5 stars • Essien Asian, Readers' Favorite
A young hero develops an entirely new appreciation for the afterlife in the storyline of Tom Hoffman's mystery novel. Hoffman's characters are a delight to read in how he injects either a smidge of humor or a dash of mystery into each of them. His development of Simon's character is in keeping with what I would expect of a youth, with curiosity overriding caution in several cases and the growing romantic arc he develops with Clara. The best part of this story is how the subplots consist of mysteries that require being solved in a particular order. This builds suspense and guarantees a gripping conclusion. Hoffman deserves plaudits for his innate storytelling approach, which transformed The Ghost Ring from a paranormal mystery into a delightfully engaging reading experience that captivated me to the end.
5 stars • Cecelia Hopkins, Readers' Favorite
The Ghost Ring by Tom Hoffman is an eminently readable coming-of-age fantasy. I enjoyed the wish-fulfillment aspects of the plot as the single-parent Moody family was granted wealth beyond their wildest expectations. I felt frissons of fear as Simon sensed the presence of ghosts but was vastly assured when he began to defuse the situation with Clara’s support. There was a sense of satisfaction as wrongs were righted, and I felt Simon was a deserving candidate. I enjoyed the humor embedded in the point of view of different characters represented throughout the narrative. Simon was endearing with his adolescent fear of being “weird” when asserting his wishes or expressing himself. Clara was refreshingly open to friendship, and I liked how she negotiated Simon’s interest. The Ghost Ring by Tom Hoffman combined mythic and morality tale elements with a teenage voice to create an enchanting young adult novel.
