Wraith by Angel Lawson

Book:  Wraith

Author:  Angel Lawson

Publisher:  Self-published

Date:  February 6, 2012

Source:  Author

My grade:  A+!!

Freak. Weird. Crazy. These are the names tossed around seventeen-year old Jane Watts by her fellow classmates. But things aren’t always as they seem. Sometimes there’s a reason for talking to yourself in the hallway at school.

Adjusting to her new home and school after an abrupt move, Jane just wants to be like everyone else at school. Although she does manage to make one friend, Evan — sixteen, charming and protective. Evan is everything a girl could want in a best friend, with one minor caveat: He’s dead.

Caught somewhere between life and death, Evan is tied to Jane and the living world, unable to complete the journey to the other side. She thinks he’s here to be her friend, to take care of her, and that’s why no one else can see or hear him.

That is, until a new boy shows up at school after a rumored stretch in juvie. Connor can see Evan and is not convinced that the ghost is completely honest. Past experience taught him how ghosts tend to need something from the humans they connect to and Evan, despite his arguments, isn’t any different.

Jane is resentful of Connor’s intrusion but soon realizes that her ghostly friend has secrets about his past. And now Evan's family, still reeling from his tragic death, is in danger. Jane must face her fears and battle Evan’s human demons to free both of them.

Initial reaction

This book is crazy good!  Why is everyone not reading this book??!!??

Cover story

I liked the cover and title before reading the book.  It doesn’t look like some of those really cheesy self-pubs that make me cringe.  This one is very professional.  Then, after reading it, the cover was even better because it made perfect sense with the story.  Very nicely done, Ms. Lawson!

What’s the Story?

I accepted this book from the author because the premise sounded interesting.  Some of you know about my hesitation with self-pubs, but this one seemed like something I would really like.  However, in finishing up graduate school and trying to get caught up with other books that I needed to review, this one sort of got pushed to the side.  I am currently kicking myself for not reading this one sooner.

Seriously, people, if you shy away from self-published authors like I do, run get this book!  You will not be sorry!  This book is better written than many books I’ve read from major publishers!  In fact, I’m sort of angry that this one has not been picked up by a major publisher!  I mean, they’ll publish 50 Shades of Craptastic, but they haven’t published this fabulous novel?  It makes me question lots of things about the publishing industry.

This book sucked me in from the first chapter and I became so engrossed in Jane’s story and subsequently in Connor’s story.  I did not want to put it down.  I even read it during the hockey game we went to see on Sunday, much to my husband’s chagrin.  I stayed up until 1:30 on a school night when I had to get up at 5:15 in order to finish reading this.  Then I just sat there thinking about how wonderful the book was and how I wished that there would be another book telling another story about Jane and Connor and the ghosts.

This story was really intense.  I felt so sorry for Jane and Connor and I also felt sorry for Evan, the ghost.  There were so many harrowing situations in this novel.  I found myself compulsively turning the pages, trying to get to the next thing that would happen.

It was amazing how the author was able to take this incredible story and still add a romantic element into it that didn’t seem forced or out of place.  Even in the midst of all the struggling with the situation, Jane and Connor were able to find strength and support in one another.  Watching their relationship bloom even under the stress of the events taking place was wonderful and it was beautifully written and very believable.

I could just wax poetic all day about how wonderful and amazing this book is, but really, you need to just go read it and experience it for yourself.  This book may have single-handedly changed my view about self-published works.

The Soundtrack

Fly Me Away by Little and Ashley

Secret Heart by Feist

Ghost by Ingrid Michaelson

The lyrics to this one are not really like the story, but I thought it was cool to have a song named Ghost on the soundtrack for a book called Wraith. : )

Haunted by Evanescence

Somewhere I Belong by Linkin Park

The Walk by Imogen Heap

The Final Grade

My final grade for this book is A+.  I am so blown away by the epic greatness of this book that I wish I could read it again but have it be all brand new.  I’m so jealous of all you people out there who will get to experience Wraith for the first time!  Just don’t wait around forever like I did.  Go get it now, ok?

Thanks to the author, Angel Lawson, for providing me a copy of this book.  I received no compensation for my honest review, not even a hot mess of a bad boy who can see ghosts.  (darn it!)