Donn’s Hill by Caryn Larrinaga

I received this book for free from BookSprout to facilitate my review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

"Grief can change us... shift the way we look at the world..."
Mackenzie Clair needs a fresh start. The death of her father and a broken relationship rendered her old life unlivable. What better place to build a new one than Donn's Hill, the most haunted town in America and her favorite childhood vacation spot?
But returning to Donn's Hill awakens more than nostalgia. As memories resurface, so does a lost psychic ability to talk to the dead... a power the poltergeist haunting Mac's apartment is eager to use.
Aided by her new roommate--a spirited Tortoiseshell cat named Striker--and the ghost-hunting crew of the Soul Searchers, Mac struggles to control her newfound talents. She'd better get a handle on them fast, because someone in town is hiding a deadly secret. If Mac can't divine the truth, Donn's Hill will never be the same.

Donn’s Hill is a horror/mystery/thriller that involves the paranormal. As such, I knew I had to give it a shot. I wasn’t disappointed.

Donn’s Hill is Caryn Larrinaga’s debut novel. As such, it does suffer a bit from “first book syndrome” but in all honesty, it doesn’t really detract from the story. This one needs the long set-up to make it as impactful as it is. Not to mention this is the first book in a series, which makes it even more forgivable that the set-up takes as long as it does.

I really like Mac. She’s funny, she’s not overly happy with her gift at first, and honestly, she’s just an all-around likable character. I also like Graham and Kit a lot. I’m on the fence about Penelope – I hated her at first, but things settled down and I don’t quite hate her anymore. Of course, as a cat lover, I definitely love Striker.

I have a copy of Donn’s Shadow, the second book in the series and I can’t wait to get started on it because I’m sure it’s going to be just as amazing as the first book. After all, there’s still a ghost that might be harming people to get rid of.