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    Sacrificial Magic
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    Sacrificial Magic
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    Sacrificial Magic
    Ebook453 pages7 hours

    Sacrificial Magic

    By Stacia Kane

    4/5

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    About this ebook

    Enter a world of danger, ghosts and magic in the fourth book of the fantastic Downside Ghosts series.

    Ghosts; ghouls; things that go bump in the night. Chess has seen them all in her role as a witch and ghost hunter.

    Right now life is going surprisingly well for Chess Putnam. Her bank balance is healthy, she’s pretty sure she can call Terrible her “boyfriend”, and the last few months have been devoid of anyone trying to kill her.

    So when Chess 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 is unsurprised; she knew the recent calm wouldn’t last. As if that wasn’t bad enough, Chess’ ex lover Lex, son of a rival crime lord, is trying to re-ignite the sparks between them.

    Plus there’s the little matter of Chess’ 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.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarperCollins UK
    Release dateMay 10, 2012
    ISBN9780007433124
    Unavailable
    Sacrificial Magic
    Author

    Stacia Kane

    Stacia Kane is the author of the gritty dystopian urban fantasy Downside series starring Chess Putnam and featuring ghosts, human sacrifice, drugs, witchcraft, punk rock, and a badass '69 Chevelle. She bleaches her hair and wears a lot of black.

    Read more from Stacia Kane

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    Reviews for Sacrificial Magic

    4/5

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    • 4/5
      Reviewed by: Rabid ReadsThe fourth installment in Stacia Kane’s Downside Ghosts series felt like a major stepping stone for Chess. Putnam and I didn’t exactly hit it off in the earlier books; I struggled to find the “heroine” in this drug addicted protagonist which has made her journey up to this point all the more impressive. The last novel was my favourite so far but Sacrificial Magic surpassed it in one area; it changed my view of Putnam’s potential for happiness. Chess makes some incredibly difficult decisions in this installment and realizes that the trust issues that exist in her and Terrible’s relationship are hers, not his. I was awed by how much her character grows in this book; now I find myself rooting for her and actually optimistic about the possibility of a happily-ever-after (just not TOO soon as I’d like Kane to write a few more novels first!).So far, my favourite plot lines in this series have revolved around the tension between the two sides of Downside and in Sacrificial Magic we get exactly that. Chess must investigate a haunting on Slobag’s side of town which in turn leads to an attempt on Putnam’s life and an all-out turf war. Can you believe that this is actually just an average day of the job for this church witch? The result is an emotionally charged, action-packed story that doesn’t quit until the very last page. Kane’s talent for writing intricate investigations with multiple plot threads is out in full force in this installment and I found myself enjoying the detective work almost as much as the scenes with Terrible. Almost.Bahni Turpin’s performance as the narrator is once again without compare; she switches between characters with ease and her tone is always dead-on. She does a brilliant job of portraying each individual’s emotional state and, handles Chess’ frequent highs and lows with ease. Every time I listen to one of these audiobooks I can’t help but be amazed by Turpin’s proficiency with the unique lingo that this series is renowned for. Her voice has become an integral part of my Downside Ghosts reading experience and has forever replaced the one inside my head.Tension runs high between Chess and Terrible in the first half of this novel which spawns a rather intense argument between these two lovebirds. I was glued to my earbuds during their showdown; it was just so heartbreaking that I felt like I died a little inside after listening to it. Luckily, their make-up session is equally as powerful which means that I cried not once, but twice during this 14 hour experience. I just hope that Terrible and Chess have reached a point in their relationship where they’re finally going to be more “on” than “off” because I’m beginning to get a little frustrated (and drained) by all of the drama. I NEED for them to be a united front for at least one full installment.Sacrificial Magic provides readers with some closure while simultaneously adding new questions to the already large unanswered pile. I can’t help but worry about what the future might hold for Chess but one thing is for certain; I will be there to find out! Needless to say, Stacia Kane has earned a spot on my auto-buy list!
    • 4/5
      Sacrificial MagicDownside Ghosts, Book 4By: Stacia KaneNarrated by: Bahni TurpinI really enjoy this series. The world building is wonderful and the characters are terrific! Ghost hunting like no other books! Always several layers of interest going on at the same time. The only thing that is getting old is the repetitive love angst between Terrible and Chess. It's always for the same thing over and over again! Also the drug use, I am so tired of it. Sure it's one of her flaws but it's becoming a flaw of the story. The narration is excellent as usual!
    • 4/5
      There was definitely a moment in this book where I wanted to shake Chess. Poor Terrible, I mean, poor Chess too, but she said some really cruel stuff to him, trying to hurt them, and that bugs me. I totally get her whole damaged-and-unloveable thing, but I hate that she tried to hurt Terrible - I think I just relate a bit more to self-destructiveness than I do to turning hostility outward. So that part kinda upset me. Still absolutely adoring this series!!!
    • 4/5
      This one made me nervous for Chess. The book ending the way it did and Chess being in the middle of that situation...things are not going to end well. I have to say, so far, this has been my least favorite book. While I did get to see a side of Chess I hadn't before I think that some of the plot line was just predictable and too easy solved quickly. Like someone could have done "this" and it would have been over as opposed to the run around the book did.

