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Dead Weight
Some girls get butterflies. I got bloodlust.
On my eighteenth birthday, I inherited the family curse: a magical itch that only murder can scratch. One ritual later, and Wyatt Morrison—class golden boy, occasional jerk—is dead. Or… he was. Now his ghost won’t leave me alone. He’s snarky, undead, and somehow hotter than ever. High school just got a lot more complicated.
Everyone has a thing. Some people bake. Some people binge true crime podcasts.
Seventeen-year-old Salem Whitlock? She really, really wants to murder people. And not in the haha what if I just stabbed Chad way.
No—Salem has an itch.
A magical, bone-deep craving that festers under her skin like wildfire until it’s unbearable. It’s a family trait, passed down like a cursed casserole recipe. Her mother made her swear not to kill anyone until her eighteenth birthday. “Be responsible with your impulses,” she said. “Make your first kill mean something.”
So Salem waits. She journals. She daydreams. She sharpens knives and avoids group projects. Then her birthday hits. And the itch is raging. Enter Wyatt Morrison. Arrogant, manipulative, the kind of guy who thinks he's a gift to women and insults you while asking for your number.
He’s a perfect first kill. And Salem? She’s feeling generous. One murder, a messy ritual, and a suspiciously casual “oops” later… and Wyatt is still here. Dead. But still here.
Now Salem has a ghost problem. Wyatt’s spirit is bound to her through the unfinished spell—and while he’s surprisingly chill about being murdered by a girl with eyeliner sharp enough to kill on its own, he’s also incredibly annoying. He haunts her locker, critiques her murder technique, and insists on being her afterlife wingman. Worse? The school is investigating his death.
Her magic is getting stronger. The itch is back. And every time Salem thinks she might be in control… someone else ends up bleeding. Oh, and she might be falling for the dead guy she killed. Which, as it turns out, is so much more complicated than murder.
Dead Weight – Content & Trigger Warnings
A guide for the emotionally unprepared, the deeply curious, and anyone who’s ever considered dating the ghost they accidentally murdered.
This book contains dark and potentially triggering content. Reader discretion is advised.
Major Themes & Triggers:
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Graphic Violence & Murder – Including ritualistic and intentional killings. Blood is not just symbolic here.
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Death & Grief – Central to the plot. Expect mourning, emotional fallout, and psychological consequences.
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Sexual Content – Includes on-page sexual scenes involving teens (18+). Some are intimate, some are emotionally complicated.
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Innuendos of Sexual Assault – While not explicit, there are moments of threat, power imbalance, and references that may be upsetting.
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Trauma & Mental Health Struggles – Includes PTSD-like symptoms, anxiety, emotional numbness, and morally grey coping mechanisms.
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Paranormal Elements – Ghosts, witchcraft, curses, werewolves, and magical compulsions to kill.
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Gaslighting & Manipulation – Both magical and mundane.
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High School Setting – Which comes with bullying, social pressure, and teenage cruelty.
Tone Warning:
While the book includes humor, sarcasm, and paranormal romance, it doesn’t shy away from emotional pain, messy morality, or the weight of the consequences.
