I liked this one a lot. It really drew me in quickly, and though it has many elements common in my usual UF reads (a killer, ghosts/paranormal element, potential love interest, family secrets) it still stood out.
Amelia is not kickass. She is not a fighter. She is physically fit given her work, but that's it. No martial arts or weaponry to be found. Amelia is a cemetery restorer who can also see ghosts. The ghosts in this world remind me of some of the Fae series where people with "the Sight" know there are Fae, but try to live like they can't see them to avoid unwanted attention. Such is Amelia's life - she avoids ghosts and haunted people because if the ghosts knew she could see them, they would latch on to her, leeching her warmth and life. Her only security is hallowed ground, where ghosts don't cross, which is why she loves restoring cemeteries as they are usually on consecrated ground.
A dead body is found at her latest project, bringing Amelia into the case and introducing her to Devlin, a cop she is attracted to but who is also haunted.
The romance is more of a slow burn and I'm glad that not everything is tied up. We get a resolution to the main case, but there is still a lot to be answered. Looking forward to book 2.
Loved the world - I have a soft spot for books set in Northern California. This one is set in Sacramento where there is a hidden Arcane world hidden from the normal, mundane one.
I really liked the mythology and how the author used the history of the place (Sacramento and the Gold Rush). I did not expect hopping zombie-vampires, but it works.
Characters were good, although Melina can be prickly and not always so smart. She's not a hotshot homicide detective - she is a Messenger, a human with some extra abilities who makes deliveries for those in the Arcane world, so I was OK that she was in over her head so quickly. She's not used to dealing with gangs, drugs, and murder.
The pace was fast, I enjoyed the other characters, there was a lot of action scenes, and overall I had a good time reading it. I'll be checking out the next one.
A Gift of Ghosts by Sarah Wynde
This is a fast-paced paranormal romance.
Akira sees ghosts. She tries not to interact with them because it never goes well. She also needs a new job since she's made a mess of her previous one. However her new job is nothing like she expected. First there is the very strange company town. Then, there are all of the ghosts she starts encountering. Her very handsome and charming boss wasn't part of the plan either.
I had a lot of fun reading this one. I liked how Akira and Zane played off each other. I enjoyed the other characters too, especially Dillon.
I liked the way the ghosts work in this world - there are opportunities for both good experiences and also dangerous ones. While the book was fun, it does come with some dark and bittersweet scenes.
One thing I would have wanted was more interaction with the quirky townsfolk. We just get a tiny touch of this.
I'll be checking out the next book.
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