Review: Cemetery Boys

I received this book for free from FTC: Exchange for honest opinion, Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

The Cemetery Boys by Heather Brewer
Published by Harper Collins on April 7, 2015
Genres: Young Adult-Gothic/Thriller, Young Adult-Mystery
Source: FTC: Exchange for honest opinion, Publisher
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Welcome to Spencer. Population: 814. It's a backward town—and it's hiding a terrible secret.When Stephen's dad says they're moving, Stephen knows it's pointless to argue. They're broke from paying Mom's hospital bills, and now the only option left is to live with Stephen's grandmother, a woman as bitter and stuck as the town of Spencer itself.Stephen's summer starts looking up when he meets punk girl Cara and her charismatic twin brother, Devon. The twins have family problems of their own and aren't exactly close, but Stephen is drawn to them, each for different reasons. With Cara, he feels safe and understood—and yeah, okay, she's totally hot. In Devon and his group, he sees a chance at making real friends.Only, as the summer presses on, and harmless nights hanging out in the cemetery take a darker turn, Stephen starts to suspect that Devon is less a friend than a leader. And he might be leading them to a very sinister end.Mixing classic horror elements with a darkly funny coming-of-age story, New York Times bestselling author Heather Brewer brings her razor-sharp edge to a story about the dangerous power of belief and the cost of blind loyalty, taking readers to the brink of madness and past the point of no return.

I have never really visited a cemetery like they do in the books or in the movies and I still do not know how I would feel about it? Scared? Nervous? Excited? If I ever do, I would want to go visit those cemeteries that just scream run but of course I would go during the day time.

The book has a dark tone set through the pages and this is what gives the book life. It makes the reader stand on their toes and make them feel anxious to see what could happen next. The story flowed and even though I had a couple bumps throughout my time reading, I still found myself enjoying the book.

The book starts off with Stephen and his dad being forced to move back to the dad’s hometown of Spencer. Spencer is the town you would picture in scary movies, where you drive through and people just stare. It is the perfect town to make sure your car never broke down in it. Stephen is not liking the town but he quickly makes friends with a group of people who make you wonder, can you really trust them?

Stephen for me was a little bland for a character and for me there was not much growth but I understood some of the points he made in the book about wanting to leave. His new friends are ones that parents would rather their kids did not hang out with. Devon just gives off this aura of stay away from me unless you want to get hurt. He is definitely the bad boy in the story but there is a twist that makes you wonder if he is really that bad.

Stephen takes a liking for Cara, Devon’s sister, in the novel and their relationship is not really shown in the novel. There are scenes but there isn’t much emphasis to show if there is some real love there or if it is just a crush.

Overall Heather Brewer creates a mysterious heart-pulling novel that will have you on the edge of your seats. I am excited to read Brewer’s books in the future.

Happy Reading!