Grave Witch (Alex Craft, book 1) by Kalayna Price
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Edition Reviewed: Paperback
Amazon: Paperback | Kindle
Goodreads: Grave Witch (1)
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 a pair of 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 wielding a magic so malevolent, it may cost Alex her life...and her soul.
Review:
For a first book this book impressed me when it came out, and years later it still impresses me. Grave Witch has an impressive world that is fully thought out, and I loved it. The lore and the city of Nekro are well thought out. I love the idea of the Faye letting their presence be known because they needed humans to believe in them again. Instead of still dying out they're now growing strong in power. There are more inbetween places, or other pockets of reality. I'm intrigued with the idea of these multiple plans of existence presented. Especially with that ending!
Grave Witch presents Alex Craft quite well and I enjoyed that there weren't actually any flashbacks. Instead the reader learns about Alex and her past as the story goes along. It never felt bogged down in an info dump. It was well paced and just enough given at the right moments. Not to mention that I loved that Alex wasn't a newbie in her craft as a grave witch and she had knowledge about the world. Including other magics.
Some Urban Fantasy readers advised me when I started my reread that this would be boring. But the mystery, characters, and world kept me eating it up. True I had forgotten about a lot the book because it had been so long, but I knew enough. And it kept my attention. Maybe it's because it's a different type of UF. The kind where knowledge and sleuthing are required. Alex doesn't approach the situation with violence. She does get to kick booty, but she thinks things through and I appreciate that.
Both male interests were just as fun as I remembered! I knew that Death was a character the revitalized Death as a character, and made him sexy. Spawning many different interpatations in other books after—which I'm thankful for. (Reyes from Charley Davidson anyone?) Sadly he remains a mysterious, dark stranger. With some great one liners. Falin was more developed and I think that's why I liked him more. He started out as the hunky jerk, and thankfully gained a personality as the book progressed. Of course there's plenty of mystery around him, not to mention some of the things discovered by the end of the book.
There were two sticky points for me. The first being the tired old line of parents keeping dangerous secrets from their children. Especially how her father made her suffer, and he was keeping that secret! Then there was Alex being handed the answer to the murders on multiple occasions. No really. People out right told her. But she just ignored it, and then during the revelation she was still an idiot. I hate willful ignorance as a plot line. It only makes the character look bad, and makes the reader think the author doesn't understand that we can pick up on things.
I can safely say that Grave Witch is not heavy on a love triangle. It actually doesn't even make itself known until the end of the book, and it's very mild—a vague idea. The book centers on Alex solving the mystery. Alex is on a time line and I appreciate that the book evolves mainly around that. While I felt like Alex's friends were more show then real, I look forward to getting to know them all more. The world is fantastic, and I can't wait to know Nekro city more! Not to mention sinking into Alex, she's a great character and I enjoy that she's unique from other Urban Fantasy character even after all these years.
Sexual Content: There is a sex scene, frank talk about sex and stuff. I enjoy that Alex is well rounded on it, meaning no self hate. Plenty of sexual humor and some minor dark themes.
4/5- Great! Really enjoyed it.
| Previous book(s) in series: | ||
| Reviewed on BW: | Amazon: | Goodreads: |
| Grave Witch (1) Grave Dance (2) Grave Memory (3) Grave Visions (4) Untitled (5) | Grave Witch (1) | Grave Witch (1) Grave Dance (2) Grave Memory (3) Grave Visions (4) Untitled (5) |
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