GRAVE THINGS LIKE LOVE

Everybody seems very sure about who Elaine is, except for Elaine herself.

Elaine’s family owns a traditional funeral home, handed down from generation to generation. She’s always there to help, and her father is certain Elaine will go to mortuary school and take over the struggling business one day. Local kids have dubbed her Funeral Girl; her good friends Sienna and Madison are begrudgingly understanding of all the times she has to cancel plans to help her parents; and to her best friend, Miles, she is a companion to geek out with over their favorite science fiction/fantasy TV show, Dragonfly. Then new student—and ghost hunter—Xander comes to town. Elaine sees a therapist for her generalized anxiety disorder, but Xander sees a different side to her, one that is daring, loud, and free. As Elaine starts to wonder about all the things she doesn’t know about herself, she becomes convinced that the ghost that haunts her home may have the answers she is seeking. This thoughtful novel focuses on Elaine’s finding her voice and figuring out who and what she wants to be. There is a lot of rich character growth, and her relationships with friends and family alike feature strong dynamics. Her love triangle with Miles and Xander is engaging. The paranormal elements add to the novel without overwhelming the main storyline. Main characters are assumed White.

A thoughtful coming-of-age tale with a touch of the paranormal.