Grave Memory (Alex Craft, #3)

Aug 22, 2012 Tori [Book Faery] rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: wishlist, read-in-2012, reviewed

I don't think I have ever closed a book and immediately had to satisfy the need to rage on twitter as badly as I had to after finishing GRAVE MEMORY. As I attempt to type this review, I am trembling because I am so pissed off (and happy, I'm very happy too) and I can't stand it. For that reason, I will start the review off with negatives, and end it with positives so I can go to bed thinking about my book husband.

Falin. I want to snarl whenever I think of him now. If anyone has read my reviews o...more I don't think I have ever closed a book and immediately had to satisfy the need to rage on twitter as badly as I had to after finishing GRAVE MEMORY. As I attempt to type this review, I am trembling because I am so pissed off (and happy, I'm very happy too) and I can't stand it. For that reason, I will start the review off with negatives, and end it with positives so I can go to bed thinking about my book husband.

Falin. I want to snarl whenever I think of him now. If anyone has read my reviews of the other two books in this series, then they know I am definitely rooting for Death/Alex. Hell, my placeholder review on Goodreads was "GIVE ME DEATH! I love that sexy beast! Rawr." So for that reason, I was not thrilled reading about Alex still straddling the fence regarding these two men. What is even worse is the fact that, while I actually DO like Falin's character, I do not like how he is being flung around as this object by the Winter Queen (understandable, but I don't have to like it), and I don't like how everyone's feelings in this triangle are getting trampled on.

I suppose this means I am invested in the story, huh?

What is even worse is the ending--literally the last couple of paragraphs--that totally trampled on the happy bubble I was temporarily living in. I think I was even on the verge of squeeing because I was so thrilled with how things were going. This ending is the sole reason for my rage. It literally jumped out of the bushes, stole my candy, and flipped me off before scampering away. It is somewhat like a cliffhanger, but not in the traditional sense. I won't say anything more, and I feel only those invested in the universe will truly feel elation or rage over the conclusion. You know which side I'm on.

The last thing that was a bit of a bummer was the first half of the book. There was a lot of detective work in this novel, and frankly, it was not my thing. I dont like books based soley on mystery; I want my fantasy, and I want my worldbuilding, and I certainly want my romance and kick ass scenes where the supernatural villain dies a supernaturally violent death that he/she deserved. That is why I read urban fantasy. Regarding the first half of the novel, well, I wanted more action, and I wanted all the characters I love in this series to have appeared sooner and stayed longer. I thought there was something wrong with me initially, since this series always sucked me in from page one, but once more of the fantasy elements resurfaced, I was engaged again.

Now for the good: Death.

No seriously, he made this book for me. I've never claimed a book boyfriend out loud before (though I may have thought of a few throughout the years as one. It's like polyandry, minus the marriage and the boyfriends knowing about each other...because I've claimed so many), and Death, after the scenes in this book, has been upgraded from boyfriend to fiancé, and now I am claiming him as my book husband. I know I sound like a total lunatic, but I am okay with that.

In all seriousness though, readers finally get to catch a glimpse of this mysterious, yet sexy, character, and he did not disappoint. I wouldn't go so far as to say he's an alpha male, but he certainly has some qualities of one. He also has so beta qualities, but is not entirely beta, either. I only wish he had more screen time, because I just cannot get enough of him. He made such an impression that it truly kills me to know that there was ever a love triangle to begin with.

I'm only tacking off a star because of the mystery-novel-who-dun-it that pervaded throughout most of the first half of the novel. Aside from that, I really do not have any other complaints, and I think the "bad" that I mentioned is bad because this series has sunken its claws into me and made me care. How often do we truly feel passionate about a book enough that we feel not only mad, but sad, and happy as well by the end? Especially as reviewers? Not often enough for me, that's for sure.

I'll take it, love triangle and all. If anything, I'll just claim Death for myself and Alex can have Falin.

Verdict: Must read. Go buy it now. (less)

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Jul 06, 2012 Morgan added it · review of another edition

Amazing series and it's only book #2! I like Falin but I have to say so far I am rooting for Alex and Death...I can't wait for July to come; I'm excited to see what adventure Alex will get involved in next!

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Jul 17, 2012 Lesley rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Grave Memory continues everything I loved about the first two Alex Craft books - action, romance, magic, and intriguing characters. In this installment, Alex’s life becomes even more intertwined with the world of Faerie as well as the mysterious soul collectors. Death plays a much larger role as Alex uncovers some of his secrets, and their interactions become considerably steamier. But of course, Alex’s other love interest Falin is still in the picture, and there are still monumental obstacles p...more

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Jun 30, 2012 Maja rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: arc-2012, creepy-love-triangle, annoying-love-triangle, failed-to-impress, i-see-dead-people, just-another-book-crush, magic, the-fae-are-so-scary, urban-fantasy, reviewed-in-2012

If there’s one thing I can say about Kalayna Price’s Alex Craft books, it’s that they’re consistent. If you liked the first two books, chances are you’ll enjoy this too.

A series of seemingly random suicides piques Alex’s curiosity and she starts digging despite warnings from the police and the FIB’s refusal to help. No longer just a grave witch but a planeweaver as well, Alex is now solid on all planes of existence and can move things from one plane to the next. Her newfound abilities also allo...more
If there’s one thing I can say about Kalayna Price’s Alex Craft books, it’s that they’re consistent. If you liked the first two books, chances are you’ll enjoy this too.

A series of seemingly random suicides piques Alex’s curiosity and she starts digging despite warnings from the police and the FIB’s refusal to help. No longer just a grave witch but a planeweaver as well, Alex is now solid on all planes of existence and can move things from one plane to the next. Her newfound abilities also allow her to see through almost any glamour. That’s why she’d the only one who can see the odd being that possesses a person, spends three days in expensive hotels and restaurants and then forces the host to commit suicide in order to switch bodies.

