BOOK REVIEW - GRAVE VISIONS by KALAYNA PRICE - ALEX CRAFT # 4 - URBAN FANTASY - ROC

By: Kalayna Price
Published By : ROC
Released : Available Now
Details: Paperback from library, 331 Pages

RATING: 4.5 FAE & HUMAN DRAMAS

Blurb: Goodreads

Grave Visions by Kalayna Price is the much-anticipated fourth installment in the kick-ass urban fantasy series about Alex Craft, a grave witch who can communicate with the dead. 

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 center in the conflict brewing in Faerie and she must find answers before she's dragged so deep she loses her freedom.

BOOK REVIEW :

It was a long time between drinks, but this instalment was worth waiting for. I do enjoy Kalayna’s writing. 

We may have been getting a bit dry and dusty waiting FOUR years for the fourth book, but I’ve always got enough in my TBR pile to keep me busy.

Alex Craft is one of my fave urban fantasy gals. I kinda want to be her.

She’s got herself in a bit of a fae pickle with starting to fade away unless she chooses a court and there are some shenanigans going on with a drug that is killing the user in the most brutal ways.

Winter Queenie is having her own problems and Falin, being her Knight, is all tied up with her shenanigans.

I’m still trying to work out what the heck is going on with Alex and Falin or Alex and Death.

Now I know there are issues with that whole star crossed lovers thing going on with Death and Alex, but I would like to read more of him in each instalment. He’s just yummy to read.

Falin is Falin. He told Alex he loved her and then not to trust him and even though she is getting some from Death, ( not that you get any detail, I mean where has all this fade to black come from?) it’s all kinda up in the air all over the place.

No real headway at all with any of the dudes in this book, but it was a really great read.

Not so long to wait between drinks for book 5.

Giddy up!

Michelle

KALAYNA PRICE - ALEX CRAFT SERIES - ADULT URBAN FANTASY - SPOTLIGHT SATURDAY # 7 - ROC

SPOTLIGHT SATURDAY # 7

KALAYNA PRICE

ALEX CRAFT SERIES

GOODREADS

Grave Witch # 1
Grave Dance # 2
Grave Memory # 3
Grave Visions # 4

 I love me some Alex Craft and all the great sub characters. I started reading this series back mid 2011. 

Alex is a great chick whose life keeps on taking turns. I enjoy her interaction with all the sub characters and the more we learn about Alex ... the more I keep reading this series.

These are parts of my review for Grave Witch # 1 in the series to give you a taste of the story.

Alex Craft is essentially a Grave Witch, hence the title of the book , some call her ‘magic eye’, she likes to think of herself as a P.I. Her business, ‘Tongues For The Dead’. She lives in The Glen or Witches Glen and her landlord and good friend Caleb, is fae. Fred, is the resident gargoyle , a 3 foot granite winged cat. Fred likes to be found in the way on the footpath, and P.C. is her roomie.

Daddy dearest has decided having a witch for a daughter isn’t in his best interests, so he had her name changed to bury her family association. A call from her sister Casey, starts Alex poking around with her good friend Detective John Matthews, where she shouldn’t , leaving her with a painful souvenir.


I love me some Falin.

Detective Falin Andrews, with a name like that , long platinum hair, I’ve read enough Urban Fantasy books to question his humanity, looking like he does. Was I right? But who cares what I think...he is gorgeous and he is all things readers look for in a lead guy , smexi, stunning, the rescuer, knows how to ...* waggles eyebrows* ...very well!! ( I wasn’t talking make a nice cuppa Java here, although he can cook) he drives a rather lovely sports car and seems to be there when Alex gets in over her head and of course ...the tension.


And some Death. 

Death, Angel of Death, Soul Collector, Grim Reaper...call him what you want, but this muscled, jeans wearing hottie who pops up when he has a soul to take has started to help Alex ... possibly against the better judgement of his boss. Death is somebody I want to know more about, I am very intrigued to see where Kalayna is taking his work relationship with Alex.

There has been a looong break between # 3 Grave Memory and # 4 Grave Visions which appears to have been pushed back, again, to March 2015.

I can wait. I am patient.

I recommend this rich urban fantasy read. I am not sure how many books are in the series but it looks like at least five.

You can find out more about Kalayna's books on Goodreads and check her website out HERE

My reviews for Alex Craft HERE .

Michelle

BOOK REVIEW - RUBY ROSE by KALAYNA PRICE - ALEX CRAFT # 2.5 - KICKING IT ANTHOLOGY - NOVELLA - ROC

By: Chloe Neill

Published By: ROC

Released: Available Now

Details: Paperback from the library, 353 Pages

High Stakes = 39 Pages

RATING : 4.25 KILLER STILETTO STARS!

Blurb: Goodreads

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


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.

******

BOOK REVIEW by Michelle:

Please note this review is only for Ruby Rose novella.

