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Spirit Caller #1
Spirits Rising
Rachel Mills has one wish in life: for the spirit world to shut up and leave her alone. She thought her move to a remote fishing village in Northern Newfoundland would help.
Population: Twenty. What could go wrong?
Instead of peace, however, she relocates to a land of superstitution, the air alive with the presence of others.
When a local teenager accidentally summons the spirits of the area, including those from a thousand-year-old Viking settlement, all supernatural breaks loose. As the spirits stalk her and each other, Rachel finds herself in over her head. With the help of Mrs. Saunders, her 93-year-old neighbour, Rachel has to put aside her own prejudices long enough to send the spirits back to rest, or risk being caught in the midst of a spirit war.
Population: Twenty. What could go wrong?
Instead of peace, however, she relocates to a land of superstitution, the air alive with the presence of others.
When a local teenager accidentally summons the spirits of the area, including those from a thousand-year-old Viking settlement, all supernatural breaks loose. As the spirits stalk her and each other, Rachel finds herself in over her head. With the help of Mrs. Saunders, her 93-year-old neighbour, Rachel has to put aside her own prejudices long enough to send the spirits back to rest, or risk being caught in the midst of a spirit war.
79 pages, ebook
First published November 25, 2012
49 people are currently reading
452 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews
April 29, 2016
This was a fun, quick, and surprisingly intense read.
The plot is pretty simple. In rural Newfoundland lives Rachel, a woman who is sensitive to the paranormal. A teenager she knows accidentally raises the spirits of long dead Native tribes and Viking colonists, who raise havoc. Rachel, her cop buddy she has an unrequited crush on, the sassy old lady who lives next door, the teenager, and his disapproving Pentacostal father work together to banish them. There, I summed up the book.
And yet it was actually really, really fun. I know Krista, and was expecting snark and entertaining commentary, which this book (I think technically it's a novella?) has in droves. What I wasn't expecting was the depth of character she was able to create in just a few sentences, or how quickly and easily she could give me insight into a years-long and really complicated relationship in just a couple of words.
So while the story was pretty simple, this left me really wanting to read more to learn more about the people.
Plus this might well have been the single most Canadian thing I've ever read. Newfies, Mounties, Timmies, Kraft dinners, and fighting off undead First Nationers with hockey sticks. All it needs is maple syrup and excessive apologies. I love it.
The plot is pretty simple. In rural Newfoundland lives Rachel, a woman who is sensitive to the paranormal. A teenager she knows accidentally raises the spirits of long dead Native tribes and Viking colonists, who raise havoc. Rachel, her cop buddy she has an unrequited crush on, the sassy old lady who lives next door, the teenager, and his disapproving Pentacostal father work together to banish them. There, I summed up the book.
And yet it was actually really, really fun. I know Krista, and was expecting snark and entertaining commentary, which this book (I think technically it's a novella?) has in droves. What I wasn't expecting was the depth of character she was able to create in just a few sentences, or how quickly and easily she could give me insight into a years-long and really complicated relationship in just a couple of words.
So while the story was pretty simple, this left me really wanting to read more to learn more about the people.
Plus this might well have been the single most Canadian thing I've ever read. Newfies, Mounties, Timmies, Kraft dinners, and fighting off undead First Nationers with hockey sticks. All it needs is maple syrup and excessive apologies. I love it.
August 8, 2013
Come to Newfoundland, they said. Check out the sights, immerse yourself in culture, they said...what they didn't mention was the horde of First Nations and old Viking spirits in corporeal form running the streets and wrecking up the place. Enter Krista D. Ball's novella, "Spirits Rising".
Once the action starts, it doesn't let up until the last page. As a Canadian who has never been to the Atlantic coast of my country, there was a lot of insight into the culture of Newfoundlanders that I was especially interested in. Hopefully it's something which continues in future instalments of the series.
Ball has a tendency to write feminine protagonists who are smart, tough, and think on their feet (which are both firmly planted in reality), and it's always a refreshing change of pace from the dangerous sex kittens who haunt genre fiction. While our main character in Spirits Rising may start out a little heartsick and floopy, she comes around by the end to become the hero we all know her to be. I'm looking forward to seeing what happens next in this series.
Once the action starts, it doesn't let up until the last page. As a Canadian who has never been to the Atlantic coast of my country, there was a lot of insight into the culture of Newfoundlanders that I was especially interested in. Hopefully it's something which continues in future instalments of the series.
Ball has a tendency to write feminine protagonists who are smart, tough, and think on their feet (which are both firmly planted in reality), and it's always a refreshing change of pace from the dangerous sex kittens who haunt genre fiction. While our main character in Spirits Rising may start out a little heartsick and floopy, she comes around by the end to become the hero we all know her to be. I'm looking forward to seeing what happens next in this series.
March 11, 2013
Book Info: Genre: Urban Fantasy
Reading Level: Young Adult to Adult
Recommended for: Fans of urban fantasy, paranormal-based stories, those interested in the Native traditions and people of Newfoundland
Trigger Warnings: extremist Christian beliefs
My Thoughts: I must say that Mrs. Saunders was a hoot! I just loved her. I was also very interested in the Newfoundland history that was hinted at in the story. I was also amused by the sort of us vs. them attitudes expressed in this story, and by the narrator's wry assessment of the Pentecostal preacher, who kept calling her a witch. “For a person who believed in demon possession, angels of mercy, a guiding Holy Spirit, and a guy who was raised from the dead, he was rather closed-minded.” I've always sort of thought it was silly, too, the sorts of arbitrary lines that so many religious people draw between the possible and impossible in their minds.
This is mostly fairly well edited, but I noticed some fairly major typos, such as “anthame” for “athame”. Of course, that's a sort of specialized knowledge, so perhaps the person doing the editing just wasn't aware that it was a real word in the community of pagans, so maybe it wasn't a typo so much as someone who didn't realize it was a real word. At least the misspelling is consistent through the book.
