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Haunted Hearts #1
Dead People
When Cassie Taylor talks, ghosts listen...
She wants to heal their souls so they can leave earth. Brooding songwriter Luke Rivers wants to give his recently found daughter a normal home, but he discovers his new house in small town Wisconsin is haunted by a ghost with an attitude. Cassie has an attitude too - even before someone tries to kill her.
He wants conventional; she wants acceptance. No wonder she thinks men are hard and dead people are easy.
311 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 18, 2010
22 people are currently reading
404 people want to read
About the author
Edie Ramer
34 books187 followersEdie is funnier on the page than in real life. A USA Today bestselling author, she writes stories with heart, attitude, and magic. She lives in southeastern Wisconsin with her husband and a very special cat. She loves to hear from readers. You can connect with her at her website: www.edieramer.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
d-n-f
October 1, 2017This is a goddamn mess. Ghost drama, human+ghost romance, human+human romance, a teenage murderer, a psychotic housekeeper, a drug addicted ex-wife, a guilt-ridden 10 year old, and still NOTHING HAS FUCKING HAPPENED.
January 21, 2011
Joe, Cassie’s ghostly sidekick is valiant and loyal. Erin is a sad, conflicted waif trying to find her way in a maelstrom of emotions that many adults would find daunting, yet she perseveres. Erin’s loyalties are misguided but so recognizable and heart-rending. And have I mentioned the ghosts? The way in which this author portrayed these ethereal beings, giving them life, is nothing short of wondrous! read more
February 26, 2011
I was pretty excited to start reading this book because the blurb sounded really amazing. Having recently read a story where a ghost was involved, I was eager to see what DEAD PEOPLE had to offer. While the main hero wasn’t a ghost but a man of flesh and bones, I was still intrigued with this form of supernatural and learning more about what it’s like for those who have the ability to see and talk to spirits. What I found was a pretty good read, one that kept me entertained but I found myself in a predicament. I’m a sucker for flawed heroes – those men that for whatever reason take a little longer realizing just how amazing the heroine is because they have some hang up or past issue that hinders them. Luke definitely fits the bill when it comes to this category of men but as I began to get more and more frustrated, I had to ask myself – just how flawed do I love them? Is there such a thing as being TOO flawed and a point where it all becomes too much? I’ve never read a story where that was a thought for me so for that alone, DEAD PEOPLE made for interesting reading. The answer? Unfortunately, in this case I think I discovered my limit.
I thought the storyline was a great concept. Cassie Taylor is this assertive and at times opinionated woman who has had to deal with some harsh judgments through her life. Given the ability to see and talk to spirits, she chooses to spend her life acting as a ghost “counselor” to help them move on. No stranger to ridicule and disbelief, Cassie isn’t surprised when her newest client, uber sexy songwriter Luke, looks at her as if she’s a fraud. But she’s there to do a job and regardless of the spark of attraction, she’s a professional. As she becomes more and more involved in the case, she realizes that the ghost in question Isabel didn’t die of natural causes, was in fact murdered and is hell bent on staying. Cassie begins to investigate but gets tangled in her feelings for Luke, the drama surrounding his angry daughter, the jealousy of the housekeeper and her friendship with another ghost Joe. Luke also wants Cassie but refuses to act on his feelings because of his daughter. There is a constant tugging back and forth between them as they get closer together and tempers fly as Luke fires, then rehires, then fires again each time he overreacts. Cassie is left wondering – what exactly is going on with the house and those that live there? Why is she suddenly experiencing these needs and feelings for Luke and will he ever be able to fully accept her for who she is – freaky ability and all? I really liked the way the story was written. There was a great sense of humor that I enjoyed that I felt gave the story that extra something. I’ve never read anything by this author beforehand and from the way that she was able to pull me in and keep me interested, I can’t wait to check out what other books she’s done.
What stopped this from being an over the top read for me was my frustration with Luke. There really did come a point where I just wanted to reach in and beat him with something heavy. Flawed or not, I could understand his hesitancy to get involved with Cassie because with everything that was happening in his life with his daughter and ex wife, it was noble to not want to upset his child. But I really felt he took it too far and bordered on offensive the way he treated Cassie at times and it made it really hard to like him. I bounced back and forth between “Wow you have so much potential” and “My gosh you’re an idiot and Cassie would do best to kick you to the curb” No woman deserves to get her heart messed with like that and I was left wondering if men really are as clueless as Luke. He felt strongly for her, “burned” and wrote songs for her but told her as much as he didn’t want to be with her, couldn’t her just screw her while she was there? I cringed at times when he opened his mouth to see how insensitive he could be and wondered how Cassie could put up with it. I was over the moon though when he finally snapped out of it and realized just what a gift he had in Cassie and wasn’t as painfully flawed but it felt like it was a little too late and the damage was done. Having said all that, he was an interesting character to get to know because of my reaction to him. Super hot guy but too much of a headache.
Other than our resident song writer, I was happy with the other characters and what they contributed to the story. Cassie had real sass and I loved the way she was adamant in what she needed. She wasn’t some freak to be scorned out and definitely deserved to be loved and worshiped for the incredible woman she was. I can’t imagine how difficult it was to have to defend herself all the time to people and having to deal with those who were narrow minded. It definitely gave her an edge that I liked reading. I loved watching as she bonded with Luke’s daughter and what a shock that was for her. There was just so much going on with Cassie and I enjoyed watching how she dealt with all the different situations she found herself in. My favorite character was Joe, Cassie’s ghostly friend and I won’t lie – I spent most of the book wishing some miracle would happen so he would win Cassie and whisk her off for a happily ever after ending. There were moments were I thought that was where it was heading but alas, Cassie was meant for the super flawed Luke. In all fairness though, I think if the story had have kept going a little longer and I saw more of the “awakened” Luke, I would have loved him more. *sigh* Is it wrong that I love I’m so conflicted? Maybe Luke wasn’t as bad as I thought LOL
For sure I’d recommend reading DEAD PEOPLE because it is a great story. People react differently and for some, Luke may really float their boat and have them squealing with excitement. He definitely has a lot of potential and the smolder is there. I just couldn’t get past some of his “bang head against the wall” comments. I was happy with the way the story flowed and ended, left in a mini swoon. Give the book a go and see what you think because it’s definitely worth the few hours it takes to experience it. Happy reading!
I thought the storyline was a great concept. Cassie Taylor is this assertive and at times opinionated woman who has had to deal with some harsh judgments through her life. Given the ability to see and talk to spirits, she chooses to spend her life acting as a ghost “counselor” to help them move on. No stranger to ridicule and disbelief, Cassie isn’t surprised when her newest client, uber sexy songwriter Luke, looks at her as if she’s a fraud. But she’s there to do a job and regardless of the spark of attraction, she’s a professional. As she becomes more and more involved in the case, she realizes that the ghost in question Isabel didn’t die of natural causes, was in fact murdered and is hell bent on staying. Cassie begins to investigate but gets tangled in her feelings for Luke, the drama surrounding his angry daughter, the jealousy of the housekeeper and her friendship with another ghost Joe. Luke also wants Cassie but refuses to act on his feelings because of his daughter. There is a constant tugging back and forth between them as they get closer together and tempers fly as Luke fires, then rehires, then fires again each time he overreacts. Cassie is left wondering – what exactly is going on with the house and those that live there? Why is she suddenly experiencing these needs and feelings for Luke and will he ever be able to fully accept her for who she is – freaky ability and all? I really liked the way the story was written. There was a great sense of humor that I enjoyed that I felt gave the story that extra something. I’ve never read anything by this author beforehand and from the way that she was able to pull me in and keep me interested, I can’t wait to check out what other books she’s done.
