About This Book:
“I was in a slump where I hated everything I read, and The Ghost of Us lifted me right out of it. Absolutely fantastic.” ―Dan Wells, bestselling author of I Am Not a Serial Killer
One Last Stop meets Cemetery Boys in this swoony YA romance from beloved author James L. Sutter.
Eighteen-year-old ghost hunter Cara is determined to escape life as a high school outcast by finding proof of the supernatural. Yet when she stumbles upon the spirit of Aiden, a popular upperclassman who died the previous year, she learns that ghosts have goals of their own. In the wake of his death, Aiden’s little sister, Meredith, has become a depressed recluse, and Aiden can’t pass on into the afterlife until he knows she’ll be okay. Believing that nothing pulls someone out of a slump like romance, he makes Cara a deal: seduce Meredith out of her shell and take her to prom, and Aiden will give Cara all the evidence she needs for fame. If not, well―no dates, no ghost.
Wooing the standoffish Meredith isn’t going to be easy, however. With Aiden’s coaching, Cara slowly manages to win Meredith over―but finds herself accidentally falling for her in the process. Worse yet: as Meredith gets happier and Aiden’s mission nears completion, his ghost begins to fade. Can Cara continue to date Meredith under false pretenses, especially if it means Aiden will vanish forever? Or should she tell Meredith the truth, and risk both of them hating her? And either way, will she lose her only shot at proving ghosts are real?
*Review Contributed by Adrien Guerra, Staff Reviewer*
The Ghost of Us follows Cara, a ghost hunter, who would do anything to escape her small hometown. Her plan to do this is to find proof that the supernatural exists, and it is in searching for them she stumbles upon Aiden. Aiden is stuck in the afterlife looking after his sister until he can ensure she is okay without him. He believes that romance is the way to help Meredith out of the slump she is in therefore he makes a deal with Cara, she is to take Meredith to the prom, and in return, Aiden will give Cara the evidence to prove supernatural beings exist.
What I like: Fake dating is one of the tropes that I enjoy and I appreciate the take the author has on this trope. This wasn’t just fake dating but had layers, the dating starts with Aiden’s plan but develops further as Cara realizes she has true feelings for Meredith. I loved getting to know the characters through their interactions with Cara. There were times when I found Cara frustrating, especially when she was self-centered but I also found her likable because she was a realistic depiction of someone her age.
This book tackles several topics such as friendship, death, grief, fame, religion, and relationships. I like the way the author included each of these topics in the story and that we got a glimpse at what death can look like for those grieving their loved ones and for the dead. I applaud how the author included Holly’s religion into this story as it was a central part of who she is but it was not about shaming others for their lack of faith. I loved the contrast between Holly and Cara’s characters’ take on religion and how Holly navigates her life and choices based on religion.
There were various moments where I had to pause to take a note or show my significant other a passage because the characters reminded me of our relationship. I love how the author included humor in this story through the banter between Cara and Aiden, and the moments in which Cara is getting to know Meredith.
Final Verdict: The Ghost of Us is an intriguing story that goes beyond supernatural existence and will have you yelling at the characters because you love them and only want the best. This is a story that teenagers ages 13-18 will enjoy but is one that adults can engage with as they see a younger version of themselves reflected.
