ARC Review--Chasing Magic by Stacia Kane

A DEADLY HIGH

Magic-wielding Churchwitch and secret addict Chess Putnam knows better than anyone just how high a price people are willing to pay for a chemical rush. But when someone with money to burn and a penchant for black magic starts tampering with Downside’s drug supply, Chess realizes that the unlucky customers are paying with their souls—and taking the innocent with them, as the magic-infused speed compels them to kill in the most gruesome ways possible.

As if the streets weren’t scary enough, the looming war between the two men in her life explodes, taking even more casualties and putting Chess squarely in the middle. Downside could become a literal ghost town if Chess doesn’t find a way to stop both the war and the dark wave of death-magic, and the only way to do that is to use both her addiction and her power to enter the spell and chase the magic all the way back to its malevolent source. Too bad that doing so will probably kill Chess—if the war doesn’t first destroy the man who’s become her reason for living.

I received this e-ARC from the publishers via Netgalley for review

Stacia Kane's latest in her Downside novels, Chasing Magic was a wicked read!! I don't know what it is about this series that draws me in so much. I think because it challenges me. The main character, Chess, is so unlike any of the other characters I've read about. She's a Churchwitch, performing magics to banish ghosts or arrest people for claiming false hauntings. But also, she's a drug addict and doesn't really have any kind of self-love or appreciation for herself. I mean, you gotta have that just a little bit in your life.

Chess's drug problem really takes a center stage this time, because people in Downside are winding up dead because of magic-infused speed that is basically killing them. And like the book cover says, the killings are gruesome. Seeing the bodies makes Chess ill, yet she still does her drugs. I thought it would've be a wake up call for her, but it wasn't really.

Also, Chess's love life is always one of contradictions. She loves Terrible, loves being with him, he makes her happy. Yet she feels she is no good for him and one day Terrible will realize that too and leave her. Perhaps that is why she finds herself looking at her on-again, off-again flame Lex. Plus he gives her free drugs, the good kind. She knows she doesn't necessarily love Lex, yet she can't help but admit there is some sort of attraction. And this behavior, in any character, in any book, annoys me. I don't really feel like someone can completely and utterly love two people. And I think Chess knows this too, she really is just scared sometimes. 

Which makes her seem more human. Well, she is human, but again, her drug problem bothers me and it even gets seriously scary this time around.

Chess not only has her love life hanging in the balance, but she has to figure out who is supply the drug that is effectively killing people. It also means there's a new drug lord in town and wanting to take over, and since Bump and Lex--and their people--are constantly at war, it's easy for the new guy to slip in.

It's a pretty intense read for me sometimes. Like I said before, it challenges me because I feel a dislike for the main character, yet I can still sympathize for her and can like her too. I think that's why I haven't given up on this series. The mystery element is pretty good too, since we're always wondering who's screwing who over, because in Downside, everyone always looks out for themselves first.

There's a lot of danger and intrigue going on too. First Lex has a proposition for Terrible. And then there's the assassin hunting for one of the main characters, won't say who though!

The language is always very colorful too, dig! I like reading it, because you can really hear their accent or twang, whatever to call it! 

A very compelling and intense read in my opinion! Chasing Magic was thrilling and will leave your heart pounding, too!

Overall rating 4/5 stars

Chasing Magic releases June 26, 2012