Paper Ghosts by Sarah Addison Allen

Robin’s Rave Reviews 2026

FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS/MULTI-GENERATIONAL – MAGICAL REALISM – DARK ELEMENTS – ATMOSPHERIC – OLD MANSION – FAMILY SECRETS – SMALL TOWN SOUTHERN FICTION

PAPER GHOSTS by Sarah Addison Allen is a story about the search for love, the consequences and regrets caused by reactionary choices and actions, and how secrets follow us, impacting future generations. It revolves around cyclical family dysfunction.

Book Summary

Alice Wester, the matriarch of the founding family of Hen Town, North Carolina, has an unnerving knowledge of the sins of the people who live there, and she uses it to her advantage. When she whispers into someone’s ear, everyone knows she’s manipulating them through blackmail. But how does she know? Whether her “knowing” is a gift or a curse, the small community has nicknamed her the Witch of Wester House as a result of it.

The story begins in the mid-1970s with Alice and her granddaughter, Willamena. Alice is raising her granddaughter with an iron fist of control. The exception is that Willamena is allowed to choose her own friends. In high school Willamena is part of The Feathers (a group of girls who were the first in their school to feather their hair, a nice nod to the time period). Alice tries to control Willamena’s future, expecting her to take Alice’s place as she ages. Alice expects Willamena to stay in town after graduation, marry the man of Alice’s choice, live in the family mansion, and inherit the family money. Willamena falls for a travelling musician who represents a different life with freedom and adventure. She plans to run away with him…but Alice knows everything. The conflict between them escalates, and Willamena realizes her friends have betrayed her.

Years later, Willamena is now the matriarch, alone in her mansion, but with the same “gift” as her grandmother. After Willamena’s son graduated from high school, she sent him away to escape the trap of this small town. Unfortunately, when his wife dies, he’s left a single parent. Willamena agrees for him to come home with his five-year-old daughter, Bailey. Willamena keeps her distance, not wanting to repeat the actions of her grandmother. However, she does interfere by controlling Baileys’ circle of friends right away. She doesn’t want her to experience the betrayal she did. Bailey wants to know her elusive grandmother better, but she only sees her once a week for tea, even though they live in the same house.

Willamena has kept the secret behind her gift, not wanting Bailey to follow her path, but Bailey suspects she’s different. Bailey has a difficult time fitting in and ends up hanging on the edge of the mean girl group at school. Although she isn’t mean, she doesn’t stand up for anyone being targeted either. People leave her alone because her grandmother is the Witch of Wester House.

Bailey, who never dated, dreams of being in love. She makes a mistake on graduation night at a bonfire, setting off a series of traumatic consequences, not all of her own making. Her choices lead her into trouble when she discovers the boy she’s fantasized about is more like his reputation than the idea she created of him. The consequences of her mistake matched with her gift have the potential to be more of a true, dark curse, so her grandmother sends her away to protect her.

Bailey returns eight years later because her grandmother is ill. Bailey has questions she needs answered before it’s too late to ask. Her grandmother reveals she chooses to be tied to the house because of her first love. Bailey’s tie would be much darker, but Willamena has a plan to free her granddaughter.

My Thoughts

I’m a big Sarah Addison Allen fan, so I was excited to read the ARC of her newest book, PAPER GHOSTS. The story hooked me and kept me hooked. I devoured it in two days, which would have been one if I’d had more time. I love how she uses cozy, small-town settings but sprinkles in magical realism. She has a wonderful way with words, creating descriptions and comparisons that are often poetic and always observant. For example, she writes, “…she knew she wasn’t sophisticated, knew it the way you can know the meaning of a word but not how to pronounce it.” I even enjoy her little details like describing a car parked on the curb, “ticking as the engine cooled.”

I loved the first portion about Willamena growing up. However, I felt jarred when the story suddenly switched to Willamena being the grandmother. I wasn’t expecting the time jump. I was so involved in Willamena’s teen story and simply wanted more. After a bit, I connected with Bailey’s story and enjoyed it as well. Although Willamena’s story is tragic, Bailey’s adds a darker element. I kept reading, wondering about the “gift” and how these women know what they know. When the story finally disclosed the how, it made total sense (in a magical realism sort of way).

Willamena talks to Bailey about an old photo and tells her, “Photographs are paper ghosts. They’re the only ghosts everyone can see.” It wasn’t until I finished the book and considered that photos didn’t play a big role in the story that I looked at the quote again. It hit me that I needed to place the emphasis on the word ‘everyone.’ The explanation was right there the whole time, once I knew where to look. The book already explained the “gift,” but the quote made sense in a different way by the end.

These aren’t characters you’ll love to love, but they grow on you as you see why they make their choices based on their experiences. Sometimes you want to shake them and yell, “No! Don’t do that!” Friendship and the pursuit of love seem to create chaos and disaster in this family. So if you like a good family drama with a touch of the supernatural (without the scare factor), PAPER GHOSTS may be for you. Although it reaches toward gothic, it’s lighter than a true gothic tale.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC of this novel. The opinions are my own.

