Priest of Bones by Peter McLean

Title: Priest of Bones
Author: Peter McLean
Genre: Historical Fantasy
Series: War for The Rose Throne #1

Paperback, 352 Pages
Publication: October 2, 2018 by Ace

Source: I received a review copy from the publisher in exchange for a honest review.

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It's a dangerous thing, to choose the lesser of two evils.

The war is over, and army priest Tomas Piety finally heads home with Lieutenant Bloody Anne at his side. When he arrives in the Stink, Tomas finds that his empire of crime has been stolen from him while at war. With his gang of Pious Men, Tomas will do whatever it takes to reclaim his businesses. But when he finds himself dragged into a web of political intrigue once again, and is forced to work in secret for the sinister Queen's Men, everything gets more complicated.

When loyalties stretch to the breaking point and violence only leads to violence, when people have run out of food, and hope, and places to hide, do not be surprised if they have also run out of mercy. As the Pious Men fight shadowy foreign infiltrators in the backstreet taverns and gambling dens of Tomas's old life it becomes clear; the war is not over.

It is only just beginning.

Priest of Bones is the first book in the grimdark, War for the Rose Throne series. The series is pitched as The Godfather meets Peaky Blinders, a movie and show I’ve yet to see. I know, the horror! However, I have seen Gangs of New York and Priest of Bones is very similar to that but with a sprinkle of magic. The story is centered around Crime Lord, Solider and Priest Tomas Piety as he returns home to Ellinburg from a 3-year war only to find all his owned establishments commandeered. Which of course is unacceptable. With his weeping women and merry band of miscreants, Piety cuts his way to the reclamation of his businesses. Except all is not well in Ellinburg, a foreigner is looking to shake things up and it’s up to Piety and the Pious Men to stop the infamous Bloodhands.

I didn’t know what to really expect when I began Priest of Bone but the synopsis sounded good enough that I picked it up. I was hooked within the first page. Chapter one opens up with Piety and his crew back in Ellinburg in a tavern commemorating their win over pints of liquor. The scene is set up nicely and right off the bat introduces Piety, so we could see exactly what type of man he was and give us a feel of the tone of the novel. Which I can say is dark, bloody and violent.

The writing and dialogue took awhile to get used to; I initially thought it was very choppy and inconsistent. But it eventually grew on me and I took it as a plus that it didn’t make me withdraw from the story. Priest of Bones was said to be a Historic Fantasy but there was very little fantasy. There were mentions of Magicians and Cunnings (similar to Magicians who can wield special abilities but not as skilled or refined) but the details and background regarding them was vague and not fully developed. The world building itself was decent but a bit too simplistic for my liking. There are many gangs in Ellinburg but the Pious Men and the Gutcutters were the two most prominent ones. And there was the Skanians, outsiders who want to take over Ellinburg and the Queen’s Men mercenaries and spies working for the crown. That pretty much sums up the major players in the novel. I also thought the plot was standard but the characters more than made up for it.

Overall Priest of Bones is a solid series opener that promises a lot more action and violence to come. While I enjoyed the book, I should warn that this book isn’t for the faint of heart. Priest of Bones is extremely violent and graphic dealing with a lot of sensitive and triggering subjects such as PTSD (Battle Shock), Sexual abuse/rape, and Gender/Sexual Orientation. With that said, I’d recommend Priest of Bones to those who enjoys a period piece with undertones of magic.

Wildfire by Ilona Andrews

Title: Wildfire
Author: Ilona Andrews
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Series: Hidden Legacy # 3

Mass Market Paperback, 391 Pages
Publication: July 25, 2017 by Avon Books

Source: Personal Library 

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Just when Nevada Baylor has finally come to accept the depths of her magical powers, she also realizes she’s fallen in love. Connor “Mad” Rogan is in many ways her equal when it comes to magic, but she’s completely out of her elements when it comes to her feelings for him. To make matters more complicated, an old flame comes back into Rogan’s life…

Rogan knows there’s nothing between him and his ex-fiance, Rynda Sherwood. But as Nevada begins to learn more about her past, her power, and her potential future, he knows she will be faced with choices she never dreamed of and the promise of a life spent without him.

As Nevada and Rogan race to discover the whereabouts of Rynda’s kidnapped husband and are forced to confront Nevada’s grandmother, who may or may not have evil motives, these two people must decide if they can trust in each other or allow everything to go up in smoke.

I am so glad that I stuck with The Hidden Legacy series because Wildfire was freaking amazing. The cat is out of the bag now, everyone knows about Nevada’s truth-seeking ability and who she’s related to;  Victoria Tremaine, a powerful prime everyone fears. There are other houses with the same/or similar truth ability but no one was as strong as Victoria… until now. Now everyone wants a piece of Nevada, seeing her as a viable power match, a pawn or both. Wildfire explores more Baylor familial, scheming and corrupted politics, powerful magical display and trademark humor you always find in an Andrews novel.

I love this world that the Andrews created, even at only three books (so far), I feel like I know the world and characters just as well as the Kate Daniel series. I’ve becoming attached and invested in everyone’s lives and loved seeing them progress with each installment. The plot thickens as we see more powerful primes jumping into play, a lot of the elites are following this mysterious Caesar. The amount of people involved and the revelation of some of the key players were surprising. Andrews mentioned that they left trail of clues for readers on the identity of Caesar, but I haven’t the slightest clue who he/she is! I think I’m going to need to reread the series to see if I can figure it out.

One of the things I absolutely loved in Wildfire was the relationship of the Baylor clan. The Clan includes super independent, opinionated, take-no-shit-from-anyone women; from their grandma to the youngest Baylor sister, Cousin Leon is both brilliant, funny and sometimes scary and the people that help run Nevada’s surveillance team are just as awesome…Especially Bug! That Coffee scene with Rynda was hilarious. I’ve said this many times before and I’ll say it again, I love character driven and think it’s essential in a novel. And Andrews know exactly how to create realistic characters that you instantly connect with and will have you following a series till the end.

I’m not a big fan of romance in general, but this is Ilona Andrews and if their name is on it, I’m going to read it. This is probably the second romance series I’ve ever finished, so y’all know it’s good! If you’re looking for a good paranormal romance series with high-stakes, lots of action, fleshed out world building and complex characters then this is a series you don’t want to miss! I was overjoyed when I heard that Andrews are continuing with the series and the next couple of novels will be featuring Catalina Baylor. Sad that there won’t be anymore Nevada and Rogan books but another good news is that the authors are publishing a novella this fall featuring Nevada and Rogan’s wedding! 

Spectacle by Rachel Vincent

Title: Spectacle
Author: Rachel Vincent
Genre: Speculative Fiction
Series: Menagerie #2

Trade Paperback, 400 pages
Publication: May 30, 2017 by Mira

Source: I received a review copy in exchange for a honest review.

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When their coup of Metzger's Menagerie is discovered, Delilah and her fellow cryptids find their newly won freedom brutally stripped away as they are sold into The Savage Spectacle, a private collection of "exotic wildlife." Specializing in ruthless cryptid cage matches, safari-style creature hunts and living party favors, the Spectacle's owner, Willem Vandekamp, caters to the forbidden fetishes of the wealthy and powerful. At the Spectacle, any wish can be granted—for the right price.

But Vandekamp's closely guarded client list isn't the only secret being kept at the Spectacle. Beneath the beauty and brutality of life in the collection lie much darker truths, and no one is more determined than Delilah to strip the masks from the human monsters and drag all dark things into the light. 

I had the pleasure of reading Menagerie last year and absolutely fell in love with Vincent’s new series. It was one of my top novels of 2016. I honestly wasn’t sure if Spectacle could out do the last book. I knew Vincent wasn’t going to make life any easier for Delilah and the Metzger crew, but never in a millions years did I expect what was going to happen in Spectacle. It had everything that I loved in the first book and so much more. I was blown away by Vincent’s writing and storytelling, she certainly out did herself. No sophomore slump here!

Spectacle takes place approximately a month after the events of the first book. Delilah and the other cryptids are somewhat free now after hijacking the menagerie. The traveling show is still making it’s engagement from city to city but little do the humans know that the cryptids are really running the shows. Until a rival cryptid dealer found out the truth about Metzger’s Menagerie. Delilah and her cryptid friends found themselves locked-up once again and at the mercy of The Savage Spectacle’s owner, Vandekamp. Spectacle was as gruesome, horrifying and unimaginably crueler than its predecessor and this time around we saw a different kind of abuse. Menagerie was all about physical, bodily abuse and the endurance of an individual. We saw that again, but this time it was all about the the psyche. Showing us that abuse, torture and imprisonment could take on many forms; and doesn’t necessarily mean chains, whips, or starvation.

Spectacle and the series as a whole is not for the faint of heart. This book is brutal. The things done to the characters are pure evil and disgusting. There are some pretty horrific descriptions of what happens to the characters in the book. But Vincent’s storytelling isn’t all about brutality. It’s about rising up and breaking the metaphorical chains. It’s about people/species as one, the ‘underdogs’ fighting for equal rights and their freedom. The humans in Vincent's world see the cryptids as nothing but barbaric monsters, but again we see that appearances, the species they’re born into doesn’t define them or make them inherently good or evil. It’s the choices one make. And that sometimes the real monsters are not what you’d picture with sharp fangs and claws. Vincent also paints a terrifying picture of a different type of torture. In Spectacle, Vandekamp uses high-tech collars to control the cryptids. He could immobilize, silence them and induce pain with a touch of a button. Slowly taking away their free will and their will to fight. I honestly didn’t think anything could be worst than Metzger, but a cage is a cage no matter how shiny and pretty it looked.

If you love dark Speculative Fiction, then read this series. If you want a thought-provoking story, read this series. If you want to read one of 2017 must read novels, then read this series. This series, needs to be read in order, so I suggest starting with Menagerie. Spectacle exceeded all of my expectations and I thought the sequel was even better than the last book. I loved Spectacle! It was unputdownable and had me constantly on the edge of my seat. I can’t wait for the third book, especially with the little revelation at the end. I was super happy about it! Someone needs to acquire this series for TV/movie rights stat!

Deadly Spells by Jaye Wells

Title: Deadly Spells
Author: Jaye Wells
Genre: Speculative Fiction, Urban Fantasy
Series: Prospero's War #3

Trade Paperback, 400 pages
Publication: February 10, 2015

Source: I received a review copy from the publisher in exchange for a honest review.

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After the grisly murder of a dirty magic coven leader, Kate Prospero and The Magical Enforcement Agency team up with the local police to find the killer. But as the infighting between covens turns ugly, an all-out war brews in the slums of Babylon.

When a tenacious reporter sticks her nose in both the investigation and Prospero's past in the covens, old ghosts resurface. The team will have to use all the weapons in their arsenal to stop the coven war and find the killer before the case brings down all their careers - and their lives.

Kate and the gang are back in Deadly Spells, the third installment in the Prospero’s War series. Kate and the MEA team are once again called in to help the BPD on a homicide investigation when the victim turns out to be an important Votary Member. The first two Prospero’s War books focused on the Babylon Covens but in Deadly Spells the main focus is an outside party; a Brazilian Cartel/Coven who is scheming to make the Covens turn on one another. The Brazilian Cartel/Coven, A Morte, wants to get into the dirty potion business and they sent their most deadly assassin to ensure they get what they came for. But things aren't what they seem when secrets are reveals and motives come to light that turns everything that Kate believes in and stands for on its head.

Deadly Spells didn't feel quite as heavy in terms of action or shocking revelations like the previous two books. As it was hinted in the last book, there’s a lot more to Kate’s mom death than what we already knew and readers finally learn the truth in book 3. We also learn a lot more about Kate’s MEA boss Garner, about her past and her involvement with this book’s villain, Pantera. Then on the home front, Danny is having problems at school that gets him expelled for using potion on another student. Poor Kate, she can never catch a break.

Anyone that has already read this series knows there are two main guys vying for Kate, her partner Drew and Mayor John Volos. Even though Kate knows that both men are interested in her and surely sees all the signs…she is in total denial because she ends up going on a date with Danny’s teacher Mr. Hart. Mr. Hart really surprised me! Who knew under that nerdy exterior he was such a douche bag. The brief date scene made me so mad for Kate, and I wished that she decked him in the face. Dude really needs to get smacked a few times. I love Drew and think he’s perfect for Kate, so I’m glad with how the book ended. As for John, I still don’t know what to make of him and what his motives are. He’s really confusing. I know he still loves Kate, but he’s from her past…and in my opinion the past needs to stay in the past.

