The world-building is super cool, and I loved getting lost in the author's imagination.

If you're into ghostly adventures with a side of mystery, definitely give this one a shot. I'd give it a solid three stars on it for the story and the charm of it.

This has all the things as a Buffy fan that I like, twisty plots, found family and friend group support and ghosty type supernatural goings on. After Starlight Watchmaker, I will always check out this author!

I have enjoyed a lot of Lauren James's books and this one is no different. With a host of diverse and sometimes unlovable characters, it is hard to find something to dislike with this book. It is another great book from Lauren and I can't wait to see what she comes up with next.

I have been wanting a good ghost story for a while and this one definitely delivered. I loved how it stuck with the most common plot of a ghost can only stay on the land the person dies on. It was really interesting to see all of the drama, and the hierarchy of the ghosts from so many different generations of people that had died on the land over the centuries and finding out all the various ways the people had died and how they were in their afterlife. I loved the characters, the friendships, and the rivalries and it was really interesting to read a supernatural book from Lauren James when previously I had only read her sci-fi books.

"The Reckless Life of Harriet Stoker" by Lauren James is a good read, but unfortunately, it didn't quite live up to my expectations. While the premise of a group of teenagers discovering a supernatural world is intriguing, the execution felt lacking. The pacing was uneven, and the characters were not fully fleshed out, making it difficult to connect with them. However, the author's writing style is engaging, and I am interested in reading more of their work. Overall, while it was an enjoyable enough read, it didn't leave a lasting impression on me.

2.5 stars.

Unable to provide a review as there are issues with opening the file. Thanks for the opportunity - I’m getting to this super late, sorry!

An anti-hero YA paranormal fantasy about the afterlife.

I really enjoyed that Harriet was such a selfish and mean person.

Good cast of (misfit) characters. LGBTQ representation.

Surprising story - especially for a YA novel.

Thank you to NetGalley and Walker Books for this ARC

My first Lauren James book and won't be my last! Have Green Rising on my bedstand/

Loved this book, the protagonist I couldn't stand but that is the point I believe. The characters are complex and engaging. Gripping and fantastic

No one writes thought-provoking YA sci-fi quite like Lauren James, but The Reckless Afterlife of Harriet Stoker is more horror than sci-fi. Yet she still pulls it off incredibly well!

Harriet Stoker's death, in the first couple of pages, makes for a shocking introduction to this superb novel. That's just the beginning of her story, as much as these things have beginnings, and it's what comes after her death that is most fascinating. Truly Harriet Stoker's afterlife is incredibly reckless!

I loved the cast of characters. She quickly meets a close-knit group of ghosts, practically a family really, and I thought they were all well fleshed out, with very believable personalities. Most of them are used as point of view characters as the story progresses, and it's fascinating watching them through each 0ther's eyes, seeing their individual beliefs, problems, fears and loves. There are queer romantic elements here that play out slowly and subtlety, and beautifully for it. There's a very realistic feel to it all, from crushes to fears, regardless of the fact that the characters in question have been dead centuries. Actually in terms of their personalities, the fact that they are dead doesn't really have much of an impact. They feel very alive, very flesh and blood characters. however dead they may be.
As our central protagonist, Harriet herself is fascinating. Possibly one of the most conflicted main characters I've seen in a YA novel, you could easily write an academic essay on whether she's a hero or a villain. She is conflicted, shifting, has her own motivations that are not particularly around doing the right thing. Yet, as the novel progresses, we see why she's like this, what influences formed her and created her and it is brilliantly done.

The mystery elements of this novel are also excellent. There are clues and hints throughout about deeper, darker goings on, some of which I picked up on, others I could clearly see after the truth came to light. It is engrossing and enthralling and I loved watching everything unfold, as the story built up to its dramatic conclusion. When all of the pieces finally snapped into place it was incredibly satisfying.

A deep, complex novel yet eminently readable,as clever as any of Lauren James' earlier books, and full of heart. I loved The Reckless Afterlife of Harriet Stoker!

