I had so much fun reading this book. Annie LeBlanc Is Not Dead Yet hit that perfect sweet spot between laugh-out-loud funny and genuinely emotional. From the first page, I was hooked by Annie’s snarky, sharp voice — she’s sarcastic and guarded, but also clearly struggling under the surface. I really connected with her, especially as the story began to peel back her layers.

The concept was somewhat interesting but then realizing how pretentious a lot of characters were, made me not like it. The amount of drama and miscommunication there was on so many angles that caused so many “issues” made it seem like a story that just needed a random sprinkles of drama for no reason really. Also the main character I found very annoying.

I received this eBook as an ARC but didn’t get around to it until this past week—and honestly, I’m still not sure what I just read. I had no expectations going in, but whatever I was expecting, this definitely wasn’t it.

Let’s start with the characters. They were insufferable. Like, I wanted to punch all of them. Repeatedly. But I stuck with it because the plot was so outlandish (seriously, the coming back ceremony?!) that I had to see where it was going.

I did appreciate the love story and was happy to see Ryan and Wilson get their happy ending, but overall, this book felt like it was trying to do too many things at once—and not really succeeding at any of them. Was it a comedy? A rom-com? A bizarre supernatural story? I honestly don’t know. And that’s the problem.

Did I cry? I cried.

In the small strange town of Lennon, California, one lucky person has the opportunity to bring someone back from the dead for 30 days. Wilson Moss enters the content in the hopes of resurrecting her ex-best friend Annie LeBlanc and wins. Determined to keep Annie alive longer, Wil discovers a loophole, but it won't be easy getting their old friend group back together. Their other best friend Ryan may be the key. Before everything the three were inseparable. It's a race against time with a lot of unresolved issues.

I was incredibly intrigued by the concept of Annie LeBlanc Is Not Dead Yet, it was one I hadn't come across before which really caught my intention—and as a bonus, queer. However, it was not nearly as sapphic as I expected it to be and maybe that's on me, but for a while I felt baited. This may have been why it took me so long to get into the story. I only got to the "I can't put this book down" stage close to the end. However, the bittersweet ending had me in tears. I admit, it, I cried. The ending is truly the best part even if it leaves many unanswered questions.

Anyone who has had friendships fall apart, especially ones you fought so hard to keep, will connect well with Wilson. You can easily emphasize with her loneliness and pain. Molly Morris writes these emotions so well. The dynamic between Wil, Annie and Ryan is easily the highlight and I wish it focused on it even more, along with the romance aspect of the story.

If I have to point out one thing that bothered me it was Wilson referring to her mom by her first name, Jody. As a reader being introduced to a lot of different characters at the beginning, it had me forgetting it was her mom. I also disliked Jody so that may have added to it.

For some last thoughts, the float and parade was weird. Like really weird. I can't explain more while trying to keep this review spoiler free. I also think Mark deserved better because he is too pure for this world, but I'm glad he was only a love interest (my gay self wanted sapphic *hides*).

The magical realism behind this book was so clever. In the small town of Lennon, one lucky person gets the chance to bring someone back from the dead for 30 days. This happens once every 10 years, and this time around, Wilson is chosen and decides to bring back her best friend, Annie. Such a fun idea for a book.

There were many other elements that I enjoyed as well. The queer representation was wonderful, and the characters were interesting and three-dimensional. There were a lot of unanswered questions throughout the story that were eventually addressed, and that was cool to read about as well.

But there were also things I didn’t love. Wilson’s mom, Jody, needed a much bigger redemption arc that never happened. Ryan, Wilson’s other best friend and eventual love interest, was shockingly rude and generally unkind. There were details that didn’t seem to add up, and while the ending was cool, it left me with more questions than anything else. The story also dragged on a bit for me.

Anyway, I’d say this was a solid YA queer romance. There were just a few things I couldn’t fully get onboard with.

Thank you to Wednesday Books for my gifted copy!

This was a cute read about healing relationships & discovering yourself. its told by a teenage girl who gets to bring back her friend who had passed away. The ending left me a little confused but this was a unique book and i did enjoy it.

Annie LeBlanc is Not Dead Yet was an incredibly sweet book to read. I found the pace to move fast enough to keep my interest and the story felt unique. I saw some of the turns coming, but they were not unpleasant. I will definitely share this one with friends to read!

Thank you Wednesday Books for the eARC! I don’t usually read contemporary novels, but I loved the concept of being able to bring someone back from the dead for 30 days. The world-building around that worked perfectly and everything was explained very conveniently. Wilson discovering the photos was very convenient too. The rest of the story is, in my opinion, a bunch of misunderstandings bundled together. I thought there would be some deep dark secret surrounding Annie’s death, but it was the total opposite. The mystery surrounding everything was a lot less intense than I expected. This story mainly focuses on Wilson’s friendship with Annie and Ryan, and how she can fix their friendship before Annie leaves at the end of the month, while experiencing some family troubles as well. I’m glad the scene at Fish Grotto was explained well, but I felt like the book would be a hell of a lot shorter if the characters just communicated effectively in the first place 😅 It was still a fun read though!
3.5/5 Stars

This review has been posted to Goodreads and Storygraph on September 5th, 2024. Links provided.

