Hello and welcome back to the first of several Guest Review Wednesdays in a row, hopefully. ^_^ Today we welcome back Jennifer Linsky who has graciously offered to review one of an increasing number of independently published Light Novel- and manga -inspired creations on Kindle.  So let’s settle in and let Jennifer have the floor!

The number one thing I say that I want from lesbian cinema is less lesbian cinema, and more movies that are whatever they are, and happen to include two female characters who kiss each other. So when I saw the light novella I Summoned a Ghost to Be My Girlfriend on Amazon, I figured it was worth the two bucks to buy it and try it out. I’m glad that I did, because it’s the kind of book I enjoy — a book about things.

It was written by “Kyuuen,” which is a pen name for Chris Ing, as he himself says in the author notes at the end. And while I know nothing about Kyuuen as a person, I can tell you two things: he’s a hard-core light novel fan, and he doesn’t actually live in Japan. I know the first of these things because he captures the beats of light novel writing perfectly; I know the second because he puts the characters on a train from Tokyo to Okinawa… a train route which doesn’t exist. But those complaints are easily considered and set aside. What’s more important is that the book has things which make it a joy to read.

Mae, the protagonist, is a high school student at an all-girls school in Tokyo. While on a class trip to a museum, she falls in love at first sight — with a girl who has been dead for eighty years, a girl she sees in a photograph on the wall. She delves into necromancy, and before you know it… well, it’s right there on the cover.

Beatrice, the love interest, reacts surprisingly well to being summoned back to Earth, and begins a campaign to set right the things in Mae’s life which have led to Mae being alone and lonely enough to fall for a dead girl in a photograph. Thus begins a sweet tale about the healing power of love, as Mae gives her love to Beatrice whole-heartedly and unconditionally. In return, Beatrice’s support helps Mae heal the wounds of the betrayals she has suffered.

This is a good book, but it could have been a great book. The antagonist is two-dimensional, a snarling figure of nastiness who never does reveal why she’s nasty. Mae forgives far too easily, and Beatrice is barely examined as a character. If the book had paid more attention to substance while upholding the style with which it is crafted, it could have been a solid ten. As it is, it’s light, it’s fluffy, and the girls do some smooching. What more can you ask for, when all is said and done?

Ratings:

Art – N/A
Story – 6
Characters – 7
Service – 3
Yuri – 10 
Overall – 6

Jennifer Linsky was born in Japan, but grew up mostly in Arizona. She’s the author of Flowers of Luna, available from Amazon or Smashwords, and she tweets sporadically as @walkyrjenny.

Erica here: Well, thank you Jennifer! I’m really glad you took a chance on this and even gladder that you brought it to our attention.