BOOK REVIEW: MURDER OF CROWS by ANNE BISHOP - THE OTHERS # 2 - PARANORMAL ROMANCE - HARPER VOYAGER

By: Anne Bishop
Published By: Harper Voyager
Released: Available Now
Details: Paperback from the library, 369 Pages

RATING: 4.5 STARS

Blurb: Goodreads

Return to New York Times best-selling author Anne Bishop’s world of the Others - where supernatural entities and humans struggle to co-exist, and one woman has begun to change all the rules.

After winning the trust of the terra indigene residing in the Lakeside Courtyard, Meg Corbyn has had trouble figuring out what it means to live among them. As a human, Meg should be barely tolerated prey, but her abilities as a cassandra sangue make her something more.

The appearance of two addictive drugs has sparked violence between the humans and the Others, resulting in the murder of both species in nearby cities. So when Meg has a dream about blood and black feathers in the snow, Simon Wolfgard - Lakeside’s shape-shifting leader - wonders if their blood prophet dreamed of a past attack or a future threat.

As the urge to speak prophecies strikes Meg more frequently, trouble finds its way inside the Courtyard. Now, the Others and the handful of humans residing there must work together to stop the man bent on reclaiming their blood prophet - and stop the danger that threatens to destroy them all.


BOOK REVIEW:

This series has such a different paranormal world, and I really do enjoy it. The pacing at times can be quite slow, but when things start to happen, they really start to happen.

I have all the books ready to read and will move onto Vision In Silver # 3.

This would easily be a 5 star read for me if the pacing was tightened up because I can’t fault how amazing the world is that Anne has brought to life.

The different groups of ‘others’ are fantastic.

Meg is still not a very big character, considering she is on the front of the covers, she seems almost secondary sometimes to Simon’s character. The ‘others’ seem to do more in the book, action wise.

Meg is a blood prophet. She’s still trying to understand her limits, and who she is. I understand the ‘others’ more now. They are written so well.

I’m watching the ‘others’ as they become more tolerant of the humans. They make allowance for those in the courtyard but still will kill those who set out to harm, kill or simply stand by and watch ‘others’ being hurt. Towns will be wiped out.

I’m glad I know more about Meg now. She’s twenty-four. In Written In Red, she read to me personally like she was sixteen or thereabouts.

This is a very good series to-date, it just can be painfully slow in areas for me to rate higher than 4 stars. I think I want Meg to be more than she is at the moment, even though I did get a little more from her character in this book.

I see Simon and the ‘others’ growing more.

Meg is sweet and unique and sweet and caring, confused with Simon as a man, confused with friendship and what it means. She still does her mail delivery.

I liked reading about humans and how they really do play with their own fate when it comes to the ‘others.’

The Elementals are still in my mind the most dangerous, next to Tess. They really are the ones controlling life because not even the ‘others’ like Simon can survive what they could unleash on the world.

I always take a break before reading the next book, in fear of the pace making it difficult for me to stay committed to this series, but I can already feel I am addicted. Anne has quite the creative mind, and I need to know what she has in store for these characters.

What I liked was we got to know more about the Controller. In book 1 he was just words in the background of the story, but he is more in this installment. He became that villain we want to hate.

Introducing some new sub characters like Skippy, was fun. Monty, Burke, and Kowalski always make great additions to the storyline. Dominic Lorenzo and Steve Ferryman I enjoyed knowing more about. And as always, I do love it when the Elementals pop up.

I have developed a healthy curiosity about this series.

I need to know more.

BOOK REVIEW - EVERY WHICH WAY BUT DEAD by KIM HARRISON - RACHEL MORGAN # 3

By : Kim Harrison
Published By : Harper Voyager
Released: Available Now
Details: Paperback from library, 501 Pages

RATING : 3.75 BIG AL STARS!!!

Book Blurb : Taken From Goodreads

There's no witch in Cincinnati tougher, sexier, or more screwed up than bounty hunter Rachel Morgan, who's already put her love life and soul in dire jeopardy through her determined efforts to bring criminal night creatures to justice.  


Between "runs," she has her hands full fending off the attentions of her blood-drinking partner, keeping a deadly secret from her backup, and resisting a hot new vamp suitor.

