An Alex Craft Novel (Alex Craft Series Book 1) - Grave Witch

I was really impressed by Price. This book left me wanting to read another one of her books. The chracters were well thought out and developed, the plot was interesting. I loved the book. There is nothing like a character who has LOTS of power and continue to get get more.

Fast and enjoyable read. Took a chance while looking for new books to read and was pleasantly surprised. Enjoyed the book very much so I have ordered the next two in the Alex Craft series. Looking forward to their arrival.

New series I guess. I at first thought that this might be a clone of other books in this genre, but, as it turns out, has a nice original story and character. Very happy with it. Will continue purchasing new books in this series. Looking forward to the next one!

I couldn't put this book down! Very enjoyable fast-paced read. I am definitely a Kalayna Price fan and would buy any book she writes. I loved the characters, her take on the paranormal world, the plot-pretty much everything. Highly recommend this one. I won't summarize the plot for you since others have done that, but if you like Charlaine Harris, Kim Harrison, Patricia Briggs, Ilona Andrews and Chloe Neill you will probably like this author as well.

This was well written and a very unique addition to the paranormal romance fantasy genre. It is a dark and entertaining read.I love the Fae in this and it takes a creative writer to make "Death" such a sexy character. I look forward to the sequel...

The plot is generic and predictable, but I think it's the author's first book. So all things considered it's ok. The main character is a little bit annoying(and the other characters lack depth and are more like cardboard cut outs as the background in an elementary school play), but like I said with the right editor in the future the series might develop into something good. So ok to read when you're bored and don't have any idea what else you'd like to read.

This was just different enough to work for me. Yes, it treads the same ground other authors have covered but so what? The true test will be book 2, but I'm hoping for good things from Ms. Price in the future.

I wavered over my rating for "Grave Witch" by Kalayna Price. I really enjoyed the story but it had some big flaws. With a litle editing and polish, this book could have been a phenomenal success in my opinion. I really liked our heroine Ms. Alex Craft. She has been disowned by her wealthy family for being a grave witch. Meaning that she can use 'grave sight' to see althernate planes of reality. She can also rise shades of the ghosts and find out how or why they were killed. She does this for a living as well as uses her skills as a specil P.I. Investigator.

Alex comes across fairly tough but immediately we find out she loves her dog P.C. and has a gargoyle taht lives in the front yard. Yup she is kind of a softie inside too. Now a famous politician is dead and Alex has to help uncover the mystery. Enter an unusual and handsome detective named Falin Andrews who is also investigating the case...is he help or more trouble? Oh, and did I forget to mention Alex can see and talk to Death? Death is a hot guy who wears blue jeans and seems to have a crush on Alex.

The characters are for the most part a real treat. I really like Death, just the novelty of him as a character is intriguing. Falin was so-so for me, I can't get a feel for him yet. There were some side characters with promise, but they didn't do much. I assume they will be fleshed out somewhere down the line in the next books. For me, Price's characters are the strongest aspect of the story outside of the general premise of the story. The premise is wonderful...the girl who can raise shades of the dead and talk (and more) with Death and ghosts.

What fails to work as well are the details. Alex's grave sight is confusingly portrayed. Sometimes I wondered what was reality and what was in the other planes. If Alex is walking on sold steps in reality but in her grave sight she can see them start to crumble, is she really going to fall or is she one solid ground? Some clarification on grave sight really is would be nice.

There were too many different pieces to this mystery. Usually this is fine with me but for a first novel, where readers are just beginning to become accustomed to the world and characters, it just became too much. The revelation about Alex's father was ok except that I couldn't understand the motivations behind is treatment of Alex after everything was revealed.

There was just a little too much clutter.

I am most certainly engaged enough to contine and I look forward to seeing where these characters go. Overall if you like Urban Fantasy this is worth reading.

Grave Witch is an enthralling paranormal murder mystery. Set in a world where the imaginary have come out to play, Fey are members of government and magic is as common as kleenex. Our heroine Alex Craft is a rare Grave Witch able to raise shades, give them enough energy to be visible, and use "grave sight" to see into alternate planes of reality. But even to other grave witches she different, with the ability to see and speak with death himself.

The story begins with Alex just trying to make ends meat, and while helping out her sister, stumbles onto a ritualistic serial murder. Before she even knows it someone's trying to kill her, while death, ironically is trying to save her life. In a world where disapperances are all too common, the Fey are doing there best to kidnap her. And sexy new Detective Andrews seems to be everywhere she is, becoming just as bad as her new ghost stalker. But Alex has to find the murderer, and soon, her own life depends on it.

Grave Witch is fast paced, and complexed. There was a lot going on in this book. All the different threads could have become a jumbled mess, but were well handled, and came together nicely in the end, weaving some unexpected surprises sure to provide the foundation to the sequel. Kalayna Price's new book is heavy on the storyline, light on the romance, that built slowly bewteen Alex and her admirers. This has potential for a serious love triangle in the next book. With the foundation set and charaters established I can't wait to see what happens in the next book.

This is a great book to curl up in your favorite comfy spot and get lost in. For Hours. Highly entertaining. Hard to put down.

The most interesting thing about Grave Witch is its underlying world, with an imaginative system of magic giving rise to interesting powers. Equally important (and perhaps more intriguing) are the limitations on those powers, and it’s Alex’s struggle balancing her strengths and weaknesses that provide the book’s highlights.

