This Is Not a Ghost Story

Nothing is as it seems in this chilling, twisting tale by bestselling author Andrea Portes, perfect for fans of Madeleine Roux and Danielle Vega.Rife with dark humor and chilling twists, This Is Not a Ghost Story is American Horror Story meets There’s Someone Inside Your House. It will have readers flipping back to the very first page after the shocking finale.  I am not welcome. Somehow I know that. Something doesn’t want me here.Daffodil Franklin has plans for a quiet summer before her freshman year at college, and luckily, she’s found the job that can give her just that: housesitting a mansion for a wealthy couple.But as the summer progresses and shadows lengthen, Daffodil comes to realize the house is more than it appears. The spacious home seems to close in on her, and as she takes the long road into town, she feels eyes on her the entire way, and something tugging her back.What Daffodil doesn’t yet realize is that her job comes with a steep price. The house has a long-ago grudge it needs to settle . . . and Daffodil is the key to settling it.

From School Library Journal

GR 9 UP-Daffodil is ready for college in the fall, if only she can make enough money to afford it. Then, a golden opportunity drops in her lap. An old couple needs someone to house sit for them during the summer and supervises some renovations. Free room and a large paycheck. What could possibly be the downside? And then, of course, things start to go wrong. At first it starts small, like objects mysteriously showing up in places they should not be. Then the construction workers laboring over a secretive project that never gets any closer to being done in the backyard start getting aggressive. And something is scratching at night, wanting to get in. And a neighbor keeps inviting herself over unannounced. For all that the title claims, something spooky is happening in this house. This is a horror book that pokes fun at itself and the genre, managing to be both spooky and funny. Daffodil's voice is full of self-deprecating humor and her analysis of herself and her situation will make readers laugh. Her character is lively, sarcastic, and fun to read. Tension builds as readers are walked through an evolving romance in her past, with no sign of the boy in her current life, and there is an interesting twist at the end. VERDICT This hard-to-put-down novel is perfect for horror fans who need a fun read. Recommended for high schoolers.—Sara Kundrik, Gilbert Paterson M.S., Alta.

Publishers Weekly

“[Portes] tempers gruesome scenes with Daffodil’s likable and chatty personality, and creates a memorable novel reminiscent of John Bellairs stories.”

Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

“The chills here are on par with The Shining. Readers [will] know to be very, very afraid.”

School Library JournalPraise for ANATOMY OF A MISFIT:

“For all that the title claims, something spooky is happening in this house. This is a horror book that pokes fun at itself and the genre, managing to be both spooky and funny…[with] an interesting twist at the end.”

Lauren Oliver, author of Before I Fall"A self-deprecating and highly memorable heroine whose bawdy, laceratingly funny narration makes her instantly endearing while also revealing her flaws, uncertainties, and ethical quandaries."

“It’s rare that a book can be as funny and absolutely delightful as it is moving and thought provoking, and Anatomy of a Misfit is both.”

About the Author

Andrea Portes is the bestselling novelist of two critically lauded adult novels, Hick, her debut, which was made into a feature film starring Chloë Grace Moretz, Alec Baldwin, Blake Lively, Eddie Redmayne, and Juliette Lewis, and Bury This. Her first novel for young adult readers, Anatomy of a Misfit, was called “perfection in book form” by Teen Vogue. Her other YA novels include The Fall of Butterflies and Liberty: The Spy Who (Kind of) Liked Me. Andrea Portes’s spooky, timeless middle grade debut is Henry & Eva and the Castle on the Cliff.Andrea grew up on the outskirts of Lincoln, Nebraska. Later, she attended Bryn Mawr College. Currently she lives in Los Angeles with her husband, Sandy Tolan, their son, Wyatt, and their dog, Rascal. You can visit her online at www.andreaportes.squarespace.com.

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