Sacrificial Magic (Downside Ghosts, Book 4) [Mass Market Paperback]

Stacia Kane (Author)

Book Description

Release date: March 27, 2012

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.

Editorial Reviews

Review

''Kane delivers dark, sexy urban fantasy at its finest.'' --Karen Marie Moning, #1 New York Times bestselling author

''Whether [the reader's heart] is pounding in fear or breaking in sympathy, this book was satisfying on pretty much every level . . . This is such an addictive, compelling series.'' --Urban Fantasy Book Reviews (five stars) --This text refers to the MP3 CD edition.

About the Author

Stacia Kane has been a phone psychic, a customer service representative, a bartender, and a movie theater usher, and she thinks that writing is more fun than all of them combined. She wears a lot of black, still makes great cocktails, likes to play music loud in the car, and thinks Die Hard is one of the greatest movies ever made. She believes in dragons and the divine right of kings, and is a fervent Ricardian. Stacia Kane lives outside Atlanta with her husband and their two little girls.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: Del Rey; Original edition (March 27, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 034552750X
• ISBN-13: 978-0345527509
• Product Dimensions: 4.2 x 1.1 x 6.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (68 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #708,471 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Stacia Kane has been a phone psychic, a customer service representative, a bartender, and a movie theatre usher. Writing is more fun than all of them combined. She wears a lot of black, still makes great cocktails, likes to play music loud in the car, and thinks Die Hard is one of the greatest movies ever made. She believes in dragons and the divine right of kings, and is a fervent Ricardian. She lives outside Atlanta with her husband their two little girls.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 18 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Clever plot twists, character surprises and brutally honest writing make Sacrificial Magic a must read. March 27, 2012

By C. Mueller VINE™ VOICE

Format:Mass Market Paperback

Chess needed to grow for the Downside Ghosts series to truly move forward, and Stacia Kane didn't disappoint. Sacrificial Magic pushes on Chess from all sides. She needs to evaluate her position at the Church of Real Truth and what the trust she's earned there means. She fights her own nature to attempt a relationship with Terrible.

At the crux of Sacrificial Magic is Chess rebelling against her self-imposed isolation and self-hatred. She's still the Chess who sees little value in herself, but she's trying to reconcile that with the realization people might care for her as more than a means to an end.

As one of the Church's debunkers, it's not surprising when they ask Chess to take up a sensitive case. It's not even all that surprising they've passed a case on to her that another debunker failed with - actually, he went missing after the case. But nothing is ever simple for her. Three books have proved that. The case has Chess spending a lot of time in Slobag's territory among less-than-helpful witnesses who hate the Church for prohibiting their culture.

At the same time, Bump has his favorite Churchwitch looking into arson on his side of Downside - and it looks like ritual sacrifice is part of the problem. When more ritual murders pop up in Downside - on both sides of the drug territory - Chess has to solve things quickly. She doesn't want Terrible thinking she's spending time with Lex when she's really working a case.

That's just the tip of the Chess and Terrible drama. Kane gives us more insight into Chess' trust issues and a much more expansive examples of her neuroses. Chess is someone who has never been truly loved. She's never had a relationship where her partner wasn't using her for something. Terrible caring for her simply for the strength of her being confounds Chess, and at the same time the possibility of losing it terrifies her. And, because she's Chess, that means she does idiotic things to try and prove herself. This isn't an easy relationship, but one that's worth the trouble and necessary pain.

Chess will infuriate you. She will break your heart. She will surprise you. And by the end you'll be both exhausted and sated. Sacrificial Magic is dark, and brings the requisite Downside craziness of sex, drugs and magic, but it's also the most introspective of the novels to date. Clever plot twists, character surprises and brutally honest writing make Sacrificial Magic a must read.

And, because I know several of you want to know, "Chessiebomb" makes a return and Elder Griffin dispenses dating advice. No, really. It's awesome.

Sexual content: Sex, sensual scenes and Chess contemplating the relationship of sex and trust.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Well worth the wait... March 27, 2012

By Karen VINE™ VOICE

Format:Mass Market Paperback

Life...work... love... these things have never been easy for Chess Putnam. In Sacrificial Magic, the fourth book in the Downside Ghosts series, all three collide with shocking and often heartbreaking results.

