Thank you Netgalley and Harper Collins for this e-Arc in exchange for my honest opinion.
This book was very intriguing it started of well and took awhile to warm up to the adventure. I found the main character Cara quite annoying and her attitude got tired real quickly.
This book is about accepting ones self and learning to embrace family legacies, Cara's reluctancy to embrace her true self in fear of her mother's disappointed and being caught in the middle of her Grandmother's aspirations for the family legacies to be continued, was written well into the story.
I found Cara and Zach's banter sizzled with tension and chemistry, but it soon came repetitive when Cara snapped at him for minor things.
The overall experience was fun and exciting read I enjoyed the Ghostspeaker powers and the intrinsic world that was ripe with danger around every corner, I was captivated until the very end.
A slow start but once it gets going it hooks you until the conclusion of the story.

I didn't expect to like it; I thought it to be mostly about teenagers who can see ghosts, but it turns out to be an interesting blend of fantasy and mythology; I also enjoy the writing ♡

Thank you to Netgalley for the free ARC!

Tropes:

□ Rivals to lovers
□ Slow-burn romance
□ Generational trauma
□ Fast-paced

Thank you so much h to HarperCollins Children's Books for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I liked this book! I enjoyed Zach and Cara’s dynamic as high school nemeses and how well these two characters bounced off of each other, trying to outmatch each other's wit and snark.

In this thrillingly romantic, irresistibly fun YA contemporary fantasy debut, we follow a teenage Chinese American ghost speaker who (reluctantly) makes a deal to raise her nemesis from the dead.

I love how this book is actually YA. The characters are teenagers. They have teenage 'problems' and they act like TEENAGERS. I've read so many YA fantasy books that are concerningly similar in detail to Adult fantasy books. This book is not like those books. The target audience is made crystal clear whilst still being enjoyable for those over the age of 18.

This book was exciting, different and new. I don't know about you, but I don't come across a lot of books that cover the topics that this book has. I had a wonderful time reading it and would recommend giving it a go!

First of all, let's take a moment to praise the cover designers - the cover for If I Have To Be Haunted is both stunning and eye-catching.
Now, onto my review ... Cara is a ghost talker, an unusual ability but one that is exactly as it sounds- she can see and talk to ghosts. Her (deceased) grandmother has the same skill and continues to encourage Cara to embrace her power. Cara's mother on the other hand, would much rather if her daughter forgot about this nonsense and focused on her education.
Cara is struggling to be the daughter that her mother wishes, while being a teenager. A complex task, without the added supernatural powers.
Then a frenemy of Cara's is murdered by supernatural forces and Cara is faced with an unpleasant choice - try to save him, and confront her powers or let him die.
This is the start of an epic journey for Cara and although aimed at the YA audience, I enjoyed the insights from Cara as she made her decisions and followed her own path.
A surprisingly sweet love story that has drama as it's heart, this is for one all fans of supernatural stories.

"No man ever steps in the same river twice"
“The world shifted, and so did we"
"If I could have stayed, I would have stayed for you.”

Cara is a ghost-talker which runs through her maternal family tree however her mother has made her promise to not embrace this part of her except to talk to her grandmother. Cara, wanting to be the perfect child as her mother demands, does as she is asked even though this effort does not go far in resolving the tension between her and her mother. One day however, Cara is forced to use her powers where a boy in her school, Zack turns up dead and she is the only one who can see his ghost and maybe even resurrect him.

This is touted as a YA book but there were such profound insights throughout that you are forced to stop and consider deeper meanings even as you fly through an interesting read that is epic in its quest and journeys of self-discovery. Cara is so strong for fighting against the instinct to do everything her mother wants of her and brave for following through with her decisions. the road she takes has her questioning everything that she has ever known and Miranda weaves a beautiful tale between the three generations that tugs at the heartstrings.
Zack is a sweetheart especially as the quest draws on and these moments have you smiling.

