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Prospero's War #2
Cursed Moon
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.
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.
400 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 12, 2014
62 people are currently reading
2248 people want to read
About the author
Jaye Wells
31 books2,159 followersJaye Wells is a former magazine editor whose award-winning speculative fiction novels have hit several bestseller lists. She holds an MFA in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University, and is a sought-after speaker on the craft of writing. When she’s not writing or teaching, she loves to travel to exotic locales, experiment in her kitchen like a mad scientist, and try things that scare her so she can write about them in her books. She lives in Texas.
Want free fiction from Jaye? Check out www.jayewells.com for details!
Want free fiction from Jaye? Check out www.jayewells.com for details!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 255 reviews
September 10, 2017
Reviewed by: Rabid Reads
I mentioned in my review of Dirty Magic that I wasn't a huge fan of Wells' SABINA KANE series b/c CRASS, but that THE PROSPERO'S WAR was off to a much more promising start . . .
I may have spoken too soon.
It's been too long since I've read SABINA, so I can't remember if I found myself in the same situation that I am now: torn. On the one hand, there is some amazingly insightful writing here, but on the other hand . . .
Call me a priss if you want, but I have no desire to read things like:
Just ugh. ALSO--I hate the word "crotch." HATE it. It's a peeve of mine, can't help it, and the word "crotch" is used on the regular in this book. A couple of times it was used in reference to something nonsexual, but mostly it was someone's face in someone else's crotch, with other accompanying words like "drool" and "wetness" that "glistened" and just GROSS, MAN. The fact that one of the times it was used was when Kate had a flashback of walking in on her prostitute mother getting head from one of her johns, when Kate was a CHILD no less, only makes it worse.
And it was that kind of thing that pushed me over the edge.
There was really no way this installment could have gone well for me. The whole situation was one that pushed my peeve buttons . . . I'm not crazy about premises that are based on the loss of control in general--if some girl gets slipped a date rape drug and wakes up with no memory of the last 8 or 10 hours, it's not going to be a hit with me.
Even less of a winner when the Bad Guy is determined to unleash a sexual aggression (RAPE) potion bomb in Chicago on the night of the blue moon, b/c lots-o-magic means bigger detonation area, and hey, just for fun, let's have a few test runs beforehand to keep the cops on their toes.
Test runs like drugging a few sorority houses, so the girls run around Sorority Row ganging up on any male who is unlucky enough to be around, and ass-raping them.
This isn't a spoiler, but the text is so graphic that I'm not comfortable posting it without giving you fair warning. Suffice it to say, my main issue wasn't the lowbrow humor, it was this:
That is totally uncalled for. There are about a BILLION ways to communicate that scenario without being so completely horrific. Not that I'd be okay with it happening under any circumstances, but I could get past it if it wasn't shoved in my face.
Maybe that's the point. I don't know. Don't really care either. I don't like it.
BUT . . . as awful as that was . . . it was only a small portion of the book. And so in true Jessica fashion, I was able to push through, refusing to dwell on it, so that 50 pages later, I barely recalled it at all, beyond a vague sense of discomfort. It wasn't until I started going through my highlights that I really thought about it, and yes, that was the worst of it, but I'm not going to lie . . . the overall feel of this story is one where things like that are possible. There's a kind of postmodern, in your face, life-sucks-and-then-you-die-so-deal-with-the-wretched-reality-of-your-existence cloud that hovers over this whole book.
Some people really like that. And if the context in this situation hadn't been sexual violation, I could have handled it. Stacia Kane's DOWNSIDE GHOSTS is never going to be one of my Top 5 UF Series, but I like it. I've heard Chuck Wendig's MIRIAM BLACK series is supremely dark and gritty too, so there's definitely a market for this kind of book . . . I'm just not the target demographic.
But there were other problems as well.
It annoyed me that Kate viewed herself as an addict and refused to use magic (despite her super, special snowflakeness in that area), but had no issue whatsoever with drinking her troubles away. It struck me as inconsistent with the kind of personality/determination that goes hand-in-hand with having the strength and willpower to not use magic for nearly 10 years.
