Shadows of Serenity

by Marsha A. Moore

Joyce Runsey spends her life savings to open a yoga studio in an historic Victorian St Augustine house, only to discover the property is haunted. A female ghost’s abusive, and very much alive husband, still tortures her by using dark witchcraft. The disruptive energy thwarts Joyce’s ambition to create a special environment to train students to become yoga teachers.

Joyce engages in a deadly battle with not only the tormented spirit, but also the dangerous husband. To protect her students from harm, she must overcome mounting obstacles. An unknown swami pays an unexpected visit to give advice on how to free the anguished ghost. Can Joyce comprehend and follow the wise man’s guidance in time to save everyone who depends on her?

205 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 9, 2014

About the author

Forest hiker, mangrove paddler, freshwater springs tuber, beach dreamer

Writer of adult and young adult fantasy romance

The magic of nature primes my creative wellspring for writing, watercolor painting, drawing, knitting and sewing. I’m a registered yoga teacher. My personal practice helps weave the mystical into my writing.

After moving from Toledo to Tampa in 2008, I’ve happily transformed into a Floridian, in love with the outdoors year-round. I’m crazy about cycling and hiking. I live with my husband on a large saltwater lagoon from which I kayak through mysterious mangrove tunnels to Tampa Bay. Never have enough days at the beach, scribbling away at stories with my toes wiggling in the sand.

For a FREE ebook sample of her writing, read her historic fantasy short story, LE CIRQUE DE MAGIE, available at Amazon and Smashwords.

Learn more about Marsha at her website:
http://MarshaAMoore.com
and chat with her on:
Instagram http://instagram.com/marshaa.moore_author/
Twitter
http://twitter.com/MarshaAMoore.
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/marshaamooreauthorpage

Reviews

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. LoP or Lovers of Paranormal*

When Joyce decides to open a yoga studio in an old house she finds its haunted by a ghost. That ghost can't be in peace though. Her husband, who abused her while she was alive, is still able to torture her...through witchcraft.

I absolutely love old Victorian Houses and ghost stories. Usually these things have nothing in common but in this book it's makes for an amazing connection! Add in a scary abusive husband AND the "serenity" of yoga and you've got yourself an amazing story! I really enjoyed every part of this book.

[Lori · Rating 5 out of 5]

Marsha Moore had taken her knowledge and passion for yoga and woven it into a paranormal story about dangerous otherworldly obsession and the power of teamwork and positive thinking. The story goes into detail about the lives of many of the yoga teachers-in-training, and I felt that reinforced the theme that individuals working together for the greater good make a strong whole. The main character, Joyce, is struggling with starting her own yoga studio and the negative energy that seems to block her every step of the way. Within that is a conflict that we all face at some point or another when we start something new or tap into our own creativity: the struggle to believe in ourselves. I enjoyed following the journey of these characters, and the ghost story has some downright creepy moments...in a good way! Overall it was a book that I looked forward to picking up again whenever I had a chance to read!

[Ramona Plant · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely love this book. It has a great plot and a nice flow to it all. I like how Marsha mixes it up to show it from the perspective of some of the major characters, which makes it an even better read. She is well versed and has a great style of writing. She slowly starts off and keeps building up the story line until the very end when she finds a great way of solving it all.
The main characters are all very loveable and you can't but help feeling with them. It is truly a nice mix of people she choose for this. It made me want to join their group and learn more about yoga. I have never taken a yoga class but reading this, really makes me consider it. It was a little odd, but just reading about their relaxation and mediation methods, made me calmer reading it all, now that is true impact.

Thanks for sharing this. This is truly a gem and I am glad I got to read this.

I have received this book from the author for an honest review. (LoP, Lovers of Paranormal)

[Kaitlin G · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was pretty good. It took me a while to get into it, but after that it was good. I love the idea of the ability is that the main characters had. With the birds and everything like that was a different spin than a lot of ability books.I'm a big yoga fan so she's really excited about the right terms in the technical terms used in the book for yoga.so not only was it a good book but it also made me want to go do some yoga which I loved. I would recommend this book to mystery lovers.

[Susan Tracy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book as I do anything I've read of Marsha A. Moore's. Although it was a bit slow reading I thoroughly enjoyed the story. I found the yoga background and references, although confusing at times since I know nothing about yoga, also very interesting. I found myself often taking deep "centering breaths" as I was reading. Highly recommend this.

