Ghosts and Grudges is the first book in Jasmine Walt’s Shaman Queen Saga. I loved the premise of this story – ancient Japanese mythology meets the twenty-first century – but it didn’t really work for me.
Aika’s life is stressful enough with studying medicine and running the family restaurant while nursing her mother through cancer. Things get really crazy for her though when she starts seeing spirits. A young shaman, Raiden, saves her from a malevolent spirit and then declares Aika too, is a shaman. Aika is reluctant to believe it but when her dying mother is kidnapped by a spirit she is forced to face her destiny. If Aika is to save her mother she has much to learn before she confronts the most dangerous of ancient spirits, one who has a two thousand year head start on her.
The plot is imaginative and engaging, and moves along at a nice pace. I found the constant pop culture references that were meant to give the story a modern feel, annoyed me after a while though. Also, the story didn’t end. It just paused. Before for the next instalment in the series. I felt cheated.
It’s a cute story and entertaining enough.
3 stars