All-in-all, this is a quick easy and enjoyable read that I thoroughly enjoyed. Pick this up if you are in the mood for a cute, sweet story with an epic quest.

And you will fall in love when you meet Duncan, albeit as brief as it is. Trust me.

Thank you Netgalley and HarperCollins UK for the opportunity to read this story

A big thank you to Harper Collins publishers for inviting me to read a digital version of this book on Netgalley. I had seen it and loved the cover and the story description and was delighted when they gave me a chance to read an ARC. 

I really enjoyed this book and for a debut this author started out strong! It leans to the young adult audience but is also enjoyable for  adults who are interested in fantasy. 

To give a quick synopsis Cara hails from a lineage of “ghost talkers” but the family line got cut when her mother  chose not to embrace her gift and she does not want her daughter Cara to delve into it either. Cara for the most part ignores every ghost she sees, pretending she can’t see them at all but she does talk to her deceased grandmother who tries to teach her the ways of the “ghost talker”. 

She lives a relatively normal life until her classmate and sparring partner Zach is found dead in the forest. But unlike other ghosts he is still somehow tied to the living world and only Cara can save him. 

I really enjoyed this book and the world that the author has made. The characters are likeable and the story is interesting and had me interested in reading more.  It covers first romance, family dynamics and death well without taking away from the main flow of the story. I’m looking forward to reading more from this author.

Cara can see ghosts. One day, her high school nemesis appears to her as a ghost ... And she is the only person who can help him get his life back.

This book is a proper old school quest with battles and challenges across a brilliantly crafted fantasy world. A really good read!

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

A dangerous adventure for two long-time enemies that takes a deep dive into the magical and paranormal world. I enjoyed following Cara and Zach on their journey, with their outrageous bickering and the explosive tension between the two. They’re put in a number of perilous situations and Cara is determined to help Zach, and equally determined to hide her motivations from him. There’s a mystery to solve as they try to find out what will the antidote is to the venom that has rendered Zach, hopefully temporarily, dead. There is also a wild journey, with a lot of dangers along the way and several close calls but it offers exactly the kind of life or death situations and journeys that allow two enemies to discover more about each other, open up a little bit, and fall in love. I ate this right up. It’s perfect for fans of Meg Cabot’s Mediator series. This book has forced proximity, he falls first (I can just tell, ok), enemies to lovers and it's a little YA fantasy treat.

I received a free copy of this book. All views are my own.

Thank you to Harper Collins UK and NetGalley for the digital ARC!

This was such a light and enjoyable read! It was pure YA, but the characters had very solid heads on and rarely made decisions that made me roll my eyes. It was also more fantasy than I thought it was going to be, so keep that in mind if you're thinking of reading it!

Cara Tang is a Chinese-American teenager who can see, and speak, go ghosts. It's an ability that's been passed down through her family, though her mum has repressed the ability to the extent that she can no longer see ghosts. Thankfully, Cara also has Laolao, her grandma who appeared to her when she was five. As that suggests, Laolao is a ghost, but she was a strong and interesting character whenever she was give screen time.

Zacharias Coleson is Cara's arch nemesis, a guy she's known since childhood through school and who lives to annoy the crap out of her. Only one day, she finds him as a ghost and realises he's died.

I won't spoil any of the plot, as I think people should explore what happens for themselves, but I loved the constant banter and sniping between Cara and Zach. It was so obvious that Zach had other feelings for Cara, but I guess it's one of those situations where you think the other person hates you so much that you're only response is to annoy them in an effort to get some attention.

They have such a great character arc in this, and I really enjoyed how they learned to lean on each other when necessary. Brittany was a fun character, and she got a surprising amount of backstory for the short time she was in the book.

The world's that Miranda Sun created were so interesting, and it was great how different each one was. Her writing was enjoyable and her characters were a joy. My only real complaint is that I wish we could've had more time to explore these worlds - the entire book takes place over pretty much a week, so everything is fast paced.