A Darque Files Story

Briar Darque and Derrick Knight...get it, dark and night, anyhoo, they are partners and fellow investigators working for Magical Crimes Investigation Bureau.

Yeah. MCIB. Sounds kinda cool doesn't it.

We meet them in Grave Dance or Grave Memory, I can't remember, because this was written after Grave Memory.

I hadn't really paid that much attention to them until I read this little short novella.

I must say I am rather drawn to Derrick now.

Derrick is doubly wyrd. No, that doesn't mean he is weird. He has witch powers, he gets premonitions and he has touch Clairvoyance.

He always carries gloves with him, and his own sheets etc. He is thirty six years old and he just sounds interesting.

The only light poured out of the doorway where I stood; it was just enough to frame Derrick's form in the bed. At a glance I knew I hadn't woken him, and I stole a moment to admire the toned flesh on display. We were partners, so I'd never let him see me look at him like that, but damn, the man was gorgeous. The sheets were his - sultry red- and as usual, he slept in the buff.

He'd had a rough night if the twisted and fallen sheets were any indication. Of course that left only more - as in nearly all- of him on display. My gaze stole several moments to glide over the sleek muscles of his back, down to the half-covered outline of his ass, and then onward over the sheet until his strong legs reappeared. He was a thing of beauty- and that wasn't just my relationship-starved hunger talking. 

Ding! Ding! Ding!

I think we need to hear more from these two.

We are introduced to Russell Lancaster, a nineteen year old officer who is a sensitive. He sounds like he could be sidekick material.

Derrick was sitting sideways on his bench, taking up the entire thing, so I scooted over to allow the young officer to join us. He did, but his movements were disconnected, uncertain.

"Officer Lancaster, this is my partner, Inspector Knight. And vice versa."

Russell held out his hand but, no big surprise, Derrick didn't take it. Even with his gloves on he never shook hands. Instead he gave the young officer a sharp half wave. I could all but hear Russell's teeth grinding from the perceived insult, but it wasn't my place to reveal that my partner was wyrd.

Again, not weird.

A suspicious pair of red stilettos have Derrick and Briar on a case, with Russell getting all googly eyed over Briar.

This seriously can't come down to a pair of stilettos?

Wham, bam case is solved with a few shenanigans to show us what Briar can do, perpetrator is under wraps.

I think I was more interested in getting to know Briar and Derrick , more than the actual case.

I could read a spinoff on these two just from this thirty nine page novella. There appeared to be a little smexual tension with Derrick.

He frowned. "You're not hurt, are you?"

... Well, if he was going to sit in my room and ignore me, I was losing the charred pants. I stripped and tossed the pants on the floor with my jacket. The charms in the clothing had protected me from the flames, but damn, I was really going to miss that outfit. Now I'd need to tweak the spells worked into my backup jacket.

Across the room, Derrick cleared his throat. I turned, still pantless, and found his gaze locked on his document desperately so, judging by the tightness on his face. He'd seen me half-naked - or worse - before, but I took pity on the guy and grabbed a pair of yoga pants from my luggage.

Oo Yeah. These two have captured my interest.

A great , short novella read that has me wanting to read more about these two.

What was the case about, again?

Michelle

Due for release :

12th July 2014

BOOK REVIEW - GRAVE MEMORY by KALAYNA PRICE - ALEX CRAFT # 3 - ROC - 4.25 STARING DEATH IN THE FACE STARS!

By: Kalayna Price

Published By: Roc, Penguin

Released : Available Now

Details : Paperback from Library, 373 Pages

RATING: 4.25 STARING DEATH IN THE FACE STARS!!

Blurb : Goodreads

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 compounding. 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 forever changed by her time spent captive in Faerie.

But the personal takes a backseat to the professional when a mysterious suicide occurs in Nekros City and Alex is hired to investigate. The shade she raises has no memory of the days leading up to his brutal ending, so despite the very public apparent suicide, this is murder. But what kind of magic can overcome the human will to survive? And why does the shade lack the memory of his death? Searching for the answer might mean Alex won’t have a life to remember at all…

BOOK REVIEW by Michelle:

Grave Memory had me turning the pages, and looking...I was looking for Death and Falin. I really enjoy this series and I really like Alex and all the characters. I know this series is called the Alex Craft series, but... book 3, I wanted *stomps foot* more Falin and Death. I almost expect to see more of them in this series as the book numbers climb.

I admittedly have had a crush on Falin , I know he has his issues , but he can’t help them, not with WQ = Winter Queen being all in everybody’s faces.

“As long as I belong to her, you can never trust me. I have to do what she commands. So don’t call me, don’t look for me, and if you see me, run away. Do you understand?

I love Death. Is it his name Death that is so alluring...is it his mysterious self, floating in and out for a cup of coffee and some smexiness that oozes off him???

