I was intrigued by the description of this book.

Give Up the Ghost is about Wes and Hudson and their "perfect" life that is until Wes begins to lose control. Then to make matters worse they are thrown together on a case, a case like nothing they have seen before, a case that requires them to save the city.

Loved the characters and the storyline. Definitely a fun read.

Ghosts, vampires, witches, magic and romance really what more could you want out of a book?!? I loved this story, I pretty much instantly fell in love with all the characters, but I do have to say Wes above them all has my heart. Wes and Hudson’s relationship alone made this book worth the read, but this story has so much more to offer. I must also commend the author on her ability to paint the different worlds in such vivid detail that you could picture each perfectly right before your eyes. With amazing characters, a vividly detailed setting, and a complex plot full of mystery and supernatural folklore this book is one that I can not say enough good things about, it really does have a little something for everyone.

After solving a series of murders and banishing a demon, Wes Cooper and Hudson Rojas are now settling into their lives together. They have opened a private investigation firm, along with their friend, Iskander, and newbie vampire, Evan. The group has formed a found family, along with Wes’ best friend, Lexi, and things are going well between the newly reunited Wes and Hudson.

However, as good as things are with them, Wes is keeping a huge secret. Ever since their battle with the demon, Wes’ abilities have grown tremendously. Now he not only can travel as a ghost through the otherplane, but he has seemingly endless amounts of magic that is practically bursting out of him. Wes knows he should have told his friends right away, but with things in chaos, he kept putting it off, and now it seems way too late to share the news. Especially when they are suddenly battling a host of otherworldly creatures that are appearing in the living realm. Imps are attacking, hell hounds are appearing, and ghosts seem to be everywhere. It is clear that something is causing a rift between realms, but no one knows the cause or how to stop it.

Wes, Hudson, and their friends try to figure out what is causing crisis and they begin to dig deeper into mystery. Wes knows he has to come clean with his friends about what is going on with him, but he worries if they know the truth, they will reject him. But as his power grows and the threats increase, Wes also realizes that he will have to be honest and they will all need to work together if there is any hope of saving the city from disaster.

Give Up the Ghost is the second book in Jenn Burke’s fabulous Not Dead Yet series. The story picks up in the aftermath of the events of the last book, and Hudson and Wes carry over as main characters, so being familiar with the series will definitely enhance your experience here. However, the basics of the world building and past events are explained here if you want to jump right in.

This story builds nicely on the first book, showing clearly the bond that has grown among the team, as well as the commitment Hudson and Wes have to moving forward with a relationship together. The early parts are a little rocky as Wes is keeping a huge secret from everyone, and each time he even considers spilling, things get in the way. I’ll admit, the big secret isn’t my favorite trope, but fortunately Burke doesn’t let it linger too long, and while Wes does have to deal with the fall out form withholding the information, the story moves forward nicely. I am enjoying seeing the relationship between the two men grow, particularly since they are trying again after each was too focused on other priorities to give their relationship a real chance the first time around. It is clear they are committed to one another and that their connection is growing over the course of the book. I also like the found family aspect here and watching them work together with Iskander, Lexi, and Evan and seeing how important they all are to one another.

The investigation element is really nicely done and one of the hallmarks of this series for me is the great world building. I enjoyed the way the conflict slowly builds as a set of seemingly unrelated occurrences coalesce into a huge crisis. The pieces come together nicely and kept me excited and engaged to watch them all figure out how to fight the threats. Burke keeps things exciting and the suspense is high throughout the book. There were some places toward the end that felt a teeny bit meandering for me, but overall I really enjoyed the paranormal investigation aspect of the story and continue to find the creativity high here with this series.

So this was another great installment in Burke’s Not Dead Yet series. I am excited to see there is more coming later this year, as this is really a stellar paranormal series and I can’t wait for more. Definitely consider this series highly recommended.

