A Gift of Ghosts by Sarah Wynde Book Review

Genre: Fantasy, Paranormal
Author: Sarah Wynde
Series: Tassamara #1
Date Published: March 8th 2014
Publisher: Rozelle Press
Edition: ebook
ASIN: B006KF645E

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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?

Review:

Disclaimer: This will be a very personal review.

I might have been taken so much by this book long ago, but not now. You see, I was a dropout of Physics (fuck Quantum Mechanics!) and the female protagonist here, Akira Malone was a Physics professor who due to mixing Physics with the metaphysical in her research article was compelled to considaer a different path. So before she is denied her tenure in the College she's working at, she sought for a different job, landing her at General Directions, Inc. for a job that even her dreamy interviewer—Zane Latimer— is not clear about.

This book has such a nice premise— Physics prof will be working at a generic-named company for a shady purpose. Company wants her to work for its own personal reason but she gets to do her own scientific research for whatever its worth that has something to do with the psychic phenomena. This book offered a lot of future if only it didn't sound like it cater much to the female population. The cover has done well enough that it looks so neutral that anyone—male or female—will pick it up. But reading the book, although it was written in the third-person perspective made me realize there's just too much a feminine touch to it.

While I'm considering I'm not taken much by this book, what this book has become to me is something personal. It evoked feelings I used to have.

Max might call himself a serendipidist, but the rest of the world would have called him a precognitive psychic. Not always, not consistently, and not always accurately, but sometimes, and often when it counted, he could see the future.

Max Latimer is the father of Zane Latimer, the love interest of the protagonist in the story. Max wanted her for the company to provide closure regarding the death of his wife who is now haunting their mansion for two years.

I have a gift like that of Max's but the last time I had a use of this gift was on 2008. And usually this ability is triggered when it comes to accidents within my radius (I don't know how long this radius is). I could be involved in these accidents or I would just pass by some accidents and the visions would show as warning before they happen. I used to have issues about this gift but six years had gone by without forewarning so I'm content (no accidents!) but leaving me a bit sad because it felt as if a part of me has gone away.

The reason why I had issues with this gift is that I tend to tell all of my friends (or potential friends) about it and for which I am always answered with skepticism. Others think that I'm just one upping other people when it comes to "special" talent but no, that's never my intention. You see, I'm afraid of Cassiopeia's curse.

In greek mythology, Apollo fell in love with Cassiopeia that he gave her the gift of foresight. But Cassiopeia could not reciprocate Apollo's love so Apollo turned this gift into a curse-- Cassiopeia will still have this gift of foresight but no one will believe her. When she had foreseen the greeks hiding in this gift to Troy, a big horse where they'd attack Troy while the city sleeps, she told the Trojans about it but instead of being heeded, she was answered with stones. Hence, the fall of the ancient city of Troy.

That's what I used to be afraid of, that I'll have a foresight that counts involving my friends and no one would listen. I told them of my ability so we're prepared for anything. Anyhow, none of my visions involved some friends (which is good; no accidents). And I've moved on from this gift.

Back to the book...

I never thought I'd be really entertained with this book. I still have my hang-up with regards to Physics and am trying to avoid anything about it (not that I could) that having it as a background for the protagonist as a starter made me think twice about reading this book. If only I didn't get a copy of this book for free at netgalley, I wouldn't have continued. And I don't regret continuing reading.

I clicked on the Request button because this book was shelfed in SciFi and Fantasy and most of all because of the mysterious cover and the word, ghosts. I was thinking the type of book like Neil Gaiman's. Halfway into the book, what I didn't expect was that this is actually a romantic book with a tinge of erotica which reminds me of the film The Big Bang, entirely opposite of my reaction with that of Gena Showalter's Awaken Me Darkly.

Tassamara.

The only small town in America where talking to yourself just made the neighbors think you were one of them.

This book offered so much intrigue. Tassamara is a small town in Florida whose people are mostly psychic and anyone who has the gift will most likely be attracted to the place. The Latimers, owner of General Directions, Inc. are a family with unique gifts. Max and her daughter Natalya have precognition, Lucas can read minds while Zane has an ability that will make him find lost objects or people. While Tassamara has lots of Psychic, unfortunately none of them could do things that Akira could, opting the Latimers to hire her.

But the grief of the Latimers doesn't just involve the death of Zane's mom, it has something to do with the cute 15-year old boy who is stuck at the assigned car to Akira by the company on her way to the interview. The old car was a test. As it turns out, Dillon, Zane's nephew is haunting it offering no reason why he's stuck in the car. And this pretty much is the reason why I stick with the book.

Gift of Ghosts is actually a good cross-genre read. Though it isn't fast-paced, it's still a page-turner making me read it practically in one sitting.