Publishing: May 17, 2011
Links: IndieBound
(support an independent bookseller near YOU!)
Amazon, Barnes & Noble
(available as Kindle/Nook and audiobook editions)
Book provided by publisher for fair review
Synopsis from Melissa Marr’s website
Three sips to mind the dead . . .
Rebekkah Barrow never forgot the attention her grandmother Maylene bestowed upon the dead of Claysville, the small town where Bek spent her adolescence. There wasn’t a funeral that Maylene didn’t attend, and at each one Rebekkah watched as Maylene performed the same unusual ritual: She took three sips from a silver flask and spoke the words “Sleep well, and stay where I put you.”
Now Maylene is dead, and Bek must go back to the place she left a decade earlier. She soon discovers that Claysville is not just the sleepy town she remembers, and that Maylene had good reason for her odd traditions. It turns out that in Claysville the worlds of the living and the dead are dangerously connected; beneath the town lies a shadowy, lawless land ruled by the enigmatic Charles, aka Mr. D. If the dead are not properly cared for, they will come back to satiate themselves with food, drink, and stories from the land of the living. Only the Graveminder, by tradition a Barrow woman, and her Undertaker—in this case Byron Montgomery, with whom Bek shares a complicated past—can set things right once the dead begin to walk.
Although she is still grieving for Maylene, Rebekkah will soon find that she has more than a funeral to attend to in Claysville, and that what awaits her may be far worse: dark secrets, a centuries-old bargain, a romance that still haunts her, and a frightening new responsibility—to stop a monster and put the dead to rest where they belong.
As soon as I heard that Melissa Marr had a new book coming out, I knew I had to read it. It’s no secret that all the Bookworms are huge fans of her Wicked Lovely series (love me some Irial like WHOA!) and I was confident that any new offering from someone as clearly talented as Ms. Marr would be nothing short of great.
I was not disappointed.
Graveminder may not be set in the YA universe, but Melissa Marr brings all of her strengths from her work on the Wicked Lovely series to this new book: strong characters, amazing world-building and straight-out fantastic writing.
I loved Rebekkah who’s strong yet flawed. When she finally finds her place in the world, her life may not be perfect but she has the self-awareness and inner fortitude to do what she needs to do. And then, of course, there’s Byron. He’s the sort of strong yet silent type of man that just made my toes curl. And oh, how he loves Rebekkah. Not that it gets him anywhere really, but, *fingers crossed* that there will be more books in this series. *gives Melissa Marr the sad puppy eyes*
I adored the whole concept of the Graveminder. I loved the complex world that exists under Clayville, teeming with tension one might not expect from the dead, and the “man” who runs it, Mr. D. This fresh, new mash-up of zombie and ghost mythology was fascinating and Graveminder is a page-turner that will leave you wanting more.
This book was an amazing read, well crafted in every degree, and I want the sequel NOW!!
If you go to Melissa’s website, you’ll see that while there is no word as to whether or not there will be a sequel to Graveminder (I know it’s not published yet but come on, Ms. Marr, give a girl some hope!), there is a gorgeous book trailer and the hauntingly gorgeous official Graveminder song by Jill Tracy. You’ll definitely want to check them both out.
Now go and get lost…in a book!
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I need to catch up on the Wicked Lovely Series, but I think that I will pick up a copy of this while I am at it. 🙂
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This is the first I've heard of the Wicked Lovely series and author Melissa Marr. Love your review, will defiinitely be checking out this author.
New follower ~ found you through Indie Book Blog Database! Great blog!
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I definitely need to read this one!
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I haven't read the WL series, but this book looks INSANE good! Great review =)
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Ok, so listening to the song while reading this review = driving me crazy that I just can't buy and read it already! On a side note, I hate to admit that I haven't read the WL series but it is on my TBR list!
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NEAT!
I haven't read the Wicked Lovely books but you sent me a tramp stamp of it a while back lolz!!
This sounds really interesting. Most awesome
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I didn't know that she had a new series. Looks great!
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Well, she's coming my way at the end of May and I've decided to make the drive to the Big city (Boston) and go to the signing. Maybe she'll let us know, maybe not. But I'll get a couple of books signed! And get to me the awesome Melissa Marr!!!
Heather
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This is NEXT on my TBR list, and I am SO excited to read it. Thank you, Pushy, for the amazing and insightful review! 😀
My recent post Sunday Stew – May 8th- 2011
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I just finished this one and loved it, too! A sequel would be great – she creates such a fascinating setting and characters that it was hard letting them all go at the end.
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Oh, I'm so glad you enjoyed it! Melissa is such an amazing writer, it's hard NOT to love her books. I do want to learn more too and I suspect we'll get a sequel. Thanks for commenting!!!
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[…] have been a fan of her books for some time, both the Wicked Lovely series and her adult debut, Graveminder are high on my list of favorites, but there’s something about this series of stories that […]