What stopped this from being an over the top read for me was my frustration with Luke. There really did come a point where I just wanted to reach in and beat him with something heavy. Flawed or not, I could understand his hesitancy to get involved with Cassie because with everything that was happening in his life with his daughter and ex wife, it was noble to not want to upset his child. But I really felt he took it too far and bordered on offensive the way he treated Cassie at times and it made it really hard to like him. I bounced back and forth between “Wow you have so much potential” and “My gosh you’re an idiot and Cassie would do best to kick you to the curb” No woman deserves to get her heart messed with like that and I was left wondering if men really are as clueless as Luke. He felt strongly for her, “burned” and wrote songs for her but told her as much as he didn’t want to be with her, couldn’t her just screw her while she was there? I cringed at times when he opened his mouth to see how insensitive he could be and wondered how Cassie could put up with it. I was over the moon though when he finally snapped out of it and realized just what a gift he had in Cassie and wasn’t as painfully flawed but it felt like it was a little too late and the damage was done. Having said all that, he was an interesting character to get to know because of my reaction to him. Super hot guy but too much of a headache.
Other than our resident song writer, I was happy with the other characters and what they contributed to the story. Cassie had real sass and I loved the way she was adamant in what she needed. She wasn’t some freak to be scorned out and definitely deserved to be loved and worshiped for the incredible woman she was. I can’t imagine how difficult it was to have to defend herself all the time to people and having to deal with those who were narrow minded. It definitely gave her an edge that I liked reading. I loved watching as she bonded with Luke’s daughter and what a shock that was for her. There was just so much going on with Cassie and I enjoyed watching how she dealt with all the different situations she found herself in. My favorite character was Joe, Cassie’s ghostly friend and I won’t lie – I spent most of the book wishing some miracle would happen so he would win Cassie and whisk her off for a happily ever after ending. There were moments were I thought that was where it was heading but alas, Cassie was meant for the super flawed Luke. In all fairness though, I think if the story had have kept going a little longer and I saw more of the “awakened” Luke, I would have loved him more. *sigh* Is it wrong that I love I’m so conflicted? Maybe Luke wasn’t as bad as I thought LOL
For sure I’d recommend reading DEAD PEOPLE because it is a great story. People react differently and for some, Luke may really float their boat and have them squealing with excitement. He definitely has a lot of potential and the smolder is there. I just couldn’t get past some of his “bang head against the wall” comments. I was happy with the way the story flowed and ended, left in a mini swoon. Give the book a go and see what you think because it’s definitely worth the few hours it takes to experience it. Happy reading!
December 15, 2010
Edie Ramer once again proves that she is a force to be reckoned with. It's not easy to find a book that has it all: Love, Danger, Mystery, Romance, Sorrow, Happiness...I could go on and on, the point is that you can name any number of emotions or aspects that makes up a great book and Dead People has it! What really puts Edie Ramer in a different class, is how she is able to make a book that is unique and a true breath of fresh air in a genre that is growing by the minute.
This book had me at Chapter One! This story has number of different story lines going on, all related and all surrounded by cloud of mystery until the reveal at the very end. Cassie Taylor talks to ghost and is a paid "ghost therapist" who is brought in when ghosts refuse to make their way to the other side. Use to ridicule, she distances herself from the living and takes refuge in the form of her dead best friend Joe. She is happy with her life and her profession, but all that changes the day she meets famous songwriter Luke Rivers. Luke has hot bad boy tattooed on his forehead, but those days are long gone since he now has custody of his 10 year old daughter Erin. Just finding out he has a daughter is rough, but realizing that you daughter has been living with a mother who is junkie is even harder. Erin wants her mom and blames herself for all of her mom's problems. Luke wants to be a good dad but knows nothing in how to raise a child, especially one who is so clearly hurting. She hates him, wants her mom and Luke is clueless on how to fix the situation. It is made even worse when he finds out his new house is haunted. He hires Cassie to get rid of the ghost, but he and Erin get much more than they bargained for when she steps into their life. Erin takes to Cassie, Luke wants Cassie, Cassie doesn't know what she wants, and one person wants to destroy their lives. The ghost was murdered and as they uncover the truth they realize that they are not just dealing with a ghost haunting, they are dealing with a murderer who is still out there and is willing to do anything to keep this murder a secret.
This book is an absolute must read! If you love romance, mystery, danger, drama, and laughter, then this is the book for you.
This book is rated 5/5 fangs on www.paromantasy.com
This book had me at Chapter One! This story has number of different story lines going on, all related and all surrounded by cloud of mystery until the reveal at the very end. Cassie Taylor talks to ghost and is a paid "ghost therapist" who is brought in when ghosts refuse to make their way to the other side. Use to ridicule, she distances herself from the living and takes refuge in the form of her dead best friend Joe. She is happy with her life and her profession, but all that changes the day she meets famous songwriter Luke Rivers. Luke has hot bad boy tattooed on his forehead, but those days are long gone since he now has custody of his 10 year old daughter Erin. Just finding out he has a daughter is rough, but realizing that you daughter has been living with a mother who is junkie is even harder. Erin wants her mom and blames herself for all of her mom's problems. Luke wants to be a good dad but knows nothing in how to raise a child, especially one who is so clearly hurting. She hates him, wants her mom and Luke is clueless on how to fix the situation. It is made even worse when he finds out his new house is haunted. He hires Cassie to get rid of the ghost, but he and Erin get much more than they bargained for when she steps into their life. Erin takes to Cassie, Luke wants Cassie, Cassie doesn't know what she wants, and one person wants to destroy their lives. The ghost was murdered and as they uncover the truth they realize that they are not just dealing with a ghost haunting, they are dealing with a murderer who is still out there and is willing to do anything to keep this murder a secret.
This book is an absolute must read! If you love romance, mystery, danger, drama, and laughter, then this is the book for you.
This book is rated 5/5 fangs on www.paromantasy.com
December 24, 2010
Dead People is a delightful and romantic read that will stir your emotions. I had a good time reading this one and found myself laughing out loud at times. There is a mystery, danger, adventure and even some humor. I have to give Edie Ramer credit she adds a lot of sexual tension and the sex made me proud (even as a spicy romance reader), it was very well written. I am very impressed and can’t wait to read more by Ramer.
