My So-Called Haunting (Afterlife)

by Tamsyn Murray

[Leah]

Following on from her successful debut novel My So-Called Afterlife, Tamsyn Murray is back with another new spooky, ghost-filled tale with My So-Called Haunting. I don't read many ghost stories, but Tamsyn Murray seems to have hit the mark with her first two books. Whereas My So-Called Afterlife told the story of Lucy, a ghost, in My So-Called Haunting we get the story of Skye, a psychic with the ability to see and speak to ghosts. I really loved the plot and all of the different elements - Skye trying to keep her psychic side from everyone, whilst trying to help Dontay as well as battling her feelings for Nico - all add up to make a fairly rocking read. Added to that fact is that ghosts are such an incredibly interesting topic, particularly when it's not something I read much of, but despite my lack of ghostly knowledge, I do think that Tamsyn Murray has managed to put her own spin on her ghostly-beings.

I actually loved Skye. She accepts her powers with gusto, despite how it makes her a social outcast at school - that, and the fact she's recently moved down to London from Edinburgh - and I found her incredibly easy to warm to. I loved how eager she was to help out Dontay and the relationship they built up with each other was really great to read. Skye lives with her Aunt Celestine and her boyfriend Jeremy and I liked Celestine, she seemed to quirky and I hope we see some more of her in later books, and it was just plain fantastic to see Jeremy again. I admit, I had forgotten who he was until it was mentioned in the book but then it all came back to me and I loved him just as much second time around as I did the first time (if you aren't aware who he is, Jeremy helps Lucy in My So-Called Afterlife). I thought Dontay was such an interesting character. It was clear he had issues (duh - he was a ghost who hadn't yet 'moved on' as it were) and I liked seeing him come out of his shell. The only character I have question marks over is the mysterious Nico. There is a whole load of mystery surrounding him and, even now, I'm still not sure what to make of him. Hopefully we'll see more of him in the sequel which is out next year.

My So-Called Haunting is just as well-written as My So-Called Afterlife and is told entirely from Skye's point of view and I enjoyed getting into Skye's world. I also loved visiting past haunts from the previous book, like the Dearly D. It's clear to me Tamsyn is setting her books all in the same little world and anyone who knows me knows that I love that. There was a lot that went on throughout My So-Called Haunting and Murray deals with some very present matters that are sweeping the nation, namely gun crime and gang culture and I felt that anyone reading the book will undoubtedly think twice about what it is to carry around weapons and debate joining a gang of any kind. Murray seems to know what it is teens today want to read about and taps into those subjects perfectly but without being at all patronising.

My So-Called Haunting also seemed to be a lot more supernatural than My So-Called Afterlife and there's a lot that I hope gets explored in the sequel to My So-Called Haunting, My So-Called Phantom Lovelife (can you see a title theme here?) which is due out next year. Which kind of brings me into my only problem with the book; I found the ending a bit abrupt. Everything was wrapped up nicely, don't get me wrong, but I thought Nico's story was unfinished and although that leads nicely into a sequel it is a bit disappointing that it was all left up in the air. I certainly hope we delve more into Nico's world in the sequel as there seems to be plenty of legs left in Nico's story arc. I can't wait to delve back into Skye and Nico's world as well as that of all the ghosts in the 'My So Called' series!