i don’t think i’ve ever read a book with a plot like this and i really enjoyed it!

thank you netgalley for the e-arc!

The beginning of this book was captivating and so sweet! The plot was unique enough to keep my interest most of the way.

4.5 stars.

This book is unlike any other book I have read. I typically do not do paranormal type books and movies because they have never held any interest for me, but since this is also a sapphic romance, I could not help myself. I absolutely loved the characters and how they bonded over the lose of loved ones.

While there are paranormal aspects to the book, I feel like this is a great coming of age book that anyone can read and enjoy. I loved the representation of all the characters.

I highly reccomend this book. I inhaled it.

This started great!!! I loved the concept of a ghost setting up his sister and a friend. I was shocked it was written by a man, that made it a bit weird for me. I think this book would be better if it was just shorter. idk, 3.5 stars

Thanks to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the digital galley of this book.

Ghost hunter and outcast Cara is desperate to get away from her small town. When she stumbles upon ghost Aiden, she thinks she’s found her ticket out. All she needs is his help to provide evidence that’s real, and she can jump start her career as a pro ghost hunter.

Aiden has a big condition on helping her, though, he wants the sister he left behind to go to prom. If Cara can manage to take his sister, Meredith, to prom, he’ll help her with her ghost experiments and documentation. It’s not that simple, though, Cara can’t just ask her to prom out of nowhere, and as they get to know each other, they start falling for one another. The happier Meredith gets, the harder it is for Aiden to keep a hold on this world, and he still hasn’t fulfilled his end of the bargain. But Cara really does have feelings for Meredith, and revealing the secret about her original intentions could blow their relationship up.

Sometimes, I love YA, and sometimes the characters are just too young and immature for me to vibe with. It’s got some solid story-telling, tension building, secrets revealed, and character development, though, complete with a ghost (which is why I chose it in the first place).

James L. Sutter's *The Ghost of Us* is a poignant and captivating YA romance that blends supernatural intrigue with heartfelt themes of love, loss, and self-discovery. Set against the backdrop of high school life, this novel takes readers on a journey through the complexities of relationships—both earthly and spectral.

The story follows eighteen-year-old Cara, a determined ghost hunter with a mission to prove the existence of the supernatural. Her quest takes an unexpected turn when she encounters the spirit of Aiden, a popular upperclassman who passed away a year earlier. Aiden's lingering presence is tied to a heartfelt mission: to ensure his younger sister, Meredith, overcomes her grief and emerges from her shell. Aiden proposes a deal to Cara: help Meredith rediscover joy and accompany her to prom, and in return, he will provide Cara with irrefutable evidence of ghosts.

Sutter weaves a compelling narrative as Cara navigates the complexities of her arrangement with Aiden, gradually building a bond with Meredith under the guise of romantic pursuit. Aiden's ghostly guidance adds layers of humor and poignancy, highlighting his yearning for closure and his growing attachment to Cara's efforts to help his sister.

Central to *The Ghost of Us* is the evolving relationship between Cara and Meredith. As Cara follows Aiden's advice and wins Meredith's trust, she finds herself increasingly drawn to Meredith's vulnerabilities and strengths. Sutter skillfully portrays the emotional dynamics between the characters, exploring themes of authenticity, deception, and the transformative power of genuine connection.

The novel's exploration of grief and healing is particularly resonant, depicted through Meredith's journey towards acceptance and Cara's own emotional awakening. As Cara wrestles with her growing feelings for Meredith and the moral implications of her pact with Aiden, the stakes escalate, forcing her to confront difficult choices that could alter the course of their relationships and her quest for truth.

Sutter's prose is engaging and heartfelt, capturing the nuances of teenage emotions and the nuances of navigating identity and belonging. The plot unfolds with a blend of suspense and tenderness, keeping readers invested in the characters' fates and the outcome of Cara's mission to uncover proof of the supernatural.

In conclusion, *The Ghost of Us* is a compelling blend of paranormal mystery and young adult romance, enriched by its heartfelt exploration of love, loss, and the bonds that transcend life and death. James L. Sutter's novel is sure to captivate readers with its endearing characters, emotional depth, and thought-provoking themes, making it a standout in the realm of YA literature.

*The Ghost of Us* by James L. Sutter is a must-read for fans of YA fiction seeking a blend of supernatural intrigue and heartfelt romance. With its relatable characters and poignant storytelling, this novel offers a memorable exploration of love and redemption in the face of life's most challenging mysteries. Prepare to be enchanted and moved by Cara and Aiden's quest to uncover the truth about ghosts and the power of human connection.

Didn't love the dialogue... It was trying too hard to simulate the speech patterns of present day teenagers.

