The Raven Mocker by Aiden James

[michael_smith]

Four out of four stars

The Raven Mocker was only the second book that I had ever read by Aiden James. It is the sequel to The Curse of Allie Mae. I enjoyed it so much that I could barely put it down. Every page seemed like it brought on a new plot twist. I think that Aiden James really does justice to paranormal fiction. I actually found this series while I was looking for another book on Cades Cove, which is a place close to home for me that I love to visit. I enjoy reading books about the paranormal, whether fiction or nonfiction, and The Raven Mocker was a worthwhile read.

David Hobbs, the central character of this story, has already wrestled with one ghost from his family's past, Allie Mae McCormick. He believes he has overcome the curse that has haunted his family for generations. However, the unearthing of Allie Mae's body also uncovers spirits even more powerful, dangerous and evil than Allie Mae, and David's dealings with this spirit form the storyline for this book. I think that James does a great job of fleshing out the idea that there are ghosts in everyone's past, whether personally or through family history.

After putting the ghost of Allie Mae to rest in the first book of this series, the story of the Raven Mocker opens with David believing that everything in his life has gone back to normal after the ghost had rocked his entire world. In the first chapters, we see that David is even trying to right old wrongs and bring his family back together, by inviting his aunt from Chattanooga, Tennessee to visit them at their home in Denver, Colorado. When bad things begin to happen again and apparitions start to appear, it becomes obvious that whatever force gave Allie Mae her tormenting powers is back to trouble David again, and kill him and his loved ones in the process.

When things that are buried in our past come to light, how do we deal with them, especially if it is something big enough to destroy us? Aiden James answers this question well, in putting David face to face with his enemy. To conquer this new spirit, David will have to go back to Cades Cove in Tennessee where it all began, and even beyond. With the help of an old friend, John Running Deer (who, along with his family, adds a touch of Native American spirituality), even this demon can be conquered, although it might cost David all that he holds dear.

I would recommend The Raven Mocker, along with its prequel, The Curse of Allie Mae, to anyone who enjoys paranormal writing with ghosts and demons. It is definitely worth your time to read, and I cannot wait until the third installment in the series comes out in 2015.