The Crawling Darkness by J.L Bryan (Ellie Jordan, Ghost Trapper #3)

 "An interesting thing about kitchens: while ghosts are most drawn to the dark, deserted areas of the house, typically the attic or basement-or closet, in the case of our current boogeyman-the kitchen, in my experience, tends to be the least haunted area. Maybe it's the fact that kitchens are well-lit, but they're also the center of the activity for the living, the emotional energy constantly churned and refreshed. They're the heart of the home, and I think something about that keeps the restless spirits at bay, hiding in the shadows. There are plenty of exceptions, of course" 

    Ellie Jordan and her team face a dangerous shape-shifting entity that she and her mentor Calvin has once encountered before-the one that led him to being paralyzed. The spirit has the power to reach into the mind of the living and transform into their deepest fears. Unbeknownst to everyone involved, there is even more evil and darkness in the home than anyone imagined...and it's targeting children. In order to save those around her and the individuals in the case, she must defeat the entity before it endangers someone else and claims them for itself. We get some new backstory from Calvin and Stacey, and they're both equally upsetting and haunting. I feel like there is a lot of character development for everyone involved in this case, including Ellie and Jacob. We even meet new characters, who will be a bigger part of the series moving forward, Michael and Melissa! 

    Every part of the book was enjoyable. The writing just keeps you hooked and the balance between the light and dark content is perfect. With every installment it gets scarier, darker, and even more dangerous for the characters. With all that spookiness, it's just as fun and has its lighter moments. This has to be one of my favorite series, but it's definitely something I don't want to read alone late and night!