A Gift of Ghosts (Tassamara #1)

Akira Malone believes in the scientific method, evolution, and Einstein's theory of relativity. And ghosts.

All the logic and reason in the world can't protect her from the truth-she can see and communicate with spirits. But Akira is sure that her ability is just a genetic quirk and the ghosts she encounters simply leftover electromagnetic energy. Dangerous electromagnetic energy.

Zane Latimer believes in telepathy, precognition, auras, and that playing Halo with your employees is an excellent management technique. He also thinks that maybe, just maybe, Akira can help his family get in touch with their lost loved ones.

But will Akira ever be able to face her fears and accept her gift? Or will Zane's relatives be trapped between life and death forever?

*May Contain Spoilers*

Sarah Wynde gives a new perspective on the ability to communicate with ghosts in her novel, A Gift of Ghosts. The main character, Akira, only holds true the facts that she has learned from interacting with otherwordly beings through her experiences. And one things is certain: ghosts are more dangerous than people think. 

Akira Malone is a physicist that just happens to have the ability to see and speak with ghosts. Her father always told her that ghosts were a form of energy, following the scientific theory that energy can not be created or lost, only transferred. Akira is a cautious woman who tries to think before she acts. Especially when it comes to communicating with the dead. She's had a lifetime of trauma due to her gift and she tries to avoid ghostly contact when she can. However, Tassamara, Florida turns out to be a very haunted place when she moves there for work. This new opportunity in research puts her into contact with various ghosts and pushes Akira to the limits of her experience. Her character is fun and understanding with an intrigue for answers and scientific examination. Readers will like her abilities and feel more connected to her as they make new discoveries at the same time Akira does. 

The novel begins with Akira being hired for a new job, which causes her to relocate from California to Florida. The family she works for is revealed to be a family of psychics, in a town that attracts similarly gifted people. However, the reason the family hired her is so that they can communicate with a couple of ghosts they have been told reside with them. This set-up is uncomfortable with Akira but she tries to make the best of it, leading to a nearly disastrous result. 

A Gift of Ghosts is overall a fun and interesting read about discovering qualities and other information about ghosts. Though there is an edge of danger that lines the pages. Readers will understand Akira's hesitant nature about communicating with ghosts, as well as see first hand just how dangerous they can be. There are a few sympathetic moments that will draw readers in emotionally, building upon the spark of interest that paranormal abilities initiate. Though not a book I felt was un-put-down-able, A Gift of Ghosts was an easy and intriguing read. As a lover of science, that side of the story seemed to add a little believability. I don't think I've ever read a book before that tried to combine energy science with ghostly manifestations and I really enjoyed that Wynde included that aspect in her novel. 

Rating: 3/5 Cups

Haunted on Bourbon Street

Jade loves her new apartment-until a ghost joins her in the shower.

When empath Jade Calhoun moves into an apartment above a strip bar on Bourbon Street, she expects life to get interesting. What she doesn't count on is making friends with an exotic dancer, attracting a powerful spirit, and developing feelings for Kane, her sexy landlord.

Being an empath has never been easy on Jade's relationships. It's no wonder she keeps her gift a secret. But when the ghost moves from spooking Jade, to terrorizing Pyper, the dancer, it's up to Jade to use her unique ability to save her. Except she'll need Kane's help-and he's betrayed her with a secret of his own-to do it. Can she find a way to trust him and herself before Pyper is lost?

* *

Deanna Chase gives off the essence of New Orleans in her novel, Haunted on Bourbon Street, the first in the Jade Calhoun Series. 

Moving to the French Quarter from Idaho, Jade is in for more than she believed when she heard her apartment was haunted. 

As an empath, Jade is more in tune with people's emotions. She has the ability to read them, use them, and even affect them. But when a ghost shows up and won't leave her alone, she's going to need more than just her own abilities to cleanse her apartment. 

Chase writes Jade's past in a way that readers can use that to connect with her. She's had a semi-difficult life living as an outsider because of her ability. Trust issues and past relationships also mold her to be a woman who guards her heart. But, overall, I wanted her to be a stronger character. 

When Jade receives, gives, or uses emotions of other people it wears her down, exhausting her body. Often times it causes her to black out. This is understandable but it also gives Jade a weak side. It's her kryptonite. This weakness forces her to rely on other people and ultimately pushes Jade through her fears of what others will think about her when they know her ability. 

Although Jade is headstrong woman, I wanted her to be stronger in her ability than she was. 

The other characters in the novel all have their quirks. Pyper is an insomniac coffee shop owner. Kat, Jade's best friend, is a little blind in the ways of love. Kane only wants to give love and be loved in return (since he has his own secret abilities). And Ian is a ghost hunting fanatic, emphasis on the fanatic part. Chase's cast of characters all add up to a very interesting plot. I wouldn't be surprised if certain readers connect with the other characters before connecting with Jade. 

The story line itself was a little slow at times, but when readers reach the halfway point, there's no turning back. Chase's plot is unpredictable, complete with mouth falling into an "O" more than once. The honest writing style and first hand look in to the mind of Jade Calhoun has me adding the second book to my TBR pile. 

Haunted on Bourbon Street

on Amazon

rating: 4/5 cups

Bound

Sixteen year old Arelia LaRue lives in New Orleans where the music is loud, voodoo queens inhabit every street corner, and the ghosts are alive and well. Despite her surroundings, all she wants is to help her Grand-mere Bea pay the rent and save up for college.

When her best friend Sabrina convinces her to take a well-paying summer job at the infamous Darkwood plantation, owned by the wealthy LaPlante family, Arelia agrees.

However, at Darkwood strange things start to happen, and gorgeous Lucus LaPlante insists that he needs her help. Soon, the powers that Arelia has been denying all her life, come out to play and she discovers mysteries about herself that she could have never imagined. - Goodreads Blurb

* *

Kira Saito introduces readers to an entirely different world with her novel, Bound, the first book in the Arelia LaRue series. The story revolves around New Orleans and Voodoo folklore, which is a topic that I haven't seen very much. Though, I may have just been looking in the wrong places. 

The novel itself was well laid out. It introduces Arelia who will one day be a great Voodoo Queen. It then tempts her into learning more about the spirit world that surrounds her. Arelia, obviously intrigued (though frightened) accepts her Aunt's help in studying her ability. But just beneath the surface, someone wants to stop Arelia from using her powers.

Sounds great? Sadly, that's where it ceases to be so... interesting. The characters, all of them, lack the depth required when it comes to this folklore genre. It's folklore. Therefore, readers need a strong connection to the characters in order to accept the story as believable. 

Saito fails to connect the reader with Arelia. She isn't a character that draws the audience into her world and she appears to be quite unwilling to help herself. Saito makes her out to be a Voodoo Queen, but pinpoints Arelia's weaknesses. I wanted so much more from this novel. It has the potential to be an amazing book and it could have been if I would have felt any connection to Arelia, but she just falls flat. She has the role of a dynamic character but refuses to be anything but static. 

Arelia's best friend, Sabrina, isn't a nice person. At all. Yet, Arelia still accepts her like a sister, back-stabbing and betrayal included. She's a stereotypical rich girl who doesn't care about anything but herself and what brand her lip-gloss is. It's sad to see a character that could change the outcome of the story cut out of a pattern. And the hero of the story, Lucus? He doesn't seem to do much of anything. Though, he does portray the Southern Gentleman quite well. But he does lack the charm. 

However, I must admit that I did read the entire novel in less than one day. It was a quick easy read that didn't require much in the realm of focus. I would recommend it for a light read if you'd like to know a little bit about Voodoo history. Saito does a nice job revealing the details of Voodoo without it becoming too much to comprehend. That part of the novel: I very much liked. 

Bound
on Amazon

rating: 2/5 cups

Resurrection of the Dead

"Death is a seductive, erotic thing."
Play Dead

As my investigative mind swirls through the minute details of each character, I'm struggling to put the pieces together in the right order. Anne Frasier is spinning a delicate web of people, places, and folklore that makes me question everyone and the motives behind everything they do.

Underneath the soft Georgia dirt are people who are being resurrected. With skin that smells like death but ears that tune into the living, dead bodies are coming back to life. The Voodoo and Root Doctor myths that circle the dark city of Savannah hint at what might be going on, but a spell is never certain. Especially when the detective in charge of these un-dead cases is the daughter of a powerful conjurer and there's a killer who doesn't appear to be very good at getting the job done.

Could this all be coincidence? An experiment with a new street drug made out of Puffer fish toxins? Or could someone really be bringing to dead back to life to do their bidding?

Think twice about the next question, do you believe in ghosts?