Review: Grave Destiny - Kalayna Price

The thrilling sixth book in the USA Today bestselling Alex Craft series.

Grave witch Alex Craft can speak to the dead, and that makes her a dangerous enemy for anyone with something to hide. . . .

Alex is still trying to come to terms with her changing powers and her growing ties to Faerie when a case she'd rather avoid falls right into her lap. A fae prince desperately needs Alex to investigate a politically sensitive murder. She reluctantly agrees to the case, taking FIB agent Falin Andrews along as her backup.

But as Alex begins to delve into the mystery, she realizes that the intricate web of alliances and intrigue in the Faerie courts is strained to its limits. War is about to break out, one that threatens to spill over into the mortal realm. This murder is tied right to the center of centuries-old arcane unrest, and if Alex isn't careful she may follow the twisting path ahead of her right into her grave end.

Alex Craft Series:
Grave Witch
Grave Dance
Ruby Red (Short Story in the Kicking It anthology)
Grave Memory
Grave Visions
Grave Ransom
Grave Destiny

Visit Kalayna Price's website for more information

Review:
This isn't the first time that Alex has been asked to investigate a murder that happened in Faerie but this time the potential consequences are all out war between two of the courts so the stakes have never been higher. When it appears that a member of the Shadows has murdered a Winter Court noble tensions between the two reach breaking point. Dugan comes to Alex for help as he wants to prevent a war and along with Falin the three begin a difficult investigation, it quickly becomes clear that not all is as it first appears and they need to get to the bottom of the conspiracy fast if they want to prevent any further deaths.

I've been a fan of the Alex Craft series for years now and I really enjoyed learning more about Faerie and Alex's magical planeweaving abilities in this instalment. Alex, Falin and Dugan have to visit multiple Faerie courts during their investigation and this was the first time we really get to find out more about the other rulers and how their courts are run. This story had a lot of action and there were some really great developments for certain characters that are going to have a huge knock on affect as the series continues.

It also looks like we finally have a resolution to the love triangle (or should that be square since Dugan was also a potential suitor?). I'm not sure I love the way it's been resolved, personally I think a certain character's potential was wasted by the way things were handled in the last book which was really disappointing, but I at the same time I was fed up with the dithering so I'll be pleased if Alex has made a decision and sticks to it. I'm not convinced the best man won although his character has grown on me so hopefully I'll come round to the idea eventually.

Completely disregarding my feelings about the romance I'm very happy with the way this series is going, I like that Alex is starting to come into her Fae heritage and learn more about her magical abilities and I really love that she's starting to make a name for herself in Faerie as someone who shouldn't be crossed lightly. I'm desperate to know more about her parents too and hope we'll see more of the different courts in the next book.

Source: Received from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

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Review: Grave Ransom - Kalayna Price

The Grave Witch is about to find herself face-to-face with the walking dead . . .

Grave witch Alex Craft is no stranger to the dead talking. She raises shades, works with ghosts, and is dating Death himself. But the dead walking? That's not supposed to happen. And yet reanimated corpses are committing crimes across Nekros City.

Alex's investigation leads her deep into a web of sinister magic. When Briar Darque of the Magical Crimes Investigation Bureau gets involved, Alex finds herself with an unexpected ally of sorts. But as the dead continue to rise and wreak havoc on the living, can she get to the soul of the matter in time?

Alex Craft Series:
Grave Witch
Grave Dance
Ruby Red (Short Story in the Kicking It anthology)
Grave Memory
Grave Visions
Grave Ransom
Grave Destiny

Visit Kalayna Price's website for more information

Review:
I've been a fan of this series for a long time now so it pains me to say that this book was a bit on the disappointing side. It wasn't awful by any means but it definitely wasn't the high standards I expect from this series. To start with the positives I did really enjoy Alex's latest investigation. Things get really complicated for her when she is a witness to a bank robbery and realises that the robbers are already dead. She's seen a lot of things in her life but walking corpses isn't one of them and it looks like she's facing a dangerous opponent this time.

I always enjoy seeing Alex work a case and previously I've liked Briar from the MCIB but this time I really struggled with her. Briar is totally willing to throw Alex under a bus, she doesn't care how much danger her actions put Alex and her friends in as long as it gets her closer to the bad guy. She can't even be bothered to give Alex a heads up about her plans so that Alex can prepare herself for what's coming. Poor Alex finds herself constantly getting put in harm's way throughout this story and she's also constantly apologising for things that aren't her fault.

