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24601poto's review against another edition
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.5
ambeesbookishpages's review against another edition
4.0
The full review can be found at The Book Bratz closer to its release date!
The Cemetery Boys was wonderfully dark and mysterious. It is a book that will leave you up into the late hours of the night needing to know how it will end. Forget about sleep, because this book is creepy as hell!
When Stephen's dad looses his job and has to move back to the small town he left years before, Stephen thinks it is the end of the world. Maybe it is. Then he meets a cute girl named Cara, her brother Devon and a bunch of their friends and he begins to believe that life in Spencer may be a little less miserable. But after hanging out at the cemetery and drinking with the guys a few times Stephen learns about the creatures that the town believe in and that they are going through bad times, and the only way to end them is to sacrifice someone. Though he believes there are just myths, maybe something more in going on. Life in Spencer isn't what it would appear to be.
I have never been a fan of stories told solely from the male point of view, it have never been able to get into them into them as I am with a female protagonist. But Stephen was different. He didn't feel fake to me. Heather has a real talent in writing in the male point of view. He was a typical boy, with the sarcastic inner monologue, and thinking about getting with a pretty girl. Especially the pressure doing and not doing. All a pride thing. It was refreshing to read from the male point of view and I was actually able to stick with it.
Devon was just strange to me, his drawings, how he stood outside of Stephen's grandmother's house one of his first nights there. There was something so off about that boy, and the whole book I expected one outcome with him and it didn't happen. Cara on the other hand, she was the opposite of her brother. I loved her character, and every scene she was in. She balanced out Stephen nicely, understanding the things that happened with his mother back home.
The story started out a bit slow to me, eventually it picked up though and I couldn't help but devour it. The Winged Ones was an awesome addition to the overall plot. Especially that it raises the question whether they were real or not. Then the ending hits you. The last 50 pages or so were thrilling. There were people involved in this that I never would have imagined to be. I was utterly shocked and upset because I thought it was going to turn out different. After the climax of the story though, you realize that there may have been truth about these urban legends told through out Spencer.
The Cemetery Boys was wonderfully dark and mysterious. It is a book that will leave you up into the late hours of the night needing to know how it will end. Forget about sleep, because this book is creepy as hell!
When Stephen's dad looses his job and has to move back to the small town he left years before, Stephen thinks it is the end of the world. Maybe it is. Then he meets a cute girl named Cara, her brother Devon and a bunch of their friends and he begins to believe that life in Spencer may be a little less miserable. But after hanging out at the cemetery and drinking with the guys a few times Stephen learns about the creatures that the town believe in and that they are going through bad times, and the only way to end them is to sacrifice someone. Though he believes there are just myths, maybe something more in going on. Life in Spencer isn't what it would appear to be.
I have never been a fan of stories told solely from the male point of view, it have never been able to get into them into them as I am with a female protagonist. But Stephen was different. He didn't feel fake to me. Heather has a real talent in writing in the male point of view. He was a typical boy, with the sarcastic inner monologue, and thinking about getting with a pretty girl. Especially the pressure doing and not doing. All a pride thing. It was refreshing to read from the male point of view and I was actually able to stick with it.
Devon was just strange to me, his drawings, how he stood outside of Stephen's grandmother's house one of his first nights there. There was something so off about that boy, and the whole book I expected one outcome with him and it didn't happen. Cara on the other hand, she was the opposite of her brother. I loved her character, and every scene she was in. She balanced out Stephen nicely, understanding the things that happened with his mother back home.
The story started out a bit slow to me, eventually it picked up though and I couldn't help but devour it. The Winged Ones was an awesome addition to the overall plot. Especially that it raises the question whether they were real or not. Then the ending hits you. The last 50 pages or so were thrilling. There were people involved in this that I never would have imagined to be. I was utterly shocked and upset because I thought it was going to turn out different. After the climax of the story though, you realize that there may have been truth about these urban legends told through out Spencer.
allysonbogie's review against another edition
4.0
I liked this book and had a hard time putting it down. I'm giving it four stars from the perspective of a middle school librarian. Some students want mystery, suspense, and creepy books. I think that someone who likes Darren Shan or the Vladimir Tod series would also enjoy this book. The main character is new to town, and is trying to fit in. He discovers a pretty creepy legend about the town, and then has to figure out for himself whether or not it's true. Although the writing isn't amazing, I look forward to getting this book for my library!
b00kluver's review against another edition
3.0
Had a good twist but not enough questions answered or things resolved.
the_pagan_philologist's review against another edition
3.0
Steven is not a nice person in the beginning (ableism against mental illness, yikes), but gets better.
