"My father was a caretaker for many years. He taught me early on an appreciation for old Southern graveyards. When I was a kid, I used to think the cemetery by our house was enchanted. It was my favorite place to play. I called it my kingdom. "Is that why you're known as The Graveyard Queen?"

I love that quote because it quite handily explains the title of this series and gives you a little window into Amelia Gray's mind. The Kingdom is the second book in The Graveyard Queen series, following The Restorer, book 1. Amelia has followed in her father's footsteps, both in her choice of profession, restoring old graveyards, and in her ability to see ghosts. While book 1 was more about Amelia helping to solve a current mystery, book 2 delves into Amelia's own past, and had, to me, a much darker tone. It was more spooky ghost story and a mystery that has gone way too long unsolved, with a dark, dark presence on a remote island that seems to have affected everybody who lives there.

Even though this book has a decidedly more sinister feel, it was just as good as book 1, especially if you like Southern gothic ghost stories, which I do. The setting was described in vivid detail and I thought the mystery unfolded at just the right pace. I was entranced from page 1.

In summary, I loved this book, and highly recommend it. I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the series.

5/5 stars. ( )

I'm really enjoying this series, and I'm sad that there is only one more left to go. This one explains some things about Amelia, and still leaves a few mysteries. As with the last one, this book slathers on the foreshadowing and then reveals it's secrets in a mad rush toward the end. And there were a couple of plot points that were headscratchers. Still not sure why they were there. But I still loved it overall. ( )

I've always loved cemeteries. They're huge open spaces, often crawling with wildlife, beautiful, old trees and full of history. I love seeing gravestones, reading inscriptions and seeing what decorations have been used and what keepsakes have been left. Maybe it's as voyeuristic as reality television but I find it very calming. This series sums all that, feeding my little ghoulish appetite, while throwing in southern charm, a dash of horror and big helping of mystery.

The author manages to build the feeling of the South, without having to drag an accent out every other word. Her ghosts and goblins are suitably chilling without being overdone. While her tie ups with men are a bit annoying while I would rather be chasing down ghosts and odd shadows, they are at least essential to the story in some way, rather than being an attempt at throwing in a paranormal romance. The main character is in many ways almost a little too quiet and passive at times, but the story makes up for it. By not being the sassy, brash character so many authors write the real gems of the story and world building can come through. And in all honesty, I'm a little tired of the kick butt ninja-wannabe girls so full of snark the other characters can't get a word in. She is actually a more realistically and better realized character. She doesn't gnash her teeth, threaten retribution or cry over her terrible circumstances. Instead she pulls herself together and goes back into the fray. If anything it makes her stronger than a lot of those characters out there wielding uzis and blades. She has very little to call on and yet she gets up every morning, deals with ghosts both literal and figurative and gets things done.

Definitely a recommended read. ( )

Amelia Gray leaves Charleston and travels to Asher Falls, South Carolina where she’s been commissioned to restore a cemetery. She thinks she needs to put some space between herself and Devlin, the man who led her to break the rules that have kept her safe from the supernatural her entire life.

Asher Falls is quite literally a ghost town. You can almost hear the silence in the empty streets, boarded windows, and even a stopped clock in a tower. Those same streets are populated with ghosts when night falls. And only Amelia can see them. The townspeople are obviously hiding something and most of them are really dislikable.

The Kingdom was creepy, with a gothic undertone, and filled with frightening atmosphere. The book also takes on a more evil and paranormal tone than the first book, [b:The Restorer|9722219|The Restorer (Graveyard Queen #1)|Amanda Stevens|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1327904796l/9722219._SY75_.jpg|14610994]. The cemetery she has to restore is eerie but no match for the older watery grave that is under the lake right outside the house she is staying in. The ghosts have grown bolder and appear often.

I recommend The Kingdom to fans of mystery, suspense and the paranormal. I'm not normally a fan of paranormal mysteries at all, but for some reason I really like this one. While this book can be read as a standalone, I do not recommend it because the connection between Amelia and her relationship with ghosts is more fully explained in the first book. ( )

Entertaining. ( )