The Ghost Chronicles

by Marlo Berliner

Overview

THE GHOST CHRONICLES by Marlo Berliner is a YA paranormal with romantic elements and adult crossover appeal, perfect for fans of If I Stay, Twilight and the movie, Ghost.

Can Michael get to heaven before the devil gets him first, and if it means leaving Sarah is he sure he still wants to go?

Michael Andrews had everything - a loving family, a great girlfriend and a promising basketball career. That was before the accident that took his life. Now, he's a ghost, wandering among the living, struggling to understand why he's stuck. All he wants is to move on.

That is until he meets Sarah, an attractive young girl who died just as tragically as he did. The only trouble is falling in love and binding oneself to another soul is forbidden, for it may keep one or both of the souls bound to earth for longer than they should be.

To make matters worse, there's also a danger in going too far with Sarah, because the "joining" of two souls in the afterlife is also strictly forbidden and they don't know what will happen if they do go that far. Each time they touch they can feel the boundaries of their energies slipping perilously into one another.

Things get even more complicated as Michael learns he's being pursued. Demons are after him because he's a marked soul, a soul the devil wants very badly for some unknown reason.

So, maybe falling in love in the afterlife isn't such a good idea.

***2016 Golden Leaf Award for Best First Book***

***Awarded the Literary Classics Seal of Approval***

***FINALIST in the National Indie Excellence Awards for Young Adult Fiction***

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780996972413
Publisher:	Teddy Blue Books
Publication date:	11/17/2015
Pages:	332
Sales rank:	864,132
Product dimensions:	5.20(w) x 7.90(h) x 0.90(d)
Age Range:	13 - 18 Years

About the Author

Formerly an accounting manager for a Fortune 500 company, Marlo Berliner is currently an intern with a literary agency based in New York City, as well as, an editor at Chimera Editing. Marlo writes young adult, women's fiction, and short stories. She is currently working on her third novel. When she's not writing or editing, Marlo loves reading, relaxing at the beach, watching movies, and rooting for the Penn State Nittany Lions. After having spent some wonderful time in Pittsburgh and Houston, she's now back in her home state of New Jersey where she resides with her husband and two sons. This is her first novel. You can visit her online at www.marloberliner.com or on Twitter @MarloBerliner.

Editorial Reviews

"A haunting journey that will leave readers craving more." - Natalie Zaman, co-author of the Sirenz series and Blonde Ops

"I loved The Ghost Chronicles. Simply loved it. Billed as a young adult novel with crossover appeal for the adult crowd, this book certainly got the attention of this adult. Author Marlo Berliner has done a masterful job in creating a story and characters that her readers will care about, relate to, and continue to think about long after the final words are read. If that isn't a hallmark of a great author, I'm not sure what is. Her scene setting skills are simply second to none, and the setting of the Angel of the Sea Inn bed and breakfast is a perfect place for this afterlife love story to take place. Any reader, young adult or not, who enjoys paranormal fiction, love stories, or just a great work of fiction should absolutely read The Ghost Chronicles. I highly recommend this book, and look forward to reading more from the extremely promising and talented new author, Marlo Berliner, as soon as I possibly can!" - Tracy A. Fischer for Readers' Favorite, 5-stars

"...a most beguiling, intriguing, mystery-filled adventure. With a literary nod to the movieGhost, something Ms. Berliner acknowledges in her accompanying blurb for The Ghost Chronicles, and a certain resonance with the Odd Thomas series by the master of the genre, Dean Koontz, the story does remind us frequently that it is intended for Young Adults. And yet, the excellent plotting, precise editing, and well-projected development of storyline all guarantee that the writing is also perfectly suitable for an Old Adult." - Joel R. Dennstedt for Readers' Favorite, 5-stars

"This is an original and thought-provoking story that will keep readers wondering and looking forward tothe next book in the series. It's highly recommended." - Jack Magnus for Readers' Favorite, 5-stars

"For teens and adults alike, The Ghost Chronicles is an unusually thoughtful and mature take on supernatural romance that deserves attention for its efforts to breakaway from convention, all for the better. The book evolves its setting overtime and makes every new chapter something worth waiting for, and its inclusion of a variety of supernatural elements leaves room for elaboration if a well-earned sequel should be decided upon. For curious readers old and new to the genre, The Ghost Chronicles is sure to set your mind ablaze, and puts "life" back into the "afterlife." " - James Grimsby for Self-Publishing Review, 4.5-stars

"Berliner beautifully captures the frustration and grief of life lost too soon, as well as the delights of young love and the discovery of new possibilities." - IndieReader, 3-stars

From the Publisher

In this YA supernatural debut, a teen's death renders him a ghost, who finds romance, confronts demons, and wonders why his soul, unlike so many others, hasn't moved on. Eighteen-year-old Michael Andrews has a lot going for him. Co-captain of his high school basketball team, he's set to play at the University of Pittsburgh, where his girlfriend, Melissa, will join him. He certainly couldn't have anticipated his highway car accident, but is truly shocked when his spirit separates from his now-lifeless body. Invisible to family, he wanders to recognizable places until finally meeting Tom, another ghost. Tom teaches Michael about his spectral capabilities, like telepathic links with both the living and dead, and tells of the Elders, who essentially govern ghosts. The afterlife doesn't seem so bad once Michael befriends and ultimately falls for Sarah McConnell, who's been haunting a historical bed-and-breakfast for decades. But despite all of Tom's help, Michael feels sure that his phantom pal is hiding something. Soon Michael has a run-in with a bona-fide demon who marks him, which, according to Tom, means the devil finds the teen a particularly important soul. Michael's tormented by guilt over Melissa, especially with his newfound love for Sarah. But while he struggles to keep Sarah safe from demons' relentless pursuit, he's determined to know why he's "stuck" in his phantasmal state. Much of the book doesn't stray far from convention: Michael, transparent, can be sensed by babies and animals, and gradually learns how to catch the living's attention (for example, moving objects). But Berliner's touches give her novel innovation, including real-world connections, from events (Tom died during 9/11) to myriad late celebrities and historical figures whom Michael spots. There are likewise ghosts of creatures that aren't necessarily human, as well as vampires, whose depravity, perhaps not surprisingly, is comparable to demons. Michael's journey even entails a moral dilemma: he realizes too late that he should abide by the Elders' rule of not interfering with the living when he believes Melissa's in danger. Nevertheless, readers may be as frustrated as Michael when the ever-evasive Tom answers few questions, saving most explanations for the sequel. Some of the story covers familiar terrain, but bonus dramatic and paranormal elements give this winsome tale flavor.

Kirkus Reviews