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This Is Not a Ghost Story
Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Amerie’s dazzling, satirical adult debut tells the story of a Black man who walks into the light…to find himself in Los Angeles, where he becomes an instant celebrity for being the first visible and verifiable ghost.
John’s House provides all he needs. Surrounded by a vast, beautiful ocean under a void of sky, the House is John’s haven. He is alone, but never lonely; he is here now, but neither remembers nor longs for a before. In his House, John is safe and untroubled.
But then a terrible shadow creature breaks in—and it wants him out. Pushed from the House, John falls into the light…
And finds himself in modern-day Los Angeles, the first person to ever come back from the other side. Though he has no memory of his past life, or even how he died, everyone wants to know more about the Black man who has returned from the dead—is he the second coming? A hoax? Or something beyond explanation? Soon he has brand deals, TV interviews, and politicians aiming to use him for their agendas, yet all John wants is to go home.
But going home will require, most unfortunately, help. In search of a way back, John grudgingly joins forces with a mystic holding dubious qualifications, a hard-edged publicist bent on making him famous, and an aspiring actress who is unsettlingly familiar. With this ragtag band of allies, John begins a journey to find his House on the ocean—but getting there will prove more complicated than he imagined, for it will require not only trusting in someone other than himself, but will mean uncovering painful truths about who John was in life and, perhaps most difficult, who he must become.
A gorgeous, tender story of hope, sacrifice, and what it means to be human, This Is Not a Ghost Story introduces an astonishing new voice in literary fiction.
John’s House provides all he needs. Surrounded by a vast, beautiful ocean under a void of sky, the House is John’s haven. He is alone, but never lonely; he is here now, but neither remembers nor longs for a before. In his House, John is safe and untroubled.
But then a terrible shadow creature breaks in—and it wants him out. Pushed from the House, John falls into the light…
And finds himself in modern-day Los Angeles, the first person to ever come back from the other side. Though he has no memory of his past life, or even how he died, everyone wants to know more about the Black man who has returned from the dead—is he the second coming? A hoax? Or something beyond explanation? Soon he has brand deals, TV interviews, and politicians aiming to use him for their agendas, yet all John wants is to go home.
But going home will require, most unfortunately, help. In search of a way back, John grudgingly joins forces with a mystic holding dubious qualifications, a hard-edged publicist bent on making him famous, and an aspiring actress who is unsettlingly familiar. With this ragtag band of allies, John begins a journey to find his House on the ocean—but getting there will prove more complicated than he imagined, for it will require not only trusting in someone other than himself, but will mean uncovering painful truths about who John was in life and, perhaps most difficult, who he must become.
A gorgeous, tender story of hope, sacrifice, and what it means to be human, This Is Not a Ghost Story introduces an astonishing new voice in literary fiction.
304 pages, Hardcover
Published June 10, 2025
52 people are currently reading
10875 people want to read
About the author
Amerie
8 books4,312 followersAmerie is a Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter, producer, and writer. The daughter of a Korean artist and an African-American military officer, Amerie was born in Massachusetts and raised all over the world, and she graduated from Georgetown University with a bachelor’s in English. She is the editor of New York Times bestseller Because You Love to Hate Me, and is the founder of Amerie’s Book Club, a book club that highlights diverse and unique perspectives and voices. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and son.
Watch Amerie's Book Club videos here.
Watch Amerie's Book Club videos here.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 91 reviews
October 6, 2025
i canNOT believe miss 1 thing came back into my life as a book girlie and i found out she's a booktuber?!?! she doesn't update a lot nowadays but she's debuting as a writer!! queeeeen!!! 👑 i'M SO STOKED!!!
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oh. i'm...very sad.
this is not a ghost story had a lot of good ingredients that should have made this book a success for me but there were imbalances in every aspect of the writing except technical skill. amerie is a great writer with a strong voice and i'll be on the lookout for her future works but this book was all over the place. i was compelled by the ghost story, interesting story tidbits (like the da vinci thing was so compelling to me), and the commentary but they constantly got lost in a messy haze full of meandering characters, out-of-place "plot" points, and almost stream of consciousness babbling. i want her to do better and i hope she can tighten things up in her next project with a really good team, beta readers, and editors.
