Title: Grave Birds
Author: Dana Elmendorf
Genre: Fantasy
Rating: 4 out of 5
Grave birds haunt the cemeteries of Hawthorne, South Carolina, where Spanish moss drips from the trees and Southern charm hides ugly lies. Hollis Sutherland never knew these unique birds existed, not until she died and was brought back to life. The ghostly birds are manifestations of the dead’s unfinished business, and they know Hollis and her uncanny gift can set them free.
When a mysterious bachelor wanders into the small town, bizarre events begin to plague its wealthiest citizens—blood drips from dogwood blossoms, flocks of birds crash into houses, fire tornadoes descend from the sky. Hollis knows these are the omens her grandfather warned about, announcing the devil’s return. But despite Cain Landry’s eerie presence and the plague that has followed him, his handsome face and wicked charm win over the townsfolk. Even Hollis falls under his spell as they grow closer.
That is, until lies about the town’s past start to surface. The grave birds begin to show Hollis the dead’s ugly deeds from some twenty-five years ago and the horrible things people did to gain their wealth. Hollis can’t decide if Cain is some immortal hand of God, there to expose their sins, or if he’s a devil there to ruin them all. Either way, she’s determined to save her town and the people in it, whatever it takes.
This was a fun, quirky book. I loved the setting and the characters. Hollis was a lot of fun, and Cain was interesting. The small-town life was portrayed well, with enough eccentricities to be believable. I really enjoyed Hollis’s greenhouse home. That was so unique to me! The one problem I had with this was how abruptly Hollis and Cain’s relationship went from antagonist to romantic, with almost no transition. Other than that, this was a solid read.
Dana Elmendorf is from Tennessee. Grave Birds is her newest novel.
(Galley courtesy of Harlequin/MIRA in exchange for an honest review.)
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