Haunting Melody by Chloe Spencer

Haunting Melody by Chloe Spencer

Published by Tiny Ghost Press on October 1st, 2024

Genres:  Young Adult, Ghosts, Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance, Mystery, Fiction, Horror, LGBTQ+

Pages:  306

Format:  eARC

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★★★★

no spice

From the author of Monstersona comes a haunting sapphic young adult novel, with themes of mental health and PTSD, and a thrilling mystery at its core.

Failure is a sinister song. One that Melody Myere is all too familiar with.

The only child of an acclaimed ghost hunter couple, Melody’s First Sacred Hunt should have been a walk in the park. All she needed to do was catch a ghost, like she’s done all her life. But when an unexpected wraith showed up causing havoc, Melody was left scarred and embarrassed.

Suffering from depression and PTSD post-hunt, Melody relocates to the sleepy island town of Murkmore, where her parents have been tasked with capturing the ghost responsible for a series of grisly deaths. Determined to prove herself, and despite her parents' protests, Melody sets out to capture the specter on her own.

When a haunting song lures Melody to an abandoned theater, she encounters a recently deceased musical prodigy by the name of Cyrus. All signs point to Cyrus being the killer, but Melody isn’t so sure, suspecting something more discordant is afoot.

Haunted by more than just a sinister song, Melody must learn to trust her instincts to catch the killer and prove herself before it’s time to face the music.

Such a fun, ghostly YA read filled with mystery and romance! This would make the perfect Halloween read!

Melody has a LOT going on in her life - a failed ghost hunt, new scars, PTSD, struggling with a breakup and to top it all off her parents move her to an island that isn’t keen on Fantasticals (ghost hunters, magical beings, witches, etc). She gets wrapped up in a mystery, finds a cute butch ghost and is trying to work through her own issues.

I absolutely adored the characters and the world building. The mystery itself (and the mystery of her dad and Simon, ifykyk) kept me captivated. I loved seeing Melody work through her issues and grow closer to Cyrus.

The ending did feel a bit rushed for me but ultimately I loved where it lead. I would love to see more of these characters and this small town.

A 4-star read for me and I highly recommend this to those who love a good paranormal mystery with a bit of romance and LGBTQ+ vibes in a YA setting.

Big thanks to Chloe Spencer and Pride Book Tours for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinions!