Helpful Score: 2
I love Stevens writing! This story has more action and we learn a ton about Amelia. These new characters don't give up information easily in this book, but you do learn the answers to most of the mystery and why Amelia can see ghosts.
The book grabbed a hold of me and I finished it quickly. I am excited to see what happens next in The Prophet.
The book grabbed a hold of me and I finished it quickly. I am excited to see what happens next in The Prophet.
Helpful Score: 2
I just love her stories, they are woven with a little southern superstition, supernatural mystery, and a group of odd characters. I discovered her books years ago with Dollmaker, and she just has a great way of telling a story. This is part 2 of a series that takes Amelia to another cemetery to restore. Amelia needed to get away from Charleston, and Devlin, for awhile and this seemed like the perfect way. But little did Amelia know that she was escaping from one mystery straight into another. This one with a begining that started off decades ago. Thane, Angus, and Tilly are great characters to add to the plot. And the Blue Ridge Mountains sets the supernatural mystery perfectly. I can't wait to get into book 3....
http://texasreader-stacy.blogspot.com
www.goodreads.com/whatstacy
http://texasreader-stacy.blogspot.com
www.goodreads.com/whatstacy
Helpful Score: 1
Amelia Gray has been hired to restore Thornhill Cemetery in the mountains of South Carolina. This is not the Thornhill Cemetery that was flooded and lays at the bottom of Bell Lake. This is the newer cemetery that was donated to the town by the Asher family. Amelia finds the secluded cemetery creepy. Actually, the whole town is creepy. A ghost of a young woman hovers near the lake. Another ghost or demon slinks around the cemetery. Amelia knows not to acknowledge them, but she feels they are trying to contact her for a reason. When Amelia finds a grave outside of the cemetery, she mentions it to the people of the town. Suddenly someone wants Amelia to leave town...on her own or in a casket.
The second book in the Graveyard Queen series quickly pulls you into the story. An anonymous donor wanted Amelia hired for the restoration job. Was there a reason they wanted her to come to this town? Does Amelia have a personal connection to the town? Why is everyone who lives in this town so strange?
I thought the story had a strong beginning, but I kind of lost interest in the second half. Amelia did some things that I thought were just stupid. She was bordering on becoming a TSTL character. I also missed the setting of Charleston in the first book. It was a character in itself. This small town was just weird. I would have been running back home after the first night. My rating: 4 Stars.
The second book in the Graveyard Queen series quickly pulls you into the story. An anonymous donor wanted Amelia hired for the restoration job. Was there a reason they wanted her to come to this town? Does Amelia have a personal connection to the town? Why is everyone who lives in this town so strange?
I thought the story had a strong beginning, but I kind of lost interest in the second half. Amelia did some things that I thought were just stupid. She was bordering on becoming a TSTL character. I also missed the setting of Charleston in the first book. It was a character in itself. This small town was just weird. I would have been running back home after the first night. My rating: 4 Stars.
Helpful Score: 1
I had never read this author before and the series caught my attention because it was about cemeteries. I'm a genealogist and love cemeteries, so I had to read it and wasn't dissappointed!
The whole series is great but I think this was my favorite of the three books. As already mentioned, this could be read as a stand alone (because it takes place away from the main setting of Charleston and most of the characters from books 1 & 3) but it would make more sense to read them in order and you will want to read all three!
Ethereal settings, descriptive writing and engaging plot lines, make this series a great read. It's billed as a paranormal romance but mystery fans will find plenty to like about it too. Somewhat dark in nature, if you scare easily don't read these on your own or too late at night!
The whole series is great but I think this was my favorite of the three books. As already mentioned, this could be read as a stand alone (because it takes place away from the main setting of Charleston and most of the characters from books 1 & 3) but it would make more sense to read them in order and you will want to read all three!
Ethereal settings, descriptive writing and engaging plot lines, make this series a great read. It's billed as a paranormal romance but mystery fans will find plenty to like about it too. Somewhat dark in nature, if you scare easily don't read these on your own or too late at night!
Helpful Score: 1
I enjoyed this book very much. I found it almost as good as the first one. It can be read as a stand alone which is also a plus if you have not read the first one.
