Monday, September 6, 2010

Super Short Shot: Unholy Ghosts by Stacia Kane



From the author's website:
The world is not the way it was. The dead have risen and constantly attack the living. The powerful Church of Real Truth, in charge since the government fell, has sworn to reimburse citizens being harassed by the deceased. Consequently, there are many false claims of hauntings from those hoping to profit. Enter Chess Putnam, a fully-tattooed witch and freewheeling Debunker and ghost hunter. She’s got a real talent for nailing the human liars or banishing the wicked dead. But she’s keeping a dark secret from the Church: a little drug problem that’s landed her in hot and dangerous water.

Chess owes a murderous drug lord named Bump a lot of money. And Bump wants immediate payback. All Chess has to do is dispatch a very nasty species of undead from an old airport. But the job involves black magic, human sacrifice, a nefarious demonic creature, and crossing swords with enough wicked energy to wipe out a city of souls. Toss in lust with a rival gang leader and a dangerous attraction to Bump’s ruthless enforcer, and Chess begins to wonder if the rush is really worth it. Hell, yeah.


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This isn't an actual review, more of a one-sided discussion, if you will...

I saw all the bloggy and twitter buzz about this series. Terrible, Terrible, Terrible...everyone's talking about Terrible.

So, I decided to give it a go. I had some other obligations, so it literally took me over a month to read this book. Once I actually got into it, I enjoyed it. Chess is an interesting heroine and for whatever reason her drug addiction didn't bother me at all; I liked her. The plotline was pretty involved towards the middle/end, but once Chess figured it out I got it too.

It also took me awhile to get the Terrible love. I can tell you exactly where it hit me (Two spots actually: When they were talking after she'd been chased through the tunnels alone, and she thinks to herself that he's 6'4" (the height does it for me every time), and then when he (spoiler: beat up Doyle) for her. But, I like Lex too. I'm not sure how that's going to play out, but he (spoiler: beat up Doyle) too and I guess that strikes me as chivalrous in some f'd up way.

I'm getting ready to start Unholy Magic and am looking forward to it; I like this Downside world and I'm curious to see where Ms. Kane is going to take Chess next.

My rating:

14 comments:

  1. Hey Patti:

    I like your discussion. I'm getting that you liked while others didn't? Sometimes what floats one person's boat sinks another right? lol And reading is so like that. Thanks for sharing.

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  2. I was feelin' Terrible (har har, right?) by the end of the first book, but my little romantic heart didn't start kicking in to overdrive until the second, Unholy Magic. By the third book, I was a goner.

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  3. Terrible love just kind of sneaks up on you out of nowhere, then before you know it you have Terrible Fever! I just love this series-mainly because it's so different.

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  4. Lol, kind of those discussions I have in my head, and she sure is on my wishlist

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  5. Lea: it's actually getting a lot of love. I think I need to read more...

    Chris: It's good :)

    Donna: I think that's what's going to happen for me too. At first I didn't see what the fuss was about but now at least I like him :)

    Colette: It is different and I like that about it.

    Blodeuedd: Yeah, this wasn't a review, more just thoughts I had that I wanted to put out there :P

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  6. YAY!

    I know what you mean about the buzz. I almost didn't read the books on principle because I was soooo over all the hype. lol. What can I say? I'm a salmon who swims against the current!

    The dialogue almost made the books a DNF for me... but the darn hype kept me reading, and I'm glad I did.

    In the beginning I was gob-smacked that this 'Terrible' was the same anti-hero bloggers were fawning over. I couldn't get over his side-burns. SIDE-BURNS! On a love interest?! ACK!

    But like you, the Terrible love hit me unexpectedly. I think it was the drunken pash in the club, against the wall when he said "so pretty, so pretty" to Chess. Awwww. Lex never even rated for me once I understood the Terrible infatuation.

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  7. I've just started reading Unholy Ghosts and I must admit I'm having some trouble getting into it. And so far, I am not seeing the appeal of Terrible, at least appearance wise...
    I guess I'll see as I continue reading ;)

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  8. I think The Terrible fever gets even stronger through the next books. I love this series.

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  9. Height totally does it for me to. The taller the man, the more I want to climb him. I've been meaning to pick up this series. I just haven't had the chance. Great review.


    Stephanie G
    Paranormal Haven

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  10. I feel bad :(
    I actually put down Unholy Ghost because I just can't get into it....

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  11. Danielle: I know, I kept imagining an ugly Elvis impersonator :) The dialogue wasn't bad for me, I like that type of thing (if I can follow it), but I just couldn't buy it...until I got far enough into it that I was curious about what would happen next. Yup, the drunken pass was where she mentioned how tall he was :)

    Natasha: It took me a while, I kept putting it down to pick up other books, but I'm glad I stuck with it.

    Susi: I hope the Terrible fever gets better, I'm enjoying it so far :)

    Paranormal Haven: "The taller the man, the more I want to climb him." <---me too!!!

    Natasha: Don't feel bad, I totally get where you're coming from. I think I mentioned in my post, it took me about a month to give it my full attention. I just wasn't ready, I guess.

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  12. Great review hon =))) This series caught me by surprise and it took me a little while to get into it too =) I actually started loving it on book 2, but Terrible Love started on bk 1, cant pinpoint it either lOL

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  13. Larissa: Agree - I got a little more into it in Book 2 and also got my heart broken...

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