Speaking of which, her obstinate refusal to use magic annoyed me even more. Obstinate doesn't begin to cover it. Is there a word that means obstinate-despite-irrefutable-evidence-that-you-are-WRONG? I looked and couldn't find one. Someone needs to get on that, and whatever word they come up with, that's what Kate is. She finally has her Aha! moment near the end of the book, but by that point I was so over her nonsense that it barely registered.
And Pen. What was up with her? Kate's awesomely awesome, understanding and wise bff suddenly morphs into super bitch for 90% of the book, and then just as inexplicably reverts back to her usual self?
So yeah . . . this book was flawed. But despite evidence to the contrary, I didn't hate it. As I mentioned earlier, Wells is incredibly insightful in some of her observations, and when I wasn't put off by the teenage boy non-humor, there were lots-o-funny times as well. I have higher hopes for the next book, b/c Kate finally seems to have stopped fighting the useless battle to not use her gift, and given that my graphic sexual violence issues were a result of this book's plotline, I'm hopeful that it isn't going to be a recurring theme. HOWEVER . . . if it is, then I am OUT.
I'd recommend this book to people who like darker and grittier UF series and who aren't sensitive to sexual assault.
I mentioned in my review of Dirty Magic that I wasn't a huge fan of Wells' SABINA KANE series b/c CRASS, but that THE PROSPERO'S WAR was off to a much more promising start . . .
I may have spoken too soon.
It's been too long since I've read SABINA, so I can't remember if I found myself in the same situation that I am now: torn. On the one hand, there is some amazingly insightful writing here, but on the other hand . . .
Call me a priss if you want, but I have no desire to read things like:
"What's your name, Lucky Charms?" Morales asked.
"Sean Patrick Finnegan-O'Lachlan."
I blinked. "That's a mouthful."
"Aye, lass." He motioned toward his crotch. "I'll give ye a mouthful."
Just ugh. ALSO--I hate the word "crotch." HATE it. It's a peeve of mine, can't help it, and the word "crotch" is used on the regular in this book. A couple of times it was used in reference to something nonsexual, but mostly it was someone's face in someone else's crotch, with other accompanying words like "drool" and "wetness" that "glistened" and just GROSS, MAN. The fact that one of the times it was used was when Kate had a flashback of walking in on her prostitute mother getting head from one of her johns, when Kate was a CHILD no less, only makes it worse.
And it was that kind of thing that pushed me over the edge.
There was really no way this installment could have gone well for me. The whole situation was one that pushed my peeve buttons . . . I'm not crazy about premises that are based on the loss of control in general--if some girl gets slipped a date rape drug and wakes up with no memory of the last 8 or 10 hours, it's not going to be a hit with me.
Even less of a winner when the Bad Guy is determined to unleash a sexual aggression (RAPE) potion bomb in Chicago on the night of the blue moon, b/c lots-o-magic means bigger detonation area, and hey, just for fun, let's have a few test runs beforehand to keep the cops on their toes.
Test runs like drugging a few sorority houses, so the girls run around Sorority Row ganging up on any male who is unlucky enough to be around, and ass-raping them.
This isn't a spoiler, but the text is so graphic that I'm not comfortable posting it without giving you fair warning. Suffice it to say, my main issue wasn't the lowbrow humor, it was this:
That is totally uncalled for. There are about a BILLION ways to communicate that scenario without being so completely horrific. Not that I'd be okay with it happening under any circumstances, but I could get past it if it wasn't shoved in my face.
Maybe that's the point. I don't know. Don't really care either. I don't like it.
BUT . . . as awful as that was . . . it was only a small portion of the book. And so in true Jessica fashion, I was able to push through, refusing to dwell on it, so that 50 pages later, I barely recalled it at all, beyond a vague sense of discomfort. It wasn't until I started going through my highlights that I really thought about it, and yes, that was the worst of it, but I'm not going to lie . . . the overall feel of this story is one where things like that are possible. There's a kind of postmodern, in your face, life-sucks-and-then-you-die-so-deal-with-the-wretched-reality-of-your-existence cloud that hovers over this whole book.
Some people really like that. And if the context in this situation hadn't been sexual violation, I could have handled it. Stacia Kane's DOWNSIDE GHOSTS is never going to be one of my Top 5 UF Series, but I like it. I've heard Chuck Wendig's MIRIAM BLACK series is supremely dark and gritty too, so there's definitely a market for this kind of book . . . I'm just not the target demographic.
