Prelude for Lost Souls (Prelude for Lost Souls #1)

I had read about this book on Goodreads and had anticipated its release. I was on vacation when it came out but I purchased it as soon as I arrived home. The story takes place in St. Hilaire, a town of mediums which makes it livelihood each year during the summer, catering to the desire of the grief ridden to contact the dead. The central characters are three teenagers: Dec, Russ and Annie. Secondary characters are Tristan, a ghost and Ian MacKenzie, a talented, but dead teenaged medium who had a huge impact on the town and many individuals he left behind. Dec comes from a long line of powerful mediums and Russ is his best friend. Russ moved to St. Hliaire from elsewhere, but his ancestors had lived there and he is a very talented medium. Annie is a world famous concert pianist who becomes stranded in St. Hilaire waiting for the train to be repaired. All three have experienced a devastating loss in their lives. Their losses connect them to Tristan, a mysterious spirit who lives in Dec\’s house and whom Dec has known for as long as he can remember. There are many mysteries laid out in this story. The writing masterfully drew me in as I wanted to know more. Each chapter is entitled with Dec, Russ or Annie\’s names, indicating that the upcoming chapter will be told from their point of view. While this is a gimmick used by many writers to differing success, it works well here. I want to note that I am so sick of books that are unresolved and lead to the next 17 books in a series. I\’m not sure if this story is intended to be the opening act to a series, but I will say it came to a satisfying conclusion. The mysteries are revealed; loose ends are tied. And while I can see a sequel in the future, the book did not end in a cliffhanger that compels me to seek further books. For this I heartily thank Helene Dunbar.

Honestly, after I read the first line about most people in St. Hilaire making their living by talking to the dead, I didn\’t need to read any further. Attention secured. One of my favorite things about this book is the friendship between Dec and Russ. Both have suffered tragic losses in their lives, but know they can count on each other no matter what. Everyone needs a friendship like that in their life, although at some points it seems as if the balance shifts with Dec taking more than he gives. Each is at a crossroads where the decisions they make will significantly impact not only their lives, but also their loved ones – especially Dec. Russ is struggling with some personal demons (not literal ones – but he does struggle with literal ghosts) that may prevent him from achieving his goals. While Dec and Russ had to maneuver through hurdles and obstacles, Anna didn\’t seem to have as much agency. She shares POVs with Dec and Russ, but primarily exists to support other story lines. I\’d love to see her play a bigger role in the second book. Something I never had a firm grasp on was The Guild. Their presence loomed like a dark cloud over the story, and they controlled many activities of citizens in the town, but exactly how they obtained that power and how they used the money brought in from tourists and other sources was never clear to me. I\’d describe this book as a quiet paranormal that reads like a contemporary. It may lack heartstopping reveals or shocking twists, but the story takes you by the hand and leads you on a pleasant supernatural journey. I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Prelude for Lost Souls was such a fun, interesting read, and I fell in love with the cover. The town of St. Hilaire sounds so interesting and cultish all at the same time – like a paranormal Pleasantville almost. If it actually existed I would probably be drawn to its quirkiness rather than the want to commune with someone who was dead. I found some of the rules The Guild enforced on the residents of St. Hilaire strange, even though I understood some of their reasoning. In the beginning, even though the beginning of each chapter tells you which character\’s perspective you\’ll be reading from I found myself unable to tell the difference between Russ and Dec. That dissipated once I got a little further in and got to know them both better. The unrequited love Russ has for Dec is so sweetly sad – it\’s not that Dec doesn\’t love him, it\’s just not in the same way. The LGBTQ element is fairly tame in this book, is m/m, was done in a completely normal teen hormone way, and didn\’t detract from the main story. Dec has never fully recovered from the death of his parents two years prior and the town of St. Hilaire is a constant reminder of everything he lost. Naturally, he cannot wait to leave – until the very thing that got him through his darkest days lands on his doorstep. In a town that profits off of grief it wasn\’t surprising to find that each character has been branded and struggled with their own forms of grief. The male posturing and \”chest-beating\” some of the characters exhibited was a little off-putting – mainly the Mackenzie brothers and sometimes Russ. I believe that Prelude for Lost Souls could definitely have a sequel or companion book and I would absolutely read it. Reading this book was so easy to read and get lost in when compared with the last two books I read, even though I adored them. I would recommend reading this book to readers who enjoy young adult, paranormal, supernatural, ghosts, LGBTQ, and mediums. A big thank you to Sourcebooks Fire and NetGalley for the opportunity to read a digital ARC of Prelude of Lost Souls – all opinions are my own.

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