The Wayward Haunt by Cas E Crowe

YA Fantasy, Independently Published in 2020, 378 Pages

What I Didn’t Like:

Some slower scenes. It wasn’t particularly one section of the book, which is good, but there were scenes that slowed the pace.
With other readers tagging this one as dark fantasy and horror I wanted more from the ghosts. I wanted a little more fear.
The romance storyline that seemed like it was blooming in the first half of the story felt forced and awkward.

Chosen one trope. I’m a fan of the chosen one. I like when it takes shape, I like following the character as they learn who they are and what that means. This was a great example of that. This character already KNEW what she could do but she was intentionally hiding it. Great way to use the trope.
The romance was never the focus. Especially since it felt forced, I loved that the author let that fizzle out. It was never the focus of the story. The character, her journey, and her mission were the focus.
Great build up for the next book. This one ends on a great note to make you crave that second book and where it’s going next.

Fans of dark fantasy who like the idea of a necromancer being used as a chosen one will like how this one plays out.

The slower spots are worth wading through if you’re a fan of the genre.