E. L. Chen

Tori (Victoria, Mui Mui) is from a traditional Chinese family, although they live in Toronto. She has moved downtown, dropped out of school and is working in a bookstore. She is trying to find out who she wants to be, what she wants to be and have some fun. Her parents want her to go back to school and become a doctor. This is her internal fight as well. It is Yu-Lan (Festival of the Hungry Ghosts) and she is suddenly being haunted, not only by her dead older brother Seymour (Goh Goh) but by her younger self at 11 (Mui Mui) and 18 (Vicky). As she struggles against her Chinese culture, she deals with an arm going numb and losing control of it, Vicky playing stunts like turning off her alarm, and Seymour causing issues at the store where she works. Tori has to deal with what she really wants in life in order to rid herself of the ghosts. This book taught me a lot about Chinese Culture, but it was just not something that I really was able to get interested in. Those who enjoy stories about Ghosts (particularly ones from your own life) and spiritual things happening to you would probably enjoy this book much more than I did.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.… (more)

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I admit I didn't really know what to expect when I started reading this novel, but it was definitely better than I expected it would be!

Tori has really changed her life by quitting school and moving away from her traditional Chinese parents. While working in a book store she first notices him. The ghost of her dead brother. He's soon joined by the ghosts of her younger self. At that's only the start of The Festival of the Hungry Ghosts.

While not something I read a lot, it was extremely interesting to read about these aspects of Chinese culture. I feel like I really learned some things I didn't know like the burning of paper goods and money to give them to dead relatives and friends. The story itself was also very interesting, you know something isn't alright but it took some time before I noticed what it was. I did feel very sorry for Tori while her world was falling apart and there was nothing she could do about it.

Would recommend.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!… (more)