The plot is solid, with enough mystery, intrigue, and action to keep things moving at a nice clip and engage the reader. Some developments did feel a little forced, while others grew naturally out of the narrative. This seemed a touch more “paranormal romance” than “urban fantasy” to me, and honestly the romance elements were the weakest parts of the book. Although a particular love interest of Alex’s was far and away the novel’s most compelling character.

Overall this was a fine introduction to the adventures of Alex Craft. Nothing particularly spectacular but nothing bad either, and there’s potential. I’m in no rush to continue but not opposed to it if/when the opportunity arises.

I bought this whole series after reading the back cover of book one. Happy to see that yet another book is also due to be released soon, because I have officially added this book to my favorites shelf.

This book is full of ghostly goodness, magic, and fae that kept me flipping pages every chance I got. I am ready to pick up book two right now!

In this book Alex is just looking to get hired to make some spare cash; being close to the dead tends to bring in people that are looking to talk to lost loved ones; however one case gets her caught up in something that she might not be able to handle even with the power that she has.

This book had just the right amount of both action of mystery, along with the occasional surprise that I was not expecting. It also has a slight romance towards the end that leaves me wanting to know what might happen with the character next. This wasn't one of those usual paranormal romance books, it was one with a slight surprise of romance that was silently and very slowly building in the story while not overloading the story with romance. At the same time that was building there was plenty of action happening that kept me glued the the book. I never knew all the crazy stuff that might happen until it actually happened. This book has an ultimate surprise towards the end that helps solve the riddle to why everything is happening.

I would recommend this book to adult readers looking for a good paranormal read. This book does have extreme violence, and one adult scene.

This ended up being a good book! Truthfully, I had a hard time getting into the story during the first half. The "story building" took a long time- it was interesting, but it didn't "grab" me until the second half. Once it did, though, I couldn't put it down.
There was a lot to like about the story. Not every character was completely predictable, and there is a good mystery running throughout the book. I loved the ghost "sidekick" that follows Alex around- he's very funny! Alex's love interests are definitely unorthodox, and I didn't even want to like one of them! I liked the way the author described Alex's "grave-sight", and it was nice to see fae instead of vampires for a change. I am very interested to see what happens in the sequel.

Grave Witch (Alex Craft #1)
by Kalayna Price

Introduction
My urban fantasy bookclub selected Grave Witch for our March read, so I picked it up off my unread books shelf (more than a year’s backlog of reading if I don’t buy anything new!) and read it in one day.

Genre /Intended audience
Urban Fantasy (UF) / Adult with some explicit sex and plenty of violence

Narration
First person past tense as told by the main character Alexis Craft

Characters
Alexis (Alex) Craft — a witch and private detective
Casey — Alex’s sister
Detective John Mathews — Alex’s friend on the force
Detective Falin Andrews — new detective who seems to take an instant dislike to Alex
Caleb — Alex’s fae landlord and good friend
Roy Pearson — a ghost who follows Alex asking for help getting justice for his death
Tamara and Holly — Alex’s two female friends

Setting
Nekros City, in an alternate version of our world in which the fae had revealed magic seventy years prior, in the process revealing entire cities and states previously hidden in folded space.

Plot
As a grave witch, Alex Craft has a talent for all things dead, including the ability to see and talk to Death himself. As a private investigator, she is called upon to raise shades of the dead for the living to question. Unfortunately, her business isn’t going well and she is broke. When her sister calls her in on a high profile case involving the murder of an up and coming Humans First politician (Theodore Colman), she takes the case. Things get weird from there. First she raises a Jane Doe shade for the police and it gets out of control, which shouldn’t be possible. She can’t raise Colman, which also shouldn’t be possible. To top off what is shaping up to be the worst week ever, someone takes a shot at her (and would have killed her if Death hadn’t intervened). Alex spends the rest of the book trying to survive and also solve several mysteries that all come together by the end.

My Opinion
I decided to write a review immediately after reading Grave Witch, because it is the sort of novel I’m likely to forget rather quickly. It isn’t a bad book — I enjoyed reading it — but it was not a great book. The author is talented and everything about the story was interesting enough, but it was just like nearly every UF novel I’ve ever read. The male characters, love triangle, and even the bad guy were all standard fare. Alex’s relationship with Detective Falin Andrews was too much like Gin’s relationship with Donovan Caine in Jennifer Estep’s Elemental Assassin series. Alex’s grave talent is reminiscent of Anita Blake’s reanimation skills (though different enough).
Several story elements aren’t completely explored — particularly the nature of the soul collector Alex calls Death. We see other soul collectors, so is he really ‘Death’ or just one of many soul collectors? It isn’t clear. Hopefully, further entries in the series will settle such issues.
I do like that Alex is not particularly kick-ass aside from her specific gift, and using her grave magic has serious consequences. It was a quick and easy read, and I recommend it to fans who are not burnt out on the genre. In the end, I was interested enough that I might read additional books in the series, but then again, I might not.

Grave Witch by Kalayna Price
Urban Fantasy -Oct 25th. 2015
4 ½ stars
  
Grave Witch by Kalayna Price is the first in the Alex Craft Urban Fantasy series. This series has a compelling heroine, fantastic world-building and enough mystery that will keep readers spell-bound.  

Alex Craft is PI and some-time consultant for the Nekros City Police Department.   She specializes in raising the dead.  When her long time friend homicide detective, John Matthews asks her for a favor. Alex can't say, “No.”  Especially since he has always helped her out, too.  But when she looks at the dead man John is investigating she discovers strange tattoos on his body.  Tattoos that know one else has seen before.  Unfortunately, her findings are discovered by the arrogant and sexy detective Falin Andrews.  A man that is upset she is fouling up his case.  But now he wants to know what she saw.  However, Alex quickly finds herself in serious danger on the case. When a spell meant for her hits John and put him coma she is determined to solve the case and save her friend's life.  With the help of her friend Death, Alex struggles to find the culprit before it is too late.

This was a fascinating and fast-paced read.  Alex is a character readers will love.  She has many layers and surprises in her past.  (The author keeps a lot of Alex's past mysterious enough that it made me want to know more about her and what makes her tick.)  She is a genuine person just trying to pay the bills but has such integrity and self-sacrifice that you can't help admire her.  Even when her wickedly selfish sister ask for help she goes out of her way to aid her.  As the mystery gets darker and deeper, I found myself completely invested in Alex.  I particularly liked the tension as Alex is compelled to find the evil culprit and the ultimate reasons for the murders -which are viciously malevolent.   As she spars with the prickly detective Andrews- who has quite a few surprises himself, the story rages into full gear.  I enjoyed reading their repartee, then their eventual grudging respect and finally their surprising friendship.   Will they find the murderer? Can they save John? Will Falin ever loosen up?  Too much action and excitement to stop reading!  

This is an amazing debut I'm so glad there are more stories to read!

Reviewed by Steph from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club

"Grave Witch"
An Alex Craft Novel

By: Kalayna Price

One of my favorite storylines. A smart quirky female main character that finds herself in a bit of trouble and along comes hunky, frustrating alpha male inserting himself to help her situation. I love magic! (Insert self as the main character Alex and you have most women's fantasy). Smart, resourceful, self sufficient but it sure is nice to have the stalking of a powerful man (or two) to keep your ass alive!

The crime and mystery part of the story was great! Well thought out plot and investigation keeps you intrigued from the moment it is introduced. Kudos to the author for combining the "fantasy" with a great story! Wouldn't it be great if murders could be solved by talking to the "shades" (memories) of the deceased? Especially since they can't lie?! What is not to like about having a little magic in our world?

As I was reading this first book of her series I realized that a few years back I had already read one of the other books in this series and hadn't connected the dots. I remembered really enjoying the read but sometimes (as most reviewers will tell you) you read so many books that you can't always have immediate recall of the stories. We also pick up another book and get lost on the path to follow up issues. Hazards of the obsession of reading.

A great easy flowing read that made me want to pick up her newest installment of Alex, death and detective Falin. If you haven't met Alex, please pick up this book and continue each through her 4th installment that is just being released!

Jeanie G

I give this story 4 "shady" sheep!

Grave Witch is a fantastic beginning to the Alex Craft series. I could not put the book down to go to bed, and that is always a good sign. Events move along at a smooth pace, even with a bit of world building on top of it, which sometimes makes a books pace seem slower than it really is. The series follows main character Alex Craft, a private investigator/consultant for the local police department. She is a wyrd witch that specializes in grave magic, meaning she raises shades or memories from the bodies of the deceased. At the beginning of the novel she is about to be the first grave witch to raise a shade to take the stand in a court room. But life is about to get even more interesting for Alex.

Alex gets a call from her estranged sister Casey who is downright frantic. Governor Theodore Coleman was murdered and the police are investigating her father. I got the feeling Alex really didn’t empathize too much with the situation, but agreed to look into the case further when her sister offers to pay her for her time. Not the closest family here.

Alex also looks into a case for the Nekros Police department involving ritual murders. The shades are…odd. Aggressive. One even attacks Alex. But not before she notices odd glyphs on the bodies, but what do those symbols mean, and why can’t anyone else see them?

Alex’s investigative work leads her to stepping on the toes of Detective Falin Andrews, who is none to happy to have her poking around in his case. He’s new to the Nekros Police Department, where did he come from?

I really like the way this book integrates the open knowledge of magic, and how humans, witches and fae live side by side. The intricacies of trying to police a supernatural population are very interesting. This series is off to a great start and I can’t wait to read the next book.

For more reviews visit Kickassurbanfantasy.ga

This refreshingly new Urban Fantasy goes far beyond the typical witch stuff. Alex is an enjoyable heroine gifted with the bizarre talents of...well, it's not easy for me to describe. Let's just say it's a highly police procedural type book, rich with mystery as Alex tries to solve crimes and help deal with cases using her unique abilities. There's also Falin, a detective clothed in mystery and standing as a potential - maybe? - romantic interest, or is he an eventual enemy? The other main character, "Death" - seriously - is a grim reaper in a series of grim reapers, who is supposably attractive and attracted to Alex. Alex is one of the only people in the world able to see grim reapers, who had to follow a code of rules and club membership stuff to get the "job done."

Personally I find the idea of Death a little hokey and although it's amazingly unique, I can't feel anything for the character. Putting a face on grim reaper and making him a real person and even potential love interest makes little sense to me. Falin is actually dreamy and I dug the heroine of the series. Alex is personable, intelligent, enjoyable to read through the viewpoint us. She's not melodramatic, snotty, or overdrawn as some Urban Fantasy chicks tend to be.

Plot-wise, it's a goodie. The villain was twisted beyond belief and there was serious mystery and intricate webbing here. Not heavy on suspense but the ending rocked and I'm intrigued by the revelation of who the main characters really ARE.

The book took me awhile to get into as it wasn't as engrossing as I'd like. Main reason likely being the slower buildup and Death hanging around as a slight turn-off. Once the police procedural took farther off, and the weird world started revealing other mystery creatures, I could see why this series has become so popular among the Urban Fantasy crowd.

Price's writing is a delight to enjoy, as it's filled with description, realistic comforts, and she has a knack for making characters seem three-dimensional. Pacing is tight and suspense runs high some of the time, especially when it's on the mystery side rather than the danger side. The fairy side stuff seems particularly mysterious and dark.

It's the strange situation where the book was only mediocre till the middle half, then really started saving itself by suddenly sprouting more interesting wings. I'm sure you've all been there with books before when this happens. I also fear this will be a big love triangle type series. Still, the book didn't end on a cliffhanger but still left me hanging wanting to read the second, which I thankfully had close at hand. Here's hoping I'm more impressed with the second round.

The Good: I started reading Kalayna Price when I first started blogging. I devoured her Haven series (and am still desperately awaiting book 3) and promptly bought Grave Witch when it was released. Popped it on the shelf and literally forgot I owned it, for well over 5 years. What an epic misstep on my part. Urban fantasy is my most loved genre and Price never fails to hit all the right buttons for me. Grave Witch lives up to everything I had hoped for and more. Alex has some necromancy witchcraft abilities going on, rents her home from the fae, has been ousted from her family for her abilities, the grim reaper lurks about (and is something of a friend) and she's got some budding romantic stuff going on that doesn't overtake the action filled mystery she's involved in. I found myself completely thrown off-kilter numerous times, never seeing any of the big reveals coming. Everything in this book is pitch perfect and I will definitely be obsessing over the rest of this series. I think it's safe to say that Kalayna Price has cemented herself as one of my go-to authors.

The Bad: Not a thing.

** spoiler alert ** I can't even begin to explain how much I liked this book. It's really hard to pin down. It had all the makings of a cliché paranormal book, with some themes that I haven't found particularly interesting before.

It got them all right.

Fairies have been very hit or miss in the books I've read. Most of the time, they miss. I've read other books with part fey individuals. They usually make me roll my eyes. I've read about Sookie Stackhouse and her special snowflake fairy heritage and how she's so utterly attractive because of it. I've read about Merry Gentry and her need to procreate and spend the span of every book trapped in a hole where nothing ever happens and everyone spills.

Needless to say, it's not a very good track record.

I loved the fairies in this book. They were interesting, engaging, different. Their mythology and world kept me captivated. I hope that more is revealed in the next book. I've only been allowed to skim the surface.

Falin isn't really my sort of sexy hunk, but I do not outright despise him. Too much long blonde hair. I just kept picturing Draco Malfoy all grown up. He wasn't overbearing in a alpha male way, just very casual and helpful, sometimes contrary. There's so much about him that we don't know. He's supposedly the lover to the Queen of Winter? If so, he's a little bit of a player. I was so happy that Alex didn't allow him back into their casual romance after she found out. I wonder if that will change in the second book?

Death, the other love interest, also has really long hair. What is it with long hair? I did enjoy his compatriots. All I really know about him is that he's in love with the heroine and takes souls over to the other side. I need to know more!

The mystery had enough twists and turns to keep me interested, and wasn't overly obvious until the big reveal. I had a few inklings, but they didn't compare to what actually happened.

I seriously loved it. I haven't been this interested in a book of this genre since early last year.

There’s an interesting subplot about Death’s feelings for Alex, but it never “clicked” for me. I didn’t feel any chemistry between them, so it never gelled as the emotional complication it should have been. That’s probably because there was almost no space dedicated to turning Death into a full character. There’s a good handful of characters in here who never really step up for a full character treatment, even though some of them were important to the story.

There are plenty of twists and turns in Grave Witch, and I want to know more about Alex’s powers and what’s happening with them. There are Fae machinations afoot that throw a wrench in the works, and I’d like to know more about them as well. (Most of the Fae in this volume have one-note personalities so far.) And as for Falin, he has some interesting secrets of his own. Grave Witch asks as many questions as it answers, and I look forward to reading the sequel.

NOTE: Book provided by publisher

This review first appeared on Books That Hook on May 6, 2014

Grave Witch goes in my top five read in 2014.

I loved this book! It’s the first book in the Alex Craft series, started in 2010.

It has likable characters, fast pacing, and well-developed mythology. I didn’t notice any errors or inconsistencies.

Alex is a character people can relate to. She’s mostly a normal girl with normal problems, even though she has the unique ability to raise shaedes of the dead–very useful in finding out what happened to someone if a death is suspicious.

She doesn’t always make the best decisions, but she’s not stupid.

I liked that her magic is not unlimited and has consequences.

Both of the romantic interests are likable too, even if one is Death himself.

I strongly recommend this book to urban fantasy lovers.

On the surface, Grave Witch has a lot of similarities with Laurell K. Hamilton's Anita Blake series (before it got weird) but once I got a little deeper; I discovered a rich story filled with unusual characters. Alex's numerous and unbelievably complex problems transform this book into an unpredictable but fun read. You never know what's going to happen next. Kalayna Price caught my interest early on and held it the whole way through. Grave Witch is entertaining, "out there" and moving; a weird combo I know, but it works!

I really enjoy reading books that feature Death as a character. An author can go in so many different directions with this one! Kalayna's version is flirtatious, wears jeans and a t-shirt, and Alex can't quite figure him out. Craft is a rare exception and can see him out and about in broad daylight. Imagine just being able to see Death lurking around waiting for someone to die. Okay, well he doesn't exactly lurk but still... Creeeeepy! Plus, this guy's a stickler for the rules. He kinda has to be when souls are on the line but he breaks the rules a few times for Alex yet doesn't stick around long enough to have a conversation about his reasons. Needless to say, I got a kick out of his character and I'm hoping for more of him in future books.

