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A (Dead) Thing Like Me
A teenage ghost in love with life becomes bound to the house of the grieving artist who accidentally summoned her in this thrilling YA horror story.
Hot Dog wants nothing more than to be a real human girl with real human friends. But no one notices her – until Logan, an artist who blames herself for her best friend's tragic death, summons her at a party. When Hot Dog realizes she's now bound to Logan's house, real life feels closer than ever. If Logan can see her, then maybe she can be more than the dead thing haunting Logan's home.
Maybe then, it will be like she's alive again … like she could really hold Logan’s hand instead of talking to her through a Ouija board. But there are things Logan can't like the hidden room in her house, whose walls can barely contain the entity that threatens to unmake them both. To defeat it, Hot Dog will need to face the truth about how she died – and why she's really haunting Logan.
Hot Dog wants nothing more than to be a real human girl with real human friends. But no one notices her – until Logan, an artist who blames herself for her best friend's tragic death, summons her at a party. When Hot Dog realizes she's now bound to Logan's house, real life feels closer than ever. If Logan can see her, then maybe she can be more than the dead thing haunting Logan's home.
Maybe then, it will be like she's alive again … like she could really hold Logan’s hand instead of talking to her through a Ouija board. But there are things Logan can't like the hidden room in her house, whose walls can barely contain the entity that threatens to unmake them both. To defeat it, Hot Dog will need to face the truth about how she died – and why she's really haunting Logan.
351 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 13, 2026
About the author
E.G. Young
1 book31 followersI’m a writer of speculative fiction novels featuring strange, fish-out-of-water girls and darkly funny vibes.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 72 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
Mini blurb: A ghost girl who can't talk and doesn't remember her past befriends a 17 y.o. girl mired in grief and guilt and tries to become a real person again - but something's out to get her, and even her new friend's life is at stake.
***
First off...DISCLAIMER: I requested this title on Edelweiss, and later it appeared in my Auto-Approvals section on NetGalley as well. Thanks to Holiday House for providing a temporary ecopy. This didn't influence my review in any way.
Emotional and imaginative, this book reminded me once again why I love YA so much, and how many variations of the afterlife subgenre there can be (trust me, I've read a ton). While the story is a slow burn and it took me a while to get used to Hot Dog's inner monologue (keep in mind that she doesn't even know who she is, or who she used to be at least), I ended up being so captivated that I tore through most of the book in one sitting. A(D)TLM is a simple, yet ultimately poignant tale of grief, guilt, found family (not all of the people variety 😂), friendship (both human and messy, and selfless and capable of transcending planes of existence), longing to be seen/need to belong, and art. The worldbuilding is exquisite, and the little "comfort bottles" that Hot Dog uses to capture moments of joy she's experienced (to be released when she, or someone else, needs them) are a creative - if bittersweet - touch (not to mention, her dress is basically a living thing, and I loved it). The story isn't heavy on the horror in the gory sense (though you might tread with care if drowning, claustrophobic spaces, crabs that enter a character's mouth, and snakes...well, one tiny snake...are triggers for you), but that doesn't mean it isn't dark, though tempered by moments of levity/humour and ultimately heartwarming (mind you, a tad heartbreaking too, as all the best stories are wont to be). Bonus points for the writing style, that manages to be lyrical in its simplicity. Bottom line: if troubled teens and amnesiac ghosts are even remotely your thing, don't let this one pass you by.
Note: as a rule, I review every book that I rate 4 stars and above in full, unless it's a novella or an anthology. But I didn't want to go in too deep about this one to avoid spoilers, and it felt easy to summarise its contents (and my opinions) in a few sentences, so I took the mini-review route.
***
First off...DISCLAIMER: I requested this title on Edelweiss, and later it appeared in my Auto-Approvals section on NetGalley as well. Thanks to Holiday House for providing a temporary ecopy. This didn't influence my review in any way.
Emotional and imaginative, this book reminded me once again why I love YA so much, and how many variations of the afterlife subgenre there can be (trust me, I've read a ton). While the story is a slow burn and it took me a while to get used to Hot Dog's inner monologue (keep in mind that she doesn't even know who she is, or who she used to be at least), I ended up being so captivated that I tore through most of the book in one sitting. A(D)TLM is a simple, yet ultimately poignant tale of grief, guilt, found family (not all of the people variety 😂), friendship (both human and messy, and selfless and capable of transcending planes of existence), longing to be seen/need to belong, and art. The worldbuilding is exquisite, and the little "comfort bottles" that Hot Dog uses to capture moments of joy she's experienced (to be released when she, or someone else, needs them) are a creative - if bittersweet - touch (not to mention, her dress is basically a living thing, and I loved it). The story isn't heavy on the horror in the gory sense (though you might tread with care if drowning, claustrophobic spaces, crabs that enter a character's mouth, and snakes...well, one tiny snake...are triggers for you), but that doesn't mean it isn't dark, though tempered by moments of levity/humour and ultimately heartwarming (mind you, a tad heartbreaking too, as all the best stories are wont to be). Bonus points for the writing style, that manages to be lyrical in its simplicity. Bottom line: if troubled teens and amnesiac ghosts are even remotely your thing, don't let this one pass you by.
Note: as a rule, I review every book that I rate 4 stars and above in full, unless it's a novella or an anthology. But I didn't want to go in too deep about this one to avoid spoilers, and it felt easy to summarise its contents (and my opinions) in a few sentences, so I took the mini-review route.
July 15, 2026
I loved this book. Teenage me would have loved this book. My only complaint is that this book wasn't published yet when I was a teenager (it's not even published yet as I'm writing this, ugh)! Thank you to NetGalley for the advance copy!
Hot Dog was such a fun narrator - she's like if you took Percy Jackson's attitude and dropped him into The Lovely Bones. She is vaguely reminiscent of Tumblr Cat Dialogue (Jail for Needle Finger! Jail for Needle Finger for One Thousand Years!)
Though A Dead Thing Like Me was a dark tale, it was absolutely overflowing with humor and heart.
Hot Dog was such a fun narrator - she's like if you took Percy Jackson's attitude and dropped him into The Lovely Bones. She is vaguely reminiscent of Tumblr Cat Dialogue (Jail for Needle Finger! Jail for Needle Finger for One Thousand Years!)
Though A Dead Thing Like Me was a dark tale, it was absolutely overflowing with humor and heart.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
A (Dead) Thing Like Me is about a ghost named Hot Dog who spends her days haunting a hot dog cart in NYC until she's summoned to Florida by Logan and her friends while they're using an Ouija board. While she's trying to adjust to her new surroundings, and the fact that Logan can actually see her, she discovers that she's not the only thing haunting the house.
This book was fun and trying to solve the mystery of who Hot Dog was worked for me. All of the characters are well written and I liked the writing style. Some chapters are only a page and others are a regular chapter.
Some important themes are discussed in this such as feeling less than (Hot Dog wants to feel like a "real girl."), friendships ending and the fallout from it, the impact rumors and bullying can have on someone and the importance of being honest with ourselves and our friends. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys a good, fun ghosty mystery.
I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
This book was fun and trying to solve the mystery of who Hot Dog was worked for me. All of the characters are well written and I liked the writing style. Some chapters are only a page and others are a regular chapter.
Some important themes are discussed in this such as feeling less than (Hot Dog wants to feel like a "real girl."), friendships ending and the fallout from it, the impact rumors and bullying can have on someone and the importance of being honest with ourselves and our friends. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys a good, fun ghosty mystery.
I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
September 2, 2026
This started out strong with Hot Dog at the hot dog cart, begging people to order a hot dog with banana peppers, and I was quickly drawn in to the fun, if dark, narration. The séance and being summoned to Florida just upped the game and really gave it some heft. I enjoyed following along as she figured out who she was and how she ended up there. But then, the last 10-15% of the book just went off the rails and got weird. I still enjoyed it but not as much as that part. It does resolve in the end but by then I was taken out of the story and a little disenchanted. Overall, a fun, quirky read.
Thank you to NetGalley and Holiday House for the review copy.
Thank you to NetGalley and Holiday House for the review copy.
August 18, 2026
never looking at a crab the same way again 💀
in all seriousness, this is a propulsive, visceral account of how it feels to want to be part of something, to matter to someone you admire. somehow, it manages to switch between sweet and scary and so funny that my spouse and I have started quoting it back and forth to each other.
I had the privilege of beta-reading this years ago, and the privilege of rereading it in its final form on release day. I understand this makes me biased, but I've read my fair share of good books as well as a small handful of truly transcendent books: this is the latter.
i'm also dead (get it?) serious about the crabs 🦀
in all seriousness, this is a propulsive, visceral account of how it feels to want to be part of something, to matter to someone you admire. somehow, it manages to switch between sweet and scary and so funny that my spouse and I have started quoting it back and forth to each other.
I had the privilege of beta-reading this years ago, and the privilege of rereading it in its final form on release day. I understand this makes me biased, but I've read my fair share of good books as well as a small handful of truly transcendent books: this is the latter.
i'm also dead (get it?) serious about the crabs 🦀
July 25, 2026
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Hot Dog isn’t dead, she just is. She spends her days haunting a hot dog stand in NYC until she is accidentally summoned to Florida by Logan and her friends. Logan can actually see her and Hot Dog will do anything to become a real girl. But, she discovers she’s not the only thing in Logan’s house.
I loved the way this was written - the writing style kept this a fast paced read. I enjoyed the characters but I do wish we would’ve gotten more memories from Hot Dog. I liked the mystery of her trying to figure out who/what she is.
I think this would be a fun read for anyone who likes ghost stories, mysteries, and… hot dogs :)
Hot Dog isn’t dead, she just is. She spends her days haunting a hot dog stand in NYC until she is accidentally summoned to Florida by Logan and her friends. Logan can actually see her and Hot Dog will do anything to become a real girl. But, she discovers she’s not the only thing in Logan’s house.
I loved the way this was written - the writing style kept this a fast paced read. I enjoyed the characters but I do wish we would’ve gotten more memories from Hot Dog. I liked the mystery of her trying to figure out who/what she is.
I think this would be a fun read for anyone who likes ghost stories, mysteries, and… hot dogs :)
September 23, 2026
I am not the target audience for this because I don't seek out surrealist media. I mainly picked this book out because of the cover and the general blurb.
That's not to say I didn't like it. There was some underlying messages I understood and connected with. But I'm sure I didn't understand them all.
For me, as a disabled and chronically ill person, I feel the desperation to be different so often. I want to have a body that works like everyone else's. The author's note made me cry because I know how adapting to a new limited normal feels. It really really sucks.
I did also cry at the end of the book, because it was a mostly good ending. I struggle with books where there is loss before the "happy ending," because to me the cost heartbreaking. But I've experienced so much pain in life that I don't want to read those things in my books. The loss weighs heavily on me.
I will say, a lot of this book felt like a fever dream. There were a lot of things never fully explained or wrapped up as nicely as I would have liked. That's surrealism for you. I wish I had gotten more answers.
But I prefer to take away from this book the way I felt at the end - sad, but hopeful. Because I want to believe you can learn to live again after heartbreaking pain and trauma. I feel the grief, and I really need to feel the hope. I've died a thousand deaths and I really want to live again.
That's not to say I didn't like it. There was some underlying messages I understood and connected with. But I'm sure I didn't understand them all.
For me, as a disabled and chronically ill person, I feel the desperation to be different so often. I want to have a body that works like everyone else's. The author's note made me cry because I know how adapting to a new limited normal feels. It really really sucks.
I did also cry at the end of the book, because it was a mostly good ending. I struggle with books where there is loss before the "happy ending," because to me the cost heartbreaking. But I've experienced so much pain in life that I don't want to read those things in my books. The loss weighs heavily on me.
I will say, a lot of this book felt like a fever dream. There were a lot of things never fully explained or wrapped up as nicely as I would have liked. That's surrealism for you. I wish I had gotten more answers.
But I prefer to take away from this book the way I felt at the end - sad, but hopeful. Because I want to believe you can learn to live again after heartbreaking pain and trauma. I feel the grief, and I really need to feel the hope. I've died a thousand deaths and I really want to live again.
August 29, 2026
𝟰.𝟮𝟱⭐️ 𝗔 (𝗗𝗲𝗮𝗱) 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗟𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗠𝗲 𝗯𝘆 𝗘.𝗚. 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗴.
“𝗬𝗼𝘂’𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗲𝗮𝘁𝘀 𝗵𝗼𝘁 𝗱𝗼𝗴𝘀. 𝗪𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗵 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗮𝘆, 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗮 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻.”
A teenage ghost who desperately wants to be a normal girl and the grieving artist who summons her.
One hot dog with banana peppers, that is all our friendly ghost wants. See, she is stuck haunting a food cart outside the Metropolitan Museum of Art and all she can think to dream is ordering a hotdog since her actual memories have been stollen by crabs. But then one day, Logan, our grieving artist, summons her with her Ouija board and suddenly someone can see her. Suddenly she has a friend!
She doesn’t know her name, so she becomes Hot Dog. And what a fun narrator did Hot Dog make. This book is quirky and charming and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Our quirky cast is rounded by a boy named Damon who may or may not be a Demon and a snake named Horse who lives in his shirt.
If you love YA read give this one a chance, perfect for spooky season. I had the ebook and grabbed the audio as well which truly was a fun time, Amy McFadden does a brilliant job with the narration.
Thank you to NetGalley, Holiday House and the author E.G. Young for the advanced copy, all my opinions are my own.
𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄.• 𝗬𝗔. • 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗹.• 𝗢𝘂𝘁 𝗡𝗼𝘄.
“𝗬𝗼𝘂’𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗲𝗮𝘁𝘀 𝗵𝗼𝘁 𝗱𝗼𝗴𝘀. 𝗪𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗵 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗮𝘆, 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗮 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻.”
A teenage ghost who desperately wants to be a normal girl and the grieving artist who summons her.
One hot dog with banana peppers, that is all our friendly ghost wants. See, she is stuck haunting a food cart outside the Metropolitan Museum of Art and all she can think to dream is ordering a hotdog since her actual memories have been stollen by crabs. But then one day, Logan, our grieving artist, summons her with her Ouija board and suddenly someone can see her. Suddenly she has a friend!
She doesn’t know her name, so she becomes Hot Dog. And what a fun narrator did Hot Dog make. This book is quirky and charming and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Our quirky cast is rounded by a boy named Damon who may or may not be a Demon and a snake named Horse who lives in his shirt.
If you love YA read give this one a chance, perfect for spooky season. I had the ebook and grabbed the audio as well which truly was a fun time, Amy McFadden does a brilliant job with the narration.
Thank you to NetGalley, Holiday House and the author E.G. Young for the advanced copy, all my opinions are my own.
𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄.• 𝗬𝗔. • 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗹.• 𝗢𝘂𝘁 𝗡𝗼𝘄.
October 2, 2026
2.5 rounded up
Did Not Finish
October 6, 2026The idea was super cute, but it’s just not grabbing my attention. Might try picking it up again another time.
October 10, 2026
I loved it, it was a really fun read!
The last 10-15% got really weird though.
The last 10-15% got really weird though.
Did Not Finish
August 17, 2026I hate it when a character is written so babyish. Had to let it go despite the cute jacket blurb.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
4.5⭐️
This YA story is campy, strange, and absolutely beautiful. My love for Hot Dog is through the roof and it’s not just because of her name and love for the fine cuisine of hot dogs. “A (Dead) Thing Like Me” is described as a “beyond-the-grave coming-of-age” and this is an incredibly accurate description. It’s a cozy mystery that is as surreal as it is stunning. With all its intriguing characters, the star of the show is the iconic Hot Dog, who offers a humorous tone to the tale that had me laughing time and time again. If you’re a fan of the films “Warm Bodies,” “Lisa Frankenstein,” or “Your Monster,” you will love “A (Dead) Thing Like Me.” I absolutely loved this one and I hope you’ll give it a read when it’s out later this month!
