Ghost Huntress Book 1: The Awakening [Paperback]

Marley Gibson (Author)

Book Description

Series: Ghost Huntress | Publication Date: May 4, 2009

The first in a trilogy. Get out your tape recorders, crystals, and extra batteries— you’re about to go where our world meets the spirit world.

Psychic Kids, Paranormal State, Haunting Evidence—these and countless other television shows are making believers out of millions of people: Ghosts exist, and they’re living right beside us. For centuries, individuals have been trying to prove the existence of ghosts. But without hard evidence, it’s been difficult to make the case. But now as science and technology have progressed, ghost hunters have been able to use scientific means, along with more traditional psychic tools, to make their case. Photographs, video recordings, and sound recordings are all producing some amazing results.
In this new series, Ghost Huntress, meet Kendall Moorehead, a seemingly typical teen. When her family moves from Chicago to the small historical town of Radisson, Georgia, her psychic abilities awaken. She’s hearing, feeling, and seeing things that seem unbelievable at first, but with the help of the town psychic, Kendall is able to come to terms with her newly emerging gift. So, together with her new BFF, Celia, Kendall forms a ghost hunting team. They’ve got all the latest technology. They’ve got Kendall for their psychic. Now they’re going to clean up Radisson of its less savory spirits.
The story is fiction. The science is real. Welcome to a new reality.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In this first book in the Ghost Huntress series, a move from downtown Chicago to small-town Radisson, Ga., brings about a psychic awakening for 16-year old Kendall, as spirits that roam her house and town recognize her ability to see them and clamor for her attention. Initially seeking rational explanations for these unsettling experiences, Kendall gradually accepts her psychic powers as a divine gift, believing God has called her to free trapped spirits. Honing her skills under the guidance of Loreen, who runs a New Age store in town, Kendall assembles an eclectic ghost-hunting team: Celia, the brainy techno-wizard; preppy photographer Taylor; and punk Becca, sound analyst. Obstacles arise when Kendall's loving, fundamentalist mother, who equates paranormal activity with devil worship, worries about Kendall's mental and spiritual health; later, Kendall's budding romance with Taylor's sexy brother threatens the girls' unity. Kendall's witty narrative voice (she quotes Shakespeare and Ugly Betty with equal aplomb) drives this fast-paced, wholesome-with-an-edge tale. Several unsolved mysteries will leave readers eager for the next installment. Ages 12-up.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review

"This book reads like a good episode of your favorite ghost-hunting show. Gibson is clearly a believer, but manages to maintain a realistic feel and avoid any sensationalization or melodrama that would push the story over the edge. Teens who watch Ghost Whisperer or Haunting Evidence, who flock to everything Buffy, or who like their ghosts to feel real (with a hint of humor and romance) will eat this up and eagerly await the next installment in the Ghost Huntress series."--Booklist

"This trilogy is well put together and attractively packaged--fast-paced, twisty plot."--VOYA, 3Q4P

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 12 and up
  
• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Graphia (May 4, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0547150938
• ISBN-13: 978-0547150932
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (71 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #655,271 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Marley Gibson is the author of the GHOST HUNTRESS young adult series, and co-wrote THE OTHER SIDE: A TEEN'S GUIDE TO GHOST HUNTING AND THE PARANORMAL with Patrick Burns and Dave Schrader. She also co-authored CHRISTMAS MIRACLES with Cecil Murphy. She lives in Boston, MA, and can be found online at www.marleygibson.com, www.ghosthuntress.com or at her blog, www.booksboysbuzz.com.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Ghost Hunting Meets Psychic Medium, March 29, 2009

By 

Tamela Mccann "taminator40" (Nashville, TN USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Ghost Huntress Book 1: The Awakening (Paperback)

(What's this?)

Ghost Huntress: The Awakening, is the first entry into a new series that follows sixteen year old Kendall Moorehead as she moves from her home in Chicago to a rural town in Georgia. Not long after she moves into her new home, she begins to realize something odd is going on, not just around her but also within; she can sense other people's thoughts and pains, and she's beginning to hear odd sounds in her room. A chance meeting with a local New Age businesswoman helps Kendall to understand that she's experiencing an awakening of her psychic abilities, so Kendall can now add extrasensory perception/sensing the dead to her list of things to worry about, along with making new friends and fitting in at her new high school.

Kendall, while perplexed at the odd things happening to her, embraces her newfound gift with gusto and decides she must confront the ghost currently living in her house, as well as the one menacing her father's workplace. It isn't long before she conveniently finds some new friends who are interested in the paranormal, and together the four girls form the Ghost Huntresses. With Jason, twin of Ghost Huntress Taylor, the group acquires expensive equipment through the wallet of wealthy Celia and proceed to find and kick ectoplasmic butt.

Ms. Gibson has done her homework, that's for sure; she has her teen paranormal investigators using the correct equipment and following standard debunking procedures. As a person with some interest in paranormal investigation, I really appreciated that the author was giving out accurate information. The references to popular television shows that feature ghost hunters are accurate as well, and the characters are realistically written teenagers who battle not only the not-crossed-over but hormones, too. It was a little convenient to have Kendall luck out with the friends and the money aspect, but this is tempered by her mother's very mom-like response to having a daughter who suddenly claims to have psychic abilities. Though the title is Ghost Huntress, this is actually a mesh of Ghost Hunters, Medium, and Ghost Whisperer; the amount of activity experienced by the group is just too good to be true for amateurs, but it does hold your interest well. There's also a lot of New Age/crystals/protection going on, which does make it seem a little scattered in focus. But this is a fast read that sets out to entertain and that it does quite well. I'll be looking for the second book, The Guidance, when it appears later this year.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Not jut for young readers, May 22, 2009

By 

Terri L. Collins "Terri Collins" (Winterset, Iowa) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Ghost Huntress Book 1: The Awakening (Paperback)

I am interested in the paranormal and bought the book for my teen daughter. I thought I would give it a quick read on a long drive home from Kentucky after having Marley sign the book for my daughter. I thoroughly enjoyed it. I have a teen daughter and she got the part of Kendall right on. It was an easy and fun read and not just for the young reader.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Surprisingly good!, May 22, 2009

By 

A. Bell (Cape Cod, Massachusetts) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Ghost Huntress Book 1: The Awakening (Paperback)

(What's this?)

THis is the story of a teenager who moves with her family from a large city to a small southern town. Once there she realizes the house they've moved into seems to have a spirit in it, and what's more, she seems to have some psychic abilities herself. Along with some new friends who also believe in the paranormal, a ghost hunting group is formed, and the adventure begins!

I have to say, I was really surprised by this book- it was far better than I thought it would be. If you have a teen who is into the show "Ghost Hunters" then I can't recommend this enough- Jason and Grant are even mentioned in the book. If you follow the paranormal, you'll soon realize that the author is very up on the current trends and theories in paranormal investigation.

As a side story, the mother in the story is very religious and struggling with her daughter's potential psychic abilities, and I have to say that the religious aspect is handled very well, indeed.

Highly, highly recommended. I'll be looking for the next installment!