Kalayna pulls many slight-of-hand moves throughout the story which kept things interesting and me on my toes. Just when I thought I had the whole thing figured out, Price would add an extra layer that'd throw everything off kilter. Multiple plot lines can be risky business but it was pulled off beautifully in this instance. Kalayna had a plan for Grave Witch and she executed it perfectly. There were even a few surprises thrown in that helped to lay the foundation for Grave Dance.

I liked how magic has a price in Alex Craft's world. The more the heroine is in contact with the dead the colder her body temperature gets. She's had this gift since she was a child so a normal 98.6 °F is no longer feasible for her. Instead, Alex warms herself up the old fashion way; by sharing body heat with someone else. Luckily for her, Falin comes into her life and is ready to help! Grave sight was also a pretty nifty ability but like all magic in this universe, it also comes with a price.

The relationship between Alex and Death was the star of this book for me. I'm eager to see where Kalayna takes these two and how Falin fits into the equation. Is there a love triangle looming in the future for these three? Only time will tell! Grave Witch is a humorous UF murder mystery that's hard to put down and makes for a great intro to a new series.

Initially, I almost stopped reading in Chapter 7 once the family corruption was revealed. Her father is a politician and her sister is a typical rich brat. She was sent away at a young age when she showed witch powers and then she changed her name and the family has spent time and money into hiding the relation...Not much detail is given besides that, but it made me a great deal less sympathetic to her. The reason i almost stopped reading is that her father is politically active in a group AGAINST supernaturals, yet this group uses magic and her sister is secretly a witch too. Too much soap opera style drama in the background overshadowing the actual story is something I am not a fan of.
Other than the "heroine" being the typical supernatural heroine with an over-inflated attitude that everyone else finds to be spunky, I didn't dislike her. However, she doesn't seem to know what she wants and shows no backbone whatsoever when it comes to men. This leads to my biggest issue with the book. Right in the middle is a tedious and BORING scene of graphic bookporn that I could have done without that seems to span an endless number of pages. I don't know why every author of supernatural books feels compelled to throw that in at some point, no matter if it fits or not, but I am getting very tired of it. If I want something trashy, I know where to find the romance section in the library or bookstore. I don't like it being snuck into books.
The last complaint is a spoiler I will not ruin. But in the end of the story, like in seemingly every supernatural story, the heroine is found to be something no one knew she was- including herself, and to have more powers than anyone thought that suddenly make the average character all the more important to everyone else.
I may pick up the next one at the library if I can't find anything better to read...and in today's world of supernatural fiction it isn't looking good...

This is the first book in the Alex Craft series. The fourth book in this series, Grave Visions, is expected to release in August 2013. I have had this urban fantasy series on my shelf to read forever. It was a fun read; I enjoyed the humor and Alex's interesting Grave Magic.

I listened to this on audiobook and the audiobook was decent but not spectacular. The narrator's voice sounds a little bit...mushy and wasn't like I pictured Alex being. The narrator also had a bit of trouble with differentiating some of the male voices. Still overall the narrator did a good job conveying character emotion, and it was a decent listen.

Alex Craft is a Grave Witch who is on the rocks with the rest of her family and struggling to make ends meet. When Alex is asked to investigate a high profile murder things start to get complicated. She is attacked by a Shade and then someone tries to murder her. Good thing she is on good terms with Death and that she has the tough cop, Falin Andrews, to back her up.

This was a very enjoyable urban fantasy, I liked it. There is humor in here, some great characters, an intriguing world and I enjoyed Alex's grave witch magic. The story is very much an investigative urban fantasy, there is a case of serial murders that must be solved and it involves black magic and fey.

Alex is a snarky character with a great sense of humor, some incredibly intriguing magic, and a problem with making ends meet. She also has a habit of taking guys home to ward off the grave chill, which has gotten her into trouble more than once.

Alex was a very fun character to read about, she is engaging and she knows how to ask for help when she needs to. Yeah, she does some kind of stupid things, but it is all highly entertaining.

The next wonderful thing about this book is the character Death. He loves wearing jeans, seems to have a soft spot for Alex, and turns up at the worst times to claim souls. Him and Alex have some wonderful banter and he is a delightfully mysterious. I can't wait to read more about him in future books.

Helping out Alex is investigator Falin Andrews. While I didn't like him as much as Death in the beginning of the book, he grew on me as a character. I enjoyed his interactions with Alex and all of the crazy secrets that were revealed around him.

I liked that the plot had multiple levels. The main story is resolved, but a lot of side storylines involving Alex's background and the surrounding characters remain unanswered.

Overall a solid urban fantasy read, I enjoyed it. I liked the humor throughout, the interesting magic, and all of the mysteries surrounding our characters' backgrounds. There was a solid mystery that was solved and it had a number of interesting fey and magic elements involved. I would definitely recommend this book to those who enjoy investigative urban fantasy. I plan on continuing the series and am looking forward to reading Grave Dance.

