He’s struggled to leave his apartment ever since, and he can’t let anyone in. Then his only sanctuary is disrupted by signs of a haunting.
Between the 80’s synth pop and motivation messages scrawled on his bathroom mirror, Micah finds himself more charmed than frightened by who he believes to be Cosmo, the deceased previous resident of his apartment. But when Cosmo’s ghostly visits suddenly stop, Micah is determined to lure him back.
Meanwhile, sculpture artist Cosmo—dramatic, unconventional, and very much alive—is mourning his old self. His boyfriend’s a serial cheater, he’s continually passed over for a promotion at work, and he’s lost contact with his best friend. To make matters worse, his apartment is being haunted by the ghost of a bespectacled man with an eye socket of scars. It’s his last straw, and seeking a new start, Cosmo moves out.
In a chance meeting, Cosmo and Micah’s paths cross again, and tentative sparks fly. But the phantoms of their pasts still linger. In order to find a future where they can both be happy together, Micah and Cosmo need to confront their trauma once and for all.
Shake Out the Ghosts is a truly original, genre-blending novel that mixes paranormal mystery, overlapping timelines, and unconventional romance with a character-driven story about healing through connection. Even if you’re not usually drawn to paranormal stories or ghostly encounters, the story’s clever speculative twists make it feel more heartfelt than eerie. Romance fans will enjoy classic tropes like fated connections, slow-burn romance, grumpy/sunshine dynamics, and chosen family. LGBTQ+ representation and mental health themes—including agoraphobia, panic disorder, and PTSD—are also woven seamlessly into the narrative without being the central focus!
The story follows Micah, a reclusive artist whose life has been narrowed by panic attacks and agoraphobia after a violent assault. His controlled world begins to unravel when ghostly apparitions appear, hinting at the paranormal—but the mystery takes an unexpected turn. Through a serendipitous connection with a paranormal investigator, Deja, Micah becomes linked to Cosmo, a man from the past whose life starts intersecting with his own. As the timelines overlap, the truth behind the apparitions emerges, forcing Micah to confront the mystery and his deepest fears.
The story pulls you right away with its constantly shifting POVs, primarily between protagonist Micah in the present and Cosmo in the past. Readers get small clues in each timeline to slowly piece together how their lives are connected. Micah is a relatable and compelling protagonist, with serious mental health struggles—panic attacks, agoraphobia, and PTSD—all portrayed realistically. The novel is also full of serendipitous moments, from chance encounters to overlapping relationships, that slowly bring Micah and Cosmo together. Deja, Cosmo’s ex best friend, acts as an important bridge between them, and her paranormal investigations reveal that the “ghosts” in Micah’s apartment are far more unusual than they first seem. But above everything, the story is about Micah’s emotional journey—and his bond with Cosmo and being forced to push past fear and reconnect with the world drives his growth. By the end, Micah begins to reclaim parts of his life in a realistic way, making this an inspirational read for anyone who has faced similar challenges!
In terms of pacing, the story starts off strong, immediately introducing the eerie concept of apparitions and the dual POVs of Micah and Cosmo. As it progresses, the pacing becomes a bit uneven, and the ambitious story sometimes meanders while juggling paranormal mystery, romance, mental health exploration, and time-bending speculative elements, which occasionally compete for attention. The story becomes most compelling toward the end, with the mystery’s resolution providing satisfying closure for the characters and a sense of justice for the wrongs committed by shady figures. The epilogue adds another speculative twist that lingers long after the final page!
Overall, Shake Out the Ghosts is an ambitious and original novel that blends genres in a way you probably haven’t read before—but it’s the charming characters and their growth that will keep you hooked! Readers who enjoy character-driven stories with speculative twists, unconventional LGBTQ+ romance, and emotional journeys of healing and connection will find a lot to love here. If that sounds like your kind of book, definitely add this one to your list!
Narrator Performance
The audiobook of Shake Out the Ghosts is read by award-winning narrator Curtis Michael Holland, known for his expressive character work and ability to bring complex, character-driven stories like this one to life!
Holland gives protagonist Micah a soft-spoken, fragile voice layered with unease that perfectly reflects his emotional state—on edge, guarded, and easily triggered—emphasizing the weight of his agoraphobia and PTSD. In particular, Holland narrates Micah’s panic attacks with such authenticity, making his anxiety come through so clearly that listeners will immediately empathize with him. In contrast, Holland portrays Cosmo with a confident, restless energy that highlights the opposites-attract dynamic as soon as he first interacts with Micah. Early on, Cosmo, in the past timeline, comes across as somewhat unlikeable because he’s so chaotic, especially as he deals with a toxic relationship with his ex and clashes with his best friend Deja over the situation. Holland makes all the emotional drama in these scenes alive to keep listeners hooked!
