Book 41, 2019

Grave Destiny by Kalayna Price

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



I spent the majority of yesterday (and into the wee hours) reading the book Grave Destiny, which is the sixth installment in Kalayna Price's "Alex Craft" urban fantasy series. Alex is a grave witch, meaning she can raise the shades of the dead, and she's also an independent fae, not sworn to a particular court.

When a fae prince comes to Alex, asking her to investigate a murder, she takes the case. The lead agent for FIB, Falin Andrews, invites himself to come along. The three of them make an odd alliance: the grave witch, the Shadow Prince, and the Winter Knight. When they reach the scene of the crime, in the Winter Court, it seems clear at first that a denizen of the Shadow Court is the culprit; however, both Alex and Falin agree that it is a set-up. They must remove the bodies to the mortal realm so that Alex can question their shades. The clues lead them on a wild romp through Faerie, encompassing the Winter Court, the Shadow Court, the Summer Court, and the Light Court.

The investigation isn't without peril. Alex contracts a magical wasting disease, and only her abilities as a planeweaver allow her to stave off imminent death. She is still infected, but she thinks she knows who has the cure. Unfortunately, Alex's investigating leads her to give offense to a fae prince, who then demands a duel to the death.

The story pelted along at a rapid pace. Alex's sudden illness sort of blindsided me, but it was only one of many intriguing twists. The author always portrays her characters well, even the evil ones and those who merely flit through the narrative. I am making a prediction here, that it will turn out Alex's father is the legendary High King of Faerie. I can't wait to find out if I'm right!

Favorite line: I was standing on a hill with a prince, a knight, and two dead bodies. Yeah, I'd been a little busy.

Fantastic! Love these books!