Search - Unholy Ghosts (Downside, Bk 1)

Dark. Gritty. Raw. Intense. All these words and more describe Unholy Ghosts. Imagine a world where all gods have been debunked and religion is virtually outlawed, and all you have in this life is just the knowledge of where you go when you die. The unknown of dying is gone, leaving not much to look forward to. This is the reality for all those in this bleak future world created by Stacia Kane making the unsavory life of drugs is a common place for most in this reality, especially Chess.

This is a very dark story with no-holds barred, it gets deep down gritty, and takes you deep into world of drugs and magic. It's written in such a way that you understand why Chess has chosen to use drugs as her avenue of escape from the realities of her life. I found myself understanding and sympathizing with her, even though I've never had an addiction like hers. I had some trepidation about reading this book at first because I wasn't sure how I would enjoy a book that involved drug use but I'm so glad I took a chance and looked beyond the drug use in the story.

Unholy Ghosts is the BEST novel I have read this year and with pun intended, I'm jonesing for the next book in series now because the written and characters are addictive. I even enjoyed the dialect of the lower class citizens on the streets. There's also a very persuasive love triangle, that left me feeling unsure of who I wanted Chess to be with. If you get the chance, I recommend you read this book but prepared for a dark and compelling read ahead of you.

My favorite author recommended this author, this series.
I can see how and why one would love this book, however, I can't.
1) I can't get over how they talk. It's not ghetto, or southern, or teen. It's just weird.
2) I don't agree with all the underlying themes in the story.
3) I can't stand the drug use, I wouldn't mind it if we actually got to see the psychology behind it. Why she uses it, the struggle with the addiction, the affect it has on her life and others in her life, and how she learns to fulfill her needs with things other than drugs. I was able to get over it, however, until her use of the drug saved her life. Hence one of the themes I do not like in the story (among many).
4) Or how the author doesn't explain anything and you have to fill in the missing pieces. I love how authors will just jump right in, and explanations will come later in bits in pieces so you don't feel lost the entire story, so you understand the setting. Unfortunately, Kane doesn't really give you much description of the setting, the fictional world she introduces us to. She just gives us the bare minimum. Which would be fine, if this was a world I was familiar with, however, I am not familiar with it.

As per the above, I could not get lost in the story.
But overall, I think most people would enjoy this story. It's different and you keep wondering about the outcome.

Really dark. This is a gritty futuristic look at a world where magic has replaced religion. If you find rejection of religion, casual sex, somewhat gory descriptions, and/or heavy drug use and acceptance distasteful, this is NOT the book for you.

I usually like at least a smidge of romance in my urban fantasy reads---this book doesn't have that. Surprisingly, I was still intrigued by it because of the interesting story line and intense descriptions. The author does not hold your hand and lead you through the world she creates. Rather, at the beginning of each chapter you are given snippets of fictional book passages from this world viewpoint. These passages somewhat foreshadow what happens in the chapter. I liked this method because it made me work at understanding the book's political environment and new order.

Overall, this was a book that took me out of my comfort zone and threw me into a world where life isn't pretty, is confusing with or without characters being in a drug-induced state, and doesn't end with a happily ever after.