Holy cow this one took me on an emotional roller coaster. Pissed off, scared, happy, depressed, happy again. The Graves family is confusing but you understand it in the end! I definitely loved this book and did not expect the ending in the epilogue (although I was hoping something good happened)! I can't say much without spoiling but Grave Secrets was so good and kept me so interested that I flew through it!

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read this book in return for a review. I liked the premise of Grave Secrets. Demon fighter, mysterious helpful stranger, said stranger and FMC end up in love even though the angels say he’s bad.

However, the rhythm of this book was exhausting. When Simon would retell the story it took forever. Allie’s thoughts made me roll my eyes so often because of the way she would do things like decide not to charge her phone 3 times in a chapter and then loses said phone…The storyline was also really predictable.

I don’t think I will read the sequel when it comes out because I just didn’t really connect with the book. Others may enjoy it but after 70% through I just ended up skimming the rest and wasn’t really surprised what I found.

This book ended up being pretty interesting. It starts off with a woman named Allie who is a demon hunter. We follow her as she returns to her family estate, which is her inheritance, and the chaos ensues. She meets a man named Simon and they are the two main characters from there on out.
There is so much going on in this book. There are humans, angels, demons, and something that doesn't fit any of those categories.
I really enjoyed the premise of this story and I thought the second half was action packed! The story really picked up pace and had some nice spice and some crazy drama!
What I wasn't crazy about was the character of Simon telling Allie so much of the story. Maybe if he had told it in a different way, but going from present time story telling to hearing it as if we were in his memory didn't seem to flow as well as I'd like.
There is a lot of focus on mundane activities, such as eating, showering, getting dressed and I felt like some of that could have been skipped.
Allie is such a badas$ in parts of the book, but other parts she acts much younger than she is and I would have loved to see her be a more dominant FMC the entire time.
I think this author has an amazing imagination and I love that she was able to turn her ideas into a book! I'm glad I read it and if I know anyone looking for a good paranormal read I'll recommend this one.
A big thank you to NetGalley, the author, and publisher for the chance to read this book. All opinions are my own.

Allie made a deal with the angels after her death--they let her live, she serves them for 6 years as a demon hunter. Approaching the end of her service, Allie remembers she was left a house in the south by her grandfather and decides to take a look at her new home. The problem? It's currently inhabited by a demon, and she's learning her grandfather may not be the man she thought he was. In fact, SHE may not be who she thought she was. Working against a deadline set by her handler, Gabriel, Allie must work to discover the mysteries surrounding her house, her family, and herself.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book! It's such an interesting take on the angels/demons trope with a touch of magic and vampires. I loved the depictions of the angels--Gabriel being an absolute tool really worked for me. There were areas I thought needed a tad bit more editing, and moments where Allie's behavior seemed weird and didn't exactly fit. Even after the plot twist, I couldn't really understand some of her behavior in a few moments. Sometimes it felt as though a scene had been edited down and we're just left with her reaction, but because we missed some extra dialogue or action, it didn't really make sense. I really would have loved to see more conflict with Gabriel as well,but given the progression of the story it makes sense it wasn't there--I hope that comes into play for the next book! Overall, it was an enjoyable read with some very interesting takes that I haven't seen before. I'm looking forward to reading the next one in the series! Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this book!

*I received a free ARC of this book from NetGalley*

Unfortunately this was a DNF at 20 percent. I like the premise of demon slaying to work off a life debt, but this book needs work. Instead of sticking with that central idea and building on it, we’re brought into morphs an inherited spooky house/past lives story, which seems quite a departure from the angels and demons theme.

The storytelling didn’t work for me. Jumping into memories and back to present day was messy.

Allie is horrendously annoying. There’s an early scene with Simon where he’s talking about domestic violence occurring a century ago, when such behaviour went unchecked, and Allie loses her mind about this. Is Allie stupid? Does a 23 year old really not understand recent history and social changes in the western world?

And then there’s the stirrings of insta-love, my ultimate pet peeve in this genre.

The blurb sounded great, but it’s not for me.

Thank you Netgalley for the chance to read Grave secrets by Cassandra Aston. This is the 1st book in the Prophecies of Angels and Demons series. I loved the beginning of the book, and continued to read, however the story ended up getting bogged down in the middle. I was not a fan of the plot twist, and wished the author had stuck with the original premise. Grave secrets is a new adult book, but it does read as a older YA book.

