The Reaper Within

by Stephanie Jackson

Mel was accustomed to dealing with the Supernatural. Her job was to reap lost souls and get them into the tunnel where they belonged. There was very little that could surprise her anymore, but even she was shocked when her front door blew in, raining debris and one angel named Remiel, down on her.
Remiel was the Light at the end of the tunnel and the one that had given her the ability to crossover wayward spirits...and now he needed her help. Seven souls have escaped and fallen from the tunnel; seven evil, twisted Dark Souls. Remeil needed her help to recollect the seven fallen souls and return them to the tunnel before they can wreak havoc on the Earth. It was going to dangerous and the chances of Remiel or Mel surviving were slim. Mel wasn't thrilled with the assignment, but it was either help Remiel or watch her world become the top floor of Hell. Was she strong enough to reap the darkest, most evil souls to ever exist? She was about to find out.

Genres: Paranormal, Fiction

ebook

First published January 17, 2013

About the author

Stephanie Jackson up in Nashville Tn, and writes paranormal and paranormal romance novels. Her books include:

The Undead Heart (#1 in the Blood Thirst Series)

Blood Thirst (#2 in the Blood Thirst Series)

The Wrath of Potter (#3 in the 3 book Blood Thirst Series)release date June 30th 2013

The Reaper Within

The Lamp

When Angels Fall

The Reaper Within (Dark Rain)

Juvenile

Juvenile Rising

Cain

UPCOMING BOOKS:

The Reaper Withing (Purgatory)

The Howl




Stephanie Jackson lives in Clarksville, TN with her husband, Rick. She been married for a lot of REALLY long years and has numerous children of varying ages, all seemingly incapable of doing their own laundry or preparing a meal. They're all grown and employed, but they won't leave. They never leave. On any given day, you can find one of them testing the holding power of the couch and making sure the remote control is in good working order.

Reviews

[Robin Jenson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book in exchange for an honest review. While there are a few other series' out there with the reaper theme, this one was a fresh take and I thought the plot was very imaginative. The prose is very sparse which should be refreshing for those who can only find "angsty" romances out there. Throughout the book the dialogue is denser than I'm used to in most novels as there wasn't a lot of breaks in between dialogue for character introspection or even scene description. The "info-dumps" are delivered with one character explaining quite detailed things to another character. Actually some things were over-detailed in these passages which is in contrast to the fairly thin text overall. Likewise there are some things that seems to be very well-researched and documented where others just seem extremely implausible if not flat-out wrong {see spoilers sections below}. In addition the whole thing could have used one more round of edits for punctuation and typos. There were a few places "every" was substituted where "ever" should have been; "since" for "sense"; "they're" for "their" etc. And the semicolons are actually another issue. There were a ton of them in the dialogue passages, which you just don't usually see in novels. The first few chapters were tough for me because there's a lot of backstory presented in dialogue and it's a lot to keep track of right out of the gate. But it picked up in the end and I couldn't wait to see how it ended and if there would be an HEA.

{Spoilers here so don't read on if you don't want to see them}:
- The Treasure Trove law and even issues with cryogenics seem to well-researched, albeit perhaps presented in a little too much detail. Meanwhile the heroine in the end gives the villain a double-dose of tranquilizers with the intent of keeping him out twice as long. I don't think it works that way - I think he will OD.
- After having sex (we're led to believe it was quite good) the heroine stands up on the bed, gets her feet tangled in the blankets, falls out of bed, breaks her neck, and dies. Don't worry she gets sent back to the world of the living by the light. But I don't know any well-sated females that would stand up on the bed to get to clothes at the foot of the bed after a good roll in hay. We crawl or scoot. And she breaks her neck and dies? really? I could roll with all the paranormal elements, no problem, but this one really bugged me.

[chucklesthescot · Rating 4 out of 5]

*I received a free copy of this book from the author through Paranormal and Horror Lovers in exchange for an honest review*

Mel is a Reaper, the only person who can send a lost soul forward on their journey, even when they don't want to go. Her new job is to clear a plantation house of a violent spirit but on arrival she finds a lot of spirits there with no connection to the house. Now she must reap them all and solve the mystery of why they are there.