      I love Chess and I love Terrible and I can't wait to see what the next book has in store for them.
    • 5/5
      FINALLY!

      I think I'm just dancing around the campfire because Chess finally sorted something out. Sort of. Kind of. Maybe. Maybe not. She's got such deep-rooted feelings of inadequacy, though, that she's just not sure how to handle something real.

      Wait. Hold the phone. Back up. I don't even LIKE romances, and here I am grabbing for the next book because I'm desperate to know the outcome of relationship drama? Yes, yes I am. Here I stand, loud and proud, wanting to know how the heck Chess's relationship drama has sorted itself out.

      And the truth is, it really hasn't. Which is fair. Chess has issues. She's got subscriptions. No, no, she has junk mail. Stuff's just pouring in through the mail slot. And yes, there were times that my heart just broke for her, because she's just so terribly earnest about not wanting to mess things up, and she messes things up simply because of that.

      Pair up one majorly damaged heroine that we all root for, because if Chess can manage to sort herself out, any of us can, really, with some majorly messed up ghosts and a brewing turf war, and we've got one of the best books from Stacia Kane yet.
    • 3/5
      AAhhhhh uuuurrrggggghhh. When the hell is she going to stay the hell out of trouble. It doesn't seem that her addiction isn't as prominent as it was in the second book. I do have to say that is a fantastic thing for the plot itself. Much better Ms. Kane
    • 5/5
      Tentatively exploring her new relationship with Terrible, Chess finds herself with a new case involving two things she's terrified are going to make her lose her new happiness. Her new assignment's in a high school (not the subject of any good memories), and worse, it's smack in the middle of Slobag's territory. Worse yet, someone's torching Bump's property, and she's pretty sure that both Bump and Terrible think she's the spy that's passing on information to Slobag's people. The Kindle edition has a glitch toward the end that appears to involve a missing page or two, but nothing too essential. Stayed up way too late finishing.
    • 5/5
      Stacia Kane has done it again. This book was everything I'd hoped it would be and so much more than I could have expected. Watching Chess doubt herself and her ability to sustain a relationship was wrenching and more emotionally draining than I have experienced in a book in a very long time. Watching her grow and deciding to take the risk of taking the chance on her relationship with Terrible and also with other characters was amazingly fulfilling as well. This book was definitely more about Chess and her emotional life than it was about her job with The Church but there was still plenty of action.

      I knew that once I started reading this I wouldn't be able to put it down and I wasn't able to at all. I read it over a day and a half and I'm starting to re-read it right now.

      I am dying to read Chasing Magic and any other books Ms. Kane writes about these amazing characters.

      For anyone that wants to be able truly connect with the characters they are reading about, I would suggest reading this series, it never fails to deliver.
    • 5/5
      I don't know if my heart can handle anymore excitement! The first sentence of each book in this series lets the reader know right off the bat that we are in for yet another joy ride of mystery, magic, and ... love. I rip through Stacia Kane's Downside books like they were children's books. I love every twist and turn and can identify in a lot of ways with her main character, Chess Putnam, churchwitch.In Sacrificial Magic, Chess' antagonist is even more powerful digging deep into dark magic and pulling the magical energy of earth and Downside completely off-balance. I really admire Kane's imagination in creating bigger and badder antagonists for each book. She makes Chess struggle more, and yet gives her the space to be creative in her solutions to huge problems. She also lets us all see how hard relationships are/can be. Even though Chess and Terrible are some really broken people, what they go through in trying to find each other (and themselves) in their relationship is very relatable. I can't believe there's only one more published!
    • 3/5
      I found this hard to read, way more difficult that the other books in the series. It didn't really grab me till about half way through. Maybe needed more direction and have a tighter plot? Just felt a bit waffly and meandered. I didn't feel like the characters advanced a great deal. Not sure I'm looking forward to reading the next one.
    • 4/5
      After waiting for a year and eight months (who was counting) finally I was able to read one of my most anticipated books of the year, Sacrificial Magic.

