Spirit Legacy: The Gateway Trilogy, Book 1

Wonderful book for a young adults and older adults alike who enjoy a little paranormal and rich characters that start to feel like you know them in real life

I had a hard time with the rating for this one. It is easily a 4 star book, maybe even a 4.5 on a good day and with a bit more tolerance for the percolating beginning. It was definitely slow to start but when it picks up it really takes off. I didn't really know what the book was about when I started so I was EXTREMELY surprised when it got juicy. I had NO idea that it was going in that direction so, if you are feeling brave, I propose that you go into it as blind as you dare because it will shock/spook/scare you a bit. If you have read my reviews before you know that I usually love to add at least one or two quotes, so you can hear what the writing's like from the author's own mouth, but my husband and I listened to this one on audio book as part of our nightly routine soooo it's a no go for the quotes BUT....We both agreed that it was a 4, which is rare. The narrator on the other hand was a little hard to get into so we were split on that (he has to be at least a little difficult or else he doesn't feel like he's helping). Anyway... The writing was easy/laid back like she's talking to an old friend. The world building was ok but the character development was pretty great and the miniscule love story was sweet (and almost too brief for those that like a little R with their PN read). All in all it was very good and the only real problem was that book#2 is not out in audio book yet so we're going to have to read it the old fashioned way (YAY for me but the hubs likes a bit of variety in his listening experience....oh well...check out this book if you're into PNR or just PN with a hint of R, or if you're in the market for a quick/easily digested/ slightly cliffy read.

I just finished reading Spirit Legacy for the second time, after deciding to reread all the Gateway books before picking up the 2 new ones just released this year (2023). The fact that I am rereading a 10 (now 12) book series should tell you something, but I'll go ahead & start things off by stating the obvious: this series is GOOD.I love books about ghosts & the paranormal, but a lot of times I feel like that type of story crosses the line from spooky to silly. The ghost stuff ends up feeling cheesy, or the final reveal of a gripping mystery leaves you sighing with disappointment. Well, those things are definitely NOT true about Spirit Legacy (or the books to follow)... not even a little bit. Despite a number of eerie experiences & a heavy presence of ghosts, everything that happens comes across as perfectly believable. Author E. E. Holmes does an incredible job of blending the elements of a true ghost story with the sharpest edge of reality, making all the events that occur seem, maybe not PROBABLE, but certainly POSSIBLE.In general, Holmes is an incredibly gifted author. Every character rings true, from the background characters, to the supporting cast, & particularly with regard to our protagonist, Jess Ballard. Every character has a distinct personality & voice; having previously read the book, I can pick out where a character growth arc is just beginning.And while this book only scratches the surface of the Durupinin lore that is to come, I can guarantee you that the world building is every bit as immersive & fascinating as any fantasy novel you've ever read. Again, everything within the supernatural side of things comes across as believable. None of it feels forced or crosses a line into eye rolling silliness.Knowing how the Gateway Trilogy & it's Gateway Trackers sister series (aside from the 2 new ones) turn out also allowed me to pick up on character traits, plot foreshadowing, & worldbuilding elements that I missed the first time around. Honestly, that is one of my favorite aspects of rereading a good book: knowing that you learn something new, or perceive something differently, EVERY TIME you read it! I am very excited to continue rereading the series.Bottom line, I loved this book (& the world it opens up) the first time I read it, & I still love it now. Holmes writes lovely, detailed, occasionally flowery (but never over the top) prose that easily invokes Jess's feelings & experiences as she learns about her heritage & how it ties her to the paranormal. The story sucks you in immediately & you will find yourself eagerly tearing through pages to find out what happens next. It starts & never stops; be prepared for late nights saying, "just one more chapter..."TL;DRIf you're on the fence, I STRONGLY urge you to pick up this book. You will be sucked into a flawlessly created paranormal adventure that you don't want to miss!

This story was so well written that I couldn’t put it down !! The suspense, and the banter was great !! The twists and turns made it you had to stay up a little later to find out what happens !!

This is without a doubt one of the best books I have ever read and that’s saying a lot since I am a voracious reader. If you love ghost stories and better yet smart well written ghost stories, then this is a book that you don’t want to miss. I highly recommend you find out for yourself and pick up your own copy of this fantastic book, you will be ecstatic that you did.

