The Awakening

The Awakening
By Marley Gibson
Graphia, 2009. 338 pgs. Young adult fiction.

After a move to the quaint town of Radisson, Georgia, odd things begin happening to Kendall. First of all, her room is haunted--she keeps hearing a ghostly voice that seems to be communicating with her. After a run-in with the town psychic, Kendall gathers the tools she needs, including a teen ghost hunting team, to understand and properly use her gift for good--most importantly, to protect her father from a vengeful spirit.

The first book in the Ghost Huntress series, this book was an interesting, entertaining read. There were moments when the 16 year old narrator's voice switched a bit too abruptly from typical colloquial teen to lofty English graduate, which I found a bit forced, but otherwise I enjoyed the story. I especially liked the scientific aspect of "ghost hunting" in this book; it was a different twist from other ghost stories I've read and gave it a more grounded, realistic feel. Although this book has scary moments, overall it wasn't a frightening book.

CW