| Title | : | Grave Memory (Alex Craft, #3) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 0451464591 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9780451464590 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Mass Market Paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 373 |
| Publication | : | First published July 3, 2012 |
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…
Grave Memory (Alex Craft, #3) Reviews
-
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. -
I've been frothing at the mouth like CRAZY for this book, so when it popped up in my Kindle at night I literally squealed. And, as usual, I loved my jaunt into this really well-thought out paranormal world.
In this book Alex has decided to open a detective agency, and gets a really interesting case that starts her down some really spooky territory. I think the plot was really interesting, I just feel overall the book didn't get started until like 1/4 of the way in. I think Alex having ALL these different awesome skills (Grave Magic, Plane walking AND Faerie stuff) required a lot of exposition up front, there was a lot of lore explaining I just skimmed to get to the action, but when she used her powers with the bad guy, it was AWESOME.
I LOVE LOVED the delving into Death's backstory, even though it was really concentrated in the back half, and there were so many dramatic twists and turns, HE IS SO AWESOME!!! With the main plot and the Death plot pretty well interwoven, I think it was the Falin parts/Faerie parts that felt like they weren't as integrated into the book as smoothly. Honestly it felt like we're being set up for a big Faerie push in book 4, which I'm REALLY looking forward to, but maybe woulda been more invested if the book can just concentrated on one or the other? I dunno.
I think this book has the most interesting love triangle I've seen, where I truly can't REALLY tell which guy I want to win Alex's love (ok, it's Death, but just SLIGHTLY). There wasn't a lot of PROGRESS in one direction or another with Alex's affections, but I am 100% positive that we're gonna be in for some wrenching choices in the next installment. IM IN!!!!! -
*** 4.25 ***
A buddy read with the MacHalo Freaks
I was not sure if KP had enough steam and creativity to keep coming up with interesting situation for Alex and the crowd. I should not have worried. Alex is back and coming into her Feyness, her friends are keeping secrets, and her love interests are just as unobtainable as always. What could possibly go right with this kind of set-up?
I think this was the strongest entry in the series so far. This could be because if you are sticking with this story, you most likely already have some feelings for all the characters and are acclimated to the world it all happens in.
Alex is finding the perimeters of her abilities and risks opening herself to more external dangers and paying more when using her magic. Being a grave witch it is interesting to see how she blunders and mixes plains of reality and all the colemeties and damages it causes. Her going more and more blind every time she lowers her internal defenses somehow makes her capacity for magic more realistic and acceptable... Even though we know her Fae gifts are just waking up, she is still quite ordinary and accessible to us.
Falin is being strictly controlled by the Winter Queen at this time and we don't see much of him. Death, however, gets some big stage time and his role is quite significant. Am I happy about it? Hm, as far as the action goes, he was essential in this plot. I am still very reluctant to accept him as a love interest and hope we can manage to put him in the "friend box" somehow...
All the gang was back and I am grateful for that, since the ensemble cast makes this a fun place to be! And the Big Bad was veeeeery creepy and a real challenge to deal with!!!
The writing never got in the way of the story and it flowed naturally, showing a significant growth in the authors' narrative. The pace was varied, but me felt dragging, and the plot was fun, while the addition of the Magical Affairs Agent, with her bike and though ass attitude, gave if that little extra, making this a very enjoyable ride!!!
Thanks to my friends at the MacHalo group for sharing in this reading adventure and to all, happy reading!!! -
3.5 (but 4 sounds better)
Gah, I still like Death more than Falin! And I can't believe how this book ended... I need the next one, fast!
Think the other ones were a bit better than this one, but I still really enjoyed it. I choose to ignore the bad, illogical stuff and sometimes annoying reactions from Alex (I'm too curious to see what happens next to throw my kindle at the wall).
Still, it's an art to write a book that readers can both love and feel "meh" about at the same time. Can't wait to see what's next! Will I love it?! Will I hate it?! What?!
-
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 -
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. -
4.5 Stars!
Loving this series more and more. It really does seem to be getting better and better as it goes. Love how fleshed out the characters and side characters are getting and all the mystery surrounding Alex's family and background. Can't wait for more! This is one of the few fae type stories that always completely grabs my attention and doesn't let go until the very end. -
Okay. First off, this is the third in a series and you really should read the others before this one. Having done so, you know mostly what to expect. Also, you won't risk me spoiling things that are revealed in the first books. So yeah, grant that and I'll review the specific reaction to this entry.
I was greatly enjoying this, as I have the others in the series, until about the last quarter. The love triangle thing is mostly in stasis because we can't trust Falin and Death is . . . constrained. So it sucks and all, but we need something to break or change fundamentally for there to be progress and I didn't really mind the stasis. Yearning is dramatically interesting, particularly when you can't do anything about it. And then we get the break, only... only I didn't like it. It felt manipulated. Like big-time. Price maneuvers poor Alex into a situation where . So it felt artificial to me, but at least we got some action on the triangle thing. Only then Price puts her thumb on the scale again and we're right back to square one. Yeah, paint me not happy. Plus, bonus irritation the pendulum swings in yet another contrived stupidity at the end so that we're back with the other guy.
This dropped the story I'd been interested in down considerably. Like from a 4.5 to a 2.5. I'm rounding up to three stars because I did so enjoy the initial story and some of the interesting developments with Alex's fae heritage. Also, I ended up kinda liking Briar Darque by the end (though initial impression was a bit rough and I still snicker at the name). So yeah, ugh.
Bonus rant: Exactly how stupid is the Winter Queen? She wants Alex as part of her court, right? So why the heck is she doing everything in her power to make Alex hate her? She has the perfect bribe just sitting right there! Hey, Your Stupidity, try this "Serve me willingly and I promise to let Falin express his love openly and be with you whenever he isn't on assignment, with a backup guarantee of xx number of days a year that you can be together." But instead she schlubs around with stupid harassment and glamors to try to trick Alex into being with the
Squiggy of her court (seriously, that guy couldn't be creepier if he was the greasy schmoe in a 70s sitcom)? Oh, and did nobody else notice the Queen break hospitality (and her word) to the Autumn fae during their little equinox shindig? Srsly?!? I mean, everybody reassures Alex, "hey, drop your guard, nothing bad here, just a big party and we all get along during this event." and the queen makes a promise to that effect on entering the celebration. Only, it turns out, not so much at least with Alex.
A note about Steamy: Hey, Alex gets some nookie! Go team Alex! One explicit sex scene and it was yummy. Low end of my steam tolerance, but fun, nonetheless. -
This one was so much better than book two. Book two wasn't awful, but I just didn't enjoy it as much as book one. This one was more along the lines of the first in quality. :)
-
1st read - December 2012 (Buddy read with
Aly)
2nd read - April 2019
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! -
Okay so this book oh my gods.
Death, what can I say about the man that I would choose out of the two?
Let's begin, Alex is back and she is going through the same old fae stuff. She still has to choose and has to do it soon. She has been put in a position with the men in her life, and she needs now to figure that out.
I love Death; I do not have the words for this. He is amazing and I love him. I have loved him since the beginning there is so much that happens with his and Alex's relationship that I cried. You will have to read to find out what I am talking about. I love Price and her writing when it comes to Alex and her universe. I want so much to happen for this group.
So for me this is a five-star book. I want more so much more, More Death, More Alex, and more grave magic.
On to the next book and bring on Death!!
-
![julia ☆ [owls reads]](https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/users/1636739475i/5520447._UX200_CR0,0,200,200_.jpg)
Original rating: 5 stars
Reread rating: 4 stars
Grave Memory had an amazing mystery plot. Kalayna Price raised the stakes with this installment and the way she developed not only the investigation but the resolution to the mystery was so good! It was such an intriguing premise and the execution was very well done. I also liked that we got to learn a bit more about Faerie and Alex's situation with Death.
