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Arcane Transporter #1
Grave Cargo
A dead mage, a missing friend, and an unpredictable alliance merge into a volatile package sending Rory careening through the Arcane elite’s deadly secrets.
Rory Costas, Arcane Transporter, is finally out from under the Guild’s thumb and ready to jumpstart her career as an independent contractor. Even better than the potential income, her promising future offers the additional perk of keeping her coveted magic out of the hands of the all-powerful Arcane Families. But when a dead mage drops at her doorstep on the same morning her best friend and roommate, Lena, goes missing, Rory is drawn out of her comfort zone and into an ominous race against time.
Retracing Lena’s convoluted path through the Arcane elite’s moneyed secrets, bitter vendettas, and lethal curses, Rory crashes into Zev Aslanov’s investigation of the murdered mage. When the Cordova Family’s enigmatic hunter reveals the dead man was Lena’s last client, Rory must convince Zev her missing friend is a victim, not a suspect. To uncover the truth and save her friend, Rory agrees to work with Zev, even though their uneasy partnership may mean revealing her hidden magic.
As the clock ticks down, can they dodge Zev’s suspicions and Rory’s secrets to expose the real evil mastermind or will they crash and burn?
Grave Cargo races into the Arcane Transporter urban fantasy series with a high-octane ride filled with unexpected turns.
Buy Grave Cargo today and buckle in for a pulse-pounding, magical thrill ride.
Rory Costas, Arcane Transporter, is finally out from under the Guild’s thumb and ready to jumpstart her career as an independent contractor. Even better than the potential income, her promising future offers the additional perk of keeping her coveted magic out of the hands of the all-powerful Arcane Families. But when a dead mage drops at her doorstep on the same morning her best friend and roommate, Lena, goes missing, Rory is drawn out of her comfort zone and into an ominous race against time.
Retracing Lena’s convoluted path through the Arcane elite’s moneyed secrets, bitter vendettas, and lethal curses, Rory crashes into Zev Aslanov’s investigation of the murdered mage. When the Cordova Family’s enigmatic hunter reveals the dead man was Lena’s last client, Rory must convince Zev her missing friend is a victim, not a suspect. To uncover the truth and save her friend, Rory agrees to work with Zev, even though their uneasy partnership may mean revealing her hidden magic.
As the clock ticks down, can they dodge Zev’s suspicions and Rory’s secrets to expose the real evil mastermind or will they crash and burn?
Grave Cargo races into the Arcane Transporter urban fantasy series with a high-octane ride filled with unexpected turns.
Buy Grave Cargo today and buckle in for a pulse-pounding, magical thrill ride.
270 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 21, 2020
386 people are currently reading
638 people want to read
About the author
Jami Gray
30 books461 followersJami Gray is the coffee addicted, music junkie author of hellbent warriors, wild magic, and riveting romance. Dive into her urban fantasy & paranormal romance series today.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 70 reviews
February 15, 2021
This story was a little thin. I think I could almost leave this review at that. But since I'm a blow-hard, I'll get a bit more detailed.
Rory is a likeable-enough heroine. She's good at her job (we're told) and the Guild people respect her. This story is mostly her chasing the McGuffin, sorry, missing roommate, and running into various roadblocks. She picks up a sidekick named Zev who zevs her engine, if you know what I mean (and I know you do). They talk back and forth and I can't help thinking it is meant to be banter, but it wasn't actually. And some of the dialogue between them has Rory thinking about the layers and under-messages and none of that actually came through in the actual words. Still, he's competent and that's nice.
So they save the damsel and he discovers enough mystery to pique his interest and we close on a big ole kiss that promises more shenanigans in the coming series. And yeah, I've been pretty dismissive and all and that's because, well, it was thin. But I was engaged enough to finish and not regret the time so let's call it a weak three stars.
A note about Chaste: While Zev can't twitch without Rory going all fluttery, there's no actual intimacy beyond the kiss at the end. So this is way chaste if you discount all the desperate yearning. Seriously, Rory might have a medical condition for all the zings and goosebumps and palpitations...
Rory is a likeable-enough heroine. She's good at her job (we're told) and the Guild people respect her. This story is mostly her chasing the McGuffin, sorry, missing roommate, and running into various roadblocks. She picks up a sidekick named Zev who zevs her engine, if you know what I mean (and I know you do). They talk back and forth and I can't help thinking it is meant to be banter, but it wasn't actually. And some of the dialogue between them has Rory thinking about the layers and under-messages and none of that actually came through in the actual words. Still, he's competent and that's nice.
So they save the damsel and he discovers enough mystery to pique his interest and we close on a big ole kiss that promises more shenanigans in the coming series. And yeah, I've been pretty dismissive and all and that's because, well, it was thin. But I was engaged enough to finish and not regret the time so let's call it a weak three stars.
A note about Chaste: While Zev can't twitch without Rory going all fluttery, there's no actual intimacy beyond the kiss at the end. So this is way chaste if you discount all the desperate yearning. Seriously, Rory might have a medical condition for all the zings and goosebumps and palpitations...
February 13, 2021
She’s writing a good story, even if world building isn’t top notch. My biggest nit with both books of hers I read is that PNR-hormone-laced threads are a definite drag and a pitfall in a UF novel.
So you have this really interesting plot that gets a times dragged down by a main character who becomes downright stupid (even if she doesn’t always act stupid).