This is the first book in a series, but it felt like somewhere in the middle, as a lot of the buildup and background is interspersed through the story like reminders, rather than the book providing a setup for the series by introducing us to the character at the beginning; it's more like we're dropped into the middle somewhere and just have to keep up until we figure it out. Fortunately it's fairly easy, but some people might feel a little lose when they first start reading. I enjoyed it so much that I will definitely be checking out the other available titles by this author, and watching for new stories in this series. You should too, if you like urban fantasy or paranormal stories. There's even a little romance, for those who like that sort of thing. Recommended!
Series Information: This is the first book in the Spirit Caller series. Book 2, Dark Whispers, came out February 23, 2013.
Disclosure: I received a copy of this e-book from the author through the LibraryThing Member's Giveaway in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Synopsis: Rachel Mills has one wish in life: for the spirit world to shut up and leave her alone. She thought her move to a remote fishing village in Northern Newfoundland would help.
Population: Twenty. What could go wrong?
Instead of peace, however, she relocates to a land of superstition, the air alive with the presence of others.
When a local teenager accidentally summons the spirits of the area, including those from a thousand-year-old Viking settlement, all supernatural breaks loose. As the spirits stalk her and each other, Rachel finds herself in over her head. With the help of Mrs. Saunders, her 93-year-old neighbour, Rachel has to put aside her own prejudices long enough to send the spirits back to rest, or risk being caught in the midst of a spirit war.
Reading Level: Young Adult to Adult
Recommended for: Fans of urban fantasy, paranormal-based stories, those interested in the Native traditions and people of Newfoundland
Trigger Warnings: extremist Christian beliefs
My Thoughts: I must say that Mrs. Saunders was a hoot! I just loved her. I was also very interested in the Newfoundland history that was hinted at in the story. I was also amused by the sort of us vs. them attitudes expressed in this story, and by the narrator's wry assessment of the Pentecostal preacher, who kept calling her a witch. “For a person who believed in demon possession, angels of mercy, a guiding Holy Spirit, and a guy who was raised from the dead, he was rather closed-minded.” I've always sort of thought it was silly, too, the sorts of arbitrary lines that so many religious people draw between the possible and impossible in their minds.
This is mostly fairly well edited, but I noticed some fairly major typos, such as “anthame” for “athame”. Of course, that's a sort of specialized knowledge, so perhaps the person doing the editing just wasn't aware that it was a real word in the community of pagans, so maybe it wasn't a typo so much as someone who didn't realize it was a real word. At least the misspelling is consistent through the book.
This is the first book in a series, but it felt like somewhere in the middle, as a lot of the buildup and background is interspersed through the story like reminders, rather than the book providing a setup for the series by introducing us to the character at the beginning; it's more like we're dropped into the middle somewhere and just have to keep up until we figure it out. Fortunately it's fairly easy, but some people might feel a little lose when they first start reading. I enjoyed it so much that I will definitely be checking out the other available titles by this author, and watching for new stories in this series. You should too, if you like urban fantasy or paranormal stories. There's even a little romance, for those who like that sort of thing. Recommended!
Series Information: This is the first book in the Spirit Caller series. Book 2, Dark Whispers, came out February 23, 2013.
Disclosure: I received a copy of this e-book from the author through the LibraryThing Member's Giveaway in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Synopsis: Rachel Mills has one wish in life: for the spirit world to shut up and leave her alone. She thought her move to a remote fishing village in Northern Newfoundland would help.
Population: Twenty. What could go wrong?
Instead of peace, however, she relocates to a land of superstition, the air alive with the presence of others.
When a local teenager accidentally summons the spirits of the area, including those from a thousand-year-old Viking settlement, all supernatural breaks loose. As the spirits stalk her and each other, Rachel finds herself in over her head. With the help of Mrs. Saunders, her 93-year-old neighbour, Rachel has to put aside her own prejudices long enough to send the spirits back to rest, or risk being caught in the midst of a spirit war.
May 23, 2016
OK, I said I'd come back and give this a longer review.
I probably never would have picked this up if the author weren't an r/fantasy regular - urban fantasy (or in this case, rural fantasy) is not my thing.
While I'm generally a fan of leaving the mystery of character backgrounds to be explored and not spelling everything out for the reader, I felt like made it feel really choppy - like the book was actually cut out of a full-length novel at the 25% mark.
I think I was also annoyed by how short it was: more like a novella. That can be a good thing for trying out a series though. I have a thing about finishing books. Still, glad I gave it a shot. It did grow on me in retrospect, or maybe that's just in comparison to other self-pubbed things I've read.
I probably never would have picked this up if the author weren't an r/fantasy regular - urban fantasy (or in this case, rural fantasy) is not my thing.
While I'm generally a fan of leaving the mystery of character backgrounds to be explored and not spelling everything out for the reader, I felt like made it feel really choppy - like the book was actually cut out of a full-length novel at the 25% mark.
I think I was also annoyed by how short it was: more like a novella. That can be a good thing for trying out a series though. I have a thing about finishing books. Still, glad I gave it a shot. It did grow on me in retrospect, or maybe that's just in comparison to other self-pubbed things I've read.
September 15, 2023
3.5 stars
re-read September 2023
Since the author republished this series (with new amazing covers *_*) I decided it was time to finally continue it, because I liked the first volume, but since we are talking about novellas more than proper length novels, I decided to re-read the first one too, just to refresh my mind.
And it was nice, I think that my favorite thing is the setting. I mean, sure, the plot is good and I liked the characters and the feeling of found family (sort of, but it is nice to see the neighborhood stand up with Rachel), but at the moment the most appealing thing is the weather and the setting. I would gladly visit there, and the autumnal weather (on the cold side) was just so so appealing!
re-read September 2023
Since the author republished this series (with new amazing covers *_*) I decided it was time to finally continue it, because I liked the first volume, but since we are talking about novellas more than proper length novels, I decided to re-read the first one too, just to refresh my mind.