This was a very enjoyable paranormal story which I read in one night. I liked the way the plot centered around the Reaper sending lost souls to the Light painlessly for everyone and how unwilling souls being reaped caused her pain. It was a slightly different twist on other reaper stories I've read. I also enjoyed the fact that she becomes tied to the house until all souls have been reaped, leaving her as trapped as the souls themselves. With help, Mel starts to research the people to find a connection and uncovers the real truth. It was a story that flowed nicely with no huge info dumps and no boring parts. The dialogue was fun, the plot had a good mixture of action, humour and character based scenes, and the characters themselves just enhanced the plot.

I also liked the characters. Mel was feisty and very likable which is vital for me in my lead character. I liked her a lot and was rooting for her throughout the book. She is a Reaper but is also very much human with human emotion and vulnerabilities. Betty was the mildly annoying but entertaining sidekick that Mel is in contact with outside the house, helping her with her research. She was funny and I hope to see her again in the next book. Jack was the intriguing character-is he a ghost, or alive or what? Of course, having read the book I know the answer, but I'm not putting spoilers in. What I can say is that I really liked the twists in the story as that plot developed and it was also a very satisfying ending.

I can't really say that there was anything that I didn't like about the book. It had a bit of everything in it-action, humour, suspense, romance, and should appeal to fans of urban fantasy, paranormal, ghost stories and non graphic paranormal romance. Very much recommended.

[Adria · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book in exchange for an honest review. I give it 3.5 stars...or maybe closer to 3.8. Just shy of 4.

This book is a fresh take on the Reaper story line. I thought it was imaginative and the plot had great potential to be hair raising. Unfortunately, while I would have enjoyed some scares, the book centered mainly around the missing persons mystery rather than the paranormal. The reapings were for the most part quick and anticlimactic. Each reaping added some clue to move the mystery plot along. I thought the mystery was fresh and interesting.

The romance was just okay. In my opinion it came off fast paced and lacking some depth of emotion. The romance in this book was definitely not sizzling. If you are looking for steamy scenes, go elsewhere.

Overall, I liked this book and read it in one sitting. I can't say I LOVED the book or that I will revisit it any point, but it was really decent. I feel like this writer isn't using her full potential but she has definitely set the groundwork to improve on. This book would have been awesome if there was a little more steam to the romance. Not necessarily in the bedroom, but with more emotion and spark between the two leads. Also, some nail biting scares would bump the Reaper story line up into freaky and add a lot of excitement to the plot to back up the mystery.

I won't get too critical of the editing. The book could use a little, but I have seen much much worse. The mistakes were few and far between and easy to read through.

I am looking forward to seeing more from this writer. If you are reading this Ms. Jackson, great job! Keep on keeping on because I am looking forward to reading more of your books.

[Lori · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is absolutely one of the best books I've ever read. A few errors in writing at the beginning but nothing major. just a over site I'm sure. very well written otherwise. The story line was great. I've never read a book quite like this one. Not what I expected from the name or the cover of the book either. if you like ghost stories , adventure with some paranormal romance added, to say the least, you'll love this book.
it had some very unexpected twists to it. A book you can't stop reading from beginning to end. once you pick it up its over your completely drawn in.

you'll love Mel from the beginning, she very interesting and her side kick, best friend Betty brings wit & humor to the story.
The ending is great, I kinda suspected it would end the way it did but you were left with doubt.
I totally recommend this book. its a great read.

I was given this book for a honest review. you can find more good reads reviews on http://thereaderhaven.wordPress.com. your more then welcome to add your own thoughts and reviews.

[Saifa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I saw that this book was very kindly being offered for free so I badgered my daughter to download it for me so I could read it immediately. I was impressed by the story. It was a new slant on grim reapers with a definite twist in the tail! The back story was portrayed in detail and I found the whole story to be enjoyable and satisfying! I want a sequel!

[Nazia Zennia · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review.

I haven’t read a ghost story in a very long time and I think that’s what hooked me in the beginning. I like the interesting concept of reaping and how ghost hunting is done in this story.

It was pretty creepy when she arrives in the house but that starts going away when she begins reaping. The plot itself is interesting enough and the mystery definitely kept me guessing. These things kept me going along with the fact that the book wasn’t very long. Nothing was stretched out more than it needed to be so I wasn’t bored while reading.

I didn’t have a problem with Mel but I didn’t particularly like her. She was just sort of there along with almost every character. I mostly stuck around for the mystery and that was enough for me.

Mel and Jack’s relationship was too quickly developed and they addressed that in the book which is why I don’t have too much of an issue with that. I understand that she was only going to be in the house for a week and it needed to progress quickly. But then I also think that sexual tension would have been better than an actual “relationship”.

