Dirty Magic by Jaye Wells (thoughts)

Dirty Magic was one of those books that I wanted to read purely because I have adored this author's books before.  New urban fantasy series?  Sign me up!  It also didn't hurt that this book has a gorgeous cover which made me want to read it even more.  Happily enough, this was a great beginning to a gritty new urban fantasy series and I want more!

In this book, magic isn't always a good thing and potions brewed are very similar to drugs.  Kate is a cop trying to rid the streets of these dirty potions when she gets pulled into a case that is bigger than she expects.  Now she has a new team to work with and a chance to really make a difference.  Everything seems to be working in her favor until the investigation she is working on shows her that you can never really leave the past behind you.  It will be up to Kate to try and figure out who is behind this newest dirty potion before it hurts those that she loves most.

I will fully admit that I went into this book with high expectations.  I love, love, love her Sabina Kane series so I expected this book to be good.  What I didn't expect was how different this book would be from her other series.  I loved it!  This book had a dark, intense feel to it that I couldn't get enough of.  I'm watching Breaking Bad right now and I couldn't help but compare the two.  Dirty Magic is similar to the show but with potions/magic instead of drugs.  They both have similar vibes where you aren't sure that everything is going to end well.  I found that this feeling really made the intensity level of the story go up a notch.  This isn't a pretty world that Wells has created but it is one that I couldn't get enough of.  I found myself swept away in Kate's world watching as she tried to balance her two lives.  The life of a cop committed to taking down the bad guys who were creating and distributing these potions, and the life of a caregiver as she tries to take care of her brother and make a better life for him.  These two different paths pulled at her constantly in different directions but the author managed to connect the storylines in a way that knocked me off my feet.  By that time I wasn't putting the book down for anything!  I should have known that there were some surprises in store.  I loved that there was a really solid ending to this book even though it is the beginning to a series.  There are questions left unanswered but the author left them open just enough to make me want to read the second book sooner rather than later.  In other words, no cliff hanger ending that makes me want to scream.  I was happy about that!

Overall, I really enjoyed this book just as I hoped that I would.  This author has a knack for creating worlds that I can't get enough of.  I'm super excited that the second book will be releasing soon as I don't want to have to wait long to see what happens to Kate next.  The dark atmosphere of this book kept me reading long after I should have gone to bed.  It all comes down to this: this is exactly how I like my urban fantasy-  gritty, compelling, and unique!  Books like this are what keep me coming back for more.  Highly recommended but especially to other urban fantasy fans!

Bottom Line:  A fascinating beginning to this new series....I can't wait for more!

Disclosure:  I received a copy of this book for review thanks to the publisher and NetGalley.  Thoughts are my own.

Street Magic by Caitlin Kittredge

From the back of the book:

"Her name is Pete Caldecott. She was just sixteen when she met Jack Winter, a gorgeous, larger-than-life mage who thrilled her with his witchcraft. Then a spirit Jack summoned killed him before Pete's eyes--or so she thought. Now a detective, Pete is investigating the kidnapping of a young girl from the streets of London...a case that brings her face to face with Jack."

My Thoughts:

Street Magic was an interesting beginning to a new (to me anyways) urban fantasy series. When Pete comes across Jack during her investigation, he is a heroin junkie that seems to hate her for no apparent reason. But he has information that leads to the discovery of the missing child and when another girl comes up missing Pete goes straight to Jack for help. The main characters in this book were interesting and different. Jack should be an unlikeable character. I mean, come on, he is a heroin addict and the way he acts toward Pete makes him far from endearing. But by the end of the story I was beginning to like him even though I was never quite sure of his motives throughout the story. Pete was a really strong female character whose actions left me flabbergasted at times. And yet even with all of their faults I couldn't get enough of these two. There was a ton of action throughout the book which helped to make the book a fast read. Plus, Kittredge has created an interesting world where the story is set in London but there is also the Black which is a place that only some can see. The book was darker than some urban fantasy but I still really enjoyed the book. I couldn't stop turning the pages to see what would happen to Pete and Jack next. And although the mystery wasn't the greatest, it was enough that I wanted to see what would happen in the end. Definitely an interesting read!

I did have a few problems with the book with the main problem being some of the language. Specifically, the use of a certain 4 lettered c-word throughout the story. I don't mind swearing in books but I find this word particularly offensive so it bugged me that the characters kept using it so casually. It was a personal problem that took away from the reading experience for me but I'm guessing it won't bother others as much.

All in all, I liked this book and plan to continue on with the series. Although I had a few qualms with it I would still recommend this book to urban fantasy lovers with the warning about the language.

Disclosure: This is getting kinda old...I checked it out from the library as usual.

*I read this for the following challenges:

1st in a Series Challenge

New Author Challenge

100+ Reading Challenge

Speculative Fiction Challenge

Support Your Library Challenge

Once Bitten, Twice Shy by Jennifer Rardin

In Once Bitten, Twice Shy, we meet Jaz Parks who is an assasin for the C.I.A. and is partnered up with a very powerful vampire named Vayl. Their newest assignment is to take out a plastic surgeon who has to ties to a dangerous group of terrorists. But Jaz and Vayl soon find out that their assignment is more complicated than they thought and before they know it they are up against an ancient evil.

Will someone please tell me how I have not heard more about this author before?? This book rocked and I was swept away within the story. Jaz is a great main character: she's strong but has her weak points, is a bit haunted, and has a mysterious past (although there is light shed on some of it). And Vayl is just awesome in my opinion. Jaz respects him a lot but can't seem to figure out why he chose her to be his partner. It gives Vayl and his motivations an air of mystery which added to the story. The chemistry between the two is great and makes me really excited to see how their relationship develops further along in the series because right now they are strictly partners. The story was fast paced and exciting and I flew through this book in a matter of days. The storyline itself was original and I found that the details surrounding the ancient evil to be very interesting (I'm not saying any more in fear of spoilers). Suffice it to say that I couldn't get enough of this book while I was reading it and am already itching to get my hands on the 2nd book.

All in all, a promising beginning to a new to me series and a series that I will most definitely be continuing on with. I'd recommend this book to anyone that enjoys urban fantasy or a good paranormal read.

Disclaimer: I checked this one out from the library too.
*I read this for the following challenges:
New Author Challenge
1st in a Series Challenge
Speculative Fiction Challenge
Support Your Library Challenge
100+ Reading Challenge
Series Challenge Season 4
"O" Title for A-Z Challenge (personal)