Review: Sacrificial Magic by Stacia Kane

Title:  Sacrificial Magic
Author:  Stacia Kane
Series:  Downside Ghosts, #4
Publisher:  Del Rey
Release Date:  March 27, 2012
Pages:  416
Rating:  ★★★★★

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.

"Giving a fuck what other people thought was a road straight to misery and pain; an obsession of the weak. To believe otherwise was to live in a fairy tale."

I was pleasantly surprised to love SACRIFICIAL MAGIC as much as I did, especially since I have not been madly in love with this series since the beginning like many other fans of the series. But I am glad to give the Downside Ghosts Series my full attention now.

I really have a love and hate relationship with Chess for the stuff with the drugs, because a lot of the time I am screaming at her, "No! No! No!" But I think that makes for a very different and unique character. I think she has been growing within the books somewhat. And I hope for more growth for Chess in the next Downside Ghosts books.

“Always want you, Chessiebomb. Always.” He kissed her, slow and tender, like she mattered. Because she did, at least to him. And she thought she might even be able to believe it.

And of course, I will always have a place in my heart for Terrible. I love him. And I feel like this book was a big beginning of their relationship, because they had to deal with the trust issues and Lex, and I know they'll make it through the rest. But I hope Chess can have a little more sense in her next time they have a fight and let him speak and not assume she knows what he is thinking. 8/

Even though Downside Ghosts still seems to not reached my "favorite series shelf" like it has been in the beginning for many others, I can say that I really enjoyed SACRIFICIAL MAGIC and will definitely be reading the next book in the series, Chasing Magic.