Ghost Seer

Ghost Seer by Robin D. Owens is the first book in her new Ghost Seer series. I love Robin’s Celta series, and was excited to see she would be writing a new series. Ghost Seer is a modern day contemporary paranormal story. I guess the title tells it all. Clare is our heroine, and she is having a difficult time trying to cope with a major change in her life. Clare, who was an accountant, has inherited a house and millions from her aunt. But that is not all she inherited….she now sees ghosts. In fact, when we meet Clare, she is desperately trying to ignore a ghost dog, named Enzo, who follows her every move. Enzo, who is adorable, for a ghost, of course talks to Clare. Though it is disturbing for Clare trying to get used to seeing ghosts, we have a wonderful time enjoying Enzo. Clare has to make a decision, if she cannot cope with seeing ghosts, her life will deteriorate and she will eventually die early. Will Clare be able to accept her calling and rise to the challenge? Zach Slade is a former cop, who moves to Denver, as his career is over from a disabling leg injury, after he was shot on the job. Jack accepts a job with a private investigation firm. He meets Clare, and is immediately attracted to her. Zach does have some physic gift, though he refuses to accept this possibility. He does not see or believe in ghosts; but he does see crows, who show up in various numbers, giving him warnings. Will Zach be able to accept the fact that Clare sees ghosts or his own physic sight? What follows is a different, interesting, fun storyline, with a bit of everything. There is the slow to build, but hot romance between Zach and Clare. A wonderful world building by Owens, that includes, suspense, mystery, danger, excitement, and quite a few humorous parts. A lot of the interesting parts revolves around Clare trying to solve issues presented to her by some ghosts, which requires much research into the past, and has a western theme in old Colorado. As Enzo constantly reminds Clare, her job is to help the ghost move on from being in limbo to the afterlife. The last half of the book was exciting, as the danger escalates. Ghost Seer was a fun read, different then what I am used to with Robin. But Robin Owens is a wonderful writer, and she proves it by writing a completely different type of story, and does it very well. I look forward to reading the next book in this series.

Title:   * Ghost Seer Author:  Robin D. Owens Series: Ghost Seer, #1 Genre: Paranormal Romance Publisher: Berkley Format: ebook Date/Year: April 1, 2014 Reviewed by: ElaineReads *This book was provided to me by NetGalley. I am no stranger to the writings of Robin D. Owens.  I discovered her Celta series several years ago and absolutely love them.  Her “fams” in particular are wonderful. I was delighted to discover she was starting a contemporary series with Ghost Seer. Clare was thrilled to inherit a fortune, including a beautiful old home, from her weird Aunt Sandra, but was not happy at all when she found out there was a catch.  Along with the money came a gift . . . the ability to see and interact with ghosts. Clare is an accountant.  She is very practical and rational.  She does not believe in ghosts! Unfortunately, this is not a gift that can be returned.  If she does not help the ghosts “cross over,” she will either weaken and die or go insane. She is trapped! Zach is an ex-cop, but only because he was badly injured in a shooting and unfit for active duty.  He does not want to be a private cop because he has always served the public.  He doesn’t want to only help people who can pay for his help. Oh yeah, he doesn’t believe in ghosts either. So, of course, they meet and are immediately attracted to each other.  Clare definitely needs Zach’s help, but he’s not sure he wants to get involved with a crazy woman. Zach and Clare are obviously the main characters, but my favorite character is Enzo - a ghost dog that used to belong to weird Aunt Sandra.  His purpose is to help Clare learn her new job of ghost seer.  That’s when he’s not chasing squirrel essence in the park of course. I loved this book and cannot wait for the sequel, Ghost Layer to be released in September. My only criticism is I thought the sex scenes (and they were really good sex scenes) went on too long.  I was ready for the plot to move on. Ratings: Overall: 5 Sensuality level: 3

An enjoyable read from one of my favorite authors!

I enjoyed this book and this new series should be good. My only complaint is it went into too much depth in the sex scenes. Overall, a good book. Will read the next one

