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Annie LeBlanc Is Not Dead Yet
Every ten years in the strange little town of Lennon, California, one person is chosen to return from the dead…
Wilson Moss entered the town’s top-secret contest in the hopes of resurrecting her ex-best friend Annie LeBlanc, but that doesn’t mean she thought she’d actually win. Now Annie’s back and Wil’s ecstatic—does it even really matter that Annie ghosted her a year before she died…?
But like any contest, there are rules, and the town’s resurrected dead can only return for thirty days. When Wil discovers a loophole that means Annie might be able to stay for good, she’s desperate to keep her alive. The potential key? Their third best friend, Ryan. Forget the fact that Ryan openly hates them both, or that she and Wilson have barely spoken since that awkward time they kissed. Wil can put it aside for one month; she just needs to stop thinking about it first.
Because Wil has one summer to permanently put an end to her loneliness—it’s that, or lose her only friends…again. But along the way, she might have to face some difficult truths about Annie’s past and their friendship that, so far, she’s left buried.
Wilson Moss entered the town’s top-secret contest in the hopes of resurrecting her ex-best friend Annie LeBlanc, but that doesn’t mean she thought she’d actually win. Now Annie’s back and Wil’s ecstatic—does it even really matter that Annie ghosted her a year before she died…?
But like any contest, there are rules, and the town’s resurrected dead can only return for thirty days. When Wil discovers a loophole that means Annie might be able to stay for good, she’s desperate to keep her alive. The potential key? Their third best friend, Ryan. Forget the fact that Ryan openly hates them both, or that she and Wilson have barely spoken since that awkward time they kissed. Wil can put it aside for one month; she just needs to stop thinking about it first.
Because Wil has one summer to permanently put an end to her loneliness—it’s that, or lose her only friends…again. But along the way, she might have to face some difficult truths about Annie’s past and their friendship that, so far, she’s left buried.
328 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 4, 2024
61 people are currently reading
14094 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 338 reviews
August 8, 2024
Anyway... for obvious reasons, I requested this book from Netgalley since it made me think of the LeBlanc fam, especially Jules LeBlanc who used to go by Annie LeBlanc. So...
Anyway... I finished this book more than a month ago but got too busy to review it properly until now. (Whoops!)
The best way to describe this book could be summarized in one word: strange.
It was a book that started off, in my opinion, a bit slow. However, once you get into it, you become sort of sucked in by the book's weirdness. It's a book that makes you ponder what the heck is going on, what happened, and how did we get here?
Not only does it have an interesting plot and concept, it also has interesting characters. I found that the concept, thought explored a bit shallowly in my opinion as it left some unanswered questions, to be unique and befitting of the strangeness of the book.
However, I'd be lying if I didn't say that I didn't enjoy the characters the most. I thought that Morris did a great job creating imperfect complex characters, each going through their own struggles. The characters felt raw and real. What intensified this was the connections and relationships between characters, showing the fraughtness and tenderness of teenage friendships. It portrayed grief, love, and relationships quite well.
Finally, a few people mentioned this, but the ending of the book was bittersweet and left me with lots of questions. Though I am someone who prefers books to be wrapped up, I thought that this was done intentionally, showing that you never know what could happen in life.
Overall, 4.3 stars.
Anyway... I finished this book more than a month ago but got too busy to review it properly until now. (Whoops!)
The best way to describe this book could be summarized in one word: strange.
It was a book that started off, in my opinion, a bit slow. However, once you get into it, you become sort of sucked in by the book's weirdness. It's a book that makes you ponder what the heck is going on, what happened, and how did we get here?
Not only does it have an interesting plot and concept, it also has interesting characters. I found that the concept, thought explored a bit shallowly in my opinion as it left some unanswered questions, to be unique and befitting of the strangeness of the book.
However, I'd be lying if I didn't say that I didn't enjoy the characters the most. I thought that Morris did a great job creating imperfect complex characters, each going through their own struggles. The characters felt raw and real. What intensified this was the connections and relationships between characters, showing the fraughtness and tenderness of teenage friendships. It portrayed grief, love, and relationships quite well.
Finally, a few people mentioned this, but the ending of the book was bittersweet and left me with lots of questions. Though I am someone who prefers books to be wrapped up, I thought that this was done intentionally, showing that you never know what could happen in life.
Overall, 4.3 stars.
May 23, 2024
1 Sentence Summary: The Welcome Back ceremony happens once every ten years in the small town of Lennon, California, where the winner of a lottery can pick one person to bring back from the dead for 30 days; Wilson, Ryan, and Annie used to be best friends until one year ago, when both Annie and Ryan stopped talking to Wilson and then Annie died, so when Wilson unexpectedly wins Welcome Back and chooses to resurrect Annie, it’s the perfect opportunity to put an end to her loneliness and fix their friendship.
My Thoughts: I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect, but this was so good!! The Welcome Back thing is a really cool and creative concept. And I loved Lennon! Such a fun little town. The main focus of the story isn’t really on the weird magical stuff; it’s more of a coming-of-age focusing on friendships and relationships.
So, what genre even is this? Goodreads says fantasy but it’s not really fantasy. It’s more on the side of magical realism, though I don’t think it’s exactly that either. Speculative contemporary? Idk.
I fell in love with Wilson from the very first page. She is such a great, well developed character, and I loved being in her head and seeing how much she grew over the course of the book. Her emotions shone through the writing so well; I could empathize with her loneliness and feeling left out and being scared of things changing.
