Resurrection Girls by Ava Morgyn
2019 published by AW Teen
ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Im not sure how to form an opinion on this book.

Parts of it were breathtakingly beautiful. Its clear that the author has a talent for words. Parts were haunting, and so evocatively sad that it broke my heart a little.

However, the plot and storytelling in general were so muddled (and at times confusing) that I was left very dissatisfied after finishing. Im not even sure what the author was trying to say or not say.

There were several parts of this book that I think the author was trying to deem as “mysterious” but were never fully explained (or even touched back upon at all: example the jam jar Sybil gives Olivia). I didn’t connect with any of the characters and honestly, not a lot happened in this story. It just kept progressing without really going anywhere.

When I requested this book for review, I was so drawn to the beautiful cover art and intriguing premise. A book about girls who write to convicts? That sounded so interesting to me! However, there was very little about that in the book. Although there were a lot of elements I like (family tragedy and drama, mysterious neighbors, potential paranormal elements, teenage struggles) they never seemed to come together in a valuable and satisfying way. It is almost like I was reading a first draft of a novel that had the potential to become something great.

Im so sad to say this story was not for me. Perhaps Im just not clever enough to get the little nuances that some would appreciate more than me.

This book is perfect for October and fall in general. I've been on a spooky mood lately and the cover just drew me in. The characters are well developed and the setting is easy to picture. Would definitely recommend for your fall TBR!

As we inch towards the time of witches and ghosties, Resurrection Girls gives off an appropriately creepy vibe with an attention to death and the still-living who are faced with death. Accident and suicide play a part in the dynamics along with a strange compulsion for two teenaged girls to become penpals with men who have no hope of long life.

This tale is far more than that, though, as it delves into a family and how each individual member copes with the nearly unbearable grief after a child dies. There’s no real coming together here; the loss of Olivia’s little brother has fractured this family and Olivia and each of her parents have spent the past few years growing further apart and more mired in their devastation. When Kara and her mother and grandmother move in across the street, Olivia finally has something else to think about with this new friend and the oddities that seem to swirl around the new family.

You might think that this is a very depressing book with its emphasis on grief and the inability to recover but, in fact, it’s really a look at the journey to find peace as well as Olivia’s personal redemption helped along by Kara and a dose of…could it be magic?

Reviewed by Lelia Taylor, October 2019.

Just not for me. I had to DNF this book pretty close tot he beginning, nothing was grabbing me. I had hoped that it would be a fun spooky fall read, but the death of a small child generally throws me off a storyline pretty quick. Writing wasn't half bad, but just not my style of read.

Resurrection Girls started three years after Olivia Foster’s little brother, Robby, drowned in the pool in their backyard. Broken and crushed, her mother was consuming pills to escape the grief and her father wasn’t around that much, arriving home during late hours and avoiding conversation or any sort of social interaction with the remains of his family. When three generations of women moving into a house across the street, Olivia didn’t realize that her lonesome journey will take turns. The Hallas women are intoxicating and mysterious, and soon Olivia made friends with Kara, who’s full of confidence, odd, and seems to know a lot about Olivia ever since their very first encounter.

The first thing that strikes my mind about this book is that it was far from what I was expected. Looking at the cover, reading the synopsis, checking the genres’ list, I was expecting this book will be heavier on the fantasy, magical, and witchy elements. But in reality, this is a story of grieving, losing your loved ones, dealing with unavoidable emptiness, and healing. Although I’m not complaining, because Morgyn did an awesome job of delivering this story with her haunting and poetic narratives.

I had a great time with this book, especially diving in its odd plot and exploring its quirky characters. The originality of Resurrection Girls was outstanding and it was bizarre when I first read about Olivia and Kara’s correspondences with the prisoned criminals, but it was so bizarre that it actually attracted me to keep reading. Their friendship also dynamic and always interesting to be followed, as I keep wondering what’s the next thing that they were gonna do after I finished each chapter.

Unfortunately, there were other things that prevent me from having that extraordinary, one of a kind reading experience. The inconsistency of the plot was my first issue, and I’ve been thinking about it since the earlier chapters, especially because things are slow during those earlier chapters and I didn’t feel that many of those scenes contributed big impact on the bigger picture of the story, yet it took a fast route every since Olivia met Kara. I also couldn’t fully engage and resonated with the rest of Olivia’s family. And I had so many questions that bugging me throughout the story, especially towards the Hallas. What’s their history? How exactly are their “magic” works? Are they naturally born with their charms to manipulate people or is it a work of magic? Why there were no men in their family tree? Where was Kara’s father? Why was Kara grow interest to penpal prisoned criminals? I wish there’d be more explanation about all of these since the Hallas was the reason why this story happening in the first place.

