-
See Our Best Book
Club Books of 2026!
Summary | Discuss | Reviews | More Information | More Books
A Novel
by Amerie
Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Amerie's dazzling, satirical adult debut tells the story of a Black man who walks into the light…to find himself in Los Angeles, where he becomes an instant celebrity for being the first visible and verifiable ghost.
John's House provides all he needs. Surrounded by a vast, beautiful ocean under a void of sky, the House is John's haven. He is alone, but never lonely; he is here now, but neither remembers nor longs for a before. In his House, John is safe and untroubled.
But then a terrible shadow creature breaks in—and it wants him out. Pushed from the House, John falls into the light…
And finds himself in modern-day Los Angeles, the first person to ever come back from the other side. Though he has no memory of his past life, or even how he died, everyone wants to know more about the Black man who has returned from the dead—is he the second coming? A hoax? Or something beyond explanation? Soon he has brand deals, TV interviews, and politicians aiming to use him for their agendas, yet all John wants is to go home.
But going home will require, most unfortunately, help. In search of a way back, John grudgingly joins forces with a mystic holding dubious qualifications, a hard-edged publicist bent on making him famous, and an aspiring actress who is unsettlingly familiar. With this ragtag band of allies, John begins a journey to find his House on the ocean—but getting there will prove more complicated than he imagined, for it will require not only trusting in someone other than himself, but will mean uncovering painful truths about who John was in life and, perhaps most difficult, who he must become.
A gorgeous, tender story of hope, sacrifice, and what it means to be human, This Is Not a Ghost Storyintroduces an astonishing new voice in literary fiction.
2025 National Book Awards Finalists Announced
Here's the list! Which ones have you read? Which are on your radar? Fiction : Rabih Alameddine, The True True Story of Raja the Gullible (and His Mother) Megha Majumdar, A Guardian and a Thief Karen Russell, The Antidote Ethan Rutherford, North Sun: Or, the Voyage of the Whaleship Esther Bryan Wa...
-kim.kovacs
Anisfield Wolf Awards...Colored Television wins
Thanks, Dee! I've never heard of this award - and it's been going on for 88 years! The website says it's "The only juried American book prize focusing on works that address racism and diversity." The full list of winners: Fiction: Colored Television by Danzy Senna Nonfiction: The United States Go...
-kim.kovacs
"[Amerie] crafts a captivating story that's not merely about ghosts and the living but about human desire, confronting one's own faults and misdeeds, and the healing power of friendship." —Library Journal (starred review)
"This is Not a Ghost Story is a mind-bender and a mind-blower, a hugely original and entertaining exploration of grief, regret, ambition, and friendship. John is not (just) a ghost, but a singular main character who will live with you long after you finish the last page." —Lou Berney, Edgar Award-winning author of Dark Ride
"Sharp, satirical, and deeply resonant, This Is Not a Ghost Story cuts to the core of identity, race, and what it means to be seen in a world eager to capitalize on spectacle. With a voice as incisive as it is unrelenting, Amerie crafts a narrative that is both hauntingly surreal and bracingly human. Sly humor and hard truths immerse readers in this gripping meditation on visibility, power, and the fragile line between aspiration and exploitation—a stunning debut!" —Jonathan Escoffery, author of If I Survive You
This information about This Is Not a Ghost Story was first featured
in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Amerie is a Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter, producer, and writer. The daughter of a Korean artist and an African-American military officer, Amerie was born in Massachusetts, raised all over the world, and graduated from Georgetown University with a bachelor's in English. She is the editor of New York Times bestseller Because You Love to Hate Me (a Junior Library Guild Selection), author of the children's book You Will Do Great Things, and recently founded Amerie's Book Club, a book club that highlights diverse and unique perspectives and voices. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and son.
The Sister's Curse
by Nicola Solvinic
The Lost Story of Eva Fuentes
by Chanel Cleeton
The Vanishing Place
by Zoë Rankin
 (1).gif)
What really knocks me out is a book that, when you're all done reading, you wish the author that wrote it was a ...
Click Here to find out who said this, as well as discovering other famous literary quotes!
Can you name the title?
Test your book knowledge with our daily trivia challenge!
Your guide toexceptional books
BookBrowse seeks out and recommends the best in contemporary fiction and nonfiction—books that not only engage and entertain but also deepen our understanding of ourselves and the world around us.