I am friggin LOVING this series! Oh my gah. I love paranormal so much and this has it all. A not-ghost that’s an ex-thief/recovery specialist, a cop turned vamp, witches as best friends, and all kinds of other stuff going on. People and evil things are being summoned. Ghosts are being used for evil. It is an explosion of so much. Oh and did I mention, said ghost that ex-thief, has some stuff going on with him now that makes him extra special.
Hudson had decided at the end of book 1 it was time to retire. People were going to start figuring out with his age that something was up that he was still in prime health. He and Wes are back together. And they decided on becoming private investigators. The problem is, at the end of book 1, something happened to Wes that he’s been hiding. And when caught by several people, he’s begged them not to share his secret or fixed in a way no one will ever know. And no, he didn’t kill them. But when everything comes to a head and his secret is found out, oh does the poo hit the fan. And that was exactly why he didn’t want anyone to know. He didn’t want anyone scared of him or looking at him weird and he didn’t want to lose the family he just made. But his betrayal at keeping the secret came with a few things that were almost unforgivable in his actions. And now they have another problem. Someone is using ghosts to do evil and they have to get to the bottom of it. But they all have to learn to work together and get past the secrets they all seem to have or they are going to get anywhere. As Wes just figured out how to fix it, the outcome is not so good. They have to figure something else out or a lot worse is going to happen.
Secrets have a way of destroying too many things. When we hide things from our loved ones, it hurts. Especially if caught and asked to keep a secret. It causes a rift between the family and loved ones and it gets bad. Feelings are hurt, fights ensue and so much more. Trust is broken and once that happens, it’s hard to get back. But, I also understand where Wes was coming from. What good was going to come out of him telling everyone what was going on. Because what he was afraid of, actually happened. He was looked at weird and the way everyone acted, hurt him. But he hurt them too. It was a huge mess. But it was a slap in the face almost, because he wasn’t the only one keeping secrets and yet everyone was ganging up on him. So I felt bad for him. And what’s worse, he seems to be a magnet for all the trouble that keeps showing up everywhere. Everyone seems to have it out for him. Not doing much for his sanity, that’s for sure. But once they kind of all pulled their heads out of their butts, they realized what they could lose in each other if they didn’t get it together. And that’s what matters.
They made a family of their own. A dysfunctional one for sure, but it’s theirs. It’s small and growing, but they all love each other in their way. They are charting waters none of them are used to while trying to fight forces of evil that they never dreamed of. So, it’s a huge mess. But it makes for one hell of a story. I can’t wait to read the next one.

While I haven't read the first title in this series, Jenn Burke's "Give Up the Ghost" was fairly easy to fall into--and the characterization was really compelling. I appreciated that the characters were older and had to work hard to communicate with each other, and that fear, anxiety, and depression were handled seriously. The stakes felt high, and I really wanted to keep reading--excellent pacing.

I especially loved the tenderness of the main relationship. It's unusual to see protagonists who are on the asexual spectrum (it's not explicitly stated, but the implications are there), and that representation was very tender and real (despite the additional paranormal elements). I will definitely seek out more work by Jenn Burke, and recommend this title to fans of paranormal mysteries with a helping of romance.

Great sequel to Not Dead Yet! As always with this author, the worldbuilding and characters make for a page turning and exciting read, plus plenty of humour ( the kind that makes you snort laugh). The story is told through Wes's eyes and he's not perfect - he makes mistakes but is willing to own up to them. His romance with Hudson is still evolving and while there are some sexy scenes between them, they are not the main focus of their relationship; rather it's learning to trust each other that helps them grow together as a couple. Lots of action and some intense moments to keep the reader fully engaged. There is a sweet ending for Hudson and Wes and enough secondary characters to keep me wanting more in this world. I'm excited to read the next in the series!

This was such an excellent follow up to the first book. Jenn seems to get better and better the more she writes and I LOVE seeing an author grow. I can't wait to see what she does next.

Wes was such a great character and he and Rojas relationship was so strong and real. Really, just a great job, even if the "funny banter" form book 1 wasn't there, these guys are just as special.

A scratching story with charismatic perosnajes, although there were repetitive phrases that took me out of reading again and again. However, the world in which the novel is developed is very well built and both Wes and Hudson seemed very human to me. A very well accomplished novel!

