Reviewed by Vicki
TITLE: Spirits
SERIES: Gothika #4
AUTHORS: Jamie Fessenden, Kim Fielding, Eli Easton, & B.G. Thomas
PUBLISHER: Dreamspinner Press
LENGTH: 260 pages
BLURB:
Gothika: Volume Four
Seeing dead people. Haunting and being haunted. Ghosts and those trying to deal with them add a supernatural flair to these four tales of romance.
In Among the Dead, Neil Gaven sees dead people. A gentle ghost guides him to Trist, who needs his help. But Trist is tormented by spirits, so maybe together they can find a way to live among the dead.
Dei Ex Machina is the story of Sabbio, a Roman slave who was killed 1700 years ago. He’s been alone until he meets landscaper Mason. But because they’re separated by centuries, it will take a miracle to make love work.
The Mill brings a supernatural challenge to Frank Carter and his team of paranormal investigators. The owner’s personal psychic, Toby Reese, is supposed to help. Frank doesn’t have much respect for psychics, but when the dangers of the old mill threaten his team, he realizes he and Toby will have to work together to survive.
Mike Ellsworth finds himself suddenly deceased. Now he’s a ghost with lots left undone in Unfinished Business. He’s never been able to be honest with his wife. He’s never been able to tell the man he loves how he feels. He’s barely been able to admit he’s gay. If only there were a way he could make up for all he’s failed to do….
See excerpt for full individual blurbs.
REVIEW:
The Mill by Jamie Fessenden
Oh… this is a nice spooky story. Frank and his crew are paranormal investigators, hired to look in to possible hauntings in an old abandoned mill in Hawley Maine. The current owner of the mill wants to know if it can be torn down, or remodeled. After a rough start for C-Troop Paranormal, and an injury to Louis, Frank’s younger brother and fellow investigator, Mrs. Hawley bring in her own personal psychic, Toby. Now Toby is the real thing. He heads over and gets drawn in to this story…
I loved this story, I liked the team of investigators with their Forest Gump like nicknames, and I liked the authentic feeling of the story. Well, and it reminded me of paranormal investigation TV shows, only better, because these guys actually discover the mill is haunted! I loved the romance that blooms between Frank the skeptic, and Toby the psychic. I also liked the little side romance I won’t say anymore about.
This felt like the beginning to a fantastic series, I’d love to see what Frank and Toby get in to next! Jamie Fessenden is an author I don’t read much of, I’ve read his contibutions to the other books in this series and I’ve really liked them. I really do need to go get more of his books, what I’ve read has been just great.
We are off to a good start to this book with this fantastic story!
Rating: 
Dei ex Machina by Kim Fielding
Very cool story! I love this one!
This story takes place in Split Croatia, a place I am not familiar with at all. We have a ghost, Sabbio, who has been around a looooong time. Hanging out watching time pass, floating wherever ghosts float, just existing but barely. He was once a slave, dying an ugly death at a young age, working on a palace. His one lasting contribution is his work on the palace which still stands hundreds of years later. Once in his floating and observing, he sees a tourist, who almost, but not quite, sees him back.
Mason Gould is in Croatia with his brother, sister-in-law and a friend. Mason is only sort of there, he’s still in mourning for his murdered husband. He is so sad, sometimes suicidal, just barely getting by. While having a glass or two of wine with his fellow travelers, he sees something hovering in the sunlight, but then it’s gone.
This is such a wonderful story, sweet and poignant, it made me really feel. I felt sad, it made me tear up, but also made me happy and hopeful. I couldn’t see the end and how it could possibly work out. I loved it when it did. I liked the extra characters, it’s short so I’m keeping details to a minimum, but it’s got some great side characters in it. I so want to say more, but I won’t! There’s this whole thing with dreams that was very cool.
I am a huge Kim Fielding fan, and this is such a good story. She writes creative and believable stories, with excellent characters. I can’t recommend her enough, her contributions to these anthologies have been wonderful. If you haven’t read any of her books, seriously, go get some after reading this book.
Rating:
Among the Dead by Eli Easton
Oh geez…. this one made me cry!
Neil Gaven is a bit of a recluse. He lives in a great neighborhood in Seattle, works for a tech company, but he has a problem. He sees dead people. Everywhere. He’s gotten to the point that he can barely leave his house. He manages to take the bus to work once a month for a meeting with his boss, and can do his grocery shopping, but everything else is a struggle. He used to be social, even had a boyfriend at one point. Then he hit his head, and life has sucked ever since. But things are about to change when Edward comes in to his life. Edward leads to Trist and he’s in love…
Wow. This story is so good. I was blown away. I can’t say anymore, damn, I really want to say something but I can’t! Seriously, read this story! I have really liked all of the books I’ve read by Eli Easton. This one is also set in Seattle, my hometown, and I am happy to say Eli got the details included in this book right! This does not always happen, and bugs the hell out of me. So this one is well written, very emotional, great characters, and good details. Loved it!
Rating:
Unfinished Business by B.G. Thomas
Mike is having a bad day. So bad, that he actually dies while driving and texting his lover Joel, to tell him he’ll be to their hotel room in just a few minutes. But Mike can’t seem to move on until he finishes something… With the help of others, he does what he needs to do.
I liked this story, it was quite sweet. There isn’t a lot of plot to it, so I can’t say much here without giving too much away. I liked the characters and the… hmmm…. task I guess, that Mike has to do. I think this is the first story I’ve read by BG Thomas, and I enjoyed it. It didn’t affect me emotionally as much as the other stories in this anthology, I think it took a little too long to get to the end. But that’s just me, wanting something more to happen. I liked the extra character and what she did to affect the story. I loved the ending!
I’ve been curious to read a book by this author, and this made me want to go see what else he has out there! Good writing, great characters, an interesting plot, and a great ending.
Rating:
OVERALL REVIEW:
What a great collection of stories! They all fit with the theme of spirits, they were each unique, but had the common theme, and were all well written. I chuckled, smiled, sniffled, and sighed. This is the third anthology in this series I’ve read, I missed the first one and need to go get it! I’ve loved the three I have read. One of the things I like is the length of the stories. Anthologies tend to have lots of short stories, just about the time I get in to a story it’s over. These books have longer stories, only four per book, and they are just long enough for some true plots and character development. If you are a paranormal fan, go get these books!
OVERALL RATING:
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