Rachel must also take a stand in the war that's raging in the city's underworld, since she helped put away its former vampire kingpin--and made a deal with a powerful demon to do so that could cost her an eternity of pain, torment, and degradation.

And now her dark "master" is coming to collect his due.

BOOK REVIEW:



I’m having trouble trying to decide how I felt about book 3 in the Rachel Morgan/The Hollows series. I enjoyed it but sometimes it dragged on in parts. When it was good it was good, when it was dragging, it was draaaggging.


I get the whole Ivy lovin' and livin' with Rachel, but it doesn’t seem to progress one way or the other. We read about it a lot and those looks Ivy is giving out in her jealousy and 'I want to suck your bloooood' moments... but time to move this party on.


Trent to me is a big draw card and I always enjoy some cranky Jonathan and mysterious Quen, but did I have to wait until the last 120 odd pages. Let’s face it I know they are going to end up with each other. Well, that’s how I feel anyway, with all this pussy footing about not liking each other , but really, I think it’s inevitable. One character in Trent’s life just comes out of the blue and that’s when I realized how much I don’t know about Trent.


Jenks, my main sidekick who I absolutely love, well he throws a pixy fit and gets a character vacation.


Kisten, I really enjoyed in this book. His character wasn’t shallow like it has previously been. He actually is a great guy and I like him a lot. He has more depth for the reader. His character is flawed, but I like that he is trying.


Nick!! Kim what are you doing with him? I say no more.


I did miss my FIB boys, like where were you? I missed you.


The thing with this book and I did enjoy the story, Kim has a way with some of her characters just not being included anymore, for the whole book, when you think they are possibly a big enough asset to the storyline to have small parts , but then she brings in new characters. I get left wondering what happened to the others.


I found the storyline in this book to sometimes be over described or too much time spent in one area. I think to me that is where it draggggged.


I like all this 'out smarting Big Al', but I like more Trent and learning more about him and the 'why' of his character. The story really moves when Rachel and Trent are together and it’s fast paced with action. We do learn more in this book, but it’s book 3! Sometimes scenes jumped for me. I wanted to know more, but it was a case of...moving on.


Overall I am locked into this series and enjoying it and want to see where Kim takes the reader.

Michelle

BOOK REVIEW - MAGIC IN THE SHADOWS by DEVON MONK - ALLIE BECKSTROM # 3

By : Devon Monk
Published By : Harper Voyager
Released : Available Now
Details : Paperback from library , 489 Pages 

RATING : 4.5 SHAMUS AND STONE STARS!!

Book Blurb : Taken From Goodreads

Allison Beckstrom's magic has taken its toll on her, physically marking her and erasing her memories-including those of the man she supposedly loves. But lost memories aren't the only things preying on Allie's thoughts.
  
Her late father, the prominent businessman-and sorcerer-Daniel Beckstrom, has somehow channeled himself into her very mind. With the help of The Authority, a secret organization of magic users, she hopes to gain better control over her own abilities-and find a way to deal with her father...

BOOK REVIEW:



Talk about Jedi mind tricks. Dear ol dad is really working his mind mojo in this book. I do like this angle that Devon has taken with Allie’s character. For a man that she hadn’t seen for 7 years, to now living within her, listening, watching through her eyes, wow! Great angle, still lots of dad mystery that we need to understand.


I’m still not sure if Daniel is evil or if he is half evil when he wants to be or totally misunderstood. I think I have trouble getting my head around Violet and Daniel’s connection. Violet appears not evil , caring, sweet, intelligent, but at the same time she knew what her husband was up to. I do scratch my head when it comes to this relationship. Is Violet hiding another side like Poison Ivy from Batman? I can’t place these two together in a relationship without wondering about Violet’s motives. She appears sweet and caring, is she? Is Daniel this take over the world dude that would sacrifice his daughter for that power? Did he throw his partner under the bus to claim the sole patent or is there more to that story?


The Authority, who can Allie trust? Many thoughts spin through my head with this group. Jingo Jingo is just plain, wrong, creepy, I think.


The story line is really opening up now, we are getting to know Zay better. He is not so much a mystery anymore. He still has his secrets, but as the reader we are finally getting a deeper understanding of this Zen guy and what he is truly capable of.


Allie is now more in Zay’s world and having to prove herself.


I love where Stotts and Nola are going, kind of sweet.


