The Dead Don't Speak By bigfivedonaldduckfan

This is one of the most unique takes on people who can see ghosts so far. I'll be honest, with how many of these types of stories I've read, I was pretty much convinced all original ideas for this genre had been exhausted. Then I read "The Dead Don't Speak" and that shut me RIGHT up.

"Original" isn't a word that does this book justice. It's hard to find a book that breaks the fourth wall well; this book does that. It's clever, vibrant, and set in a place you'll NEVER see coming. If anyone reads the first chapter and doesn't have their jaw drop at least TWICE by something unexpected yet unexpectedly AWESOME, I'd call them a liar.

The author brings you through the story, adding layers upon layers with each paragraph. When the chapter's complete, you're left with a VERY fresh ghost story with a very diverse cast. Any true paranormal fan would run, not walk, to chapter two. This thing's got it all.

So why didn't I finish it? Well, simply put, it's a matter of taste. The style is not one I'm used to. Because while the dead don't talk, the MC does...a lot. I'm an impatient reader. I came for the dead. I got hooked by the dead, but chapter 2 didn't have enough ghosts for me. My emotional investment in the living was slim. I've mentioned before that I'm not used to narration that breaks the fourth wall.  As well as it was done, and it was done VERY well, I just didn't click with the narrator. She's witty and sarcastic but I think she'd jell better with a younger readership. I'm just too old.

The next thing that bothered me was the number of minorities—hold your pitchforks and let me explain. If they were in an Ivy League school awash with POC then I'd love that. But considering the setting and the amount of POC, I wasn't sure if it was meant as a stereotypical jab. I felt uncomfortable at times with it.

Overall, the story was good and the writing was good (great grammar and punctuation) but I'm just too old for it. I would have stuck around to read more about the ghosts that were teased but without knowing when they'd take center stage, I decided to disengage. I was hoping to explore the ghosts and what they wanted to say, but the living people that inhabited this world just talked a lot but with no real message that I can remember. I expected to grab hold of the teasing from chapter one and dive into the rabbit hole. I got one toe in, but couldn't wiggle my bodacious hips down into wonderland as fast as I'd like.

I think a true paranormal fan will lap this book up. I'm just visiting.

P.S. It's a bit of a hobby of mine to make covers to get my mind off things. Let me know if you'd like any of these.