I'll be honest I didn't connect with this one as much as the first. It could've just been me, I read it in bits and pieces, here and there which messes with the flow so I'm not convinced it's the books fault which is why I'm rounding up. I like that Wes is flawed, like extremely...he does some pretty NOT OKAY things in the book. But he's not evil, and his reasons aren't malicious. I honestly think he's forgiven a little too easily. They just kind of move on because other major things are happening. I also was a little frustrated with Hudson and his hypocrisy and self righteousness. The plot was fine, but I didn't really care about the mystery for this book (aside from the over-arcing aspect). I also feel like the end was kind of rushed, I'm not sure what happens to the big bad. Maybe I missed something but I feel like it wasn't addressed. I like how it pushes the relationship to progress though and I'm still looking forward to the next book.

This is one of those series that I’m so glad I stumbled on. Not Dead Yet was a great start to this series and Give Up the Ghost may even be just a little bit better… even though I spent a fair amount of the book wanting to smack Wes. *sigh*

By keeping his secret, Wes put his friends in a lot of danger. He didn’t mean to, he was just afraid of loosing Hudson if he knew what he was hiding. The only problem was that the longer he hid it, the more out of control his power became. In trying to save his relationship he almost lost everything important to him.

There was a lot more to Wes’ power than he even knew and the temptation use it, even in the most innocent ways, was strong. He ended up putting everyone he was trying to protect in even more danger. So much that he was willing to sacrifice everything – even himself – to make sure no one else was hurt, physically or emotionally.

I loved all the twists and turns and unexpected revelations. The danger and suspense definitely kept the pages turning. I can’t wait to see what’s in store for Wes, Hudson and the rest of their “family” in Graveyard Shift. In the mean time, I may have to make room on my ever growing TBR pile for other reads from Jenn Burke 😉

🌟🌟🌟🌟 4.5 stars
🔥🔥🔥🔥 Heat Level: 4

Another winner!!!!

I love Wes and Husdon and their off on another unfortunate adventure. Dealing with the repercussions from book 1, there are secrets, lies and so hard truths that need to be addressed. I love Wes but unfortunately, he did some things in this book I didn’t agree with but his journey back to finding himself and his new ‘power’ was great. Hudson’s as surly as always and he too has another secret that opens the doors to the past and the possibilities of a new friendship.

I think in this book Evan is my favorite character. He’s passionate, gentle, loyal and at moments sad but he has an innate sweetness about him that just makes you want to hug him!! He goes through some hard times in this book but Jenn does it with such love, respect, and honor.

This book is a thrilling adventure with many ups and downs with a horror-inducing creation that was straight out of my nightmares and so well articulated! My only other comment was that this ‘horror’ wasn’t exactly resolved (which I found the ending a little disappointing) but still can’t wait to see what Jenn does with book 3 (coming September – which is TOO far away)!!!

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This series actually ended up on my radar thanks to the upcoming release for the second book. I can't believe I didn't see it before because it's totally in my wheelhouse of favorite things- suspense, snark, interesting characters, a "mystery", with some paranormal thrown in to keep things unexpected and a little off. I absolutely loved this book and am crazy excited for the next...plus I need to look into the author's backlist because the writing was on point- smooth transitions between narrative and dialogue, dialogue that enhanced the character personality, and a fast, addicting pace.

From the start I loved the characters, especially Wes. He was bright and fun, leaving me laughing often, but he also had an interesting story and plenty of depth to make him relatable. Hudson took a little more time to grow on me but I really liked learning his story and loved how he cared for Wes, definitely no missing the chemistry between these two. Then there's the secondary characters. The multitude of different personalities and outlooks, along with their interactions with Wes and Hudson offered depth to the storyline that kept me invested in the story. From the romance angle, I loved that the author didn't rely on the norm in so many ways, representing different sexualities and keeping the romance between Wes and Hudson more about the emotional connection than the physical (though that was good as well).

The paranormal story itself was unique as well- the characters', their abilities, and the crimes they're trying to solve. While I don't exclusively read paranormal suspense, this is definitely not a story or cast of characters I've seen before. The action scenes had me riveted and there were a few left turns I hadn't seen coming plus a satisfying and exciting resolution, so yeah I had a hard time putting this one down and wouldn't hesitate to recommend it.

Friends, I’m SO hooked on this series. With this second book, Burke doubles down on both the mystery angle as the characters launch their detective agency and on the relationships she established in NOT DEAD YET as Wes figures out how to balance some of his less admirable qualities with his desperate need to keep his found family. Things get INTENSE, especially as the case du jour forces secrets out into the open.

