Looking for an awesome YA historical fiction that's fast paced and has a bit of mystery? Check out Girl at the Grave! You won't regret it!
Author: Teri Bailey Black
Age: Young Adult
Genres: Historical Fiction, Mystery
Publication Date: August 7th 2018
Publisher: Tor Teen
Source: eARC
Purchase: Hardcover | Kindle | Audible | B&N | Kobo | Play Store | iBooks
Synopsis:
Valentine has spent years trying to outrun her mother's legacy. But small towns have long memories, and when a new string of murders occurs, all signs point to the daughter of a murderer.
Only one person believes Valentine is innocent—Rowan Blackshaw, the son of the man her mother killed all those years ago. Valentine vows to find the real killer, but when she finally uncovers the horrifying truth, she must choose to face her own dark secrets, even if it means losing Rowan in the end.
My Rating:
Favorite Quotes:
"But I wanted to believe. I wanted to believe there was some hope for the hopeless. Some worth behind the worthless. Some forgiveness for the unforgivable." - Valentine
"I'll never abandon you, Val, you know that. But if you decide that it's Blackshaw you want, you got to tell me. That's all I ask. Don't lie and keep secrets. You promise?" - Sam
My Thoughts:
This was such a beautiful historical-mystery fiction. I'm usually not a fan of historical fiction or mystery, but I flew through this. I ate every word on each page. The characters, the drama, the action and pace were all perfection.
Valentine was such a strong girl! She was seen as the child of a murder, but she was much more than that. She was brilliant, strong, kind, had a huge heart and always sought to declare her mother innocent. She was headstrong and always knew what she wanted. She never settled for less than what she knew she could have or do. She had her moments of weakness when she allowed life to get to her, but she always pulled through. I respected her as a character!
Sam seemed like a sweet kid, but he was just as brutish as his five brothers. I liked him at first until his jealousy started showing. As a friend he was perfect, but as a romantic interest he irritated me.
Rowan was everything! I loved how sweet, kind and real he was. Rowan seemed like an entitled ass, but he was so much more than that. He had his own dreams and goals. He wanted things that didn't align with "high society" and I loved that about him. I think I loved how artistic he was...it showed his sweetness.
The romance was beautifully written. I loved the triangle with Sam, Valentine and Rowan. I loved watching each relationship grow and then fall like a seesaw until a decision was made. The romance was pure and never faked. I loved it so much, but I was always team Rowan over Sam.
Mrs. Blackshaw was a twisted old woman that allowed her broken heart to dictate years of her life. She pissed me off the whole story from start to finish. Even at the end when I thought she was redeeming herself. She was judgmental, entitled and damn right annoying.
This book had my head spinning with all it's plot twists and turns. So many ideas of who the killer could be, finding out the true killers and just all the deceit and secrecy -- it was all too much, in a good way. This definitely drew me in line for line and kept me captivated. The writing was smooth and flawless.
This was such a phenomenal read. If you're looking for a great YA that has a perfect blend of romance, historical fiction, mystery, suspense and action -- this is the read for you.
About the Author
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TeriBaileyBlack
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/teribaileyblack/
Website: https://www.teribaileyblack.com/
Giveaway
Prize: Wonderland Book Beau, size XL for a standard hardcover (USA only)
Starts: 10/25/18
Ends: 11/2/18
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