All the relationships between the characters were so complex and well written. The dynamic between Wilson, Ryan, & Annie was so fascinating. As well as Wilson’s family situation, especially her relationship with her mom.
This was a highly enjoyable and unputdownable read. (I told myself I was just going to read for a few minutes before bed and then it was too good and I couldn’t stop, and I finally went to bed at like 2 in the morning oops.) Such a well written novel. The writing style was great and everything felt so real; emotions and interactions were captured perfectly.
Minus 1 star because Mark deserved better, and Ryan was so mean to Wilson.
ALSO, THE ENDING?!?! I’m extremely confused?? In a good way?!?!
Recommend to: People who enjoy complicated friendships, strange small towns, and speculative contemporary fiction.
(Warnings: swearing; death)
***
thank you to netgalley and the publisher for providing me an eARC in exchange for an honest review
My Thoughts: I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect, but this was so good!! The Welcome Back thing is a really cool and creative concept. And I loved Lennon! Such a fun little town. The main focus of the story isn’t really on the weird magical stuff; it’s more of a coming-of-age focusing on friendships and relationships.
So, what genre even is this? Goodreads says fantasy but it’s not really fantasy. It’s more on the side of magical realism, though I don’t think it’s exactly that either. Speculative contemporary? Idk.
I fell in love with Wilson from the very first page. She is such a great, well developed character, and I loved being in her head and seeing how much she grew over the course of the book. Her emotions shone through the writing so well; I could empathize with her loneliness and feeling left out and being scared of things changing.
All the relationships between the characters were so complex and well written. The dynamic between Wilson, Ryan, & Annie was so fascinating. As well as Wilson’s family situation, especially her relationship with her mom.
This was a highly enjoyable and unputdownable read. (I told myself I was just going to read for a few minutes before bed and then it was too good and I couldn’t stop, and I finally went to bed at like 2 in the morning oops.) Such a well written novel. The writing style was great and everything felt so real; emotions and interactions were captured perfectly.
Minus 1 star because Mark deserved better, and Ryan was so mean to Wilson.
ALSO, THE ENDING?!?! I’m extremely confused?? In a good way?!?!
Recommend to: People who enjoy complicated friendships, strange small towns, and speculative contemporary fiction.
(Warnings: swearing; death)
***
thank you to netgalley and the publisher for providing me an eARC in exchange for an honest review
August 28, 2024
4.5/5
I am so glad I decided to pick up Annie LeBlanc Is Not Dead Yet by Molly Morris because it was a pure delight! I do wish what was going on with bringing a person back from the dead had been explained better in the actual book and not just mentioned in the synopsis, but I caught on pretty quickly and it was a very unique concept for a book. Through Wilson choosing Annie, it brings up a lot of old wounds and Wilson quickly realizes things she didn't before Annie's passing. I loved the journey the story took me on, and the eventual queer romance was very heartwarming.
The audiobook was pure perfection with Georgina Sadler as the narrator and I loved the way she brought Wilson to life. She was fun to listen to, and I thought she did a great job bringing all of the emotions in the storyline front and center. I thought this would be a light and breezy read, but it is a touch heavier, and I thought that brought a lot of depth to the story. I also loved Morris's writing style immediately and it flowed so well! I will definitely be adding this author to my new favorites list.
I received an advance listening copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
I am so glad I decided to pick up Annie LeBlanc Is Not Dead Yet by Molly Morris because it was a pure delight! I do wish what was going on with bringing a person back from the dead had been explained better in the actual book and not just mentioned in the synopsis, but I caught on pretty quickly and it was a very unique concept for a book. Through Wilson choosing Annie, it brings up a lot of old wounds and Wilson quickly realizes things she didn't before Annie's passing. I loved the journey the story took me on, and the eventual queer romance was very heartwarming.
The audiobook was pure perfection with Georgina Sadler as the narrator and I loved the way she brought Wilson to life. She was fun to listen to, and I thought she did a great job bringing all of the emotions in the storyline front and center. I thought this would be a light and breezy read, but it is a touch heavier, and I thought that brought a lot of depth to the story. I also loved Morris's writing style immediately and it flowed so well! I will definitely be adding this author to my new favorites list.
I received an advance listening copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
July 24, 2024
Annie Leblanc is Not Dead Yet has one of the most unique premise’s I’ve ever read and I found the writing to be really strong as well. Overall, I really enjoyed this story. At times the main friendships seemed unhealthy, but it all resolved well, and it also just felt realistic. Being a teenager is messy, as are queer friendships and trio friend groups. Additionally, I really liked the setting of this novel and the conclusion. Overall, I really recommend this book! The themes and characters are strong, but most of all, it’s unlike anything I’ve read before.
Thank you to the publisher and Macmillan Audio for the arcs in exchange for an honest review!
Thank you to the publisher and Macmillan Audio for the arcs in exchange for an honest review!
July 6, 2024
This is a strange little book. Wilson enters her town's contest to, you know, earn the right to bring someone back from the dead for 30 days. She picks her best friend, Annie, trying to overlook the fact that the two weren't friends at all in the last year of Annie's life. But when she gets Annie "back," she seems to gloss over that fact, falling back with Wilson like the old days and confusing her to no end.
