Customer Reviews

Spirited Away (Zebra Historical Romance)

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Arianna Halverson is able to talk to ghosts. Over the last 23 years of her life she has helped many spirits to get peace and pass on. However suddenly her life is filled with one ghost and his vengence. Her life, her position, and happiness are on a collision course with this strong determined spirit.

Captain William Markham has been hung for crimes he didn't commit. Betrayed, beaten, tortured and finally murdered his spirit can't seem to rest and he is has found Ari, who not only can hear him but if he can convince her to fulfill his revenge, may be able to set him free.

But what he finds with Ari is more than just vengence, he finds more love and passion than he ever imagined. And now his killer has found Ari and her brother and with blackmail is forcing Ari to agree to marry him. But before we reach the end of our story new secrets and discoveries will be revealed. Our villian doesn't know what one ghost and one lonely woman can accomplish.

I just finished reading Spirited Away by Pamela Labud, and all I can say is wow! WOW! I don't normally read historical fiction anymore and I wasn't planning on spending my afternoon glued in place but that's exactly what happened. Spirited Away is a double nominee for R.I.T.A. in Best First Book and Best Paranormal - as judged by other writers of the Romance Writers of America Association! Well, with a recommend like that, I just had to see what all the excitement was about. I was curious and I have to say I'm VERY glad I was.
Will Markham is a dead man - literally. The opening is one-of-a-kind. Then we move to Arianna - who is visiting with dead people. Oh my. Exactly what Will needs. It was an intriguing beginning that had me hooked. I didn't move. I couldn't. I wanted Will to get justice and Arianna was his only hope. Little did we all know. What an emotional, poignant read -- all the way to the ending, where the suspense really ratchets up. Oh my. Great beginning, wonderful thread throughout, and a surprise ending! What more can I want? Spirited Away is a wonderous debut - exactly as Hannah Howell said on the cover. Wow!

Not since Linda Lael Miller's Pirate have I enjoyed a paranormal romance more. From the very first pages the reader is swept away in this story of hate and vengeance that is conquered by love. Captain William Markham has lost all, including his very life, by the evil Richard Barrons. Hung for false charges of treason Will vows on his last breath for vengeance. His spirit is drawn to the magical amulet owned by the beautiful Lady Arianna Halverson. Able to talk to the spirit world and help solve their problems, Will seeks out Arianna's help through the amulet. Little do they both know that Richard Barrons is also working to destroy her family and steal her brother Nathan's wealth. Barrons shoots her brother Nathan, who becomes an invalid from his wound, and uses Arianna's love for Nathan to force a marriage. Barrons plots and works more evil in England while holding Nathan and Arianna prisoner on an island. Through the power of the amulet Will is able to remain with Arianna and together they work to destroy Barrons. On arriving to the island they discover that Will's daughter Katherine, he thought drowned by Barrons, is still alive. Together without fully realizing it, they become a unique little family unit. As their love grows spiritually, Will and Arianna are able to have brief periods of physical love. Will begins to see that his love for Arianna and Katherine is more important than his vengeance. The intrigue builds to a ending full of surprises. Pamela Labud has the talent to make the spirit world seem real with warm and loving characters that capture the heart of the reader within the first few pages. Soon you are caught up in their story, cheering them on. I was enchanted. I can't wait for more from this author.

An enchanting paranormal romance from a Debut author makes for a wonderful entry into Romance for Pamela Labud. I am sure we shall be hearing more from this talented writer. I saw another review posted that it's a double-RITA nominee. VERY IMPRESSIVE for a first time writer.

Captain William Markham was falsely accused of treason, engineered by Richard Barrons, a thoroughly nasty chap. He cannot repute the charges and is hanged, and with his last words vowed his innocence and swears revenge. Only how can a dead man accomplish this? Through an amulet. Lady Arianna Halverson possesses the power to talk to the dead, and through the power of the amulet, Markham is able to seek her out, and not only work to seek his revenge, but spoil more dastardly deeds Barrons is about to work against Arianna's family. Barrons shoots Arianna's brother Nathan and holds them hostage on a small island. William is delighted to learn that his daughter Katherine is also on the island. He thought Barrons had drowned her. As Arianna and William fall in love, the tales pushes toward a suspenseful conclusion.

To say anymore would spoil your enjoyment of this wonderful ghostly story. It a dark tale of the power of love, and Labud instantly builds a solid premise that had this reader believing all things would possible when love is at stake.