And it was nice, I think that my favorite thing is the setting. I mean, sure, the plot is good and I liked the characters and the feeling of found family (sort of, but it is nice to see the neighborhood stand up with Rachel), but at the moment the most appealing thing is the weather and the setting. I would gladly visit there, and the autumnal weather (on the cold side) was just so so appealing!
April 21, 2017
This was a fun and quick read. It reminded me a lot of a Canadian Dresden Files with a female protagonist. The plot was fairly straightforward, but where this really shines is the characters and attitude. Krista manages to convey a lot of personality and history for each of her characters in just a few sentences. The sarcasm and humor of the main character were refreshing, as well.
March 6, 2013
A delightful, quick paranormal read with a great voice. SO much fun. Delighted I get to dive right into the sequel.
Also, Rachel + Jeremy 4EVA. (I might identify a little TOO much with Miss Mills...*cough*)
Also, Rachel + Jeremy 4EVA. (I might identify a little TOO much with Miss Mills...*cough*)
January 20, 2016
A fun, quick read. I love the characters, especially Rachel and her neighbor.
September 9, 2019
This rather short novella is about a young Canadian woman in a small town who can sense the supernatural. The premise was excellent yet there was very little payoff. We do not get to know why she sees and senses the supernatural or why she never went on a date with her cute friend and neighbor. There is only one real conflict and at the end we are left feeling dissatisfied.
January 15, 2012
The Good
Rachel can see and communicate with spirits. Sounds cool, but in reality, having spirits be drawn to you is no fun at all. And having any sort of control over spirits is down right painful. But Rachel feels it's her job to rid her small village of the ancient spirits that have risen through the mishandled magic of a local teen. But putting these spirits to rest presents a bigger challenge than Rachel can handle. And to Rachel's immense surprise, the small village, the very people she thought disliked her for her "witchcraft," actually wants to help.
Rachel really fascinated me. She has dealt with her special abilities for most of her life and it has taken a toll. She feels like an outcast, but she has managed to make some very close friends because, truthfully, she's just plain endearing. She remains strong, even when faced with hardships that the average person couldn't even imagine. But it's her slight obsession with Constable Jeremy Garratt that I found most intriguing. She actually takes a vacation to Mexico in an attempt to get over her feelings for this man. Gotta love that kind of dedication to abstaining from falling for a taken man.
Jeremy is of course clueless to Rachel's feelings. As well he should be since he actually has a girlfriend. The girlfriend is pretty much the sweetest person you will ever meet, according to Rachel. Isn't that always the way? You love someone and they have to be all selfish and find love somewhere else. It just ain't right.
Though some villagers are weary of Rachel's abilities, there are a few that accept and love her. Namely, Mrs. Saunders. Oh, our little, old Mrs. Saunders. One of the best characters ever written. I was cracking up every time she opened her mouth. I'm almost hesitant to call her a smart-ass, her being my elder and all, but it is the perfect word for her. Oh, and cheeky, wise, hilarious, super-freakin-fantastic, amazing. I could go on. She says what's on her mind and she will have her bit of gin in her coffee if it's the last thing she does. *giggles*
The action was pretty good and I have to admit to being fairly nervous from the suspense most of the novel. I loved the spirit element and the obvious research Ball did to create this novella. Spirits Rising was a great ghost story with a major twist.
The Bad
I found myself wishing that Rachel would save the day, her being the spirit specialist, but more often than not other people turned out to be the heros. I dislike main characters that need so much help when they are the ones that have the powers.
The ending was a little anticlimactic. With the buildup of the previous chapters, I assumed the ending would have been a little more frightening.
The Snuggly
No lovin' in this book, but it didn't need any.
Overall
I enjoyed reading Spirits Rising. I haven't read a good ghost/spirit book in a while and this one was definitely satisfying. I think Ball has a promising future in the paranormal genre and I look forward to seeing what else she has to offer. A recommended read.
Quotes
I eyed the old lady, who returned my glare with a much-too-innocent expression. “Such a good boy. I’m going to clean up the garbage in the yard while the bread is baking. No hanky-panky while I’m gone, you two,” she said, wagging her finger at me. She traded her cane for her walker, but not before slapping Jeremy’s behind. “Put some pants on, b’ye. People will think you spent the night with me!”
http://readingandwritingurbanfantasy....
Rachel can see and communicate with spirits. Sounds cool, but in reality, having spirits be drawn to you is no fun at all. And having any sort of control over spirits is down right painful. But Rachel feels it's her job to rid her small village of the ancient spirits that have risen through the mishandled magic of a local teen. But putting these spirits to rest presents a bigger challenge than Rachel can handle. And to Rachel's immense surprise, the small village, the very people she thought disliked her for her "witchcraft," actually wants to help.
Rachel really fascinated me. She has dealt with her special abilities for most of her life and it has taken a toll. She feels like an outcast, but she has managed to make some very close friends because, truthfully, she's just plain endearing. She remains strong, even when faced with hardships that the average person couldn't even imagine. But it's her slight obsession with Constable Jeremy Garratt that I found most intriguing. She actually takes a vacation to Mexico in an attempt to get over her feelings for this man. Gotta love that kind of dedication to abstaining from falling for a taken man.
Jeremy is of course clueless to Rachel's feelings. As well he should be since he actually has a girlfriend. The girlfriend is pretty much the sweetest person you will ever meet, according to Rachel. Isn't that always the way? You love someone and they have to be all selfish and find love somewhere else. It just ain't right.
