Children Shouldn't Play with Dead Things: Dead Things Series Book 1 by Martina McAtee is a young adult paranormal about 17-year-old Ember Denning. When Ember’s father dies, she learns that he wasn’t totally honest with her. She has another family, who take her to a small Florida town. There, Ember meets her real family, a group of supernatural beings like cousins who are reapers, a faery, a genius, and a werewolf pack. There are also witches, banshees, ghosts, zombies, and oracles. Ember has a lot of questions, but all her family knows is that she has powers. They aren’t sure what kind of powers yet, but they do know that her powers are trying to kill them. The more Ember learns about her powers, the more she learns about the secrets her father kept for so many years. As time runs out, Ember has to figure out a way to control her powers and save the new family who have embraced her.

Children Shouldn't Play with Dead Things is a fun paranormal tale. There are so many cool characters and this story hits on just about every paranormal aspect, so readers will be pleasantly surprised to find all of their favorite types of dark and mysterious characters within this story. I loved the family aspect of this story, too. The way Martina McAtee wrote Ember being embraced into this insanely weird and crazy family was awesome. All of these creatures could have been loners, but having them all connected into one family unit was smart writing.

Children Shouldn't Play with Dead Things: Dead Things Series Book 1 by Martina McAtee is a magical read that revolves around Ember Denning. Have you known any seventeen-year-old who prefers to be alone, and spends her time at cemeteries and the funeral home where she is working? Ember Denning does just that, and while she is in the cemetery she meets two people who tell her they are her cousins and that she, like them, has a special gift. They take her to Florida, saying her life is danger, and there she finds her special power is trying to kill her cousins, a human, a fairy, and a werewolf pack. Will Ember be able to handle her magical power without harming her cousins? And then there is also this beautiful boy she sees in the cemetery who plays an important role in her life.

For all those readers who love mystery, witches, fairies, werewolves, and paranormal activities, this book will keep them glued till the very end. The plot is built up nicely, making the readers curious to learn what is going to happen next. The suspense, the friendship, the loyalty, and the romance that have been effortlessly woven together make the story fast paced and exciting. Ember Denning's character is strong and well-portrayed and has many shades to it, and the characters of Tristin, Kai, and Mace are also memorable. The story has all the paranormal creatures you can think of that give it an eerie and creepy feel, and the diverse characters make the plot adventurous and at the same time enchanting. Definitely a must-read for all readers who like paranormal activities. Great cover design.