I'm also really struggling with the love triangle, I was honestly hoping that by book 5 we'd have more of an idea where the romance was going but so far things are just going from bad to worse. I hate that we still know so little about both Death and Falin, they both have commitments that prevent them from prioritising Alex and that is understandable but it's starting to bore me now. I've never really felt the attraction towards Falin but where I've been totally team Death right from the beginning in this book I ended up feeling ambivalent towards him too which was just sad.

I do still have a lot of love for these characters though so I'm really hoping that this book was just a blip and that the next one will be back to the highs of previous instalments.

Source: Received from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

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Review: Grave Visions - Kalayna Price

The fourth book in the Alex Craft urban fantasy series about a Grave Witch who can talk to the dead. Perfect for fans of Charlaine Harris and Cassandra Clare.

If you want to hear voices from the dead in Nekros City, you call Alex Craft. She's a Grave Witch with reasonable rates and extraordinary powers, who specializes in revealing the secrets of the dead. But now she's the one fighting to keep her own secret. She's not human - and her newly discovered heritage is causing havoc for her both in the human realm and in Faerie.

But her status as an unaffiliated fae also makes her an ideal candidate to investigate a new street drug that has surfaced in several of the spaces between the human and fae worlds. This glamour-infused drug causes hallucinations that turn real - at least for a while and often with deadly consequences. Searching for the source of this drug - and its purpose - lands Alex front and centre in the conflict brewing in Faerie and she must find answers before she's dragged so deep she loses her freedom.

Alex Craft Series:
Grave Witch
Grave Dance
Ruby Red (Short Story in the Kicking It anthology)
Grave Memory
Grave Visions
Grave Ransom
Grave Destiny

Visit Kalayna Price's website for more information

Review:
I think it was the very long break between the release of Grave Visions and the previous book that led to me loosing track of this series the first time I started reading it but I'm really glad I discovered these books again as it's such a fun series to read. Anyway, I'm glad that I reread the previous three books before jumping into this one because there was just so much I'd forgotten about both the world and the main characters.

This story sees Alex working two different cases that are possibly connected in ways she can't even begin to imagine. Firstly she's still dealing with the fallout of learning that she's half fae and the fact that she has to choose a court to belong to. She's desperate to avoid joining the Winter Court but unless she can get the queen to agree to Alex living in her territory as an independent she will be forced to move away from Nekros City. As Alex has rare abilities the Winter Queen is reluctant to lose her skills entirely but she reluctantly agrees to give Alex independent status IF she finds out who killed one of the Queen's handmaidens.

At the same time she's looking into a string of increasingly bizarre deaths in the city, where the victims have injuries that just don't make any sense. When she discovers the cause is a new street drug that causes the victim's hallucinations to become temporarily real she knows it is vital to uncover who is behind the drug and find a way to stop them. But with the Queen giving her a deadline on her murder investigation and her own increasing ill health things are getting really complicated.

I really enjoyed the investigation side of this story, there's a lot going on and it's interesting watching Alex try to come to grips with her newly discovered fae heritage and how that affects her daily life. I am hoping we'll get a resolution in terms of the love triangle soon though. I like Falin and we see a lot more of him in this book but his ties to the Winter Queen, and the fact that he has already betrayed her once because of those ties, make it very hard to trust him. There's a big gulf between them right now and I don't see any way for them to bridge it unless he somehow manages to break away from the Winter Queen and I really don't see that happening. I actually prefer her with Death anyway but her relationship with him is just as impossible, if not even more so. I just wish Alex didn't hold herself at quite such a distance from everyone, her friends included, I want to see her opening up more and letting people in even though I understand why she's so scared of doing that.

The last few paragraphs of this book were hilarious and have definitely left Alex with a lot of explaining to do so I can't wait to see the fallout in the next book.

Source: Received from Berkley in exchange for an honest review

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Review: Kicking It - Anthology

Featuring stories by SHANNON K. BUTCHER * RACHEL CAINE * LUCIENNE DIVER * CHRIS MARIE GREEN * CHRISTINA HENRY * FAITH HUNTER * CHLOE NEILL * KALAYNA PRICE * ROB THURMAN

New York Times bestselling author Rachel Caine has modern-day potions witches Holly and Andrew facing off against a firebrand politician who wears literally killer boots in a Texas-sized rodeo of trouble.

Boot-loving Cadogan vampire Lindsey must team up with off-again, on-again vampire partner Luc when a woman from her past is targeted by supernaturals in New York Times bestselling author Chloe Neill’s all-new adventure.

And New York Times bestselling author Rob Thurman features Trixa Iktomi from her Trickster series dealing with magical vengeance and magical footwear.

Taking kick-ass urban fantasy literally, USA Today bestselling authors Kalayna Price and Faith Hunter bring together the best of the genre to once again prove when you’re fighting supernatural forces, it helps to keep your feet on the ground.

For more information about any of these authors click on their names below to visit their websites:
Rachel Caine
Shannon K Butcher
Chris Marie Green
Faith Hunter
Chloe Neill
Lucienne Diver
Christina Henry
Rob Thurman
Kalayna Price

Review:
The great thing about anthologies is that they often give you a chance to try out a whole bunch of new authors. Kicking It has some big name authors from the urban fantasy genre so although I was most excited to read Chloe Neill and Kalayna Price's stories it was great to get to try some other new-to-me series too.

I'll talk briefly about each story below but my overall opinion of this book is good. With any anthology there will always be some stories that you enjoy more than others but this collection definitely contains more hits than misses and even the ones I didn't love were well written, I just believe I'd have enjoyed them more if I was already familiar with the series they belong to.

Forked Tongues by Rachel Caine:

Holly and Andrew Series:
Death Warmed Over (Short Story in the Strange Brew anthology)
Holly's Balm (Short Story in the Hex Appeal anthology)
Forked Tongues (Short Story in the Kicking It anthology)

In Forked Tongues Holly & Andy are facing off against a demon who is riling up the general public against witches. It's already led to one murder and and Holly is the demon's latest target so they need to work fast if they want their lives to get back to normal. This is the second short story that I've read about this couple and I'm really enjoying getting to know them both, I love that Holly is a resurrection witch and that Andy is someone she brought back from the dead but I really must read their first story so I can find out how they first met. I actually think it's a shame Rachel Caine hasn't written a full length book about these two because they're such interesting characters.

Stolen Goods by Shannon K Butcher:

I believe Stolen Goods is a stand alone story but it would make a great start to a series so I'd definitely read more if the author decided to expand on it. It's an action packed story starring a thief and a master craftsman who is an expert at making weapons. He has something she wants but she'll only get to keep it if she helps him pull of the heist to end all heists.

The Girl With No Name by Chris Marie Green:

Vampire Babylon Series:
Night Rising
Midnight Reign
Break of Dawn
Double the Bite (ebook novella, also in the First Blood anthology)
A Drop of Red
The Path of Razors
Deep in the Woods
Soul Stains (Short Story in the Those Who Fight Monsters: Tales of Occult Detectives anthology)
Raising the Darkness (ebook novella, also in the Dead for a Day anthology)
In Bad Spirits (ebook novella, also in the Strange Spirits anthology)
The Girl With No Name (Short Story in the Kicking It anthology)
Shadows Til Sunrise

The Girl With No Name features a character from Chris Marie Green's Vampire Babylon series and is about someone who has completely lost her memory. Imagine waking up in a strange room with no idea how you got there, or even who you are, and then trying to figure out how you got there. While this story did make me curious enough to add the first book to my to read mountain I do think I'd have enjoyed this more if I was already familiar with the world.

The Devil's Left Boot by Faith Hunter:

Jane Yellowrock Series:
Skinwalker
Blood Cross
Mercy Blade
Raven Cursed
Golden Delicious (Short Story in the An Apple for the Creature anthology)
Death's Rival
Blood Trade
The Devil's Left Boot (Short Story in the Kicking It anthology)
Black Arts
Broken Soul
Dark Heir
Shadow Rites
Cold Reign
Dark Queen
Shattered Bonds

I feel a bit ashamed to admit I've never read the Jane Yellowrock series, its one I've heard great things about and have been meaning to read forever so now that I've enjoyed two stories set in this world I don't really have any more excuses. This story focuses on twin sisters Cia and Liz, both are witches who I believe have been side characters in the main series. When they are contacted by one of the mean kids who used to bully them in school they are reluctant to help her in any way but, once they realise her mother is missing and that blood magic may have been involved in the disappearance, they feel like they have to step in. There is only a brief appearance from Jane but I like this world and I really want to spend more time in it.