But there were other problems as well.
It annoyed me that Kate viewed herself as an addict and refused to use magic (despite her super, special snowflakeness in that area), but had no issue whatsoever with drinking her troubles away. It struck me as inconsistent with the kind of personality/determination that goes hand-in-hand with having the strength and willpower to not use magic for nearly 10 years.
Speaking of which, her obstinate refusal to use magic annoyed me even more. Obstinate doesn't begin to cover it. Is there a word that means obstinate-despite-irrefutable-evidence-that-you-are-WRONG? I looked and couldn't find one. Someone needs to get on that, and whatever word they come up with, that's what Kate is. She finally has her Aha! moment near the end of the book, but by that point I was so over her nonsense that it barely registered.
And Pen. What was up with her? Kate's awesomely awesome, understanding and wise bff suddenly morphs into super bitch for 90% of the book, and then just as inexplicably reverts back to her usual self?
So yeah . . . this book was flawed. But despite evidence to the contrary, I didn't hate it. As I mentioned earlier, Wells is incredibly insightful in some of her observations, and when I wasn't put off by the teenage boy non-humor, there were lots-o-funny times as well. I have higher hopes for the next book, b/c Kate finally seems to have stopped fighting the useless battle to not use her gift, and given that my graphic sexual violence issues were a result of this book's plotline, I'm hopeful that it isn't going to be a recurring theme. HOWEVER . . . if it is, then I am OUT.
I'd recommend this book to people who like darker and grittier UF series and who aren't sensitive to sexual assault.
January 11, 2021
☢ Bloody Hell it Was even Better the Second Time Around Up Up Up the Rating Goes MacHalo-istic Buddy Reread (BHiWeBtSTaUUUtRGMHBR™) ☢
Previous rating: 4 stars
New rating: 5 stars. The shrimps are ecstatic right now. And so am I.
And the moral of this reread is:
This ain't no Fluffy Bunny Enabled UF (FBEUF™), my Little Barnacles! This world is wonderfully dirrrrty, this world is deliciously gritty, this world is succulently raw, this world is exquisitely dark, this world is full of delightful people who tell it like it is, don't watch their language and have mastered the art of uttering delectable profanities. This world is pure freaking bliss.
Also:
➽ The whole Dirty vs Clean magic + potion cooking + potion junkies + potion everything stuff is shrimping fantastic. Definitely one of the mostest awesomest, mostest interestingest, mostest creativest UF worlds ever. To think Wells' publisher freaking declined to buy more books in the series! People of Orbit, watch out, I'm about to unleash the murderous crustaceans on you, and they are seriously pissed off.
➽ Kate Prospero, aka Cupcake, aka our kick ass chick in residence, is a beautifully fucked up mess.
➽ Drew Morales, aka Macho, aka Cupcake's partner, is yum yum yum yummy. You know what this means, right? Poof! Gone! High Security Harem, here we go!
➽ The whole cast of secondary characters is Woot Woot Woot Material (WWWM™): LM & Mary are the coolest kind of weird, Baba is and forever will be the mostest excellentesthorniest septuagenarian ever, and goat dudes, leprechauns and hermaphrodite sex priestesses rock.
➽ The dialogues are hahahaha sarcastically hilarious and hilariously sarcastic, especially wheneverrude stuff and imaginative obscenities colourful language and slightly improper comments start flowing.
➽ The sex/rapey potion plot is original and fun and cool and exciting and stuff.
➽ And QED and blah blah blah and blah blah blah. And stuff. Obviously.
» And the moral of the moral of this reread is:
· Book 0.5: Fire Water ★★★★
· Book 1: Dirty Magic ★★★★
· Book 3: Deadly Spells ★★★★★
· Book 4: Volatile Bonds ★★★
Original crappy non-review (December 2014):
Jaye Wells. You got me at the opening scene.
A flute-playing satyr (aka "the goat dude"): "He river-danced around us a couple of times."
+
A leprechaun with an attitude problem:"Put down the cauldron!"
+
A dirty magic lust potion causing mayhem in a park: "The first thing I saw was one of the cops humping the statue like a stripper on a pole."
=
Can't put the book down.
