Book Review: Beyond the Grave (Past Midnight #3) by Mara Purnhagen

***SPOILER FREE***

Reading Level: Young Adult
Publication Date: August 2011
Pages: 256
Series: 3rd and final
Acquisition: NetGalley

Summary:
Goodreads

My thoughts:
I absolutely loved book 1 of this series and book 2 was equally awesome. Sorry to say, I was a little disappointed with Beyond the Grave, book 3. I still really enjoyed it but I didn't love it as much as books 1 and 2.

The main reason I didn't love Beyond the Grave was the fact that it wasn't really a ghost story anymore. Too much random paranormal elements for my tastes. The basics that made books 1 and 2 great were still there - the same characters and some of the same types of situations but, there was a lot of 'other' paranormal stuff that just didn't seem to fit.

We met a new character, Michael and at first I was very skeptical because my 'oh no not another love triangle' radar was on full alert. But, thankfully, I was wrong. Michael isn't a love interest but there was a still a problem with him for me. I never got a firm grasp on exactly what he was. He plays this role - again - sort of just thrown into the story and I never saw the point of him being there.

Another issue I had was with the character Bliss. In books 1 and 2 she is the stereotypical bitchy snooty know it all and her and Charlotte never become friends. She isn't even really important to the stories. But in Beyond the Grave, all of a sudden, she is important. First as a confidant of Charlotte - which makes no sense at all and then as a player in the weird paranormal stuff going on - which again, didn't seem to fit - at least to me.

What did I like? Charlotte and her family and friends and everyone I grew to love in books 1 and 2. And even though I didn't like the paranormal elements throw in, I did like the overall story. I liked how everything played out and I liked the tidy ending.

Final verdict:
As the final book to the series, I think Mara did an excellent job tying up loose ends without tying things up too tightly. When I walk away from beloved characters, I want to feel as if they are continuing on without me watching over them and that's exactly how I felt reading the last page of Beyond the Grave.

Is this series worth the read? Defiantly. Especially if you like ghost stories with a few twists. I'm sad to say goodbye to Charlotte and her family and friends but overall, the entire series was a big win for me.

Overall Rating:

4 / 5 Stars

Books in The Past Midnight Series:
#1 Past Midnight
#1.5 Raising The Dead ebook
#2 One Hundred Candles
#2.5 Haunting the Night ebook
#3 Beyond the Grave

Linkage Love:
Harlequin Teen
Author's Website