A Bookish Compulsion

This review also posted at A Bookish Compulsion's Home Site

Let me start by saying that this was a really fun book.  Somewhere on the crossroads between a Paranormal Cozy Mystery and a Paranormal Romance, it struck that perfect balance sweet-spot for me.  Just enough mystery to keep me engaged in the plot and just enough romance to have me loving the characters.

Speaking of characters, these were some good ones.  From M.J.’s lead (right through the completely entertaining Gilly, the smolderingly suave yet linguistically challenged Steven) down to Mama Dell who owns the coffee shop at the corner the characters were well drawn, believable, relatable and charming.  I loved reading the by-play between M.J. and Gilly (and I will never think of a fire-drill the same way again) and found the relationship development between Steven and M.J.—from skepticism to acceptance—a fun and realistically tangled journey.

I also really liked the way that the paranormal element was incorporated into this book.  It just was.  No angsts (or only when in relation to how difficult it was to find a date when you can talk with the dead…apparently that scares a lot of guys away.) no metaphysical explanations, just—this is how I was born, either deal with it or don’t, your opinion is not going to change anything.

I found the plot of What’s a Ghoul to Do? an entertaining journey through twists and turns that thankfully all felt realistic at the time.  I never felt like something was being thrown in just to serve the plot (although there were times I felt truly sorry for the character as I winced at yet another twist they had to deal with.).  It was a light and fun ride and I am happily looking forward to reading the next book in this series.

I give What’s a Ghoul to Do? a happy five stars. ★★★★★

As a side note, I saw these books years ago and while they looked interesting I shied away from them because I not a huge fan of Ghouls (the whole flesh-eating thing).  I was happy to find when I read What’s a Ghoul to Do? that, while there were ghosts galore, there were no ghouls to be found.