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BuzzFeed Unsolved Supernatural: 101 True Tales of Hauntings, Demons, and the Paranormal
Based off one of the most popular web series on the internet, Ryan Bergara and Shane Madej present BuzzFeed Unsolved Supernatural, 101 of the scariest, spookiest, and creepiest locations around the USA and a few abroad, with 50 percent brand-new content and locales exclusive to the book.
Hey there, demons! BuzzFeed Unsolved Supernatural has entertained viewers over the course of seven spooky seasons, covering the supernatural and otherworldly spirits, to ghosts, ghouls, unexplained paranormal activity, and everything in between. In their thrilling debut book, cohosts Shane Madej and Ryan Bergara (lovingly known as the “ghoul boys” to fans) deep-dive into dozens of haunted locations around the USA and a few abroad, including subjects from some of their most favorite and talked about episodes, as well as brand-new locations not previously seen before on their show.
As they explore the history behind haunted houses, creepy graveyards, former insane asylums, abandoned buildings, and horrifying hotels, Shane and Ryan use their trademark wit and humor to dissect each terrifying tale with their most hilarious highlights and biting commentary. So hold on to your hell-bound soul, boys and ghouls—it’s about to get demonic up in here.
Hey there, demons! BuzzFeed Unsolved Supernatural has entertained viewers over the course of seven spooky seasons, covering the supernatural and otherworldly spirits, to ghosts, ghouls, unexplained paranormal activity, and everything in between. In their thrilling debut book, cohosts Shane Madej and Ryan Bergara (lovingly known as the “ghoul boys” to fans) deep-dive into dozens of haunted locations around the USA and a few abroad, including subjects from some of their most favorite and talked about episodes, as well as brand-new locations not previously seen before on their show.
As they explore the history behind haunted houses, creepy graveyards, former insane asylums, abandoned buildings, and horrifying hotels, Shane and Ryan use their trademark wit and humor to dissect each terrifying tale with their most hilarious highlights and biting commentary. So hold on to your hell-bound soul, boys and ghouls—it’s about to get demonic up in here.
234 pages, Paperback
First published September 6, 2022
140 people are currently reading
1221 people want to read
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December 24, 2022
BuzzFeed Unsolved Supernatural: 101 True Tales of Hauntings, Demons, and the Paranormal
by Ryan Bergara, Shane Madej, Buzzfeed, Marc Vietor (Reading)
Okay, let's just say it's me, not them. I belong in the quiet room where the boring, always behaving students belong, and I seem to have accidently walked into the room where the kids are pretending to cut off the heads of other students with the paper cutter (that was my second grade class so many decades ago), or trying to get spit wads to stick to the ceiling or whatever they could get away with when the teacher walked out of the room for just one second. And really, I did laugh at times, especially when one of the guys would sort of snort when he was laughing at his own bad jokes. So I probably missed the point but maybe not.
I actually would have liked more detail about the ghost stories but I do think this audiobook is as advertised. I'm just a fuddy duddy when it comes to having this kind of "hilarious" fun. This group does seem like they have a laugh a minute and I did get some laughs in, probably at the wrong times, being so uncool as I can be in this kind of crowd.
Published September 6th 2022
by Ryan Bergara, Shane Madej, Buzzfeed, Marc Vietor (Reading)
Okay, let's just say it's me, not them. I belong in the quiet room where the boring, always behaving students belong, and I seem to have accidently walked into the room where the kids are pretending to cut off the heads of other students with the paper cutter (that was my second grade class so many decades ago), or trying to get spit wads to stick to the ceiling or whatever they could get away with when the teacher walked out of the room for just one second. And really, I did laugh at times, especially when one of the guys would sort of snort when he was laughing at his own bad jokes. So I probably missed the point but maybe not.
I actually would have liked more detail about the ghost stories but I do think this audiobook is as advertised. I'm just a fuddy duddy when it comes to having this kind of "hilarious" fun. This group does seem like they have a laugh a minute and I did get some laughs in, probably at the wrong times, being so uncool as I can be in this kind of crowd.
Published September 6th 2022
October 19, 2022
Do you want a little SNARK with your SPOOKY?
I have to admit-I had not heard of “the ghoul boys” Ryan Bergara & Shane Madej, until receiving their DEBUT book, in the mail! (Where have I been? They have over 5 million highly engaged fans, and 1.4 billion views!)
They are the web hosts of seven spooky seasons of the UNSOLVED franchise- BUZZFEED UNSOLVED SUPERNATURAL and BUZZFEED UNSOLVED TRUE CRIME- available on YouTube, Amazon, and Hulu. which explore the history behind many famous haunted haunted locations in the USA (and a few abroad) and unsolved crimes.
50% of the content of the book is brand new for fans, but just about ALL of it was brand new to me!
The book is divided into 9 sections, and each location is accompanied by an eerie PHOTO and their “trademark humor” interspersed with the accounts of what has transpired in the places being discussed:
Haunted Houses
Hellish Hotels
Eerie Institutions
Devilish Drinkeries
Grisly Grounds
Nautical Nightmares
Scary Cemeteries
Paranormal Paths and
Ghostly Towns
Use it as a guidebook of spooky places to visit (or avoid!) as you travel, take it along to read from if you want to scare your friends around a campfire, or read it during the spooky Halloween season. 👻
BUT, they warn-Read at your own risk! ⚠️
I will be referring to my copy often!
Thank You to Running Press (Perseus Books) a division of Hachette Book Group and the authors for my gifted copy. It is my pleasure to share this candid review!
I have to admit-I had not heard of “the ghoul boys” Ryan Bergara & Shane Madej, until receiving their DEBUT book, in the mail! (Where have I been? They have over 5 million highly engaged fans, and 1.4 billion views!)
They are the web hosts of seven spooky seasons of the UNSOLVED franchise- BUZZFEED UNSOLVED SUPERNATURAL and BUZZFEED UNSOLVED TRUE CRIME- available on YouTube, Amazon, and Hulu. which explore the history behind many famous haunted haunted locations in the USA (and a few abroad) and unsolved crimes.
50% of the content of the book is brand new for fans, but just about ALL of it was brand new to me!
The book is divided into 9 sections, and each location is accompanied by an eerie PHOTO and their “trademark humor” interspersed with the accounts of what has transpired in the places being discussed:
Haunted Houses
Hellish Hotels
Eerie Institutions
Devilish Drinkeries
Grisly Grounds
Nautical Nightmares
Scary Cemeteries
Paranormal Paths and
Ghostly Towns
Use it as a guidebook of spooky places to visit (or avoid!) as you travel, take it along to read from if you want to scare your friends around a campfire, or read it during the spooky Halloween season. 👻
BUT, they warn-Read at your own risk! ⚠️
I will be referring to my copy often!
Thank You to Running Press (Perseus Books) a division of Hachette Book Group and the authors for my gifted copy. It is my pleasure to share this candid review!
August 29, 2025
[RYAN]: I wanna see this dude sing out of his mouth and butthole (assuming that's how he did it.) Lol, two mic stands. One tall and one small.
[SHANE]: Just like us.
[RYAN]: Very good, very good.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
❗This review is spoiler-free❗
Trigger Warning: Death, Coarse Language
Buzzfeed Unsolved: Supernatural is literally my all-time favourite show on Youtube. I lost count of how many times I've seen it. At this point, it has become a comfort to me. Sometimes all you need is two guys looking for ghosts and being absolute idiots together week after week. It's the little things in life. Btw, if you haven't seen or heard of this series yet, GO WATCH IT NOW. It's incredible and I guarantee you'll love it!!! Also, they created this new show now called Ghost Files that is every bit as good, if not better than, Unsloved. The same goes for the book. It is fantastic. I loved everything about it and I expected nothing less.
Naturally, Ryan Bergara and Shane Madej, AKA the Ghoul Bois were just delightful. You'll find no other real-life paranormal researchers more loveable than these two. They are hilarious, adorable jackasses and I wouldn't trade them for the world. For those of you who don't know, Ryan Bergara is the believer in the existence of the paranormal, constantly being scared sh*tless by random sounds in abandoned, allegedly haunted places. Whereas, Shane Madej is the sceptic who always makes fun of Ryan for being a scaredy cat. Awesome dynamic, right?? 😍😍 I love these guys so much I actually paid almost 80€ (shipping is a b*tch) for a hoodie with the logo of their new ghost haunting show Ghost Files. It glows in the dark too 😄😄 No regrets whatsoever. Also, just for the record, I am a hardcore Boogara, as in a strong believer in the existence of the paranormal, but I am a huuge fan of the Shaniacs as well.
