Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This book was unfortunately a DNF from me. I might have fallen out of interest in the genre, but it wasn't grabbing me to the point where I felt the pull to finish it. I did enjoy the writing and the voice but it didn't hold my interest enough for me to want to finish it.

Alex McKenna & The Geranium Deaths by Vicki-Ann Bush is a hidden gem. I honestly have no idea why this isn't more love. It's everything I never really knew how much I needed in my life. If you're looking for a unique YA LGBT+ Urban Fantasy featuring a medium who can communicate with ghosts who comes from a long line of Strega witches and also happens to be trans guy. The dead need Alex's help to resolve past issues, his grandmother is helping him to further strengthen his expanding abilities, all while trying to navigate his normal life to top everything off. If that doesn't sound cool, I don't know what would. I'm hoping that we'll get to more of Alex and his world in the future.

A fun read, despite some small dissapointments.

The most interesting part is the way the main character, Alex, and the fact that he is a trans boy, is handled, in a natural and almost casual way. It is not explicitly mentioned, which is good. It is what it is.

The thing that struck me as the least realistic (and yes, I mean it despiste the fact that Alex and his family have paranormal habilities) is that being a fourth generation Italian he still uses the language casually. Americans are a bit crazy about heritage.

Beside this silliness, I found it entertaining, the plot being complicated and with a lot of twists and turns but not so much as to get the reader lost in it. I would have liked a bit more of reflection on everyone's feelings, and some moments of the story felt very rushed, but I think that's just the type of book it is.

All in all, fun and light, as espected for a page-turner.

A really enjoyable and fascinating YA Paranormal Mystery, strongly grounded in family, tradition, heritage, and Italian culture (and cuisine). The story also interweaves local heritage and family ties, and some terribly spooky and horrifying elements--both paranormal and human evil. Quite a compelling and fascinating read, eliciting empathy for the characters throughout.