High Stakes by Chloe Neill:

Chicagoland Vampires Series:
Some Girls Bite
Friday Night Bites
Twice Bitten
Hard Bitten
Drink Deep
Biting Cold
House Rules
Biting Bad
High Stakes (Novella in the Kicking It anthology)
Howling for You (Novella)
Wild Things
Blood Games
Lucky Break (Novella)
Dark Debt
Midnight Marked
Phantom Kiss (Novella)
Blade Bound
Slaying It (Novella)

Heirs of Chicagoland Series:
(Spin off set approximately 20 years on from the end of the Chicagoland Vampires series)
Wild Hunger
Wicked Hour

I honestly can't believe it's taken me this long to discover High Stakes, I absolutely love the Chicagoland Vampires series and really like both Luc and Lindsay so I'm not sure how I missed this story about them being published. I didn't even realise Chloe Neill had a story in this anthology until I picked it up to start reading (observant I am not LOL). Anyway, this was by far my favourite story in Kicking It, it was great to learn more about Lindsay's past before she moved to Chicago and it answered some questions about why she has always been so determined to keep Luc at arm's length. They're such a cute couple and I liked that Luc always had her back even when she tried to push him away. Their relationship seems much more solid by the end of the story but I'd still love to read at least another short story about them to learn more about Luc's background and just to spend more time with them. This was a lovely addition to the Chicagoland world.

The Parlor by Lucienne Diver:

Latter-Day Olympians Series:
Trickster Blood (Short Story)
Bad Blood
Crazy in the Blood
The Parlor (Short Story in the Kicking It Anthology)
Rise of the Blood
Battle for the Blood
Blood Hunt

I've not read anything by Lucienne Diver before but The Parlor definitely left me wanting to read more from the Latter-Day Olympians series. The story is about P.I. Tori who has been asked to run surveillance on a suspected cheating husband. It should be a pretty boring job but when the husband goes into a gambling den called The Parlor and doesn't come back out things get much more interesting. With hints of Greek mythology and ancient Gods roaming around in the current day this series ticks a lot of my boxes and I can't wait to carry on reading it.

Red Isn't Really My Color by Christina Henry:

Black Wings Series:
Black Wings
Black Night
Red Isn't Really My Color (Short Story in the Kicking It anthology)
Black Howl
Black Lament
Black City
Black Heart
Black Spring

Christina Henry's Black Wings series is another one that's been on my radar for years but I haven't quite got around to reading it yet. Although I'm not familiar with this world I still enjoyed the story and I'm now even more curious about the rest of the series. The main character Madeline has been sent to track down a pair of red shoes but when you're given a mission by Lucifer you know things are going to get complicated and these aren't any ordinary shoes. I liked Madeline and this was a fun read.

Snakeskin by Rob Thurman:

Trickster Series:
Snakeskin (Short Story in the Kicking It anthology)
Trick of the Light
The Grimrose Path

Snakeskin is the introduction to Rob Thurman's Trickster series and it added yet another series to my to read mountain! Main character Trixa runs a bar but also makes very good money on the side by taking on special projects for clients. I was completely hooked by this story, it totally defines the phrase "be careful what you wish for" and I loved the way Trixa went about granting her latest client's request. Sometimes the bad guys really do get what they deserve!

Ruby Red by Kalayna Price:

Alex Craft Series:
Grave Witch
Grave Dance
Ruby Red (Short Story in the Kicking It anthology)
Grave Memory
Grave Visions
Grave Ransom
Grave Destiny

The main reason I actually picked up this anthology is because I'm currently rereading the first few Alex Craft books so that I can finally catch up with the latest releases. Ruby Red introduces us to new characters Briar and Derrick, both members of the MCIB, Magical Crimes Investigation Bureau. They were supposed to be on vacation but get called back into work thanks to the outbreak of a mysterious magical virus. These characters haven't been in the first two books in the Alex Craft series but I believe they have a role to play in the third book Grave Memory (it's been a long time since I first read that book so I really can't remember now!). I liked them both so hope that they'll become series regulars and that we'll see a lot more of them in the future.

