Interesting premise, love the idea of the grave birds and the relationships Hollis has with them. From watching her attempts to launch her event planning business to the stranger in town with the unlikely name of Cain to the sometimes twisted goings on, it was a definite page turner.

Grave Birds is a book that incorporates elements of multiple genres, which makes it feel fresh when reading it. I was intrigued by the original concept surrounding the grave birds, and how the author used the to introduce relevant information the protagonist needed access to to figure out what was going on.

This book is one part mystery. There’s the mystery of what’s happening in the present and there’s the mystery surrounding prior events. Those mysteries go back to the protagonist’s childhood, and involve many people she’s known her entire life, so she has to go through the process of dismantling what she thinks she knows and reassessing people she’s known for decades.

The book is one part supernatural. The paranormal elements add to the intrigue as Hollis tries to figure out what’s going on and what it means.

The book is one part dislike to lovers. Hollis was planning to buy the property where she lives, but before her deadline to secure financing arrives, a wealthy outsider swoops in and purchases the property. The two are at odds initially, but they gradually forge a friendship and there’s definite chemistry between them.

Still, with all the strange events occurring in town ever since the day Cain arrived, and with the growing revelations about people she thought she knew, Hollis doesn’t always open up right away. Plus, it’s clear Cain has a secret, and that makes it hard for Hollis to trust him with everything.

I enjoyed the growth in the relationship as well as the investigative aspects and the supernatural elements. This book had me scrolling through the e-arc I received from the publisher as fast as I could to find out what happened. Definitely an intriguing story filled with Southern culture and charm, and a lot of people who are not what they seem.

This is, in turns, endearing, frustrating, mysterious, but always wonderful. A charming read, initially, and turns into something more involved. I was a little surprised at how quickly Cain went from being persona non grata to becoming a helpful ally to Hollis. And more. I loved the characters, they were very well developed and the plot was well thought out and kept my attention throughout. And the grave birds - this was a unique twist on stories involving seeing the dead. I love them! I ended the book wanting more, which is always a good place to land.

This ARC was provided by the publisher and NetGalley, the opinions expressed herein are strictly my own.

I received a complimentary copy of this book "Grave Birds" and all opinions expressed are my own. I love books like this, magical realism. Unique and suspenseful, ghostly. The characters were great, the book was awesome.

Hollis Sutherland died as a child. Lucky, she was brought back, but like many who come back from death, she had been changed. She can see what she calls “grave birds.” The ghostly birds are tethered to the place where people have perished. But not everyone has a grave bird, only those with unfinished business have them, and there is a whole lotta unfished business in Hawthorne, South Carolina!
Hollis is trying to get her event planning business off the ground when a mysterious bachelor and his godmother buy her godfather’s house out from under her. At the same time, weird things begin to happen like fire tornadoes, flocks of cardinals attacking homes, and portraits morphing into other people. All the while, the grave birds are singing of the town’s past and what the town’s elite have really been doing. Hollis is trying to plan the gala of the season, but instead, she is faced with a moral decision that could change the lives of everyone in Hawthorne.
Dana Elmendorf creates a great story with an interesting twist. The imaginative aspects of the grave birds bring something refreshingly new to the genre of talking to ghosts. Elmendorf takes something so innocent and makes them something more ominous than just omens of things to come. But, boy, are there things to come. As the grave birds begin to tell Hollis of the town’s past, gruesome scenes of murder are unveiled. These moments hold an intense tension created by the unique way that Hollis experiences these deaths. This builds up the horror to the crescendo of the most gruesome moment at the end of the book, and you feel no sympathy for the person who has wrought such an ending.
It's hard to classify this story as pure horror, as the tone is uneven. It’s overall a gothic story, no doubt. But is it a gothic horror? A gothic thriller? A gothic mystery? I would love to call it a gothic horror as there are some truly scary elements to this book that I truly love! Moments that should have made this the gothic horror that Gothictown should have been! But there are too many “cozy” moments that take us out of true horror. The romance is underdeveloped and totally unrealistic. The lovey-dovey of their relationships takes you out of the mood. Then there are the moments with her friends, which are more gossip moments than support for the scary events she encounters. Hollis herself is barely a complex character, and even then, her focus is on her grandfather. Closing the book, I felt like I had just finished a cozy mystery, which did a disservice to the horror elements
Overall, I really enjoyed the story about Grave Birds. It was inventive with some absolutely horrific moments. I look forward to seeing Elmendorf grow as an author.