Fresh World and Fun Characters My Initial Reaction...  I really enjoyed this new series from Robin D. Owens. Ghost Seer provided a fresh new fantasy world and fun characters that I look forward to exploring in the future.  The Narration...  Coleen Marlo was a solid narrator. She delivered solid voices for each of the characters and the real treat, for me at least, was the voice she gave to Enzo. Enzo is a ghost dog who becomes Claire's guide and Coleen Marlo nailed his voice. I SAW a dog everytime he spoke because it was just so spot on. I'm definitely adding her to my list of approved narrators.  The Characters...  Ghost Seer is told from two perspectives - Claire Cermac and Zach Slade. I loved the parts from Claire's perspective, but Zach could be annoying. I wonder if I wouldn't have enjoyed Ghost Seer more if it had been told entirely from Claire's point of view.  Claire's aunt has just died, leaving her a massive inheritance. But it came with strings - Claire has the family gift, she can see ghosts and help them "move on." Up until this point, Claire was a successful accountant, but she felt it would be wrong to keep a good job someone else might really need - so she quit. That little detail spoke volumes about her character, which was reinforced for me as the story went on. Claire is a good, decent person who really thinks about the consequences of what she does for others. I loved the little details that Owens included about Claire paying percentages for tips and the way she organized and detailed things - it felt like the sort of details you'd expect an accountant to care about and it really made Claire real. And then there was the way she handled seeing ghosts - she went through a real struggle to accept what she was seeing, even hiring a top-of-the line psychiatrist to help her.  Zach is also going through a big life change - though I can't hardly see how it compares to what Claire is going through. When the book opens, he's a cop who's been shot and can no longer work in the field because of a drop ankle. He moves to Denver CO (which is where Claire already lives) and gets started at a PI firm. I do feel bad for him that he can't be a cop anymore - it's obvious that he loved what he did and it's where he feels best. But the man just wouldn't stop complaining about having to go private. Ex-cops and Ex-military make that move all the time - yet somehow he had a harder time dealing with what was happening to him than Claire did with her life changes. I guess further proof that women are tougher then men ;) But I did still like Zach - he's a good person, has good intentions, and I liked the way he dealt with his elderly client. Very respectful and caring. So I hope he just stops complaining, accepts the changes around him and then I'll love him too.  My absolute FAVORITE character was Enzo. I love animal companions in books - especially ones like Enzo that are a BIG part of the book. He talks to Claire, guides her and runs around acting like a dog. He has some other - somewhat malevolent seeming (to me) - spirit attached to him though and that totally creeped me out. Sometimes that voice would take over and give Claire instructions and I hope we'll get a better idea of what/who that spirit is in future books.  The Story...  The world build in The Ghost Seer was great too. We're basically in our world and there are some people - like Claire and, to some extent, Zach - who have an extra sense for the "other worldly things." Zach has this rhyme he learned as a kid about crows and apparently if you see x number of crows it means something different than xy number of crows. It was really neat - though Zach tried really hard to not accept his ability, so that was frustrating, much like his whining about his situation.  The really really cool part, though, was Claire's gift. I might better call it a curse, though, because it comes with some serious baggage. There are so many rules about her ability - the biggest one being that if she doesn't accept her gift, she will go crazy and die. And Claire's struggle to deal with her gift starts taking a serious toll - she's always freezing, she can't eat, sleep -- she was literally dying slowly as the book progressed. Yikes! See what I mean about her having it worse than Zach? Another cool aspect was that she can see ghosts - but not all ghosts. She has the ability to see a specific time period - roughly 1850 - 1900 if I remember correctly. This worried me because her ghosts are kind of western and that's not really my thing. But it never went too far down that path and really just through in a bit of fun history to a very modern plot and world.  Concluding Sentiments...  Ghost Seer is a really inventive twist on your standard clairvoyant story and, with characters that I love, I plan to read the next one when it comes out.

I enjoyed the story a lot , as I read I just had to keep turning the pages . Can't wait for the next book.

Our Review, by LITERAL ADDICTION's Alluring Angel - Kathy: *Copy gifted in exchange for an honest review Ghost Seer by Robin D. Owens is the first in a new series that features Claire Cermak and Zack Slade, two people who find the life that they have each known, suddenly and drastically changed. Claire is a no nonsense accountant who likes things straight forward and orderly. But on the death of her kooky aunt, she begins to question her sanity, as she begins to see and hear ghosts. And since she doesn’t believe in ghosts, this is quite a problem. Zack has dedicated his life to law enforcement until he is shot. No longer able to work in the field, and not interested in spending the rest of his career behind a desk, he finds himself bitter and rudderless. Ghost Seer is a nice mix of romance, paranormal and a dash of mystery. Enzo, the talking ghost dog that Claire inherits along with the the ability to see ghosts, is a wonderful addition. Part goofball, part advisor, Enzo tells Claire that she must accept her new power or risk going mad and even dying. Zack, also a nonbeliever, refuses to acknowledge his own touch of sight. Ghost Seer is an easy read. Slow at times, but enjoyable overall.

Good book but not as good as I expected from the reviews. I liked the beginning and towards the middle it got kind of corny.