I don't know why it took me so long to read this book, I know I thoroughly enjoyed it as it's gripping and well written.
It's a twisty story, an original depiction of the afterlife and the dilemmas of a young ghost.
I loved the characters and the world building.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

This was a fun and wild read. Like Lauren James' other books, there were twists and turns and changes to characters behaviour and their allegiances. I thought Harriet Stoker started off as a character you want to root for and as it continued she became less and less likable. I thought that a book from the side characters would have been better as they seemed much more interesting than Harriet and her only real personality trait was being a cold-hearted cow. I thought the writing was fast-paced and exciting and that was part of the reason why i liked it so much. The final section was really wild and i had to read it in one go as it was that thrilling.

This was my first Lauren James book but it definitely won't be my last. The characters were complex and engaging, whilst the mystery kept me hooked. I read a paperback copy as the NetGalley version was missing the last few chapters to keep the suspense!

Here is a premise that shouldn't really work but somehow Lauren James pulls it off! I loved the disparate bunch of characters who find themselves struck with each other and the claustrophobic atmosphere in the house palpable. Unusual and gripping, it's well worth reading.

Sadly not for me. I liked the writing style but struggled with the death element and therefore unfortunately couldn’t carry on reading it.

A fantastic book by one of my favourite authors! I loved the story and Lauren has such a beautiful way with words. The story overall kept me captivated the entire time!

I really did not enjoy reading this book. I think the premise of the story is interesting, i just feel that I'd enjoy it more with a main character I can empathise with more than Harriet. I don't know why the author has given her so little redeeming qualities. I really actively disliked reading about Harriet and the entire plot was just not for me. The writing flowed easily and I do think that James has a great writing style. I just wish that the plot of this book had been stronger and that I didn't feel so annoyed at the main character. I will continue to read James' other books in future.

Lauren James has done it again! She swiftly became one of my favourite authors when I read THE LONELIEST GIRL IN THE UNIVERSE and THE QUIET AT THE END OF THE WORLD, and this book was just as good as the ones that came before it. It has everything that I've come to love from a Lauren James book: great characters that are explored in depth and we truly get to know them and root for them; a unique and interesting story that makes me hang on to every word; and crazy twists that I didn't see coming AT ALL. I loved it!

I cannot express how much I enjoyed this book! Lauren James has a way of crafting incredible morally grey characters and make you feel for them. The story kept me on the edge of my toes from beginning to end!

Please note that this book is not for me - I have read the book, However I had to DNF and because i do not like to give negative reviews I will not review this book fully - there is no specific reason for not liking this book. I found it a struggle to read and did not enjoy trying to force myself to read this book.

Apologies for any inconvenience caused and thank you for the opportunity to read this book

When university student Harriet Stoker falls to her death in a derelict building on campus, she finds herself in the afterlife with a group of other ghosts.
The ghosts - Felix, Rima, Leah and Kasper - welcome Harriet with open arms into their group, but when Harriet learns that everyone develops a power upon becoming a ghost she becomes obsessed with discovering what her power is.
As Harriet's obsession strains her new friendships she will have to decide what is more important, having power or friends.

Going into this I wasn't sure how much I would like it as I was disappointed by the author's last book and the premise for this one didn't excite me overly. However, as a fan of some of the author's previous books, I decided to give her new release a chance.
I didn't find Harriet to be a likeable protagonist, but I don't think she wasn't meant to be. Harriet's relationship with her grandmother was complicated and reflected the way Harriet treated people herself, which was quite interesting.
Rima was my favourite character and I liked the relationships she had with Felix, Leah and Kasper.
The plot was a bit mixed for me, with times where the pacing dipped, but there were several things that happened that I didn't expect. However, these unexpected plot points didn't have the intended shock value and some scenes didn't have the intended emotional impact because I struggled at times to connect with the characters.
The book is told from several point of views and there were times when the point of views changed too quickly for me, making the story a bit jarring at times.
While I did enjoy the book overall, it didn't grip me or have me eager to keep reading.

Overall, this was an enjoyable read.