Cassie is a ghost whisper, her parents no longer wants to be in her life, her love life is by a dildo named Hunk, and her best friend is a ghost named Joe, so you know she’s in need of a pick me up. She takes a job from a song writer to get rid of his ghost problem. Cassie never expected to find herself in danger and falling in love at this same time. The thing is Cassie wants a man that will take her whole package, freaky ghost hunter side and all. I liked reading Cassie, she is very strong, but yet hesitant to take a chance.
Luke may take a bit to warm up to. You see he is not your typical hero that you like to read about, he doesn’t just pop in to save the day. He’s more of your everyday man that has been through a lot from his ex-wife and now he has a 10 year old girl that hates him. He has a hard time dealing with owning a haunted house, being a new dad then you throw a curvy ghost whisper that sparks his every need, so you know he is on overload. I did end up liking Luke and found I really felt for him at times.
Erin is Luke’s 10 year old daughter. She use to live with her mom and has had a rough life. At times Erin got on my nerves while reading, but it did smooth out. At the end of the book I felt she added a lot to the story.
Cassie is a ghost whisper, her parents no longer wants to be in her life, her love life is by a dildo named Hunk, and her best friend is a ghost named Joe, so you know she’s in need of a pick me up. She takes a job from a song writer to get rid of his ghost problem. Cassie never expected to find herself in danger and falling in love at this same time. The thing is Cassie wants a man that will take her whole package, freaky ghost hunter side and all. I liked reading Cassie, she is very strong, but yet hesitant to take a chance.
Luke may take a bit to warm up to. You see he is not your typical hero that you like to read about, he doesn’t just pop in to save the day. He’s more of your everyday man that has been through a lot from his ex-wife and now he has a 10 year old girl that hates him. He has a hard time dealing with owning a haunted house, being a new dad then you throw a curvy ghost whisper that sparks his every need, so you know he is on overload. I did end up liking Luke and found I really felt for him at times.
Erin is Luke’s 10 year old daughter. She use to live with her mom and has had a rough life. At times Erin got on my nerves while reading, but it did smooth out. At the end of the book I felt she added a lot to the story.
February 3, 2011
Cassie is a ghost whisperer. Luke is rock star with a ghost and a ten year old daughter. The ghost in his house is the former owner’s wife and when Cassie tries to convince her she died before her time and unravel the mystery of her death, the ghost gets pissed. And she’s not the only mad at Cassie for invading Luke’s home. His housekeeper doesn’t like Cassie either.
But Erin, his daughter does, and although Luke would rather not believe in ghosts at all, he’ll do whatever it takes to be a dad to her. Even if it means putting up with Cassie’s weird take on his ghost problem.
Besides the conflict between Luke and Cassie and Cassie and the ghost, the attempt on Cassie’s life brings an intriguing mystery to the book. The antagonist is slowly revealed, deepening the plot. And in the end, all the threads are tied up in a neat knot, leaving the reader well satisfied.
Cassie’s character sucked me into the story from the first page. She’s full of heart and is a survivor. Her ability to be confident about her skills and abilities to talk to ghosts and get them to crossover, even when faced with doubt, made me love her. Her ability to turn her troublesome past into a way to reach Erin made me love her even more.
I enjoyed the romance element between Cassie and Luke as well. It was realistic and didn’t detract from the overall mystery and suspense. Erin’s character was beautifully layered and endearing. Ms. Ramer outdid herself with this story and I look forward to reading more of her Haunted Hearts books.
But Erin, his daughter does, and although Luke would rather not believe in ghosts at all, he’ll do whatever it takes to be a dad to her. Even if it means putting up with Cassie’s weird take on his ghost problem.
Besides the conflict between Luke and Cassie and Cassie and the ghost, the attempt on Cassie’s life brings an intriguing mystery to the book. The antagonist is slowly revealed, deepening the plot. And in the end, all the threads are tied up in a neat knot, leaving the reader well satisfied.
Cassie’s character sucked me into the story from the first page. She’s full of heart and is a survivor. Her ability to be confident about her skills and abilities to talk to ghosts and get them to crossover, even when faced with doubt, made me love her. Her ability to turn her troublesome past into a way to reach Erin made me love her even more.
I enjoyed the romance element between Cassie and Luke as well. It was realistic and didn’t detract from the overall mystery and suspense. Erin’s character was beautifully layered and endearing. Ms. Ramer outdid herself with this story and I look forward to reading more of her Haunted Hearts books.
January 28, 2011
Joe, Cassie’s ghostly sidekick is valiant and loyal. Erin is a sad, conflicted waif trying to find her way in a maelstrom of emotions that many adults would find daunting, yet she perseveres. Erin’s loyalties are misguided but so recognizable and heart-rending. And have I mentioned the ghosts? The way in which this author portrayed these ethereal beings, giving them life, is nothing short of wondrous! Read More
November 29, 2010
This book about a ghost whisperer and a brooding songwriter is a fabulous read. Cassie Taylor's dry, slightly snarky wit is delightful, and the host of other characters, ghostly or human, are terrific. I especially love the extra feature on the author's website giving excerpts from Cassie's book and Luke's songs. http://edieramer.com/extras/
January 15, 2011
This was my very first book by Edie Ramer. I found the book enjoyable overall but it felt really long. I would classify this more as a mystery then a romance, although there were a few steamy scenes for the main characters. The book centers around Cassie, a modern-day ghost whisperer. She is extremely insecure even though she puts on a hard front. She is constantly thinking the worst of herself and doesn’t understand why anyone would have any interest in her “slightly fluffy” exterior. When she is hired to get rid of a ghost in the famous Luke Rivers house she figures it will be just another job in the long line of experiences.
When she arrives to find the ghost Isabel won’t speak to her, Luke staring at her ample booty and an extremely fragile young girl she knows this job won’t be an easy one. She has no experience with live people and the dead one won’t come out to play. Cassie must unravel the mysteries of the house and all the occupants if she is ever going to have peace again.
Luke doesn’t want to like the cute ghost whisperer, but his daughter Erin is completely enamored with her. Since Erin hasn’t shown much emotion with him other the hatred since she was thrust surprisingly upon him…he wants the ghost whisperer close by. Coming to terms with Cassie’s uniqueness and the new emotion that is tugging at his heart might just be Luke’s undoing.
I really enjoyed the fact that Erin was a “normal sized” woman…though it bugged me that the girl on the cover was as rail thin as normal cover art girls. The picture definitely contradicts the version of Cassie that is spun throughout the book. Not that Edie had much control over that. Just a pet peeve of mine. It was a breath of fresh air to have a heroine described as “soft, carrying 20 extra pounds, curvy”. Cassie’s attitude grated at times though because she is constantly beating herself up. I wanted to shake her and tell her to “OWN IT”. She has grown up being berated and unloved though so I could understand the immediate reaction to tell herself she wasn’t good enough or worthy of love.
That type of personality really helped open up Erin. Poor Erin is just like Cassie. Erin has been taking care of her drug addicted mother for years. When her mom nearly overdoses and Erin calls 911 it sets off a chain of events that lead straight to Luke. Luke didn’t even know he had a daughter and now he’s got a 10-year-old. Erin now has to live with a stranger and the guilt and allegiance to her mother keep her from warming up. Until Cassie walks in.
