Title: The Ghost of Us
Author: James L. Sutter
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Publication date: June 11, 2024
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Summary
As a teen ghost hunter, Cara’s goal is to find proof of the supernatural in order to get out of her small Washington town. So when she accidentally finds the ghost of Aiden, a teen who had died a year earlier, she thinks her dreams have come true. Little does she know that Aiden has an agenda of his own.
Aiden can’t move on until he knows his sister, Meredith, is okay. So in exchange for his help proving that the supernatural exists, Cara agrees to ask his sister to prom. But as Cara gets to know Meredith, she realizes that there might actually be something between them.
Review: The Ghost of Us
Thanks to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for an advanced copy of The Ghost of Us by James L. Sutter to review! The summary of the book kind of gave me Cemetery Boys vibes, so I was excited to pick this one up. Plus Sutter’s debut, Darkhearts, was a favorite of mine last year!
The relationships in this book are so well done. We have Aiden and Cara’s budding friendship, Cara’s friendship with Holly, and Cara’s slow burn romance with Meredith. There’s a wide variety of relationships here, and I think Sutter nailed them on the head. They felt authentically teen, and made it difficult to put down the book.
Despite the subject matter, this book didn’t feel too heavy or dragged down by grief. Partly because we don’t get Meredith’s point of view; we don’t get to see much of her grieving process for her brother. A dual POV could have been cool in this instance, to pull more of those emotions into the story.
There’s a nod to Sutter’s previous book in here as well, which I always find so fun. Plus, the cover of this book is absolutely gorgeous. If you’re looking for a romance to add to your TBR this summer, definitely pick this one up!
4/5 stars