      Sacrificial Magic starts couple of weeks after events in City of Ghosts (book three). Chess is still trying to assimilate and in someway believe than Terrible wants her and they are a couple. They are keeping their relationship secret, they don’t want people to use Chess as a weapon against Terrible. Terrible is Bump’s enforcer.
      After a gruesome murder in which magic was used Chess’ drug dealer, Bump, “asks” her to investigate and find the culprit or else… At the same time Chess is giving a new debunker case by the Church, a case that takes her to a school deep into Sloban’s territory. Sloban is not only Bump’s number one enemy but Lex’s father. Before getting involved with Terrible, Chess and Lex had a fling, Lex is also one of Chess’ drugs providers.
      The school case is not as easy as Chess originally thought and being in Sloban’s territory makes it even more complicated. Lex is always around trying to help her, but by helping her he’s putting her in a difficult situation with Terrible. And when Chess discovers that there is a connection between the school case and the murder in Bump’s territory things get even more complicated for Chess.

      Sacrificial Magic as previous books of this series is not an easy read or one with butterflies and unicorns, completely the opposite, it’s a dark and gritty one, one that will crush your heart and will have you on the edge of your seat from the first word to the last.
      It took me sometime to get into the story, maybe fifty pages or so, it wasn't that Sacrificial Magic wasn’t good or anything like that, I think my disconnection was related to the time between this book and City of Ghosts. Somehow I also forgot Downspeak and during the first chapters every time Downspeak was spoken I have to go back and read the paragraph couple of times to understand it, after a while I got used to it and it became easier to understand.

      Chess is still the same broken, self-depreciated, drug addict heroine. In this installment we learn more about her past; her childhood memories give us and inside look at some of the reasons of her addiction, even though I don’t condone her addiction I kind of understand her need to get lost in the drugs stupor.
      If I’m being honest I wanted to smack her more than once, her hopelessness and self-loathing got tiresome at times but at the same time I understood her and wanted to hug her and tell her everything will be better, she just needed to believe and trust herself more.
      Mrs. Kane has masterfully created in Chess a heroine that shouldn't be love or accepted, but after getting to know her better we don’t have any other choice but care for her and wish for her a better and happier future. One future I hope will come someday soon.
      It’s the same case with Terrible, he should be an anti-hero, he should be a man difficult to connect with or sympathize with, but after knowing him we forget his physical flaws and his job description, we start to see the real Terrible, the caring, smart and lovable man that is hidden under the rough facade, and after seeing the real Terrible we can’t help to love him.

      Lex plays a bit role in this installment, page after page he is testing Chess commitment to Terrible just by being close to her. He shows us once more that in his way he really cares for Chess and wants her to be ok. There is a change of power at the end of the book, one that left me dying to get my hands in the next book, Chasing Magic (06/26/2012).

      New characters are introduced in this book, characters I wish to see more of in future books, particularly Lex’s sister Blue. From previous characters I loved Elder Griffin, in this installment it is obvious he cares for Chess; he is almost like a father figure to her, I think he suspects something about Chess addiction and I really hope to see and learn more about him in Chasing Magic.

      Sacrificial Magic is not only a great addition to a great series, it is Urban Fantasy at its best. I can’t recommend enough this book and this series in general. Sacrificial Magic could be read as a stand alone but there is so much background story that to get the whole effect I think preferably they should be read in order.
    • 4/5
      What a heart wrencher, Kane once again treads the narrow precipice of highs and lows that are Chess's emotions to race through this mystery. Even amid Chess's pain and scars and insecurities, I can't help but admire her detective work. Also, for the first time, I felt a glimpse of Chess's love for the Church. In the past they only appeared to be the organization she hid from and lied to, but in SACRIFICIAL MAGIC I began to realize that her relationship with the Church is as fraught and fragile as her budding love for Terrible. Kane doesn't squander her sexy points on anything small potatoes, even though Chess and Terrible had already come together Kane managed to keep the tension (both sexual and emotional) amped all the way up. I'm so glad I read this book, but once again, I find myself tortured with worry for Chess and Terrible and their dark, dark future.
    • 4/5
      Sacrificial Magic is one of those transition books. This happens every once and a while in a series - like the middle book in a trilogy - where the book offers more buildup than payoff. By the end of Sacrificial Magic, a lot has changed in Chess' world. But during Sacrificial Magic? It kind of feels like...same ol', same ol'.

