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Deerbourne Inn
Spirited Quest
Paige Norman believes in a tangible, explainable world. When her ghost-hunting niece comes for a visit, she tries not to scoff. But someone, or something, is stirring up trouble at the Deerbourne Inn and her niece, Jillian, is at the center of the mystery.
Paige is certain the handsome Aussie photographer is behind the unexplained disturbances, and she warns her niece to stay clear. Meanwhile, Jillian gets to know the otherworldly Lady of the Deerbourne, who foretells an encounter with "two men." Then the pranks turn dangerous. Has her niece attracted a stalker or has she conjured an evil presence? Can the culprit be the man who has captured her heart?
Paige is certain the handsome Aussie photographer is behind the unexplained disturbances, and she warns her niece to stay clear. Meanwhile, Jillian gets to know the otherworldly Lady of the Deerbourne, who foretells an encounter with "two men." Then the pranks turn dangerous. Has her niece attracted a stalker or has she conjured an evil presence? Can the culprit be the man who has captured her heart?
124 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 13, 2019
5 people are currently reading
18 people want to read
About the author
Julie Howard
9 books92 followersJulie Howard is author of the Wild Crime mystery series. Crime and Paradise was released August 30, 2017 and Crime Times Two was released in Fall 2018. She is currently writing the third book in the series.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
May 21, 2019
Paige is a divorcee and the editor of the local paper. She’s excited to have her niece, Jillian, come for a visit but she’s not sure about all this paranormal stuff Jillian seems obsessed with. Paige is a by-the-book reporter and she doesn’t believe all that nonsense. But when strange occurrences start happening at the Deerbourne Inn, Jillian passes them off as spirits. Paige thinks it’s a possible stalker and her sights are set on a photographer also staying at the inn. Paige does some investigating and confronts Jillian with her suspicions. Jillian denies it but Paige is confident. Will she unmask the culprit in time or will it be too late?
I love a good paranormal mystery and I was excited to read this one. The pacing was good and the mystery overall was well plotted. Unlike Paige, my sights for the culprit were set on a different person. The more I read, the more I liked my suspect. A surprise twist at the end caught me by surprise. A real whodunit.
Two things I didn’t care for in Spirited Quest. First, is the choice of Paige as the main POV. The main theme of this story is paranormal so having the POV be Paige seems wrong. It should’ve been Jillian, the paranormal investigator. The whole time I was reading, I kept wondering when we were going to switch to Jillian’s POV. FYI, it’s all in Paige’s POV. The author did appease me somewhat by having Jillian’s thoughts expressed through her blog posts.
Second thing I didn’t like was Paige’s constant negativity when it came to Jillian and her paranormal beliefs. It’s fine to describe Paige’s negative thoughts once or twice but all the time was a little much. It got repetitive after awhile and honestly, dragged down the plot.
Overall, this is a good addition to the Deerbourne Inn series. A fast read and a spooky mystery to curl up to on a rainy afternoon or while making your commute home from work.
Favorite Character/Quote: Jillian. I love her view on life and enlisting the help of spirits. Though, I really wish there was more of her in this story. It’s not in her POV but in her aunt’s and if I was honest, I would’ve much rather have had Jillian’s POV.
My Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by: Mrs. N
This review first appeared: https://www.nnlightsbookheaven.com/si...
Merged review:
Paige is a divorcee and the editor of the local paper. She’s excited to have her niece, Jillian, come for a visit but she’s not sure about all this paranormal stuff Jillian seems obsessed with. Paige is a by-the-book reporter and she doesn’t believe all that nonsense. But when strange occurrences start happening at the Deerbourne Inn, Jillian passes them off as spirits. Paige thinks it’s a possible stalker and her sights are set on a photographer also staying at the inn. Paige does some investigating and confronts Jillian with her suspicions. Jillian denies it but Paige is confident. Will she unmask the culprit in time or will it be too late?
I love a good paranormal mystery and I was excited to read this one. The pacing was good and the mystery overall was well plotted. Unlike Paige, my sights for the culprit were set on a different person. The more I read, the more I liked my suspect. A surprise twist at the end caught me by surprise. A real whodunit.
