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100 Pages A Day...Stephanie's Book Reviews

I absolutely love historical fiction and read a lot of it; I love to learn history this way.  I also enjoy reading science fiction, fantasy, horror, thriller and non-fiction science.

The Poor and the Haunted

The Poor and the Haunted - Dustin McKissen

Life has never been easy for Jimmy and Kelly Lansford. Their parents never had much money and what they had was spent on drugs and alcohol.  When they are teens, their father commits suicide and their mother continues to spiral.  Jimmy is kept afloat with the help of local detective, Mike Carlisle and finds his way to Arizona State on a track scholarship. Jimmy doesn't like leaving Kelly behind with their mother, but Carlisle promises to look after her.  Jimmy excels at college and is able to become a successful trader.  He marries and is able to buy the house of his dreams and build the family he always wanted.  On his daughter's twelfth birthday, Jimmy begins to recall his childhood and the events that shaped him.  After that,  Jimmy begins to see and feel things  He begins to wonder if he inherited something from his father or if the family ghost has come for him.

 
The Poor and the Haunted is a psychological thriller paired with an unexpected ghost story.  Jimmy's character is wonderfully created and I could easily feel the intense bond with his sister, his guilt for leaving his childhood behind to start over and need to protect the life he has made for himself.  The writing bounces back and forth between Jimmy and Kelly as teens and Jimmy as an adult.  The writing created two very different worlds from Jimmy's childhood to adulthood and I could feel the buildup of trauma, stress and anxiety from his childhood.  As Jimmy slowly descends into darkness it is difficult to tell if he is truly having physiological issues or if a ghost has found him.  The Poor and the Haunted is complex, full of family drama and intrigue with a surprising ending. 
 
This book was received for free in return for an honest review.