One Hundred Candles (Past Midnight, #2)

by Mara Purnhagen

[Kim Deister]

Until recently, Charlotte Silver has been the youngest in a globe-trotting, nomadic family of ghost debunkers. Stability is something she has never known but has always wanted. Finally, her family has decided it is time to form a home base, and Charlotte is thrilled. She has a new best friend, cute boys, and a social life. She is starting to feel as if she belongs, has a home.

This is the second full-length book in the series, following the first, Past Midnight, and a bridging novella, Raising the Dead (only available online). I think it is my favorite of the series thus far. It has all the thrills and chills necessary for a great ghost story, but this book is so much more than that. Purnhagan has created a story in which the paranormal themes ride right alongside the mundane. The blend is perfect, allowing the everyday drama of Charlotte's life to be just as important. Charlotte is a wonderful lead character, entirely believable and relatable. The emotional pull between the characters drew me into the story just as much as the paranormal aspect.

One of things that I truly love about this series, beyond the blend of the paranormal and the mundane, is the character creation. All of the characters, both main and supporting, are equally well-developed. That, in my opinion, creates a better, fuller backdrop for the main characters and the plot.

Next up is Haunting the Night, also available only online.