Review Detail

A (Dead) Thing Like Me is a strange but interesting mix of paranormal mystery and emotional story. It follows a teenage ghost known as “Hot Dog,” who haunts a hot dog cart near the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. She does not remember much about her life before she died, and she mostly just watches the world go by. Everything changes when a Ouija board accidentally summons her to a house party in Florida, where for the first time, people can actually see her.

That is where she meets Logan, a teenage artist who is dealing with the loss of her best friend, Avery. Logan was hoping the Ouija board would help her talk to her friend again, but instead she ends up meeting Hot Dog. Unlike everyone else at the party, Logan is not scared of her and is actually willing to talk. Hot Dog quickly becomes excited about the idea of having a real friend and doing normal things like hanging out, going to parties, and feeling like a regular teenager again.

What I liked most about the story is how it mixes creepy moments with emotional ones. There are some spooky parts, especially when strange things start happening inside Logan’s house, like scratching sounds in the walls and hidden doors that lead to darker secrets. At the same time, the story is also about loneliness and wanting to be seen by someone who understands you. Hot Dog’s excitement when someone can finally see and talk to her makes the character feel very human, even though she is technically a ghost.

The mystery about who Hot Dog really was before she died is also a big part of the story. As the book goes on, pieces of her past slowly start coming together, and that helps move the story forward while building suspense.

If I had one small criticism, it would be that the story takes a little while before the main mystery really gets going. At the beginning, there are moments where things move a bit slowly while the characters are being introduced. However, once the darker mystery starts unfolding, the story becomes much more intense and interesting.

Overall, A (Dead) Thing Like Me is a unique YA paranormal story with emotional themes, and a main character who just wants to feel like she belongs somewhere. It is a good choice for readers who enjoy spooky mysteries with a bit of heart and comedy.