I understand a woman doing a really stupid thing when in love. I did my share of pure idiocy. But what we have in some novels is a drug, an unbelievable physical reaction that drives a person. Maybe I’m a cold fish, but it’s unbelievable and irritating.
It’s not at all heavy, mind you. But it’s still jarring in some UF, like this and Shadow's Soul.
So you have this really interesting plot that gets a times dragged down by a main character who becomes downright stupid (even if she doesn’t always act stupid).
I understand a woman doing a really stupid thing when in love. I did my share of pure idiocy. But what we have in some novels is a drug, an unbelievable physical reaction that drives a person. Maybe I’m a cold fish, but it’s unbelievable and irritating.
It’s not at all heavy, mind you. But it’s still jarring in some UF, like this and Shadow's Soul.
September 10, 2023
FYI, a prequel to this series exist.
Read
January 10, 2023 Mon avis en Français
My English review
I didn’t know this series, but after seeing that Sandy Williams recommended it, I was immediately intrigued. Plus I love urban fantasy, so how could I resist?
Rorry hasn’t had an easy life so far. She hides her powers and tries to keep a low profile, but her new job will change everything. The matriarch of one of the families offers her a job as a driver, which will put her in the spotlight but will also allow her to earn a lot of money. But on top of that, her best friend has disappeared, the same day that the corpse of a mage is discovered in the hall of their building. Rorry is determined to find out what happened and to rescue her friend. Her path will cross that of the sexy Zev who, as a member of a family, is also investigating the death of the mage. They join forces to uncover the truth, but Zev may discover his secret and Rorry may fall under his spell again. And as the families begin to discover her power, our heroine doesn’t know what’s in store for her.
I had a great time with this novel, even if the beginning is a bit dense. The Rorry/Zev dynamic is very cool and I’m curious to see what happens next. I’m also curious to see what will happen with Rorry’s power and can’t wait to learn more about her. On the other hand, I felt like I was missing some things and I think it’s important to read the novella before the novel because there is a lot of reference to it.
My English review
I didn’t know this series, but after seeing that Sandy Williams recommended it, I was immediately intrigued. Plus I love urban fantasy, so how could I resist?
Rorry hasn’t had an easy life so far. She hides her powers and tries to keep a low profile, but her new job will change everything. The matriarch of one of the families offers her a job as a driver, which will put her in the spotlight but will also allow her to earn a lot of money. But on top of that, her best friend has disappeared, the same day that the corpse of a mage is discovered in the hall of their building. Rorry is determined to find out what happened and to rescue her friend. Her path will cross that of the sexy Zev who, as a member of a family, is also investigating the death of the mage. They join forces to uncover the truth, but Zev may discover his secret and Rorry may fall under his spell again. And as the families begin to discover her power, our heroine doesn’t know what’s in store for her.
I had a great time with this novel, even if the beginning is a bit dense. The Rorry/Zev dynamic is very cool and I’m curious to see what happens next. I’m also curious to see what will happen with Rorry’s power and can’t wait to learn more about her. On the other hand, I felt like I was missing some things and I think it’s important to read the novella before the novel because there is a lot of reference to it.
September 20, 2023
I would recommend reading the prequel, which I did not do, but this procedural drama / romance / urban fantasy was better than I expected it to be.
September 19, 2023
Lacking in the world building department. Not much archane transporting going on either.
October 11, 2021
This was really fun all things considered but it missed the mark somewhat in a few areas.
The author probably spent a lot of time constructing the entire plot with a lot of cross-connections and isn't shy in showing the whole thing off in the finale of the last book.
And it shows. It's very well thought out and deftly assembled. This was probably by far the biggest strength of the series. You can expect the mystery to actually be backed by a thought-through plotline throughout the entire series.
Something that sometimes worked but sometimes limbed a bit is the cut-throat politics between the leading magical families. We are constantly being told ad-nauseam how ruthless and cold everyone is and we even see plenty of examples of them all being unscrupulous. But all this always conflicted with a lot of behavior of many of the involved parties. It never actually affected any major decisions as I felt it should have. We end up with quite a few characters that are nice and lovely except when the author needs to convince us again how jaded and cold they are. Characters can have both sides depending on the situation but therein lies the problem. Hard people like that just don't become big softies in dangerous situations. They should show cold self-control and be able to make tough calls if they have to.
The degree of coldbloodedness just doesn't feel consistent.
I don't feel like I quite managed to get across what my problem was with this but I can't find better words.
Something else that sometimes overlaps with the above-mentioned problem is the dialogues in which characters argue about future decisions. Dialogues sometimes completely contradict the personalities these characters supposedly have. It all just sounds weirdly naive innocent despite people dying left and right later on. The dialogue especially between the MC and her love interest when they straight talk to each other sometimes completely contradicts my expectation of how I expect them to argue.
That is not to say there aren't quite a few incredibly satisfying instances of talking turkey by the MC.
Speaking of the MC and her love interest. I have a complaint I've talked about in other reviews as well here. This series is full of building sexual tension and anticipation between the two. Sometimes to an extreme degree that probably annoys some readers a lot but when it's finally time for actual sexy time we just skip to the next morning after a bit of foreplay.
I don't need sex in my books, but if you tease intense sexual tension for like two books, not paying out with a cheap skip to the next morning is just frustrating. Especially because the author doesn't do anything else interesting with the relationship either. It's just there because urban fantasy needs a steamy romance to sell nowadays I guess.
