If I Have to Be Haunted - by Miranda Sun (Hardcover)

About the Book

"Cara Tang doesn't want to be haunted. Look, the dead have issues, and Cara has enough of her own. Her overbearing mother insists she be the 'perfect' Chinese-American daughter--which means suppressing her ghost-speaking powers--and she keeps getting into fights with Zacharias Coleson, the local golden boy whose smirk makes her want to set things on fire. Then she stumbles across Zach's dead body in the woods. He's even more infuriating as a ghost, but Cara's the only one who can see him--and save him. Agreeing to resurrect him puts her at odds with her mother, draws her into a dangerous liminal world of monsters and magic--and worse, leaves her stuck with Zach"--

Book Synopsis

Cemetery Boys meets Legendborn in this thrillingly romantic, irresistibly fun YA contemporary fantasy debut following a teenage Chinese American ghost speaker who (reluctantly) makes a deal to raise her nemesis from the dead.

Cara Tang doesn't want to be haunted.

Look, the dead have issues, and Cara has enough of her own. Her overbearing mother insists she be the "perfect" Chinese American daughter--which means suppressing her ghost-speaking powers--and she keeps getting into fights with Zacharias Coleson, the local golden boy whose smirk makes her want to set things on fire.

Then she stumbles across Zach's dead body in the woods. He's even more infuriating as a ghost, but Cara's the only one who can see him--and save him.

Agreeing to resurrect him puts her at odds with her mother, draws her into a dangerous liminal world of monsters and magic--and worse, leaves her stuck with Zach. Yet as she and Zach grow closer, forced to depend on each other to survive, Cara finds the most terrifying thing is that she might not hate him so much after all.

Maybe this is why her mother warned her about ghosts.

Delightful and compulsively readable, this contemporary fantasy has something for every reader: a snarky voice, a magnetic enemies-to-lovers romance, and a spirited adventure through a magical, unpredictable world hidden within our own.

Review Quotes

"Gorgeous, atmospheric, and deeply delightful, this is the kind of book that comes alive from the very first page and haunts you long after the last. With smooth, vivid prose, Miranda Sun deftly explores the space between life and death, love and hate, and the real and imagined." - Ann Liang, author of If You Could See the Sun

"A fast-paced, electric gem of a story. Miranda Sun crafts a perfect adventure story that mixes beguiling prose with a gorgeous cultural element. Cara is a heroine that I adore and a heroine that readers today absolutely need." - Chloe Gong, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Foul Lady Fortune

"An imaginative, big-hearted debut about legacy and familial expectation." - Allison Saft, New York Times bestselling author of A Far Wilder Magic

"A dynamic and delightful debut! Come for the banter and romance and stay for the heart-warming relationships!" - Kat Cho, New York Times bestselling author of Once Upon a K-Prom

"Sun effortlessly balances humor, gleeful horror, and sparkling romance... this book stands out amongst the ghost romance trend for its intriguing world-building and Sun's mastery of poetic symbolism." - Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books (starred review)

"Debut author Sun keeps the character dynamics feeling fresh and energetic via snappy dialogue and descriptions of Cara's growing into her powers."

- Publishers Weekly

"Thrilling, heartbreaking, and hilarious." - F.C. Yee, New York Times bestselling author of the Chronicles of the Avatar series

"A magical adventure where ghosts, grannies, and grades are equally terrifying--perfect for the spooky season." - Gina Chen, New York Times bestselling author of Violet Made of Thorns

"I loved every minute of Miranda Sun's charming and imaginative debut! The romance between Cara the ghost speaker and Zach, her recently dead rival, is adorable, bantery fun -- I couldn't get enough of it!" - Vanessa Len, author of Only a Monster