The Keeper of Lonely Spirits

I rarely write book reviews but this one deserves a few words of admiration.First of all, the first chapter captured me and I wanted more. Characters are well developed and interesting. So easy to form an emotional attachment to each one with their various life stories. I never felt like the story was moving too slowly or was boring in any way.The author’s writing style is something I truly appreciate. It is sophisticated and intelligent without assuming the reader needs too detailed an explanation or simple words. Personally I enjoy coming across a word I’m unfamiliar with and have to highlight for the dictionary meaning.All in all a great read and one of those books you wish would keep going to keep the characters around just a little longer ;-) Highly recommend and have selected it for our book club to read.

Struggled through this book. Not cozy. Yes to supernatural, ghosts and queer. ( I am NOT homophobic.) The storyline was definitely unique, but Blacks, Muslims, gay and binary people, ghosts (kind and angry), miraculous healing - all acknowledged and accepted (except the angry ghost) in a small town in Ohio was quite unrealistic. I read this because of the positive reviews and regret wasting my time.

The Keeper of Lonely Spirits follows Peter, an over 200-year old Irishman that was cursed by them folk (the fae) to eternally wander far from home. After his curse, Peter has found himself able to see ghosts - a talent that most people lose as they grow up. Unable to return home and having lost everyone he's ever loved - and deeply traumatized by the prospect of an eternity of losing everyone he ever lets himself love - he puts his talents to use by helping set unsettled and dangerous spirits to rest by resolving their unfinished business. He finds himself on his way to Harrington, Ohio based on the story of a teenager on a random bus to research the powerful spirit haunting the town.At times spooky, heartwarming, hopeful and mournful - I found The Keeper of Lonely Spirits to be a refreshing take on cozy fantasy (a subgenre I personally adore).There are trigger warnings that need to be considered, including: child death (past), ghostly possession, suicide attempts (past), death of family members (sibling, parent, grandparent)I would highly recommend The Keeper of Lonely Spirits to fans of found family and cozy fantasy.

I'm giving this book a thumb's down, I'm afraid. I liked the premise and the characters, but the story would have benefited from a more exacting editorial eye. For instance, the prose was bland and the pacing slow. I suppose the rather flat style is appropriate for a story whose main character has one foot in the ghost world and who has no need to fear death, but I found it dull, especially since it did not vary when events that were supposed to be exiting were taking place. That problem leads to the second. The story was full of boy-who-cries-wolf moments. Peter was exiled from his true love--until they were reunited. The girl Samira ran away and was found, and then ran away again and was found again--and then once more for good measure. If the intent was to build suspense, it had the reverse effect. I admit, however, that my disappointment may be attributed to a misguided review; the reviewer recommended the book as a "cozy mystery." There isn't much of a mystery, and "cozy" certainly doesn't apply to a book with a climax that owes a great deal to Stephen King. If I had known the book is actually a "cozy fantasy," I might have been less critical. On the other hand, I believe that a fantasy must establish, then follow, its own internal logic, but that's another topic! I can sincerely assert, however, that this book is certainly "cozy" in its message that love in all of its forms "conquers all."

A lovely tale of hopelessness, love and redemption. The love is expressed in many of its different forms from familial to relationships between adults. Lot of tears of sadness and joy.

BEST READ I HAVE DONE IN A WHILE. FANTASTIC CHARACTERS. GREAT STORY. SAVORABLE.

