Grave War (Alex Craft #7)

Well…. I’m sad it’s the end of the series. But what an awesome ending! It wasn’t quite the end I was hoping for but still amazing. I won’t give any of the book away here and I’m sure there is more detailed review out there but I just wanted to say what a awesome ride it’s been reading this series I’m glad I stopped in the book section at Walmart to pass the time while my family was shopping and reached for another book only to have Alex craft come flying off the shelf at me instead (who knows maybe it was Roy ) but in any case, I took it home and I’m happy I did. I hope Kaylyna is not done with Alex’s world as I think it would be interesting to see some stories of the other characters maybe? Well even though I’m sad that this is the last Alex novel I will continue to be a fan of kaylayna and hope to see another book series to read in the future.

It’s not a bad ending, just more MEH. We get a glimpse, at least once, with all the cast of regulars to say goodbye to the characters. Some loose ends and at times it kind of felt like a deja vu – I remember thinking more than once “Have I already read this book?”.

More talking than anything else, some predictable plot lines, but overall it’s not a bad story. It just kind of felt like the author had half a plot in mind and needed to figure out how to make the big reveals. Because that is what most of the story was in the end – a big reveal. What is this secret? Who is that person? But a lot of it was fairly predictable as well so I wasn’t particularly shocked by it.

Like I said, in the end, it’s not a bad story and I didn’t hate the ending. I was just more of “Ok” and moved on.

Seventh and last in the Alex Craft paranormal fantasy romance series and revolving around Alex, one of the few grave witches.

My Take
It’s a story of compassion and consideration. Of acceptance. All it takes is struggle, betrayal, torture, and damage. All kinds of damage.

Yeah, you’d be right in thinking that this means action. Lots and lots of it. Right along with a number of surprises, both good, bad, and scary.

Part of Alex’s character arc has been learning that she’s actually a fae that her father had disguised. And in Grave War we learn just why Daddy Dearest did it.

In each story we’ve learned a little bit more about how the fae territories move and grow (or shrink) and how pledging to a court affects independent fae. We learn all of this through first person protagonist point-of-view from Alex’s perspective.

That mention of Disney being its own space was too funny.

More reveals include how the FIB is viewed by other law enforcement agencies as well as the fae themselves. I can kind of understand that attitude because FIB agents aren’t that interested in the small stuff. They just fluff it off. That instance with Jenny Greenteeth back in Grave Visions , 4, is a good example. It’s also a reflection of how “our” own world’s law enforcements work together, unwillingly. Hmmm, maybe we need an Alex?

And Alex discovers the truth of the FIB, of herself, of her true family.

The Story
Politics, politics, politics…that winter court is pushing hard for Falin to take a consort.

A bomb. Now the door to Faerie is gone. With it, the magic in North America will dry up…no fae will be able to survive. And Faerie itself is fracturing.

The Characters
Alexis “Alex” Craft is a grave witch who can raise the shades of the dead via her private investigation business, Tongues for the Dead, as well as a planeweaver who can pull various realities together. Now she’s the special-agent-in-charge of the Fae Investigation Bureau. PC is her Chinese Crested dog. Casey Caine is her “perfect” sister. Bradley is their missing older brother.

Alex’s roommates in her castle (in Caleb’s backyard) include Rianna McBride, Alex’s best friend, a grave witch, and a changeling, who is her business partner. Desmond is a barghest and Rianna’s constant companion. Addicted to fairyfood, Holly, another friend, a fire witch, and the assistant district attorney, is dating Caleb, an independent green man, wardsmith, artist…and Alex’s landlord…okay, maybe not anymore. But they do live in Alex’s castle. Roy Pearson is the ghost who works as Alex’s self-appointed sidekick… Roy is dating Icelynne, a ghost who had been a handmaiden to the Winter queen ( Grave Visions , 4); they both live in the castle. Ms B is the brownie who takes care of the castle and the office.

Death is a soul collector with whom Alex has been in love for years. Other soul collectors include “Raver” and the Mender.

Nekros City is…
…a sort of newly unfolded space that “arrived” seventy years ago during the Magical Awakening and is situated between Georgia and Alabama. Its governor, a Sleagh Maith fae in hiding and a member of the Humans First Party as well as Alex’s father, is George Caine and an emissary of the High King. James is his driver. Henry is his officious, snotty aide.

The pregnant Tamara, the chief medical examiner, is on bed rest. Ethan is her husband. Captain Oliver is with the Arson Bomb Squad. Lieutenant Martinez is the task leader with Anti-Black Magic Unit (ABMU); her team includes Halloway and Callen.

This Fae Investigation Bureau (FIB) is…
…the earth-based fae version of the FBI that belongs to Winter. Agent Nori hates Alex but is assigned to guide Alex. More agents include Tem who’ll be Alex’s bodyguard, Bleek, Mabel is also a healer, Lea, and Moor who is a satyr. Hilda Larine is the local representative for the Office of Ambassador of Fae and Human Relations.

Faerie
The High King rules all of Faerie and its courts of Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter and Shadow and Light. Falin Andrews is now the Faerie king…of Winter. No longer the Winter Queen’s Winter Knight. The queen’s former advisors include Maeve and Lyell.

Prince Dugan is heir to the Shadow realm and sort of un-betrothed to Alex. Nandin is the king of Shadows and Alex’s greats-uncle. Ciara is a shadow cat. Nandin has a planebender. The tricksy Kyran is the self-declared ruler of the Court of Nightmares and the son of Nandin.

Ryese, the Winter queen’s nephew, is the son of the Queen of Light. Jenny Greenteeth hates Alex. Blayne had been the Light queen’s consort when Ryese was born. The King and Queen of Summer hate each other.

The Eternal Bloom is a fae bar; half is for the fae and the other half is for the tourists. It also holds one of the few doors to Faerie. Lusa Duncan is the star reporter for Witch Watch. An amaranthine tree is sacred and heralds a door to Faerie. A small town in Alaska and a fae bar in Terraville also blew up. A Sleagh Maith is a fae noble, and they have terrible reputations. Theodore Coleman had been a vice-presidential hopeful…and a horror in hiding ( Grave Witch , 1). The Organization of Magically Inclined Humans (OMIH) appears to be a policing organization of witches. Humans First is an antiwitch, antifae organization.

The Cover and Title
The cover is a complement of oranges and blues in the background, one with the orange of an amaranthine tree against a shadowy blue and flames at its base. In front of this is the blonde-haired Alex in a black tank top and jeans, wearing her bulky charm bracelet and several necklaces. The text is primarily white starting with an info blurb at the top with the author’s name below it. Below this is a testimonial to the left of the tree trunk. Below that, in a very pale gray, is the scroll-bordered series info level with Alex’s chest. Starting at her waist is the title.

The title is what Alex encounters, a Grave War with existence on the line.

Those bad reviews made me sceptical and a bit sad to think the series would end badly. I can honestly say, I don’t agree at all with the bad reviews. This series has been incredible! I do get annoyed with the extended musings and description of things already known, but besides that, I loved it! If you made it this far in the series, you simply have to read this book. Do it. You will get questions answered, and maybe even be surprised a time or two. It was well worth the read. I highly recommend it.

This book was in dire need of communication. The whole plot could have been avoided and fixed if the characters just talked with each other. The MC was give a position which she was not qualified for in any shape or form. Everyone who is supposed to be capable and helpful is for the most part useless.

I enjoyed the series until this book. I just get angry when for the sake of the plots they dumb down the characters.

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