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Graveborn
Nothing could take her away from him, not even death.
The day his only childhood friend, Elsie Beaumont, died. Clayton Walker, the schizophrenic mad scientist has spent every waking hour, finding a way to defy her death. To bring back those icy blue eyes, the only good memory from his childhood. It was enough for him to look into those eyes again, even if they weren't really hers. A clone wouldn't be far off from the girl he knew, right?
Graveborn is a clean dark tragic romance set in the corrupt small town of Grimridge. Perfect for fans of obsessive unhinged MMC, Unrequited Love, childhood friends, Mad Scientist x Experiment.
Proceed with caution.
The day his only childhood friend, Elsie Beaumont, died. Clayton Walker, the schizophrenic mad scientist has spent every waking hour, finding a way to defy her death. To bring back those icy blue eyes, the only good memory from his childhood. It was enough for him to look into those eyes again, even if they weren't really hers. A clone wouldn't be far off from the girl he knew, right?
Graveborn is a clean dark tragic romance set in the corrupt small town of Grimridge. Perfect for fans of obsessive unhinged MMC, Unrequited Love, childhood friends, Mad Scientist x Experiment.
Proceed with caution.
- GenresDark RomanceGothic
152 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 2, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews
Did Not Finish
April 11, 2026Щось не маю я сили її дочитувати. Хоча мені сподобалось те що я прочитала раніше.
May 9, 2026
I genuinely don’t understand how an author could write something this beautiful and stop at only 146 pages… was she joking? This story deserved at least a thousand pages. I could’ve kept reading forever without getting tired of it.
The level of insanity in the mmc is something I’ve never witnessed before. He literally recreated his dead lover… what kind of madness is that? 😭
I loved him with every part of me. This is exactly my favorite kind of insanity in fiction, the kind that leaves you staring at the ceiling afterward, unable to process what you just read.
And the ending… yes, it was tragic, but I ended up laughing hysterically because my brain simply could not comprehend the level of madness I had just experienced. Everything about it was chaotic, disturbing, and painfully brilliant.
I still haven’t fully processed it yet.
_________________________♡
Elsie Beaumont, I have been your best friend since you were eight years old, and I have loved you more every single day from the moment I saw those ice blue eyes.
Loving her was the cure that healed all of my darkness slowly. She showed me the meaning of feeling something. I have done everything I can to show her that I could be the one deserving of her heart, and I wish she would be mine, in every way possible.
That I don't have to hide how my heart aches for her.
“Mon ange, you're the only choice in my world.”
Clayton Walker🦋
The level of insanity in the mmc is something I’ve never witnessed before. He literally recreated his dead lover… what kind of madness is that? 😭
I loved him with every part of me. This is exactly my favorite kind of insanity in fiction, the kind that leaves you staring at the ceiling afterward, unable to process what you just read.
And the ending… yes, it was tragic, but I ended up laughing hysterically because my brain simply could not comprehend the level of madness I had just experienced. Everything about it was chaotic, disturbing, and painfully brilliant.
I still haven’t fully processed it yet.
_________________________♡
Elsie Beaumont, I have been your best friend since you were eight years old, and I have loved you more every single day from the moment I saw those ice blue eyes.
Loving her was the cure that healed all of my darkness slowly. She showed me the meaning of feeling something. I have done everything I can to show her that I could be the one deserving of her heart, and I wish she would be mine, in every way possible.
That I don't have to hide how my heart aches for her.
“Mon ange, you're the only choice in my world.”
Clayton Walker🦋
June 25, 2026
مستحيل أقدر أكتب ريفيو للتحفة الفنية دي كل اللي بتمناه لو كانت أطول شوية.....
June 14, 2026
شوف إذا كنت داخل بتوقعات عاليه جدا للكتاب ف ....I'm sorry for this.
الكتاب فكرته جدا حلوه بس كان ناقصه أشياء اول شيء أنا ما شفت عمق كبير في الشخصيات أو الأحداث .
كان محتاج حشو أحداث كثير !
كمان اللغه الإنجليزي الغرامر فيها مش كويس ، أنا مش هحكم علي الإنجليزي بتاعها علشان أنا العربي و الإنجليزي بتوعي علي الله أصلا بس انا حبيت اقول 🤗
+ شخصية البطل هو أناني هو ما حبها أكثر ما حب فكرة إن في حد متقبله علي طبيعته و يحب يقعد معه ، لأن هو بنفسه قال أن ما عنده أصحاب غيرها .
+ هو بيقول أن ما يعرف تاريخ ميلاده ..... جماعه لازم علشان يدخل المدرسه و يكمل تعليمة يكون معاه شهادة ميلاد 🤡 يعني ده بديهي + أعتقد أنه حاول يرجعها للحياه علشان هو ظل وحيد و هي كانت كل عالمه
في المجمل هو ما كان بيحبها إنما كان مهووس بيها .
كان نفسي الكتاب يكون أكبر و أعمق علشان أحبه 😔
الكتاب فكرته جدا حلوه بس كان ناقصه أشياء اول شيء أنا ما شفت عمق كبير في الشخصيات أو الأحداث .
كان محتاج حشو أحداث كثير !
كمان اللغه الإنجليزي الغرامر فيها مش كويس ، أنا مش هحكم علي الإنجليزي بتاعها علشان أنا العربي و الإنجليزي بتوعي علي الله أصلا بس انا حبيت اقول 🤗
+ شخصية البطل هو أناني هو ما حبها أكثر ما حب فكرة إن في حد متقبله علي طبيعته و يحب يقعد معه ، لأن هو بنفسه قال أن ما عنده أصحاب غيرها .
+ هو بيقول أن ما يعرف تاريخ ميلاده ..... جماعه لازم علشان يدخل المدرسه و يكمل تعليمة يكون معاه شهادة ميلاد 🤡 يعني ده بديهي + أعتقد أنه حاول يرجعها للحياه علشان هو ظل وحيد و هي كانت كل عالمه
في المجمل هو ما كان بيحبها إنما كان مهووس بيها .
كان نفسي الكتاب يكون أكبر و أعمق علشان أحبه 😔
April 19, 2026
I started Graveborn with high hopes, as the concept promised a dark and psychologically layered story exploring grief, obsession, and morally complex characters. Sadly, the telling didn’t quite match the ambition of the premise.
The conclusion stood out as the most compelling part of the book. It carried emotional weight and hinted at the depth the story could have achieved. However, the journey leading there felt rushed and lacked the development needed to fully support it.
Given the heavy themes it introduces, the book feels too brief. Key plot points and character arcs are only lightly touched upon, leaving much of the narrative feeling incomplete. A more detailed and gradual build-up would have strengthened both the story and its emotional impact.
One of the more significant shortcomings was the portrayal of serious topics, particularly schizophrenia. The depiction came across as simplified and, at times, not entirely accurate, focusing mainly on hallucinations without addressing the broader complexities of the condition. This limited the emotional connection I could form with the character.
There were also some technical distractions, including formatting inconsistencies and occasional spelling mistakes, which interrupted the reading experience. While the illustrations might appeal to some, I personally found them more distracting than immersive.
Finally, the way the book was presented set expectations for something much darker and more intense than what was ultimately delivered. Aside from a few moments toward the end, it didn’t fully reach that level.
Overall, Graveborn has a strong idea at its core and clear creative promise, but it feels underdeveloped in its current state. With more depth, careful research, and refinement, it could have become a far more powerful and engaging read.
The conclusion stood out as the most compelling part of the book. It carried emotional weight and hinted at the depth the story could have achieved. However, the journey leading there felt rushed and lacked the development needed to fully support it.
Given the heavy themes it introduces, the book feels too brief. Key plot points and character arcs are only lightly touched upon, leaving much of the narrative feeling incomplete. A more detailed and gradual build-up would have strengthened both the story and its emotional impact.
One of the more significant shortcomings was the portrayal of serious topics, particularly schizophrenia. The depiction came across as simplified and, at times, not entirely accurate, focusing mainly on hallucinations without addressing the broader complexities of the condition. This limited the emotional connection I could form with the character.
There were also some technical distractions, including formatting inconsistencies and occasional spelling mistakes, which interrupted the reading experience. While the illustrations might appeal to some, I personally found them more distracting than immersive.
Finally, the way the book was presented set expectations for something much darker and more intense than what was ultimately delivered. Aside from a few moments toward the end, it didn’t fully reach that level.
Overall, Graveborn has a strong idea at its core and clear creative promise, but it feels underdeveloped in its current state. With more depth, careful research, and refinement, it could have become a far more powerful and engaging read.
April 24, 2026
1.5 stars rounded up to 2.
This had so much potential but the execution was not good. As a francophone scientist who loves Frankenstein-esque dark romances, this book sounded good! But it didn’t live up to the hype unfortunately.
A quick list of things that made me take off stars:
-the grammar and sentence structure are severely lacking. I did a quick search and the word “as” is written 106 times. There is one type of sentence/sentence structure that is used over and over again to the point that I almost threw my phone. [Verb]ing as [description of something happening]. Here are a couple quotes with this sentence structure:
“Raising my head back towards the sky as I close my eyes.”
“Looking out into the woods as the leaves on the ground glisten.”
“Getting tired as I slide down a tree trunk and grab a leaf, rolling it slightly as I hold the water bottle down and push the leaf inside, creating a funnel.”
These sentences aren’t even grammatically correct. Having a variety in the sentence structure and length makes the book a much more interesting and engaging read.
-the French that was used was not even correct and was clearly Google translated (please, I beg you don’t use Google Translate, use Word Reference)
-there were a couple spelling mistakes and the verb tense kept jumping around between past and present in the same chapter and often in the same paragraph. It was very confusing and annoying.
-some of the scenes were not even plausible, especially for their age at the time.
-the characters were very one dimensional and not fully fleshed out. Elsie was this perfect angel who never did any wrong and as soon as we started to get some emotional depth from her, it gets cut short.
-I had to read and reread the scene where Clayton reanimates Elsie/Doll five times because I was so confused on what he actually did to make this specific reanimation work. He was just looking at the bodies in formaldehyde and then suddenly the machine starts beeping like crazy and she’s now alive???? There was so much potential to get into the actual science behind reanimation, or at least what the science of reanimation would look like in this world, but it’s cut short. If you’re going to advertise this as mad scientist x experiment, you can’t just throw around a couple chemical compound names and call it done. Clayton reads as more of a pharmaceutical chemist than a biologist with a knowledge intimate and extensive enough of the inner workings of the human body to reanimate it. Sure, a scientist can study and be knowledgeable in more than just one field of science but that wasn’t explored in the book.
-Clayton doesn’t know his birthday and his parents never officially recorded it and yet he’s enrolled in school??? You need an officially recorded birth certificate to attend school. You also need good grades and actually go to middle and high school in order to get accepted into university. Especially the prestigious university Clayton gets accepted into.
This book definitely could have used another round of edits and some beta readers to pick out these plot holes. Nancy, this isn’t to say your story is terrible and you should never write again. Please, continue writing. This is a very interesting plot and has a lot of potential. But additional editing and research are needed for this to be a 5 star read from me. I would even offer to beta read myself! I’ve beta read and edited many many indie books so feel free to message me.
This had so much potential but the execution was not good. As a francophone scientist who loves Frankenstein-esque dark romances, this book sounded good! But it didn’t live up to the hype unfortunately.
A quick list of things that made me take off stars:
-the grammar and sentence structure are severely lacking. I did a quick search and the word “as” is written 106 times. There is one type of sentence/sentence structure that is used over and over again to the point that I almost threw my phone. [Verb]ing as [description of something happening]. Here are a couple quotes with this sentence structure:
“Raising my head back towards the sky as I close my eyes.”
“Looking out into the woods as the leaves on the ground glisten.”
“Getting tired as I slide down a tree trunk and grab a leaf, rolling it slightly as I hold the water bottle down and push the leaf inside, creating a funnel.”
These sentences aren’t even grammatically correct. Having a variety in the sentence structure and length makes the book a much more interesting and engaging read.
-the French that was used was not even correct and was clearly Google translated (please, I beg you don’t use Google Translate, use Word Reference)
-there were a couple spelling mistakes and the verb tense kept jumping around between past and present in the same chapter and often in the same paragraph. It was very confusing and annoying.
-some of the scenes were not even plausible, especially for their age at the time.
-the characters were very one dimensional and not fully fleshed out. Elsie was this perfect angel who never did any wrong and as soon as we started to get some emotional depth from her, it gets cut short.
-I had to read and reread the scene where Clayton reanimates Elsie/Doll five times because I was so confused on what he actually did to make this specific reanimation work. He was just looking at the bodies in formaldehyde and then suddenly the machine starts beeping like crazy and she’s now alive???? There was so much potential to get into the actual science behind reanimation, or at least what the science of reanimation would look like in this world, but it’s cut short. If you’re going to advertise this as mad scientist x experiment, you can’t just throw around a couple chemical compound names and call it done. Clayton reads as more of a pharmaceutical chemist than a biologist with a knowledge intimate and extensive enough of the inner workings of the human body to reanimate it. Sure, a scientist can study and be knowledgeable in more than just one field of science but that wasn’t explored in the book.
-Clayton doesn’t know his birthday and his parents never officially recorded it and yet he’s enrolled in school??? You need an officially recorded birth certificate to attend school. You also need good grades and actually go to middle and high school in order to get accepted into university. Especially the prestigious university Clayton gets accepted into.
This book definitely could have used another round of edits and some beta readers to pick out these plot holes. Nancy, this isn’t to say your story is terrible and you should never write again. Please, continue writing. This is a very interesting plot and has a lot of potential. But additional editing and research are needed for this to be a 5 star read from me. I would even offer to beta read myself! I’ve beta read and edited many many indie books so feel free to message me.
May 26, 2026
4.5 stars ⭐️
This book was genuinely one of the most tragic, haunting, and beautiful stories I’ve read.
Graveborn is not a traditional romance book at all. It’s very heavy on themes like obsession, grief, madness, and love twisted together until you can’t separate one from another anymore.
Clayton is one of the most complicated MMCs because he does fucked up things, but his motivation is love — and honestly, it’s all he’s ever known. He grew up not knowing what love is, what being loved feels like, or what being cared for feels like. He didn’t experience any of those things; he literally had to search them up. So somehow, despite everything, you can’t help but understand him and love him.
And the atmosphere of this book was INSANE. Every single scene felt cold, eerie, and heavy, like the story was rotting beautifully in front of you. The way the author captured the grief and Clayton’s spiraling mind was incredible, especially for a debut novel. I’m genuinely so impressed.
Because at the end of the day, beneath the gothic horror atmosphere, the disturbed town, and the schizophrenic mad scientist, this is a love story. A tragic story about unrequited love and grief consuming someone so completely that it destroys them from the inside out.
The flashbacks added so much emotional depth, and watching Clayton slowly drown in his grief was heartbreaking.
Also, the writing??? Especially for a debut??? Absolutely insane. The author knows exactly how to make you uncomfortable while still keeping you completely addicted.
And honestly, shout out to my talented girl because this was such an incredible debut.
This book was genuinely one of the most tragic, haunting, and beautiful stories I’ve read.
Graveborn is not a traditional romance book at all. It’s very heavy on themes like obsession, grief, madness, and love twisted together until you can’t separate one from another anymore.
Clayton is one of the most complicated MMCs because he does fucked up things, but his motivation is love — and honestly, it’s all he’s ever known. He grew up not knowing what love is, what being loved feels like, or what being cared for feels like. He didn’t experience any of those things; he literally had to search them up. So somehow, despite everything, you can’t help but understand him and love him.
And the atmosphere of this book was INSANE. Every single scene felt cold, eerie, and heavy, like the story was rotting beautifully in front of you. The way the author captured the grief and Clayton’s spiraling mind was incredible, especially for a debut novel. I’m genuinely so impressed.
Because at the end of the day, beneath the gothic horror atmosphere, the disturbed town, and the schizophrenic mad scientist, this is a love story. A tragic story about unrequited love and grief consuming someone so completely that it destroys them from the inside out.
The flashbacks added so much emotional depth, and watching Clayton slowly drown in his grief was heartbreaking.
Also, the writing??? Especially for a debut??? Absolutely insane. The author knows exactly how to make you uncomfortable while still keeping you completely addicted.
And honestly, shout out to my talented girl because this was such an incredible debut.
May 15, 2026
هو الكتاب كويس بس للأسف ده مش نوع الكتب اللي بفضله.
طول الكتاب كنت حاسة إن كلايتون وحش و أناني و مش بيفكر غير في نفسه ، بس بردو فهمت إن اللي نشأ في بيئة زي اللي نشأ فيها وعانى المعاناة اللي واجهها مكانش هيطلع منها سليم أبدا .
ممكن بعد كده أفكر إني أقرأ الكتاب التاني بتاع كوا و أنيت بس في الوقت الحالي تقريبا مش هقرؤه .
طول الكتاب كنت حاسة إن كلايتون وحش و أناني و مش بيفكر غير في نفسه ، بس بردو فهمت إن اللي نشأ في بيئة زي اللي نشأ فيها وعانى المعاناة اللي واجهها مكانش هيطلع منها سليم أبدا .
ممكن بعد كده أفكر إني أقرأ الكتاب التاني بتاع كوا و أنيت بس في الوقت الحالي تقريبا مش هقرؤه .
June 28, 2026
Going into Graveborn, I was immediately drawn in by the gothic atmosphere and haunting premise. It very much felt like a dark, romantic reimagining of Frankenstein, blending themes of life, death, grief, and obsession into a story that constantly felt eerie and unsettling. There was a lot to appreciate in the writing, especially the moody setting and the emotional intensity that lingered throughout the novel.
What ultimately kept this at three stars for me was the pacing and my connection to the characters. While I enjoyed the gothic vibes, I found myself wanting more from the emotional payoff, and the story occasionally felt like it lingered a little too long in the same emotional space. The romance also leaned into an obsession that reminded me of Wuthering Heights—very Heathcliff-coded in the sense that it was all-consuming, unhealthy, and driven by grief and longing more than anything else. If that's your kind of romance, you'll probably appreciate it much more than I did.
Overall, Graveborn was a solid read that I think will absolutely find its audience. If you love atmospheric gothic fantasy, morally gray characters, tragic love stories, and romances built around obsession rather than healthy relationships, this one is worth checking out. It just didn't quite deliver the emotional impact I was hoping for.
What ultimately kept this at three stars for me was the pacing and my connection to the characters. While I enjoyed the gothic vibes, I found myself wanting more from the emotional payoff, and the story occasionally felt like it lingered a little too long in the same emotional space. The romance also leaned into an obsession that reminded me of Wuthering Heights—very Heathcliff-coded in the sense that it was all-consuming, unhealthy, and driven by grief and longing more than anything else. If that's your kind of romance, you'll probably appreciate it much more than I did.
Overall, Graveborn was a solid read that I think will absolutely find its audience. If you love atmospheric gothic fantasy, morally gray characters, tragic love stories, and romances built around obsession rather than healthy relationships, this one is worth checking out. It just didn't quite deliver the emotional impact I was hoping for.
July 10, 2026
dnf at 40%
i thought the concept of this seemed interesting, but it was poorly written. i couldn’t look past all the spelling and grammar mistakes.
i thought the concept of this seemed interesting, but it was poorly written. i couldn’t look past all the spelling and grammar mistakes.
April 2, 2026
Clayton Walker is a Schizophrenic MMC who Hallucinates about his childhood bestfriend that he was obsessed with😭
He is the villain who should not be understood. Their cute but sad friendship was heartwarming and also gut wrenching how both of them needed each other.
The way he recreated Elsie into a clone to have any version of her was heart racing.
If you want a fast paced read to binge and have your heart stop at some moments. You should read this dark romance book! 🩶
He is the villain who should not be understood. Their cute but sad friendship was heartwarming and also gut wrenching how both of them needed each other.
The way he recreated Elsie into a clone to have any version of her was heart racing.
If you want a fast paced read to binge and have your heart stop at some moments. You should read this dark romance book! 🩶
April 14, 2026
Nancy I'm coming for you, what the hell was that ending?? Stayed up until 4am to finish it and you tore my heart out
April 17, 2026
⭐️⭐️☆☆☆ (2/5)
I went into Graveborn with high expectations because the premise had so much potential ,a dark, psychological story with obsession, grief, and morally grey elements. Unfortunately, the execution didn’t live up to that promise.
The strongest part of the book was the ending, which felt emotional and impactful. It showed glimpses of what the story could have been if it had been more developed. However, everything leading up to it felt rushed and underexplored.
The book is very short for the complexity of the themes it introduces. Important aspects of the plot and character development are only briefly touched on, leaving many moments feeling incomplete. This story could have greatly benefited from more depth, detail, and build-up.
One of the main issues for me was the handling of serious topics, particularly schizophrenia. The portrayal felt oversimplified and at times inaccurate, focusing mostly on hallucinations without fully exploring the broader cognitive and behavioral aspects. This made it harder to connect with the character on a deeper level.
Additionally, there were noticeable technical issues such as formatting choices and occasional spelling errors, which affected the overall reading experience. The inclusion of illustrations may work for some readers, but personally, I found them distracting rather than immersive.
Lastly, the marketing set expectations for a much darker, more intense, and disturbing story than what was actually delivered. Aside from a few moments near the end, it didn’t fully reach that level.
Overall, Graveborn has an interesting concept and clear creative potential, but it feels underdeveloped in its current form. With more research, editing, and expansion, this could have been a much stronger and more compelling story
I went into Graveborn with high expectations because the premise had so much potential ,a dark, psychological story with obsession, grief, and morally grey elements. Unfortunately, the execution didn’t live up to that promise.
The strongest part of the book was the ending, which felt emotional and impactful. It showed glimpses of what the story could have been if it had been more developed. However, everything leading up to it felt rushed and underexplored.
The book is very short for the complexity of the themes it introduces. Important aspects of the plot and character development are only briefly touched on, leaving many moments feeling incomplete. This story could have greatly benefited from more depth, detail, and build-up.
One of the main issues for me was the handling of serious topics, particularly schizophrenia. The portrayal felt oversimplified and at times inaccurate, focusing mostly on hallucinations without fully exploring the broader cognitive and behavioral aspects. This made it harder to connect with the character on a deeper level.
Additionally, there were noticeable technical issues such as formatting choices and occasional spelling errors, which affected the overall reading experience. The inclusion of illustrations may work for some readers, but personally, I found them distracting rather than immersive.
Lastly, the marketing set expectations for a much darker, more intense, and disturbing story than what was actually delivered. Aside from a few moments near the end, it didn’t fully reach that level.
