How to Date Dead Guys by Ann M. Noser Series: The Witch's Handbook #1
Published by Curiosity Quills Press on July 14th 2014
Genres: Fantasy & Magic
Pages: 304
Format: eBook
Goodreads
College sophomore Emma Roberts remembers her mother’s sage advice: “don’t sleep around, don’t burp in public, and don’t tell anyone you see ghosts”. But when charming Mike Carlson drowns in the campus river under her watch, Emma’s sheltered life shatters.
Blamed for Mike’s death and haunted by nightmares, Emma turns to witchcraft and a mysterious Book of Shadows to bring him back. Under a Blood Moon, she lights candles, draws a pentacle on the campus bridge, and casts a spell. The invoked river rages up against her, but she escapes its fury. As she stumbles back to the dorm, a stranger drags himself from the water and follows her home. And he isn't the only one.
Instead of raising Mike, Emma assists the others she stole back from the dead—a pre-med student who jumped off the bridge, a desperate victim determined to solve his own murder, and a frat boy Emma can’t stand… at first.
More comfortable with the dead than the living, Emma delves deeper into the seductive Book of Shadows. Her powers grow, but witchcraft may not be enough to protect her against the vengeful river and the killers that feed it their victims.
Inspired by the controversial Smiley Face Murders, HOW TO DATE DEAD GUYS will ignite the secret powers hidden deep within each of us.
Julie’s Review:
This book was an awesome Amazon freebie so I snatched it up and gave it a read. An actual book, not an audiobook. Can you believe it? Sure, it took a while with a chapter before bed but I did it. Goal of reading an actual book achieved this month.
At first, this was kind of a joke to me. Kind of seemed like a tongue-in-cheek silly magic story. The protag accidentally becomes a witch because she feels guilty for surviving when her not even friend but guy she likes kind of drowns. So she tries to bring him back. But what does she bring back? A ton of guys. Seriously, several different dead guys. Sometimes all at once!
Now there’s the funny/silly/joke part to me. The body that everyone sees is someones? Same body each time, but the guy inside that keeps coming back (temporarily) can only be seen by our protag, and in a reflection. I forget how many but I think there were 5 guys she brought back over time by accident? New guys kept “showing up” when the other had to return to the river.
But after a while, it got serious, and actually quite meaningful. Each guy had something he still needed to accomplish, and he was given an opportunity to help someone, get closure, etc. By the end of the book I was getting quite attached to some of these great characters who were trying to do some good despite their accidental death circumstances.
I can’t say it was written super advancedly (totally a word) but it was entertaining, and now I’m super curious about the next book after reading the blurb.
I read this one a LONG time ago – two years ago? I forget what I rated it, but I remember being similarly surprised by the way it got serious & meaningful – and really enjoying that aspect. I still haven’t managed to read book 2, but you’ve reminded me that I want to! Great Review 🙂
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Good for you for reading an actual book, Julie! Lately, I have only had time for the audio books!
It does sound like an unusual premise. Who doesn’t love when a FREEBIE surprises and impresses? But yay for picking a winner, and an actual e-book at that! I’m sending you a virtual fist bump. I hope you enjoy the next one as well. =)
Thanks Livia! Maybe if the next one is a freebie too I’ll pick it up haha.