Things I didn't like: the romance. I'm really not a fan of all the consent issues on top of a love triangle. -
2012: 5 stars
2016: 4 stars
Grave Memory is definitely the best book in the series so far. The pacing is much better than in the prior books. Alex doesn’t get as lost inside her own head. A bizarre case came to her attention where a string of people were being forced to commit suicide due to an unknown force.
There are some interactions with faerie and Death and his people. Alex never learns as much from them as I wish she would. The revelry in faerie was a disappointment. The point of going was to learn about faerie and to help her make a choice about who she will align with. In the end she didn’t learn anything useful or new. Death and his crew are still secretive as ever although she is slowly getting more entrenched in their world. Now she is indebted to someone there, and it probably won’t work out well for her.
Alex is a special snowflake, and she doesn’t piss me off like other special snowflakes do. Her special powers and abilities aren’t beneficial to her yet because she doesn’t know how to use them. Her planeweaver skills have been more trouble than they’re worth so far. Most people want to use her for those powers.
When I first read this series the love triangle didn't bother me at all, but after rereading it it does. Alex never gets much time to interact with Falin or Death personally. I want there to be more than brief romantic interludes which always seem to happen at odd times. Alex needs to develop stronger feelings with one of them soon. Every time one of them tried to express their feelings Alex tended to pull away. Is she torn between the two men or is she commitment phobic?
There was one hell of a cliffhanger at the end. I’m not going to give anything away, but it definitely will make moving forward with Death far more complicated. -
I enjoyed reading this story. But, at the same time, it made me mad. Yes, I'll move on to the next one but I am not happy about it.
The love triangle . . . here is the *biggest* problem with the love triangle . . . both choices are star crossed. She can literally NOT HAVE either of them. The only way this triangle is tolerable is because neither is constantly in the story. But, oh wait! Let's change that up. So, now what we have is whichever one is needed to save Alex from herself THIS time. Sigh. Too much playing of games with this triangle. I would LOVE this series with no triangle.
Also, you do not want to be Alex' friend. Nope. No way. That is definitely going to put you in the line of fire. At some point, your life will not be your own.
Why doesn't any of the law enforcement want Alex' help? She can do things that others cannot do - she has solved cases that others cannot solve. She has always had some sort of authority with her when things have gone haywire and they KNOW it is not her fault . . . so why the blame game?
I don't think anything irritates me more than WANTING to love a series and enjoying so MANY aspects of the characters but having so MUCH that annoys me. I definitely have a love/hate relationship with this series. And the 3 star rating shows that. :D It does not, however, clearly illustrate the intense passion that the series evokes in me - both good AND bad. -
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.
-
*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 not saying that's a bad thing. I like the fact that the characters present themselves as either friends or enemies of Alex. I like the fact that Alex is coming to terms with the fact that she's more Fae than she actually realized and she may end up losing the one thing she values most; her membership in the Organization for Magically Inclined Humans (OMIH).
I also love the fact that she and Rianna have come to terms with their relationship since Alex saved her from Coleman's control and are trying to open a PI business called Tongues for the Dead. I also liked where the story was heading with the relationship between Alex and her father who hasn't exactly been the most supportive of parental units. Now that Alex has become more Fae, she needs his help in learning about using glamour and surviving in a world full of iron.
Let me please just say that I loathe the Winter Queen for what she does to Falin Andrews with all my being. I wish this story would play itself out sooner, rather than later. I know her intentions are to lure Alex into her court where she would be under the Queen's thumb. I wish she would declare herself to be independent like Caleb has been trying to tell her for months now.
While I was hating the Winter Queen, I was loving the fact that Death played such an important role in the final story wrap. I am Team Death all the way. How can you not like him? Yes, it's a bit creepy that he's known Alex since she was 5, yet, he has also saved her life numerous times. And, they do have a bond whether readers like it or not.
I am really glad that Rianna, Caleb, Holly and Tamara are such good friends to Alex. Otherwise, I'm not sure if her sanity would be in one piece.
New character, Briar Darque, is trouble with a capital T. She is too nosy, and seems to be trying to out Alex as anything but pure human. I will be interested to see what part she plays in the future of Alex's PI business and her remaining part of the OMIH.
