Absolutely loved this book. Its different to what I'm used to by l.j shen but a really good different. I don't want to give anything away because I purposely didn't read any spoilers or anything so I could be surprised and I'm so glad I did that. All I want to say is that it was fantastic.

This book is magnificent.

Following Everlynne in the aftermath of a tragic event, Beautiful Graves is a story of heartbreak, love, redemption, and soulmates. I personally haven't been a fan of love triangles for a long time, but I knew that if anyone could write a *chef's kiss* love triangle, it would be LJ Shen. I won't spoil the book, but I will say that through the twists and turns of this book, I was very satisfied with the ending, and I thought that the ending got the cathartic closure it deserved.

I'm truly awed at how well LJ is able to craft characters who are complex, flawed, yet so passionate. The entire time I was reading this book (yes, I stayed up until 2 am finishing this masterpiece,) I was never once bored. This is a story about life, love, and all the complications in between.

Tropes:
- love triangle
- second chance
- emotional/angst
- "it's always been you"

Needless to say, I thoroughly enjoyed Beautiful Graves. It's definitely a story you don't want to miss out on, and I can't wait for everyone to read it! If you're in the mood for something about heartbreak and healing, this is definitely the one for you!

One woman with two different kinds of love. Which would you choose if you had to choose? Your soulmate or the love of your life? Enter Everlynne, Joe, and Dom.

LJ has written a two-part love triangle evolving around these three with Ever being the primary catalyst. Beautiful Graves is exquisitely written, excruciatingly gut-wrenching, heart-breaking, and full of angst, Angst, and ANGST!
“I loved you, Ever Lawson. But I want you to know, you’re the worst thing that’s ever f*g happened to me.”

There was so much heaviness and feelings of sorrow that was prevalent throughout, mainly from Ever herself. She is the girl with unique dreams and loves that doesn’t quite fit in. To counterbalance her morose being are a couple of great secondary characters that fill the book and situations with moments of levity.

What have we learned? Love is messy and life isn’t perfect. Yet, through these three we find the normalcy of insecurities and growing pains of teenagers through their mid-twenties. It was raw, passion-filled, mistake driven, and yet through it all imperfectly perfect.

LJ Shen never disappoints!!

Beautiful Graves is a love triangle with a few twists..

Ever meets Joe and they have a whirlwind romance while abroad Only parting when Ever has to leave to go back to the states with promises of being together again soon... Something traumatic happens to Ever and she cuts off all contact with Joe along with everyone closest to her including her home when she decides to relocate.

Fast Forward.. We've got Ever in a new city, with a new life. In a twist of fate she meets Dom after her Cat wanders off and takes up residence at his apartment. Ever decides to open her heart again (or what's left of it) and go all in with her new love and life, but then she meets Dom's brother 😱

SERIOUSLY, you do not want to skip this one!!
5/5⭐

Beautiful Graves by LJ Shen was totally not what I was expecting. I was not ready for this book. The story took me by surprise and just when I thought I knew what was coming, author LJ Shen hit me with a 1, 2 punch I did not see coming. Beautiful Graves has it all. It is a rollercoaster ride of epic proportions. It is an angsty, sexy second chance romance. It is also about Everlynne, our main character and her personal journey.

I’m not going to lie, while I loved Everlynne, I wanted to shake her at times! I’d have to take deep breaths and close the book for a minute, before feverishly going back to devour every word.

I was so invested in this story. I don’t want to say much. I think going in blind makes every book that much better. And this one? Just amazing. Author LJ Shen proves once again what a talented, creative and versatile writer is. Bravo!! Cannnot wait for her next one.

What a beautifully yet heartbreaking story! LJ never disappoints and keeps you on the edge of your seat every step of the way. I audibly gasped multiple times throughout this journey and wanted to reach through the book to shake Ever a couple times. LOL I didn't want this story to end!

🥀Love Triangle
🥀Soulmates
🥀Second Chance
.
“If you were mediocre, you wouldn’t be running circles in my head.”
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Review: First off, let me just say that LJ Shen is one of my favorite authors! I absolutely love her books. This book was completely different from LJ Shen's usually stories and I know she stepped out of her comfort zone and it definitely paid off.

Oh my gosh! I absolutely devoured this book! If I could have read it in one day, I would have. I was also glad I got to savor it for a little longer though. Would you choose the Love of Your Life or your Soulmate? I'm usually afraid of Love Triangles because I am affraid I will fall in love with the hero that the heroine doesn't choose. But when your favorite author writes a Love Triangle...you trust her and dive in! I'm so glad I did because I LOVED it and it is sooo much more than just a Love Triangle! Also, LJ Shen is a literary genious! The way she created the characters names, the meaning and connection of the title and how it all wove together perfectly. It is a work of art!

