Another Review for Listen to the Ghost

Jennifer Porter, http://porterjennifer.wordpress.com, has just reviewed my young adult paranormal novel. Here's what she has to say:

 Listen to the Ghost is about a 17 year old girl, Jade, who is haunted by a young woman, Phoebe, in Jade's grandparents' Victorian home in Charleston, South Carolina. Four teenagers are staying in the house for the summer while the grandparents are gone. Jade is an artist and displays her work in the local art fair; she has brought her bestfriend Elaine along with her and Jade's older brother is in charge.


Phoebe the ghost will be a restless wandering spirit for all eternity if Jade does not find the linking wedding rings lost on Phoebe's wedding day. A day that ended in tragedy.
Jade is also recovering from a painful breakup, and McClure does a wonderful job of crafting a tender new love story as Jade falls for the fourth teenage house sitter, Matt, one of her older brother's friends. To make the situation more complicated, the ex-boyfriend appears later in the story as an obsessed and dangerous stalker.


Listen to the Ghost is a fun romantic ghost story. The dialogue flows clear and natural and the characters all have depth to them. Jade is not only an artist but also an athlete. But I have to emphasize fun ghost story. If you are looking for scary or realistic in terms of common knowledge about how ghosts haunt and the experiences people have when haunted, you will be disappointed with the book. While there are elements of what is known to happen in a haunting - the cold sensation, footsteps, chime-like noises, the other elements are more comical than anything else - the ghost throws food, she appears as a pink cloud, she can take on human form and speak.


The story held me though because McClure does provide us with the interesting mystery of the linking rings and the marriage that never was because of the tragedy that unfolded. And while at times the characters speak and act as if they are significantly older, they are likable and interesting. I would do anything to have teenagers like these ones in my house; they clean up, get up early in the morning, and are amazingly responsible and level-headed. The ideal of what we all hope our teenagers would be when on their own.


I recommend the book for younger teenagers or those looking for a clean, safe teen paranormal romance. There is a lack of technology in the characters' lives, no cell phones, home computers, lap tops, etc but it retains a contemporary feel to it. And it is well-written and well paced.


Beverly Stowe McClure is from Texas. She was an elementary school teacher for 22 years and mother to four sons. She is a great-grandmother.


Other published works:
Caves, Cannons and Crinolines- a civil war YA historical fiction available in trade paperback in 2008
Secrets I Have Kept - YA adventure story, available as e book or paperback
Rebel in Blue Jeans- YA fiction available as an e book from Twilight Times