I think I expected this to be a much more lighthearted read than it was. I thought that this was going to be more of a comedy based on the description and the vibes of the cover. There is a lot to unpack here, perhaps too much in such a short amount of time. I enjoyed the paranormal side of this book a lot and overall had a good time with the characters. I just think it could have been marketed differently - perhaps leaning towards fiction instead of appearing to be a romance of some sort. An enjoyable read that could have done better if I went in with different expectations.

Characters - 3/5
Atmosphere/Setting - 3/5
Writing Style - 3/5
Plot - 3/5
Intrigue - 3/5
Logic/Relationships - 3/5
Enjoyment - 3/5

I feel like I was thinking I was getting one thing out of this story (paranormal romance) and was delivered another (emotional LGBTQ+ journey). I do think that it was a good emotional story. Just not what I expected. Ezra is remarkably likable and I enjoyed reading his story.

👻👻👻👻/5

I admit it took me awhile to appreciate this book. At first I wasn’t sure I’d like it and it was a bit slow and boring for a good portion. However, I’m so glad I kept reading because this debut book is more important than I originally thought.

This story showcases how grief and love can equally impact your life in such deep ways. How thin the line between saying goodbye and celebrating every joy of life really is. This book was tender and emotional and spiritual and also healing, in a way.

Ezra is a great protagonist because he emphasizes how life is a journey full of emotional ups and downs. He can see ghosts and also works for his family’s funeral home. And while I couldn’t relate to him in certain aspects, I enjoyed the absolute rawness of his character. He was uniquely himself through and through, and while he struggled with his identity and sexuality, he never let that stop him from always being true to himself. And it was so inspiring to watch him try to be better for himself, for his family, for others he loved, and for his community.

I loved the inclusiveness of the Jewish community and their customs surrounding death. It was very eye-opening and certainly something I wouldn’t have chosen to read if it wasn’t in a fictional story. So I especially loved that I got to learn more about that while also witnessing a story of resilience, strength, healing, morality, grieving, the power of family and community, the ability to love again after loss, forgiveness, bearing the weight of others, and the power of loving yourself.

The representation in this book for both the Jewish community and the LGBTQ+ community was so beautifully written and expressed. And it was so SO inclusive and important. I appreciated the way the author wrote so many inspiring themes into this story. So many that I can’t even properly express them here, so you’ll just have to read it for yourself. And maybe you’ll be just as charmed and inspired as I was by the end!

This story was very sweet, but the prose sometimes sent my eyes wandering, and it tended to drag on at parts. All in all, beautifully written and emotional story with a tender heart. Thank you for this ARC in exchange for an honest review! I am working through my backlog, and will be momentarily posting reviews for the stories I have yet to get posted but have finished reading.

This book isn't for me. The writing is well done and the characters are interesting, but I am not the target for this book. I do think others will enjoy it.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

This is a fun read with a queer male protagonist that can see ghosts. Beautiful representations of queer love, Jewish traditions, and found family. This book is really just a smorgasbord of yum. I’d recommend for fall.

This is a fantastic book. There are so many levels to this story. The ghosts, what they represent and the rules about them is just one piece of this amazing story. I love the beauty of the blending that the author did. The perspective given really reached my heart and got me thinking in the best ways. I really enjoyed the characters and their relationships. The dynamics were intense and sometimes explosive. My heart felt for these characters so much. The plot has so many layers and twists that I was gobsmacked many times. I love this story.

No because I have ghosted my fair share of people, and books and this book was not one of them. I love that more queer stories are being told.

Super cute and cozy reading. Perfect for fall. Loved the characters and the ending was great. I was excited for this book and it didn't disappoint me.

I appreciate that Shelly Jay Shore wants to writing about concepts important to her and the queer community, but this suffers from bloat as a result of her trying to include SO much. Still, the notions of found family and the navigation of one's trans identity are the strongest of these.

I thought this book was beautiful, hopeful, and a really poignant take on grief and moving on.

The heart of this story is a romance, but there’s so much more beyond that to really make this book something special. The family dynamics in this book are messy and real, and the character interactions between parents, children, and siblings are so true to how they’d be off the page.

There also the added element of wanting to tell someone you love who you really are and wanting them to know you even though they aren’t there anymore, which is something that really resonated with me. Everyone wants closure and this book really shows you how much or little closure can help and what ultimately matters.

A beautiful debut.

Wow. This book was so much more than I was expecting it to be. I figured it would tackle some heavier themes, but I didn’t realize how much it would.

I really connected with Ezra and the role he kind of feel into/was forced into at a young age. While not the exact same, it was similar for me growing up. I have struggled with asking for help the way Ezra does because of it.

