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Graverobber Blues
The dead don’t die easy the second time.
In 1880, Ashton’s father tells her she will never amount to anything in academia because she is a woman. She will do whatever it takes to prove him wrong. Even if it means disguising herself as a man and running away to a different city to study Necromagia.
When her ambition leads her to accidentally set loose a magic-resistant zombie, she must team up with a motley crew of unlikely allies. With the help of her elegant lady love, a gruff graverobber, and a mage who can play a mean Blues guitar, Ashton races against the clock to stop the zombie before it can slaughter the townsfolk—or worse, fall into the scheming hands of Ashton’s academic rival, Valois.
A heart-pounding Gaslamp Fantasy full of action, mystery, found family, a unique magic system, and the unruly undead.
In 1880, Ashton’s father tells her she will never amount to anything in academia because she is a woman. She will do whatever it takes to prove him wrong. Even if it means disguising herself as a man and running away to a different city to study Necromagia.
When her ambition leads her to accidentally set loose a magic-resistant zombie, she must team up with a motley crew of unlikely allies. With the help of her elegant lady love, a gruff graverobber, and a mage who can play a mean Blues guitar, Ashton races against the clock to stop the zombie before it can slaughter the townsfolk—or worse, fall into the scheming hands of Ashton’s academic rival, Valois.
A heart-pounding Gaslamp Fantasy full of action, mystery, found family, a unique magic system, and the unruly undead.
221 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 31, 2023
2 people are currently reading
9 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
November 13, 2023
Recommend a 100%! If you want a spooky book to read with a point a humor, this is the one. I enjoy all the characters, especially Dirty Henry. In between the zombies, magic system, the author did a good world building with an excellent plot and intrigue. I couldn’t put the book down, if it has a second book in the series, I will definitely read it.
I loved the cover design and the headers arts. Thanks to the author for taking her time to write this book and to publish it, keep going down this path.
I loved the cover design and the headers arts. Thanks to the author for taking her time to write this book and to publish it, keep going down this path.
October 27, 2023
I received an ARC of this book and I really enjoyed it. Ashton was a great character but Dirty Henry was lights out! I did not like him in the beginning but grew on me fast and he made me laugh out loud many times in this book. The world that was painted was spectacular. I hope this continues as a series.
February 2, 2026
*4.5*
the beginning of this story had me a LITTLE lost. I felt I was plopped down into the middle of it without much of a background/history..
once the plot picked up, I really enjoyed the way it was told and the slight character developments that took place. I can't wait for more of the story to unfold in the sequel!!
the beginning of this story had me a LITTLE lost. I felt I was plopped down into the middle of it without much of a background/history..
once the plot picked up, I really enjoyed the way it was told and the slight character developments that took place. I can't wait for more of the story to unfold in the sequel!!
November 8, 2023
Great read! Loved all the characters and the storyline was not something I was used to but kept me interested! Chapters were a bit long for my liking but overall a great read about different types of mages, raising the dead, and issues that come along with it!
November 17, 2023
Love this book wish I read it in October but never to late for a good book. Truly if you like Sherlock Holmes meets supernatural academia with a pinch of romance (very much a sub plot) and very fast paced check this book out only reason for 4 star instead of 5 is would’ve liked alittle more introduction to dirty Henry.
November 12, 2023
really great book, definitely couldn’t put it down after the halfway point. a bit creepy but eased with some good humor and a bit of romance. loved it
September 29, 2024
This book kept me on the hook from beginning to end. I love the character arc of Valois especially. AM Kelly can truly spin an excellent enthralling tale.
February 3, 2026
Graverobber Blues by AM Kelly is the first in a series that follows Will Ashton, a necromage (aka necromancer) in South Carolina who has a place at a magic school, a beautiful girlfriend, and a very big secret—that "Will" is secretly short for Wilhelmina. In order to prove to herself, her school, and her lover's uncle that she is talented and worthy, Ashton attempts to undertake an audacious heist-slash-experiment that would elevate her reputation. Her plans are foiled by an even more audacious and talented necromage with ambitions that run counter to her own, and they go head-to-head against each other in a battle to see who can get there first that takes place entirely over the course of one South Carolina night.
