It’s a dark and stormy night…and Amelia Bates is caught in the rain. Life hasn’t always been kind to her, and being a ghostseer certainly doesn’t make things any easier.
Glowing warmly through the autumnal downpour is her safest haven: the library. Amelia, the newly hired librarian, has always relished the comfort of curling up with a novel, vastly preferring it to the company of humans (alive or ghostly).
But Amelia is shocked to discover the building is full of more than quiet stories and warm cups of tea. There are curious, talkative patrons, a shy, bespectacled head librarian who makes her heart skip a beat, and three quirky spirits causing paranormal havoc that endangers the future of the library.
To help the ghosts and save the building, Amelia will have to gather all her bravery and wits, because learning to trust others might just be the first step to a happily ever after she only thought was possible in books.
This is my first read from Auralee Wallace, and the cover and blurb immediately grabbed my attention, and it sounded perfect for spooky season. I also noticed that Stephanie Cannon, a narrator I’ve really enjoyed before, was narrating the audio, so I decided to go with an immersive read. But you can’t go wrong with either the physical book or the audiobook, as both are very enjoyable! I loved the straightforward writing, charming characters, and beautiful seaside setting in Prince Edward Island. This is a cosy paranormal mystery with a small dose of romance, exploring themes of overcoming your fears, letting go of the past, loneliness, and self-forgiveness.
The story is told from the third-person POV of protagonist Amelia Bates, and we jump right into her world as she heads to an interview at a historic old library in a rural village in PEI. She has the ability to see ghosts, but she ignores them, as she doesn’t want to get involved with them or let them know she can see them. I immediately found the writing to be vivid and felt like I was right there with Amelia as she took in the beautiful 19th-century library and its gorgeous interior.
The story introduces its small cast of characters fairly quickly, including Rosalinda, a charming woman who interviews Amelia. Rosalinda’s convinced that Amelia’s a perfect fit, but Simon, the head librarian, is much more skeptical. Simon’s family has owned the library for a long time, and he’s not convinced they can afford another employee. There’s immediate chemistry between Simon and Amelia, but neither will admit it. Amelia quickly spots three ghosts in the library, but she ignores them and hides the fact that she can see ghosts or has any supernatural beliefs.
The story takes off when the ghosts begin to suspect that Amelia can see them and become increasingly determined to get her attention. Without giving anything else away, the story turns into a paranormal race-against-time mystery. I loved the additional magical realism element of the library itself being sentient, and it proves to have a mind of its own as the story unfolds!
The chapters are short with lots of immersive dialogue, and even though the story isn’t overly intricate, there were enough interesting paranormal elements and emotional threads to keep me immersed and invested in the characters. I enjoyed getting to know the ghosts and learning about their histories and reasons for being stuck in the library. Amelia’s growing connection with the ghosts and VERY slow-burn connection with Simon add heart to the story. The final 25% is a race against time, with Amelia facing multiple obstacles. There’s one major twist that I didn’t see coming, which made the story more satisfying. The last chapter has such a heartwarming, feel-good vibe that will leave you smiling.
If you’re looking for your next cosy (paranormal) mystery with a dash of romance, this is one to consider! You can fly through it very quickly, and if you’re an audiobook listener, I recommend pairing it with the audio or even listening to it on its own, as Stephanie Cannon does a fantastic job with the character voices and bringing the beautiful library and Prince Edward Island setting to life. A good option for your Fall TBR!
Narrator Performance
The Haunted Librarian is narrated by seasoned narrator Stephanie Cannon.
Early in the story, Stephanie gives protagonist Amelia Bates a voice that captures her excitement and nervousness as she heads to her interview at a historic library in rural PEI. You can hear how much she wants the position, but there’s also awkwardness and uncertainty in the delivery that makes Amelia relatable. As soon as Amelia arrives at the library, Stephanie’s narration beautifully conveys how impressed and overwhelmed she is by the gorgeous structure and its interior.
The interactions between Amelia and Rosalinda were one of the highlights of the audiobook for me because Stephanie immediately brings a sense of warmth and familiarity to their connection. She gives Rosalinda a friendly, welcoming voice and emphasizes the affection she has for the library, and you can feel how connected she is to it. When Rosalinda explains her belief that the library is sentient, Stephanie captures the conviction in her words so convincingly.
From the first encounter between Amelia and Simon, Stephanie makes their chemistry palpable. You can hear how attracted Amelia is to him, but also how guarded she is and reluctant to let anyone in. Having grown up without a family and friends, Amelia’s kept people at arm’s length, and Stephanie conveys that in her personality throughout the story.
Another highlight is the scenes where the ghosts are determined to get Amelia’s attention and she does everything to ignore them. Stephanie’s narration makes these scenes so entertaining and funny, especially as the ghosts become increasingly frustrated and tactical in their attempts.
Stephanie also does a fantastic job giving distinct voices to all the characters, and the audiobook often feels like a multicast production. The male voices are particularly impressive. Braden, the younger ghost who died in an accident at 20 years old, is voiced with a youthful quality that suits his character and the late-1990s era he’s from. The professor’s voice is another standout, as Stephanie makes him sound like a gentle older man with wisdom and patience, perfect for the character. And Simon is given a grounded, composed voice that matches his skeptical nature and role as head librarian.
As the story moves toward the race-against-time climax, Stephanie increases the pacing and urgency of her performance. You can hear the tension building in Amelia’s voice as she’s trying to figure out how to help the ghosts and save the library before it’s too late. I was hooked to my headphones during these scenes, especially with all the increasingly strange and dangerous things happening in the library that Stephanie’s narration vividly brings to life. In the last chapter, Stephanie shifts her performance to give the story a much more feel-good, heartwarming vibe—the perfect way to end a cosy paranormal mystery romance. I finished the audiobook feeling satisfied, with a smile on my face!
