Maria's Space: Spiritus by Dana Michelle Burnett

I love being a book reviewer. Beside the awesome free reads (and believe me, this is great), there are some awesome writers who become favorite, go to authors when I am looking for a book, a gift, or during girlfriend discussions. In the past few years as a reviewer, I have read some awesome books. Books that may never have been on my radar, and that would have been a shame because I have absolutely loved so many of them.

This week I was reading Spiritus by Dana Michelle Burnett about an eternal love affair. An undying love that withstood even death.

Description from the Publisher
A love that refuses to die…
“As I watched him vanish into a soft mist that faded away, I knew that he was no ordinary spirit…I knew that he was a dangerous entity that could be in some corner of another realm planning his revenge, but I also knew that I was hopelessly in love with him.”

When Becca moves into her ancestral home in Corydon, Indiana, her life takes a puzzling and thrilling turn when she meets the ghost haunting the halls. As the seductive spirit lures her closer and closer, she learns about her own past and starts to understand that some mistakes are meant to last.

Becca McAllister has always been different from other girls her age. Never part of the "in crowd", Becca never really fit in anywhere. When her mother dies and her father moves them to the small town of Corydon, Indiana, Becca didn't expect things to change.

But things do change when Becca accidentally makes contact with a one hundred and sixty year old ghost, Alastor Sinclair, that haunts the halls of her new home.
To Becca, Alastor is a seductive spirit that seems to see straight into her soul. To Alastor, Becca is what he was waited a century for--A second chance.

But the closer they get, the more Becca realizes that this isn't the first time she and Alastor have known each other. Worse still, is she the one responsible for his death so long ago? And if so, did he come back for love or revenge?

The 411 by Maria Gagliano

Wow...awesome! I loved it.
Spiritus is about a girl named Becca who moves into her father's families house. A house he grew up in and was in his family for ages. He promised himself that he would eventually purchase it for himself when he was older. Becca's mom passed away so they are on their own trying to find a new normal. What's normal about finding a man standing in her bedroom one night watching her sleep only to have him disappear moments later?

Becca starts her new school with everyone else, makes friends easily, has the cutest boy in school talking to her, and after a seance with her new friends suddenly finds herself with her own private ghost friend.

Alastor Sinclair loves Becca, he has loved her for years and has returned to her. One problem, she doesn't remember their life and he can never come back.

Becca and Alastor's love story borders on obsession like most young relationships. Dana, did a great job of twisting and weaving a different kind of romance story. You have Science Fiction, Young Adult, Historical Romance all mixed into one.

The ending alludes to a part 2 and I can't wait to see how Alastor and Becca find ways to be together. Kudos to Dana for writing an interesting YA book that is completely different. You will find yourself sucked right in from chapter 1.

Praise for Spiritus….
"With a spoon full of romance and a dash of suspense, Spiritus is a wonderful treat."-Jaskirat, See It Or Read It

"The characters in is this book were well written, the story drew me in immediately..."-Lucy, Ebook Obcessed

"YA Paranormal romance readers will get sucked into Spiritus's history and romance, and will be aching for the next book as much as I am." -Shana, Sizzling Reads

“Spiritus is the type of book that captures your attention from page one, while the rest of the world slips away.” –Kimberly, the Caffeinated Book Reviewer

About Dana Michelle Burnett
Dana Michelle Burnett spent most of her life writing short stories and sharing them with family and friends. Over the years, her work was published in numerous commercial and literary magazines including Just Labs, Mindprints: A Literary Journal, Foliate Oak, and many more. Her short story John Lennon and the Chicken Holocaust was included in The Best of Foliate Oak in 2006. Her literary novel, Ghost Country, was published in 2010. The romance novel, Two Out of Three, followed in 2011. Spiritus is the first book in her new paranormal romance series by the same name.

Another exciting thing about being a book reviewer is getting to interview the author. As a book lover, just the fact that authors answer my questions is thrilling. Here is what Dana has to say;

What was the first book you remember reading?
The first book that I remember reading would be the Disney storybook version of Peter Pan. I loved that book and read it every night for at least a year. One of the greatest moments of my life was when I was able to buy my daughter a copy of that book and read it to her.

Is there a book you have read more than once? Or do you have a favorite book?
I am one of those crazy people that never parts with a book that they liked. I will read them over and over until the pages fall out. I've actually got a hardcover edition of Gone With The Wind and I've read it so much that the ink is wearing off the pages around the edges. I would have to say that Gone With The Wind is my favorite book, with anything by Anne rice running a close second, and the Twilight sage as the third.

Tell us a little about your own teen years?
I was not at all like Becca. I graduated with the same kids that I started kindergarten with and now I never see any of them. I had a best friend that to this day is still like the sister I never had. We were extremely boy crazy and had our lives all figured out (doesn't everyone). Looking back, I realize that my best friend and I were ahead of our time in our thinking and we really did have all the answers back then. Our lives took some crazy turns when we tried to do "normal", I wish I could go back and have my formal self knock some sense into me.

Did you have anything in common with your main characters?
The only thing that I really have in common with my main characters is that I don't live that far away from Corydon, so I drive past many of the locations in the book all the time.

Except from the book:

“May I have this dance?”

I turned to see a much recovered Jonah holding his hand out to me. Without a word, I placed my hand in his and let him lead me to the dance floor. His strong arms pulled me close, holding me against his body.

“My beautiful Becca,” He said in a moist whisper against my forehead.

I waited for him to say something else, but he didn’t. When I stole a glance up at him he had his eyes closed while his lips still rested against my hair. I felt that there was something that I should say or do, but I didn’t know what it could be. I shifted slightly away from him.

“Don’t.” Jonah begged.

Without opening his eyes, he lowered his lips to mine. He brushed his mouth over mine with such gentleness that I wouldn’t have been sure that he even kissed me if it wasn’t for the tingling running through my body.

Neither of us moved, his lips hovered over mine. He pulled me even closer, this time his lips lingered, making my knees go weak. There was a sensual passion this time. There was no trace of boyish clumbsiness.
I knew then and pulled away, terrified and not sure how he did it.

“Alastor!” I gasped.

I looked up into Jonah’s face, searching his eyes for an answer, but behind his face, deep in the soul of those eyes was Alastor.

“How?” Was all I could ask.

Pulling me close again, he looked down at me through another man’s eyes. Images of old movies with tearful endings came to mind as he pulled me to him.

“Please don’t scream.” He said against my hair.

“How did you do it?” I demanded, nearing hysteria.

“Does it matter?” He asked as we waltzed about the floor, so much more graceful than before. “You asked for a kiss and I gave it to you.”

I tried to fend off panic. I knew this was impossible. I was shaking so badly that my teeth began to chatter. “Alastor…I can’t…”

“Please,” Alastor begged. “Please, you asked me to give you this one night. I’m asking you to give me this one moment.”