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Last summer, I enjoyed Angie Smibert’s book Bone’s Gift. This summer, it was such a delight to read book #2, Lingering Echoes. WOW! It doesn’t happen often, but I actually enjoyed this book even more than the first one.

Though you could probably read this as a standalone, I highly recommend that you read Bone’s Gift first. It is a great introduction to the characters, who seem to believe that it takes a village to raise a child. In Lingering Echoes, these characters play even larger roles in Bone’s life, and that’s what I loved. Uncle Ash takes a special interest in helping Bone to fine-tune her Gift, and Bone’s best friend Will takes the plost spotlight. It was perfection.

I added a few things to my unwritten bucket list after reading Lingering Echoes! First, the book describes “fairy stones,” which I’d never heard of before. I’ve already told my husband that we need to make a trip to that park! I also loved the ghost stories that Bone told, especially after learning that they are traditional tales told in Virginia.

Lingering Echoes is exactly the type of paranormal story I enjoy. It’s hard to remember that Bone is just 12 years old; I kept thinking that there would be a sweet romance or something in the works. Book #2 seemed to pick up shortly after the first book left off, so the characters are still a bit young yet. This makes it ideal for middle grade readers who don’t want something terribly scary but enjoy a bit of spookiness. Though a little short (you can read it in just a few hours), this is a 5-star book for me!