If you don't want to do that part, just don't. It isn't much harder to write a romantic relationship without constantly focusing on arousal and out-of-control libido. If you don't want to write sex, don't tease it.
My last point should probably be world-building. It's really thin beyond the feuding magic families.
The magic itself is incredibly vague like techno-babble in sci-fi is vague. You need to take a lot of weird stuff at face value, for example, that there is such a thing as a "transporter" magic designation which means you can drive really well and fast and have a talent for navigation.
Basically don't start to question anything about the world or things start to fall apart very quickly.
It's supposed to be an action (movie) book. You just don't question those.
A word about the audiobook narration.
This audiobook does something I rarely see but thoroughly enjoy if it is done well like in this case.
Instead of assigning each of the two narrators one POV, roles are split by gender. (The female narrator narrates all female-sounding characters etc.)
This gets rid of one of the most annoying problems with multiple narrators like this. Different narrators might use vastly different voices for the same character.
Especially with good narrators, I start to rely on recognizing characters not by name but by voice which backfires horribly if a different narrator then uses entirely different voices for them.
Narration by gender requires the two narrators to be able to convincingly act out conversations which can backfire quite badly if it's not done well.
The author probably spent a lot of time constructing the entire plot with a lot of cross-connections and isn't shy in showing the whole thing off in the finale of the last book.
And it shows. It's very well thought out and deftly assembled. This was probably by far the biggest strength of the series. You can expect the mystery to actually be backed by a thought-through plotline throughout the entire series.
Something that sometimes worked but sometimes limbed a bit is the cut-throat politics between the leading magical families. We are constantly being told ad-nauseam how ruthless and cold everyone is and we even see plenty of examples of them all being unscrupulous. But all this always conflicted with a lot of behavior of many of the involved parties. It never actually affected any major decisions as I felt it should have. We end up with quite a few characters that are nice and lovely except when the author needs to convince us again how jaded and cold they are. Characters can have both sides depending on the situation but therein lies the problem. Hard people like that just don't become big softies in dangerous situations. They should show cold self-control and be able to make tough calls if they have to.
The degree of coldbloodedness just doesn't feel consistent.
I don't feel like I quite managed to get across what my problem was with this but I can't find better words.
Something else that sometimes overlaps with the above-mentioned problem is the dialogues in which characters argue about future decisions. Dialogues sometimes completely contradict the personalities these characters supposedly have. It all just sounds weirdly naive innocent despite people dying left and right later on. The dialogue especially between the MC and her love interest when they straight talk to each other sometimes completely contradicts my expectation of how I expect them to argue.
That is not to say there aren't quite a few incredibly satisfying instances of talking turkey by the MC.
Speaking of the MC and her love interest. I have a complaint I've talked about in other reviews as well here. This series is full of building sexual tension and anticipation between the two. Sometimes to an extreme degree that probably annoys some readers a lot but when it's finally time for actual sexy time we just skip to the next morning after a bit of foreplay.
I don't need sex in my books, but if you tease intense sexual tension for like two books, not paying out with a cheap skip to the next morning is just frustrating. Especially because the author doesn't do anything else interesting with the relationship either. It's just there because urban fantasy needs a steamy romance to sell nowadays I guess.
If you don't want to do that part, just don't. It isn't much harder to write a romantic relationship without constantly focusing on arousal and out-of-control libido. If you don't want to write sex, don't tease it.
My last point should probably be world-building. It's really thin beyond the feuding magic families.
The magic itself is incredibly vague like techno-babble in sci-fi is vague. You need to take a lot of weird stuff at face value, for example, that there is such a thing as a "transporter" magic designation which means you can drive really well and fast and have a talent for navigation.
Basically don't start to question anything about the world or things start to fall apart very quickly.
It's supposed to be an action (movie) book. You just don't question those.
A word about the audiobook narration.
This audiobook does something I rarely see but thoroughly enjoy if it is done well like in this case.
Instead of assigning each of the two narrators one POV, roles are split by gender. (The female narrator narrates all female-sounding characters etc.)
This gets rid of one of the most annoying problems with multiple narrators like this. Different narrators might use vastly different voices for the same character.
Especially with good narrators, I start to rely on recognizing characters not by name but by voice which backfires horribly if a different narrator then uses entirely different voices for them.
Narration by gender requires the two narrators to be able to convincingly act out conversations which can backfire quite badly if it's not done well.
May 2, 2022
Fast & Fun
I’d probably give this book 3.5 ⭐️ if I could.
This is the first book in the series, but there is a prequel novella. You don’t need to read the novella to understand this book. There is no cliffhanger to this book, but there is plenty to hook you in to book 2.
Rory works for the Guild, a group of mages for hire. In this world there are nearly 30 Families that rule the Arcane world and 100 years ago got involved in global politics and stopped wars. In gratitude their status was greatly elevated and protected. The Guild is the most high profile alternative to being a member of a Family. Rory grew up in care and spent some time on the street and has no idea who her parents are. All she knows is the she is a ‘Prism’ a rare type of mage that very little is known about. She keeps her abilities secret and works as a Transporter using arcane abilities that are well known and safe to have. She provides very safe transport for her clients utilising her navigation and reflex abilities.