So I'm fine with a book about someone coming back from the dead being quirky; in fact, you'd expect it. Instead, ANNIE LEBLANC seems like a standard YA story about friend drama--it just happens that one of those friends is dead. Nothing seems to happen! Wilson is an OK main character, if a bit in her head, but I didn't even like Annie, or Ryan, the third friend in their trio, or Wilson's mom Jody.
Wilson spends her life being responsible for her mom and her little sister, feeling lonely with no friends after a blow up with Annie and Ryan. The book drags out the reveal of why she and Annie and Ryan fought and it still doesn't make sense. Wilson seems to think she's found a loophole to keep Annie alive, so she works diligently to achieve it, while being rather clueless. Meanwhile, there's a million miscommunications, and it appears as if this gang never once interacted with one another or another human.
I'm glad the story has lesbian/bisexual rep and enjoyed the themes of friendship (albeit awkward ones!) and family, but this plot missed overall for me. 2.5 stars.
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and Wednesday Books in return for an unbiased review.
So I'm fine with a book about someone coming back from the dead being quirky; in fact, you'd expect it. Instead, ANNIE LEBLANC seems like a standard YA story about friend drama--it just happens that one of those friends is dead. Nothing seems to happen! Wilson is an OK main character, if a bit in her head, but I didn't even like Annie, or Ryan, the third friend in their trio, or Wilson's mom Jody.
Wilson spends her life being responsible for her mom and her little sister, feeling lonely with no friends after a blow up with Annie and Ryan. The book drags out the reveal of why she and Annie and Ryan fought and it still doesn't make sense. Wilson seems to think she's found a loophole to keep Annie alive, so she works diligently to achieve it, while being rather clueless. Meanwhile, there's a million miscommunications, and it appears as if this gang never once interacted with one another or another human.
I'm glad the story has lesbian/bisexual rep and enjoyed the themes of friendship (albeit awkward ones!) and family, but this plot missed overall for me. 2.5 stars.
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and Wednesday Books in return for an unbiased review.
January 14, 2024
I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I AM SO FREAKING CONFUSED WITH HOW THIS ENDED. AM I HAPPY? YES. DO I HAVE UNANSWERED QUESTIONS? ALSO, YES.
Okay, enough with the yelling because this book started off me wondering what the hell is going on. To it actually ending with me wondering what the hell is going on. Consistent and casually leaving me confused. Which, sure, annoys the living crap out of me but I am really happy that we got so much information towards the end of the book.
Adults were starting to adult. Secrets came out and everyone knows the truth (somewhat). Crushes crashed and burned - well, some soared. Either way, I enjoyed the heck out of getting to know Wilson, Annie and Ryan. Heck, please give me more Mark. He was hilarious from start to finish and beyond adorable. Also, can I please try these amazing hot chocolate bombs?!?!
In the end, Annie LeBlanc Is Not Dead Yet had it's cute and swoon worthy moments. I also thought the whole idea of reconnecting with someone who has previously died was an interesting storyline. Cheers to the friendships in life (and death).
I AM SO FREAKING CONFUSED WITH HOW THIS ENDED. AM I HAPPY? YES. DO I HAVE UNANSWERED QUESTIONS? ALSO, YES.
Okay, enough with the yelling because this book started off me wondering what the hell is going on. To it actually ending with me wondering what the hell is going on. Consistent and casually leaving me confused. Which, sure, annoys the living crap out of me but I am really happy that we got so much information towards the end of the book.
Adults were starting to adult. Secrets came out and everyone knows the truth (somewhat). Crushes crashed and burned - well, some soared. Either way, I enjoyed the heck out of getting to know Wilson, Annie and Ryan. Heck, please give me more Mark. He was hilarious from start to finish and beyond adorable. Also, can I please try these amazing hot chocolate bombs?!?!
In the end, Annie LeBlanc Is Not Dead Yet had it's cute and swoon worthy moments. I also thought the whole idea of reconnecting with someone who has previously died was an interesting storyline. Cheers to the friendships in life (and death).
Read
January 3, 2025DNF around 21% - I just don’t gel with any of the characters and the storyline isn’t keeping my interest. It’s a very unique premise though, and I’m sure other people will enjoy it.
May 6, 2025
Intriguing concept. Disheveled execution and overall messiness. It felt like the author was trying to hard and didn't know how to end the story. I couldn't connect with the characters, and felt no emotion for them.
August 30, 2024
This book was so painfully dumb, and not in a fun, entertaining way at all.
This girl has to STOP to blame herself or her comic book for everything! Like, girl you and your comic book aren‘t that important that you two are always the cause of pain and chaos STOP making everything about yourself not everything is about you oh mi ghawd!!!
What could have been an interesting story with an intriguing premise gets buried under layers of high school nonsense and cringy monologues. And don't even get me started on the love triangle, especially when it involves siblings—that's just gross and unnecessary!
Also, it's ridiculous to have a wedding subplot and then not even bother to show the wedding.
By the end, I was so fed up with Wil that she’s now officially my #1 most annoying book character of all time.
And on top of everything, what kind of messed up, sick so called best friend lets her best friend think for A MONTH that she died again just to send her a postcard like „oh mi gwad guess who‘s still alive xoxo.“
This book is absolute garbage!
This girl has to STOP to blame herself or her comic book for everything! Like, girl you and your comic book aren‘t that important that you two are always the cause of pain and chaos STOP making everything about yourself not everything is about you oh mi ghawd!!!
What could have been an interesting story with an intriguing premise gets buried under layers of high school nonsense and cringy monologues. And don't even get me started on the love triangle, especially when it involves siblings—that's just gross and unnecessary!