The story grips you from the beginning and keeps its hold. The paranormal investigation is quite interesting.This book leaves some unanswered questions, like what happened to Dr. Pierce? If he truly thought he'd found the elusive secret, why did he just disappear? If Jess and Hannah need to operate in secret, what does it mean that an entire investigative team observed what happened to Jess? Why didn't William find Jess again and cross over, especially when she went back to St. Matt's for finals?Looking forward to the next book in the series!

…but there is something about the structure/plot that seems awkward. I’m not even sure I can explain, exactly, except to say that the entire premise — this vastly important “Gateway” —could be subverted basically on an alcohol-fumed whim. Additionally, a child — who was known, or was she? — was allowed by a secret council to live in the foster system unaware and alone… I don’t know, it just struck me as wrong and mean.Nevertheless, it’s well written and does exhibit some style as well as some sassy dialog — which was welcomed.Respectfully,

Interesting plotline. Believable characters. I love that she doesn't get that she's talking to ghost but When she catches on she finds adults to help her.

Starts as normal young adult novel. But later becomes very interesting. Especially last few pages beautifully set up for the sequels. Can't wait

I really enjoyed this book. The author is a real craftsman (or woman) and manages to sustain the reader's attention without resorting entirely to surface suspense or car chases. I liked the main character, even though she needed a good shake from time to time....well, she gets it, and wises up in a realistic manner. I'm looking forward to the next book in the trilogy. Good subject matter, all the questions about life and death of course, and they are dealt with in a respectful manner without being too heavy. Good work, E.E.!

This first book of the trilogy is awesome. You don’t know where the writer is leading you. There is always something unexpected to happen.Look forward to read book 2

This was really good. As soon as I started this, I was barely able to put it down. The mixing of the spirt world & the mundane is done masterfully & unfolds just as if you were really experiencing an awakening without answers. Makes you wonder how many people who experience hallucinations are just more tuned in to all things possible.

I fell for a Facebook advert when I bought this book by E. E. Holmes. The advert said; 'don't read this book on a work night as you can't put it down'. Now that is exactly the type of book that I like to read. I usually judge books on whether I can stop reading or not, and I have to say his book was genuinely captivating. I devoured it all in one night - hiding under the duvet to stop my husband moaning about the light from my kindle.We meet Jess on the night that her mother dies, from that day on strange things start happening and it begins with awful nightmares. Throughout the beginning of the book we can sense that it is something paranormal that is happening to her but the clues were so subtle that when the shocking revelation happens, I was stunned. The writing in this book was really clever. Previously, I have read books that are about the paranormal and they just don't engage me but the way in which the paranormal is woven into this book is really good. It was also really creepy as well. It has been a while since I have actually been scared by a book. There were some very chilling scenes in this book and very well executed. They had me turning on the light to check there were no ghosts in my room.As much as I love the fantasy New Adult genre, I have begun to see a lot of repetition. This book is no exception. As it uses a college as it's setting, there is a 'hot' perfect love interest (can't go into that -spoilers), the female protagonist is the hero, from a troubled background and she is gifted. But this book did have enough unique qualities to make you not think 'oh not again'. First of all, the character although she seems strong and together, she does have flaws and she is blatantly terrified in this book which made her character much more realistic and a lot less stereotypical. The other difference is that we also learn that...oh wait...darn spoilers. Never mind, just take my word for it, this not just a normal, been there, rip off of twilight but a well thought out interesting look at the world of ghosts.Although I really enjoyed this book and the many twists and turns that it had, there was one fundamental flaw I felt in this book. The thing that annoyed me, not enough to spoilt the book, was that people in the book believed so easily. It was her room-mate Tia that I found most frustrating. They hadn't known each other long enough for her to believe Jess that quickly. There wasn't even a flicker of doubt from her and I found that unrealistic. It was also nicely convenient that their was a paranormal lecturer on campus. But despite this I was gripped by the plot and characters and I am really looking forward to the second book. I think the second book is going to be better as it is set in the UK! YAY! And it is going to have more depth in it to it, now that we have more characters to get to know and a clearer idea of what the situation is. This book was mostly about Jess and her journey in discovering her birthright.I recommend this for people that like paranormal fantasy, that is not the traditional vampires and werewolves, but rather spirits (ghosts). It has a strong female lead and a gripping plot that is thrilling but also terrifying in parts.