Book Binge

Leah and Miguel have been separated for ten years, after the birth and adoption of their child when they were just teenagers. Reunited, they discover their psychic bond is as strong as ever. Miguel is now a troubled artist, and Leah is struggling to make a life for herself. As they decide to resume their turbulent, passionate romance, Miguel summons his Muse, a seductive, violent spirit that haunts their home. After several violent, bloody attacks, Leah learns very quickly that his Muse is not all he claims she is, and that the vindictive spirit will stop at nothing to possess Miguel. To save him, Leah must sacrifice everything.


Whoa. What an emotional roller coaster. When I started this book, I expected it to be on the darker side, but I didn't expect to be scared so deeply I'd need to turn extra lights on in my house, and I didn't expect to form such a strong attachments to the characters. But I did. That and more.

Leah and Miguel were high school sweethearts who shared a psychic bond with each other. When Leah became pregnant at 16, their relationship soured some...and it completely disintegrated when Miguel walked away from Leah and their newborn child in the hospital, leaving her to face giving her up for adoption alone.

Ten years later, they're reunited. Miguel is now a successful artist who has been commissioned to paint a mural for an old high school classmate. Miguel is surprised, and disturbed, to see that Leah is now working as a maid in said household. He turns down the offer to paint the mural and asks Leah to come away with him.

After only a few minutes of protest, Leah does. At first I was put off by this, but as the story developed I found myself agreeing with her decision, which is totally unlike me. But I couldn't help myself, I was so wrapped up in the story I couldn't hold on to my disbelief.

Miguel and his brother, Jose, were left an old farmhouse by their grandfather. The lease was up on their rental and so they decided to move into it, bringing Leah along with them. Shortly after they arrived, strange things began happening. Leah began having vivid nightmares and doors would open on their own. And a strange spirit seemed to possess Miguel. He called her his Muse, for she helped him paint like he'd never painted before. Before long he was obsessed with the spirit and with painting, to the exclusion of all else, including Leah.

Leah found herself fighting for her marriage, her future and both she and Miguel's lives. But even she, a strong psychic in her own right, was lost when it came to helping Miguel separate from his Muse.

I love ghost stories. There's something so creepy about a spirit. I'm not afraid of goblins or werewolves or vampires, but ghosts are another thing entirely. I think it's because you can't see them. This book, and the authors uncanny ability to draw me into her story, sent chills up and down my spine.

La Mariposa, Miguel's Muse, is one of the creepiest spirits I've read about in a long time. Her sly, insidious actions were so real and vivid I may have to sleep slept with a light on tonight last night.

Reading about the psychic bond between Miguel and Leah, and their passionate, turbulent relationship was intriguing. I was on the fence about what I wanted to happen. A part of me couldn't believe Miguel's actions. When a psychic friend suggest it's Miguel himself who has created this malevolent spirit, I could totally see it. He was so troubled and had such dark spots in his soul, it was hard not to see him as a villan. And yet, his love for Leah was so all encompassing it was hard to reconcile the evilness of the spirit with Miguel.

The twists and turns this story took were nothing short of amazing. I found myself afraid to turn to the next page, and yet compelled to do so. Several times I had to set it down and come back to it later, because I was so wrapped up in the story the lines between fiction and reality blurred and I thought I saw shadows moving in my house. A wonderful talent for an author to possess.

That's not to say I didn't have a few problems with the book. The ending shocked me (though upon reflection I'm not sure it should have) and I'm still not sure how I feel about it. Part of me felt it was the right thing for the story, but another part is upset and sad over it.

I also feel there were several loose ends left dangling. I'm the type of reader who wants her story all tied up in a nice, neat fancy bow at the end. I don't want to spoil the story for you, but I'll just say at the end I was slightly confused, unsure if what I'd come to believe about the characters and story was true...or not.

Even with the loose ends, shocking ending and typos I found, however, I'd still highly recommend this book.

4.75 out of 5

You can buy it here. And you can visit the author here (although, personally, I think her site needs some serious help. YIKES!).

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