I am going to be very vague because I don't want to give anything away. This book is a beautiful and emotional roller coaster. I definitely recommend having tissues near by. The angst and heartbreak had me crying like a baby at times, but I loved it. I love when a book can truly make you feel what the hero or heroine is going through. That is the gift a skilled author. My heart broke for Everlynne at times and at others I wanted to smack her upside the head.😂 The banter, chemistry and passion was perfection. I felt every emotion. I swooned for both of our heroes at different points. The emotional turmoil Everlynne went through trying to choose between two very different men was so powerful. The plot twists kept me on my toes. The journey is rough, but sooooo worth it! Smoker Dude versus Mr. Perfect...who will Everlynne choose? Don't miss this one!!! I highly recommend it! This is definitely a top 2022 read for me!😍

Wasn’t expecting this!

Love triangles are NOT my cup of tea….I LOVED this book!
Heart wrenching angst is NOT my cup of tea….I LOVED this book!

I thought I had this story somewhat figured out THEN humongous bombs of plot twist were released and I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough! How exciting! To think you know what’s going to happen in a story but in reality you have no clue! That’s what I’m looking for in a book! That’s what I got with this story.

Between the push and pulls, surprising realizations, and steamy exchanges I was submerged in a book lover’s mecca!

I love how this book is a triangle but has a unique vibe that’s sets it apart from routine love triangles.

Commence the applause! This story caught my attention and wouldn’t let go!

𝙱𝚘𝚘𝚔: 𝙱𝚎𝚊𝚞𝚝𝚒𝚏𝚞𝚕 𝙶𝚛𝚊𝚟𝚎𝚜
𝙰𝚞𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚛: 𝙻. 𝙹. 𝚂𝚑𝚎𝚗
𝙶𝚎𝚗𝚛𝚎: 𝙲𝚘𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚖𝚙𝚘𝚛𝚊𝚛𝚢 𝚁𝚘𝚖𝚊𝚗𝚌𝚎, 𝚆𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚗’𝚜 𝚁𝚘𝚖𝚊𝚗𝚌𝚎
𝚃𝚛𝚘𝚙𝚎: 𝚂𝚎𝚌𝚘𝚗𝚍 𝙲𝚑𝚊𝚗𝚌𝚎 𝚁𝚘𝚖𝚊𝚗𝚌𝚎
𝚁𝚎𝚕𝚎𝚊𝚜𝚎 𝙳𝚊𝚝𝚎: 𝙾𝚌𝚝𝚘𝚋𝚎𝚛 𝟺, 𝟸𝟶𝟸𝟸
𝙲𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝙳𝚎𝚜𝚒𝚐𝚗: 𝙲𝚊𝚛𝚘𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚎 𝚃𝚎𝚊𝚐𝚞𝚎 𝙹𝚘𝚑𝚗𝚜𝚘𝚗
𝚁𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
𝙵𝚊𝚟𝚘𝚛𝚒𝚝𝚎 𝚀𝚞𝚘𝚝𝚎:
𝙷𝚎 𝚒𝚜 𝚊 𝚜𝚝𝚘𝚛𝚖, 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝙸’𝚖 𝚕𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚗𝚒𝚗𝚐, 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚠𝚑𝚎𝚗𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚠𝚎 𝚖𝚎𝚎𝚝, 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚒𝚜 𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚘𝚜.

𝚁𝚎𝚟𝚒𝚎𝚠:
Beautiful Graves was the most intense and overwhelmingly beautiful book I think Shen has ever written. It takes you on an unforgettable journey of a girl who falls in love at first sight only to experience loss soon after in more ways than one and what it’s like to come back from that. Unlike anything that Shen has written in the past, Beautiful Graves took me on an adventure of a lifetime, embarking on emotions that I never imagined could have been possible. A ride that has you experiencing the most excessive feelings of love, pain, loss, betrayal, and hope. A second-chance love story that has you struggling for your next breath.
L.J. Shen is one of my one-click authors that I know will never disappoint me and will always take me on a trip of the unexpected every time I pick up one of her books. I can’t praise this book enough. If you’re looking for a book about love, loss and hope then get this book today.

Whew...what a story! Serendipity and fate play a cruel mistress in this new book by Ms. Shen.

This is the story of Ever. Three people, two love stories, and all the chaos that comes from it.

Ever is such a tragic soul. I was enamored with her darkness and her goth girl embrace. I like that she didn't follow the mainstream. Just as her future was beginning, bright and beautiful a tragedy happens and changes her whole world outlook and how she decides how to live her life.

The men in her life come into her world at both the perfect time and at the worst. The angst of this story is so on point, and it made me invest even more in this story and to root for Ever and the man she was destined to be with.

From the beautiful, tragic history of Salem to the beautiful shores of California and the world beyond Ms. Shen takes you on a journey that will keep you riveted to the pages and cheering Ever on as she navigates her world.