It's so weird that the ad copy characterizes this as "cozy," which is a word I associate with relatively low stakes and cheaply bought heartwarming, not with a novel about the tragic consequences of a careless moment of young love and desire, but -- Ad copy writers, you do you, I guess.Apart from that choice of adjective, the ad copy does a good job of scene-setting: Peter Shaughnessy offends one of "them folk," a seriously un-glamorized, un-prettified version of the fae, so this being curses him with exile from his Irish home and -- as he learns when he doesn't age along with his first lover, and then continues, despite his best efforts, not to die -- immortality. He passes the time by quieting unhappy or angry ghosts; also, he can communicate with plants. Lest he form attachments and be heartbroken again when he outlives them, he bails out of anyplace he's been living as soon as he sets some poor dead person free.But then he fetches up in Harrington, Ohio, a smallish town that presents two dangers: one, a ghost so angry that it threatens to destroy the whole place; two, a group of people who draw him into their hearts and whom he, in turn, cannot help but love. He can preserve his emotional isolation, but only at the cost of leaving them in possibly mortal peril.It says a lot for Anderson's gifts of characterization that a verbal sketch of the people whom Peter comes to care for would make them sound like stick figures, but that in reading the book they came fully alive for me -- in particular, of course, the people (and one loving ghost) who are closest to him. All of them are dealing with grief in one form or another: Neveah with the death of her beloved father; the children Sayid and Samira with the imminent death of their grandfather and with the strains on their family caused by long work hours and by their parents' own griefs; David with the death of his husband. Their stories end not so much with resolution as with movement toward some condition better than the one they started in. That is to say, don't expect a picture-perfect happy ending, with everybody's pain tied up with a magical bow and made to vanish. Peter's many griefs will also remain: he wasn't solely at fault for what happened to his family, but his impulsiveness and momentary carelessness set in motion the events that cost them dearly.Look, this book isn't flawless. A worldbuilding problem: How does Peter get money, when he doesn't appear to have a legal existence or to be officially employed anywhere, even under the table? Factual problems, specifically medical ones (do not go to urgent care with a broken leg, please -- just go straight to the ER; palliative care /= hospice care, and a person on hospice would not be living in a hospital; in the final confrontation with the angry ghost, an injury occurs that should make some subsequent actions impossible (putting it vaguely so as to avoid spoilers). Sayid's two best friends appear early on, then are barely mentioned again. And although Anderson's writing is in general beautiful, evocative, and insightful, they also overrely on the words "ruffled," "stuttered," and "pricked," to the point where by the end of the book I winced every time they appeared.I mention all those things because, paradoxically, they're evidence for how deeply this book engaged me and how much I loved it: normally I'd be banging out furious words about authorial carelessness etc., but "The Keeper of Lonely Spirits" did the important work so well that all was forgiven. Harlequin Trade/Mira, however, should provide its authors with stronger editorial support: All the problems I mention could have been resolved with a few tweaks at the line editing and copyediting levels.Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher; this is, of course, my honest opinion.

I was fascinated since the beginning. It made me think about one my fav series, The Krewe of Hunter, but then it turned into a story that mixes romance/cozy fantasy/lite horror.Peter, the main character, made me think about the Wandering Jew who's cursed to wander the Earth. Peter is cursed to wander and never go back to Ireland.There's a lot of tenderness, there's diversity, and a lovely romance that made me cry bucket.I hope to read other novels featuring Peter and David.This one touched my heart and made me cry&smile.Highly recommended.Many thanks to MIRA for this digital copy, all opinions are mine

Read if you like: diverse rep, mystical realism, fantasy, heavy themes, coping with griefUsually I finish a book and immediately grab another one. Not the case after finishing this; I was left with so many emotions and feelings that needed to be processed. Ever wondered if a book can feel cozy while also dealing with some intense feelings of grief, finding yourself, acceptance, and loss? Wonder no more, because here it is!Every character in this story is so well developed, even the minor side characters, and there's someone that I think any reader can relate to and identify with.The way that loss, mortality, immortality, and grief were explored and handled were so realistic no matter what way the character handled it, and there were different types represented.This review may be rambling, but the book is still settling in me and processing is still happening. It's one that's going to stick around for awhile.

I've fallen in love with the cozy fantasy genre in recent years, and that's why I was immediately drawn to the premise The Keeper Of Lonely Spirits. The curse, the ghost hunter angle, the Ohio setting, the promise of friendships and romance... It all sounded SO good, and I've been looking forward to read it. And I have to say that I ended up having such a wonderful time with this story! Sure, it was a bit slow to start, but once I got used to the writing and characters I couldn't stop reading. New favorite alert!I usually don't like comparing books to the work of popular authors, but in this case I feel the comparison to T.J. Klune's cozy fantasy stories is justified. The Keeper Of Lonely Spirits has that same cozy vibe, although it is more paranormal horror than fantasy in my opinion. It also has that same queer slowburn romance element incorporated into the plot, done in a way that will make you fall in love with both the characters themselves and their growing connection. If you enjoy his books, I'm positive you will fall in love with The Keeper Of Lonely Spirits as well! It's definitely put E.M. Anderson firm on my radar, that's for sure.The cast of characters is simply fantastic, and one of the reasons this story works so well. Peter is such a wonderful main character, flawed and very easy to start rooting for. His past, the curse, his job as a ghost hunter... It all made him into who he is today, and I loved following his journey as the people of Harrington slowly change the way he lives his life. The rest of the cast are likewise easy to warm up to, and I especially loved the found family vibe and the (very) slowburn romantic connection with David.Like I said, this story felt more paranormal horror than fantasy with its focus on the ghosts and the strange things happening both in town and inside the cemetery. It's nothing too scary though, but enough to keep you on your toes and especially the final part is quite intense. I loved the hints at folklore elements and how everything came together in the end... And while there is a lot of focus on sadness and grief, The Keeper Of Lonely Spirits balanced things out with moments of hope, friendship and love.There was something about the blurb of The Keeper Of Lonely Spirits that told me I was going to enjoy my time with this story, and my instincts were most definitely right. Sure, it took me a little while to get used to the writing style and characters, but once I did I couldn't let go. This is a story that will stay with me for a long time! It's also I story I wouldn't mind rereading in the future, which says a lot since I hardly reread books...