Having said that, I had a couple of problems with the writing and that is mostly what’s balancing the book to a solid middle where I may not remember what happened in the next few days.
Sometimes the writing took me out of the story because it seems very amateurish at times. The writing is not very detailed, something that doesn’t usually bother me, but when it’s coupled with heavily detailed dialogue, it throws me off. I had to use my past knowledge of haunted houses shown in movies and such to fill in the blanks because the tone of the book wasn’t consistent in the description. Everything that was said could have been described in a different and more effective way. I don’t usually see this much talking from one person unless its interspersed with banter and it felt very awkward and unnatural. In order to inform us about what is going on there are large info dumps that happen and it’s in way to much detail since its being spoken. Sadly this continues throughout the whole book.

Also abbreviations are used when people speak and I read them not as it stands for but how it’s written. I don’t like it when things aren’t written as they should be said while people talk and that really annoyed me.

One of my biggest pet peeves is when a character looks in a mirror in order to describe herself to the reader and that happened pretty much in the beginning. Sigh.

Also there wasn’t a lot of detail on how ghosts work and how the afterlife plays into it and why she can’t leave an area once she starts reaping. I just don’t get it. But it was enough for me that Mel explained that she doesn’t fully understand it herself so that was excusable.

There wasn’t a lot of information on how Mel runs her business. There seems to be a bigger system going on, like a club of ghost hunters that know each other but it’s not really explained and that was sort of not okay with me.

Overall 3/5.

We’re heading into spoiler territory here so if you haven’t read it, stop reading or if you don’t care or have read it, continue on.

SPOILERS

Once it’s revealed that the cryo the villain is working on actually works, I was afraid that a whole new can of worms were opened and judging by the amount of pages left in the book, it was just going to be left hanging. I’m okay if the book doesn’t address some things because it just wants to deal with the certain things its touching on and if it’s done well then I’m perfectly fine with confining myself to that section and not to try and look at the bigger picture here. When science was brought into it, I was very afraid that the implications were not going to be addressed because it is a story about ghosts. Thankfully it was addressed albeit in an offhand manner and although it wasn’t enough to make me happy; I was satisfied to the bare minimum.

Also I didn’t like how many times people died accidentally in this book. One of the victims tripped and died and became a ghost, and Mel tripped and broke her neck and died temporarily.

This isn’t really an issue with the story, just what I would have liked to see. I wanted it to be more about the gold. For whatever reason, I wanted the murders to relate to the hidden gold and wrap the story together. Also I think it hurt the story to keep her confined in the house. It would have been more fun to see her go out into town and talk to towns people about what they think and try to solve the murders in that way.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was given this book for an honest review. The first couple of pages I thought oh no...I don't think I am going to like this. The descriptions were just the annoying kind - like Mel describing herself I rolled my eyes at. But then it got more interesting. I really liked the ideas behind this, though I thought the actual reaping would be more eventful and we would see more of it (most of the ghosts went quietly and there were parts that were just and then after that I reaped 3 more women and a man or whatever). I thought with the ghost aspect of it it would have some scares in there, but it didn't really. I did like the thought in explaining the different kinds of ghosts and how she came to be and how she is tied to the place until she gets all of the ghosts out. It was an entertaining book,

Now the things I did not like (with some spoilers!).
1) I did not believe Mel and Jack had any feelings for each other. It wasn't even written like insta love, it was just like wait why are they sleeping together now? This makes no sense. I don't see a connection at all, not even a physical attraction connection. So that could use some work. And after sex she stands up to walk on the mattress down to the end to get her clothes? Really? Who does that?
2) There were some odd abbreviations and in the text of people's conversations which is just...I didn't like. I hated Tennessee abbreviated as Tn. instead of TN which I would have just glossed right over and not thought about. Instead every time I saw Tn. I thought ?? What is that. Oh yeah, TN. Just small odd things that maybe I am the only one bothered by.
3) The gold and the ghosts had nothing to do with one another. It really...well I wish there would have even been a slight connection.
4) The ending was...well Mel gave the bad guy a double dose of the sedative stuff so he would stay out longer. Okay for everything else being as detailed as it was (the laws and science and such) I don't think that is how that works. I think that would be an overdose...

That is about all. I did enjoy the book, and it was better than I expected it to be. Not perfect and I wish the characters were stronger (they were all just there), but enjoyable none the less.

