“Funerals Are for the Living is a deeply authentic Black Southern Gothic, its humor, pluck, and heart jumping off the page. Ellis lovingly treads North Carolina’s sticky heat, restless ghosts, and complex generational history to craft a vivid narrative of grief, memory, and the deep-rooted bonds that hold family and community together.”
—Ryan Douglass, New York Times bestselling author of The Taking of Jake Livingston

“An atmospheric, socially conscious horror novel that will please genre fans.”
—Kirkus Reviews

“Sami Ellis is the hidden gem of YA, and Funerals Are For the Living is a masterclass in horror. This story, sinister and haunting, slips under your skin, burrows deep, and stays with you—as dark as it is witty and humorous at times, and with characters you can’t help but root for. I loved every single page of it.”

—Jamison Shea, author of I Feed Her to the Beast and the Beast Is Me

“The frenetic pacing propels the story forward with a sense of urgency that keeps readers eager to see what happens next…A great story for readers of Gothic horror”
—School Library Journal

“Ellis delivers a distinctive creature feature told entirely through a Black lens that, despite its weighty themes, manages to retain a darkly humorous edge thanks to its sardonic, no-nonsense, unmistakably modern characters.”
—Booklist