Kate Prospero. Cupcake. You are so messed up. And so awesome. I love you. Forget the Arcane Anonymous meetings, who needs them anyway? Bring out the booze! Then become an emotional wreck. Fight with Danny. Fight with Pen. Have doubts about joining the MEA. Cook magic? Don't cook magic? What side are you on? Girl you really need to get your act together. But kick ass you still do.
Cursed Moon is one crazy ride. Non-stop action, lots of intrigue, crazy villains, hilarious scenes & dialogues, great cast of characters, sexual tension (Morales. Ever so yummy): what more could you possibly ask for?
Time for a list of random awesomeness:
Don't Use Dirty Elixirs (DUDE), Sortigele Inc, The Mystical Coven of the Sacred Orgasm (again. I know. Can't be helped. I just love the idea.), Aphrodite Johnson the hermaphrodite Hierophant (the he/she- her/m- s/he- conversations! Bahahahaha!), the dirty magic induced sex riot, Baba (always happy to harass the eligible bachelors at the senior center), the Temple for Cosmic Love, Kate being hexed with the lust potion ("Bring that wand over here wizard" hahahahaha!), Baba (always there when you need your ass kicked), the winery scene (Kate & Morales rock), Volos finally getting what he deserves , the Lake Erie scene, Morales ("Cupcake?" *sighs*), Pen being aggravating yet (and very surprisingly) still lovable, the betting pool at the MEA^^, "first date" at Crowley haha … I could go on for hours.
Magic and potions and mayhem, oh my!
Just do yourself a favour and read this series.
Previous rating: 4 stars
New rating: 5 stars. The shrimps are ecstatic right now. And so am I.
And the moral of this reread is:
This ain't no Fluffy Bunny Enabled UF (FBEUF™), my Little Barnacles! This world is wonderfully dirrrrty, this world is deliciously gritty, this world is succulently raw, this world is exquisitely dark, this world is full of delightful people who tell it like it is, don't watch their language and have mastered the art of uttering delectable profanities. This world is pure freaking bliss.
Also:
➽ The whole Dirty vs Clean magic + potion cooking + potion junkies + potion everything stuff is shrimping fantastic. Definitely one of the mostest awesomest, mostest interestingest, mostest creativest UF worlds ever. To think Wells' publisher freaking declined to buy more books in the series! People of Orbit, watch out, I'm about to unleash the murderous crustaceans on you, and they are seriously pissed off.
➽ Kate Prospero, aka Cupcake, aka our kick ass chick in residence, is a beautifully fucked up mess.
➽ Drew Morales, aka Macho, aka Cupcake's partner, is yum yum yum yummy. You know what this means, right? Poof! Gone! High Security Harem, here we go!
➽ The whole cast of secondary characters is Woot Woot Woot Material (WWWM™): LM & Mary are the coolest kind of weird, Baba is and forever will be the mostest excellentest
➽ The dialogues are hahahaha sarcastically hilarious and hilariously sarcastic, especially whenever
➽ The sex/rapey potion plot is original and fun and cool and exciting and stuff.
➽ And QED and blah blah blah and blah blah blah. And stuff. Obviously.
» And the moral of the moral of this reread is:
· Book 0.5: Fire Water ★★★★
· Book 1: Dirty Magic ★★★★
· Book 3: Deadly Spells ★★★★★
· Book 4: Volatile Bonds ★★★
Original crappy non-review (December 2014):
Jaye Wells. You got me at the opening scene.
A flute-playing satyr (aka "the goat dude"): "He river-danced around us a couple of times."
+
A leprechaun with an attitude problem:"Put down the cauldron!"
+
A dirty magic lust potion causing mayhem in a park: "The first thing I saw was one of the cops humping the statue like a stripper on a pole."
=
Can't put the book down.
Kate Prospero. Cupcake. You are so messed up. And so awesome. I love you. Forget the Arcane Anonymous meetings, who needs them anyway? Bring out the booze! Then become an emotional wreck. Fight with Danny. Fight with Pen. Have doubts about joining the MEA. Cook magic? Don't cook magic? What side are you on? Girl you really need to get your act together. But kick ass you still do.
Cursed Moon is one crazy ride. Non-stop action, lots of intrigue, crazy villains, hilarious scenes & dialogues, great cast of characters, sexual tension (Morales. Ever so yummy): what more could you possibly ask for?