      Once again, Chess gets a case that takes her to Downside. Once again, Bump forces Chess to work for him. Once again, her Churchwork and her Downside life intersect. Just like in City of Ghosts, Chess makes a female friend who might turn out to be an enemy. Just like in the first three books, Lex shows up to cause trouble for Chess and Terrible.

      I was really annoyed when I heard that Lex would be mucking around in the romance in this book - hadn't we already dealt with that problem? - but I thought that was the strongest element of the book. We know Chess is a fighter. Fighting to win Terrible was the easy part. Or, at least, that's what she discovers once she's faced with the prospect of trying to keep him. Because what Chess is not good at is building and maintaining healthy habits, loving herself, accepting peace and contentment...she's too self-destructive for that.

      I'm always amazed by Chess as a character. Sometimes she's dumb as a box of rocks, sometimes she's brilliant. Sometimes she's so weak, pathetic really, and sometimes so strong. I root for her but, man, she can make me cringe. Sacrificial Magic has, by far, the weakest plot in this series so far. It doesn't have the dramatic twists and turns of previous books, it feels a little familiar in some ways, and the climax was (for me) underwhelming. But the characters are as fantastic as ever and kept me glued to the page.

      So not my usual five stars for this series, but the series is still on my favorites list & I can't wait for the next book.
    • 4/5
      So, I originally gave this series a shot because Michelle raved about it, AND it was within my rule of <6$/ebook.

      And I liked the first one a lot, but it seemed a little gimmicky, so I wasn't sure I would continue. Except that the second book was cheap. And Stacia Kane popped up on the blogosphere as a bad-ass. I love supporting bad-asses.

      And then this book became my imperfect crack, my guilty pleasure.

      I have issues with this book, but they're not enough to make me give up on the series (though I'll have to wait for books 4 to go on sale, because of my moral need to not spend more than 6$/ebook).

      Chess is still our main character, our churchwitch. The world is still dark and ugly and gritty. And I admittedly have a huge hard-on for dark and gritty.

      She's a fundamentally flawed character, still almost too stereotypically fundamentally flawed, but I'm giving her a pass. She makes really, really stupid mistakes, but mistakes that make sense, and are a bit painful to people like me who have made epically stupid mistakes.

      The world building is good, but not great. There is still a lot of the world to be filled in, a lot to be explained. I like that Kane has not gotten overly finicky and exposition-y about it, but a wee bit more explanation would be great (Yeah, ghost-apocalypse, yeah, Church, but, more please?).

      The prose is solid and consistent, I think it's much better than the first book, which shows nice growth on the part of the author. I still like the use of Downside-slang with the characters that speak, while the more privileged and educated characters speak much more "correctly" (at least what we privileged Americans would expect).

      I still want meaningful female characters that are not the main character (so far, except for Junkie Chess, we just have bitches, goody-bitches and whores).

      Anyway, on to the story. It's another mystery. Another classic detective story, with an A and B plot that you know are somehow going to come together, it's just a matter of time. Chess is still playing the field between two opposing drug lords, and has to work between them to get her B plot to come out.

      The actual B (as I refer to the non-officially-sanctioned-by-the-Church plot) plot is actually horrible. And kudos to Kane for making a truly horrific and awful scene involving that one. I mean, really. Ew. And Ugh. Everything wraps up nice and episodic, with just a few trailing ends to keep us going into the next book.

      It reminds me a lot of the early Dresden books (only with a whole lot more graphic violence, sex and drug use), where Harry could solve some mystery stuff and go along his merry way, before there were huge overwhelming power-story arcs.

      I got much more into this story, it was like watching an epic battle or car accident, only while Chess is an interesting main character, I she's not a good character, I can't root for her, so I'm watching this battle and I don't know that I want anyone to win. Except Terrible and damn you Kane for leaving that hanging, because now I have to dive straight on into the next book... you'd better be answering some questions.

      High literature with lots of thinky premise? Not really, though if pushed I could tease out some good discussion points. This is popcorn for me. Pure and unadulterated (except for the extra butter) popcorn.

