Your Preview Verdict: The Graveyard Gift by Fern Forgettable

A girl who knows how you die. Her banshee roommate who knows when it happens. And wishes that sometimes, maybe, come true. . . .

Rosemary Thorpe has always been a bit different. She has the uncanny and unfortunate ability to foresee people’s deaths, which tends to land her in hot water. Well, not actual hot water—where it lands her is a place between worlds called Fern’s School for Wayward Fae, where Rosemary learns that her powers come from being part fae.

At Fern’s School, Rosemary meets others who are part fae—including Trym, her banshee roommate whose screams can kill, and Essie, a djinn who grants wishes. But just as Rosemary settles in, a student vanishes in thin air. And it’s up to all the kids to use their curious gifts to find their missing friend. . . .

Buy a copy of The Graveyard Gift here.

Read some great reviews from our Preview readers here:

I enjoyed this so much. Mystery, magic, wonder, excitement and fantastic, loveable characters. The perfect makings of a book to keep young readers enthralled, and it did just that. Aiden, 8, QLD, 5 stars

As a parent with young children (all grown up now!), I was always on the look out for interesting books for them, so I could promote a love of reading. This one hits the spot with its quirky characters. Certainly a great read which has magic and mystery, to keep you hooked to the end. Ingrid, VIC, 5 stars

So, I just finished reading The Graveyard Gift by Fern Forgettable, and wow, what a ride! It’s about this girl named Lily who finds a mysterious gift in a graveyard, and it turns out to have some crazy powers. The story really hooked me from the start. Lily is super relatable—she’s kind of a misfit, which I totally get. The way she interacts with the ghosts is both funny and a bit creepy. I loved how the author mixed humour with some really touching moments about friendship and loss. There were parts that made me laugh out loud, and others that made me think about what it means to remember someone. The plot twists were awesome, and I didn’t see some of them coming at all! The ending was satisfying but left me wanting more, which is always a good sign. Plus, the writing style was easy to follow, which made it a breeze to read. Overall, I think The Graveyard Gift is a perfect blend of spooky and heartfelt. If you like books that make you think but also keep you on your toes, you should definitely check it out! I can’t wait to see if there’s a sequel! M, 13, VIC, 5 stars

The Graveyard Gift is the first in a series about Fern’s School for Wayward Fae, a school for children with one human parent and one magical parent. Rosemary has never fit in before in her small town, and when she is whisked away by the mysterious Fern she finds out why. In a new school full of magical misfits she finds a home and begins to learn more about herself. This is a fantastic book for readers who love magic and adventure and who feel like they don’t fit in. It deals with friendship, isolation, disability, and the choices we make to bring people together or keep them apart. I’m already looking forward to the sequel! Samantha, WA, 5 stars

I hadn’t previously read any Piper CJ books, so I went into this blind, and wow, what a treat this was! I was delighted by this book – it reaffirmed by love for the universality of the middle grade fantasy genre. I am a firm fan of the cursed-child-is-whisked-away-to-a-magical world-and-joins-a-magical-school trope, and so this was right up my alley. This book strongly reminded me of some of my favourite middle grade fantasy series which I deem modern classics, including Nevermoor (Jessica Townsend) and A Tale of Magic (Chris Colfer). I thought the world-building and character development was excellent. My favourite characters were Henry and Rosemary. I liked that Henry was intriguing and unpredictable, while I loved Rosemary as a strong female protagonist who had to overcome internal self-doubt and her struggle to find her place in the world/s. I also liked the deaf representation in Trym and how this shapes but doesn’t consume her identity as a character. I am so excited to see where CJ takes this captivating series! Hayley, 18, QLD, 5 stars

The Graveyard Gift (Fern Forgettable) tells us the story of Rosemary a 13 years old girl that don’t fit quite well because of her weird ability. She sees other people’s death. Her mom gets worry with her constant bloody paintings and decided to send her to a psychiatric hospital and suddenly she just disappears. A new adventure began and now she is at Fern’s school for wayward fae, dealing with all this new information that she is not completely human and that her unknown father is not a human at all. After the initial feeling that she was dreaming all that, now she finally feels welcome and that she actually belongs to a place. She even has friends now. Unfortunately, there is some unknown threatening Fern’s school is in dangerous. She obviously has to do something to prevent anything bad to happen to her new home and friends. Cintia, VIC, 5 stars

The Graveyard Gift, the first book on the Fern’s School for Wayward Fae, is a magically and evocatively written story of fae, magic, humans and adventures. No sooner has Rosemary, a newly found student, met her fellow students, than adventures begin. Along the way, interesting characters are met and more is learnt about what it means to be fae. The story moves quickly, and as such, only glimpses are given of some characters, and I hope that more attention is given to them in following stories in the series. I really liked the descriptive writing that made it to so easy to imagine what was happening, although for some younger readers, the darkness in the story may be too much. This is definitely a story to be shared amongst middle school readers who I expect will wait for each new release with anticipation. Jodie, WA, 5 stars

Fern’s School for Wayward Fae was great. I loved it. Once I started this book I couldn’t stop. Literally! I read it in three nights and only because Mum made me turn off my light. I recommend everyone reads it. EVERYONE should read it!! Adriana, 9, NSW, 5 stars

Fern’s School for Wayward Fae is like a combination of Enid Blyton’s Faraway Tree and Harry Potter. Perfect for readers around 10-12 years old who like action and fantasy. The story ends on a cliffhanger which will be sure to keep readers around for the next instalment. Lee, VIC, 4 stars

A great story full of magic, mystery, mischief, mayhem and whimsy. Loved all the fun characters. Deanne, 10, VIC, 4 stars

Rosemary is a wayward fae which means uncourted fairy, who lives at Fern’s school. To be courted she has to decide to be seelie or unseelie. Rosemary is a character who is curious and jumps out of her comfort zone to find her best friend. She also has visions about how people die. She goes through a lot with her mother, new school and magical friends but still deals with it. I like how the book was mysterious and creepy but also adventurous and emotional. I love how it was a big journey and that they never gave up on Essie. My favourite part was the end A.K.A The Cliff Hanger. Ella, 10, ACT, 4 stars

Enter a world of mystical mystery, of half-human/half-fairy students learning how to fit into the realms of Magic. Rosemary Thorpe thought she was a slightly peculiar human child with a somewhat unusual gift, until she was given a choice that would completely change the way she viewed the world. Piper CJ has created a special place between the realms of possibility and filled it with an assortment of beguiling characters. The reader follows Rosemary’s journey of discovery, each new situation revealing just a little more of the puzzle. The story progresses carefully, evolving into an adventure with an urgent mission to be completed before it is too late! This is a well constructed novel filled with quirky yet relatable characters, compelling action and a satisfying resolution. The young reader who enjoys fantasy and magic with a good dose of mystery and adventure will be delighted by Rosemary and her friends in Fern’s School for Wayward Fae. Highly recommended! Chris, QLD, 4 stars

This is a new author for me and I really enjoyed how the story developed. Its magical and engaging and draws the reader in. The short chapters are appealing too. I look forward to the next books in the series. Keryn, SA, 4 stars

A book for those young readers interested in fantasy. I gave this book to Miss 8 and she said she enjoyed the main character called Rosemary. Rosemary possesses a unique talent and ends up going to a magical school where she meets others with their own unique talents. The main plot revolves around Rosemary and her friends trying to discover what happened to a student that goes missing. Miss 8 enjoyed the various characters and the adventure involved. From the brief parts that I read, I liked the cute and creative world. There are themes of death and spookiness but done in a way that is appropriate for its audience. We look forward to reading other books that will possibly be released in this series. Leanne, 8+, SA, 4 stars