Time for a list of random awesomeness:
Don't Use Dirty Elixirs (DUDE), Sortigele Inc, The Mystical Coven of the Sacred Orgasm (again. I know. Can't be helped. I just love the idea.), Aphrodite Johnson the hermaphrodite Hierophant (the he/she- her/m- s/he- conversations! Bahahahaha!), the dirty magic induced sex riot, Baba (always happy to harass the eligible bachelors at the senior center), the Temple for Cosmic Love, Kate being hexed with the lust potion ("Bring that wand over here wizard" hahahahaha!), Baba (always there when you need your ass kicked), the winery scene (Kate & Morales rock), Volos finally getting what he deserves , the Lake Erie scene, Morales ("Cupcake?" *sighs*), Pen being aggravating yet (and very surprisingly) still lovable, the betting pool at the MEA^^, "first date" at Crowley haha … I could go on for hours.
Magic and potions and mayhem, oh my!
Just do yourself a favour and read this series.
April 10, 2022
Cursed Moon by Jaye Wells
2nd book in the Prospero’s War series. Should be read in series order. Urban fantasy.
More intense. More magic. More family drama. More police action.
Warning: male rape under the influence of magic. That was a little too ugly for me.
2nd book in the Prospero’s War series. Should be read in series order. Urban fantasy.
More intense. More magic. More family drama. More police action.
Warning: male rape under the influence of magic. That was a little too ugly for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 18, 2016
Kate Prospero, MEA Detective (that's Magic Enforcement Agency), has a problem: Someone is planning on laying down some serious magic on Halloween night that will drive her city into a rapey rage.
Why is it always Halloween? There is a guy in a leprechaun suit involved, why not Saint Patrick's day (which is today, BTW... I hope you are all barfing up green beer about now.) Or, since they are releasing a very very potent love potion, why not Saint Valentine's Day? I'm just saying, the Halloween thing - it's played, baby. Really played.
So, that's our mystery for this book : Stop the bad guy with the rapey potion. And, it's exciting and fun. Although, I have to admit that the rapey potion is also pretty exciting in its own way:
The first thing I saw was one of the cops humping the statue like a stripper on a pole. The other officer's chest was bare and he was just a zipper away from flashing his little wand to the crowd.
See? Exciting! You don't see that every day. (And, if you do, please message me immediately. I need to know where you live and maybe see some photos of your police force.)
These books are set in an awesome world and have a lot of funny moments in them. But, the very best part of them are the characters. Kate was a bitch through most of this book, but the side characters delivered enough to make it worth her midol moments.
There is her partner, Morales. He is always funny and sarcastic in a macho-man way.
"Please, all the best monsters are dudes: Mothra, Godzilla, King Kong."
"What about Nessie?" I asked.
He grimaced. "HE probably hates that sissy nickname."
Then, there is Mez, the MEA wizard who sports different colored dreadlocks every day.
Mez's dreadlocks were pulled back into a ponytail and topped with a pair of goggles. Pair that with his lab coat...and he looked like an Asian mad scientist.
And, of course there is Baba - Kate's elderly neighbor who is constantly flirting with Morales and trying to get Kate to try her love potions.
Baba answered the door. That night she wore a black housecoat with purple cats embroidered along the hem. She even had a broom in her hand to complete the domestic witch look. "Come in, com in," she said. "What took you so long? I'd punch a priest for a pizza right now."
Plus, in this story we get a hermaphrodite love goddess who dresses in half man/half female clothes, a guy dressed up as a satyr, a woman with a man-baby stuck to her chest, an albino with an ankh tattooed on his forehead, a leprechaun, and a crazy guy who thinks he is a Greek god.
Yes, it's that good.
Why is it always Halloween? There is a guy in a leprechaun suit involved, why not Saint Patrick's day (which is today, BTW... I hope you are all barfing up green beer about now.) Or, since they are releasing a very very potent love potion, why not Saint Valentine's Day? I'm just saying, the Halloween thing - it's played, baby. Really played.
So, that's our mystery for this book : Stop the bad guy with the rapey potion. And, it's exciting and fun. Although, I have to admit that the rapey potion is also pretty exciting in its own way:
The first thing I saw was one of the cops humping the statue like a stripper on a pole. The other officer's chest was bare and he was just a zipper away from flashing his little wand to the crowd.