    • 3/5
      Liked the concept of this book, the basic story summary, and so I requested it as a early reviewer. I was lucky enough to receive the book, but I didn't do my research good on this one. It is book #4 of the Downside Ghosts series and Chess is an established character with all her flaws and quirks. I just don't get them all. I am hoping that the series is better when it is read in order (so I am giving it a generous 3 star rating - for now). I am also planning on reading this series from book #1 through to at least "Sacrificial Magic" so that I can re-write this review and hopefully give it a more favorable recommendation. As it stands now, I did not follow a lot of the lingo, and slang of the characters. I had a difficult time figuring out what Chess was and what she did. Why she was the way she was is probably explained in earlier books. Benefit of the doubt and all that, I will give it another chance .... later. For now I will just be generous until I have a chance to go back and read at least "Unholy Ghosts (#1)", "Unholy Magic (#2)" and "City of Ghosts (#3).
    • 4/5
      The only problem I had was the idea of a girl with such a strong drug addiction would be able to work normally when people with minor addictions have a hard time keeping themselves going as the addiction tends to take over. Other than that book was enjoyable and engaging and despite that little problem I had the main character was sympathetic enough for me to enjoy and look past her addiction.
    • 4/5
      This is the first book I've read in this series. It took me quite a while to get into it. I felt I'd missed a part of the world building, and it took quite a while to find a sense of knowing what that world was about. All in all the world is very engrossing and I find I want to know more of what went on during Haunted Week, and how the church came to take over all government. I didn't care for Chess's drug addiction, it seemed unreasonable that someone that was always using could keep a normal work life going. The dialect of the street took quite a while to understand, and kept me from really getting into the story. It seemed that other than Chess, the characters were either resorting to old language forms, like the church, or some miss mash of slang. It seemed that Beulah also knew how to talk in a reasonable manner, why didn't her brother? Surely they were both educated similarly. The slang may be the way gangs talk, but it makes for difficult reading.
    • 3/5
      I had a real hard time getting into this book, so I went back and got the e-book for the first book in the series. First off, I found it difficult to get a real sense of when and where the story is taking place. I understand it's a different universe than ours, but usually there's at least some anchor of our reality to make it relatable. I couldn't even decide if the city was supposed to be east coast or west.I am a bit disappointed by the lack of growth of the main character. She seems just as messed up as in the first book, no worse and no better. You'd think she'd either lay off the drugs or be flaming out in a downward spiral from overuse of the junk by now. It is just unrealistic that an addict would be able to maintain their mask of normalcy with that much substance abuse going on. Terrible is an interesting guy, but for a character who is supposedly well read, his dialect speech is nearly unintelligible. Plenty of other Downside people use a blending of normal and dialect, why can't Terrible? Overall, not a bad series, but there is plenty of much better reading material in the genre available out there.
    • 4/5
      I am still not sure that I love Chess, even in the fourth book. She is definitely different than most of the main characters in the books that I read. I really hoped that she would at least start kicking the drug habit by the fourth book, but nope, she does even more drugs than before. Sigh. I know that she does them because of her past, but I feel that it makes her too weak. I like the other characters more than I like Chess. I can't help it. I like Terrible, even if he is a "bad guy." He is the bad guy that all girls like. Lex is confusing. Does he like Chess or have other reasons for coming around to help all the time? I do like that in Sacrificial Magic she examines her relationships a bit more and seems to sense that people actually like her instead of feeling that people are using her all the time. I keep hanging in to see what happens next, so I must like it.
    • 3/5
      Having never read a book in this series, I can say that it was easy to jump right into the story without any prior knowledge. The writer does a great job of filling out the characters and back story without performing boring synopsis of previous books in the series. Chess is a character to admire for her strength and to sympathize for her drug addiction and inability to value her own self-worth. She struggles with feeling worthy and the dread of waiting for 'the other shoe to drop'. I think most women have felt that way at some point in their lives. Intrigued enough by the book to go back and read the first one in the series.