Though some villagers are weary of Rachel's abilities, there are a few that accept and love her. Namely, Mrs. Saunders. Oh, our little, old Mrs. Saunders. One of the best characters ever written. I was cracking up every time she opened her mouth. I'm almost hesitant to call her a smart-ass, her being my elder and all, but it is the perfect word for her. Oh, and cheeky, wise, hilarious, super-freakin-fantastic, amazing. I could go on. She says what's on her mind and she will have her bit of gin in her coffee if it's the last thing she does. *giggles*
The action was pretty good and I have to admit to being fairly nervous from the suspense most of the novel. I loved the spirit element and the obvious research Ball did to create this novella. Spirits Rising was a great ghost story with a major twist.
The Bad
I found myself wishing that Rachel would save the day, her being the spirit specialist, but more often than not other people turned out to be the heros. I dislike main characters that need so much help when they are the ones that have the powers.
The ending was a little anticlimactic. With the buildup of the previous chapters, I assumed the ending would have been a little more frightening.
The Snuggly
No lovin' in this book, but it didn't need any.
Overall
I enjoyed reading Spirits Rising. I haven't read a good ghost/spirit book in a while and this one was definitely satisfying. I think Ball has a promising future in the paranormal genre and I look forward to seeing what else she has to offer. A recommended read.
Quotes
I eyed the old lady, who returned my glare with a much-too-innocent expression. “Such a good boy. I’m going to clean up the garbage in the yard while the bread is baking. No hanky-panky while I’m gone, you two,” she said, wagging her finger at me. She traded her cane for her walker, but not before slapping Jeremy’s behind. “Put some pants on, b’ye. People will think you spent the night with me!”
http://readingandwritingurbanfantasy....
March 9, 2012
Rachel has the ability to sense ghosts and spirits. Sometimes they bother her, sometimes they don't, but she's always aware of them. She makes no secret of her ability but doesn't advertise it either. In the village she moved to recently, she's made a few friends, but also at least one enemy: someone has been posting fliers on her front door, denouncing her as a witch and a devil worshipper.
Rachel is the protagonist of this story but not the hero. She doesn't have special powers, but she does have knowledge and it's that knowledge that helps save the day. Getting rid of the spirits who are rampaging in the village, thanks to a foolish teenager, takes almost the entire village. Rachel is surprised, and grateful, at how much support she receives. At times while reading the story, I felt like I had missed a book and started the series in the middle. I would have liked more back story, more world building. I never got Rachel's attraction to Jeremy or why she wanted to kick him out of her life. The way she acted, it seemed as if he had done something to her, but that doesn't seem to be the case.
The characters were well written and Mrs Saunders was a hoot, I hope we see more of her. The story has a Newfoundland feel to it or so I assume since I've never been. But it didn't feel like it could have been set anywhere and the details added to the story. Rachel is not perfect, she has flaws and her first attempt to get rid of the spirits is unsuccessful. I like that she's not a kick ass or powerful heroine, but more normal and realistic. She has a strong moral code and a willingness to work hard, though asking for and accepting help can be difficult for her. She's just a nice, normal girl. It's a good start to the series and I'm looking forward to the next one.
I received a Kindle book from the author for review.
Rachel is the protagonist of this story but not the hero. She doesn't have special powers, but she does have knowledge and it's that knowledge that helps save the day. Getting rid of the spirits who are rampaging in the village, thanks to a foolish teenager, takes almost the entire village. Rachel is surprised, and grateful, at how much support she receives. At times while reading the story, I felt like I had missed a book and started the series in the middle. I would have liked more back story, more world building. I never got Rachel's attraction to Jeremy or why she wanted to kick him out of her life. The way she acted, it seemed as if he had done something to her, but that doesn't seem to be the case.
The characters were well written and Mrs Saunders was a hoot, I hope we see more of her. The story has a Newfoundland feel to it or so I assume since I've never been. But it didn't feel like it could have been set anywhere and the details added to the story. Rachel is not perfect, she has flaws and her first attempt to get rid of the spirits is unsuccessful. I like that she's not a kick ass or powerful heroine, but more normal and realistic. She has a strong moral code and a willingness to work hard, though asking for and accepting help can be difficult for her. She's just a nice, normal girl. It's a good start to the series and I'm looking forward to the next one.
I received a Kindle book from the author for review.
April 26, 2014
Spirits Rising, by Krista D. Ball, has all the elements to make it an entertaining Canadian paranormal novel. Alas, for this reader, it fell far short of the mark.
Ostensibly a story about a resurrection spell gone awry in the hands of a novice, the novel chronicles a mainlander's attempt to return the arisen hoards back to their rest.
While the setting is engaging for any lover of Canadian literature, (St. Anthony, Newfoundland, the home of the UNESCO Heritage Site L'Anse aux Meadows), there is little by way of environmental description to illustrate this haunting landscape. In fact, there is little by way of any description to engage the reader, whether environmental, character or emotional landscape. The entire novel seemed hurried, perhaps as a device to create tension, but alas failed.
There are some moments of delightfully sharp Newfoundland dialogue. The majority, however, tends to cliché, as do many of the characters. The arisen spirits of Vikings and Beothuk, which play an integral element in the story, are left almost entirely undeveloped and almost cut directly from the erroneous and stereotypical. The villains are villainous, the heroes heroic. And the story ends. Abruptly.
I believe Spirits Rising is an excellent first draft which requires the touch of a developmental editor and a considered revision. Certainly there is much potential here. But for this reader the potential of the novel isn't realized.
Ostensibly a story about a resurrection spell gone awry in the hands of a novice, the novel chronicles a mainlander's attempt to return the arisen hoards back to their rest.
While the setting is engaging for any lover of Canadian literature, (St. Anthony, Newfoundland, the home of the UNESCO Heritage Site L'Anse aux Meadows), there is little by way of environmental description to illustrate this haunting landscape. In fact, there is little by way of any description to engage the reader, whether environmental, character or emotional landscape. The entire novel seemed hurried, perhaps as a device to create tension, but alas failed.