Two things I didn’t care for in Spirited Quest. First, is the choice of Paige as the main POV. The main theme of this story is paranormal so having the POV be Paige seems wrong. It should’ve been Jillian, the paranormal investigator. The whole time I was reading, I kept wondering when we were going to switch to Jillian’s POV. FYI, it’s all in Paige’s POV. The author did appease me somewhat by having Jillian’s thoughts expressed through her blog posts.
Second thing I didn’t like was Paige’s constant negativity when it came to Jillian and her paranormal beliefs. It’s fine to describe Paige’s negative thoughts once or twice but all the time was a little much. It got repetitive after awhile and honestly, dragged down the plot.
Overall, this is a good addition to the Deerbourne Inn series. A fast read and a spooky mystery to curl up to on a rainy afternoon or while making your commute home from work.
Favorite Character/Quote: Jillian. I love her view on life and enlisting the help of spirits. Though, I really wish there was more of her in this story. It’s not in her POV but in her aunt’s and if I was honest, I would’ve much rather have had Jillian’s POV.
My Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by: Mrs. N
This review first appeared: https://www.nnlightsbookheaven.com/si...
I love a good paranormal mystery and I was excited to read this one. The pacing was good and the mystery overall was well plotted. Unlike Paige, my sights for the culprit were set on a different person. The more I read, the more I liked my suspect. A surprise twist at the end caught me by surprise. A real whodunit.
Two things I didn’t care for in Spirited Quest. First, is the choice of Paige as the main POV. The main theme of this story is paranormal so having the POV be Paige seems wrong. It should’ve been Jillian, the paranormal investigator. The whole time I was reading, I kept wondering when we were going to switch to Jillian’s POV. FYI, it’s all in Paige’s POV. The author did appease me somewhat by having Jillian’s thoughts expressed through her blog posts.
Second thing I didn’t like was Paige’s constant negativity when it came to Jillian and her paranormal beliefs. It’s fine to describe Paige’s negative thoughts once or twice but all the time was a little much. It got repetitive after awhile and honestly, dragged down the plot.
Overall, this is a good addition to the Deerbourne Inn series. A fast read and a spooky mystery to curl up to on a rainy afternoon or while making your commute home from work.
Favorite Character/Quote: Jillian. I love her view on life and enlisting the help of spirits. Though, I really wish there was more of her in this story. It’s not in her POV but in her aunt’s and if I was honest, I would’ve much rather have had Jillian’s POV.
My Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by: Mrs. N
This review first appeared: https://www.nnlightsbookheaven.com/si...
Merged review:
Paige is a divorcee and the editor of the local paper. She’s excited to have her niece, Jillian, come for a visit but she’s not sure about all this paranormal stuff Jillian seems obsessed with. Paige is a by-the-book reporter and she doesn’t believe all that nonsense. But when strange occurrences start happening at the Deerbourne Inn, Jillian passes them off as spirits. Paige thinks it’s a possible stalker and her sights are set on a photographer also staying at the inn. Paige does some investigating and confronts Jillian with her suspicions. Jillian denies it but Paige is confident. Will she unmask the culprit in time or will it be too late?
I love a good paranormal mystery and I was excited to read this one. The pacing was good and the mystery overall was well plotted. Unlike Paige, my sights for the culprit were set on a different person. The more I read, the more I liked my suspect. A surprise twist at the end caught me by surprise. A real whodunit.
Two things I didn’t care for in Spirited Quest. First, is the choice of Paige as the main POV. The main theme of this story is paranormal so having the POV be Paige seems wrong. It should’ve been Jillian, the paranormal investigator. The whole time I was reading, I kept wondering when we were going to switch to Jillian’s POV. FYI, it’s all in Paige’s POV. The author did appease me somewhat by having Jillian’s thoughts expressed through her blog posts.
Second thing I didn’t like was Paige’s constant negativity when it came to Jillian and her paranormal beliefs. It’s fine to describe Paige’s negative thoughts once or twice but all the time was a little much. It got repetitive after awhile and honestly, dragged down the plot.
