City of Angels meets The Good Place

I thought this was going to be a romance novel with an unusual premise when I first saw this, and I was fully expecting something cute and heartwarming. I was not expecting to be bawling my eyes out at 2am! Don’t get me wrong, this was definitely cute and heartwarming, but there was so much more than a simple forbidden romance.

This book follows Evvy, a pickpocket and thief who lived in Manchester in Victorian England. She was heading for Cloud 5 until she saved the life of her brother right before she died and was elevated to Cloud 9 (the highest level of heaven there is). But this is where the problems start showing, because not only is Evvy bored, she has no idea what became of her brother or where he ended up (one of the major problems with the cloud system). Evvy gets recruited to become a guide (guardian angel) and is able to head down to earth, and mix with other guides from clouds 7 and 8, and she starts to ask questions about her brother. Again, more cracks within the cloud system start showing (we actually learn people on cloud 7 and 8 are far happier than those on cloud 9). When Evvy gets down to earth, however, things start to get interesting because a beforelifer can see her, and he is not due to die. As they get to know each other, it’s clear they’re falling in love, but she’s dead, so this is far beyond a forbidden romance. It’s impossible. Enter a judgemental busybody and things really hit the fan.

The whole points-based system determining which cloud someone goes to when they die seems to be a commentary on the perception of good, and how not everyone who does a good deed is a good person. There are people on Cloud 9 who definitely should not have been there. The judgemental busybody mentioned above was a bully. She was vindictive and horrible, but because she happened to save someone’s life right before she died, she ended up on Cloud 9.

I really liked how this book ended. There was a nice ending for Evvy while leaving enough threads about the flawed afterlife open for a potential sequel. I have no idea if there is going to be a sequel, but I am really hoping for more, because I don’t think I’m done with these characters. And there are some characters in particular (Perkins) that I want to know more about.

Evvy is a young girl at the end of the 19th century struggling to survive and feed herself and Seth, her brother, mostly by pick pocketing and selling her gains. Her love for her younger gentle giant of a brother is what has kept her going since their Mum died some years ago. But the area in which they make their living is rough and when someone produces a knife and lunges at Seth Evvy doesn’t think twice about jumping in front of him to save him. Seth is saved. Evvy is not.
A character Evvy had noticed hanging around then introduces himself as her guide up to Cloud Nine, the highest of cloud levels, achieved because of an heroic deed carried out on the last day of life.
Evvy discovers the different cloud levels are an hierarchy that cannot be changed once dead, but guides are sent just before death to try to raise the soon-to-be-deceased up a level or two.
After over a hundred years of living in luxury, but also a bit of boredom, Evvy becomes one of these guides and proves herself to be good at it. Until she starts to defy the rules when her emotions take over.
Full of humour and not at all morbid, this is a light hearted romance for young teens.

Sue Cunningham has done it again! Another utterly fabulous YA novel that manages the tricky feat of combining humour and a gorgeous lightness of touch with real depth and emotion. How she manages to make me laugh and cry, I don't know, but this book is an absolute treat. As others have noted, you could reference Ghosts x The Good Place to get a sense of the territory here. Evvy is a feisty, sixteen-year-old, Victorian pickpocket who, having died saving her beloved brother, finds herself on the highest tier of the afterlife - cloud nine. She finds work guiding the souls of the newly departed up to the correct tier of the afterlife - and tries to nudge them to a higher tier by helping them do good works on their final day on earth. Her existence is complicated when she falls in love with a living teenage boy who can somehow see her, even though his time is not yet up.

I love the cast of supporting characters drawn from different eras of history. I love the sense of Manchester as a contemporary city with a rich layered history. I love the generous spirit that infuses the whole story, spiked with flashes of wit and social critique.

Congratulations Sue and the whole team - another triumph, one I hope makes it to a screen adaptation!

Thank you so so much to Scholastic on NetGalley for this book - it was an instant favourite, and I really hope it gets all of the recognition it deserves!

I've not read Sue Cunningham's first book, but I'll definitely have to after this. It was easily the most imaginative, entertaining book I've read in a long time... and northern! A northern UKYA read! As a YA author, I try to include as much representation of the north as possible in my books, but I was thinking just the other day about how few books I've read which are set in Manchester specifically. I know want to read every other Manchester-set book in existence.

The premise of this book is that sixteen-year-old Evvy died in the Victorian era, and, due to an accidental act of heroism, ended up on Cloud Nine - basically the top division of heaven. She gets a job as a guide in the twenty-first century, helping other departed people bridge the gap between the beforelife and the afterlife. One one of these trips, she meets a boy her age - who can mysteriously see her, even though beforelifers aren't meant to see dead people unless they too are on the brink of death.

The story which follows is one of wit, of heartbreak, of history and humour and humanity. I loved Cunningham's approach to writing people, each one so clever and unique, and to writing realistic, gritty settings and situations... it was a breath of fresh air, and different to any UKYA book I've ever read.

If you do anything in 2025, let it be to read this book. I can't wait to get hold of a physical copy to promote!

Super cute and enjoyable read. I loved Evvy and really enjoyed meeting all the characters and their quirks.

This was an absolute JOY to read! I loved it so much!

It was funny, warm, tender and sweet, and for a YA, it ticked all the boxes I look for.

I've read afew books with this concept and I think this is actually the best I've ever read!

Evvy was a great FMC. She was hilarious but vulnerable and her mischievous personality was infectious. The secondary characters were great fun and I loved the idea of different 'cloud levels' when you make it to the Afterlife.

Of course, my favourite part was the love story between Evvy and Tom. HOW CUTE?! 🥹🥹
I wasn't expecting to cry reading this, but Sue got me good on more than one occasion!

I will definitely be grabbing a copy of this in paperback when it comes out in Febuary and will be highly recommending it to my book friends!

Life after death is an unusual and original setting for a YA romcom in which Evvy, a feisty accidental heroine earns a place in the upper levels of the afterlife.
The story is a mix of mystery, a cute romance and touches of humour which balance the heavier themes in the book. The world building is interesting; even in the afterlife many “residents” question the hierarchy and rules that are in the place. I enjoyed the historical details of some of Manchester’s well-known buildings.

This was such an original book, I was captivated by it. Evie died an accidental hero and as such she went to the top tier of the after life, cloud nine.
Only problem is she's been there for a very long time and things are getting a bit stale.
She gets herself a job a guide and this is where the story really takes off.
The idea of a heavenly reward and judgement day are all incorporated in this book as well as hauntings, young love, old love and family ties.
I won't spoil it for anyone, but I heartily recommend this book. Its an easy entertaing read.

I’ve always been attracted and interested to books like this and it’s so nice to finally see one for the YA genre. You have to be a bit careful with these types of books so they don’t get too heavy especially for young readers but I thought this one was very well written.

I thought this was such a unique take on the afterlife - the author has beautifully blended death and tragedy with humour, and it makes the heavier themes in this book more palatable to a younger audience.
I adored the wide variety of characters and the language used to portray them. I think this would make a fabulous television show!
I felt invested in Evie's story, in her hunt for her brother, her relationship with Tom and the mystery of the arsonist.
The story was a touch predictable, but was nonetheless a delightful read that I enjoyed.
I give this 4.5 stars (rounded up here to 5).

Thank you so much to Scholastic UK for this arc via NetGalley, and for giving me the opportunity to share my honest thoughts on this book.