The Restorer - Amanda Stevens - Kobo

“Listen to me, Amelia. There are entities you’ve never seen before. Forces I dare not even speak of. They are colder, stronger, hungrier than any presence you can imagine.”

I was wondering how the last story would connect with this one, despite having only a few of the same characters.  I started to get a glimpse of how a few chapters in when Oak Grove Cemetery (the cemetery in The Abandoned) is investigated because of several dead bodies found there (ones that shouldn’t be there).

Just like The Abandoned, The Restorer is beautifully written, is a great mystery and ghost story, and has intriguing, dimensional characters.  It is also a bit of an exploration of the occult/black magic and those who practice it (including vampires). And for some reason - of all the novels, movies, and thoughts I’ve given to the occult over the years - these novels seem to leak out a deeper understanding instantly and effortlessly in comparison, without really going into much laborious detail.  This was much appreciated and made for a very entertaining and enjoyable read.

This time, Graveyard Queen (and restorer), Amelia, and police investigator, John Delvin, join forces and dive deeper into a scandalous and murderous secret society and its connection to Oak Grove Cemetery. The romantic chemistry – again – is simmering below the surface and is touching and realistic as it includes real obstacles, such as being haunted ;)

The difference between The Abandoned and The Restorer is that the latter is downright CREEEPY at times and really came close to crossing my boundaries in terms of how much horror (and subsequent fright) I prefer and can handle in a novel. Somehow the author manages to do this in good taste, so all was well, but I felt I had my fix of the dark side and wanted to slow down the adrenaline at one point. Regardless, I couldn’t stop reading – I was too enthralled by the story.  

I’m hooked and look forward to the next in the Graveyard Queen Series: The Kingdom!

Great romance, horror and suspense author!  I would recommend these novels to anyone who likes this type of genre. Fall is coming, and there’s no better time for a ghost story!