***Minor spoilers if you have not read the series up to this point***
Magic-wielding Churchwitch and secret addict Chess Putnam knows better than anyone just how high a price people are willing to pay for a chemical rush. But when someone with money to burn and a penchant for black magic starts tampering with Downside’s drug supply, Chess realizes that the unlucky customers are paying with their souls—and taking the innocent with them, as the magic-infused speed compels them to kill in the most gruesome ways possible.
As if the streets weren’t scary enough, the looming war between the two men in her life explodes, taking even more casualties and putting Chess squarely in the middle. Downside could become a literal ghost town if Chess doesn’t find a way to stop both the war and the dark wave of death-magic, and the only way to do that is to use both her addiction and her power to enter the spell and chase the magic all the way back to its malevolent source. Too bad that doing so will probably kill Chess—if the war doesn’t first destroy the man who’s become her reason for living.
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I love each book in this series more than the last one. Stacia Kane has outdone herself as usual with
Chasing Magic. Chess and Terrible have certainly not had an easy road and this book is no exception. They both have such a troubled past and that coupled with all of their current job and relationship woes are making it hard to get that happily ever after that we're all hoping for. At least they start out in a much better place at the beginning of the book than they have been in through-out the series. Lex is his usual self and is trying to cause more issues between Chess and Terrible. In previous books I at least thought Lex's heart was in the right place but I seriously dislike him now! As is typical with most of the books in this series, Stacia Kane has proceeded to attempt to rip my heart out, especially in one particular scene. You do see a big change in Chess and how far she has grown however. Terrible's love and understanding has really come along leaps and bounds over the past couple of books.
" Warmth spread through her chest and up to her face, warmth that had nothing to do with pills or booze or anything else. It was trust heating her up from the inside, making her feel like a real live person."
I felt like this one was a little different as Chess is not working on a church case but instead on the all important drug supply in the area. She's also, finally, trying to balance her drug addiction a little. Knowing that she wants to live for Terrible is helping her to be a little less self-destructive. Chess seems to be really trying to keep the drug use to just what is "necessary." Terrible has not, so far, asked her to stop so hopefully she will come to the conclusion on her own that she needs to. One of my favorite things in
Chasing Magic is that it focuses a lot more on Chess and Terrible's relationship.
Terrible shows his vulnerable side more than once. This is huge for someone who is used to showing no emotion in his job as an enforcer. Since he has done little else with his life, I wondered if he would ever be able to get there with Chess. After Chess's horrible betrayal I almost could have forgiven Terrible for giving up on her. Although, then we might not have gotten one particularly steamy scene in this book.
If you haven't started this series yet, get on it! If you like dark, edgy, urban fantasy with a side of tortured romance this is the series for you. Stacia Kane has an incredible ability to convey fantasy in such a way that I have a vivid mental image of everything in Downside including the characters in a way that many authors strive to accomplish I'm sure. I know it's makes the series that much more intense for me.
The latest installment in the Downside Ghosts (Chess Putnam) series,
Chasing Magic, will be released June 26th, 2012. Need a little Downside fix while waiting? The prequel,
Finding Magic, just came out June 4th and is available on Amazon right now for only $.99! If you haven't started this series yet you can check out my review of the first book
Unholy Ghosts.