There are some moments of delightfully sharp Newfoundland dialogue. The majority, however, tends to cliché, as do many of the characters. The arisen spirits of Vikings and Beothuk, which play an integral element in the story, are left almost entirely undeveloped and almost cut directly from the erroneous and stereotypical. The villains are villainous, the heroes heroic. And the story ends. Abruptly.
I believe Spirits Rising is an excellent first draft which requires the touch of a developmental editor and a considered revision. Certainly there is much potential here. But for this reader the potential of the novel isn't realized.
August 30, 2016
Loved the setting and the use of local history. It was a great read
May 30, 2020
I read the 3 novella bundle and this review references all of them, but contains no spoilers.
I loved Spirit Caller, so this is gonna be one of those gushing reviews. It’s got parts that are scary, intense and deals with some dark themes, but also much cosy awesome friendships and a dopey crush. I like light with my darkness, and this book shines.
It’s and urban(rural?) fantasy about Rachel, who can see ghosts and has moved to a very small town in Newfoundland, dealing with various ghostly threats to herself and the town.
I got the first three novellas in the series in a bundle: Spirits Rising, Dark Whispers and Knight Shift and they’re so short I’m going to do this review more as if it were one book. The series is complete and the other three novellas are included in another bundle.
Characters
I think the characters are the best thing about the series.
Apart from being able to deal with the dead like it’s NBD, Rachel is the protagonist I’ve related to most in recent memory. There are so many things coming out of her mouth that could’ve come out of mine, though she is a better person.
She really grows a lot, becoming more assertive and accepting of who she is. She’s a great and loyal friend, and so much of her focus is on helping people. She’s really awkward romantically.
Mrs Saunders, Rachel’s 90+ year old neighbour is kick ass. I can only hope to be as witty and confident as she is when I’m that old. She doesn’t take shit from no one and fiercely defends her friends.
Jeremy is a Mountie, he’s dreamy, and Rachel dreams about him a lot. He’s very nice and such a good friend, everyone’s a good friend in this book it’s amazing. Ye Gods that ass
Dema is an ancient ghost that pops up now and then exuding confidence and often a good amount of sass
The relationships
Hmm maybe these are the best thing about the series
Rachel has a great relationship with her (adoptive) parents which I always say we need more of in fantasy. She also has great supportive friends. Strong friendships are very important in Spirit Caller. Even some of the relationships with antagonists develop well.
Plots
Each novella managed to pack interesting plots, intense bits of actions and mysteries to figure out in a very small amount of space. Because it relies on such a strong foundation of good characters and relationships the series is able to tackle dark themes such as death, suicide, depression, the fear of losing loved ones, without it getting grim. There’s a new threat in every instalment, but they are all connected.
Setting
Spirit Caller takes place in a small coastal Newfoundland town, population of 20. As a medium-city girl, I’ve never experienced that sense of knowing everyone and community, but it seems lovely. A bit too windy, but otherwise lovely. Also Krista really knows her food and the cooked dinners she mentions sound so comforting. I’m very concerned about driving in the area now, there’s a lot of talk about looking out for moose.
I loved Spirit Caller, so this is gonna be one of those gushing reviews. It’s got parts that are scary, intense and deals with some dark themes, but also much cosy awesome friendships and a dopey crush. I like light with my darkness, and this book shines.
It’s and urban(rural?) fantasy about Rachel, who can see ghosts and has moved to a very small town in Newfoundland, dealing with various ghostly threats to herself and the town.
I got the first three novellas in the series in a bundle: Spirits Rising, Dark Whispers and Knight Shift and they’re so short I’m going to do this review more as if it were one book. The series is complete and the other three novellas are included in another bundle.
Characters
I think the characters are the best thing about the series.
Apart from being able to deal with the dead like it’s NBD, Rachel is the protagonist I’ve related to most in recent memory. There are so many things coming out of her mouth that could’ve come out of mine, though she is a better person.
She really grows a lot, becoming more assertive and accepting of who she is. She’s a great and loyal friend, and so much of her focus is on helping people. She’s really awkward romantically.
Mrs Saunders, Rachel’s 90+ year old neighbour is kick ass. I can only hope to be as witty and confident as she is when I’m that old. She doesn’t take shit from no one and fiercely defends her friends.
Jeremy is a Mountie, he’s dreamy, and Rachel dreams about him a lot. He’s very nice and such a good friend, everyone’s a good friend in this book it’s amazing. Ye Gods that ass
Dema is an ancient ghost that pops up now and then exuding confidence and often a good amount of sass
The relationships
Hmm maybe these are the best thing about the series
Rachel has a great relationship with her (adoptive) parents which I always say we need more of in fantasy. She also has great supportive friends. Strong friendships are very important in Spirit Caller. Even some of the relationships with antagonists develop well.
Plots
Each novella managed to pack interesting plots, intense bits of actions and mysteries to figure out in a very small amount of space. Because it relies on such a strong foundation of good characters and relationships the series is able to tackle dark themes such as death, suicide, depression, the fear of losing loved ones, without it getting grim. There’s a new threat in every instalment, but they are all connected.
Setting
Spirit Caller takes place in a small coastal Newfoundland town, population of 20. As a medium-city girl, I’ve never experienced that sense of knowing everyone and community, but it seems lovely. A bit too windy, but otherwise lovely. Also Krista really knows her food and the cooked dinners she mentions sound so comforting. I’m very concerned about driving in the area now, there’s a lot of talk about looking out for moose.
