Review: A Spell to Wake the Dead by Nicole Lesperance

A Spell to Wake the Dead

by Nicole Lesperance

Release Date: August 26, 2025

2025 G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers

Ebook ARC; 352 Pages

ISBN: 978-0593856338

ASIN:  ‎ B0DP3NGGC7

Audiobook: B0DPJHVDR5

Genre: Fiction / YA / Horror

Source: Review copy from publisher

 

3.75 / 5 Stars

 

Summary

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. 

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

A Spell to Wake the Dead drew me in as I was interested in how far someone would go if they actually found a dead body in this scenario. I mean, no one goes to the beach expecting a dead body to roll in with the tide, but having read a multitude of books whereby this happens, I often wondered how I would react in a similar situation. And how would Mazzy and Nora explain why they were on the beach in the first place? How do you explain to the police you were practicing witchcraft at midnight? It was a pretty interesting way to set up the vibe of the book and include some spooky atmosphere though.  

 

In all fairness, I was actually quite surprised at how deeply the book delved into witchcraft and how the girls were using spellcraft in their daily lives. It definitely reflects the amount of research the author must have done and it shows in how the subject was treated in this book. The author took the time to not only have her characters make some serious mistakes because they didn't have experience, but also delved into topics such as tarot card reading, cults, darker forces, abuse of power, and the use of natural elements found in our world. I liked how it was approached as natural, but also showcased how the girls were treated by others because they didn't understand what they were doing. Personally, I would have liked an even deeper exploration of the topics than what we got in the book as it was fascinating.

 

The plot itself was interesting, but I did find it a bit uneven at times. Because the book was so focused on the happenings and the doings, little room was left for character development and this was problematic because I wanted to empathize with Mazzy's choices, but I just couldn't. While the book showcased how out of their element the girls were and how dangerous the forces were with which they were playing, they still made some stupid choices and continued what they were doing. Yes, they tried to consult an adult, but some of the other choices just made me grit my teeth.  I didn't necessarily mind the rapid pace of the book, but it certainly didn't help when it came time to connecting with the characters. Honestly, when something startling or shocking did occur, I wasn't emotionally invested in what was happening to the characters and felt distant to what was happening. There were a lot of twists and turns and some dark elements to the story, so I should have felt more strongly over what the characters were experiencing than what I did. 

 

Verdict

A Spell to Wake the Dead was a decent read and I did enjoy it quite a bit, enough to pretty much finish it in one sitting. While I enjoyed the twists and turns, some of which caught me off guard, I did feel like this was far more plot-driven which compromised a lot of the character development. I do think there is a lot to explore in this book with regards to thematic elements as well. However, I wasn't overly crazy about the ending as I think there should have been far more consequences for the girls than there were as they were playing with forces they didn't understand and I don't think the danger of it all was fully stressed in the ending. Anyhow, this was a fun ride, but I did think the substance of the book was somewhat lacking and did feel a bit let down at the end.