Mercer Street is a total delight from the start: a David and Goliath story with ghosts. There’s witty wordplay, an LGBT ghost couple, and fun callbacks to horror tropes. It’s also a story with a hidden depth and tackles heavy topics like depression and grief. I tore through this one in no time and look forward to what the author does next!
July 30, 2020
Middle grade, haunted hotel, ghosts who carry on with their lives, friendship, family, and learning to have conviction--yes, please! Oakes's book grabs the reader on the front page and doesn't let go as we get to know all the residents, living and dead, and the lives they lead. A bit reminiscent of Disney's Tower of Terror, this book has it all.
Thank you NetGalley and ABRAMS Kids for the opportunity to read an advance reading copy.
Thank you NetGalley and ABRAMS Kids for the opportunity to read an advance reading copy.
October 1, 2021
3.5 ⭐️
July 16, 2022
Such a fun read. Cute spooky ghost story
July 5, 2020
I received an electronic ARC from ABRAMS Kids through NetGalley.
This book reads on two levels. The easiest is a charming light ghost story with plenty of humor and mishaps. The deeper level deals with grief and depression and having to cope with adult issues as a child. Putnam Oakes creates realistic characters - both living and dead. Willow's family has run the Haunted Hotel for over 400 years. She has taken over running it as her mom passed away unexpectedly and her dad is too deep in his depression to do it. This sixth grader copes as best she can but learns a valuable lesson on relying on others. The new competition, The Hauntery, brings the second lead into the book. Evie and her family work for this corporation. She's trapped in the little girl ghost role but wants more. To do that, she also takes a job at Willow's hotel and balances her two lives as best she can. In the end, her actions save the hotel and expose the corruption in the Hauntery's upper management levels.
Middle grade readers will enjoy the action and the slight scares involved as well as the humor and fun. More mature readers will also pick up on the deeper levels.
This book reads on two levels. The easiest is a charming light ghost story with plenty of humor and mishaps. The deeper level deals with grief and depression and having to cope with adult issues as a child. Putnam Oakes creates realistic characters - both living and dead. Willow's family has run the Haunted Hotel for over 400 years. She has taken over running it as her mom passed away unexpectedly and her dad is too deep in his depression to do it. This sixth grader copes as best she can but learns a valuable lesson on relying on others. The new competition, The Hauntery, brings the second lead into the book. Evie and her family work for this corporation. She's trapped in the little girl ghost role but wants more. To do that, she also takes a job at Willow's hotel and balances her two lives as best she can. In the end, her actions save the hotel and expose the corruption in the Hauntery's upper management levels.
Middle grade readers will enjoy the action and the slight scares involved as well as the humor and fun. More mature readers will also pick up on the deeper levels.
October 18, 2020
I think I would have liked this more if I was a kid.
It has a cute premise and good lessons to take away.
I got bored after a while. It probably didn't help that I was trying to read this in 24 hours for a readathon.
I also didn't like how ghosts and humans just coexisted in the whole world. They even have their own laws. I thought the interactions would be just unique with the beings at the hotel and maybe other people.
It has a cute premise and good lessons to take away.
I got bored after a while. It probably didn't help that I was trying to read this in 24 hours for a readathon.
I also didn't like how ghosts and humans just coexisted in the whole world. They even have their own laws. I thought the interactions would be just unique with the beings at the hotel and maybe other people.
August 29, 2020
A DRC from Edelweiss
Very slow. The story itself is okay, just a slow telling and really didn't catch my attention. I usually like supernatural stories, but this was just a little eh.
Very slow. The story itself is okay, just a slow telling and really didn't catch my attention. I usually like supernatural stories, but this was just a little eh.
September 2, 2020
Even if it's well written I found this story very slow and it didn't keep my attention.
Not my cup of tea.
Many thanks to the publisher and Edelweiss for this ARC, all opinions are mine
Not my cup of tea.
Many thanks to the publisher and Edelweiss for this ARC, all opinions are mine
July 1, 2020
Actually, More of a Family Story
This is being promoted as a fun ghost story. On the surface that's certainly true. But at heart this is a warm and insightful family drama and coming-of-age story involving two fine young heroines.
