Dust to Dust by Melissa Walker

Series: Ashes Duology (bk. 2)

Genera(s): Paranormal Romance

Subjects: supernatural, death, ghosts, afterlife, hauntings, love

Setting: Charleston, South Carolina

POV/Tense: 1st person POV, present tense, Callie

Age/Grade Level: Teen

Length: 310 pgs.

HC/PB: Hardcover

List Price: $17.99

Publisher: HarperTeen: Katherine Teagan

Summary/ product description: “Perfect for fans of If I Stay or Imaginary Girls, Dust to Dust is the mysterious, thoughtful, and poignant sequel to Melissa Walker's haunting and heartbreaking novel Ashes to Ashes.

When Callie McPhee miraculously recovers from a tragic accident that should have taken her life, she thought her connection to the ghost world would be severed forever. And that she would never see Thatcher—the ghost she fell in love with in the hereafter—again. But when she receives unexpected signs from Thatcher, she's led down a dark road toward the angry souls who once tried to steal her soul's energy for another chance at life.

Now Callie must prevent the real world and the spirit world from colliding, and that could mean saying good-bye to people she'd never imagined she'd lose.”

My Review:  Dust to Dust is the sequel to Ashes to Ashes and also the finale. It’s very different from the previous book, which was set in the afterlife called the Prism. Here we have the real-world setting of Charleston, South Carolina. We get to see more of Callie’s friends and school-life. We also get paranormal stuff like ghosts and poltergeists just like the previous book, but now Callie’s not one of there. She’s awake and alive, no longer in a coma.

I did enjoy the characters in this book. The story was character driven, but had a solid plot. We get a lot more of Carson, Callie’s best friend. Carson is very relatable and also obsessed with paranormal stuff and watched ghost hunting shows and supernatural TV and movies. She wants Callie to spill her experience and Callie gives in and Carson is super enthusiast about Callie getting her story out there. Callie rather keep it private.

There’s also Nick, Callie’s boyfriend who not really in love with her anymore. Thatcher who’s a spirit guide and the love interest of the previous book. Callie is still in love with him, but she can’t really interact with him outside of dreams. Dylan, a new character that has a crush on Carson, is kind of a bookish hipster who’s family owns a paranormal book store. He’s always quoting famous people.

This story is very fun a reminiscent of other paranormal stories I’ve read in the past. It’s not cliché but it’s like other ghost books I’ve read that include possessions or the afterlife. Like the Ghost Huntress series, or Hereafter by Tara Hudson. It’s got a lighter tone. Nothing too scary or dark. It’s romance and friendship and hard choices. It’s sometime bitter sweet. I also love the southern setting. Beautiful Creatures was the only other series that really gave me a taste of South Carolina. I actually have a cousin who moved there a while back, but I’ve never been father south the Kentucky. I’d recommend this series to those who want to read a really unique ghost story.

Cover Art Review: Looks like a Shadow Falls novel cover. Not very unique, but it sets a mood. I like the warm tones of orange and pink.