I thought Deadly Spell was an excellent follow up to Curse Moon, not much action as I would like but still entertaining nonetheless. I pray that there will be more novels in this series (since there hasn't been any word yet on whether there will/will not be more books in the series), because it certainly still has a lot to give. I really enjoyed it and can’t wait to see what happens next!

House Immortal by Devon Monk

Title: House Immortal
Author: Devon Monk
Genre: Sci-Fi-Fantasy
Series: House Immortal #1

Mass Market Paperback, 336 pages
Publication: September 2, 2014 by Roc

Source: I received a review copy from the publicist in exchange for a honest review.

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One hundred years ago, eleven powerful ruling Houses consolidated all of the world’s resources and authority into their own grasping hands. Only one power wasn’t placed under the command of a single House: the control over the immortal galvanized....

Matilda Case isn’t like most folk. In fact, she’s unique in the world, the crowning achievement of her father’s experiments, a girl pieced together from bits. Or so she believes, until Abraham Seventh shows up at her door, stitched with life thread just like her and insisting that enemies are coming to kill them all.

Tilly is one of thirteen incredible creations known as the galvanized, stitched together beings immortal and unfathomably strong. For a century, each House has fought for control over the galvanized. Now the Houses are also tangled in a deadly struggle for dominion over death—and Tilly and her kind hold the key to unlocking eternity

The secrets that Tilly must fight to protect are hidden within the very seams of her being. And to get the secrets, her enemies are willing to tear her apart piece by piece.…

Wow. Just wow. House Immortal is the first installment in a brand new series by Devon Monk, and I am completely blown away by how incredible this book is. This is the first book I’ve read by Monk, and if this is anything to go by as to how her writing style, characters and world-building is…I’m sold for life *puts author on auto-buy and go read all her other work*.

House Immortal immediately captivated me from page one with the introduction of Matilda Case and Neds Harris. Matilda is a stitched together 26-year-old ‘Immortal Galvanized’ girl (think Frankenstein) and Neds, her farm-hand, is a two-headed mutant guy. The world-building is rich, meticulous and complex. Monk described everything in perfect clarity, painting vivid images in my mind. And just the overall concept is so unique, fresh and well crafted that I am still in awe of it. Like any first in the series, there was a lot of information required for the foundation of this new world. Some readers felt there was too much info-dumping, but I never had a problem with it. The information was incorporated in a way that it didn’t feel overwhelming and the short journal entry at the start of each chapter helped in the explanation. I love learning about the background/history of the Immortal Galvanized and The Houses. The governing system is comprised of 11 houses (House Brown not acknowledge) each specializing in a certain area and a different color:  white is medical, yellow is technology, black is defense, green is agriculture, grey is humanity, silver is vices, etc. The interworking of each House like the characters were well developed that in my opinion created a believable society. I am extremely impressed by what I see so far and can’t wait to learn more; since the first book I’m sure barely touches the surface of this multifaceted world.

Right from the get-go I knew I was going to like Matilda (Tilly). She is exactly the type of heroine I enjoy reading about; she’s intelligent, independent, compassionate, and totally kickass. All of the secondary characters were just as great. While many of the house leaders and Galvanizes didn’t get much page time as other characters (Abraham, Neds, Oscar, Slater), in their brief appearances you can still glean a lot of their personality because each character is fleshed out and memorable. Of all the side characters, there were two that stood out the most to me and had me laughing out loud the entire time…Neds and Welton. Since Neds has two heads, one called Right Ned and the other Left Ned. I was a bit confused with Neds’ dialogue at first, unable to differentiate who (Left or Right) was speaking but after a couple chapters, I got the hang of it. Neds had completely different, somewhat polar opposite personalities which made for hilarious dialogue. And there was Welton Yellow, leader of House Yellow. He is what I’d call the black sheep of the Houses, he does and says whatever he want, He’s eccentric, and awkward at times yet still likable. Another plus with Welton was he was the only one not really out to get Matilda. He of course tried and wanted Matilda, but is more friend than foe. 

