Mini-Book Review: Shallow Graves by Kali Wallace

---

Shallow Graves
Author: Kali Wallace
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Paranormal
Released: January 26th 2016
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books

 

For fans of Holly Black and Nova Ren Suma, a gripping, hauntingly atmospheric novel about murder, revenge, and a world where monsters—human and otherwise—lurk at the fringes.

When seventeen-year-old Breezy Lin wakes up in a shallow grave one year after her death, she doesn’t remember who killed her or why. All she knows is that she’s somehow conscious—and not only that, she’s able to sense who around her is hiding a murderous past. In life, Breezy was always drawn to the elegance of the universe and the mystery of the stars. Now she must set out to find answers and discover what is to become of her in the gritty, dangerous world to which she now belongs—where killers hide in plain sight and a sinister cult is hunting for strange creatures like her. What she finds is at once empowering, redemptive, and dangerous.

Tense, complex, and wholly engaging, Shallow Graves is a stunning first novel from Kali Wallace.

Shallow Graves is a story I was really looking forward to read. When I read the synopsis, the story reminded me of the Lovely Bones. A murder in a sense of paranormal? Yes, please! And you all know I love sad stories.

I'm not saying I am disappointed with the outcome, okay, maybe I am. What I am trying to say is this is not the story I was hoping for. The fact that I could not connect with any of the characters was another issue. However, I do have to say this story is full of adventures. Although most leave you confused, as the plot is all over, there is action and you wish you were part of the gang. There are mysteries, more obvious than others. Yet the ones that you cannot make sense of, are the ones you want to slap yourself for not making the connections.

I would say if you love mythical creatures, monsters and explorations, then this book is for you. As for me, I guess I was in the mood for a sad story and less of mythical creatures at the time that made me not enjoy the story much.

Blog Tour: Shallow Graves by Kali Wallace | Guest Post | Giveaway

Welcome to our stop on Shallow Graves tour for Kali Wallace. This tour is hosted by The Fantastic Flying Book Club Tours.

---

Shallow Graves
Author: Kali Wallace
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Paranormal
Released: January 26th 2016
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books

 

For fans of Holly Black and Nova Ren Suma, a gripping, hauntingly atmospheric novel about murder, revenge, and a world where monsters—human and otherwise—lurk at the fringes.

When seventeen-year-old Breezy Lin wakes up in a shallow grave one year after her death, she doesn’t remember who killed her or why. All she knows is that she’s somehow conscious—and not only that, she’s able to sense who around her is hiding a murderous past. In life, Breezy was always drawn to the elegance of the universe and the mystery of the stars. Now she must set out to find answers and discover what is to become of her in the gritty, dangerous world to which she now belongs—where killers hide in plain sight and a sinister cult is hunting for strange creatures like her. What she finds is at once empowering, redemptive, and dangerous.

Tense, complex, and wholly engaging, Shallow Graves is a stunning first novel from Kali Wallace.

My 5 Favorite Moments from Shallow Graves

1. "The first time I killed a man it was an accident." The first line and the whole first chapter. Man, I sure do like my first chapter, and I don't care who knows it.

2. The flashback in Chapter 15. Look, I love flashback scenes and chapters anyway, and I am not ashamed of my love, but this one I love particularly. Summer days, astronomy, crushes. What more do you need?

3. The monster in the basement, which is impossible to explain out of context, because there is nothing to explain except that there is a monster in the basement and I love it. I love it so much, in fact, I kept it in the story even when people (beta readers, editors, you know, people) gently suggested that I might want to reconsider.

I have many favorite moments from the end of the book, and forcing me to choose is like forcing me to pick a favorite dessert or favorite kitten or favorite picture of frolicking baby bears but I think I can narrow it down to just two for list-making purposes:

4. The moment when my main character meets the monster she has been waiting to meet for the entire book. I love that moment.


5. And I love the moment very close to the end when she is reflecting on what her life might have been like if she hadn't been inconveniently murdered, if she had been allowed to grow up and graduate high school and go to college and chase her dreams. That one is my favorite part of the entire book.

---

Kali Wallace studied geology and geophysics before she decided she enjoyed inventing imaginary worlds as much as she liked researching the real one. Her short fiction has appeared in Clarkesworld, F&SF, Asimov's, Lightspeed Magazine, and Tor.com. Her first novel will be published by Katherine Tegen Books in 2016. She lives in southern California.

   

Win (1) hardcopy of SHALLOW GRAVES by Kali Wallace (US Only)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Waiting on Wednesday: Shallow Graves by Kali Wallace

Waiting on Wednesday

"Waiting On Wednesday" is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking The Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Shallow Graves

Author: Kali Wallace

Release Date: January 26th 2016 

Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books

Breezy remembers leaving the party, the warm, wet grass under her feet, her cheek still stinging from a slap to the face. But when she wakes up, scared and pulling dirt from her mouth, a year has passed and she can’t explain the necklace of bruises around her neck. She also can’t explain the man lying at her grave, dead from her touch.

Returning home seems impossible. Her parents and sisters have clearly grieved and struggled to move on, and Breezy can’t begin to answer their inevitable questions. Her heartbeat comes and goes, she doesn’t need to eat or drink, she can see the inky memories of murderers, and she can somehow pull on this dark guilt to kill them. Haunted by the happy memories from her life and disgusted by the half-dead creature she’s become, Breezy embarks on a reckless quest to find answers and a dangerous healing magic…but the cure is as dark and terrible as the disease.

Set in a gorgeous, terrifying world, Shallow Graves is a stunning novel about the heartbreaking trauma of a girl’s life cut short and her struggle to reconcile her humanity with the creature she’s become.