This comment doesn't really fit into the 5P structure below, but I do want to muse on it a little. Ashton is such an interesting character to me because despite being someone who is somewhat on the outskirts of society herself—in particular, being a woman who loves another woman, and being someone who has had to disguise herself as a man in order to achieve anything academically—she is so extremely dedicated to upholding and adhering to the social structures that have forced her into that position. She hates the way her lover, Rosheen, is spoken to and treated as a woman and a healer, but then turns around and admonishes Dirty Henry for behaving rudely to his social betters. Even when things start to really break bad in the story, Ashton seems convinced that she can just go to the dean of the university and tell him and he'll take care of everything, seemingly without considering that the dean of the university represents the exact academic system that rewards the privilege of money and gender. Another character in the story, J.P., is a former Underground Railroad participant, and Dirty Henry's wife is Black and his son is biracial, and Ashton does seem to understand that racism is a symptom of a fucked-up society. But also, Ashton is a white woman pretending to be a man in pursuit of academia, and because her race and her (assumed) gender grant her the privilege of chasing that goal, she seems unwilling to really do anything to challenge the status quo and in fact devotes quite a bit of time to trying to convince people who are decidedly below her on the social pecking order that they should fall in line too. This could honestly be a really interesting angle for Ashton's character development, as it becomes increasingly apparent to her that continuing to adhere to these social mores is not only not going to have the outcome she wants, but will also be actively damaging to the people she's growing to care about, so I'm interested in seeing where AM Kelly will take it in future books.
Pleasure (my enjoyment of the read): ★★★★☆ For the straightforward pleasure of reading this book I give it 4 out of 5 stars. There were a couple of things that I would have liked to see expanded or handled differently, but overall I enjoyed my reading experience. The magical heist-y nature of the story as well as the tight timeline makes for a compelling and well-paced read (I think it only took me like 4 hours total to read through), and also makes some elements of the story more believable when they're placed so close together. The level of damage done around the town going unnoticed is much more believable when it's all happening in a night and the events are taking place at like 4:00AM.
Purpose (how well I think the book succeeded at what it set out to do): ★★★☆☆ This is a book that positions itself as a sapphic magical heist novel, and for its success at achieving that purpose I give it 3 out of 5 stars. It is definitely sapphic, in that the main character is a woman (albeit a woman living as a man) and she's in courting another woman, but the book doesn't really delve very deep into that relationship—I would have loved to know more about how Ashton and Rosheen met, for instance, or even some reflection on why they're compatible, what they like about each other, and so forth. They're shown to be very much in love but there's a sense of being told, not shown, so I wish that we'd gotten a little bit more there.
Additionally, although the book is ostensibly about magic—and Ashton herself is a necromage—we actually don't see Ashton herself doing all that much magic on-page. She does some magic at the very beginning of the book when things are kicking off, and she does a little more magic later on toward the climax of the story, but between those two points almost all the magic that happens on-page is done by people other than Ashton (and often with more skill than Ashton is described as having). This paints a picture overall as Ashton as sort of... mid as a necromage. Or maybe her being mid as a necromage is the point? At any rate, I would have liked more detail about how magic works and to see Ashton herself doing more of it throughout the story.
Prose (the writing on a technical level): ★★★★☆ For the actual writing itself, I give this novel 4 out of 5 stars. There isn't a ton of figurative language or flowery descriptions, but in my opinion the tightness and sparseness of the prose actually contributes to the overall pacing of the story. Things move really quickly in this book, and the language the author uses to describe things as they happen makes it easy to follow the story progression and to understand what's happening. I particularly noticed this in the fight scenes—written combat can sometimes be difficult for me to follow but I almost never found myself confused or having to reread to understand who was supposed to be where.
Plot (the story itself): ★★★☆☆ For the plot structure and the story itself, I give this book 3 out of 5 stars. Some of my quibbles with the plot are outlined in the "Purpose" section above so I won't get too deep into them again. In summary, even though I enjoyed the book and felt that the short timeline and quick pacing served the story well, the result is that things happen so fast that we don't really get time to explore the characters' backgrounds, relationships, and motivations. I think this could be rectified by breaking up the back-to-back action with moments of quiet and reflection that let us delve a little deeper into the characters' internal worlds and build those connective aspects out a bit.
Personal (the certain je ne sais quoi that makes me love a book): ★★★★☆ For me personally the "je ne sais quoi" of this book is 4 out of 5 stars. I love fantasy, I love sapphic stories, I love a heist novel, and this book wrapped all of those things neatly together into one fast-paced package. Despite the small critiques I have for the purpose and plot, overall I really liked reading this and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys the same!
