Indie Book of the Week; Brush With Death by E.J. Stevens

I am so excited about this weeks Indie Book of the Week because it is from a series that I just adore. I fell in love with this series after reading the first book, She Smells The Dead. Anyone who has read this series knows why. Yuki is such an amazing character and E.J. is such an amazing writer that all her characters feel like friends and I just love that.

And that is why the fourth book in the Spirit Guide Series, Brush With Death, is this weeks Indie Book of the Week!

Synopsis:

Samhain was scary, but graduation is downright terrifying.

Yuki and Emma's recent brush with death has unexpected consequences.

Until last winter Yuki could only smell the dead, but the touch of death's embrace has awakened latent powers. With the help of her friends, Yuki must face her new abilities. Will her psychic powers become the curse they all have feared? Curse or gift, Yuki's new vision begins leading her down an unknown path, but is it a road that only she can follow?

Emma's close encounter of the death kind has her questioning her future as well. Until now she had it all; brains, beauty, conviction, fabulous friends, and a scholarship to Tufts Veterinary School. She knew exactly what she wanted and how to get it. Emma had a plan for everything, but she never bargained for her own traitorous emotions. When graduation comes, will Emma follow her dreams...or follow her heart?

My Thoughts and Review:

 

I have to start, as always, by saying that I truly adore this series. It really, truly is such a fun series. I don't think I have more fun reading any other YA series out there than I do with this one.

The characters are so lively, feisty and engaging. I feel like over the course of this series they have become friends and are people that I have grown to love and care about. Every single one of them.

They are fantastic, loyal, brave, fierce, strong, funny and just plain good. The kind of friends that you can only hope to have. The kind that will have your back no matter what.

I love Calvin and Yuki. They are so unbelievably cute and good together. They are one of my all time favorite YA couples out there. They stick with each other no matter what. Loyal to the core. They are true soul mates.

Yuki is an exceptional character. She is unique and true to herself, she doesn't let peer pressure or her abilities get in the way of who she is and what she wants to do. She is a kick butt character without being harsh or jaded. She loves with all that she has and Cal is her match in every way imaginable.

I adore Emma and Simon as well and was so excited when we found out at the end of book three (big spoiler here if you haven't read book three so don't read further if not!!) that finally, FINALLY they were together!! You have no idea how excited I was. I think I actually shrieked when I read the ending. They are so perfect for one another and the sexual tension that had been building between them was so strong and ...just felt right.

So, when I started this one and found that Emma and Simon's relationship was causing some issues between the unbreakable bound and friendship between Yuki and Emma, well, to say I was sad would be an understatement. I was heartbroken. I wanted to shout out “Noooooo! This can't be happening! No way, just, No. Way!”

And while I don't want to give anything away, I will say that I am so glad that my instincts were correct and that there was more to the story than Yuki being upset about Emma and Simon and that is all that I will say on the matter, if you want more, you are going to have to read it for yourself. ;)

I am so glad that this book alternated between the different character's POVs. I liked Simon before starting this book but I like him even more now. The love he has for Emma was so evident and while they might be an odd match, they are a really good one too. I liked being able to see that side of Simon, the kind, loving vulnerable one.

This book had a rough start, not in the writing style or even the story line but in the fact that Yuki wasn't acting like Yuki. The strong fierce, independent girl I loved was a little broken. But thankfully she slowly started to come back, to fight her demons in the way that only Yuki can. She had a huge support system to help her through it all and I love that about this series. How loyal they all are to each other. That no matter what they are there for one another.. I don't know if this story, this series would be the same if Yuki wasn't kick butt, strong and determined and didn't have her “pack” to back her up.

Once again Yuki finds herself in the middle of a mystery, being haunted by a new ghost and a missing girl. Both connected and both in need of her help. And Yuki being Yuki, just can't say no and walk away, not matter what she is going through. The pack again is thrown into an adventure of finding the bad guy, helping the good, uncovering the truth, and saving the world. Okay, maybe they don't save the world but they do help a lot of people along the way.

Stevens has managed to once again create a wonderful mystery filled with characters that are not only loveable but completely realistic and unforgettable.

I give this one a very solid 4 Stars! 

(I received an ARC copy of this from the author in exchange for an honest review.)