This is my favorite book so far in the series. It took Suze's ability to mediate and brought it to an entirely new level because this was all angry ghosts. And they're not your typical angry ghosts, they're the angry ghosts from Jesse's past. Yup, you heard me, the main focus of this book is Jesse and his death and his past and I am one very happy reader despite the fact that this book was, at one point, emotionally traumatizing to me. I could not have asked for a more delicious reveal to his story (though I already suspected most of it) but the modern day plot twists and the revelations of the past were superb. Just wow, I am very happy with this one and I think it's perfection. If I had to describe it in one word it would be "epic."
What I found to be most interesting about this book was the introduction of a new mediator, Jack, who is only a young boy. Jack is, well, adorable. He's spent his entire life being scared of ghosts because nobody saw what he could see and he was constantly in and out of therapy because of this. And then Suze came along and realized what he was while babysitting him. She pretty much changed the poor kid's life and helped him out greatly by explaining things to him and helping him. Unfortunately, this made him a very young and impressionable individual that could easily be manipulated. And, boy, was he manipulated by other evil forces. With Jack came his older brother, Paul, who I hope to never meet again. Seriously, that guy has way too many unanswerable questions and he deserves to have the word "creep" branded all over his body. It's a shame that the pretty ones are never pretty on the inside too.
I don't want to elaborate on the plot too much with this one because it was taken in so many different directions. There is Jesse and Jesse's past and Jesse's present and Jesse's unknown future. There's his dead body, there's his enemies and his friends. There's people trying unravel his mystery that are dropping like flies and a mystery force that is out to ruin Suze's life by turning her beloved organic orange juice into bugs. It's all rather supernaturally traumatizing and it truly is an emotional roller coaster.
There was a point in this book where I put it down and took to twitter to scream at Gillian and Christina for making me read this because my heart was shattered on the floor. I was looking at it while my cat decided to sit on it. It was just that bad. I couldn't bring myself to read on because this book elicited such an intensely sad emotion from me. But I was forced to read on because Meg Cabot brings the fluff and I'm thankful I did because this one was a doozy. Suze went places that she never fathomed she could go and Father Dominic, our lovely priest mediator, even accepted the fact that exorcisms and kicking butt is sometimes the way to go! Hold the phones and stop the presses! That is a miracle within itself!
All in all, the best book yet. With two more books to go, I hope that this series continues to be this awesome because Cabot seriously took this one to an entirely new level. I am fangirling and screaming and crying and laughing. I'm doing everything simply because Cabot has created characters that I'm so attached to I can't bear to see them hurt and I just want to see them triumph. Now...onto book five to see them triumph once again!
I really really need to read this series again - especially since she's going out with a new one! If only it had a release date. Heck, if only it had a release year!
ReplyDeleteAnother series that does sound good to me. I will pick it up when I come across it.
ReplyDeleteRight?!
ReplyDeleteDefinitely pick it up! It's so worth it!
ReplyDelete