    • 4/5
      Four books into this series and I am still hooked by the characterization of the heroine, Chess. She's an addict and an emotional mess but Kane balances the inevitable frustration you feel with hope. Chess has two important things in her life. Her value to the Church as a Debunker and her intense relationship with Terrible.The description of the magical elements was a bit tighter this time around and the story of obsessive love gone wrong was an interesting (if a bit uninspired) counterpoint to Chess and Terrible's dynamic. The powerful scenes between them were the best in the book. If you enjoyed the first three in this series, this one will not disappoint.
    • 4/5
      The emotions in SACRIFICIAL MAGIC are at an all time high. Chess' newest Church case puts her on the other side of town and from the beginning things go wrong. With both her dealer and the rival crime lord pushing her to find answers Chess is determined to solve the case as quickly as possible. Chess' boyfriend Terrible is once again questioning her dealings with Lex and Chess is doing everything possible to be honest with him and to make sure Terrible knows its him she wants to be with. Chess goes through a lot of emotional stuff in book 4. She is dealing with the fact that she is in love with Terrible and doesn't know anything about how to be in love and be loved in return. The drugs of course don't help one bit and send her over the edge into hysteria at one point that pretty much tore my emotions up. I want nothing more then for Chess to be able to function without all the drugs in her system all the time. There is one scene in particular towards the end of the book that had my eyes flooding with tears as she has to make a huge decision that could change her life forever. The world that Ms Kane has created in the Downside Ghost series is off the chart amazing. Every time you turn a page something new is revealed and another twist is added to the story. The ending of SACRIFICIAL MAGIC promises that there will be way more to come in the series. There is a huge turning point happening and I cant tell where Chess will end up but I'm hoping that her and Terrible continue to hold on to each other and she can find a bit of piece in herself. I have heard people mention that they cant handle all the drugs in the series but I cant imagine the series without Chess being who she is. I will be reading CHASING MAGIC as soon as I possibly can.
    • 5/5
      When I started the first book in the Downside Ghosts series, Unholy Ghosts, I really had no idea what I was getting into. If I remember correctly I added it to my Kindle because at the time the book was either on sale or a freebie. I knew the main character was a drug addict and that she did something with ghosts. What I discovered was a gritty, dark series with a lonely character who other than drugs, loved her profession. She did not have any close friends. She lived in Downside, the dangerous part of town, and owed allegiance and money to the neighborhood drug lord.I loved it! Kane was able to create a character, who on the outside, may seem distant and unrelatable, but as you follow her around her world, you can't help but fall in love. She's strong in her own messed up sort of way. Chess makes mistakes and is all too human. While she encounters or debunks ghosts for the Church and tumbles through her fragile relationship with Terrible, she is also on a journey of self worth. It's a treat to follow her on this journey.This series has consistently stayed awesome with each book. This particular book had an interesting debunking case at a Downside public school that of course mixes with the politics of the area drug lords. Chess is still afraid she will mess up her relationship with Terrible. And because of where the school is located, Lex keeps popping up a little too often. We also get to see a side of Chess' magic that has altering and terrifying powers. This is a truly addictive series.ARC provided through NetGalley.
    • 5/5
      Omg Chessiebomb, what are you doing, stop, stop, stop. I'd normally say take a chill pill and relax but dang girl you already took them all. It broke my heart to see you open your mouth and spew all that poison out. if I could have I would have taped you shut and sat on you for a while. geesh talk about self destruction. Way to go on taking Terrible in the car, at least that shut you up ! Please in the future when in doubt, shut it, shut it fast, and open your effing eyes.
      Terrible darling, you are such a sex on stick kinds guy and so much more. You handled things with more patience then I would have expected. Lex, Blue, drugged and crazed girlfriend, rival gang violence, ghostly nastyness, and heartbreak, phew that's a lot of trouble. I worry for you and what that sigil on your chest is going to bring. I hope Chess gets it together in time to save you. Lex is a sneaky one watch him. Oh and I love that line of hair too. [wink]