This happens to be a refreshing new urban fantasy series that goes beyond the usual witchy stuff, fast moving and thrilling enough to make me pick up the second book the same day I finished this one it delivered a good story and interesting characters that you don't mind spending a few days with. Alex Craft is a grave witch who raises shades; whisps of the life that have long left from any dead body and she's making strides in solving murder cases as bizarre as it is to the general public. One day when she's helping a friend raise a shade of a ritual victim she is scratched and infected with something dark and stinky and more dangerous that she has ever seen beyond the grave. Fear strikes Alex because it might be the end of her even if she is good friends with Death who loves coffee and is clearly smitten with her. On top of her attack she is forced to form a partnership with FIB's Falin Andrews who doesn't leave a good first impression. Together they have to solve a bizarre public figure death but Alex has a hard time trusting him and his reasons for helping her even though she finds him oddly alluring.

We learn that the Necro world is filled with witches and fae and you never know what will happen as the book takes off on full gallop and delvers many magical and intriguing situations and characters. One thing I learned from this series and from Patricia Briggs books is that you never thank a fae because you will owe them and they will collect the debt, faes wear disguises so what if you say "thank you" at the grocery store they work at? Kinda confusing... Fae's aren't my favorite, they almost seem like a cheat, they are so strong and powerful but can look like a frail beautiful human, too much vanity and ego for me, I prefer witches or more ferocious werewolves but still I really liked the book a lot. I had to chuckle every time Andrews told Alex that he has to take her to a hospital, the girl is quite vulnerable yet she manages to solve quite a few mysteries as well as explore her family and the reasons she doesn't get along with them. I really loved the whole book and especially the ending, I'm half way into book two and I'm all ready eying the third which just came out. Price can write for sure, I never read her before and she's quite young but what a talent! Murders, mystery, clever jokes and witty action make this a pleasant read for any day of the year for fans of action and magic in a modern setting.

- Kasia S.

Sometimes when you've read a fantastic book it can be a hard act to follow, so perhaps that why I wasn't immediately pulled into this book. Grave Witch is the start of the Alex Craft series by Kalayna Price. Alex is a low rent "Magic eye" (a derogatory term for a witch private investigator), but her abilities are anything but.

She can to speak to the dead---even to the point of befriending Death himself---making her a valuable asset for the police. And her skills are needed now more than ever for a high profile murder case that puts her life and the lives of those close to her on the line. Even with the aid of the mysterious detective Falin Andrews, the powers that be in the supernatural and human world may be more of a challenge than she can handle.

The book isn't a difficult read at all, so even though I didn't find myself invested in the plot until the half-way point, it was certainly bearable. I think Alex has relatable qualities. She doesn't really carry that "too stupid to live" attitude like a number of other heroines. There were scenes where I could imagine other heroines taking a more self-righteous route, but Alex is young, poor, and struggling, and her reactions to adversity are more realistic as a result of this. It was refreshing.

Thankfully, I was prepared for a love triangle ahead of time. Sometimes that helps my mindset, but I am still not a fan of the idea. At this point in this series it isn't too annoying, but this is only the introduction to the series so I am expecting a lot of development in the following books. So far I don't have a preference because I have enjoyed the screentime with both Death and Falin. But it's also a little too familiar. It's not the only series where the heroine's guardian angel (of sorts) develops feelings for her while carrying disdain for her current otherworldly boy toy.

While I don't give the series many points for originality, it doesn't quite feel like a throwaway. It's a solid read, there's room to grow, and I will read the next book just to see where things go.

GRAVE WITCH (Alex Craft #1) by Kalayna Price

GRAVE WITCH is the first book in Kalayna Price's Alex Craft series of novels. Alex (Caine) Craft is a grave witch with the power to speak with, and see the dead. In a world where the supernatural have been publicly visible for 70 years, Alex's talents become necessary when her ability to raise a `shade' speaks volumes for those who have been murdered. Shades are the `living' memories of the recently deceased, but when Alex is targeted by the First Human Society and a shade with a deadly claw, she knows there is more to this investigation than the normal collection of ghosts and shades. The Fae have now targeted Alex in more ways than one. With her talent to raise the shades, the witnesses are no longer needed when victims can speak for themselves.

Alex has grave sight. With the ability to `see' and use magic, grave sight has many side effects including lowering her body temperature and temporary blindness. But over time, Alex's reputation has found her in the unenviable position to defend her findings and to seek out others for `comfort'. When a colleague is injured trying to save Alex, it is she who must defend herself against accusations and as to why they were investigating a murder that had already been solved. Investigating a missing and dead politician will lead Alex to one of the most unlikely homes-her family. Knowing her father does not believe in the use of magic or the supernatural, her visits will result in some nasty accusations and a sister's warning. But like many of the non-believers, their true heredity will reveal when all is said and done.

There are several men in Alex's life. Death is the sexy presence who guides and protects Alex from herself and an assassin's bullet. Corporeal at times and ghostlike at others, Death and his companions will await the souls of the dead. And it is Death's pronouncement over a dying Alex that will have the grave witch confused. But it is the new detective at the precinct that will catch Alex's eye. Falin Andrews knows more about the case than he is willing to admit. But seeing Alex in action, using her grave site to help find a missing girl, Falin is the first in line to aid Alex in her recovery. Sleeping with the enemy brings on a whole new meaning.

Investigating several deaths in the supernatural world will make targets out of Alex and Falin. But finding themselves trapped in Faerie and waking up several days later without the knowledge of what has happened, will open Alex's eyes to the truth behind Falin's ability to see. When several of the bodies have hidden glyphs, it is Falin who finally discerns the threat is that of the Fae. As part of the FIB (Fae Investigating Bureau) Falin can no longer keep his identity a secret, as well as his feelings for Alex. Living in a human world where magic is not always accepted, can be difficult when you become the target of both worlds.