I think I liked it better when Alex was just a grave witch. She is suddenly a planeweaver, a powerful faerie and the most powerful faerie around, but it’s still not enough to call her a kick-ass heroine since she’s blind half the time from using her grave sight. In this book, she discovers what being a fae really means. She has to choose allegiance and she has to learn to consciously use glamour for the first time, which means that she is forced to turn to her father for help. There are a few more surprises waiting for her in her family home, and although her father’s attitude hasn’t changed at all, I enjoyed discovering things about him with her.

Alex’s visit to Faerie for the equinox was rather unnecessary plot-wise, but this is where Price really let her imagination loose, and the result was beautiful. I had to overcome my fear of the fae in order to truly enjoy it, but since Alex entered with a feeling of unease, it was even easier for me to identify with her and experience the same combination of amazement and fear.

Alex made absolutely no progress with either of the men she loves, or rather, she made some progress with Death, but they quickly went back to their previous status. Falin is, as always, under the Winter Queen’s compulsion, owned and puppeteered by a woman who uses him to lure Alex into the Winter Court. Considering my fear of faeries and how much I disliked and distrusted Falin from the start, I wish Alex would finally give up on him and leave him to the Queen. Death, on the other hand, is being kept away from Alex because a relationship between a mortal and a soul collector is extremely dangerous, but his behavior is consistent, it’s clear that he loves Alex, and in the end, he’s always there when she needs him, which is more than I can say for Falin. Plus, he has amazing abs. Enough said.

Although this series didn’t make it on my Top 11 Urban Fantasy series list, it’s still one I enjoy and always look forward to. Alex’s world has a lot to give and I can’t wait to find out which direction Price will take. I just hope the love triangle will be resolved in the next book.

A copy of this book was kindly provided by the publisher, Penguin Roc, for review purposes.

Also posted at The Nocturnal Library (less)

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Aug 26, 2012 Carmel (Rabid Reads) rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Reviewed by: Rabid Reads

Alex Craft has landed another oh-my-god-this-can't-be-true case and is once again investigating the impossible. This time it's a string of suicides that are actually murders. Yeah, good luck proving that one! It's this strong detective-type backbone that keeps me coming back for more with each new installment. True, there's also a love triangle, alternate plains of existence and magic but it's the investigations that make these books good; the rest is just icing on the ca...more Reviewed by: Rabid Reads

Alex Craft has landed another oh-my-god-this-can't-be-true case and is once again investigating the impossible. This time it's a string of suicides that are actually murders. Yeah, good luck proving that one! It's this strong detective-type backbone that keeps me coming back for more with each new installment. True, there's also a love triangle, alternate plains of existence and magic but it's the investigations that make these books good; the rest is just icing on the cake. In Grave Memory, Alex grows up, Death finally makes his choice and ghouls run amok. Alex Craft is back and better than ever before!

Our lil' grave witch is finally growing up! In this installment she opens up a Tongues For The Dead office, enlists the help of a couple of partners and makes responsible decisions. I enjoyed watching Alex leave her mark on Nekros City and face adversity head-on. I was surprised by her new attitude more than once; instead of wallowing in self-pity she buckles down and takes care of business. Alex doesn't run. She sticks by her friends, attempts to sort out her complicated love life and even manages to solve a case or two. Craft is dealing with a few internal problems as well namely her diminishing eyesight and a few new, not entirely human characteristics that have begun to manifest. Like she really needs any more challenges to add to her already gigantic pile!

The first 3/4th of this book progresses like the other two in this series; Alex follows various leads trying to solve a case. Interesting but nothing to phone home about. The last quarter is where the real meat is. We learn a few more tidbits about the Soul Collectors and score some serious Death face time which I've been craving since Grave Witch. I really enjoyed the pacing of this story. Whenever there's a lull in the action there's still plenty of witty dialogue and enough side plots to keep you entertained. I actually laughed out line a few times at some of Alex's one-liners. She finds herself in some pretty impossible situations yet still manages to laugh about them. Pay close attention to a scene involving a Ziploc bag. Just saying.

Emily Durante, the narrator, does a fantastic job of donning Alex's shoes. At first, her raspy almost pack-a-day smoker's voice annoyed me but after a few hours I no longer struggled to associate her with this series' heroine. She handles Craft's snark with ease and I even enjoyed her side character voices. Next time I won't think twice before buying an audiobook narrated by Miss Durante.

I should have known that Falin was down but not out. He pops up here and there throughout the story and then adds his two cents at the end to create another brutal cliffhanger. He just couldn't leave well enough alone could he? Generally love triangles piss me off more often than not but in this case I'm finding Price's to be wildly intriguing. The fun doesn't stop with Grave Memory; Kalayna has signed on for at least another three installments and I for one can't wait.

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Sep 01, 2012 Lynsey (The Demon Librarian) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: book-boyfriend, cracking-mystery, fae-alicious, ghost-tastic, girl-power, hero-i-love, heroine-i-love, hot-smexy-times, magic-tastic, romantic-elements, sexual-tension-torture-device, smack-your-witch-up, squee-worthy, sweet-romance, unusual-creatures-beings-species, urban-fantasy, kick-ass-chicks

So good to be back with Alex and crew.

This is book three in a series that's gradually becoming a top favourite of mine. What makes it a favourite? Well, you've got the imaginative world-building, the diverse cast of characters of all ages and from all walks of life, the new spin on the Fae race, the interesting take on witch magic, including its harsh drawbacks, and all the inter-layered plains of existence and creatures that live in them. And also the potential love interest characters are non...more So good to be back with Alex and crew.

This is book three in a series that's gradually becoming a top favourite of mine. What makes it a favourite? Well, you've got the imaginative world-building, the diverse cast of characters of all ages and from all walks of life, the new spin on the Fae race, the interesting take on witch magic, including its harsh drawbacks, and all the inter-layered plains of existence and creatures that live in them. And also the potential love interest characters are none too shabby either.

Now, I know a lot of people hate love triangles with the fiery passion of a thousand suns, but this one I feel is more than worth while getting involved in. Because you've basically been given two good (mostly) men, both of whom love Alex and who I like to think she loves in return in slightly differing ways, and then Price has just complicated the ever living hell out of it, making each potential pairing seemingly impossible for one reason or another. It's very interesting and I'm completely torn over how I feel about each of them. I was pleased, therefore, that this book had a little more time devoted to Death and the Collectors, to try and balance out my opinion since Falin was hogging the limelight for most of the first two books.

It's really hard to watch what's happening with Falin at the moment. He's tied through compulsions to the Winter Queen (can you say bitch in a tiara?), who, despite her animosity towards Alex, wants her to join her Court. The way she's been trying to "gently persuade" Alex to her side has been to dangle the prospect of being with Falin in her face.... by sending him to raid her house every couple of weeks on bogus charges and searches as part of his F.I.B job. Just to torment her with the fact that she can see him, talk to him, but he's been compelled to only have contact with her in an official capacity. No small talk, no niceties. It's painful for Alex and more than a little cruel of the Winter Queen. I'm dying to see what else she has up her sleeve after what happened in the final pages.

Death, as I mentioned before, gets more time to shine in this instalment. I enjoyed learning even more about the Collectors and Death himself. He's so yummy. I really struggle to find fault with him. I guess his main fault is that he's unattainable.

Alex is having a slightly hard time of things. Her friend John seems to be giving her the cold shoulder, she can't seem to do right for doing wrong in the investigation currently ongoing, and her love life is a disaster. Still, she's trying to make the best of things and is thrilled to have her childhood friend Rianna back in her life. They've decided to do something they planned as kids together; open a P. I. firm called 'Tongues for the dead.'

I enjoyed the plot surrounding the 'Rider' once it got going. Unfortunately that seemed to take quite while. Also, there was not much sign of either Falin or Death in the first half so I found it a little slow going. It did have plenty of recaps in the opening chapters for anyone who, like me, has forgotten a lot of the details since the last book. I was worried at first that I'd forgotten too much as I couldn't even remember the names of her house mates, but it all came back to me with the gentle re-introductions provided. By which I mean, we were given just enough info to jog the old memory box, but not pages and pages of character bios copied and pasted from past books (take note, Estep!).

All in all a great instalment, definitely one for the Death fans, and a great progression of the series.

4 Stars ★★★★

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Jul 08, 2012 Douglas Meeks rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

While this was an amazing addition to the Alex Craft series it did not quite live up to the other 2 in the series (this is more like the other two were 10/10 and this one was like 8/10) which still makes it better than 80% of the books out there. The thing that I guess left me a bit unfulfilled in this action packed novel is the fact that you keep wanting her to be able to "get even" with the Winter Queen and you don't get that lovely revenge you really , really want :) Readers of the series wil...more

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Jan 17, 2013 Sarah rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: books-i-own-print, buddy-read, read-in-2012, favorites

This was a buddy read with Aly, you can read her review here: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

Alex and her best friend Rianna have finally opened their own PI firm called Tongues for the Dead but their first case is a lot more complicated than they had bargained for. What initially looks like a simple suicide case turns out to be much more when Alex realises that the Shade has no memory of the days leading up to the death - something that should be impossible. As the rate of public suici...more This was a buddy read with Aly, you can read her review here: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

Alex and her best friend Rianna have finally opened their own PI firm called Tongues for the Dead but their first case is a lot more complicated than they had bargained for. What initially looks like a simple suicide case turns out to be much more when Alex realises that the Shade has no memory of the days leading up to the death - something that should be impossible. As the rate of public suicides continues to rise it becomes clear that something darker is going on but what could be behind the deaths? As if Alex's professional life wasn't complicated enough her personal life is even worse - with Falin under orders from the Winter Queen to keep his distance regarding anything that isn't work related, and Death nowhere in sight since his declaration, Alex is desperately missing both of the men in her life. She is also feeling more disconnected with her friends than ever before thanks to the efforts of the Winter Queen and the latest revelations about her own past. Before she can worry about her personal life she is going to have to deal with whatever is causing the current spate of suicides though, but can she do it before any of the people closest to her end up getting hurt?

Grave Memory is the third book in Kalayna Price's Alex Craft series and in my opinion this series just gets better and better with every instalment. I just wish I didn't have to wait for the next book to be published! This is one of the only series I can think of that has a love triangle that isn't driving me completely crazy, I can see why Alex is attracted to both Falin and Death so although I definitely know which team I'm on (Team Death of course!) I understand why Alex is finding it so hard to make a decision. I don't think Falin is a bad guy but the fact that he is tied to the Winter Queen makes it impossible to trust any of his actions, something that is really proved to Alex in this book. I would like to see him break his ties to the Winter Queen but to be honest I'm really hoping that Alex ends up with Death!

I have been crushing on Death since the first book but so far he had remained very much a mystery man and we didn't know very much about him so I was incredibly excited that he had a much larger role in this story. If I had a crush on him before I am completely 100% head over heels in love with him now - he is such a sexy guy and his actions in this book were completely swoonworthy. There is no doubt in my mind that he loves Alex and would do anything to keep her safe and he proves that time and time again no matter what it costs him. The only problem is that love between a human and a soul collector is forbidden so any future for them isn't going to be easy. There just has to be a way for them to make it work though - I refuse to accept any other alternative!

