About tangled spirits
Journey to tenth-century Japan in this captivating tale of magic, imperial intrigue, and a friendship that spans a thousand years
2019: Mina Cooper hopes her study-abroad program in Japan will solve her anxiety issues. After all, she’s doing what she loves - studying Japanese language and literature. But she’s still waking up at four am with a racing heart, so Mina decides to change her life, to change herself. And suddenly she has a lot more to be anxious about.
999: Desperately lonely after her mother and sister die in an epidemic, aspiring shaman Lady Masako attempts to summon them. But she’s inexperienced in such rituals and pulls Mina’s spirit into her body instead.
After a struggle for control and a failed exorcism, the two spirits agree to cooperate long enough to get help from the Royal Astrologer, the only person powerful enough to send Mina home.
But his help comes at a cost. If Mina doesn’t pay it, she risks her spirit fusing with Masako’s. And if that happens, she’ll never get home.
Praise for Tangled Spirits
"The story is a heartwarming glimpse into the Heian period of Japan and its mythology. Recommended." - Historical Novels Review
“For anyone unfamiliar with court life in ancient 10th century Japan… this is the book to read.” - Historical Fiction Company
"... well-researched historical setting and infusions of historical literature." - Utopia State of Mind
What Readers Have To Say
“Mina’s journey in Tangled Spirits is the ultimate study-abroad experience, one that will excite and delight many a Japanophile reader. With the unique yet somehow intuitive idea of placing two characters in the same body, plus a dash of spirituality and time travel, it makes the most of its weird and wonderful premise to deliver a story that not only entertains but also has the potential to introduce Heian Japanese history to a new audience and touch readers with a story of friendship not quite like any they’ve read before.”
"What an exciting read! An engrossing tale of friendship, the very real angst of growing up in 2019, change through struggle, environmental issues, sexuality, and beautiful and accurate descriptions of the golden age of Japan and its historical context. It's a page-turner that offers food for thought at every turn, and always remains a delight."