Made for You by Melissa Marr

Book Summery (Via Goodreads):When Eva Tilling wakes up in the hospital, she’s confused—who in her sleepy little North Carolina town could have hit her with their car? And why? But before she can consider the question, she finds that she’s awoken with a strange new skill: the ability to foresee people’s deaths when they touch her. While she is recovering from the hit-and-run, Nate, an old flame, reappears, and the two must traverse their rocky past as they figure out how to use Eva’s power to keep her friends—and themselves—alive. But while Eva and Nate grow closer, the killer grows increasingly frantic in his attempt to get to Eva.

Book Review:
I have been a fan of Melissa Marr for a while. Here is a link to some of my reviews of her other books. Once again, Marr hits it out of the park! Made for You is a southern YA mystery. Eva, while the popular queen bee, is very down-to-earth and easy to relate to. I could feel her sorrow in the hospital. I could feel her fear of not knowing who the killer might be. I could feel her hope of a possible romance. Needless to say, it's easy to step into Eva's shoes. I enjoyed Eva's relationship with her parents, as well as her friends. It's very easy to get invested in the supporting characters as well as Eva. As a nurse, it was easy to relate to the hospital setting. In fact, I worked on a neurology unit for many, many years. Marr got it right, from the terminology, to the symptoms, to the nurses. I'm impressed. Overall, this book was engaging and extremely difficult to set down! As a fan of Marr's work, I will definitely be picking her books in the future.

Cover Art Commentary:
Hello gorgeous! I love EVERYTHING about this cover! I love the font. I love the design. I LOVE THE COLOR!!!! *ahem* I'll reign it in...

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Carnival of Souls by Melissa Marr

Book Summery (Via Goodreads): In a city of daimons, rigid class lines separate the powerful from the power-hungry. And at the heart of The City is the Carnival of Souls, where both murder and pleasure are offered up for sale. Once in a generation, the carnival hosts a deadly competition that allows every daimon a chance to join the ruling elite. Without the competition, Aya and Kaleb would both face bleak futures--if for different reasons. For each of them, fighting to the death is the only way to try to live.

All Mallory knows of The City is that her father--and every other witch there--fled it for a life in exile in the human world. Instead of a typical teenage life full of friends and maybe even a little romance, Mallory scans quiet streets for threats, hides herself away, and trains to be lethal. She knows it's only a matter of time until a daimon finds her and her father, so she readies herself for the inevitable. While Mallory possesses little knowledge of The City, every inhabitant of The City knows of her. There are plans for Mallory, and soon she, too, will be drawn into the decadence and danger that is the Carnival of Souls.

Book Trailer:


Book Review:
I had my first glimpse into Marr's writing when I read Graveminder. I remember enjoying the world-building, but was slightly disappointed with some of the character development. Well, I am happy to say that what Graveminder was lacking, Carnival of Souls more than makes up for. There is no underdevelopment of characters here. This book ends at just under 300 pages, but Marr packs in a lot. There are essentially two different worlds that she creates, the human world and the daimon world. They are both rich in detail and description. The characters really drive this story. Despite my early reservations, I ended up falling for Kaleb. My only critique is that this story ended. I am anxious to see what happens and am eagerly awaiting the sequel!

Cover Art Commentary:
I am kind of mixed about this cover. I really like the silver mask, but am not crazy about the flames surrounding it.

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Graveminder by Melissa Marr

Book Summery (via Goodreads):
Rebekkah Barrow never forgot the tender attention her grandmother, Maylene, bestowed upon the dead of Claysville, the town where Bek spent her adolescence. There wasn't a funeral that Maylene didn't attend, and at each Rebekkah watched as Maylene performed the same unusual ritual: three sips from a small silver flask followed by the words "Sleep well, and stay where I put you."

Now Maylene is dead and Bek must go back to the place--and the man--she left a decade ago. But what she soon discovers is that Maylene was murdered and that there was good reason for her odd traditions. It turns out that in placid Claysville, the worlds of the living and the dead are dangerously connected. Beneath the town lies a shadowy, lawless land ruled by the enigmatic Charles, aka Mr. D--a place from which the dead will return if their graves are not properly minded. Only the Graveminder, a Barrow woman, and the current Undertaker, Byron, can set things to right once the dead begin to walk

Book Review:
I'll admit, I've never read any of Melissa Marr's works before. Boy, I didn't know what I was missing out on! I read a review of Graveminder over at A Life Bound by Books, and I instantly was hooked. From page one, I was not disappointed. I just love Marr's descriptions. It made me miss living in the country. What I wouldn't of given to sit outside under one of our shady oaks, sipping lemonade while reading Graveminder, as the sun set over our ponds. Needless to say, it brought back some sentimental memories for me. Although I really didn't identify with Rebekkah's character, I did with that of Byron. He was a sweet, honest character, always willing to give 100% of himself. I also enjoyed Maylene's character as well. Even though she's already gone, much of her presence still lives on throughout the story. The concept of the land of the dead, and all that entails was rather intriguing for me. Again, Marr paints a vivid picture. I could practically feel the fabrics through Rebekkah's hands, see the kaleidoscope of people from various eras, and taste the salty air. Overall, this book is not to be missed for lovers of mystery and paranormal romance. For more information, check out Marr's website. I adore the "official" song of the book, you should definitely take a minute to check it out. :)

Favorite Quote:

"For a small town, Claysville had a high number of graveyards and cemeteries. By law, everyone ever born within town limits had to be buried here; consequently, the town had more deceased residents than living ones. Maylene wondered sometimes what would happen if the living knew of the bargain the town founders had made, but every time she'd broached the topic with Charles, she'd been rebuffed. Some battles weren't ones she could win-no matter how much she wanted them." (p. 2)

Cover Art Commentary:
Oh. my. How gorgeous is this cover? Mysterious, spooky, and inviting all at the same time. It was one of the first things that drew me to this book! :)

Overall Rating: