MORTAL MAPPING

Mortal Mapping and Melancholy

(4th book in the Afterlife Series)

Reviews below book description

Penny Lane’s afterlife adventures continue at the elite Apollo Academy. Now the bonds of true friendship and loyalty are tested as she faces the hardest lesson of her afterlife.

PENNY LANE SURE HAS GONE through a lot since her death. She’s mastered the job of melting, has served as a counselor in a ghost retrieval unit, and had even been thrown into involuntary time travel. Now she is in for the biggest adventure of her life: she is going to school!

Penny and her handsome friend, Avery, have been handed their new assignments as students at the elite Apollo Academy, but the biggest lesson for Penny isn’t one assigned by any teacher. Penny is about to learn that things don’t always go the way she hopes they will. Her closest friend, the archangel Eric, has been sent away on a mysterious mission, and now Avery seems to have lost interest in her. Poor Penny can’t ﬁgure out why all of her other friends back home have mysteriously abandoned her.

But not all hope is lost. As Penny struggles to understand why she has found herself suddenly alone, she is comforted by her new companions, classmates Elly and Alexander.

She must try and ﬁnd the answers before her despair sends her to the underground.

REVIEWS

AMAZON

Mortal Mapping and Melancholy - Bambi Harris, Inner-Strength and Isolation October 8, 2012
By Classic Ed
Format:Kindle Edition

In Mortal Mapping and Melancholy, the fourth volume of the Afterlife Series, Bambi Harris takes us into the depths of the human soul, as Penny Lane, without the assis
tance of her usual entourage, must struggle through her lessons at the prestigious Apollo Academy. Of course, the audience is introduced to new characters, including the awkward Alexander, the ever invigorated Jeremiah, and the enigmatic Eleanor Rigby. The author injects her usual flair in creating this world within a world, as we are treated to the magnificence of the grecian campus, a swashbuckling adventure on a pirate ship, and the power of a hurricane.
The true strength of this volume, however, is the intimate portrait of Penny Lane. Through Ms. Harris' emotional prose, we understand Penny's despair as she faces her worst fears in perhaps her most harrowing journey. Penny must face rejection and isolation in an unfamiliar situation and the audience must endure this darkness with her. Of course, the author does manage to fit in an ample amount of her trademark humor and quirkiness, especially with our resident 80's geek, Alexander, and the ever witty and larger than life Jeremiah cheering Penny on through these tough times.
Showing her growth as an author, Bambi Harris successfully scales down the world of the Afterlife series to bring us relatable characters, situations, and themes that transcend the fantasy genre. Highly recommended to fans of the series, and the world at large.

Mortal Mapping and Melancholy - Bambi Harris, December 18, 2011

By

Boudica

This review is from: Mortal Mapping and Melancholy:Book Four of the Afterlife Series (Kindle Edition)
I have been thoroughly enjoying the Afterlife series. This latest episode starts on Penny's Third Death Day Anniversary.

Penny Lane is off to school - Apollo Academy. She embarks on this journey with Avery, and Penny is in good but cautious spirits. While this could be a great adventure, it doesn't feel right to her. She is leaving all that is familiar and going off to school. Eric will be off on an assignment, as will most of her other friends. At least Avery will be there with her.

We are introduced to a new cast of characters. Penny meets Avery's brother, Alexander, at the school. Avery is assigned different courses than she is taking, which greatly disappoints Penny. But she is in class with Alexander, which is reassuring. She also meets her "go-go" roommate - Eleanor Rigby. Elly has a liking for 60s décor and being right there with everything you need. And they will be attending class together, under the watchful eye of Jeremiah Silk, their teacher.

But separated from her friends, those she considers to be her family, creates complications for Penny. She is lost, she is lonely, and Avery seems to be wrapped up in all sorts of other things - they never get to spend any time with each other. I was reminded of kids going off to college and being homesick. Penny does not take too well to this. Rufus was left at home, as no pets are allowed on campus, and she finds herself alone amongst strangers.

She also encounters the "school bullies," a collection of girls with attitude and mouths. It becomes painfully clear that Penny is not comfortable in school nor does she like being separated from the friends she has come to know, love and depend on.

But that is the challenge here. School becomes secondary to the real lesson that needs to be learned. Penny has to face her own inner conflicts - her own issues with self-esteem or in this case, a very severe lack of it. And we are off on a journey of learning, making new friends and Penny discovering her own inner self worth.

The book is not just entertaining this time around. We have the usual characters - Roy, Eric, Avery and Rufus. But we also have a new set of interesting players. Alexander Avery's younger brother, and he expresses some romantic interests in Penny. Elley, however, is an enigma. She attends class but seems to be much more than just another spirit. Could she be another Angel who is there to watch over her? She's helpful, but never too helpful... and can do things no one else can.

I found myself drawn deeper into this particular story than the others. I was just as puzzled at her friend's reactions to her, the drifting apart as it were. I again was reminded of many instances where we find ourselves drifting apart from family and friends, and how hard that separation can be. But I also hoped that Penny would find what she needed the most - inner strength and self-confidence. This kept me clicking the pages of my Kindle right to the end. And there are some wonderful spins and twists to the plot that will keep your interest right to the end of the book.

Bambi Harris has taken a turn in her writing, making it not just an entertaining story this time through, but also a book aimed at strengthening each person as they travel the lonely roads sometimes. She gives Penny a new inner character, a new reason to believe, and it is infectious enough to be passed on to the reader. Penny has become more than just another interesting character, she has become human, and with that, she becomes more than just another paranormal fiction character, she becomes an outstanding fictional character.

I am in love with the Afterlife series, and highly recommend these books to anyone looking for good reads. Bambi Harris is an outstanding author.

5.0 out of 5 stars Best One Yet, October 13, 2011

By

Kim Murray- See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)

This review is from: Mortal Mapping and Melancholy: Book Four of the Afterlife Series (Hardcover)
I have read all of Bambi's book and they have all been wonderful. This last book was just the best. There were alot of surprises that just amazed me and the creativity that went into writing this was incredible. Things happened that you could only dream of happening in real life. This was just the best I could not put it down. I can't wait for the future books to come out I am impressed.

5.0 out of 5 stars I'm addicted to this series!, October 10, 2011

By

Fox Mulder "mash 4077"(United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mortal Mapping and Melancholy: Book Four of the Afterlife Series (Paperback)
I've never read anything like this, so much fun, and anything set in the afterlife is cool!
What an emotional roller coaster for poor penny but as usual Ms. Harris ties it up nicely at the end. I enjoyed the book from the start to finish. Penny has met some new friends and they are a great addition to the series. I love all the characters, the same old gang. I cant wait for the next adventure.