Review: Grave Witch by Kalayna Price (Alex Craft #1)

Publisher - Berkley UK
Publication Date - 8th December
Paperback - 352 pages
Genre - Urban Fantasy

Source - Received from publisher for review

Rating - 4 out of 5: I really liked it!

Book Info - Just because Grave Witch Alex Craft can speak to the dead, doesn't mean she has to like what they 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. To top off her day, someone makes a serious attempt on her life. Luckily, Death steps in to save her - guess that means he likes having her around?

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...

My Thoughts - I've had my eye on this book for a while now and I was not at all disappointed by it once I started reading.

I really liked Alex as a main character. She is just completely believable - from her financial problems to her men troubles - and I found it so easy to understand her motives and to come to like her. The author's descriptions of Alex's use of magic were well-written and, while I have found other books based on magic to be difficult to understand at first, I just fell head first into Alex's magical world from page one.

There are two men in Alex's life and although I find some love triangles a bit tiresome I thought this one was integrated into the story well and it did work for me. The first man has been in her life for a while and although they are just friends it is obvious he wants more from Alex - although I'm not all that sure about how that would work seeing as the man is Death himself. The second man, Falin, is an arrogant detective who Alex is working with on her current case and he is a big mystery. I must admit to not liking Falin all that much but I'm not sure if that's just because I want to see where things might head between Alex and Death - that has got me very intrigued!

The storyline had me hooked from the first page. The mystery element is well-written with some good twists and an ending I didn't see coming. Plus, I fell in love with the world that the author has created through her descriptions of people and places - I wanted to be right there beside Alex!

Summary - An amazing start to the series and I am very excited to find out what kind of trouble Alex might get herself into in the next book.

Other books in the series:
1. Grave Witch
2. Grave Dance
3. Grave Memory

Other reviews of this book:
Dark Faerie Tales / Love Vampires / Smexy Books