We are introduced to several other witches who work with and against Alex as she wonders the path of the dead. It is convenient for the investigations when the medical examiner and the CSI investigators have the ability to `see' through the `glamour' of magic and death. Fred, the ever-knowing gargoyle, appears at random places and gives cryptic advice when Alex is not looking. PC, her dog and Caleb her landlord have small but recurring roles. I hope to see more of Caleb, now that we know he too, is playing human in a world of magic. And the presence of a persistent ghost will aid Alex and Falin in their search for the `real' personality hunting for power in the world of the supernatural.

GRAVE WITCH is a great introductory storyline in Kalayna Price's Alex Craft series. There is plenty of background information revealed regarding the history of the Fae and the Witch's, but the information is necessary to allow the reader to grasp the premise behind the animosity between the haves and have-nots (as it pertains to power and magic).

see all of my reviews at : thereadingcafe.com

Posted as "Spaz Reviews" at wickedlilpixie(dot)com

Alex Grave is a private investigator for her own company Tongues for the Dead. She uses her abilities as a grave witch - the power to raise and speak to the dead - from assisting family members seeking closure with a dead loved one, to helping the police solve a homicide, and everything in between. She agrees to help her sister, whom she is somewhat estranged from, and quickly finds herself in the middle of death and mayhem.

Grave Witch is the first book in Kalayna Price's Alex Craft series. There were elements about the protagonist, Alexis, that made her completely relatable as well as likable. One touch that I really liked was that every time she raises a shade her eyesight goes wonky and she becomes nearly blind. She is completely vulnerable with her limited sight and that gave her such an element of relatability to me, as someone who wears very very strong contacts. I could really relate to her feeling of helplessness during those periods, when things are happening all around her and she can't freaking see! I felt right there with her in her confusion and frustration. Also, I liked that she was down and out broke, also another element that makes her easy to empathize with.

My biggest issue with Grave Witch... There is a sexual tryst between Alex and a male character that is unprotected and the issue of STDs or birth control are never mentioned. I wish Ms Price had taken the time to make a character grab and open and put on a condom! Or mention if the male's species (should he happen to not be human) can't carry or transmit diseases, or have her freak out afterwards that she's a dumbass and needs to get a morning-after pill. All of these can be done in a sentence or two. I read and re-read the section hoping that I missed something, but I didn't. This really disappointed me, In this day in age with all the PNR and Romance books I've read, protection is a topic always addressed and the lack of its mention unfortunately stood out as a fail.

Nonetheless, the story moves really quickly and Ms Price doesn't spend too much time at any one time over describing characters or scenes, it just naturally flows. There is some fae mythology, which is nicely done. Some of the magical drama got a bit confusing for me, the other types of witches did not seem to be clearly defined as I'd have liked. The secondary characters are fun, particularly Death. Another issue I had was that Death turned from a real cold mean bad ass at the beginning of the book (Hellooo, he is DEATH), to a love-struck Emo boy at the end of the book. Hmmmm. Also, I am not usually a fan of a love triangle but it looks as though that is where the series is headed.

All in all, Grave Witch is an entertaining light read with enough compelling magic and charming characters that will keep you engaged. Despite the issues I had with the book, I enjoyed it enough that I am definitely going to read the next book in the series, Grave Dance, out in July 2011.

Having met Death when she was five years old, Grave Witch Magic Eye Alex Craft makes a living by raising ghosts for living clients. The Nekros City police department consults with Alex on some recent homicide cases. However, she is stunned when one of the shades she brings back, that of a murder victim, attacks her. That has never happened before and she thought it was impossible.

Following a call from her frantic sister Casey, Alex probes the corpse of assassinated Governor Theodore Coleman, which made their father George Caine governor. Alex finds someone cast odd but dangerous spells. Homicide detective Falin Andrews makes it clear that he is unhappy with Alex intruding on the official investigation. When Alex learns from the ghost of Roy Pearson that the late governor's body is actually his, the witch fears a powerful spellcaster is operating in the area.

This is a terrific private investigator urban fantasy with a noir feel to the story line; not so much by the heroine, but more so by the uneasy dysfunctional relationship between the normal, the paranormal, and the practitioners that bring the two uncomfortable groups together. Fast-paced from the moment Alex leaves an unhappy customer to answer her sibling's call pleading with Alexis to help her, fans will be hooked and demand more Alex Craft cases.

Harriet Klausner

This review was originally posted on my blog: The Bibliophile's Corner

This book has everything that I appreciate in a good story. Magic, mystery, a little bit of romance, grit, humor, and the occasional life threatening situations. Grave Witch is a refreshingly, original story compared to the teen paranormal books I read. Finally, a heroine who isn't completely whiny, but rather is someone who is powerful and gets stuff done.

Alex is a very believable character who has very real characteristics. By no means perfect, she struggles just as every person does from being broke all the time to trying to figure out the complications of a love life or lack thereof. I also particularly like that when Alex uses her grave sight, it leaves her blind and vulnerable afterward. Showing that magic has its consequences made me love Alex even more. I've always gotten angry at authors who make their witches throw their magic around without any kind of consequence.

As for the secondary characters, Death and Falin are the only two we really get depth to. Death has been a close personal friend of Alex since she `threw her mother's medical chart at him." Toward the end of the novel, he does some rule breaking, because apparently there are rules for soul collectors. Falin is pretty interesting. He starts off as being a pain in the ass that Alex is forced to work with, but does become someone she can really rely on.

My only problem with this book is that I didn't get enough of Alex's friends or magical history. There are references to both, glimpses of Alex's friends, Fae, and other witches, but unfortunately they were just glimpses. I am hoping with her second novel Grave Dance that we will begin to see more.