Total: ★★★★☆ 4 out of 5 stars.
This comment doesn't really fit into the 5P structure below, but I do want to muse on it a little. Ashton is such an interesting character to me because despite being someone who is somewhat on the outskirts of society herself—in particular, being a woman who loves another woman, and being someone who has had to disguise herself as a man in order to achieve anything academically—she is so extremely dedicated to upholding and adhering to the social structures that have forced her into that position. She hates the way her lover, Rosheen, is spoken to and treated as a woman and a healer, but then turns around and admonishes Dirty Henry for behaving rudely to his social betters. Even when things start to really break bad in the story, Ashton seems convinced that she can just go to the dean of the university and tell him and he'll take care of everything, seemingly without considering that the dean of the university represents the exact academic system that rewards the privilege of money and gender. Another character in the story, J.P., is a former Underground Railroad participant, and Dirty Henry's wife is Black and his son is biracial, and Ashton does seem to understand that racism is a symptom of a fucked-up society. But also, Ashton is a white woman pretending to be a man in pursuit of academia, and because her race and her (assumed) gender grant her the privilege of chasing that goal, she seems unwilling to really do anything to challenge the status quo and in fact devotes quite a bit of time to trying to convince people who are decidedly below her on the social pecking order that they should fall in line too. This could honestly be a really interesting angle for Ashton's character development, as it becomes increasingly apparent to her that continuing to adhere to these social mores is not only not going to have the outcome she wants, but will also be actively damaging to the people she's growing to care about, so I'm interested in seeing where AM Kelly will take it in future books.
Pleasure (my enjoyment of the read): ★★★★☆ For the straightforward pleasure of reading this book I give it 4 out of 5 stars. There were a couple of things that I would have liked to see expanded or handled differently, but overall I enjoyed my reading experience. The magical heist-y nature of the story as well as the tight timeline makes for a compelling and well-paced read (I think it only took me like 4 hours total to read through), and also makes some elements of the story more believable when they're placed so close together. The level of damage done around the town going unnoticed is much more believable when it's all happening in a night and the events are taking place at like 4:00AM.
Purpose (how well I think the book succeeded at what it set out to do): ★★★☆☆ This is a book that positions itself as a sapphic magical heist novel, and for its success at achieving that purpose I give it 3 out of 5 stars. It is definitely sapphic, in that the main character is a woman (albeit a woman living as a man) and she's in courting another woman, but the book doesn't really delve very deep into that relationship—I would have loved to know more about how Ashton and Rosheen met, for instance, or even some reflection on why they're compatible, what they like about each other, and so forth. They're shown to be very much in love but there's a sense of being told, not shown, so I wish that we'd gotten a little bit more there.
Additionally, although the book is ostensibly about magic—and Ashton herself is a necromage—we actually don't see Ashton herself doing all that much magic on-page. She does some magic at the very beginning of the book when things are kicking off, and she does a little more magic later on toward the climax of the story, but between those two points almost all the magic that happens on-page is done by people other than Ashton (and often with more skill than Ashton is described as having). This paints a picture overall as Ashton as sort of... mid as a necromage. Or maybe her being mid as a necromage is the point? At any rate, I would have liked more detail about how magic works and to see Ashton herself doing more of it throughout the story.
Prose (the writing on a technical level): ★★★★☆ For the actual writing itself, I give this novel 4 out of 5 stars. There isn't a ton of figurative language or flowery descriptions, but in my opinion the tightness and sparseness of the prose actually contributes to the overall pacing of the story. Things move really quickly in this book, and the language the author uses to describe things as they happen makes it easy to follow the story progression and to understand what's happening. I particularly noticed this in the fight scenes—written combat can sometimes be difficult for me to follow but I almost never found myself confused or having to reread to understand who was supposed to be where.
Plot (the story itself): ★★★☆☆ For the plot structure and the story itself, I give this book 3 out of 5 stars. Some of my quibbles with the plot are outlined in the "Purpose" section above so I won't get too deep into them again. In summary, even though I enjoyed the book and felt that the short timeline and quick pacing served the story well, the result is that things happen so fast that we don't really get time to explore the characters' backgrounds, relationships, and motivations. I think this could be rectified by breaking up the back-to-back action with moments of quiet and reflection that let us delve a little deeper into the characters' internal worlds and build those connective aspects out a bit.