There is a blossoming romance between Matilda and Galvanized Abraham. I thought their chemistry really worked and loved their back and forth repartee. They really complement each other, both strong equal characters. However, I thought the romance was a bit rushed. Matilda been hiding her entire life, so I know she didn’t have much of a male connection other than her brother and Neds. But I don’t recall them exchanging more than a few words, and they barely know anything about one another. This isn’t a big deal, and I still enjoyed the book…I just had a moment where I thought it was funny how quickly they decided to be BF/GF (and I think this is the first book, where I heard a leading couple ask each other if they wanted a title lol, interesting). 

House Immortal is definitely one of my favorite reads this year. The world building is amazing, the characters unconventional and fully realized, and the plot fast-paced. From the moment readers open the book and to the very end, expect nothing short of a roller coaster ride full of action and twists that will have you completely floored. I was so shocked by the ending that I swear my heart stopped for a moment, and when I flipped that last page I couldn’t believe it was the end (I literally flipped back and forth and went ‘WHAT? THIS IS THE LAST PAGE? DAMNIT!’)…it was THAT crazy. I loved this book, and highly recommend it to everyone; it’s a fantasy, science-fiction and dystopian all rolled up into one. The sequel, Infinity Bell comes out next spring and I can’t wait for more Matilda and Co.

 

Cursed Moon by Jaye Wells

Title: Cursed Moon
Author: Jaye Wells
Genre: Speculative Fiction
Series: Prospero's War

Trade Paperback, 370 pages
Publication: August  12, 2014 by Orbit

Source: I received a review copy from the publicist in exchange for a honest review.

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When a rare Blue Moon upsets the magical balance in the city, Detective Kate Prospero and her Magical Enforcement colleagues pitch in to help Babylon PD keep the peace. Between potions going haywire and everyone's emotions running high, every cop in the city is on edge. But the moon's impact is especially strong for Kate who's wrestling with guilt over falling off the magic wagon.

After a rogue wizard steals dangerous potions from the local covens, Kate worries their suspect is building a dirty magic bomb. Her team must find the anarchist rogue before the covens catch him, and make sure they defuse the bomb before the Blue Moon deadline. Failure is never an option, but success will require Kate to come clean about her secrets.

Hi my name is Van, and I’m an addict.  

Addicted to the Prospero’s War series that is! 

Wells hits another homerun with Cursed Moon, her sequel to Speculative Fiction police procedural Dirty Magic that debuted earlier this year. I love, love Dirty Magic, so it comes as no surprise that I ended up loving the sequel just as much. Wells expands on her world of wizards, potions, and adepts with another case dealing with one of The Cauldron’s most powerful wizard, and a manic Raven (rouge wizard) running loose in Babylon hell-bent on causing destruction during the Blue Moon which also happens to be Halloween. There’s a whole lotta snark, nonstop action, secrets and sexual tensions that will have readers begging for the next book! 

In Dirty Magic, we were introduced to Ramses Bane leader of the Sanguinarian coven who specializes in blood magic. Since the main case of book 1 involved the Sanguinarian Coven, readers got an in-depth look at the key players and all potions/dealing with blood and what-not. In Cursed Moon, readers are finally introduced to Aphrodite, The Hierophant and leader of the Sacred O coven (specializes in sex magic). S/he is by far the most interesting new player that we meet. Aphrodite’ sexes are present at all time, with one side classically handsome and the other drop-dead-gorgeous. Although, one side of Aphrodite’s sexes is usually more dominant than the other, but it all depends on the situation and who s/he is talking to. I also thought Aphrodite’s revenge garden was cool…imagine a garden where every single plant/flower is poison. They may look lovely like Aphrodite but they’re just as deadly. But don’t fret, the usual gang is all back from the MEA crew, BFF Pen, Danny boy, witchy Baba to Little Man/Mary…yeah, no one can forget that duo. :)

In my review of Dirty Magic, I mentioned a potential for a love triangle. But this time around I think it’s pretty clear where each relationship is going…while one is definitely going somewhere, the other one is more one-sided. John doesn’t appear in as many scenes as the first book, and when he does make an appearance he brings only problems and bad tensions. As anyone can see he still has it bad for Kate, saying he never really stopped loving/caring even if it’s been 10 years. Kate seems to be drawn to John but every time she sees him she reminds herself of their past, making it easy to withdraw from any notions of the two of them getting back together. I kind of liked John in book one, but not so much in the sequel. John comes off all manipulative and seems like he has too many ulterior motives in everything he does. Then there is Kate’s partner Drew, there is so much sexual tension between the two that their team has a pool going on when they’d do the deed! LOL. I love their banter with one another, and think they complement each other perfectly. I am dying to see them take things to the next level, the sizzling chemistry between the two been brewing since the first book (but I don’t mind, it makes for a fun read) and it’s about to explode!