Willow is trying to keep her family and its ghost-themed hotel up and running after the death of her mom and her father's collapse into depression. Evie, a ghost, works along with her family of ghosts for a competing corporate owned ghost hotel, and feels trapped in her assigned strictly scripted ghost child role. The two girls meet and become friends, and through a variety of twisty plot turns they address the healing of Willow's family, the survival of Willow's hotel, and the self realization of each girl.
Notice that apart from identifying Evie as a ghost and setting the scene of two competing ghost haunted hotels, the ghost part isn't exactly central. This book could involve two girls at competing summer camps, or competing high schools, or competing circuses, or pretty much anything else, and the bones of the story would be the same. There's nothing wrong with that, or course, and if anything the actual book is more substantial and compelling than the blurbs would lead you to believe.
That's because, first, the growth and self discovery of the two girls is reasonably authentic, as are the girl characters themselves. Willow and Evie have distinctly different personalities, but each is engaging in her own fashion. Second, the ghost stuff is clever, amusing, and well conceived, which makes the drama and messages easier to swallow. I won't go into the "ghost magic system" because it makes almost no sense. (Example, if there are hundreds of haunted hotel businesses, populated by well known performing ghosts who travel about like vaudeville entertainers, why are hotel guests authentically terrified when they encounter one?) Luckily, that sort of thing doesn't matter because the ghosts are mostly there to be an extended and supportive family for Willow, and in that regard they are colorful, exotic, fussy, neurotic, funny, and, well, supportive.
This is all well written, with a sly and gentle sort of humor, and an eye for subtle puns and wordplay. There are some bumpy and unconvincing parts, but that's true of any book of this sort. Bottom line, I was engaged by Willow and Evie and quite taken with their personal hero journeys.
(Please note that I received a free advance ecopy of this book without a review requirement, or any influence regarding review content should I choose to post a review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)
This is being promoted as a fun ghost story. On the surface that's certainly true. But at heart this is a warm and insightful family drama and coming-of-age story involving two fine young heroines.
Willow is trying to keep her family and its ghost-themed hotel up and running after the death of her mom and her father's collapse into depression. Evie, a ghost, works along with her family of ghosts for a competing corporate owned ghost hotel, and feels trapped in her assigned strictly scripted ghost child role. The two girls meet and become friends, and through a variety of twisty plot turns they address the healing of Willow's family, the survival of Willow's hotel, and the self realization of each girl.
Notice that apart from identifying Evie as a ghost and setting the scene of two competing ghost haunted hotels, the ghost part isn't exactly central. This book could involve two girls at competing summer camps, or competing high schools, or competing circuses, or pretty much anything else, and the bones of the story would be the same. There's nothing wrong with that, or course, and if anything the actual book is more substantial and compelling than the blurbs would lead you to believe.
That's because, first, the growth and self discovery of the two girls is reasonably authentic, as are the girl characters themselves. Willow and Evie have distinctly different personalities, but each is engaging in her own fashion. Second, the ghost stuff is clever, amusing, and well conceived, which makes the drama and messages easier to swallow. I won't go into the "ghost magic system" because it makes almost no sense. (Example, if there are hundreds of haunted hotel businesses, populated by well known performing ghosts who travel about like vaudeville entertainers, why are hotel guests authentically terrified when they encounter one?) Luckily, that sort of thing doesn't matter because the ghosts are mostly there to be an extended and supportive family for Willow, and in that regard they are colorful, exotic, fussy, neurotic, funny, and, well, supportive.
This is all well written, with a sly and gentle sort of humor, and an eye for subtle puns and wordplay. There are some bumpy and unconvincing parts, but that's true of any book of this sort. Bottom line, I was engaged by Willow and Evie and quite taken with their personal hero journeys.
(Please note that I received a free advance ecopy of this book without a review requirement, or any influence regarding review content should I choose to post a review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)
May 25, 2023
Fun, breezy, spoopy and full of memorable characters. If you like your ghosts cute and with sassy personalities ala Casper the Friendly Ghost, this is the book for you!
Things I loved:
❤️There's LGBTQ representation. 2 gay male ghosts in a loving relationship and one of them is a Drag Queen. So fabulous.