This was my first read by this author and I was definitely impressed. This is a southern Gothic mystery. It's haunting, atmospheric, and suspenseful. I was totally into it.

Hollis Sutherland lives in the small town of Hawthorne, South Carolina. After she was in a car accident and died but was brought back to life, she has had the ability to see Grave Birds. They are the ghostly manifestations of the dead's unfinished business. When a hauntingly mysterious gentleman, Cain Landry, arrives in town, The townsfolk are enamored by his good looks and charm. But ever since he's arrived, bizarre things begin to happen to the wealthy people in the town. Then Hollis begins to see things from the town's past. Lies are being exposed. I loved the Gothic vibes and the mystery of Cain Landry and the town. Such a unique read. Full of family drama, ghosts, and magical realism. I thoroughly enjoyed this one.

Grave Birds
by Dana Elmendorf
Pub Date: Jul 01 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Grave birds haunt the cemeteries of Hawthorne, South Carolina, where Spanish moss drips from the trees and Southern charm is imbued with lies. Hollis Sutherland never knew these unique birds existed, not until she died
and was brought back to life. The ghostly birds are manifestations of the dead’s unfinished business, and they know Hollis and her uncanny gift can set them free.

When a mysterious, charming bachelor wanders into the small town, bizarre events begin to plague its wealthiest citizens—blood drips from dogwood blossoms, flocks of birds crash into houses, fire tornadoes descend from the sky. Hollis knows these are the omens her grandfather warned about, announcing the devil’s return. But despite Cain Landry’s eerie presence and the plague that has followed him, his handsome face and wicked charm win over the townsfolk. Even Hollis falls under his spell as they grow closer.

That is, until lies about the town’s past start to surface. The grave birds begin to show Hollis the dead’s ugly deeds from some twenty-five years ago and the horrible things some people did to gain their wealth. Hollis can’t decide if Cain is some immortal hand of God, there to expose their sins. Or if he’s a devil there to ruin them all. Either way, she’s determined to save her town and the people in it, whatever it takes.


A well written book that kept completely immersed!

Book review: 4.5/5 ⭐️
Genre: magical realism
Themes: ghosts, memory, hauntings, secrets

I do so love when a book can mix together a paranormal fantasy with a suspenseful thriller. This southern gothic novel was full of secrets, memory and a fair share of death. In the charming town of Hawthorn, South Carolina lies a host of grave birds, holding the memory of those lost souls with unfinished business. When a suave and conveniently wealthy handsome gentleman enters town, he brings forth vengeance on a cataclysmic scale. A series of strange events rock the wealthy citizens of this town just as event planner Hollis attempts to launch her small business to the next level.

With her business plans foiled and a surprising new neighbour/landlord, Hollis must pivot in all aspects of her life. Having died for a period of time as a girl, Hollis is one of the rare individuals that can see and interact with grave birds. As more and more find their way to her, Hollis is plagued with horrific memories of murder. As she attempts to uncover the dark secrets at the root of this town, she is simultaneously drawn to the enigmatic Cain Landry. As her worlds collide, she must decide if Cain is the vengeance of god, or merely one to expose the corruption. More importantly, if she can still trust him with her heart.

It posed the concept that the devil can lie in plain sight, and that retribution will always follow those who commit horrendous acts. There was a bit of romance, a bit of terror and a good mystery at the core of these grave birds. It somehow managed to be eerie and cozy all at once. With a fun group of best friends and a rather sweet MC, Hollis is easy to follow and Cain is intriguing. While her own past and interactions may be traumatic, she has a good heart and will endeavour to help wherever she can. Cain by contrast manages to charm the town, but he holds his own past close to his heart.

I ended up tandem reading this twice and that really allowed me to piece together the puzzle and I enjoyed both formats. The audiobook version of this story is phenomenal. Brittany Pressley really made this story come alive with southern charm and balanced the haunting with small town sweetness. If you like audiobooks, I really recommend this one.

Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing and Harlequin Audio for copies of this book for review.

Grave Birds was such a fun read. The gothic and small town vibes were so good. It got a little eerie at times. The small town offers all the drama but also some nice relationships that come along with it. The idea of the grave birds was so interesting too! There’s a little bit of romance and the mystery in this was really fun to piece together slowly. I had a great time listening to this. I would recommend it to anyone who wants to try a light horror book or enjoys southern gothic vibes.
🎧
I 100% recommend the audiobook! Brittany Pressley did a phenomenal job bringing Hollis and this story to life. One of my favorite audiobooks with one narrator that I have listened to.

Grave Birds by Dana Elmandorf tells the story of Hollis Sutherland who is trying to start an event planning business and trying to buy her uncle’s home. As a child Hollis was in an accident and was resuscitated. Since then she can see grave birds which are present when someone has unfinished business upon death.

I thought this was going to be a typical boy meets girl story. It’s not! And I ended up liking this book. It has a bit of everything. Some mystery, a little bit of horror, romance, friendship and family. The dialogue between the characters is great and fun at times.

If you’re looking for something a bit out of the ordinary, I suggest reading this one.

Thank you to NetGalley and MIRA for this ARC.

This was a Southern enemies to lovers romance with a touch of magical realism that has one woman denied her dream of buying the house she grew up in while also having to work with the new owner and help solve a mystery involving ghosts and 'grave birds' only she can see. Brittany Pressley does a fantastic job as narrator (as always) but I did struggle to fully get into this one. Just wasn't for me or I wasn't in the right mood. Only an okay read that I might have enjoyed better in print to fully focus on it the way it deserved/needed. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early audio and digital copy in exchange for my honest review.

**I was provided this book as an e-ARC. Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this story and provide my honest opinion on it.**

Grave Birds is the second book I read by Dana Elmendorf. The first was "In the Hour of Crows." Both stories share themes of whimsy, southern charm, and a little bit of fantasy. In this book that fantasy comes in the context of death and the deceased as Hollis (our FMC) is able to see these otherwise invisible creatures. Not only can she see them, but they show her snippets of the past related to those who have passed. Hollis uses these snippets to help piece together what increasingly becomes a mystery to be solved. While she's engaging in this a Hawthorne newcomer, Cain, seems to somehow be involved though she can't quite decipher how or why. This story follows Hollis through figuring out what is going on and who the players are.

I truly enjoyed the content and premise for this story. I wish it had been a bit more fleshed out as there are a number of things that could have used explaining (why did all of those catastrophes begin happening upon the arrival to town of one particular individual?) or had the opportunity to be built into a really great explanation and storyline (how and why did the two MC's go from relative hatred to not only care, but emotions worthy of a relationship so quickly?!). These holes and others make it hard for me to give this story as high of marks as I would like. However, based on the subject matter, the plot, and the characters I would say it's an enoyable, easy to read story.

This was my first read from this author and probably won’t be my last, paranormal mystery with a side of (clean) romance. Hollis has been able to see grave birds since she died and was brought back to life. Grave birds are snippets of the lives of the dead and Hollis can see these when she touches the birds. In town one day Hollis sees a newcomer to town and he has a grave bird of his own which sets our story in motion. I will admit I figured out the end before the end happened but I was still invested.

Grave Birds was a Southern Gothic mystery with Sixth Sense vibes in that the grave birds show Hollis bits from the past that are unresolved. The ghostly birds are “pinned” to the Earth until someone with the ability to “see” the flash of whatever is left behind by a person’s death. Hollis becomes inundated with several grave birds when Cain Landry blows into town, some connected to the prominent Hawthorne family. What’s being revealed is disturbing and dangerous and throws a different spin on the past she thought she knew!

I really enjoyed unraveling this mystery right along with Hollis! Hawthorne, South Carolina is a small town where everyone knows everyone and there’s plenty of secrets that needed to come out! Some was surprising and there was a twist I didn’t see coming! There was a bit of romance, as well!