There's also plenty of conversations and discussions about what it's like to be the child of an immigrant, or to be a minority. Cara is Chinese, and she talks about the prejudice her mum faces when people can't understand her accent or how alienated her grandma felt when she came to the US, as white ghosts treated her differently or poorly. Even Cara has seen it, and directly experiences it sometimes in the book. Brittany, a Black girl, also notes this when talking about her past and family.

Overall, I really enjoyed this and think others will enjoy it too!

Beautiful! I loved this book and omg I can’t wait for the next one!!! No pressure on Miranda Sun but seriously what a great debut! Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for early access to this book!

I really enjoyed this book, even though I’m not really the target audience. I’m always impressed with the way an authors mind works, and Miranda writes so well that I was hooked from the start. I liked the concept of a ghost talker and really liked the way this was portrayed by Cara’s character. She is an ideal strong lead, with her talents growing as the adventure goes on. Her relationship with Zach felt very real, and I also loved the way mother and grandmother interacted with her too. This is quite an uplifting read, some lovely bits of humour and good world building. Recommended, and not just for children.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I really enjoyed this book, it was so well written and is a great book for both the young adult and adult market, I didn’t feel like this had to be exclusively marketed at young adults. The writing was great and I really liked the setting and the story idea. This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed and I would read more of their work. The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if in a bookshop. Thank you very much to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

Within the first few pages I knew that If I Have to Be Haunted would be a 5 star read. I was hooked from the start. This was a book that I was eagerly anticipating since it was announced and I am so pleased to say it met all my expectations and more. Miranda Sun's writing is incredible and pulls you into the story, taking you on a journey which you wish would never end. The town of Autumn Falls is the perfect setting, with stunning descriptions that add to the overall spooky vibe of this place.

I have to say, Cara is my favourite character. Her character growth and development from the start to the ending (without spoiling anything, of course) was done so well. I loved seeing how she slowly grew to accept her ghost powers and use them on this perilous journey of resurrection. Her relationship with her mom felt so realistic (and relatable, not gonna lie) and I could completely understand her sentiments surrounding it; same goes for Cara's relationship with her grandmother; it was so beautifully done. Then, there's Zach. For a guy who's dead for the most part of the book, he was a damn good secondary protagonist/love interest to Cara. His character development was also done really well and interwoven with Cara's. He was the perfect opposition/character foil to Cara.

Cara and Zach's banter was too good and honestly, they are one of my favorite rivals to lovers that I have read recently. Their dynamic throughout the book shifts from seeing each other as rivals, to having grudging respect and then being something more...just incredible, to be honest.

Without spoiling, the ending to If I Have to Be Haunted was amazing. It leaves room for more stories set in the same world and I, for one, am looking forward to reading those if Miranda Sun decides to write one.

Once again, If I Have to Be Haunted is amazing and should go straight to your TBR's.

Thank you to Harper Collins UK for reaching out to me with the arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This YA contemporary fantasy has:
●Enemies to lovers wi.th a very slow burn
●a quest where time is of the essence
●magic and ghosts
●close friend group
●generational trauma and complex family dynamics
This book is beautifully written. It flows and is, at times, lyrical in its description. I could definitely form a clear picture in my mind of every setting and chatacter/creature. I also really enjoyed the dynamic between Cara and Zach. Their banter and clear chemistry are so good. The author also deals with the issues of generational trauma and family relationships (especially mother/daughter) in a way that has the heart twisting in sympathy and understanding for the characters. With the cliffhanger ending, I'm looking forward to the next book. In the mean time, I will share this book with my daughter, knowing that she will enjoy it very much.

This was very sweet and heart-warming, set up in an imaginative way. The characters were broadly likeable and the plot was decent. I think I might be outside the target audience a little since this fell into the end of YA I find a bit less engaging, but I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to people looking for this kind of book.

Fun and heartwarming, this story is a perfect cozy read for the autumn.

