How Not to Raise the Dead by Rachael Chadwick

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

From Amazon bestselling author Rachael Chadwick comes a dark, addictive paranormal rom-com filled with demons, tension, and dangerously irresistible chemistry.

Eden only wanted one thing—to see her dead boyfriend again. But when her summoning spell misfired, she didn't get closure. She got Malachi—a demon with horns, fangs, a bad attitude, and the emotional maturity of a bored arsonist. He wasn't supposed to cross the veil, definitely wasn't supposed to barge into her apartment, and absolutely wasn't supposed to enjoy the frantic little mortal who panics when he breathes near her. As Eden's grief cracks open and Malachi learns what it means to feel, the line between summoner and summoned begins to blue. And when Hell finally decides it wants its missing demon back, they'll both have to decide how far they're willing to go to stay together.

Thanks to Blue Nose Audio for the ALC!

This story is a departure from the stories I’m used to reading from Rachael, at least, that’s what I thought at first. I’ve been reading a lot of demon and monster summoning books lately, and one thing I’ve noticed is that there is a lot of time wasted teaching the summoned entity how life on Earth works, how technology works, etc. Thankfully, this book didn’t have all that. Hell is run more like a business with levels of management and employees. Chadwick really put a ton of thought into building that world.



Eden was essentially trying to summon her recently deceased boyfriend, but instead, a demon named Malachi decided to use Eden’s ritual as a means to an impromptu vacation. This sets in motion an adventure for Malachi and Eden across Earth and Hell. I was having such a great time with the banter and adventure that I forgot I was reading a Rachael Chadwick book. Of course, she hit me with a gut punch, threw an uppercut to my face, and said, “You let your guard down, bitch.”



A story this exciting and this impactful needed the best voices, and I believe Marie Hawkins and Anthony Palmini could not have been better cast. Marie and Anthony’s voices complement each other so well. Marie’s acting was great, and she really gave unique voices to her characters. Anthony is able to use his voice to create a personality for all of the characters he portrays. I would put him in the same category as Jeff Hays, who is in my top 5 favorites. Overall, this audiobook is one of my favorites for 2026.