Erin’s character was so heartbreaking. She is mad, confused and feels incredibly guilty because her mother blames her for calling 911 and getting them in trouble. The conversations with the drug addicted mother Vanessa left me so angry and sad for the little girl. How a mother can inflict that much guilt onto a child is beyond me.
The mystery of who killed Isabel is answered quite quickly and I was slightly disappointed in that. I wanted to try to unravel that mystery myself but it’s made quite clear early on. There was also a TON of point of views in this book. It made it harder to connect to the main characters of Luke and Cassie for a while. We have to look through a ton of people’s eyes and it felt daunting to switch so many times. I wasn’t really interested in knowing what everyone was thinking all the time. I like the allure of trying to figure it all out looking through the main characters eyes. Because of the many points of view, the book felt longer then it should be.
We also meet Cassie’s long time ghost friend Joe. I was pretty confused with his character. In the beginning he seemed to be in love with Cassie but as the book progresses I was left wondering if he were more of an angel and less of a spirit. When all the pieces fall into place and the book reaches its breaking point, Joe becomes the savior. But the way in which he did it is left unanswered so I in turn was kind of confused. However his personality and charming wit make him a completely lovable character. The book would certainly be missing something without him.
Edie takes you on a roller coaster of emotions and there is a theme of accepting yourself, your faults and your strengths woven throughout the book. While there are a couple of steamy areas I think most readers that like contemporary romances will enjoy Dead People. While I don’t read a lot of mystery themed books, I did enjoy this one.
Dead People is a book that will make you forget whats going on around you. Pull you in to a web of lies and misconceptions. Make you think about how you treat people you perceive as “different” and what happens when a little girl gets broken and the only person left to pick up the pieces is a father she has never known. A father that is trying hard to juggle new responsibilities along with an all consuming attraction to someone who won’t make his life any easier.
I give Dead People by Edie Ramer 3.50 stars!
When she arrives to find the ghost Isabel won’t speak to her, Luke staring at her ample booty and an extremely fragile young girl she knows this job won’t be an easy one. She has no experience with live people and the dead one won’t come out to play. Cassie must unravel the mysteries of the house and all the occupants if she is ever going to have peace again.
Luke doesn’t want to like the cute ghost whisperer, but his daughter Erin is completely enamored with her. Since Erin hasn’t shown much emotion with him other the hatred since she was thrust surprisingly upon him…he wants the ghost whisperer close by. Coming to terms with Cassie’s uniqueness and the new emotion that is tugging at his heart might just be Luke’s undoing.
I really enjoyed the fact that Erin was a “normal sized” woman…though it bugged me that the girl on the cover was as rail thin as normal cover art girls. The picture definitely contradicts the version of Cassie that is spun throughout the book. Not that Edie had much control over that. Just a pet peeve of mine. It was a breath of fresh air to have a heroine described as “soft, carrying 20 extra pounds, curvy”. Cassie’s attitude grated at times though because she is constantly beating herself up. I wanted to shake her and tell her to “OWN IT”. She has grown up being berated and unloved though so I could understand the immediate reaction to tell herself she wasn’t good enough or worthy of love.
That type of personality really helped open up Erin. Poor Erin is just like Cassie. Erin has been taking care of her drug addicted mother for years. When her mom nearly overdoses and Erin calls 911 it sets off a chain of events that lead straight to Luke. Luke didn’t even know he had a daughter and now he’s got a 10-year-old. Erin now has to live with a stranger and the guilt and allegiance to her mother keep her from warming up. Until Cassie walks in.
Erin’s character was so heartbreaking. She is mad, confused and feels incredibly guilty because her mother blames her for calling 911 and getting them in trouble. The conversations with the drug addicted mother Vanessa left me so angry and sad for the little girl. How a mother can inflict that much guilt onto a child is beyond me.
The mystery of who killed Isabel is answered quite quickly and I was slightly disappointed in that. I wanted to try to unravel that mystery myself but it’s made quite clear early on. There was also a TON of point of views in this book. It made it harder to connect to the main characters of Luke and Cassie for a while. We have to look through a ton of people’s eyes and it felt daunting to switch so many times. I wasn’t really interested in knowing what everyone was thinking all the time. I like the allure of trying to figure it all out looking through the main characters eyes. Because of the many points of view, the book felt longer then it should be.
We also meet Cassie’s long time ghost friend Joe. I was pretty confused with his character. In the beginning he seemed to be in love with Cassie but as the book progresses I was left wondering if he were more of an angel and less of a spirit. When all the pieces fall into place and the book reaches its breaking point, Joe becomes the savior. But the way in which he did it is left unanswered so I in turn was kind of confused. However his personality and charming wit make him a completely lovable character. The book would certainly be missing something without him.
Edie takes you on a roller coaster of emotions and there is a theme of accepting yourself, your faults and your strengths woven throughout the book. While there are a couple of steamy areas I think most readers that like contemporary romances will enjoy Dead People. While I don’t read a lot of mystery themed books, I did enjoy this one.
Dead People is a book that will make you forget whats going on around you. Pull you in to a web of lies and misconceptions. Make you think about how you treat people you perceive as “different” and what happens when a little girl gets broken and the only person left to pick up the pieces is a father she has never known. A father that is trying hard to juggle new responsibilities along with an all consuming attraction to someone who won’t make his life any easier.
I give Dead People by Edie Ramer 3.50 stars!
March 11, 2012
I was given this book for review from Ms. Edie for my honest thoughts and opinions.. So here goes!
Ms. Edie did it again with a book that took me by surprise and made me smile! And for those of you that have read the blurb and seen that it is not an erotic book - yes, I finished it all the way and loved it. Surprised, I know! But Ms. Edie really did a great job with Catittude that I had to see if she could give me more, lol. And she did. This is a very intriguing book to say the least. I mean you have a whole slue of things going on... Not in a bad way either. They all work for the greater of the book.
Like Cassie for instance... she can talk to ghost. Which on the rating of a trait you want your girlfriend to have is not the highest on the list. So, Cassie has been dateless for around four years. In the mean time, Joe... a hot cop - a dead hot cop has become her best friend.
What I really liked about this book was that Ms. Edie jumped right in there with the story. We find Cassie talking to Joe in the first chapter. And it went from there. We see the interaction between the two and it really made me think... Can ghost love? Cassie won me over because she just wanted someone who wanted her for her whole self. Not what she could do for them, not for half of herself and not to sell herself out. She believed in herself (with Joe's pushing, lol), she accepted what she is a long time ago... Now it is time to see if anyone else wanted to accept her. But putting her heart out there was not something Cassie wanted to do. At least that is what she thought until she met Luke Rivers...
Who.. yeah, Luke Rivers... you know the guitar player of that hot band a while back. Cassie did not know him or care to know him. She was at his house, by his request to take care of a ghost that would not leave him or his daughter alone. Luke is not your typical hero of a story. He had me whispering to myself "dumb ass," then he would have me thinking... you are an ass... Then he would have me in a little puddle over what he wanted to achieve for his daughters sake. Erin....
