What do you think?
Rate this book
Take It to Your Grave
Not yet published
Expected 21 Jul 26Maximiliano Rafael Guerrero Lopez “Max” has been dead for 30 years. He’s stuck as a sixteen-year-old in his childhood bedroom with no memory of how he died, and no company aside from rotting floor boards and mildew-ridden guitars.
Joaquín Felix Ladrón “Joaquín” is a high schooler who's desperate to experience something paranormal—he’d do anything to even catch a glimpse of a ghost, even if it means sacrificing his relationship with his boyfriend.
When Joaquín goes on a ghost hunt at an abandoned house that's rumored to be haunted, he and Max find their fates becoming intertwined in ways neither of them expected. But, as Max’s powers begin to grow stronger, it becomes clear that their tentative friendship may just prove to be fatal...
Joaquín Felix Ladrón “Joaquín” is a high schooler who's desperate to experience something paranormal—he’d do anything to even catch a glimpse of a ghost, even if it means sacrificing his relationship with his boyfriend.
When Joaquín goes on a ghost hunt at an abandoned house that's rumored to be haunted, he and Max find their fates becoming intertwined in ways neither of them expected. But, as Max’s powers begin to grow stronger, it becomes clear that their tentative friendship may just prove to be fatal...
304 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication July 21, 2026
2 people are currently reading
80 people want to read
About the author
Louangie Bou-Montes
3 books35 followersLouangie Bou-Montes was born in Northampton, Massachusetts and grew up flitting back and forth between rural Western Mass and el campo in Guayama, PR, surrounded by countless cousins in both locations. Thanks to those cousins, she was raised on a healthy diet of everything from The Addams Family to Silent Hill to Pet Sematary, resulting in a love of telling stories about Puerto Rican kids with morbid hobbies and senses of humor.
After graduating with a BA in English from UMass Amherst, she spent nearly a decade working as a high school educator, mostly focused in Special Education, Trauma-Informed teaching, and ELL. Currently, she works as an Anti-Oppression Consultant.
On any given day, you can find Louangie at home playing video games or watching cooking shows and horror movies with her spouse.
After graduating with a BA in English from UMass Amherst, she spent nearly a decade working as a high school educator, mostly focused in Special Education, Trauma-Informed teaching, and ELL. Currently, she works as an Anti-Oppression Consultant.
On any given day, you can find Louangie at home playing video games or watching cooking shows and horror movies with her spouse.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
November 2, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan for this ARC!!! What a fantastic Halloween read– great atmosphere and hard to put down. I finished it in a day.
I adored the premise! Brief rundown: a crew of Puerto Rican kids, Joaquín and his friends, are amateur ghost hunters in modern-day Massachussetts. Max has been dead for three decades and can't remember why. Despite the warnings from his spirit-sensitive ex, Marte, Joaquín finds his connection with his new ghostly hanger-on deepening past the point of reason... and past the point of danger, dun-dun-dun.
My sole qualm with the story pertains to that very connection, actually. I will NOT slip into spoiler mode for an unpublished novel, I promise... but curse my treacherous heart! I was gunning for things to play out just a little differently than they did. I think I was locking in too hard on some romantic tropes played between the two of them (and there were WONDERFUL romantic tropes. I'm such a sucker for everything the lead-up did and it's killing me that I can't gush about the specifics. All I will say: the bracelet. the bracelet, man.) and the plot role of a third key character (who, despite being a wonderful character and a truly kind person, structurally played more of a support/antagonistic role than a romantic role), and it kind of blinded me to how the ending I was hoping for would be at odds with the themes of the book– family, open communication, moving on and healing, etc. I get it. But the heart wants what it wants... and what it is led to predict based on genre knowledge, ahaha! (I wonder if marketing this book solely as "Queer" and not as a "Romance" would be a good call for this one, just to avoid other readers building the same expectations I did.)
(Bonus thoughts for the goodreads crowd: will have spoilers, will be an insane take.