[Selina Liaw · Rating 5 out of 5]

Books and Sweet Epiphany
www.booksandsweetepiphany.blogspot.com

I gave this book "FIVE STARS" and you know why?
Cause its awesome.
Plain and simple.

Firstly, the writing style is great!
Get ready for a lot of suspense because seriously, I really think this book needs a shrine dedicated to it.

I love how Stephanie created a twist to the whole "Reaper" story. The folklore, the myth of it all, well you can throw it out the door.
If you keep an open mind, the type of Reaper that you're gonna know in The Reaper Within is going to blow your mind.

I admit, I am not a huge fan of horror movies but this book has the perfect blend of making me scared (because I love reading at night) to loving it in a blink of an eye.

I can see the Stephen King influence in the story and I gotta say, BRAVO!

Secondly, the characters compliments each other very well and I love the main character (Melissa) because she is fearless.

If we were in her situation, we would be scared shitless. Not only that, if I have her ability, I would rather admit myself into a mental hospital.

Because, DUDE! If she decides to take a job, she will be stuck to that place until each and every spooky thingy at that place go to whatever place they're suppose to go. Oh and don't forget about those spooks who are absolutely terrifying, they're worse than The Exorcist but similar to the Black Widow.

Basically, most of the setting in the story is in this huge house which is absolutely perfect for the story.

Lastly, I didn't expect Melissa to fall in love. (You gotta read the book to know what I'm saying so I really really really think you gotta get this book. :D )
It was a really great twist to the story and I absolutely love it!!


All in all, The Reaper Within is a great read, Stephanie Jackson is an awesome writer and I really think that you will miss you if you don't get this book. It's awesome, awesome, awesome.

Sincerely,
Selina.

[Bookish Satty · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got this book from the author, free of cost, in exchange of an honest review from my side which I'm really excited to share with ya all.

Firstly I would like to thank Stephanie Jackson, author of The Reaper Within for giving me this opportunity of reading and reviewing this book.

The story is a horror story with a paranormal twist where we meet Mel, the hardcore and tough heroine who is a real life reaper and her job is to send the souls or you can say ghost to the other side but one day she steps into something terribly dangerous and now her life is in danger. Will she be able to save herself and help out the innocent victims who are being tortured by a dangerous ghost or would she end up getting reaped herself?

Great story with well planned and laid out plot and developed characters. The side characters got all the importance and attention from the author that they required making them a noticeable part of the entire story. Mel is just superb and an ass-kicking heroine who stole the show for me. Well romance fans don't get disheartened because the author included some romantic scenes for you too without transforming this story from horror to cheesy romance, don't get shocked sometimes authors do that and you know that!

The action scenes are great and the horror once are actually spooky which are going to haunt you at night, remember to keep you lights on guys.The occasional humorous scenes made the story really interesting without making it a total dark read.

The writing style of the author is good and it made me comfortable with the story and I easily got attached with the characters specially Mel.

All in all a great read which is going to make you want for more and at the same time you would wish the horror scenes to end, after all there is a limit up to which you can take it.

So get ready to get spooked and get on the ride! Happy reading folks!

[Selina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I really liked the plot of this book. At first, the plot reminded me of Maureen Johnson's "Shades of London" series, but then the story subverted and took a really unique turn that I did not expect. The plot moves quickly, and I liked it that way. However, it also slows down at the right times to give the readers a glimpse into exactly what Mel is thinking and feeling. I feel that Mel was very well developed, and even though she wasn't exactly Suzie Sunshine in the likability department, I was definitely rooting for her. The romance with Jack seemed a little rushed, but I think that it worked for this story. Mel has an always moving life, so it is fitting that her romance moved fast! I thought the ending was satisfying and unexpected... As I read, I kept thinking, "How could they possibly make this work later?" but Jackson managed to make their ending believable. There were a few questions left unanswered in the end (like- Was he dead every time he was in ghost form, or was this some other odd form of ghost/specter?), but overall I was satisfied with the conclusion.

While I really enjoyed the unique story, I found some of the writing difficult to get through. The beginning is very dialogue heavy, and the dialogue is used as exposition to move the story along. This is one of my big pet peeves in writing. Rather than have the characters have an unnatural conversation about what it is that Mel does, I think it would have been better suited if Mel had some inner introspection and told the reader as inner thoughts rather than a conversation.

This was a quick read for me, and I really enjoyed the story and the characters. Definitely give this book a shot- it is worth the read!

