The Spirit Key

Scott has had his fair share of bad things happing to him. However when he dies at the age of 8 is not until later in life that he fully comprehends what fate was trying to get him to do when he was to young and broken to see. It’s like a second chance at life, on both sides. He’s I see dead people life and the I’m in love with my bff life. Was glad to see Scott come into his own personally and on the other side of life as well. Parker has become an I love all of your kind of author for me.

Scott Fogel died. He was eight years old. He would never be the same again. Fast forward to his late teens and poor Scott is barely functioning. His life as he knew it has imploded and the only action he feels he can take to save what’s left of his loved ones is to disappear. Fate finds him five years later, and she’s in the guise of his best friend’s mother, one of the only two people who could ever handle Scott and his intricacies. The other being this lady’s son who she implores Scott to save. In order for him to honor her request, he has to go back to the place where his nightmares almost destroyed him.

Scott defies death only to find himself living in a nightmare. I had a hard time with his character only because he’s a kid when these horrible things happen to him, and as an adult, everyone he’s ever loved acts like he should pay a penance to them because he only wanted to find peace and give them some sort of life outside of him and his “issues”. Well cheese and crackers, get over it people. Poor guy.
Tim is whatever. I say that only because he’s a whatever kind of character. He doesn’t add much except making Scott feel like dirt. I just don’t like the guy. He’s supposed to be Scott’s best friend, but he’s just poor pitiful me.

The storyline was great. I enjoyed the premise even with some frustrating characters. There was a lot of information to digest. It didn’t seem thrown together as Williams would never do, it just seems rushed. Like here, take it. I wish there was more. I’m excited to see where the series goes.

A new series by Parker Williams, especially a paranormal one, definitely had my interest the moment I heard about it. Granted, I did spend considerable time thinking “I see dead people” which just gave me the giggles, but the seriousness of Scott’s situation is no laughing matter.

Scott died for twenty-seven minutes when he was eight years old. A year later is when he saw his first ghost, and as he got older the number of them increased. He tried drugs to stop it but nothing worked as they invaded his life, begging him for help. He dropped out of school when they told him he’d have to repeat his senior year and he couldn’t sleep or eat, mostly becoming a shadow of who he’d been. His dad left because he couldn’t handle the “freak show”, his mom turned to alcohol to cope, and his older brother moved in with his girlfriend and stopped coming home. So when Scott was nineteen, he packed a bag, left a note, and took a bus to Chicago trying to spare his family and his best friend, Tim, from anymore of his problems.

Five years later Scott is back, summoned by the ghost of Tim’s mother who claims something is after Tim. Scott is reminded, harshly, of how much of a coward he was to run away and, especially, to not have ever confided in anyone as to what he was dealing with. It doesn’t take long being back with Tim before Scott begins to understand what his purpose in life truly is and how he is meant to help the ghosts that he sees. Color me amazed when at about fifty percent into the book, the author took me in a direction I wasn’t expecting and I was thrilled. There’s nothing I enjoy more than being surprised and caught off guard from what I was expecting and the author did that and more. Don’t bother asking, though, I’m not telling.

‘The Spirit Key’ ended up being far more exciting than even I had hoped. The revelations regarding the lock and key and what that means to Scott and Tim made the worldbuilding even more entertaining. The background history, which extended pretty far back, shown to Scott via dreams, was fascinating and very well done. I really enjoyed this first book in the series and I am definitely looking forward to more.

NOTE: This book was provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews

A tragic event when Scott is 8 years old changes his life forever... but dying could do that right?
Tim watches his best friend die and Scott's life fall apart afterwards. But he sticks by him through everything which is more than he can say for Scott. At eighteen Scott is afraid Tim will get fed up with all of his drama and not wanting to drag him under he runs away. In Chicago, he no longer sees ghosts until Tim's mom comes and begs him to help Tim. Reluctantly he goes back to his hometown to face his fears and the man he loves.

The Spirit Key is a unique, fast-paced, steamy, story full of twists, action and hot man-sex. I love the wit of the narration, the story is well written, and well planned out. There is a touch of mystery, some breathtaking scenes, and it gripped me from the very beginning. I loved all of the characters especially Scott. I am curious to see where this series goes!