City of Ghosts

By Stacia Kane

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.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
• Release date: Jul 27, 2010
• ISBN: 9780345519351

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.

Reviews for City of Ghosts

[krau0098 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is the third book in the Downside Ghosts series by Kane. I listened to this on audiobook and the audiobook was very well done. This was the strongest book in the series so far; I loved how we got to delve deeper into the workings of the Church of Truth.When piles of body parts start showing up on street corners the Church wants Chess on the case. They pair Chess with a member of the Black Squad for the investigation and bind Chess to not talk about the investigation on penalty of death. The binding gets cumbersome when Chess’s drug dealer Bump wants to be kept informed of what’s going on. As secrets are revealed Chess doesn’t know who to trust; the one man she could trust wants her dead making things even more complex.This was by far my favorite book in the series. The Church of Truth is finally facing off with the Lamaru in a more direct way. Chess is forced to deal with some truly nasty magic. The story focused more on Chess and her investigation with the Church than on her drug habits. Bump is present in the story, but played a very minor role. I enjoyed that there was less focus on Chess’s drug habits and dealer and more focus on her job with the Church.Chess grows a lot as a character and is forced to finally face her feelings for Terrible. Chess is also working closely with a member of the Black Squad named Lauren. It was fascinating to watch Chess work in close proximity to another member of the Church. We usually see her working alone or with other Downsiders. Lauren is an excellent new character. She definitely gives Chess a run for her money, she is strong, obnoxious, and really shakes things up. She was an excellent counterbalance to Chess and really added a lot of interest to the story.Things come to a climax between Chess and Terrible (no pun intended....kind of). Both are forced to face their feelings towards each other. The scenes between these two are heartbreaking and tense, Kane really does a good job of jerking around the readers’ emotions. I was on the edge of my seat for these scenes and loved it.There is quite a bit of action in this book as well. We get to see Chess doing magic under high stress and in combat situations. We also learn a lot more about how sending ghosts to the City works and how the Church works. We see a lot more magic then in previous books. This is a fascinating world and a unique and I still enjoy the settings.I still have some problems with the characters. I just don’t like Chess and, while I understand why her live is so screwed up, I find her frustrating to read about. Terrible remains my favorite character of the bunch. I did enjoy that this book dealt more with Chess’s job than her addiction and hope future books keep that focus.Overall the best book yet in this series. While I am not a fan of Chess as a character I have to admit that the scenes between her and Terrible are masterfully done. I do love this world and was excited to see that this book focused on the Church of Truth and Chess’s job there. We learn oodles more about the Church and also get to see some pretty sweet magic performed. I recommend this series to urban fantasy fans who like flawed characters and dark settings.

[miss_fletcher_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I love Chess. So strong yet vulnerable at the same time. This book did not disappoint. Full of action, tension and loads of inner turmoil. The relationship between Chess and Terrible is one of my favorite, and I'm glad it wasn't ruined by being mushy or cliche. Great book and I suggest you read it.

[margk_2 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I will say upfront that I totally adore this entire series. All three books had me completely engrossed and thoroughly entertained. It took me mere hours to complete each one; I just could not put them down. The irony is that once I learned that the protagonists was a drug addict, I was extremely hesitant to give this series a try. I have a personal bias when it comes to individuals who abuse drugs. I've had friends whose lives (and the lives of their loved ones) were ruined by illegal drug use. These friends turned into people that I could no longer trust or respect, and I was forced to cut them out of my life. So, I was really surprised when I found myself understanding and caring for Chess.Stacia Kane did a superb job of really fleshing out the characters, especially Chess. Chess doesn't make excuses for her actions. She acknowledges her mistakes and shortcomings. And she tries not to drag anyone else into her mess. When you find out what she has been through, what kind of brutal childhood she survived, and what kind of loneliness she feels, you can't help but sympathize with her. Despite her drug use and some poor life choices, Chess is a good person. When she cares for someone, she's willing to do anything she has to to fight for them. When she gets sent out on a job, she gives it her all. Yes, money is a factor for her, but you can tell that she takes her responsibilities seriously and that she likes to be able to protect and help the people around her. On top of that, Chess is very brave and smart. Regardless of her flaws, my admiration for her grew with each book.Then there is Terrible. I won't go into too much detail about him or about his relationship with Chess because one of the really engaging aspects of the series is reading how his character and their connection develops. One thing that I will say is that again I was taken completely by surprise. Terrible is definitely not what I would have considered "love interest material". Just like Chess, he is flawed and carries his fair share of emotional scars. He isn't handsome or charming and he lives a very violent life. Nevertheless, he still manages to endear himself to both Chess and the reader. The growing chemistry between Terrible and Chess is unique and exciting. This is far from your typical romance. It has its ugly moments and the two hurt each other repeatedly, but seeing them work through the pain is so refreshingly real and raw.

