*I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*
Title: Invisible Ghosts
Author: Robyn Schneider
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Publication Date: June 5, 2018
ISBN: 9780062568106
Synopsis from Goodreads:
Rose Asher believes in ghosts. She should, since she has one for a best friend: Logan, her annoying, Netflix-addicted brother, who is forever stuck at fifteen. But Rose is growing up, and when an old friend moves back to Laguna Canyon and appears in her drama class, things get complicated. Jamie Aldridge is charming, confident, and a painful reminder of the life Rose has been missing out on since her brother’s death. She watches as Jamie easily rejoins their former friends–a group of magnificently silly theater nerds–while avoiding her so intensely that it must be deliberate. Yet when the two of them unexpectedly cross paths, Rose learns that Jamie has a secret of his own, one that changes everything. Rose finds herself drawn back into her old life–and to Jamie. But she quickly starts to suspect that he isn’t telling her the whole truth. All Rose knows is that it’s becoming harder to choose between the boy who makes her feel alive and the brother she isn’t ready to lose.
Invisible Ghosts is the perfect, quick, and relatively light summer read that you’re looking for this year. It’s a story that takes place a few years after the death of a young boy, Rose Asher’s brother, Logan. A terrible tragedy befell Logan and left Rose an only child. Life stopped for her at that point of his death and she retreated into herself. What she didn’t account for is Logan’s ghost sticking around to keep her company. Rose is now in high school and has caught the attention of an old friend and classmate of hers. As Jamie and Rose become closer, more strain is put on Rose’s relationship with her brother’s spirit.
This story is at times a little silly, however I found the characters to be really sweet and endearing. There was no crazy relationship drama, just kids falling for one another in an innocent and quite lovely way. The ghost aspect was a bit cutesy and was the source of the main drama, but I think it was an excellent vehicle for issues such as growing up, grief, mourning, letting go, coming-of-age, and conflict resolution. Rose is at a pivotal moment in her life where she can choose to remain where she is, or she can make decisions for her future. She can hold onto the past and reject growth and recovery, or she can accept the past and embrace the future, all while holding tightly onto the memories of her dear loved one.
It wasn’t an absolutely mind-blowing story, but it was an enjoyable bit of teenage fluff. It’s not too serious and not too heavy boots. The characters are all sweet and entertaining without getting too intense. If you need an easy pool/beach-side read, this is the one.
Happy reading!
Worn Pages and Ink 