This was a messy, gorgeous, swoony Sapphic YA romance with an element of the paranormal. Perfect for fans of Jennifer Duggan, Ashley Poston and the graphic novel, The hills of Estrella Roja by Ashley Robin Franklin.

An aspiring ghost hunter stumbles upon a real ghost who makes a deal with her that if she helps his grieving sister find happiness he'll help her prove ghosts actually exist. Filled with paranormal antics, screwups, epic grand gestures (oh that promposal!) and so much joyful queer love. This was great on audio and I just loved it!!

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy and @prhaudio for a complimentary ALC in exchange for my honest review. I loved the author's debut, Darkhearts but this skyrocketed to my very favorite YA read of the year so far!

This was such a unique romance mixing sapphic with ghost hunting. Cara & Meredith were a believable pair with just the right amount of angst and longing for young adults in love. Unfortunately the relationship started based on a lie and that was a frustrating aspect to overcome. The ending seemed a bit abrupt as well. Regardless I enjoyed the read but was hoping for more.

This was a super cute, slight paranormal romance for young adult audiences with LGBT representation! I enjoyed the story and romance throughout the book. I would have liked to get to know the characters a little deeper but I thought it was an entertaining read that kept me excited while reading! Which means I would definitely recommended this book if it sounds interesting to you!

This was a cute YA romance with a hint of paranormal activity. Personally, I would have liked a little more character development, especially within the supporting cast, but since it wasn't really their story I do respect the author's choice not to develop them so deeply. Not my favorite book, but also not bad at all. It was a light, easy, read with an interesting plot but definitely geared towards a YA audience.

I want to cheer for the protagonist, Cara, and root for her and Meredith who are obviously happy getting to know each other, but it’s hard to look past Cara’s selfishness since she doesn’t attempt to change her behavior until the eleventh hour. She is unkind to both Meredith and her friends. Aiden is a delight despite his missteps, and I’m so happy for Cara and Aiden to find each other. I think their friendship is just as important as or even more compelling than the budding romance between Cara and Meredith. This book feels like less of a sweet romance and more characters dealing with their own pasts and insecurities so they can be ready for a new relationship. Overall an enjoyable read, but not what I’d choose when looking for a sweet romcom since the best character is unfortunately a platonic ghost.

Cara’s at the end of her senior year and she is devastated that she won’t be leaving small, insular Stossel, Washington, along with the other college-bound kids she’s desperate to escape. Cara had a cyber-bullying incident in junior high, when she first began public school following homeschooling with her grandma, and was a little naive. A girl she liked, who she thought liked her back, asked for some pictures that became shared around school and made Cara a pariah before she even met anyone else.

Flash forward five years and Cara’s now an amateur ghost hunter. She hopes that she can parlay her YouTube channel into a career, or any activity that gets her out of Stossel prior to her community college associate’s degree. For Cara, it’s time to start over, far away from any of her tormentors. Cara relies heavily on Holly, her only friend, who happens to be a super-devout Christian. Holly’s angle is to find evidence of an afterlife, and be a great friend to Cara. Having a hunch that shooting scenes where a former schoolmate tragically died might reveal a ghost prompts Cara and Holly to film at a nearby abandoned paper mill. Cara’s stunned when Aiden’s ghost begins talking to her later that night.

It turns out that Aiden believes his ghost remains because his younger sister, Meredith, is super depressed since his death. Meredith is also a senior at Stossel High School, and Aiden’s sure that getting Cara to ask Meredith to prom will cheer her up. It’s a bit half-baked, as Cara’s a social leper, but he’s willing to coach her up on his sis. It’s totally icky and Cara initially refuses, but Aiden says he won’t help her prove that ghosts exist if she doesn’t cheer Meredith up. Cara’s so desperate to get the fame she believes will help her escape Stossel and all the bitter bullies that have tormented her that she agrees to Aiden’s terms. Meredith has been completely withdrawn and depressed since Aiden died, as they were very close.

Unfortunately, the more Cara tries to build a rapport with Meredith–with and without Aiden’s help–the more that they connect, and the more that Cara genuinely sees Meredith as a person, someone she really likes, rather than a means to an end with Aiden and the fame she desires. Still, Cara’s only a high school senior, and she’s been intensely damaged by bullying and abandonment. She’s not really super empathetic, nor is she emotionally healthy. She’s very transactional in her thinking, which unconsciously increases the distance between her and others. Furthermore, her self-esteem is super battered, having not been accepted to a university and feeling like a loser everyone’s leaving behind. All of this leads to a bit of mercenary mindset, where she’s ultra determined to get proof of Aiden’s presence, even if it ends up upsetting Meredith. Or, hoping that she’ll be able to convince Meredith that getting insider knowledge about her from Aiden’s ghost will somehow be okay. Her naiveté is pretty on-brand, as is her ruthlessness when the major conflict comes to pass. Holly’s trying to gently call Cara out for this mercenary-type mentality, but it’s lost on Cara, who struggles with building strong interpersonal relationships. Aiden was super popular, and his brutal honesty opens Cara’s eyes more than once to her obliviousness. The more Cara and Meredith connect, the more Holly wants Cara to come clean with Meredith about Aiden’s presence.

I genuinely loved this story. Cara is such an emotional character, with her abandonment issues, deep resentments, and desire to start over. She can’t cope with Holly leaving for college, and has such a low self-esteem over not getting accepted to university. She’s not so much a pariah as a porcupine with quills out all the time. Her suppressed anger blinded her to the goodness and possibility of other friendships, like with Holly’s boyfriend Elvis, who is a genuine friend to Cara, but she sees all his effort as either pity, or in service to keeping Holly happy. I loved how Cara and Aiden develop a true friendship, as they’re very much opposed to being fake with each other. Aiden has no rep to maintain, and Cara doesn’t care about his past popularity. He’s also pretty instructive to Cara, helping her become a bit more of a compassionate person through his brutal honesty.

This is not a lighthearted rom-com. The funny moments undercut the melancholy themes in good ways, but Cara’s self-involvement and protective barriers lead to absolutely unconscionable behavior to keep hold of both Meredith and Aiden. I was just as devastated as Meredith when Cara’s crassness ruined the fragile relationship they’d built. It was quite a curveball, for me as a reader, not because it was unbelievable, but because it was so completely on brand for Cara, who’s almost incapable of seeing beyond her own pain and needs.

The resolution was super awesome, however, and allowed Cara to grow and make amends to all her friends, Aiden included, in a way that made sense and also supported Cara. There’s a little romance here, but it’s all influenced by the dishonesty Cara perpetuates at Aiden’s behest. I liked how Meredith makes it clear that she’s a person who’s got her own life and her own issues, and Cara’s better-late-than-never sensitivity was finally the “just right” approach. I wanted to shake some sense into Cara more than once, which further underlined how deeply connected I felt to her character. The conversations were pure teen voice, and I admired how well-rounded all these characters felt. This story is one I definitely recommend for readers who like YA LGBTQ adventure/romance.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC.

The Ghost of Us was so good. I recommend it for fans of paranormal stories, queer characters, and romance.

I loved the friendship between Aiden and Cara but I felt like her relationship with Meredith was forced. Also Cara was kind of the worst. I mean yes in the end she is redeemed but it takes forever to get there.

To be honest I DNF'd. I couldn't connect with the characters and the story didn't pick up for me. I tried multiple times to pick it up but just couldn't get through it.

THE GHOST OF US by James L. Sutter had some moments that were funny and enjoyable, but not enough to make a full novel work. The two biggest issues were that the romance was based on lies and the issues created by word choices/language. I still can't believe that the main character Cara used language like "No-No Zone" to refer to her body during an intimate scene. It sounds infantile and set a weird, unpleasant tone for a scene that should have been fine for an 18-year-old character.

*3.5

This book is really cute and funny! The premises were intrigued and I am satisfied by the execution. The banters are funny, Cara is a well written mc with a marvellous arc. She is mean at first and she’s mean for most of the book, but I grow found of her, I have to be honest. And I like her peculiar friendship with Aiden, the ghost she is haunted.
The romance is cute, but honestly I was expected a little more from this pov. I wanted more connection.
However, Cara and Meredith are cute together.
I’m happy to have read it and I think the best parte is the grieving.

To be completely frank, I DNF’d this at 20%. It never picked up for me, and I found myself rather bored with the characters and the plot.

This is a sweet and poignant story by the author of Darkhearts (one of my favorite reads last year).
Cara, a social outcast in her small town high school, wants to turn her amateur ghost hunting into her ticket out. Finally catching a break, Cara meets a real ghost - Aiden. Aiden is a popular boy from her school who died the year before. He agrees to help her become famous but he wants her help, too. In supernatural Cyrano de Bergerac style, Aiden convinces Cara to woo his sister, Meredith, who is still grieving his death.
As their romance blossoms, Cara also develops an unlikely friendship with Aiden. Their banter really made the book! But, of course, her lies catch up with her and she may lose everyone she cares about in the name of fame.
The book balances a sweet, humorous coming of age story with a genuine representation of grief and being able to say goodbye.

I received this digital ARC from @netgalley and publisher @stmartins in exchange for an honest review.