Although I love the romance in this series it is by no means the main focus of the story which is something I really appreciate. I enjoyed the mystery surrounding the suicides and it was great to see Alex and Rianna reconnect after spending so many years apart. Rianna is having a hard time adjusting to having freedom again but I think Alex did a great job of helping her find her feet and start to experience life again. I also enjoyed learning more about the Fae and I don't envy Alex the choices that she is going to have to make when it comes to allying herself with one of the courts or declaring herself an independent. It seems like no matter which way she decides to go she is going to cause problems for herself of one kind or another. One of the things I like the most about this series is the way using magic has a price, that always makes it seem much more realistic to me but I have to admit that I don't envy Alex and Rianna their abilities. The cost of using her gift is becoming greater every time Alex accesses her grave magic and that is just going to make things even more complicated for her in the future. Kalayna Price has created a fantastic urban fantasy series that is fast becoming one of my favourites and I can't wait for the next instalment. If you aren't reading this series yet then I'd highly recommend starting with the first book Grave Witch but if you're already a fan then you're going to love this latest instalment!(less)

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Jan 05, 2013 Arushi rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: urban-fantasy

Grave Memory is the third installment in the Alex Craft Series. Its not a bad book but its not as good as the first two.

The plot takes a while to get going and even once it starts, to be very honest, the main 'bad guy' simply did not have the flat out intricacy that the previous two books' villains (for lack of a better term) had. Its all very linear. Identify bad guy, try to capture bad guy, mess up a few times, get more info on said bad guy, and then victory!

Now, there are book with linear p...more

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Jul 04, 2012 Shelley aka Gizmo's Reviews rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012-releases, genre-urban-fantasy, arc-tour

*Rating* 4.0
*Genre* Urban Fantasy
Mass Market Paperback, 1st Edition, 373 pages
Expected publication: July 3rd 2012 by Roc
*ARC Received from the publisher*

*Thoughts*

I am seriously glad that I took copious notes in order to keep up with the numerous characters that appeared over the course of this story, and what part they played in the final outcome of the storyline. I think we are reintroduced to almost everyone who has played any sort of role in Alex's life since this series was released.

I'm no...more

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May 01, 2013 Paige rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Did the author make some sort of dare while writing this--'I know...I'll throw out some completely crazy scenarios that would never happen and then make it fit the story.Yeah, that sounds like a good idea'.

I've got to admit that this story really tested my ability to just let crazy plots and story lines ride. I desperately want to scream WHAT WERE YOU THINKING??? but don't want to spoil many parts of the story with my ranting so I won't.

Basic random overview:

Alex yearns after Falin and Death. Sh...more

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Apr 09, 2013 Christi Snow rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

My Review:

OMG, such a good book! The problem...there's no set release date for Book #4....NO!!!!!

In this book, things are transitioning pretty quickly for Alex. She's dealing with the changes to her life that being Fae have wrought...and NONE of them are easy. She and Rhianna have opened an actual investigations office. Falin has been ordered by the Winter Queen to have no contact with her. Death is in pretty much the same circumstance...staying as far away as possible.

But there are a string of...more

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Feb 11, 2013 Twiggy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: magical, mystery, urban-fantasy, fantasy, fae

Book 3, starts off with Alex opening her own office.

Alex and Rianna bump into a ghost of a recent jumper, who swears that he did not in fact commit suicide.

This sets them on a trail whereupon they discover a series of apparent suicides that do not add up. The shade of each victim has no memory of the previous 3 days and no memory of the suicide. It turns out that infact they have all been checking into fancy restaurants, clubs and hotels and generally living the high life in the days before de...more

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Jan 21, 2013 Fangs for the Fantasy rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Alex Craft returns to pursue a new business venture – she’s always sold her Grave Magic abilities to interested parties but with her deteriorating eye sight which is only going to get worse unless she changes the focus of her work. So, she and Rianna try their hand at being private detectives, putting their full magical skills on the job, not just the ability to speak to shades.

And their first case is a major one. People are dying – committing suicide. Only this suicide seems to be catching, lea...more Alex Craft returns to pursue a new business venture – she’s always sold her Grave Magic abilities to interested parties but with her deteriorating eye sight which is only going to get worse unless she changes the focus of her work. So, she and Rianna try their hand at being private detectives, putting their full magical skills on the job, not just the ability to speak to shades.

And their first case is a major one. People are dying – committing suicide. Only this suicide seems to be catching, leaving a string of bodies across the city. And Alex may be the only one with the magical skills to figure out what’s happening. Investigating is hampered, however, by her fraying ties with the police – she’s been involved in too many mysterious and closed cases. Worse, when a case of ghouls breaks out in the city, the eyes of the authorities fall on Alex as the state’s only known Grave Witch.

Then there’s the fae. Thanks to her father’s hidden heritage, Alex is becoming a full Sleagh Maith which comes with its own learning curve. The Queen of Winter is also losing patience with Alex’s undeclared status and pressure is mounting on her to finally pick a court.

In all I think this book did an excellent job when viewed in relation to the previous two. In Grave Witch, we’re introduced extremely well to a very large and involved world with multiple concept s. It was, as I said at the time, a very good introduction novel that set us up well. Grave Dance, however, dropped a lot of new concepts, new developments, new world building and new meta on us in a very short period of time. It was a little overwhelming and, at times, a little hard to follow – especially with it only being book two in the series.

Now comes Grave Memory and it did an amazing job of taking all the pieces that had been dropped on us in Grave Dance and put them in a nice, understandable order. It had its own plot to avoid being just about the world building (and that, in turn, carried one of the concepts from a previous book about why ripping holes in the planes is such a very very bad idea) but it also took the chance to explore what had been dropped on us and remind us where the metaplot stood at this point. So we saw Alexis’ relationship with her father, her relationship with her friends – Caleb, Holly, Tamara and Rianna bringing us up to date on them. It reminded us of her faerie holding, defined exactly what her faerie blood meant and what that manes in relation to the courts and – again – what those courts where and what they meant to degree. We got to see where her almost-relationships with Death and Falin stood and what the principle oppositions were. We even got an expansion on the Soul collectors – not a lot, certainly not to reveal all of their secrets by any stretch, but it was another addition of information without adding more to our already very full plate.