When Rory’s best friend Lena goes missing she goes looking for her and though she gets support from the Guild she ends up partnered with Zev, a dangerous and powerful mage who is part of a Family, when their cases cross paths. The last thing Rory wants is for Zev to get curious about her abilities, but she finds herself drawn to him despite her best intentions.
This is a quick read and fun Urban Fantasy plot abounds. The book is mainly plot focused with world building and character development coming second and third place respectively. This means its and easy and unchallenging read that entertains and keeps the pages turning. However, I didn’t feel much empathy towards any of the characters because their role wasn’t as important as the plot. The world building was interesting but not particularly in depth.
This was a good book to read when stuck in a rut with other more challenging novels. It’s a good palette cleanser and I’ll probably read the next in the series at some point because I’m interested to see if there is any more development in the characters’ history and personalities.
I’d probably give this book 3.5 ⭐️ if I could.
This is the first book in the series, but there is a prequel novella. You don’t need to read the novella to understand this book. There is no cliffhanger to this book, but there is plenty to hook you in to book 2.
Rory works for the Guild, a group of mages for hire. In this world there are nearly 30 Families that rule the Arcane world and 100 years ago got involved in global politics and stopped wars. In gratitude their status was greatly elevated and protected. The Guild is the most high profile alternative to being a member of a Family. Rory grew up in care and spent some time on the street and has no idea who her parents are. All she knows is the she is a ‘Prism’ a rare type of mage that very little is known about. She keeps her abilities secret and works as a Transporter using arcane abilities that are well known and safe to have. She provides very safe transport for her clients utilising her navigation and reflex abilities.
When Rory’s best friend Lena goes missing she goes looking for her and though she gets support from the Guild she ends up partnered with Zev, a dangerous and powerful mage who is part of a Family, when their cases cross paths. The last thing Rory wants is for Zev to get curious about her abilities, but she finds herself drawn to him despite her best intentions.
This is a quick read and fun Urban Fantasy plot abounds. The book is mainly plot focused with world building and character development coming second and third place respectively. This means its and easy and unchallenging read that entertains and keeps the pages turning. However, I didn’t feel much empathy towards any of the characters because their role wasn’t as important as the plot. The world building was interesting but not particularly in depth.
This was a good book to read when stuck in a rut with other more challenging novels. It’s a good palette cleanser and I’ll probably read the next in the series at some point because I’m interested to see if there is any more development in the characters’ history and personalities.
January 16, 2023
Slightly disappointing
Good base plot but needs to develop some complexity. The romance moves faster than I'd like, mostly because her actions with him feel like a betrayal of herself. It should have been staged better. As it is, he might be handsome but he isn't loyal to her nor does he treat her with respect. Some might find his domineering traits like maneuvering himself into her apartment at the end or letting himself in without permission to be charming. In real life, those actions are something you report to the police. Honestly, I am sick of this being portrayed in novels as acceptable and normal. Its creepy and wrong. AND she knows he's trouble and lets her hormones rule her. I always dislike this scenario because it takes away deliberate agency and replaces it with uncontrolled emotion. It makes the heroine seem stupid and uncontrolled rather than mature and deliberate.
Also, I'd like to see a heroine who doesn't back down every five seconds to her alpha male counterpart. She barely holds his gaze, she looks away, she blushes ...blah blah blah. Feels like she doesn't have much of a spine or sense of self since all she does is accede to what he wants.
Good base plot but needs to develop some complexity. The romance moves faster than I'd like, mostly because her actions with him feel like a betrayal of herself. It should have been staged better. As it is, he might be handsome but he isn't loyal to her nor does he treat her with respect. Some might find his domineering traits like maneuvering himself into her apartment at the end or letting himself in without permission to be charming. In real life, those actions are something you report to the police. Honestly, I am sick of this being portrayed in novels as acceptable and normal. Its creepy and wrong. AND she knows he's trouble and lets her hormones rule her. I always dislike this scenario because it takes away deliberate agency and replaces it with uncontrolled emotion. It makes the heroine seem stupid and uncontrolled rather than mature and deliberate.
Also, I'd like to see a heroine who doesn't back down every five seconds to her alpha male counterpart. She barely holds his gaze, she looks away, she blushes ...blah blah blah. Feels like she doesn't have much of a spine or sense of self since all she does is accede to what he wants.
October 24, 2020
Could have been written by an algorithm
I very rarely rate a book before finishing, but I couldn’t get through this. The writing style is pedestrian to the point it could be a textbook on economics. The author has no real “voice” and the characters have no depth. Avoid.
I very rarely rate a book before finishing, but I couldn’t get through this. The writing style is pedestrian to the point it could be a textbook on economics. The author has no real “voice” and the characters have no depth. Avoid.
June 1, 2021
I'm an avid fan of Jami Gray's books. Grave Cargo is the start of another series which has me hooked. Action, magic, self-discovery, and just a touch of romance made this a fast paced read.
Rory has a lot to learn about herself and her magical powers. I look forward to reading about her journey.
Rory has a lot to learn about herself and her magical powers. I look forward to reading about her journey.
May 28, 2024
This book was a fun little urban fantasy thriller! I'm particularly impressed with how much the author's writing has improved since her first novel. This one had relatively tight plotting and a multidimensional protagonist who was fun to follow for the series.
I will say, another piece of Gray's writing that has improved is that the plot now moves forward very well in a pointed direction, and, as a reader, I felt much less struck on the head with out-of-the-blue plot developments and transparent foreshadowing alike; the Arcane Transporter stories follow an expected path without letting you see around every corner first, which is just the kind of fun I look for in an urban fantasy story.
