A Spell to Wake the Dead

By Nicole Lesperance
** Publication Date  26 August 2025 **
​4 stars




Witchcraft and paganism is more popular than ever, especially with young women. This book tackles the subject with two teenage girls, who are more than practiced in the art. Out on Cape Cod, they cast a spell found on the internet, with severely unintended consequences.


Mazzy and Nora are the best of friends. Outcasts for the way they dress and the fact that they are practicing witches. Mazzy is the practical one. Known for being down to earth and responsible. Nora is more flighty and dramatic. Yin and yang. So when Nora wants to cast an unknown spell under a full moon at the beach, Mazzy has her doubts. Rather than be the buzzkill, Mazzy goes along with it. And they bring Elliot, the third part of their group, with them. 


The spell doesn’t seem to do much, but then they discover a body. A woman, washed up on shore. It’s bad enough to find the body, but then the discovery consumes Mazzy and Nora, and they are convinced they have to solve the mystery. Just that they have no idea what they are up against.


This was a fabulous novel about youth and expectations and figuring out who you are. I love these coming of age novels that immerse you in something other than your own experiences. Mazzy tries so hard to be the responsible one to balance out the frivolous Nora. While this is a YA novel, it was so good. I truly believe that YA is for everyone. Capture a little bit of youth once again.

Really well constructed, this novel takes you into the flexible and willing minds of young women. Shows you that even what is so well-intentioned is sometimes very dangerous. Also, that looks can be deceiving. What you think you know so well, isn’t always what’s fact. People can surprise you in ways you never expected. 


Loved it.