I wanted to like this book so much more than I actually did. It has all the fixings for a book I'd enjoy.
- Family Mystery
- Romance
- Slow Burn
- Demons

Overall, while I think this was a good book, I probably wouldn't read it again. I loved the dynamic between Allie and Simon, they're so cute. I loved Allie as a character as well, she's completely badass and loveable. I think we all want to have a bit of Allie in our personalities. I loved how the "haunted house" kind of atmosphere played into it as well (also being a lover of old house style horror and mystery)

I wasn't a huge fan of how the story was told. In the first quarter of the book a lot of the backstory is told through dialogue with Simon. Although it's written very descriptively and doesn't read as authentic dialogue if that makes sense? It didn't feel natural and it felt kind of monotonous. The latter half of the book was better, but still didn't whisk me away.

The overall plot of this book (I won't say because of spoilers) wasn't one that was made for me either. I'm not a fan of the trope. Had I known this going into the book, I would have been more prepared. It was a little let down?

Overall, I think this is a great story for a certain type of person. Unfortunately at this time, that person wasn't me.

Sweet mother of coffee lovers. I ask that you send me the biggest cup ASAP.
I have the worst book hangover ever. This book was downloaded yesterday morning, I stayed up all night to finish it.
Going into the story, I wasn't sure what to expect. This generally is a genre I stay clear of. The whole angels, demons and Witches thing was becoming boring. But boy, oh boy! Was I glad i took the time to pick this up and give it a read.
From the 1st page you are dragged so deep in the story you forget that it is exactly that. A story. My heart strings were yanked and pulled in so many directions. I did find the whole 'Alaxia' concept was annoying and all I could think about was LAXATIVES, any time I read the word.
The twisted storyline with the slow burning love was enough to keep you engaged. It was refreshing to read the different take on the world the author tried to build. The writing was at times blocky and pulled me out of the story. Almost stilted and fillers added to give it a larger word count. While these were annoying at times and had me rereading the paragraph to understand what was trying to be said. I did enjoy the book. It was read overnight. I would recommend this story to anyone is like myself, is over the age-old demons and angels concept.

This was a great story and had some unique characters created. I have to admit at first I didn’t know if I really cared for it at least halfway through I didn’t know. But the ending made up for it all. I really enjoyed the twists and turns though some left me confused where others had me thinking no way, I will definitely recommend this to any one who like a good angels and demon story.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC!

DNF at 25% bc holy CRAP I cannot take it anymore. There were so many unnecessary details in this book that felt like filler:
1. Description of character playing with dust motes. A whole. Paragraph.
2. Describing every single detail in every single room in the setting she’s in (there’s 10 btw)
3. Describing every single act of literally anything. Breathing, eating, getting dressed, taking a shower, literally EVERYTHING. It’s like Tolkien but much, much worse.

Our MC is supposed to be 22 years of age and she acts no better than a 16-year-old. She gets upset over the most teenage things I’ve ever seen and listen, did she have it rough in life? Yes. But the things she’s been through should’ve made her a tough as nails type girly and that is NOT what we get here.

This book also reads super YA. I’m aware that it’s 18+ for sexual content but Jesus I’ve read children’s novels that were written better. All in all I cannot bring myself to finish this book.

3.5

This book has romance, action, mystery, and supernatural goodies. Aston does a great job of pacing during suspenseful moments. I found my heart racing during those scenes in anticipation. However, the greatest asset of this book is the supernatural world and plot. The angel and demon lore along with the introduction of magic was so well thought-out and interesting. There were many conscientious hints that kept you trying to fit pieces of the puzzle together and when each plot twist came it still had you reeling. It was precisely what kept me reading.

The biggest fault and most difficult thing to get past was unnecessary descriptions of mundane tasks. I understand authors are encouraged to show rather than tell the reader what is going on but in this instance, I think it'd be safe to just state or omit every time Allie brushes her teeth, changes her clothes, or decides what to eat. Ironically, Allie would scold Simon for adding superfluous details to his stories and I would feel the same when reading about Allie's daily routine.

Despite all this, the epilogue will definitely keep you wanting more. My heart skipped a beat when I read the last line. So, will I be reading the next book? Yeah... yeah, probably.

I received this title as an eARC in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to NetGalley and Cassandra Aston for the opportunity to read this treasure!

Great fantasy read that kept you hooked till the very end. Great writing style and storyline. Would read more from this author in the future

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me access to this arc.