The author did such a great job tackling that, grief, family dynamics and so much more.

This is such a phenomenal debut and I will be keeping an eye out for this author’s future works.

This book exists somewhere between several genres: paranormal fantasy, romance, family drama. It never fully commits to any one, but it is a deeply emotional book full of strong queer representation.

I think the overall concept of this book is definitely interesting and has a lot of potential. I just overall wasn't a huge fan of it and found myself getting very confused at times of what and where things were happening. Also there was so so many characters that I could not remember half the time who people were and that could totally be on me simply because of the timing that I started reading/listening to it because I am exhausted from school and life, but overall this wasn't for me!! Thank you so much for giving me the chance to read this ARC!

Rules for Ghosting by Shelly Jay Shore quite a delightful and quirky read! The characters were written so well that they felt instantly familiar and were endearingly flawed—whether they were living or... not so much. Very cute read. Will definitely add it to our purchase list.

I've read a lot of books recently that have similar stories to Rules for Ghosting, and I've learned that ghosts can really make relationships more complicated. While I enjoyed this story, I didn't expects it to be so much about Ezra's family drama, but more so about his ability to see ghosts and interact with them. In fact he just mostly ignores them until he wants to start dating one of the ghost's widows. Overall, there were sweet moments in this story, but the plot just didn't captivate me the way I had hoped. I wanted more about the ghosts and why Ezra was being haunted by them. Maybe it's a metaphor for how we ignore our own ghosts. But having a supernatural element that doesn't fully get addressed just left me wanting more.

Thank you Dell for the ARC!

Soo sweet. I loved this book, and how it beautifully combined comedy and grief. Normally I don't read sad books (lol), but seriously this one is just different. Trust me!!

Ezra can see ghosts, so growing up at his family's Jewish funeral home wasn't always easy. Now an adult and past his second HRT-induced puberty, Ezra's dream job at the queer community center is put on pause. On top of that, his mother comes out as having an affair with the rabbi's wife. Ezra takes over her position and is reintroduced to a life of grief, generational trauma, and ghosts. When Ezra starts seeing the ghost of his cute neighbor/funeral home volunteer's dead husband, Ezra needs to learn how to start living for himself.

I adored Ezra, and his role in the family as the emotional support for his siblings and parents on top of being the only one to see ghosts was so eye opening. The relationship between him and his siblings felt so real which, as someone with a sibling, I appreciate so much. It's always such a tell when the siblings feel fake.

I can't leave this review without talking about the healthy relationship that bloomed between Ezra and Jonathan. Queer relationships are all different and can be messy, and I loved every part of it. More emotionally healthy adult romances!!!!

Overall such an incredible book and I'm so lucky I got the read the e-ARC. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher!!

There's something about a familial drama that really pulls me in.

I definitely went into this thinking it was going to be one thing and was pleasantly surprised that it ended up being something completely different. The premise that the MC, Ezra, can see ghosts is what first sparked my interest. How could he juggle this burden while growing up with a family business that's literally dedicated to the dead? The ability to see ghosts, however, wasn't the plot point that I thought it was going to be. I had assumed it would take more of a central role in the conflict - and while there are ghosts, and they do impact Ezra, I felt like the other plot points were far more compelling and interesting to read.

This is a family drama - a character study on the sibling who carries the burdens of their family on their shoulders and just deals with it. This is a story of Ezra realizing that it's okay to not be okay and to allow himself an opportunity to just exist without the pressures or expectations placed on him by his family.

I really really enjoyed this book. It caught me from the beginning and provided a wonderful insight into a queer perspective and a viewpoint of someone trying to be the pillar that their family needs, but doesn't always deserve. I loved the rep, the familial relationships - both Aaron and Rebecca are beautiful, if not frustrating, siblings to Ezra.

While this wasn't what I was expecting, I very much enjoyed it!

Thank you, Netgalley, the author, Random House Publishing for the gifted e-book! ❤️ #gifted. My review is comprised of my honest thoughts.

Read this book if you like: LGBTQ representation, family drama, paranormal

This was so good. This was hilarious, sweet, and funny. I loved the mix of fantasy and romance. I loved Ezra. This was such a great debut. I recommend this!

Rules for Ghosting by Shelly Jay Shore is a delightful and engaging contemporary novel that blends humor, mystery, and a touch of romance in an unexpected and charming way. Shore introduces readers to the quirky and relatable world of protagonist, Gwen, who finds herself caught up in the aftermath of a ghosting incident and must navigate the complexities of relationships,