See? Exciting! You don't see that every day. (And, if you do, please message me immediately. I need to know where you live and maybe see some photos of your police force.)
These books are set in an awesome world and have a lot of funny moments in them. But, the very best part of them are the characters. Kate was a bitch through most of this book, but the side characters delivered enough to make it worth her midol moments.
There is her partner, Morales. He is always funny and sarcastic in a macho-man way.
"Please, all the best monsters are dudes: Mothra, Godzilla, King Kong."
"What about Nessie?" I asked.
He grimaced. "HE probably hates that sissy nickname."
Then, there is Mez, the MEA wizard who sports different colored dreadlocks every day.
Mez's dreadlocks were pulled back into a ponytail and topped with a pair of goggles. Pair that with his lab coat...and he looked like an Asian mad scientist.
And, of course there is Baba - Kate's elderly neighbor who is constantly flirting with Morales and trying to get Kate to try her love potions.
Baba answered the door. That night she wore a black housecoat with purple cats embroidered along the hem. She even had a broom in her hand to complete the domestic witch look. "Come in, com in," she said. "What took you so long? I'd punch a priest for a pizza right now."
Plus, in this story we get a hermaphrodite love goddess who dresses in half man/half female clothes, a guy dressed up as a satyr, a woman with a man-baby stuck to her chest, an albino with an ankh tattooed on his forehead, a leprechaun, and a crazy guy who thinks he is a Greek god.
Yes, it's that good.
December 30, 2016
*** 4 ***
Another UF read with my girls Sarah, Maria, and V:) Better late then never:)
This was good! What I like about this series and this writer all together is something most people dislike - she is rude, crude and is not gentle with any of her characters. In this book there were moments bordering on crass and some vivid, not very attractive memories of Kate's mom when she was a prostitute and Kate caught her in situations no child should see their mother. It was even more jarring because it was thrown in here and there with not much more than some vague reminiscences. There was also a scene of rape on a college campus, which is not for the faint of heart... Also, there were a lot of horny and rape-inducing magical potions, some crazy magic robbers and mythical impressionists like A flute-playing satyr and potty moth leprechaun, whose only strive was mayhem and pain during the Blue Moon. And as always, only Kate and Macho, as well as their team, can stand in their way of destroying the city.
"..."“But men who dress as goats and gallivant through sex riots playing flutes tend not to be the most logical people.”..."
I was glad to read once again about detective Kate Prospero, a magical adept who used to cook dirty magic and now finds herself on the other side of the deal - she is a cop who fights the war on dirty magic and all the damage it does to the users and society as a whole... We thought cocaine and heroin were bad... She gets to work with her hot partner, Morales, aka Macho, the whole team at the Magic Enforcement Agency, and the always reluctant Babylon PD. We also get to revisit Kate's brother Deny, who is still a teenager, thus a pain in the ass by default, her best friend Pen, who was quite a bit of a bitch in this one, my favorite Baba, Mary and Little Man, Kate's snitches, whom I adore, and in the background there is the ever looming presence of her ex-boyfriend and major asshole John Volo. We got a new, very disturbing hermaphrodite priestess, and I am looking forward to learn more about her:) A;; of it is set on top of her memories and life with her uncle Abe, who is safely imprisoned at the moment, hopefully staying so for a long, long time...
"..."“It--it was an accident," I said.
"Sometimes accidents are merely manifestations of wishes long denied.”..."
Although there is the never ending action and police procedural, the main conflict of the story is Kate's relationship with magic, clean and dirty alike, which affects her relationships with all the people around her. It is the direct link to the issues she is having with those who are closest to her and I was getting a bit tired of the mulish refusal of her actually dealing with her attitude and the reasons behind it, but we did get partial resolution by the end of the book and I was happy with it!
I can't wait to jump into the next book and will do so as soon as possible.
"..."“You’re only as sick as your secrets.” —Recovery program saying”..."
Now I wish you Happy Reading and a very Happy New Year!!!!