As for the book itself, while the majority of the places the Ghoul bois discuss were already featured in their series, it didn't matter because I loved it all the same. Aside from the hilarious commentary between Shane and Ryan that made me laugh until I cried, I also loved the historical background of each paranormal site. There was so much fascinating information it actually made the book all the more entertaining.
Do you like paranormal stories? Have you heard of Ryan and Shane before?
October 28, 2022
I am a sucker for the ghoul boys.
Now. I just need a puppet history book. The Professor's story must be told.
The web series Buzzfeed Unsolved Supernatural, starring Ryan Bergara and Shane Madej, is absolutely suggested watching before reading! Matter of fact, if you’re coming to this book solely for the ghost stories and haunted locales, you might be disappointed.
It’s a book that relies on the chemistry between the internet’s greatest ghost hunters. If you don’t have years worth of inside jokes and ghost hunting adventures, or even a general idea of the dynamic between the two, I don’t know if you’d get the same level of enjoyment.
However, for the Shaniacs and Boogaras out there, this might be well worth your time, especially if you like supernatural and cryptic lore in general. I highly recommend the audiobook as well, A+ narration.
PS - If you're an Unsolved Supernatural fan and not watching Ghost Files, you're missing out.
Now. I just need a puppet history book. The Professor's story must be told.
The web series Buzzfeed Unsolved Supernatural, starring Ryan Bergara and Shane Madej, is absolutely suggested watching before reading! Matter of fact, if you’re coming to this book solely for the ghost stories and haunted locales, you might be disappointed.
It’s a book that relies on the chemistry between the internet’s greatest ghost hunters. If you don’t have years worth of inside jokes and ghost hunting adventures, or even a general idea of the dynamic between the two, I don’t know if you’d get the same level of enjoyment.
However, for the Shaniacs and Boogaras out there, this might be well worth your time, especially if you like supernatural and cryptic lore in general. I highly recommend the audiobook as well, A+ narration.
PS - If you're an Unsolved Supernatural fan and not watching Ghost Files, you're missing out.
September 7, 2022
Gotta say that spooky content didn't really wow me but it was such a great treat to listen to the audiobook and having Ryan and Shane narrate their commentary to the ghost tales and banter throughout. I really miss the ghoul boys and their adventures on BU so it was a nice throwback. I think the book will be more something for the shaniacs and boogaras out there than for fans of the supernatural. Highly recommend the audiobook!
February 26, 2022
hahaha first
March 2, 2023
i don't get many opportunities to flex so excuse me while i do so but ryan is a friend of mine (we grew up together) and i'll take every chance to hype him up because i am so incredibly proud of how far he's come! with that said, i'll try to be as objective as possible but also—📣 GO RYAN!
with that said, you are either diving into this for the stories or you're reading for the banter. either way, you'll wish there was less of the other. readers have to be familiar with ryan and shane's style of interaction to truly enjoy this otherwise they won't have a good time. if you're a fan of "ghost files" and/or "buzzfeed unsolved: supernatural", i can't recommend the audiobook enough because the banter has a fun "podcast" quality to it. plus, the audiobook gives more fun background info on some of their ghost hunts. all in all, the book is more wonderful content for shaniacs, boogaras, and cheekers(?? i don't think we agreed on a name for those of us on the fence? 😂).
with that said, you are either diving into this for the stories or you're reading for the banter. either way, you'll wish there was less of the other. readers have to be familiar with ryan and shane's style of interaction to truly enjoy this otherwise they won't have a good time. if you're a fan of "ghost files" and/or "buzzfeed unsolved: supernatural", i can't recommend the audiobook enough because the banter has a fun "podcast" quality to it. plus, the audiobook gives more fun background info on some of their ghost hunts. all in all, the book is more wonderful content for shaniacs, boogaras, and cheekers(?? i don't think we agreed on a name for those of us on the fence? 😂).
September 9, 2022
This was such a fun book to read, and I have to say, I did the audio for this and it was FANTASTIC! It was like listening to two friends have a conversation about haunted places, and it was so much fun. I followed along with the book, which had pictures and other great descriptions of the places they visited and I really enjoyed every minute of this one. If you love learning about haunted places or if you love this show, this is definitely a book for you!