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oh. i'm...very sad.
this is not a ghost story had a lot of good ingredients that should have made this book a success for me but there were imbalances in every aspect of the writing except technical skill. amerie is a great writer with a strong voice and i'll be on the lookout for her future works but this book was all over the place. i was compelled by the ghost story, interesting story tidbits (like the da vinci thing was so compelling to me), and the commentary but they constantly got lost in a messy haze full of meandering characters, out-of-place "plot" points, and almost stream of consciousness babbling. i want her to do better and i hope she can tighten things up in her next project with a really good team, beta readers, and editors.
June 17, 2025
This is Not a Ghost Story is a book that had a lot of potential based on the synopsis. Knowing from the title that it is not a ghost story I didn't expect a sci-fi, horror, and fantasy. I knew it would be a more literary story. I was interested in reading about how this man who had come back to life and was being thrust into instant stardom would navigate the world. Instead the book took a detour from his story to instead focus on a woman hired to be his pretend girlfriend and her issues dealing with her race and featurism. Though the writing style is straight forward at the same time it was choppy and murky with the shorter chapter formatting.
July 5, 2025
Now this is some false ass advertising. This is absoLUTEly a ghost story. It’s literally about a GHOST.
May 6, 2025
2.5 stars rounded up.
I would say that if you borrow the book from the library (or win it in a Goodreads giveaway, as I did), it's a half decent read. But honestly, I feel like Pixar's "Soul" explored many of the same themes (race, what it means to be alive, what there is or is not after we die, etc), and did it much more concisely and enjoyably.
Now don't get me wrong.The author did pull off one jaw-dropping reveal, which is usually what I crave from a book, so it certainly wasn't all bad. Amerie writes well stylistically. The characters were well developed and artistically (dare I say lyrically 😉) described. But something just doesn't work. She tries so hard to write something new and deep and profound, but ends up collapsing into a clichéd, floundering fever dream.
Not sure if the author will read any of these reviews, but my suggestion to her would be to perhaps consider a poetry anthology if she wants to continue her literary career.
I would say that if you borrow the book from the library (or win it in a Goodreads giveaway, as I did), it's a half decent read. But honestly, I feel like Pixar's "Soul" explored many of the same themes (race, what it means to be alive, what there is or is not after we die, etc), and did it much more concisely and enjoyably.
Now don't get me wrong.The author did pull off one jaw-dropping reveal, which is usually what I crave from a book, so it certainly wasn't all bad. Amerie writes well stylistically. The characters were well developed and artistically (dare I say lyrically 😉) described. But something just doesn't work. She tries so hard to write something new and deep and profound, but ends up collapsing into a clichéd, floundering fever dream.
Not sure if the author will read any of these reviews, but my suggestion to her would be to perhaps consider a poetry anthology if she wants to continue her literary career.
June 16, 2025
This is more lit fic than I was expecting, so it wasn't really my favorite read.
I won't lie, I wasn't sure what the takeaway message was supposed to be. With lit fic, I figure there's usually an underlying message to the story. But in this case, the message was very muddled that I couldn't quite figure it out.
At first, I thought this novel was a satirical commentary on how instant fame and influencer status via socials won't necessarily equate to wealth offline. There might also be commentary on how being an influencer involves living an inauthentic life for the public vs. being true to yourself in private, and how that line gets blurred pretty quickly and easily to the point where people will get hurt if you're not being honest to yourself and those around you.
Or maybe this was just a story about a ghost man and his friends and I was looking too much into it.
I don't know. Two stars because the writing style was straightforward and easy to read. Other than that, this was just okay.
Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for this arc.
I won't lie, I wasn't sure what the takeaway message was supposed to be. With lit fic, I figure there's usually an underlying message to the story. But in this case, the message was very muddled that I couldn't quite figure it out.
At first, I thought this novel was a satirical commentary on how instant fame and influencer status via socials won't necessarily equate to wealth offline. There might also be commentary on how being an influencer involves living an inauthentic life for the public vs. being true to yourself in private, and how that line gets blurred pretty quickly and easily to the point where people will get hurt if you're not being honest to yourself and those around you.
Or maybe this was just a story about a ghost man and his friends and I was looking too much into it.
I don't know. Two stars because the writing style was straightforward and easy to read. Other than that, this was just okay.
Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for this arc.
dnf
July 15, 2025Not going to finish this. Wayyyyyy too boring 😭
April 16, 2025
Thank you to Harper Collins for an advanced reader proof. This was definitely an unique story. The title does say it all - this is not a ghost story, in the traditional sense. The main character, John, is a ghost. However, everyone knows this. He is part of society, interacting with others. He develops friendships; people who want to help him with his goal of getting back to his safe place. He has an agent who monetizes his “existence.”