Personal (the certain je ne sais quoi that makes me love a book): ★★★★☆ For me personally the "je ne sais quoi" of this book is 4 out of 5 stars. I love fantasy, I love sapphic stories, I love a heist novel, and this book wrapped all of those things neatly together into one fast-paced package. Despite the small critiques I have for the purpose and plot, overall I really liked reading this and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys the same!
Total: ★★★★☆ 4 out of 5 stars.
February 22, 2024
I absolutely loved this! Different than any other fantasy I’ve read and I ate up every bit. Hoping there is more coming!
December 31, 2023
"Graverobber Blues" is the first novel in a planned series. With any first-time author, the prospect of a novel that is the first in a series is always a daunting read. Having finished the book, though, I can assuredly say that A.M. Kelly has not just written an exciting beginning to a series, but has written a book with a satisfying beginning, middle, and ending.
Although not overtly an alternative history, the world of the "Graverobber" series is different from our own due to the presence of a complex magic system. The novel takes the best parts of many genres and combines them into an exciting tale that is at once a heist (in a non-traditional sense), enemies-to-friends, fast-paced fantasy fiction, and thriller/horror -- not to forget the undertones of a sapphic romance.
The story focuses on Ashton, a woman with magical powers who -- at a time when women are excluded from higher education -- disguises herself as a man to enroll at a university. At the university, Ashton maintains a death grip (pun intended) on her dream to hone her magical talents and become one of the most powerful necromages ever seen. One of the most unique aspects of the novel is its many, well-constructed magic systems. The magic Ashton specializes in surrounds death, which accentuates the elements of horror fiction present in "Graverobber Blues."
Ashton's life in Charleston, South Carolina, is complicated by the fact that she is a lesbian; to keep her affairs out of the public eye, Ashton has to maintain the pretense of being a man while she courts Rosheen -- a nurse-in-training and a woman of high social standing. Ashton's concern that her ruse will be exposed leads her to take utmost caution when hiding her true identity, causing her to trust very few.
The novel is a fast-paced thriller; most of the story takes place over just one day. This allows for a gripping tale as we follow Ashton release -- and then try to recapture -- a corpse animated by a dangerous spell. She teams up with Dirty Henry, a notorious grave-robber with a heart of gold, to aid her in this mission. Along their journey, the duo have both fortunate and unfortunate run-ins with old friends and old enemies. Their encounters all build to a climactic ending that I could never do justice by spoiling here.
The prose of "Graverobber Blues" is very accessible, written in a style that Neil Gaiman once called "American transparent" when referring to writers like Elmore Leonard and Stephen King. In the line of succession begun by these writers, A.M. Kelly does what King and Leonard do best -- Kelly never once forgets that stories like this one should be entertaining, first and foremost. Kelly kept me entertained through their scintillating wit, sharp humor, clever character growth, and clever mix of the adventure, horror, and romance genres.
The story of "Graverobber Blues" has a wide appeal, bound to have a special place in the hearts of fantasy and horror fans. It's also a very fast read, due to how compellingly A.M. Kelly leads you through the narrative. If you are someone who has any interest in fantasy, horror, romance, alternative histories, books with strong magic systems, or merely want to discover compelling characters who you eventually feel like you know on a deep level, this book is for you. Thank me later.
Although not overtly an alternative history, the world of the "Graverobber" series is different from our own due to the presence of a complex magic system. The novel takes the best parts of many genres and combines them into an exciting tale that is at once a heist (in a non-traditional sense), enemies-to-friends, fast-paced fantasy fiction, and thriller/horror -- not to forget the undertones of a sapphic romance.
The story focuses on Ashton, a woman with magical powers who -- at a time when women are excluded from higher education -- disguises herself as a man to enroll at a university. At the university, Ashton maintains a death grip (pun intended) on her dream to hone her magical talents and become one of the most powerful necromages ever seen. One of the most unique aspects of the novel is its many, well-constructed magic systems. The magic Ashton specializes in surrounds death, which accentuates the elements of horror fiction present in "Graverobber Blues."
Ashton's life in Charleston, South Carolina, is complicated by the fact that she is a lesbian; to keep her affairs out of the public eye, Ashton has to maintain the pretense of being a man while she courts Rosheen -- a nurse-in-training and a woman of high social standing. Ashton's concern that her ruse will be exposed leads her to take utmost caution when hiding her true identity, causing her to trust very few.
The novel is a fast-paced thriller; most of the story takes place over just one day. This allows for a gripping tale as we follow Ashton release -- and then try to recapture -- a corpse animated by a dangerous spell. She teams up with Dirty Henry, a notorious grave-robber with a heart of gold, to aid her in this mission. Along their journey, the duo have both fortunate and unfortunate run-ins with old friends and old enemies. Their encounters all build to a climactic ending that I could never do justice by spoiling here.
The prose of "Graverobber Blues" is very accessible, written in a style that Neil Gaiman once called "American transparent" when referring to writers like Elmore Leonard and Stephen King. In the line of succession begun by these writers, A.M. Kelly does what King and Leonard do best -- Kelly never once forgets that stories like this one should be entertaining, first and foremost. Kelly kept me entertained through their scintillating wit, sharp humor, clever character growth, and clever mix of the adventure, horror, and romance genres.
The story of "Graverobber Blues" has a wide appeal, bound to have a special place in the hearts of fantasy and horror fans. It's also a very fast read, due to how compellingly A.M. Kelly leads you through the narrative. If you are someone who has any interest in fantasy, horror, romance, alternative histories, books with strong magic systems, or merely want to discover compelling characters who you eventually feel like you know on a deep level, this book is for you. Thank me later.
February 8, 2026
Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair review to read in anticipation of, and alongside, the ARC for the sequel, Graverobber Whiskey.
I absolutely ADORED Graverobber Blues--genuinely and completely, I was blown away! I knew by premise alone that I was going to at least like the book, but I was not prepared for how deeply engrossed I became with it. The writing is top notch--I found the characters to be deeply engrossing, the worldbuilding was handled with a delicate touch given its subject matter, and it played between humor and horror with expert ease. It had me (pun intended) in stitches just as often as it left me reeling in shock, or breathless with emotion, especially towards the end.
Ashton is such an interesting main character to me. I adore her, even while quietly admonishing her on the side--she defies norms expected of a woman of her station TO conform, to better fit with the privileged others of her racial and economic peers; she has respect and horror for the atrocities against those less privileged than her, while still trying to appeal to the system as it stands to try to save the day. Without going into spoilers, this does not work, and in the end, it feels as though she is certainly growing and trying to claw away from that mindset, and I've very curious to see how she continues to grow into the next book.
It did, neither the middle parts of the book, feel like she verged a bit on the edge of 'damsel in distress' as others handled her problems, but it never fully teetered into that territory, and in the end, she is able to stand her own ground and keep pushing forward as she had in the beginning; it made for an interesting power-no power-power dramatic curve for her.
The pacing was largely excellent, though it does feel at times (particularly near the front of the book) like one has been dropped into the middle of the story without much context to go on. I know there is a shorter prequel story that may fill in some of the gaps, but overall, I found being dropped into the middle of the story was not a detriment to my reading experience--it was a little jarring, but I am a sucker for en media res, "figure it out as you go" style stories. There were also a few typos, but nothing absolutely egregious.
Dirty Henry was also a BIG highlight of the book, in particular to his relation to the aforementioned "figure it out as you go" storytelling. Getting to know him outside of Ashton's limited point of view, finding out the real depths her possessed not just as some hired muscle but an actualized human being (who was, for all records, based AF) was truly a delight.
5/5 stars. I cannot wait to dive into Graverobber Whiskey!
I absolutely ADORED Graverobber Blues--genuinely and completely, I was blown away! I knew by premise alone that I was going to at least like the book, but I was not prepared for how deeply engrossed I became with it. The writing is top notch--I found the characters to be deeply engrossing, the worldbuilding was handled with a delicate touch given its subject matter, and it played between humor and horror with expert ease. It had me (pun intended) in stitches just as often as it left me reeling in shock, or breathless with emotion, especially towards the end.
Ashton is such an interesting main character to me. I adore her, even while quietly admonishing her on the side--she defies norms expected of a woman of her station TO conform, to better fit with the privileged others of her racial and economic peers; she has respect and horror for the atrocities against those less privileged than her, while still trying to appeal to the system as it stands to try to save the day. Without going into spoilers, this does not work, and in the end, it feels as though she is certainly growing and trying to claw away from that mindset, and I've very curious to see how she continues to grow into the next book.
It did, neither the middle parts of the book, feel like she verged a bit on the edge of 'damsel in distress' as others handled her problems, but it never fully teetered into that territory, and in the end, she is able to stand her own ground and keep pushing forward as she had in the beginning; it made for an interesting power-no power-power dramatic curve for her.
The pacing was largely excellent, though it does feel at times (particularly near the front of the book) like one has been dropped into the middle of the story without much context to go on. I know there is a shorter prequel story that may fill in some of the gaps, but overall, I found being dropped into the middle of the story was not a detriment to my reading experience--it was a little jarring, but I am a sucker for en media res, "figure it out as you go" style stories. There were also a few typos, but nothing absolutely egregious.
Dirty Henry was also a BIG highlight of the book, in particular to his relation to the aforementioned "figure it out as you go" storytelling. Getting to know him outside of Ashton's limited point of view, finding out the real depths her possessed not just as some hired muscle but an actualized human being (who was, for all records, based AF) was truly a delight.
5/5 stars. I cannot wait to dive into Graverobber Whiskey!
February 12, 2026
Ashton is posing as a man to futher her education as a necromage. In a fit of academic arrogance, she hired a graverobber to dig up a recently deceased man whose family has a haunted secret. When things go pear-shaped, as they are want to do with corpses, Ashton accidently sets a rabid zombielike creature loose on the town. Shew teams up with the graverobber, a man named Dirty Henry, and a few other fellow mages to try and set things right. If only her nememsis Valois would stay out of the way.
I feel very conflicted, because the synopsis grabbed me very quickly, but the book....stuggled to hold my attention. It felt like it was a series of "let's go here, we do something, WHAT? backstabbed agian? Now the building is burning!!!" I kept wanting to scream "you might as well give him the knife and bare your back at this point!!!" to Ashton several times. Begruding as she was to keep co-operating with Valois, the fact that she kept being surprised that he double, triple, quadruple crossed her became frustrating. It felt like I was plunked down in the middle of things and then nothing was explained fully. There was too much telling me things and not enough showing me. Ashton is a powerful mage, so show me. The few times we get to see her magic, most of them are thwarted attempts at neutralizing another, more power, mage's magic. And Ashton as a person was frustrating. She poses as a man for her education, but still upholds almost every societal norm that would have her doing nothing more than running a household.
I fear this book was just not for me...
I feel very conflicted, because the synopsis grabbed me very quickly, but the book....stuggled to hold my attention. It felt like it was a series of "let's go here, we do something, WHAT? backstabbed agian? Now the building is burning!!!" I kept wanting to scream "you might as well give him the knife and bare your back at this point!!!" to Ashton several times. Begruding as she was to keep co-operating with Valois, the fact that she kept being surprised that he double, triple, quadruple crossed her became frustrating. It felt like I was plunked down in the middle of things and then nothing was explained fully. There was too much telling me things and not enough showing me. Ashton is a powerful mage, so show me. The few times we get to see her magic, most of them are thwarted attempts at neutralizing another, more power, mage's magic. And Ashton as a person was frustrating. She poses as a man for her education, but still upholds almost every societal norm that would have her doing nothing more than running a household.
I fear this book was just not for me...
January 27, 2026
I received this book and it's subsequent counterpart as an ARC - which I greatly appreciated! Combining both books here really, as I read them back to back and it's hard to remember where one ended and the other began.
I can tell you I would likely not have picked these books on my own, but I actually really enjoyed them! I thought the book(s) were well written with both humor and mystery elements.
What I liked:
- Low/no spice. Mind you I like spicy, but I enjoyed this story without it quite a lot.
- Dirty Harry made the story for me - the complication of Ashton had DH being "stuck" together was funny and yet sweet.
- I enjoyed the humor/banter
- I thought the "world building" was interesting and different
- The character development was good, but really shines in the second book
- The writing was very well done
What I didn't care for:
- There were hints in both books of how the main character and their sweetheart met.... I want to hear more about that!
- Victorian era thinking/behavior/speaking typically is not my jam. Again tho, I'm glad I read them and I would read any further installments in the series!
I did end up enjoying both books very much!
-
I can tell you I would likely not have picked these books on my own, but I actually really enjoyed them! I thought the book(s) were well written with both humor and mystery elements.
What I liked:
- Low/no spice. Mind you I like spicy, but I enjoyed this story without it quite a lot.
- Dirty Harry made the story for me - the complication of Ashton had DH being "stuck" together was funny and yet sweet.
- I enjoyed the humor/banter
- I thought the "world building" was interesting and different
- The character development was good, but really shines in the second book
- The writing was very well done
What I didn't care for:
- There were hints in both books of how the main character and their sweetheart met.... I want to hear more about that!
- Victorian era thinking/behavior/speaking typically is not my jam. Again tho, I'm glad I read them and I would read any further installments in the series!
I did end up enjoying both books very much!
-
January 28, 2026
I love when I open a book and see a glossary and diagrams! It really speaks to the time that went into world building and crafting this story. The variety of magic and the level system was so interesting and gave this story such a rich world to live in. I also really enjoyed that this was set in the post civil war era and didn’t shy away from the racism and other issues that were going on at that time.
I really enjoyed the characters and their own personal arcs. I love when we have characters that call each other on their BS and grow alongside each other instead of writing them off as a lost cause. Even though this whole story was taking place over one night, I do wish we got more content within this timeframe. I think adding more detail and descriptions would have done wonders for this story. I want to know more about Dirty Henry and how he became a grave robber. How did Ashton and Rosheen meet? Why did JP lose his magic at the end? Adding details like those would have elevated the story to a whole new level.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book and am super excited to jump right into the next book in this series!
I really enjoyed the characters and their own personal arcs. I love when we have characters that call each other on their BS and grow alongside each other instead of writing them off as a lost cause. Even though this whole story was taking place over one night, I do wish we got more content within this timeframe. I think adding more detail and descriptions would have done wonders for this story. I want to know more about Dirty Henry and how he became a grave robber. How did Ashton and Rosheen meet? Why did JP lose his magic at the end? Adding details like those would have elevated the story to a whole new level.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book and am super excited to jump right into the next book in this series!
January 28, 2026
3.75 stars.
I think this is a pretty good book; the premise is refreshing and not overdone, and I feel like this was a good set up for another book. The magic system in this book was interesting and new (to me at least) and I appreciated the glossary explaining each type of magic.
One thing done really well in this book is the main characters and relationships. The author did a good job with encapsulating significant moments between characters, especially with Dirty Henry. I feel that Dirty Henry is a really great asset to this series, as he is able to balance out and humanize Ashton; I hope the second book continues to explore their relationship further.
One negative I have about this book is there are a couple of moments that get glossed over or are not explained enough for me to just accept them. For instance, as the book goes on, I had trouble understanding Ashton’s goals and think they could be laid out stronger at the beginning of the book.
I think this is a pretty good book; the premise is refreshing and not overdone, and I feel like this was a good set up for another book. The magic system in this book was interesting and new (to me at least) and I appreciated the glossary explaining each type of magic.
One thing done really well in this book is the main characters and relationships. The author did a good job with encapsulating significant moments between characters, especially with Dirty Henry. I feel that Dirty Henry is a really great asset to this series, as he is able to balance out and humanize Ashton; I hope the second book continues to explore their relationship further.
One negative I have about this book is there are a couple of moments that get glossed over or are not explained enough for me to just accept them. For instance, as the book goes on, I had trouble understanding Ashton’s goals and think they could be laid out stronger at the beginning of the book.
January 24, 2026
This is such a well written southern dark academia read. The high stakes of the situation (uncontrollable potentially rampaging revenant loose whose discovery could ruin everything Will has built) doesn't seem like an insurmountable, endless task but keeps you on the edge of your seat and saying one more chapter won't hurt.
A.M. Kelly does an amazing job at writing aggravating nemeses that are still somehow not the worst thing the gang has to deal with. This was an absolute treasure to read. The magic system is so well done, and I would love to be able to attend their university to learn all about all of the different branches. This does have period accurate sexism, racism, and homophobia, but it isnt overbearing.
All in all, this very quickly became one of my favorite recent reads.
A.M. Kelly does an amazing job at writing aggravating nemeses that are still somehow not the worst thing the gang has to deal with. This was an absolute treasure to read. The magic system is so well done, and I would love to be able to attend their university to learn all about all of the different branches. This does have period accurate sexism, racism, and homophobia, but it isnt overbearing.