[Lauren Gail · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've loved all of Marsha A. Moore's books so Shadows of Serenity was a must read. As a life-long learner, I enjoy books that teach me as well as entertain me. This story accomplished both. I found the world of Yoga engaging while the suspense kept me on the edge of my seat!

[Michael-owen Jeffries · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shadows of Serenity was a compelling read from start to finish it is a book i would read over & over again

[Brittain *Needs a Nap and a Drink* · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received this book in exchange for an honest review through Lovers of Paranormal.

Shadows of Serenity is the story of a woman who opens a yoga studio in an old Victorian house. Joyce and her boyfriend, Eric, quickly realize that there is more to the house than meets the eye. Repairs aren't going as planned and there seems to be a mysterious ghostly presence in the house. Nothing is settling and everything in the air is tense. When the new yoga teaching students come in, it is their responsibility to help the restless spirit and liberate the house from the dark entity that hovers in the background.

This book starts with a simple yoga idea and expands it. It took basic principles and applied them to magical powers that are channeled through yogic practices. Joyce can talk to birds. Others can sense spirits or auras and others can take pain or anxiety away from someone else. While I get that a lot of this is based off of old teachings, I never found it compelling in any sense. It tap danced a line between a paranormal story and basically a manual/short story about a woman with a yoga studio.

Personally, I never connected to the characters. Their problems weren't real to me and it never felt like they had real personalities. I kept getting this impression that it would be a really great read for someone that was deeply involved in yoga but it didn't translate to the layman or casual yoga person. Everything was solved through yoga poses and deep breathing. Yes, people got hurt. Bad things happen. But I never believed that sending good energy at a psychopath would help anything.

Overall, this book lacked substance for me. The characters were weak and the writing read like an instruction booklet. I appreciate yoga, I really do. But I never believed enough in the strength enough to root for Joyce or anybody else and truly think that they could conquer the spirits in the house. A good author should make me believe that these characters could do anything if they put their minds to it, but that never happened.

2 out of 5 stars.

[Juli · Rating 5 out of 5]

SHADOWS OF SERENITY concerns Joyce Runsey, whose dream it is to open a yoga studio—a dream that has arrived. She’s fixed up an old Victorian house and now begins taking on students for a yoga teacher’s training program.


But someone is watching them. A shadow of a terrible past hangs over the studio, and even the birds who find sanctuary on Joyce’s property seem to be aware of its presence. And then, a strange swami comes in, offering a blessing he says will come in handy.


While Joyce tries to guide and protect her eager new students, despite the blessing, she can’t seem to keep dread at bay. Something is lurking in the shadows. The ghost of a woman who died there begins making herself known, just as her husband (recently released from prison) begins poking his nose into Joyce’s business—and tries to use one of her students for his nefarious ends. Will the collective guiding energy and good will Joyce tries to exude be enough to set these evil spirits to rest? You’ll have to read to find out!


This is Ms. Moore’s first foray into the magical realism genre, yet for fans of her earlier Fantasy series, the Enchanted Bookstore, there is much here you will enjoy. I think even readers less well-versed in the yoga world will enjoy the book.

[Robin Trotter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ms. Moore has again managed to captivate my heart & soul in her writing. Shadows of Serenity intertwines some of the inner workings of yoga with a truly "spiritual" realm. I didn't want to stop reading til I finished, and then I still didn't want it to stop! Moore has a knack for drawing me into the action, allowing me to feel the emotions that these yoga teacher training students felt. I felt the fear when the "bad guy" reared his ugliness, and the fear of the haunting occurrences, as well as the joy of the students' successes. Well written and smooth flowing. I highly recommend this book to all who enjoy a little mystery, a little reality and a little fantasy... or is it really fantasy??

[April Aasheim · Rating 5 out of 5]

great book. Love the reality mixed with magic. Highly recommend

[April Wood · Rating 4 out of 5]

***Link for full review at bottom***

“Something is not right. And I don’t intend to let whatever negative energy is here to drive off, or worse yet, harm my students of my studio.”

Joyce Runsey just bought a beautiful Victorian home in the woods, with a converted yoga studio, she named Serenity Woods Yoga. It is a great place for her to live, and teach her students the ages-old yogic path, so that they can become teachers themselves.

Almost immediately, bad energy surrounds the new construction, and a creepy message is scrawled on one of the boards. Her studio, although well meaning, is bathed in negativity.

Joyce learns that her Victorian is inhabited by a restless spirit who once lived there and wants no part in her or her teachings. How is Joyce to make sure her students reach personal growth when a ghost is harassing them? How is she to deliver the spirit from it’s imprisonment?

Before Joyce knows it, a Swami blesses her residence, and a paranormal investigative team named the Granny Ghoulies inspect her home. Joyce is willing to try anything to break the cycle of darkness, and the race is on… before it is too late and everyone is affected by the dark spirit.

I loved the plot for Shadows of Serenity. The juxtaposition of a serene, peaceful yoga studio, set up against the mystery and dark energy of the paranormal, made for a fascinating read! I can honestly say this was one of the most unique stories I have read to date.

I enjoyed Marsha A. Moore’s ability to build a world around her characters. Her writing style made the characters leap up from the pages. When she described the musky exotic scent emanating from the yoga studio, I felt as if I was there, practicing yoga and inhaling incense with the other students.

I learned a lot about yoga from Shadows Of Serenity, and it did pique my interest. The following is some of the yoga vocabulary I learned:

Asana: The art of sitting still.

Purvadista: Award of destiny.

Ahimsa: The principle of non-violence toward all living beings.

Eight Limbs of Yoga: Guidelines on how to live a meaningful and purposeful life.

Dirgha Breath: A basic breathing exercise that is calming and grounding. Also called “three part breath”.

Metta: Empathy. An attitude of friendliness.

In my personal opinion, lovers of the paranormal, chick lit, and/or books that are yoga themed would love Shadows of Serenity! Treat yourself to a copy today!

I was provided with a complimentary copy by the Author, in exchange for a fair, honest, and thoughtful book review.

My full review can be found @ https://aprillwood.wordpress.com/2014...

[Kai · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received this book in return for an honest review.

Honestly, I came into this book expecting something completely different, filled with a lot less description and more analysis. That's really the main reason why I only gave it three stars; while I liked this book, I definitely prefer more action. Overall, the book is slow, and is better for relaxing reading when available, another reason why it took me a while to read, because I have a short attention span and often found myself drifting off. This is of no fault of Ms. Moore, as it is her writing style and it really works for her and her stories, but I probably just wasn't able to appreciate the writing as much as I could.

As for the writing, the main criticism I have for it is that it is a little repetitive and filled with unnecessary details that don't really apply to the situation at the time. For example, there is a scene where Joyce is thinking about her abilities as a business woman, and for some reason has a flashback to being in grade school. To me the analogy just didn't fit right. Also, the world of yoga that Moore is presenting here is too distant from the audience. Every character has this deep connection to the practice, and yet – even for me, who comes from a family of several spiritualists – there is a lack of immersion for the audience to latch onto. While many of the characters are 'unsure' about taking the class, all of them have this inherent knowledge or epiphany about the class, and all of them are automatically spiritual, without any of them really being doubtful or questioning in their nature.

My largest criticism for this book is the characters. There are a lot of supporting characters and any points of view, and while all of them are interesting, they all feel fairly generic for their situations. I'm left unsure of what Moore really wanted to communicate with her characters. That is one reason I was hesitant to read this book, because of the "abuse victim" stereotype that I often see writers fall into. Unfortunately, that's similar to what happened with this book. A lot of the characters fall into their tropes, and I feel like there is a lack of depth that could have been achieved.

On the bright side, the story is really good, and the suspense is subtle and works its way through each chapter, linking every story together nicely. Honestly, if the writing were just a little bit more to the point, I feel like I would have been able to appreciate it more.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review from Lovers of Paranormal group on Goodreads.
From the beginning it was an interesting read, while different from most other paranormal reads I have experienced.

Joyce has purchased a large property, surrounded by woodlands, with dreams of running her own yoga studio.
She has studied and worked and saved and planned for this dream for many years. As with any restoration or construction project, there are set backs and unexpected obstacles, but things that were happening did not seem to have any reasonable explanations.
The time comes for Joyce to welcome a class of YTT students, a group dedicated to becoming yoga instructors.
This group is made up of students of various experiences who do not know each other. The story develops about their growth as individuals as well as learning how to support each other.

At first, the students are not aware of the paranormal activity on the property. As their yoga skills improve, so do their sensitivities. Joyce and her partner Eric also do some old school research to discover physical evils that have taken place on the property. They narrow it down to a murder and learn that the man who was responsible also isolated his wife from any other living beings. This man recently was released from a mental health institution.
Oh - and I will mention a group of Granny ghost hunters, too.

While the story unfolds, we are treated to an education in beginning yoga terms and practices.
We learn some of the beliefs that come with the practice.

This is not a simple story of busting one ghost.