November 5, 2020
Krista D. Ball’s paranormal novella Spirits Rising (Spirit Caller Series Book 1) is an enjoyable start to a series. (It is also found in: Beginnings: first novels in multiple series by Krista D. Ball.) It took me a bit to get into it, but by the end I was hooked. Rachel, a grief counselor who used to work with the police department, sees ghosts. She can also feel them nearby. As far as she knows, that’s about the extent of her abilities. She worries over how her neighbors must see her, particularly since she’s had church tracts stuck on her door repeatedly with text about burning witches, and everyone seems to call her “sensitive.” At least her neighbor, old Mrs. Saunders, seems to like her! One day, Rachel gets a phone call from Manny, a kid at the local high school, who needs help. Since his father is one of the churchgoing folk who seem to hate Rachel so much, she calls Jeremy, a Mountie, to come along with her. When they find Manny’s basement full of drunk dead Vikings, things get strange!
The world-building was a little slow for me at first. It mostly consisted of Rachel floundering a bit. Also, one of the through-threads is the fact that Rachel is head-over-heels for Jeremy, who already has a girlfriend, and I didn’t really like that plot (I don’t find Jeremy as wonderful as Rachel does, and I don’t really feel the chemistry between them). Normally I’m all for the love plots, just not this time.
Rachel and her friends end up caught in the middle of a bit of a war between various dead people. Rachel has to figure out how to set them to rest, while they make war, destroy things, and in one case, come to visit her by name and have a chat.
What really made this book ultimately so interesting to me was Rachel’s interactions with the other people in her village. They aren’t at all as expected, and I really loved that.
[As a note: I have also read book two, Dark Whispers, and that one definitely gets a 5/5 from me. So if you’re at all on the fence, that might sway you toward giving the series a try.]
Original review posted on my blog: http://www.errantdreams.com/2020/11/r...
The world-building was a little slow for me at first. It mostly consisted of Rachel floundering a bit. Also, one of the through-threads is the fact that Rachel is head-over-heels for Jeremy, who already has a girlfriend, and I didn’t really like that plot (I don’t find Jeremy as wonderful as Rachel does, and I don’t really feel the chemistry between them). Normally I’m all for the love plots, just not this time.
Rachel and her friends end up caught in the middle of a bit of a war between various dead people. Rachel has to figure out how to set them to rest, while they make war, destroy things, and in one case, come to visit her by name and have a chat.
What really made this book ultimately so interesting to me was Rachel’s interactions with the other people in her village. They aren’t at all as expected, and I really loved that.
[As a note: I have also read book two, Dark Whispers, and that one definitely gets a 5/5 from me. So if you’re at all on the fence, that might sway you toward giving the series a try.]
Original review posted on my blog: http://www.errantdreams.com/2020/11/r...
December 30, 2021
Rachel lives in a remote village in Newfoundland, by her good friend the 90+ Ms. Saunders. She moved here to get away from other things, though she has come back from a vacation to get away from thoughts of an unavailable man. Yet she isn't back for even a day when the dead are summoned accidentally by the teenaged son of the religious leader who has been secretly threatening her to leave town. It is then time for Rachel to figure out how to help put the dead back, while finding where her own prejudices are also getting in her way.
After reading several books which have missed the mark for me, Spirits Rising was a welcome change. It's a novella, not very long. It takes place over a couple days and there is a lot of character which someone certainly would like to learn more about. But in this particular case, that is fine, because the story itself is short and contained enough. It leaves things open, such as curiosity about the characters which will obviously be delved into in the next books. It does not hide the fact it is a series, after all, and this is the first book.
We got a good introduction of five characters, with the mention of other neighbours who may or may not get their own place in the spotlight later. And I would be fine with that either way, because throwing in their names didn't feel like the author trying to jam other characters into this short story. They had a purpose in being there for the story and the character development which took place within these 75 pages. I can't say I was absolutely in love with reading any of the characters, but I do empathize with the lead character Rachel (knowing someone who in fact was also harassed by one of the bad apple Christians and spent time struggling with others) and when Ms. Saunders comes on the page I know I will enjoy the scene more than if she wasn't there.
I give this book a four out of five. When I can, I will pick up the next book, and because of the writing I would love to grab a more recent book by Ball, even if in a different series, to see how things have changed from 2012 more quickly than if I went through this series one by one.
After reading several books which have missed the mark for me, Spirits Rising was a welcome change. It's a novella, not very long. It takes place over a couple days and there is a lot of character which someone certainly would like to learn more about. But in this particular case, that is fine, because the story itself is short and contained enough. It leaves things open, such as curiosity about the characters which will obviously be delved into in the next books. It does not hide the fact it is a series, after all, and this is the first book.
We got a good introduction of five characters, with the mention of other neighbours who may or may not get their own place in the spotlight later. And I would be fine with that either way, because throwing in their names didn't feel like the author trying to jam other characters into this short story. They had a purpose in being there for the story and the character development which took place within these 75 pages. I can't say I was absolutely in love with reading any of the characters, but I do empathize with the lead character Rachel (knowing someone who in fact was also harassed by one of the bad apple Christians and spent time struggling with others) and when Ms. Saunders comes on the page I know I will enjoy the scene more than if she wasn't there.
I give this book a four out of five. When I can, I will pick up the next book, and because of the writing I would love to grab a more recent book by Ball, even if in a different series, to see how things have changed from 2012 more quickly than if I went through this series one by one.
March 2, 2020
I am not sure how I ended up picking this title. After loving Ms. Ball's Tranquility series I thought about giving a chance to another of her series. At first I was extremely disappointed because I found the writing less than what I got used to in Tranquility and the story seemed to move too fast. Then the book ended in 45 minutes. Then I came here and saw this was actually a novella published in 2012. Well, that explains everything. Once I adapted my expectations to that, it was a nice read. I'm on the fence about continuing with the series, tho - there is so much more detail I would like! Basically, I would love it if Ms. Ball would re-write it (and the following novellas) as full-lenght novels...
March 1, 2019
Was kind of silly
This was kind of silly I felt because why would a woman constantly expose herself to a man that she was in love with but couldn't have unless she was into self-flagellation? Obviously she was also very incompetent as a Wiccan as well. I feel that the author mixed up Wiccan and witchcraft which As We Know are two totally different things. It was brought home bye the fact that the pastor constantly called her a devil worshiper, a witch and other colorful terms. When I read a book, I like it to be at least fictionally credible and this wasn't. It was okay but I wouldn't necessarily recommend it.
