Review: Short but So, So Good
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 04 18, 2013
Medium Rachel Miller is pulling double duty, serving Vancouver in her job as a member of the Order of Rescue Mediums and acting as a supernatural sensei to newbie rodach Kit Eckeles, the young man she saved from being exorcised a few weeks previously. Of course, the ORM doesn't know she has the sometimes-wraith living with her. That would definitely be awkward to explain.It's also the least of Rachel's problems, because three bodies have turned up at the Vancouver General Hospital morgue. Nothing unusual with that on the surface, but their cause of death is a problem. Each victim had their souls violently ripped out and eaten, and each were members of the supernatural community.Vancouver had a reaper on its hands, a voracious killing machine that may just be stronger than anything Rachel can throw at it. And that's if she can keep from being its next entree.~*~It makes no sense that the short novellas of this series are so damned kick-ass good, with their rich world building and well-developed tales, but Hoar has a true gift for packing a hell of a fictional punch in very small packages. This is the second in the urban fantasy novella series, and I am absolutely a total addict. I love the plot, I love the world, and I am totally wild for the characters.Despite the short length, the backstory, mythos, and plot threads are finely crafted and delivered in such a way that the story feels like it's a lot longer than it is. Hell, I've read full novels that don't have the same level of detail and complexity of world and characters, so this is a true treat.There's even a lot going on in the background, characters with their own agendas working for and against Rachel as the main plot arc of the story unfolds. That sort of sub-plotting and subtle foreshadowing is virtually unheard of in stories of this length. I wouldn't have thought it could be done quite so well if I hadn't read it myself. Plus, Rachel is a great main character, strong, independent, and capable in her job, so she makes an excellent heroine. There just isn't anything that I don't love about this story or the series.Oh. Wait. Yes, there is one thing. This second installment is it for the foreseeable future because there are only two published stories in the series, and according to the Hoar's blog, the third is a work in progress. Who knows when or even if it'll be available any time soon. What?! NO! I need more of Rachel and her ghost-kicking, rodach-teaching, Vancouver-saving life! What a total bummer it will be, not to mention waste of spectacular writing ability, if this awesome series doesn't continue soon.Disclosure: An ARC of this book was provided to me by Carina Press via NetGalley. This rating, review, and all included thoughts and comments are my own.~*~*~*~Reviewed for One Good Book Deserves Another.