It’s an existential story and I found it challenging. I’m glad I finished it (I wasn’t sure I was going to, at first), but it requires some patience to sort through.
It’s an existential story and I found it challenging. I’m glad I finished it (I wasn’t sure I was going to, at first), but it requires some patience to sort through.
June 25, 2025
2.75
I wanted to love this because of the unique premise, but everything about it fell flat for me. I did not care for any of the characters, and the commentary was so all over the place I'm still not sure what it was trying to say. The audiobook performance was really good though, and I can't help but feel this would have been a better movie, TV Show, or animated film.
I wanted to love this because of the unique premise, but everything about it fell flat for me. I did not care for any of the characters, and the commentary was so all over the place I'm still not sure what it was trying to say. The audiobook performance was really good though, and I can't help but feel this would have been a better movie, TV Show, or animated film.
January 26, 2025
I am so proud of her. Really have never anticipated a fiction book like this before. 100/10 synopsis.
August 13, 2025
Thank you to William Marrow for this eARC!
I'm not sure how I feel about this story. On one end I was extremely invested in knowing what would happen next, but at times I felt confused as to where the story was going. I will say, it did wrap up and I *think* I understand the message and the overall point. This book felt like the epitome of the butterfly effect. Our actions, no matter how big or small, can lead to possible consequences for somebody. I feel like at times the story telling felt kind of awkward and discombobulated. The story was straightforward when it was, but with the journey of John being a ghost this is probably where the confusion came in. And I guess that makes sense because he was literally this mysterious and elusive man who really didn't know what was going on his damn self. But I think structurally figuring out what a present thought was versus the memories, whether they were his or someone else's, threw me off at times.
I enjoyed the friendship and the development of John's "humanity" as he became close to Ruben and Persephone. He was so stoic and selfish half the time but overtime you can tell he cared about them greatly. I will say that I kind of wish this story was told in the majority of John's POV. It technically was and I understand the purpose of Persephone's POV, but I didn't find her interesting on her own, if I'm being honest.
I'm not sure how I feel about this story. On one end I was extremely invested in knowing what would happen next, but at times I felt confused as to where the story was going. I will say, it did wrap up and I *think* I understand the message and the overall point. This book felt like the epitome of the butterfly effect. Our actions, no matter how big or small, can lead to possible consequences for somebody. I feel like at times the story telling felt kind of awkward and discombobulated. The story was straightforward when it was, but with the journey of John being a ghost this is probably where the confusion came in. And I guess that makes sense because he was literally this mysterious and elusive man who really didn't know what was going on his damn self. But I think structurally figuring out what a present thought was versus the memories, whether they were his or someone else's, threw me off at times.
I enjoyed the friendship and the development of John's "humanity" as he became close to Ruben and Persephone. He was so stoic and selfish half the time but overtime you can tell he cared about them greatly. I will say that I kind of wish this story was told in the majority of John's POV. It technically was and I understand the purpose of Persephone's POV, but I didn't find her interesting on her own, if I'm being honest.
July 1, 2025
This Is Not a Ghost Story by Amerie (book cover is in image) for me was a marketing betrayal. There is no doubt that Amerie is a talented writer, but this was marketed as a Satirical Fantasy novel. This book certainly as not that, I would classify it as magical realism.
Like in the book The Strange Case of Jane O by Karen Thompson Walker or The Names by Florence Knapp, it fell like this book was struggling to find its genre/identity and in the end was left wholly unsatisfied because it could not choose one. In addition, its ambiguous ending fell like a thud.
I had the opportunity to read the ARC and listen to the ALC at the same time, and I found it easy to switch between the two. The narration by Leon Nixon, January LaVoy, and Robin Miles was expertly done and is what kept me engaged throughout the book.
Thank you, Harper Audio Adult, WIlliam Morrow, and NetGalley, for the opportunity to listen to this ALC and read this ARC. All opinions are my own.
Rating: 3 Stars
Pub Date: Jun 10 2025
#HarperAudioAdult
#WilliamMorrow
#ThisIsNotaGhostStory
#Amerie
#LeonNixon
#JanuaryLavoy
#RobinMiles
#Fanatsy
#MagicalRealism
#Paranormal
#YarisBookNook
#NetGalley
Like in the book The Strange Case of Jane O by Karen Thompson Walker or The Names by Florence Knapp, it fell like this book was struggling to find its genre/identity and in the end was left wholly unsatisfied because it could not choose one. In addition, its ambiguous ending fell like a thud.
