Chasing Magic (Downside Ghosts #5) - Stacia Kane

Chasing Magic (Downside Ghosts #5) - Stacia Kane
Grade: Adult UF
Rating: 5/ 5 Stars

A DEADLY HIGH

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.

Description taken from Goodreads
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Just when you think The Downside Ghost series couldn’t get any more addictive (no pun intended) Stacia Kane delivers another brilliantly dark, gritty Urban Fantasy mystery to the series with Chasing Magic.

Our favourite Debunker, Chess, finds herself on another investigation, but this time its strictly for Downside. Someone is supplying dark magic induced speed, which is causing murderous rampages in Downside. Chess and Terrible must figure out who’s behind this horror and stop them before it’s too late. But of course this isn’t the only thing Chess has to worry about. Lex has declared war on Bump and his first target is Terrible.

I loved Chess’s character growth in Chasing Magic. She still makes mistakes, but Chess has become a much stronger person as she finds herself doing things that absolutely terrify her. She also fights her insecurities; all those horribly haunting things in her past, in order to be with Terrible. And that is why I find myself not only admiring Chess but also cheering for her every step of the way.

And her relationship with Terrible? Well now that they are finally together, it’s truly beautiful. Can’t wait for more Terrible goodness in the next instalment of The Downside Ghosts series.

Absolutely loved Chasing Magic. 5 out of 5

Kerrie


Orignially posted on Goodreads

Sacrificial Magic - Stacia Kane

Sacrificial Magic (Downside Ghosts # 4)- Stacia Kane
Grade: Adult UF
Rating: 5/5 Stars

When Chess Putnam is ordered by an infamous crime boss—who also happens to be her drug dealer—to use her powers as a witch to solve a grisly murder involving dark magic, she knows she must rise to the challenge. Adding to the intensity: Chess’s boyfriend, Terrible, doesn’t trust her, and Lex, the son of a rival crime lord, is trying to reignite the sparks between him and Chess.

Plus there’s the little matter of Chess’s real job as a ghost hunter for the Church of Real Truth, investigating reports of a haunting at a school in the heart of Downside. Someone seems to be taking a crash course in summoning the dead—and if Chess doesn’t watch her back, she may soon be joining their ranks.

As Chess is drawn into a shadowy world of twisted secrets and dark violence, it soon becomes clear that she’s not going to emerge from its depths without making the ultimate sacrifice (Description from Goodreads)

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I cannot begin to explain just how excited I was when I had this book in my hands (yes, there may have been some jumping). The Downside Ghosts series has become one of my favourites and I’m always eager for more.

Another book, another case for our favourite Debunker. Being one of the best Debunkers the Church has (I always wonder just how more amazing she’d be without those drugs in her system), Chess has been given the task to investigate a school- a school in Slobag’s territory- that had made the previous Debunker on the case go crazy. That right there are just two things that make this case dangerous.

But that’s not the only thing Chess has to worry about. Someone is killing Bump’s men using dark magic and Chess has to find out who it is before a war breaks out between Slobag and Bump, putting her beloved Terrible in danger.

I know in my past reviews I tend to go on about Terrible, and this book increased my Terrible Fever, but what really impressed me in this book was Chess.

Now, some might think Chess is weak, taking all those drugs to erase her past. But I don’t. Chess is such a strong character. She has the will to live despite her horrific past. I adore Chess. This book had a larger emphasis on her relationships, and what I admire about Chess is that even though she’s terrified- has every reason to be that way- she still takes the chance in relationships. Chess grew as a character, and it was an amazing thing to see. The one thing that worries me is what would happen if the Church ever finds out about her addiction. So much has gone wrong in her life that I hope that the one thing she’s proud of- her job and her ability- never gets taken away from her.

Sacrificial Magic is dark, gritty and absolutely un-put-downable. Stacia Kane, you have done it again. Another epic read!



Kerrie

Originally posted on Goodreads

City of Ghosts - Stacia Kane

City of Ghosts (Downside Ghosts #3)-Stacia Kane

Grade: Adult - UF

Rating:5/5 stars

IT’S A THIN LINE BETWEEN ALIVE AND UNDEAD.

