Review: Grave Dance (Alex Craft #2)

"Someone very powerful wants to make sure the only thing she finds is a dead end--her own."

Grave Dance, by Kalayna Price, is the second novel in the Alex Craft series. The story takes place in the future in Nekros City, a territory founded for humans and the supernatural to co-exist after the Magical Awakening. Alex, a grave witch who can raise and speak to the dead, is recovering from a vicious fight with an evil sorcerer. Although she is ready to resume her normal life as a private investigator, her life is still in turmoil because of two things: 1) the disappearance of Fae Investigation Bureau agent, Falin Andrews, and 2) the love confession from Death himself. What is a girl supposed to do?

To distract herself, she accepts a new case that proves to be very dangerous. Missing body parts are washing ashore in the nature preserve, and police cannot identify the victims because there are no corpses. Alex assumes a a serial killer, possibly another witch, is involved because she discovers traces of dark gray magic. Magical constructs that resemble mythological creatures terrorize neighborhoods and almost take the lives of Alex's friends. As she continues her investigation, she learns more shocking secrets about her own ancestry. The rifts between the moral realm and Faerie (the world of the fae) are gradually crumbling; can Alex save humanity before it's too late?

Kalayna Price delivered another fascinating addition to this series. In fact, this novel was better than its debut, Grave Witch/ It was filled with action and suspense. The characters felt very real and likeable. Price has improved her story-writing skills, and it shows throughout the 370-page sequel.

Readers will discover the truth about Alex's ancestry, and learn what happened to her heartthrob, Falin Andrews. Although Death truly adores her, I do hope for Falin to end up with Alex in the end. Their chemistry works so well together, and Falin eventually chooses to follow his heart in spite of his role as the Winter Queen's personal knight. I can't wait to read the next book in this original series!

Stay tuned for the next novel in the Alex Craft series, Grave Memory.