Diary of a Part-Time Ghost

Ghosts & Shadows #1

by Vered Ehsani

In the first book of the ‘Ghost & Shadows’ series, fifteen-year old Ash wants nothing more than to be a normal kid and avoid trouble. And then his birthday gift transforms him into a ghost and zaps him back in time to the beginning of the American Revolution. If he thought that was bad, it’s about to get a whole lot worse. Armed only with an ancient history book and the quirky advice of an annoying mentor, Ash must rescue his ancestor from one danger after another, including an implacable enemy who controls the very shadows. What starts out as a brief experiment in time travel rapidly changes into a race for his very survival, and Ash is running out of time. Despite his efforts to stay out of trouble, Ash finds plenty of it as he must decide what his role will be in the shifting balance of forces. As he moves through one shadow- plagued adventure after another, Ash gradually discovers that true power lives in the most unexpected himself. Humorous and action-packed, Diary of a Part-Time Ghost will hold readers in its grip from the first sentence to the last.

Genres: Young Adult, Paranormal

268 pages, Paperback

First published March 22, 2011

About the author

I've been a writer since I could hold pen to paper, which is a lot longer than I care to admit. I live in Kenya with my family and other animals. When I'm not writing, I pretend to work as an environmental consultant.

Visit my world at http://veredehsani.co.za/free-books/ & pick up 3 FREE books about paranormal mysteries set in colonial Africa.

Reviews

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this book up because I've been on a bit of a ghostly kick lately and I wanted something that wasn't too dark and foreboding. Well, here we have a boy who can travel to the past and who, for all intents and purposes, *is* a ghost when he's there. Half of my bookish wants have now been crossed off. As for hoping it wouldn't be too dark and foreboding... Ash's sisters help lighten the mood whenever they pop in and Ash, himself, keeps things light as he tries to deal with all the weirdness popping up around him. Perfect!

I really, really liked the idea that we are what we put out in the universe. Those that think negatively and allow negative things to happen without doing anything to stop them become an agent of darkness and are swallowed by the shadows. (Dramatic, isn't it!?!?) Those that make the decision to step in and not let things happen become a force of light. It's a fundamentally easy concept to wrap your head around but several of the situations that Ash finds himself in drives home the idea that there are times when it's NOT OKAY to say or do nothing. Seeing as these books have a middle school/young adult vibe, I thought this was particularly timely and could be a way to open up a frank discussion between kids and their parents.

I also enjoyed that when Ash found himself plunked down into the middle of the Boston Tea Party he was pretty clueless as to what was going on. He figured it out eventually, but it amused me that all those history classes went in one ear and out the other on this poor boy.

A very captivating and interesting read, Vered Ehsani has done an excellent job capturing both Ash's family dynamics and the internal struggle most teen/pre-teen kids go through as they try to find their place in the world. Genuinely enjoyable with plenty of setup for more adventures with Ash in the future.

-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

A few months ago I was approached by the author Vered Ehsani on goodreads.com to review her book Diary of a Part-Time Ghost, and because I was had so many books on the go it wasn't until a week ago that I was finally able to read it.

I found the character Ash to be snarky and funny at the same time which I really liked. I also really liked BiBi, who is Ash's great aunt (if I remember correctly). I thought she was cute. Her advice to Ash throughout the book reminded me a lot of Yoda because she wanted Ash to figure things out for himself when it came to the Book of History.

As for the story, I thought it was neat. I always love time travel fiction be it juvenile, YA or adult and I haven't read any in a while so that gave this book a huge plus from me. I liked how the plot wasn't laid out in the way I thought it would have been. The whole time I read it I was left guessing as to what would be coming next. The fact that Ash was a part-time ghost added a unique aspect to the story especially when he travels back in time to meet a relative of his from 1773 and is able to become solid (there's no other word I can think of right now to describe it). The whole deal with Kali (you'll meet him when you read the book) left me puzzled and confused, but I'm guessing all will become clear in the next book.

All in all I really enjoyed this book by Vered Ehsani and I hope she releases the second book soon! I would recommend this to any YA/Juvenile fiction lovers. It's a light and easy read that will surprise you with all of its twists and turns. For a first time author I'd definetly say that Vered Ehsani is on her way to success and I hope when she does release her next book she'll drop me a line and let me review it for her as well.

[Kayla · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dairy of a Part-Time Ghost was a bit confusing at times, but otherwise it was a good read. The yellow eyed man, Kali, confused me quite a bit. I'm not sure when Ash's mom let someone in the house, if it was Kali, his reflection, or something else entirely that was also evil and looking for the book. Also, the veil confused me a little bit. Ash was told not to bring Kali in the veil, but when he did, nothing happened other than Kali's true self was revealed. Hopefully the second book in the series will clear everything up and have quite a bit of answers. Other than the confusing parts, the book was written decently well. The plot kept me turning pages, wondering how Ash was going to get Sara and Samuel back to their father, and what type of trouble the group was going to come across next. I liked how the author used bits and pieces of actual history in the plot, such as The Boston Tea Party. The book taught me a few things I didn't know and had me looking up things online because I wanted to learn more. I liked almost all of the characters. The only character I didn't like was Ash's mom. I thought she was very naive, not noticing all that was going on around her. My favorite character was East Wind. I liked his sense of humor, and how he seemed extremely intelligent. I think he knew more about Ash and his ghost like abilities than what he acted like he knew. Throughout the book, the author includes parenthesis to state things that I thought were obvious already and didn't need to be said, which annoyed me a little bit while reading. This book was a decently good YA novel. I recommend it for fans of historical fiction and ghost stories.

