I received this book for free for an honest review from netgalley. Thank you for the opportunity

Smart and sexy.

What a fun and unique story! I’ve never read a story like this one but I throughly enjoyed it. Loved all the dynamic friend group drama. Overall, was a super easy and quick read - great book to read by the pool!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martins Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Annie LeBlanc Is Not Dead Yet by Molly Morris is the cutest, queerest rollercoaster of teen angst and supernatural drama. Imagine your ex-best friend—who you thought was gone for good—suddenly shows up; it’s wild, heartwarming, and so perfectly messy. The whole thing is like a big, warm hug with a side of "what the heck?!"

Wilson has entered the Welcome Back contest, and she's stunned to find out when she wins she gets the opportunity to bring her best friend, Annie LeBlanc back from the dead for 30 days. When she hears about the possibility that might allow Annie to stay alive longer than that, she jumps at the chance to reunite Annie and her friend Ryan.

This book has such a cool premise, but it just didn't work for me. The major problem I had from the get go was that I did not like Wilson. Since we spend the entire book in her head, this quickly became a problem for me. Wilson is completely clueless of literally everything, and I'd be willing to give her a pass at this as she's 17, but she's also really annoying. Yes, she is really quirky liking the old timey things she likes. The other characters were nothing spectacular either. In fact, I couldn't tell you one character I actually liked in this book. And don't get me started on Wilson calling her mom by her first name or anytime Dr. David is mentioned. I just could not

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC, but this book wasn't for me.

In Annie LeBlanc’s Not Dead Yet, Wilson, an 18 year old girl, won a competition in her little town to bring someone back from the dead for 30 days. Wilson chose her former best friend with whom she had a falling out before she passed away. Teenage angst. Yes.
Clever plot. Yes.
Emotional twists and turns. Yes.
Witty teen banter with Harry Styles references. Yes and yes!!
This book was so unique and so fun. It had a magical concept but was cleverly written in such a way that it was totally normal to bring someone back from the dead. And I really liked how Wilson matured that summer, realized the importance of family and friends and was finally happy.

When Wilson Moss wins a contest that allows her to bring back one person from the dead for 30 days, she thinks this is the chance to fix her friendship with Annie LeBlanc and maybe—just maybe—find a loophole to keep Annie among the living.

Growing up, Wil and Annie were the best of friends; then Wil, Annie, and their friend Ryan had a falling out. Within a year, Annie had passed away.

In so many ways, Wil is used to being the one keeping everything together. Her friendship with Annie and Ryan fell apart around the same time as her family, and Wil has been flying solo trying to take care of her mom and half-sister ever since.

With Annie back, Wil starts to open up and have fun again. She begins to embrace life and dream more. She’s not so alone anymore.

At a glance:
- YA (summer after high school graduation)
- Magical realism
- Small town
- Queer

Highlights for me:
- Wil being named after Wilson Phillips
- Wil’s relationship with her former stepfather
- Ryan’s brother, Mark (honestly, what a great guy)
- Wil’s love of ’90s music
- Wil’s comics (I would read them.)
- When Annie opens up to Wil

Things that were tougher for me:
- Wil’s mom’s behavior (She doesn’t act like the adult in the household, and some of her interactions with Wil made my heart ache.)
- Ryan’s response to Annie and her behavior towards Wil (I feel like these are believable teenage behaviors, but that doesn’t make them easy to read.)

I received an advance copy of the ebook from Wednesday Books and NetGalley. All review opinions are my own.

This is one of those stories that makes me nostalgic for my teen years. Maybe it’s just because of all the 1990s references……just me?
This is an achingly familiar teen angst book made into a something new and interesting with the addition of some magical realism.
Bringing someone back from the dead for just 30 days….once every ten years…..sounds completely normal right? It does in the town of Lennon. Wilson has the chance to bring her friend Annie back from the dead and what ensues is at times hilarious and at others heartbreaking.
The author handles this ending perfectly. No spoilers here but I can’t think of an ending that would have felt so perfect.
I received an ARC of this book, all opinions are my own.