Overall, Graveborn has an interesting concept and clear creative potential, but it feels underdeveloped in its current form. With more research, editing, and expansion, this could have been a much stronger and more compelling story
July 1, 2026
This novella started with promise. Two kids from opposite ends of the tracks who come together and forge a friendship. They begin to go through all the milestones .A tragic accident cuts that short before they could share their crush on each other.
Clayton is the mad scientist. He comes up with a plan to replicate his lost love. He comes from a broken home with a abusive upbringing.
Elsie is light to his darkness. She's an albino & eternal optimist. She's kind and warm hearted.
I don't want to give too much away. I will say that I did rate this book lower. For me, I didn't vibe with the story. The writing style was not one I enjoyed. The pacing was odd. Others may not have an issue and really enjoy the book, I did not
Tropes and triggers: Hurt/comfort, neglect, mad scientist, morally grey mmc, grumpy/ sunshine, obsession, murder mystery, childhood friends, physical abuse, first crush, fresh start
Clayton is the mad scientist. He comes up with a plan to replicate his lost love. He comes from a broken home with a abusive upbringing.
Elsie is light to his darkness. She's an albino & eternal optimist. She's kind and warm hearted.
I don't want to give too much away. I will say that I did rate this book lower. For me, I didn't vibe with the story. The writing style was not one I enjoyed. The pacing was odd. Others may not have an issue and really enjoy the book, I did not
Tropes and triggers: Hurt/comfort, neglect, mad scientist, morally grey mmc, grumpy/ sunshine, obsession, murder mystery, childhood friends, physical abuse, first crush, fresh start
May 1, 2026
3.5 ⭐🔬💀
Wow… why was this actually so good?!?!💀🖤
The writing is great, the characters are amazing, and the vibe is peeerfect. My main problem is that this book had the greatest, most amazing potential ever, but it kind of fell a bit short. I mean, at some moments it felt as if it were a draft or something like that.🧑🏻🔬🧪
But honestly, Nancy is great and shows so much potential. She just definitely needs to focus more on really milking the hell out of her story’s premise, because a book with this premise and this kind of emotional writing and scenes would definitely be 300+ pages long (and I don’t mind that at all, btw). It hit emotionally, just didn’t feel fully polished.🛌🏽
But yeah, as I said, it’s good, definitely just needs better editing and to be longer.
I’m definitely going to read whatever the author writes next.🖤🤍🖤🤍🖤🥼🥼💀💀
Wow… why was this actually so good?!?!💀🖤
The writing is great, the characters are amazing, and the vibe is peeerfect. My main problem is that this book had the greatest, most amazing potential ever, but it kind of fell a bit short. I mean, at some moments it felt as if it were a draft or something like that.🧑🏻🔬🧪
But honestly, Nancy is great and shows so much potential. She just definitely needs to focus more on really milking the hell out of her story’s premise, because a book with this premise and this kind of emotional writing and scenes would definitely be 300+ pages long (and I don’t mind that at all, btw). It hit emotionally, just didn’t feel fully polished.🛌🏽
But yeah, as I said, it’s good, definitely just needs better editing and to be longer.
I’m definitely going to read whatever the author writes next.🖤🤍🖤🤍🖤🥼🥼💀💀
April 18, 2026
It was so unbelievably easy for me to get attached to Clayton & Elsie and I really wish this book was longer.
It felt a little rushed, and I don’t know if it was just my copy, but the amount of typos threw me off a bit.
I enjoyed the atmosphere and the writing style a lot, it was beautiful and haunting.
I’m excited to read the prequel but I’m sad that this is it for Clay & Doll.
It felt a little rushed, and I don’t know if it was just my copy, but the amount of typos threw me off a bit.
I enjoyed the atmosphere and the writing style a lot, it was beautiful and haunting.
I’m excited to read the prequel but I’m sad that this is it for Clay & Doll.
June 2, 2026
3.5 stars
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March 28, 2026The book writing was amazing . I loved the switch between the past and the present . It was very descriptive and just the atmosphere in this book was so beautiful.
Despite the manic mmc , I could still relate to him .
The book is completely clean which I rarely find in a dark romance . It was a five out of five stars for me . Highly recommend!
Despite the manic mmc , I could still relate to him .
The book is completely clean which I rarely find in a dark romance . It was a five out of five stars for me . Highly recommend!
May 24, 2026
3.5 rounded up to 4
This is gonna be as short as possible
Oh damn how I was not prepared for this
I absolutely went into this book looking for something light weird freaky dark I did not sign up for heartbreak and childhood friends with unrequited love and all that innocence in the beginning 😭😭😭
I absolutely devoured this, I didn't even have time I was having only short breaks between busy times to pass a chapter or two and staying up before bed and oh my God it was such a roller coaster and I really wish that was longer
Clayton's childhood shattered my heart and his love for Elsie with the sweetest thing ever seeing someone so desperate someone who lived a very tragic life a poor child who knew nothing about love finally finding someone who actually cares for them and that person becoming their entire universe and the only light in their darkness I always feel for that shit but when that lightness is snatched from that person that's where the real show begins
I think the most fascinating part of reading this book is watching how Clayton turned from someone with darkness and pain but still have good in him slowly turn into a monster after Elsie was taken from him, it was very creepy but very intriguing to read his entire relationship with Doll was weird and uncomfortable and it soon became apparent there would never be love between them
And the lastly that ending OMGGG
I wasn't prepared for the epilogue either
Totally recommend it
This is gonna be as short as possible
Oh damn how I was not prepared for this
I absolutely went into this book looking for something light weird freaky dark I did not sign up for heartbreak and childhood friends with unrequited love and all that innocence in the beginning 😭😭😭
I absolutely devoured this, I didn't even have time I was having only short breaks between busy times to pass a chapter or two and staying up before bed and oh my God it was such a roller coaster and I really wish that was longer
Clayton's childhood shattered my heart and his love for Elsie with the sweetest thing ever seeing someone so desperate someone who lived a very tragic life a poor child who knew nothing about love finally finding someone who actually cares for them and that person becoming their entire universe and the only light in their darkness I always feel for that shit but when that lightness is snatched from that person that's where the real show begins
I think the most fascinating part of reading this book is watching how Clayton turned from someone with darkness and pain but still have good in him slowly turn into a monster after Elsie was taken from him, it was very creepy but very intriguing to read his entire relationship with Doll was weird and uncomfortable and it soon became apparent there would never be love between them
And the lastly that ending OMGGG
I wasn't prepared for the epilogue either
Totally recommend it
June 20, 2026
The idea of the book was good but the execution wasn’t. It felt very rushed and underdeveloped. There were multiple spellings and grammar mistakes in the book. The topics in the book were dark but didn’t seem like it was taken seriously enough. It honestly was like a Wattpad book but not one that’s actually good. I’m happy the book was short because it was bad but for the characters and storyline to develop more it needed to be longer. The portrayal of schizophrenia felt stereotypical and that the author did no research into the actual mental illness.
April 14, 2026
The plot had sm potential it was definitely captivating but the thing that threw me off was the writing, there were several spelling or grammatical mistakes which made this a hard read and i think it should've been a bit longer, their storyline needed more time to develop and make sense. Also obviously i won't be reading the second book now that i know they die at the end.
June 5, 2026
Papa more movie
Review of advance copy received from Indie Reviewers
I had the opportunity to read this book as an ARC. I was immediately hooked by the blurb. It reminded me so much of Frankenstein and I was excited to see how this story would play out.
I’m sad to say I was extremely disappointed. I’m a little confused how other readers are giving this book such a high rating.
-***I’m editing my review because I did write this super late last night and I had way more I wanted to say. I also want to add I read this before any changes were made prior to her publishing-***
Okay….i first want to say this story has potential, however I have to admit the delivery of it was poor. It reads like a rough draft. Like thoughts to paper without it being restructured. The chemistry between the 2 main characters was lacking.
My thoughts:
Clayton (our MMC) meeting Elsie and obsessing over here at the age of 10 is just weird. I get the concept of yearning for that warmth she gives but a 10 year wouldn’t think the way he does in the book. It’s off putting because of how young they are when they meet. the way he was acting was a tad perverse and it felt weird reading that knowing these are small children.
To me it would make more sense if he was older. 15 maybe (I mean he’s giving off major creeper/stalker vibes which doesn’t make it any better if he’s older lol ). Him being older would also help explain his disdain for the human race because of years of abuse and being surrounded by drugs. However!! She also described Clayton as a kid with a good soul. He’s just living in a f’d up environment and obviously at some point his optimism fractures and he ends up the way he does. But that’s not clearly portrayed. It would’ve been nice to have seen something of that nature in the book.
Another thing is how Elsie comes from a good home and he basically corrupts her. I think it would’ve been nice to see how she could’ve influenced him. I think because she’s mentioning how he’s trying to better his situation, reading him being a rebel/bad boy with Elsie feels off. I personally had a hard time understanding Clayton’s character. I’m just confused and there hasn’t been an ah-ha moment to thats tying it all together. Especially since she mentions how loving Elsie’s family is. I was kinda sad to see that her family didn’t like adopt him or something. Or at least pour love into him too.
I mean I love where she was trying to go with it. The schizophrenia because of his attempts at reviving her / the insufferable guilt he feels for what he did to her, the disconnect between him and Doll because she’s not 100% like Elsie. His hatred for humanity. His love for Elsie. The past and present storyline. But it’s the in between, the why and how surrounding it that’s not making too much sense. It felt chaotic to me.
The romance reads superficial. I wish she would’ve given us that warmth and love he so desperately deserved so that WHEN he lost Elsie it made an impact! In the same way you read how victor wanted to find a way to cheat death so his whole ambition was to do that here you don’t get that at all. There’s no character building or development in either of them (the MMC and FMC)
I’m sad to say I was extremely disappointed. I’m a little confused how other readers are giving this book such a high rating.
-***I’m editing my review because I did write this super late last night and I had way more I wanted to say. I also want to add I read this before any changes were made prior to her publishing-***
Okay….i first want to say this story has potential, however I have to admit the delivery of it was poor. It reads like a rough draft. Like thoughts to paper without it being restructured. The chemistry between the 2 main characters was lacking.
My thoughts:
Clayton (our MMC) meeting Elsie and obsessing over here at the age of 10 is just weird. I get the concept of yearning for that warmth she gives but a 10 year wouldn’t think the way he does in the book. It’s off putting because of how young they are when they meet. the way he was acting was a tad perverse and it felt weird reading that knowing these are small children.
To me it would make more sense if he was older. 15 maybe (I mean he’s giving off major creeper/stalker vibes which doesn’t make it any better if he’s older lol ). Him being older would also help explain his disdain for the human race because of years of abuse and being surrounded by drugs. However!! She also described Clayton as a kid with a good soul. He’s just living in a f’d up environment and obviously at some point his optimism fractures and he ends up the way he does. But that’s not clearly portrayed. It would’ve been nice to have seen something of that nature in the book.
Another thing is how Elsie comes from a good home and he basically corrupts her. I think it would’ve been nice to see how she could’ve influenced him. I think because she’s mentioning how he’s trying to better his situation, reading him being a rebel/bad boy with Elsie feels off. I personally had a hard time understanding Clayton’s character. I’m just confused and there hasn’t been an ah-ha moment to thats tying it all together. Especially since she mentions how loving Elsie’s family is. I was kinda sad to see that her family didn’t like adopt him or something. Or at least pour love into him too.