Chess Putnam has a lot on her plate. Mangled human corpses have started to show up on the streets of Downside, and Chess’s bosses at the Church of Real Truth have ordered her to team up with the ultra-powerful Black Squad agency to crack the grisly case.

Chess is under a binding spell that threatens death if she talks about the investigation, but the city’s most notorious crime boss—and Chess’s drug dealer—gets wind of her new assignment and insists on being kept informed. If that isn’t bad enough, a sinister street vendor appears to have information Chess needs. Only he’s not telling what he knows, or what it all has to do with the vast underground City of Eternity.

Now Chess will have to navigate killer wraiths, First Elders, and a lot of seriously nasty magic—all while coping with some not-so-small issues of her own. And the only man Chess can trust to help her through it all has every reason to want her dead. (Description from Goodreads)

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Its official: I have Terrible Fever!

When I first heard that saying, I admit, I had no idea what people were talking about. Well, I get it now.

City of Ghosts is the third novel in Stacia Kane’s Downside Ghosts series, and it doesn’t disappoint.

Our favourite ‘debunker’ is at it again, investigating cases and kicking butt whilst doing it. Unlike the first two books, Chess only has one case this time around- and it’s a dozy. She has to work alongside the Black Squad (I guess they are like the CIA branch of the Church) on this extremely important and sensitive case. The Church Binds her, and this stops her from speaking about the case with anyone except those few Church officials involved. The Binding causes extreme pain and can lead to death. Not so good when the investigation leads into Bump’s territory and he wants to know why the Church is snooping around. Enter Terrible. The beautifully “ugly” tough guy, whom at the moment, isn’t talking to Chess, but is forced to help her so that Bump can be kept in the loop. And Chess is going to need the help of her Downside friends if she wants this case to be solved.

Chess is such a complicated character. She’s so strong, and yet damaged and vulnerable. She is a fighter though, and I love her fighting spirit. She also has a germ phobia that makes me laugh as she’s always finding herself in “germ filled” situations.

City of Ghosts is still dark and gritty, and the tension between Chess and Terrible makes the heart ache. But its also action packed, mysterious, and the end will have you squealing for more.

5/5 stars

Kerrie

(Originally posted on Goodreads)

Unholy Magic - Stacia Kane

Unholy Magic (Downside Ghosts #2) - Stacia Kane

Grade: Adult - UF

Rating: 5/5 stars

ENEMIES DON’T NEED TO BE ALIVE TO BE DEADLY.

For Chess Putnam, finding herself near-fatally poisoned by a con psychic and then stopping a murderous ghost is just another day on the job. As an agent of the Church of Real Truth, Chess must expose those looking to profit from the world’s unpleasant little poltergeist problem—humans filing false claims of hauntings—all while staving off any undead who really are looking for a kill. But Chess has been extra busy these days, coping with a new “celebrity” assignment while trying on her own time to help some desperate prostitutes.

Someone’s taking out the hookers of Downside in the most gruesome way, and Chess is sure the rumors that it’s the work of a ghost are way off base. But proving herself right means walking in the path of a maniac, not to mention standing between the two men in her life just as they—along with their ruthless employers—are moving closer to a catastrophic showdown. Someone is dealing in murder, sex, and the supernatural, and once again Chess finds herself right in the crossfire. (Description from Goodreads)

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I want to start by saying I have never read a book where the main guy is described as “ugly”. I want to applaud Stacia Kane for going against the grain and creating Terrible “heavy, jutting brows; the crooked nose that looked as though the bones were trying to break out through the skin; the scars; the jaw like a prow of a ship”. Stacia Kane has made him so unbelievably awesome that you forget his “ugliness” and instead find yourself falling for the man inside.

Yes, I have a crush on Terrible!

Ok, with that said on with the review…

I’m not sure when it happened or even how it happened, but I seem to have become used to Chess’s drug problem. It doesn’t seem to bother me as much as it did in the first book. I was able to look past it and just enjoy the storyline of yet another dark and gritty Downside Ghosts novel.