In the odd town of Lennon, every decade, someone gets to bring a person back from the dead for a month. This time, Wilson's the lucky one, and she's decided to bring back her ex-best friend, Annie. But there's a hitch—Wilson, Annie, and their other friend Ryan used to be a tight trio, and now Ryan can't stand Wilson.

High school friendships are tough enough without mix-ups like changing schools, shifting interests, and, well, dying. With Annie back, Wilson is hoping to patch things up, especially with Ryan, even though she and Annie weren't even on speaking terms when Annie passed away.

As the story unfolds, hidden struggles and secrets come to light. Can the truth really stay buried? Is there a way to keep Annie around longer?

This book is a quick, engaging read about friendship's complexities. I really dug the concept, though I felt a few things were wrapped up too hastily or left hanging.

Annie LeBlanc is not dead yet is a cute YA story set in a small town with a magical theme. Once every ten years someone gets to come back from the dead. Its called “Welcome Back” only people in the town recognize them to preserve the towns secret. Wilson picks Annie and wins. They had a falling out prior to Annies death and are now given a chance to fix whatever happened between them. When Wilson figures out theres potentially a way that Annie can stay alive she begins to scheme ways to keep Annie alive. Will she succeed? Thank you net galley for this arc in exchange for my honest review. I really enjoyed this one. A solid four stars

What an odd little book. The premise is so unique, and I definitely did a double take to make sure I was reading it correctly. A small town that has a tradition of bringing someone back from the dead each year? The catch? It’s only for 30 days.

When Wilson decides to bring back Annie, her ex-best friend, from the dead, things get interesting.

⏳Young adult
⏳Magical realism
⏳Complicated friendships
⏳Queer rep
⏳Quirky/weird premise
⏳Coming of age

While I found this entertaining, I was hoping for a bit more! I felt like the premise and pieces were there, but the end result didn’t quite hit like I was wanting it to so I was a bit underwhelmed.

Thank you to Wednesday Books for my eARC! Annie LeBlanc Is Not Dead Yet is out now!

Mini synopsis: what would you do if you could bring someone back from the dead for a month? Wilson finds out when she brings back her former best friend Annie, & sets out on an unforgettable 30 days!

Okay I kinda love this! The concept is so cool & only having 30 days with your person makes the stakes higher! At the beginning, you’re kind just thrown into the story. I was trying to piece together all the moving parts, ex. Why does Ryan hate Wilson? Why did Annie not speak to her before she died? Did Annie really die by accident? I was just along for the ride! I really got attached to the characters & all their dramas! And with only 30 days, I felt like the ending would be so sad!

As with most YA, there’s some sense of an underlying romance. This one I swear was marketed as sapphic, but halfway thru I was like is this gonna happen or not?! Eventually tho, we got a little bit of romance (& my favorite kinda! Friends to lovers!) it was sweet & slow! I also really liked Wilson’s mom as a character I could read more about her!

Overall, I really liked this book & really the concept as a whole! I would definitely recommend if you’re looking for a summer YA romance with a little speculative twist!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press | Wednesday Books and NetGalley for an electronic advanced readers copy of this book.

Lennon. California is a cute tourist town. It's unremarkable except for the fact that every 10 years, a lucky resident is able to pick one dearly departed resident to come back from the dead, for one month. Wilson Moss, a newly graduated high school senior, enters the contest not expecting to win - but she does! And she picks her former best friend Annie LeBlanc to come back, who unfortunately drowned in her family's pool after ditching Wilson and their friend Ryan for a better high school and a better life.

Once back, Wilson discovers that there's a way to keep Annie alive permanently, so she tries everything to make it happen. Mending the estrangement between the friends is one thing she thinks for sure will work. And then there's a budding flirtation with Ryan's twin.

Annie Leblanc Is Not Dead Yet by Molly Morris is a fun and original tale of unfinished business, friends and growing up. I really enjoyed this book a lot. It is an unique premise, not sure if I would want to bring someone back from the dead. It was well written and fun but also sad.

Annie LeBlanc is not Dead Yet was your quintessential coming of age, YA contemporary fiction with its humorous moments, strong girl friendships, and wonderful character development. When I read YA, this is what I want! A storyline that’s engaging and unique with characters I enjoy and just an overall good feeling. I think this is great for anyone who enjoys contemporary fiction where everything does eventually work out - but just not how you expected.

Synopsis:
The Welcome Back Ceremony is a well kept secret of Lennon, a small town in Southern California. Every 10 years, a random town resident can bring back any former resident from the dead for 30 days. When Wilson enters herself into the drawing a year after her ex best friend died, she never expected to win. When going over the rules with the coordinator, Wil discovers a loophole where the deceased can stay and have a second chance of life after righting a major wrong. Wil is convinced the major wrong in Annie’s life was the fact that her, Wil, and Ryan were all the best of friends until a massive fight. After this argument, Ryan and Annie no longer spend time with Wil and avoid her at all costs. With only 30 days to figure out how to not only get Annie and Ryan in the same room, but to become friends again, Wilson has her work cut out for her.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and the author for sending me an early copy!

Follows a teenage girl in her small town given the opportunity to bring her dead ex best friend back from the dead for 30 days. But she discovers a loophole, and thinks she can bring her back for goood if she can get her old trio back together.
This book was very cute and it was queer. I felt like the plot was a bit over complicated and I got lost a few times, but it was a really unique and cool idea. I also feel like the protagonist suffered a bit from main character or ‘not like other girls’ syndrome that made her a tinsy bit cringey. It did have a really fun conclusion and I got really into it.

ℝ𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ | 𝔽𝕠𝕣𝕞𝕒𝕥: 𝐸-𝐵𝑜𝑜𝓀 & 𝒜𝓊𝒹𝒾𝑜𝒷𝑜𝑜𝓀

ℝ𝕖𝕧𝕚𝕖𝕨: 𝐀 𝐟𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐡 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐭𝐨 𝐚 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐬𝐭, 𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐡𝐢𝐜 𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞! 𝐀𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝑨𝒏𝒏𝒊𝒆 𝑳𝒆𝑩𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒄 𝑰𝒔 𝑵𝒐𝒕 𝑫𝒆𝒂𝒅 𝒀𝒆𝒕 𝐟𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐬 𝐬𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐧-𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫-𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐖𝐢𝐥𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐌𝐨𝐬𝐬, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐥-𝐭𝐨𝐰𝐧’𝐬 𝐭𝐨𝐩-𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 (𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐚 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐨𝐰𝐧) 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐲 𝐝𝐚𝐲𝐬. 𝐀𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐭, 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞 𝐫𝐮𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐮𝐬. 𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐖𝐢𝐥𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐞𝐱-𝐛𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝, 𝐀𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐞 𝐋𝐞𝐁𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐜, 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐝𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐚 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐚𝐠𝐨 𝐢𝐧 𝐚 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐜 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭, 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐢𝐟 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐚 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐩𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐤𝐞𝐞𝐩 𝐀𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐞 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝.

𝒯𝒽𝒶𝓃𝓀 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝓉𝑜 𝑀𝑜𝓁𝓁𝓎 𝑀𝑜𝓇𝓇𝒾𝓈, 𝒮𝓉. 𝑀𝒶𝓇𝓉𝒾𝓃'𝓈 𝒫𝓇𝑒𝓈𝓈, 𝑀𝒶𝒸𝓂𝒾𝓁𝓁𝒶𝓃 𝒜𝓊𝒹𝒾𝑜, & 𝒩𝑒𝓉𝒢𝒶𝓁𝓁𝑒𝓎 𝒻𝑜𝓇 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒜𝑅𝒞! 𝒜𝓁𝓁 𝑜𝓅𝒾𝓃𝒾𝑜𝓃𝓈 𝒶𝓇𝑒 𝓂𝓎 𝑜𝓌𝓃.