❗️Content warnings: grief, mention of suicide, minor body horror
Thank you to NetGalley, Holiday House, and E.G. Young for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!
This YA story is campy, strange, and absolutely beautiful. My love for Hot Dog is through the roof and it’s not just because of her name and love for the fine cuisine of hot dogs. “A (Dead) Thing Like Me” is described as a “beyond-the-grave coming-of-age” and this is an incredibly accurate description. It’s a cozy mystery that is as surreal as it is stunning. With all its intriguing characters, the star of the show is the iconic Hot Dog, who offers a humorous tone to the tale that had me laughing time and time again. If you’re a fan of the films “Warm Bodies,” “Lisa Frankenstein,” or “Your Monster,” you will love “A (Dead) Thing Like Me.” I absolutely loved this one and I hope you’ll give it a read when it’s out later this month!
❗️Content warnings: grief, mention of suicide, minor body horror
Thank you to NetGalley, Holiday House, and E.G. Young for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The title drew me in, I'll admit that from the start. Then the cover art was eye-catching and I needed to know the plot of the book. A (Dead) Thing Like Me convinced me to read it with a mention of a ouija board and banana peppers, easy as that. As I was reading, I was intrigued by everything, every moment between Hot Dog and Logan, drawn in to their story of friendship and their learning about each other. I'm glad I took a chance on the book with the coffin on the cover because now I'll be following E.G. Young to their next book, just to see what else comes out of a mind that created such an intriguing premise as a debut novel because seriously, very respectable read, I truly believe that.
A (Dead) Thing Like Me is about a ghost called Hot Dog, a teenage ghost that haunts a hot dog stand outside the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Hot Dog has been trying for so long to get the owner of the stand to see her until one night she's summoned through a ouija board to a party in Florida and now everyone can see her. Everyone runs away except for Logan, the artist that was trying to summon her dead best friend and got Hot Dog instead. Hot Dog, who has stitches holding her mouth shut and a dress that chatters, wants to be Logan's best friend and is determined to prove she can do everything that a real live girl can do. But Hot Dog is not a human girl and something is following her. It has a place in Logan's house where it wants to drag Hot Dog through and in order to get it to leave her alone, Hot Dog will have to remember who she once was and how she died. If not, the thing that wants Hot Dog won't stop with just Hot Dog, it will take Logan too.
Young has created an interesting world here where Hot Dog exists just a little beyond the normal scope of things. She sees everything as it is and desperately wants to be a part of the world again, she yearns to be a normal girl and that emotion made her feel familiar. It was easy to move with Hot Dog, to watch her with Logan and to see how Logan knew about ghosts and easily accepted Hot Dog into her world. At the same time, Young added in these truly unsettling and sometimes beautiful additions to show what is a part of Hot Dog's afterlife. We see things that would explain why Hot Dog doesn't remember who she was and it was an interesting way to show how the dead lose things when they lose their body. I also loved the way Hot Dog held on to things that were important to her, the idea of being able to go back to those things the way she did was a really heartwarming aspect of the book. Young has so many interesting and unique ideas with Hot Dog and the journey through the book to see all of it was a treat.
Hot Dog and Logan felt so familiar, easily believable as teenage girls in the world today. They had recognizable concerns and griefs and their yearning to understand everything made them girls that I wanted to help and protect. Their pain made them tragic and yet they kept going, trying to figure out the truth about Hot Dog and trying to help Logan process her grief over the loss of her best friend. When these two were together, I could see how well they worked to make the other try to be more, especially with Hot Dog as she discovered more about just what she was capable of as a ghost. Their back and forth was charming and their growing friendship showed how they were growing together as characters that were changing for the better. Hot Dog was desperate to be Logan's new best friend, to prove that she could be normal, but it turned out that the things that made Logan want to talk to Hot Dog were the things that made her weird and different, aside from the fact that she was dead. In the end, I wanted to keep these girls safe and the reveals at the end of the novel were both unexpected and exactly what I thought was going to happen and those together were the perfect way to leave these girls.
As for plot, I was sure of some reveals but there were some unexpected turns that this book took that left me with my jaw hanging open because wow, that hit hard. The whys about what is following Hot Dog and how it was created were so devastating in nature. What started as trying to figure out who Hot Dog once was turned into why did Hot Dog do all of this to hide her truth from herself. Every clue led to something else, to explain something more that expanded the world and filled in a little more detail about Hot Dog until everything was revealed and when the truth was discovered I felt vindicated and then heartbroken for her. I want to say more but I will continue to avoid spoilers with soon to be published books so this is where I will end this review. I will add though that I still have some questions about the story and certain characters and I'm sure it's just me being nitpicky that those questions still ring in my head when I think of this book. I loved so many different parts of this book, I just don't think it's going to live on in my head for years and years.
In the end, I think E.G. Young is an extremely talented writer and I hope to be able to read more books by them in the future. If you like books with unsettling imagery and ghosts trying to be your new best friend, look no further, because Hot Dog is the ghost for you.
Rating on my scale: 8 Stars. I wanted to love this and there were many parts that awed me. At the same time, I am left with questions about different things. I feel like there were things that were left unexplored, maybe for a good reason, so if there's another book in the future in this world, most likely I will up the rating on this book. Either way, this was a great read and it introduced me to a writer I'm sure I will love in the future and that makes it worthwhile for me.
My thanks to NetGalley, Holiday House and E.G. Young for the eARC of this book in exchange for a honest review. All opinions are my own.
A (Dead) Thing Like Me is about a ghost called Hot Dog, a teenage ghost that haunts a hot dog stand outside the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Hot Dog has been trying for so long to get the owner of the stand to see her until one night she's summoned through a ouija board to a party in Florida and now everyone can see her. Everyone runs away except for Logan, the artist that was trying to summon her dead best friend and got Hot Dog instead. Hot Dog, who has stitches holding her mouth shut and a dress that chatters, wants to be Logan's best friend and is determined to prove she can do everything that a real live girl can do. But Hot Dog is not a human girl and something is following her. It has a place in Logan's house where it wants to drag Hot Dog through and in order to get it to leave her alone, Hot Dog will have to remember who she once was and how she died. If not, the thing that wants Hot Dog won't stop with just Hot Dog, it will take Logan too.
Young has created an interesting world here where Hot Dog exists just a little beyond the normal scope of things. She sees everything as it is and desperately wants to be a part of the world again, she yearns to be a normal girl and that emotion made her feel familiar. It was easy to move with Hot Dog, to watch her with Logan and to see how Logan knew about ghosts and easily accepted Hot Dog into her world. At the same time, Young added in these truly unsettling and sometimes beautiful additions to show what is a part of Hot Dog's afterlife. We see things that would explain why Hot Dog doesn't remember who she was and it was an interesting way to show how the dead lose things when they lose their body. I also loved the way Hot Dog held on to things that were important to her, the idea of being able to go back to those things the way she did was a really heartwarming aspect of the book. Young has so many interesting and unique ideas with Hot Dog and the journey through the book to see all of it was a treat.
Hot Dog and Logan felt so familiar, easily believable as teenage girls in the world today. They had recognizable concerns and griefs and their yearning to understand everything made them girls that I wanted to help and protect. Their pain made them tragic and yet they kept going, trying to figure out the truth about Hot Dog and trying to help Logan process her grief over the loss of her best friend. When these two were together, I could see how well they worked to make the other try to be more, especially with Hot Dog as she discovered more about just what she was capable of as a ghost. Their back and forth was charming and their growing friendship showed how they were growing together as characters that were changing for the better. Hot Dog was desperate to be Logan's new best friend, to prove that she could be normal, but it turned out that the things that made Logan want to talk to Hot Dog were the things that made her weird and different, aside from the fact that she was dead. In the end, I wanted to keep these girls safe and the reveals at the end of the novel were both unexpected and exactly what I thought was going to happen and those together were the perfect way to leave these girls.