I love damned near everything about it. Burke looks at the mechanics of second chance romances, and at how forgiveness works when a loved one makes a potentially friendship-destroying mistake. She deepens the existing characters’ ties and introduces intriguing newcomers. (I want MOAR REN, please.) And she gives everyone lots of interesting external conflicts alongside their internal struggles.

The ending is maybe a tad schmaltzy, but I love these characters so much, and want so many good things for them, that you can bet I teared up. I can’t wait for the next book.

Also, I IDed Wes as demisexual when I reviewed NOT DEAD YET, but I read him more as gray ace in this one. Either way, it’s always mighty nice to see aroace characters in the page.

4.5 Stars.

I enjoyed this one even more than the first book. Give Up the Ghost is not a stand alone and the first book should be read first as the second book references a lot of the things that happen in the first book.

Wes is an interesting character that I didn't love in the first book or really even the first half of the second book. He can be selfish and throw tantrums occasionally and of course the fact that he is hiding the changes he's been experiencing since the climax of the last book. However, Wes is aware of his faults and knows he should come clean with Hudson and the rest of his friends. He also experiences quite a bit of growth in this book and by the end I really liked him.

I also really liked Hudson and the chemistry between the two of them. The two of them are slowly rebuilding a relationship and they both have some insecurities. I definitely felt invested in the relationship between the two of them. I also really like the secondary characters in the book.

The plot of this book was also really interesting and although I had a pretty good idea of what was going on there were a few twists and turns along the way. The characters, mystery and romance are compelling and I can't wait to see what happens next.

An excellent continuation of the first book. The increasing depth of the side characters expands this universe while maintaining and further developing an excellent connection between Wes and Hudson. I really enjoyed the mystery in this one and how Wes' arc of powers assisted in the novel's main mystery.

book 2 in the not dead yet series, picks up not long after book 1 ends. in give up the ghost, wes and hudson are making a go of things, except that wes is keeping a very big secret from his vampire lover.

there were aftereffects to the events that occurred in book 1, and i would recommend to anyone interested in picking this book up, start there. this is decidedly a continuation of the story, even though book 1 functioned as a standalone.

you continue to spend time with the crew of people we met, and a few new friends too. but this story really just continues to immerse us in this world, and i loved every second of it.

**give up the ghost will publish on june 3, 2019. i received an advance reader copy courtesy of netgalley/carina press in exchange for my honest review.

You really need to have read the first book in this series before tackling this one.
This picks up a couple of months after the first ended. Wes is keeping secrets that threatens to destroy all his relationships and puts the lives and livelihoods of friends and acquaintances in danger.

It's told all from Wes' POV and if you've read the first book you'll know Wes doesn't always make the best decisions.

In this book the ghost story held up really well, and while the bad guy is obvious from the first meeting that pleases me, I like to know who I'm rooting against.

An excellent series. I'm really looking forward to the next one.

Sometimes I read a book and it ends up surprising me in the most wonderful way. Give Up the Ghost was such a wonderful discovery for me. Based on the blurb I hoped it would be a thrilling and fascinating tale of danger, adventure, and magic, and that’s exactly what I got; an intriguing rollercoaster ride that kept me guessing and on my toes for most of the book. But, that’s not all I got. Give Up the Ghost is also a touching and emotionally fulfilling romance. And, what’s more, the balance between action/suspense and the up and downs in Wes and Hudson’s relationship was just about perfect. Neither thread overwhelmed the other, nor did either of them feel like filler. The way the romance threaded its way through the suspense while the danger was never far away, no matter how romantic the moment meant that the story flowed smoothly and the progression of the story felt natural.

And that wasn’t the only thing I loved about this book. I’ll try to list the various ways in which Give Up the Ghost delighted me below.

I smiled when it became clear that even being immortal doesn’t mean less insecurities or even fewer ‘less than smart’ decisions.

It was rather wonderful to read a story in which sex wasn’t the end all and be all for one of the characters, namely Wes. I mean he’s not a-sexual, but he’s just not always in the mood for more than cuddling. And that’s okay. 😊 And somehow it made the times when he and Hudson do get hot and bothered together, more meaningful and sexier.