I've never read a ghost story like Spirited Away, and I loved it!
Lady Arianna Halverson is a psychic with the ability to help those souls who have passed.
Captain William Markham was betrayed, falsely accused of being a traitor, and hanged. He cannot rest until vengeance is had. Gentle Arianna is at first forced to help him, later more then willing to assist him. First her brother is shot and wounded, then she's forced into a marriage, and finally comes to believe her life may be in danger. She begins to take part in the real world. She even learns to stand up for herself. Through twists and turns of plot, (which reminded me of a Dickens novel) one never knows how this will end, only that you want Arianna and her ghost to remain together. Which of course is impossible. Or is it?
A wonderful tale written by a talented writer. I highly recommend Spirited Away.

From the other reviews it seems like this is a book you either rave about or can't stand. Despite really wanting to like this book because the plot sounded so interesting, I belong to the latter group. I just couldn't get past the first four or five chapters. The writing seemed stilted and amateurish to me and the female protagonist was so wimpy. Her brother is brought home seriously injured/comatose after a duel and she doesn't get medical aid because she's threatened with scandal? And she's ready to marry a man she just met, again because of the threat of scandal? This really strains the limits of suspension of disbelief. It's unfortuante this book didn't have a good editor to help bring this story to life.

Captain William Markham is a tragic hero. Captured by Robert Barrons and falsely acused and convicted of being a traitor, Captain Markham is hung for his crimes and finds his way to a strange light, after his death.

Lady Arianna Halverson "sees dead people." From a gift inherited through her mother, Lady Arianna is able to counsel recently dead people in order to allow them to cross over the other side. After dinner with her brother, she first meets Captain Markham, who needs her help in enacting his vengence.

This book was very uneven and very much a first effort by the author. The story really did not flow at all, from the moment Lady Arianna is "forced" to marry to the big fight scene towards the end. As each aspect of the plot is revealed, it is obvious that it has something to do with Captain Markham. Honestly, this book could have and should have been MUCH better. I'm not sure if Ms. Labud will last past her first effort, if she does not improve her writing greatly.

Once Captain Will Markham has been unjustly hung, all that stands in Barron's way are two siblings; Arianna and Ethan Halverson. Once he marries Arianna though, he will have access to Ethan, whose death will then be ensured. The evil man had not counted on the fact that some men just can't let a little thing like death stop them. Will's spirit pauses between life and death. Determined to have his revenge on his killer, Will uses a magical stone to locate Arianna, who is a gifted medium. With it, he has the ability to be solid. Now, saving Arianna and her brother becomes the focus of his life for he has come to love her, though she is married to his enemy. It is, however, a love that can not be. Once Barron is defeated, Will knows he will pass into death again. He might be able to save the woman he loves, but he can't save her from that pain.

*** Impossible love that defies death itself is sure to win the hearts of fans everywhere. While in most ghost romanes, the hero and heroine's lives are separated by decades or centuries, this author has them sharing the same lifetime. This is an author to watch. ***

I just love a good romance, and I thought for sure this one was going to be it. It wasn't. That was surprising. The premise was wonderful - a man hanged for a crime he didn't commit, trapped in a spectral plane and then attached to the heroine because she's psychic. Really great beginning. Some really great passages. And then it happened. The writing got sporadic. Sometimes it was pulling me in and keeping me glued in place. Other times, I was going ... huh? So many ways this book falls apart. If I put my finger on why this romance is just so-so, I'd have to say it was the oddities of the plot. It's weird. Uneven. There's a marriage forced on the heroine without much notice that it's coming. And she just agrees? I didn't like that at all. Then there's the island scenes. They just don't come across as realistic. They don't. I was skimming at that point, though. I might have missed something. Who knows? I got to the point that I almost didn't care to see if there was a HEA. So many oddities... Will I read another book by this author? Sadly - no.

The idea was wonderful - the execution appalling! I tried to write to Kensington-Zebra books to find out if the editor of this book was still employed. They should not be. If you are an avid reader, if you are irritated by historical inaccuracies, do NOT buy this book. If you are capable of the 'willing suspension of disbelief' go ahead. The idea of a charmed amulet, a woman descended from fairies, a man brought back from the dead, the fight between good and evil - there is a lot going on here ... I can't do it... I can't trash some authors first attempt - but the editor who allowed this book to go to press like this doesn't deserve the title.