Overall, Resurrection Girls is a poignant debut that explores loss, grieving, and healing with such graceful way. The little incorporation of magical realism in this contemporary might be a hit or a miss, which all depends on your reading preference.

Get ready for the spooky season with this YA Magical Realism story!!

This is kind of a dark, morbid plot that follows two girls as they venture around death and dying through her past brother, death row inmates, and the crazy notion of bringing them back to life. And I loved every minute of it!!

I’d say there might be some triggering factors for readers who may be sensitive to topics such as drug abuse, grief, and death. So please be aware of this before reading the book.

Through the eerie pages, we are thrown into this uniquely spooky, suspenseful, mysterious story that I flew through. It’s definitely one you’ll want to read on the back porch under the glistening moonlight.

A highly recommended 4 out of 5 star Halloween read!

The cover is what brought me in but I did enjoy the story even though it was dark and depressing. I liked the magical realism in the story and this story also deals with family, friendship, death and yes substance abuse.

I'm still not exactly sure what I read, but I know it was not for me. Resurrection Girls was all over the place, with so many unlikeable characters and plot points that made me want to scream.

I was so frustrated by just the premise of the book. I requested it with genuine curiosity to the reason these high school girls may be writing to prisoners on Death Row. From the reviews, I expected to get the unexpected and really enjoy the route it took, but not I got the unexpected in the worst possible way.

Non-spoiler things I can say is this writing needed some more rounds of edits, even for an ARC. Things happened so fast. I had to go back and read paragraphs a few times to pin point when this new plot point happened and how I missed it. I think this came from the overuse of abstract language and metaphors. A story like this needs to have more concrete writing to pair with the crazy things happening in the plot. Most things I hated about this book I cannot put into a non-spoiler review, but just know the plot of this book was absolutely absurd and disgusting at times. I was sending a friend screenshots and we were both screaming. I have just never been more shocked by a plot, in a bad way.

Overall, I would not recommend this book unless your into really unrealistic contemporary plots with some questionable morals and literally the worst characters I've ever read about.

I had to DNF this book about 60 pages in. I honestly think that this just wasn't for me. I'm not really one to go for tales with a lot of grief in them because they just feel so heavy to me and that is what this book was. When I started reading it I felt like I was under a weighted blanket, but not one that I chose to be under. Additionally, I was already not a fan of the relationship the main character had with the girl that moved across the street. From the moment they met I felt like our character was being manipulated and I am just not a fan of that character dynamic. I think that the writing in this, however, is really good and it's possible I will pick it up in the future more ready to read about the topic.

This was a story of loss and grief, new friends, rekindling old friendships and of recovery.
Olivia’s brother died a few years ago and her house is full of his ghost. Neither she, her mother or her father have recovered and they are a shattered mess. Olivia feels invisible with her mother in a drug-induced haze and her father always at work... until a new family moves in across the street. The three women who take up residence in the house are strange, but the daughter, Kara, quickly becomes her friend. The three women have a secret in which Olivia slowly glimpses. Will Kara help Olivia break out of the shell she created around herself after the tragedy?
I thought this was unique and very interesting. Also, the romance representation was good. I haven’t seen that particular type of romance in a ya much.

I gave this book two out of five stars. The writing on grief was poignant and beautifully done. However, I did not enjoy the character interactions whatsoever. The friendship between the two main girls made reminded me of friends I had when I was this age who took advantage of me and treated me poorly, and I found it a bit triggering to read it happen to the main character. Such as when her grandmothers ring was stolen. The plot was overall fairly forgettable and didn’t stand out to me in any way.

I took one look at this book’s cover and was immediately pulled in. It’s just clever and embodies a sort of whimsical horror that is perfect in time for Halloween. Then we have the title- Resurrection Girls. I was expecting some kind of duo or squad who goes spirit-hunting. Even the somewhat heavier-sounding description of this title didn’t phase me into imagining this book as anything other than a light paranormal romp.

So anyway, this book is nothing like any of those above descriptions. Not even 5% of it is anywhere approaching such assumptions. (Maybe 3% gives off some paranormal vibes though.) The plot centers around loss and how it affects a once-stable family. After a few years of unhealthy coping mechanisms, each family member is left adrift and detached in big ways from each other. This may seem heavy and depressing to read about, but the disintegration is conveyed with a plainly-laid realism that is effective. The characters are not very endearing. Some are straight up unlikable and hard to sympathize with- and in a grittier and honest sort of way, they leave a stronger impression. The effect reminds me a bit of Ordinary People by Judith Guest or Girl Made of Stars by Ashley Herring Blake.