For those who haven’t started this series yet, pick it up immediately! You are seriously missing out on some amazing characters and world building, that I promise doesn’t disappoint. I really enjoyed Cursed Moon; it was everything I expected and more. I am already dying to get my hands on Deadly Spells especially with how things ended as revelations came to light. Deadly Spells is the third book in the Prospero’s War series and it can’t come soon enough…sadly we’ll have to wait till March 2015 to get our hands on it. 

 

Review: Known Devil by Justin Gustainis

Title: Known Devil
Author: Justin Gustainis
Genre: Urban Fantasy 
Series: Occult Crimes Unit Investigation #3

Mass Market Paperback, 375 pages
Publication: January 28, 2014 by Angry Robot 

Source:  I received a review copy from the Publisher/Author in exchange for a honest review.

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My name’s Markowski. I carry a badge. Also, a crucifix, some wooden stakes, a big vial of holy water, and a 9mm Beretta loaded with silver bullets.
A new supernatural gang is intent on invading Scranton – as if I didn’t have enough to contend with!
Supernatural gang warfare? Not on my watch!

I haven’t read the first two Occult Crime Unit Investigation novels, but these books don’t need to be read in order as Known Devil can be read as a standalone. This is a great Urban Fantasy and has one of my favorite aspects…police procedural with a touch of supernatural/paranormal and magic.

Known Devil opens up with Detective Markowski and Renfer at a diner on break when two elves come in to rob it. The elves are high as a kite and need more money to buy drugs. But the thing is, most supernaturals can’t get addicted to drugs (except goblins’ that can get hooked on meth)…until now; apparently elves, vamps and weres are all getting addicted (humans non-affected). To make matters worse, there is vampire turf war between two different crime families and an anti-supernatural political party is gaining attention/popularity among the people of Scranton; making Stan and Karl’s job all the more difficult.

I quite enjoyed this book more than I anticipated. I loved everything about it, the dark-gritty scenes and atmosphere/vibe of Scranton, the hard-boiled detectives and the overall plot/subplots. As I mentioned before, I have never read this series (starting at book #3) nor have I read any other books by this author but jumping into this book was quite easy and comfortable. I was able to follow along with the story without any problems or confusion and understood the gist of everything with the background/recap mentioned throughout the book. Well, maybe one thing I wish I knew was how Stan’s daughter became a vampire LOL but that was a minor detail. I love it when authors incorporate police procedural and supernatural/magic, I think it’s literally the perfect concoction for a story and Known Devil didn't disappoint.

Known Devil was an excellent read; it was fast paced, full of action and with witty dialogue to boot (which was my favorite, because it had me laughing and smiling). If enjoy reading gritty fantasy noir or just looking for an entertaining read, I highly suggest picking up the Occult Crime Unit Investigation series!

Early review: Dirty Magic by Jaye Wells

Title: Dirty Magic
Author: Jaye Wells
Genre: Urban Fantasy/Speculative Fiction
Series: Prospero's War #1

Trade paperback, 400 pages
Publication: January 21, 2014 by Orbit

Source: I received a review copy from the publicist in exchange for a honest review.

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The last thing patrol cop Kate Prospero expected to find on her nightly rounds was a werewolf covered in the blood of his latest victim. But then, she also didn't expect that shooting him would land her in the crosshairs of a Magic Enforcement Agency task force, who wants to know why she killed their lead snitch.

The more Prospero learns about the dangerous new potion the MEA is investigating, the more she's convinced that earning a spot on their task force is the career break she's been wanting. But getting the assignment proves much easier than solving the case. Especially once the investigation reveals their lead suspect is the man she walked away from ten years earlier—on the same day she swore she'd never use dirty magic again.