Charming is the best word to sum up this story, it is heart-felt and imaginative. We follow Cara who is unsure about herself and standing up to her strict mom. She is having to chose between her ghost speeking heritage and being a normal girl and the dilemma takes her through a magical world whete she meets mythical creatures and legends alike. This part was perhaps the most imaginative, The writer is creative and doesn't shy away from topics such as being a Chinese-American teen girl and the struggles that come with it.

One criticism I could say is I felt this book was more for lower YA readers or even MG readers due to the wording and easy accesibility of the text, and the story itself isn't really scary. Just a charming, cozy tale about finding yourself and finding friends.

First of all I would just like to thank NetGalley, Miranda Sun and HarperCollins for an ARC of "If I Have To Be Haunted” in exchange for an honest review.

3.75 stars rounded up.

I’ve been struggling with what to rate this one. I was initially drawn in by the concept and I think I misunderstood what the book was going to be about, which is completely my fault. However, I really liked a lot of the features of the book. The integral Chinese culture, the exploration of complicated mother-daughter relationships and of course, the enemies to lovers trope.

It was a lot more fantasy-orientated than I originally anticipated and think that’s where my mine grip with this book lies. I think so much time is spent exploring the Liminal world, that the actual relationship between the two protagonists is left slightly underdeveloped. This is a great shame because I really liked both Cara and Zach, and felt that their chemistry was just starting to begin, unfortunately this was just as the book was coming to a close.

Personally, I think a few too many events occurred too rapidly in the liminal world. I think it might have been slightly easier to have less challenges faced and to instead have given a bit more depth to the oppositions at hand.

I will say though that the ending is brilliant. Packed with emotion and hope which is just want you want for a YA romance (in my opinion anyway). It certainly seems as though the author has left this book open-ended so as to lead into a sequel. There remains to be several questions left unanswered which I look forward to discovering.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was a fantastic little YA urban fantasy, with excellent magical lore, loveable characters, an epic journey and plenty of deadly and terrifying challenges along the way.

I loved Cara as an FMC, who grappled with her own power, as well as her family dynamics. Zach, her school rival was just as layered a character. The chemistry between them was believable and natural from the moment they're both on the same page.

While things dipped a little at the beginning, with some of the main plot stopping and starting a bit, once it picked up properly it really set a great pace. Cara, Zach and every other character they encounter on their quest through a highly original fantasy realm were interesting, engaging and fleshed out.

The epilogue gave me a lot to think about - I assumed this would be a standalone, and was wondering how some unanswered questions would be wrapped up as I neared the end of the book. I was wrong! There's very clear set up for a follow up and I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for it in the future.

This book is really YA and really cute.
If I have to be Haunted is definitely aimed at a younger audience, but also enjoyable as an adult. I loved the writing style which just lets you fly through the book. There's a huge cute factor, but it also touches on more serious themes.
Cara is a ghost speaker but has to hide her powers to meet her mother's expectations, who is trapped in cultural demands as a Chinese American immigrant. But she is also in High School with her nemesis Zach who annoyed her since childhood. When her two worlds collide due to a tragic accident (or is it an accident?), she has to take off to a literal and figurative journey.
I love Cara and her hate/love chemistry with Zach, and I very much loved Cara's grandmother and the ghost hunter we meet later. The characters are really great and you feel with them.
The magic system is intriguing with the ghosts/ghostspeakers aspects and the Ouroboros duality of Creation/Destruction. However, it would have been better to dive more into these myths and legends than adding the concept of the liminial worlds that convolutes the system and is just plainly confusing. Cara and Zach getting thrown from world to world seems more like a montage of flashy things than a real journey.
Once they're done with this though, the story picks up again and you can't help but root for these kids. The last part is really great though, giving us much closer, and once again picking up the theme of duality. I loved it. It could have well ended before the epilogue and I'd have closed the book satisfied. I'm also not mad though that there will obviously more to be read from this world in the futurefuture.

4/5 stars

Thank you @netgalley and @harpercollinsuk for the eARC!