REVIEW: Southern Spirits by Angie Fox

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My Rating: 7 out of 10 stars

Verity Long is on the verge of losing her grandmother's family home after her ex-fiancé's dragon of a mother decides to stick her with the full cost of the wedding for running out on her son at the altar. Now Verity's in dire straights and would do just about anything to secure the funds to save the family home that means so much to her. Including taking a job with the enemy!

When Verity unknowingly dumps an urn full of ashes onto the rose bushes at the back of her property, she suddenly finds herself in possession of a very unusual gift. With the help of her new ghost friend, Frankie the German, she's now got the ability to see the spirit world. And wouldn't you know it, Beau's brother just so happens to have a ghost problem at the old distillery he acquired. So when Ellis Wydell approaches Verity with an offer that would allow her to save her home, she knows she can't turn it down. Who cares that angry ghosts now haunt the old distillery.... or that most of the rest of the small town of Sugarland has spurned her. For Verity knows what she wants, and she wants to keep her house no matter what the cost!

This was a fast, fun read, and while not quite literary with regards to the writing, it held my interest nonetheless. There were several parts where the writing seemed a bit awkward, but I could maybe blame that on the fact that I just finished reading two very well-written pieces of work, so the writing here seemed a bit more amateurish in comparison. Despite that, it was still an engaging read, and I was rooting for the main character the whole way through.

I did hate how she was taken advantage of by the Wydell family though, and that hate cemented a strong sense of injustice for what she was going through. If the story hadn't progressed as it had, I would've found myself quite turned off by such an injustice, and her inability to right it. But fortunately, everything works out for her in the end and I found a smile on my face as the story came to a close.

Southern Spirits is the first book of a new series, and despite having several of the author's Accidental Demon Slayer books on Mt TBR, this was actually the first book I've read by her. I will definitely pick up the second book of the Southern Ghost Hunter Mystery series when it's released in the Fall. Though it looks like Ms. Fox just released a short story in this universe a few days ago to tide us over: A Ghostly Gift.

Thank you to Angie Fox, Season Publishing, and NetGalley for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.