Peter Shaughnessy is cursed. He has spent 200 years hunting ghosts unable to die. Peter gets to a new city, gets the job done and leaves before anyone can even learn his name so he doesn't ever have to go through the heartbreak of watching the people he loves age and die without him. Things go as planed until he gets to Harrington, Ohio. There's a vengeful spirit here having ill effects on the townspeople. He should be in and out and NOT becoming attached to anyone or falling for the local historian.The first thing that drew me to this book was the beautiful cover. It was so refreshing to read a cozy queer story with an older protagonist. This book is full of interesting, well-fleshed out characters who it's impossible to not become attached to.The story beautifully deals with grief, all different kinds of love and figuring out what's really important to you. Peter and David's slow burn romance is so sweet and this story is full of found family.I wish I could forget this book just so I could read it for the first time again.

Review first posted at Girl Who Reads. All opinions are my own.Peter Shaughnessy was cursed to wander eternally with the ability to see ghosts and talk to plants. After losing everyone he's ever loved, he focuses on the dead. After arriving in Harrington, Ohio, Peter is soon drawn into the lives of the townsfolk, and may even be falling in love. The angry ghost he's hunting is causing trouble and is threatening the lives of the people he now cares for.Peter stopped aging in his 70s, so he often takes on the role of an unassuming groundskeeper for cemeteries and places where he will be unnoticed. He moves from town to town, avoiding attachments, and helping ghosts move on to the afterlife. They get unburdened of their earthly attachments keeping them around and affecting things. Ghosts aren't the transparent ones from movies, mostly the scents, emotions, and memories of the person that's left behind. We see how effective he can be, and then he hears about a strong ghost in Harrington. Once there, he finds it difficult to stay detached from the people around him, and the ghost proves more difficult to track down than usual.There is so much grief, loss, and talk about family. Gradually, Peter grows to love the children who sneak into the cemetery, the historian, and the cemetery director. As he gets to know them, he tries so hard to break the connections, hurting them as well as himself. It also brings up memories of his own past and his losses. He can't bear to keep grieving, but it's all he does anyway. We see his growth, subtle as it is, and by the end, he accepts the fact that people love and lose, and it's still worth the grief to have the love while it's there.

ARC REVIEW and Happy Pub Day 👻🌳✨️🪦🪴🫂This one is a bit different from the books I read but it sounded interesting and i'm so glad I gave it a try! I really loved it!! It's a cozy queer fantasy, with some horror/supernatural elements especially towards the end. There's a curse and a mystery and a spooky cemetery and a wonderfully diverse cast of characters."That's what life is.""You lose people you love and you love more people and you lose them, too, and you keep loving anyway because what's the point otherwise?"Peter is a groundskeeper cursed with immortality & doomed to wander from town to town sending restless spirits on their way. He ends up in a small town in Ohio where an angry spirit is hiding in the cemetery. Peter quickly becomes attached to the residents and the town. Should he leave and put them in danger or stay and get everything he's ever wanted ... even if it means he will one day outlive these people he's come to care for?I just loved Peter, he's had a rough go of it. Poor guy. But he's such a good person and he just wants everyone else to be okay and safe. Even though he's not going to stay, he cares so much. I just wanted some sort of happy ending for him. He deserved to be happy. And David. He's so precious, with his goofy, colorful outfits I adored these two so much!! I genuinely loved all the characters, a wonderful found family!I loved how the mystery of the ghost was handled and I definitely gasped when it was revealed!!The more serious things like therapy and grief and loss of a loved one was also done well and with care. Pretty much every character is dealing with the loss of a loved one, so be aware of that before reading.Several queer characters and oh so beautifully written, the descriptions of the cemetery and forest are so lush that I almost felt like I was there.There's honestly so much more to this book that i'm not saying! But it's so good!The Keeper of Lonely Spirits is OUT NOW! Please go get yourself a copy!