Looking Forward To...(88)

There are so many amazing books already on the shelves and new ones coming out.

For a list of books yet to be released I'm looking to get, you can also look on my right Sidebar at the ever growing list titled Desired Reads - just scroll down. Of course there are tones of other new books to come out that are amazing as well, but these ones are part of series I have already started or for one reason or another caught my eye (and haven't seen much on other blogs yet). But I will highlight one here each week.

(mentioned in order of Release Date then Alphabetical if there are more than one book coming out on the same date.)

Next Book Is...

Sacrificial Magic

By:  Stacia Kane

Due Out:  March 27, 2012

Oh, I've enjoyed the first three books so much.  Over all, I don't know if I can tell you why I've loved them.  I found it so easy to get sucked into Chess' life and world.  And loved every minute of the story and writing.

Goodreads Synopsis:

READING, WRITING, AND RAISING THE DEAD
 
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.

Cover Released: Chasing Magic

I've become a fast fan of Stacia Kane's books and particularly the Downside Ghosts series, and the 5th book has a cover!!

Yes, I know I'm a little behind the eight ball, but I was sick so I'm a little delayed, but sharing anyway....

Now Stacia did make a comment on Twitter to not read to much into the small smile on the model here.  So, well... *shrugs shoulders* Maybe not all that happy then?

I do like the tattoos Chess has here, and the city in the background.  I look forward to reading on in this world.

Cover Release ~ Sacrificial Magic

Have you stopped by Stacia Kane's blog lately?  Well, she has the next Chess book cover up!!  And the book description as well!

Due Out:  March 27, 2012

Book Description:

READING, WRITING, AND RAISING THE DEAD
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.

I love the cover stays with the same theme as the first three books.  With Chess on the cover and her markings and a background of a glimpse of the city.

Book Review: City of Ghosts

City of Ghosts

By:  Stacia Kane

Publisher:  Del Rey Books

Publish Date:  July 2010

Format:  Paperback 408pgs, pocketbook size

Genre:  Urban Fantasy

Series:  3rd book in Downside series; Book 1 ~ Unholy Magic, Book 2 ~ Unholy Ghosts

Recommendation:  Yes!  I love my Dark Urban Fantasy with grit.  Great addition to the series.

Book Synopsis:
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.

First Sentence:
The guillotine waited for them, its blackened wood dark and threatening against the naked cement walls of the Execution Room.

My Thoughts and Summary:
Chess has been off work for three weeks recouping from her leg wound with the help of meds and some extra pills she's picked up along the way.  She has returned to the Church for the execution of Madame Lupita for breaking the law and trying to kill a church employee, Chess.  But something is off.  By the time Chess realizes it, it's to late.  Ghosts are attacking and the psycopomp is acting way off as well.  Chess is ready to come back to work and Elder Griffin pairs her up with Lauren Abrams a high member of the Black Squad, along with a few other connections too.  Chess isn't thrilled about the binding oath she has to undergo and working with the Black Squad, but seeing as she is ending her physical relationship with Lex and Terrible's not wanting anything to do with her, she needs the major extra money offered and takes the job.

With an opening sentence like that what all would you expect?  I love reading this series as the writing is wonderful and it's world and characters are rough and gritty.  Down right mean, and I love it!  This world may not be for everyone, but with the drugs and the harsh streets it makes for a wonderful action, fast paced read.  Then we have the ghosts that are always around some where lingering wanted to get revenge on any living being around it.  This book even takes us to a new level of evil with the wraiths now.  Evil buggers they are.  The magic is stronger here with the Black Squad and the eviltries after Chess.

We get to see Chess in a new light as a character.  She is starting to break down emotionally as she realizes it's Terrible she really wants, and she will punish herself for the misdoings she's done in the past to him.  We even get some new characters, who might have some dark secrets of their own to keep and add to the twists of the plot.

The plot... now that is the story here.  We have a few things going on, the church case and Chess's life messes.  Both are fun to watch unravel.  The church case Chess is on takes us through some crazy and amazing turns in the story.  Things I never seen coming.  And I loved the way magic plays a big part in this story.  Then we have Chess's messed up life.  Yep, that girl is so messed up and can really mess it up more.  Even when Chess knows what she wants.  But Chess tries to get through when the man she wants and has helped her survive before, could care less if she makes it through.

This is one book I enjoyed reading.  Actually the three books thus far in the series have been wonderful for me.  I enjoy the characters and the deep story lines along with the harsh gritty world.  I love a great dark urban fantasy read and this is it!

