Author: Jacinta Maree
Age Group: Young Adult
Release Date: 23rd July 2012
Publishers: Staccato Publishing
Rating: 5 stars
Available from: Amazon AU Amazon
Source: Author
Rachael has traveled to Whitehaven to visit her father, a trek she can not help but dread given his recent descent into madness. Upon her arrival she realizes his deterioration has not only been mental, it’s been physical as well. His death comes as no surprise, but what she discovers soon after, is shocking when his burden becomes hers.
Lock is a banished spirit who must attach himself to a human host in order to hide from those who would drag him back to hell to be destroyed. When he meets Rachael he finds more than a host, he finds an ally.
Together they must defeat each of the seven sins in order to guarantee Lock's safe passage into the Third Realm, a loophole in creation that would allow him to escape hell and have peace at long last. Through their unlikely friendship, other banished spirits flock to them in hopes of a peace they hadn't dreamt possible.
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Jacinta Maree has created an engrossing and inventive series with My Demonic Ghost. It's a refreshing YA series and such a unique take on the afterlife.
Book one, Banished Spirits centers around Rachael and Lock. An unlikely pair who are thrown together with the death of Rachael's father. After a rocky start they slowly begin to trust each other. Rachael is young, brave and selfless. After hearing Lock's story and the world he, and now she, lives in, she decides to help him. I'm not sure I'd be so forgiving and understanding in her position. She probably agrees a little too quickly, but after seeing her father deteriorate I think she wants to be free of Lock as soon as possible. Lock is very disgruntled and petulant, and he doesn't treat Rachael very well. I didn't like how he always told Rachael how unimportant she was. Although, as the story progresses I began to understand that he just wanted to be accepted and free. He's been beaten down, but I loved watching him strive to be a better person.
Banished Spirits is creepy and imaginative, each of the seven deadly sins are described in detail and they are definitely horrifying. The world Maree has created is dark and unforgiving. You might want to leave the lights on for this one.
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Author: Jacinta Maree
Age Group: Young Adult
Release Date: 17th September 2013
Publishers: Staccato Publishing
Rating: 5 stars
Available from: Amazon AU Amazon
Source: Author
The day you die is meant to be the end, but for 18 year old Jordon Hastings, his death was only the beginning.
In a dark and twisted world, lost spirits known as Reapers remain behind after death to help collect the spirits from the realm of the living. A new Reaper, Jordon struggles to accept his fate and lingers in the shadows of his mortal life. But when a demon wolf starts to live through his shadow, hunting his family and friends Jordon has no choice but to leave. As soon as he accepts his new role the truth behind the relationship between Reapers and Angelic Hunters is revealed. His loyalty is tested, making him choose between a corrupted God and a single Banished Spirit.
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The second installment in Jacinta Maree's My Demonic Ghost series, The Reapers is just as captivating as book one. The Reapers is set before and during Banished Spirits, and in this book, we follow Jordon and his journey as a Reaper. In this book we get a bigger view of the incredible world Maree has created. I was quite sad when I found out who Jordon was and how he related to Lock. Jordon finds it difficult to assimilate to his new life and drifts through his previous life. His demon wolf, Raix, doesn't help matters. They are bonded and are supposed to carry souls to what is classed as hell. Raix isn't fond of his new master and defies Jordon every chance he gets.
The Reapers immerses you in suspense and being able to see a wider view of the different realms Maree has created keeps you glued to the pages. Some characters from Banished Spirits make and appearance, and you get to see how their stories and worlds intersect. Lock started something big and now Jordon has created his own rebellion. There are a lot of twists and turns, and everything flows together very well. I loved reading how Jordon finally realises he can help so many other souls, banished and reaper alike. It gets very interesting when he accepts who he now is. Maree has an amazing ability to draw you into her world and make you feel for her characters. I am looking forward to the final installment in the My Demonic Ghost series, Hunters.
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