I'm a sucker for these kinds of books!!

5/5 ⭐ OVERALL
3.5/5 🌶 STEAM

“I just knew. Knew our hearts were made out of the same material. Cracked in the same places. That they beat to the same rhythm."

If you enjoy:
- Love Triangles
- Second Chances
- Insta Love
- Emotional Situations
- Angst

This book was a tangled up heart- breaking mess that I was 100% eating up!! I honestly loved this book so much, and if you go in KNOWING it's fiction then so will you.

This book starts off Ever and her friend, Pippa, in Spain on their senior trip. This is where she meets Joe in a spectacular way. They instantly hit it off and have a major connection that shocks both of them. They're soul mates, and that's all there is to it. They leave Spain boyfriend and girlfriend.

Ever gets home all giddy over her new love and then tragedy hits. This steals everything from her, including her will to be happy. She doesn't think she deserves happiness, so she becomes a shell of the person she was. She moves to Boston, where Joe is from, to just exist and run away from it all. After 6 years, she meets a guy named Dominic. She reluctantly gets in a relationship with him, because she feels like it's time to live a little. That is until she finds out who Dominic's brother is.

Y'ALLLL!! I'm sorry, but I was all over the toxic relationships in this story. The only thing that would've made it better was some popcorn. I did want to throw my Kindle quite a few times with the way Ever was acting, but it was totally understandable and made the book more angsty, which is something I'll never so no to!

Happy Reading! ❤

P.S. Always check those trigger warnings!

Beautiful Graves by L.J Shen is one of the best second chance romance books that I’ve read since of late and it was a page turner. There were so many twists in this book that I just did not see it coming. The author had done a wonderful job in writing this compelling story, it was just mind blowing and un putdownable.

“He can have your outside. I can have your inside.” Beautiful Graves by L. J. Shen is full of dark twists, poetic deceit, and forever love! Cryptic living consumes Ever Lawson, all while trying to move on, only to find herself in a and star-crossed lover’s dynamic years later with Dom, the most perfect man. “Baby, I’ve always believed in miracles, and you are my favorite point oh one percent.” Everlynne Bellatrix Lawson comes across two main points in her life: summer of high school graduation, and 6 years later. And during those times, Ever meets Joe, her soulmate, only to separate by tragedy. All while time passes, until Dominic Ansel Graves brings her back to life. “I loved you, Ever Lawson. But I want you to know, you’re the worst thing that’s ever… happened to me.” Overall, this rating is for all the haunting twists, predestined characters, plot development, and unique ending. Beautiful Graves is goth meets light, and I highly recommend.

Beautiful Graves is not like most of her other books, this book reminds me of "In the Unlikely Event, with a love triangle trope. The book isn't a dual point of view book, which I think would have been hard with the love triangle twist, so as much as I would have loved the other point of views I get the reason why. This book is a little dark and tragic, the main character goes through a lot of tragedy and I found my heart breaking for Everlynne. The way that Everlynne dealt with some of the tragic things she went through was hard to watch, she is a "runner" when it comes to dealing with her emotions, I wanted her to quit running and hiding. After the tragedy that she went through, she wanted to stick with the safe route and run when things got too hard or messy and boy did life get messy for Everlynne. Have I mentioned a love triangle? I don't want to give away any spoilers for this book, I really feel like you should jump into this one with your eyes closed and your mind open. Regarding the love triangle, I think we could all tell who was the right guy for Everlynne, even if it took more tragedy and more running for Everlynne to finally catch up and figure things out herself. I really enjoyed reading this book, I was sucked in from the first chapter and couldn't stop reading until I finished it, it's such a unique book.

Let me preface my review by saying that LJ Shen is one of my top 5 favorite authors. However, lately few books have been sparking the book magic. You know what I mean. When a book sucks you on the first few pages and grips you until the only thing you can do is think about the book. A few days ago, I had just read a sort of meh book, so I went into Beautiful Graves with low expectations. However, I got the rush of butterflies from just the first two to three chapters. The plot and characters are chef kiss—the plot’s new and unique in the world way it's unearthed, and the main characters are simply magical in their own way. I quickly knew I was going to devour and treasure this book forever. LJ Shen never disappoints, and her stories stay with you for a long time. She has the ability to write an excellent soulmate trope with lots of angst—one of my top books for the year.

This book had me on the edge. I couldn’t put this book down. I will definitely be buying this book and rereading it. And highlighting my favorite parts in this book. Just know that this author have find herself another stalker fan. I enjoyed this book and I definitely would recommend to other people.

First can I say that I love that the title has multiple meanings…the nod the Ever’s unique hobby and to the men in her life.