I mean I love where she was trying to go with it. The schizophrenia because of his attempts at reviving her / the insufferable guilt he feels for what he did to her, the disconnect between him and Doll because she’s not 100% like Elsie. His hatred for humanity. His love for Elsie. The past and present storyline. But it’s the in between, the why and how surrounding it that’s not making too much sense. It felt chaotic to me.
The romance reads superficial. I wish she would’ve given us that warmth and love he so desperately deserved so that WHEN he lost Elsie it made an impact! In the same way you read how victor wanted to find a way to cheat death so his whole ambition was to do that here you don’t get that at all. There’s no character building or development in either of them (the MMC and FMC)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 7, 2026
This book is short but surprisingly deep, and I honestly wasn’t expecting to like it as much as I did. While the story is quite disturbing, it is equally interesting because of how complex Clayton is as a character. It is almost impossible to hate him because the narrative explains exactly why he became the way he is; even though his actions would likely get him executed in most countries, I find that his parents are the real monsters and he was simply a product of his environment. The combination of loss, torture, and losing the one light in his life definitely broke what little humanity he had left. While I don’t completely hate him, I am certain that if Elsie knew what he did to her beloved parents, she would never forgive him, and the way he took her out of her grave is just sick-minded. I don’t believe he truly loved her, but was instead obsessed with the idea of owning something as pure-hearted as she was. What is really messed up is that he created a clone of her and never treated her like a human being, even calling her a "doll" and torturing a man to death just for complimenting her. He is a massive red flag,like a beautiful flame that keeps you warm, but if given enough gasoline, will burn himself and everything near him. Overall, this was an amazing story with a sad but understandable ending, and I can’t wait for the second book about Elsie’s parents. The writing is decent despite a few mistakes, and the art is astonishing, especially since the author illustrated it herself. This is a great, fun, short book to read if you are in a reading slump, and I 100% recommend it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 25, 2026
Beautiful.. but haunting
Graveborn follows Clayton Walker, a brilliant but deeply disturbed scientist who refuses to accept the death of his childhood best friend, Elsie Beaumont. Growing up in the corrupt town of Grimridge, Elsie was the one bright spot in Clayton’s otherwise traumatic life, and when she dies, his grief twists into obsession. Determined to bring her back by any means necessary, Clayton turns to cloning, convinced that recreating Elsie will somehow fill the void she left behind. Through alternating timelines, the story explores their childhood bond, Clayton’s unraveling mental state, and the increasingly disturbing lengths he’ll go to in his pursuit of the girl he lost. What starts as a tragic tale of grief slowly spirals into something darker, blurring the line between love, obsession, and madness.
⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ (3.5 Stars)
This book left me feeling equal parts heartbroken and unsettled. Clayton is the kind of character you can’t fully root for, but you also can’t stop watching as he self-destructs. The flashbacks with Elsie were easily my favorite part because they added so much emotional weight to his obsession and made the tragedy hit harder. The atmosphere felt dark, eerie, and almost cinematic at times, and I found myself flying through the pages just to see how far Clayton would go. While some parts didn’t completely land for me emotionally, I appreciated how different and uncomfortable the story was willing to be. Graveborn isn’t a romance that gives you butterflies. It’s a story about grief festering into obsession, and by the end I was left with that strange hollow feeling that only tragic books seem capable of creating.
Graveborn follows Clayton Walker, a brilliant but deeply disturbed scientist who refuses to accept the death of his childhood best friend, Elsie Beaumont. Growing up in the corrupt town of Grimridge, Elsie was the one bright spot in Clayton’s otherwise traumatic life, and when she dies, his grief twists into obsession. Determined to bring her back by any means necessary, Clayton turns to cloning, convinced that recreating Elsie will somehow fill the void she left behind. Through alternating timelines, the story explores their childhood bond, Clayton’s unraveling mental state, and the increasingly disturbing lengths he’ll go to in his pursuit of the girl he lost. What starts as a tragic tale of grief slowly spirals into something darker, blurring the line between love, obsession, and madness.
⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ (3.5 Stars)
This book left me feeling equal parts heartbroken and unsettled. Clayton is the kind of character you can’t fully root for, but you also can’t stop watching as he self-destructs. The flashbacks with Elsie were easily my favorite part because they added so much emotional weight to his obsession and made the tragedy hit harder. The atmosphere felt dark, eerie, and almost cinematic at times, and I found myself flying through the pages just to see how far Clayton would go. While some parts didn’t completely land for me emotionally, I appreciated how different and uncomfortable the story was willing to be. Graveborn isn’t a romance that gives you butterflies. It’s a story about grief festering into obsession, and by the end I was left with that strange hollow feeling that only tragic books seem capable of creating.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Mmmm will 5 stars even be enough for this book?
Let me start by saying that I am someone that literally reads one genre. I am a sucker for any book with butterflies, love in the air, soft spoken character, and I barely read something new because I feel like they would put me in a reading slump, but THIS ONE!! God I literally finished it in less than 3 hours, I just couldn't put it down!
First, I love it when a book sparks my curiosity and make me ask so many question, so Nancy was like, uh... say less! I read the prologue and I already started asking myself hundreds of questions, and I was so eager to see how this would end up, and yeah, it didn't disappoint. The story exceeded my predictions and that was AMAZING!
The depth each character held was a textbook. Present Clayton, past Clayton, Elsie, and doll, all had their own world, and they held so much depth, I just couldn't stop analysing them. Each character left me with a question, I kept asking why they act this way, then when I get an explanation, I would be like: "oh, now I get it, and I am so confused, should I like the character, hate them, excuse them, feel empathy for them, feel sympathy for them?" They were so complex and I loved that!