[mardel_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

City of Ghosts is the third book of the Downside Series by Stacia Kane. In this novel, Chess has a huge mystery to solve and is paired with a member of the Black Squad, an elite section of the Church's investigative section. While she is dealing with this member, who is arrogant and hard for Chess to work with, Chess is also dealing with her broken heart of extreme feelings of guilt and low self-esteem. She has less respect for herself, and is using even more drugs. She gets thrown together with Terrible even though he doesn't want to be near her, and being around him is breaking her heart. Oh this book was good. The writing is good, the story was great, the heartbreak heartbreaking, and the choices Chess makes are hard. You can just see her in a kind of freefall with her life. Nothing is going right for her, and she is in danger, with even less protection than she had before.Even with all life seemingly against her, Chess still makes her self go through daily life, she still goes to work, she still tries to work out what's happening with the ghosts, and she still tries to just survive.This is an amazing book and when I finished it, I was already missing reading it. I recommend it for the fresh twist on the urban fantasy female character. Chess isn't perfect, not by a long shot. She's very vulnerable and yet doesn't behave in the typical lash out at everyone way that some characters do in other book.I love the fresh new twist in urban fantasy that Stacia Kane gives us with this character and series. Ghosts, a drug addicted main character that is functioning in her own little world, trying to keep her drug use a secret and trying to stay isolated from people even while she is falling in love and breaking own heart as well as others.

[michele_lee_70 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Downside book #3I was given this book to review.Spoiler Warning: This review contains spoilers for the previous books.Stacia Kane, and her literary creation, Chess Putam have some serious balls. In the Downside books Chess is a Debunker for the Church, an absolute ruler over the world after a tragedy that involved all the ghost in the world rising up and massacring the living. Since Haunted Week the Church has taken over because they are the only ones who can guarantee the common person safety from more ghostly uprisings. Ghosts are the only paranormal creature in these books, but Kane proves that, with loose interpretation, that doesn't have to limit the scope of the world. Chess, the emotionally battered, drug addicted heroine, has absolute faith in two things, the Church, and Terrible, an enforcer for her dealer who hates her since he discovered she was sleeping with Lex, a rival from another drug family who would be happy to see Terrible dead. Even Chess' faith in the Church is about to be tested when a member of The Black Squad, the Church's elite investigation group, offers her a job on the condition that she undergo a terrifying magical binding. It turns out an evil magical sect, the Lamaru, are back, slaughtering people and leaving their bits on the streets in Chess' own neighborhood. In fact the Lamaru are neck deep in a plot to overthrow the church, a plot Chess must stop, despite Terrible hating her, Lauren (the Black Squad member she's working with) ignoring her every lead and the Lamaru wanting Chess very very dead.The Downside series so far has given readers two solid, fast paced, intrigue-filled tales in Kane's wicked, vivid new urban fantasy world. But there's an added effect for loyal readers--the twist of Chess being an unrepentant drug user. As a reader you know she's going to hit rock bottom. You know she can't continue at the pace she's going. Someday Chess is going to crash land in a spectacular, tragic emotional hurricane, and by book three instead of watching it like a train wreck readers will be nervously wondering who will survive in the end. It's a very different kind of tension, an uncomfortable, tense fear, dazzling in its darkness and emotionally stunning. Kane is forging a bold new way through modern urban fantasy, and what you hear said in other stories is true in a whole new way here--all you can do is hold on, and wait to see who remains at the end.

[badass_book_reviews · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I owe Stacia Kane an apology. The first book was good, but I was put off by drug use. I let it cloud my mind and it took away from the reading experience for me. However, I still was fascinated by Chess and the host of characters in the Downside Series. Saying that... This book was SOOOOO GOOD!!!! From the very first page, to the very last word, this book brought out every emotion. It was riveting and draining. Emotionally unbalanced and frustrating. You really feel everything Chess feels. Stacia Kane sure can bring a story, and she can write!!! The plot was interesting, well written, and complicated. Twists and turns galore. Chess and Terrible go through the ringer in this one. My heart ached for Chess, and for Terrible. There are some emotional scences in this book for sure. I try not to hand out too many 5 star ratings, but I think this book deserves it. I can't wait for another!!!

[lyrrael · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Oh Chess.

This was a good book. I'm honestly impressed with how the author manages to convey Chess's discomfort with situations, and my chest tightens reflexively when she's attempting to deal with something that's completely out of her arena and the only thing she can really come up with is flat terror. Like Terrible. Like Lex.

It also makes the books hard to read sometimes, but this one was cathartic. I'm concerned for her future, but at least she's sorted out her present. I'm really curious to have some more information about the activities at the end -- the investigation, Chess's part in it -- and I hope we get more details in the next book. Either way, good show.

[a.happy.booker · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Not surprising, another 5 star rating from me for the 3rd book in this series. This is exactly what I'm looking for everytime I open a book by an author new to me, a story that grabs me and holds my attention, makes me laugh, cry, get angry, etc. The funny thing is, I don't always like the main character, Chess. She really makes some awful choices. But at the same time, her character is so believable and her story so compelling that I can't help but to root for her through all the ups and downs.

I can't say I love the world that Stacia Kane has created with this series. Actually, its a pretty scary place but again, very believable. The Church of Truth continues to fascinate me. Chess looks at the Church as a safe haven and something she can rely on but it strikes me as something a lot more sinister. I have so many questions about the Church Of Truth and hope some of them are answered in future books in this series.

This third book City of Ghosts finds Chess working with a member of the Church's Black Squad to look into another organization that has tried repeatedly in the past to seize control of the Church and is now active again. There is also some resolution to the Chess/Lex/Terrible love triangle.

This story is another powerful fast paced look at Downside, really an edge-of-your-seat read from start to finish. I can't sing Stacia Kane's praises enough and absolutely cannot wait to read more from her!

[cissa_5 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I've liked this series before... but plotting problems rather spoiled it for me this time.Spoilers. possibly:In the previous book, and again in this one, Chess shoots a psychopomp and kills it/makes it inactive. So when later in this one she says that shooting psychopomps doesn't work- well, it has before.Also, the whole final conflict depended on the Bag Guys not being able to access the ghost city unles very special situations were in force... even though, since they had corrupted Church employees, this didn't follow; said employees would have been able to access the City without the drama that was part of- and necessary to- the plot.I was very disappointed in this. Chess is an unreliable narrator, true, but the explicit contradictions within the same book really put me off of the series and the author.

[rosetyper9 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

There is usually a lag in the 2nd or 3rd book in a series but this one kept on trucking. I love the magic in this book, it's way more hard core than the others and while I did predict the villain, I didn't at the same time so...it was an excellent ending.

I do not, however, understand how the church works for punishments and all that, codes of conduct. Chess always seems very uptight and proper while at church but then with the ending...I mean you would think that she would have had repercussions or something...then again, she did save the day so, maybe not. *shrug*

I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE the sexy time in this book. SOOOO Much. It was HOT and well, HOT. I will forever be a Stacia Kane fan because she can write sex like no one's business.

[cmwilson101 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

City of Ghosts is the third 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.

[melhay_3 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

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!

[monicalynn-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I enjoyed this book in the series as well. Some very good action packed and exciting chapters in this one. With a little love/hate drama to boot. Looking forward to the next installment. 