I am a fan of fate & absolutely love how fate keeps intervening with Joe and Ever. No matter what life throws at them fate is there to remind them of who they are supposed to be with. It’s up to them if they will be ignore it or finally give in and accept it with open arms💕

I truly felt Ever’s struggle with her decision. Trying to allow yourself to be happy after such loss can be a harrowing decision. She has grown so much and the new Ever is exactly who she was meant to be.

📖Fave quotes🖤
“Your chocolate is touching my real doughnuts.” “Don’t be such a purist.” “I don’t like chocolate.” “Tell me you’re a sociopath without telling me you’re a sociopath.”—-😂

Where there is hope, there is life. And where there is life, anything is possible.—-unequivocally love this 🥲

Wow! LJ Shen did it again! I am just blown away at the fact that she continues to top herself and impress me! Just amazing! This story was gut wrenching and beautiful and chaotic and traumatic in so many ways big and small. Twists and turns I did not see coming. Signature LJ ANGST! IT WAS FULL THROTTLE! I love LJs books so dang much. Spice level is on the lower/slow burn side but holy heck does this book deliver on every other level! It doesn't top My Broken Knight but it's pretty darn close! Amazing job, amazing author, amazing words! Phew! 👑🙌✨️🥺

For a voracious reader like me, it's a thrilling moment when my favourite writer releases a new book. I knew she would blow my mind with her story, but my unprepared self was stunned with extraordinary aftermath this "journey" left in its wake.
This book is sort of an oxymoron. Adrenaline rush from the sheer upsurge of emotions and a slow burn from simmering sentiments in the background. All this churn creates a smoldering romance that made my heart soar and culminated in shuddering climax almost like fireworks and I yelled Yessssss.
Oh this love hurts..it hurts the soul. you feel the acute ache in your bones. LJ'S words have stabbed and scarred with plot precision and roiling passions. As is the norm, her alphas are unforgettable and heroines kick Ass. You won't forget Joe in a hurry at all. Even though her earlier Heroes were broken but vicious, this sensitive and hurting hero will overshadow them all and become your utmost fave instantly.
When Everlynne Bellatrix Lawson meets Joe Graves perchance in the shopping aisle in Spain, they somehow end up on the beach in the most memorable first encounter I've ever read.
Their destinies are now entwined forever........or so it seems.
Lovers plan and God spits on those plans and readers cry at the unfairness of it all.

"The world is fucked, and unfair, and full of injustices. It is random, it is cruel, and it’s screwed us both over. Nothing matters anymore. All our dreams have gone up in flames, and there is nothing left to fight for."

Nursing a self-inflicted wounded heart, Ever stumbles her way through life when a cruel twist of fate completely destroys her sanity. She's merely existing. Keeping one foot in front of the other, hiding in plain sight. Like a sinner in search of redemption, Her pilgrimage is to Salem, where she can self-flaggelate to her hearts content.
But when all seems lost, Dominic steps in like a ray of sunshine in dismal grey world of Ever.

"Her ninety-nine-percent-chance-to-marry guy. #BestCoupleEver"

Just when you think his balming-calming presence might be the way to soothe and heal Lynne's brokenness, LJ in her convoluted sense of humour, decides to twist the knife a few times. Dom comes with a chance for laughter, lust and perhaps love For Ever but it seems her dues are not yet fully paid. Cause there's more!!!

"Salem was a punishment for me"

I'm not giving away any more clues to the plot, but trust me when I say this.
it's a heartwringer for sure. heartmulcher, heartmincer, heart annhilator.
Be prepared to feel dessicated, it causes tears will flow freely throughout your read. Remember to breathe in between.
The prominent feeling I had after I finished was Awe. I'd never expected this degree of angst from her before, so I was completely taken by surprise. Every word marks deep, every encounter sizzles with insane chemistry, every chapter throbs with foreboding dread. I wanted the best for all three, yet wasn't prepared to let any one of them go too.
**sigh**. It was completely worth the hiked pulse, skipped beats of my heart and a moment where it's just stopped altogether.
Totally worth it....maybe one more time but I need to recover for a few..
5 "point-oh-one-percent" stars

Y’all. It’s been a good minute since I read an L.J. Shen novel, but let me tell ya. It was like coming home after a long time away! It was amazing!

This book! I absolutely loved this book. It is angsty, it is tragic, it is emotionally raw & soul stealing. The characters, the plot line, the entire book was exactly what I wanted.

My heart absolutely shattered more times than I wanted it to, but in typical L.J. Shen fashion, she pieced it back together again! This is a masterfully chiseled book & every second of it had me on edge, following Everlynne, Joe, & Dom.

The choice she made? Well,all I can say is grab this 5★ read up RIGHT NOW, settle in with a hot cup of coffee & be taken on the ride of your life with this stunning, breathtaking new release!