Stone, what can I say, I just love the guy. I love his plumbing fascination, ha!


Shamus, I am really digging his smart ass attitude. He doesn’t appear like it, but he is a solid guy you want on your team. I want to know more.


There was a lot going on in this instalment, new characters, some of my Q’s are answered. I find Devon keeps the mystery of certain characters slowly unfolding within each book. She doesn’t like to give too much away, keeps reader guessing. Daniel is still quite a mystery, Violet has me wondering about the side of the fence she is on, not sure why, but I keep questioning her in my mind.


I’m looking forward to the next book , Magic on the Storm.

Michelle

BOOK REVIEW - DEAD WITCH WALKING by KIM HARRISON - RACHEL MORGAN # 1

By: Kim Harrison
Published By: Harper Voyager
Released : Available Now
Details: Paperback from library , 416 Pages

RATING : 3.75 TROUBLESOME TRENT STARS!!

Book Blurb : Taken From Goodreads

The underground population of witches, vampires, werewolves—creatures of dreams and nightmares—has lived beside humans for centuries, hiding their powers. But after a genetically engineered virus wipes out a large part of humanity, many of the "Inderlanders" reveal themselves, changing everything.


Rachel Morgan, witch and bounty hunter with the Inderland Runner Services, is one of the best at apprehending supernatural lawbreakers throughout Cincinnati, but when it comes to following the rules, she falls desperately short. Determined to buck the system, she quits and takes off on the run with an I.S. contract on her head and is reluctantly forced to team up with Ivy, Inderland's best runner . . . and a living vampire. But this witch is way out of her league, and to clear her name, Rachel must evade shape-changing assassins, outwit a powerful businessman/crime lord, and survive a vicious underground fight-to-the-death . . . not to mention her own roommate.



BOOK REVIEW:



I’ve been on an Urban Fantasy craze for a few weeks now, reading Richelle Mead, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Gena Showalter, Chloe Neill, Jeaniene Frost, to name some. I have added Kim Harrison to the mix.


To be really honest this first book in the series didn’t really start to grab me until well over half way through. I know there is a lot of setting up of characters, but sometimes I found myself wandering off thinking about other things going on in my life. Urban Fantasy shouldn’t do that to me, as a rule it doesn’t. I would have to shake myself and go back and reread where I started going flakey.


When Trent entered the book, my eyes became a bit more fused to the pages. There is something about Trent, for all the bad vibes Kim is giving off with Trent, I can’t help thinking he isn’t all that bad. Are we the reader being led to believe this?


Oh dear lord I hated the book cover of the paperback I was reading with vengeance, the girl is so wrong, black sunken eyes, looks too old and not really attractive. I cringed every time I looked at the cover. Sorry , just a personal opinion.


I love ‘Jenks’, he brought a smile to my face with his dialogue. Kim has a lot of fun with Jenks. ‘Jax’, Jenks’ son is a cute little fellow. I love how Jenks is such a family man and his reason for taking one of Rachel’s wishes, ha!


Ivy’s character I was a little confused with at first, then , light bulb went off and I got what was going on with Ivy and her girl thing she has going on. Ivy is quite a scary character when she wants to be.


Rachel Morgan is a character I want to know more about and get the right ‘feel’ of her as the girl that is going to take this series as far as it has. Kim certainly gives Rachel a beating when necessitates.


I don’t know yet how I am feeling about Nick. I don’t feel a Team for me yet. I want to be Team Trent for some reason, but his behavior is worrying me, yet I feel like I am being led up a garden path with him and the vibe given off...hmmm...books will tell.


I do like the old fellow Keasley, who lives across the road, I think of Morgan Freeman as his character. He is a pretty cool character. Bit of a mystery about him.


I know this series is going to get better. I have on order 3 more books from the library. I originally had them, but library only gave me book #1 last week and my time was up on all the others I had sitting around waiting for book #1 to get to me. So I have re-reserved them.


Kim is very good with detail and the visual picture you get in your mind of the people and places. I love that Rachel and Ivy live in a church, this is very cool. She does have you guessing what is going on and it will no doubt take more books to get the full gist of some of these characters as the story unfolds more.


I would put book #1 down to the book that sets characters up, no romance as such, which I did kind of miss, but, I am sure that will unfold more as the books progress. It’s the book that has everybody Inderland out to knock her off. She doesn’t really get to move 5 paces without somebody having spelled something to kill her.