PAPER GHOSTS by Sarah Addison Allen came out September 1, 2026. I suggest ordering through Bookshop.org. I’m an affiliate because I love their mission to support small, independent bookstores across the country. I may received a small commission from your order, but it doesn’t increase your cost AND you’re helping small bookstores! Win-win! You can order PAPER GHOSTS HERE. And check out my Bookshop page with other great recommendations HERE.

About the Author

A native of Asheville, North Carolina, Sarah Addison Allen is the author of The Peach Tree Keeper, The Girl Who Chased the Moon, Garden Spells, The Sugar Queen, Lost Lake, First Frost, and more recently, Other Birds. This New York Times and USA Today bestselling author has brought Southern Magical Realism into the mainstream. Her novels dive into family dynamics with a supernatural slant while subtly showcasing her romantic, lyrical prose.

If You Like…

If you like the description of PAPER GHOSTS by Sarah Addison Allen, you may enjoy her other novels listed in the About the Author section above. Also, check out my past reviews on these recommendations: OTHER BIRDS by Sarah Addison Allen, THE STORY KEEPER by Kelly Rimmer, THE UNMAKING OF JUNE FARROW by Adrienne Young, THE KINDRED SPIRITS SUPPER CLUB by Amy Reichert, and MIDNIGHT at the BLACKBIRD CAFE by Heather Webber.

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July 7, 2026September 3, 2026

The Story Keeper by Kelly Rimmer

Robin’s Rave Reviews 2026

Mystery – Atmospheric/Lightly Gothic – Historical Fiction – Women’s Fiction

Book about Books – Spooky House – Australia – Family Secrets – Mother/Daughter Relationship

THE STORY KEEPER by Kelly Rimmer has so much to like! Australian setting, an old mansion that “might” be haunted, a woman doing the renovations, a book within the book, buried family secrets, Gothically atmospheric but not scary. Yes! Sign me up. This was my first Kelly Rimmer book, and I was excited that it continued my streak of amazing books to recommend this year!

Book Summary

A famous author lives in a mansion called Wurimbirra in the small, country town of Forbes, Australia. He leaves his estate to his son, Jon, but included a section in the will suspiciously insisting that no big renovations be made to the house. Jon sells the house to his cousin, Fiona, a historical architect with a fond attachment to the house. She grew up there with Uncle Tad, Jon and her mother. After all, there is no way Uncle Tad’s no renovations request can be enforced, and the estate has been neglected for years.

Fiona is looking for a fresh start as she goes through a divorce after her husband and her best friend’s affair forced her out of their company. She begins the huge task of cleaning the house that’s been neglected for years, including the red Australian dust that’s settled everywhere.

A short time after Fiona arrives, strange things happen around the house. The locals think the house is haunted, but Fiona never experienced anything odd when she lived there. She thinks Uncle Tad would be laughing about it. He told ghost stories about the house to keep people away to maintain his privacy as he wrote. After all, he is THE STORY KEEPER. Fiona’s looking for logical answers, but the local lore about the house creeps back into her mind, as well as the stories of an indigenous tragedy that took place near the property generations ago. And then there’s the creepy, old cemetery on the property from the original owners of the house.

Old tombstones in a small cemetery photo by Rusty Watson on Unsplash — Photo by Rusty Watson/Unsplash.com

Fiona’s plan to renovate the mansion visibly shakes and angers her mother. Fiona’s mother has always kept her at a distance emotionally and buying/renovating the old mansion sets her off. She tells her daughter, “History doesn’t always stay in the past, Fiona. I hope to God you know what you’re doing.”

While clearing out Uncle Tad’s things, Fiona discovers a box of books titled The Midnight Estate. Not recognizing the author’s name, she assumes it was sent by an author friend of Uncle Tad’s. She immediately gets sucked into reading it. (Readers get to read it along with her – the book within the book.)

The story takes us back to 1960s with a character named Silas. He lives in Australia, but he has returned home to the U.S. because his mother is very sick. While in town, he notices a familiar, haunted look on a young woman at a cafe. His mother, who was a victim of domestic abuse, had the same look. He decides he must help the woman, if she’ll accept it. The story tells the great lengths and risks taken to get her out of her abusive marriage. When others turned away and ignored it, Silas was the only one to help.

As Fiona begins to understand her family’s connection to this story, she gains knowledge and empathy that allows for healing with her mother.

My Thoughts

Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing/MIRA and NetGalley for the ARC of THE STORY KEEPER by Kelly Rimmer. The opinions are my own.

I was thrilled that I’d picked another winner of a novel to read this year, especially since I didn’t know this author. It’s been a great year for some wonderful writing that I’m happy to recommend! THE STORY KEEPER is a 5-star read.