Holland also does a great job bringing the paranormal activity/ghastly scenes vividly to life, giving the apparitions and strange occurrences just the right amount of atmospheric dread to create suspense while still leaving listeners questioning what’s really going on!
One of the biggest strengths of Holland’s performance is how smoothly he shifts between Micah’s and Cosmo’s POVs and timelines, making each feel distinct through subtle changes in tone and energy so listeners can easily follow. He also provides distinct voices for the supporting cast, including a very convincing accent for the Spanish-sounding landlady Ximena. By the end of the novel, Holland subtly shifts his portrayal of Micah, adding more confidence and optimism to his tone to reflect the character’s emotional growth, mirroring how Micah gradually begins reclaiming his life—and leaving listeners with a hopeful feeling at the end!
This audiobook is perfect for fans of character-driven speculative fiction, LGBTQ+ romance, and narrators who can bring psychological depth to a protagonist while handling multiple timelines and POVs and keeping the story engaging even through slower sections!
Narrator Performance
The audiobook of Shake Out the Ghosts is read by award-winning narrator Curtis Michael Holland, known for his expressive character work and ability to bring complex, character-driven stories like this one to life!
Holland gives protagonist Micah a soft-spoken, fragile voice layered with unease that perfectly reflects his emotional state—on edge, guarded, and easily triggered—emphasizing the weight of his agoraphobia and PTSD. In particular, Holland narrates Micah’s panic attacks with such authenticity, making his anxiety come through so clearly that listeners will immediately empathize with him. In contrast, Holland portrays Cosmo with a confident, restless energy that highlights the opposites-attract dynamic as soon as he first interacts with Micah. Early on, Cosmo, in the past timeline, comes across as somewhat unlikeable because he’s so chaotic, especially as he deals with a toxic relationship with his ex and clashes with his best friend Deja over the situation. Holland makes all the emotional drama in these scenes alive to keep listeners hooked!
Holland also does a great job bringing the paranormal activity/ghastly scenes vividly to life, giving the apparitions and strange occurrences just the right amount of atmospheric dread to create suspense while still leaving listeners questioning what’s really going on!
One of the biggest strengths of Holland’s performance is how smoothly he shifts between Micah’s and Cosmo’s POVs and timelines, making each feel distinct through subtle changes in tone and energy so listeners can easily follow. He also provides distinct voices for the supporting cast, including a very convincing accent for the Spanish-sounding landlady Ximena. By the end of the novel, Holland subtly shifts his portrayal of Micah, adding more confidence and optimism to his tone to reflect the character’s emotional growth, mirroring how Micah gradually begins reclaiming his life—and leaving listeners with a hopeful feeling at the end!
This audiobook is perfect for fans of character-driven speculative fiction, LGBTQ+ romance, and narrators who can bring psychological depth to a protagonist while handling multiple timelines and POVs and keeping the story engaging even through slower sections!
The audiobook of Shake Out the Ghosts is read by award-winning narrator Curtis Michael Holland, known for his expressive character work and ability to bring complex, character-driven stories like this one to life!
Holland gives protagonist Micah a soft-spoken, fragile voice layered with unease that perfectly reflects his emotional state—on edge, guarded, and easily triggered—emphasizing the weight of his agoraphobia and PTSD. In particular, Holland narrates Micah’s panic attacks with such authenticity, making his anxiety come through so clearly that listeners will immediately empathize with him. In contrast, Holland portrays Cosmo with a confident, restless energy that highlights the opposites-attract dynamic as soon as he first interacts with Micah. Early on, Cosmo, in the past timeline, comes across as somewhat unlikeable because he’s so chaotic, especially as he deals with a toxic relationship with his ex and clashes with his best friend Deja over the situation. Holland makes all the emotional drama in these scenes alive to keep listeners hooked!
Holland also does a great job bringing the paranormal activity/ghastly scenes vividly to life, giving the apparitions and strange occurrences just the right amount of atmospheric dread to create suspense while still leaving listeners questioning what’s really going on!
One of the biggest strengths of Holland’s performance is how smoothly he shifts between Micah’s and Cosmo’s POVs and timelines, making each feel distinct through subtle changes in tone and energy so listeners can easily follow. He also provides distinct voices for the supporting cast, including a very convincing accent for the Spanish-sounding landlady Ximena. By the end of the novel, Holland subtly shifts his portrayal of Micah, adding more confidence and optimism to his tone to reflect the character’s emotional growth, mirroring how Micah gradually begins reclaiming his life—and leaving listeners with a hopeful feeling at the end!
This audiobook is perfect for fans of character-driven speculative fiction, LGBTQ+ romance, and narrators who can bring psychological depth to a protagonist while handling multiple timelines and POVs and keeping the story engaging even through slower sections!