Fern’s School for Wayward Fae – The Graveyard Gift by Piper CJ is a great read for 8-12 year olds. With its combination of magic and adventure it is sure to captivate its target audience. Rosemary sees the future death of those around her. However when she voices this she is in a lot of trouble. Suspended from school she is finally sent to a mental institution by her despairing mother. From here things really change for Rosemary and the book’s adventures begin. This is a delightful read and I recommend it to middle school readers who are imaginative and like a bit of fantasy. Annette, ACT, 4 stars

The Graveyard Gift by Fern Forgettable was an interesting novel in a fantasy and magical genre. The characters are all unique and have their own wonderful quirks. The book started out a bit slower than I like but it needed to set the background and develop the characters. The ending left me anticipating what the next novel in the series will involve. Christine, WA, 3 stars

For me, this book started really strong but didn’t quite nail the delivery. However, I wouldn’t be surprised to find that the next book in the series is stronger now that we know all of the characters and understand some of the conflicts. On the plus side, the introductory chapters were really entertaining. I had some laugh out loud moments, like the description of Rosemary channeling her predictions of how people will die into drawings, “which meant that she went through an awful lot of red crayons”. It was also great to see deaf representation, with Rosemary’s new roommate using sign language and lip reading, As the story approached the middle I think it lost a little coherence. I’m all for kids stories where the gang tries to solve a mystery that the adults can’t or won’t, but the rescue mission just felt a bit chaotic. There were hints about things not resolved in this book, and some confusing dialogue where attributions weren’t obvious. Hopefully book two will build on all the great ideas that were set up in this story. The seeds of a solid and exciting series are definitely here. Lisa, QLD, 3 stars

I wanted to check this out for my eight year old granddaughter and appreciate that the magical characters, creatures and worlds described would appeal to the tween age group. There is a lot happening but I kept losing track of the whos, whys and wherefores. The story rushed along and many characters were introduced all at once so I felt just as bewildered as Rosemary, our heroine, who finds herself whisked from the human realm where she has never quite belonged, to Fern’s School for Wayward Fae where she must find her place amongst different beings with varied powers. There is an uneasy tension in the air….the school is hidden between the worlds of fae and humans but there is mystery, tension and adventure as Rosemary and her friends meet danger and peril to rescue one of their own. A cliffhanger ending sets the stage for book 2. Lesley, QLD, 3 stars

A children’s mystery story or a tale of magic. An interesting novel that blends both, taking young readers on a magical adventure across current and future worlds. Although scary at times, the story maintains interest and intrigue until the very end. Geoff (based on feedback from my 10-year-old grandson), 10, WA, 3 stars

Grace, 11 says: I enjoyed the novel very much, although there were some problems. It was very easy to read and mostly to understand, the book was very slow to start. There was too much introductory stuff and not enough time for action. I found a few bits confusing, especially the bits dealing with moving between realms. My biggest problem was that we didn’t find out enough about Rosemary, although she is the hero of the story. We didn’t even find out much about how her powers worked or could be used. Mum says: This novel has no resolution of anything, really, just lots of loose ends and set ups. Younger readers usually need a bit more to keep them reading. I think in the end, this is a good kids’ book that’s perhaps a bit unbalanced. Too much introductory material, not enough of the main story, and not even a single minor issue is resolved. This is very much a novel that needs the right audience. Young enough to find it interesting, not boring, but old enough to cope with the frustration of the multiple loose ends. For the right audience, this is an interesting and original novel. Lorraine (for Grace), 11, ACT, 3 stars

This was a fantasy novel. The author has a wild imagination and is very creative but I thought the whole book was all over the place and didn’t really take off until the search for Essie. I liked the character of Rosemary, how she is determined and is on the search for answers. I also liked the gutsy Trym, who wasn’t shy about her dislike for Iris. Overall, this novel was quite messy, I wouldn’t really recommend it. Allie, 10, VIC, 1 star

Buy a copy of The Graveyard Gift here.