I had the opportunity to read the ARC and listen to the ALC at the same time, and I found it easy to switch between the two. The narration by Leon Nixon, January LaVoy, and Robin Miles was expertly done and is what kept me engaged throughout the book.
Thank you, Harper Audio Adult, WIlliam Morrow, and NetGalley, for the opportunity to listen to this ALC and read this ARC. All opinions are my own.
Rating: 3 Stars
Pub Date: Jun 10 2025
#HarperAudioAdult
#WilliamMorrow
#ThisIsNotaGhostStory
#Amerie
#LeonNixon
#JanuaryLavoy
#RobinMiles
#Fanatsy
#MagicalRealism
#Paranormal
#YarisBookNook
#NetGalley
April 12, 2025
The title tells you the story will be about a ghost, but not a traditional, scary haunting story. Perfect title!
I feel very lucky to have received an uncorrected proof copy of this book before it is for sale in June. I look forward to sharing it with others in my Little Free Library.
Our protagonist ghost, John, is somehow evicted from his Grey House surrounded by ocean and lands amongst the living. All he wants is to get back to his peaceful existence in that Grey House. He has no clue about his past life on Earth, but gets help from people, including a Hollywood agent who says he can’t be marketed as “a dead guy and Black and gay. It’ll be too much.” Therefore, an actress-wanna-be plays his girlfriend and the son of a psychic becomes his sidekick. Connections between characters are revealed, including a big one, and I loved getting to know these people.
The only thing I would change is to substitute HEB for Winn-Dixie in the Corpus Christi part of the story. The big grocer in Texas is HEB; Winn-Dixie doesn’t even exist in Corpus Christi.
Philosophical pondering:
— every person matters: “Quiet lives leave ripples in their wake, too, and are just as important as the ones that leave big splashes.”
—on the internet age: “It’s a unique kind of sadness, feeling isolated when you’re supposedly in touch with more people than ever.”
—on being okay with fame: “Being the object of envy and lust is easy. It’s downright frightening, nearly impossible to be the other thing.” “What other thing?” “Yourself.”
—young Ruben’s alter ego U-Man with a mirrored mask: “It’s the ultimate weapon…It forced them to see themselves, like, really clearly. And that meant they treated whoever was wearing the mask like a human being and not scum.” It worked “on even the worst villains. Even the baddies want to be good.” What a positive view of humanity:)
—on judging yourself too harshly for being selfish: “being able to see how you’re affected by somebody else’s problems, to feel for somebody but at the same time think about yourself—it isn’t f’d up. It’s human. It’s life.”
—John thinks: “Why could nothing, why could meaninglessness, not be enough? You’re as foolish as the rest of them. Even now, desperate for significance.” A hope-filled life is always searching for meaning, though:)
—Persephone grapples with feeling responsible for her family: “Life wasn’t like the movies or the ballet, where someone else wrote your lines, choreographed your moves. In life, you wrote them, delivered them; they were yours.” Her brother got in trouble trying to save her, but he was the one who let that become his life story, and that part is not her fault.
I feel very lucky to have received an uncorrected proof copy of this book before it is for sale in June. I look forward to sharing it with others in my Little Free Library.
Our protagonist ghost, John, is somehow evicted from his Grey House surrounded by ocean and lands amongst the living. All he wants is to get back to his peaceful existence in that Grey House. He has no clue about his past life on Earth, but gets help from people, including a Hollywood agent who says he can’t be marketed as “a dead guy and Black and gay. It’ll be too much.” Therefore, an actress-wanna-be plays his girlfriend and the son of a psychic becomes his sidekick. Connections between characters are revealed, including a big one, and I loved getting to know these people.
The only thing I would change is to substitute HEB for Winn-Dixie in the Corpus Christi part of the story. The big grocer in Texas is HEB; Winn-Dixie doesn’t even exist in Corpus Christi.
Philosophical pondering:
— every person matters: “Quiet lives leave ripples in their wake, too, and are just as important as the ones that leave big splashes.”
—on the internet age: “It’s a unique kind of sadness, feeling isolated when you’re supposedly in touch with more people than ever.”
—on being okay with fame: “Being the object of envy and lust is easy. It’s downright frightening, nearly impossible to be the other thing.” “What other thing?” “Yourself.”
