Kalayna Price

Weak four stars, but I'll keep reading the series so I'm rounding up instead of down. This is one of those series I'm only casually invested in; I'd forgotten the rules of the world, the characters, the main conflicts that Alex has to deal with until I cracked open GRAVE MEMORY and reminded myself. So I won't get mad at the early parts of the book for being slow, though they kind of were. The plotting becomes quite strong by the end, with all kinds of ticking time bombs and imaginative show more teamwork and creepy creatures to defeat.

I was kind of annoyed by Alex throughout this installment of the series; was she always sort of self-loathing and weak, or is that new?

Example: Alex spends a lot of time in this book mooning about Falin and Death, her two love interests. She mopes a lot because Death is avoiding her. I'll cut her some slack on this one; they've been friends for decades, and Death has only been avoiding her for a month. But Falin? He still works for the Winter Queen and, on her orders, is harassing Alex. He's leading weekly raids on her house, ransacking not only her belongings but all her housemates', raiding her housemate Caleb's place of business, and he's not even slightly apologetic about it. Yet Alex gets all sentimental when he shows up at her house & wants to exchange longing glances over the ruins of her belongings. This is dumb. I hated Falin and Alex's behavior made me like her less.

The raids naturally stress Alex's relationships with her housemates. They're fed up, and I understand why - weekly raids! - though Alex for some reason expects them to suffer along with her. That's a lot to ask, right? I didn't understand why she wasn't actively trying to move out, for their sakes, but she never even considers the idea.

Meanwhile, her friends are pushing her to choose her alliance in Fairy by attaching herself to a court or declaring herself an independent. It seems clear that they're acting out of self-interest (choosing = no more raids) rather than for Alex's benefit, which didn't make me like them any better, since they're not helping her to make a good choice. Caleb, for example, bullies Alex into attending a big Fairy party, ignores all of her perfectly legitimate concerns about things that could go wrong, and then abandons her as soon as they arrive. Of course, Alex's fears were justified and she goes toe-to-toe with the Winter Queen all alone.

So all the friendships are messed up. And while the plot is pretty gripping, it's all centered around Alex's burgeoning business - Tongues of the Dead - which, considering this fairy drama, struck me as a bit of a distraction. Alex does have an urgent decision to make about her place in Fairy, but she doesn't do anything to educate herself about the various courts. She doesn't talk to people from unfamiliar factions, consider her options or try to negotiate. She's got this little fiefdom in Fairy that she never visits or even thinks about, does nothing to manage or care for.

I wanted Alex to be more pro-active, less re-active. I wanted her to talk back when people tried to blame her for things that weren't her fault. I wanted her to tell them off when they insulted her abilities. And every time she didn't, I lost a little bit of respect for her.

So, yes, weak four stars because I'll still keep reading, even though I was frustrated with Alex for much of the book. show less

I'm happy to report that I enjoyed this one more than the first. While I still don't like the idea of having a grim reaper as a real character (and a potential love interest at that!), I was more comfortable with him this time around. Alex is as enjoyable a heroine as usual, especially as we find out more of the mystery surrounding her abilities, history and genetics. Falin is back but the role is changed due to revelations from the first novel. He's as yummy and interesting as ever.

One of show more the main contradictory elements of the story stands as Alex's abilities and disabilities. Her powers come at high cost - when she uses her grave sight, she's temporarily blinded. Raising shades from bodies come with a price as well. Trying to blend the costs of her abilities while being forced to use them, amidst the confusing mess of characters who are all mysterious with their own hidden agendas, makes fun reading. Having to weight whether the risk is worth it to use an ability or not sometimes results in disastrous repercussions.

The author injected more enthusiasm this time because of how in-depth the fae world has grown. It's almost like an adult, surreal fairytale at times. The different characters were fascinating, especially the almost funny Nightmare Man. The Witch and King were unique as well, helping make this flow quickly into an easy read. Price again writes with a talented hand, including a depth of detail to make the literary world come alive in convincing, alluring ways.

While the first didn't have a plot issue, the plot for this one was even better. There are so many possible personal disasters now for Alex and several characters that it's easy to become engrossed. A hefty dose of suspense, too, as in the fae situations much was at stake. Price is a gifted writer with her phrasing and keeping the moment taut when much is at hand.

It seems the love triangle is still here and planting itself even stronger.

As before, the book really takes off toward the end, making it engrossing more then than when initially starting it. The series so far has its up and downs for me, being mediocre on some fronts while excelling in others. I'm anxious to read the third after that cliffhanger. show less

Another brilliant entry into the Alex Craft series. As a rule, I don't like love triangles, I DO enjoy this one, but I'm not going to lie, at this point I want her to PICK one and STAY with him. ( I have a clear favorite in mind of course) Lots of interesting twists and turns, Alex is a strong heroine as always, but I absolutely adore her vulnerabilities, they're written so well. Even though she has all this magic, she still seems like a regular person, someone you can relate to . Just for show more GS please pick a man already! show less

Tongues for the Dead has opened a new office on the edge of the Magic District, a place where Rianna and Alex (and don't forget Roy) have their own professional space to conduct business and consult with clients. Their first clients have the team investigating a string of suspect suicides where they discover a body jumping entity driving unknowing hosts to their deaths. When one of Alex's friends get caught up in the line of victims, Alex has to work against a dwindling timeline before the show more friend is irreparably harmed.

Things heat back up on the romantic front in this installment, and I suspect that the majority of readers will find themselves firm on Team Death. While Falin is not out of the picture, things come to a head with our favorite sexy soul reaper. The sacrifices made by both Death and Alex were drastic and emotional. This couple is seriously the ultimate forbidden lovers situation - it really tugs on my heart strings.

Alex's fae genetics also continue to evolve after she spends the Equinox in Faery and has a run in with Falin and the Winter Queen. I really hate that witch of a queen and the way she uses Falin to trick and harass Alex. I wish Alex would just kick him to the curb once and for all. Given the semi-cliffy at the end of the book, I really wanted to knock some heads together. It will be interesting to see how this situation plays out in the next book.

4 stars / 2 flames. show less