The Ghost of Us

THE GHOST OF US is an intriguing YA contemporary with a supernatural twist. Cara is a ghost hunter who wants to make it big and get out of her small town, where she has been notorious for being "Scarf Girl," a horrifying event that happened when she was in middle school that she has not been able to escape. Her big break comes when she begins to hear the ghost of a boy who died a year earlier. He agrees to help her with the science to prove ghosts exist if she will take his sister to prom.

Willing to do whatever she needs to, Cara is immediately shot down by Meredith. However, she persists and with the help of Meredith's brother's ghost, she begins to date her. The secret of why begins to build as they connect more and feelings grow. Cara knows she is running on borrowed time as prom approaches and that the truth will be tougher than the lie.

What I loved: The relationship that builds was really great, and it was good to see Meredith and Cara connecting over their dates. The times that they best connected was when the ghost was not there, so although it started with that, the relationship builds on its own.

Cara has some tough lessons to learn about the way she has always seen herself and the way that things are/could be. She has really built her life and personality around what happened to make her Scarf Girl, and she is beginning to learn that maybe it does not have to be that way - even if she does need to go to the local community college. She has a particular low point that drives some epiphanies and helps her grow. Her selfishness and immaturity around this seemed realistic for her age, and her growth was fairly strong.

The supernatural elements add a particularly intriguing element to the story, and I enjoyed the way it was included. There are some humorous conversations as well as some more serious ones with themes of loss/grief and healing that play out with Meredith.

What left me wanting more: The story felt a bit repetitive in places, and there is a lot of tension created by the way that Cara handles things and the ways that she assumes everyone orbits her and handles the truths (or rather lies)/friendships. That being said, this ended up being a learning opportunity, though all of that was compressed at the end.

Final verdict: THE GHOST OF US is a unique YA contemporary with supernatural elements that speaks to themes of character growth/tough lessons, healing and grief, the power of lies, friendship, and defining yourself by who you are and not your past failures.

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.