Ghosts I Have Loved has such a gorgeous cover and before I knew a single thing about the book itself, I was intrigued by the characters depicted and the vibe it gave off. Ghosts I Have Loved, the first book in The Princess of Bones series, is a dark academia fantasy with Latine characters, a Latine-inspired magical system, and a Latine setting. The characters are fascinating, the magic is morbid yet beautiful, and the rivals-to-lovers plot is one for the ages.
Isa Morales is a Séancera, a death-channler, on the Island of Verdeira. Ghosts I Have Loved is set twenty years after a violent and chaotic conflict that led to the rise of a theocracy, one that has set its sights on eliminating the use of unauthorized death magic, unless, of course, it suits them.
At La Academia de Manifestaciones Psíquicas, Isa and her sworn rival Felix learned how to hone their skills, and as the two best séanceros at La Academia, the two rivals expect their skills will be in high demand among the wealthy in Verdeira now that their education is at an end. Neither of them planned for Xavier Delgado, the front runner in the campaign for the next High Minister and the architect of the tragedy twenty years before, to walz into La Academia and offer them both jobs.
Isa and Felix both have their own reasons for accepting the job, and for getting close to Delgado, reasons that are more similar than they realize. Despite their rivalry, they agree to a temporary truce to accomplish their shared goal. Their plan is simple enough, but the waters are muddied by political intrigue, corruption, and angry spirits serving an angry god.
Both Felix and Isa are both incredibly skilled and incredibly clever and this combination makes them a joy to read.
Their rivalry borders on obsession. Isa and Felix don’t even speal to each other for the first few chapters, and yet the tense attraction between them is palpable. These characters truly jump off the page, and I feel as though I know them so well.
The romance in this book is a slow burn, with lots of build-up and an aggressive sort of flirtation. The spice here is not the main event, but what’s there is sheer perfection. These two made me want to kick my feet and giggle. Felix and Isa have such passion and the dynamic is pure fire.
The lush descriptions of the Island of Verdeira paint a picture of a gorgeous place marred by its rulers. L.B. Black’s writing style is stunning and engaging, with a rich magical system that includes different kinds of spirits and magic, using human bones as a medium.
Ghosts I Have Loved is so unique, so creative, and so compelling. The vibe is that of a Morticia and Gomez prequel but with séances and politics. It truly does not get better than that. L.B. Black may as well have written this book specifically for me.
You could predict what a true believer would do, but a man with no convictions was dangerous.
This story is about Isa and Felix, yes, but it’s also a timely warning about theocracy, In Verdeira, it started with a disaster, then the new government taking over media broadcasts, and then there was an oppressive implementation of the new government’s religious beliefs…sound familiar?
Ghosts I Have Loved ends on an insane cliffhanger and with no release date officially announced yet for the second book, I wanted to cry a little bit. But I would wait a lifetime for Felix and Isa, so it’s fine.
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