Helpful Score: 5
First let me say that if you are really wanting to read this book, order it you will be very glad.
Sci-fi, Paranormal, and Urban Fantasy.
Rebekkah Barrow must return to the small town of Claysville-- the town she's been trying to escape most of her life-- to attend her beloved grandmother's funeral. Many times as a child Bek would accompany Maylene, and she never forgot the peculiar ritual her grandmother would always perform: she would take three sips from a silver flask and say, "Sleep well, and stay where I put you."
This book was like none other I have read, ever. I read this book in 1 day. This is all I did was read, I couldn't walk away and pick it up later.
Very intersting story line. Working with the dead is interesting but I'm not so sure I would like to have inherited this job but once you have it, its yours until you die.
Loved it and will be keeping it for my own personal library. Happy reading to you all. You will find that this books is not what you think and it will devour you when you do...
Sci-fi, Paranormal, and Urban Fantasy.
Rebekkah Barrow must return to the small town of Claysville-- the town she's been trying to escape most of her life-- to attend her beloved grandmother's funeral. Many times as a child Bek would accompany Maylene, and she never forgot the peculiar ritual her grandmother would always perform: she would take three sips from a silver flask and say, "Sleep well, and stay where I put you."
This book was like none other I have read, ever. I read this book in 1 day. This is all I did was read, I couldn't walk away and pick it up later.
Very intersting story line. Working with the dead is interesting but I'm not so sure I would like to have inherited this job but once you have it, its yours until you die.
Loved it and will be keeping it for my own personal library. Happy reading to you all. You will find that this books is not what you think and it will devour you when you do...
Helpful Score: 4
Ok since apparently the only people who have reviewed this book so far don't even like the fantasy genre I'll give a stab at making a review for you guys from someone who does enjoy the genre.
I loved this book. All and I mean all of the characters were unique and very well though out. As with all of Melissa Marr's books there is a sinister secret that must be uncovered and a secret world. The story is told from at least 7 (maybe more) different character points of view usually I mind this but it was father a smooth transition from character to character in this book
I don't read a lot of zombie books so I'm not sure but I think that this was a totally unique outlook on zombies. Usually in the zombie books I've read or the shows I've watched there is some virus that creates the zombies, or some voodoo queen/king that raises them, there are none of those things in this book. In this book all that are born in Claysville must be burred there and there grave must be minded or they will rise. It is the job of the graveminder to keep the dead in the ground.
Rebekkah has had a hard life, bad things have happened in her past. However now she must go home to the place and the man she had been running from for the last nine years.
Also there are dark parts to this book but none of it was really creepy to me. I was not creeped out by the land of the dead or the characters there. I was not upset by anything written in the book and overall it could have use a little more creep factor truthfully. It was however with out that a very entertaining book that kept me turning the pages for the last 4 hours. I read it straight through not putting it down once.
I loved this book. All and I mean all of the characters were unique and very well though out. As with all of Melissa Marr's books there is a sinister secret that must be uncovered and a secret world. The story is told from at least 7 (maybe more) different character points of view usually I mind this but it was father a smooth transition from character to character in this book
I don't read a lot of zombie books so I'm not sure but I think that this was a totally unique outlook on zombies. Usually in the zombie books I've read or the shows I've watched there is some virus that creates the zombies, or some voodoo queen/king that raises them, there are none of those things in this book. In this book all that are born in Claysville must be burred there and there grave must be minded or they will rise. It is the job of the graveminder to keep the dead in the ground.
Rebekkah has had a hard life, bad things have happened in her past. However now she must go home to the place and the man she had been running from for the last nine years.
Also there are dark parts to this book but none of it was really creepy to me. I was not creeped out by the land of the dead or the characters there. I was not upset by anything written in the book and overall it could have use a little more creep factor truthfully. It was however with out that a very entertaining book that kept me turning the pages for the last 4 hours. I read it straight through not putting it down once.
Helpful Score: 3
First Line: Maylene put one hand atop the stone for support; pulling herself up from the soil got harder every year.
Rebekkah Barrow must return to the small town of Claysville-- the town she's been trying to escape most of her life-- to attend her beloved grandmother's funeral. Many times as a child Bek would accompany Maylene, and she never forgot the peculiar ritual her grandmother would always perform: she would take three sips from a silver flask and say, "Sleep well, and stay where I put you."
As Bek stays in her grandmother's home, she discovers that there is more than meets the eye in Claysville's strange funeral rituals. The worlds of the living and the dead are dangerously connected in this town, and if the dead are not properly cared for, they will return to the land of the living to sate themselves with food, drink, and stories. Only the Graveminder-- a role that Bek has inherited-- and the Undertaker--Byron Montgomery, a man with whom Bek shares a complicated past-- can set things right once the dead begin to walk.
I was sent this book by the publicist unsolicited, which can be a very dangerous thing. I am under no obligation to read or review books I haven't requested. To add to the mix, fantasy is not a genre that I care for. But something about this book caught my eye, and the book did hold my interest throughout.
Bek and Byron are both well-drawn characters, and I sympathized with their previous attempts to avoid what they didn't realize was their destiny. The descriptions of the land of the dead and the people who live there were creepy and made me uneasy, and the dead walking in Claysville actually gave me the shivers.
Only two things marred this book for me. The person behind all the evil doings was easily deduced, which took away some of the suspense. Also, even though Bek and Byron were new to their roles, by the end when they were surrounded by a group of the "bad guys", they dispatched them very easily off stage. I feel the suspense would have been ratcheted up even more if everything had been kept on stage and if they'd had more problems in trying to set things right.
