The Haunting of Sunshine Girl by Paige McKenzie

 

The Haunting of a Sunshine Girl by Paige McKenzie
Published:  March 24, 2015
Synopsis from Goodreads:
Based on the wildly popular YouTube channel, The Haunting of Sunshine Girl has been described as “ Gilmore Girls meets Paranormal Activity for the new media age.” YA fans new and old will learn the secrets behind Sunshine—the adorkable girl living in a haunted house—a story that is much bigger, and runs much deeper, than even the most devoted viewer can imagine…

Since the Goodreads synopsis doesn't really tell you anything, here's the book trailer which gives you a much better gist of the storyline:



This book was so so fun to read!! It was just quick and entertaining and I couldn't put down. It's set in Ridgemont, Washington where sixteen year old Sunshine has just moved when her mother Kat got a new job. Sunshine was always different - from being adopted to having a taste for vintage clothes and her taxidermied owl. Her new home isn't at all like the warm, sunny city of Austin, Texas where she had lived all her life. Rather, Ridgemont is constantly rainy or foggy and her new house is the epitome of creepy - with lights that are never bright enough, old mildewy smells, and of course, a resident ghosts. Along with Nolan - a nerdy but cute boy from her visual arts class - it's up to Sunshine to find out what the ghosts want from her before they become too much of a danger to her mom and herself.

Before I read this book, I had never heard of Paige McKenzie's YouTube webseries. The only reason I foudn out about it was because it was a featured article on the bookseller insiders page at my job. But as soon as I read about it, I knew I had to get my hands on it. Plus, I just fell in love with the cover. Like I would buy this book just  because I love the cover. Normally, I'm not into ghosts and scary things. I absolutely hate scary movies. But every once in a while, I get in the mood for a scary-ish book to read and this exactly fit my mood. The creep-factor isn't too high though. Actually, considering this is a YA book, it's pretty mild. It's sort of reminiscent of R. L. Stine's Goosebumps at first but it goes a little beyond that. I can definitely see middle-grade readers enjoying this. There's basically no romance though it's hinted at for future books. My only problem with this book is Sunshine has a really strange habit of saying things like "good golly" and "Jesus Louiseezus." I kid you not, she said Jesus Louiseezus. It was just so jarring to read such old fashioned phrases. Considering I think Paige McKenzie is still a teen herself, I don't think any modern teenager would ever say either of those things. It was just so strange. I mean, the book gives a reason for why Sunshine likes old fashioned things but really now, "Jesus Louiseezus"???

All in all, I definitely liked this book. It's not a book that's going to really wow you with amazing writing and unexpected plot twists but it's definitely entertaining and I'm rating it 4 out of 5 just because it was entertaining. If you're looking for a quick, fun read definitely check it out. So far, a second book is due to come out October 2015 and there may be more after that!

In the mean time, what are some of your favorite scary reads? 

Have you ever seen a ghost? Do you live in a haunted house? 

Tell me your stories - or rather don't because they'll probably just freak me out.  

Except, I really want to know if you do because I'm contradicting like that.

Also, have you ever uttered the phrase "Jesus Louiseezus"?