[ahappybooker · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Not surprising, another 5 star rating from me for the 3rd book in this series. This is exactly what I'm looking for everytime I open a book by an author new to me, a story that grabs me and holds my attention, makes me laugh, cry, get angry, etc. The funny thing is, I don't always like the main character, Chess. She really makes some awful choices. But at the same time, her character is so believable and her story so compelling that I can't help but to root for her through all the ups and downs. I can't say I love the world that Stacia Kane has created with this series. Actually, its a pretty scary place but again, very believable. The Church of Truth continues to fascinate me. Chess looks at the Church as a safe haven and something she can rely on but it strikes me as something a lot more sinister. I have so many questions about the Church Of Truth and hope some of them are answered in future books in this series. This third book City of Ghosts finds Chess working with a member of the Church's Black Squad to look into another organization that has tried repeatedly in the past to seize control of the Church and is now active again. There is also some resolution to the Chess/Lex/Terrible love triangle. This story is another powerful fast paced look at Downside, really an edge-of-your-seat read from start to finish. I can't sing Stacia Kane's praises enough and absolutely cannot wait to read more from her!

[pacey1927 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This series and I have a love/hate relationship. Really, I've never felt so confused by a book series. I loathe the fact that Chess is drug user...to the extreme that she pops pills right in the middle of heated action with the bad guys. I wish she was repentant or maybe trying to beat her addiction. Nothing of the sort is even hinted at in the first three books to this Downside series. This makes it extremely difficult to root for Chess. She lies to cover her drug habit. She makes poor choices both in her work life and even more so in her personal life. Sometimes her foggy brain seems to help her in her efforts but just as often it seems to hinder her decision making. I loathe the slang used by the tough guys in the series. After three books, I am starting to learn the language because I don't have to re-read lines anymore to figure out what the characters are saying. Now, I've made it three book and I know there are more to come. I highly doubt I will be able to keep my hands off of them. Ms. Kane can really write a book. The action is there, the world building is completely phenomenal. The pages fly by when I sit down to read one of these books. Sometimes I get a little confused, because Chess's way of thinking is altered. The readers are literally reading every thought in Chess's head and those thoughts, especially in mid-action, are all over the place. "City of Ghosts" is probably the best of the three books thus far. The stakes are extremely high and there are a lot of players involved in the big game here. Chess is good at what she does and it was very evident here. She is also eager to help the few friends she has and she wants to keep them safe. Also, the resolution between Chess and Terrible had to be one of the most emotional scenes I have read in eons. I felt the tension and the emotion from each of them to the point I almost couldn't stand it anymore. I think I MAY have teared up a little there. Now though, Kane must be very careful about handling this relationship in future book because I (and probably many other readers) am thoroughly invested. Terrible has been the best character in this book since the very beginning. I can't believe I care so much about a murdering drug enforcer. There are definitely things that keep this series from being perfect in my eyes, but it is a solid, action packed urban fantasy novel. Its core is stronger than many of the others on the book shelves today.

[sharrow_3 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

So good! Love the characters and the gritty world building.

[wyvernfriend · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Cesaria aka Chess Putnam is still hooked on drugs to keep her going, trying to deal with the fact that her life is a mess, that she has no idea how to deal with her feelings for Terrible and it's pushing him away and that a ceremony she just attended went terribly, horribly wrong and now she's oathbound to keep secrets and to investigate what's going on.I'm hoping that soon, Terrible or someone will have an intervention and at least get her drug-taking down a notch, her addiction is going to get someone killed one of these days, even if it did help her get through an attempted murder this book.I do empathise with her having to take something to take the edge off but I'm starting to get impatient with it, I want her to survive and prosper but it seems to be a task she's not going to succeed with if she keeps working with her life like that she's not going to survive long. I can see myself feeling sorry for her occasionally but then I just want to force her to look at what she's doing to herself and make it better. It's an interesting series and I'm not really invested in it and the plot but I am curious as to what's going on with the characters and where this is going to go, the storyline behind it is leaving me cold.

[lcrabtree-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Five fabulous stars for this one. I'm falling in love with this series and Terrible. Aww.

Best quote for me was probably "They threw me away." while ODing on Dream.

Need the next one now and soon!

[sunnysd_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Bloody body parts are showing up Downside on both sides of the line that divides Bump's territory from Slobags. Chess would be involved anyway, since she's Bump's Churchwitch, and she's still juggling her relationship with Lex. But the Church has taken an interest - an interest that results in Chess being Bound to assist the Black Squad in tracking down the killers. Talking means she dies - but neither Bump nor Lex are taking no for an answer. And the hits just keep on coming...So much for this month's book budget - now I'm going to have to read the next book and find out where this thing with Terrible is going to go. Way, way to addicting.

[suzemo · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I shouldn't like this book/series so much, but I do. It's my current go to guilty pleasure, and I'll probably suck it up and actually buy the rest of the series at full price, ruining my "not for more than $6 ebook" line in the sand.

Chess is still the Church-sanctioned Witch. She's a hot mess with her relationships with her fuck-buddy drug dealer and her actual love interest. She still has a host of other problems, but they're being dealt with in a not-so-beautiful fashion, which I appreciate.

The A plot involves a mystery involving bodies, dark magic, the return of the evil Lamaru, a renegade magic practitioner and Chess working with the enforcer group to solve the mystery while being bound with a spell that should keep her from sharing information with anyone.

B plot? Chess and Terrible. I shouldn't love this story, but I do. A dark and awful and intense romance that goes repeatedly wrong and it hurts. I'm such a sucker.

[auntieclio · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I have been in need of some "mind candy" and Stacia Kane's Downsides books fit the bill nicely. Each book in the series has become more intense and fun. It wears me out to think what Stacia Kane puts herself through to write some terrible things about what people who have been abused often (mostly) think of themselves. My heart cries for Chess because I know that inner monologue all too well and I know the pain of trying to chase away the voices.In City of Ghosts, some pretty nasty people are planning on unleashing all the ghosts "living" in the City of Ghosts, a place where souls are banished so they don't haunt and wreak havoc on the living. As usual, it's up to Chess to figure it out, as well as balance the weirdness that is her personal life. That Kane continues to make these characters likeable and relatable is a tribute to her writing chops. There were a few times when I teared up reading about Chess' drive to figure out how "normal" people handle relationships so she didn't drive Terrible off. Honey, they don't do it any better than you.Thrilled beyond measure that Chess and Terrible finally become a couple and excited by all the twists and turns, I ripped right through this one (and the next one as well).I'm mourning already, there's only one more book published in the series. When I'm done with that one, I'll have to really practice patience (and understanding) while waiting for Ms. Kane to publish the next one.

[iamchrysanthemum · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Oh, how happy I am that I stuck with this series! Although the second book improved on the first, City of Ghosts, the third installment, is where everything finally came together. And when it did, it was incredible.

One of my biggest issues with the earlier installments was the lack of explanation for the supernatural elements. Often, Chess would solve the main intrigue by doing some fancy ghost debunking tricks, but these tricks were never truly spelled out for the reader. Kane doesn’t spell anything out here—subtlety is much more her style—but I think after a three books of being plunged into this odd world where in 1997 ghosts came to life and contributed to the foundation a new global order, I’m finally understanding how everything works.

Something I’m still not entirely pleased with but have resigned myself to is the writing. Kane writes well; however, she can be longwinded. I would have excised entire paragraphs of the text in order to curtail superfluous description and keep the pace fast. That said, the only other popular Urban Fantasy series I’ve read is Katherine Marie Moning’s Fever series. Though the Fever series inspired me to explore this genre, I found Moning’s prose to be pitiful. So I guess I’ll take Kane’s verbosity to Moning’s amateur style.

My favorite part of this series is the characters. Specifically, the relationship between two characters—Chess and Terrible. In this book, their “relationship,” if you can call it that, is seriously troubled. I love reading about imperfect and endangered relationships; it’s so much more exciting for me because there is so much for the characters to gain, or conversely, so much for them to lose. The moments with Chess and Terrible are electric, and I want to read about their relationship forever and ever.

Individually, Chess’s character grows a lot, and in this book, there are some well-deserved epiphanies for this fucked up yet sympathetic drug addict witch. Her main emotional arc is complete, but I anticipate more adventures for her and Terrible in the following books. My hope is that Kane abandons her established pattern of creating multiple book character arcs and single book plot arcs; I would love to see Kane develop mysteries that span several books because her intricate plots could really shine in such a format.

[mlsimmons-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I really loved this book!! I love Terrible. I think he is the best character in this book. I extremely glad that Stacia Kane is going to write a book four. It will be great to see where Chess, Terrible, Lex and the Church go from the ending of this book. I am sure that book four will keep me intrigued from cover to cover like all three of the Downside books have so far.