The central character is Olivia, a sixteen year-old girl left aimless and isolated by the death of her little brother, Robby. Dealing with self-blame and inattentive parents, she navigates the world not unlike how one might imagine a ghost doing so- floating and unattached. Also of note is Prescott, Olivia’s childhood friend. She distanced herself from him since Robby’s death.

Our story begins with a family of three moving in nearby. We meet Kara, her grandmother, and mother. Though Olivia tries to avoid Kara, the two become friends before long. They start to work together on a bit of an odd project- Resurrection Girls, a duo shrouded in anonymity who correspond with people on death row and collect replies and info about the circumstances that led to their convictions. Very little of the story is focused on this subject and there’s no enduring mystery there-in. The main focus is on Olivia slowly working her way back into a healthier state of mind and becoming empowered to confront her family about the distance that’s grown between them. I really liked Kara, she is a figure who pushes Olivia toward new experiences and taking much-needed steps that lead to growth and healing. But she’s a partner rather than a mentor, and the two relate on levels that are more than meets the eye. Their activities veer toward the older end of YA. There are definitely some bad behaviors, but the one that struck me most was addressed in the storyline and met with consequences.

While I feel confident in stating there is no romance in this title, Olivia has romantic tension and chemistry with both Kara and Prescott. The three of them end up hanging out often and there is a sort of complex tension there. While I wouldn’t call this book bi rep, I thought very quickly and initially that Olivia’s inner feelings approach that. Many of the loveliest lines in this book have to do with Olivia’s little thoughts about both of these characters. Her childhood memories and earlier sort of puppy love feelings for Prescott, and a sort of awe-inspired attraction to Kara. There were more than a few lines where I was just thinking ‘Olivia, you’re clearly attracted to Kara as more than just friends.’ But to reiterate, this is not a focal point of the novel though and its development is limited.

The writing style drew me in quickly. Fast and smoothly readable, the pages flow briskly and with a consistent contemporary feel until we get toward the climax and ending.

The plot showed some cracks toward that point. The sequence of events went from banging me over the head with contemporary realism to throwing the cast off the deep end into magical realism/fantasy. I was left scratching my head, wondering if (no spoilers) certain things that happen really happened or I just dreamed them. On the bright side, this is one of those endings that might get people discussing and interpreting the meaning of it in unique ways. I feel like steps could have been taken to make it less abrupt and confounding though. Perhaps a higher page count? More exposition? Nonetheless, taken as a whole, this was a solid read.

Why You Should Try It – A gritty, realistic depiction of loss and unhealthy coping mechanisms that can result. Olivia’s inner voice has some poignant thoughts and touching realizations about the people surrounding her. Unconventional chemistry between Olivia, Prescott, and Kara. At 272 pages, this is a good short read, fast-paced and highly readable. Surprisingly so for its point of focus and muddled later plotting.

Why You Might Not Like It – The focus on loss and Olivia’s fixation can be repetitive. I had full compassion for Olivia but her parents were often hard to sympathize with. The last 30% or so of the book struggles with its footing and the events get kind of out there. The end is abrupt.

This was not what I expected it to be...

I was expecting this to be more focused on Kara and Olivia writing to men on death row, with some dark magic sprinkled in. This was more about a weird; kind of magical, family with some death row letters thrown in. I was left unsatisfied by the ending and not overly enthusiastic about the book.

I enjoyed the writing, although I found it a little overly descriptive at times. The depiction of grief and how it consumes people was well-done. I would've liked if the plot had more to do with the protagonists writing to men on death row, and it somehow going horribly wrong. I guess that I was expecting a YA thriller with fantastical aspects, but what I got was a YA contemporary with some fantastical aspects.

I have mixed feeling about this, overall. If you like dark contemporaries with some magic, this might be something that you would like.

What a strange and very good book! With a strange and very good cover!

This story is fully grounded in reality with many thoughts and feelings on loss and how that affects people differently, and how there is beautifully, beautifully, still a lot of life to keep living once it’s time to begin healing. Within this, are ribbons of magical elements surrounding a family of women that live next door to Olivia, the main character. Kara, her mother Rhea, and grandmother Sybil. I love a good bewitching generational family.

