Review - The Soulkeepers by G.P. Ching

The Soulkeepers by G.P. Ching
Released: March 21, 2011
Publisher: DarkSide Publishing
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 310 pages
Format: ebook
Source: Kindle
Rating: 2/5
Author Site: G.P. Ching

When fifteen-year-old Jacob Lau is pulled from the crumpled remains of his mother's car, no one can explain why he was driving or why the police can't find his mother's body. A beautiful and mysterious neighbor offers to use her unique abilities to help him find his mom. But in exchange she requires Jacob to train as a Soulkeeper, a protector of human souls. He agrees to her demands, desperate for any clue to the mystery of his mother's disappearance. But soon Jacob finds himself trapped in a web of half-truths, and questions her motives for helping him.

Sadly I had a hard time with The Soulkeepers. I really don't know if it was the religious parts or what but I can say I would have found it a bit more enjoyable if they had not been thrown in. I just don't think I needed to know every few chapters who believed what and who didn't. I just felt like it should have been mentioned in the synopsis somehow but instead when I read the above synopsis I had no clue about all the religious parts inside.

There were some other parts in the story that I really didn't get or see why they mattered either like what difference did it make if his mom was Chinese or why did the grandfather stipulate in his will that the family business could only be passed to a male heir when he knew nothing of Jacob and only knew his other child had a daughter? I also had a hard time wondering why Uncle John seemed to welcome Jacob with open arms but it was his wife and daughter who dissed Jacob?

Other than that Jacob's character was very fleshed out and it was interesting following him thru his many life changes and obstacles to find his mom and even fall in love. This was just not the book for me it would seem and I just don't see me continuing with the series.