Nothing But Ghosts by Beth Kephart
Nothing has been quite been the same for Katie since her mother died: her father won’t sleep in his bedroom, she has barely spoken to her friends. Life just seems flatter, less colorful. To keep herself busy over the summer, Katie has taken a job working in the gardens of a large estate owned by a wealthy recluse, Ms. Martine. Her gardener, Old Olsen, has them digging through hard packed dirt, ostensibly for a gazebo. But when Katie arrives early for work and finds Old Olsen acting strangely around the hole, she gets curious and begins researching Ms. Martine and what exactly made her disappear.
Although “Nothing But Ghosts” started a bit slowly for me, it was lovely from the first page. Katie’s sorrow was palpable, but the book wasn’t depressing. I was intrigued by the mystery that Katie was attempting to solve and sympathetic to her motivation: after all both Ms. Martine and her mother had disappeared, although in different ways; perhaps if she could figure out what happened to one, she could gain something resembling closure for the other.
I first heard about this book from Amy and was talking with her about it after I finished. I told her something that I want to share, because I think it perfectly sums up my experience with the book. I told her that ’by the end I just wanted to give that book a hug’. Not just Katie, although I’d have liked to give her a hug at many points, not Katie’s father, although I could feel his pain emanating from the pages, but the book itself. It felt like Kephart was being very vulnerable with this book and pouring bits of her soul onto the pages, and after reading it I felt that I had just spent time with a good friend.
As soon as I finished reading this I put another of Kephart’s books on hold at the library right away. Highly recommended.
Buy this book from:
Powells.
A local independent bookseller via Indiebound.
Amazon.
I knew you would love this book as much as I did. Lovely review.
I’m glad you loved this as much as I did! I think Amy has created a league of Kephart fans. I know the rest of her books are on my wishlist.
.-= Meghan´s last blog ..BBAW: Recognizing Blogs I Love =-.
I really liked this book as well – I went and bought Undercover after I finished this one.
I’ve seen this one around a bit and it looks like a great read.
This looks interesting – I’ll add it to my neverending list!
I’m still so glad that you loved this book. It was such a little gem.
.-= Katie´s last blog ..in my mailbox (13). =-.
I loved this book too. After reading this and Undercover, Beth Kephart is making her way onto my list of favorite authors.
I loved this one as well. I’ve added several of her other books to my wish list. She’s one talented writer!
Sounds like a very interesting book. I haven’t read it yet, but now I really want to!
I so wish to get to one of her books… everyone has said great things about this one!
Great review!
I need to get to this one
Interestingly enough I didn’t feel like this book was about Katie as much as it was about the world around her. I thought it a really soft emotional and sweet book. Certainly one of the kindest surrounding how a family endures the death of a beloved member. I’m glad you enjoyed it!
Your words means so much.
Think of me as sending you a virtual hug (from Katie, from her dad, from all of us).
Yay!
Great review of a great book!