Elegy

May 15, 2013
Like its heroine, this series conclusion never quite comes to life. Back in Oklahoma from New Orleans, Amelia retains partial corporeality; she can eat and manipulate objects, but she can't make physical contact with the living--even romantic interest Joshua Mayhew. His sister, Jillian, wheedles Amelia into attending a party crashed by evil Kade and his dead cohorts, who announce they'll kill one person a week until Amelia joins them in their grim afterworld. A failed plan to blow up the bridge that serves as gateway between worlds prompts the evil ones to speed up their timeline. Beyond vague biblical allusions, what motivates the nonliving, good or evil, remains unclear; the quasi-religious worldbuilding doesn't reference or build on familiar myths or paradigms that resonate with readers. As the title suggests, the pace is funereal, and pausing to take in mundane events like prom squanders needed momentum. The issue of whether Amelia and Josh will finally "do it" aims to build suspense but seems borrowed from a story with lower stakes. Scenes in the evil afterworld and its gateway bring the novel to intermittent, imaginative life, but it's not enough to keep readers' attention. The thin plot spreads itself across nearly 400 pages, and characters spend more time discussing what to do than actually doing it: a miss. (Paranormal romance. 13 & up)

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October 1, 2013

Gr 8-11-Amelia, a Risen ghost, is back in Oklahoma with her boyfriend, Joshua, trying to come to terms with her afterlife. She has the ability to be seen by non-Seers, touch objects, smell the intoxicating scents around her, and even eat, but she can no longer touch Joshua. Kiss Joshua. Hold Joshua. Even as she begins to realize that this half-life can't go on for him, the Netherworld demons make yet another play for Amelia's soul. This time they threaten to kill one of her loved ones each week until she surrenders to them. Amelia must come up with a plan that will end this battle once and for all-or sacrifice her soul to save those she loves the most. Though the first chapters seem slow, this final volume in the trilogy gathers steam as it progresses and will have readers glued to its pages for the final battle on High Bridge. Once again Amelia's characteristic inclinations to keep secrets and protect everyone continue to provide unexpected plot twists and suspense. The romance between Amelia and Joshua continues to maintain tension, possibly more so with the new constraints imposed by her Risen status. Fans of the first two titles won't be disappointed in this story, though they will have much to say about the way it ends, at least for Amelia and Joshua.-Heather E. Miller Cover, Homewood Public Library, AL

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