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Dec 27, 2012 Vannessa rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: kindle-books, ghosts-mostly, urban-fantasy-adult, witches-mostly

I really want to give this book a 4 1/2 star rating but Goodreads doesn't do half stars so a 4 it will have to be. I can't give it a 5 because of a certain character in the book, who just plain irritates me, but more about him later.

Alex decides in this book to start her own paranormal/ghost investigation business with her best friend Rianna. One afternoon they hear a commotion and find that a man has committed suicide by jumping off the roof of a motel, except his ghost, which Alex can see and...more I really want to give this book a 4 1/2 star rating but Goodreads doesn't do half stars so a 4 it will have to be. I can't give it a 5 because of a certain character in the book, who just plain irritates me, but more about him later.

Alex decides in this book to start her own paranormal/ghost investigation business with her best friend Rianna. One afternoon they hear a commotion and find that a man has committed suicide by jumping off the roof of a motel, except his ghost, which Alex can see and hear, is adamant that he didn't commit suicide. Rianna gives her business card to the police officer to pass to the widow, who does turn up at the office, hiring the girls to find out who really killed her husband.

Alex's investigation into his death soon escalates into something she could not possibly have ever imagined and the perpetrator is not something or someone she has ever dealt with before and has no idea how to stop either. There are also other attacks and murders that Alex is accused of being the mastermind behind and her relations with the police force are stretched very thinly because of this false accusation. But how are these attacks connected to the suicides???

The love triangle is still going on as well with Falin and Death and Alex can't decide what she really feels about either of them, but her feelings don't really matter as she can't have either of them. I really feel for her here. She struggles to push her feelings aside and every time she see either of them, her feelings come rushing straight back to the surface.

Now Falin is the one who irritates me. He is nothing but a puppet for the Winter Queen and despite admitting his feelings towards her, he is compelled by the Queen to treat her in a truly offhandish way. I wish he could find some way of being true to Alex, but really I want him to just disappear so Alex can be with Death, but at the minute that one is not really possible either. I just hope she is able to choose between them and be with them in the next book.(less)

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Nov 12, 2012 Roxanne Rhoads rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Kalayna Price never disappoints. I was hooked from the first page and did not want to put this book down until I finished it. There were a couple very late nights with this book. But only a couple because I finished it in three days :-)

In Grave Memory Alex is still trying to accept that she's more Fae than human and deal with the fact that both men in her life and unattainable.

Falin is bound to the Winter Queen and no matter how he actually feels for her, the Queen comes first and he has to do w...more

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Sep 30, 2012 Sheyla rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The third installment begins with Alex convincing Rianna to join her in a new office in a bad neighborhood. As always, we see Rianna with her barghest, Desmond by her side. After convincing her to join, they hear a loud noise. Someone has jumped off a building. When Alex gets close to the scene, she hears the ghost denying killing himself. Rianna gives their business card to a cop to be given to the widow. The widow hires them to find the truth. Uncovering serial suicides or not is the main myst...more

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Sep 20, 2012 Jana Stocks Brown rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: female-protagonist, paranormal-romance, owned, urban-fantasy

I finished this book while sitting at Disney and immediately had to vent at my husband over it. My poor husband who wasn't doing anything wrong but trying to ready his book.

This series makes me crazy. I love the urban fantasy part of it. The mystery and the powers are very different from a lot of what I've read, even if there are similarities with the uber heroine and the hunky guys, but that's kinda part and parcel for the genre. So long and short I like the story telling. I like Alex's world a...more I finished this book while sitting at Disney and immediately had to vent at my husband over it. My poor husband who wasn't doing anything wrong but trying to ready his book.

This series makes me crazy. I love the urban fantasy part of it. The mystery and the powers are very different from a lot of what I've read, even if there are similarities with the uber heroine and the hunky guys, but that's kinda part and parcel for the genre. So long and short I like the story telling. I like Alex's world and there is a strong cast of secondary characters I've become very fond of as well. The part that is killing me is the stupid romance, especially after this book.

In this series, as many, there is a romantic triangle situation which is still unresolved after three books. The guys kinda take turns getting to be the 'it' guy from book to book, and I'll admit that I'm firmly team Death, so I was pretty pleased with some of the developments here. The thing I dislike is that it has been proven that Falin will betray Alex. It doesn't matter if he thinks he loves her he will always be a problem for her because he is bound to the Winter Queen. Unless the Queen releases him this is never going to change, and for as long as she's held him, I don't see any reason she'd release him so continuing to yearn after that relationship is the height of too stupid too live. Maybe the author is trying to build up to Alex killing off the Winter Queen, but as it stands it just makes me think Alex is an idiot, particularly considering everything that happens with Death in this volume. I also dislike the insinuation at the end of the book that the Winter Queen can command Falin to do something and Alex can't protest in the slightest or stop him. It's -her- home, one would think that hearth rights would trump Queen bitchiness. I am willing to give the series another book because of all the things I love about it, but if it keeps up with the back and forth thing this series will join the others where I'm tired of reading about the alphas who don't have the self esteem to give the girl up when it's obvious she won't EVER choose between them and they're way too alpha to share.

So yeah...it's a 4 star, but with a vasty GRRARGH attached.
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Sep 09, 2012 Angie rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: everyone

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Aug 28, 2012 QueenB rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Very strong entry in the Alex Craft series by Kalayna Price. Lots of movement for several characters and in Alex's career. I feel like my Alex is growing up...and learning the hard knock way. I looove any scene with Alex and her father. I feel like that man is sitting on a mountain of secrets and one day...there will be an avalanche.

