Review: My new favorite paranormal romance!!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 02 29, 2012
Oh, good god, my heart is racing/crushed/swelling/skipping beats/flatlining...this series is AWESOME!! Picture Paranormal Activity meets Abbi Glines' Existence, and you have this haunting romance. I don't know how I haven't heard more about this series until now, I but will be highly recommending it to everyone!!Haunted begins right where Deepest Cut ends, with Riley in the very beginning stages of getting to know Kade, the lookalike descendant of her sexy ghost boyfriend Ian who has passed on. She thought she had rid herself of Laria's evil ways by removing the curse on Ian, effectively sending the love of her life on to a better place. But Laria is back, just as Riley is trying to figure out her feelings for Kade, and she can't figure out why she's still haunting her. The creepiness factor that was ever-present in DC is amped up beyond belief, as Laria is a lot stronger and now has reinforcements. Seriously, some of the scenes were like something straight out of the Exorcist, and the story is so well-written that you get a very crystal clear picture of the sheer terror that Riley has to experience. Honestly, I'm glad I wasn't reading this while I was alone in my house, and I'm not sure I won't have nightmares tonight...The characters I loved in DC are back in full-force for Haunted, too! Riley, though heartbroken over losing Ian, is still feisty and determined to never back down. She discovers new allies and friends in the MacKinnon family, including someone who shares her gift. She is tormented by both the living and the dead, and there was a great deal of heartache for her that left me feeling so defeated. It was hard to read about her being in so much pain, especially when at times it seemed like there was no possible good outcome. Riley's brother Shane gets a little more depth in Haunted, and we see a new side of him when he starts opening up to her. Friends Meghan and Cass add dimension to the story with their sass and teen girl melodrama. Their interactions with Riley were fun and sweet, and I liked seeing more of them than we did in DC.And of course, I have saved the best for last!! Kade, oh lord, what this sexy boy does to me!! I was so excited that Riley was feeling so strongly for Kade as if she could see her Ian again in his eyes. I absolutely LOVED Ian in DC, and when he passed on I was crushed!! I cried, and I was mad because I couldn't believe after all they went through that they were being ripped apart. It was just too sad. I held onto the hope that the look-alike Kade would somehow make everything work out for Ian, and I have to say I'm SO very happy with what Templeton did with this part of the story!! I mean like, doing cartwheels, fighting back tears of joy, and attempting to catching my breath...HAPPY!! I love that in Haunted, we get to see the relationship that was a bit rushed in DC really develop and become more believable and heartwarming. They still set off fireworks when they're together, and they share some very sweet and sexy moments together. That scene on the rock by the water...OH wow, my heart almost couldn't take it!! Riley and Ian's love story has captivated me from the moment I started reading this series, and I haven't felt this strongly about a book couple since Shatter Me's Violette and Adam. It's one of those magical, indescribable, meant-to-be romances that literally affects you on a physical level, making your heart race when they're together and just crushing you when something tears them apart. Beautiful!I can't say enough about Templeton's series so far; her writing is spot-on, her settings are so eerie it's unsettling, and her characters grab your attention and never cease to impress. Twists and turns will keep you on the edge of your seat and loving every minute! I want to give fair warning, Haunted ends rather abruptly and leaves you with that feeling of "wait, is there a page missing here??" when there isn't any sense of real closure before the next book. I am dying to read the last in the series, The Departed, and given the open ending I hope it won't be too long of a wait!!