This was cute and funny and I definitely will be adding it to my pride month recommendations list!

Thank you NetGalley for gifting me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review and opinions.

Happy Pub Day!

Okay but like this book is just a dose of sunshine. I had such a great time reading it. The plot was very intriguing to me. I mean, who wouldn’t wanna bring someone back from the dead even if it is for a short period of time. I enjoyed the small town setting and the characters was great. Even though this is a ya book, for some reason it didn’t feel that way to me while reading it.

If you love a good quirky friendship group with lots of drama and a sweet romance then I highly recommend picking this one up. This one gave me major Casey McQuiston vibes and I was living for it.

Thank you so much to Wednesday Books for my copy! This beauty is officially out today!

A YA romance with a touch of magical realism and the depth of a true love story. This sweet coming of age romp through friendship, loss, grief, and love had me fully immersed!

While I personally would have loved a bit more of the magical realism (like more back story about how or why the town of Lennon was able to bring back the dead) I did not think it negatively impacted the plot.

The story did not suffer from a lack of feeling like some YA I have read; the depth with which Molly Morris described the cusp of adulthood and the trials of the teen years coming to an end was endearing and immersive.

Would recommend to lovers of YA for sure !

GENERAL INFO

Annie LeBlanc Is Not Dead Yet- a standalone

Publication date: 6-4-24, Read 6-3-24

Format: e-Book 328 pgs. and audiobook

🏃🏾‍♀️Run Time: 9:23

🗣️Narrator: Georgina Sadler read all the characters told in 1st POV/FMC Wilson "Wil" Moss. I believe the voice fit the characters with standouts of Mark, Annie, and Ryan . Their voices were the most distinct, but I could easily tell the difference between all characters. The reading style brought the story to life, and the pacing flowed easily with the story. The narration and the author were in sync, and they fit together perfectly. The narrator paused and announced every time a new chapter came. The book had a table of contents which helped me follow along with the e-book and audio. My recommendation is to read the audiobook because you can adjust the speed, skip parts easily (if desired), and picture the characters more vividly.

🙏🏾Source: Thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Macmillan Audio for this ARC and ALC 💛 ! I voluntarily give my honest review and all opinions expressed are my own.

Genre: YA, LGBTQIA+, Magical Realism, Fantasy

Tropes: female friendship, sapphic romance, family drama

⚠️death-drowning, bullying, resurrection

BOOK DESCRIPTION

Synopsis/Plot Summary: In the small town of Lennon, CA every ten years the community has a "Welcome Back" contest. In their top secret town, they choose someone to resurrect from the dead for only 30 days. Only the townspeople can see them and a bus comes for them after 30 days. Wil (17) has won and brings back her BFF Annie LeBlanc who accidentally drowned at her b-day pool party. Wil and Annie hadn't been speaking a year before she died, and their other BFF Ryan hates them both. Wil tries to find a loophole to keep Annie alive permanently but town secrets may stop her quest.

😊What I liked:

- The Welcome Back idea is so original.
-Wil tries to get her BFFs back together to curve her loneliness.
-Mark treats Wil nice and has a little crush. He happens to be Ryan's twin brother.
-Wil's comic book creations
-Wil's relationship w/ ex stepfather Cass. Wil never knew her father.

😞What I didn't like:

-Wil talks down to& about her mother Jodie. Wil acts like the adult, takes responsibility for the bills and finances. Jodie is getting remarried to Dr. David and Wil planned everything.


AUTHOR OVERVIEW

Molly Morris- new to me author

PERSONAL OVERVIEW

Overall Rating: 4.5/5 ⭐

Do You Recommend This Book: yes

Will You Re-read This Book: yes

Would You Read More Books by this Author: yes

Annie LeBlanc Is Not Dead Yet by Molly Morris was a unique and magical book!
This was a really fun, sweet read that any YA book lover will adore.
The whole story was incredible and captivating, as well as both of our main characters.
The writing is engaging and the story is amazing!

Thank You NetGalley and Wednesday Books for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!