Story: 8
First MC: 8
Second MC: 8
Secondary characters: 8
Mystery: 5
Sexual tension: 5
Humor: 6
Hotness: 3
Product placement: 3
Ridiculousness: 5
Annoying: 3
To re-read: 7
Suspence: 4 ( )

After reading one of Z. A. Maxfields’s St. Nacho’s novels, I wondered what else the author had written and was surprised to find a paranormal gay story in the mix. My curiosity getting the better of me, I dove in.

Nineteen-year-old piano virtuoso Fitz has spent his life placating his stage mother with continual practice and performances. Now that his mother has left him at home alone while she’s in France, Fitz has decided to live it up for once in his life.

His foray into independence begins with making friends with a guy in the Los Angeles music academy they attend. It ends badly when the so-called friend leaves Fitz stuffed in a dumpster behind a gay club after Fitz rejects Garrett’s sexual advances in the bathroom.

To his rescue, after a lot of haggling, come Serge and Julian, ghosts who died during the Holocaust. Together with them, his former half-brother Ari, and a repentant Garrett, Fitz has adventures and grows up in this often funny and always charming story.

Liking Fitz is key to enjoying the novel. His previous life has made him act younger than his years, and through Maxfield’s adept writing, readers will enjoy his accelerated maturation. Because his mother has so completely smothered him, unwrapping Fitz becomes a mix of the comic, tragic, and poignant.

Read the rest of my review at AAR: http://www.likesbooks.com/cgi-bin/bookReview.pl?BookReviewId=9532 ( )

3.5 stars ( )

I thought it was very well written (although I think I noticed at least one name switch), and I loved all the characters. I really felt for Fitz, the boy is so shy and lonely, and just trying to get a life of his own. I did get frustrated with how easily he always forgave Garrett, the rat.

I wasn't sure how the ghost thing was going to work out at first, and initially planned to just skim their parts, but they actually fit into the story quite nicely.
( )

Read for m/m team bingo challenge. ( )