Book Review: The Prophet

The Prophet (Graveyard Queen #3)

By: Amanda Stevens

Published By: Mira

Publication Date: April 24, 2012

Page Count: 352

Buy it at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or IndieBound

Source: ARC Kindly Provided by Publisher via NetGalley

Audience: Adult - Mystery, Paranormal
Review of Book One, The Restorer
Review of Book Two, The Kingdom

Amanda Stevens has done it again! The Graveyard Queen series is quickly becoming one of my favorites and I can only hope that this reading deliciousness will continue in future books. (Yes - according to the author's website we will get more Graveyard Queen books *happy dance*) There is so much left of Amelia's story - I can feel it. This installment is full of the things I have grown to love from these books - danger, intrigue, ghosts, and an addicting plot. Also, Amelia and Devlin are some of my favorite fictional characters of all time. I can't get enough time in their world.

The Prophet picks up where The Kingdom left off and returns readers to the original feel and mood of the series. I loved The Kingdom, but it had a totally different aura about it since it was not set in Charleston. I found that I missed all those quirky lowcountry elements in book two and I was excited to have them back in this one. Charleston is such a charming, haunting city that it makes a perfect locale for ghosts and those practicing the mystical arts. This book certainly has no shortage of either element. Amelia has returned to her home in the city only to be haunted by two ghosts she encounters in book one. Each of them seeks her help - even as she tries desperately to follow the rules her father gave her for interactions with ghosts. Amelia knows to acknowledge their presence will change her life in drastic and horrifying ways.

The mystery element in this one is strong. There are so many loose ends from the previous books that finally get resolved. I loved getting to know more about Fremont's murder, Mariama, Shani, and Devlin. There were some twists and turns that I never saw coming. Stevens certainly knows how to keep readers on their toes. Clues littered the previous books, but didn't stick out to me until everything came together in this one. 

Furthermore, I loved getting to see more of Amelia and Devlin's relationship. The complexity of their relationship keeps things intriguing. It was nice to finally see some emotion on Devlin's part - he wasn't the same man we saw in book one. We even get quite a few romantic scenes from the pair in this one. I also didn't realize quite how much I missed Devlin in The Kingdom until he reappeared in this one. However,  now I'm longing to see Thane again. I don't want him with Amelia, but he is quite the alluring character.

Stevens' writing has such a strong sense of place that you can't help but feel the warm Carolina breeze and smell the marsh and saltwater. I love the way she can transport me from the gloomy Pacific Northwest into the Deep South. The cultural elements in her novels always fascinate me. The Prophet discusses root work and the Gullah culture quite a bit. Southerners are known to be a superstitious lot and this novel certainly plays upon that mentality. Reading this book made me flat out homesick. I may be out of the South at the moment, but it still thrives within my Soul calling me back to its Spanish moss laden trees and humidity. The Graveyard Queen series will have you pouring yourself a glass of sweet tea, curling up on the porch swing, and reading away the hours on a weekend afternoon.

There was one thing I was disappointed about in this one. Stevens' writing has been so solid in all the previous books and the flow has been spot on. However, in this one, I felt like that didn't happen with the ending. I still enjoyed the book, but the ending felt rushed. There were so many elements coming at me at once during the final chapters that it was slightly overwhelming. I wish that the book had been a little longer and all of these items had been given time to play out gradually in the same fashion as previous books. The ending just fell flat for me. Overall, I don't think it was enough for me to dislike the book - there are so many other awesome attributes - but it did prevent me from giving it a 5 birdie rating. The Prophet provides integral information about many characters and moves the series along - while its not my favorite book in the series so far - it was still a great read and was instrumental in answering some of my lingering questions. 

One Last Gripe: I felt like the whole Dr. Shaw plot strand was too rushed and didn't flow as well as the rest of the book.

My Favorite Thing About This Book: The root work lore

First Sentence: Something had been following me for days.

Favorite Character: Amelia

Least Favorite Character: Mariama

Summary:

My name is Amelia Gray.I am the Graveyard Queen, a cemetery restorer who sees ghosts. My father passed down four rules to keep me safe and I've broken every last one. A door has opened and evil wants me back.In order to protect myself, I've vowed to return to those rules. But the ghost of a murdered cop needs my help to find his killer. The clues lead me to the dark side of Charleston—where witchcraft, root doctors and black magic still flourish—and back to John Devlin, a haunted police detective I should only love from afar.Now I'm faced with a terrible choice: follow the rules or follow my heart.