Overall the suspense is well crafted with exciting mystery elements which I really liked.
But.... the characters are not credible. The grandmother is just pure evil and the explanation given is not enough for me. And why does Steven have conflicted feelings in the end?! It should be so damn clear how one would feel in his shoes but our melancholic boy is not sure.
Fun read with dissatisfying ending
Overall the suspense is well crafted with exciting mystery elements which I really liked.
But.... the characters are not credible. The grandmother is just pure evil and the explanation given is not enough for me. And why does Steven have conflicted feelings in the end?! It should be so damn clear how one would feel in his shoes but our melancholic boy is not sure.
Fun read with dissatisfying ending
tillywa's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
kice7788's review against another edition
2.0
Heres my full review - http://mediageeksunite.blogspot.com/2015/05/book-review-cemetery-boys.html
I seriously shouldnt have given this 2 stars but ill tell you why in my review :) check out my blog for the full review- mediageeksunite.blogspot.com and a video should be up soon on my channel- youtube.com/kwells7788
I seriously shouldnt have given this 2 stars but ill tell you why in my review :) check out my blog for the full review- mediageeksunite.blogspot.com and a video should be up soon on my channel- youtube.com/kwells7788
thecolouryes's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
I read this book by accident. I meant to read Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas, and accidentally grabbed this book instead. Still, the beginning was exciting, and grabbed my interest more than the other book I had been reading at the time. This was a quick read with a splash of some classic horror tropes, which was a nice palette cleanser from the tooth-rotting romantacy kick I've been on, but the YA themes didn't quite hit right.
rebekahisreading's review against another edition
1.0
The Cemetery Boys is the story of seventeen year old Stephen, who is transplanted to the small and secluded town of Spencer, Michigan from Denver, Colorado when his mother is committed to a mental institution and his father can no longer afford to live in the city. Stephen and his father move into Stephen’s grandmother’s house. His grandmother is a stickler for cleanliness and, from the beginning, has a distaste for all that Stephen does. Stephen quickly finds a home among supposed friends when he meets Cara and her twin brother, Devon. Although he likes Cara, Stephen feels a compulsion to impress Devon and his friends and begins spending time with them at the Spencer graveyard, known as the Playground.
Stephen senses bad things are happening in Spencer when he finds Devon’s notebook filled with drawings of wings, dead people, and macabre poems. The inhabitants of Spencer believe in The Winged Ones, large creatures that supposedly bring bad times to the town and can only be appeased by a human sacrifice.
The Cemetery Boys is a very interesting book that I would definitely recommend to people fifteen and under. Although I enjoyed the story of this book, I think that the quality of writing is definitely meant for a younger person. Brewer knows how to drag you into her world kicking and screaming, but enjoying it the whole time. It definitely gave me a sense of unease when I read it late at night. But the writing, including the vocabulary and the way the characters spoke, was not up to the standard of the content.
The Cemetery Boys is an intriguing book which pulls you in straight from the vague and interesting prologue. I truly enjoyed the content and Heather Brewer knows her world and her characters very well and knows the flaws and characteristics that will make them interesting. I enjoyed this book and I finished it in only three days. I would have given this book would have gotten a 3.5/5, but I believe that the writing knocked it down a few points for me.
The content of this book is certainly a pull and it truly is interesting. But it just didn't appeal to me.
Stephen senses bad things are happening in Spencer when he finds Devon’s notebook filled with drawings of wings, dead people, and macabre poems. The inhabitants of Spencer believe in The Winged Ones, large creatures that supposedly bring bad times to the town and can only be appeased by a human sacrifice.
The Cemetery Boys is a very interesting book that I would definitely recommend to people fifteen and under. Although I enjoyed the story of this book, I think that the quality of writing is definitely meant for a younger person. Brewer knows how to drag you into her world kicking and screaming, but enjoying it the whole time. It definitely gave me a sense of unease when I read it late at night. But the writing, including the vocabulary and the way the characters spoke, was not up to the standard of the content.
The Cemetery Boys is an intriguing book which pulls you in straight from the vague and interesting prologue. I truly enjoyed the content and Heather Brewer knows her world and her characters very well and knows the flaws and characteristics that will make them interesting. I enjoyed this book and I finished it in only three days. I would have given this book would have gotten a 3.5/5, but I believe that the writing knocked it down a few points for me.
The content of this book is certainly a pull and it truly is interesting. But it just didn't appeal to me.