But it was a great book. The characters felt solid and real– the story really shines with its sibling relationships and the ways kind, loving family can hurt each other. Descriptions were super evocative, but not too heavy, if that makes sense? And the color of the description changed depending on which character was narrating, which I really appreciated– you could tell that a lot of care was put into making them distinct without falling into the pitfalls that clunkier attempts at first person narration sometimes do.
The stakes, specifically, got really real in the latter third of the book. The danger sneaks up on you, and I think it's done well. I was so caught up in the fantasy of having an imaginary boyfriend that I didn't even realize [CASUAL DESCRIPTION OF SPOILERS WITHHELD]. If anything, I might even claim that the book should focus on *that* danger as the sole, primary threat– there's an additional warning given about the dangers of communing too much with ghosts that lead me to expect a different kind of climax, something more Ghostbusters, and that didn't really pan out, so all of that could have been trimmed down without the plot suffering much. But, like, the danger that was there? Effective! Without slipping out of YA-appropriate content, no less! Let it be known that I was quite squicked at one part and rather teary at others! Two thumbs up!
In conclusion: a very tender, fun, cathartic read that's perfect for the season. There will perhaps be a fanfiction in the works after this one publishes. I am imagining more kissing. Thank you.
I adored the premise! Brief rundown: a crew of Puerto Rican kids, Joaquín and his friends, are amateur ghost hunters in modern-day Massachussetts. Max has been dead for three decades and can't remember why. Despite the warnings from his spirit-sensitive ex, Marte, Joaquín finds his connection with his new ghostly hanger-on deepening past the point of reason... and past the point of danger, dun-dun-dun.
My sole qualm with the story pertains to that very connection, actually. I will NOT slip into spoiler mode for an unpublished novel, I promise... but curse my treacherous heart! I was gunning for things to play out just a little differently than they did. I think I was locking in too hard on some romantic tropes played between the two of them (and there were WONDERFUL romantic tropes. I'm such a sucker for everything the lead-up did and it's killing me that I can't gush about the specifics. All I will say: the bracelet. the bracelet, man.) and the plot role of a third key character (who, despite being a wonderful character and a truly kind person, structurally played more of a support/antagonistic role than a romantic role), and it kind of blinded me to how the ending I was hoping for would be at odds with the themes of the book– family, open communication, moving on and healing, etc. I get it. But the heart wants what it wants... and what it is led to predict based on genre knowledge, ahaha! (I wonder if marketing this book solely as "Queer" and not as a "Romance" would be a good call for this one, just to avoid other readers building the same expectations I did.)
(Bonus thoughts for the goodreads crowd: will have spoilers, will be an insane take.
But it was a great book. The characters felt solid and real– the story really shines with its sibling relationships and the ways kind, loving family can hurt each other. Descriptions were super evocative, but not too heavy, if that makes sense? And the color of the description changed depending on which character was narrating, which I really appreciated– you could tell that a lot of care was put into making them distinct without falling into the pitfalls that clunkier attempts at first person narration sometimes do.
The stakes, specifically, got really real in the latter third of the book. The danger sneaks up on you, and I think it's done well. I was so caught up in the fantasy of having an imaginary boyfriend that I didn't even realize [CASUAL DESCRIPTION OF SPOILERS WITHHELD]. If anything, I might even claim that the book should focus on *that* danger as the sole, primary threat– there's an additional warning given about the dangers of communing too much with ghosts that lead me to expect a different kind of climax, something more Ghostbusters, and that didn't really pan out, so all of that could have been trimmed down without the plot suffering much. But, like, the danger that was there? Effective! Without slipping out of YA-appropriate content, no less! Let it be known that I was quite squicked at one part and rather teary at others! Two thumbs up!
In conclusion: a very tender, fun, cathartic read that's perfect for the season. There will perhaps be a fanfiction in the works after this one publishes. I am imagining more kissing. Thank you.
October 8, 2025
Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for the ARC.
The story moved pretty quickly (in a good way) reminding me of 80-90s movie where a whole bunch of things happen/escalate over the course of just a few days or about a week - everything was extremely descriptive and was easily able to picture this town in my mind.
I think this is a really solid teen/young adult book. Touching on a variety of topics, but the guilt, loss, and eventually moving forward are the big takeaways. Every character seems to have their own things they are guilty about. I especially liked the stubbornness of Joaquín and his ability to be so empathetic even if it hurts him. He shows really great character growth by the end of book.
Overall I really enjoyed this one, it was easy to read, and was light hearted even with heavy topics. Its not something I would have just picked normally but now that I've read from this author will definitely be reading more!
The story moved pretty quickly (in a good way) reminding me of 80-90s movie where a whole bunch of things happen/escalate over the course of just a few days or about a week - everything was extremely descriptive and was easily able to picture this town in my mind.
I think this is a really solid teen/young adult book. Touching on a variety of topics, but the guilt, loss, and eventually moving forward are the big takeaways. Every character seems to have their own things they are guilty about. I especially liked the stubbornness of Joaquín and his ability to be so empathetic even if it hurts him. He shows really great character growth by the end of book.
Overall I really enjoyed this one, it was easy to read, and was light hearted even with heavy topics. Its not something I would have just picked normally but now that I've read from this author will definitely be reading more!
October 20, 2025
Special thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group for the ARC.
5 stars
Date read: 10/9/25 - 10/19/25
“Take It to Your Grave” is a fast paced young adult book that focuses on themes of friendship and family through a ghost haunting. The novel follows two characters, Max and Joaquín, whose fates get connected by a spur of the moment ghost haunt. Joaquín struggles to balance his friendships alongside his urge to help Max uncover what happened to him almost 30 years ago. As the novel progresses, us readers get to step inside both characters' perspectives through the dual POVs. Both characters were unique and I enjoyed seeing their character development; especially, Joaquín, regarding his relationship between his family and friends.
I believe that Joaquín was the best character to be focused around. He handled topics of grief, loss, and love with compassion for all parties involved. The way he was always there for those around him made him a great character. I found that as I read, he began to have different ways of holding himself through his experiences which lead to an impactful ending.
The author did a wonderful job incorporating 90’s nostalgia and the newer generation together. As someone who is part of Gen Z, I enjoyed moments where characters were confused about older terms and styles that came with Max. It was these moments that made this book connect to me so well and ultimately stand out compared to other novels I have been reading. I also loved how the author included spanish within Joaquín’s conversations with his family and friends, it brought his community into the story. I did have to translate some of the words online, but I enjoyed using some of the Spanish I knew to decipher the meaning. This novel made me want to get back into learning the language.
10/10 would recommend “Take It to Your Grave” to those who enjoy an action pact ghost haunting and a group of friends who have each other’s backs.
5 stars
Date read: 10/9/25 - 10/19/25
“Take It to Your Grave” is a fast paced young adult book that focuses on themes of friendship and family through a ghost haunting. The novel follows two characters, Max and Joaquín, whose fates get connected by a spur of the moment ghost haunt. Joaquín struggles to balance his friendships alongside his urge to help Max uncover what happened to him almost 30 years ago. As the novel progresses, us readers get to step inside both characters' perspectives through the dual POVs. Both characters were unique and I enjoyed seeing their character development; especially, Joaquín, regarding his relationship between his family and friends.
I believe that Joaquín was the best character to be focused around. He handled topics of grief, loss, and love with compassion for all parties involved. The way he was always there for those around him made him a great character. I found that as I read, he began to have different ways of holding himself through his experiences which lead to an impactful ending.
The author did a wonderful job incorporating 90’s nostalgia and the newer generation together. As someone who is part of Gen Z, I enjoyed moments where characters were confused about older terms and styles that came with Max. It was these moments that made this book connect to me so well and ultimately stand out compared to other novels I have been reading. I also loved how the author included spanish within Joaquín’s conversations with his family and friends, it brought his community into the story. I did have to translate some of the words online, but I enjoyed using some of the Spanish I knew to decipher the meaning. This novel made me want to get back into learning the language.
10/10 would recommend “Take It to Your Grave” to those who enjoy an action pact ghost haunting and a group of friends who have each other’s backs.
December 7, 2025
Joaquín and his friends love exploring haunted houses, and their latest adventure leads them to the home where a boy named Max died. Determined to uncover what really happened to him, the group soon finds themselves dealing with a restless ghost and a mystery that’s deeper than they expected.
I really enjoyed this book. The story is fast-paced, with new developments happening constantly, yet it never felt overwhelming or hard to follow. As someone who had never read a YA horror novel before, this was a completely new to me, and I’d describe it as more of a spooky thriller than outright horror, perfect for readers who enjoy suspense without it being too intense.
One of my favorite aspects of the book was how the author wove in strong family and friendship themes. The dynamics between the characters and their families added emotional depth, and each character felt unique and important to the story. Santi, in particular, he was easily the most lovable character for me.
However, there were several dialogue sections in Spanish that slowed my reading a bit. Since I only know basic Spanish, I had to pause and look up translations, which affected the pacing for me personally.
I really liked how everything came together in the end. The mystery was resolved, loose ends were tied up, and it was satisfying to see the characters reach a happy ending. The author introduces many characters, but each one plays a meaningful role, which really strengthens the story overall.
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
I really enjoyed this book. The story is fast-paced, with new developments happening constantly, yet it never felt overwhelming or hard to follow. As someone who had never read a YA horror novel before, this was a completely new to me, and I’d describe it as more of a spooky thriller than outright horror, perfect for readers who enjoy suspense without it being too intense.
One of my favorite aspects of the book was how the author wove in strong family and friendship themes. The dynamics between the characters and their families added emotional depth, and each character felt unique and important to the story. Santi, in particular, he was easily the most lovable character for me.
However, there were several dialogue sections in Spanish that slowed my reading a bit. Since I only know basic Spanish, I had to pause and look up translations, which affected the pacing for me personally.
I really liked how everything came together in the end. The mystery was resolved, loose ends were tied up, and it was satisfying to see the characters reach a happy ending. The author introduces many characters, but each one plays a meaningful role, which really strengthens the story overall.
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
December 10, 2025
𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 𓆝 𓆟𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 𓆝 𓆟
Thank you to NetGallery and the Godwin Books publishers for the advanced copy of this book for an honest review!
Joaquín with his two best friends, Emma and Maya are obsessed with the paranormal but things take a turn when they explore the abandoned house of Sorensen’s where the Max Guerrero Lopez died. Joaquín is confronted with a realization that Max’s spirit is lingering and tethered to the world due to unfinished business. Determined to help him find rest, Joaquín and his friends desperately tried to find answers despite the growing risks. But how much is Joaquín willing to lose to help Max at the cost of his life and his friends?
The novel has done something to me that no other book have done so far; it spooked me! Genuinely had moments in the book where I felt fear because of the paranormal aspects in the book. I felt like I was watching one of those YouTube videos where people are communicating with spirits on the Ouija board and I’m hiding in the comment section. As someone who loves hearing about the paranormal, I definitely recommend this book to other readers! But warning, if you don’t know Spanish like I do, be prepared to pull out Google translate because there’s a lot of Spanish. The writing in the book was really good, it was kept for young adult level but was written in a way that will grip readers at the edge of their seat.
Overall, I enjoyed the book but it fell flat to me in the beginning and only took until halfway that it peaked my interest again.
𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 𓆝 𓆟𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 𓆝 𓆟
Thank you to NetGallery and the Godwin Books publishers for the advanced copy of this book for an honest review!