Kate Prospero's about to learn the hard way that crossing a wizard will always get you burned, and that when it comes to magic, you should be never say never.

 Kate Prospero is a bad-ass. I heart her. She is exactly the type of heroine I love reading about; she’s strong, smart, driven, flawed, and family oriented. Everything I look for in a protagonist. Kate is an adept (someone born with magic), and comes from the most notorious coven in the Cauldron, the Votary clan. Kate has a knack for cooking dirty potions and was the next heir for Grand Wizard after her Uncle Abe (Wizard crime lord) but after a tragic accident; Kate left the coven and everything magic related behind her for the straight and narrow…and became a patrol office for Babylon PD. It’s been 10 years since she turn her back on the people she grew up with but so far things been okay; it’s been a clean and magic-free life, (minus capturing potion junkies and dealers) exactly what she wanted for her younger brother Danny. But after a routine patrol goes wrong, Kate finds her past and present colliding and the only way to fix things is to embrace her heritage. 

Dirty Magic hooked me from the first page as readers’ plunge head first in the midst of the action as BPD officer Kate pursues a potion junkie in the Cauldron (covens’ turf). I didn’t really know what to expect when I first started Dirty Magic, just that it was a new UF series by Wells and anything she wrote, I’d read. I wasn’t prepared to be enthralled as I was; the world-building is incredible and so realistic you can imagine yourself smack dab in a city ruled and run on clean-dirty magic. There are two types of magic (clean and dirty), basically legal and illegal but both with different consequences; eventually making the user dependent or changing them on a physical level. The magic system in Dirty Magic is pretty complex, and this first book barely touches the surface…getting a glimpse at what the Votary (specializes in alchemy) and Sang (specializes in blood) covens all about. I really love the police procedure-magic combination; it made for an entertaining read.  I can definitely see this series as a TV show (if no one picks up the rights for this soon, they’re nuts).

After reading Wells’ Sabina Kane series (I’m still behind, forgive me!); I’ve come to expect three things from Wells, a kick-ass heroine, a colorful cast of characters and smart dialouge. And I’m glad to say Wells doesn’t disappoint. Kate isn’t only a kick-ass heroine but she’s also a guardian/single parent to her 16-year-old brother Danny. I liked Kate early on, but when I found out she was taking care of her young brother, I loved her even more. There’s just something extra special when I read a UF protagonist with family. I’m a sucker for anything family lol. It adds another layer to the character, and Kate was already plenty interesting with her crime loving wizard family. In terms of secondary characters, Kate’s MEA (Magic Enforcement Agency) team was a diverse group of people (both adept and mundane). They’re kind of exactly how I’d picture a tactical team…funny and tough as nails. The two people that made the biggest impression for me is Picasso (even though it was for a short time) and Little Man. They were a hoot!  Dirty Magic is a pretty dark book, I mean we are dealing with junkies and crime lords but they added a humorous balance during their page time. And to be honest, Little Man creep me out (the devil baby prank image kept popping in my head) but I couldn’t help smiling every time he and Kate interacted.  If that last sentence sounds confusing…you just got to read the book to know what I mean. 

I’m not a fan of love triangles, and even though there really isn’t one in Dirty Magic…there’s a potential for one. Or, at least it feels like one. There are two main guys in Kate’s life, an old flame and a new guy. Kate definitely has chemistry with both guys, whether she cares to admit it…and I am interested in seeing where it goes. I’m conflicted who I’m rooting for as both guys have different appealing qualities….somewhat (one came off as a jerk but by the middle of the book we get the reason why)…just going to have to see how things play out. 

Dirty Magic is a great start to what I believe will be an outstanding series. I loved every moment of this book. Dirty Magic is a wonderful addition to the urban fantasy genre, giving readers a fresh take and unique spin on magic and wizards. If you’re looking for your next urban fantasy/speculative fiction fix, look no further. Dirty Magic has it all! This is the best book I’ve read so far, and Kate Prospero is a character that everyone will love; slowly climbing to the top of the favorite list with the likes of Kate Daniels, Gin Blanco, Arcadia Bell, Charlie Madigan to name a few. I can’t wait to read the next book in the series, Cursed Moon which comes out August of this year!!