Now normally I do not do books with children in them, but I have to say that Ms. Edie did this very tastefully. So much so that I truly wanted to take Erin home with me and love her to death. She is not a brat, she is not a princess. She is a child who had a junkie mother, lead singer of the same band her dad came from. A child who was lied to - from her mother. Then when Erin almost witnessed the death of an overdose... she called 911 and it changed Erin's life forever... not just hers... Luke's as well.
Then we have Ms. Shay, the ghost that is haunting the house. She is quite a pain till Cassie figures out how to handle Ms. Shay. Now I will tease you a bit, Ms. Edie had me giggling at a part in the book when Ms. Shay and Cassie discuss Cassie's sex life.... or lack of one! That is all I can tell you! LMBO! Ms. Shay does not want to leave her house - end of story. Luke wants her out - period. Cassie is hired to gt rid of her - new story just waiting to happen, lol. How does this end.. humm... I am not sure. Okay, I am sure, I just can't tell you. But I will give you this. This is an amazing fun loving book. Ohhhh and yes, in case you are wondering, I did get my smutty sex fix! Ms. Edie does that very well. She held the sexual tension just right for a "family" story and then BAM gave it to me, lmbo!!!
This book left me laughing my butt off at some parts, feeling the need to smack Luke upside the head a couple of times, wishing that Joe was a real man, giggling over Hunk, wanting to cradle Erin to my heart and love her, and it left me really wanting to kick Tracy's ass. Ms. Edie pulled a lot of emotion from the reader of this book. She gave me everything and then some. Luke and Erin's story will leave you wondering is it really easier dealing with ghost or... men?!
Ms Edie, your writing is quite refreshing and I am loving it up!! Oh and also... I am looking forward (batting eyelashes) for more to come!!!
Ms. Edie did it again with a book that took me by surprise and made me smile! And for those of you that have read the blurb and seen that it is not an erotic book - yes, I finished it all the way and loved it. Surprised, I know! But Ms. Edie really did a great job with Catittude that I had to see if she could give me more, lol. And she did. This is a very intriguing book to say the least. I mean you have a whole slue of things going on... Not in a bad way either. They all work for the greater of the book.
Like Cassie for instance... she can talk to ghost. Which on the rating of a trait you want your girlfriend to have is not the highest on the list. So, Cassie has been dateless for around four years. In the mean time, Joe... a hot cop - a dead hot cop has become her best friend.
What I really liked about this book was that Ms. Edie jumped right in there with the story. We find Cassie talking to Joe in the first chapter. And it went from there. We see the interaction between the two and it really made me think... Can ghost love? Cassie won me over because she just wanted someone who wanted her for her whole self. Not what she could do for them, not for half of herself and not to sell herself out. She believed in herself (with Joe's pushing, lol), she accepted what she is a long time ago... Now it is time to see if anyone else wanted to accept her. But putting her heart out there was not something Cassie wanted to do. At least that is what she thought until she met Luke Rivers...
Who.. yeah, Luke Rivers... you know the guitar player of that hot band a while back. Cassie did not know him or care to know him. She was at his house, by his request to take care of a ghost that would not leave him or his daughter alone. Luke is not your typical hero of a story. He had me whispering to myself "dumb ass," then he would have me thinking... you are an ass... Then he would have me in a little puddle over what he wanted to achieve for his daughters sake. Erin....
Now normally I do not do books with children in them, but I have to say that Ms. Edie did this very tastefully. So much so that I truly wanted to take Erin home with me and love her to death. She is not a brat, she is not a princess. She is a child who had a junkie mother, lead singer of the same band her dad came from. A child who was lied to - from her mother. Then when Erin almost witnessed the death of an overdose... she called 911 and it changed Erin's life forever... not just hers... Luke's as well.
Then we have Ms. Shay, the ghost that is haunting the house. She is quite a pain till Cassie figures out how to handle Ms. Shay. Now I will tease you a bit, Ms. Edie had me giggling at a part in the book when Ms. Shay and Cassie discuss Cassie's sex life.... or lack of one! That is all I can tell you! LMBO! Ms. Shay does not want to leave her house - end of story. Luke wants her out - period. Cassie is hired to gt rid of her - new story just waiting to happen, lol. How does this end.. humm... I am not sure. Okay, I am sure, I just can't tell you. But I will give you this. This is an amazing fun loving book. Ohhhh and yes, in case you are wondering, I did get my smutty sex fix! Ms. Edie does that very well. She held the sexual tension just right for a "family" story and then BAM gave it to me, lmbo!!!
This book left me laughing my butt off at some parts, feeling the need to smack Luke upside the head a couple of times, wishing that Joe was a real man, giggling over Hunk, wanting to cradle Erin to my heart and love her, and it left me really wanting to kick Tracy's ass. Ms. Edie pulled a lot of emotion from the reader of this book. She gave me everything and then some. Luke and Erin's story will leave you wondering is it really easier dealing with ghost or... men?!
Ms Edie, your writing is quite refreshing and I am loving it up!! Oh and also... I am looking forward (batting eyelashes) for more to come!!!
March 23, 2011
Dead People by Edie Ramer
* I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review*
Dead People is about so much more than the title suggests. It takes you on an emotional journey with the main characters as they start to care about each other. As the romance blooms, there is also a mystery afoot and don’t forget attempted murder.
The story is centered around Cassie, who is a ghost therapist and has been ridiculed of all her life. Her father and his family will tell you she is crazy, if you ask them. She has been alone for so long and used to taking care of herself, she didn’t realize how much she wanted a family until she met Luke and Erin.
Luke has had enough of the limelight and just wants his daughter Erin to have a normal life. He and Erin have a rocky relationship at best. She is upset because the judge took her away from her mother she blames him. The only person she seems to warm up to is Cassie.
Cassie is hired to get rid of the ghost haunting the house Luke and Erin live in. Isabel was the former mistress of the house and she wants everyone to leave her home. She has scared Erin and Luke with her actions and they just want their house back. The longer Isabel sticks around, the more she comes to care for them and when they are in danger she intervenes.
Cassie and Luke have great chemistry. They are both attracted to each other but don’t want to act on that attraction for different reasons. Cassie wants love and acceptance and Luke just wants no strings attached. The sexual tension between them is so thick you could cut it with a knife.
Little by little Erin works her way into Cassie’s heart. She sees so much of herself in Erin and can relate to the little girl. She didn’t have her mother growing up and didn’t get any support from her stepmother.
The cast of secondary characters in this book are colorful and entertaining. You have Joe the Ghost that is Cassie’s companion. He was a cop in his former life. He watches out for Cassie and makes sure she is ok. Cassie would rather spend her time talking to Joe than to a human male – go figure. There is also Tricia, the current housekeeper who grew up in the house, her mother and Vanessa, Erin’s mother. They all add something to the story.
I also loved the story about the house itself. I’ve always been fascinated with old houses and their history. The author does a good job of describing both the inside and outside of the house. The references to Nancy Drew were great because I grew up reading stories such as The Hidden Staircase.
Overall I really enjoyed Dead People. It kept me entertained from the beginning and I didn’t want to put it down. I give it 4 Flaming Hearts.