Following from the success of Chess’s last case with the Church, she has been handed a very important investigation. A celebrity has informed the Church that his home is haunted. Being a multi-millionaire, Chess can’t seem to figure out why he would lie about a haunting, but something is “off” about this family and Chess is determined to figure it out.

But things aren’t easy for Chess. Bump has requested she investigate a string of murders that, if the rumours circulating are true, were committed by a ghost.

And if these mysteries weren’t intriguing enough, add to it a gut wrenching love triangle, and you have yourself one very interesting novel.

We also find out a bit more about Chess’s dreadful childhood. My heart broke for Chess. No wonder she turns to drugs to help numb the memories of all the horrific things that were done to her.

This book grabbed me from the start and wouldn’t let me go. Watch out for the ending, and have book 3 handy- you’ll want to start it straight away.

Kerrie

(Originally posted on Goodreads)

Unholy Ghosts - Stacia Kane

Unholy Ghosts (Downside Ghosts #1) - Stacia Kane

Grade: Adult - UF

Rating: 4/5 stars

THE DEPARTED HAVE ARRIVED.

The world is not the way it was. The dead have risen, and the living are under attack. The powerful Church of Real Truth, in charge since the government fell, has sworn to reimburse citizens being harassed by the deceased. Enter Chess Putnam, a fully tattooed witch and freewheeling ghost hunter. She’s got a real talent for banishing the wicked dead. But Chess is keeping a dark secret: She owes a lot of money to a murderous drug lord named Bump, who wants immediate payback in the form of a dangerous job that involves black magic, human sacrifice, a nefarious demonic creature, and enough wicked energy to wipe out a city of souls. Toss in lust for a rival gang leader and a dangerous attraction to Bump’s ruthless enforcer, and Chess begins to wonder if the rush is really worth it. Hell, yeah. (Description from Goodreads)

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The world of Unholy Ghosts is gritty and dangerous. Set in a time where the Church of Real Truth runs the world, it states that there is no religion, only magic and the power to banish the ghosts that threaten mankind.

Chess is a Church employee and as a “witch” or “debunker”, it is her job to investigate claims of haunted house and if it proves to be haunted, then banish the ghost. The Church compensates those whose house is found to be haunted, however with every false claim, the debunker receives a bonus from the Church and the claimant a jail term.

It has been a while since Chess has received a bonus, which normally would be fine as she still gets paid from the Church. However, Chess has a serious drug problem and it’s this drug problem that lands her in some dangerous situations as she owes her drug dealer, Bump, money. Instead of paying Bump back, he has requested her to do a job for him. He also sends his enforcer, Terrible, with her in order to make sure that the job gets done.

Stacia Kane has painted a perfect picture of Chess’s two lives. You have her job with the Church that takes you through a typical suburban town. Chess is seen as an upstanding citizen; a professional to be admired because of her work with the Church. And then there’s Downside, with its sex and drugs; a dangerous place where drug lords rule the streets, and a place Chess considers home. The Downside slang took a while for me to get used to e.g. “You don’t, you come playing here”. At first I had to reread certain lines before things clicked into place. And as she spends majority of her time Downside and with Downside residents, you pick up the slang quite quickly.

I really enjoyed the storyline- the magic, dark magic, ghosts, sacrifices- it was all very interesting. My one issue was the constant drug use. Most protagonist have some sort of innocence to them that I think makes it easier for people to relate to. Chess has had all her innocence stripped from her and the constant (and I do mean constant) snorting and pill popping was disconcerting. I found myself wishing she was real so I could grab her by the shoulders and shake some sense into her. However, I also find myself wanting her to beat her demons, stop the drugs and succeed in life. And what I really want is for her to end up with Terrible. Yes, the drug dealer’s enforcer. The big, scary looking guy, who if you saw in real life, you’d probably run away from as fast as possible. But you soon learn about the real Terrible, and he’s this amazing guy who tries to do the right thing, and is always there for Chess. I want more Terrible!

I’ve given Unholy Ghosts 4 out of 5, and I’m really looking forward to the next book.

Kerrie

(Originally posted on Goodreads)