Thank you to Novel Suspects and Running Press Books for the gifted copy to review!
Thank you to Novel Suspects and Running Press Books for the gifted copy to review!
December 9, 2022
This was an incredibly enjoyable audio experience. The use of a serious male narrator reminiscent of a 50s commercial voice-over, countered by snarky little interjections by Shane and Ryan, was a recipe for success. It was hilarious.
I appreciated how the book was broken up, too - haunted houses, institutions, cemeteries, and not just ghosts but cryptids and stuff as well. The Bigfoot and Mothman passages had me cry-laughing. Well done, ghouls.
I appreciated how the book was broken up, too - haunted houses, institutions, cemeteries, and not just ghosts but cryptids and stuff as well. The Bigfoot and Mothman passages had me cry-laughing. Well done, ghouls.
June 21, 2023
As someone who watched Buzzfeed Unsolved I already knew I was in for a real treat. This book was so enthralling, entertaining, and informative. Some of the cases I remember them going to and it gave me a fresh reminder of the episodes and some they just told us about in the book that are downright crazy and creepy stories. I enjoyed each case within the book and loved the back-and-forth comments Ryan and Shane would make just like they did in the actual series and they don't hold back, especially Shane! I loved how they broke the cases down into categories and primarily within one or two pages making a quick read but also very chilling and informative as well.
Some of my favorite tales were The Mystical Villa Montezuma Mansion, The Betrayal at Oliver Estate, The Spirits of the Whaley House, The Mystery of the Winchester House, The Burning Boss of Sloss Furnace, the entire Tombstone chapter, just to name a few. Every case they talk about has something chilling or scary that's said to happen at the actual location which leaves you or at least left me wanting to go to many of these places...not all of them though.
Overall, this book was so much fun to read and I will likely reread it and refer to it for my own Mystery Unsolved series that I run. As a fan of Buzzfeed Unsolved, this book is a must-read, if you're into the supernatural or paranormal, are into unsolved mysteries, legends, or just love everything I have just said then this is a must-read book for you. Thank you to Shane and Ryan for not only toughening it out and adventuring to these places and giving us great entertainment but also for writing this book as a recap and added incentive on your creepy paranormal journeys.
5 SPOOKY STARS
Some of my favorite tales were The Mystical Villa Montezuma Mansion, The Betrayal at Oliver Estate, The Spirits of the Whaley House, The Mystery of the Winchester House, The Burning Boss of Sloss Furnace, the entire Tombstone chapter, just to name a few. Every case they talk about has something chilling or scary that's said to happen at the actual location which leaves you or at least left me wanting to go to many of these places...not all of them though.
Overall, this book was so much fun to read and I will likely reread it and refer to it for my own Mystery Unsolved series that I run. As a fan of Buzzfeed Unsolved, this book is a must-read, if you're into the supernatural or paranormal, are into unsolved mysteries, legends, or just love everything I have just said then this is a must-read book for you. Thank you to Shane and Ryan for not only toughening it out and adventuring to these places and giving us great entertainment but also for writing this book as a recap and added incentive on your creepy paranormal journeys.
5 SPOOKY STARS
September 5, 2022
Unsolved Supernatural is a conflicted read for me. Once I could get past all the incessant chatter, it was easier to read. For such a short book...it was hard to want to even finish. Let me explain why...
First, let me say, I have no idea who these guys are or what show they host/create. I wanted this one simply for the ghost stories. This is almost like a tour guide for all things haunted and I loved this. The way it's broken down into sections (haunted houses, asylums, hotels, etc.) is perfect. The pictures and illustratios are great too. These are the only things I loved about this book.
With each summarized ghost story, you get commentary from Ryan and Shane interrupting said story. You get a sentence or two to start the story off, and then their two cents (which was sometimes funny), and then back to the story. This goes on for the entirety of the book and feels like reading a podcast.
For me, this was extremely disruptive and stinted the flow. It would have been better to have their chatter moved to the end of each story instead of the format this was written in. I am positive others will love this style of writing, especially fans of Ryan and Shane. It just does not work for me and actually led me to almost DNF this one.