3.5 stars total

[MaryAnn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although I wasn't sure what to expect from this book, I REALLY enjoyed it. I have never read a book on this topic and I thought the story was put together well and I was fully engrossed to read what was going to happen next. I enjoyed the relationship between Mel, the main character as the ghost hunter, and Jack, a ghost that just wouldn't leave. There may be more books out there with this same type of story line, but I haven't read them and I found this one to be very unique.

I enjoyed the depiction of Mel's solitary life with very little company other than the ghosts she was "crossing over". While a job is important, it became all her life was about. While Jack realized he was dead, he couldn't remember the details of his death and Mel was not able to cross him over like all the rests of the ghosts. So what was unique about Jack? Read the book and find out!

I did receive this book via the Read It and Reap program for an honest review of the book.

I give the story a solid 4 out of 5 stars!

[Michelle Hofacker · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Reaper Within by Stephanie Jackson
reviewed by Michelle Hofacker
Anyone who loves the paranormal, a good mystery, and a little romance will definitely love this book. It is the perfect story to read on a dark and stormy night.
This story is a unique tale of a grim reaper that I could not stop reading. I immediately became engrossed in the story line that keeps you guessing until the end. The characters are solid and full of life. I found myself feeling as invested in the lives of the ghosts as much as the life of the main character herself.
I would love to see the story of the reaper and her friends continuing on in further stories. I would grab them up to read quickly.

[Stephanie Greenhalgh · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. I really liked this story and the main character, Mel Chaser. She is a modern day ghost hunter (so to speak). Technically, she is a Reaper, and she must find lost souls to cross them over into the Light (or wherever they are going). I enjoyed the plot of the story. Ms. Jackson intertwined two separate story lines together. Not only was I surprised by the ending and the nice twists, I also found them quite entertaining. Most of the story was told through dialogue. Personally, I would prefer a few more descriptions woven into the story, but that isn’t stopping me from reading the second one, which I’m about halfway though!

[Candy Golden · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book for an honest review. Now that I have that out of the way, I have a confession to make. I TOTALLY read this series out of order!!!! While it would have been better to read it IN order, it really didn't matter, as I loved this one as well.

We go on a journey with Mel, and it was fun to read on HOW she acquired her millions, and HOW she found and came to know Jack. Not going to spoil the book for anyone, but I totally loved the storyline and the humor and action in the book!

I so want to know if there are going to be any sequels to this series as I dearly loved it! I again, would recommend this to my friends. If you haven't read it, you do NOT know what you are missing!!!

[Kirsten · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book, at no cost, for my review.
I feel this book offers a good opening story. I look forward to follow-up stories. The book read quickly and offered a plausible story line.
I particularly liked the idea of a strong heroine (Mel) and her sidekick (Betty). Their relationship offered details of their lives to develop the characters. This link gives the opportunity of continued depth in future stories.
Mel's love story, while I enjoyed it, may limit character development in future stories.
As other reviewers have mentioned, there are some grammatical issues but not enough to cause problems in the story line.
Ms. Jackson- keep up the good work!

[Jenna M · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Reaper Within by Stephanie Jackson is a paranormal novel about a girl who reaps and helps lost souls. Her story begins when she takes a job from a client who recently purchased a mansion. I found the plot refreshing, and different from the norm involving grim reapers. The story had many twists and turns that would continuously pull you through to see what happens next. I enjoyed the interactions between the characters. However, I felt that the characters did not grow throughout the story. I also felt that the imagery was a little lacking, and did not inspire my imagination. It was a good book for a quick and light read.

[Irene · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was super quick read for me as I finished it all in a day but it was good. Jackson takes a different view on the whole Grim Reaper thing and then feeds you little bits of information so you aren't overloaded. If you want a quick read about a fearless young woman who reaps lost souls with a splash of romance thrown in this is the book!

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

First I would like to say thank you for letting me read this through the Read It and Reap program. Interesting story line. I like the whole concept of her being a reaper. Great twist with Jack. A little more danger factor when she is reaping would be great. Maybe an encounter with a revenant. Overall good book , would recommend to anyone who likes paranormal or mysteries.

[Debra · Rating 4 out of 5]

A delightful blend of ghosts, new love and mystery. Several spelling and grammar errors but a great book none the less!

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read, loved it!! :)

[Amy H · Rating 5 out of 5]

Omg!!!!!

Review to come