It's not in my top however-many books (not my favorite in the series, either), but it was definitely worth finishing out the series for me (I would read more if more were written too!), and I could see myself coming back to it later as a re-read.
Kudos to Jami Gray for honing her writing skills over these years and having a great read like Grave Cargo and the rest of the Arcane Transporter books to show for it; it takes a lot of work to keep at it and grow!
I will say, another piece of Gray's writing that has improved is that the plot now moves forward very well in a pointed direction, and, as a reader, I felt much less struck on the head with out-of-the-blue plot developments and transparent foreshadowing alike; the Arcane Transporter stories follow an expected path without letting you see around every corner first, which is just the kind of fun I look for in an urban fantasy story.
It's not in my top however-many books (not my favorite in the series, either), but it was definitely worth finishing out the series for me (I would read more if more were written too!), and I could see myself coming back to it later as a re-read.
Kudos to Jami Gray for honing her writing skills over these years and having a great read like Grave Cargo and the rest of the Arcane Transporter books to show for it; it takes a lot of work to keep at it and grow!
October 12, 2020
Fun Paranormal Mystery
I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading the next one. Did it change my life? No. Was it fun and entertaining? Definitely! I loved the story telling and the characters. It was a fun take on the paranormal mystery genre, with a slightly atypical twist to magic. I wish there was a little more explaination of how magic worked in this world, but it wasn't so sketchy I was lost in any way.
Note: There are some f-bombs, but not many. Nothing else would be considered inappropriate.
I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading the next one. Did it change my life? No. Was it fun and entertaining? Definitely! I loved the story telling and the characters. It was a fun take on the paranormal mystery genre, with a slightly atypical twist to magic. I wish there was a little more explaination of how magic worked in this world, but it wasn't so sketchy I was lost in any way.
Note: There are some f-bombs, but not many. Nothing else would be considered inappropriate.
October 15, 2020
Great read
I am a new reader of this author and I am glad I found her. This book just kept getting better and better. The characters were well developed and the twist and turns of the plot were great. I can not wait to read the next book in this series. For now I'm going to read other books she has written. Enjoy the book
I am a new reader of this author and I am glad I found her. This book just kept getting better and better. The characters were well developed and the twist and turns of the plot were great. I can not wait to read the next book in this series. For now I'm going to read other books she has written. Enjoy the book
March 18, 2024
The world building felt a bit shallow for an urban fantasy.
The story itself grabbed my interest and the fast pace of it kept me in the moment.
The romance had a very light touch and if it wasn't for the final chapter, I wouldn't have thought it was going to be included to begin with.
I feel like Rory is at the start of quite an intense journey and I'm very curious to see where it'll go.
The story itself grabbed my interest and the fast pace of it kept me in the moment.
The romance had a very light touch and if it wasn't for the final chapter, I wouldn't have thought it was going to be included to begin with.
I feel like Rory is at the start of quite an intense journey and I'm very curious to see where it'll go.
August 17, 2024
This is an engaging, but slight, introduction to the Arcane Transporter series. I picked it up on Amazon for some fun off-work reading, and in that it accomplished its task. Grave Cargo held my interest, introduced solid characters with believable (if rushed) backstories, and concluded with both an internal conclusion to the story at hand and a series teaser to carry me into the next book.
I think the real problem I had in this novel is with Gray's pacing. We begin in media res (to the point where I began to think I'd missed a connecting earlier series. Did I? I couldn't see it.) with the central characters all already familiar with each other. It felt a little bit like watching the first episode of a genre show whose producers didn't believe they'd get a second season, but who wanted to be sure everyone knew what was going on for the inevitable syndication deal. Items that should have been foreshadowed in the beginning suddenly became hugely important two-thirds of the way into the plot. The characters went from scene to scene to scene without any lulls where character building might take place.
Another aspect that bothered me as a reader was the number of times the author told me an action occurred without showing me. Little bits that added up to silence on the page rather than dialogue and reactive action. Actions that would have brought a great deal of drama and purpose had they been acted out were instead relayed to the reader in a paragraph of exposition. Even swearing or asides that would usually be expressed through dialogue were explicated instead (ie 'Swearing, I ran to the telephone to call Evan.').
What I liked about this story were the characters. This felt very reminiscent of Ilona Andrews' Hidden Legacy series, only with more of an interest in the action than the romance. (It's there, but the heroine is rightfully laser focused on getting her roommate back. I like that in a series. She's interested in the male lead, but she's not letting it cloud her thinking or get in the way of her job). I liked that the main character had a support network and a professional network to draw upon, not everyone has to be in love with the heroine for her to be effective and that's a real relief to me. I'm rather tired of reading books which worship at the feet of the main characters, and this is a far more balanced portrayal. I'm interested in the worldbuilding which showed obvious care and attention, and I love the idea of how society works with magic users within it, especially the bits of history we got.
I liked more of this book than I disliked, and it made me want to know what happens next in the series. It looks like I've got five more books to go, and I'm hoping it's a slow burn type relationship for the main characters.
