It was a good book, I liked her idea it was a great idea. I did not get too much into the story though like I did with other books. But still it's a good read. It is more aimed for YA than adult.

The Good Stuff Truly unique idea for a story Rebekkah is an intriguing and realistic heroine Dark with a wonderful almost Gothic like feel to it Descriptions are vivid and make you feel like you are part of the landscape Fabulous in terms of character development Lots of twists and turns which keeps you guessing (but not in a frustrating way) Could not put the book down, I warn you once you start you will not be able to put down -- well unless its really late at night Marr has created a fantastical world unlike anything I have ever read before - and it actually feels like a real place Very suspenseful at times -- you will be holding your breath Enjoyed the secondary characters - especially Amity Fabulous ending - could lead to a sequel, but if not still leaves you satisfied Some nice humour added to keep it from being too dark The Not So Good Stuff The cover sucks in comparison to the hardcover edition The angst between Bek and Byron felt more YA than adult Favorite Quotes/Passages "At the end of the tunnel, she gasped. The colors she could see were so vibrant that it almost hurt to look around her. The sky was streaked in violet and gold. The buildings around her were breathtaking. Even the drabbest of them was cloaked in shades of colors that surely couldn't exist." "He was tempting in the way that she imagined the devil himself-if there was such a man-would be: polished charm, wicked smiles, and easy arrogance. However, she wasn't sure what game he was playing, and the idea of looking at at dead man with any sort of lustful thoughts seemed inherently twisted." "Sheer foolishness, if you ask me,but" - Elaine gave Rebekkah a look that would make most people flinch -"no one's asking me, are they?" "No," Rebekkah said. "I don't think anyone's asking." Elaine sighed. "Well, sooner or later, one of you will be bright enough to ask my opinion." Who Should/Shouldn't Read YA friendly - nothing too violent or sexual If you like creepy stories, this is for you Adult readers may be disappointed by all the angst 4.75 Dewey's

Nothing is quite as sad as a book that has potential but falls woefully short. The ideas that Marr put in this work, as told by the other reviews here, are interesting, and her writing certainly is good enough to have, by the first page of the prologue, inspired me to purchase this book in the store. Her writing also flows well, for a very easy read. However, I finished the book left with nothing but a profound sense of dissatisfaction. The captivating premise, all of the characters, the supernatural and mundane locations; none of these essential items are fleshed out through the course of the story. Instead, they are mired by Marr's unrelenting focus on the "friction" between the two main characters, which, boiled down, seemed a little trite to me. More than half the book is dedicated to their self-inflicted hamster wheel of unhappiness, and as a reader I would have gladly traded even just half of that half for some actual plot substance or development. As it stands, Graveminder feels more like a cast of emotions in a flimsy boat of half-interesting ideas floating on the ocean under heavy fog. They bicker ceaselessly. That boat hits a rock (the back cover of the book) and all the emotions quickly abandon ship without having done much of anything. This book is really for the readers who enjoys stories centered more on the emotions and feelings of characters. For all the rest of us, this is one where you can read the back cover and then put back on the shelf knowing you've learned all you need to know about it.

3.5/5 It was the cover of Graveminder that first encouraged me to pick up Melissa Marr's latest book. I love abandoned buildings and found this old structure quite appealing. Marr is an author I was unfamiliar with, but she is known for her Wicked Lovely series, aimed at young adult/teen readers. Graveminder is her first adult novel. Rebekkah Barrow has returned to the town of Claysville for the funeral of her beloved grandmother Maylene. Most folks don't ever leave the town....and if they do, they are inexplicably drawn back. For the town has made a deal with the dead. A graveminder and her protector - the undertaker - will take care of the dead and make sure they don't wander. And that was Maylene's job. But now that job has fallen to Rebekkah and her new undertaker, Byron Montgomery. This isn't my usual genre of read, but I was curious to see what Marr had imagined. I found her depiction of an entire City of the Dead quite imaginative, populated without drooling bodies (although there are a few of those up top) It is those dead in Claysville that are the problem that the new graveminder and undertaker must deal with. Who has undermined the contract and why? Someone alive or dead? I chose to listen to this book. The reader is Emma Galvin. Her voice is quite expressive with a gravelly quality that adds to her reading. I enjoyed her interpretation. But, she does sound young and on further investigation found that she has narrated pretty much only YA novels. If Marr's intention was to separate Graveminder as an adult book, perhaps an older sounding voice would have been more appropriate. I found some of the dialogue a bit repetitious and don't think I would have noticed it as much in written form. I also found Rebekkah and Byron's interactions somewhat 'teenish' and not that of two adults. It's always good to step outside our comfort zone. For me, fantasy isn't a place I go very often, but I enjoyed Graveminder as something different for me. Fans of YA books will love it. I was fascinated by the City of the Dead and think that Marr could find more stories to write about there.

Being a fan of Melissa Marr I could not wait to get my hands on her newest novel in the adult genre. Once I started I could not stop. Marr creates a world in the small town of Claysville that is dark, creepy, but also peaceful, charming and beautiful. Graveminder is the story set in a small town that holds a dark secret, a secret that has been since the town came to be, where a contract binds two families and the town to the land of the dead. Under Claysville, a secret world of the dead lies. In this little town the two worlds, the living and the dead are connected, where the dead if not property cared for will return to the land of the living until those who are chosen to take care of the dead return them to the land of the dead. The book is mainly focused on the two families responsible for the dead in the small town. The Barrow women who are the Grveminders, women who tend the graves of the dead and the Montgomery men who are the Undertakers and the protectors of the Graveminders. Rebekkah who left the small town after the death of her sister and never looked back, is forced to return to Claysville after the death of her Grandmother. She is forced to face the people she left behind(one person in particular) and step into a world & a legacy she never knew. The one person from her past she must face is Byron, the man she loves but tries soo hard to not admit it and keeps him at arms length. Byron also left the small town for a short time but in the end could not resist the pull to return home. After the death of Bek’s grandmother and then his father Byron like Bek is thrown into a world he never knew existed…the world of the dead. Together they must fight the dead who have risen and is now feeding off the land of the living. "Sleep well, and stay where I put you"

With all of the paranormal books out there right now it's hard to come across one that has a new concept that is enjoyable. Melissa Marr has pulled this one off nicely. Claysville is not a normal small town, here the dead need to be minded so that they stay dead. This task falls to the Graveminder and Undertaker, when one of the dead has slipped past the Graveminders system and it results in Maylene's death Rebekkah will need to come back to Claysville to take over her Grandmother's job. Once she finds out what is actually happening in this secretive town. A fresh, not overly violent, take on zombies and those that mind them.