      Great gods this was a good book. I had the tissues out and ate way too much chocolate while dealing with all the intensity. If I didn't love Terrible before after this book I couldn't stop myself. he and Chess really had some issues and damage to dig through. It was nasty and painful. It was written so well I felt like I should turn away and give them privacy at several points. The feelings so raw and bleeding flowed off the pages and did the happiness and pure joy.

      If you have not read the other books in the series, do. Yes, there is drug abuse, physical abuse and horrible deaths. Look past these into the heart of the book and you can't help falling in love with these characters and their world.
    • 4/5
      Chess is still a lot messed up in the head. She's still doing drugs, trying desperately to work out what her relationship to Terrible and Lex are; and where they're going. Trying to deal with her past and trying to cope with her present and what's going on with everything.She's investigating a disturbance at a school in the heart of Downside and concurrently investigate a grizzly sacrifical murder. Chess is going to have to make a sacrifice herself to solve this one and it's going to be hard.I'm hoping Chess is going to face up to her issues and problems some time soon because she's popping too many pills and trying to ignore reality a little too much for her own health and the health of others around her. There are conseqences to her actions in previous books and a massive fight with Terrible is handled well. I don't life Chess all that much and reckon she'd be a terrible person to hang around, you would never be the centre of her attention, maybe Terrible and love will force her to look outside herself and come off the bloody drugs!It's interesting and I care for Chess but I would like to see some sort of growth in her, her self-destruction is starting to wear.
    • 3/5
      This was the fourth book in the Downside Ghosts series by Kane. I haven’t been a huge fan of this series, but I got books 4 and 5 as eGalleys to review through NetGalley(dot)com so I keep reading the series. If you liked books one and two this book is very similar to those ones. Chess is given a case from the Church of Truth to investigate a haunting at a school in Downside..which just happens to be in enemy gang territory. Around the same time Bump, Chess’s drug dealer, wants Chess to check out a grisly murder that seems to be some sort of ritual killing. Chess will need all her wits (and drugs) to figure who are doing the black summonings and why. I didn’t think this book was as good as the third book, City of Ghosts. This book returns to the story structure used in books 1 and 2: Chess gets a case from the Church and Bump wants something looked into; it just so happens that the two things are related. Maybe it’s because I am reading these so close together, but the stories seem a bit formulaic to me with no storyline (outside of the Chess/Terrible romance) that really flows from novel to novel. I really wish that this story had dealt more with the Church again because I find that a lot more interesting than these miscellaneous Downside disasters.Chess does grow a little as a character, but she still keeps making a lot of the same mistakes. There are so many times she does incredibly stupid things, I was kind of hoping at points that Terrible would dump her. If there is anything that does flow well and change from book to book it is the relationship between Terrible and Chess. There are some incredibly intense emotional scenes between the two that are very gripping. Although I do get tired of how flawed these characters are and at how they keep making the same mistakes over and over.The world continues to be the same gritty post-apocalyptic world we’ve had in previous book. Chess continues to pill pop like crazy and somehow manages to not get killed. Honestly I am just tired of these books right now. I don’t like that characters and the stories from book to book are very similar. I am going to take a break for a while and then decide if I will read Chasing Magic or no at a later date.Overall an okay book in this series. If you loved the first two books in this series I think you will love this one; they are structured very much the same way. Chess is the same pill-popping somewhat functioning church witch she’s been in previous books, she makes a lot of the same stupid mistakes. There are some excellent scenes between her and Terrible, but aside from that there wasn’t a ton here I loved. Recommended to those who have really been enjoying this series. I would also recommend giving the first book a read if you are a fan of gritty urban fantasy; the first book is a very good example of the rest of the series.
    • 5/5
      I have just finished Sacrificial Magic and put myself on the waiting list for the next book in the Downside Ghosts series. This series defies characterization. It is a a post-apocalyptic tale, a detective story, and an urban fantasy (but no typical vampire/werewolf stuff, yawn -- the main character is a drug-addicted witch who battles malevolent ghosts). This has quickly become my favorite series, and I cannot wait for more. Here is why:The world is captivating, original, and carefully built. The reader believes that ghosts have risen and destroyed the world as we know it, and that a new, damaged but resilient neighborhood like the Downside (complete with its own slang & music), has developed. The world-building is awesome, and the world created is unique, fun, scary, and original. I want to spend more time there.The characters are real people. Chess is damaged. She has good reasons for being damaged, but she is addicted, has a terribly self-image, and finds her self worth in her work. She is a good, powerful, witch. She protects people from ghosts, and is an astute investigator - she saves her employee from claims of false hauntings. But still, she feels inadequate and cannot believe anyone loves her, despite two strong Downside characters, Terrible and Lex, who both seek her attentions.Sacrificial Magic has high powered romance, but not a fairytale, pretty, Harlequin-type romance, but real does-he-love-me, how-do-i-do-this, heart-achingly bittersweet painful romance. Just like in real life, in Chess's world, it is complicated. The writing is great. Clean, clear, descriptive, sometimes lyrical (but not so much that it gets in the way of the story). A sample: "Church theory was that ghosts killed out of envy, because they hated the living simply for being alive, because they wanted to steal that life for themselves and would never give up trying no matter how many times they failed. Chess agreed. But she also wondered--wondered a lot--if it wasn't simply that without the pressure of society, with nothing to lose, the cruelty and viciousness of the dead were simply the cruelty and viciousness of the living permitted finally to surface."The Downside Ghosts series of books by Stacia Kane are simply incredible; it is a captivating, unique series which I cannot recommend highly enough. This is the fourth book in the series. If you missed the first three, go and get them. You are in for a treat.
    • 4/5
      Review courtesy of All Things Urban FantasyFans of the Downside series live for the emotionally devastating scenes between Chess and Terrible, the most unlikely and yet addictive couple in urban fantasy. Well find something to bite down on before reading SACRIFICIAL MAGIC and prepare to be gutted. Ms. Kane is going to rip your still beating heart from your chest and shred it. And then she’s going to douse it with gasoline and set it on fire. That’s the best way I can describe it, but it doesn’t come close to what actually happens in this book. I listed a few similar titles to try if you like the Downside series (or if you already like the series below, then you should try Downside), but there really isn’t another series like this or another character like Chess (except maybe Cass from Sophie Littlefield’s Aftertime series). Chess wears her shame like a second skin. She can’t tear it away so she numbs it instead…with a lot of pills. Chess is such a trainwreck…so broken, so fragile beneath her untouchable exterior. I love and hate her. I want to punch and hug her. I want to know that she’s going to be okay somehow, but I also don’t want her to change at all. And Terrible…to be loved by a man like him would be about the most amazing/frightening thing ever.Everything about the Downside series pulses with paranormal perfection, not the least of which is Downside itself. It’s like New York from Escape from New York overrun with murderous ghosts and deadly magic. Gritty doesn’t begin to describe it. There is a wonderful contrast between the residents of Downside with their slang/dialect way of talking, and the hyper formality of the Church of Real Truth, the ruling entity that protects humanity by magically banishing ghosts. Seriously, everything about this series is so finely nuanced and realistic, frighteningly so in some cases, but always intensely gripping. I can’t wait for my next Chess and Terrible hit when CHASING MAGIC is published on June 26, 2012.Sexual Content:Several scenes of sensuality. One moderately graphic sex scene. Vague references to sexual abuse.
    • 3/5
      Synopsis: Cesaria “Chess” Putnam works for The Real Church of Truth and Facts – the organization that has overtaken the government and religions of old. Chess works for the Church as a Debunker, someone who disproves the claims of hauntings by Triumph City residents. The Real Church fought an epic battle against the dead and being able to hold off the ghostly hoards is how they remain in power. Thus, Chess’ job was born. Chess is also a witch, using magic sanctioned by the Church to combat restless spirits.In Unholy Magic, Chess has double trouble on her hands. First, there’s her new assignment from the church. A movie start, Roger Pyle, has moved to Triumph City with his wife and daughter. The house he had built for his family is built on the site of a gruesome murder scene. Pyle contacts the Church and Chess is assigned to determine if Pyle’s haunting is legit or just Hollywood trickery.Then, there’s evil afoot in Downside, the neighborhood where Chess lives. Someone is murdering prostitutes. Even worse than simple murder is the fact that the killer is branding his victims while they are still alive, and then cutting out their eyes once they are dead. Bump, Chess’ drug dealer, calls in Chess to investigate when Downside residents begin to believe the murders are being carried out by “the Cryin Man” – a ghost.Adding further complications to Chess’ life is her relationship with Terrible, Bump’s right-hand man. There’s definite attraction between the two, but Chess is skittish about relationships. Also, Chess is sleeping with Lex, the son of Bump’s main drug dealing competitor.Chess must solve the cases and play her relationship cards correctly before the present and the hereafter come back to bite her.Review: I had mixed emotions about reading this novel. I read the first book in this series, Unholy Ghosts, and was really on the fence with the book. I hate to give up on a series, especially a series I had been hearing such good things about, after reading just the first book. While I am not ready to gush over this series yet, I will say that I liked Unholy Magic much better than Unholy Ghosts.One of my biggest dislikes with Unholy Ghosts was the emphasis on Chess’ drug use. While that was still a pretty large part of the novel, the drug use was more like background noise than an in-your-face annoyance. This was a definite improvement and I hope that the drug use continues to diminish in the next installments.I liked that we got to know Chess more as a character and see her relationship with Terrible take on new dimensions. I don’t really enjoy Lex as a character, so less of him and more of Terrible was a good thing. I equally enjoyed the character development of Terrible that took place aside from his relationship with Chess.I am glad that I read this novel and didn’t give up on the series. I will be checking out the third book in the series, City of Ghosts, sometime soon. I would recommend this series, albeit with a healthy dose of patience for the first novel, to lovers of Urban Fantasy.
    • 5/5
      This series is amazing. Unholy Magic finds Chess still struggling with addiction as well as overcoming her past. Its made very clear in this book how her drug use causes her no end of problems in her life. There is a powerful scene where she goes through a horrific withdrawal, also her addiction leads to her being blackmailed and used by various people for their own benefit. I love that Kane makes her characters so realistic and believable. Through all the personal issues and stuggles with her relationships, there is a fast paced plot as well as a closer look at the Church of Truth. Personally, I find it horrifying that the church is able to not only punish people in life but also in the afterlife. Just the thought of fallible human beings being able to punish people after death is a scary concept. The plot was great, for the Church, Chess is working on a reported haunting for a movie star family, and for Bump and Slobag, she is looking into a string of prostitute murders. This book was action packed and hard to put down. I can't wait to see how the series continues. Stacia Kane has certainly found a place as one of my all time favorite authors with this series.