I think the real problem I had in this novel is with Gray's pacing. We begin in media res (to the point where I began to think I'd missed a connecting earlier series. Did I? I couldn't see it.) with the central characters all already familiar with each other. It felt a little bit like watching the first episode of a genre show whose producers didn't believe they'd get a second season, but who wanted to be sure everyone knew what was going on for the inevitable syndication deal. Items that should have been foreshadowed in the beginning suddenly became hugely important two-thirds of the way into the plot. The characters went from scene to scene to scene without any lulls where character building might take place.
Another aspect that bothered me as a reader was the number of times the author told me an action occurred without showing me. Little bits that added up to silence on the page rather than dialogue and reactive action. Actions that would have brought a great deal of drama and purpose had they been acted out were instead relayed to the reader in a paragraph of exposition. Even swearing or asides that would usually be expressed through dialogue were explicated instead (ie 'Swearing, I ran to the telephone to call Evan.').
What I liked about this story were the characters. This felt very reminiscent of Ilona Andrews' Hidden Legacy series, only with more of an interest in the action than the romance. (It's there, but the heroine is rightfully laser focused on getting her roommate back. I like that in a series. She's interested in the male lead, but she's not letting it cloud her thinking or get in the way of her job). I liked that the main character had a support network and a professional network to draw upon, not everyone has to be in love with the heroine for her to be effective and that's a real relief to me. I'm rather tired of reading books which worship at the feet of the main characters, and this is a far more balanced portrayal. I'm interested in the worldbuilding which showed obvious care and attention, and I love the idea of how society works with magic users within it, especially the bits of history we got.
I liked more of this book than I disliked, and it made me want to know what happens next in the series. It looks like I've got five more books to go, and I'm hoping it's a slow burn type relationship for the main characters.
October 22, 2024
When I first read the synopsis for "Grave Cargo," it sounded interesting but I wasn't sure that I would like it. It is so great when we are pleasantly surprised. I really enjoyed the world and the characters Jami Gray has created.
Rory Costas is a transporter for the Arcane Guild. She has worked her way from an employee to an independent contractor. On her way home, she encounters her neighbors standing outside the condominium building. Apparently, a dead body was dumped in the lobby and now the police are holding everyone for questioning and refusing to allow anyone back into their units until they an clear the crime scene. Rory runs into a Detective that she has had former dealings with and he warns her not to leave town and be careful.
To make matters worse, Rory has been unable to reach her roommate, Lena. She isn't answering her phone and she hasn't been seen at work. She asks her boss for permission to trace her. With the help of her trusty colleague, Evan she manages to access some of Lena's files. Apparently, Lena was hired by a doctor, a urologist more specifically to investigate a client, Keith Thatcher is attempting to mask his identity. Someone has magically cursed him so that he is unable to have an erection. Oooh, some women is really pissed! It also appears that it was Keith's body that was dumped in the lobby of Rory's building.
Meanwhile, Rory has been offered a job to transport a wealthy arcane woman, Sabella Rossi while she is in the Phoenix area. This could lead to a contract and many perks for Rory. So, with so much going on Rory takes the step to search for her missing friend and roommate. This leads her right into the path of Zec Aslanov, a sexy hunk of burning love contacted to the Cordova Arcane family. He is trouble just waiting to happen. However, he also has information and skills that can aid Rory in helping her find Lena. The only problem is that he gets to call in a marker from her in the near future.
This read was fast paced and had plenty of action. However, I will admit that the only reason I did not give it 5 stars because Ms. Grey did not really write about catching the bad guy. It is just mentioned in passing. It would have been more interesting to know more about the antagonist and his mindset. However, this did not interfere with my enjoyment of this read. I definitely recommend this read to anyone who enjoys urban fantasy and the paranormal world. I will definitely be going on to book two in the series.
Rory Costas is a transporter for the Arcane Guild. She has worked her way from an employee to an independent contractor. On her way home, she encounters her neighbors standing outside the condominium building. Apparently, a dead body was dumped in the lobby and now the police are holding everyone for questioning and refusing to allow anyone back into their units until they an clear the crime scene. Rory runs into a Detective that she has had former dealings with and he warns her not to leave town and be careful.
To make matters worse, Rory has been unable to reach her roommate, Lena. She isn't answering her phone and she hasn't been seen at work. She asks her boss for permission to trace her. With the help of her trusty colleague, Evan she manages to access some of Lena's files. Apparently, Lena was hired by a doctor, a urologist more specifically to investigate a client, Keith Thatcher is attempting to mask his identity. Someone has magically cursed him so that he is unable to have an erection. Oooh, some women is really pissed! It also appears that it was Keith's body that was dumped in the lobby of Rory's building.
Meanwhile, Rory has been offered a job to transport a wealthy arcane woman, Sabella Rossi while she is in the Phoenix area. This could lead to a contract and many perks for Rory. So, with so much going on Rory takes the step to search for her missing friend and roommate. This leads her right into the path of Zec Aslanov, a sexy hunk of burning love contacted to the Cordova Arcane family. He is trouble just waiting to happen. However, he also has information and skills that can aid Rory in helping her find Lena. The only problem is that he gets to call in a marker from her in the near future.
This read was fast paced and had plenty of action. However, I will admit that the only reason I did not give it 5 stars because Ms. Grey did not really write about catching the bad guy. It is just mentioned in passing. It would have been more interesting to know more about the antagonist and his mindset. However, this did not interfere with my enjoyment of this read. I definitely recommend this read to anyone who enjoys urban fantasy and the paranormal world. I will definitely be going on to book two in the series.