Each character was developed properly. The pace was really good, not too fast and not too slow. The writing style was so interesting and intriguing, even the slow chapters held new parts that added the whole story, making it all come together perfectly like a perfect puzzle.
So yeah, great job!!
Let me start by saying that I am someone that literally reads one genre. I am a sucker for any book with butterflies, love in the air, soft spoken character, and I barely read something new because I feel like they would put me in a reading slump, but THIS ONE!! God I literally finished it in less than 3 hours, I just couldn't put it down!
First, I love it when a book sparks my curiosity and make me ask so many question, so Nancy was like, uh... say less! I read the prologue and I already started asking myself hundreds of questions, and I was so eager to see how this would end up, and yeah, it didn't disappoint. The story exceeded my predictions and that was AMAZING!
The depth each character held was a textbook. Present Clayton, past Clayton, Elsie, and doll, all had their own world, and they held so much depth, I just couldn't stop analysing them. Each character left me with a question, I kept asking why they act this way, then when I get an explanation, I would be like: "oh, now I get it, and I am so confused, should I like the character, hate them, excuse them, feel empathy for them, feel sympathy for them?" They were so complex and I loved that!
Each character was developed properly. The pace was really good, not too fast and not too slow. The writing style was so interesting and intriguing, even the slow chapters held new parts that added the whole story, making it all come together perfectly like a perfect puzzle.
So yeah, great job!!
July 5, 2026
3.5⭐️
So this was my first time reading a dark tragedy and oh my god my emotions can’t handle this..
First of all thank you so much Nancy Everywyn for sending me your book and giving me the chance to read it!
This book was an emotional ride, our MMC is a scientist that creates a clone of his child hood best friend/ love of his life after she died. 😭😭
I loved how we got the story of Elsie and Clay while seeing what happened to him after her dead and getting to know “Doll” aka Elsie’s Clone.
They did not deserve what happened to them.. but also I’m glad that “Doll” chose herself in the end. She did not deserve to live a life as someone miserable with no real character, no real story just being someone else that you’ll never be. I actually felt so sorry for her and I was disgusted by Clays behavior everytime “Doll” showed features that weren’t Elsie’s.. he also never gave her a name because he felt like he was betraying Elsie’s with another women 😭😭
They were sweet children and something bad happened to them, and I was crying so bad for them.
Overall this story was amazing!! It’s Nancy’s debut novel and she deserves every reader!! Here and there the plot seems rushed but I can look over that if i enjoy myself!! And I did. (Kinda because I was severely depressed while reading this)
Thank you smm Nancy for introducing me to a new genre in books that i probably would have looked into everytime soon if you would have reached out to me!
So this was my first time reading a dark tragedy and oh my god my emotions can’t handle this..
First of all thank you so much Nancy Everywyn for sending me your book and giving me the chance to read it!
This book was an emotional ride, our MMC is a scientist that creates a clone of his child hood best friend/ love of his life after she died. 😭😭
I loved how we got the story of Elsie and Clay while seeing what happened to him after her dead and getting to know “Doll” aka Elsie’s Clone.
They did not deserve what happened to them.. but also I’m glad that “Doll” chose herself in the end. She did not deserve to live a life as someone miserable with no real character, no real story just being someone else that you’ll never be. I actually felt so sorry for her and I was disgusted by Clays behavior everytime “Doll” showed features that weren’t Elsie’s.. he also never gave her a name because he felt like he was betraying Elsie’s with another women 😭😭
They were sweet children and something bad happened to them, and I was crying so bad for them.
Overall this story was amazing!! It’s Nancy’s debut novel and she deserves every reader!! Here and there the plot seems rushed but I can look over that if i enjoy myself!! And I did. (Kinda because I was severely depressed while reading this)
Thank you smm Nancy for introducing me to a new genre in books that i probably would have looked into everytime soon if you would have reached out to me!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 16, 2026
I dont care people found mistakes in the book, errors, not written nicely, and all. But I absolutely loved the story and it just felt cruel thT IT WAS ONLY 140 PAGES, but still till the end I felt the same emotional weight. Few people are able to achieve this, like only a few pages to make u smile, and cry, and everything. I loved their story. It made me so sad. I loved all three characters, yes 3- doll deserves to be remembered as her own self instead of a version of Elsie. She was so pretty(not the physical appearance), I wish there were more scenes with her. My favourite character was Doll, though she didnt deserve to be called that, I became so sad when she noticed that dolls are actually artificial u know plastic human bodies. So sad. I hate sad ending books, I hate them a lot. But some books are exceptions, and this book was one of them.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Devastatingly psychotic.
First of all, I read this book in one sitting. I literally have no words, but I’ll just say this: read it if you want your jaw on the floor.
The MMC is an obsessive, schizophrenic, insane scientist, and he does the most terrifying things throughout the book. There’s a bit of yin and yang between him and the FMC, who’s innocent and pure, but not entirely. They share a small dark side, and it’s explored in the most fascinating way.
Prepare to be emotionally devastated because, unfortunately, this mad scientist is mad for a reason.
The cloning was bone-chilling and delicious in every way that word can possibly evoke in your head. The twists are WILD.
Finally, proceed with caution, and don’t read this at night unless you want to shake in your sleep.
First of all, I read this book in one sitting. I literally have no words, but I’ll just say this: read it if you want your jaw on the floor.
The MMC is an obsessive, schizophrenic, insane scientist, and he does the most terrifying things throughout the book. There’s a bit of yin and yang between him and the FMC, who’s innocent and pure, but not entirely. They share a small dark side, and it’s explored in the most fascinating way.
Prepare to be emotionally devastated because, unfortunately, this mad scientist is mad for a reason.
The cloning was bone-chilling and delicious in every way that word can possibly evoke in your head. The twists are WILD.
Finally, proceed with caution, and don’t read this at night unless you want to shake in your sleep.
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