In the quirky town of Lennon, California, someone is resurrected from the dead every ten years. This time around, newly graduated Wilson Moss unexpectedly wins the chance to bring back her ex-best friend, Annie LeBlanc. Though Annie had ghosted her a year before her death, Wil is thrilled by her return, even if it is for only 30 days. Determined to keep Annie alive longer, Wil uncovers a potential loophole in the town’s magic, but it unfortunately involves their estranged third best friend, Ryan. With tensions between them high, Wil races against time to prevent losing both of her friends again, all while being forced to confront uncomfortable truths and unspoken feelings about Annie, Ryan, and their past.

I honestly wasn’t 100% positive what to expect from this book when I first read the description but I love sapphic coming of age novels and the premise intrigued me. Overall, I really quite enjoyed this book! The “Welcome Back” concept was very creative and really had me wondering who I would choose to bring back if given the chance. I loved the small town vibe of Lennon, and having lived many years in San Diego, I (selfishly) really enjoyed reading about the trios adventures around the San Diego area. While the general idea of the books does rely on some “magic,” the book is actually a really sweet coming of age story about the importance of friendships, relationships, and being honest with yourself and those you love. I really enjoyed Wilson as the FMC and being able to witness her personal growth throughout the book, as well as the growth in her relationship with her friends and family. The only aspect of the book that I struggled with was how mean Ryan could often be to Wilson and Annie. I understand where Ryan’s hurt was coming from but I often find it difficult to see characters treat each other so poorly because of a basic lack of communication. Thankfully, all is well in the end so it is always nice to read a book with a happy ending! Also, I really loved the way the book ended and what was implied. I would highly recommend this book if you are looking for a young adult sapphic story about personal growth and second chances.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, Wednesday Books, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read to an ARC of Annie LeBlanc is Not Dead Yet in return for my honest review.

Annie LeBlanc Is Not Dead Yet
by Molly Morris

Every ten years one person comes back from the dead only for 30 days, the basics are pretty straightforward but it was kind of strange. The book stretched out for too long, in my opinion, it could have been a little shorter. The characters were fine and all. The ending? Why? That's my only question.

Thank you to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was such a unique premise! I feel like this was new and it was such a fun read!

Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher, and author for this eARC in exchange for a honest review.

Great premise, but I was bored. Too YA drama for me. I would love for this to be more more ya horror than silly teen relationship stuff.

I found this book to be somewhat peculiar. The synopsis initially caught my attention, but as I continued reading, the story became increasingly strange.

The plot revolves around Wilson, Ryan, and Annie, who were once inseparable friends. Their bond deteriorates when Annie transfers to a new school, and eventually, Annie passes away. In the small town of Lennon, CA, there's a unique event called The Welcome Back ceremony held every ten years, where the lottery winner can bring someone back from the dead for 30 days. Wilson wins and chooses to resurrect Annie.

The concept of The Welcome Back ceremony intrigued me, and I was curious to see how the story would unfold. Although the book started off slowly, its oddities gradually drew me in. The characters were compelling and felt authentic, though at times they seemed a bit superficial. However, the depiction of grief, love, and relationships was handled exceptionally well.

A strange novel, but so good! It was humorous, angsty, sad. I think I like the ending the most because it was not what I was expecting, but it made sense. I always love that!

This was such a fun premise. Every 10 years one person is able to be brought back from the dead for a month. This year it's Annie LeBlanc. Annie died young and there are a lot of unresolved issues with her former best friends. I didn't love the romantic aspect of the book, because I didn't like how one of the characters treated the other. The characters are young and this is a YA book, so don't expect a ton of emotional maturity, but there was good growth.

What a unique premise for exploring so many universal feelings—this was a sharp, witty, original novel, and I couldn't put it down.

The concept of Annie LeBlanc Is Not Dead Yet by Molly Morris is so unique, and that is what drew me in. Imagine a place where the dead can come back to life, but there are strings attached. It brings up interesting questions of mortality and what one would do with a second chance. I can't say I loved this book, but I remembered it more than many I read. I will look forward to reading more from this author.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for sharing this book with me.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press | Wednesday Books for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I really enjoyed this book and read it in one sitting. I would definitely recommend this book.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publishing Company for this Advanced Readers Copy of Annie LeBlanc Is Not Dead Yet by Molly Morris!

Annie LeBlanc... is a weird one. That is the only way I can think to describe it each time I try to write a review. The FMC was believable, and I enjoyed the way the plot unfolded.