Death is not your warrior / alpha type guy, there is a caring, protectiveness about him, especially with Alex. I think Falin has more of an Alpha type character, if he was allowed to let it loose.

We as the reader don’t get an awful lot of Death in the 3 books to date.

There is just something about him.

My fingers moved to my lips. That fleeting, ghost-like kiss? It tasted of sorrow.


“Why can’t you at least try to stay alive?” Death asked dropping to his knees by my shoulders. “For me?”

I wonder if we will ever know his true name?

We did get more Death than I think we ever have in this book, giddy up! I will explain in a moment.

This instalment was mostly, 2/3rds a ‘Tongues for The Dead’ mystery to solve. Errr... Alex was making it her case because Det. John’s superiors have reneged on her retainer.

“No you won’t. You’re staying here.”

“Like hell I am,” I said, pushing out of the chair.

John shook his head. “Officer, arrest her.”

I gaped at John. “For what?”

“Oh , I’m sure there’s an entire list I can choose from after your little escapade earlier, but for now, let’s go with endangering a civilian.”

“What civilian?”

“At the moment, yourself,” he said, heading for the door.

He stopped long enough to shoot a hard glance at the rookie. “Officer, that wasn’t a suggestion. Arrest her.”


Alex can’t sit around when men are suiciding left right and centre and Det John can’t and won’t listen to her. What is making these unassuming men kill themselves rather horribly? Death is at the scene to collect the souls and shades get raised with frighteningly similar stories.

What they can recall, that is, because they have a Grave Memory, pun intended.

Roy is a fave ghost of mine. I felt a tad sorry for him as he is trying to make the most of what he has become. I love his ‘Office’. 

Go Roy!

Everybody is digging the faerie menu, whether by choice or...

I loved the last 1/3rd of this book it really went places. * waggles eyebrows* followed by * face plant*

You will know when that happens.

I don’t want to spoil anything, but I got rather excited, then I kind of had the rug shifted and THEN!!!!!!!...well I can’t say.

* face plant*

Needless to say, oh , deary, me! The Winter Queen is really doing her best to be a thorn in Alex’s side.

I say, ‘Off with her head!’

Now Fred, who ended up being a girl, lol! Has my memory gone grave on me? Am I forgetting something in Grave Dance? My fave gargoyle is nowhere. Maybe I am forgetting something?

Briar Darque. I like her! She pulls no punches. I think she is a bit trigger happy, lol! I dig this chick. A nice new shiny character working for the Magical Crimes Investigation Bureau = MCIB. 

We do go back into Faerie in this book, I was hoping for some more Shadow King , we got a glimpse of him, and I liked Kyran in Grave Dance. Maybe book 4? 

“Please tell me a Faerie party isn’t code for an orgy,” I muttered, turning.

Good ol' dad. When Alex really has no answers, or she needs an off switch ( cryptic I know) , she does turn to Dad, for better or worse. Dad is still being all mysterious and just letting enough information drop , until Alex no doubt makes another emergency stop, in ‘Grave Visions’, book # 4 due out August 2013.

Grave Memory will have you turning the pages, lusting after Death, possibly having a love triangle moment bouncing about in your head with our trio.  Sub characters who are ...well, I won’t tell you, but yay to something , and some deadly... errrr things happen. There is a wicked mystery to solve that could end up costing Alex more than she can chew, and an ending that will have you grabbing for Grave Visions # 4 as soon as it is released. 

O.M.G!

I am also curious who left the rose? I am thinking Death as Falin got his crank on, but indeed, no more reference to ...the rose J

Michelle

BOOK REVIEW - GRAVE DANCE by KALAYNA PRICE - ALEX CRAFT # 2

By: Kalayna Price
Published By : Roc, Penguin, Harper Collins
Released : Available Now
Details: Paperback, 371 Pages

RATING : 4 DESIRABLE DEATH & FALIN STARS!

Whoever said dead men tell no tales obviously never met Alex Craft.  

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 Fae Investigation Bureau agent Falin Andrews and a shocking “L” word confession from Death himself, Alex is eager for the distractions of work. But her new case turns out to be a deadly challenge.


The police hire Alex to consult on a particularly strange investigation in the nature preserve south of Nekros City. The strange part: There are no corpses, only fragments of them. A serial killer is potentially on the loose, and Alex has no way to raise a shade without a body, so she’ll have to rely on the magic of others to find leads. But as she begins investigating, a creature born of the darkest magic comes after her. Someone very powerful wants to make sure the only thing she finds is a dead end—her own.
 

BOOK REVIEW:



Grave Dance , book 2 in the Alex Craft series brings some new characters. We venture further into Faerie territory and Death and Falin are vying for Alex’s attention, even though for one of them it is forbidden and for the other one, he is technically taken by the Winter Queen, complicated...much.