Overall, this is a good addition to the Deerbourne Inn series. A fast read and a spooky mystery to curl up to on a rainy afternoon or while making your commute home from work.
Favorite Character/Quote: Jillian. I love her view on life and enlisting the help of spirits. Though, I really wish there was more of her in this story. It’s not in her POV but in her aunt’s and if I was honest, I would’ve much rather have had Jillian’s POV.
My Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by: Mrs. N
This review first appeared: https://www.nnlightsbookheaven.com/si...
February 21, 2019
A well written paranormal mystery, engaging and entertaining.
I liked the plot, the characters and the setting.
The book is well written, the mystery's ok and the cast of characters likable.
Recommended!
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC
I liked the plot, the characters and the setting.
The book is well written, the mystery's ok and the cast of characters likable.
Recommended!
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC
March 31, 2019
My first read from this author and it did not let me down. I was once again thoroughly immersed in the pleasant town of Willow Springs, Vermont. Lovely description, setting, and town characters (the regular towns folk overlap in the books in this series, so it's a delight to be like --oh! I know them! And the books can be read as stand-alone or in any order).
Paige is 50-yr old reporter for a small town newspaper, and her young "ghost-whispering" niece Jillian comes to town to stay at and learn more about the ghost haunting the Deerbourne Inn. I enjoyed both the point of view from Paige (a more "seasoned" heroine) and the "Spirited Quest" blog posts from Jillian (so the reader gets a glimpse into her mind, too). This was a lovely twist for the series. I've been reading all the stories in this series and loving each one! I loved the paranormal elements (just enough, not too much, not too little), the mystery/twists, and the story of a grown-woman dealing with not letting life pass her by because of a divorce. I highly recommend the read!
Paige is 50-yr old reporter for a small town newspaper, and her young "ghost-whispering" niece Jillian comes to town to stay at and learn more about the ghost haunting the Deerbourne Inn. I enjoyed both the point of view from Paige (a more "seasoned" heroine) and the "Spirited Quest" blog posts from Jillian (so the reader gets a glimpse into her mind, too). This was a lovely twist for the series. I've been reading all the stories in this series and loving each one! I loved the paranormal elements (just enough, not too much, not too little), the mystery/twists, and the story of a grown-woman dealing with not letting life pass her by because of a divorce. I highly recommend the read!
March 24, 2019
I enjoyed the story from beginning to end. The hustle, bustle and headaches of getting the Inn ready for the grand opening were well described as were all the characters involved and the small town atmosphere of Willow Springs.
The town’s newspaper editor, Paige believes in a tangible, explainable world and is excited to have her free spirited niece, Jillilan coming for a visit. Her niece is staying at the Deerbourne Inn and blogging about her encounters with Lady of the Deerbourne, a spirit. Their escapades begin with the paranormal and end with matters of the heart.
This book is a fast read loaded with mystery, paranormal and ghosts that take center stage. But do ghosts leave things on your pillow and gross things in your shoe? I think not. But Jillian believes that is exactly what is happening. Her aunt, not so much. Follow their adventures to find out who is right.
This is a fun read I highly recommend.
The town’s newspaper editor, Paige believes in a tangible, explainable world and is excited to have her free spirited niece, Jillilan coming for a visit. Her niece is staying at the Deerbourne Inn and blogging about her encounters with Lady of the Deerbourne, a spirit. Their escapades begin with the paranormal and end with matters of the heart.
This book is a fast read loaded with mystery, paranormal and ghosts that take center stage. But do ghosts leave things on your pillow and gross things in your shoe? I think not. But Jillian believes that is exactly what is happening. Her aunt, not so much. Follow their adventures to find out who is right.
This is a fun read I highly recommend.
February 15, 2019
In Spirited Quest Julie Howard offers the reader a detailed overview of Willow Springs, the hub for the Deerbourne Inn series out of the Wild Rose Press. Additionally she's given us a wealth of quirky characters which her other books are famous for.
For a bit of the paranormal, well drawn mystery and a lovely New England setting, read this book.
You won't be sorry. We weren't.
Kat Henry Doran, Wild Women Reviews
For a bit of the paranormal, well drawn mystery and a lovely New England setting, read this book.
You won't be sorry. We weren't.
Kat Henry Doran, Wild Women Reviews
March 24, 2019
Princess Fuzzypants here: Paige is a woman grounded in reality. The editor of a local newspaper, she has accepted her fate and has settled for what life has presented her. When her niece, Jillian, a paranormal blogger, comes to town to investigate the haunting of a local inn, Paige is sceptical at best. She finds what her niece writes upsetting but she believes it is not something supernatural at work. Whether it is ghostly or not, there is something stalking Jillian and it is dangerous.
In trying to investigate Paige learns the hard way that whatever else might be at work, there is something decidedly corporeal in play too. Who that might be and why is a question that she seeks to answer before something serious befalls Jillian. As a reader, the elements are there for an exciting story but for some reason, I just did not feel connected to the characters. What makes or breaks a story is the degree to which I become embroiled in the lives of the characters. I just did not feel the “pull” I get with some other books. There was nothing specific that prevented it so I will chalk it up to personal preference.
I will give it three and a half purrs and one paw up.
In trying to investigate Paige learns the hard way that whatever else might be at work, there is something decidedly corporeal in play too. Who that might be and why is a question that she seeks to answer before something serious befalls Jillian. As a reader, the elements are there for an exciting story but for some reason, I just did not feel connected to the characters. What makes or breaks a story is the degree to which I become embroiled in the lives of the characters. I just did not feel the “pull” I get with some other books. There was nothing specific that prevented it so I will chalk it up to personal preference.
I will give it three and a half purrs and one paw up.
February 13, 2019
I was immediately sucked into this story...the setting and the characters were both vying for my attention! This book is a fast read, but a thoroughly fun jaunt into a mystery loaded with the paranormal world of ghosts. Jillian is a fun character to get to know and I loved seeing life through her laid back, zest for life attitude. But Paige had me rooting for her right from the start; an older lady that had been through a divorce and has settled into a rough patch with a jaded view on life - I could see that this story was going to work on her core! I was right, I enjoyed seeing her be stretched and grow in her views and a chance at a life with a different outcome. I really loved all of the story line around the ghosts, and the mystery behind the scenes had me taking pause to see if I could figure out what was going on. All-in-all, this book was a good read and I can't wait to see what happens in book two of the Deerbourne Inn Series!
March 14, 2019
Paige Norman is looking forward to a visit from her niece Jillian. Jillian is a blogger and ghost-hunter who is scheduled to stay at the Deerbourne Inn. She hopes to get in touch with the Lady of the Deerbourne, who is rumored to roam the halls at the inn, and write a piece for her blog. When some odd occurrences happen, Paige is a skeptic and believes that Jillian may have a stalker while Jillian believes she may have conjured up an evil presence.
When Jillian finds a visiting Aussie photographer quite enchanting, it sets Paige’s radar on alert. She warns her niece to stay clear and believes he might be behind the “pranks” happening at the inn. Is there a stalker on the loose or can Jillian convince her aunt that an otherworldly being is behind everything?
This was an enjoyable lighthearted mystery with touches of paranormal, romance, and suspense. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
When Jillian finds a visiting Aussie photographer quite enchanting, it sets Paige’s radar on alert. She warns her niece to stay clear and believes he might be behind the “pranks” happening at the inn. Is there a stalker on the loose or can Jillian convince her aunt that an otherworldly being is behind everything?
This was an enjoyable lighthearted mystery with touches of paranormal, romance, and suspense. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
March 7, 2019
Being too much of a sceptic or too much of a believer can sometimes be a good or bad thing. Who’s right? Are the strange happenings those of the living or the dead? Sometimes both are right! Really enjoyed this book. I hope you do too!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
March 1, 2019
This is a delightfully gentle story. It follows Paige and Jillian while Jillian is visiting her aunt Paige. Jillian seeks/communicates with Spirits and Paige, her aunt doesn't believe. The ending was most perfect. #SpiritedQuest #NetGalley
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews