Grave Destiny (An Alex Craft Novel Book 6) by Kalayna Price
Grave witch Alex Craft can speak to the dead, and that makes her a dangerous enemy for anyone with something to hide. . . .

Alex is still trying to come to terms with her changing powers and her growing ties to Faerie when a case she’d rather avoid falls right into her lap. A fae prince desperately needs Alex to investigate a politically sensitive murder. She reluctantly agrees to the case, taking FIB agent Falin Andrews along as her backup.

But as Alex begins to delve into the mystery, she realizes that the intricate web of alliances and intrigue in the Faerie courts is strained to its limits. War is about to break out, one that threatens to spill over into the mortal realm. This murder is tied right to the center of centuries-old arcane unrest, and if Alex isn’t careful she may follow the twisting path ahead of her right into her grave end.

A lot of times when I read a book in a series, I gauge exactly how well the author manages to keep a new reader to the series engaged. The Alex Craft Books are new to me so this was the perfect opportunity. As I discovered, Kalayna Price does a fantastic job of organically providing details of past information into the novel without slowing down the pace or the action of the novel. Everything is told within the context of the novel and within a few pages, the reader knows a lot about the character and the world.

I liked the main character Alex Craft right away. She’s smart, brave and she tries to solve problems using her magic or her brain instead of with brute force. And despite the secondary characters that accompany her in the novel, she is the protagonist and she is who shines in the story, not the men. Best of all, none of the characters are black and white. Alex, in particular, makes mistakes, doesn’t know everything about Fairy or even her own powers, but she learns and grows, becoming stronger throughout the novel. And even with all her powers, she isn’t able to solve things neatly, there are loose ends and nothing is simple.

The world is intricate and detailed with a great deal of intrigue and a clever spin on Fairy. The different courts, especially Winter, are well thought out and still include elements from folklore. Kalayna Price’s attention to detail follows through in the powers and abilities of each character and in the investigation surrounding the death of the two fey in the story as well as the mystery over the disease plaguing the main character, Alex Craft.

Beyond the main character, the secondary characters are also engaging and help the story flow. In the story, she is accompanied by the WInter Knight, Falin Andrews and the Prince of the Shadow Court, Dugan. Both assist Alex as she attempts to solve the intrigues and plots surrounding the murder. The plot is captivating and full of surprises, especially the ending which leads to a creative solution to the story but also surprises surrounding the characters and their place in Fairy.

The only negative in the story is that the story feels like it ends too quickly. There is a lot of action and Alex spends time trying to solve the various intrigues in the story but when we get to the end of the story, everything wraps us fast. It isn’t neat or tidy which is realistic but I wanted more interactions between Alex and the antagonists in the novel. It felt anticlimactic. I do like that there are various threads that will lead to more novels.

Overall, the novel was entertaining, well paced, and the characters were smart and different from the normal urban fantasy novel. I especially love the romantic overtones in the story. If you like romantic urban fantasy or have read the other Alex Craft novels, you will love this book and will want to read it immediately. If you want to know more, check out Kalayna Price’s website.
http://www.kalayna.com/home

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Grave Destiny is the latest in Kalayna Price’s urban fantasy series featuring grave witch Alex Craft. As a grave witch, Alex can speak to the dead, which has made her an asset to the local law enforcement and a possible threat to others. It has also helped her with her PI business.

Alex is still trying to come to terms with her growing powers and her ties to the Faerie World, which become deeper with each story. In Grave Destiny Alex is drawn into a politically sensitive murder case by both her father, and Prince Dugan, prince of the Shadow Court, to solve a murder that took place in the Faerie realms. Dugan also happens to be her betrothed, not by her choice, and this causes some added tension in the story. Falin, an FIB agent and the Winter Knight, is also heavily involved in the investigation, and a former love of Alex’s. Alex’s relationship with Falin has always been complicated and the involvement of Dugan in this story doesn’t help. fantasy book

Most of this book takes place in Faerie and it was interesting to learn more about this world and its various realms. However, I did miss seeing more of her friends, and was especially disappointed by how little we see of Death, another complicated love of Alex’s and the one I would personally prefer to see her end up with. I did however really like Dugan and hope to see more of him in future books, no matter whom Alex ends up with in the end.

This series has the combo I love most in books–mystery and fantasy. The mystery was very complicated and well done. Alex also finds that the Faerie realms are on the verge of a war, which threatens to spill over into the mortal realm. Solving this case could help keep it at bay, depending on the resolution.

The characters in this series are interesting and complex, as is the fae lore. While I truly missed the other characters, and having more of the story set in the mortal realm, I did enjoy this latest installment of the series and look forward to the next one. This is a series I highly recommend if like me you enjoy the mystery/fantasy combo-but be sure to start with the first book!

I absolutely LOVE this series. Grave Destiny had some shocking reveals that I really never saw coming. I can't wait for the next installment to find out what happens next.

This novel is a good one that I’ve read this year! The characters are so dynamic yet relatable. I loved the flow of the story. It held my attention the whole time.

Good sci-fi and fantasy series that involves witches, Faerie, and death. Sixth book in the series and slowly starting to lose interest. Definitely worth a try though.

“Don’t die in Faerie, Al.”

Being on a reading flunk – seriously, I managed to get to May with only 3 books read last year – followed by a series of team reading challenges, or as I like to call it, Sonia’s Return to Banshee Reading Mode is not conducting to 1) Keep reviews up to date or done in a timely manner and therefore 2) A serious case of netgalley backlog paired with a feedback percentage drop.

So, following the Done is Better than Perfect principle, let’s get back on track. Or at least, review those galley titles already read and kick-start this year the best way possible with the resources at hand. Good thing that 1) I have a good book memory and 2) Sometimes reading just a little quote brings all the feelings back.

“Not high on my to-do list.”

I thought last book was hard to read. Being a Team Death to the core, it was really hard to read. So, going into this one and the “moving on” period, I was pouting, broothing, and determined not to like it.

I stood my ground for a bit, and then decided to swallow all my issues – time for wallowing in misery later – and really let the book took over. It was so good. So darn good.

Don’t let my words fool you. I’m still not happy with the turn of events. BUT. Those events didn’t drop from the sky. No. There was a building up to it. A growth. A path leading us up to it. Plus, not all is flowers and sunshine. And, when you made a bargain, you better make sure you’re up to pay the price.

I received a free ARC from the Publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

A little bit rushed. I would have liked a stronger emotional connection. But all in all a great book. I think it toes the line between PNR and UF leaning more towards UF so if you don't mind the romantic frustrations then you'll really like Grave Destiny but if you want more romance then you might walk away a bit frustrated like I did.

Excellent entry to the series. Definitely advanced the story line and some of the personal relationships. Although it's been a little while since the last installment, it was pretty easy to get caught up with the world that Price has built.

Yes, I loved reading this book! This series has been so fantastic, and while I'm sad that it's coming to a close, maybe we'll get a spin off! Because these characters deserve a happy ending, and this world is pretty darned interesting to read!

This book, it's more of a Fae one. Alex wants to learn how to use her abilities, which means the High King's court. Then Dugan comes along with a case that was pretty interesting-and one that was very political. Which means time spent with Falin, right after things ended with Death. Yeah.

We do learn more about her powers, which was pretty fantastic, and the intersection between her powers and Faerie is a pretty interesting one! This was only one aspect of her ability, I think, but it's a fairly useful one, if you're creative like Alex has had to be!

Between the reveal of who the mastermind was behind this plot, and the aftermath of all that, this world has changed. And for the better, honestly. Though it's going to be difficult, dealing with everything. It's bringing some plot points either to a close, or a near close, and I can't wait to see how it's going to happen!

This book was so freaking great and I can't wait for the last one!

This isn't the first time that Alex has been asked to investigate a murder that happened in Faerie but this time the potential consequences are all out war between two of the courts so the stakes have never been higher. When it appears that a member of the Shadows has murdered a Winter Court noble tensions between the two reach breaking point. Dugan comes to Alex for help as he wants to prevent a war and along with Falin the three begin a difficult investigation, it quickly becomes clear that not all is as it first appears and they need to get to the bottom of the conspiracy fast if they want to prevent any further deaths.

I've been a fan of the Alex Craft series for years now and I really enjoyed learning more about Faerie and Alex's magical planeweaving abilities in this instalment. Alex, Falin and Dugan have to visit multiple Faerie courts during their investigation and this was the first time we really get to find out more about the other rulers and how their courts are run. This story had a lot of action and there were some really great developments for certain characters that are going to have a huge knock on affect as the series continues.

It also looks like we finally have a resolution to the love triangle (or should that be square since Dugan was also a potential suitor?). I'm not sure I love the way it's been resolved, personally I think a certain character's potential was wasted by the way things were handled in the last book which was really disappointing, but I at the same time I was fed up with the dithering so I'll be pleased if Alex has made a decision and sticks to it. I'm not convinced the best man won although his character has grown on me so hopefully I'll come round to the idea eventually.

Completely disregarding my feelings about the romance I'm very happy with the way this series is going, I like that Alex is starting to come into her Fae heritage and learn more about her magical abilities and I really love that she's starting to make a name for herself in Faerie as someone who shouldn't be crossed lightly. I'm desperate to know more about her parents too and hope we'll see more of the different courts in the next book.

The sixth books in a fun paranormal series featuring Alex Craft and the same cast of characters from previous books. While I enjoyed the sixth book in the series, this one didn't seem to have as much happen as previous books. The plot felt like it wasn't as important as past ones and this one was geared towards setting up the next book.

I really enjoyed this latest installment in the Alex Craft series. Even though there is what feels like an eternity between releases of these books, I am always able to jump back in so seamlessly and fall into the world. Alas, we do not see much of Death this time around. You can thank the events of the last book for that. Instead, this centers on an adventure Alex takes with Dugan, prince of the Shadow realm, and Falin, the Winter queen’s knight.

The story begins with Dugan visiting Tongues for the Dead, in need of help from Alex to solve the mysterious death of one of his people. Falin gets involved right away, as soon as he catches word that Dugan is in the human realm. Turns out someone is dead from both Dugan’s court and Falin’s. And the bodies were found in the Winter court. Likely, it was set up as a frame job.

I don’t want to spoil too much of the story, but this is an adventure for these three as they navigate multiple rounds of Faerie, not only trying to solve the murder mystery but a much more pressing problem that impacts Alex directly.

I really enjoyed spending time in both the Winter and Summer courts. We even got to visit in the Light for a while. More developments unravel about Alex‘s planeweaving ability, which I really dug. And there is some movement in the relationship development. Obviously, it leans towards Falin, because Kalayna Price killed off the Death relationship pretty definitively in the last book. I’m still smarting over that. That doesn’t mean I hate Falin. I don’t, and the way that this story unfolded, if I hadn’t fallen so hard for Death, I could be down with it. I’m still feeling a bit salty.

That being said, the book was just so, so good. If you are in the market for an urban fantasy and you like Fae at all, I strongly urge you to give this a try. Alex is such a cool main character. I love her powers and the way we see them growing and unfurling. And that growth set up the climax here phenomenally. A great, very surprising ending that makes me want to read more. I can’t wait to see how it all ends.

GRAVE DESTINY was a fun return to the world of Alex Craft and feels like a large turning point for the series based on some pretty big changes that occur as a result of various characters' actions. Sometimes I get annoyed at books having summaries of what happened in the previous books but there was so much that happened that I didn't mind getting a quick refresher! In general the plot was in the sweet spot where it wasn't so frentic that I couldn't keep anything straight but it wasn't too slow. I liked that this book was more of a discovery of Alex's powers and what she could potentially do with them along with a more indepth experience of the Faerie realms. The mystery at the center was interesting and there was enough danger and tension that I actually wondered if everyone would get out alive. I tend to like it when I don't know the answers in a mystery by the second chapter.

Alex continues to be a solid urban fantasy heroine and I love exploring her world and seeing what her powers can do. Her love life is pretty complex with the ever present love triangle between her, Falin, and Death. In GRAVE DESTINY, though there is another player for her heart in a sense. Dugan, a Faerie prince takes the place of Death as an obstacle and conflict between Alex and Falin. I kind of liked him but the oncoming love quadrangle that will happen in future books seems like it's going to get complicated.

I enjoyed coming back to the world of Alex Craft filled with magic, faeries, witchcraft, and danger. This series hits many of the classic urban fantasy tropes but it has enough uniqueness to it that it doesn't feel like you've read this a dozen times before. GRAVE DESTINY ends on a shocking turn of events which has me excited for what comes next.

Alex Craft has really stumbled into the rabbit hole in this one--now accompanied by her unwelcome Prince of Faerie fiancé as well as the growling knight of the Winter Court. Nearly untraceable murders in several courts lead to an outbreak of a lethal fae disease. Alex herself becomes infected, but also seems to be the only one who can staunch its spread. And, even though she is gathering debts as she saves fae lives, she is also called to repay a hefty one--and the outcome of that may lead to the end of Faerie as she knows it.

Grave Destiny finally gets the show on the road as far as getting some answers to and resolutions for the many issues that have cropped up in Alex's life in the mere six months covered by this series. There are severe pacing issues within this book in particular; for instance, the first meeting between Alex and the Shadow Prince takes nearly a quarter of the story!

Certainly a must-read for anyone who has committed themselves to following Alex's meandering trail through her constantly-more-strange life; and I continue to recommend the series to any fans of urban fantasy, despite the lack of consistency with the timing.

Another excellent addition to the Alex Craft series. This is the perfect blend of magic, mystery, and Fae lore with just enough twists and good romantic tension. I like seeing Alex continue to evolve. There are some great moments where I couldn't wait to see what would happen next.

I really appreciate a series where even after a long absence in-between books, the characters and world are so familiar and well fleshed that the reader has no problem jumping back in. That is exactly the case with the Alex Craft books. While I admit some of the previous events are a bit hazy at this point, I had no difficulty at all falling back into Alex's world. This time around the fae are up to no good yet again, and Alex finds herself in the middle of things. In typical Alex style, she attracts chaos and danger like a magnet, and I thoroughly enjoyed seeing her find her way out of her latest mess. Falin and Alex's unwanted betrothed shadow prince are her trusty sidekicks as the try to get to the bottom of a murder in Faerie that could push the courts to the brink of war. To say Falin isn't a fan of the prince is the understatement of the century and the sparks flying between them kept me more than entertained while the trio blundered around in this whodunit plot.

In the romance department, there wasn't a whole lot of satisfaction to be had. Death is no longer in the picture (pity!), Alex wants nothing to do with her betrothed, and Falin is still forbidden from courting her as he belongs to the Winter Queen. So in a nutshell, you can say Alex's love life is complicated to say the least. By the end of the book there were glimmers of hope for some real sparks to satisfy this romance lovers heart, but only time will tell.

I'm typically pretty good at ferreting out twists and turns outcomes before they are final (something that drives my husband insane to no end...). So when a book's twist can catch me completely off guard that I didn't see coming at all, I'm thoroughly impressed. I never would have guessed the outcome of the ending of GRAVE DESTINY and I cannot wait to see the long term ramifications of this shake up in the next book. It definitely made for an interesting read!

All in all, GRAVE DESTINY is a satisfying read that will delight fans of the series!

While trying to come to terms with her changing powers and her growing ties to Faerie, Alex is asked to investigate a politically sensitive murder by a fae prince. With FIB agent Falin Andrews along as her backup, Alex soon discovers that the intricate of web of alliances and intrigue in the Faerie courts is strained to the limits and war is about to break out.

Adrenaline pumping thrills and chills abound throughout this explosive Alex Craft novel. Falin and Alex’s chemistry sizzles with lots of sparks as she reluctantly allows him to back her up but their relationship is still full of emotional turmoil and obstacles that has Falin holding back. The story also has hints of chemistry between Alex and other previous relationships which adds to the spice and turmoil of the story, while also adding depth to the characters.

Readers have to keep turning the pages as the fast pace of the intriguing and adrenaline pumping events ensure that there is never a dull moment to be found throughout, while remarkable twists surprise readers along the way ensuring that they can’t possibly guess what might happen next. The conclusion is one that readers can’t possible imagine beforehand and the suspense of the story covers both Alex’s personal life including her growing abilities and the happenings in the courts which makes this story so entertaining that readers don’t want to blink in case they miss something.

I don't care how long I have to wait between books, I will always swoop up the newest book in this series and read it right away whether I'm in the middle of another book or not. An Alex Craft novel will get my attention.

Grave Destiny has Alex investigating a new case- a murder that occurred in Faerie. A member of the Shadow Court has been found dead in the Winter Court next to a Winter court resident, it's all very odd.

So Alex is hired first by Prince Dugan and then by the Winter Queen to get to the bottom of these horrible murders.

Many new characters are introduced. We don't see much of the normal cast. But it was a quick paced, engrossing read nonetheless.

Price is a master story teller with characters I have fallen in love with. Alex is complicated, quirky, and mysterious. The men in her life are even more complicated and mysterious. Unfortunately they are also both forbidden.

Then there's Prince Dugan, the prince of the shadow realm who I almost found myself rooting for. He really needed more consideration. But I guess two forbidden men in Alex's heart are enough, why fall for one she could actually have? I think there are many unresolved issues about the shadow realm and I would love to see this explored more in future books. I would also love to see Alex use her grave magic more. I loved the witchy side of Alex's world in the early books. Fae politics drive me batty but they do make for complicated plots and story lines.

Prince Dugan of the Shadow Court seeks out Alex’s help to prevent war between the courts of faerie when one of his courtiers is found dead under suspicious circumstances within Winter. Alex accepts the job, and with the help of Falin and Dugan begins to investigate a conspiracy that reaches across multiple courts.

The time they spend together brings her feelings for Falin to the forefront, which some readers will be happy to see and others won’t. This is a particularly difficult book to review without revealing spoilers for previous installments in the series, and I believe that any new readers should not start with Grave Destiny because there are plenty of references to past events, allies, and enemies that need to be understood in context to get the full impact of this story. Overall, this book moved the action forward in several important and satisfying ways and establishes several important points in Alex’s personal and professional life that mark a noticeable shift for future books in the series. I really enjoyed this one and highly recommend it, but please start with book one to get the full impact! Thanks to Netgalley and Ace for the ARC.

The first time Alex had knowingly wove planes of existence was under the blood moon. That was six months ago, and she been under the power of a madman.The ability burst from Alex like a magical hemorrhage. Alex needed training, the only two Plane Weavers anyone knew about resided in the high court. Which no one could tell Alex how to reach. Her housemate was Caleb and was born as independent fae and knew very little about about the inner workings of the high court. Mrs B was a brownie and appointed herself manager of Tongues For The Dead. The only other fae she could ask was in hiding and was a prominent member in mortal government in a part called Human First party which was a hate group against fae and witches. He was also Alex’s father. Alex is a private investigator for Tongues for the dead. She runs it with fellow grave witch and her best friend Reanna. They specialize in raising shades of the dead so they can be questioned but they’d take about any case from missing persons to discussing causes on knickknacks. Business was dead as Alec had been accused of magical mass murder. Alex called her dad and asked him how to get to the high court. He said he knew but she would have to accept ac ase and he said she would know the case when it came to her. Than the bell on the door rang and than fear lodged in her sternum and melted down to her stomach . It was Prince Dugan of the Shadow court. There Faerie has seven courts She took Dugan into her office. Than her front door burst open and it was the Queen's knight Falin Andrews stormed into the lobby. Than he said to he we have to go, that the Prince of the shadow court was in Nekros. Falin also headed the local Fae Investigative Bureau. Alex’s one time only lover , housemates of sorts, and a friend it had shown he was worried when he entered the business. Than Alex said the prince was there and Dugan stepped out if her office. Than both the Prince and Falin drew their weapons. Prince Dugan claimed the right to open roads- that gives an outsider the right to pass through mortal realm territory where they don’t belong. It can be invoked once a year lasted twelve hours. Than Dugan invoked the Sanctuary Of Artidians. Alex didn’t know what that was as she hadn’t grown up in Faerie. Dugan also said he and Alex were betrothed and she said the had become betrothed when she was born. Alex doesn’t consider herself tied to the Shadow Prince. Alex agreed to take Dugans case than the Winter Queen told her she needed to find out the truth of this case. A brownie from from the shadow court and a friend of Dugan’s was dead found with a dead fae form the Winter Court, and this happened in the Winter Court. This could lead to war between the two courts. The three became a team- Falin, dugan, and Alex- to find out what really happened. Alex needeall her skills to stay alive-as various courts either wanted Alex for themselves or wanted her dead- as they had to go through the fae courts while investigating the murders. Falin has feelings for Alex but his duty is to his queen.
I really enjoyed this book. It has: fae politics, deceit, seven different fae courts, fae plots, lies, glamour, magic, mystery, deaths, and of course fae and so much more. I advise you to read this series in order for a more knowledgeable and smoother read. I really liked the plot and pace.Thus was a fun, exciting read with a dash of romance. I would have liked to see Alex perform more of her grave magic. I love the characters and the twists and turns of this book and I recommend it.