Candace Fleming

In a lonely Illinois cemetery one cold October night, teen ghosts recount the stories of their deaths in different time periods, from 1870 to the present, to sixteen-year-old Mike, who unknowingly picked up a phantom hitchhiker.

Stories from the Grave

On the Day I Died

Melissa Palmer

Book #79 Read in 2012
On the Day I Died by Candance Fleming

This book is a collection of stories told by teenage ghosts. Each deceased teenager tells Mike, a living teenager, how he or she ended up in the cemetery. The stories run the gamut from accidents, to suicide, to murder, to monsters. The ghosts feel that they have to tell their stories in order to be able to rest in peace.

This book was a quick, good read. The stories were interesting and though short, gave a good snapshot of the lives that these people lived. This book would appeal to both girl and boy readers. 

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Roxanne Mohr

This, I feel, was a very good book! It was an easy read, which is always nice. Without giving too much away, it was essentially a whole bunch of short stories all linked in to one larger story. It was, without a doubt, a very unique and unusual approach to telling a story but it was very enjoyable! I definitely recommend this and would gladly read it again. So if you’re looking for a quick, easy, but enjoyable read, pick this up and give it a shot. I’m sure you’ll enjoy it!

Jessica Nottingham

I've always been a big fan of ghost stories. There's something about being spooked, about getting that shiver up your spine as you read, that makes me just devour them. So of course when I saw Candace Fleming's On The Day I Died, I had to read it. What I found between these pages was a perfect blend of urban legends and completely original stories. I'll warn you, once you start reading there is no turning back.

What I really liked is how the book is a compilation of stories within a larger, encompassing story. Our main character Mike finds himself in the middle of a cemetery at night. I won't tell you how he gets there, but I will tell you that he is braver than me! As the plot moves forward, Mike is treated to the tales of the dismal lives that each inhabitant of the graveyard lived, as well as the unfortunate way they met their demise. Some of these stories are better than others, but they are all wonderfully tragic.

In fact that's what I really enjoyed about On The Day I Died overall. Since it is a compilation, it's perfectly okay to skim over, or skip, the stories that might not keep your interest as well. It's also really nice that there is something for everyone who loves ghost stories. A little bit of history here, a few poor choices there, and you have a poor soul who died young and now shares their story. The characters are just vivid enough to get their story across, but it is really the stories themselves that take center stage here. It's a quick read, and a great one at that.

My favorite part was definitely at the end when the author explains where the inspiration for each untimely death came from. It's fascinating to see how real life influenced the legends. If you are looking for a quick, different, and maybe even slightly scary read, then I recommend picking this up!

On the Day I Died Stories from the Grave

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