Tortured Souls (Orion Circle Book 1) by Kimber Leigh Wheaton

Sometimes Rest in Peace isn't an option.

Kacie Ramsey sees ghosts—and it's ruining her life. Her mother left, her father blames her, and no matter how hard she tries, she can't keep the ghosts away. Now a new power has emerged. Nightly visions of grisly murders and a relentless predator draw her to the brink of insanity.

When the phantom appears at a party, Kacie's longtime crush, Logan, saves her. He invites her to join the Orion Circle, a group of supernatural hunters with chapters in schools all over the country. Through the Circle, Kacie learns to embrace her spiritual powers, and for the first time in her life she feels in control rather than a victim.

But the Foxblood Demon will not give up so easily. A demented serial killer in life who trapped the souls of the thirteen children he murdered, imprisoning them within the walls of his mansion. Now in death, he plots his return while drawing power from the pure souls of the children. He recognizes something in Kacie he's never seen before—a medium powerful enough to provide a vessel for his tainted soul.

Kacie can't ignore the tortured souls of the children crying out to her every night. With Logan at her side, she will fight the Foxblood Demon. But can they banish this powerful phantom, or will Kacie lose not only her body, but her eternal soul to the monster.

Oh, wow.  Okay.  So here's my take.

I don't know if this is what I would call paranormal.  Are ghosts and demonic possesed people paranormal?  When I think paranormal in books, I think vampires, werewolves, aliens, freaky super power enhanced people...  This was all about ghosts, tormented ghosts who are trapped and need released from the nightmare of a demonic dude still torturing and posessing humans in his quest to return to a human form.  FREAKY.

For me, paranormal is one thing.  Demonic possession is another.  The title of this book has it right though, these are tortured souls.

This book was well written, fast paced and engaging.  It held my interest as a reader and didn't let up.  I liked Kacie and her friends and I liked how they worked together.  Everyone had a role to play.  Logan was sweet and gentle with Kacie.  It was easy to like him.  The story was fluid and the places and events were clear in my mind.  Maybe too clear.

Yes, I am a bit of a chicken.  I admit it freely and without hesitation.  For me, this book was over my freaky lines.  It made me uncomfortable but that is a completely personal reaction.  It has nothing at all to do with the writing because I will also freely admit that this book is well written and engaging.  All the way through.

Content:  There is frequent swearing and profanity as well as all the above mentioned demonic/satanic things which include human sacrifice and rituals.  There is violence.

You can purchase "Tortured Souls" at Amazon.