Last Dance (Book Two in “The Seer” series) by Linda Joy Singleton © 2005

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Last Dance  (Book Two in “The Seer” series)  by  Linda Joy Singleton  © 2005  Llewellyn  ISBN  0-7387-0638-8   242 pages  paperback  $5.99  (U.S.)  $7.95    (Canada)

 

I have really begun to enjoy Ms. Singleton’s writings.  Her stories have the feel of realism about them, whether we are dealing with her “serious” series (The Seer, the {fill in the color] is for [ ]), or her more whimsical series (Strange Encounters).  Her heroines (all of major protagonists are female and empowering) don’t run around the neighbor-hood proclaiming their abilities.  As teen girls they are more concerned with fitting in than with standing out.

 

Unlike a lot of series, which are a series of distinct stories, The Seer series looks to be one continuous story broken down into easily handled segments.  Consequently Last Dance picks up exactly where Don’t Die, Dragonfly stopped (you can see last year’s review in the archives).  Sabine Rose’s concern for her ailing grandmother is increasing; her distrust of Dominic (a handyman her grandmother has hired) is definitely not decreasing; and her fear of being “outted” as a psychic is climbing off the charts.  Sounds like your typical high school girl’s life to me.

 

The fact that she was forced out of her last school because of the distrust engendered after she warned a schoolmate about a danger which proved fatal (and others blamed her, as if her knowledge had caused the tragedy) definitely increases her desire to be, or at least to appear to be, as normal as all the other kids at school.

 

Only two of her classmates have any idea of her psychic ability and, much to her surprise, they have not only not run screaming in horror but have actually accepted her.  They have helped her with their own unique capabilities (Manny is a computer genius and Thorn is an extremely reluctant psychometrist).

 

In this story, Thorn offers to drive Sabine to talk with someone who might be able to give her a lead on the book of remedies she needs to help her grandmother.  There are complications, however, as you might expect.  Thorn, a Goth girl extraordinaire, goes into a restroom.  When Sabine goes looking for her, there is only an extremely young looking, very conventional appearing young lady.  Surprise!  Thorn is going to visit an aunt who knows nothing about her Goth-ness, and is transforming herself into the “good girl” she knows.

 

Once they arrive at the aunt’s town (and Sabine discovers that Thorn is actually named Beth) things start going wrong.  They get caught in traffic jams; go to visit a celebration of a ghost’s appearance.  Then the woman they have come to see isn’t there, and continues to be delayed in returning.

 

Sabine encounters the local ghost, who is waiting for her long-lost lover to come back; is warned off from trying to send her on her way to “the light,” lest she ruin a real money making opportunity; and is possessed by the spirit of Chloe (the ghost in question).

 

This is a fun book to read.  There are no great lessons to be learned, no huge surprises, just an enjoyable story with characters you can identify with and care about.  If you are looking for an enjoyable read for the summer months, this is one book you can put in the stack.

 

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