A review by lynseyisreading
Grave Dance by Kalayna Price
5.0
This was an excellent follow up to the first book, which I really enjoyed. I sometimes worry when I've loved the first book in a series that the next one(s) will pale in comparison. In this case, I needn't have worried.
The mystery element here really had me stumped. I thought I had it all figured out right until the end, and there was the baddie, with his/her back to me and I'm thinking, I've totally got this, then they turn around and.... doh! Looks like I'm not quite as much of a smarty pants as I thought, huh? I love that I was surprised and thought it was really cleverly written.
Alex's character had time to shine in this one a bit more than the first book as well. I don't think I really mentioned much about her as a lead character in my first review, I was too busy being all excited about the world-building and cool magical abilities and such, but she is a good leading lady: strong in her magic, honest, loyal, fierce, free and open with her opinions of others, both good and bad. And I can see why people are drawn to her.
Lets not say the words "love triangle" because they upset me, and really, that's not the case here at all, BUT, but there is more than one person who thinks Alex is the bee's knees in this series. One of them is just lovely, and seems to have really deep feelings for Alex, but I just can't see any possible way that it could work out between them. The other is a bit more of a conundrum, both to Alex and to us as a reader. He has his secrets and loyalties that lie elsewhere, and these make him a risky choice. But he's, like, all yummy and stuff..... I just don't know what I think at this point other than that I like both of them for very different reasons.
I can't wait for the next next book, Grave Memory (write faster dammit!) and really hope this series continues to keep up this high standard for many books to come.
The mystery element here really had me stumped. I thought I had it all figured out right until the end, and there was the baddie, with his/her back to me and I'm thinking, I've totally got this, then they turn around and.... doh! Looks like I'm not quite as much of a smarty pants as I thought, huh? I love that I was surprised and thought it was really cleverly written.
Alex's character had time to shine in this one a bit more than the first book as well. I don't think I really mentioned much about her as a lead character in my first review, I was too busy being all excited about the world-building and cool magical abilities and such, but she is a good leading lady: strong in her magic, honest, loyal, fierce, free and open with her opinions of others, both good and bad. And I can see why people are drawn to her.
Lets not say the words "love triangle" because they upset me, and really, that's not the case here at all, BUT, but there is more than one person who thinks Alex is the bee's knees in this series. One of them is just lovely, and seems to have really deep feelings for Alex, but I just can't see any possible way that it could work out between them. The other is a bit more of a conundrum, both to Alex and to us as a reader. He has his secrets and loyalties that lie elsewhere, and these make him a risky choice. But he's, like, all yummy and stuff..... I just don't know what I think at this point other than that I like both of them for very different reasons.
I can't wait for the next next book, Grave Memory (write faster dammit!) and really hope this series continues to keep up this high standard for many books to come.