This was kind of silly I felt because why would a woman constantly expose herself to a man that she was in love with but couldn't have unless she was into self-flagellation? Obviously she was also very incompetent as a Wiccan as well. I feel that the author mixed up Wiccan and witchcraft which As We Know are two totally different things. It was brought home bye the fact that the pastor constantly called her a devil worshiper, a witch and other colorful terms. When I read a book, I like it to be at least fictionally credible and this wasn't. It was okay but I wouldn't necessarily recommend it.
May 6, 2025
Spell gone wrong
A young boy performs a spell and wakes the dead so Rachel and the town need to work together to put them back. She is in love with a man that is not available, but she can't seem to stay away from him. It was a heartwarming story since she thought the townspeople didn't like her, but they all came to help her. Mrs. Saunders her 90 year old neighbor is the comic relief in the story.
A young boy performs a spell and wakes the dead so Rachel and the town need to work together to put them back. She is in love with a man that is not available, but she can't seem to stay away from him. It was a heartwarming story since she thought the townspeople didn't like her, but they all came to help her. Mrs. Saunders her 90 year old neighbor is the comic relief in the story.
March 5, 2020
Ok, so this was fun. And short! 80 pages. I think the amount of story that happens in this book is perfectly paced. We've got a main character who is 100% loveable, her awesome elderly neighbor, her torturous love interest, a wayward teen, and a Newfoundland town full of spirits who need to be banished. Fun.
June 15, 2020
A quick and easy read, perfect to getting me back into reading after this pandemic has left me feeling... blah.
I think Krista is amazing, and I'm happy to read anything she writes. This book was a zippy little novella, and I was able to blast through it pretty quick once I was motivated to get back to reading. An easy plot of needing to put spirits to rest, and a fantastic set up for more.
I think Krista is amazing, and I'm happy to read anything she writes. This book was a zippy little novella, and I was able to blast through it pretty quick once I was motivated to get back to reading. An easy plot of needing to put spirits to rest, and a fantastic set up for more.
September 3, 2022
Rachel can feel "the other side". So when young Manny O'Toole calls her for help, she can feel the spirits around his house. Manny unknowingly called the Native People and Vikings to this side. And Rachel must figure out how to send them back to their resting places.
The story is good, the characters are likable, it is well written, and believable. I enjoyed it.
The story is good, the characters are likable, it is well written, and believable. I enjoyed it.
September 23, 2018
I love this & I can't wait for more.
I will be also leaving a review on Goodreads @ Amazon.
And letting everyone know about it.
So i gave it a 5 Stars.
I will be also leaving a review on Goodreads @ Amazon.
And letting everyone know about it.
So i gave it a 5 Stars.
February 1, 2023
This was just not it for me at all. I thought the writing was clunky and the plot just didn’t hook me. At least it was short.
October 18, 2023
Great read
This book was compelling and very hard to put down. I can't wait to read more about Rachel and her adventures.
Samantha
This book was compelling and very hard to put down. I can't wait to read more about Rachel and her adventures.
Samantha
December 2, 2023
Spirits rising
A quirky short story well written my highest accolade that I can give I would re-read this again for sure.
A quirky short story well written my highest accolade that I can give I would re-read this again for sure.
December 15, 2023
A quick free read. Good voice, a sympathetic main character and interesting side characters. I enjoyed the Newfoundland setting.
March 21, 2012
With paranormal stories flooding the market, especially those involving angsty vampires in romantic relationships with innocent mortal girls, it’s a refreshing change to read Krista D. Ball’s Spirits Rising.
The protagonist of the story is Rachel. She’s a lovely protagonist – not superhuman, beautiful like a model and thin like a rail. She’s down-to-earth, has a few kilos she needs to lose, has a crush on a man who’s taken, and she can’t fight the supernatural side all on her own. Plus, her Christian neighbors in her small town think she’s a witch and tape flyers about going to hell on her door and don’t want her near their kids.
She’s wonderful. I love her. She’s a real person, with weaknesses and faults, and she doesn’t pretend to be someone – or something – that she’s not. She’s not above asking for help, cursing or drinking to forget her problems. But she’s also human in a very good way – sensitive to kindness, touched by others’ problems, funny in her own snarky way and self-critical. Honestly, she’s one of the big strengths of this story, which, while not very long (it’s a novella, but it’s book 1 in a series, so there will be more!), it paints a world so vivid you feel like you’ve been living there for years.
Exactly this, the vivid world-building, is the story’s other big strength. This is achieved not only through the use of colorful, three-dimensional secondary characters, who have their own problems, sense of humor, beliefs and lives, but also through a deep knowledge of the place where the story takes place.
If you’re like me, then you enjoy stories which take you places and make you feel like you traveled there. If you’ve never been to Newfoundland in Canada, then this is your chance to get to know the place. The author comes from there and it shows in the depth of detail, the terms used, the food and drink culture, the language, the whole feel of place that permeates the story – from the howling, icy wind to the behavior of Rachel’s neighbors. Even just for this, this story is a thousand times worth reading.
Oh and the spirits are unlike any you’ve ever seen. I wish I could say more, but that would be a spoiler...
But I almost forgot the novel’s third big strength: the snarky, funny voice. Fresh and honest, Rachel’s voice carries the story and breathes life into it.
I confess I can’t wait for the sequel to the tale of this quirky heroine. I highly recommend it to all readers who love the paranormal, but also those who like stories grounded in real life, with strong heroines who don’t wait for a prince charming to come and save the day.
Warning: This is not a romance, and it contains no sparkly vampires.