As any good romantic triangle will teach us, frustration is a real thing. Oh yes. I have to be honest and say that although I enjoy a well written triangle, and Ms...more

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Aug 20, 2012 Ruth rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: spec-fic

C2012. FWFTB: glamour, suicides, shades, magic, remember.There was no way I was going to miss this one.Another fantastic instalment to the story of Alex Craft.What a great ending........how am I going to be able to wait until next year for the Book 4. How do I get my hands on the arc??
There is a character in this book by the name of Briar Darque and I wondered if this name was inspired by one of the book-bloggers that wrote a blurb on one of the first book – Darque Reviews. This blog has not bee...more

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Aug 17, 2012 Dangerous Romance Book Reviews rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

When the dead need to talk, Alex Craft is always ready to listen…

As a Grave Witch, Alex solves murders by raising the dead—an ability that comes at a cost, and after her last few cases, that cost is compounding. But her magic isn’t the only thing causing havoc in her life. While she’s always been on friendly terms with Death himself, things have recently become a whole lot more close and personal. Then there’s her sometime partner, agent Falin Andrews, who is under the glamour of the Winter Quee...more When the dead need to talk, Alex Craft is always ready to listen…

As a Grave Witch, Alex solves murders by raising the dead—an ability that comes at a cost, and after her last few cases, that cost is compounding. But her magic isn’t the only thing causing havoc in her life. While she’s always been on friendly terms with Death himself, things have recently become a whole lot more close and personal. Then there’s her sometime partner, agent Falin Andrews, who is under the glamour of the Winter Queen. To top everything off, her best friend has been forever changed by her time spent captive in Faerie.

But the personal takes a backseat to the professional when a mysterious suicide occurs in Nekros City and Alex is hired to investigate. The shade she raises has no memory of the days leading up to his brutal ending, so despite the very public apparent suicide, this is murder. But what kind of magic can overcome the human will to survive? And why does the shade lack the memory of his death? Searching for the answer might mean Alex won’t have a life to remember at all…

I really liked this series when it first came out. Although it reminded me a lot of early LKH (basically Alex Craft had the exact same job as Anita Blake before she went all Ardeur, raising shades of the dead and getting them to testify as to what happened or their wishes after they have departed ...AND working with the police as a consultant to solve murders) It was still fun, and well written. I loved the fact that this character had a very strong female support system, something so few of our female leads in Urban Fantasy seem to have.

I'm not a fan of a Heroine who is a self admitted slut. Call me old fashioned, but I like my heroine to be a bit of a challenge to whoever she is dealing with. While Alex as the voice of the books, spoke to the fact that was how she behaved in the past, I didn't see a lot of that in the first books, it was more referred to as seen. She had a job that was interesting, she was smart, the world building was extremly strong, and there was an interesting love triangle. What's not to like?

Well...things are changing. Alex is starting her own P.I. Agency (sigh...dear god, could we please have other jobs besides PI for our protaganists? I know it means you get to solve crimes and deal with the police without being shut out but it gets old.) Alex was also dealing with the fall out of the past books, discovering the fact that she is a powerful Fae and that her Father has been hiding things from her, her whole life and the damage Faery is wrecking extends not just to her friends, two of whom were captured and kept in Faery...one for hundreds of years, but also has put constraints on her love life but more about that later.

The mystery plot in the book is good. It is tightly written, moves right along, our protaganist is a good detective and clever. Her side characters are strongly written and feel quite real.

The problem for me with this series, and in particular in this book is Alex's inability to make a decision regarding her love life. There are two men she is attracted to. Both of them come with dire complications and problems. And there in lies my issue with what is developing with this character. She goes with and sleeps with, which ever guy is available. She tells one she loves him, and then when she can't be with him ....off she goes with the other one who she loves. If things get complicated with him...she'll bounce back to the other. I for one am getting sick of it. I like this series, I like the characters (although I'm a little irked that we are sliding right into the whole...I gain more powers with every book syndrome), but I can get past that. It seems to be occuring with all my favorite Heroes and Heroines. I've said before, I think it would be fun to see a series where a Hero starts out strong and powerful and loses abilities with every book until by the last book of the series, he/she is human.

No my real complaint is my Heroine, the person in my head...Alex Craft, who I like. I'd want her for a friend. She is smart, cunning, tough when she has to be, compassionate when she needs to be, and I almost never see her do things marking her as too stupid to live. However, she HAS to make a decision herself at some point in regards to her love life instead of just landing in bed with which ever guy is ALLOWED to sleep with her by the forces that run their lives. I like Alex alot, but I'm really starting to lose respect for her and that bothers me. I want to shake her, and tell her to grow a pair, figure out which dude is worth the trouble and then fight for him. She'll fight for her friends, she'll fight for a client. But she doesn't seem capable of making a decision and then fighting for her man.

Towards the end, I thought we'd finally seen progress in this area, and it was sad to know one of the guys was going to lose but the other would win, and that in and of itself was satisfying. Then we get a cliff hanger that puts us right back in a situation where she's not going to have any control over what happens. This is partly her fault because (once again) she refuses to make a decision as to what court she is going to join in Faerie, thereby allowing the nasty ole Winter Queen to mess with her life.

So is the book a good read and should you read it? Absolutely. It is another great addition to a really well written series which is moving along nicely. More information is being divulged, and the character is growing in all areas other than her emotional ability to make a decision involving her love life. Here is hoping the next book has Alex Craft grow in this area as well. Because the series deserves it.
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Aug 05, 2012 Elizabeth rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I loved this book! At some points the story slowed a little but it picked right back up and caught my intrest. I ended up devouring this book in a couple of hours and was left with a feeling of over wheleming want! If only we had just one or two more chapters *sigh*

I love Death and I love Falin so I don't really care either way how that works out they are both great in the story though I do wish Alex would just pick one of them an move in a direction away from the other. Or if she's not going to...more

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Jul 26, 2012 Kale rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A girl's gotta want more out of life, especially when your Prince Charming drinks out of the toilet and has his wardrobe imported from Petsmart.

Personally Alex's prospects aren't much better with one fey knight who's just as likely to kiss Alex as he is to kill her and one soul collector who's avoiding her, which with Alex's luck probably means that Death is just not that into her. Professionally the only constant is a perpetually empty bank account, and at this point Craft's main career goal is...more A girl's gotta want more out of life, especially when your Prince Charming drinks out of the toilet and has his wardrobe imported from Petsmart.

Personally Alex's prospects aren't much better with one fey knight who's just as likely to kiss Alex as he is to kill her and one soul collector who's avoiding her, which with Alex's luck probably means that Death is just not that into her. Professionally the only constant is a perpetually empty bank account, and at this point Craft's main career goal is staving off blindness.

So naturally Tongues For The Dead is expanding, taking on more than just shade raising, adding a couple new investigators, and an only slightly rundown office in a sketchy part of the magic quarter. Good thing too, because Alex is going to need all the help and resources she can get for this case. Suicides are suddenly on the rise. Shades and ghosts have no memory of their last days or death. Craft is sure Nekros has a supernatural serial killer on the loose. And he's gunning for a certian plain weaving grave witch.

Kalanya Price wastes no time kicking things into gear. The pacing was great, even the various plot setups and in between dialogue are really engaging giving the story constant movement when the action isn't in play. Price has written another challenging and ambitious book full of story lines to match her dueling plains of reality. The focus shifts from the fey driven threads of Grave Dance to address Alex's ever evolving life on the human plain. I like how the existing format of the Craft's life and world are changing as much as the characters' are. So many series get stagnant and boring because the author doesn't let the story or characters grow together. The changes made by the end of the book make me feel like the real story is just beginning.

Can I say that I have never wanted a love triangle so badly as I do with this series. I have picked my team and Grave Memory has a bit more romance than the last book. It was nice to finally see Death make his case for Alex's hand. Of course Craft can't catch a break since her relationships seem to come with extra complications. Yet I can't help but enjoy Price's sense of timing. She's not in a rush with the romance and she has only really focused on one beau at a time, letting the readers get to know Death and Falin along with their unique situations. I don't know when the two will collide but I can't wait to read it. The author's romantic spacing also keeps Alex from being just another wishy washy heroine who can't choose between her two or three love interests.

Grave Memory is my favorite in the series so far. The characters and world building have progressed so much that it seems like three books in and we are only just beginning the Alex Craft novels. My one complaint is that this series only comes out once a year and I'm primed and ready for this next chapter to begin.(less)

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Jul 13, 2012 Kristin rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Another great installment from Kalayna Price. Alex is yet again up against something out of her depth & not just in the work department.

If the last book belonged to Falin, this one is Death's. While the triangle is a common troupe in the UF/Paranormal romance genre...it is a testament to the authors' skill that depending who is on the page my allegiances switch. Last book, I was sure it was Falin..after this book, it has to be Death. I understand that some people might be frustrated with th...more

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Jul 11, 2012 Ninkopi rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I enjoyed this book - Alex is a likable heroine, she's a good person with the right pinch of strength.

The only thing that bothered me about her was her 'kick me when I'm down' attitude when she's confronted with unhappy friends.
When she is blamed for something (which is pretty much always) she hardly bothers to stand up for herself and proceeds to carry her undeserved guilt like a bucket on her head. I wish she'd just clear the air a little more forcefully and not be such a martyr.

I also wish...more

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Jul 07, 2012 Madame X rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fairies-or-fae, ghosts, love-triangle, paranormal-urban-fantasy, romance-spans-multiple-books, witchcraft-sorcery

Weak four stars, but I'll keep reading the series so I'm rounding up instead of down. This is one of those series I'm only casually invested in; I'd forgotten the rules of the world, the characters, the main conflicts that Alex has to deal with until I cracked open GRAVE MEMORY and reminded myself. So I won't get mad at the early parts of the book for being slow, though they kind of were. The plotting becomes quite strong by the end, with all kinds of ticking time bombs and imaginative teamwork...more Weak four stars, but I'll keep reading the series so I'm rounding up instead of down. This is one of those series I'm only casually invested in; I'd forgotten the rules of the world, the characters, the main conflicts that Alex has to deal with until I cracked open GRAVE MEMORY and reminded myself. So I won't get mad at the early parts of the book for being slow, though they kind of were. The plotting becomes quite strong by the end, with all kinds of ticking time bombs and imaginative teamwork and creepy creatures to defeat.

I was kind of annoyed by Alex throughout this installment of the series; was she always sort of self-loathing and weak, or is that new?

Example: Alex spends a lot of time in this book mooning about Falin and Death, her two love interests. She mopes a lot because Death is avoiding her. I'll cut her some slack on this one; they've been friends for decades, and Death has only been avoiding her for a month. But Falin? He still works for the Winter Queen and, on her orders, is harassing Alex. He's leading weekly raids on her house, ransacking not only her belongings but all her housemates', raiding her housemate Caleb's place of business, and he's not even slightly apologetic about it. Yet Alex gets all sentimental when he shows up at her house & wants to exchange longing glances over the ruins of her belongings. This is dumb. I hated Falin and Alex's behavior made me like her less.

The raids naturally stress Alex's relationships with her housemates. They're fed up, and I understand why - weekly raids! - though Alex for some reason expects them to suffer along with her. That's a lot to ask, right? I didn't understand why she wasn't actively trying to move out, for their sakes, but she never even considers the idea.