Joaquín with his two best friends, Emma and Maya are obsessed with the paranormal but things take a turn when they explore the abandoned house of Sorensen’s where the Max Guerrero Lopez died. Joaquín is confronted with a realization that Max’s spirit is lingering and tethered to the world due to unfinished business. Determined to help him find rest, Joaquín and his friends desperately tried to find answers despite the growing risks. But how much is Joaquín willing to lose to help Max at the cost of his life and his friends?
The novel has done something to me that no other book have done so far; it spooked me! Genuinely had moments in the book where I felt fear because of the paranormal aspects in the book. I felt like I was watching one of those YouTube videos where people are communicating with spirits on the Ouija board and I’m hiding in the comment section. As someone who loves hearing about the paranormal, I definitely recommend this book to other readers! But warning, if you don’t know Spanish like I do, be prepared to pull out Google translate because there’s a lot of Spanish. The writing in the book was really good, it was kept for young adult level but was written in a way that will grip readers at the edge of their seat.
Overall, I enjoyed the book but it fell flat to me in the beginning and only took until halfway that it peaked my interest again.
𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 𓆝 𓆟𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 𓆝 𓆟
November 15, 2025
The premise of this book sounded so intriguing. A dual POV from a ghost and a ghost hunter, while trying to figure out how said ghost died and how to get him to move on. And it was really great! I personally love YA mystery/thriller, though this one does say “romance” as well. And there are some romantic elements- but the romance isn’t really the main focus? It is cute and sweet, but the main focus really is Max and Joaquin figuring out how Max died and how to get him to move on.
Generally I’m not a huge paranormal fan- I enjoy it more in book than movie or tv show, but I still don’t love paranormal stuff. However, I really like how the author described Max’s POV and essence as a ghost, as well as the take on the paranormal aspects to haunting that occur. Something that I would have liked more of though, is how the other ghosts in the world interact. We get a couple scenes of other ghosts being mentioned, and I think one specifically of another ghost *doing* something. While I think the length of this book was basically perfect- I wouldn’t have minded a little more about the other ghosts. Especially with Marte (and by the end Santi) being able to see ghosts at all times.
Other than wanting a tiny bit more with the other ghosts in the world, I think the length, pacing, and tone were all really good. It was an easy read and I really enjoyed it!
Generally I’m not a huge paranormal fan- I enjoy it more in book than movie or tv show, but I still don’t love paranormal stuff. However, I really like how the author described Max’s POV and essence as a ghost, as well as the take on the paranormal aspects to haunting that occur. Something that I would have liked more of though, is how the other ghosts in the world interact. We get a couple scenes of other ghosts being mentioned, and I think one specifically of another ghost *doing* something. While I think the length of this book was basically perfect- I wouldn’t have minded a little more about the other ghosts. Especially with Marte (and by the end Santi) being able to see ghosts at all times.
Other than wanting a tiny bit more with the other ghosts in the world, I think the length, pacing, and tone were all really good. It was an easy read and I really enjoyed it!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 22, 2025
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!
This book takes a little while to get going, but once it hits its stride it goes full throttle for a good terrifying while before the lighter conclusion. Joaquín and his friends are typical teenagers, running around looking for ghosts, and they finally manage to encounter a real one with Max, a teenage ghost that has been trapped in the house where he died for over twenty years now. It takes a bit for Max to get his bearings, but once he does, the story starts to quickly head into scary Paranormal Activity territory. because Max desperately wants to know how he died and is terrified of being abandoned to the darkness again. Joaquín also very much enables Max's more terrifying actions, since he is equally as desperate to help out a real-live ghost. However, everyone here is a pretty real character; they all have good intentions mixed in with selfish ones, and they drive the story forward to solve the mystery.
I will say that personally, I feel like this book could have gone much darker with or could have gone for a bad conclusion, but it's not really that type of YA novel. For the most part, it's a fun ghost romp with teenagers and mystery.
