Dust To Dust by Melissa C. Walker
Series: Ashes #2
Published by Katherine Tegen Books
Publish Date: May 5, 2015
Source: Borrowed
Find it here: Goodreads / Amazon
When Callie McPhee miraculously recovers from a tragic accident that should have taken her life, she thought her connection to the ghost world would be severed forever. And that she would never see Thatcher—the ghost she fell in love with in the hereafter—again. But when she receives unexpected signs from Thatcher, she’s led down a dark road toward the angry souls who once tried to steal her soul’s energy for another chance at life.
Now Callie must prevent the real world and the spirit world from colliding, and that could mean saying good-bye to people she’d never imagined she’d lose. (excerpt from Goodreads)
This is the second book in the the Ashes Series.
There are minor spoilers for the first book in this series, so proceed at your own risk.
I have tried to keep spoilers limited to what is included or alluded to in the summary.
Dust to Dust by Melissa C. Walker
My Thoughts: As the book begins, Callie is back on earth after the big reveal in the previous book. She continues to heal from injuries she sustained months ago, but she is mentally and emotionally different now – she isn’t a risk-taker anymore, she isn’t loud or overly-outgoing, and she is reeling from the heartbreak of losing Thatcher, her ghost Guide from the Prism. Callie has the support of her father in more ways than ever and they are mending their relationship, plus she has her boyfriend Nick and her best friend Carson by her side. Things are progressing well except that Callie has been experiencing unusual dreams and visions, and she is also wondering if she could be sensing Thatcher in the space around her.
Callie is overjoyed when she realizes that she can sense Thatcher around her (she still has strong feelings for him), and she eventually learns that he is there to protect her…but from what?
Callie is overjoyed when she realizes that she can sense Thatcher around her (she still has strong feelings for him), and she eventually learns that he is there to protect her…but from what?
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I enjoyed both Ashes to Ashes and Dust to Dust, which makes me happy because I’m such a big fan of Author Melissa C. Walker. This book is an easy continuation with an easy transition from one book to the next. To me, the two best plot lines in Dust to Dust are the good vs. evil plot thread with the poltergeists from Prism and the love triangle with Callie, Nick, and Thatcher. I loved these parts of the story because I genuinely didn’t know what the final outcome would be until it was down to the wire.
1. The poltergeists figured out in the first book that they could harness Callie’s energy and use it to their benefit, causing all sorts of trouble both in Prism and on earth. NOW they are trying to take this a step further and cause permanent changes to things on earth, which can be devastating for some people, including some of the people that Callie loves most. Callie is willing to do anything in her power to stop these poltergeists and keep people safe, including risk her own life.
There are instances of pure meanness by the poltergeists along with some pretty neat action sequences. This led up to a scene in which Callie had to make some big decisions – saving some that she loves could possibly risk losing others that she loves. There is plenty to go along with this plot thread and it is probably the driving force of the book, but getting too detailed here is not necessary. I just found it an interesting arc across the two books, I liked the trickster-antics of the poltergeists and their manipulative ways, and I appreciate all that they brought to the series even though they were the actual bad guys.
2. This love triangle was so tricky! It was tricky in the first book and it was no less tricky in this installment. I’m not sure that I’ve come across a situation like this before in my own reading and I was actually surprised by how everything ended up – I liked it. I think there is more resolution than I could have hoped for. Still, with any love triangle, there is heartbreak and that is present here too. (I’m interested in seeing how readers respond here.)
I also liked:
3. The new character, Dylan. Most of the characters returned from the first book, which is always fun, but Dylan is a fresh, quirky voice in this book and it is actually very needed. Dylan’s position in the story is quite original, he is funny, and he brings relief to the story during a couple of scenes that need it.
4. Relationships. I love the way Callie and her father have a fresh, restored relationship after her accident, as if her brush with death has opened their eyes to how precious life is. This isn’t a topic that is explored very often in young adult books from my experience, and I love seeing it written in a way that feels authentic and realistic across both of the books in this duology. I also love the relationship between Callie and her best friend, Carson. Carson is a little on the sometimes-annoying side, but Callie is too at times – what BFF isn’t every now and then, right? What these two have is a friendship that transcends those annoying and trying times and appears quite genuine, a real love for one another, and I love that representation in this series. This is one thing that I notice consistently in Melissa C. Walker’s books – great friendships.
Melissa C. Walker’s Ashes Series is certainly a departure from her contemporary young adult, but I enjoyed it. I think that if I’m honest, it’s most fair to say that I love the contemporary the best, but this series is definitely fun. I love her take on the afterlife and ghosts, and I love that she is always able to bring a very subtle spiritual undertone to her stories without being annoying or hurtful. Dust to Dust is a fitting sequel to Ashes to Ashes – I loved these characters and I do feel that they are all where they should be, doing what they should be doing. I recommend Dust to Dust to readers that enjoy stories involving ghosts, great friendships, and restored family relationships.
1. The poltergeists figured out in the first book that they could harness Callie’s energy and use it to their benefit, causing all sorts of trouble both in Prism and on earth. NOW they are trying to take this a step further and cause permanent changes to things on earth, which can be devastating for some people, including some of the people that Callie loves most. Callie is willing to do anything in her power to stop these poltergeists and keep people safe, including risk her own life.
There are instances of pure meanness by the poltergeists along with some pretty neat action sequences. This led up to a scene in which Callie had to make some big decisions – saving some that she loves could possibly risk losing others that she loves. There is plenty to go along with this plot thread and it is probably the driving force of the book, but getting too detailed here is not necessary. I just found it an interesting arc across the two books, I liked the trickster-antics of the poltergeists and their manipulative ways, and I appreciate all that they brought to the series even though they were the actual bad guys.
2. This love triangle was so tricky! It was tricky in the first book and it was no less tricky in this installment. I’m not sure that I’ve come across a situation like this before in my own reading and I was actually surprised by how everything ended up – I liked it. I think there is more resolution than I could have hoped for. Still, with any love triangle, there is heartbreak and that is present here too. (I’m interested in seeing how readers respond here.)
I also liked:
3. The new character, Dylan. Most of the characters returned from the first book, which is always fun, but Dylan is a fresh, quirky voice in this book and it is actually very needed. Dylan’s position in the story is quite original, he is funny, and he brings relief to the story during a couple of scenes that need it.
4. Relationships. I love the way Callie and her father have a fresh, restored relationship after her accident, as if her brush with death has opened their eyes to how precious life is. This isn’t a topic that is explored very often in young adult books from my experience, and I love seeing it written in a way that feels authentic and realistic across both of the books in this duology. I also love the relationship between Callie and her best friend, Carson. Carson is a little on the sometimes-annoying side, but Callie is too at times – what BFF isn’t every now and then, right? What these two have is a friendship that transcends those annoying and trying times and appears quite genuine, a real love for one another, and I love that representation in this series. This is one thing that I notice consistently in Melissa C. Walker’s books – great friendships.
Melissa C. Walker’s Ashes Series is certainly a departure from her contemporary young adult, but I enjoyed it. I think that if I’m honest, it’s most fair to say that I love the contemporary the best, but this series is definitely fun. I love her take on the afterlife and ghosts, and I love that she is always able to bring a very subtle spiritual undertone to her stories without being annoying or hurtful. Dust to Dust is a fitting sequel to Ashes to Ashes – I loved these characters and I do feel that they are all where they should be, doing what they should be doing. I recommend Dust to Dust to readers that enjoy stories involving ghosts, great friendships, and restored family relationships.
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Dust to Dust will appeal to fans of:
Young Adult Paranormal – Ghosts
Romance: Love Triangle, interesting resolution.
Great Friendship
Great Friendship
Restored Family RelationshipGreat Setting: Charleston
Dust to Dust by Melissa C. Walker
will be available for purchase on May 5, 2015.
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Have you read any of Melissa C. Walker’s books?
Do you have a favorite?
I LOVE THEM. I have a few left on the backlist.
About Asheley
Asheley is a Southern girl. She loves Carolina blue skies, Ben & Jerry's ice cream, and NC craft beer. She loves all things history but prefers books over everything.
You can find her somewhere in North Carolina, daydreaming about the ocean.
Find Asheley on Litsy @intothehallofbooks!
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