The Stubborn Dead by Natasha Hoar
23 January, 2012
Author: Natasha Hoar
Published: January 23rd 2012
Publisher: Carina Press
Pages: Kindle Edition (Unknown)
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Summary: (Goodreads)
Rachel Miller thought her next job was a run-of-the-mill haunting. As a member of the Order of Rescue Mediums it’s her duty to release trapped spirits from the earthly realm. But when called to client Sylvia Elkeles’s house, she finds a wraith who doesn’t act like he should.The Order considers the wraith an extreme threat and Rachel may be forced to use a barbaric ritual to free him—a ritual that comes with a heavy personal price. If she fails to humanely release the wraith, she’ll have her supernatural abilities bound.When Janus Ostara—local supernatural mob boss—shows up demanding her attention, and Sylvia keeps secrets that may place Rachel in mortal danger, she doesn’t need her abilities to know something darkly sinister is at play.Between uncovering Sylvia’s disturbing motives, and avoiding Janus, Rachel has enough on her hands without dealing with a wraith who may not realize he’s supposed to be dead…
FOUR OUT OF FIVE STARS ****
This was a short, but brilliant, novella that I ultimately fell in love with from the very first page. It was a good starting novel to what could be a very interesting and fascinating new series. It was a nice, easy read that was entertaining and welcoming and one book that I simply found difficult to put down. I enjoyed reading the journey that the main protagonist took and am extremely excited to wait for the next instalment to find out exactly what is in store for her!
The characters in this novella were well-drawn out and seemed realistic and heart-warming. Considering this was a short piece of writing, that, in itself, is a remarkable aspect of the story and really made the reading process that much nicer. I really liked Rachel and the way that she behaves throughout the story. I also liked Janus and his relationship with Rachel and cannot wait to witness how this will eventually turn out. I also really connected with Kit, I thought that he was a really well written character who had a lot of baggage to deal with and yet, at the same time, he was an outstanding moral citizen on the outside. I just loved that he wasn’t all what he seemed.
The supernatural elements of this novella was really what captured my heart. I loved reading about the different beings that exist within the story’s world and I am interested in finding out a lot more about them. I enjoyed spotting where some of the references within the novella came from and this always put a smile on my face as I read through it. I feel that this elements could have been described a little bit more to give the novella a bit more flesh but, at the same time, it did still work without them.
This story starts with the protagonist in the middle of getting rid of a spirit that is attached to a house and I found that this was an interesting and brilliant way to start the story as it through the reader straight in to the action while also learning more about Rachel and the way she lives. I liked that all the information wasn’t just thrown at you at once but spread out across the story and I just really enjoyed the entire plot and how it was all put together. It is a lovely story that is easy and enjoyable to read.
I received this novella for review from Cedar Press from Netgalley and I am incredibly glad that I was given the opportunity to read this novella as it was one that I really enjoyed. This novella will be released today and I would recommend it to anyone that wants a quick, easy read and who enjoys all aspects of supernatural stories. This is an adult story that can be enjoyed by readers from teens to their nineties.
Faye