I am looking forward to, ‘The Good , The Bad, and the Undead’, my curiosity is stirred. I want to know more about Trent Kalamack and the little bit creepy Jonathan.

Michelle

INTERVIEW - STACIA KANE AUTHOR OF 'DOWNSIDE GHOSTS' SERIES

I would like to welcome STACIA KANE author of 'DOWNSIDE GHOSTS' series and 'MEGAN CHASE' series , to Novels On The Run and thank her for taking the time to answer some questions for my interview.

Michelle: Firstly I want to congratulate you on the ‘Downside Ghosts’, series. I stumbled across your books at my local library last year. I knew nothing about you as an author, or the books. I picked them up as I could actually get the whole 3 books at once and thought I would give them a read.......WOW!!! I know I’m not the first to say it but this is truly a different, awesome, gritty, dangerous, tough series of books. I congratulate you on your totally flawed characters that are soooo impressive to read, it’s refreshing to ‘feel’, such love and emotion as you are reading the series for Chess and Terrible. You did not give these characters a pity party, they are damaged, use drugs, take a beating, not handsome but at the same time utterly gorgeous and memorable. I have wanted to interview you since I read them, I was truly in awe of your complex characters. I highly recommend this series, but they are not YA genre. So young chickens , eyes off until you are old enough, when you are old enough, come a knocking .

Stacia: Oh, thank you so much, I really appreciate that! And lol, no, it's not necessarily appropriate for younger readers. I was always a very advanced reader, and I hesitate to say anyone shouldn't be reading it, of course--it's not that I think teens couldn't "handle" it at all--but I definitely want people to be aware that it deals with some very adult subject matter. (I actually had a friend tell me that she found it in the YA section at her local library; I almost had a heart attack and begged her to go tell the librarians that it is NOT written for a teen audience and to please reshelve it!)

Michelle:  I did a lot of research before I even wrote my interview questions to see what you had already answered. I learnt a lot about you which helped me prepare. Hello , December Quinn, erotic writer.
 I would think writing erotica and doing it well would be quite difficult, but your urban fantasy just has so much grit and depth. What do you find easier to write, erotica or gritty , urban fantasy? I need to get my hands on a book by your pen name ,December Quinn and have a read.

Stacia: Oh, hmm. I wouldn't say one is easier than the other, really; they both have their challenges. I do think I enjoy the UF more, or rather, I put more of myself into them and I really enjoy the freedom that comes with UF.


I did have a lot of fun writing the erotic romances, though.

Michelle:  Your series , the ‘Downside Ghosts’, has a gritty, dangerous, very dark, challenging world for your characters. Chess Putnam, your female lead in this series would have to be my all time favourite female lead from any genre I have read. Purely because she is so flawed, not whingey, quite selfless in many ways ,tough and even though she is an addict she gets on with her job, doesn’t slack off. I have such emotion for her when I read and feel the pain that is below the surface of her upbringing which you haven’t delved too deeply into. In book # 4 ‘Sacrificial Magic’, is the reader going to find out more about the personal demons Chess struggles with daily as an explanation for her need for her drug use, her need to keep herself in nips and cepts?

Stacia:  Well, I think--I like to think--that in every book we get a more complete picture of what Chess's life was like before she entered training at the Church, but I also try to be very careful with how much is revealed, if you know what I mean. Because I think it's very clear that she had a pretty horrific childhood, and I think there's a fine line between mentioning it and exploiting it, or mentioning it and dwelling on it.



I do think that SACRIFICIAL MAGIC--and book 5, CHASING MAGIC--show us more not necessarily about what happened to her, but about what the consequences have been beyond her addiction. It's very difficult after a childhood of abuse--it's difficult for someone left with the feelings of guilt and self-hatred and fear and all of those emotions childhoods like that engender--to trust people even when they claim to love you; it's very difficult to let them in, to accept them, to allow yourself to feel worthy of that. You know, we're aware of what Chess does to try to cover up her pain and keep herself from dealing with her past, but there are some aspects of that--aspects of herself--that she can't hide from, not when there's another person in the picture and she's having to make herself vulnerable in ways she never has before.



