From first glance the cover was a little misleading, I see a woman with curves leaning over a bike - that was one of the biggest issues for me while reading this book. the main MC was 16 years old - but her age got lost in the writing, a lot of times I kept thinking she was older than she was, I think the author did not hit the thinking/characteristics of a 16 year old girl. More research on that would’ve been appreciated since that was his leading character. Navigating through everything wasn’t so lonely thanks to two or should I say multiple people lol one of them being her cousin Myra who was the sweetest. I loved that Leigh had her to lean on as Myra’s support contributed largely to Leigh feeling safe and comfortable. I commend the author for writing the tone for her character so maturely and empathetically.

The bad: I was once told by a mentor, writing a story is like flying a plane. You need a great takeoff, a smooth flight to the destination, and a safe and smooth ending that satisfies. This book did the first two, but the plane came out of the sky. The reason for my two stars is quite simple: 1) the dialogue is “cheesy” to the point of being unrealistic. A 16 year old gets chewed out by someone who’s not a parent and she…admits her wrong and accepts her punishment??? Since when!? It also felt like a Scooby Doo episode where the bad guy, having the characters dead to rights, pauses to dialogue about their plan, conveniently giving the characters a chance to regroup and thwart the plan. 2) given the Scooby Doo trope, the characters could have easily avoided the whole ending had the multi-million dollar business tycoon asked himself “does this situation make logical sense?” I had to show support as a fellow book lover and avid reader, I loved the traction and the love the book community, as well as the world was showing Shawn. Eleanor & Park reminded me not just what it's like to be young and in love with a girl, but also what it's like to be young and in love with a book."-John Green, The New York Times Book Review It’s been so many years since I’ve read a YA mystery book and this was nothing short of that but more. Both were essential to Leigh’s well-being and growth besides helping her get to the bottom of it all.One person did a a nice thing,” he said Wednesday. “Red came up to talk to me in the grocery store because I didn’t have anyone to talk to at the time. And that just inspired a tsunami of people to pour out their generosity.” I usually read psychological thrillers or romance but I HAD to give this book a try after seeing him on tiktok just trying to get his book out there and i’m so glad I did! This is easily one of my favorite reads this year. It’s like if Casper met The Haunted Mansion and had a baby! Overall, this isn’t what I generally reach for but it was pretty enjoyable. It was a compelling (almost short) story that involved mystery, suspense, ghosts, tragedy and trauma as a result of organized crime and betrayal. It did have a slow start but thats the case with the majority of books. The writing was done so well and the author truly possesses such great descriptive prowess — as many have mentioned. I couldn’t believe this was his first novel! He deserves all the attention he’s getting now. And quotes like the one I have highlighted below. There’s more than one like it throughout the book. It really doesn’t feel like modern literature in any sense.

Myra (19) describes going skinny dipping in a nearby river at age 10, which really didn't add to the plot and felt weird and unnecessary.We report on vital issues from politics to education and are the indispensable authority on the Texas scene, covering everything from music to cultural events with insightful recommendations. This novel appeals to both YA and Adult audiences. The main character, Leigh Howard, has lost her parents to a brutal murder. She has had difficulty dealing with the loss, even attempting suicide at one point. Now, Leigh has been placed with a wealthy family of relatives that she doesn’t know and is determined to solve her parents’ murder. To complicate her life – she discovers that she is also living with two ghosts! There are twists and turns in this light-hearted mystery and Leigh is a very likable character.

I love supporting smaller and indie authors. I promise, I do. Hopefully, I’ll be able to amend this review if the author edits and reworks his book to tighten and clean things up.So first of all, congrats to Mr. Warner on his debut novel and getting published. That is no easy task, and only a few ever complete it. That being said, here’s my honest opinion. Please, let me preface this review. I know this book is receiving tons of hype and love. I, too, was introduced to this book by the viral TikTok video of the author selling his books at a grocery store. I read this in good faith. I feel it’s important to give an honest review and include a few content warnings to help parents decide if their child should read this as the intended age range feels like 13+. Leigh is a 16 year old teenage girl who after her parents are murdered, is taken in by a wealthy distant uncle and his family to the Simmons-Pierce Manor. While she does her best to adjust to her new life and deal with her grief — shes unable to let go of not knowing what happened to her parents and embarks on discovering the truth no matter how difficult it is.

I have read this after seeing a post about it on Facebook. It’s more young adult in nature, the premise is interesting, as is the ghost aspect , and I think Leigh embodies the teenagers essence, selfish, unreasonable and almost childish when there’s something they want. We haven’t done any events yet, so this would be the first kind with a local author,” she said. “We’re hoping for the end of July.” Swearengin, who said he bought two copies of Warner’s book after their conversation, emphasized that the video isn’t sponsorship; he “just wanted to show a stranger some kindness.” Shawn Warner of Arlington is the author of "Leigh Howard and the Ghosts of Simmons-Pierce Manor." (Courtesy of Shawn M. Warner) Like most other people, I found this through tiktok. I also learned from videos that it was kid friendly, so I've been reading it aloud to my oldest (who is almost 10). For this reason it took me much longer to read than it would have, had I read it to myself.A 19 yo girl decides to go skinny dipping in front of 16 yo main character regardless of MC’s comfort level. An Arlington author who seemed to be having trouble ginning up interest for his book now has an overnight hit on his hands. There is a door at the end of a silent corridor. And it's haunting Harry Potter's dreams. Why else would he be waking in the middle of the night, screaming in terror?