How to Claim an Undead Soul by Hailey EdwardsHow to Claim an Undead Soul by Hailey Edwards
Series: Beginner's Guide to Necromancy #2
on December 15, 2017
Genres: Urban Fantasy
Format: eBook
Source: Kindle Unlimited, Purchased
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four-half-stars

Life was simpler for Grier when she was flat broke and a social pariah. Now she's carrying the baggage that goes along with the title of Dame Woolworth, and shouldering that weight is giving her a serious crick in the neck. Her work as a Haint is the one thing that makes her feel normal, but even that's more paranormal than usual.

Spirits are vanishing from well-known hot spots on the ghost tour circuit, and vampires are turning up as shriveled husks. When Grier stumbles across the menace preying on Savannah's supernatural community, what she uncovers is bigger than a few flickering lampposts gone dark. It's a deadly threat unleashed by one of their own, and the cost of saving her city might be her life.

This book follows How to Save an Undead Life immediately. You cannot read them as stand-alones.

I was kind of upset with how the last book was just…ended. It wasn’t a cliffhanger, but it wasn’t…not one either. So once more I am really excited to take advantage of Kindle Unlimited and snag the next book. This one brings in another man to compete for Grier’s attention. Linus is the son of the Grand Dame of their Society. Both High and Low Society have to bow to her rule. In the last book, the Grand Dame reinstated Grier’s inheritance and position as the heir to the Woolworth fortune and position in Society. She is now Dame Woolworth.

She remembers Linus from her childhood since her guardian Maude was his aunt. But she remembers a serious child who enjoyed books, and is shocked when Dame Lawson sends her scion over to teach Grier everything she’s missed out on. She’s also shocked that Linus is hot! And he seems to “get” Grier on a level Boaz and Amelie don’t. So whether he becomes a love interest or not, he definitely understands that prison changed her. Being locked in a drug-induced stupor for almost 6 years changes someone deeply. Boaz and Amelie (her crush and her best friend, also brother and sister) fought in every way they could to get Grier out, but now that she is out, it’s like they expect her to be able to pick up where her life left off, nevermind that she’s been imprisoned, nevermind that she never finished high school. But Linus gets it. And he seems to want to help. It’s not just that his mother made him do this, he seems to care.

Now, I don’t want this to seem that I prefer Linus to Boaz as a love interest, because I’m still unsure how I feel about Boaz. He fought hard to get Grier out, and he has made no bones about the fact he thinks they should date. She finally acquiesces, and it seems that they might actually have a shot. I may not like Boaz, but I like what he’s been doing to protect Grier.

Meanwhile, through it all, ghosts have been disappearing from their city. It’s strange and it’s finally caught Grier’s attention. She goes to check one out, and a little boy ghost tells her the Devourer is coming and he’s sad because he doesn’t want to go. Two major things here: in this world, ghosts are just residual energy and can’t actually be communicated with-yet Grier is able to do so. And something is well, killing ghosts. (yeah yeah, they’re already dead, I know), but they’re gone forever, not moved on. This is not normal either. What Grier discovers is who the Devourer is, and she finds out another of her powers. Both of these things are important. Big time. But there are still so many unknowns.

Grier still doesn’t remember what happened to Maude, and she still doesn’t have the truth of how she was killed. She still has too little information while many others seem to know a lot more. That is probably what drives me the most crazy. The books aren’t slow-paced, yet the information being doled out is coming in slow drizzles. I want to know more, and I think Grier should know more. But I really like this world Ms. Edwards has created, and she’s hooked me. I’ll be diving in to the third book tonight.

four-half-stars