My Review of Grave Girl by Amy Cross

I actually started reading this book the day that I downloaded it--which is unusual for me because I download about six books a day, and I’m usually in the middle of reading something else (and I was and put it down for this)--because the book blurb sounded so interesting to me. Sam Marker decides to change her life by becoming a gardener in a strange, sinister little town. Soon, she discovers she is working above the grave of the devil himself, and now it’s her job to make sure that he continues to slumber undisturbed.  Sounds pretty interesting, doesn’t it?  And I wasn’t disappointed!

First of all, this book is written in such a way that you have to have a bit of a sense of humor at the ridiculous and the obvious to truly get it. There are things that are said and done that are clearly tongue in cheek. Ms. Cross does an excellent job of creating characters that you can both love and hate at the same, who make intelligent decisions and stupid ones in the same breath, who you both cheer for and also think, “Well, you get what you deserve!” simultaneously.

As always, I don’t want to give too much away, but it’s clear from the very beginning that Sam is extremely intelligent, even though she makes one terrible decision after another. Eventually, those choices lead her to Rippon, a town that is in need of a gardener for the cemetery, and the only reason for this we are initially privy to is that it seems the last one has been murdered by some extremely powerful force that lives in the cemetery.  Sam accepts the job, leaving her party life in Leads behind, and it isn’t too long before she starts to see some very strange things--like a concrete angel that appears to be following her, a statue of death that seems to move as well, and a mausoleum that may or may not be a tomb for the undead.  

Anyone want to be a gardener in this cemetery?

Sam decides to push all of this craziness aside and begins her job with enthusiasm, even digging her first grave for the local busybody. The town mayor, local doctor, priest, and various other townspeople all seem rather peculiar, but Sam chalks it up to small town life. She has her own issues--she’s gone cold turkey off the booze, and she’s missing someone she loves dearly, a boy named Henry.

Eventually, of course, Same discovers the truth, that being a gardener in this particular town is more than digging holes and trimming trees, and the evil lurking beneath the town is rising to the surface, unless she can find a way to stop it.

As I said, the writing style is different. It’s not overly complicated or complex, but it tells the story in a way that is both clever and engaging.  I particularly enjoyed one of the twists at the end, when we discover exactly who it is that Sam has left behind. I didn’t see that coming.  There were a few proofreading issues--as always seems to be the case--but nothing catastrophic, and nothing that interfered with the storytelling.

In the end, something happens to Sam that I didn’t really like. I suppose the author thought it was necessary, but I disagree--it seemed a bit too hokey for me. But it was the only point in the story when I thought, “Seriously?”  

Two things that I didn’t love--there is a lot of the “f” word (you know, the f dash, dash, dash word!) And I mean a lot. If that puts you off, this may not be the book for you. Also, it’s written in present tense--third person present tense. This always throws me off a bit. I’m used to past tense. Everything is happening right now. Again, I adjusted, and it was fine, but if you have trouble reading in the present tense, then this might not be your book.

If you’d like to try Grave Girl for yourself, you can purchase it here for just 99 cents. I’m hopeful that this means there will be a sequel--and it is set up so that there could be. If you’d like to read my Amazon review, which is same sentiment, different words than this one, you can find it here. I gave it five stars. Recent readers will be shocked to know that I do, occasionally, give five star reviews. Please remember to vote that my review is helpful on Amazon if it is, in fact, helpful.

Now, I have to decide whether or not to finish the dreadful book I set aside for this one or find something else to read. I hate leaving books unfinished, but this one is just really, really bad….