I definitely recommend this book for all urban fantasy lovers.

Alex Craft has a unique talent as a "grave witch" which allows for her to speak to the dead. The shades that she raises are usually harmless and easy for Alex to control until the day when she is attacked by one of them. Before Alex knows it, she is caught up in a mystery filled with dark magic and even darker beings who care little if she comes out of all this alive or not.

Grave Witch was one of those urban fantasy reads that I didn't want to put down. It left me wanting more after I turned the last page, and I've already went out and bought a copy of the second book which should tell you how much I enjoyed this one. First of all, Alex has such a unique talent as she can talk to the dead otherwise known as shades. With her ability to communicate with them comes her "grave vision" which allows for her to see the world in a different perspective than the average human. I really liked that her talents came with a price and it took a lot out of her to use her skills especially when she was left basically blind for periods of time. It helped to make this book very unique from other urban fantasy reads that are out there. The mystery that Alex found herself caught up in was very dark and creepy. It kept me on my toes and turning pages long after I should have gone to sleep. My only complaint with the book was that I was never a huge fan of the romance that was developing between Alex and Detective Falin. I think that it was because Falin had so many secrets of his own that we were never really privy to. Maybe in the next book we will learn more about him. I'm really excited to see what happens next and how the story develops.

All in all, this was a really solid beginning to this urban fantasy series. It was dark, gritty and extremely compelling and I'm hooked on the world that Price has created. Highly recommended to fans of urban fantasy!!

Disclosure: I checked this book out at my local library and promptly bought a copy of the 2nd book after finishing this one.

I happened upon Kalayna Price as a result of the store's recommendations. After seeing other positive reviews of Grave Witch, I decided to buy it for myself. I'm glad I did!

Price has created an interesting and unique world, well-defined and intriguing. She has placed her own spin upon some well-known fantasy tropes (fae, the land of Faerie, uses of magic), while also developing a genuinely novel setting that is similar to our world but different in key ways. The reasons for the differences are believably explained.

The heroine of Grave Witch is named Alex Craft. Unlike a lot of urban fantasy heroines, she is approachable, likable, and very human even though she has a powerful magical talent. I'm not a fan of "kickass" heroines who rely on cranky one-liners and/or weaponry (be it magical or traditional) to get what they want. Alex comes across as a genuine person, someone I'd like to hang out with, and help the next time she needs to raise a shade or get a ride to the grocery store. Alex has two good girlfriends and a male friend who is fae but glamours himself to look human; together, the four are a nice support network for one another. And I like how Alex relates to her dog, PC, a Chinese crested who has her complete devotion. All in all, Alex is a refreshing change of pace from the moody loners you get with a lot of urban fantasy.

The hero is Falin Andrews. At first, he comes across as very unlikable, arrogant, obnoxious, and unreasonable. To her credit, Price manages to reveal his motives for being this way along the course of the story, and by the end, even skeptics should be willing to agree he fits the bill as a hero. Almost as good is the potential love triangle being set up between Alex, Falin, and a soul-collector (whom Alex calls "Death" because he's never given her another name to use).

Finally, kudos to Price for a fluid and accessible writing style, a talent for maintaining pace and flow, and a vivid imagination. Points also for avoiding gratuitous and unnecessary violence while still creating a believably evil villain on a killing spree. I look forward to reading Alex's next adventure!

Alex Craft's work involves giving voice to the deceased, which doesn't guarantee she gets paid as not everybody is happy paying after learning what the dead have to say. She is a grave witch that can rise shades from the dead and also has connections in the police and helps with some cases. Alex's sister Casey lives with her father and even though they are a rich family, both ignore Alex until a high-profile case brings Casey to Alex. Alex also meets police detective Falin Andrews who is the new detective in charge of said case, and sometimes has Death for company - a very good looking soul collector that she met when she was 5. The mystery deepens as Alex can see more than everyone else connected with the case and her soul gets seriously hurt. Will she live enough to save herself and solve the mysterious deaths?

I really enjoyed this book. Not only most of it was pretty original to me, Alex is extremely likeable and she knows how to choose her friends. Most characters are very interesting and the story develops pretty fast, which makes it quite difficult to stop reading. I hope to read the second book soon as all the surprising developments in the end of this book gave me a serious case of acute curiosity.

This book falls into the ever-expanding genre where we've got a female main character with some variation of a paranormal gift in a parallel universe where the oogie boogie monsters have made themselves known to the world. In this case, Fey are politicians and witches have "come out of the broom closet." Alex Craft is a Grave Witch, in that she can raise shades (not souls or ghosts, rather memories of the deceased) which means she's used her skills to become a PI and consultant for the police. After she has tries to raise a shade for a Jane Doe and is attacked then almost shot she ends up in the middle of a serial killer case with Detective Falin Andrews. (Aka: Mr. Hunky and mysterious)

I liked the main character. She was pretty well developed, appropriately prickly without being too hard-headed. The main plot and the world in this book are not incredibly new or original. So I often found myself comparing it to other authors. And the supporting characters, other than Alex and Falin were a little...weak, to me. But I did enjoy the book overall. For the first in a series I think it does a decent job of setting the tone. It also does not leave it on some serious cliff-hanger, but does have you wanting more.

To me, it was comparable to Mark of the Demon (Kara Gillian, Book 1) , although I found Rowland's series to be a bit more innovative. I will definitely be getting the next in the series, Grave Dance: An Alex Craft Novel.