I've been told by Kalayna that she has been approved for 3 more books in this series! That is such amazing news! I am proud of her publisher for sticking with this series and not letting it die by the wayside like so many other series have recently.
After the shocking conclusion of this book, we definitely need to know what is going to happen next with Death, Alex, and Fallon. -
I want the next book! It was marvelous and Death is the best character in this book, the best!
This covers Alex's philosophy perfectly :))
And this one covers her relationships:
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Na téhle sérii jsem se stala absolutně závislá. Nezbývá mi nic jiného než se modlit, aby Baronet v budoucnu vydal i další díl (a další díl Antibohyně ♥). A pokud ne, tak je budu každý týden otravovat. :D :D
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Original Rant Review at
http://paperbackdolls.com/?p=12423 or as below:
This addition to the Alex Craft series was really good in some parts and exceptionally lame in others. I just finished it and the ending left me very angry so that is the place that I am writing this review from. I will try to be balanced but you’ve been warned.
The Bad:
First and foremost, the ending is an insulting half-assed cliff hanging gratuitous set up for the next book that was nothing more than a blatant "buy the next book" hook. Because it was one of those "Surprise!" cliff hangers and not something that took an entire book to set up only to leave you unresolved I am foregoing my standing policy of giving an automatic one star rating due to cliff hanger ending, but I do so grudgingly. Adolescent girls who have no experience with consensual sexual teasing enjoy this crap. I, however, am not amused. In case you’re wondering this is the primary source of my anger.
I hate love triangles and I'm especially sick of this one, particularly since she's infatuated with not one but two men she can't have. It makes her stupid. I don't like heroines to be stupid. She has unresolved Daddy issues and it's manifesting in her willingness to continue to want guys that are just out of reach and who want to love her but circumstances have to come first, just like Daddy. I get it. I'm over it. Resolve it because it is not a strong enough dilemma to carry through the series. It's officially tiresome and Alex’s apparently increasing skills at avoiding her issues doesn't engender empathy, it just makes her insufferable. The fact that Death’s situation makes him unattainable is plenty of angst for this story line. The addition of the third wheel, Falin, and his drama is too much for me. While I find that Falin’s circumstances as a subject of the Winter Queen, and all that entails, make for an interesting layer of several of the longer arcs I just can’t help feeling like Alex’s romantic interest in him is superfluous and brings a gratuitous level of romance angst to the story that only demeans Alex’s character. He’s interesting enough without her being torn over wanting someone who has told her outright he’s not trustworthy, and proven it on several occasions. Her trying to be “understanding” because of his compulsion is like watching a battered woman excuse her abuser with “when he’s sober he doesn’t hit me.” She started out as a very strong character but in this instance familiarity is breeding contempt. I find I want to shake her and tell her to grow up and take better care of herself and stop being a stupid bint.
The mystery surrounding Alex’s personal history, who she is, how it plays out politically and personally, and her awakening to herself is a good storyline but it's being doled out in dribbles that remind me of really good long arcs in otherwise insipid romance series. Instead of getting more interested with each installment I am getting more impatient with the pace of its evolution, or lack thereof. If this were a trilogy it would be resolved by now, it should be farther along.
The mystery that was the book arc had very interesting elements with a high squick factor that was down right creepy, but it played out a bit too repetitively and became nothing more than an obvious framework for the introduction of new characters and the means to dribble out more of the plethora of unresolved long arcs. In short there was more unresolved long arcs in this book than there was book arc.
The Good:
Just take everything I said above and find the good slant for it.
The book arc was closed up with a solid resolution. The cliff hanger was a continuation of several of the unresolved long arcs and the love triangle, but the book arc was satisfactorily resolved after an exciting amount of seat-of-the-pants climactic confrontation which is becoming the norm in this overall exceptionally good series.
This book gave us significant, if temporary, in-roads with Death who is shaping up to be a complete swoon worthy love interest, if you try to ignore that he's unattainable as a partner. He's everyone's dream man, but he's Death. We finally get some hot & smexy with him and after three books I say "about damned time, too!" We get more interaction with Death, and not just in bed but also insights into his world, in this book than we have in any prior installment in the series and were it not for the jarring ending I would have given this book four stars just for this alone. It’s just that good.