March 26, 2024
Good
An unexpected body in the lobby of her apartment building, is just the beginning of a mystery that sends Rory hunting for answers. Discovering that her best friend is missing, while the case catches the interest of a mage from a powerful Family only causes her more concern, as she hunts for her friend before time runs out.
Set in a world where magic and magical abilities are real, and controlled by Arcane Families and the Mercenary Guild, Rory is an enigma. Her abilities are unknown, simply because they’re rare and sought after (and not in a good way), and her heritage is a mystery. It makes it hard for her because she doesn’t know what she doesn’t know!
The world is a complex one with mixed powers controlling the magical narrative. It makes for a complex plot, with twisting motivations that make the mystery all the more intriguing.
This is an enthralling urban fantasy, just introducing Rory’s world, and touching on her abilities and those of her friends and companions.
It was an entertaining, fast paced read, with magic and mystery entwined. There’s a hint of romance, a bit of danger, and plenty of action, making for an enjoyable magical suspense read that urban fantasy fans will enjoy.
An unexpected body in the lobby of her apartment building, is just the beginning of a mystery that sends Rory hunting for answers. Discovering that her best friend is missing, while the case catches the interest of a mage from a powerful Family only causes her more concern, as she hunts for her friend before time runs out.
Set in a world where magic and magical abilities are real, and controlled by Arcane Families and the Mercenary Guild, Rory is an enigma. Her abilities are unknown, simply because they’re rare and sought after (and not in a good way), and her heritage is a mystery. It makes it hard for her because she doesn’t know what she doesn’t know!
The world is a complex one with mixed powers controlling the magical narrative. It makes for a complex plot, with twisting motivations that make the mystery all the more intriguing.
This is an enthralling urban fantasy, just introducing Rory’s world, and touching on her abilities and those of her friends and companions.
It was an entertaining, fast paced read, with magic and mystery entwined. There’s a hint of romance, a bit of danger, and plenty of action, making for an enjoyable magical suspense read that urban fantasy fans will enjoy.
May 12, 2023
When I read the blurb for this book I mistakenly thought it was a SciFi. It's actually an urban fantasy novel, which took some getting used to. I did fall into the story pretty easily. I liked the premise and thought the magical aspects were interesting, plus the hint of romance to come, but there were times the writing really frustrated me. I didn't need 17 paragraphs describing her aching, goosebumpy feelings about a certain male love interest. I would much rather have had 17 paragraphs filled with action adventure.
While not a bad read, I don't know that I'm interested in reading on since at the time of this writing there are 5 books in the series with one on the way. If there were a one or two book series, I might finish it, but 6 books is too much for me to go on.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
While not a bad read, I don't know that I'm interested in reading on since at the time of this writing there are 5 books in the series with one on the way. If there were a one or two book series, I might finish it, but 6 books is too much for me to go on.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
December 28, 2023
Magic is alive and real - and living in Phoenix, AZ
This story is intense. Rory is an arcane transporter - which means she’s got magic in her and moves things from place to place, but she also has another kind of magic—a kind that most magic people think is a myth. She has to keep it a secret or she could be in trouble.
Except that she already is. Her roommate and best friend has been kidnapped and it’s up to Rory and the brooding enforcer, Zev, to find her and bring her back. Rory knows Zev is dangerous, but the logical part of her brain has no power over her libido and that part wants Zev.
This is the second part of a paranormal series so, though we get some resolution, the story is definitely not over. If you want an intense ride, grab this one, and the other ones in the series.
This story is intense. Rory is an arcane transporter - which means she’s got magic in her and moves things from place to place, but she also has another kind of magic—a kind that most magic people think is a myth. She has to keep it a secret or she could be in trouble.
Except that she already is. Her roommate and best friend has been kidnapped and it’s up to Rory and the brooding enforcer, Zev, to find her and bring her back. Rory knows Zev is dangerous, but the logical part of her brain has no power over her libido and that part wants Zev.
This is the second part of a paranormal series so, though we get some resolution, the story is definitely not over. If you want an intense ride, grab this one, and the other ones in the series.
October 14, 2025
4 stars for a fun ride and engaging protagonists, even if this ends up not really being my thing.
My main objections are (a) this isn't really book 1-it's a 1.5 with a prequel you can get from the author. Too much info dump and back story as a result. Also (b) the relationship was "low spice" on page in a technical sense but their whole dynamic was far too much about her hungering for his hot body and dark broodiness and too physical rather than relational for my taste. It's a level of female fantasy that felt icky as a straight male reader, but to each their own.
Positive things - I thought MCs powers interesting, and the setting in Arizona included a number of well described locations rather than just assuming that the reader knows what Phoenix is like. Good sense of place and people.
My main objections are (a) this isn't really book 1-it's a 1.5 with a prequel you can get from the author. Too much info dump and back story as a result. Also (b) the relationship was "low spice" on page in a technical sense but their whole dynamic was far too much about her hungering for his hot body and dark broodiness and too physical rather than relational for my taste. It's a level of female fantasy that felt icky as a straight male reader, but to each their own.
Positive things - I thought MCs powers interesting, and the setting in Arizona included a number of well described locations rather than just assuming that the reader knows what Phoenix is like. Good sense of place and people.