Am I now hooked on the fantasy genre? No. But I did enjoy reading this book. I would imagine that fans of this type of book will enjoy it even more than I did.
Rebekkah Barrow must return to the small town of Claysville-- the town she's been trying to escape most of her life-- to attend her beloved grandmother's funeral. Many times as a child Bek would accompany Maylene, and she never forgot the peculiar ritual her grandmother would always perform: she would take three sips from a silver flask and say, "Sleep well, and stay where I put you."
As Bek stays in her grandmother's home, she discovers that there is more than meets the eye in Claysville's strange funeral rituals. The worlds of the living and the dead are dangerously connected in this town, and if the dead are not properly cared for, they will return to the land of the living to sate themselves with food, drink, and stories. Only the Graveminder-- a role that Bek has inherited-- and the Undertaker--Byron Montgomery, a man with whom Bek shares a complicated past-- can set things right once the dead begin to walk.
I was sent this book by the publicist unsolicited, which can be a very dangerous thing. I am under no obligation to read or review books I haven't requested. To add to the mix, fantasy is not a genre that I care for. But something about this book caught my eye, and the book did hold my interest throughout.
Bek and Byron are both well-drawn characters, and I sympathized with their previous attempts to avoid what they didn't realize was their destiny. The descriptions of the land of the dead and the people who live there were creepy and made me uneasy, and the dead walking in Claysville actually gave me the shivers.
Only two things marred this book for me. The person behind all the evil doings was easily deduced, which took away some of the suspense. Also, even though Bek and Byron were new to their roles, by the end when they were surrounded by a group of the "bad guys", they dispatched them very easily off stage. I feel the suspense would have been ratcheted up even more if everything had been kept on stage and if they'd had more problems in trying to set things right.
Am I now hooked on the fantasy genre? No. But I did enjoy reading this book. I would imagine that fans of this type of book will enjoy it even more than I did.
Helpful Score: 2
A perfect spooky summer read! Rebekkah and Byron are unaware of the destiny that awaits them as the Graveminder and Undertaker for the small town where they were born. She must tend to graves to prevent the dead from rising, and he must protect her. Page turning!
I don't read much paranormal stuff (which I assume this would be categorized as), but this was something different. I would be very interseted in reading more books if this were to develop into a series.
Helpful Score: 2
I AM a fan of Sci-fi, Paranormal, and Urban Fantasy. I usually am not a fan of Melissa Marr, but this book caught my attention. I was hooked from the first time I read the words "Three sips to mind the dead"...and "Sleep well, and stay where I put you".
The characters were well developed, and the plot kept my attention throughout the book. The fact that Claysville has some dark secrets and a centuries-old bargain was also a selling feature of the book.
Overall I thought the book was a great read!
The characters were well developed, and the plot kept my attention throughout the book. The fact that Claysville has some dark secrets and a centuries-old bargain was also a selling feature of the book.
Overall I thought the book was a great read!
This is an amazing tale, another book I couldn't put down. I hope there is a book two, because I did not want this book to end.
Excellent concept for a book.
A pair, the Undertaker and the Graveminder. They work together to keep the dead--DEAD! I loved the worlds the author created within this book. The real world as well as the underworld.
This is a book NOT to be missed. I thought it was unique, superb, "unputdownable" and down right Fantastic!
I didn't know this was a book one, though throughout it I felt that something like that might happen. I now look very forward to book 2!
A pair, the Undertaker and the Graveminder. They work together to keep the dead--DEAD! I loved the worlds the author created within this book. The real world as well as the underworld.
This is a book NOT to be missed. I thought it was unique, superb, "unputdownable" and down right Fantastic!
I didn't know this was a book one, though throughout it I felt that something like that might happen. I now look very forward to book 2!
Interesting book 7 1/2 out of 10
Being a fan of the "Wicked Lovely" books, I expected this to be... at least decent. That it was marketed as a not-YA book, I had hopes it would be intelligent and sophisticated.
Unfortunately, it reads more like an abandoned first novel before she got a better idea. It's just... sloppy and weak and self indulgent. I've read fan fiction that meandered less.
The heroine behaves like a lost 16 yr old. I don't have any empathy for her. The history of the family takes too long, and the ghosts disappearing randomly isn't ever explained. Everything getting explained away smacks of plot holes being filled in.
I liked the concept, but the execution was lacking.
Unfortunately, it reads more like an abandoned first novel before she got a better idea. It's just... sloppy and weak and self indulgent. I've read fan fiction that meandered less.
The heroine behaves like a lost 16 yr old. I don't have any empathy for her. The history of the family takes too long, and the ghosts disappearing randomly isn't ever explained. Everything getting explained away smacks of plot holes being filled in.
I liked the concept, but the execution was lacking.
I did not like this book but then again I hate all things zombie so that could explain it. I found the journey to death that both Rebekkah and Byron traveled to be rather boring. I understand that keeping the dead in the ground is a serious matter but there was absolutely zero levity in this book. It just dragged from one ghoulish incident to another. It did end well but it seemed rather pat and too easily done by two novices.
This book got rave reviews so I expected more from it than I got. Case in point:
"Sexy, charming something harrowing." -Locus. Who the hell is Locus and what book did they read because it certainly wasn't this one! There wasn't anything sexy or charming about this story or it's characters.
This book got rave reviews so I expected more from it than I got. Case in point:
"Sexy, charming something harrowing." -Locus. Who the hell is Locus and what book did they read because it certainly wasn't this one! There wasn't anything sexy or charming about this story or it's characters.
I started this book twice, then I read the review & didn't finish it..I wish I had read the review earlier so I never would have purchased it in the first place...