So I think readers are going to see more of the effect that had on her, and more about how she sees herself and what damage has been done to her, absolutely--at least I hope so, because otherwise I won't have done a very good job. And yes, there are a few other memories or flashbacks or whatever that expand on what we already know. But in the main we're just seeing her trying very hard to somehow reconcile how she sees herself with how others see her, and how she struggles with accepting even the smallest bit of happiness.

Megan Chase # 1

Michelle:  Terrible, you write him totally against the way most lead guys are written. He is the guy your mother would have you running from, but you write Terrible in such a way that the reader ‘feels’, for him on so many levels. He has his own fan club on Goodreads, ‘Terrible Fever’. For you as the writer to give us this character who is not good looking in anyway, essentially a thug, right hand man to Bump, the drug lord and have us women just falling over ourselves for him, is a huge kudo’s to your writing power. I read in a past interview you were actually going to kill him off at the end of book # 1..OMG!! I bet you are glad you rethought that one.


Stacia: I definitely am, heh. But I realized about halfway into the book that I just loved him too much to be able to do that, really; when I started inventing plots in my head like "He comes back as a ghost and lives in her apartment with her" I knew I just couldn't let him go.

He was a big challenge for me, actually. I specifically wanted to play with the idea of a hero and what a hero was supposed to be, and wanted to write one who wasn't rich and handsome. I mean, I like rich handsome heroes as much as the next girl, but I wanted to do something different; I wanted the hero not to be the handsome guy everyone instantly assumes is the hero. I wanted him to have to work for it.


Then, too, I wanted to make the point that everyone deserves love and happiness, not just handsome/beautiful people or whatever, and that there's someone out there for everyone. And that sometimes who a person is can make us see them differently.



Like I said, it was a challenge for me to see if I could make him a character readers would love and root for despite his flaws, despite the fact that he's not handsome or educated. And seeing if I could show what kind of person he really is, and that while he may not be perfect--of course, who is--he's perfect for Chess.

Megan Chase # 2

Michelle:  Terrible has his own dialect, ‘downspeak’. How hard was it writing his dialogue with his ‘downspeak’ , did you have to read it aloud to yourself to make sure you were getting it sounding right ? Was it overwhelming to find how much love Terrible was receiving from your readers?





Stacia:  Hmm. I don't usually read anything out loud, no. It was a bit difficult--or it can be--keeping everyone's specific verbal tics and dialects straight, since everyone talks a little differently. But in general it was a blast, coming up with Downspeech. I find it very hard these days to write characters who don't speak some kind of dialect, actually, I'm so used to it now!



And yeah, it's completely overwhelming! I worry about it a lot in the next books, whether or not I'm handling the relationship the right way and keeping true to his character; it's a different side of him and Chess both, and really neither of them have a lot of experience with it, so... I can only hope, really.

Megan Chase # 3

Michelle:  I have been wondering how many books would be in this series. I hoped for around 6 but read that if possible you would be happy to go to 9 or even 12, story permitting. Have you already mapped out in your incredible creative mind up to 12 just to see where it could all end up if you were to go that far ?

Stacia:  Lol, I don't know about "incredible creative," but thank you! I have, yeah. I originally had a nine-book arc but I also have plans for how to take it to twelve if that happens. I'm not counting on it, though. I hope, but I'm not counting on it.

I GOT TERRIBLE FEVER - Goodreads Group

Michelle:  Would you ever consider writing a book from Terribles POV? I think being in Terrible’s head even for part of a book would be incredible, looking at Chess through his eyes, getting to know him inside his head. I know we saw Terrible with his daughter and I found that to be a wonderful insight into there being another life Terrible had.



Stacia:  Actually, that's something I'm working on, yeah. Not a whole novel but a novella, from his POV. I'm not sure yet if it will be basically the events of UNHOLY GHOSTS told from his perspective or a different story, one that happens between UG and UM.



Michelle:  Are you able to give me 2 quotes from ‘Sacrificial Magic’, from Chess and Terrible that don’t give anything away?

Stacia: Hmm, let's see. You mean like two quotes from a scene with them together? Okay. Here's one:



His eyes fastened on her, waiting for her to continue. When she didn’t, he said, “Ain’t needing the lashers, aye? Causen I got—”


“No, no, I’m fine, I have money, I just…it’s depressing to lose, you know? I don’t like it.”



He smiled, and even in the middle of her misery, in the furious tangle of her mind, she was able to see it, feel it all the way down her body. “Oh, aye? Never would guess that one.”



Her own smile couldn’t compete with his, but hey, at least she was able to make the attempt. “Yeah, I guess that’s not really a secret, is it?”



“Ain’t to me.”


And two:



Chess handed Terrible her keys. If it made him trust her less, fine. At least he’d be alive to do it. “Have fun driving my car.”

That earned her a sort of half-smile, a semi-laugh. “Aye. Be all cool in it, maybe get myself one.”



It's really hard to find scenes that give *nothing* away!


Michelle:  Can you give me 5 words that describe Lex in ‘Sacrificial Magic’, where he is at now?


Stacia:  Hmm. Where he is in the beginning of that book and where he is at the end are very different, so some of these may only apply to the beginning or the end, but... Frustrated. Planning. Waiting. Amused and unamused.

Michelle:  Will you be bringing any new major long lasting characters to ‘Sacrificial Magic’?



Stacia:  I will, yes! And I'm really excited about it. But it would be kind of a big spoiler to give any more info. So I'll just say I hope readers like the new character.

Downside Army

Michelle:  If readers reading this interview haven’t yet started reading the ‘Downside Ghosts’ series, and 5 words or less were used to encourage them to read this series, which I for one highly recommend , would you be able to give me upto 5 words that describe each of the following about your series?



Stacia:  Oh, man, this is hard! I really think readers would be better at this than me. So I'd love to see your/their suggestions!


Chess Putnam
Stacia:  Determined. Scarred. Lost. Addicted. Smart.
Michelle: Selfless, Hurting, Lonely, Tough

Terrible
Stacia:  Also determined, also scarred, also smart. Tough. Loyal.
Michelle:  Lonely, Hurting, Forgiving, Protective, Dangerous

Lex

Stacia: Arrogant. Clever. Sneaky. Careless. Troublemaker.
Michelle: Sex, Addictive, Ego, Games, Trouble, Seducer


Bump
Stacia:  Horrendously dressed. Arrogant. Powerful. Sly. Sleazy.
Michelle:  Dangerous 


The Church of Real Truth
Stacia: Scary. Omnipotent. Cruel. Protective. Harsh.


Downside
Stacia: Poor. Dirty. Rough. Dangerous. Creepy.


Black Magic
Stacia: All over the books!



Michelle:  I am a mum of 3 kiddies and you have 2 . Do you keep any sort of keepsake, scrapbook of your author life to show your children when they are older. Or anything that you can show to the ones you love?



Stacia:  No, I never thought of that, actually. Hopefully it'll all still be around when they're older, so...


Michelle:  Do you do anything special on the day your books are released to the public?


Stacia:  I generally have a really nice little routine of puking and panicking, yes, with some hysterical crying and the absolute certainty that everyone will either hate or ignore the books thrown in. Release days are not fun for me. 

 Michelle:  How does it feel knowing bloggers are spreading the word of your books and really loving what you are writing? Has there been a particularly memorable instant of a passionate reader?



Stacia: Oh, there aren't even words to describe it, really, it's amazing. To see how much people love them and how much they understand them is just incredible. I never even dreamed people would like them half as much as they do.



But they're all memorable, honestly. Every single one who emails me or send me a message through Facebook or Twitter or comments on the blog or seeks me out at a con...it's always amazing and unbelievable.

Michelle: Thank you Stacia  for taking the time to answer my questions.

Stacia: They're great, thank you so much!




I hope you all enjoyed this interview as much as I enjoyed doing it.
Check the left side bar for my reviews on the Downside Ghosts series.

Michelle

http://www.staciakane.com/


"Stacia Kane has upped the stakes for all those writing in the urban fantasy genre — UNHOLY GHOSTS is gripping and brilliant." --FantasyLiterature.com



"taking paranormal fantasy to another level right before our eyes." --Barnes & Noble Explorations



"UNHOLY MAGIC spits on gritty and calls its mother names." --Fiction Vixen



"The ultimate Bible of badassery." --
Ann Aguirre, National Bestselling Author of SKIN DEEP

BOOK REVIEW - CITY OF GHOSTS by STACIA KANE - DOWNSIDE GHOSTS # 3

By : Stacia Kane
Published By : Harper Voyager
Released : Available Now
Details:  Paperback, 408 pages

RATING 5 STARS GRITTY!! DANGEROUS!!!

