Book Chick City: BOOK REVIEW: Unholy Ghosts by Stacia Kane

BOOK REVIEW: Unholy Ghosts by Stacia Kane

Friday, June 18, 2010 | Posted by Book Chick City |

Edit Post

Title: Unholy Ghosts (Downside Ghosts #1)

Author: Stacia Kane

Publisher: Harper Voyager (UK) / Del Rey (US)

Publication Date: May (UK) / May (US)

Paperback: 352 pages

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Rating: 9/10 - Excellent, will remain on my bookshelf forever!

Summary:

The world is not the way it was. The dead have risen, and the living are under attack. 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, freewheeling Debunker, and ghost hunter. She’s got a real talent for nailing human liars and 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 lot of money to a murderous drug lord named Bump. 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 for 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.

Review:

I'm so excited about this book - I LOVED it! I haven't read an Urban Fantasy this good in quite a while. I've read the first in Kane's 'Megan Chase' series, but she's come on leaps and bounds since then, Unholy Ghosts is just so much better in every respect.

The writing is perfectly paced, I didn't get bored once and everything slots together at the right time. The plot is just brilliant and had me engrossed until the very last page - I didn't want to put this book down!

The characters are fantastic, very well rounded and completely believable. Chess is everything I want in my urban fantasy heroine: kick-arse but flawed, vulnerable and complex. I have a feeling she's going to be one of my favourites within this genre (with Anita Blake at no. 1 at the moment).

Chess is a witch and a ghost hunter, with a serious drug problem. She's constantly popping pills to get her through the day. In fact she has different pills for different situations and choses accordingly. Obviously I don't condone the use of drugs but sometimes life is too difficult for some people to handle and Chess is one of them - using drugs to get through life, and that's why I have so much sympathy for her. I loved the rawness of Chess, she's real and vulnerable with a past that gives me full understanding of why she pops so many pills - to forget. A past full of physical and mental abuse, shipped from one foster home to another. I liked her from the get-go. Kane has created one hell of a heroine.

So now I've talked a little about Chess, let's get on to the guys. I have not met a character like Terrible in any other urban fantasy book. He's not the typical dreamy looking, squared jawed hunk, but a rugged, built like a brick house, rough and ready dude with a crooked nose that's been broken too many times to count. Doesn't sound very attractive does he. But the way Kane reveals his personality through his actions and dialogue is just superb, and well, I just fell totally in love with him myself! He's as complex as Chess, with a dark past to match. In fact they have a lot in common. I really enjoyed their developing relationship and I can't wait to see where it's going in subsequent novels.

There's also another guy on the scene, Lex, a leader of a rival gang. He is described as a gorgeous male and Chess can't but not like the look of him. And I don't blame her, but for all his charm there is something untrustworthy about him and I have my doubts. But with Terrible, I feel he has Chess' back and her best interests at heart. He shows his loyalty many times throughout Unholy Ghosts and it has cemented his fate in becoming one of my favourite hero's in urban fantasy.

Terrible is Bump's top enforcer and doesn't flinch at the prospect of killing someone in cold blood. They are thrown together at the request of Bump, who Chess owes several thousands pounds, to find out what is haunting his airport and whatever it is, he wants Chess to fix it. The world building is spot on. I could smell and see everything described. The world is quite a sombre place and Chess lives where drugs are rife and life is hard. Her only real home is the Church. But the Church of Real Truth isn't like any religion we know today, but almost a dictator that holds the fear of ghosts over the heads of the living. If they do not follow them and do as they wish then they will release all ghosts upon them and they will die. I'm intrigued to find out if the Church of Real Truth are the good guys or the bad, but at the moment I don't trust them.

All supporting characters are also vivid and not one of them felt unrealistic or surplus to the plot, from the young boy looking for help to the terrifying Dreamthief. Unholy Ghosts is a gritty, fairly dark urban fantasy, but this is fine with me as it's my favourite kind!

Verdict:

I think I have squealed enough about this book, so let's just finish by saying that I cannot wait to read the rest of the series - I've heard it gets even better! Unholy Ghosts is a brilliant addition to the Urban Fantasy genre and I can't recommend it enough!

Source: Thank you to Harper Collins for sending me this book to review.