As for plot, I was sure of some reveals but there were some unexpected turns that this book took that left me with my jaw hanging open because wow, that hit hard. The whys about what is following Hot Dog and how it was created were so devastating in nature. What started as trying to figure out who Hot Dog once was turned into why did Hot Dog do all of this to hide her truth from herself. Every clue led to something else, to explain something more that expanded the world and filled in a little more detail about Hot Dog until everything was revealed and when the truth was discovered I felt vindicated and then heartbroken for her. I want to say more but I will continue to avoid spoilers with soon to be published books so this is where I will end this review. I will add though that I still have some questions about the story and certain characters and I'm sure it's just me being nitpicky that those questions still ring in my head when I think of this book. I loved so many different parts of this book, I just don't think it's going to live on in my head for years and years.
In the end, I think E.G. Young is an extremely talented writer and I hope to be able to read more books by them in the future. If you like books with unsettling imagery and ghosts trying to be your new best friend, look no further, because Hot Dog is the ghost for you.
Rating on my scale: 8 Stars. I wanted to love this and there were many parts that awed me. At the same time, I am left with questions about different things. I feel like there were things that were left unexplored, maybe for a good reason, so if there's another book in the future in this world, most likely I will up the rating on this book. Either way, this was a great read and it introduced me to a writer I'm sure I will love in the future and that makes it worthwhile for me.
My thanks to NetGalley, Holiday House and E.G. Young for the eARC of this book in exchange for a honest review. All opinions are my own.
August 6, 2026
The concept is genuinely clever and the quirky strange energy of it is unlike anything else. For me personally it just didn’t hold my attention the way I hoped it would.
But if you love ghosts, mystery, and yes… banana peppers, this one is absolutely for you.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the arc!
But if you love ghosts, mystery, and yes… banana peppers, this one is absolutely for you.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the arc!
August 28, 2026
One hotdog with banana peppers please! If only her mouth wasn’t stitched up and she was still alive. No one can hear her, but she can haunt this food cart, desperately hoping to be seen and fed. That is until she is accidentally summoned by a teenage girl holding a seance with her friends. How is it that this girl can see and speak to her? And what is it that is suddenly stalking this ghost hoping to drag her into the dark? Grab a copy of A Dead Thing Like Me and devour each page to find out.
Hot Dog, as we come to know her, is a teenage ghost that constantly visits a food cart located outside the Metropolitan Museum of Art because she misses the ability to eat said item. She is also enamored by the young woman who runs the cart. Her [after]life changes though when she is summoned to a home in Florida by a fellow teen using an Ouija board. The girl, Logan, is actually able to see and speak to Hot Dog. Logan is a troubled soul herself and a very talented artist. Hot Dog immediately becomes obsessed, desperate to truly find a friend in Logan - like a real, human girl. Logan fully embraces Hot Dog whose dress is filled with bottles of memories and moments to drink in order provide inner strength, distraction and clarity.
The only problem is that Needle Finger is after Hot Dog. Needle Finger is an entity who wants to take Hot Dog’s soul and bring her into the darkness where dead things belong. This malevolent spirit resides in Logan’s walls thanks to a secret door in Logan’s attic. Hot Dog must confront the dark truth behind her death before Needle Finger comes after her bestie Logan and claims her soul as well.
A Dead Thing LIke Me quickly captivates. Author E.G. Young desperately makes your heart ache for Hot Dog and her mission to find peace for herself and a best friend in Logan. Despite her chattering bottle filled dress and stitched up mouth, readers will yearn for Hot Dog to find a place in Logan’s life and a place at her Halloween party. Adding to this fascinating read is that Logan believes Hot Dog might be the soul of her recently departed bestie Avery, but Hot Dog isn’t so sure. Besides, [non]demon and additional new pal Damon (and his trusty snake Horse) think Hot Dog is actually his ex-girlfriend Chloe. Who was Hot Dog when she was alive and what happened to her? You will turn page after page - quickly - to learn how these three fit together and how/if they can escape from Needle Finger and its quest. My only qualm about this YA paranormal tale is that there seems to be more of a friendship vibe between Hot Dog and Logan than romantic, but towards the end of the tale Young blurs that line and it doesn’t seem like a natural progression for our heroines.
A Dead Thing Like Me is a must read for young adults who are supernatural and paranormal lovers. Readers will quickly invest in Hot Dog’s quest for BFF status with Logan and each chapter reveals something beautiful and new that breaks your heart while simultaneously filling it. When it comes to Hot Dog, as Death Cab For Cutie once sang, “I will follow you into the dark.”
Hot Dog, as we come to know her, is a teenage ghost that constantly visits a food cart located outside the Metropolitan Museum of Art because she misses the ability to eat said item. She is also enamored by the young woman who runs the cart. Her [after]life changes though when she is summoned to a home in Florida by a fellow teen using an Ouija board. The girl, Logan, is actually able to see and speak to Hot Dog. Logan is a troubled soul herself and a very talented artist. Hot Dog immediately becomes obsessed, desperate to truly find a friend in Logan - like a real, human girl. Logan fully embraces Hot Dog whose dress is filled with bottles of memories and moments to drink in order provide inner strength, distraction and clarity.
The only problem is that Needle Finger is after Hot Dog. Needle Finger is an entity who wants to take Hot Dog’s soul and bring her into the darkness where dead things belong. This malevolent spirit resides in Logan’s walls thanks to a secret door in Logan’s attic. Hot Dog must confront the dark truth behind her death before Needle Finger comes after her bestie Logan and claims her soul as well.
A Dead Thing LIke Me quickly captivates. Author E.G. Young desperately makes your heart ache for Hot Dog and her mission to find peace for herself and a best friend in Logan. Despite her chattering bottle filled dress and stitched up mouth, readers will yearn for Hot Dog to find a place in Logan’s life and a place at her Halloween party. Adding to this fascinating read is that Logan believes Hot Dog might be the soul of her recently departed bestie Avery, but Hot Dog isn’t so sure. Besides, [non]demon and additional new pal Damon (and his trusty snake Horse) think Hot Dog is actually his ex-girlfriend Chloe. Who was Hot Dog when she was alive and what happened to her? You will turn page after page - quickly - to learn how these three fit together and how/if they can escape from Needle Finger and its quest. My only qualm about this YA paranormal tale is that there seems to be more of a friendship vibe between Hot Dog and Logan than romantic, but towards the end of the tale Young blurs that line and it doesn’t seem like a natural progression for our heroines.
A Dead Thing Like Me is a must read for young adults who are supernatural and paranormal lovers. Readers will quickly invest in Hot Dog’s quest for BFF status with Logan and each chapter reveals something beautiful and new that breaks your heart while simultaneously filling it. When it comes to Hot Dog, as Death Cab For Cutie once sang, “I will follow you into the dark.”
October 13, 2026
A surreal and occasionally funny puzzle of a book. An unnamed “not-girl” hangs out on the steps of New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art, drawn to a hot dog cart that may or may not be an art installation. The vendor Stella seems to be able to see the not-girl and maybe even hear her wish for a hot dog with banana peppers, which she can’t eat because she’s not corporeal. Then our unnamed first person narrator is whisked away to Florida, called by a Ouija board controlled by Logan. Logan can see her new ghostly visitor, whom she quickly christens Hot Dog, and the two converse (laboriously) using the game’s plastic planchette. Shades of Pinocchio, Hot Dog longs to be a “real girl”, deserving of the grieving Logan’s love and friendship. But as the story progresses, increasingly bizarre and threatening manifestations inside the house may be putting Logan in danger – is Hot Dog the cause or can her wish come true? Very little about this odd but atmospheric story is fixed and those hoping for rational world-building or even an understandable resolution may find themselves scratching their heads. Given that Hot Dog is an unreliable narrator with no memories, it’s often hard to know what’s really going on in the story. Is Damon, the attractive teenage boy (complete with a snake who wants to be a horse), really a demon? Did he know the narrator when she was alive? Why does Hot Dog’s dress speak to her and why is her mouth sewn shut? What’s Stella’s role in all this? I’m not sure I could tell you the answers to these questions by the end of the book, but I did frequently find its dreamy and sometimes grotesque imagery intriguing. Hot Dog’s trying to figure out who she is and whether she can become someone else (despite her unconventional circumstances), which will speak to teen readers. In an afterwards, author E.G. Young discusses her own struggles with hypermobile spectrum disorder (not explained) and tells readers that the book is about resilience and the acceptance of a new normal, which did clarify her themes a bit for me. I think it's safe to say that the characters cued as white and that Logan and Hot Dog’s relationship could be described as queer. Link to complete review: https://ysbookreviews.wordpress.com/2...
Review of advance copy
A (Dead) Thing Like Me by E. G. Young is a YA paranormal book that blends teenage grief with supernatural elements.
The story begins with “Hot Dog,” a teenage ghost who haunts a hot dog cart in New York City—until a Ouija board summons her to a house in Florida. There, she meets another teen named Logan, who is grieving the death of her best friend and was hoping the Ouija board would connect her to her bestie, Avery. “Hot Dog” is thrilled that Logan can see her and thinks this is finally her opportunity to have a normal teenage friendship. As the story develops, she learns her real identity and what it takes to fight off an evil force that threatens them both.
What I Liked: This book brings the creepy vibes! Young builds an eerie atmosphere with demons and hidden rooms. As a reader, I felt a lot of nervous anticipation when Hot Dog heard scratching from a hidden room and I wasn’t sure what it was. It was just the right amount of tension to keep me hooked.
The mystery of Hot Dog’s life before becoming a ghost is a major storyline that propels the book forward. At first, I found it frustrating that we knew so little about her, including her own name, but I quickly realized that discovering her identity and how she died was pivotal to the plot.
This isn’t just a story about a ghost haunting the living; it’s about wanting to belong and be seen for who you are. When Hot Dog realizes Logan can see her, she is ecstatic. That longing to be seen by someone is so relatable and gives the story a really human element.
Readers who enjoy spooky and mysterious books will love A (Dead) Thing Like Me.
This review first appeared on YA Books Central and can be found here: https://yabookscentral.com/a-dead-thi...
The story begins with “Hot Dog,” a teenage ghost who haunts a hot dog cart in New York City—until a Ouija board summons her to a house in Florida. There, she meets another teen named Logan, who is grieving the death of her best friend and was hoping the Ouija board would connect her to her bestie, Avery. “Hot Dog” is thrilled that Logan can see her and thinks this is finally her opportunity to have a normal teenage friendship. As the story develops, she learns her real identity and what it takes to fight off an evil force that threatens them both.
What I Liked: This book brings the creepy vibes! Young builds an eerie atmosphere with demons and hidden rooms. As a reader, I felt a lot of nervous anticipation when Hot Dog heard scratching from a hidden room and I wasn’t sure what it was. It was just the right amount of tension to keep me hooked.
The mystery of Hot Dog’s life before becoming a ghost is a major storyline that propels the book forward. At first, I found it frustrating that we knew so little about her, including her own name, but I quickly realized that discovering her identity and how she died was pivotal to the plot.
This isn’t just a story about a ghost haunting the living; it’s about wanting to belong and be seen for who you are. When Hot Dog realizes Logan can see her, she is ecstatic. That longing to be seen by someone is so relatable and gives the story a really human element.
Readers who enjoy spooky and mysterious books will love A (Dead) Thing Like Me.
This review first appeared on YA Books Central and can be found here: https://yabookscentral.com/a-dead-thi...
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley, E.G. Young, and the publisher Holiday House for providing me with an advanced reader copy of A (Dead) Thing Like Me in exchange for an honest review.
A (Dead) Thing Like Me is one of those books that immediately stands out because of how wonderfully strange and original it is. While it's meant to be creepy, it's also incredibly fun, blending horror, dark humor, and mystery into a story that never takes the predictable route.
The novel follows a protagonist who finds themselves entangled in a world where death is far more complicated than it first appears. As unsettling secrets come to light and the line between the living and the dead begins to blur, the story unfolds into a clever, eerie adventure full of unexpected twists and memorable moments.
What surprised me most was how much personality every character had. No one felt flat or forgettable each had a distinct voice, unique quirks, and motivations that made them feel genuinely alive (or not so alive). The dialogue is sharp, the interactions are entertaining, and the relationships between the characters make the darker moments even more impactful.
Despite its creepy atmosphere, the book has an infectious sense of fun. There are unsettling scenes that will satisfy horror fans, but they're balanced with wit and charm that keep the story engaging rather than relentlessly bleak. E.G. Young creates a world that is equal parts eerie, imaginative, and surprisingly heartfelt.
If you're looking for a horror novel that's delightfully offbeat, packed with character, and refreshingly unique, A (Dead) Thing Like Me is well worth picking up. It's a wonderfully weird ride that embraces its creepy premise while never forgetting to entertain.
A (Dead) Thing Like Me is one of those books that immediately stands out because of how wonderfully strange and original it is. While it's meant to be creepy, it's also incredibly fun, blending horror, dark humor, and mystery into a story that never takes the predictable route.
The novel follows a protagonist who finds themselves entangled in a world where death is far more complicated than it first appears. As unsettling secrets come to light and the line between the living and the dead begins to blur, the story unfolds into a clever, eerie adventure full of unexpected twists and memorable moments.
What surprised me most was how much personality every character had. No one felt flat or forgettable each had a distinct voice, unique quirks, and motivations that made them feel genuinely alive (or not so alive). The dialogue is sharp, the interactions are entertaining, and the relationships between the characters make the darker moments even more impactful.
Despite its creepy atmosphere, the book has an infectious sense of fun. There are unsettling scenes that will satisfy horror fans, but they're balanced with wit and charm that keep the story engaging rather than relentlessly bleak. E.G. Young creates a world that is equal parts eerie, imaginative, and surprisingly heartfelt.
If you're looking for a horror novel that's delightfully offbeat, packed with character, and refreshingly unique, A (Dead) Thing Like Me is well worth picking up. It's a wonderfully weird ride that embraces its creepy premise while never forgetting to entertain.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
A (Dead) Thing Like Me
by E.G. Young
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
First of all, thank you to NetGalley and Holiday House for the opportunity to read an advance copy of A (Dead) Thing Like Me. All thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.
I absolutely loved this book. Honestly, teenage me would have been completely obsessed with this story, and I’m just sad I didn’t have a book like this growing up. 😭
A (Dead) Thing Like Me perfectly balances spooky paranormal elements with humor, heart, and a surprisingly emotional story about grief and wanting to be seen.
Hot Dog was such a fun narrator. She’s sarcastic, chaotic, and completely unforgettable. She brings so much personality to the story, and I loved seeing the world through her perspective. Despite being a ghost, she felt incredibly human, especially in her longing for friendship, connection, and someone who truly sees her.
When Hot Dog meets Logan, a grieving teen who can actually see her, their relationship becomes the heart of the story. I loved watching their friendship develop and seeing how both girls navigate loss, loneliness, and finding comfort in an unexpected person.
The paranormal elements were so much fun. The creepy atmosphere, mysterious past, hidden secrets, and supernatural threats kept me hooked, but the emotional core of the story is what really made it stand out.
This book is spooky without losing its warmth, and funny without ignoring the heavier themes. It’s a story about grief, identity, friendship, and the importance of being remembered.
Overall, A (Dead) Thing Like Me is a charming, heartfelt, and delightfully creepy YA paranormal read. If you love ghost stories with humor, found friendship, and a lot of heart, definitely add this one to your TBR. 👻✨
by E.G. Young
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
First of all, thank you to NetGalley and Holiday House for the opportunity to read an advance copy of A (Dead) Thing Like Me. All thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.
I absolutely loved this book. Honestly, teenage me would have been completely obsessed with this story, and I’m just sad I didn’t have a book like this growing up. 😭
A (Dead) Thing Like Me perfectly balances spooky paranormal elements with humor, heart, and a surprisingly emotional story about grief and wanting to be seen.
Hot Dog was such a fun narrator. She’s sarcastic, chaotic, and completely unforgettable. She brings so much personality to the story, and I loved seeing the world through her perspective. Despite being a ghost, she felt incredibly human, especially in her longing for friendship, connection, and someone who truly sees her.
When Hot Dog meets Logan, a grieving teen who can actually see her, their relationship becomes the heart of the story. I loved watching their friendship develop and seeing how both girls navigate loss, loneliness, and finding comfort in an unexpected person.
The paranormal elements were so much fun. The creepy atmosphere, mysterious past, hidden secrets, and supernatural threats kept me hooked, but the emotional core of the story is what really made it stand out.
This book is spooky without losing its warmth, and funny without ignoring the heavier themes. It’s a story about grief, identity, friendship, and the importance of being remembered.
Overall, A (Dead) Thing Like Me is a charming, heartfelt, and delightfully creepy YA paranormal read. If you love ghost stories with humor, found friendship, and a lot of heart, definitely add this one to your TBR. 👻✨
September 7, 2026
A bite of queer love… from the other side.
A story full of grief and learning to moving on after the loss of someone close to you, A (Dead) Thing Like Me not only brings us a love story between a ghost and human (as well as one between a [sort of] demon and a ghost), but the story was queer. So we got a bit of spooky with a bit of kissy and my season was set.
After the death of her best friend, Logan feels lost. Wanting to feel like she’s connected to her again, she pulls out an Ouija board to talk to her, but instead Hot Dog appears. Why does she call her Hot Dog? Simply because she can’t remember her name… well, and she was haunting a hot dog stand outside of MOMA in NYC before being pulled all the way to Florida. And at first, Logan is disappointed. She wanted her friend back, but she has to learn to live with her new roommate.
Hot Dog knows nothing of who she was before. She just wants to be wanted. Logan wants her dead friend Avery. The new guy she meets, Damon, (who can see her btw) wants to help send her to the other side. And she wants to be human. But it seems that none of them are getting what they want.
This was a sweet teen romance, but with some serious topics thrown in. Grief can do a lot to a person and I think this covers those emotions really well. Did I see the twist coming? Yes. But I think you’re supposed to know what’s going to happen. It’s how the characters react to said twist and what happens because of it.
I love that this is set in Florida. I know there are a ton of books set here, but sometimes I just want to see my town in a book, okay? 😂 Is that too much to ask?
Thank you to Holiday House for a gifted copy of the book.
A story full of grief and learning to moving on after the loss of someone close to you, A (Dead) Thing Like Me not only brings us a love story between a ghost and human (as well as one between a [sort of] demon and a ghost), but the story was queer. So we got a bit of spooky with a bit of kissy and my season was set.
After the death of her best friend, Logan feels lost. Wanting to feel like she’s connected to her again, she pulls out an Ouija board to talk to her, but instead Hot Dog appears. Why does she call her Hot Dog? Simply because she can’t remember her name… well, and she was haunting a hot dog stand outside of MOMA in NYC before being pulled all the way to Florida. And at first, Logan is disappointed. She wanted her friend back, but she has to learn to live with her new roommate.
Hot Dog knows nothing of who she was before. She just wants to be wanted. Logan wants her dead friend Avery. The new guy she meets, Damon, (who can see her btw) wants to help send her to the other side. And she wants to be human. But it seems that none of them are getting what they want.
This was a sweet teen romance, but with some serious topics thrown in. Grief can do a lot to a person and I think this covers those emotions really well. Did I see the twist coming? Yes. But I think you’re supposed to know what’s going to happen. It’s how the characters react to said twist and what happens because of it.
I love that this is set in Florida. I know there are a ton of books set here, but sometimes I just want to see my town in a book, okay? 😂 Is that too much to ask?
Thank you to Holiday House for a gifted copy of the book.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
⭐️4.75⭐️
𝐿𝑜𝑔𝑎𝑛: 𝐷𝑎𝑚𝑛 𝑟𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑤𝑒’𝑟𝑒 𝑓𝑟𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑑𝑠. 𝐵𝑢𝑡... 𝑤ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑑𝑖𝑑 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑑𝑜? 𝐵𝑒𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑒 𝑚𝑒?
𝑀𝑒: 𝐻𝑂𝑇 𝐷𝑂𝐺𝑆
𝐿𝑜𝑔𝑎𝑛: 𝑊ℎ𝑦?
𝑀𝑒: 𝑇𝐴𝑆𝑇𝑌
𝐿𝑜𝑔𝑎𝑛: 𝐷𝑜 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑘 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑐ℎ𝑜𝑘𝑒𝑑 𝑜𝑛 𝑎 ℎ𝑜𝑡 𝑑𝑜𝑔?
𝑀𝑒: 𝑁𝑂
𝐿𝑜𝑔𝑎𝑛: 𝐷𝑜 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑘 𝑠𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑏𝑜𝑑𝑦 𝑝𝑜𝑖𝑠𝑜𝑛𝑒𝑑 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑎 ℎ𝑜𝑡 𝑑𝑜𝑔?
𝑀𝑒: 𝑁𝑂
𝐿𝑜𝑔𝑎𝑛: 𝐼𝑡'𝑠 𝑤𝑒𝑖𝑟𝑑 𝑡𝑜 𝑏𝑒 𝑠𝑜 𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑜 ℎ𝑜𝑡 𝑑𝑜𝑔𝑠.
𝑀𝑒: 𝑇𝐴𝑆𝑇𝑌
Every now and again I come across a book that feels like it was made for me. This is one of those books 🤣
The premise of this book is so wild and hilarious. We have a teenaged ghost (named Hot Dog) who haunts a hot dog stand until she gets accidentally summoned to a house party by a Quija board.
I devoured this book in two sittings. Not only is it hilariously weird, it’s also incredibly beautiful. This book is a blend of Magical realism and cozy horror, and while it’s YA, I found the themes of the book relatable even as an adult. There were several moments I found myself tearing up because of the longing Hot Dog felt. She so desperately wanted to be human again, and it broke my heart watching her try over and over again to do so.
Also, I have to add, Horse (a snake) is seriously my new favorite animal companion. Also - I will never look at crabs the same way again. Overall, I loved this book. It had an odd moment near the end that threw off the vibe a bit for me, but outside of that, I loved everything about this book and recommend it to anyone looking for a cozy, albeit incredibly strange, spooky book!
I can’t thank Holiday House enough for sending me a finished copy of this gem. I’ll be screaming about this book forever, especially anytime I am eating a hot dog!
𝐿𝑜𝑔𝑎𝑛: 𝐷𝑎𝑚𝑛 𝑟𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑤𝑒’𝑟𝑒 𝑓𝑟𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑑𝑠. 𝐵𝑢𝑡... 𝑤ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑑𝑖𝑑 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑑𝑜? 𝐵𝑒𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑒 𝑚𝑒?
𝑀𝑒: 𝐻𝑂𝑇 𝐷𝑂𝐺𝑆
𝐿𝑜𝑔𝑎𝑛: 𝑊ℎ𝑦?
𝑀𝑒: 𝑇𝐴𝑆𝑇𝑌
𝐿𝑜𝑔𝑎𝑛: 𝐷𝑜 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑘 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑐ℎ𝑜𝑘𝑒𝑑 𝑜𝑛 𝑎 ℎ𝑜𝑡 𝑑𝑜𝑔?
𝑀𝑒: 𝑁𝑂
𝐿𝑜𝑔𝑎𝑛: 𝐷𝑜 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑘 𝑠𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑏𝑜𝑑𝑦 𝑝𝑜𝑖𝑠𝑜𝑛𝑒𝑑 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑎 ℎ𝑜𝑡 𝑑𝑜𝑔?
𝑀𝑒: 𝑁𝑂
𝐿𝑜𝑔𝑎𝑛: 𝐼𝑡'𝑠 𝑤𝑒𝑖𝑟𝑑 𝑡𝑜 𝑏𝑒 𝑠𝑜 𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑜 ℎ𝑜𝑡 𝑑𝑜𝑔𝑠.
𝑀𝑒: 𝑇𝐴𝑆𝑇𝑌
Every now and again I come across a book that feels like it was made for me. This is one of those books 🤣
The premise of this book is so wild and hilarious. We have a teenaged ghost (named Hot Dog) who haunts a hot dog stand until she gets accidentally summoned to a house party by a Quija board.
I devoured this book in two sittings. Not only is it hilariously weird, it’s also incredibly beautiful. This book is a blend of Magical realism and cozy horror, and while it’s YA, I found the themes of the book relatable even as an adult. There were several moments I found myself tearing up because of the longing Hot Dog felt. She so desperately wanted to be human again, and it broke my heart watching her try over and over again to do so.
Also, I have to add, Horse (a snake) is seriously my new favorite animal companion. Also - I will never look at crabs the same way again. Overall, I loved this book. It had an odd moment near the end that threw off the vibe a bit for me, but outside of that, I loved everything about this book and recommend it to anyone looking for a cozy, albeit incredibly strange, spooky book!
I can’t thank Holiday House enough for sending me a finished copy of this gem. I’ll be screaming about this book forever, especially anytime I am eating a hot dog!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Superbly striking and original voice. Made me cry real, human tears. Surreal and spooky while hitting deeply relatable feels.
My scream crab thinks you should read this book.
It hooked me in from the start with one of the most striking and original voices I've read in a long time. Swinging between pared back, script-like dialogue and lyrical, dreamlike prose, it breaks the rules on how a story should be told, in the best possible way.
Hotdog (the ghost-like MC) straddles our world, a place between life and death, and memories. It is surreal and spooky but because we are always seeing it through Hotdog's perspective, the strangeness makes absolute sense as you are taken along for the stream-of-consciousness ride. From bottled memories to skittering crabs, I loved every element of the worldbuilding, which layered both elements of the in-between-life experience and Hotdog's identity, using each piece to maximum effect.
Like all great "monster" fiction, it's about the mirror it holds up to ourselves, and Hotdog's desires are so deeply human and relatable that they constantly hurt - to be seen and wanted, to be valued for who she is, to be safe.
I loved every character (Horse! Damon!), and as their hopes are at odds, I was constantly pulled back and forth between what I wanted the reveal and the ending to be. It kept me guessing all the way through and some of the reveals and escalations made me make out loud noises. The ending was well chosen and well executed, and made me cry real human tears.
My scream crab thinks you should read this book.
It hooked me in from the start with one of the most striking and original voices I've read in a long time. Swinging between pared back, script-like dialogue and lyrical, dreamlike prose, it breaks the rules on how a story should be told, in the best possible way.
Hotdog (the ghost-like MC) straddles our world, a place between life and death, and memories. It is surreal and spooky but because we are always seeing it through Hotdog's perspective, the strangeness makes absolute sense as you are taken along for the stream-of-consciousness ride. From bottled memories to skittering crabs, I loved every element of the worldbuilding, which layered both elements of the in-between-life experience and Hotdog's identity, using each piece to maximum effect.
Like all great "monster" fiction, it's about the mirror it holds up to ourselves, and Hotdog's desires are so deeply human and relatable that they constantly hurt - to be seen and wanted, to be valued for who she is, to be safe.
I loved every character (Horse! Damon!), and as their hopes are at odds, I was constantly pulled back and forth between what I wanted the reveal and the ending to be. It kept me guessing all the way through and some of the reveals and escalations made me make out loud noises. The ending was well chosen and well executed, and made me cry real human tears.
August 27, 2026
This is about a ghost with 14 stitches across the mouth, void black eyes, and a sentient, whispering, sopping wet dress. Her name is Hot Dog.
She’s not dead; she’s a Real Girl™. She gets summoned via ouija board to a teenage slumber party, develops a crush on the girl who summoned her, develops a crush on the demon named Damon wearing a boy suit trying to take her to the afterlife, and befriends some crabs (named Crab Friend) and a snake (named Horse) who try to help her escape the ghost eater (a lone, malicious finger) that wants to devour her soul while she tries to remember who she was before her death.
I love her.
This book is unapologetically weird. I’ve never read anything like it, and that’s my absolute favorite quality in a book. It has so many of my other favorite tropes as well. A naively optimistic not-quite-human character who sees the world in a fun, fresh, foreign way. A Weird Little Sidekick Guy, in this case a demonic snake who loves margaritas and wants to be a horse because all horses are psychic (duh.) A gay girl so touch-starved you can’t tell if she really wants to be friends or if she Really Wants To Be Friends.
I found this so funny and so memorable and so unique. I love when a book isn’t afraid to go to the weirdest places it can think of. For a story all about being yourself and not what everyone else expects you to be, that strange, singular sense of humor fits perfectly.
A highlight of the year for me. Not exactly perfect, but easily 5 stars worth of fun. A very impressive debut. Looking forward to what this author writes next.
She’s not dead; she’s a Real Girl™. She gets summoned via ouija board to a teenage slumber party, develops a crush on the girl who summoned her, develops a crush on the demon named Damon wearing a boy suit trying to take her to the afterlife, and befriends some crabs (named Crab Friend) and a snake (named Horse) who try to help her escape the ghost eater (a lone, malicious finger) that wants to devour her soul while she tries to remember who she was before her death.
I love her.
This book is unapologetically weird. I’ve never read anything like it, and that’s my absolute favorite quality in a book. It has so many of my other favorite tropes as well. A naively optimistic not-quite-human character who sees the world in a fun, fresh, foreign way. A Weird Little Sidekick Guy, in this case a demonic snake who loves margaritas and wants to be a horse because all horses are psychic (duh.) A gay girl so touch-starved you can’t tell if she really wants to be friends or if she Really Wants To Be Friends.
I found this so funny and so memorable and so unique. I love when a book isn’t afraid to go to the weirdest places it can think of. For a story all about being yourself and not what everyone else expects you to be, that strange, singular sense of humor fits perfectly.
A highlight of the year for me. Not exactly perfect, but easily 5 stars worth of fun. A very impressive debut. Looking forward to what this author writes next.
August 18, 2026
A striking debut!! **spoiler free review
A coming of age from beyond the grave! 👻🪦🌭
Heartwarming, delightfully weird, and hilariously honest. A (Dead) Thing Like Me is the perfect balance of comedy, confrontation of grief, and friendship. Perfectly spooky, eccentric, and absolutely beautiful. I wish I had the chance to read this when I was a teenager. This was one of those reads that reminded me why I fell in love with reading when I was younger. I think A(D)TLM is one of those stories that carves a piece of itself into your heart for many years to come.
The perk of having a narrator and MC that is dead is that this book was so viscerally raw that it practically held a mirror up to my face and made me question things about myself, about life, about what mattered. A stunning representation of the things that shape us, being unapologetically (not) human, and happy in whatever form we take.
With such lyrical prose, a distinct voice, and rich characters, this is a read for all ages. It sits perfectly in the YA genre, but the takeaway from this can be appreciated no matter your life experiences.
Sometimes you think it was all about wanting a hot dog, but it was truly about the friends you made along the way.
Thank you to Holiday House and the author for my ARC. This was a true pleasure to read.
A coming of age from beyond the grave! 👻🪦🌭
Heartwarming, delightfully weird, and hilariously honest. A (Dead) Thing Like Me is the perfect balance of comedy, confrontation of grief, and friendship. Perfectly spooky, eccentric, and absolutely beautiful. I wish I had the chance to read this when I was a teenager. This was one of those reads that reminded me why I fell in love with reading when I was younger. I think A(D)TLM is one of those stories that carves a piece of itself into your heart for many years to come.
The perk of having a narrator and MC that is dead is that this book was so viscerally raw that it practically held a mirror up to my face and made me question things about myself, about life, about what mattered. A stunning representation of the things that shape us, being unapologetically (not) human, and happy in whatever form we take.
With such lyrical prose, a distinct voice, and rich characters, this is a read for all ages. It sits perfectly in the YA genre, but the takeaway from this can be appreciated no matter your life experiences.
Sometimes you think it was all about wanting a hot dog, but it was truly about the friends you made along the way.
Thank you to Holiday House and the author for my ARC. This was a true pleasure to read.
September 12, 2026
A (Dead) Thing Like Me is the story of a girl named Hot Dog who is not dead dead, but she's not... alive either. We meet her at a hot dog cart in NYC where no one can see her and then all of a sudden she's with Logan in Florida after being summoned by Ouija board and she's visible.
Now that she can be seen, she's able to make friends, but something sinister in the house knows she's not a living girl and wants to bring her to where she "belongs" and will stop at almost nothing to do so.
Hot Dog doesn't know who she is. One friend thinks she's someone with whom he had a lovely past. Another thinks she's someone else and is hiding a secret about how that friend died. Hot Dog doesn't think she's either, but must confront her death in order to move on.
I knew going into this book that it was YA, but what I didn't know is that it would be cute, funny, unnerving, heart breaking, and deep. There were parts that felt forced and parts I saw coming. The writing flows and I found myself really feeling for our MC. It was definitely a roller coaster of emotions that wraps up nicely at the end which is exact what my little soul needed.
Now that she can be seen, she's able to make friends, but something sinister in the house knows she's not a living girl and wants to bring her to where she "belongs" and will stop at almost nothing to do so.
Hot Dog doesn't know who she is. One friend thinks she's someone with whom he had a lovely past. Another thinks she's someone else and is hiding a secret about how that friend died. Hot Dog doesn't think she's either, but must confront her death in order to move on.
I knew going into this book that it was YA, but what I didn't know is that it would be cute, funny, unnerving, heart breaking, and deep. There were parts that felt forced and parts I saw coming. The writing flows and I found myself really feeling for our MC. It was definitely a roller coaster of emotions that wraps up nicely at the end which is exact what my little soul needed.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I was so happy to recieve an Advanced Reader Copy of "A Dead Thing Like Me".
Hot Dog is such an interesting character, all she wants is to be seen, be a real human girl and she really loves Hot Dogs with Banana Peppers. She has a chattering dress that's full of bottles, which I really loved as someone who has collected bottles in the past and they all had different moments and meanings, so it was interesting to see how these bottles could change the scene.
She quickly becomes friends with Logan, who is the first one to really see her. The mystery of who Hot Dog was before she became a ghost adds suspense. I read this book fairly quick as it kept my interest.
I really enjoyed the storyline with Damon and Horse and I would have like more interaction with Maggie as she seemed like a comforting character in the midst of everything going on.
It's a Coming-of-age story from beyond the grave that is a fun and ghostly mystery.
Looking forward to more stories from E.G. Young!
Hot Dog is such an interesting character, all she wants is to be seen, be a real human girl and she really loves Hot Dogs with Banana Peppers. She has a chattering dress that's full of bottles, which I really loved as someone who has collected bottles in the past and they all had different moments and meanings, so it was interesting to see how these bottles could change the scene.
She quickly becomes friends with Logan, who is the first one to really see her. The mystery of who Hot Dog was before she became a ghost adds suspense. I read this book fairly quick as it kept my interest.
I really enjoyed the storyline with Damon and Horse and I would have like more interaction with Maggie as she seemed like a comforting character in the midst of everything going on.
It's a Coming-of-age story from beyond the grave that is a fun and ghostly mystery.
Looking forward to more stories from E.G. Young!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
What a fascinating, unique book! I've never met a narrator like Hot Dog, and she was truly a breath of fresh air. Funny, tragic, spooky, and a great friend--she really had it all. She begins the story as a ghost (NOT a dead girl, she would be quick to tell you) desperately longing for a hot dog with banana peppers. From her usual existence in New York City, she's suddenly summoned to an artist's house in Florida by Logan, a girl dealing with intense loss. Hot Dog is not the answer Logan was seeking, but Logan just might be Hot Dog's way to prove she's a real living girl--if the dreaded demon Damon or the terrifying Needle Finger don't get her first. A story unlike anything else I've read, with laugh out loud lines peppered between depictions of wrenching change and loss. I'll be looking forward to the next thing this author puts out!
August 27, 2026
Thank you so much Penguin Teen books for the gifted ARC for an honest review.
This was such a unique read, I've never read something like that before.
It was weird, unexpected and kind of fun.
I was really invested in Hot Dog's story and how she believes that she isn't dead, even if she clearly is.
It's a funny read but also so creepy at the same time. I couldn't stop imagining Hot Dog on my ceiling looking at me with her wet hair.
It was so unique that I had a hard time following the events and understanding the way Hot Dog think.
Honestly, you should read it just to live this for yourself.
Read this if you love :
✨ YA Paranormal;
✨ She's a ghost ;
✨ Mysteries ;
✨ Grief ;
✨ Love Triangle;
✨ Sapphic Romance.
This was such a unique read, I've never read something like that before.
It was weird, unexpected and kind of fun.
I was really invested in Hot Dog's story and how she believes that she isn't dead, even if she clearly is.
It's a funny read but also so creepy at the same time. I couldn't stop imagining Hot Dog on my ceiling looking at me with her wet hair.
It was so unique that I had a hard time following the events and understanding the way Hot Dog think.
Honestly, you should read it just to live this for yourself.
Read this if you love :
✨ YA Paranormal;
✨ She's a ghost ;
✨ Mysteries ;
✨ Grief ;
✨ Love Triangle;
✨ Sapphic Romance.
September 9, 2026
4.5 ✨
OKAYYYY, I did NOT expect to have this much fun with a YA paranormal/horror book. 😂👻
There was just something about this one that pulled me in. The whole paranormal premise was so fun, and I loved watching the story unfold as things got increasingly creepy, strange, and… well, dead. 😂
Also, I’ll never look at crabs 🦀 or hot dogs 🌭 the same…EVER AGAIN 😂🤪
Cute? ✔️
Creepy? ✔️
Paranormal chaos? ✔️
Kept me turning pages? ABSOLUTELY. ✔️
If you want a YA paranormal/horror read that’s spooky, entertaining, and just the right amount of weird, add this one to your TBR. 👻📚 especially with spooky season right around the corner!
Thanks NetGalley for my copy of this book. All opinions are my own!
OKAYYYY, I did NOT expect to have this much fun with a YA paranormal/horror book. 😂👻
There was just something about this one that pulled me in. The whole paranormal premise was so fun, and I loved watching the story unfold as things got increasingly creepy, strange, and… well, dead. 😂
Also, I’ll never look at crabs 🦀 or hot dogs 🌭 the same…EVER AGAIN 😂🤪
Cute? ✔️
Creepy? ✔️
Paranormal chaos? ✔️
Kept me turning pages? ABSOLUTELY. ✔️
If you want a YA paranormal/horror read that’s spooky, entertaining, and just the right amount of weird, add this one to your TBR. 👻📚 especially with spooky season right around the corner!
Thanks NetGalley for my copy of this book. All opinions are my own!
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