Book Blurb : Taken From Goodreads

The third book in this gritty, sexy, urban fantasy trilogy. Rogue spirits and psychopomps are terrorising people, and now someone is planning to open the gates to the City of Ghosts and unleash the dead on humanity. Faced with her greatest challenge yet, Chess has to travel to the spirit city to finally lay
all her ghosts to rest!


BOOK REVIEW:

"The parameters of the Binding are these: That you will not speak of your purpose to anyone but those authorized to know it. That you will not act with disloyalty against the Church. That what you hear of your purpose after the words of Binding are spoken , and until they are retracted, will not be repeated by you to anyone but those authorized. That you will repeat them to those authorized when told to do so. Do you accept those parameters?"

I liked this book the best out of the three to-date. Lots happens in this book, fast paced , smexi and tough with kick butt action scenes.

Chess is on a 'Black Squad' mission with Lauren Abrams , daughter of the Grand Elder.  A 'Binding Oath' is literally put under Chess's skin. Great pain inflicted if she gives information away to other than the Church, problem is Bump wants that information. A pay check of $80,000 seals the deal,  it will keep Chess in plenty of Cepts, Nips, Pandas, Speed...the list goes on . Far too tempting to knock back , but did she really have a choice?

Keeping her drug fuelled days a secret from the Church has taken on a whole new pain in the butt in the form of  Lauren,  her partner in the Church 'case' .

Terrible is still peeved as all with Chess , and his scathing remarks only show how hurt he really is. Bump wants Terrible coat tailing Chess to find the answers to the deaths and mayhem.  Black Magic is being used, ghosts are surfacing and fetish's are being found. Is the Lamaru behind all this evil?

Arthur Maguinness has decided to put down shop in the market selling his potions and what nots.  Who is Arthur Maguinness,  what does he represent?

Chess is in for a whole lot of pain , physical and mental . More is revealed of Chess's upbringing and it wasn't pretty.

Chess needs to get back down into the tunnels she needs Lex to show her . When Chess needs Terrible the most he changed his phone number. Ouch!! That hurt Chess big time. She is beginning to understand her feelings more. Just because she is used by everyone doesn't mean she has to do the same. A conscience is forming.

Terrible's loathing of Chess is starting to take its toll on her she is starting to crumble. Honesty is always the best policy .......and a hissy fit.

All sorts of  information starts to come forth and Chess must make sense of it all with Lauren.

 Then it all takes a turn for the worst.........

Keep an eye out for book # 4 in the series due 2012. I know I will be. I'm hoping for more of Chess's addiction history and more unearthing of her life that made her need to use to forget to keep the demons away.

Michelle

BOOK REVIEW - UNHOLY MAGIC by STACIA KANE - DOWNSIDE GHOSTS # 2

By: Stacia Kane
Published By: Harper Voyager
Released: Available Now
Details: Paperback , 343 Pages

RATING 4.5 STARS!!! GRITTY, DARK, ADDICTIVE!!

Book Blurb : Taken From Goodreads

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.

BOOK REVIEW:

Chess is back with another case for the church in the form of Roger Pyle and his family. This one will pay well.  All is not what it seems. Secrets are found out.


Terrible is always there for Chess. Chess is lighting both ends of the match, the burning ends will eventually meet and then it will hurt. 
Lex is always there with a baggie and his zipper down. I feel like Chess has crossed the line and payment is Lex's pleasure.


Prostitutes are turning up dead on both sides of the line. Chess has to come up with the answers, Bump wants answers. The Church can't know. Everbody wants something from Chess.


More glimpses are revealed of  Chess's past life. Drugs are her answer. Her life is timed to not be without something in her system. She can not withdraw, somebody will find out, the Church can't know.
Stacia Kane wrote a very tough withdrawal chapter. You felt you were Chess , going through what she was going through.


Terrible lets Chess into his personal life , their odd relationship finally gets pushed too far. He becomes vulnerable for a split second...then she blows it..big time!!!!! Spiralling down fast , Chess must surface and get the answers everbody needs.


When Chess thought there was nothing else to lose in her life, nothing more could be done to hurt her......think again!!!!

Michelle

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