••••••••••••••••••••••••

You can find out more about the author here:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Labels: 9/10 Rating, Authors I-L, Book Reviews, Stacia Kane, Urban Fantasy

17 comments:

Ayesha said...: i have just ordered this, it does look very interesting although i have just recieved alot of books for review so it maybe a while before i get to read it
{",}; 18 June 2010 12:19
Laura Summers said...: You've got me excited about this book now - I will be purchasing ASAP!!!; 18 June 2010 13:07
SusiSunshine said...: Agree with everything said. It is a fantastic book. Can't wait to get my hands on the next one.
Great review.; 18 June 2010 13:36
CarlyB said...: Ooh I'm glad you enjoyed this one, I may have to check it out. The cover on the left is gorgeous!x; 18 June 2010 14:27
Jenn's Bookshelves said...: This does sound like a great one! Looks like they have it for my Sony Reader, so I can buy it without having to worry about my husband giving me grief about another book in the house! :); 18 June 2010 15:33
Ms Ulat Buku said...: Great review. I can't wait to get myself a copy and read it.; 18 June 2010 16:15
A Buckeye Girl Reads said...: I absolutely loved this book. I was also pulling more for Terrible then Lex. I can't say enough about this book. I can't wait for the rest of the series.; 18 June 2010 17:47
Book Chick City said...: Ayesha - It's really good, shame you can't read it sooner than later, but I totally get the review book thing! ;)

Laura - Yes... BUY!! I'm sure you will love it *but don't shout at me if you don't* ;)

SusiSunshine - Me neither, I want that book NOW! Can't wait to read it :D

CarlyB - Definitely get it - any way you can. If you love urban fantasy then I can't see how you can go wrong with this one - although I have read other reviews where people where quite offended by the drug addiction, but that just adds to the story and characterisation for me :)

Jenn - It is a great one! I hear ya about the books - the hubster hardly gets to hear about the books I bring into the house. I have so many now that even if I add ten or twenty more he doesn't notice hehe!

Ms Ulat Buku - Thanks! Yes, do get a copy - let me know what you think when you've read it :)

Buckeye Girl - I'm so pleased you loved this book two - It's now one of my favourite UF! :); 18 June 2010 18:26
carolsnotebook said...: I like urban fantasy but have been feeling like I'm reading the same story over and over again. This one sounds worth reading, though.; 18 June 2010 19:51
Melissa said...: Oh man... another glowing review. I am so going to have to get this book!; 18 June 2010 19:57
Dazzling Mage said...: Haha, I LOVE the characters' names! So strange and yet compelling. And great review!; 18 June 2010 21:02
prophecygirl said...: Well done - you've really made me want to read this! I saw in many time while I was in London and kept saying to Carla "Carolyn says that's really good... hmmm..."

Wishlist time ;); 18 June 2010 21:37
Claire xx said...: Another book added to the wishlist - sounds and looks fab!
xxx; 18 June 2010 21:59
Book Chick City said...: Carolsnotebook - I think you will find this quite refreshing then if you're a bit tired of UF! :)

Melissa - Yes, get this book! :D

Dazzling Mage - I love the characters names as well, very original.

Jenny - Hehe!! I know you prefer YA, but you should give this one a go! :)

Claire - I'm so glad you've added it to your wishlist, but bump it up to the top so you buy it very soon! :D; 19 June 2010 06:06
Mardel said...: Just started it - but I'm also reading Stormwalker at the same time (almost finished). Soon I can concentrate on Unholy Ghosts, but so far, it's kickin' ass!; 19 June 2010 11:50
Melissa (My World...in words and pages) said...: I truly loved this book as well. I loved the characters and the world created is not hard to follow at all. The plot was laid out nicely and the mystery kept me wondering. I had my suspecions but Chess had her thoughts at the right time to keep me believing her thoughts. I have to say I love Terrible, but by the end of the book I really liked Lex too. :); 21 June 2010 02:09
bambi_slaughter said...: I'm glad to see your enthousiam for this book ! I bought it without having read any reviews on it and i'm relieved ^^.
I just hope I will not have too much trouble to read it.
By the way, I just discover your blog and I feel I will find a lot of books to read. I have just to accelerate my speed of reading because I read like a snail in english.

Sorry for the mistakes et have a nice day !; 31 May 2011 19:21