Alex literally has fae blood on her hands and she has caused a stir in the Winter Queen’s court.


Alex is juggling new property, friends who have gotten themselves in a pickle, two smexi guys, trying to keep herself alive, helping solve the problem with the Aetheric tears, which she is getting blamed for. So she made one of them, doesn’t mean she did them all. Alex’s favourite homicide detective, John, isn’t too pleased with the company she is keeping and I want me a Ms. B.


There really wasn’t enough of Death in this book. I think he is a great character and I want to read more. We get introduced to some more collectors, which I enjoyed.


Lusa is digging around for a story and Roy is being a great friend to Alex, helping her out. I am rather intrigued about Desmond, he’s a nice addition. I did laugh at Fred, who really isn’t a Fred....hehe! I think Kyran is very cheeky and I hope he plays a further part in Grave Memory, book three and let’s not forget the Shadow King.


When all your resources have failed or been captured or aren’t willing to help you, who do you call...dad. Alex is not close to her dad but when it comes down to the crunch, he pulls through for her and there opens up some intrigue for me. Where are we going with her dad and his connection to Faerie and...and...and?


I’m looking forward to Grave Memory, partly because I am crushing on Death and Falin , but also because I feel like after being introduced to a swag of characters in this book, we may be visiting Faerie more and I am keen to see where Ms. Price is taking us.


Alex is no longer just Alex the raiser of Shades owner of ‘Tongues For The Dead’, she is now much more.



FAVE QUOTE:


“You want coffee?” I asked, riffling through my cabinet.

“Among other things.”

And there went my pulse rate.

Michelle

BOOK REVIEW - GRAVE WITCH by KALAYNA PRICE - ALEX CRAFT # 1

By: Kalayna Price

Published By: ROC

Released : Available Now

Details: Paperback from library, 325 Pages

RATING : 4 DEATH & FALIN STARS!!!

Book Blurb : Taken From Goodreads

Not even death can save her now.

As a grave witch, Alex Craft can speak to the dead-she's even on good terms with Death himself. As a consultant for the police, she's seen a lot of dark magic, but nothing has prepared her for her latest case. When she's raising a "shade" involved in a high profile murder, it attacks her, and then someone makes an attempt on her life. Someone really doesn't want her to know what the dead have to say, and she'll have to work with mysterious homicide detective Falin Andrews to figure out why...

 

BOOK REVIEW:

Alex Craft is essentially a Grave Witch, hence the title of the book , some call her ‘magic eye’, she likes to think of herself as a P.I. Her business, ‘Tongues For The Dead’. She lives in The Glen or Witches Glen and her landlord and good friend Caleb, is fae. Fred, is the resident gargoyle , a 3 foot granite winged cat. Fred likes to be found in the way on the footpath, and P.C. is her roomie.

Daddy dearest has decided having a witch for a daughter isn’t in his best interests, so he had her name changed to bury her family association. A call from her sister Casey, starts Alex poking around with her good friend Detective John Matthews, where she shouldn’t , leaving her with a painful souvenir.

A bunch of girls have intermittently gone missing, wound up gruesomely murdered with a pattern forming and Alex has found herself amongst the mysteries and not always on the safe end.


I enjoyed the supporting characters. Tamara and Holly are her good friends and Roy comes and goes as he pleases, he is a little lost and needs Alex to find himself. John Matthews is the best homicide detective in Nekros City, but he finds himself indisposed to help Alex.


Death, Angel of Death, Soul Collector, Grim Reaper...call him what you want, but this muscled, jeans wearing hottie who pops up when he has a soul to take has started to help Alex ... possibly against the better judgement of his boss. Death is somebody I want to know more about, I am very intrigued to see where Kalayna is taking his work relationship with Alex.


Detective Falin Andrews, with a name like that , long platinum hair, I’ve read enough Urban Fantasy books to question his humanity, looking like he does. Was I right? But who cares what I think...he is gorgeous and he is all things readers look for in a lead guy , smexi, stunning, the rescuer, knows how to ...* waggles eyebrows* ...very well!! ( I wasn’t talking make a nice cuppa Java here, although he can cook) he drives a rather lovely sports car and seems to be there when Alex gets in over her head and of course ...the tension.


Alex tends to go blind after raising a ‘shade’, or after an intense grave experience, her sight is severely impaired until she can regain it. Not good when she can’t see what is out to get her and she has to drive home.


Spells keep getting cast in Alex’s direction making it tough on her , and Falin is just around the corner to give her a helping hand whether she wants it or not.


I really like Alex Craft. She is very intelligent and her stubborn streak tends to show up around Falin. She is a quick thinker and very independent.

There are a few surprises at the end of the book that have me eagerly awaiting my number down at the local library for Grave Dance. Who would have thought I would be interested in a guy who could take my soul?

Michelle