Children’s Horror / Fantasy / Magic / Chapter Book
Publisher: Progressive Rising Phoenix Press
Page Count: 246
Publication Date: January 9, 2024
Stewart sees a ghostly figure out of the corner of his eye. He and his friend, Andy, begin a ghost investigation that leads to an adventure of a lifetime. Coming face-to-face with a ghost, the boys make a decision to join forces with a group of girls, who have encountered a ghost of their own. The kids soon find that the ghosts that they’ve encountered are in imminent danger and need their help. Can the kids devise a plan to help the ghost in time? Will they be able to reunite a ghost with his lost family? Complete with a ghost village and a feud, this story takes on a life of its own.
“It was their survival mechanism, since they didn’t know how else to deal with the hand they’d been dealt. Not really gone, yet certainly not alive, going through the motions of being alive had become a ritual.”
The Ghost of Whispering Willow by Amanda M. Thrasher is a delightful ghostly tale that will thrill both young and more mature readers alike. When several preteens engage in ghost hunting near their homes, they stumble upon way more than they ever expected.
After Stewart and Andy have a paranormal encounter in the woods (Zach missed out), they reluctantly agree to allow Kendall, Maggie, Krista, and Ally into their investigation, mostly because they already know what the boys have been up to and have a ghostly secret of their own. Once the kids start working together, the story really takes off, especially when they make contact with two ghost children who desperately need their help.
The Ghost of Whispering Willow is much more than a ghost story, it is a fast-paced tale about family, secrets, and friendship. The ghost children show the kids that problems and tragedies faced in life can continue long after death. With their high-tech equipment, research skills, and desire to help, the kids must quell their own fear of the ghostly realm and give these children the assistance they need and deserve before even more disaster strikes.
This story is quite compelling and unique, bringing the living and the dead together to fight evil and bring peace. Amanda Thrasher delivers a wonderful, fantastical tale about the struggle of confronting danger to do the right thing and knowing that no adult would ever believe their outrageous tale of an entire slew of spirits living practically next door.
Amanda Thrasher has a distinct talent for creating stories that appear simple on the surface but offer a deeper view of the human condition on several levels, especially the complexities of childhood and coming of age.
If you are looking for an easy story with a thought-provoking message, then go ahead and add The Ghost of Whispering Willow to your to-read list. This story is perfect for kickstarting your summer vacation, with all the lights on, of course.
Enter the giveaway below on or before May 30, 2024, for a chance to win some fabulous prizes.
I received a free copy of this book from Lone Star Book Blog Tours in exchange for my honest review.
Award-winning author Amanda M. Thrasher was born in England and moved to Texas, where she lives with her family. She writes YA, general fiction, middle grade, early reader chapter, and picture books. She is the founder and CEO of Progressive Rising Phoenix Press.
