Review Detail

Soul Speaker is a perfect quick read for the Halloween season! The main character, Elara, has the gift to speak with and control the dead. This book gave me vibes of the Jennifer Love Hewitt show, THE GHOST WHISPERER, mixed with a Medieval setting in a fantasy world. This was a great mixture that made it hard to put down until the end.
Princess Elara is kept overprotected in the castle while a war rages between her country and the Elkanians. However, she knows that as Soul Speaker she is the only one with the power to end the war if she can just get past her father’s protections. This is a great premise and it was engaging to see her branch out and use her position to start to gain an understanding of the people’s troubles.
I enjoyed the love interest she has for the captain of the guard, Eon. He has taught her to fight and supported her for years. They were just starting to kiss and explore that they might want a relationship when she makes a deal with the enemy prince, Harland, to go with him back to enemy territory. There is no resolution to her feelings for Eon and a quick changeover to a fated mate's trope with Harland that I wish had been expanded and slowed down a bit to maximize the yearning, confusion, and resolution of her feelings before going to team Harland.
I was a bit surprised by how much of the story took place in the enemy country. The events unfolded quickly. I enjoyed the main events but would have loved to have taken the time to explore the castle, Harland’s life, and confrontations with the king more before she moved on to other people with a stake in the war.
Overall, the setting and premise were fascinating. The length and quick pace moved the story along so that it was easy to read within a day or two. I do wish the characters and events had a bit more build-up.