Also, it's ridiculous to have a wedding subplot and then not even bother to show the wedding.
By the end, I was so fed up with Wil that she’s now officially my #1 most annoying book character of all time.
And on top of everything, what kind of messed up, sick so called best friend lets her best friend think for A MONTH that she died again just to send her a postcard like „oh mi gwad guess who‘s still alive xoxo.“
This book is absolute garbage!
September 12, 2024
I have tried to pick up this book a couple of times trying to get into it. I loved the premise a lot and wanted to love it. Maybe at another time. At this time it’s not for me. I ended up DNFing it.
Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martins Press amd Molly Morris for the chance to read the eARC and give an honest review.
Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martins Press amd Molly Morris for the chance to read the eARC and give an honest review.
August 28, 2024
This was weird in a good way. I liked the highlight of friendship throughout the whole thing but I was left a little underwhelmed by it.
May 7, 2025
wellp...
January 7, 2024
I enjoyed this book and for the most part I was hooked. The writing style and the characters were interesting, but it just dragged out a bit much for me.
ARC kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
ARC kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
May 15, 2024
Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.
Expected publication date: June 4, 2024
Every ten years in Lennon, California, someone comes back from the dead. Wilson Moss is surprised when her best friend, Annie LeBlanc, is the one chosen to return. The rules state that the dead can only come back for thirty days, so Wilson has to use her time wisely and she has the perfect plan- reunite her two best friends, Ryan and Annie, and live the next thirty days like they used to, when everyone got along. It isn’t as easy as it seems though, as Wilson soon finds out, and as the past literally comes back to haunt her, Wilson runs the risk of losing everyone she loves.
Molly Morris’ new novel, “Annie LeBlanc Is Not Dead Yet”, is quirky, unique and delightful. Narrated by Wilson as she counts down the days until Annie is dead (again), while dealing with the typical teenage angst and fears of the future, Morris’ story is modern and relevant. Wilson and her friends face adulthood while trying to rekindle the past and what develops is funny, emotional and entertaining!
Wilson’s family is blended, with a half-sister, a single mother and a whole lot of love, and she struggles with identifying her sexuality, which will definitely find the right following with young adult readers.
There are so many questions when thinking about a temporary return from the dead but somehow Morris ensures that there are no gaps or holes in her flowing plot. A situation that didn’t make sense actually made sense in Morris’ hands, and that speaks to the high calibre talent of the author, to be sure.
“Annie LeBlanc” is Morris’ second novel (her first one, “This is Not the End” came out in 2022) but this was my first experience and I’m an instant fan of Morris’ writing style, relatable characters and creativity. I will be keeping an eye out for future works from Morris.
Expected publication date: June 4, 2024
Every ten years in Lennon, California, someone comes back from the dead. Wilson Moss is surprised when her best friend, Annie LeBlanc, is the one chosen to return. The rules state that the dead can only come back for thirty days, so Wilson has to use her time wisely and she has the perfect plan- reunite her two best friends, Ryan and Annie, and live the next thirty days like they used to, when everyone got along. It isn’t as easy as it seems though, as Wilson soon finds out, and as the past literally comes back to haunt her, Wilson runs the risk of losing everyone she loves.
Molly Morris’ new novel, “Annie LeBlanc Is Not Dead Yet”, is quirky, unique and delightful. Narrated by Wilson as she counts down the days until Annie is dead (again), while dealing with the typical teenage angst and fears of the future, Morris’ story is modern and relevant. Wilson and her friends face adulthood while trying to rekindle the past and what develops is funny, emotional and entertaining!
Wilson’s family is blended, with a half-sister, a single mother and a whole lot of love, and she struggles with identifying her sexuality, which will definitely find the right following with young adult readers.
There are so many questions when thinking about a temporary return from the dead but somehow Morris ensures that there are no gaps or holes in her flowing plot. A situation that didn’t make sense actually made sense in Morris’ hands, and that speaks to the high calibre talent of the author, to be sure.
“Annie LeBlanc” is Morris’ second novel (her first one, “This is Not the End” came out in 2022) but this was my first experience and I’m an instant fan of Morris’ writing style, relatable characters and creativity. I will be keeping an eye out for future works from Morris.
June 7, 2024
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 ALC. Georgina Sadler was a fine narrator, but this book wasn't for me.
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 ALC. Georgina Sadler was a fine narrator, but this book wasn't for me.
January 25, 2024
So I finished this book a few hours ago and am still thinking about it… highly recommend this YA book.
First off, huge thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this. I’m going to be 100% honest- I wasn’t sure I liked it until I liked it… if that makes sense. I loved the premise- I want more books about Lennon, CA. It was very teen angsty and left me with a lot of unanswered questions… but I think that was the point. Very well written and while at times I had to stop reading because the teen angst was too much, I always picked the book back up. It moves slowly at times and is rushed at times, but again I think that was the point. 4/5⭐️
First off, huge thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this. I’m going to be 100% honest- I wasn’t sure I liked it until I liked it… if that makes sense. I loved the premise- I want more books about Lennon, CA. It was very teen angsty and left me with a lot of unanswered questions… but I think that was the point. Very well written and while at times I had to stop reading because the teen angst was too much, I always picked the book back up. It moves slowly at times and is rushed at times, but again I think that was the point. 4/5⭐️
June 2, 2024
A queer Sapphic YA romance that sounded really interesting but sadly fell flat for me. I listened to this one on audio and just could not find myself interested in any of the characters or storyline even though I liked the narration by Georgina Sadler. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a chance to read an early digital and audio copy in exchange for my honest review. Fans of authors like Jennifer Dugan might enjoy this one more than I did.
