The Ravenous Dead by Natasha Hoar

The Ravenous Dead
by Natasha Hoar
Publisher: Carina Press
Publication date: July 16, 2012
Genre: Adult Urban Fantasy
Purchase:Barnes and Noble/Amazon

This time the dead are hungry…
Rachel Miller doesn't just see dead people, she rescues them. As a member of The Order of Rescue Mediums, she spends most of her time helping stubborn spirits move on from the world. But after she learns the details of three brutal murders, she knows the culprit can only be a reaper, an undead monster that relentlessly stalks its victims to feed on their souls. A reaper once consumed the soul of Rachel's mentor as she watched frozen in fear. Now, Rachel is in the role of teacher to Kit Elkeles, a rodach just learning to control his wraithlike powers. After Kit and Rachel rescue a half-vampire, they work to protect him while searching for a way to stop the reaper. But when Rachel realizes who the monster is really after—and just what kind of dark magic she'll need to stop it—will she be able to do what is necessary before it devours one of her friends…or even herself?(synopsis from Goodreads)

The Ravenous Dead is the second novella in the Lost Souls series by Natasha Hoar. This is a fantastic urban fantasy series featuring protagonist Rachel Miller. This tale finds Rachel dealing with a reaper. It delivered suspense, mystery, paranormal creatures and kick-ass action. I quickly consumed this and was left wanting more!

The tale picks up where the Stubborn Dead, the first novella ended. You can read my review of it here. Protagonist Rachel Miller is a rescue medium and a member of the Order of Rescue Mediums. She removes stubborn souls from this world when they wreak havoc here. Kit Elkeles, the rodach she handled in the first novella; is living with her as she trains him to control his wraithlike powers. She gets a call from the city morgue about some strange deaths. They quickly realize they have a reaper on their hands. As they begin searching for it, they end up saving a half-vampire and need to protect him. Rachel has to confront some of her biggest fears as they hunt this creature and stop the killings. The tale that unfolds is suspenseful as they scramble to contain the reaper. 

I love the characters in Hoar’s novels. Rachel has had one heck of a messed up life, but she is dedicated to the cause and is totally kick-ass in the rescue department. This case however shakes loose some of her old childhood fears and she falters. Kit has to step in and assist. Kit is adorable, inquisitive, and all male. I think he has a little thing going for Rachel. While there is no romance in this tale, something is brewing between these two and I cannot wait to see it unfold. Luke is the half-vampire they save and I am anxious to learn more about him. We meet other characters and some old ones who help round out this tale.

The world-building in this series is action packed and I am beginning to have a sense of all the paranormal players in this world. While each novella could be read as a standalone there is a side plot that builds with each tale. Something or someone is watching/wants Rachel dead. This adds additional suspense and I cannot wait to see how it plays out. I love the supernatural creatures that appear in this series and love learning about the different orders and rules. We get to see a vulnerable side to Rachel and I liked getting to know her better. The plot possibilities are endless and Hoar’s writing style makes them a pleasure to read. My only complaint; I want more. I am hoping these develop into full length novels!

Ravenous Dead and the Lost Souls trilogy is a must for fans of urban fantasy.  I quickly consumed this in one sitting and cannot wait for the next chapter. I have added this author to my list and look forward to reading more of her work.

I want to thank Carina Press and netGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for my unbiased review.

I gave this novella 4 coffee cups out of 5.