* I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review*
Dead People is about so much more than the title suggests. It takes you on an emotional journey with the main characters as they start to care about each other. As the romance blooms, there is also a mystery afoot and don’t forget attempted murder.
The story is centered around Cassie, who is a ghost therapist and has been ridiculed of all her life. Her father and his family will tell you she is crazy, if you ask them. She has been alone for so long and used to taking care of herself, she didn’t realize how much she wanted a family until she met Luke and Erin.
Luke has had enough of the limelight and just wants his daughter Erin to have a normal life. He and Erin have a rocky relationship at best. She is upset because the judge took her away from her mother she blames him. The only person she seems to warm up to is Cassie.
Cassie is hired to get rid of the ghost haunting the house Luke and Erin live in. Isabel was the former mistress of the house and she wants everyone to leave her home. She has scared Erin and Luke with her actions and they just want their house back. The longer Isabel sticks around, the more she comes to care for them and when they are in danger she intervenes.
Cassie and Luke have great chemistry. They are both attracted to each other but don’t want to act on that attraction for different reasons. Cassie wants love and acceptance and Luke just wants no strings attached. The sexual tension between them is so thick you could cut it with a knife.
Little by little Erin works her way into Cassie’s heart. She sees so much of herself in Erin and can relate to the little girl. She didn’t have her mother growing up and didn’t get any support from her stepmother.
The cast of secondary characters in this book are colorful and entertaining. You have Joe the Ghost that is Cassie’s companion. He was a cop in his former life. He watches out for Cassie and makes sure she is ok. Cassie would rather spend her time talking to Joe than to a human male – go figure. There is also Tricia, the current housekeeper who grew up in the house, her mother and Vanessa, Erin’s mother. They all add something to the story.
I also loved the story about the house itself. I’ve always been fascinated with old houses and their history. The author does a good job of describing both the inside and outside of the house. The references to Nancy Drew were great because I grew up reading stories such as The Hidden Staircase.
Overall I really enjoyed Dead People. It kept me entertained from the beginning and I didn’t want to put it down. I give it 4 Flaming Hearts.
April 8, 2011
Cassie Taylor is a ghost whisperer. She is hired to get ghosts to leave this world and move on to the next. Her ability to see and talk to ghosts has made her an outcast with basically everyone who meets her, including her family. Due to the way people consistently treat her, she relates better to the dead than the living. In fact, her best friend is a ghost.
In this book, Cassie has been hired by retired rocker Luke Rivers to rid his newly purchased home of the ghost residing in it. Cassie feels an immediate attraction to Luke and sees some of herself in his emotionally troubled and withdrawn 10-year old daughter, Erin. Not being a "people person", Cassie wants to make this a quick job and hit the road.
Amidst the sexual tension and banter played out between Cassie and Luke, there is a "mystery" woven into the story (or maybe I should say more like suspense). Cassie must try to solve the "mystery" (in order for the the ghost to be willing to leave the house) while trying to remain emotionally unattached to both Luke and Erin.
Cassie and Luke have some wonderful banter and Cassie has some great one-liners. I found myself chuckling one more than one occasion. In addition to the snappy dialogue, one of the things I liked best in this book is that the ghosts are actually secondary characters (not just there in the background). They have personalities and opinions and they make them heard.
There are a few scattered typographical and grammatical errors throughout this Kindle edition, for example, the use of "she" instead "the", "here" instead of "there or where", a missing "but" or "and". However, for the most part, the book is well written with a good voice. The characters are complex and 3-dimensional and the story is engaging.
I don't know if Ms. Ramer has any plans to write another story featuring Cassie (and Luke), but if she does, I look forward to reading it.
In this book, Cassie has been hired by retired rocker Luke Rivers to rid his newly purchased home of the ghost residing in it. Cassie feels an immediate attraction to Luke and sees some of herself in his emotionally troubled and withdrawn 10-year old daughter, Erin. Not being a "people person", Cassie wants to make this a quick job and hit the road.
Amidst the sexual tension and banter played out between Cassie and Luke, there is a "mystery" woven into the story (or maybe I should say more like suspense). Cassie must try to solve the "mystery" (in order for the the ghost to be willing to leave the house) while trying to remain emotionally unattached to both Luke and Erin.
Cassie and Luke have some wonderful banter and Cassie has some great one-liners. I found myself chuckling one more than one occasion. In addition to the snappy dialogue, one of the things I liked best in this book is that the ghosts are actually secondary characters (not just there in the background). They have personalities and opinions and they make them heard.
There are a few scattered typographical and grammatical errors throughout this Kindle edition, for example, the use of "she" instead "the", "here" instead of "there or where", a missing "but" or "and". However, for the most part, the book is well written with a good voice. The characters are complex and 3-dimensional and the story is engaging.
I don't know if Ms. Ramer has any plans to write another story featuring Cassie (and Luke), but if she does, I look forward to reading it.
September 21, 2011
Cassie is a ghost therapist who helps the dearly departed completely depart. Her newest job is clearing tall, dark and broody, songwriter Luke River's house of its previous owner. The only problem is that previous owner isn't budging and neither is her murderer.
What a delightful surprise! I was expecting a shallow, fluffy pnr but it has surprising depth of character here and it's all due a lovely, easy, pleasant 'voice' that keeps the pace moving briskly.
There are several things that should have turned me off: the annoying kid, the love triangle of sorts, the sometimes assholish behavior of the hero, the 'spunky' heroine. But here all those things are written well and when the characters are stupid, their mistakes feel real instead of a 'big mis' just to move the plot along.
I would call this 'urban fiction lite' or 'urban paranormal mystery'. There is smut and there is romance but that's not the main focus of this story and that really worked here. Cassie is not Nancy Drew, she's not ubber bad-ass, or always right and that made her very sympathetic, including the fact that she really doesn't care who is the killer as much as wanting to prove that there was a murder in the first place.
I guess what I really liked about this story is that it wasn't typical and that totally worked here. This is well written with very likeable characters even when they do stupid stuff and it just totally worked for me. I will definitely be reading more from this author.
What a delightful surprise! I was expecting a shallow, fluffy pnr but it has surprising depth of character here and it's all due a lovely, easy, pleasant 'voice' that keeps the pace moving briskly.
There are several things that should have turned me off: the annoying kid, the love triangle of sorts, the sometimes assholish behavior of the hero, the 'spunky' heroine. But here all those things are written well and when the characters are stupid, their mistakes feel real instead of a 'big mis' just to move the plot along.
I would call this 'urban fiction lite' or 'urban paranormal mystery'. There is smut and there is romance but that's not the main focus of this story and that really worked here. Cassie is not Nancy Drew, she's not ubber bad-ass, or always right and that made her very sympathetic, including the fact that she really doesn't care who is the killer as much as wanting to prove that there was a murder in the first place.
I guess what I really liked about this story is that it wasn't typical and that totally worked here. This is well written with very likeable characters even when they do stupid stuff and it just totally worked for me. I will definitely be reading more from this author.
