A road trip is always a process of self discovery, but what is learned isn’t always what you hope to find. Ellie’s brother disappeared about a year ago, and his body returns to Texas (in the summer) after he died in Ann Arbor, Michigan after sliding off the road on ice. A map appears from an address in Michigan and Ellie needs to find out where her brother has been for the last year. The map, compiled in this dreamy formative years, lists places far from Texas that they’d like to see before they die, so Ellie reunites with Wes & Gwen, people from her past, and off they go to find some answers. Cade, a former flame, hops in the car, and everyone has packed more baggage into this car headed out to see highlights of the USA. Answers and emotions are plentiful as the past leads back to the present.

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to preview this ARC of We Are the Ghosts, by Vicky Skinner.

Ellie has wonderful memories of her brother Luke. He was kind, funny, and treated her like a friend rather than a pesky sibling. This makes it so painful when he estranges himself from the family, and then dies.

Wanting to know more about her brother, and why he chose to separate himself from the family, Ellie embarks on a road trip with Luke's best friend and old girlfriend. At the last minute, Cade, Ellie's love interest pre-losing-Luke, begs to come along. During their time together they uncover what happened to Luke, how they felt about him, and how they feel about each other.

In theory this is totally my kind of book, but it fell a little flat for me. It dragged, got over dramatic and had a weak-ish conclusion.

This is the second Vicky Skinner book I've read and I have to say her stories get better and better. We are the Ghosts is a fantastic story which had me hooked from page one. I was so eager to go along with Ellie, Cade, Wes, and Gwen and she where this heartbreaking road trip would lead them. Such a great read and I can't wait to see what Vicky has up her sleeve for next time.

Several things bothered me about this book:

1. If Ellie and Cade had been friends for so long, why didn’t she know about his parents and how they died? Not realistic.
2. The first time Cade told Ellie that he was going to Indiana for college, it should have dawned on her how far that was from Texas, where she was going to be. She shouldn’t have been so shocked when she heard it a second time. Duh.
3. Why did Ellie’s stupid parents keep it a secret from their daughter where her brother was? Instead they let her retreat from everyone, let her grades go to hell and obviously suffer depression from not knowing anything. Not realistic.
4. Why didn’t Ellie or any of the other three who went on that trip realize that the parents or Cade’s grandma wouldn’t contact the police when they went missing, especially when they didn’t leave any note or answer any texts/phone calls Not realistic.
5. Why didn’t Ellie hang out with Gwen or Wes when her brother left town? So in a small town they didn’t ever run in to each other? If they were as close as the book says, they wouldn’t have ignored each other.
6. Too weird how close Ellie thought she was with her brother. Not having other friends, just always hanging out with him? Not realistic.
I know plenty of young teens will read this book and enjoy it but for someone older, stuff just doesn’t add up. The characters aren’t likeable enough to forgive that for me.