I alternated between reading an e-copy and listening to the audio and enjoyed both versions. Brittany Pressley is one of my favorite narrators and she enhanced the story, bringing the characters and their emotions to life!

I was absolutely swept away by the gothic, haunting atmosphere of Grave Birds. Elmendorf paints Hawthorne, South Carolina with such vivid, eerie strokes every moss draped oak, crumbling gravestone, and blood streaked dogwood felt like it was breathing down my neck. It’s the kind of Southern Gothic that crawls under your skin in the best way.
The paranormal elements were mesmerizing. Hollis’s ability to see the grave birds and slip into the final moments of the dead brought an extra layer of chilling intimacy to the story. I loved how these ghostly visions tied the sins of the town’s past directly to the present, revealing secrets in bits that made my heart race.
And Cain… the perfect mysterious stranger to walk straight out of folklore, equal parts magnetic and menacing. Their chemistry crackled against the dark backdrop of curses and old money rotting from the inside out.
If you love a story steeped in atmosphere, secrets, and ghostly reckonings, Grave Birds is a beautifully haunting descent into the murk of human nature and how sometimes, the dead aren’t the scariest things haunting us.

I was initially intrigued by the whole 'set in the south' and the air of mystery about the book... but in the end this one was just a little too dark for me.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Grave Birds is a beautifully layered story that blends paranormal elements with magical realism and a strong undercurrent of mystery. From the start, I was hooked by the eerie setting, the mysterious characters, and the buried secrets that slowly surfaced as the story progressed.

There’s a strong emotional pull in this book, and the pacing kept me engaged all the way through. The twist at the end genuinely surprised me, and I loved how all the threads came together in a meaningful, haunting way.

Dana Elmendorf delivers an atmospheric and compelling read. I devoured this in a day—and highly recommend it for readers who love strange happenings, secrets, and a touch of the supernatural.

This is an interesting take on someone who comes back from a near death experience and can see dead people. Instead of just seeing ghosts Hollis Sutherland sees birds tethered to the ground where someone has died. When she touches the bird not only does she release it from bondage, but she is shown images of what happened to the person who has died.
Hollis Sutherland is steps away from buying her late godfather’s mansion and landing the biggest gala event in Hawthorne, South Carolina. But as she waits for the bank to approve her loan, the skies start to darken. Cain Landry has swooped in and bought the mansion out from under her. Now she finds herself not only facing eviction and not having anywhere to host her event but also caught in visions of the dead.
Something is rotten in Hawthorne, and she believes its connected to her visions and may be connected to the strange woman who lives with Cain. As fire tornadoes and other biblical warnings start to plague the town Hollis is hoping to solve the mystery, throw an amazing gala, and win the handsome stranger.
For fans of Southern Gothic fiction this is a good one.

I’m not a big horror fan due to my overactive imagination and the ensuing nightmares, but I love a good dark and atmospheric read and this is more like horror-light. I saw another reviewer (Paige - TheBookandtheBoston) call for a subgenre of horror called cozy horror, I and I have to say I agree that Elmendorf’s books would suit that description perfectly.

I really enjoyed In the Hour of Crows and was so excited for Grave Birds. It did not disappoint. It was haunting and eerie in all the best ways. The twists were so good and kept me guessing. I loved the dash of romance, though I wouldn’t have said no to a bit more of it because Cain was ticking all my boxes!

I loved the concept of grave birds as the dead’s biggest regret manifested in the ghostly form of a bird. The other paranormal elements throughout lent a spooky quality to the story and the atmospheric writing brought it all to life.

If you enjoy slightly spooky paranormal stories that give you all the creepy vibes but don’t give you nightmares, or if you read In the Hour of Crows and liked it, you’ll enjoy this.

I enjoyed the supernatural aspects of the grave birds reaching out to Hollis to reveal secrets of those who had died. It took a bit to realize that each grave bird was showing Hollis a different death. Overall an enjoyable story but I did find it a little difficult to keep the characters straight. Loved the big reveal at the gala!