If you're looking for a haunting, magical read filled with mystery, emotion, and just the right amount of eerie charm, this book is perfect. It weaves an enchanting tale that lingers long after the last page.

A grisly discovery on a local beach sends friends Mazzy, Nora, and Elliot on a weird adventure involving dead bodies, a cult, and some real paranormal activity.

I thought this was a good story idea. I liked that the magic was real and taken seriously. I liked the setting and the atmosphere. I thought the pacing was good and the plot was nicely resolved. There were some real creepy moments that I thought were written well.

It is very YA - and that is okay - kids need books written for them. Every book doesn't need to be fun or interesting for adults to be worth publishing. However, I found myself wishing for more background on the cult and less emphasis on teen angst and romance. I was interested in knowing the characters better and the only one I felt got that space was Mazzy.

I would recommend this to a teenager who likes this sort of thing in a heart beat. Im sure they will love it.

Thoroughly enjoyed this book. The author did a good job of developing the relationships among the main characters. Great descriptions of the female protagonists and their interest in Wicca. Also appreciated the addition of the male friend, who brought a fun chemistry to the story. The plot was interesting and well developed as the story line got more intense. I would have liked a bit more time spent on the denouement. It was a very exciting scene and, given the dramatic build up, it would have been great to have a bit more of a detailed explanation of the characters and their motivations as the story drew to a close.
All in all, a fun, exciting read!

I was super into the premise and it sounded like an incredible book. Unfortunately, I DNF’d the book about 30% in because I had trouble following why there were dead bodies everywhere because it felt very abrupt.

2.5
Pet peeve: Sure there are dead bodies everywhere and it's unclear how this is all related and whether or not we are in literal mortal peril, but do you think Elliot likes me?
Pet peeve: Transcendent and Trancendental are different things.
Pet peeve: I have elected this character as the one with ill intent (for no particular reason) and must therefore assume that every bad actor is this person in some kind of disguise (for no particular reason).

A Spell to Wake the Dead is an urban fantasy novel with touches of horror, following Mazzy and her friends, Nora and Elliott. The two girls are obsessed with witchcraft and frequently perform rituals with various degrees of success. On the night they decide to try a spell they found online, they uncover something disturbing: the body of a woman on the shore.

From that moment on, the three friends find themselves entangled in an investigation that goes beyond the natural, haunted by spectral presences demanding their involvement in uncovering the mystery and seeking justice. When they cross paths with a perilous cult, they realize they are in serious danger and that they have encountered something far beyond their understanding.

This YA novel stands out for its readability, with a fast-paced plot where something is always happening, keeping the story moving at a breakneck speed. The presence of witchy elements such as tarot, spells, and amulets will delight readers interested in these topics, along with occasional references to various cults. Occultism plays a crucial role in the plot and helps maintain the suspense.

One aspect I particularly liked is that the protagonists' interest in witchcraft is never ridiculed. Even at the beginning when they have no evidence that what they believe in is real, their beliefs are not questioned.

The plot keeps you on edge, with constant twists that challenge these girls as they are forced to take justice into their own hands. In terms of pacing, A Spell to Wake the Dead is a quick read, balancing action with some introspective moments. However, this rapid pacing sometimes accelerates the plot so much that certain revelations don’t feel as impactful as they should.

Another aspect that might leave readers wanting more is the lack of explanation regarding certain key elements. While these details help maintain an air of mystery, they might also frustrate those looking for a clearer resolution.

Overall, A Spell to Wake the Dead is a gripping and fast-paced read, perfect for fans of YA horror with elements of witchcraft and supernatural mystery. If you're looking for an atmospheric and tension-filled story, this book won’t disappoint. However, if you prefer slower narratives with deeper character exploration, you might feel like something is missing.

**Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC**

Be careful what you wish for …

Mazzy and Nora’s seemingly innocent attempt at a spell quickly spirals into a chilling and dangerous supernatural mystery. While trying to uncover hidden things, the two girls stumble upon the body of a young woman, brutally murdered and missing her hands and teeth. As the investigation progresses, they are haunted by the restless spirit of the murdered woman, who is desperate to solve the mystery of her death. But as all clues point to a secretive, deadly society, the girls must navigate a treacherous path to avoid meeting the same grisly fate.

