What a strange little novel, I'm not entirely sure if it was supposed to be YA or not, but definitely tons of adult subject matter. I thought it would be more like Neil Gaiman's novel, but alas, no one is like Gaiman. Still, it was entertaining. 3 stars. ( )

I enjoyed this. The author has a way with words. The style and expression drew me in and I could ignore the few errors in the text. I even found myself clicking my teeth along with the boy towards the end. Having said that, I probably would have ended it a couple of sentences before the author did to keep the atmosphere open, it felt a little too neatly tied off, but that might just be me. I will read more by this author. ( )

The Boy in the Cemetery by Sebastian Gregory
Source: Netgalley
My Rating: 4/5 stars
My Review:

For more than 200 years the boy has guarded his cemetery. Over the decades he has seen ever so many come and go, come and go and never have any been able to sense his presence. In the beginning the cemetery was a welcome change, a solace in the face of his own sorrow and miserable life but as the years passed, the boy became very lonely. Assuming his half-life will continue on as it always has, he is surprised and excited to meet Carrie Anne. Though he has only limited means of communication, he conveys to Carrie Anne that she is welcome in his world and he is glad to have her company.

Carrie Anne is not just desperately unhappy, she is monumentally unhappy and there is absolutely nothing she can do to change her situation. Carrie Anne’s father is a monster of the highest order and in order to protect his dirty little secret, he has moved his family to a remote location. Carrie Anne’s mother is just as much a monster as her husband but in a very different way. Carrie Anne’s mother is aware of what her daughter has experienced at the hands of her husband but is too weak to do a damn thing about it. Protecting herself is far more important than protecting her daughter and so, she allows the nightmare to continue. Carrie Anne’s only solace is the comfort and peace she feels when exploring the cemetery near her new home.

The meeting between the boy and Carrie Anne is certainly unsettling but Carrie Anne understand immediately that the boy will not hurt her and in fact, should the need arise, he will protect her. Both see in the other a deep-seated sadness that has no simple solution. For the time the two have together they provide not only friendship but a measure of comfort and as Carrie Anne’s life continues to spin out of control, the boy becomes far more important to her. In fact, Carrie Anne’s life doesn’t just spin out of control, it tilts completely off its axis and Carrie Anne finds herself in the middle of a missing persons and double murder case.

The Bottom Line: The Boy in the Cemetery is a seriously dark read that I really didn’t see coming. From how the boy came to be the guardian of the cemetery to the story of Carrie Anne’s life is just one tragedy after the other. Both the boy and Carrie Anne have experienced things in their respective lives that no child should ever experience and in each other the two find a mate that is uniquely positioned to understand the other’s pain and desperation. Be aware, dear reader, this is neither a happy nor hopeful story but one that is very dark and quite good. Be prepared for the sadness, be prepared for the anger and, above all else be prepared for a read that will draw you in and not let you go until the bitter end. The Boy in the Cemetery is a sort of morbidly fascinating read that is set to continue and I must say, I think I’m on board with another trip to the dark side. ( )