I managed to push through, just completely skipping over their dialogue, and really enjoyed all the different haunted places they discuss. Some I was familiar with, and some were new to me and they ALL definitely brought the icy chills and creep factors.
While this wasn't a hit for me, I would recommend for fans of these guys or readers who enjoy books that read podcast style. The stories themselves would make this one Spooktober worthy too.
I appreciate Running Press and Novel Suspects for the review copy. All opinions are my own.
First, let me say, I have no idea who these guys are or what show they host/create. I wanted this one simply for the ghost stories. This is almost like a tour guide for all things haunted and I loved this. The way it's broken down into sections (haunted houses, asylums, hotels, etc.) is perfect. The pictures and illustratios are great too. These are the only things I loved about this book.
With each summarized ghost story, you get commentary from Ryan and Shane interrupting said story. You get a sentence or two to start the story off, and then their two cents (which was sometimes funny), and then back to the story. This goes on for the entirety of the book and feels like reading a podcast.
For me, this was extremely disruptive and stinted the flow. It would have been better to have their chatter moved to the end of each story instead of the format this was written in. I am positive others will love this style of writing, especially fans of Ryan and Shane. It just does not work for me and actually led me to almost DNF this one.
I managed to push through, just completely skipping over their dialogue, and really enjoyed all the different haunted places they discuss. Some I was familiar with, and some were new to me and they ALL definitely brought the icy chills and creep factors.
While this wasn't a hit for me, I would recommend for fans of these guys or readers who enjoy books that read podcast style. The stories themselves would make this one Spooktober worthy too.
I appreciate Running Press and Novel Suspects for the review copy. All opinions are my own.
September 8, 2022
Physical book: 1.5 Stars
Audiobook: 2.5 Stars
The ghoul boys are back in book form, but it feels like the ghost of Youtube's past...
As someone who has watched Buzzfeed Unsolved since the premiere of season one, I was so excited for this book. Combining Shane, Ryan, and books? No need to say more, I practically ran to preorder!
My copy came in the day after release and immediately cracked it open, excited to get started only to realize there was a lot lacking. Ryan and Shane's interjections didn't translate the same on paper, so I used one of my audible credits to tandem read with my physical copy, thinking it would help-- which it did, but not much.
Each haunting is only about 2 pages, so a lot of important details were left out in comparison to the 30+ minute YouTube videos. Some things got lost in translation; context was left out of important backstories; interjections were put in a sentence or paragraph too late.
The audiobook was better, but I was shocked to hear how much of Ryan/Shane's banter was cut out from the physical book. While I'm sure a lot of readers were invested in the spooky stuff, what set Buzzfeed Unsolved apart from all the other ghost shows was the banter hinging on the non-believers, which was noticeably absent in this book. Not to mention their lines seemed stilted, like they were reading off a page instead of re-inacting/re-remembering their ghost adventures.
When it comes to ghost stuff, I also felt like the success of a show hinges on its evidence, where this book can't really compare (I want to see the pictures of the orbs!! Hear the disembodied voices!!). I thought this book would have translated better under their True Crime series.
I still love Ryan and Shane and can't wait for Ghost Files!
Audiobook: 2.5 Stars
The ghoul boys are back in book form, but it feels like the ghost of Youtube's past...
As someone who has watched Buzzfeed Unsolved since the premiere of season one, I was so excited for this book. Combining Shane, Ryan, and books? No need to say more, I practically ran to preorder!
My copy came in the day after release and immediately cracked it open, excited to get started only to realize there was a lot lacking. Ryan and Shane's interjections didn't translate the same on paper, so I used one of my audible credits to tandem read with my physical copy, thinking it would help-- which it did, but not much.
Each haunting is only about 2 pages, so a lot of important details were left out in comparison to the 30+ minute YouTube videos. Some things got lost in translation; context was left out of important backstories; interjections were put in a sentence or paragraph too late.
The audiobook was better, but I was shocked to hear how much of Ryan/Shane's banter was cut out from the physical book. While I'm sure a lot of readers were invested in the spooky stuff, what set Buzzfeed Unsolved apart from all the other ghost shows was the banter hinging on the non-believers, which was noticeably absent in this book. Not to mention their lines seemed stilted, like they were reading off a page instead of re-inacting/re-remembering their ghost adventures.