Source: Purchased

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Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten 2016 Releases I Meant To Read But Didn't

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. Each week has a different theme & you can find all the details about how to join in HERE.

Today's topic is Top Ten 2016 Releases I Meant To Read But Didn't Get To. There were actually a lot of 2015 books that I was really excited about but never got around to reading but here are the ones I REALLY want to try and get to soon!

Top Ten 2016 Releases I Meant To Read But Didn't Get To:

Young Adult

1. Witch's Pyre - Josephine Angelini 
2. Riders - Veronica Rossi
3. The Raven King - Maggie Stiefvater
4. Arcana Rising - Kresley Cole
5. Torch Against the Night - Sabaa Tahir

Adult:

1. Grave Visions - Kalayna Price
2. Cursed - Sue Tingey
3. A Closed and common orbit - Becky chambers 
4. Alliance - S.K. Dunstall
5. Infernal - Mark de Jager

What books are on your list?

Review: Grave Memory - Kalayna Price

When the dead need to talk, Alex Craft is always ready to listen . . .

As a Grave Witch, Alex solves murders by raising the dead - an ability that comes at a cost and, after her last few cases, that cost is increasing. But her magic isn't the only thing causing havoc in her life. While she's always been on friendly terms with Death himself, things have recently become a whole lot more close and personal. Then there's her sometime partner, agent Falin Andrews, who is under the glamour of the Winter Queen. To top everything off, her best friend has been for ever changed by her time spent captive in Faerie.

But the personal takes a backseat to the professional when a string of suicides occur in Nekros City and Alex is hired to investigate. The shades have no memory of the days leading up to their brutal endings, so despite the very public apparent suicides, this is murder. But what kind of magic can overcome the human will to survive? And why do the shades lack the memory of their deaths? Searching for the answer might mean Alex won't have a life to remember at all . . .

Alex Craft Series:
Grave Witch
Grave Dance
Ruby Red (Short Story in the Kicking It anthology)
Grave Memory
Grave Visions
Grave Ransom
Grave Destiny

Visit Kalayna Price's website for more information

Review:
Alex and her best friend Rianna have finally opened their own PI firm called Tongues for the Dead but their first case is a lot more complicated than they had bargained for. What initially looks like a simple suicide case turns out to be much more when Alex realises that the Shade has no memory of the days leading up to the death - something that should be impossible. As the rate of public suicides continues to rise it becomes clear that something darker is going on but what could be behind the deaths? As if Alex's professional life wasn't complicated enough her personal life is even worse - with Falin under orders from the Winter Queen to keep his distance regarding anything that isn't work related, and Death nowhere in sight since his declaration, Alex is desperately missing both of the men in her life. She is also feeling more disconnected with her friends than ever before thanks to the efforts of the Winter Queen and the latest revelations about her own past. Before she can worry about her personal life she is going to have to deal with whatever is causing the current spate of suicides though, but can she do it before any of the people closest to her end up getting hurt?

Grave Memory is the third book in Kalayna Price's Alex Craft series and in my opinion this series just gets better and better with every instalment. I just wish I didn't have to wait for the next book to be published! This is one of the only series I can think of that has a love triangle that isn't driving me completely crazy, I can see why Alex is attracted to both Falin and Death so although I definitely know which team I'm on (Team Death of course!) I understand why Alex is finding it so hard to make a decision. I don't think Falin is a bad guy but the fact that he is tied to the Winter Queen makes it impossible to trust any of his actions, something that is really proved to Alex in this book. I would like to see him break his ties to the Winter Queen but to be honest I'm really hoping that Alex ends up with Death!

I have been crushing on Death since the first book but so far he had remained very much a mystery man and we didn't know very much about him so I was incredibly excited that he had a much larger role in this story. If I had a crush on him before I am completely 100% head over heels in love with him now - he is such a sexy guy and his actions in this book were completely swoonworthy. There is no doubt in my mind that he loves Alex and would do anything to keep her safe and he proves that time and time again no matter what it costs him. The only problem is that love between a human and a soul collector is forbidden so any future for them isn't going to be easy. There just has to be a way for them to make it work though - I refuse to accept any other alternative!

Although I love the romance in this series it is by no means the main focus of the story which is something I really appreciate. I enjoyed the mystery surrounding the suicides and it was great to see Alex and Rianna reconnect after spending so many years apart. Rianna is having a hard time adjusting to having freedom again but I think Alex did a great job of helping her find her feet and start to experience life again. I also enjoyed learning more about the Fae and I don't envy Alex the choices that she is going to have to make when it comes to allying herself with one of the courts or declaring herself an independent. It seems like no matter which way she decides to go she is going to cause problems for herself of one kind or another. One of the things I like the most about this series is the way using magic has a price, that always makes it seem much more realistic to me but I have to admit that I don't envy Alex and Rianna their abilities. The cost of using her gift is becoming greater every time Alex accesses her grave magic and that is just going to make things even more complicated for her in the future. Kalayna Price has created a fantastic urban fantasy series that is fast becoming one of my favourites and I can't wait for the next instalment. If you aren't reading this series yet then I'd highly recommend starting with the first book Grave Witch but if you're already a fan then you're going to love this latest instalment!

Source: This book was a Christmas gift

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Review: Grave Dance - Kalayna Price

'Memories hid in every cell of the body.  Memories that my grave magic could unlock and give shape as a shade. Of course, that depended on having enough of the body at my disposal for my magic to fill in the gaps.'

After a month spent recovering from a vicious fight with a sorcerer, Grave Witch Alex Craft is ready to get back to solving murders by raising the dead. With her love life in turmoil thanks to the disappearance of FIB agent Falin Andrews and Death's shocking 'L'-word confession, Alex is eager for the distractions of work. But her new case turns out to be more of a challenge than she was expecting.

The police hire Alex to consult on a particularly strange investigation in a nature preserve. The strange part? There are no bodies, just fragments of them.  With a probable serial killer on the loose and no way to raise a shade without a body, Alex will have to rely solely on her ability to sense the grave to lead her to the dead. But with the strain of overusing her magic, this might be the last case Alex ever solves . . . 

Alex Craft Series:
Grave Witch
Grave Dance
Ruby Red (Short Story in the Kicking It anthology)
Grave Memory
Grave Visions
Grave Ransom
Grave Destiny

Visit Kalayna Price's website for more information

Review:
Alex uses her grave magic to raise shades from dead bodies, these shades have all of the memories that the person had and she is often asked to use her ability to help the police solve murders. When the police contact her they usually have the whole body though. This time all they have is a mysterious pile of left feet and no idea how the people they belonged to were killed. Alex agrees to help but how can she solve the murders when they don't even know who the victims are?

I really enjoyed Grave Witch, the first book in Kalayna Price's Alex Craft series so had high hopes for Grave Dance and picked it up immediately after finishing the first book. I wasn't disappointed and if anything this book was even more action packed than the last. It definitely had me turning the pages and I was annoyed when anything interrupted my reading time - after all who needs sleep when there's a good book to be read?

In Grave Witch we are introduced to two very different potential love interests and while I didn't think I'd enjoy another triangle the author managed to convince me otherwise and I found it impossible to choose between Falin and Death. Although I'm enjoying the triangle I was a little nervous that it might start to take over the majority of the story line so I was pleased to see that didn't happen. This book focuses much more on the investigation into the random body parts that the police keep finding. It also lets us discover much more about Alex's abilities as a grave witch and her family history. We learn a lot more about the Fae realms and the Winter Queen's Court and I'm very curious to see where the series takes us next. The story steams along at a great pace and had plenty of twists and unexpected surprises to keep me guessing at the outcome.

To go back to the triangle I'm pretty sure I've decided - Team Death! Although we still don't know as much about Death as I'd like we do know more than enough to pique my interest. He may be a mystery man but I feel like he is being as honest as he can be with Alex and I can't say the same for Falin. When Death keeps quiet about something I feel like he has a good reason to but with Falin it comes across like he has something to hide. I like Falin but at the moment I don't trust him to have Alex's best interests at heart. I may be proved wrong in the future but either way I'm looking forward to seeing more of all 3 characters.

Grave Dance is another great instalment to what is shaping up to be a fabulous new urban fantasy series and it's one I'm looking forward to continuing. If you're looking for a story full of magic and mayhem with a strong heroine who can kick ass but who has to pay a price for using her powers then this will be right up your street and it's a series that I'm very happy to recommend.