Robin D. Owens starts out her new Ghost Seer series with the a book by the same title. With fantastic world building and colorful characters this is a series that will bring in readers of all kinds. From the paranormal enthusiast to the psychic inclined to the romance reader there is something for everyone, even a very slobbery ghost dog. Owens shows great imagination when it comes to the psychic gift inherited by lead character Clare. She also gives readers a 'police' point of view through former deputy sheriff, Zach. The combination is a book that readers will find hard to put down.  What I liked: There were several things I liked about this book. This is the first book I have read from the author and starting with book one in a series is always fun. Owens has a lot on her plate with this one because not only goes she have to set the scene for a good romantic series, she also has to build a world around Clare's psychic gifts. From how she got them to how they work, all the while adding in the back story's for both Clare and Zach, as well as, some very interesting secondary characters. There is a bit of eccentricity and definitely a bit of suspending of the laws of nature, but the combination was a very well crafted novel that will leave readers wanting more.  Clare is a very practical accountant and when she inherits a psychic gift from her dead Aunt, she is more than a little taken aback. In fact she thinks she's crazy, when she starts to see the ghosts of long forgotten cowboys on the streets of Denver. Not to mention a very slobbery and wonderful spirit guide in the form of a dog named Enzo.  Clare's gift was the central theme of the book and took readers back to Denver in the late 1800's. Owens does a fantastic job with incorporating Denver's past into Clare's life. The historical details were part of what made this such an enjoyable read for me. Owens gives readers a character that doesn't want to believe and in turn readers find a kinship with Clare. Wouldn't you think you were nuts if a ghost dog started following you around? Zach Slade is also a man who doesn't have time for the supernatural, though he does have some sense of belief in it. He is a man who has practically lost everything due to an injury that will not let him continue to work in the field as a deputy sheriff. He has a lot of bitterness in him but he also gives off a vibe of competence and strength despite his physical issues. I think Owens uses his character to bring stability to the story line. Zach's perspective on things is generally very straight forward and to the point and I think that was needed to balance out Clare's psychic gift. What I didn't like: The romance between these two characters was definitely there. From the connection they form at their first meeting and throughout the book. It was a little slow in forming because of Zach's strong disbelief in Clare's abilities and in his own inclinations toward the sight. I thought their were a few too many moments where the reader is brought into the relationship and then it is stifled. You expect that to a certain degree, but not as much as it happens in this one.  Bottom Line: This series has tons of potential. I loved Clare and Zach and how they worked together. The romance aspect was perhaps a little lacking, but that certainly didn't take away from the overall enjoyment of reading this book. I can't wait to see where Owens goes with this series. 

I love a good urban fiction. This was not it. The writing was awful. The characters were stunted. I think she was going for damaged but it was just akward. Save ur money.

I was really disappointed with this book. I thought that the concept showed a lot of promise. The problem was that some people think that vulgar equals sexy and unfortunately I'm not one of them. Also these characters may well be the two whiniest, useless characters that I have ever read. Not to mention that there is little to no actual story involved. Seriously disappointing. There is at least one other romance series out there that is almost exactly like this one only it is soooo much better. If you are looking for a woman who sees ghosts and falls in love with a man who tries to say that he doesn't but really does then check out the Krewe of Hunters series. Hands down amazingly better than this book.

This was a great story. I didnt like the characters though... the thoughts process of the lead male was just dumb ! Out of nowhere he would think things like "my dick just twitched" trashy and no class!

I have never been much of a romance reader before. However, Robin has got me hooked on her books. I did not care for the cover on this book. I don't feel it protrays what the book is about at all. The story line is great and contains terrific characters. My only problem is when does the next one come out?

The first in a new series - but a complete story in itself - this contemporary paranormal tale is a well-written, delightful read. Clare Cermak is the typical CPA (thinking in dollars and cents, with common sense) who inherits an unexpected "gift" from her Aunt: the ability to see ghosts of the old west, and to help them move on. Her first reaction? Make sure it's not a brain tumor, and see a psychologist - LOVE it! Zach Slade is the wounded ex-cop, forced to retire from public service, a by-the-rules man who isn't into the "Woo-woo" stuff... and if Zach's hunches are correct, or he counts crows, or hears things he shouldn't - well it's just cop instinct or luck, right? The transition and growth of these two, well-rounded characters is beautifully written, incorporating humor, loss, mystery, fear, grief, regret, acceptance and redemption. I love the fact that Clare has enough self-respect to walk away rather than put up with dishonesty or half-acceptance. The girl next door (well, kinda!) is a strong woman who will survive whatever life throws at her. Zach has had his share of pain, and he must learn to accept the changes life has thrown his way, too. Together - well, there's enough heat and sizzle to keep the pages turning long after you should be abed, yourself! I eagerly await the next book in the series, Ghost Layer, to be released in September. I want to see and hear from Clare and Zach (and Enzo) again, and hope this is just the beginning of a long - and fascinating - series.

Could not put the book down! I got this book as a gift and I just loved it. From one moment to the next, Robin D. Owens book captures you and you fall into the story, and it is so good, you have to read it to the end in one sitting. Yep, could not put the book down. I love this book. Can't wait to read book #2 of the series. I gave this a 5 stars because this is the best book I have read this year. I believe it is a must read.

A fascinating start to Robin's new series, with quirky characters, funny dialogue and surprising twists! I'm so glad I picked up Ghost Seer, the 1st in Robin's new series! I am a fan of Robin's books and I love paranormals... so it was a given I couldn't pass this one by.  Ghost Seer is certainly a fascinating start with two interesting main characters and a multitude of quirky side-kicks including a long-dead labrador retriever named Enzo. Clare is our heroine, an accountant, and straight as an arrow until her eccentric gypsy Aunt Sandra died and left her estate to Clare. Zach is our hero, ultra-conventional, an honest man who was injured on the job and is now floundering trying to find his way since his injuries preclude him from continuing to be a cop. There's loads of funny dialogue, suspense and twists as both Clare and Zach are confronted with characters and situations out of their comfort level while they are also coping with their attraction to each other.  Robin's writing is polished as always. I'm "dying" to read where Robin will take the series from here... 4 stars!!!!!

She was cleaning her fur wting for her rriendto come