If you’re looking for a cosy paranormal mystery with charming characters and a side of romance to add to your spooky season or fall TBR, this is a great option! I highly recommend the audiobook because Stephanie Cannon’s performance will keep you fully engaged and entertained from beginning to end!
Narrator Performance
The Haunted Librarian is narrated by seasoned narrator Stephanie Cannon.
Early in the story, Stephanie gives protagonist Amelia Bates a voice that captures her excitement and nervousness as she heads to her interview at a historic library in rural PEI. You can hear how much she wants the position, but there’s also awkwardness and uncertainty in the delivery that makes Amelia relatable. As soon as Amelia arrives at the library, Stephanie’s narration beautifully conveys how impressed and overwhelmed she is by the gorgeous structure and its interior.
The interactions between Amelia and Rosalinda were one of the highlights of the audiobook for me because Stephanie immediately brings a sense of warmth and familiarity to their connection. She gives Rosalinda a friendly, welcoming voice and emphasizes the affection she has for the library, and you can feel how connected she is to it. When Rosalinda explains her belief that the library is sentient, Stephanie captures the conviction in her words so convincingly.
From the first encounter between Amelia and Simon, Stephanie makes their chemistry palpable. You can hear how attracted Amelia is to him, but also how guarded she is and reluctant to let anyone in. Having grown up without a family and friends, Amelia’s kept people at arm’s length, and Stephanie conveys that in her personality throughout the story.
Another highlight is the scenes where the ghosts are determined to get Amelia’s attention and she does everything to ignore them. Stephanie’s narration makes these scenes so entertaining and funny, especially as the ghosts become increasingly frustrated and tactical in their attempts.
Stephanie also does a fantastic job giving distinct voices to all the characters, and the audiobook often feels like a multicast production. The male voices are particularly impressive. Braden, the younger ghost who died in an accident at 20 years old, is voiced with a youthful quality that suits his character and the late-1990s era he’s from. The professor’s voice is another standout, as Stephanie makes him sound like a gentle older man with wisdom and patience, perfect for the character. And Simon is given a grounded, composed voice that matches his skeptical nature and role as head librarian.
As the story moves toward the race-against-time climax, Stephanie increases the pacing and urgency of her performance. You can hear the tension building in Amelia’s voice as she’s trying to figure out how to help the ghosts and save the library before it’s too late. I was hooked to my headphones during these scenes, especially with all the increasingly strange and dangerous things happening in the library that Stephanie’s narration vividly brings to life. In the last chapter, Stephanie shifts her performance to give the story a much more feel-good, heartwarming vibe—the perfect way to end a cosy paranormal mystery romance. I finished the audiobook feeling satisfied, with a smile on my face!
If you’re looking for a cosy paranormal mystery with charming characters and a side of romance to add to your spooky season or fall TBR, this is a great option! I highly recommend the audiobook because Stephanie Cannon’s performance will keep you fully engaged and entertained from beginning to end!
The Haunted Librarian is narrated by seasoned narrator Stephanie Cannon.
Early in the story, Stephanie gives protagonist Amelia Bates a voice that captures her excitement and nervousness as she heads to her interview at a historic library in rural PEI. You can hear how much she wants the position, but there’s also awkwardness and uncertainty in the delivery that makes Amelia relatable. As soon as Amelia arrives at the library, Stephanie’s narration beautifully conveys how impressed and overwhelmed she is by the gorgeous structure and its interior.
The interactions between Amelia and Rosalinda were one of the highlights of the audiobook for me because Stephanie immediately brings a sense of warmth and familiarity to their connection. She gives Rosalinda a friendly, welcoming voice and emphasizes the affection she has for the library, and you can feel how connected she is to it. When Rosalinda explains her belief that the library is sentient, Stephanie captures the conviction in her words so convincingly.
From the first encounter between Amelia and Simon, Stephanie makes their chemistry palpable. You can hear how attracted Amelia is to him, but also how guarded she is and reluctant to let anyone in. Having grown up without a family and friends, Amelia’s kept people at arm’s length, and Stephanie conveys that in her personality throughout the story.
Another highlight is the scenes where the ghosts are determined to get Amelia’s attention and she does everything to ignore them. Stephanie’s narration makes these scenes so entertaining and funny, especially as the ghosts become increasingly frustrated and tactical in their attempts.
Stephanie also does a fantastic job giving distinct voices to all the characters, and the audiobook often feels like a multicast production. The male voices are particularly impressive. Braden, the younger ghost who died in an accident at 20 years old, is voiced with a youthful quality that suits his character and the late-1990s era he’s from. The professor’s voice is another standout, as Stephanie makes him sound like a gentle older man with wisdom and patience, perfect for the character. And Simon is given a grounded, composed voice that matches his skeptical nature and role as head librarian.
As the story moves toward the race-against-time climax, Stephanie increases the pacing and urgency of her performance. You can hear the tension building in Amelia’s voice as she’s trying to figure out how to help the ghosts and save the library before it’s too late. I was hooked to my headphones during these scenes, especially with all the increasingly strange and dangerous things happening in the library that Stephanie’s narration vividly brings to life. In the last chapter, Stephanie shifts her performance to give the story a much more feel-good, heartwarming vibe—the perfect way to end a cosy paranormal mystery romance. I finished the audiobook feeling satisfied, with a smile on my face!
If you’re looking for a cosy paranormal mystery with charming characters and a side of romance to add to your spooky season or fall TBR, this is a great option! I highly recommend the audiobook because Stephanie Cannon’s performance will keep you fully engaged and entertained from beginning to end!
