Book Review: Grave Dance by Kalayna Price

Grave Dance
Author: Kalayna Price
Narrator: Emily Durante
Publication: Roc (July 5, 2011)

Description: 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.

My Thoughts: Alex Craft has recovered from the incidents of the first book in the series and the popularity has helped get her business onto a solid and profitable footing. Her love life is less secure though. She hasn't seen Falin Andrews for over a month and he left without a word. Something is going on with Death too that is keeping him away. Alex is also just starting to get used to her new fae powers.

When her friend John calls her in on his homicide case, she gets swept into something bigger than a simple murder investigation. The Winter Queen is gathering the unaffiliated fae which means that Alex is on the run. This gets harder because Falin returns. His is the Winter Queen's lover and pet assassin but he doesn't want to turn Alex over to her.

Alex's new ability to punch holes in the wall between her world and other worlds makes her a desirable commodity for all of the fae kingdoms. Running from various fae makes it hard to investigate the killer who is leaving only left feet behind. Alex's life gets even more complicated when she learns that she has inherited all of Coleman's fae property including his castle and her best friend Rianna. 

This story was very exciting and fast-paced. I like the relationship that Alex has with both Falin and Death. I do not know which one she will eventually choose if she ever chooses either. Alex is a strong character who is over her head in the fae world which is tricky to navigate even for those born and raised there. But her strong loyalty to her friends sees her through.

I can't wait to read the next book in this series to find out what is next for Alex Craft.

Favorite Quote:

"You think I'm letting you out of my sight? Alex, you're a magnet for trouble, though, in trouble's defense, you go out looking for it. What with tearing holes in reality in the middle of populated streets and wandering the wilds using raw meat to draw out a fae well known for tearing people to shreds and eating them, it'a a wonder you're not completely entangled in trouble." He shook his head.

I began listening to the audiobook and finished by reading my Kindle copy. You can buy your copy of the audiobook here or the print/Kindle copy here.