Helpful Score: 1
This is book 2 in the series - it's best to start with book 1.
Amelia Gray grew up around graveyards since her father was the caretaker of Rosehill Cemetery - a place Amelia counts as one of her favorite places to be, one of the safest. Amelia can also see ghosts, but she studiously ignores their presence, just as her father taught her to do, lest they sap her life energy from her. In the first book Amelia broke that rule and now she has opened the door to spirits who are insistent in this installment that Amelia feel them reaching out to her.
She travels to Asher Falls to restore the long-neglected Thorngate cemetery. Told in first person point of view, Stevens brings Amelia brilliantly to life along with a cast of creepy characters with secrets they would prefer that Amelia doesn't uncover. This book contained a little more of the paranormal and wicked than the last installment. Though this is categorized as paranormal romance, it is so much more than that. Sure, there's a little sprinkle of romance in the story, but it's mostly an extremely well-crafted, perfectly-plotted thriller. I absolutely can't wait to read the next book in the series!
Amelia Gray grew up around graveyards since her father was the caretaker of Rosehill Cemetery - a place Amelia counts as one of her favorite places to be, one of the safest. Amelia can also see ghosts, but she studiously ignores their presence, just as her father taught her to do, lest they sap her life energy from her. In the first book Amelia broke that rule and now she has opened the door to spirits who are insistent in this installment that Amelia feel them reaching out to her.
She travels to Asher Falls to restore the long-neglected Thorngate cemetery. Told in first person point of view, Stevens brings Amelia brilliantly to life along with a cast of creepy characters with secrets they would prefer that Amelia doesn't uncover. This book contained a little more of the paranormal and wicked than the last installment. Though this is categorized as paranormal romance, it is so much more than that. Sure, there's a little sprinkle of romance in the story, but it's mostly an extremely well-crafted, perfectly-plotted thriller. I absolutely can't wait to read the next book in the series!
This is the second book in the Graveyard Queen series. The third book in the series, The Prophet, release in April 2012. I got an advanced reading copy of this book to review through NetGalley(dot)com. I absolutely loved the first book in this series, The Restorer, and was very excited to read this book. I loved the haunting setting, the beautiful writing, and the tragic characters. We learn a lot about Amelia's past in this book and it was a wonderful read.
Amelia is leaving Charleston behind to travel to the isolated mountain village of Asher Falls to restore a cemetery there. Upon arrival she meets the dashing Thane Asher who tells her about the first cemetary underneath what is now Bell Lake. Why did they flood this cemetary? Who hired Amelia to restore the newer, Asher cemetary? Why is Amelia so drawn to this town and to the secret grave she finds at the bottom of the cliffs? There is an evil the haunts this town and Amelia needs to solve the riddle behind it before the evil takes her too.
I love Stevens writing style; it is haunting, mysterious, and beautiful...just an absolute joy to read. The plot is creepy, compelling, and made the book impossible to put down. This book has a very southern gothic feel to it.
Amelia is a great character. She has a backbone and is brave, yet still comes across as vulnerable at times. There were a few times in this book where Amelia did some really stupid and dangerous things, these were those moments in a horror movie where you yell "No! Don't go into the dark forest by yourself!" So a couple times I was exasperated with her, but I still just love her character so much and love how her curiousity drives her.
Devlin isn't in this book at all. We see a couple letters to Amelia from him and Amelia pines for him, but he is never present. Instead the playboyish Asher Thane is the male lead. I enjoyed Asher; he was a complex character, that had mysterious motives. His character worked wonderfully with Amelia and he gives Devlin a run for his money.
The plot is wonderfully woven; elements from the first book are woven into the story seemlessly and you can really tell that Stevens meticulously planned this whole story out. I loved the mystery, the creepiness, and the way everything was woven so neatly together. Some of the things revealed in the second half of the book will absolutely blow you away; I was surprised and stunned. The book does end with a pretty big cliffhanger...so I am excited that I got the third book The Prophet for review last week....I will be reading it soon.
Overall I just loved this book. The writing is so beautiful and easy to read; it just flows so nicely. The characters are realistic, complicated, and absolutely endearing. The plot is complex, mysterious, and very well woven together. The book was incredibly engaging and I just had a ton of trouble putting it down. This book is very much a gothic paranormal mystery of sorts. It is different from all the other urban fantasy out there, but should really appeal to fans of that genre. I highly, highly recommend this series to fans of gothic literature or fans of urban fantasy/paranormal stories. This is seriously one of my favorite series right now. I cannot wait to read The Prophet!
Amelia is leaving Charleston behind to travel to the isolated mountain village of Asher Falls to restore a cemetery there. Upon arrival she meets the dashing Thane Asher who tells her about the first cemetary underneath what is now Bell Lake. Why did they flood this cemetary? Who hired Amelia to restore the newer, Asher cemetary? Why is Amelia so drawn to this town and to the secret grave she finds at the bottom of the cliffs? There is an evil the haunts this town and Amelia needs to solve the riddle behind it before the evil takes her too.
I love Stevens writing style; it is haunting, mysterious, and beautiful...just an absolute joy to read. The plot is creepy, compelling, and made the book impossible to put down. This book has a very southern gothic feel to it.
Amelia is a great character. She has a backbone and is brave, yet still comes across as vulnerable at times. There were a few times in this book where Amelia did some really stupid and dangerous things, these were those moments in a horror movie where you yell "No! Don't go into the dark forest by yourself!" So a couple times I was exasperated with her, but I still just love her character so much and love how her curiousity drives her.
Devlin isn't in this book at all. We see a couple letters to Amelia from him and Amelia pines for him, but he is never present. Instead the playboyish Asher Thane is the male lead. I enjoyed Asher; he was a complex character, that had mysterious motives. His character worked wonderfully with Amelia and he gives Devlin a run for his money.
The plot is wonderfully woven; elements from the first book are woven into the story seemlessly and you can really tell that Stevens meticulously planned this whole story out. I loved the mystery, the creepiness, and the way everything was woven so neatly together. Some of the things revealed in the second half of the book will absolutely blow you away; I was surprised and stunned. The book does end with a pretty big cliffhanger...so I am excited that I got the third book The Prophet for review last week....I will be reading it soon.
Overall I just loved this book. The writing is so beautiful and easy to read; it just flows so nicely. The characters are realistic, complicated, and absolutely endearing. The plot is complex, mysterious, and very well woven together. The book was incredibly engaging and I just had a ton of trouble putting it down. This book is very much a gothic paranormal mystery of sorts. It is different from all the other urban fantasy out there, but should really appeal to fans of that genre. I highly, highly recommend this series to fans of gothic literature or fans of urban fantasy/paranormal stories. This is seriously one of my favorite series right now. I cannot wait to read The Prophet!
Amelia Grey has been called to Asher Falls to complete a graveyard restoration. Thornhill Cemetery is actually the second cemetery in Asher Falls, after the first Thornhill had been flooded out leaving the markers, statuary and coffins at the bottom of what is now a lake.
The moment Amelia steps off the ferry, she knows something is different; she can feel it deep down in her soul. Asher Falls is talking to her and she does not know why the town's ghosts are reaching out to her.
Amelia has been able to see spirits since she was a young child, but living by her father's rules, she has learned not to interact with them. Not to let them in. This time, this town, things are different - the veil between their world and hers is thinner. They are reaching out to her in a way that she has not been prepared for.
What is it about Asher Falls that is so different? Maybe if she can go back home, to Rosehill, the place she calls home she can talk to her father and have him, once and for all, explain to her the circumstances of her adoption. What really happened to her as an infant? Most importantly, what does he know about Asher Falls and Thornhill Cemetery?
Caught in the grasp of a place and its people, Amelia finds herself fighting for the truth and at the same time fighting for her life. There is something about this place and the strange women that inhabit this town.
In Asher Falls, Evil is a real entity. It is capitalized, as if it is a person - a looming being. A person that walks down the street like any other inhabitant of a small town. This is not a place where she can stay, she has to get home and back to Devlin, the police detective from the first book, even with his own very physical ghosts, she needs to be with him, no matter what the cost.
I loved this book. I had this one and the third one on my wish list for the site but couldn't wait so ordered them from the internet at AbeBooks.com.
I like hardcovers and this site had both books in hardcover and was very inexpensive.
I was so intrigued about this story line that I looked Amanda up on the internet and found that there will be a t.v. series and I found out she has three more to write in this series. Clean language...gotta love that.
The moment Amelia steps off the ferry, she knows something is different; she can feel it deep down in her soul. Asher Falls is talking to her and she does not know why the town's ghosts are reaching out to her.
Amelia has been able to see spirits since she was a young child, but living by her father's rules, she has learned not to interact with them. Not to let them in. This time, this town, things are different - the veil between their world and hers is thinner. They are reaching out to her in a way that she has not been prepared for.
What is it about Asher Falls that is so different? Maybe if she can go back home, to Rosehill, the place she calls home she can talk to her father and have him, once and for all, explain to her the circumstances of her adoption. What really happened to her as an infant? Most importantly, what does he know about Asher Falls and Thornhill Cemetery?
Caught in the grasp of a place and its people, Amelia finds herself fighting for the truth and at the same time fighting for her life. There is something about this place and the strange women that inhabit this town.
In Asher Falls, Evil is a real entity. It is capitalized, as if it is a person - a looming being. A person that walks down the street like any other inhabitant of a small town. This is not a place where she can stay, she has to get home and back to Devlin, the police detective from the first book, even with his own very physical ghosts, she needs to be with him, no matter what the cost.
I loved this book. I had this one and the third one on my wish list for the site but couldn't wait so ordered them from the internet at AbeBooks.com.
I like hardcovers and this site had both books in hardcover and was very inexpensive.
I was so intrigued about this story line that I looked Amanda up on the internet and found that there will be a t.v. series and I found out she has three more to write in this series. Clean language...gotta love that.
The 2nd in the Graveyard Queen struck me as more heavily Gothic in nature than the first, like I was reading Mary Stewart but with 5x the ghosts and tougher consequences. It felt weighty and played on the sadness more than in the first novel, too. Which is not to say I didn't enjoy the read, I did - but not quite as much as the 1st. That may be because the 1st in the series introduced all the characters and everything was fresh and new. Dare I say 'hopeful' in book 1? Amelia Gray's life, if you thought she had problems in book 1, you'll find things get harder in two and wait until you get to 3! Ouch!
Wow! So, this book answer the of the questions from The Restorer. Amelia's parentage is answered. This focuses much less on cemetery restoration and more on this creepy, small town. No one likes to talk. There is also a secondary story-line with Ivy. I'm not sure if I would have nixed that or given her more depth. I did like this one a bit better then the first book.
I did find it annoying Amelia's brooding over Devlin. While he wasn't on the page, he was still very present. I thought Thane could have been a new love interest, but I can't say more other than you get a definitive answer in that possibility!
I can make assumptions about the "Evil." Thus far, no concrete answers were given in regards to let. Like what makes the area vulnerable? What is it exactly? I liked Amelia's new side kick Angus. And on that note, Thane found (I assume) the dog fighting ring. But shortly after, Amelia noted Hugh's face was beat up too. So, did Hugh help Thane? Or was Hugh behind the dog fighting? No answer (that I remember) was given.
I also wound't label this romance; it's categorized as paranormal romance. I consider this series to be more in line with urban fantasy. The romance takes a back seat. It's more about Amelia, her world, her job, her abilities, and (yes) finding herself and what she is capable off.
I did find it annoying Amelia's brooding over Devlin. While he wasn't on the page, he was still very present. I thought Thane could have been a new love interest, but I can't say more other than you get a definitive answer in that possibility!
I can make assumptions about the "Evil." Thus far, no concrete answers were given in regards to let. Like what makes the area vulnerable? What is it exactly? I liked Amelia's new side kick Angus. And on that note, Thane found (I assume) the dog fighting ring. But shortly after, Amelia noted Hugh's face was beat up too. So, did Hugh help Thane? Or was Hugh behind the dog fighting? No answer (that I remember) was given.
I also wound't label this romance; it's categorized as paranormal romance. I consider this series to be more in line with urban fantasy. The romance takes a back seat. It's more about Amelia, her world, her job, her abilities, and (yes) finding herself and what she is capable off.
