How To Date Dead Guys by Ann M. Noser
Blurb:
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.
My Review:
I received this book free in exchange for an honest review.
UW-Eau Claire student, Emma Roberts, is kind of a geek. Her only friend on campus is her roommate Chrissy. One night Chrissy drags Emma to a party off campus to see the guy Chrissy has been crushing on, Kevin. When they get to the party Emma finds herself instantly attracted to Kevin's younger brother, Mike.
After that night, Emma bumps into Mike a few times around campus but can't stop being tongue-tied around him. Chrissy's witchcraft practicing sister, Angie comes to visit and they perform a love spell to make Kevin fall for Chrissy.
They instantly become inseparable and Emma once again gets dragged to Kevin and Mike's place, this time for Mike's 21st birthday. Unfortunately, Mike gets extremely drunk and decides he and Emma should go swimming in the Chippewa River in the middle of the night. Only Emma makes it out of the river alive. Reviewers note: this sadly actually isn't uncommon here in Wisconsin. A lot of 21-year-olds on their birthday go missing only to be dragged from a lake or river a few days or months later.
Distraught and feeling like it's her fault Mike died Emma finds Angie's Book of Shadows under her bed and decides to try raise him from the dead. More powerful than she realizes she instead raises geeky Sam, then annoying but attractive Jake, and later Bernard, Steve, and Mike himself. Emma is the only one that can see their true selves, to everyone else they all look like the boy they're masquerading in. What do the other four want? And will she be able to help them, keep up with school, and help her new friend Abby?
I really, really loved this book. I probably would have picked this book up even if I hadn't been given a copy to review it. I also really liked that it was set in my home state, Wisconsin. Emma transitions throughout the book, gaining confidence and becoming more outgoing and I loved her as a character. Jake is my favorite of the guys that come from the river. And Officer Charlie Walker is better toward the end. I wonder if the author plans to put Emma and Officer Walker together in the sequel, or might Jake come back? I didn't want to put this book down. I was so wrapped up in the story I didn't stop until I reached the final page and saw it was past two in the morning.
This book easily is one of the best books I've read so far this year! I can't wait to see what's in store for Emma in book 2. If I could rate this book higher than 5 stars I definitely would!
My Rating: 5 of 5 Stars!
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