This book takes a little while to get going, but once it hits its stride it goes full throttle for a good terrifying while before the lighter conclusion. Joaquín and his friends are typical teenagers, running around looking for ghosts, and they finally manage to encounter a real one with Max, a teenage ghost that has been trapped in the house where he died for over twenty years now. It takes a bit for Max to get his bearings, but once he does, the story starts to quickly head into scary Paranormal Activity territory. because Max desperately wants to know how he died and is terrified of being abandoned to the darkness again. Joaquín also very much enables Max's more terrifying actions, since he is equally as desperate to help out a real-live ghost. However, everyone here is a pretty real character; they all have good intentions mixed in with selfish ones, and they drive the story forward to solve the mystery.
I will say that personally, I feel like this book could have gone much darker with or could have gone for a bad conclusion, but it's not really that type of YA novel. For the most part, it's a fun ghost romp with teenagers and mystery.
October 25, 2025
Right off the bat the writing is fast paced, which is enjoy. No useless narrative, straight and to the point. I knew right away I would fly right through this book. It's exciting to see it based in my home state of Massachusetts (though set in a fictional town/area), and the haunting almost as old as I am, having starting in 1997. Joaquin and his friends are filming a paranormal vlog for their YouTube channel. They awaken Max after entering his home, which his spirit was resting in.
As another reviewing mentioned, I don't know Spanish either. So despite being fast paced, I had to stop often to know what was being said. Both Joaquin and Max are bilingual. Other than this set back it was a fun, interesting, and emotional read. I enjoyed the connections to the past and being able to relate to the story in at least this one way. It ended up not being my preferred read but I also didn't feel like I had wasted my time. I would definitely recommend to teens, especially teen boy, and young adult up to adults in their 30s to reminisce on the 90s nostalgia.
As another reviewing mentioned, I don't know Spanish either. So despite being fast paced, I had to stop often to know what was being said. Both Joaquin and Max are bilingual. Other than this set back it was a fun, interesting, and emotional read. I enjoyed the connections to the past and being able to relate to the story in at least this one way. It ended up not being my preferred read but I also didn't feel like I had wasted my time. I would definitely recommend to teens, especially teen boy, and young adult up to adults in their 30s to reminisce on the 90s nostalgia.
December 4, 2025
Take It To Your Grave is a fast paced paranormal mystery book about a boy Named Joaquin and a ghost named Max who can’t remember how he died. Will Joaquin and his friends be able to help Max uncover the mystery of his death and cross over for good?
This book was a very fast paced read! Every character is so thoroughly created and so easy to love and the one on one connections between each character was beautiful. I was able to quickly connect to this book and escape into the world of it which is always a good sign of a great book to me!
I do wish the pacing was a little slower because sometimes it was hard to fully grasp everything that was happening. Overall, it was a cozy suspenseful read that would be perfect for a single-sitting autumn reading session.
This book was a very fast paced read! Every character is so thoroughly created and so easy to love and the one on one connections between each character was beautiful. I was able to quickly connect to this book and escape into the world of it which is always a good sign of a great book to me!
I do wish the pacing was a little slower because sometimes it was hard to fully grasp everything that was happening. Overall, it was a cozy suspenseful read that would be perfect for a single-sitting autumn reading session.
October 30, 2025
Take It to Your Grave was one of those books that completely took me by surprise, in the best way. It’s fast-paced, full of tension, and the kind of story that makes you say “just one more chapter” until suddenly it’s 2 a.m. 👀
The character building was so well done. I felt instantly connected to everyone and couldn’t stop wondering who the real “bad guy” was. It’s honestly one of the most intriguing YA reads I’ve picked up in a long time. I read it in just two sittings because I had to know how it ended.
If you’re looking for a young adult book that’ll keep you guessing (and maybe ruin your sleep schedule a little), this is it.
The character building was so well done. I felt instantly connected to everyone and couldn’t stop wondering who the real “bad guy” was. It’s honestly one of the most intriguing YA reads I’ve picked up in a long time. I read it in just two sittings because I had to know how it ended.
If you’re looking for a young adult book that’ll keep you guessing (and maybe ruin your sleep schedule a little), this is it.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews