The Ghost of Us: A swoony sapphic YA romance

Haunted by her own cyberbullying incident years ago, aspiring ghosthunter Cara is determined to throw off her social outcast status by proving ghosts exist via her YouTube channel, Caranormal Activity.  Stumbling across the spirit of Aiden, a popular student who lost his life a year ago, she strikes up a deal.  If he helps her prove there is life after death, she will date his grieving sister, Meredith, out of her depression. 

As Cara wins the standoffish Meredith over, with the help of Aiden's voice in her ear, she finds herself falling for her. As Meredith becomes happier, Aiden's ghost begins to fade and Cara must choose what - or who - matters most.

Billed as 'a sapphic, swoony, YA romance' with ghost hunting, fake dating and a high school prom, this unique and inventive story delivers so much more. Brilliantly plotted and beautifully written with credible characters, realistic relationship building, pitch perfect dialogue and a supernatural twist, this is an important exploration of grief and death which manages to be darkly funny with it.

Important themes of cyberbullying, religion and mental health are tackled without ever feeling forced, the heartwarming moments feel genuine because we come to care so much about the characters and there is a real sense of time running out as the ghosts begin to fade.

Few writers could make a story about coping with loss and grief laugh-out loud funny but Sutter manages it seemingly effortlessly while leaving the reader with lots to think about, believing that there is always a way out and that love and friendship matter.

I absolutely adored this book. A must-buy for the school library, promote it widely if you can.

Content of note:  Strong language throughout and use of a ouija board may make this book problematic in some school settings

368 pages / Reviewed by Eileen Armstrong, school librarian

Suggested Reading Age 14+