September 28, 2015
Cassie Taylor is a ghost whisperer who's tough and vulnerable when it comes to matters of the heart. She likes to help ghosts move onto the other side, and makes a good income of doing so. She takes a job in a little town Called Bliss, of a sexy songwriter Luke Rivers who use to write songs for the band called Dirty Secrets and his Daughter Erin. I just love how this author writes about the characters that have real life issues (just like we would) it makes the story so much more believable and relatable which makes it a very well written plot. It's a little different from the other paranormal stories which I thing is very refreshing.
Luke has the hot bad boy look locked down but when he finds out he now has custody of his 10 year old daughter Erin those days are starting to look like a thing of the past. While just finding out he has a 10 year old daughter is rough, but finding out she's Been living with her mother who is a junkie is even worse. Erin wants her mom and blames herself for her moms problems. Luke wants to be a great dad but doesn't know anything on raising a child she hates him for taking her away from her mom. It's made it even worse when he finds out the new house is haunted so that is why he hires Cassie walks into their lives. I've read a lot of books on the kindle and my iPad it was a great change from what I've been reading
Luke has the hot bad boy look locked down but when he finds out he now has custody of his 10 year old daughter Erin those days are starting to look like a thing of the past. While just finding out he has a 10 year old daughter is rough, but finding out she's Been living with her mother who is a junkie is even worse. Erin wants her mom and blames herself for her moms problems. Luke wants to be a great dad but doesn't know anything on raising a child she hates him for taking her away from her mom. It's made it even worse when he finds out the new house is haunted so that is why he hires Cassie walks into their lives. I've read a lot of books on the kindle and my iPad it was a great change from what I've been reading
January 22, 2012
This was an interesting read for me. It's a different angle to have the heroine's best friend be a dead cop. But I wasn't sure what I thought about him solidifying every now and then. Same with the ghost terrorizing the house. I think we were supposed to like her toward the end of the story but I'm not sure that I did. The issue of why she didn't want to move on wasn't clear to me. I felt really bad for the young girl and would have liked to see that whole issue better resolved but they were getting there. I was annoyed at Cassie's resistance to being involved with the family. She wants him and then she doesn't and then she does. The constant pulling away was a little vexing. Despite my frustrations, I did enjoy the story and had to finish it. I know it sounds like I'm doing a lot of complaining but that's because I liked the story and came to care for the characters. I'd be very curious to see how these characters will play out in future stories. That's when you know you've hooked a reader, when they want to know MORE! The writing can't be faulted, however! This is a good clean book (free of annoying errors that I am finding in many Kindle books), it's well edited and well-written. I would definitely read more from this author.
August 4, 2012
First it might be important to note that I didn't read this because it was a romance. I don't really read romance, but I have a strong personal interest in the ghost whisperer archtype, and honestly it was Joe who sold the story for me. I love Joe to PIECES. He's my favorite character, with Cassie coming in second. He really reminds me of someone I know. He's a secondary character, but really important--never a wasted moment with him. The choice to show Joe's relationship with Cassie from the jump really made this book for me. I'm not saying I only read for Joe, but I didn't read for the romance... I read for the ghosts and how their stories were going to intersect and be resolved.
One thing I admire about this book is that Ramer is juggling TONS of stuff. Many characters, each with distinct wants and plans, each fleshed out. She didn't rely on any stereotypes that I could see. The heroine was far from perfect, and so was the hero. They were a believable family. There were a few times the plot got a little bit repetitive for my tastes, but for the most part I really enjoyed it. It was surprisingly complex and enjoyable.
One thing I admire about this book is that Ramer is juggling TONS of stuff. Many characters, each with distinct wants and plans, each fleshed out. She didn't rely on any stereotypes that I could see. The heroine was far from perfect, and so was the hero. They were a believable family. There were a few times the plot got a little bit repetitive for my tastes, but for the most part I really enjoyed it. It was surprisingly complex and enjoyable.
April 11, 2012
This was my first experience with ghosts and Edie Ramer. I was pleasantly surprised (about liking the ghost part). Cassie is a ghost whisperer/therapist who is trying to get rid of a ghost hanging out in Luke's house. Through this experience Cassie finds friendship, love, peace, and a lot of other things along the way. What I enjoyed about this story is that all of the characters changed as the story went on. They all learned things about themselves and other people in their lives (even the ghosts!). They also healed in many ways with each other. I was not a fan of Luke's in the beginning and I thought Cassie was a bit snippy, but Ms. Ramer wrote them as real people so you could understand and sympathize/empahtize with them, too. I really felt bad for Erin and am glad she will have stable people in her lives as she grows up! My favorite character was probably Joe. I highly recommend this book to anyone and I plan to watch for move books by Ms. Ramer in the future.
June 11, 2012
I found Dead People to be a pretty interesting read. I enjoyed the premise and the character development. Cassie, a ghost whisperer, is hired by rock star Luke to rid his house of a ghost. Antics ensue. That's a very brief summary, but I don't want to spoil anything for those who decide to check it out for themselves! The author does a great job of getting the reader connected to the characters. In addition to Cassie & Luke, there is Luke's daughter Erin and a ghost friend of Cassie's named Joe. Joe provides quite a bit of comic relief. Really the only issue I had with this book was the sex aspect. Don't get me wrong, I don't mind sex in books, but in this story it seemed somewhat gratuitous and out of place. This is the first in a series, and I'll likely keep reading to see what happens to Cassie and company.
May 5, 2014
Cute book, but I'm done with this series. Honestly not sure if there is another book out here yet or one in the making, but either way, I'm not interested in continuing.
It felt more romance than paranormal & I like more paranormal with a lot less romance.
The story was ok, but there were too many 'little' things that either irked me or I just didn't like. Mostly with the romance stuff. Then the end was just too neat and perfect. I engaged in some major eye rolling throughout.
However, even though I am not the romance type, I'm not knocking off stars because of my preferences. It was a quick read & had it's cute moments. The story wasn't bad.
So if you like romance & a hint of paranormal, give it a try, you might enjoy it more than me.
It felt more romance than paranormal & I like more paranormal with a lot less romance.
The story was ok, but there were too many 'little' things that either irked me or I just didn't like. Mostly with the romance stuff. Then the end was just too neat and perfect. I engaged in some major eye rolling throughout.
However, even though I am not the romance type, I'm not knocking off stars because of my preferences. It was a quick read & had it's cute moments. The story wasn't bad.
So if you like romance & a hint of paranormal, give it a try, you might enjoy it more than me.
October 20, 2011
When Cassie Taylor talks, ghosts listen. She wants to heal their souls so they can leave earth. Brooding songwriter Luke Rivers wants to give his recently found daughter a normal home, but he discovers his new house in small town Wisconsin is haunted by a ghost with an attitude. Cassie has an attitude too — even before someone tries to kill her.
He wants conventional; she wants acceptance. No wonder she thinks men are hard and dead people are easy.
Read More: My Shelf Confessions - Dead People by Edie Ramer Book Review
He wants conventional; she wants acceptance. No wonder she thinks men are hard and dead people are easy.
Read More: My Shelf Confessions - Dead People by Edie Ramer Book Review
March 29, 2017
I bought this on a whim because I had a bit of money left over in my Amazon account and it was only $0.99. I was expecting a short story, maybe novella length to pass a hour or so between homework assignments. I wasn't expecting a 300+ page book (on my Kindle App) that kept me riveted enough that I forgot all about my homework!
Part of why I couldn't stop reading the novel was the multiple mysteries surrounding the characters. Ramer used multiple third person POV's to follow the story and the character actions. It took away some of the mystery (for instance who was attempting to harm Cassie was revealed quickly), but it also opened up different avenues to exploit. This kept the story from growing too tiresome or bogged down in one character's storyline.
I had only two problems with the novel; Ramer kept the tension going. And going. And going. Part of the time I felt as if Ramer was trying to justify the sexual tension she kept up between Cassie and Luke--not that it needed justification, it was hot and it was flirty--for as long as possible. A break through of some nature would be made, but they'd fall back several steps in terms of actually solving one of the various problems plaguing their lives. Once or twice, okay, but we're talking four, five times this happens. It all felt designed to give Cassie and Luke a little extra time to burn and yearn.
My second problem was the abrupt way some of the character arcs are resolved. I saw Tricia's a mile away, but I was more disappointed in the quick after thought given to Vanessa (Luke's ex-wife, mother to Erin) and Erin's turbulence. Without a spoiler things eventually come to a climax (not quite a resolution however), but it comes at an inconvenient time already jumbled with several other resolutions needing to be had and isn't given enough air time to do it justice. More than the paranormal aspect the story focused quite a bit on Erin and her pain, the co-dependent nature her mother nurtured and poisoned her with. Its culmination is more of a whimper than cathartic.
This seemed to be a recurring trend however since the inevitable confrontation of Cassie's own problems with her parents are also only given minimal space while resting in the middle of something that is treated a shade more importantly.
It'll be interesting to see where Ramer goes with the series next. Poking around at her website I didn't see much mentioned about the future novels, but that doesn't mean anything. I wonder if Cassie will be involved or if we'll go tag along with another 'Ghost Therapist'. I'd love to see what's up with her rival the 'fake' who costs three times her fees.
And I hope we find out more about Joe and the weird shenanigan's surrounding him. His puzzle wasn't fully shown or answered, and he kept returning to New Jersey. I'm always a little bit more eager to read a story that finds its way to my home state.
Part of why I couldn't stop reading the novel was the multiple mysteries surrounding the characters. Ramer used multiple third person POV's to follow the story and the character actions. It took away some of the mystery (for instance who was attempting to harm Cassie was revealed quickly), but it also opened up different avenues to exploit. This kept the story from growing too tiresome or bogged down in one character's storyline.
I had only two problems with the novel; Ramer kept the tension going. And going. And going. Part of the time I felt as if Ramer was trying to justify the sexual tension she kept up between Cassie and Luke--not that it needed justification, it was hot and it was flirty--for as long as possible. A break through of some nature would be made, but they'd fall back several steps in terms of actually solving one of the various problems plaguing their lives. Once or twice, okay, but we're talking four, five times this happens. It all felt designed to give Cassie and Luke a little extra time to burn and yearn.
My second problem was the abrupt way some of the character arcs are resolved. I saw Tricia's a mile away, but I was more disappointed in the quick after thought given to Vanessa (Luke's ex-wife, mother to Erin) and Erin's turbulence. Without a spoiler things eventually come to a climax (not quite a resolution however), but it comes at an inconvenient time already jumbled with several other resolutions needing to be had and isn't given enough air time to do it justice. More than the paranormal aspect the story focused quite a bit on Erin and her pain, the co-dependent nature her mother nurtured and poisoned her with. Its culmination is more of a whimper than cathartic.
This seemed to be a recurring trend however since the inevitable confrontation of Cassie's own problems with her parents are also only given minimal space while resting in the middle of something that is treated a shade more importantly.
It'll be interesting to see where Ramer goes with the series next. Poking around at her website I didn't see much mentioned about the future novels, but that doesn't mean anything. I wonder if Cassie will be involved or if we'll go tag along with another 'Ghost Therapist'. I'd love to see what's up with her rival the 'fake' who costs three times her fees.
And I hope we find out more about Joe and the weird shenanigan's surrounding him. His puzzle wasn't fully shown or answered, and he kept returning to New Jersey. I'm always a little bit more eager to read a story that finds its way to my home state.
July 7, 2014
I really liked this story in general. I liked the characters, the plot, the setting, the quirky ghost parts.
I just really wish Ramer would get picked up by a publisher and/or agent and/or editor who would do a complete and killer job of editing her work. Much like Cattitude, there were just issues in Dead People that I think would turn a more picky reader away. However, something about Ramer's writing and stories always seems to hit my happy spot, so I kept on.
I just really wish Ramer would get picked up by a publisher and/or agent and/or editor who would do a complete and killer job of editing her work. Much like Cattitude, there were just issues in Dead People that I think would turn a more picky reader away. However, something about Ramer's writing and stories always seems to hit my happy spot, so I kept on.
February 8, 2013
Emotional, funny, witty and all around awesome. I truly hope Edie Ramer continues this series. I was moved to tears and outright laughter many times. It was one of those books that you just didn't want to end because it quickly became like an old friend/favorite in just the first few pages. I highly recommend it if you can handle a little angst, and a little romance tossed in with your ghost stories.
June 6, 2011
What a wonderful story! I picked this up at B&N after seeing it reviewed on the Kindle Author Blog. Edie is a self-published author who seems to be doing very well. I can see why - this book was extremely well-written, the characters were lovable, and the story satisfying. I will definitely be reading more from this author.
July 25, 2011
Really enjoyed this book , took me a while to read , not the books fault , just end of school year stuff to deal with !!
Cassie has a special gift ..a phantom best friend ...and a romantic interest with her client/boss.
Great storyline , a page turner , would love to read more
Edie ...you have a new fan x x
Cassie has a special gift ..a phantom best friend ...and a romantic interest with her client/boss.
Great storyline , a page turner , would love to read more
Edie ...you have a new fan x x
March 23, 2011
I liked this indie book. Parts of it were a little drawn out for me, but I liked it enough that I would read another. About 22% in I was ready to quit because any mystery to what happened was blown out of the water and I was all WTF!!! but she worked it out.
May 7, 2011
A cute and quick Indie read. This is definitely an adult paranormal romance. I was originally under the impression it was YA. It is a really entertaining an original read nonetheless, and I recommend it for fans of more lighthearted fare. A serious bargain for the price.
July 26, 2015
I don't understand the draw with paranormal romance. This book was not for me. The author introduced so many characters at once that it was hard to keep track of them. I was just really underwhelmed by the story line.
April 18, 2011
Needed more emphasis on plot and less on romantic interest.
Read
December 26, 2012Sitting on my Kindle, guessing it was a freebie or cheapie. Will abstain from grading, as I did not get over the 50% mark.
Interesting premise but - for me - awkward execution.
Interesting premise but - for me - awkward execution.
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