June 4, 2024
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.
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.
October 4, 2024
Who wouldn't want the opportunity to spend an extra year with someone who meant the world to them? When Wilson Moss gets this opportunity, she brings back her ex-best friend Annie in the hopes of closure. When their friendship starts resembling what it used to be, Wilson makes it her mission to make sure Annie can stay. The characters and the story are filled with little intricate details, and this was a stunningly written book packed with emotion that will keep you wondering till the end.
March 20, 2024
I received an eARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
This book is truly great. I will admit, I put it off and went in with fairly low expectations because I can be so hit or miss when it comes to YA, but wow. I started this on the way to work this morning and only put it down when I absolutely had to— it had me in the palm of its hand from basically page one.
To kick it off, I absolutely love the setting of this book. I love a story with just a touch of magic in it, and the idea of this tiny town having this weird, unexplained ritual just hit perfectly. The town is called Lennon! The ritual is called Welcome Back! The details feel so perfectly lived in! It’s quirky in a pitch-perfect way.
Onto the characters. Wilson Moss… I will love you forever. I feel so incredibly seen and touched by her as a character and her getting her happy ending is incredibly important to me. Her supporting cast reminded me of reading a Casey McQuiston book— there are just so many incredible details and so much goodwill. Even when these characters fuck up tremendously, they are still so real and complex and they all LOVE EACH OTHER! SO! MUCH! UGH!
The dynamics between the characters is just so up my alley in every way. Misunderstandings and miscommunications? We got ‘em. Complex friendship triangles? Hell yes. Being mean to your crush because you don’t know how else to act around them? LET’S FUCKING GOOOOO.
If I have one complaint, it’s that I don’t really get the ending. I was 100% in, literally crying through the last like 20 pages, and then I hit the last line and got a bit confused. But I don’t think it takes away from the book as a whole and the experience I had reading it, which was wonderful.
This book is truly great. I will admit, I put it off and went in with fairly low expectations because I can be so hit or miss when it comes to YA, but wow. I started this on the way to work this morning and only put it down when I absolutely had to— it had me in the palm of its hand from basically page one.
To kick it off, I absolutely love the setting of this book. I love a story with just a touch of magic in it, and the idea of this tiny town having this weird, unexplained ritual just hit perfectly. The town is called Lennon! The ritual is called Welcome Back! The details feel so perfectly lived in! It’s quirky in a pitch-perfect way.
Onto the characters. Wilson Moss… I will love you forever. I feel so incredibly seen and touched by her as a character and her getting her happy ending is incredibly important to me. Her supporting cast reminded me of reading a Casey McQuiston book— there are just so many incredible details and so much goodwill. Even when these characters fuck up tremendously, they are still so real and complex and they all LOVE EACH OTHER! SO! MUCH! UGH!
The dynamics between the characters is just so up my alley in every way. Misunderstandings and miscommunications? We got ‘em. Complex friendship triangles? Hell yes. Being mean to your crush because you don’t know how else to act around them? LET’S FUCKING GOOOOO.
If I have one complaint, it’s that I don’t really get the ending. I was 100% in, literally crying through the last like 20 pages, and then I hit the last line and got a bit confused. But I don’t think it takes away from the book as a whole and the experience I had reading it, which was wonderful.
February 22, 2024
The concept behind the book is clever. In the town of Lennon, every ten years, one resident is given the opportunity to bring someone back from the dead. However, the chosen deceased will only be given thirty days of additional life (with rare exceptions) and will only be recognizable to Lennon residents. This year's winner is Wilson Moss, who chooses to bring back, Annie LeBlanc, one of her former best friends, who drowned at her own birthday party. However, this choice is somewhat contentious, as at the end of their junior year, Wilson, Annie, and Ryan Morton, former best friends, had had a massive falling out. Annie had not spoken to Wilson, or Ryan, in a year prior to her death. And it was only recently that the prolonged cold chill between Ryan and Wilson had started to thaw. Bringing back Annie was not the way to improve things with Ryan. Yet, Wilson's efforts would be spent trying to repair the friendships between the three girls regardless of whether the other two girls wanted this to happen.
The story has some very humorous moments, and some very sweet moments. Wilson will learn that there was a lot she did not understand about her friends and why the rift occurred. However, while the book has some good aspects, and it definitely improves near the end, the overall quality of the story is diminished by Wilson's pathetic, woe is me, I have no friends, no one likes me persona that is prominent for much of the story and is the impetus for her choice to bring back Annie.
The story has some very humorous moments, and some very sweet moments. Wilson will learn that there was a lot she did not understand about her friends and why the rift occurred. However, while the book has some good aspects, and it definitely improves near the end, the overall quality of the story is diminished by Wilson's pathetic, woe is me, I have no friends, no one likes me persona that is prominent for much of the story and is the impetus for her choice to bring back Annie.
December 18, 2023
Oh, this was so cute!
I mean it’s teen angst followed by teen angst followed by teen angst, however it’s also so sweet and sad. I wanted all the characters to find their happy – even our dead one. I won’t tell you if they do – I’ll just tell you that the author handled the end beautifully!
And good lord, I wouldn’t want to bring someone back to life for 30 days. Much as I would want to see them and tell them everything and ask them everything more, the end game of that would break my heart.
And because of that conundrum, you can expect some depth added to the fluffiness of this one.
Bittersweet and all the feels.
• ARC via Publisher
I mean it’s teen angst followed by teen angst followed by teen angst, however it’s also so sweet and sad. I wanted all the characters to find their happy – even our dead one. I won’t tell you if they do – I’ll just tell you that the author handled the end beautifully!
And good lord, I wouldn’t want to bring someone back to life for 30 days. Much as I would want to see them and tell them everything and ask them everything more, the end game of that would break my heart.
And because of that conundrum, you can expect some depth added to the fluffiness of this one.
Bittersweet and all the feels.
• ARC via Publisher
June 10, 2024
Look, I have no idea why people get to come back from the beyond for a month. Neither do the characters in the story, just that they do. Wilson hasn't any more answers than we do, but she does know one thing, and that is she is bound and determined to bring back dead former-bestie Annie LeBlanc when she wins the chance to do so. I thought the lack of "why" answers would bother me more than it did, so if it is giving you pause, don't let it! This is such a heartwarming tale of friendship and love and growing up, and I really enjoyed it!
Basically, Wilson has thirty days to figure out if she can somehow get Annie to stay- forever. She tries to get the ol' friend group back together, but there is a lot of bad blood among these three, for various reasons you'll find out about. Suffice it to say, Wilson has her work cut out for her. But her intentions are noble, and it is nice to see them getting a second chance. I did kind of hope for a few more answers (like- there was talk of a "photo...dated 1800" like guys that didn't exist then. Is it supposed to be more of the "specialness" of the town, or is it just an error?) but the story was really good regardless.
There is a lot of humor, which helps keep the morbidness of Annie being dead from being too overwhelming. I know I would want to hang out with these people, basically. And they all have their reasons for how things played out- no one is totally wrong, no one is totally right, and they have to come to terms with that. A lot of character development and growth takes place, is what I am saying. I also think knowing that Annie has an expiration date, for lack of a better term, helps make the book feel extra readable. You just cannot help flying through the pages, wondering what will become of the girls. Plus, it is quite thought provoking- would you bring someone back? What would you do with the chance? You just cannot help but put yourself in Wilson's shoes.
Now, the ending was a little... confusing for me. I think I liked it, but only if I understood it the way I think I did? I think it could have used just a touch more fleshing out, but only so I could be sure that I liked how it ended! It's okay though, because I am content in my ignorance, in this case.
Bottom Line: Such a charming book that ponders what one young woman would do when given a second chance at lost friendships.
You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight
Basically, Wilson has thirty days to figure out if she can somehow get Annie to stay- forever. She tries to get the ol' friend group back together, but there is a lot of bad blood among these three, for various reasons you'll find out about. Suffice it to say, Wilson has her work cut out for her. But her intentions are noble, and it is nice to see them getting a second chance. I did kind of hope for a few more answers (like- there was talk of a "photo...dated 1800" like guys that didn't exist then. Is it supposed to be more of the "specialness" of the town, or is it just an error?) but the story was really good regardless.
There is a lot of humor, which helps keep the morbidness of Annie being dead from being too overwhelming. I know I would want to hang out with these people, basically. And they all have their reasons for how things played out- no one is totally wrong, no one is totally right, and they have to come to terms with that. A lot of character development and growth takes place, is what I am saying. I also think knowing that Annie has an expiration date, for lack of a better term, helps make the book feel extra readable. You just cannot help flying through the pages, wondering what will become of the girls. Plus, it is quite thought provoking- would you bring someone back? What would you do with the chance? You just cannot help but put yourself in Wilson's shoes.
Now, the ending was a little... confusing for me. I think I liked it, but only if I understood it the way I think I did? I think it could have used just a touch more fleshing out, but only so I could be sure that I liked how it ended! It's okay though, because I am content in my ignorance, in this case.
Bottom Line: Such a charming book that ponders what one young woman would do when given a second chance at lost friendships.
You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight
June 11, 2024
Annie LeBlanc is Not Dead Yet is a heartwarming and enchanting listen that beautifully blends the whimsical with the profound. It was narrated with a perfect blend of humor and emotional depth, this audiobook transports listeners to the quirky town of Lennon, California, where the impossible becomes possible every ten years.
Wilson Moss’s journey to bring back her ex-best friend Annie is both captivating and deeply emotional. The story starts with an intriguing premise: a town contest allowing one person to return from the dead for thirty days. Wilson’s determination to revive Annie, despite the bitterness of their past, sets the stage for a story filled with wonder, friendship, and unexpected revelations.
The charm of this story lies not only in its unique plot but also in its fascinating characters. Wilson’s earnest efforts to reconnect with Annie, and the hope of possibly extending her stay, pull at the heartstrings. The narrative is further enriched by the complex dynamics with Ryan, their third best friend. It was truly heartwarming to see Ryan and Wilson find their way back to each other. Their beautiful reconciliation is a highlight of the story, offering a touching portrayal of friendship and love rekindled after misunderstandings and time apart.
The audiobook’s narration captures the essence of the story beautifully, bringing out the quirks of Lennon, the urgency of Wilson trying to fix her friendships, and the delicate balance between past grievances and present hopes. The voice acting adds a delightful layer to the already engaging narrative, making it easy to get lost in the tale.
What makes Annie LeBlanc is Not Dead Yet particularly special is its ability to intertwine lighthearted moments with deeper reflections on life, death, and what it means to truly be alive. The cute and funny interactions among the characters are a joy to listen to, and the unfolding mystery about Annie's past will keep you hooked until the very end.
I would’ve have loved for the story to give us more details about Annie during her time away during junior year. I did love the very ending of the book when Annie finally fulfills her dream to see the rainforest.
Overall, the audio was such a touching experience to listen to. A true testament to the power of friendship and the lengths one will go to keep our loved ones close.
Wilson Moss’s journey to bring back her ex-best friend Annie is both captivating and deeply emotional. The story starts with an intriguing premise: a town contest allowing one person to return from the dead for thirty days. Wilson’s determination to revive Annie, despite the bitterness of their past, sets the stage for a story filled with wonder, friendship, and unexpected revelations.
The charm of this story lies not only in its unique plot but also in its fascinating characters. Wilson’s earnest efforts to reconnect with Annie, and the hope of possibly extending her stay, pull at the heartstrings. The narrative is further enriched by the complex dynamics with Ryan, their third best friend. It was truly heartwarming to see Ryan and Wilson find their way back to each other. Their beautiful reconciliation is a highlight of the story, offering a touching portrayal of friendship and love rekindled after misunderstandings and time apart.
The audiobook’s narration captures the essence of the story beautifully, bringing out the quirks of Lennon, the urgency of Wilson trying to fix her friendships, and the delicate balance between past grievances and present hopes. The voice acting adds a delightful layer to the already engaging narrative, making it easy to get lost in the tale.
What makes Annie LeBlanc is Not Dead Yet particularly special is its ability to intertwine lighthearted moments with deeper reflections on life, death, and what it means to truly be alive. The cute and funny interactions among the characters are a joy to listen to, and the unfolding mystery about Annie's past will keep you hooked until the very end.
I would’ve have loved for the story to give us more details about Annie during her time away during junior year. I did love the very ending of the book when Annie finally fulfills her dream to see the rainforest.
Overall, the audio was such a touching experience to listen to. A true testament to the power of friendship and the lengths one will go to keep our loved ones close.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 24, 2024
(rounded up from 4.75)
This was a bit slower to start but picked up really quickly after and I couldn't put it down after.
The premise is really interesting: a town where every ten years a winner is drawn to select someone who died (a resident of the town and other terms & conditions apply) to come back to life for one month. The catch is that nobody outside of the town will remember the undead person for that time.
Wilson Moss is a self-confessed friendless loser ever since both her best friends dropped her like a hot potato. One of her best friends, Annie, left to go to a private school nearby and then ghosted her completely for a year before she tragically died. Her other best friend, Ryan, hasn't spoken to either of them either since her spat with Annie and completely freezes out Wil.
Suddenly, Wilson's the winner of the lottery to being a person back from the dead and she's chosen her bestie Annie. Now she has a month to hang out with Annie, try to understand why she ghosted her, and try to get Ryan and Annie back to being friends so that they can all be as close as they used to as little girls but it's not as easy as she thinks it may be.
This was an emotional story about someone who is not very good at reading other people and also has low self-esteem due to being the caretaker child of a flighty and immature parent and the apparently disposable friend to her childhood best friends. Some very relatable young person angst as Wilson is trying to gain confidence and find her way in the world (plus get back her childhood friends). All the characters are complex and interesting (although Ryan, honestly, is quite mean sometimes) and I enjoyed reading about their adventures.
This was a bit slower to start but picked up really quickly after and I couldn't put it down after.
The premise is really interesting: a town where every ten years a winner is drawn to select someone who died (a resident of the town and other terms & conditions apply) to come back to life for one month. The catch is that nobody outside of the town will remember the undead person for that time.
Wilson Moss is a self-confessed friendless loser ever since both her best friends dropped her like a hot potato. One of her best friends, Annie, left to go to a private school nearby and then ghosted her completely for a year before she tragically died. Her other best friend, Ryan, hasn't spoken to either of them either since her spat with Annie and completely freezes out Wil.
Suddenly, Wilson's the winner of the lottery to being a person back from the dead and she's chosen her bestie Annie. Now she has a month to hang out with Annie, try to understand why she ghosted her, and try to get Ryan and Annie back to being friends so that they can all be as close as they used to as little girls but it's not as easy as she thinks it may be.
This was an emotional story about someone who is not very good at reading other people and also has low self-esteem due to being the caretaker child of a flighty and immature parent and the apparently disposable friend to her childhood best friends. Some very relatable young person angst as Wilson is trying to gain confidence and find her way in the world (plus get back her childhood friends). All the characters are complex and interesting (although Ryan, honestly, is quite mean sometimes) and I enjoyed reading about their adventures.
July 24, 2024
What a wonderful coming of age story with loss, grief, and just figuring out life as a teenager. I had a preconceived idea what this book would be but it surprised me and I really enjoyed the plot and themes woven within.
Wilson is struggling in various aspects of her life. Having lost her best friend in a tragic drowning and her second friend choosing to leave her behind. Not to mention the divorce of her parents, her mother set to remarry and her father to have a new baby. All while navigating high school and soon college.
I felt such sympathy for Wilson, I really liked her personality, artistic abilities, and her love of all things Buffy The Vampire Slayer. The world building and the major plot point of this death lottery was very intriguing but at the core this is definitely a coming of age story. Dealing with relationships along with challenges of growing up and apart from childhood friends. There was a sweet organic queer relationship brewing slowly in the second half of the book that really brought the story home for me.
While the book is targeted towards teens and young adults, it’s very Millennial coded and I got a kick out of its pop culture references and writing! The audiobook was narrated by Georgina Sadler, she did a fantastic job performing the various female characters and giving each of them an individual voice. The pacing and overall delivery were excellent and even though some topics of this novel were heavy, the narrator did a good job making it an inspiring experience.
Big thanks to Macmillan Audio for the listening copy to review.
Wilson is struggling in various aspects of her life. Having lost her best friend in a tragic drowning and her second friend choosing to leave her behind. Not to mention the divorce of her parents, her mother set to remarry and her father to have a new baby. All while navigating high school and soon college.
I felt such sympathy for Wilson, I really liked her personality, artistic abilities, and her love of all things Buffy The Vampire Slayer. The world building and the major plot point of this death lottery was very intriguing but at the core this is definitely a coming of age story. Dealing with relationships along with challenges of growing up and apart from childhood friends. There was a sweet organic queer relationship brewing slowly in the second half of the book that really brought the story home for me.
While the book is targeted towards teens and young adults, it’s very Millennial coded and I got a kick out of its pop culture references and writing! The audiobook was narrated by Georgina Sadler, she did a fantastic job performing the various female characters and giving each of them an individual voice. The pacing and overall delivery were excellent and even though some topics of this novel were heavy, the narrator did a good job making it an inspiring experience.
Big thanks to Macmillan Audio for the listening copy to review.
June 27, 2024
This book tackled a shocking amount of topics with a lot of grace. It deals with loss and grief, complicated friendships, what it’s like tobe a teenager, complicated parental relationships, the meaning of life, and it even has a romantic element to it. All of that should have given me whiplash but Molly Morris blends the themes together so seamlessly. In a way it reminds me so much of what it was like to be a senior in high school; constantly being faced with so many big feelings that you just plow through, because it’s the time in life where nothing is permanent and you are being asked every big question about your life when all you really want to think about is what crush you have this week. If you stop to think about it all for too long you will crumble.
My only qualm with this book is the epilogue, (without spoiling anything) I felt it was very tacked on and did not stay true to the characters I had come to know and love. If I were to reread the book I would skip the epilogue, it actively took away from the quality of the story as a whole. Other than that the characters were wonderful, the interpersonal relationships were so interesting and complex, and the concept is incredibly unique.
I listened to the audiobook for this narrated by Georgina Sadler and I thoroughly enjoyed it, the book translated to audio seamlessly and she did a wonderful job.
Thank you to Macmillan audio for sending me this book as an ARC.
My only qualm with this book is the epilogue, (without spoiling anything) I felt it was very tacked on and did not stay true to the characters I had come to know and love. If I were to reread the book I would skip the epilogue, it actively took away from the quality of the story as a whole. Other than that the characters were wonderful, the interpersonal relationships were so interesting and complex, and the concept is incredibly unique.
I listened to the audiobook for this narrated by Georgina Sadler and I thoroughly enjoyed it, the book translated to audio seamlessly and she did a wonderful job.
Thank you to Macmillan audio for sending me this book as an ARC.
September 13, 2025
The concept of getting to bring someone back to life for 30 days as a town ritual is just so cool. I loved everything about the set up for the story but the middle just wasn’t that compelling. The last section of the book turned things around somewhat, but I just did not care one bit about the boy romance. This book at its core should be about Wilson and her friends and the boy diversion just felt like a waste. It was obvious that Wilson and Riley would have a romance so I just didn’t care about the boy nonsense.
June 4, 2024
In this strange town of Lennon, every 10 years, one person is chosen to select someone to come back from the dead for a month. When Wilson wins, of course, she's bringing back her ex best friend, Annie. But they were a trio with Ryan, who now also hates her...
Navigating female friendships in high school is challenging enough; throw in changing schools, interests, and well, DYING and a lot of times, those friendships can't withstand the trauma. Alone as ever, Wilson hopes bringing Annie back will fix everything, specifically her trio with Ryan - even though Annie & Wilson weren't even talking when she died.
Hardships and struggles unknown to all sides are revealed along this journey of having Annie back. Can feelings and hidden truths stay buried? Can they find a way to keep Annie alive?
This was a fast, fun, interesting read centered around friendship. I loved the concept, but there were definitely some things left unanswered or resolved to quickly for my tastes.
Thank you to NetGalley, St Martin's Press & Wednesday Books for early access to this eARC.
Navigating female friendships in high school is challenging enough; throw in changing schools, interests, and well, DYING and a lot of times, those friendships can't withstand the trauma. Alone as ever, Wilson hopes bringing Annie back will fix everything, specifically her trio with Ryan - even though Annie & Wilson weren't even talking when she died.
Hardships and struggles unknown to all sides are revealed along this journey of having Annie back. Can feelings and hidden truths stay buried? Can they find a way to keep Annie alive?
This was a fast, fun, interesting read centered around friendship. I loved the concept, but there were definitely some things left unanswered or resolved to quickly for my tastes.
Thank you to NetGalley, St Martin's Press & Wednesday Books for early access to this eARC.
May 23, 2025
Ok slaaaaay for the sexual fluidity that is decidedly not a *thing* in this book but just is!
But when reading abt high schoolers I need to remember that they’re all nuts
But when reading abt high schoolers I need to remember that they’re all nuts
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