Friday, October 8, 2010

BOOK REVIEW - UNHOLY GHOSTS by STACIA KANE - DOWNSIDE GHOSTS # 1

By: Stacia Kane
Published By : Harper Voyager
Released : Available Now
Details: Paperback , 346 Pages

RATING  4 STARS !! SEX , DRUGS AND GHOSTS!!!!

Book Blurb : Taken From Goodreads

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.

Consequently, there are many false claims of hauntings from those hoping to profit. Enter Chess Putnam, a fully-tattooed witch, freewheeling Debunker, and ghost hunter. She’s got a real talent for nailing human liars and banishing the wicked dead. But she’s keeping a dark secret from the Church: a little drug problem that’s landed her in hot and dangerous water.

Chess owes a lot of money to a murderous drug lord named Bump. And Bump wants immediate payback. All Chess has to do is dispatch a very nasty species of undead from an old airport. But the job involves black magic, human sacrifice, a nefarious demonic creature, and crossing swords with 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.


BOOK REVIEW:

My first foray into Stacia Kane's writing. Wow!!! she writes a gritty , dangerous, dark, challenging world for her characters. Don't expect fluff and paradise and happy days......


From start to finish, Chess her female lead has it tough, lives it tough and her days are exposed to drugs and danger. Chess is a witch whose drug fuelled days give her what she needs to survive her upbringing , her current life. She hides behind it, smoking, snorting what she can afford . This book is not about bunny rabbits and sunny days. Chess has a job to do for the church and an odd assortment of characters who she doesn't  trust , but needs to associate with to get her job done. Drug Lords need her, the church needs her and Terrible likes her. Lex an opposing drug dealer Chess lusts for. I'm not sure if I like Lex. He is casual sex, drugs and ego.


It's natural as the reader to wish Chess didn't snort/take drugs , but her character is damaged and she is an addict whose friends are drug dealers . No girls nights , giggling eating chocolate, it's a harsh life that she lives and survives.


'Terrible' is not pretty but he looks out for Chess, he is her rock, does she know this??? I would choose Terrible over Lex. Some wouldn't.


Chess must solve a mystery, save a soul, send Ghosts back to the City and save her own soul , but she needs help. Somebody is releasing ghosts into the mortal world and that can only mean human deaths.


Stacia has chosen to write her Downside characters with an interesting dialect. I try to see Terrible clearer, his life , his badass beating ways. He doesn't hold back a punch if he feels its warranted. Ýou get glimpses of his fear for Chess and his pain , his feelings hurt.


Sleep deprived, addicted to drugs Chess has a lot on her plate. Trust doesn't really exist. Danger is everywhere for Chess and her companions need her to do a job behind the churches back.....can't wait for book 2 'Unholy Magic'.


I did have to reread a few areas as Stacia makes you keep up with her writing. I found this book very original and be prepared to keep up with Chess and the odd group of characters. I did have questions but there are 2 more books currently written in the series with a fourth to come out........walking off to read 'Unholy Magic'.


Quotes:

Always look up. Nobody ever looks up.


People were shit. The only difference between them and animals was people felt the need to hide it.



Michelle

2 comments:

  1. Oh this book was awesome. I cannot wait for you to read the other two, they are even better. I am so sad that the 4th installment won't come out until next year though :(

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hi Sarah,

    I am starting Unholy Magic in a few mins...looking forward to it:D

    ReplyDelete

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