Review--Grave Witch by Kalayna Price

GRAVE WITCH ALEX CRAFT CAN SPEAK TO THE DEAD, BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN SHE LIKES WHAT THEY HAVE TO SAY.

As a private investigator and consultant for the police, Alex Craft has seen a lot of dark magic. But even though she's on good terms with Death himself--who happens to look fantastic in jeans--nothing has prepared her for her latest case. Alex is investigating a high-profile murder when she's attacked by the "shade" she's raising, which should be impossible. To top off her day, someone makes a serious attempt on her life, but Death saves her. Guess he likes having her around.

To solve this case Alex will have to team up with tough homicide detective Falin Andrews. Falin seems to be hiding something--though it's certainly not his dislike of Alex. But Alex knows she needs his help to navigate the tangled webs of mortal and paranormal politics and to track down a killer who wields a magic so malevolent, it may cost Alex her life...and her soul.

Finished Grave Witch by Kalayna Price today! It was GREAT! I've read Kalayna's Once Bitten which was also good, but Grave Witch had a different style to it, a different feel. One thing is definitely the open versus closed worlds. In Once Bitten we had a closed world and in Gave Witch we had an open world, meaning that people knew about the fae and witches and ghosts. 

I enjoy both types of worlds really, it's just based on the quality of the writing the author puts behind it and Kalayna puts a lot of quality into both of her series.Her newest series stars Alex Craft and she's a grave witch and is able to communicate with ghosts and she has a few other tricks up her sleeve.

She takes on a case that soon leads her into more trouble than she thought possible, what should've been a simple raising a shade, the remainder of a spirit--usually ones that have been murdered--and finding out the cause behind their death. But things go very wrong very quickly. She gets her cop friend in trouble with the new "higher up" and then while leaving the corner's office an attempt is made on her life and she is saved none other than by Death.

As the BOC says she and Death have a strange relationship, almost more of a working one in that he is her boss in some ways. He pops in every now and then to offer his advice and wisdom and sometimes not so much the latter.

Then Alex finds herself teamed up with Falin, the "higher up" who gave her and her friend an earful. Alex and Falin are both sort of stubborn and they both rise a little quick to bait which leads to few little arguments. Nothing says good reading when the characters are hot tempered and quick witted. Although there isn't a lot of fighting as it seems from my wording that there is, there's not a whole lot but there are a few little spats as they work together.

There is some romance involved and while it was shocking it also wasn't. It's one of those romances you think might be coming, but then you think not and go around and around until it comes to one of your answers. I won't say who, but it is a little obvious, just as I was reading I didn't think it was possible or that it would ever really happen.

There was also a bit of mystery going on as Alex and Falin are trying to find a killer. Which becomes even more twisted. And there are some shocking revelations that arise near the end as well. It also left me speculating a few things, one thing I guessed about midway and was right, another thing or two I guessed at the end, one was addressed and I was sort of right, the other wasn't fully addressed but I can't be sure if I'm right or not. Thinking not...but will have to wait til the next book to see!

That paragraph was just full of vagueness! ;) But like I said the mystery elements are good. I like it when the author has me guessing things as I read and I don't even really realize it. And then other surprises occur as well attached to other mystery elements that I had on the back burner and was really taken by surprise when they suddenly pop up mostly solved!

Basically what it comes down to is that Grave Witch was an excellent read. Very intriguing and full of some mystery and suspense as well. And there was quite a bit more fae involvement throughout the novel than I expected which was great because I don't come across too many of those kinds of books and enjoy them!

Overall I give Grave Witch 5/5 stars! I sincerely recommend this novel. There's no vampires and werewolves involved but it is still a GREAT addition to the Urban Fantasy genre!