❤️ Main character learns to let go of her grief and start living again
❤️ I liked the message that you can be more than what is expected of you and break down expectations.
❤️ Strong female friendships!
Things I loved:
❤️There's LGBTQ representation. 2 gay male ghosts in a loving relationship and one of them is a Drag Queen. So fabulous.
❤️ Main character learns to let go of her grief and start living again
❤️ I liked the message that you can be more than what is expected of you and break down expectations.
❤️ Strong female friendships!
October 25, 2023
When Willow’s haunted hotel is up for a rating in the Zagged guide, Willow knows everything has to be perfect. But the hotel couldn’t be farther from perfect. Her father is depressed and mourning the death of her mom, some of the ghost employees have started to fade, and Willow hasn’t been to school in almost six months.
When the Hauntery moves in down the street, Willow’s Ivan Hotel has quite the competition. Will Hotel Ivan come out on top? A great middle grade read that’s perfect for October. I enjoyed this one!
When the Hauntery moves in down the street, Willow’s Ivan Hotel has quite the competition. Will Hotel Ivan come out on top? A great middle grade read that’s perfect for October. I enjoyed this one!
August 11, 2020
I loved the idea of a haunted hotel with happy ghosts and it being a family owned operation. The rival hotel being a money maker with significantly less sentiment. Two young girls and the Hotel Ivan's ghosts fight to keep their beloved haunted hotel. I definitely felt Nancy Drew vibes from this book. This will be a cute fall read for middle grade kids who love anything to do with ghosts!
October 31, 2020
I read it from cover to cover in two days and cried and cried and cried. A children’s book, yes. An emotionally true children’s book. If I had realized how much grief was in it, I wouldn’t have read it, and I would have missed out. It’s good, but could use a warning label for the sensitive among us.
(Yes, I’m an adult.)
(Yes, I’m an adult.)
November 2, 2021
I almost got the physical book for the illustrations. But now I'm so happy I got the audio! The sound affect are to die for. I'm going to grab a physical book too now though. Thank you for writing about true things, depression, anxiety, gay couples, and the lose of a parent. This book is not just for children. I'm 30 and enjoyed every word.
April 10, 2023
This book was very cute! The concept was different than anything else I've read, and I thought the story was a fun Halloween read that wouldn't be scary. A little annoying that the literal child who was left in charge of everything kept being told to "relax and live her life" when none of the adults in the hotel were doing any work.
September 27, 2024
I read this book as part of a YA book club. It was better than I expected, but not for me. Of course your hotel is failing… It’s run by a 12yo girl. You gave everyone food poisoning, and the health department didn’t show up? It was hard to suspend my disbelief, and new usual genre is horror. That being said, it had some cute moments and a twist I only saw half coming. Would recommend for kids.
December 1, 2024
This fun little story follows the adventure of Willow Ivan as she tries to keep her family's ghost hotel afloat when a newer, bigger competitor comes to her street. She also is dealing with the recent death of her mother. It has a lot of action and some very tender moments throughout to make this a good story and great to add to Halloween enjoyment.
May 16, 2020
This was such a fun read! My favorite character was definitely Leonata, the opera singing drag queen ghost! In a world where ghosts are part of everyday life, greedy corporations are shown to be the real threat. I couldn't agree more.
September 7, 2020
Read- September 2020 for Becca's Bookopoly (Roll 10, Most Recent Purchase), A Touch of Whimsy Readathon (Strange or Mysterious) and MONSTERathon (Secret Crypt, Mystery Element)
- I adored all of the ghosts that recide at The Ivan.
- I adored all of the ghosts that recide at The Ivan.
October 12, 2021
This was just what I needed right now. Whimsical, funny, heartwarming...it was the perfect read. Even if, from an adult perspective, it was bit disconcerting to think that even after death we'd have to work...!
November 8, 2022
A Lovely Hotel, Inside is Haunting
Great story to read while eating Halloween treats where one could imagine staying the night at a spooky haunted hotel. Well written and ghostly edited turning the hotel industry upside down into the spiritual world.
Great story to read while eating Halloween treats where one could imagine staying the night at a spooky haunted hotel. Well written and ghostly edited turning the hotel industry upside down into the spiritual world.
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