(For Good Book Alert Book Reviews)
The protagonist of the story is Rachel. She’s a lovely protagonist – not superhuman, beautiful like a model and thin like a rail. She’s down-to-earth, has a few kilos she needs to lose, has a crush on a man who’s taken, and she can’t fight the supernatural side all on her own. Plus, her Christian neighbors in her small town think she’s a witch and tape flyers about going to hell on her door and don’t want her near their kids.
She’s wonderful. I love her. She’s a real person, with weaknesses and faults, and she doesn’t pretend to be someone – or something – that she’s not. She’s not above asking for help, cursing or drinking to forget her problems. But she’s also human in a very good way – sensitive to kindness, touched by others’ problems, funny in her own snarky way and self-critical. Honestly, she’s one of the big strengths of this story, which, while not very long (it’s a novella, but it’s book 1 in a series, so there will be more!), it paints a world so vivid you feel like you’ve been living there for years.
Exactly this, the vivid world-building, is the story’s other big strength. This is achieved not only through the use of colorful, three-dimensional secondary characters, who have their own problems, sense of humor, beliefs and lives, but also through a deep knowledge of the place where the story takes place.
If you’re like me, then you enjoy stories which take you places and make you feel like you traveled there. If you’ve never been to Newfoundland in Canada, then this is your chance to get to know the place. The author comes from there and it shows in the depth of detail, the terms used, the food and drink culture, the language, the whole feel of place that permeates the story – from the howling, icy wind to the behavior of Rachel’s neighbors. Even just for this, this story is a thousand times worth reading.
Oh and the spirits are unlike any you’ve ever seen. I wish I could say more, but that would be a spoiler...
But I almost forgot the novel’s third big strength: the snarky, funny voice. Fresh and honest, Rachel’s voice carries the story and breathes life into it.
I confess I can’t wait for the sequel to the tale of this quirky heroine. I highly recommend it to all readers who love the paranormal, but also those who like stories grounded in real life, with strong heroines who don’t wait for a prince charming to come and save the day.
Warning: This is not a romance, and it contains no sparkly vampires.
(For Good Book Alert Book Reviews)
September 10, 2012
3.5 Stars as a very good start to a Paranormal Novella Series.
Returning from her Mexico trip and catching up with her elderly neighbor, Mrs. Sauders, Rachel receives a phone call from a young man for help. Thinking he needs a ride home, as she offers to do to all young adults if drinking, but learns the boy of a local Deacon who doesn't much like Rachel has a party in his basement that he didn't throw. Vikings drinking, who are ghosts...in the flesh.
We start with Rachel returning home to Newfoundland after her getaway trip to Mexico, getting away from an unavailable boy she has feelings for, and meet her witty elder neighbor Mrs. Saunders. In the beginning of eleven pages we meet Rachel and Mrs. Saunders and learn much about them and the small town they live in.
The quiet town of Wisemen's Cove has quite a history and people who believe the lore and history. This little town seems to have ghosts every where with the history of this land. We have flesh ghosts making an appearance, and the people seeing these flesh ghosts react as normal and pitch in to fight then mention the ghost they once saw. All going back to the history of the land you learn about, it's old and has been through a lot.
Rachel is talented in that she senses and sees the dead. She escaped to this small town in Newfoundland to, in hopes, escape from the dead she sees, only to find herself even deeper in paranormal than she expected. She just wants to be accepted and normal. Rachel doesn't think she's found that here, since she gets lots of hate mail in the religious front. She is "sensitive in the paranormal" and people think her a witch or devil worshiper and such. But, just maybe, Rachel will find a home and friends when she least expects it.
I do like Rachel's old woman neighbor, Mrs. Saunders. She is strong, bold, and gutsy. A fun character. Jeremy...oh brother. I like him. He sounds cute and like such a nice man. Unfortunately for Rachel (who really has a thing for him) he has a kind girlfriend. He's unaware of Rachel's feelings, and a very good friend of hers.
I enjoyed this quick read and it's a very good start to a paranormal series of short stories. I look forward to reading the next story, and more to come with Rachel.
Returning from her Mexico trip and catching up with her elderly neighbor, Mrs. Sauders, Rachel receives a phone call from a young man for help. Thinking he needs a ride home, as she offers to do to all young adults if drinking, but learns the boy of a local Deacon who doesn't much like Rachel has a party in his basement that he didn't throw. Vikings drinking, who are ghosts...in the flesh.
We start with Rachel returning home to Newfoundland after her getaway trip to Mexico, getting away from an unavailable boy she has feelings for, and meet her witty elder neighbor Mrs. Saunders. In the beginning of eleven pages we meet Rachel and Mrs. Saunders and learn much about them and the small town they live in.
The quiet town of Wisemen's Cove has quite a history and people who believe the lore and history. This little town seems to have ghosts every where with the history of this land. We have flesh ghosts making an appearance, and the people seeing these flesh ghosts react as normal and pitch in to fight then mention the ghost they once saw. All going back to the history of the land you learn about, it's old and has been through a lot.
Rachel is talented in that she senses and sees the dead. She escaped to this small town in Newfoundland to, in hopes, escape from the dead she sees, only to find herself even deeper in paranormal than she expected. She just wants to be accepted and normal. Rachel doesn't think she's found that here, since she gets lots of hate mail in the religious front. She is "sensitive in the paranormal" and people think her a witch or devil worshiper and such. But, just maybe, Rachel will find a home and friends when she least expects it.
I do like Rachel's old woman neighbor, Mrs. Saunders. She is strong, bold, and gutsy. A fun character. Jeremy...oh brother. I like him. He sounds cute and like such a nice man. Unfortunately for Rachel (who really has a thing for him) he has a kind girlfriend. He's unaware of Rachel's feelings, and a very good friend of hers.
I enjoyed this quick read and it's a very good start to a paranormal series of short stories. I look forward to reading the next story, and more to come with Rachel.
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