Source: Received from Berkley UK in exchange for an honest review

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Between Dreams and Reality
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Review: Grave Witch - Kalayna Price

Just because Grave Witch Alex Craft can speak to the dead, doesn't mean she has to like what they have to say . . .

As a private investigator and consultant for the police, Alex has seen a lot of dark magic. But even though she's on good terms with Death himself, nothing has prepared her for her latest case. Alex is investigating a high-profile murder when she's attacked by the ghost she is raising - which should be impossible. Then, someone makes a serious attempt on her life, thwarted only by Death's intervention. You know you're having a bad day when Death is saving your life . . .

To solve this case, Alex will have to team up with tough homicide detective Falin Andrews. Andrews seems to be hiding something, although it's certainly not his dislike of Alex. Despite all that, Alex is going to need his help to navigate the tangled webs of real-world and paranormal politics, and to track down a killer wielding a magic so malevolent, it may cost Alex not just her life, but also her soul . . .

Alex Craft Series:
Grave Witch
Grave Dance
Ruby Red (Short Story in the Kicking It anthology)
Grave Memory
Grave Visions
Grave Ransom
Grave Destiny

Visit Kalayna Price's website for more information

Review:
Alex Craft is a witch and she uses her grave magic to help her in her job as a Private Investigator. Her magic allows her to interact with ghosts but she is mainly asked to contact shades which are like an echo of the person who died - they have the person's memories but no emotions so they can answer questions about their lives but are unable to lie.  Alex works for family members who need some kind of closure and she also works with the police to help allow murder victims to identify their killers.  When her latest attempt to raise a shade results in a ghostly attack that should have been impossible Alex finds herself drawn into a web of dark magic with a serial killer at it's heart.  The closer she gets to identifying the killer the more at risk her life becomes and she must work with detective Falin Andrews to solve the case before her time runs out.

I'm a big fan of the urban fantasy genre so it is always exciting to discover a new series - particularly one as engaging as Grave Witch was.  This was the first book I've read by Kalayna Price but I can't wait to continue this series and I'm also planning on buying her Haven books ASAP.  In the world the author has created the public have been aware of witches and the fae for about 70 years and although there is some prejudice between them and the humans in general they are accepted.  With the Humans First political party gaining popularity this could change in the future though.  I was really interested in finding out about all the different kinds of witches, they each have very different abilities and Alex's grave magic is one of the rarer forms.  There are also all kinds of fae creatures to watch out for.

I found Alex a likeable heroine, her power has limitations meaning she doesn't come across as too perfect to be real and she has a lot of the same worries as normal people do which makes her easy to relate to.  The after effects of using her grave sight were fascinating - especially the developments towards the end - and I thought Alex was brave to continue using the sight considering what happened to her afterwards.  She isn't a perfect PI, in fact she missed quite a few clues along the way, but she is determined and once she sets her mind on something she will do whatever it takes to see it through - even it that does mean bending the rules a little.

Although the story focuses on the murders and the mystery of who is behind them there is also the start of a very promising love triangle.  I have to confess I'd thought that I was sick to death with triangles and that I didn't want to read any more of them but Kalayna has me hooked on this one.  Normally I find it very easy to pick a team and once I've chosen it is very rare for me to change my mind but in this case I still can't tell you who I want Alex to end up with - she has a choice between two very delectable specimens!  First you have Death, a soul collector who she has known since she was a child and has built a friendship with.  He is very much a mystery man and definitely left me wanting to know more but I liked him from the minute he stepped onto the page.  Falin is a detective who also has his secrets that I think we have only just started to uncover.  At first I was annoyed by his attitude but he quickly won me over as you get to see his more caring and protective side.  I'll tell you now I swung back and forth between Death and Falin each time they appeared.  At the moment we know a lot more about Falin but I'm hoping we'll see much more of Death in the next book and his confession at the end of the book left me desperate for more!

Overall I thought that Grave Witch was a great start to a new series and it had me so hooked that I will be picking up the second book as soon as this review is written - that's rare with me as I usually have a break between books in a series.  I enjoyed the mystery, loved the romance and want to spend more time with these characters.  Definitely a series I'll be recommending to urban fantasy fans - particularly if you like witches and the fae.

Source: Purchased

Other Reviews:
Between Dreams and Reality
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