The Australian setting, the “haunted” mansion, and a woman who wants to bring the home back to its former glory all drew me in. I’m absolutely NOT a fan of scary novels, so luckily, this isn’t. It’s more atmospheric with a few odd events, but it isn’t a book that will keep you up at night listening for all those suspicious noises.

With Fiona’s recent failed marriage, I cheered her on. It’s time for her to get a break. Throughout the novel, Fiona does basic things in the mansion (cleaning, turning on the electricity and water, sorting papers, etc.), rather than getting to the actual renovations, but by the end of THE STORY KEEPER, I was sure she would continue with those plans. It’s a huge house so it definitely would take time to simply organize it.

The first chapter that switched from Fiona’s story to her reading the book in the box threw me for a minute, even though the chapter was clearly titled The Midnight Estate. Once I realized I was reading the novel along with Fiona, it made sense. It’s actually a brilliant and unusual technique to create a dual timeline story. It wasn’t long before I realized this “fictional” story would tie into Fiona’s family secrets, but that didn’t detract from my interest in the story.

Trigger warnings: infidelity/cheating, coercive control/spousal abuse, and historical violence to indigenous people.

Order Your Copy

You can preorder now anywhere books are sold (pub date is July 21, 2026); however, may I suggest ordering through Bookshop.org? I am now an affiliate of Bookshop.org because I love their mission to support small, independent bookstores across the country. To be transparent, I may receive a small commission, but it doesn’t increase your cost AND you’re helping small bookstores! It’s a Win-Win! You can order THE STORY KEEPER by Kelly Rimmer here. And check out my Bookshop page with other great recommendations HERE.

About the Author

Kelly told her father she was going to be an author back when she was in kindergarten. Her storytelling dreams have come true, and her books can be found in bookstores all over the world. Kelly’s books have been Top 10 bestsellers in her home country of Australia, and in the U.S., she’s been on the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestseller lists. Some of her well-known books are historical fiction. Previous books include Things We Cannot Say, Before I Let You Go, and The Warsaw Orphan.

If You Like…

If THE STORY KEEPER by Kelly Rimmer sounds like a book you’d enjoy, also check out my past reviews on these books: The Unwritten Rules of Magic by Harper Ross, The Secret Christmas Library by Jenny Colgan, The Unmaking of June Farrow by Adrienne Young. I don’t have a review on my blog for these books that I’ve read, but they would be great books you may enjoy: Starling House by Alix E. Harrow and Slade House by Davide Mitchell.

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September 21, 2022September 2, 2022

Spells for Forgetting By Adrienne Young

As fall descends upon us, I wonder – do the types of books you choose change with the seasons? Spells for Forgetting by Adrienne Young is a dark, romantic tale with mysterious atmosphere just right for this time of year! It’s a perfect choice for when you want to curl up with a good book, a blanket and a hot beverage of choice.

YA author Adrienne Young’s first adult novel takes us to the Pacific Northwest to a mystical island off the coast of Washington. Residents of the island’s small village have lived there for generations and are deeply steeped in folklore, superstitions, and traditions. Tourists visiting their apple orchard generate most of the islander’s revenue.

Synopsis

After fourteen years away, August returns to bury his mother’s ashes. His presence re-ignites suspicion and hatred from most of the island’s residents. For Emery, the high school sweetheart he left behind, August’s presence opens old wounds and brings conflicting feelings.

“There are spells for breaking and spells for mending. But there are no spells for forgetting.”

Fourteen years earlier, August and Emery are in love and secretly plan on leaving the island together the day after graduation. That is until the night Emery’s best friend Lily is found dead, and the apple orchard is set on fire. August is the suspect in the murder, but when no proof is produced, he and his mother leave the island.

Through multiple POV’s, we experience what happens between Emery and August now that he’s returned and see glimpses of the past that led up to that fateful night.

My Thoughts

After a few slow opening chapters, I found myself deeply invested in the characters. I wanted to follow this unresolved love story and murder mystery. It kept me guessing what really happened the night of the fire and Lily’s death, and the twists and turns kept me quickly turning the pages.

Magic and folklore is an underlying thread in the story, adding mystery and atmosphere; however, it felt underplayed. I wanted the book of magic spells and the ancient traditions to be a bigger part of the story.

This book is categorized as general fiction because it doesn’t fit neatly into only one genre. It’s part mystery/thriller, part fantasy/magic, and part romance. The publication date is set for Sept. 27, 2022. I rate Spells for Forgetting 4 stars since I really enjoyed this book.

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Publishing for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts!

If Spells for Forgetting sounds like a book you’d like, check out my reviews on these novels: Valley of the Moon , The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, Gallant, and a lighter novel, The Kindred Spirits Supper Club.

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@author.robin.shelley