—young Ruben’s alter ego U-Man with a mirrored mask: “It’s the ultimate weapon…It forced them to see themselves, like, really clearly. And that meant they treated whoever was wearing the mask like a human being and not scum.” It worked “on even the worst villains. Even the baddies want to be good.” What a positive view of humanity:)
—on judging yourself too harshly for being selfish: “being able to see how you’re affected by somebody else’s problems, to feel for somebody but at the same time think about yourself—it isn’t f’d up. It’s human. It’s life.”
—John thinks: “Why could nothing, why could meaninglessness, not be enough? You’re as foolish as the rest of them. Even now, desperate for significance.” A hope-filled life is always searching for meaning, though:)
—Persephone grapples with feeling responsible for her family: “Life wasn’t like the movies or the ballet, where someone else wrote your lines, choreographed your moves. In life, you wrote them, delivered them; they were yours.” Her brother got in trouble trying to save her, but he was the one who let that become his life story, and that part is not her fault.
June 21, 2025
3 stars. Review to come. Would you believe I predicted the big twist? Not all of it, but some aspects. John and Ruben I would read a whole other novel about on their own. Persephone, though I understood her role in the novel, felt many times awkwardly inserted. I didn't love Hannah. Mabel I wanted to see more of.
July 15, 2025
Characters were a bit flat, I think Persephone was most likable. I think characters should have been more fleshed out.
This was first intriguing but soon just confusing. I think this book tried to be too many things and was lacking coherence.
This was first intriguing but soon just confusing. I think this book tried to be too many things and was lacking coherence.
September 23, 2025
I liked it.
Some say it was slow but who knows how not a ghost story should be paced.
I appreciated the detail and creativity.
I'm glad I read it.
Some say it was slow but who knows how not a ghost story should be paced.
I appreciated the detail and creativity.
I'm glad I read it.
June 9, 2025
The premise for this book was quite appealing. The execution, however, fell a little short.
Somehow, society seems to just accept the arrival of a ghost in Los Angeles. There’s very little dismay or concern. When John signs on with a publicist, he attains instant celebrity status. Everything was just a bit too pat.
My biggest problems with the narrative were the times when John met someone and had a vision of a scene from the person’s past. There are no transitions into those scenes, so I would find myself halfway through the paragraph before I realized who and what I was reading about.
Overall, it’s an enjoyable story with a very good twist towards the end, but reading it takes a bit of effort.
Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Somehow, society seems to just accept the arrival of a ghost in Los Angeles. There’s very little dismay or concern. When John signs on with a publicist, he attains instant celebrity status. Everything was just a bit too pat.
My biggest problems with the narrative were the times when John met someone and had a vision of a scene from the person’s past. There are no transitions into those scenes, so I would find myself halfway through the paragraph before I realized who and what I was reading about.
Overall, it’s an enjoyable story with a very good twist towards the end, but reading it takes a bit of effort.
Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
August 6, 2025
Unfortunately for me, this felt as flat as that Tiny Desk performance.
(Sorry I had to hehehe)
But seriously I really wanted to love this story but it just didn’t work for me. I liked the premise and I thought it would reminded movies, Soul. I did like how it began, John, a visible ghost roaming LA in search of something he’s lost. It really lost me with Persephone’s POV. I didn’t connect with her story at all and felt like her connection to the plot was disjointed. I think there was just way too much going on for me to really feel this.
(Sorry I had to hehehe)
But seriously I really wanted to love this story but it just didn’t work for me. I liked the premise and I thought it would reminded movies, Soul. I did like how it began, John, a visible ghost roaming LA in search of something he’s lost. It really lost me with Persephone’s POV. I didn’t connect with her story at all and felt like her connection to the plot was disjointed. I think there was just way too much going on for me to really feel this.
dnf
June 8, 2025dnf @ 22%
meh
meh
June 24, 2025
*I received this free in a giveaway*
I wanted to like this more than I did. The idea is interesting. A ghost that everyone can see. (Not a spoiler. That literally happens at the very beginning.). It went kinda south when one of the first things he does is get a publicist (Also not a spoiler. Same reason).
There were things I liked and things I didn't. I like the "just trying to get back home" theme. I think everyone will be able to identify with that. I also found some of the prose poetically beautiful (every once in a while).
Things I didn't like: Even given the parameters of the story, things still didn't quite make sense (there would be spoilers so I won't get into specifics). If there is anything supernatural or out of the ordinary, I ask myself "If this were to happen, could it happen this way?" This wasn't quite a yes. Also, I thought the plot was all over the place. There are long tangents that have nothing to do with the main plot. Lastly, there seem to be things that the main characters "just know" without any reasoning behind it. I thought that was a little weird.
I didn't hate it but I didn't love it either. Honestly, I probably would have DNF'ed it if it wasn't a giveaway.
I wanted to like this more than I did. The idea is interesting. A ghost that everyone can see. (Not a spoiler. That literally happens at the very beginning.). It went kinda south when one of the first things he does is get a publicist (Also not a spoiler. Same reason).
There were things I liked and things I didn't. I like the "just trying to get back home" theme. I think everyone will be able to identify with that. I also found some of the prose poetically beautiful (every once in a while).
Things I didn't like: Even given the parameters of the story, things still didn't quite make sense (there would be spoilers so I won't get into specifics). If there is anything supernatural or out of the ordinary, I ask myself "If this were to happen, could it happen this way?" This wasn't quite a yes. Also, I thought the plot was all over the place. There are long tangents that have nothing to do with the main plot. Lastly, there seem to be things that the main characters "just know" without any reasoning behind it. I thought that was a little weird.
I didn't hate it but I didn't love it either. Honestly, I probably would have DNF'ed it if it wasn't a giveaway.
June 11, 2025
This Is Not a Ghost Story. It is a ghost’s story. John is a ghost. He was unceremoniously kicked out of his home by a mysterious force that he calls The Grey Man. All John wants is to return to his house and continue his peaceful “life” there. He befriends a teenage boy, Ruben. Together, they try to achieve John’s dream because even ghosts deserve a happy ending.
Wow! This book is completely different from anything I’ve read before in any genre. John’s ghostly nature isn’t a twist in the plot like in the movies The Sixth Sense or The Others. No, John’s existence is a given from the first chapter. As the narrator, John has a different way of expressing himself, which is shown by the book’s unusual prose style. You, the reader, are never allowed to forget that John is not like us.
This Is Not a Ghost Story is a terrific twist on the old haunted house ghost story tropes. I really enjoyed reading it and was compelled to finish it in one overnight reading session. If you like unique stories, read this book. You won’t be disappointed. 5 stars and a favorite!
Thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for providing me with an advanced review copy.
Wow! This book is completely different from anything I’ve read before in any genre. John’s ghostly nature isn’t a twist in the plot like in the movies The Sixth Sense or The Others. No, John’s existence is a given from the first chapter. As the narrator, John has a different way of expressing himself, which is shown by the book’s unusual prose style. You, the reader, are never allowed to forget that John is not like us.
This Is Not a Ghost Story is a terrific twist on the old haunted house ghost story tropes. I really enjoyed reading it and was compelled to finish it in one overnight reading session. If you like unique stories, read this book. You won’t be disappointed. 5 stars and a favorite!
Thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for providing me with an advanced review copy.
May 4, 2025
*I received an e-ARC from the publishers on NetGalley*
This book was not what I was expecting it to be. I thought the focus was going to be a lot more on John and the world responding to him as a ghost. It started this way and then quickly evolved into more of Persephone’s story. I really liked the friendship between them and Reuben but it felt like the book didn’t really pick a lane and was trying to have 2 different plots. I was also confused when John had flashbacks from other people. It was hard to tell when we were in a flashback and when we came out of it. Maybe that was the point but left me feeling more confused than anything. I also feel we never really got a wrap up of Mabel’s story. It felt like she was just there to move the plot along at the end. I did really enjoy the way the friend’s stories came full circle and the commentary on how race is perceived in America. This book is a solid 3 stars for me because while there were elements I really enjoyed, I feel the plot could have been a bit more succinct.
This book was not what I was expecting it to be. I thought the focus was going to be a lot more on John and the world responding to him as a ghost. It started this way and then quickly evolved into more of Persephone’s story. I really liked the friendship between them and Reuben but it felt like the book didn’t really pick a lane and was trying to have 2 different plots. I was also confused when John had flashbacks from other people. It was hard to tell when we were in a flashback and when we came out of it. Maybe that was the point but left me feeling more confused than anything. I also feel we never really got a wrap up of Mabel’s story. It felt like she was just there to move the plot along at the end. I did really enjoy the way the friend’s stories came full circle and the commentary on how race is perceived in America. This book is a solid 3 stars for me because while there were elements I really enjoyed, I feel the plot could have been a bit more succinct.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 27, 2025
I love Amerie and was really looking forward to this one, but unfortunately, it fell flat for me. While the premise had potential, the execution just didn’t hold my attention, and I found the audiobook to be underwhelming and forgettable.
The story follows John, a Black man who mysteriously returns from the dead, quickly becoming a media sensation. As he searches for a way back “home,” he connects with new friends and enters a fake dating arrangement with a woman grappling with her complex relationship to racial identity. Somewhere around this point, I found myself tuning out—the plot felt disjointed, and the characters didn’t quite resonate with me.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced audiobook copy in exchange for my honest review. Sadly, this one didn’t work for me.
The story follows John, a Black man who mysteriously returns from the dead, quickly becoming a media sensation. As he searches for a way back “home,” he connects with new friends and enters a fake dating arrangement with a woman grappling with her complex relationship to racial identity. Somewhere around this point, I found myself tuning out—the plot felt disjointed, and the characters didn’t quite resonate with me.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced audiobook copy in exchange for my honest review. Sadly, this one didn’t work for me.
June 15, 2025
2.5 stars rounded up
Well, this was a bit of a misfire for anyone picking it up expecting actual horror. Let’s get this straight: this is NOT a ghost story, and marketing it as horror , sci-fi, and fantasy feels like a bait-and-switch. If you’re here for haunting chills or spectral dread, you’re going to be disappointed.
That said, the prose itself is often stunning. Amerie has a lyrical, introspective style that leans more into existential musings and philosophical questioning than anything remotely terrifying. The narrative voice is strong and clever at times, and she certainly knows how to turn a phrase.
But beautiful writing alone can’t save this novel from its overused tropes and a plot that ultimately goes nowhere. The "twist" at the end feels lazy and unearned, like it’s trying to be clever but lands with a thud instead of an impact. For a book that promised something chilling or thought provoking, it settles for being vague, familiar, and unsatisfying.
If you love atmospheric writing and don't mind when a story leans heavily on ambiguity without delivering on its premise, you might enjoy it more than I did. But if you came for actual horror or originality, this one may leave you feeling duped.
Many thanks to NetGalley, Amerie, and William Morrow for the ARC. All opinions are my own.
Well, this was a bit of a misfire for anyone picking it up expecting actual horror. Let’s get this straight: this is NOT a ghost story, and marketing it as horror , sci-fi, and fantasy feels like a bait-and-switch. If you’re here for haunting chills or spectral dread, you’re going to be disappointed.
That said, the prose itself is often stunning. Amerie has a lyrical, introspective style that leans more into existential musings and philosophical questioning than anything remotely terrifying. The narrative voice is strong and clever at times, and she certainly knows how to turn a phrase.
But beautiful writing alone can’t save this novel from its overused tropes and a plot that ultimately goes nowhere. The "twist" at the end feels lazy and unearned, like it’s trying to be clever but lands with a thud instead of an impact. For a book that promised something chilling or thought provoking, it settles for being vague, familiar, and unsatisfying.
If you love atmospheric writing and don't mind when a story leans heavily on ambiguity without delivering on its premise, you might enjoy it more than I did. But if you came for actual horror or originality, this one may leave you feeling duped.
Many thanks to NetGalley, Amerie, and William Morrow for the ARC. All opinions are my own.
June 26, 2025
Thank you to the author, narrator, publisher and Net Galley for providing an e-audio version of this book for my review.
I really wanted to like this more than I did. The overall idea is interesting, but it quickly went off track for me. The book went more to a fiction / satire-ish than a ghost and afterlife story and it didn't work for me. This book is really hard to review without spoilers, so I'm struggling with what else I can say about it.
I didn't like that the POV's changed and time lines blended together a bit. Felt like far too many characters, difficult to keep track of everyone. And this felt a bit like a draft, as it's kind of all over the place. There would be a long section that then turned out to have nothing to do with the plot or character development.
This was really hard to finish because I just didn't care for it. I did finish it for this review, but really didn't enjoy the overall story.
2 stars
I really wanted to like this more than I did. The overall idea is interesting, but it quickly went off track for me. The book went more to a fiction / satire-ish than a ghost and afterlife story and it didn't work for me. This book is really hard to review without spoilers, so I'm struggling with what else I can say about it.
I didn't like that the POV's changed and time lines blended together a bit. Felt like far too many characters, difficult to keep track of everyone. And this felt a bit like a draft, as it's kind of all over the place. There would be a long section that then turned out to have nothing to do with the plot or character development.
