The Splendor Falls by Rosemary Clement-Moore

I believe this was the only book I hadn't read of Clement-Moore's, and it was worth the wait.

Sylvie can't believe her life's ambition is over--a severly broken leg means she'll never dance again.  Life might as well be over too as her mom and new step-dad ship her off to stay in Alabama while they're on their honeymoon.  Convinced she's having a spychotic break, they want someone to watch her all the time.

Can Sylvie help the fact she can see ghosts?  As she settles into life at Bluestone Hill, the strange occurrences keep happening, convincing her that maybe she is crazy.  A baby's wail at night, the cold pockets on the landing, and a blur of clothing out of the corner of her eye convince her something is happening.  When the rivers rise and threaten to flood the town, she may be the only one to stop the supernatural catastrophe behind it all.

Once again, Clement-Moore creates a world of magic and wonder.  I was reminded of Marion Zimmer-Bradley's work while I was reading this.  A definite pageturner.

Wake Trilogy by Lisa McMann

Once again I read a whole series before reviewing any of the books. Mostly I did this because I am often behind in my posting. This time, I couldn't wait to read all three books in the Wake trilogy, so I basically checked out all three (ok, I bought the first one) and read them all...almost in one sitting.

Wake is the first book in the series. In Wake, we learn that Janie has a unique gift. Or curse. She, against her will, gets pulled into the dreams of the people around her. So when people fall asleep and start dreaming, often Janie is right there with them. Experiencing their dreams...or nightmares. Sometimes she can pull herself out, but not often. She starts noticing Cabel and realizes she's been in his nightmares before. His especially are scary.

When she realizes something big is happening in Cabel's life, she has a decision to make--help him or stay away from him.

And without giving the ending away of Wake, I can't talk about Fade or Gone. Just that Janie's powers grow as well as her ability to control them. And she has to make a life-altering decision before the series is over.

What I liked most about the series was the characters. Janie and Cabel are well-written and realistic. Janie's abilities are odd, yes, but fit into the storyline and come across as believable. Fade especially has been hard to get out of my head, but that's because the situation Janie finds herself in is so disturbing. Highly recommended, but perhaps for older teens.

The Space Between by Brenna Yovanoff

Daphne lives in Hell with her parents, Lilith and Lucifer. She's never left, not even to just go explore Earth. Her older brother, the only person Daphne really cares about, is gone for long periods of time, as his job is to save the souls of the Lost Ones--children of demons or angels and humans. Obie, Daphne's brother, decides he's had enough of this kind of life and choose to leave. On his way, he stumbles across Truman, a Lost One who wasn't suppose to be there. Daphne, trying to stop Obie from leaving, can't explain what draws her to Truman. Before she knows it, they're both gone.

Before long, Lilith reaches out to Daphne in a panic. Obie has gone missing and Daphne must go to Earth to find him. Determined to find him, Daphne heads to Earth and searches for the one person she's sure will know where Obie is. Truman. Only Truman has no idea how to find Obie and is on his own path of self-destruction. Can Daphne save Truman in order to save her brother?

Not as good as The Replacement, the story does grow on you. There are some elements of Percy Jackson-type quest here, as Daphne and Truman travel from Chicago to Las Vegas to find someone they aren't sure how to find, and following clues they're not completely sure of. The beginning is a little complicated but it gets more even as the story plays out. An enjoyable supernatural story with romantic overtones.

Prom Dates from Hell by Rosemary Clement-Moore

Just weeks from graduation, Maggie Quinn just wants to keep a low-profile and get out of Avalon High as quickly as she can. Not so easy when Stanley, a guy "lower in the high school food chain," asks her to prom. She has no intention of going. Not for anyone.


That day changes Maggie's life forever. She has a gift she's been trying to ignore, but her nightmares are back. In gym, as everyone lines up for diving, Maggie's fear of the water is paralyzing. As Karen heads up to dive off the low board, Maggie sees a shadow in the water and then Karen slips, hits her head, and falls into the water. Not long after, some other people in school are also targeted and Maggie's gift for sensing when things aren't right goes off left and right.

Someone's raised something and set a curse on people at her school. And going to prom may be the only way to set things right.

Yes, I read this book all in one setting, and I really want to read the other two. Maggie is a great character and I was laughing many times at her comments and the things that were happening in her story. Just enough of a creepy factor for me too.

Texas Gothic by Rosemary Clement-Moore

Amy Goodnight is the 'normal' person in a family of witches. She herself was fascinated by ghosts until a tragic incident when she was 11 almost killed her and her sister. Now she tries to suppress that part of her nature and keep her family's secret.

For the next month, Amy is watching over her aunt's farm along with her sister Phin. While Phin will be dealing with keeping all the plants alive, Amy is in charge of all the animals. Which is how she meets Ben, the cute rancher from next door. That's also how she learns about the ghost plaguing Ben's ranch.

Amy is thrust back into the supernatural when she most definitely wants to be left alone. But how long can she deny what's a part of her?

A good paranormal romance. Lots of humor and creepy points--especially good for a ghost story.

The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong

Chloe can see dead people. Or rather...their ghosts. When they realize she can see them, they do anything to get her attention--even making themselves as frightening as possible. She freaks out at school one day and gets herself sent to Lyle House.

Chloe's aunt is the reason she goes to Lyle House instead of any other home. But everything there is strange. Her roommate Liz is sent away. The staff seem to be waiting for her to do something supernatural as well. When she gets locked in the crawl space under the house, it creates stunning results--she wakes up the dead. Literally.

With the help of Simon and Derek, foster brothers who also have supernatural secrets, Chloe knows they must escape.

Not a bad start to this supernatural series. Chloe has a clear voice, most of the time.

Misfit by Jon Skovron

Jael Thompson has a huge secret. Her mother, who died when she was a baby, was a demon. Her father, an ex-priest, moves them around constantly, to protect Jael from forces that would try to either kill her or use her for evil purposes.

When Jael turns 16, her dad gives her a necklace he promised he would. With that gift, everything changes. Her dad doesn't want to tell her anything, but before long, he has to. Her demon half is making itself known. She can't control her emotions and the demon who killed her mother is now after her.

The story starts a little slow, but that's only the first chapter. Flashbacks and memories surface through the book. Lots of dialogue, action, and a little romance round out this supernatural story. There's some mythology as well.