Ghost Wood Song

This is a wonderful and dark story, equal parts haunting and touching. The mystery/thriller aspect is deftly handled, with the ghostly elements were added in, it helped to add an extra layer of creepiness. I liked to that the story also had a bit of romance-although I'm not always a fan of romance and mystery, as sometimes the romance plot takes the focus off the mystery/thriller plot of a book-but it was well done here, even if the romance plot didn't end the way I thought it would. Not really sure if I liked how that ended, but I don't want to spoil anything for anyone who might be reading the reviews before getting the book. I also really, really love that music, particularly bluegrass and old-time music was also woven in and integral to the plot and moving the mystery along, can't say I'm all that surprised about tht fiddle's origins, although I'd expected something more in regards to that(I had "The Devil Went Down to Georgia" in my head at various times while reading this, to give you an idea as to what I'd been expecting. I was both relieved and disappointed to learn that was not the case with the origins of the fiddle.) I am not a fan of flowery or overly expressive prose, but I'm not ashamed to admit that the writing here is so well done and beautiful that I found myself highlighting passage after passage-I read the Kindle edition-I've never been able to annotate or highlight/write in physical books-doing so remind me too much of taking notes for school for some reason. On another note, this book is definitely deserving having its own soundtrack, and to be honest I wish it did😊 I ordered and listed to a physical copy of Sarah Wood's album "One May Morning", her music definitely fit the mood and tone of this book, especially for the later half of the book as things begin to really unravel and things begin to come to light. I loved and enjoyed this book. I highly recommend this one.

I absolutely loved this story and could not put it down. It touched on the deepest parts of grief and the deepest parts of love in a family. I liked the mystery that unfolded and Shady’s balancing her social/love life along with family life struggles. It felt so real and relatable for teens and really, anyone. It brought me back to the times when harder things in my family life were happening but I was distracted with my own budding social life. It captured the struggle of the past and present so well. Also, one of the most heartfelt ending lines in a book I’ve read in a long time.

What an atmospheric haunting story. The first 2/3 were creepy and mysterious and I thoroughly enjoyed most of it. I don't quite love the last 50ish pages, it just wrapped up a little too predictably.

This is one of those books where you find yourself stopping to re-read a sentence because you have to take a minute to appreciate it for how it is constructed and the way in which the words combine to create a picture so vivid in your mind you forget for a minute you are reading a book. Add to that a plot that is unique and intriguing and you have a great summer read as appropriate for adults as it is for its targeted Young Adult audience.

This dark atmospheric book is a must read for anyone who loves a mash-up of a thrilling fast-paced mystery with the spookiness of a paranormal. Who doesn't want to read a gritty story about an heirloom fiddle that can raise the dead? Shady Grove is a steadfast character with risky determination to clear her brother's name after a murder rocks their family. I devoured the dynamics webbed between the family, the friendships, the ghosts, and the folk music.

This is probably one of my best reads this year. The short version is "girl ignores everyone's advice and digs up a haunted fiddle, then faces the consequences and everybody is better for it in the end." It was a one-day read for me, gripping from beginning to end.

I loved the atmosphere of this book. It drew me in until I felt the pines and the Florida heat. The ghosts, the characters, a very real Bi main character - it was just so good and didn’t read like a first novel at all. Very polished, very real characters

I love this book with all of my heart. The characters are grounded and real, the plot is tight and keeps you guessing right until the very end, and the ghost-story elements are woven brilliantly throughout the narrative. Plus, who doesn't love Thematic Wasps?

I liked it so much and it was my first novel to read it was so 👍👍 good 💯 I love twist at last.....

I read Ghost Wood Song in one sitting! I came up for air when it was time for dinner, but stayed up until the wee hours to finish it, dabbing my eyes with a Kleenex tissue at the end. (FEB 2021 UPDATE: Ghost Wood Song is now a finalist for the Bram Stoker Award!)Erica’s writing is lyrical and full of descriptive metaphors, which I loved. She describes places and emotions so well, and the metaphors she adds in takes those descriptions up another notch, allowing the reader to connect even more with the story. I love that I can picture exactly what’s going on, exactly what things look like as I’m reading.I do love a good ghost story (which is why I write them!), and this one is great. It has just the right amount of creepy vibes to get that eerie feeling flowing through your veins. The MC (Shady Grove) has grown up with ghosts all her life, so she’s used to them, but some are scarier than others. Some died with secrets that were buried with them. She has a very unique gift that was passed down from her father that allows her to connect with the ghosts. She must decide whether to face the dangers that come along with using it, or let the truth go unknown, which will tear apart her family even more than it already has been.There really isn’t anything I can say that I didn’t like about this book. It’s well written, the characters are real and believable, and the mysteriousness is also believable. It flows really well. Shady has personal conflicts going on as well as this Other Big Thing that she must face, and it has a touch of romance in the way of a love triangle, which is a good side-story. Shady is bi, and I love seeing more and more stories with all kinds of sexual orientation. Normalizing this is so important. Shady is also an independent, caring, teenaged girl who is growing into a strong young woman. I adore stories with strong female protagonists!All in all, it’s a 5-star review from me. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I would recommend reading it if you like a good ghost story.