As with the rest of this series, I was really interested and enjoyed it, but I am not left feeling obsessed or particularly "wow"ed. Still very fond of it. Will keep it. Will even order special editions of it.

I enjoyed my time with this one, though it isn't a new fave. Definitely will pass it on to the bestie who may like it better than I did. I think I might have done better with a different MC since I found the one we had to be a bit tiresome. Good bones to the story. Good execution overall, just not my MC.

Super cute collection of comics about a werewolf and vampire couple. Seasonal vibes for sure.

I might be a sucker for the vigilante serial killer trope, but I am also apparently endlessly impressed by L Eveland. The characters make the stories fresh even though they neatly comply with genre conventions. Absolutely going to keep reading in the series.

I reviewed each story separately, but this collection was a little odd for me in that there were no big highlights. I can normally pick at least one story in a collection that I really like, but this one fell a tad flat for me. I suspect this author may not work as well for me in general, though I don't think there was anything wrong aside from a mismatch of style/taste.

I received an electronic ARC from the publisher through NetGalley.

Actual rating: 3.5

Nicole Lesperance returns with a witchy YA thriller in A Spell to Wake the Dead. Readers follow best friends Mazzy and Nora as they engage in their witchcraft practice. Their practice has always seemed relatively mild and harmless to Mazzy until the day they find a body washed up on the beach. Mazzy, of course, alerts the authorities, but Nora begins to experience strange things. When Nora calls and has found another body, it becomes apparent that Mazzy and Nora are in way over their heads. With a dark cult watching their every move, Mazzy and Nora have to fight for justice for the slain women and to make it out with their lives.

In the interests of full disclosure, I waited to review this one until I had an audiobook from my local library.

Lesperance managed to have a novel that is undeniably thriller first and foremost while still incorporating the magical throughout. On top of that, the tension is well-sustained, and the more violent components remain appropriate for the mid to upper YA age demographic. I particularly enjoyed the ways Lesperance included various aspects of magical tradition and practice without things leaning too heavily into cheesy.

While not challenging genre conventions, Lesperance absolutely has a well-executed novel in A Spell to Wake the Dead. I will happily recommend this to the target age demographic or to adults who enjoy YA thrillers.