Sixteen Souls - by Rosie Talbot (Paperback)

About the Book

"Sixteen-year-old Charlie Frith has problems. His crush is dating someone else, his sisters have glitter-bombed his prosthesis (again), and he's a seer-of-spirits in York, the most haunted city in England, and all his friends are ghosts. To make matters worse, it seems that famous spirits are mysteriously vanishing from York's haunted streets and alleys. Charlie is determined to stay out of it, but Sam, the irritating new seer in town, expects him to track down who -- or what -- is responsible and uncover the dark purpose behind these disappearances. But when one of Charlie's ghostly friends vanishes, he has no choice but to face the shadows -- and his growing feelings for Sam. The boys must be willing to risk it all to save York's spirits, because this adversary will stop at nothing to complete their devastating plan. Afterlives are at stake, and Charlie is running out of time ..."--

Book Synopsis

The spooky, swoony YA debut by BookTok star Rosie Talbot (@Merrowchild) -- the "TikTok Made Me Buy It" sensation dubbed Heartstoppers with ghosts! Perfect for fans of V. E. Schwab and Aiden Thomas.

Sixteen-year-old Charlie Frith has problems. His crush is dating someone else, his sisters have glitter-bombed his prosthesis (again), and he's a seer-of-spirits in York, the most haunted city in England, and all his friends are ghosts.

To make matters worse, it seems that famous spirits are mysteriously vanishing from York's haunted streets and alleys. Charlie is determined to stay out of it, but Sam, the irritating new seer in town, expects him to track down who -- or what -- is responsible and uncover the dark purpose behind these disappearances.

But when one of Charlie's ghostly friends vanishes, he has no choice but to face the shadows -- and his growing feelings for Sam. The boys must be willing to risk it all to save York's spirits, because this adversary will stop at nothing to complete their devastating plan. Afterlives are at stake, and Charlie is running out of time ...

Review Quotes

Praise for Sixteen Souls

"Sixteen Souls is a boundlessly clever, heartfelt queer take on the story of a sensitive young man who sees dead people. Talbot has crafted something chillingly delightful! Perfect for any ghoul-lover's shelf." -- Adam Sass, award-winning author of Surrender Your Sons and The 99 Boyfriends of Micah Summers

"Longwood & Co. meets The Taking of Jake Livingston by way of York's most haunted landmarks, Sixteen Souls delivers fun and frights in equal measure. A fantastically spooky, thrilling adventure." -- Kat Ellis, author of Wicked Little Deeds

"Sixteen Souls is the perfect mix of eerie and heart-warming. With vivid characters, fierce friendships, and flawless twists, this book immediately pulled me in -- I laughed, teared up, and could not put it down. YA fantasy readers and ghost-story lovers, this is for you." -- H. M. Long, author of Hall of Smoke and Temple of No God

"A captivating tale of loss, friendship, and love that had me gripped from first to last. I finished it with a smile of my lip and a tear in my eye." -- Menna van Praag, author of The Sisters Grimm

"A gorgeously written debut that had me absolutely gripped. Rosie Talbot has created a deliciously creepy world with characters that you'll fall in love with." -- Amy McCaw, author of Mina and the Undead

"I never have a problem screaming about books I genuinely love, and I love this book. The author's ability to evoke entire settings with minimal details is just amazing. The writing is rich; the characters sharply drawn. Welcome to the world, Charlie Frith -- I can't wait to watch other readers fall in love with you." -- K. D. Edwards, atuhor of the Tarot Sequence series

"Imagine a story that has all the character of York, then fill it with all the ghosts from there too . . . and whilst you're at it, make it QUEER. Perfect if you like books like Cemetery Boys, Ninth House, The Fell of Dark, and The Taking of Jake Livingstone." -- Rory Michaelson, author of Lesser Known Monsters

"Sixteen Souls transported me so entirely, I feel as if I have walked the streets of York and seen the ghosts myself. An outstanding debut, this thrilling adventure perfectly mixes spookiness with mystery, sadness with love, and is filled with gorgeous characters you won't want to say goodbye to." -- Bex Hogan, author of the Isles of Storm and Sorrow series

"A deliciously dark debut from Rosie Talbot. I dare you not to fall in love with Charlie and his ghosts in the heart of haunted York." -- Cynthia Murphy, author of Last One to Die and Win Lose Kill Die

About the Author

A lover of dark and tightly woven stories, Rosie (she/her) is inspired by creepy things in junk shops, haunted houses and strange magic. By day she works as a bookseller and BookToker (@merrowchild). By night, she spends time sewing big skirts with huge pockets and wondering why her family has a suspiciously large collection of cauldrons. She currently resides in a mysterious pocket of the Sussex countryside with her very patient spouse and two cats called Tinkerfluff and Captain Haddock.