What truly surprised me about this book was how deeply it leans into its magical elements. Initially, I expected a more straightforward story where the magic was mostly mundane but the story quickly dove into darker territory, exploring cults, tarot, and rituals grounded into the reality of the world rather than this being abnormal. These elements raise the stakes and creates a sense of urgency and tension that builds as the mystery unfolds.

That said, while the eerie atmosphere and occult themes were compelling, the book falters in terms of character development and plot cohesion. Mazzy and Nora are likeable enough but ultimately feel a bit flat. Their personalities don’t seem to leave a lasting impression, especially given the high stakes they’re facing. The rapid pace of the story doesn’t allow for much emotional depth, which results in characters who remain more plot devices than fully realized individuals. This is especially apparent in the book's climax, where a twist involving a character we’ve met earlier felt more confusing than shocking—largely because I hadn’t had enough time to become truly invested in who these people were.

In terms of plot, while the twists and creepy moments are certainly memorable, the overall narrative feels a bit rushed. The supernatural elements are intriguing, but the plot doesn’t offer enough room for the kind of character development that would have made the story truly resonate. By the time the shocking revelations arrive, I found myself more focused on the supernatural elements than the characters’ fates, which is disappointing considering the book’s emotional potential.

Ultimately this is a fast-paced read, especially for those who enjoy supernatural mysteries with dark magic and occult themes. However, if you’re looking for something with a bit more substance this one may leave you wanting more. It’s a fun ride, but its surface-level emotional impact keeps it from being a truly memorable read.

**special thanks to the publishers and netgalley for providing an arc in exchange for a fair and honest review**

Well, this was — dare I say? — spellbinding. V much here for treating occultism with respect (of course the baddies are bad because they don’t!) and the casual treatment of LGBT characters. Completely adorable and now I need to find more from Lesperance. Would have finished it in one sitting but I had to go to a dinner. My only regret is that I am vacation halfway around the world from my own Midnight Alchemy — but I was inspired to set the stones I travelled with and a bottle of water out to change under tonight’s full moon.

Also; giving low stars bc you DNF or hate finished a book with even the slightest hint of non-white/straight/cis representation shouldn’t be allowed. That’s not an opinion, that’s hurting an author bc bigotry.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book follows Mazzy and Nora, who discover a body on the beach after they decide to practice witchcraft. A Spell to Wake the Dead was mysterious and full of heart, with an overarching theme of friendship. I loved the pacing, the atmosphere and the character development. It was a quick, interesting read and I would recommend it to anyone interested in the YA genre!

This book was so good! The witchcraft elements had me on edge the entire time—seriously, I could feel my hair standing on end. If the author had included actual incantations, I think it would have made the book even darker, and honestly, I might not have been able to sleep after reading it!

The pacing was just right, keeping me hooked from start to finish. I loved every twist and turn, and the story-building was fantastic. The characters' development was also well executed, making each one feel real and layered. And the ending? Perfect. I really appreciated that it didn’t rely on a last-minute plot twist, which is such a cliché in spirit- and horror-related stories.

Overall, this was a thrilling read, and I absolutely enjoyed every moment of it!

4.25⭐️
Mazzy and Nora dabble in witchcraft, but after performing a spell late one night, they discover a body on the beach. Which leads to more bodies, and being almost possessed by a spirit, a cult of evil people, and more weird than either knows what to do with.
If you’ve ever read A Good Girls Gide to Murder and wished it had magic involved, this is your book.
I’m so glad I saw this on a marketing email from NetGalley and read it! I wasn’t really sure where the story was going, I was trying hard to not figure out the ending and just be along for the journey. While some of it was a bit juvenile (this is NA) it fits for the age the mc’s are and honestly the feelings 18 year olds have about life, love, and that their parents just don’t understand them!

Witchcraft, dark magic, ancient cults, and Cape Cod...oh my! To any fan of the occult, this is a must read. What happens when two teenage witches-in-training cast a spell on a moonlit night? Chaos. How far will they go to rid themselves of nefarious ghosts and uncover the wicked truth behind a local occult legend? This is a fast-paced tale laced with visions, possessions, and the necessity to extinguish the evil that surrounds them. I would highly recommend to any reader who covets with wickedness and possibilities of the supernatural.

thank you to netgalley and the publisher for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review

a spell to wake the dead was an exciting and eerie ya thriller. i loved how the story was centred around this friendship trio and i wish we got to see more of them just being friends.

the last 30% of the story was easily the best part. the author did a really great job with pacing here, and as a reader i felt compelled to continue reading as the danger loomed closer.

the romance was as a pleasant subplot, although i do wish elliot was more developed as a character.

overall it was a great read!

I did not finish this due to some lgbt content. I'm sure it's a good book otherwise, but I couldn't finish it.

This was so good. From start to finish, it’s fast paced and filled full of a plot I love. Two witches find a body and stumble into something far worse than they could have imagined. The characters are really great and the story was amazing.

Thanks to NetGalley for the copy of this ARC. This will be out in August of 2025. Make sure to add it to your TBR!

I didn't even know Nicole Lesperance was coming out with a new book and imagine my surprise when it was up on NetGalley, it was going to be witchy and I was preapproved to read it! I downloaded and devoured this book in a single day. Although the pacing was a bit slow and funky at times, the characters, the depth of the story and the plot itself made up for the pacing. The book immediately jumps into Mazzy and Nora and their friend Elliot finding a washed up body on the beach while they are practicing a spell under the full moon. They quickly get caught up in the dead woman and even allow her spirit in to communicate with them. Quickly more bodies turn up as Nora is drawn to finding them and the friends begin to realize how deep into the darkness they have gotten. This book was tense, it was suspenseful, it was graphic. I enjoyed the characters and the eerie setting on Cape Cod. The story dabbles in witchcraft, the occult and feels like a true witchy horror novel. I think readers who enjoy supernatural horror are going to love this one!

Starts out slow but gains intensity with each chapter. Mazzy, the main character and her bestie, Nora, are two witches novice witches. Mazzy idolizes her friend's ability but underestimates her own latent powers. The girls are drawn to Mayflower beach on Cape Cod and not so accidentally stumble on a very dead woman whose hands have been cut off. The narrative gains momentum from this moment as the dead woman begin to exert her presence and desperate needs by gaining a foothold in Nora's mind. Over the course of time the girls are drawn to other bodies and even more intense experiences to the point where Nora, in particular, becomes possessed. Over the course of the story more people are drawn in and the girls come under scrutiny by the local police and other 'mystics.' The intensity of the action, as the reader approaches the conclusion, reaches a crescendo with their very lives on the line.

I enjoyed the book more as I got further into the book. As I approached the end of the story it was as though I couldn't read the paragraphs fast enough. My main criticism focuses on the cast of characters beyond the girls. I would have liked to see them fleshed out more with greater impact on the storyline.

I tend to take issue with the pacing of YA novels but this one draws you in so deeply that you don't even notice it's been fifty pages. It's a quick read like most YA is for an adult, but the pacing is perfect so I suspect a young reader would fly through it too. This is definitely upper YA because of the violence in it, but the pacing never once felt like it was too fast or that the girls were jumping to conclusions that were not backed by evidence. I also loved that even though 2 of our 3 main protagonists were girls, with one crushing heavily on the male member of the trio, love wasn't the main focus or even a major side focus. If it happened at all it was along the way and only a. sentence or two before you were right back in the action. The girls sisterhood and willingness to protect each other was top priority right along with solving the mystery of the murders in their Cape Cod community. Even if you aren't a YA person, but you like paranormal mysteries, this book is a must read!

Spooky little novella. I finished it in only a few hours. Was pretty good. I’d say it’s definitely YA occult so take that as you will. Be sure you don’t mind your teenagers reading about witches and dark magic.
I enjoyed it as an adult. Was a creepy good time.

I really enjoyed the eerie atmosphere, this book had me hooked since the beginning.

I loved reading about Mazzy and Nora, witchy teenagers, as well as their friend Elliott and the dangerous path they found themselves on after discovering a body on the beach and trying to solve her murder. Using divination and spellwork, and a whispering voice guiding them to more.

It was fast paced, I finished it in a day.