When it comes to ghost stuff, I also felt like the success of a show hinges on its evidence, where this book can't really compare (I want to see the pictures of the orbs!! Hear the disembodied voices!!). I thought this book would have translated better under their True Crime series.
I still love Ryan and Shane and can't wait for Ghost Files!
June 8, 2023
2,5 mayybbbee… It was okay. A revisiting of all of their and more unsolved locations and hauntings. It was just very surface level information and some banter around it. Very hard to get into though and after a few locations etc it’s getting a bit boring… Would’ve prefered it if there were less hauntings etc but more in depth stories about them and more inside knowledge from the boys and their visits.
January 26, 2024
Huge fan of the show but this was a bit of a slog to get through. The stories are a bit too short to be interesting and the jokes (some are hilarious) don’t land super great in written format. Love Shane and Ryan though
October 2, 2022
Audiobook Review
I was a bit worried about buying this one as many YouTube and podcast personalities do not translate well when narrating a book, but Shane and Ryan did make a great choice in bringing in Marc Vietor and having him read this audio Forensic Files style and only throwing in comments during each paranormal story.
Most of these stories were already done on the YouTube channel so not all that many surprises but the arguing between the hosts was great.
I absolutely loved Marc's comments on what was being read and I think that was the best part of the whole audiobook.
I was a bit worried about buying this one as many YouTube and podcast personalities do not translate well when narrating a book, but Shane and Ryan did make a great choice in bringing in Marc Vietor and having him read this audio Forensic Files style and only throwing in comments during each paranormal story.
Most of these stories were already done on the YouTube channel so not all that many surprises but the arguing between the hosts was great.
I absolutely loved Marc's comments on what was being read and I think that was the best part of the whole audiobook.
September 20, 2022
the ghoul boys could have smeared their own shit all over the pages and i’d still give this five stars
September 8, 2022
this is just like an episode of Unsolved and I LOVED it. The formatting worked great and Ryan and Shane are just the best. I miss them again already 😭
December 19, 2023
Rating: 3½ stars.
I'm a big fan of Shane and Ryan's stint on Buzzfeed Unsolved, especially, but not limited to, their earlier Supernatural episodes where Ryan mainly tells Shane a spooky story and he snarks over it. I like some of the on-site ghost-hunting stuff, but too much in too short a time does feel a bit repetitive (the ghost box is too loud and says random nonsense, Ryan is scared, Shane is a dick, they don't find any real evidence, etc.). So, a book should be right up my alley, right?
Well, yes and no.
The closest thing to this book is probably MST3K or RiffTrax—the book details 101 haunted locations, nearly all in the USA, while Shane and Ryan interject with jokes or anecdotes. Apart from one or two moments, the book is written by (presumably) a third party as a straightforward travel guide/history book for the supernatural—the humour is almost entirely brought by Shane and Ryan.
I listened to this as an audiobook, and it gains a lot from having Shane and Ryan voice their parts; I can't imagine it being as enjoyable to physically read. In the audiobook, their interjections feel natural and off the cuff (even if some or all of it was actually pre-written), which adds to the charm. The jokes don't feel workshopped, for better or worse; there's definitely a level of affection for Shane and Ryan you want to bring to this one. Some of the more interesting parts are when the two talk about their experiences travelling to and visiting the haunted location being discussed. I would have been happy for those biographical sections to go on much longer, to be honest, but it's not that kind of book. As is, every location is given less than 5 minutes total in the audiobook, so this is a pretty rapid-fire charge through America's hauntings.
All in all, it's a fun book, but probably not as fun as just rewatching some of your favourite Unsolved episodes. I'd recommend it to fans of Shane and Ryan's supernatural investigations who've already burned through their entire catalogue and are now still hungry for more.
As a side note, I can't imagine reading this and not having seen Ryan and Shane's work first, as some of the reviews seem to indicate—definitely don't do that. Go watch some old Buzzfeed Unsolved episodes or R&S's new stuff at the Watcher YouTube channel before you make a decision whether or not to pick up this book.
I'm a big fan of Shane and Ryan's stint on Buzzfeed Unsolved, especially, but not limited to, their earlier Supernatural episodes where Ryan mainly tells Shane a spooky story and he snarks over it. I like some of the on-site ghost-hunting stuff, but too much in too short a time does feel a bit repetitive (the ghost box is too loud and says random nonsense, Ryan is scared, Shane is a dick, they don't find any real evidence, etc.). So, a book should be right up my alley, right?