It's hard to read about a character that struggles and messes up as much as Chess. This poor girl has had the worst of life thrown at her and she numbs the pain with drugs and self-destructive behavior. Kane has the herculean task of pushing us out of our comfort zone while still keeping us rooting for Chess. She accomplishes that task.

I was definitely pushed out my comfort zone in this book. Chess is working on yet another case for the Church with help from Lex, her ex- lover, while she battles her insecurities in her relationship with her current lover, Terrible. Just when Chess and Terrible take one giant leap forward they do something that makes them fall two steps back. I was really frustrated with Chess for a lot of this book but man the things she confronts are huge and ultimately she's growing as a character and I was proud of her.

There are several big ( and I mean BIG) developments on different fronts that all come to a head at the end of Sacrificial Magic. I would say that this book is a game changer. Chess will no longer be able to hang back and work for all the various sides - Lex, Bump, and the Church. She's going to have some tough choices to make. This couldn't come at a worse time for her since she's finally learning to let people show her some affection and realizes that she can have people in her life that don't want anything in return from her.

Out of all the ghosts and personal issues Chess has to face the thing that creeps me out the most continues to be the Church. I chafe at anything that requires that kind of blind loyalty. Chess still follows the Churches teachings without question. I'm really hoping that changes at some point.

Despite the physical & emotional turmoil Chess goes through in this book, I felt that Sacrificial Magic had a lot of lighter moments. Chess actually smiles a few times. I particularly love her new friendship with Beaulah, a woman she meets during the case she's working on. It's an interesting dynamic in Chess's mostly testosterone filled world. I also enjoyed her conversations with Elder Griffin. Of course the big draw of this series for most people is the relationship between Chess & Terrible (& Lex?) but this is about the growth of Chess and adding these different types of relationships in her life helps her confront her issues from all sides.

As wonderful as the fantasy idea of falling in love with a guy and having that solve all our problems sounds, it's just that - a fantasy. Love does help and that relationship can give you the strength & support you need but it's never a magic fix and Stacia explores that even though it's painful to read at times. We want the fantasy. As they say it takes a village. Chess has a strange, wacky band of villagers as her support group but at least she's not on her own anymore.

This is the most important book of the series IMO. It almost hurt to read at times but ultimately you will come out the other side smiling. I did have a hard time with the "downside speak" at first. Maybe it's been awhile since I had read the last book or maybe because Lex, Bump & Terrible were in this book more so the dialect was more prevalent but it took me some time to get the feel of it again.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Best book I have read this year March 27, 2012

By Jen TOP 500 REVIEWER

Format:Mass Market Paperback

This book is amazing. This series is phenomenal. The characters are so very deeply flawed: filled with insecurities, addiction, rage, lust and sorrow. But through that, they so are so very real. I read most of this book with a knot in my stomach. In turns, I felt hopeless and crushed, joyous and elated. Because that is what Chess felt. And Stacia Kane masterfully put me inside of her head.

The story picks up shortly after the ending of City of Ghosts. Chess and Terrible are in love, but there are no guarantees for their future. And no one knows that better than Chess. Kane never takes the easy way out. It would be so satisfying to see Chess just begin to rebuild herself with the love of this amazing man. But the truth is, she is still Chess. Even though she sees Terrible for the gift that he is, what is just as important is how she sees herself: as unworthy of him. And with dread and inevitability, we watch her obsessive fears become a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Of course, there is much more happening in the book. Primarily, Chess is on a case from the Church which coincides with an investigation she has going on for Bump. Lex is back, bringing more complications. Chess faces danger from humans and ghosts alike. It's exciting and unpredictable. But the truth is, the internal conflict is far more interesting than the external one.

It's like watching a star explode: It's beautiful and destructive and you can't take your eyes off of it. And before I convince you that it's all heartwrenching sadness, remember that joy and elation I talked about earlier. It's not all one way or another. This book took my emotions on a roller coaster. When it was over, my heart was in my throat; I felt satisfied and exhausted; and I'm already dying to get back on the ride. If you have never read this series or if you gave up on it early, you are truly missing out. 5 stars.