R.I.P. Book 3: Unholy Magic Stacia Kane
Unholy Magic by Stacia KaneMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
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. Good Reads
THE GOOD
This is the second book in the Downside Ghosts series. I was excited to see where Chess was in her life. The book opens with her investigating an illegal medium ship ceremony gone wrong. Stacia again opens her book with an action packed sequence that really excites you for the story to come.
Chess is still walking an ever thinning tightrope in her life. She is getting drugs and physical comfort from Lex and keeping her relationship a secret from her main drug dealer Bump. Bump is very disturbing in this book. He is starting to realise the power he has access too because of Chess's addiction. It is heartbreaking to see how she is being used. Even Terrible puts her in situations that leave her hurt and vulnerable. Through it all she hides her relationship with Lex who has strong ties to Bumps rival in business.
These secrets turn into lies as her relationship with Terrible begins to change. I really had conflicting feelings for Chess in this book.
Her choices seem more and more influenced by the company she keeps. Yes the addiction is still present, this becomes heartbreaking when Chess is stranded in a situation with out her pills. It is the subtle choices that she makes in her relationship with Lex that are disturbing. Especially once the attraction between her and Terrible becomes more intense. We get so much more insight into the abuse Chess suffered but her desire for drugs to blot out the pain may destroy and chance of love in her future. Chase and Terrible are so wonderfully written and vividly described. Terrible opens himself to Chess. The simplicity and beauty of his feelings towards Chess are the catalyst of a major shift between them.
THE BETTER
The Ghosts in this volume are really disturbing! There is a dark predator killing prostitutes on both ends of the Downside territory.This brings Bump and Slobag to Chess for her help. The most creepy aspect is that the Ghost is stealing the EYES of it's victims. Add to this a new celebrity, high profile case that seems strangely tied to the Prostitute killings. As all of these threads lead to an intense ending where all of Chess's secrets are revealed.
I can't rave about these books enough! Stacia has such a unique narrative style. From The unique Downside language to the mysteries of the City of the Dead this series just gets better and better. The choices Stacia had made this volume will have definite long range effects to the series as a whole I'm excited for the third book.
THIS ONE THING
I didn't really connect to the celebrity case Chess had this volume.Though there were some scary scenes I thought it tied in with her other case a little to easily and that the ending was a little to neatly wrapped up, other than that the book was pure excellence!
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