I think I hear Stacia Kane is working on more books with Chess, so I will be watching for them.


I purchased this book for my own reading pleasure.


This book qualifies for Horror and Urban Fantasy Reading Challenge hosted by Book Chick City.

Who? What? Where?(27)

Who are you with? Where are you at? What's happening?

Share with us just a little bit of what is happening in the book you are reading, right where you are now.

Just a tiny taste of what's happening, remember try to not give spoilers of the book.

(This is a new meme I'm going to try and will tweak as I go. And please don't laugh at my lame attempt at drawing. ;D )

I'm in Downside with Chess and the man who wants nothing to do with her anymore, trying to find a door into the tunnels where we think, no know, the Lamaru are.  But we think we have to go into this boarded up abandoned building to see if the entrance is located in there.  I'm worried as the boards look newer and the building might have other surprises as well.

City of Ghosts

By:  Stacia Kane

Teaser Tuesday (82)

Teaser Tuesday

is a weekly event

Sponsored by MizB of Should be Reading

Here's how it works:

Grab the book you are currently reading (anything at all)

Open the book to any random page.

Share 2 teaser sentences from anywhere on the page

Please Make Sure They Are Not Spoilers!

(Don't Give Too Much Away)

Just enough to pique our interests

This Week:

She had her psychopomp with her, in her bag.  For the first time ever she thought of it with unease, picturing the skull as something that could erupt into being without warning and attack her.

City of Ghosts

By Stacia Kane

136 pg

Review: Unholy Magic

Unholy Magic

By:  Stacia Kane

Publisher:  Del Rey Books

Publish Date:  July 6, 2010

Genre:  Fantasy

Format:  Paperback, 343 pgs - pocket book size

Series:  2nd book in Downside Ghosts, review of 1st book ~ Unholy Ghosts

Recommendation:  YES!! Dark magic mixed with lovable, gritty characters and suspenseful magical cases.

Book Synopsis:
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. 
 
First Sentence:
Ghosts were stronger undergrounds; no witch willingly went below the surface of the earth, not without a Church edict or a death wish.
 
My Review and Synopsis:
Three months after the banishing of the Dreamthief in Unholy Ghosts Chess is helping the Black Squad to build a case.  She's starting to be viewed differently by her peers at work, considered that she just might be good at her job.  Chess decides to stop out for a drink and see a band at the local bar with her one friend, Terrible.  Chess ends up going with Terrible to look into a murder of a hooker.  Terrible wants Chess to verify the killer is not a ghost.  But knowing Bump, if it is a ghost, he would have her take care of it instead of the Church directly.  The murder was close to the edge of Bump's and Lex's territories.  Chess finds herself in the grasps of Bumps manipulation with drugs and his knowledge of her, again.  So of course, Chess agrees to help both Bump, and Lex without the other knowing, but at what cost to her...

This book is a wonderful number two to the series.  Stacia Kane, once again does not disappoint here.  I got drawn into Chess's cases and life.  This book was just as intense or more so than Unholy Ghosts.  The cases, both of them, hit close to home once again to Chess - actually closer than she would like.  Chess is stuck between the feud of her close friends boss and her local drug dealer, and the man who has been giving her free drugs and who she shares a night with once in a while.  I watched as Chess's life which seems to work so well for her, comes apart at the seams.  Then Chess realizes what she wants and tries to fix everything to get it.

The characters are a great love in this book.  The way we get to see more dynamics from them - history, reactions, and intimacy with each other.  We got more insight on our lovable bouncer, Terrible.  We get to see a softer side and the more dangerous side (that many others in the book see) of Terrible.

The story line... just keeps going.  The pacing is quick and keeps you turning the pages.  The different cases Chess works on kept me going to see what would happen and where the cases would lead.  And the trauma in Chess's life just adds the flare to the story.  All full of action, suspense, and even a caring between the characters.

These are definite reads.  I am looking forward to book three, City of Ghosts, on July 27, 2010.



I purchased this book for my pleasure

This book qualifies for my Speculated Fiction Challenge hosted by Book Chick City.

Looking Forward to... (9)

So many amazing books already on the shelves and new ones coming out. For books yet to be released I am looking to get you can also look at the list of Desired Reads on the Right Sidebar - just scroll down. Of course there are tons other new books to come out that are amazing as well, but these ones are part of series I have started or for on reason or another caught my eye (and haven't seen much on other blogs yet). But I will highlight one here each week.

( mentioned in order of Release Date then Alphabetical if there are more than one book coming out on the same date.)