Like I said above, the mystery surrounding Alex’s personal history, who she is, how it plays out politically and personally, and her awakening to herself, is a very good story line. Her ability to avoid herself and the things she finds difficult to face is unraveling and as it does we get more glimpses into who she might be and, I think, some undefined foreshadowing regarding her powers. I’d like to say that I think I have “who” she is figured out but in the first two books I thought I had the who-done-it figured out and Kalayna Price surprised me both times so I will refrain from making that boast. I will say, however, that this is the sort of delicious tension that comes from subtle and nuanced plots. Alex’s personal history is just that. I want more of it at least in part because I’m itching to find out if I’m right. It has the potential to be an intelligent story line and I hope Ms. Price uses it thoroughly as the series progresses.
If you’ve ever had a nightmare about not being in control of your body then this book is probably going to scare the pants off of you. That’s the crux of the book mystery and I could wax poetic about it but it would just give too much away. The mystery in Grave Memory is a creepy plot that will have you looking into the dark corners when you enter a room.
I am finding the series inordinately frustrating but I realize that, with a few vexing exceptions, most of my frustration comes from wanting more of the story. That says good things about the series over all, doesn’t it? The fact that I want to spit nails about it says that I’m completely sucked in.
I should probably grow up and take better care of myself and stop being a stupid bint. -
4 1/2 stars
So this one was so much better than the 2 before it, I cannot even believe. I was going to quit but decided that it would be the easiest series to finish to fit a challenge so push on to book 3. I so didn't want to go to this book. Right from the beginning, I enjoyed it, so it was a big surprise.
In this one Alex is setting up a business "Tongues for the Dead" and after seeing an apparent suicide, yet the ghost swears he didn't, and wouldn't, they get their first client in his wife. Unluckily it is more complicated than a first client in that the wife is part of an anti-witch and fae group, and that includes grave witches. In addition, after talking to the corpse, Alex and the mortician, realize that there is more going on, yet the police seem lacking in response or belief. After all that Alex has shown, I was a little ticked about the situation with the police and their discounting of Alex's theories or observances. They sweep her aside, yet have no way of dealing with the issue themselves. Or they totally screw it up. I would break my ties to John at this point because to me he put not only her, but every one else in danger from the start of the investigation by not insisting on bringing her in on it.
So MCIB officer, Briar Darque, comes in and at first misreads Alex altogether. Yet, as the story unfolds, Darque is the only "official" that takes her seriously. I first met Briar Darque in the short story "Ruby Red" in the anthology,
Kicking It, with her partner, Derrick Knight (thanks to Jenn for including the names in her review. I didn't) but Knight doesn't show up and at first, Darque, doesn't seem like the straightforward thinking officer from that story. She later pulls it around and I would like to read the spin off that sounds like is in the making.
So Alex is still pining for her two beau of Death and Falin. Falin acts like a totally jerk throughout this book pretty much. Not that he has much choice, or maybe it is his choice? From a forum I wrote from book 2 "Falin being the Queen's pawn and perhaps by choice", so I was ready to write him off and after the beginning of this book, I did. My main issue with this book is that she doesn't write him off and pines away for him. He is totally controlled, whether by choice or not, by the Winter Queen. There is no way to trust anything he does or says. So I am angry at Alex for not pushing him as far as possible no matter what attraction, it is silly and dangerous not to. The most immature thing she did in this book.
So Death, oh, Death. What an intimate thing to go through and who would know that it was possible. Well, only Alex since she cannot talk about it. I would think that this relationship would either move forward or would remain as trusted soulmates that cannot be together but are there for one another. Please, oh please, do not continue Falin as a love interest. use him for info with a grain of salt but never, never, never trust that he has your back. Certainly don't go back to being a lover to him. Really if she cannot have Death, then move on, not to Falin. Give it time to figure out Death cannot work, then morn and move on. There are other fish in the sea and Falin is a Shark.
