The Haunting of Apartment 101

October 1, 2012

Gr 6-10-Jane Wright has been gearing up for paranormal activity ever since she entered high school. It was then that she dropped the name Jane for "Jinx," dyed her hair pink, and started watching the television show Ghost Hunters. Fellow sophomore and best friend Jackson, has had an interest in ghost hunting ever since his father died years earlier. When their popular classmate Emily asks the duo for help with a haunting taking place in her new apartment, Jackson can't resist the possibility of finding a real ghost. After all, if ghosts are real, maybe he can make contact with his father. Jinx is skeptical of Emily's reports but is eager to test her new detecting equipment. They take the case and quickly discover that catching a ghost is harder than it looks on television. This first book in a new series offers much for readers who enjoy fast-paced, easy-to-read stories. Themes of fitting in and friendship are explored through Jinx and her relationship with Jackson, whose grief over his father's death makes him sympathetic to Emily's suffering. Character development trumps plot detail here, and some readers may question some of the contrivances that lead to the friends staying over Emily's apartment unsupervised. Nevertheless, most readers will be hankering for more, especially with the cliff-hanger ending.-Alison O'Reilly, Cutchogue New Suffolk Free Library, NY

Copyright 2012 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 15, 2012
Two teen ghost hunters use their skills to solve a mystery in a haunted apartment house. Jinx has always had a difficult time fitting in, beginning in middle school. However, by the time she is in high school, she has embraced her outsider status, even reveling in the negative way she is viewed by fellow students. Indeed, she's even adopted the nickname they gave her, preferring it to her real name. Her one friend, Jackson, remains loyal to her despite his insider status as a member of the football team. Jinx spends her time pursuing her plan to use technology to investigate paranormal phenomena. When one of the girls Jinx particularly dislikes seeks help with mysterious events in her family's apartment, she is extremely skeptical. Instead, it is soft-hearted Jackson who convinces Jinx this is a case they should take. Finally, Jinx will be able to use the equipment and research she has been working with for some time. This easy-to-read ghost story will grab reluctant readers with its intriguing plot, its quirky main character and her more straight-laced best friend. In addition to the plot's twists and turns, all of the primary teen characters are coping with issues familiar to readers. The cliffhanger ending with its human and supernatural components will lead fans to the next in the series, The Terror of Black Eagle Tavern, which publishes simultaneously. (Mystery. 12 & up)

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January 1, 2013
Jinx and Jackson are paranormalists--ghost hunters--out to "seek the truth and find the cause!" While the romantic relationship between the pair creates palpable tension, the scare factor leaves something to be desired as each paranormal scenario is neatly explained away. A good, easy read, however, for fans of the SyFy channel's [cf2]Ghost Hunters[cf1] and the Paranormal Activity movies.

(Copyright 2013 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)