Well, yes and no.
The closest thing to this book is probably MST3K or RiffTrax—the book details 101 haunted locations, nearly all in the USA, while Shane and Ryan interject with jokes or anecdotes. Apart from one or two moments, the book is written by (presumably) a third party as a straightforward travel guide/history book for the supernatural—the humour is almost entirely brought by Shane and Ryan.
I listened to this as an audiobook, and it gains a lot from having Shane and Ryan voice their parts; I can't imagine it being as enjoyable to physically read. In the audiobook, their interjections feel natural and off the cuff (even if some or all of it was actually pre-written), which adds to the charm. The jokes don't feel workshopped, for better or worse; there's definitely a level of affection for Shane and Ryan you want to bring to this one. Some of the more interesting parts are when the two talk about their experiences travelling to and visiting the haunted location being discussed. I would have been happy for those biographical sections to go on much longer, to be honest, but it's not that kind of book. As is, every location is given less than 5 minutes total in the audiobook, so this is a pretty rapid-fire charge through America's hauntings.
All in all, it's a fun book, but probably not as fun as just rewatching some of your favourite Unsolved episodes. I'd recommend it to fans of Shane and Ryan's supernatural investigations who've already burned through their entire catalogue and are now still hungry for more.
As a side note, I can't imagine reading this and not having seen Ryan and Shane's work first, as some of the reviews seem to indicate—definitely don't do that. Go watch some old Buzzfeed Unsolved episodes or R&S's new stuff at the Watcher YouTube channel before you make a decision whether or not to pick up this book.
December 27, 2022
I discovered this show during Covid, binged it all in a couple of days and loved it. This is the tv show in book form and it is fantastic. If you loved the show, you will love this book.
August 18, 2023
with a heavy heart i’m giving my fav ghoul boys only 2,5⭐️ :(
August 9, 2023
The ghoul boys have done it again: I am entertained and intrigued all at once
September 30, 2022
It was so fun to see this series in book format! I'm a huge fan of Ryan & Shane and definitely enjoyed reading through these spooky stories. I was most intrigued by the places that hadn't been covered on Buzzfeed Unsolved already but still appreciated the refreshers of old cases. The only reason this is getting 4 stars instead of 5 is that some of their back and forth banter seemed a bit forced/extra scripted - not exactly the same vibe as watching their videos. Totally ok and still a great spooky season read! I recommend, especially to fans of the show!
December 28, 2023
I never dnf books but this I just had to. I seriously didn’t know why I was expecting more, but it’s just copy and paste of the eps on YouTube. Such a boring book.
Sorry Shane and Ryan
Sorry Shane and Ryan
July 20, 2023
Listen... I am responsible for an embarrassing number of the 1.4 billion views boasted on the back of the book, I love spooky stories, I am theoretically this book's target audience, but I did not enjoy it at all. The actual "true tales" are just a mishmash of varying numbers of stories and hauntings, usually not well connected or told in any compelling way. The banter format that made this show famous just does not work in a textual medium, no matter how funny it is. Throw in some just glaring typos (looking at you, Charles Dickens walking around in 1942) and the book is just a slog. Bumping up to two stars because some of the banter did make me laugh at loud, but not funny enough to make this book worth your time when the series is still up on youtube and much more enjoyable.
February 22, 2024
Ahora que ha pasado ha pasado como un año y medio desde que leí esto, puedo admitir que no merecía las 4 estrellas que le di al principio, jaja. Le daré dos estrellas porque hubiese preferido 50 casos bien estructurados, con más detalles y menos comentarios (ya sé que es parte de lo que ellos hacen pero en formato libro no quedan tan bien). Igual sigo siendo fan de ellos y me encanta lo que hacen en su canal de YouTube.
January 25, 2023
(ignore the fact that it took me so long to finish this book because) I had such a good time reading this! It was basically the Buzzfeed Unsolved show on page, and while it’s hard to translate Shane and Ryan’s onscreen energy into a book I think they did a good job and definitely kept me laughing AND interested. Love these two dudes so really reading anything by them would make me happy! Also shout out to the part where Ryan referred to Stinky Pete from Toy Story 2 as Skinny Pete, who is most definitely a Breaking Bad character.
