Review: The Prophet by Amanda Stevens

The Prophet
by Amanda Stevens
Series: Graveyard Queen #3
Publisher: Harlequin/Mira
Publication date: April 24, 2012
Genre: Adult Urban Fantasy
Purchase*: Barnes and Noble/Amazon/Book Depository
*purchase through buy links supports this blog

My name is Amelia Gray. I am the Graveyard Queen, a cemetery restorer who sees ghosts. My father passed down four rules to keep me safe and I've broken every last one. A door has opened and evil wants me back. In order to protect myself, I've vowed to return to those rules. But the ghost of a murdered cop needs my help to find his killer. The clues lead me to the dark side of Charleston—where witchcraft, root doctors and black magic still flourish—and back to John Devlin, a haunted police detective I should only love from afar. Now I'm faced with a terrible choice: follow the rules or follow my heart.

Stepping back into the creep-tastic world of the Graveyard Queen once again sent shivers down my spine!  Every time I crack open one of Stevens' books I am immediately sucked into Amelia Gray’s world and do not emerge until I have read the last page. The Prophet brings us witchcraft, malevolent spirits, and a fascinating look at root doctors. Amanda Stevens has become an auto-buy author for me and this series is one of my personal favorites.

Amelia is back in Charleston, where synchronicity plays a large part in the events that are about to unfold. A return walk from the grocery store, a bird and ghost lead her to bump into Devlin. The Prophet is back and needs Amelia to help him solve a murder. Devlin’s daughter keeps asking Amelia to, “find her” and a witch doctor has entered her dreams. From malevolent entities to hot kisses this tale was action packed and kept me reading late into the night.

Amelia is braver and beginning to question all that her father has taught her. Since her return to Charleston she has lost weight and has dark circles under her eyes. It is becoming quite clear that something is feeding off her. She begins to question her father’s teachings and confronts issues. Her feelings for Devlin are clear but she needs to figure out how to handle his ghosts. We see character growth as she becomes quite crafty and gets herself into some difficult situations. Devlin is still haunted by his deceased wife and daughter and we learn more about both of them. There is movement in their relationship as we get some clarity, a little heat and some angst. John Fremont; the prophet needs Amelia’s help and it was interesting learning about the circumstances surrounding his death. Devlin is keeping secrets and trying to protect Amelia but it creates complications and misunderstanding for them. Other character’s return and their threads and involvement in the plot were brilliant, chilling and captivating! Darius Grey is introduced to us and his storyline and interaction with Amelia freaked me out, he is a man I do not want to meet. He was was creep-tastic! 

Stevens tells stories that give me goosebumps, and despite all the paranormal woo-woo involved she makes it all seem REAL. Creepy, scary, things that go bump-in-the-night REAL! I think part of what makes it feel so genuine is the factual information she weaves into her tale; from gravestone care to the use of roots as witch doctors. I was completely swept up in the beliefs, the crafts and the rituals discussed throughout the novel. Each book  works as a standalone but the overall arc development of the series is fantastic and Steven’s has tight control of it. Amelia is steadily developing and we are clearly beginning to see kick-ass moments. From book one I was not interested in the romance but it has become a believable and intricate part of the plot. The ending was solid and we are clearly seeing a shift in Amelia’s thinking and I am very excited about the direction this is taking.

I cannot say enough about the Graveyard Queen Series and The Prophet. This is a series I immediately think of when someone asks me to recommend a good book. The Visitor the fourth book in the series releases in October 2013. 

Five cups of coffee out of five from Cafe Kronic

The Kingdom by Amanda Stevens

The Kingdom
by Amanda Stevens
Series: The Graveyard Queen #2
Publisher: Mira
Publication date: March 27, 2012
Genre: Adult Paranormal
Purchase*: Barnes and Noble/Amazon/Book Depository

Deep in the shadowy foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains lies a dying town...
My name is Amelia Gray. They call me The Graveyard Queen. I’ve been commissioned to restore an old cemetery in Asher Falls, South Carolina, but I’m coming to think I have another purpose here.
Why is there a cemetery at the bottom of Bell Lake? Why am I drawn time and again to a hidden grave I’ve discovered in the woods? Something is eating away at the soul of this town—this withering kingdom—and it will only be restored if I can uncover the truth.

I am totally in love with the Graveyard Queen series! It has all of the elements I love in a good urban fantasy. We have excellent characters, a little paranormal woo-woo and lots of mystery and suspense. I totally want to be a cemetery restorer now! The Kingdom delivers a creepy-tasitc tale and is perfect for fall.

The tale picks up shortly after the Restorer ends and Amelia Gray has accepted a commission to restore Thorngate cemetery located in Asher Falls, South Carolina. She is happy for the distance it puts between her and John Devlin. On the ferry ride over she learns some creepy things about Bell Lake from Thane Asher; grandson of the powerful family residing there. As soon as she arrives, the creepiness I have come to love from Stevens begins. The strange Realtor and the rental home on hollow ground, makes Amelia wonder who exactly requested she be given this job. The tale that unfolds is filled with suspense, mystery and things that go bump in the night! Amelia begins to feel a pull from this place and what she uncovers …Eep!

Steven’s has created some really unique characters with the residence of Asher Falls and I for one will never visit. Amelia is slowly dealing with her abilities and despite all the rules her father taught her; she takes chances and experiments. She is not without fear, but fearless in the face of danger. I love that she just does not run. I mean if all of this freaky stuff was happening to me, I think I would be on the next ferry out! She is inquisitive, pushes people’s buttons to gauge their reactions and does not like to be warned away. She gains a new friend in an injured dog, and he becomes her constant companion. Thane is handsome, broken and aids Amelia. There is a little romance that develops and it’s wrapped in a little woo-woo. Amelia struggles with feelings for Devlin and her attraction to Thane. While I like Thane and he was certainly swoon-worthy,  I was never really sure if I trusted him. From the women Thane refers to as the “witches of Asher Falls” to the sociopath teen who has a crush on Thane these secondary characters add to the ominous feel of the town and its secrets.  

Steven’s did a fantastic job of describing Asher Falls, its people and Thorngate cemetery. I became completely immersed in the tale and it felt so genuine that I had goosebumps. She provided just enough details about the townsfolk to que the creepy music in my head, and let my imagination run wild. The Asher’s, their home and the cemetery oozed with supernatural elements. If you are a Doctor Who fan like me the statues in the Asher family plot will have you running and shouting, “ Don't Blink.” We learned more about Amelia herself and I found the details fascinating. While Devlin did not make an appearance, his presence was felt. I was still left with a few unanswered questions and felt some things were rushed, but I cannot wait for book three. I am secretly hoping to see the CW pick this up as a series; to air right after Supernatural. I would totally watch it!

I highly recommend The Kingdom to fans of mystery, suspense and paranormal woo-woo. While this book can be read as a standalone, I do not recommend it. The Prophet is the next book in the series and I will be reviewing that for you in December.  There is also a novella called the Abandoned which is a prequel to the Restorer; book one in the Graveyard Queen series.

I gave this novel 4.5 creepy-tasitc coffee cups out of 5.

Review of The Restorer 

The Restorer by Amanda Stevens {review~giveaway}

The Restorer
by Amanda Stevens
Series: The Graveyard Queen #1
Publisher: Mira
Publication date: 2/21/2012
Genre: Adult Urban Fantasy
Purchase*:Barnes and Noble/Amazon/Book Depository

My name is Amelia Gray. I'm a cemetery restorer who sees ghosts. In order to protect myself from the parasitic nature of the dead, I've always held fast to the rules passed down from my father. But now a haunted police detective has entered my world and everything is changing, including the rules that have always kept me safe.

It started with the discovery of a young woman's brutalized body in an old Charleston graveyard I've been hired to restore. The clues to the killer—and to his other victims—lie in the headstone symbolism that only I can interpret. Devlin needs my help, but his ghosts shadow his every move, feeding off his warmth, sustaining their presence with his energy. To warn him would be to invite them into my life. I've vowed to keep my distance, but the pull of his magnetism grows ever stronger even as the symbols lead me closer to the killer and to the gossamer veil that separates this world from the next.

I read a review on a blog about The Restorer and immediately downloaded it for my nook. Sadly I cannot remember who reviewed it, but thank you so much! I love crime mysteries and when you wrap it in a little paranormal woo-woo I begin to drool. Amanda Stevens delivered a beautiful, dark, chilling mystery with a side of sexual tension. I quickly became swept up in this tale, the characters and the crime. The opening sentence “I was nine when I saw my first ghost.” grabbed me and the tale kept me enthralled.

Ameila Gray is a cemetery restorer and has quickly built a reputation for herself. She also has a successful blog showcasing old cemeteries which has made her recognizable. Since she was nine she has been cursed with a gift she shares with her father. She can see ghosts and her father taught her rules that she must follow to keep herself safe. Rule number one, never acknowledge them. Until now she has always followed the rules. When a haunted, smexy, dark, brooding police detective asks for her assistance after discovering a dead body in the cemetery she is restoring everything changes. When the clues to solve the murder(s) involve symbols on the headstones she realizes she may be the only one who can help them catch a killer.

I really connected with the protagonist Ameila. She is quite, refined, intelligent and confident in her profession. She also seems very lonely and guarded. I loved her profession and the fact that she blogs and enjoys it so much had me smiling. John Devlin is a police officer, a true southern gentleman and he oozed smexy. John has suffered from a horrific loss and it shows in his eyes and the lines on his devastatingly handsome face. He unnerves Amanda and she struggles with her attraction to John on so many levels. I adored the tango these two danced. Their tale is just beginning and I get goose bumps just thinking about it. I love the secondary characters and the southern door Stevens opens for us. I am really looking forward to learning more about all of them.

Stevens is a breathtakingly gifted writer. She brought Charleston and its historical district to life. I could see, hear, taste and smell the world she immersed me in. Her attention to detail and the facts surround these old neglected cemeteries captivated me. The mystery itself was filled with twists, foreboding and an air of believability that had me chilled. The twist she put on ghosts and Amelia’s gift are completely original and the back-history on these entities was freaky-tastic! The flow of the novel was wonderful, and Steven’s descriptive writing style kept me reading late into the night. I am in love with this writer and must read more of this series. My favorite type of series are ones that can be read as standalones, but also have sub-plots, romances etc running through them. Where each book solves a case, shows character development and further advances these overall sub- plot. This appears to be the recipe Stevens is using. Eep! I have not been this excited since reading The Passage by Justin Cronin and if you know me at all, you are rushing to ordered this book!

I recommend The Restorer to fans of mystery, urban fantasy and paranormal suspense. This book totally rocked my face off and Stevens has made my auto buy list. The Kingdom is the next book in the Graveyard Queen series which is calling me from my nook. Look for my review next month.

I gave this novel 5 delicious coffee cups out of 5.

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*purchases made through buy links on this blog earn a small commission that supports our giveaways.

Giveaway time!

Open to US/Canada residence

I loved this book and Amanda Stevens has graciously agreed to help me share it. 

One lucky follower will win a paperback copy of The Restorer.
Just follow the rafflecopter instructions below and good luck! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Things That Go Bump in the Night is Upon Us!

For the entire month of October I am excited to be bringing you

 reviews, excerpts, awesome giveaways

 and guest posts about 

Things that Go Bump in the Night

Scheduled posts, reviews and giveaways*:

Ten by Gretchen McNeil*
The Unfailing Light by Robin Bridges* 
I Hunt Killers by Barry Lyga*
The Hiding Place by David Bell*
Rua by Miranda Kavi *
Beyond by Graham McNamee*
Taking on the Dead by Anne Walls*
Fourth Grave Beneath My Feet by Darynda Jones*
Audrey's Guide to Witchcraft by Jody Gehrman*
The Shining by Stephen King*
The Restorer by Amanda Stevens*
Darkness Rising by Lis Wiehl with Peter Nelson*
Pretty When She Dies by Rhiannon Frater*
Pretty When She Kills by Rhiannon Frater*
Mystic City by Theo Lawrence*
Absolution by Susannah Sandlin*
Velveteen by Daniel Mark*
All You Never Wanted by Adele Griffin*
Your House is on Fire, Your Children All Gone by Stefan Kiesbye*
Alice in Zombieland by Gena Showalter*
Phantom by Laura DeLuca*
Kiss of the Butterfly by James Lyon*
Foretold: 14 Tales of Prophecy and Prediction edited by Carrie Ryan*
Sweetblood series by Laurie London* 
The Twelve by Justin Cronin*
Spooktacular Blog Hop*
Rot & Ruin by Johnathan Maberry
Mystery Book Giveaway*

*indicates a giveaway for this post

I want to thank the following authors and publishers
 for supporting this event and providing some of the lovely giveaways:

Random House Children's Books, Gretchen McNeil, Thomas Nelson Publishing, Little Brown Books,  Darydra Jones, Jody Gehrman, Penguin Publishing, Amanda Stevens, Susannah Sandlin, Laurie London, Miranda Kavi, Anne Walls, Random House, James Lyon

I will also be hosting a read-a-thon 

Link up for Fraterfest and join the fun :)


Grab the button and join in the fun:

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