So the investigation was great. Getting more of her fae information and seeing her interact with her dad was great. How she, her friends, and Briar figured out and got rid of the rider, made sense and was understandable even during the battle. What a breath of fresh air coming off Karen Chance's novels where they twist and jerk you this way and that and you have no idea what is going on. I not only understood but it seemed to follow step by step, which was great.
Well, even hearing that the next is not as good, I'll not be dreading picking it up. Though if it goes back to the same, loose ends, triangle romance, it might be my last. -
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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Re-read audible version m
Read kindle version -
“You can’t be serious. She’s making you move in with me?”
That did not just happen! Nope, no, never, not. I refuse to accept. I mean, can't Death just be the last and final call?! -
5 🌟
Alex and Rianna get their building for Tongues for the Dead. They also get their first case which involves a body thief. -
Probably the best overall for this series
Usually by book 3 I'm able to determine whether or not I love a series. Well, I'm now fully into the world of Alex Craft and while good, I still don't feel as invested in the long haul.
There are some interesting developments in Nekros City; a string of suicides leaves Alex with many questions and few answers as she investigates these occurrences. The shades of these bodies all possess no memory of their final days, meaning that there's a big chance these people are actually murder victims. Facing magical adversaries she has never encountered before is always risky, especially as she navigates through her own evolution into her fae heritage, but this time the stakes may be too high.
While I am not totally in love with this series, in terms of the overall actual story, I thought this was the most interesting. I mean, suicide that may not be suicide? What a mindf*ck! I was quite invested in how Alex would solve the crime this time. My favorite scene for this series is still probably the last quarter of the second novel, Grave Dance, where she is fully immersed into the world of Faerie, but the overarching mystery was more compelling here.
All of everyone's favorite supporting characters are back and just as involved as ever. I do like that her problems strike close enough to home to put her friends in real danger, not just the fodder characters. It makes me wonder how far Kalayna Price is willing to go. I'm most interested in learning more about her Faerie roots and her destiny. It seems all but certain that she will be a huge player when it comes to its future.
One can't talk about this series without bringing up the love triangle. I was all but expecting to pull a switcheroo and get on the Team Death bandwagon, but after reading it I still prefer Falin. I'm not anti-Death and he gets more points here, but I was hoping for more substantial screentime with him this time around. Price still spends more time telling us about him and Alex than showing us like we get to see with Falin and Alex. There is undoubtedly more movement for them (I'm coining it Dalex if nobody has yet); I know he loves her and will sacrifice for her, I get it. But to keep this triangle going it's becoming formulaic, so I wonder why I should still care at all. I can certainly say this isn't changing my mind about love-triangles. They still blow.
Book 4 is due out next year, so maybe I will have some time to miss this world and it will be refreshing to see it again. Things are certainly about to get REALLY interesting based on the semi-cliffhanger ending...
*Review also posted to
Amazon. -
Alex has decided to open up shop with Rianna and they are calling it Tongues for the Dead, a name Rianna came up with when they were in school. As they are checking out the office, they hear a large crash and rush out to find someone has committed suicide by jumping off the building. This necessarily wouldn't be so strange except that the ghost, that only Alex can see, is fighting against going with the soul collectors. With the help of Rianna, this leads to the business' first case and what a case it is.
I really enjoyed this book and the whole "rider" concept. It was really nice seeing Alex, Rianna, Roy and the rest of the gang work so well together. But I really missed the romance that wasn't there for the first half of the book.
There sure were a lot of developments with Alex and I really liked how it came to the forefront but not the circumstances! I'm hoping that this will lead to more interaction between her and her Dad.
So....still Death and Falin. This was a hard book as far as the romance goes and it can still go either way and I still can't decide who I like best. There are still pluses and minuses with both of them! They both had some good romantic moments but I think Falin took the fall in this one. What he did at the equinox was understandable but I don't know if it was forgivable! And you just knew what would happen with Death but I kept hoping something else would come up. They are just so sweet together...sigh. The ending leaves a bit of an opening with one of them but who knows how that will go!