The last few chapters of this book are very strong and come together with a lot of satisfaction! I could absolutely read some sort of prequel surrounding the Hallas women and their origins.

Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book!

Gosh, I really wanted to fall in love with this book. Truly I did. There was so much grief and sadness and even confusion inside this book. It was at times so hard to read and it was a struggle almost like a full time job to read this. While I appreciated the writing prose and the ambiance it was a little too heavy for me.

arc provided by netgalley in exchange for an honest review

DNFed at 3%

This just wasn’t for me. I didn’t get along with the writing and there were some themes in this book early on that I didn’t feel comfortable reading. If you’re able to read books with darker themes, this might be for you!

TW: drug use, suicide, child/family death, grief

This was a fascinating read, and definitely one that was darker than I was expecting. Which sounds dumb considering it’s a book about grief and writing to inmates on death row. But still, pretty damn dark. It reads like a dark contemporary for most of the book, but there’s glimpses of something a bit magical going on? It’s a really subtle element so if you’re expecting a full on magic book then this isn’t the one. It’s still a really good and captivating story though, so that’s always good.

The story is really really character driven, the main focus is really Olivia dealing with her personal grief when it comes to her brothers’ death, but also dealing with her family and their grief. Everyone is just kind of stumbling along until the Hallas women move across the street, and the youngest, Kara, is what forces Olivia out of her comfort zone and she really starts dealing with the loss.

I loved Olivia as a main character, he pain and guilt was so palpable, and it was heartbreaking to read, but it made her the perfect companion to Kara, a character that is definitely out there and used to doing whatever she wants without thinking about the consequences or what it might mean for anyone else. I also liked Prescott, he was a friend from Olivia’s past and having him in the story really helped to show the growth she was going through. Reading about her relationship with her parents was another really big part of the story, and it was probably the most heartbreaking part to read. The other Hallas women didn’t really have as much to do with the story as I was hoping, but they were still good characters.

The letter writing to inmates a surprisingly small part of the story, it came up a lot, but it felt more like a side plot to help move along another side plot? If that makes sense? I really do think this is a story about grief and healing, so if you were looking for something that’s entirely about writing to death row inmates, this isn’t it. Still a decent part of the story, but it’s not the main aspect. The mystery surrounding the Hallas women was also pretty vague, but I do think that was on purpose. And again, it felt like just another side thing to move the healing process along.

I really liked this one though, I read it in only a couple sittings because it was compelling enough to keep me reading, and the darkness of the story mixed with the random little mysteries and the summer setting made it an interesting mix. I’m not usually into character driven stories, but this one was well written and that’s pretty much all I need.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Albert Whitman & Company through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.*

This was not what I expected it to be…

This book is about:

Olivia and Kara.
Olivia is struggling with grief and guilt after her brother drowned in a pool under her watch.
Kara and her family recently moved into the neighborhood and they are very strange.
Kara and Olivia become friends and write letters to men on death row together.
I was expecting this to be more focused on Kara and Olivia writing to men on death row, with some dark magic sprinkled in. This was more about a weird; kind of magical, family with some death row letters thrown in. I was left unsatisfied by the ending and not overly enthusiastic about the book.

This mostly centers around Olivia’s family and their grief. This part of the plot is very complex and heavy, which added some depth to the overall plot. If the book had been marketed as being a dark contemporary, I would’ve enjoyed it much more. I think book could have also benefited form a dual perspective narrative. If the book had been told form both Olivia and Kara’s perspectives it would have made the reading experience more interesting.

I enjoyed the writing, although I found it a little overly descriptive at times. The depiction of grief and how it consumes people was well-done. I would’ve liked it more if the plot had more to do with the protagonists writing to men on death row, and it somehow going horribly wrong. I guess that I was expecting a YA thriller with fantastical aspects, but what I got was a YA contemporary with some fantastical aspects.

I have mixed feeling about this, overall. If you like dark contemporaries with some magic, this might be something that you would like.

I really enjoyed this book! It was well written and I really enjoyed the character dynamics. This book follows Olivia whose family has suffered a major tragedy. Then the Hallas family moves in.

I really wanted to love this story. With a beautiful cover and an interesting premise surrounding grief and the ghosts that haunt us I wanted to give it a shot. At some point I just had to put the book down because I could not immerse myself in the story.

Unfortunately this was really just not for me. I really gave it a shot because we can all resonate with grief and death one way or another. I had a really difficult time connecting to the characters. Already looking at the reviews it definitely has its audience - unfortunately I am just not a part of it.