Meanwhile, her friends are pushing her to choose her alliance in Fairy by attaching herself to a court or declaring herself an independent. It seems clear that they're acting out of self-interest (choosing = no more raids) rather than for Alex's benefit, which didn't make me like them any better, since they're not helping her to make a good choice. Caleb, for example, bullies Alex into attending a big Fairy party, ignores all of her perfectly legitimate concerns about things that could go wrong, and then abandons her as soon as they arrive. Of course, Alex's fears were justified and she goes toe-to-toe with the Winter Queen all alone.

So all the friendships are messed up. And while the plot is pretty gripping, it's all centered around Alex's burgeoning business - Tongues of the Dead - which, considering this fairy drama, struck me as a bit of a distraction. Alex does have an urgent decision to make about her place in Fairy, but she doesn't do anything to educate herself about the various courts. She doesn't talk to people from unfamiliar factions, consider her options or try to negotiate. She's got this little fiefdom in Fairy that she never visits or even thinks about, does nothing to manage or care for.

I wanted Alex to be more pro-active, less re-active. I wanted her to talk back when people tried to blame her for things that weren't her fault. I wanted her to tell them off when they insulted her abilities. And every time she didn't, I lost a little bit of respect for her.

So, yes, weak four stars because I'll still keep reading, even though I was frustrated with Alex for much of the book.
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Jul 06, 2012 Seanean rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

http://librarytalker.blogspot.com/201...

Just moments after opening her first office for her private investigation firm Tongues for the Dead, Alex Craft has her next cased dropped on her. Literally.

A man has jumped off a rooftop to his death just feet from Alex and her Tongues partner. But what everyone from the eyewitnesses to the police say is an obvious suicide, Alex knows is murder.

His ghost told her so.

So Alex sets off to investigate his murder, even when no one else believes her, and she c...more

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Jul 05, 2012 Ferdy rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

2.5 stars - spoilers

Grave Memory begins with Alex and her best friend, Rianna starting up their new private investigation business. After Alex witnesses a man throwing himself of a building, she's convinced that something more sinister's going on, so she offers her services to the man's grieving widow. Alex manages to convince the widow into hiring her to investigate the apparent suicide. Alex soon finds out that there have been a string of suicides and that all the victims seem to have been pos...more 2.5 stars - spoilers

Grave Memory begins with Alex and her best friend, Rianna starting up their new private investigation business. After Alex witnesses a man throwing himself of a building, she's convinced that something more sinister's going on, so she offers her services to the man's grieving widow. Alex manages to convince the widow into hiring her to investigate the apparent suicide. Alex soon finds out that there have been a string of suicides and that all the victims seem to have been possessed prior to their death. Along with Rianna and her friends, Alex races to stop the creature possessing anyone else.

-The mystery surrounding the suicides stared of fairly engrossing but by the end it just got a tad confusing and boring. I would have preferred if the investigation had wrapped up sooner and instead had more time spent on more interesting plot points. Alex still knows very little about her fae heritage and I felt that there should have been more focus on that. I would have also liked more development in her relationships with Death, Falin and her dad.

-I was annoyed and irked by how many people were either pushing Alex around or lying to her or manipulating her - her dad, Falin, the collectors, Briar, the Winter queen and the FIB. It's always enjoyable when the protagonist has to find out the truth or overcome challenges but it was just ridiculous how little Alex has control of. It's strange how much her dad lies to her, after 3 books we're still no closer to finding out why he hid things from Alex or what his agenda is.

-I thought Alex's refusal to either align herself with a fae court or declare herself independant was just plain stupid. She should have done done some research into what her best option would be, instead she just avoids the whole thing and lets herself be harassed by the Winter queen. I don't understand why she didn't go to her dad for help or advice on the matter - it didn't make any sense, he obviously knows about the different courts, so why didn't she use him as a resource?? I'm pretty sure that the only reason behind Alex not picking a side was so that the author could create more drama and angst between Falin/Alex.

-Falin was just a douche, he treated Alex coldly because he was ordered to by the Winter queen but then he'd mess with Alex's feelings by giving her hope and acting nice for all of a few seconds. If he really cared about her, he shouldn't have been messing with her emotions that way.

-I was disappointed that Death only turned up in the last half of the book. His scenes with Alex were the highlight of the book - It's obvious he'd do anything for her and it was sweet how forthcoming he was with his feelings.

-The love triangle was frustrating - all Alex did was alternatively moan about missing Falin and then whine about not seeing Death. Alex was a right cow - with Falin she acted like he was the only one for her and that he was always on her mind when she actually spent half of her time thinking about another guy - it was pretty manipulative. I don't think Falin would be half as interested in Alex if he knew she had strong feelings for someone else. If there is another book, I hope the love triangle is resolved quickly - it's so tiresome.

-I don't know if there will be another book as the author has so far only been contracted to three. I hope there is because the ending had a cliffhanger of sorts and there's still a lot of loose ends that need tying up. I would have been happier if this book had an ending that offered at least some closure just in case there's no sequel.(less)

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Jul 04, 2012 Zeenat rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites

Synopsis: Alex and her changeling friend, Rianna, officially open the offices of "Tongues of the Dead Investigations"--and they see a man jump of a building. Except his ghost comes out and Alex sees him frantically denying he didn't commit suicide.

Both of her love interests left havoc on her emotions and had to disappear, so Alex throws herself into this case. But thennnnn . . .

Review: Another excellent installment. I read this book way into the night because I couldn't sleep. I'm sure me want...more

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CASTING CALL: CHA...: Supernatural Showdown #3: Team Death vs. Team Falin	3	24	Sep 27, 2012 04:43am
SOS: Serious Over...: [Sept 2012] "Grave Memory" Discussion Spoilers	35	93	Sep 14, 2012 09:03am

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Grave Memory (Alex Craft #3)

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