I am still working on the releases for July 27, 2010.
 
The next book is...
 

City of Ghosts

By Stacia Kane

Due out July 27, 2010

 
This is the third book of the series for Stacia Kane.  It is really great that she was able to have these three books released so close together.  I read and loved the first book, Unholy Ghosts - I devoured it in 2 days (that is really quick for me).  If you would like to read my review of Unholy Ghosts click here.  The Second book is due out July 6, 2010 - Unholy Magic.  And then this one before the end of July.  I really love the gritty world Chess lives in and can't wait to read the next two books.
 

Synopsis from Goodreads:
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.

Looking Forward To... (7)

So many amazing books already on the shelves and new ones coming out.  For books yet to be released I am looking to get you can also look at the list of Desired Reads on the Right Sidebar - just scroll down.  Of course there are tons other new books to come out that are amazing as well, but these ones are part of series I have started or for on reason or another caught my eye (and haven't seen much on other blogs yet).  But I will highlight one here each week.

( mentioned in order of Release Date then Alphabetical if there are more than one book coming out on the same date.)

Unholy Magic

By Stacia Kane

Due out July 6, 2010

This is the second book in Stacia's series of Chess Putnam, the Downside Ghosts.  This series is going to be released in rather close dates. The first book, Unholy Ghosts was just released May 25th.  If you would like to read my review of it, click here. (I really enjoyed this read, devoured it in about 3 days!)  The third book will be released soon too, but that is another Looking Forward To... post.

I have to say I am loving these covers too!

Here is the synopsis of Unholy Magic from GoodReads:
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.

Review: Unholy Ghosts

Unholy Ghosts

By:  Stacia Kane

Publisher:  Del Rey Books

Publish Date:  May 2010

Genre:  Fantasy

Format:  Paperback, 339 pgs

Series:  1st book in the series featuring Chess Putnam

Recommendation:  Yes, if you like a world of ghosts and magic with mystery and don't mind just a little bit of drugs.

Book Synopsis:
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.

First Sentence:
Had the man in front of her not already been dead, Chess probably would have tried to kill him.

My Review and Summary:
Chess is a drug addicted witch working for the Church.  (Please don't let the thought of drugs stop you from this read.) The Church is the only organization allowed to have witches by their law.  The Church pays home owners to perform exorcisms of the ghosts from their house,  pushing the dead to the City of the Dead.  Chess knows she owes her dealer some money, hoping for a bonus in the case she just finished up - that didn't happen.  After the job Chess went into town and is approached by Bump's, her dealer, enforcer.  The enforcer is one everyone cringes at sight of, Terrible.  Terrible takes Chess to Bump to find out she is in debt three times the amount she thought, all thanks to Bump's new interest charges.  But Bump has an idea on how Chess can work off the debt.  If she does it and catches the "ghost," her debt will be square with Bump.  But, maybe its worse than she and even Bump thought...

I devoured this book in two days time.  I was surprised with myself.  I love when I have the time and the book to just keep going.  I'm still digesting this book after reading it so quickly.  I'm not sure what the attraction was, but I had to keep going with it.  So I am going to touch on what I liked and kept me going in the book.

I didn't realize it until I was done how this book kept me going.  There was constantly something happening, some trouble or problem Chess and Terrible came across.  The mystery of who was responsible and why had me wondering and turning the pages.  I just wanted to know who, why, what was going to happen next.  The pages just kept turning and I was along for the ride.

One of my favorite characters was Terrible.  As the story starts you meet him as the large bully or drug lords law enforcer but he is a lot more.  It seemed to me he may even have a soft spot in his heart for Chess.  Chess was a great character as well.  She is a strong female character that works through all the troubles with some worry.  Just get past the drug addiction and you will see it too. 

What really caught my attention was the Church.  I really liked reading the believes of the people NOW; in magic, ghosts, and the City of the Dead.  This seemed to hold my attention.  The religion that exists at the current time of the book and compared to the religious beliefs we have now interested me.
In mentioning the Church and beliefs,  I have to comment on the chapter headings.  I loved them!  They gave me more of an idea of what the Church is for, about, and how they ruled.  Then I realized they where hints to what would happen in the chapter.  Many times I had to think back to the chapter heading after reading the chapter, and it did relate .  And I would have never guessed what would happen to get there or what the there would have been.

I really did enjoy this read.

I purchased this book for my own reading.

This book qualifies for the Speculative Fiction Challenge sponsored by Book Chick City.