All in all, this very quickly became one of my favorite recent reads.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 5, 2026
I received a copy of this book from the author, in exchange for my honest review.
This is one of the best self-published books I have ever read. Fantastic characters, that you care about. Lots of humor. Kept me engaged and trying to figure everything out. The world building was excellent; I especially appreciated the breakdown of the Mage classes at the very beginning. Wonderful LGBTQ+ and POC inclusion. I was left hopeful and content at the end but excited to see where Graverobber Whiskey take the group. Congratulations, A.M. Kelly, on a very lovable book. Keep doing your thing, your people will find you.
This is one of the best self-published books I have ever read. Fantastic characters, that you care about. Lots of humor. Kept me engaged and trying to figure everything out. The world building was excellent; I especially appreciated the breakdown of the Mage classes at the very beginning. Wonderful LGBTQ+ and POC inclusion. I was left hopeful and content at the end but excited to see where Graverobber Whiskey take the group. Congratulations, A.M. Kelly, on a very lovable book. Keep doing your thing, your people will find you.
January 22, 2026
This was a fun one! I had a feeling that it couldn't all be the fault of the initial fall-guy, and was proven right, but at the same time I'm sad that it seems to have ended for them the way it did. Most of my questions were answered by the end - most, and I suspect some of the unanswered would be answered by the novellas - but it would have been nice to see it in the book itself. I loved Ashton's inner monologue and the way she had to face the dissolution of the ivory tower she once idolized. Dirty Henry was a surprising standout - I fully expected him to die in the first chapter or two, and to see him be such an integral character was refreshing. Good for him! Good for him.
February 13, 2026
** I received this book as well as it's sequel as a free ARC in exchange for a fair review**
In all honesty I really struggled to get into this book at first. The pacing felt a bit off and like it lacked the depth to really pull me in to the characters. HOWEVER, the last 25% of the book is what really redeemed it for me. While I wasn't as emotionally involved as I had hoped, the flow finally felt right as we reached the peak and end of the story - and the relationships between everyone started to have the depth I was hoping for.
Really hoping the momentum of this ending continues through to the sequel as I'd like to see the growth of not only the characters but the author as well!
In all honesty I really struggled to get into this book at first. The pacing felt a bit off and like it lacked the depth to really pull me in to the characters. HOWEVER, the last 25% of the book is what really redeemed it for me. While I wasn't as emotionally involved as I had hoped, the flow finally felt right as we reached the peak and end of the story - and the relationships between everyone started to have the depth I was hoping for.
Really hoping the momentum of this ending continues through to the sequel as I'd like to see the growth of not only the characters but the author as well!
November 6, 2023
First I'd like to thank the author for allowing me to read the ARC, Secondly, this was a great spooky read! At first, I was worried since we're immediately thrown into the plot but, the author does a great job of easing into the rest of the book afterwards. There was a lot I loved: all the characters that joined our main character through the night, the magic system, LGBTQIA+ representation, and zombies! I 100% recommend it for an eerie read.
January 24, 2026
what an absolutely thrilling story filled with suspense, lovable characters and magic!
i loved getting to know the characters and learning about all the different types of magic the mages hold. i typically don’t read fantasy without a heavy romance aspect, but this book was so captivating and kept me on my toes! i did loveeee the subplot of romance between ashton and rosheen though 🥹
10/10 book and highly recommend if you’re into spooky vibes, found family and unique magic! 🪄
i loved getting to know the characters and learning about all the different types of magic the mages hold. i typically don’t read fantasy without a heavy romance aspect, but this book was so captivating and kept me on my toes! i did loveeee the subplot of romance between ashton and rosheen though 🥹
10/10 book and highly recommend if you’re into spooky vibes, found family and unique magic! 🪄
December 15, 2023
The life of a necromage isn’t an easy one. Especially for Ashton, a gifted young mage without a family name to open doors for her. One small miscalculation turns the opportunity of a life time into a fiendish adventure that tests both her magical abilities and her ideas about how the world really works. This cozy, sapphic, supernatural story is a page turning adventure.
January 30, 2026
This was a great book! The magic system is really interesting and different than other stuff I’ve read. I really like how necromages are normalized! All the characters are very interesting and I can’t wait to see how they develop in the next book!
October 29, 2023
something different from what i read. the setting of the novel intrigued me. i wanna be a mage.
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