Holly and Caleb? That was not a surprise but it still made me laugh. Can't wait to see what else happens. And I love all the interaction with Rianna...it's great seeing her come back to herself some. What happened with Tamara was crazy but I'm glad things worked out.
I really enjoyed Briar. Not sure how things will go with her but I hope we get to see much more!
Cover Talk: I like it...it has all the spooky elements and of course, Alex looks great. I think it would've been nice to see more of the Rider or some ghosts.
Favorite quotes:
♥ “Hello to you too,” he said, amusement lacing his voice.
♥ That fleeting, ghostlike kiss? It tasted of sorrow.
♥ “Alexis, I love you.”
♥ “I own a bed.” “We’ll use the bed next time.” -
"You're not my collector.?" He shrugged. "I adopted you." Cute.
I was not as intrigued with GRAVE MEMORY as I was with the first two novels in the Alex Craft Series. I was a tad disappointed. Of course we have another big case that Alex is solving that keeps the story interesting enough. I love the mystery side to the Alex Craft Series, but I did feel like some huge key factors were missing. Like let's see...Hmmmm.... FALIN AND DEATH!
"As long as I belong to her, you can never trust me. I have to do whatever she commands. S don't cal me, don't look or me, and if you see me, run away. Do you understand.?"
Falin Andrews, my favorite sexy fae, does not get that much page time, and it felt a but like Death didn't either. He didn't show up much until the second half of the book, but I need my fix! I understand why they didn't get much page time due to the last Alex Craft Book. It is obvious that Alex is into both of these men, but both men come with consequences if Alex were to have a romantic relationship with either one. Falin is tied to "Queen Ice Bitch" and cannot disobey any orders from her. And Queen Ice Bitch plans to be a royal pain in the ass until she gets want she wants from Alex.
"Well, I'm starting to think he's my guardian angel." Though angel of death was what most people would call him."
Oh, Death! I am starting to love you more and more and more and more! You honestly make a girl's heart beat out of her chest! You can be my guardian angel anytime of the week! Alex and Death are so cute! They have known each other since Alex was a child and their relationship is building and building and part of me wants them to be together, but the other part of me wants Falin and this book was a bad book for my Falin. It's like he wasn't even there. But Death! I want him! He is to die for!
In GRAVE MEMORY I thought that we might learn more about the different courts and more about the Shadow Court judging from what went down in the previous book, but we didn't. I was disappointed with that. Overall, GRAVE MEMORY was not quite what I was expecting. I didn't enjoy it as much as I enjoyed the previous books, I am hoping the next book will blow me away more than this one did. -
It's been quite a few years since I read the previous book in the series and I'd forgotten almost everything about Alex Craft and her world. She is a grave witch, meaning she has a connection to the world of the dead and can see and communicate with ghosts and raise shades of people who have died.
In this part of her adventures, she is trying to figure out who or what is behind a chain of mysterious suicides. The shades of the victims can't remember the last three days of their lives, something Alex had never encountered before, and with the help of her new business partner and resident ghost, they tackle the first case of their new investigation firm.
Although I could not remember specifics about a number of characters, the two men in Alex's life included, the story kept me engaged throughout and got me rooting for .
Alex's life is complicated, and will likely become even more so after the events of this book, especially .
I haven't made up my mind about whether I like Alex as a character or not, but her world is quite interesting and I am curious to see what happens next in the series so I'll probably read the next book,
Grave Visions, at some point in the future.
Previous book reviews:
✦
Grave Dance (Alex Craft #2) ~ ★★★★
✦
Grave Witch (Alex Craft #1) ~ ★★★★ -
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 will still love this book and the mystery and edge of your seat intensity will leave you with that elusive WOW factor these books always provide. Bottom Line: No spoilers here but when you finish you will still be "damn that was good!" but slightly unfulfilled you have to wait for the next book to HOPEFULLY see her get even with the Queen, but she has so many things to do (people to save, world in danger level stuff) you don't even think about it until you are done. 5 Stars rounded up from 4.5
