Review: Lightbringer by K.D. McEntire

Author: K.D. McEntire
Title:Lightbringer
Publication: November 15, 2011
Publisher: PYR
Genre: Paranormal
Pages: 300 pp.
Rating: 4 out of 5
Source: Publisher 

Wendy has the ability to see souls that have not moved on—but she does not seek them out. They seek her. They yearn for her . . . or what she can do for them. Without Wendy’s powers, the Lost, the souls that have died unnaturally young, are doomed to wander in the never forever, and Wendy knows she is the only one who can set them free by sending them into the light.

Each soul costs Wendy, delivering too many souls would be deadly, and yet she is driven to patrol, dropping everyone in her life but her best friend, Eddie—who wants to be more than friends—until she meets Piotr.

Piotr, the first Rider and guardian of the Lost, whose memory of his decades in the never, a world that the living never see, has faded away. With his old-fashioned charms, and haunted kindness, he understands Wendy in ways no one living ever could, yet Wendy is hiding that she can do more than exist in the never. Wendy is falling for a boy who she may have to send into the light. 

But there are darker forces looking for the Lost. Trying to regain the youth and power that the Lost possess, the dark ones feed on the Lost and only Wendy and Piotr can save them—but at what cost?

Lightbringer is a YA urban fantasy/romance set in a world a breath away from our own. Similar in tone to Tithe and Unleashed, Lightbringer tiptoes down the line between love and horror as Wendy discovers herself and the darkest parts of the afterlife.

Thoughts: Fascinating. This book has a good balance of light and dark. Since an accident that resulted in the death of her best friend, Eddie's father, Wendy has been able to see ghosts. She also discovers she comes from long line of Reapers. Her mother begins training her early, she comes off as mean as tries to teach Wendy how to do her duty. The thing is Wendy doesn't really want this responsibility and tires of her mother's constant pressure to be a Reaper. 

One night while she is studying with Eddie, she receives a phone call from her mother, which she decides to let go to voicemail as she has studying to do and she feels that the Shades (souls that are fading) can wait. However, this time she regrets not answering that call because she may have been able to change her mother's fate. Now, determined to only reap the souls that get in her way, she will find her mother. 

She meets Piotr, who has a similar problem, someone is taking all the Lost souls and he is searching for clues to locate them. The trail leads him straight to Wendy and they decide to help one another. He just doesn't know that she is the Lightbringer that he thinks is responsible for the disappearance of the Lost. They begin to develop a friendship that leads to much deeper feelings.

Love triangle alert: What about best friend Eddie? Well, he is in love with her, she just doesn't believe it. I am baffled that she chooses to fall for a ghost and curious how this is going to pan out. 

The writing for me is evenly paced, and I like the development of each of the characters. The narration is told from the perspectives of Wendy and Piotr and I think this works well.This is a fantastic ride full of surprises. Wendy makes for a strong heroine and I love the way this is going. So, I look forward to the next book to find out what happened to Eddie.