This was really hard to finish because I just didn't care for it. I did finish it for this review, but really didn't enjoy the overall story.
2 stars
September 21, 2025
DNF on page 62.
The only saving grace here is that I got it from the library so I didn’t spend any of my own money.
The only saving grace here is that I got it from the library so I didn’t spend any of my own money.
July 11, 2025
2 stars
I’m afraid this wasn’t for me. Very interesting premise but the story and its characters fell flat for me. Too many themes, not enough coherence.
Characters 4
Atmosphere 4
Writing Style 6
Premise 7
Execution/Plot 4
Execution/Pace 2
Execution/Setup 1
Enjoyment/Engrossment 3
Narration 6
I’m afraid this wasn’t for me. Very interesting premise but the story and its characters fell flat for me. Too many themes, not enough coherence.
Characters 4
Atmosphere 4
Writing Style 6
Premise 7
Execution/Plot 4
Execution/Pace 2
Execution/Setup 1
Enjoyment/Engrossment 3
Narration 6
July 19, 2025
I think the concept was interesting and some of the side characters had a good amount of personality. Overall it is not a bad book, but it didn’t hit for me.
John is a pretty one dimensional character, and he doesn’t get any sort of personality to justify the friendships he’s building. I also think the character of Mabel was incredibly underused. I wish the book had more of a focus on her perspective and an explanation for her origins
John is a pretty one dimensional character, and he doesn’t get any sort of personality to justify the friendships he’s building. I also think the character of Mabel was incredibly underused. I wish the book had more of a focus on her perspective and an explanation for her origins
September 1, 2025
This Is Not a Ghost Story has an interesting premise, but the execution is uneven. The story follows a Black man who’s a ghost removed from his home and becomes a media sensation. He just wants to go home. As more characters are introduced, the narrative loses its focus on him. Although I was left underwhelmed, I look forward to Amerie's future books. The potential is there.
July 7, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley and HarperAudio for this copy of "This Is Not A Ghost Story" by Amerie. I appreciate the opportunity to share my thoughts.
While I had to double check the title of the book after I started listening to this book, this is indeed not a ghost story, but rather a story about a ghost. There are elements related to ghosts, but they tend to be more figurative than literal e.g. people haunted by their past, the 'soulless-ness' of The Industry, the giving and taking of life, fate, etc. I was really interested in the 'day to day' life of a ghost that was stuck on the mortal coil. The idea of corporate sponsorship, branding and messaging felt super grounded as, of course, there would be money in being (and representing) a ghost. I also liked how entangled the characters became and the slow unpacking of how they all fit together.
I'll admit I had trouble connecting with the 'other side' stuff. The resolution felt like a letdown, especial when contrasted against the rapidly escalating 'real world' conclusion that peaked with some wild action. There are more than a few moments where it feels the rules are established then rewritten (or unwritten entirely) to make sure the characters all arrive the predetermined destinations.
Overall, I believe this is a fun and unique story but I was pulled in two directions that seem to want to tell two tonally divergent stories.
While I had to double check the title of the book after I started listening to this book, this is indeed not a ghost story, but rather a story about a ghost. There are elements related to ghosts, but they tend to be more figurative than literal e.g. people haunted by their past, the 'soulless-ness' of The Industry, the giving and taking of life, fate, etc. I was really interested in the 'day to day' life of a ghost that was stuck on the mortal coil. The idea of corporate sponsorship, branding and messaging felt super grounded as, of course, there would be money in being (and representing) a ghost. I also liked how entangled the characters became and the slow unpacking of how they all fit together.
I'll admit I had trouble connecting with the 'other side' stuff. The resolution felt like a letdown, especial when contrasted against the rapidly escalating 'real world' conclusion that peaked with some wild action. There are more than a few moments where it feels the rules are established then rewritten (or unwritten entirely) to make sure the characters all arrive the predetermined destinations.
Overall, I believe this is a fun and unique story but I was pulled in two directions that seem to want to tell two tonally divergent stories.
July 12, 2025
The story of John, a ghost, and his journey to find his house. This journey is both dynamic and symbolic, with relationships made and revealed along the way. I loved shifting tones in this book, going from a very relatable setting where John is interacting with people to a description of an eerie, shadowed region that clings to the unknown and mysterious entity. I wish the book was longer because some parts felt slightly rushed and left me wanting more. But overall, this was a unique and interesting story. Thank you NetGalley!
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