4 stars / 5 stars

Things I loved:
Loved the paranormal fantasy aspect
Glad it didn’t end on a cliffhanger
Very descriptive
Loved the plot
Things I didn’t love:
Pov was a bit confusing and a little hard to follow
Didn’t love Simon filling in the back story for 2/3 of the book

<b>A Promising Start to an Intriguing Series</b>

Grave Secrets by Cassandra Aston is a great introduction to a new fantasy series with a distinctive twist. The story's unique universe is filled with hidden secrets that captivate you from the start! Although it is set in a fantasy world, the world itself seems pretty easy to understand and I really enjoyed the eeriness the book conveyed.

Aston weaves mystery, suspense, and magic all into one and I must admit it made this book a quick page turner. The compelling plot and captivating characters really kept me fully invested in the story.

Though there are some small issues with dialogue clarity, <spoiler>particularly when Simon is recounting his story which got a bit confusing,</spoiler> the characters' depth shines through, leaving a lasting impression in my opinion.

The pacing strikes a good balance between action and introspection and the book leaves threads unresolved which seemed like the perfect way to set the stage for the next installment in the series.

In conclusion, Grave Secrets is a strong debut novel and an excellent starting point for a fantasy series. Fantasy enthusiasts seeking a fresh take on the genre will be entertained.

Thank you NetGalley and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for providing me with an ARC copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

First, I would like to thank the author & NetGalley for the eARC opportunity. Like always, this review is voluntary & honest

A true page Turner 🥰

This book was unlike anything I've read, it had me on edge the whole way through, it was an mysterious thriller with slice of romance 😉😉
The twists that are delivered throughout will keep you on your toes! 

I loved that I couldn't figure out the main plot until it was revealed.

The tension between Allie and Simon was incredible, it was truly will they won't they..

"Across from her was the same broken sort of creature that she was. One that was fractured, splintered, and destroyed and then put back together again..."

I wasn't a huge fun of Rebecca, I preferred Allie, but Simon was a total sweetheart. 😘

You've got:
Dark Fantasy
Angels and demons
Magic
Family secrets
Reincarnation
Walking dead
Slow burn romance
Murder
Plot twists
Mystery
Thriller

It was slow placed but fitting for the story line, the world and character building were excellent.
I still have questions in my head and I look forward to figuring them out in book 2

Grave Secrets by @cassandra.aston.author

Well I must say this book has definitely caught my attention, I just knew from the the first chapter that I was going to love it.
Allie is a baddass #girlpower demon hunter, with a tragic back story (love it😍)
And Simon is just yummy 😋

It's portrayal of vampires, demons and angels etc, has you feeling the comfort of your usual fantasy stories but it's unique elements makes it much more exciting and unpredictable.

This book is rather chunky - reading the eBook I didn't realise🤣 - it has so many twists and turns, I was certainly kept on my toes.

Can't wait to read more...

I wanted to like this book, but I had a really hard time with it. The premise and the story were good and had tons of potential, but the character development and arcs felt rushed and awkward. I know the main character is supposed to be 23, but most of the time what she said and did felt like I was reading about a 13-14 year old, which made the whole book feel disjointed.

Book Review 📚
Grave Secrets by Cassandra Aston - 4/5 ⭐

Fantasy with romance and even a little bit of horror? That is such a peculiar mix but it worked so well together. It was a slow paced book but in a good way. There was so much you want answers to and to have them all at once would of made the story finish within the first chapter!

There is some drama, suspense, romance and fantasy. Allie is our MC and she was amazing. There was so much about her that is likable and her character had so much depth. She seems so straightforward but then things start to change very quickly! I think it was Allie that actually had me hooked to the book.

Grave Secrets is a page turner! There's so much happening and not enough time to get all the answers you want. I was thrilled when I found out there was gonna be more then one book!

Thank you to NetGalley and Dialogue Books for allowing me to read this ARC - this is an HONEST review from my own personal opinion.

I liked this book. The main character was relatable. Some parts of the plot were confusing and twisted but overall a good story. I liked how it ultimately ended up much better than how it seemed like it was going to end.

This is a slow build fantasy story, with a romantic streak and a dash of horror. I enjoyed the read. Questions from the start brought me into the story. What happened to make Allie a Reash? What are the Angels doing? Then many other questions as Allie discovers things about herself. Answers? The first question is really only skimmed over, but answer’s about Allie and her family history more than makes up for that. There are more books to come in the series; will they answer my initial question or just pose more? I look forward to finding out. Thank you to Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op and NetGalley for the ARC. The views expressed are all mine, freely given.