Toppler - Grave Witch

I read this book for a Valentine's day themed Toppler. Everyone was reading soppy books and I thought I would make a dent in my Vaginal Fantasy to read pile that has been building up. I also read the first Sookie Stackhouse book, but like Harry Potter in Dec's Toppler, so much has been said about these books I won't review them on here. If you are interested though you can always ask.

I enjoy Vaginal Fantasy, not only because the girls are funny as, but also it is a good way of discovering books I wouldn't normally read, and have them vetoed by people I "trust" beforehand. If I saw Grave Witch in the bookshop there is no way I would have picked it up. I mean, look at it:

Image sourced from here 

I am very glad I bought it though.

The story is about a witch, a grave witch in fact, called Alex Craft. She uses her grave magic to talk to people who are dead and have information, which would be very a useful skill to have if you were a private detective, which of course she is. Usually about how and why they are dead. Like a darker version of Pushing Daisies. Unlike Pushing Daisies though, this is all out in the open. As the witches and the Fae have announced to the world they exist and are somewhat integrated into the real world.

Most people are using magic to a small extent in their lives. Complexion masking enchantments, warding spells, healing enchantments on bandages. But not everyone is happy to have magical people in their lives or in their world. There is a political group for humans first (of course). Alex's Dad is a senior person in this party, and the leader has just been found dead.

The story goes through Alex trying to solve this murder for her estranged family who don't seem very appreciative of this help. And her trying to deal with a new Detective in the Police Department.

It sounds... trite. And done before. But it's actually a whole heap of fun and I love the lore and background to this world. It's a nice new spin on it. Alex is actually a very likeable character, and a nice strong female character too, which is somewhat hard to find in this genre (yes, thank you very much Twilight).

Will it be the most intellectual book you read? God no. But if you like fun books with mystery, magic, murder, and incredibly hot faerie sex, give it a go. I'm buying all the rest. Now.