Review of The Accidental Psychic
Posted: 13 Aug 2021, 01:50
[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Accidental Psychic" by Carol-Anne Mason.]
Annie Prior sat pensive and anxious in her morning commute train, very aware she was late yet again. She dreaded the inevitable earful she would receive from her stern and cold boss and her third and final warning. In her periphery was a foul-smelling and strange priest. He repelled her and awakened her childhood trauma of the church and the people in it. She missed her handsome train guy, and the thought of his smile brought momentary bliss. Suddenly, a deafening bang shattered her thoughts. Screams and sounds of bending metal followed, and the train crashed. The air was full of death, and Annie saw life slip out of the priest. She passed out.
At the hospital, she began to see and hear voices, the most terrifying being a haunting apparition of the priest. Her doctor subsequently diagnosed her with an anxiety disorder. However, she remained unconvinced since it all seemed too real. In a spur-of-the-moment decision, Annie moved in with the handsome train guy who appeared at her hospital bed and offered his help. She then began digging around her family history and learned of her incredible psychic abilities that she somehow had managed to suppress. Her life was changing fast, and the press invaded her privacy. The priest haunted her, and in efforts to rid herself of him, she unwittingly opened an old case of child kidnappings and murders. Who was the priest, and how true was he to the cloak?
The story instantly hooks the reader right from the in-depth introduction of Annie and her difficult childhood and adult life. Carol-Anne Mason excellently describes the characters, concentrating on their physical attributes and dominant personality traits. This brings them to life, making them realistic and relatable. The description of the scenes, like the train crash, is extensive, including the smell and despair, allowing one to visualize and experience every detail. There are also elements of humor and life lessons embedded in the story, like mental health care and suicide prevention.
My favorite aspect of the book is the excellent character build-up, which creates immense suspense and curiosity. For instance, one starts wondering who the priest is and his background. Similarly, Annie’s boss seems to be more than her hard outer shell, and each encounter with Annie reveals tantalizing details about her and her connection to Annie. My only issue was the lack of emotions and rushed scenes as the story concluded. A lot happens in the final chapters, and there is no time to internalize and stops being realistic.
I found only two minor cases of repetition, evidence of the excellent editing of the novel. There is only one case of profanity, and the language used is simple, making the book suitable for a wide range of readers. However, the book heavily leans on religion, especially Christianity and the Catholic faith, debate on Atheism, and mediums and psychic abilities beliefs. The Accidental Psychic is a captivating read that morphs from a train crash to psychic abilities and all it entails and culminates to heart-breaking serial murders and crime-solving. It also includes elements of romance, hidden family ties, and shocking family relations. I happily give it a rating of 4 out of 4 stars. I recommend The Accidental Psychic to those looking for a read that will take you through a world of paranormal sightings and earth-bound culprits, and suspenseful revelations.
******
The Accidental Psychic
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Annie Prior sat pensive and anxious in her morning commute train, very aware she was late yet again. She dreaded the inevitable earful she would receive from her stern and cold boss and her third and final warning. In her periphery was a foul-smelling and strange priest. He repelled her and awakened her childhood trauma of the church and the people in it. She missed her handsome train guy, and the thought of his smile brought momentary bliss. Suddenly, a deafening bang shattered her thoughts. Screams and sounds of bending metal followed, and the train crashed. The air was full of death, and Annie saw life slip out of the priest. She passed out.
At the hospital, she began to see and hear voices, the most terrifying being a haunting apparition of the priest. Her doctor subsequently diagnosed her with an anxiety disorder. However, she remained unconvinced since it all seemed too real. In a spur-of-the-moment decision, Annie moved in with the handsome train guy who appeared at her hospital bed and offered his help. She then began digging around her family history and learned of her incredible psychic abilities that she somehow had managed to suppress. Her life was changing fast, and the press invaded her privacy. The priest haunted her, and in efforts to rid herself of him, she unwittingly opened an old case of child kidnappings and murders. Who was the priest, and how true was he to the cloak?
The story instantly hooks the reader right from the in-depth introduction of Annie and her difficult childhood and adult life. Carol-Anne Mason excellently describes the characters, concentrating on their physical attributes and dominant personality traits. This brings them to life, making them realistic and relatable. The description of the scenes, like the train crash, is extensive, including the smell and despair, allowing one to visualize and experience every detail. There are also elements of humor and life lessons embedded in the story, like mental health care and suicide prevention.
My favorite aspect of the book is the excellent character build-up, which creates immense suspense and curiosity. For instance, one starts wondering who the priest is and his background. Similarly, Annie’s boss seems to be more than her hard outer shell, and each encounter with Annie reveals tantalizing details about her and her connection to Annie. My only issue was the lack of emotions and rushed scenes as the story concluded. A lot happens in the final chapters, and there is no time to internalize and stops being realistic.
I found only two minor cases of repetition, evidence of the excellent editing of the novel. There is only one case of profanity, and the language used is simple, making the book suitable for a wide range of readers. However, the book heavily leans on religion, especially Christianity and the Catholic faith, debate on Atheism, and mediums and psychic abilities beliefs. The Accidental Psychic is a captivating read that morphs from a train crash to psychic abilities and all it entails and culminates to heart-breaking serial murders and crime-solving. It also includes elements of romance, hidden family ties, and shocking family relations. I happily give it a rating of 4 out of 4 stars. I recommend The Accidental Psychic to those looking for a read that will take you through a world of paranormal sightings and earth-bound culprits, and suspenseful revelations.
******
The Accidental Psychic
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon