Warning: Spoilers

"Reese's second gothic-style novel is an involving, richly detailed chronicle of witchcraft along the eastern U.S. in the early 1800s. Herculine, newly arrived in the U.S. after the adventures described in Reese's The Book of Shadows (2002), is suddenly involved in righting the wrongs committed in a community of Virginia slaves. Encounters with the dead become major touch points for Herculine, drawing her deeper into her own supernatural power and giving her strengths she must constantly explore and hone. Reese's extensive research is apparent in his weaving of real historical characters into the story; most striking is his inclusion of the stories of Native American battles in Florida, where legends such as chiefs Micanopy and Osceola come to life in stunning detail. No less vivid are the characters Reese creates himself: the strange and beautiful witches of the Cyprian House brothel in New York, the rotting and shrill ghost of Eliza Arnold Hopkins Poe (mother of Edgar Allen Poe), a witch named Sweet Marie who furiously guards the fountain of youth in a secret location in the Florida swampland, and Herculine, the protagonist half-man/half-woman witch whose story is so painstakingly told to the ages through his/her own Book of Shadows. Part historical fiction, part supernatural tale, this is difficult to put down and will surely delight fans of Reese's first novel as well as convert new readers to his fascinating style."
   —BOOKLIST July 2005



"James Reese's startling second novel is filled with magic and heartbreak, eerie, unforgettable characters and the heady atmosphere of a bygone era brought deftly to life. It is a sumptuous feast for the senses."
   —Eric Van Lustbader, bestselling author



"Tampa author James Reese has delivered the second in a planned trilogy — equal parts fantasy, mystery, ghost story, history, physics, philosophy and travelogue — extensively researched, intense and always colorful."
   —Tampa Tribune



"The Book of Spirits is as lush and engaging as its predecessor, with the same leisurely prose. Reese has assuredly set up the conflict between power and responsibility for his heroine, and one waits to see what she will do next."
   —The Times-Picayune



"The Book of Spirits is exceptionally well researched. One gets the feeling that Reese wanted to recount history in a new and different way, so he used witches and spirits as his medium. It flows with prose so beautiful that it borders on poetry. But, beware, it is not for the faint of heart. Fans of Anne Rice will relish this newcomer with his talent for the Gothic tale, spun with his darkly witty and bizarre imagination."
   —BookReporter.com (read the full review here)



"Reese happily places his novels in the gothic genre, but he is adamant that hermaphroditism and witchcraft are metaphors for an outsider's existence and the universal discovery of one's innate talents. His novels could also be labeled historical fiction, erotica and fantasy. Whatever the genre, Reese's books certainly explore the arcane."
   —Gambit, New Orleans (read the full review here)