A Book Obsession..: The Kingdom (Early Review)

The Kingdom (Early Review)

, by Kt Clapsadl

The Kingdom by Amanda Stevens

The Graveyard Queen #2

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.

Never more at home than when she is in a cemetery, Amelia's latest job is to restore an old cemetery. Asher Falls is hidden away, surrounded by water, and accessible only by ferry. At the bottom of the lake lies an old graveyard, but that is only the start of strange and creepy things going in this town. Amelia knows she should be running as far away as she can, but she feels a strange pull that seems to be holding her there. The only hope she has is to get to the bottom of the secrets this town holds and expose them all.

I knew almost from the start that this mystery would hit very close to home for Amelia. There was such a sense of impending doom that latched onto her. There was so much build up and mystery behind the creepy town, with the landscape holding just as many secrets as the people. There were several times when I wanted to yell at her for being a fool and not running from that town like her legs were on fire. Of course I think a lot of the reason she stayed had to do with her own innate need for answers. There also was the pesky issue of the extreme draw she felt to the town, and I have to agree with her belief that she just couldn't escape it. I'm still wondering whether or not that issue is really resolved, and if not how much of a role it will play in the next book. I'm honestly not sure how much more of that horrible place I can take.

I was a little let down at Devlin's role in The Kingdom being nothing more than a "ghost" haunting Amelia with a love she cannot have. I find it a little ironic that she has to stay away from him because of his ghosts due to their draining nature, yet emotionally he has become exactly that to her. Even with all the time and space between them, he never seems to stray far from her thoughts or heart. However, in The Kingdom, we meet Thane who slowly starts to crack into the shell of her broken heart. Granted there really isn't much romance considering everything else that is going on, but what was important about what did happen was that it helped Amelia get a little clarity on her attachment to Devlin. As far as whether it drew her closer to him by realizing he really was the one for her or further away as she got some distance, you'll just have to read The Kingdom to find out for yourself.

I'm a huge ninny when it comes to anything scary, and to be honest, if I had known ahead of time that the previous book would have been so creepy, I never would have read it. Which honestly would have been a shame because then I would have missed out on this awesome series. Even so, I found myself putting off reading The Kingdom because I never seemed to have time to read during the daytime, and I absolutely refused to at night. Now that I have finished it, I am more than glad that I had that sense of caution. The creepiness and pure terror factor in The Kingdom makes the events in The Restorer look like child's play. My poor nails are bitten to the quick. However, despite the fear, I was so thoroughly sucked into the story and I cannot wait until I can dive into the next installment. If you enjoyed The Restorer, then be prepared to have your socks rocked off in The Kingdom. Trust me, it is that good.

(Received a copy from Netgalley)

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