May 9, 2023
"Ladies in white just gettin' chucked into every one of these ghost stories like bonus fries in a Five Guys bag."
I've never heard of this show(?) but the audiobook was available at the library and I like paranormal/supernatural/spooky tales so figured I check it out.
The actual book itself (narrated by someone else) seems pretty funny and it sounds like there are some pictures in the book as well, which is always a plus for me but the audiobook has fun added commentary from the hosts, Ryan Bergara and Shane Madej, which is a nice added perk since I can't see the pictures on the audiobook version.
I would recommend the audiobook for a casual listen if you like paranormal/supernatural/spooky stories with a little bit of a jokey kind of spin on it.
I can't speak to the physical book since it sounds like you get a slightly different experience with that version but I'm sure it's equally as entertaining.
I've never heard of this show(?) but the audiobook was available at the library and I like paranormal/supernatural/spooky tales so figured I check it out.
The actual book itself (narrated by someone else) seems pretty funny and it sounds like there are some pictures in the book as well, which is always a plus for me but the audiobook has fun added commentary from the hosts, Ryan Bergara and Shane Madej, which is a nice added perk since I can't see the pictures on the audiobook version.
I would recommend the audiobook for a casual listen if you like paranormal/supernatural/spooky stories with a little bit of a jokey kind of spin on it.
I can't speak to the physical book since it sounds like you get a slightly different experience with that version but I'm sure it's equally as entertaining.
October 19, 2023
This hurts to write but here we go.
I want to start out by saying that I'm a huge fan of the ghoul boys and have been ever since the release of their first video. I like creepy things and their sense of humour has always matched mine.
This book however fell flat to me. The stories are written in their classic exposition style, with comments from Shane and Ryan in between. Unfortunately their style doesn't translate well to paper in my opinion. The only time I really laughed is when they referred to one of the scenes from the show. The stories didn't really do anything for me either. To short to become engaged in the narrative and many of them sounding the same.
I think the shoddiness of this book has to do with two factors.
The first being that the copyright belongs to Buzzfeed and not Watcher. Buzzfeed is not exactly known for their quality content, instead relying very heavily on quantity, a business model that has been failing them for a few years now.
The second thing is that Shane and Ryan were at this point transitioning their team's work from Buzzfeed to their own channel, Watcher. Therefore I don't think they really felt like going the extra mile against Buzzfeed's wishes to make this book great.
Boys, if you're reading this. I apprechiate the effort you put into this book, I do, though I think we can all agree that your heart wasn't fully in it. Unfortunately, it showed.
I want to start out by saying that I'm a huge fan of the ghoul boys and have been ever since the release of their first video. I like creepy things and their sense of humour has always matched mine.
This book however fell flat to me. The stories are written in their classic exposition style, with comments from Shane and Ryan in between. Unfortunately their style doesn't translate well to paper in my opinion. The only time I really laughed is when they referred to one of the scenes from the show. The stories didn't really do anything for me either. To short to become engaged in the narrative and many of them sounding the same.
I think the shoddiness of this book has to do with two factors.
The first being that the copyright belongs to Buzzfeed and not Watcher. Buzzfeed is not exactly known for their quality content, instead relying very heavily on quantity, a business model that has been failing them for a few years now.
The second thing is that Shane and Ryan were at this point transitioning their team's work from Buzzfeed to their own channel, Watcher. Therefore I don't think they really felt like going the extra mile against Buzzfeed's wishes to make this book great.
Boys, if you're reading this. I apprechiate the effort you put into this book, I do, though I think we can all agree that your heart wasn't fully in it. Unfortunately, it showed.
August 6, 2024
An enjoyable read, but I don't think it is fair to say this is 'written' by Shane and Ryan. They put interjections here and there into the stories but that's about it. This was really written by Anna Katz, and I think the credit should go to her! Well told spooky stories that have added a few new locations to check out to my list of spooky travel!
March 28, 2025
This book is not for everyone since the ghost stories are just a brief look at the history and claims for each location. These are constantly interrupted with the sometimes funny banter between Shane and Ryan. Though that banter works great on the show and can be really funny but doesn't work well in a book. It does make me want to go back and rewatch the whole show again.
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