Long Black Veil by Jeanette Battista ~ review

• Paperback: 276 pages
• Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (February 1, 2013)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1482310821
• ISBN-13: 978-1482310825

This book is also available as an e-book.

Want to purchase a copy of "Long Black Veil," just click here.

Publication Date: February 1, 2013

A girl, a boy, and a family curse...

 Devon can’t wait to put her podunk mountain town behind her once and for all when she graduates high school. But even though she’s the class valedictorian, the likelihood of her being able to afford college on her own is slim. As she begins the research on scholarships that might help with tuition, a new distraction arises in the form of the town’s golden boy, the cute and popular Brock Cutler who works in the town Records room. Devon knows that mountain and town folk don’t mix, but she’s drawn to him anyway. But as her friendship with Brock deepens, Devon realizes that there are consequences when mountain folk and town folk mingle: she’s humiliated at a party by the most popular girl in school, almost assaulted by the school quarterback, and rumors about her begin to spread throughout the school. The ghost of a woman wrapped in a black veil starts haunting her steps. As the these unpleasant incidents become more frequent, Devon’s grandmother warns her to stay away from Brock so she doesn’t end up like her mother. As she digs deeper into her family’s past, Devon uncovers secrets that may be better left buried. Why is she suddenly seeing strange visions of a woman in a veil mourning over a hundred year old grave? How is this veiled woman related to the tragic events in Devon’s mother’s life? And why is Devon’s grandmother warning her away from Brock? As Devon searches for answers and the specter’s appearances become more frequent, everything Devon has ever known in her life begins to change. Can she unravel her family’s curse before it claims her too?

My take on this book:

Devon Mackson's mother wound up going to prison when Devon was only eight years old,leaving Devon to be taken in by her Gammy and moving to the small mountain town where her family had lived for generations. Now at the age of eighteen she is  tired of living by everyone else's rules, being labeled a certain way just because of what her mother did, or where she happened to live. Even though she is class valedictorian she knows the only way to escape the town is to get a scholarship and leave for college. While doing research for a particular scholarship at the town Records office she learns that Brock Cutler the most popular boy in high school works there. Even though she has been warned all her life that mountain folk and town folk just don't mix she still finds herself drawn to him, and a friendship develops. During this time she starts noticing a woman with a long black veil hanging around the cemetery at an abandoned church on the dirt road that leads to her Grammy's trailer home. As the sightings of the woman become more frequent Devon confides in her Gammy and is told about a family curse involving the woman in the black veil, and is told if she stops seeing Devon the woman will go away. Just who is the woman in the black veil, and what is the curse that has haunted this family for over one hundred years? Will Devon have to give up her budding romance with Brock or will she be able to figure out the mysteries of the past before the curse changes her life forever?

The stunningly beautiful cover of this book really sets the tone for the story that unfolds in "Long Black Veil." I expected a haunting tale, but instead found a multi-layered story of a haunting, a curse but also a young lady who just wants to get out of her tiny town where she will no longer feel like she is judged. Not truly a loner, because Devon does have one good friend, Gil, a boy from town with his own issues, she acts as if it really doesn't matter that she doesn't fit in, as the story progresses though we see another side of Devon. When Brock starts to befriend her it was like she really starts to blossom, thing is the lady in black starts to haunt her.I really enjoyed how the feelings grow between Brock and Devon, the relationship progressed in a very realistic way that had me hoping that they could be together. When she learns that her family has been cursed and the lady in black is part of that curse she becomes determined to figure out why, and to put an end to it. I thought the interaction between Devon and her mother Lorelei was totally convincing, after all she had kept some major facts from Devon. As an interesting mystery unfolds that author keeps the reader guessing as to whether the curse can be broken and if the lady in the long black veil will ever be able to rest. When I thought I knew everything about the story Jeanette Battista throws in a few twists to keep the plot moving. A well crafted story that revolves around mountain curses, mystery, folklore,romance,a haunting, along with a splash of time travel to make for a page turning read that will certainly be a hit with young adult readers. Honestly though anyone who enjoys paranormal fiction will be delighted with "Long Black Veil."

reviewed for Readersfavorite.com