Sunday, September 26, 2010

Ghost Huntress 4: The Counseling by Marley Gibson

Ghost Huntress 4: The Counseling by Marley Gibson is a fun book full of supernatural challenges and a bit of danger. Kendall Moorehead is on her way to an enlightened youth retreat in Oakbriar California to help hone her abilities. She can see and hear ghosts and has just recently learned that she is adopted. She is struggling with these abilities because her spirit guide has just passed into the light. To make that even a tougher problem, she has also just found out the Emily, her spirit guide, was also her birth Mother. She is hoping that if she can hone her abilities she may be able to find her real father as well as her grandparents. Her best friend and fellow ghost huntress, Celia Nichols is headed off to Chicago at the same time with her dad, and has agreed to dig information up about what they have found out so far on Kendall’s real family. In the meantime the institute she will be attending in California is being run by Oliver Bates, a paranormal investigator that has his own television show and also helps the police solve cases. Kendall hopes that he will be able to help her.

When she reaches California and is headed to find her ride she trips over a guitar case, and has the occasion to meet a very rude young man. When she spots her ride she is happy to realize that she will be leaving him behind and not have to deal with his smart mouth or rudeness any further. At the Briar Rose where the camp is being held she begins her day, first meeting the owners, and then meeting the unlikely group of kids that are attending. She is rooming with Jess, a petite girl about her age that loves to surf. All in all there are six girls and six boys and each of them have come into some paranormal abilities that have put them into bad situations with their families and friends. Many of them are currently prescribed medications by the psychiatrists that they have been to, when their parents could not understand what was going on. For them this camp is necessary because they are here unable to really get their life together without being able to control their abilities.

As dinner is finished and they are all getting to know each other, the owner of the home, Chris mentions that she will need to change the music. Kendall lets her know that she will do it and as she enters the main room she trips over …… a guitar case? How pleasant, it looks like Mr. Personality is also a member of the group.

Each of the students has a story and Patrick is no different. He too hears and sees ghosts like she does, and he only recently came into his powers through a near death experience. He almost drowned while diving with his father, and now has an overwhelming fear of water. His abilities are so intense he wears gloves on his hands and keeps his eyes covered most of the time. As they work together with their leader Oliver Bates and his helpers, they get to know each of the others and their abilities as well as their fears. When Kendall finally sees Patrick for the first time without his sunglasses she realizes that not only is he someone that has been in her dreams, but that they have a strong connection.

When she is approached by the ghost of a young girl asking for her help, she finds that this same spirit has also talked to Patrick. She is lost and hoping they can help find her. When they realize that she may have been murdered they get the help of the rest of their camp as well as Oliver and his police connections to find her and to give her parents closure.

Marley Gibson’s characters are fun and full of zest. They are exuberant and very in the now. They are techno geeks, up on current trends and just like many of the kids we see all the time. Of course they all have paranormal abilities, which they are each struggling to understand. Kendall is a very smart young lady and has been hurt by both the most recent knowledge of finding her birth mother only to lose her and she is single since her boyfriend had moved to Alaska. She is out of sorts but still snappy and brave. She is very attracted to Patrick from the first, even though she really did not like his attitude.

Patrick is just picking up his life after a near death experience. He is unsure of himself and it appears to make him standoffish. He no longer feels secure in the world and is dealing with having abilities that make him even feel more out of his element. He is very attracted to Kendall and is able to communicate with her telepathically.

This is a very fun and vibrant read, where a group of kids get the opportunity of a lifetime. They learn some life lessons as well as how to take control of their abilities and form some lasting friendships. This is a wonderful YA book. I would recommend it to anyone looking for that fun and something different read for a free evening or weekend
 
Rating 3/5

Ghost Huntress 4: The Counceling
This book was recieved as a free read from Netgalley. All opinions are my own based off my reading and understanding of the material.
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1 comment:

Unknown said...

This is an amazingly detailed review, you should be proud of your professionalism.
Keep it up.
Mike Draper