[Anna del C. Dye · Rating 4 out of 5]

This tale is a very good portrayal of a boy who can travel between two worlds to be able to protect one of his relatives. It is written in the first person, is light, and develops with a good pace. He is also witty and easy to like, as are the other characters in this book.
The protagonist, a fifteen-year-old young man named Ash, has to survive for at least one more day the threat of an evil shadow and the mysterious book he received for his birthday. He has a repetitious dream that is telling him what his future will bring and that there is no one who can help him.
“The dagger reached me first and plunged straight into my heart. The pain was overwhelming, and I was waiting to wake up, but I didn’t. Instead, I began to die. I felt my heart explode inside me, and my lungs stopped moving, but I didn’t lose consciousness for a few seconds. Instead, I wallowed in pain and in the knowledge that I was going to die and the shadow was laughing at me.”
This excerpt from the story shows you Ash’s predicament and the voice of the author. It reads just like a diary in a language that will permit the reader to identify with the characters. I recommend it to readers from 12 years old and up. This book is clean and entertaining. The author did a great job telling the story. It could use a light editing to make it even better.

[Gayle Pace · Rating 5 out of 5]

REVIEW:

This is a wonderful story that is very well written and will keep you interested. I know when I get finished I won't be disappointed in the least at the outcome. This book was pure enjoyment for me. I wish it had been longer so I am waiting to read WHERE SHADOWS DANCE.. The characters are very interesting and exciting. The author lets you be part of the story or at least you feel like you are. This book is not just for YA. It's a good story for the young and the young at heart. Who says the young at heart can't enjoy YA novels? Ash was give an old book from his Great Aunt for his birthday. Needless to say,Ash was not happy with the gift. He doesn't know the powers it holds, but will soon find out. In order for you to find out you will have to get a copy and read it. I promise you won't be disappointed This book is a page turner and a can't put down book. IT is also a keeper. When you finish the first book of the series, you'll be ready to start the second, WHERE SHADOWS DANCE. Don't miss it.

I would give this book 5 STARS

I was given a complimentary copy of this book from the author, Vered Ehsani for this unbiased review.

[Andy Angel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ash is disappointed when his Great Aunt, gives him an old book for his birthday - but it turns out to be more important than he'd ever expected!
This entertaining YA novel starts a series (the follow on book - Where Shadows Dance - is available now) that has a lot of promise for young and old readers alike. Ash finds he can use the book to travel, ghostlike, into the past and finds himself back around the time of the Boston Tea Party. I don't want to give anything away so I'll just say the action is more or less non-stop with a few twists along the way.
The main 'bad guy' is a nasty piece of work but also, slightly vague. I'm sure we will find out more about him in future volumes.
All in all a very solid start to a series, well written with mainly good characterisation and some clever ideas.
I will be following this series with interest.

[Lindsey Lang]

cool, just got this book in the mail today, had NO idea i even won it, i love that!!!!

[John Rykken · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ash Chandari has problems. On top of homework and dealing with his irritating younger sisters, he’s been seeing things in the shadows, hearing voices, and having disturbing dreams about his own death. When his Great Aunt Bibi arrives out of the blue, gives him the mysterious Book of History and tells him, “It’s time,” Ash thinks he might get some answers. Instead, as the pages turn and as Aunt Bibi offers enigmatic advice, Ash finds himself whisked through time to the American Revolution, where he must save his ancestors from destruction, battle an evil that controls the shadows, and contend with the fact that he has become, part-time, at least, a ghost.

Diary of a Part-time Ghost has elements of soft horror, but it is foremost a humorous adventure tale, and the action is relentless as Ash moves from one dire situation to the next. Although many of the action scenes are well-drawn, what I most enjoyed were the funny repartees between Ash and his family members, most notably those between him and his mother. (“What do you mean, she’s gone?” Ash demanded… Mom glanced at him. “She left. As in she packed her bags and now she’s gone. The dictionary’s in the living room if you need further explanation.”) All in all, this is a good first book from Ms. Ehsani. It will keep you hooked until the last page and you certainly don’t need to be a ghost or a kid to enjoy it.

[Carole Cohen · Rating 5 out of 5]

So far, I am really enjoying this delightful story. It is witty, well written and has me intrigued in the direction the story is taking me.
I have no doubt as I venture further into the novel, I won't be disappointed in the out come.

I enjoyed reading Diary of a Part-Time Ghost.I hated it to come to an end.I found the book to be exciting,witty and well written.The author succeeds on taking the reader on an adventure where one meets her delightful characters.I hated for the story to come to an end as it left me wanting more. A sequal is what I am hoping for.

[Nan Hawthorne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Charming, quirky and rather heartening. YA novel.