A Spell to Wake the Dead by Nicole Lesperance

e-ALC, 09:43:35
Narrated by: Teralyn Davis
Release Date: August 26, 2025
Published by: Books on Tape 
Read from: August 29-31, 2025
Stand-alone
Source: PRH Audio App (I received a free ALC from the publisher and their app. This did nothing to influence my review)
Content Warning: Kidnapping, Death, Panic Attacks/Disorders, Murder, Alcoholism, Violence, Blood, Gore, Cursing
For Readers Interested In: Audio, YA, Sparkly Covers, Most Anticipated, Paranormal, Witches

    Two teen girls must uncover the dark, occult secrets lurking in their Cape Cod town to solve a series of murders—and save themselves from the same fate—in this twisty, witchy thriller.
     When Mazzy and her best friend Nora sneak down to the beach one moonlit night to cast a spell, they don’t expect to find a dead body. But as the tide rolls in, it carries the remains of a woman who is missing her hands and teeth.
     The girls know they should leave the investigation to the police, but they can’t shake the weird, supernatural connection they feel with the dead woman. Using spellwork and divination, they set out to find answers of their own. But after they uncover a rash of local disappearances stretching back years—and both girls start having occult visions and hearing ghostly, whispering voices—Mazzy worries that she and Nora are in danger.
     Then, Nora finds a second body. And a whispering voice is telling her where to find more. With everything spiraling, Mazzy needs to figure out who to trust and how to sever this supernatural connection—or she and Nora might be the next bodies to wash up on the beach.

*MY THOUGHTS*

This was a hard one for me. I’m not usually a fan of witchy books because there just doesn’t seem to be much happening. But this one seemed to be stuck to my hands. I couldn’t put it down! And let me just tell you, even with the title, this is a fun one and I hope y’all pick it up!

Ok so the main thing I liked about this was the witchy components. This isn’t your average, like pointy hat witches. They’re more modern, they use technology in some ways, and they also have an entire coven community in person and online in forums. It was pretty cool the way Lesperance changed some things for them. BUT, I did feel like there was a bit of weirdness there that needed to be addressed. Because what do you mean they were practicing this and their parents didn’t believe it was a thing. I don’t think the parents knew they were serious and this is something where you should most definitely be telling the adults in your life. Because LOOK at what happens when you don’t lol

The characters were annoying. One of them was just doing whatever and the other didn’t want to do it at all, but they kept agreeing to do it anyways lol It was annoying, but I know it wouldn’t be YA without them doing these things. I felt like their IRL librarian, yelling at them to stop the madness lol But they got the job done (albeit dangerously) and that’s kind of what matters. But I will say, one of them was a little more than annoying, but it was because of extenuating circumstances, so I didn’t hold it against them. Much lol

The freaking case that was going on was creepy tho. I can’t imagine finding these bodies and then seeing that parts were missing. And then to be hearing the voices and everything else? Lordt I was freaking out. This is what made it different than the others. My pet peeve did happen tho. I HATE when it makes it too easy for the kids to find clues and that’s exactly what happens in this one. And it didn’t have to be this way. It was annoying. The magic they did when they made it to those situations tho was pretty cool. I really enjoyed those parts of the story. It was especially cool to see the things like tech disruptors. I would have loved to have used that in real life for something lol

This is one witchy book I will be recommending to every one for scary season. Definitely going to be one that I know the teens and everyone else will enjoy! If you haven’t read it yet, go pick it up now!

Overall, I give this