March 11, 2022
Urban fantasy
This book hit all the elements of a good urban fantasy - a private investigator main character who has a secret rare magical ability, a mystery, and romantic tension. It could've done a better job on the side characters and some cuts on the history and detailed magic explanations, but nothing worth really complaining about. This hit the spot for me - a good quick, light, refreshing read when I lacked the mental space for all the heavier tomes piling up in my digital library.
I picked this up because someone mentioned it gave them Ilona Andrews vibes, and I agree. This book had a lot of commonalities with the Hidden Families books, one of my favorite go-to series. Timr for me to check out the next book in this set.
This book hit all the elements of a good urban fantasy - a private investigator main character who has a secret rare magical ability, a mystery, and romantic tension. It could've done a better job on the side characters and some cuts on the history and detailed magic explanations, but nothing worth really complaining about. This hit the spot for me - a good quick, light, refreshing read when I lacked the mental space for all the heavier tomes piling up in my digital library.
I picked this up because someone mentioned it gave them Ilona Andrews vibes, and I agree. This book had a lot of commonalities with the Hidden Families books, one of my favorite go-to series. Timr for me to check out the next book in this set.
July 31, 2023
Solid start. I was digging the heroine but at a certain point the plot was falling flat. The romance didn't even feel like it was a proper romance. And what I mean by that was that there was no tension, no proper dialogue, or "banter." If Rory hadn't had all those bodily reactions, I would not have given Zev a second look bc he really was giving me nothing. I suppose a part of this could be attributed to not reading the novella with these two prior but I feel like even if I had read it, the romance was still flat. Disappointing, especially since Rory was warming up to be a great FMC, the driving scene with Sabella was my favorite part. Overall, solid start to a series but not really amazing or compelling enough for me to continue.
June 21, 2021
I really liked this book!
I would recommend reading Ignition Point before this book because the novella sets everything up nicely. This book reminded me a lot of the writing style of Ilana Andrew's which is about the highest compliment I could give an author given how amazing Ilana Andrews is. I'm very curious to see where this series leads and so far I absolutely love both the novella that came before and this book. Some very good sexual tension between the main characters and a very interesting mystery. It's very fascinating take on magic and I'm curious to learn more about this world
I would recommend reading Ignition Point before this book because the novella sets everything up nicely. This book reminded me a lot of the writing style of Ilana Andrew's which is about the highest compliment I could give an author given how amazing Ilana Andrews is. I'm very curious to see where this series leads and so far I absolutely love both the novella that came before and this book. Some very good sexual tension between the main characters and a very interesting mystery. It's very fascinating take on magic and I'm curious to learn more about this world
October 28, 2020
I enjoyed this one more than I ought, so rather than a weak 4 star, I’ll give it a rousing 3 star (or enjoyable for me). Standard paranormal romance with standard lead, there are arcane families which operate almost outside the law, a guild which takes in those arcane wielders that the families don’t draw into their clutches. Just the right amount of world building and revealing paced through the book.
Everything just worked well together. I won’t call it particularly awesome, but it worked well and entertained.
Everything just worked well together. I won’t call it particularly awesome, but it worked well and entertained.
September 7, 2023
I actually quite liked this intro into Rory's world. I thought her job took an interesting form for a UF MC. I also like how we get to see how Rory and Zev work together and readers can see that he could be the love interest without jumping into anything right away. I liked the tension. What I can also appreciate is the need to know more about Rory's past while balancing it with her need to solve this case. This book made me think of Ilona Andrews' Hidden Legacy series and that is a high compliment indeed.
November 20, 2024
3.5 Stars (Read the ebook version--not listed on GoodReads).
I enjoy Ms. Gray's books, but this was not the strongest. Rory has the basics to be a fabulous heroine, but her constant distraction by her attraction to Zev became a bit tedious. It also seemed a bit out of character--not the attraction but that she couldn't control her hormones. She had the strength of will to break free of the Guild and go out on her own, after all.
Note--for all the sexual tension, romance-wise, there is only a single kiss at the end.
I will read the next book in the series.
I enjoy Ms. Gray's books, but this was not the strongest. Rory has the basics to be a fabulous heroine, but her constant distraction by her attraction to Zev became a bit tedious. It also seemed a bit out of character--not the attraction but that she couldn't control her hormones. She had the strength of will to break free of the Guild and go out on her own, after all.
Note--for all the sexual tension, romance-wise, there is only a single kiss at the end.
I will read the next book in the series.
July 7, 2021
Excellent!!
The books from this author just keeps getting better and better! I absolutely love the subject matter and the way the author writes keeps you hanging on for more. Wonderful story and characters you would die to have in your corner if you were in trouble. A must read for anyone loving these kinds of books. Great job.
The books from this author just keeps getting better and better! I absolutely love the subject matter and the way the author writes keeps you hanging on for more. Wonderful story and characters you would die to have in your corner if you were in trouble. A must read for anyone loving these kinds of books. Great job.
September 15, 2021
Would be much higher, maybe even 5* but I cannot stand heroines forgetting their brains and acting stupid, risking their own life and safety because some dude (with shady occupation - so red flags already there) is hot 😑 I do hope that we women can still function even if someone melt our panties off us 🙄
May 16, 2024
I got about 30% in and just got bored. On the surface it checks all the boxes for what I'm looking for, but it didn't all come together into something interesting and compelling. Something with the characters just didn't come to life for me, so then the missing roommate and everything didn't hook me as something to care about. Overall felt very flat to me.
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