The cast of secondary characters is both inspired and delightful. In fact, I feel I do them a disservice in calling them secondary, because they really only come second as far as the love story is concerned. Apart from that they shine on the page with almost the same amount of brightness as Wes and Hudson do. As a result, the story is much richer and we get a better insight into exactly who Wes and Hudson are too.

This is the second book in a series and I didn’t read the first title, Not Dead Yet. I can’t say that has been a problem. While I have no doubt that those who did read the first book will be delighted to reconnect with this cast of characters, I never once felt as if I was missing something. I fully connected with the story and with the characters and I have to admit that I’m mightily impressed at how well Jenn Burke managed to give me all the backstory I needed without ever ‘info-dumping’.

And that will be the note on which I’ll end this review. After reading Give Up the Ghost I’m in awe of Jenn Burke’s skills as a storyteller. Considering the amount of characters in this story and the numerous threads that all needed to be tight up before the book ended, she’s accomplished an awesome feat. I have no doubt it won’t be long before I read Not Dead Yet and I’m ridiculously excited that a third book in this series will be published before the end of the year. More Wes, Hudson & Co is always going to be a good thing.

As I've mentioned before, ghosts, evil spirits and vampires are so totally NOT my thing, but I cannot get enough of the universe Jenn Burke creates in her Not Dead Yet series. The first book in this series was a 5 star Recommended Read for me, and "Give Up the Ghost" follows in its spectral footsteps.

Wes has a secret ... a secret he knows he should share with Hudson. But Wes is stubborn, and at times a real idiot; but then again, Wes knows he's being stupid:

"Who the fuck was I? I didn't want to be that person, the one who kept secrets from the people he loved the most, the ones who hurt his friends with his idiocy. But I didn't know how to stop. And if I told the truth ...."

Something strange is going on at Aurora House, a LGBTQIA shelter for homeless teens where Lexi and Wes have volunteered. Some of the kids are reporting ghosts, and when Wes communicates with the resident ghosts he realizes something is hinky:

"There was something subtly off about Aurora House and its barn. Not on the level of a demon, but something that made the hair on the back of my neck dance the mamba at regular intervals. An atmosphere that murmured of fear and uncertainty [...] It was like everything was waiting for something to happen. No - for the other shoe to drop."

I include the quote above because I love Jenn Burke's writing style. She really draws you in and keep you hanging on every word. I don't want to give a lot of details about the plot - partly because even trying to describe the twists and turns of the plot is just about impossible, but also because the way it all develops is so engrossing and consuming. Wes' secret fuels and influences a lot of the action but there is the deepening of Wes' relationship with Hudson, and we learn more about Michael, Wes' first love. 5 stars and a Recommended Read. FYI - the next book in this series - "Graveyard Shift" - is coming in November of 2019. Can.Not.Wait.

Another fun entry in this series!

Picking up months after the conclusion of Not Dead Yet, Wes, his vampire boyfriend Hudson, and their friends Iskander and Evan have now opened their own detective agency. Wes is frustrated because they are only taking on mundane cases, when they could be tackling paranormal problems. After all, they have the abilities of two vampires, a witch, and Wes himself to draw on—who better to help people who encounter the uncanny? Wes gets his chance to prove his point when they are asked to investigate ghostly occurrences at an LGBTQIA youth shelter run by a friend. However, events are complicated by the fact that Wes’s magic has evolved, giving him frightening new powers that may wind up doing more harm than good.

Wes spends about half the novel trying to hide the changes in his magic from the others, and I’m always frustrated by characters keeping secrets when honesty would serve them better. Hudson did the same thing in the first book, and he’s not being completely open with Wes about everything in this one, either. It does at least serve as a catalyst for Hudson and Wes resolving to be more honest with each other in the future, though, so I’m hopeful there will be less of that brand of relationship drama going forward.

I did really like the explanation given for Wes’s magic boost. I’m curious about where the author will take that plot point next, because it leaves the possibility for Wes to develop additional powers wide open. Luckily, fans won’t have to wait too long to find out; Book 3 comes out this November.

If you enjoy paranormal romance, I’d recommend giving this series a try. Readers looking for asexual rep should also take note, since Wes is described as gray ace/demisexual.

A copy of this book was provided through NetGalley for review; all opinions expressed are my own.