Another UF read with my girls Sarah, Maria, and V:) Better late then never:)
This was good! What I like about this series and this writer all together is something most people dislike - she is rude, crude and is not gentle with any of her characters. In this book there were moments bordering on crass and some vivid, not very attractive memories of Kate's mom when she was a prostitute and Kate caught her in situations no child should see their mother. It was even more jarring because it was thrown in here and there with not much more than some vague reminiscences. There was also a scene of rape on a college campus, which is not for the faint of heart... Also, there were a lot of horny and rape-inducing magical potions, some crazy magic robbers and mythical impressionists like A flute-playing satyr and potty moth leprechaun, whose only strive was mayhem and pain during the Blue Moon. And as always, only Kate and Macho, as well as their team, can stand in their way of destroying the city.
"..."“But men who dress as goats and gallivant through sex riots playing flutes tend not to be the most logical people.”..."
I was glad to read once again about detective Kate Prospero, a magical adept who used to cook dirty magic and now finds herself on the other side of the deal - she is a cop who fights the war on dirty magic and all the damage it does to the users and society as a whole... We thought cocaine and heroin were bad... She gets to work with her hot partner, Morales, aka Macho, the whole team at the Magic Enforcement Agency, and the always reluctant Babylon PD. We also get to revisit Kate's brother Deny, who is still a teenager, thus a pain in the ass by default, her best friend Pen, who was quite a bit of a bitch in this one, my favorite Baba, Mary and Little Man, Kate's snitches, whom I adore, and in the background there is the ever looming presence of her ex-boyfriend and major asshole John Volo. We got a new, very disturbing hermaphrodite priestess, and I am looking forward to learn more about her:) A;; of it is set on top of her memories and life with her uncle Abe, who is safely imprisoned at the moment, hopefully staying so for a long, long time...
"..."“It--it was an accident," I said.
"Sometimes accidents are merely manifestations of wishes long denied.”..."
Although there is the never ending action and police procedural, the main conflict of the story is Kate's relationship with magic, clean and dirty alike, which affects her relationships with all the people around her. It is the direct link to the issues she is having with those who are closest to her and I was getting a bit tired of the mulish refusal of her actually dealing with her attitude and the reasons behind it, but we did get partial resolution by the end of the book and I was happy with it!
I can't wait to jump into the next book and will do so as soon as possible.
"..."“You’re only as sick as your secrets.” —Recovery program saying”..."
Now I wish you Happy Reading and a very Happy New Year!!!!
October 31, 2019
Interesting, but I haven't found the 'zing'. It's a pretty typical UF, nothing special yet. Kate is starting to be fun, but I can't relate to her yet. Danny is still awesome (and frankly, I'm really curious about what will happen to him).
Can't say the plot is too engaging, but I haven't given up. I expected a lot more form this series, seeing as everyone praises it, saying how awesome Kate Prospero is.
Still, I'll go on, see what happens.
Can't say the plot is too engaging, but I haven't given up. I expected a lot more form this series, seeing as everyone praises it, saying how awesome Kate Prospero is.
Still, I'll go on, see what happens.
October 14, 2018
Magic is alive in the world, but since it’s people using it magic can become dark. Instead of drugs for ailments magic works. Unfortunately some people become addicted to prescription magic, especially the dark stuff. Our heroine works for a magic task force. In this one she and her team are trying to save the city from a Bacchanalian bad guy who wants everyone to self destruct through sex.
Good story. Dark and hardly any humor.
Good story. Dark and hardly any humor.
December 30, 2016
I completely forgot to write this review. Idiot me!
Where do I start? From the rating it's obvious I loved the book. It had all the elements I adore. Particularly the great banter between Morales and Kate. I don't think I would have liked the guy half as much if it wasn't for the witty comebacks! The plot was super interesting. And it make me feel grateful that I don't live in that world. There are enough crazy fanatics in the real world with deadly weapons if they could potentially get magical ones as well we'll be screwed. Thankfully Babylon has Kate Prospero to save it.
The biggest drama in the book occurred between Kate and Pen. Pen failed the BFF test. She acted horribly towards Kate and was so full of vitriol that I wanted to smack her! How dare she judge Kate for doing whatever is necessary to save her little brother. I would do a hell of a lot more than give up on a sobriety I had forced on myself if it means saving a life! And if that life belongs to a family member or a friend? You can bet that I won't even think about it before I do it. In the end Kate proved to be a better person than me because I'm not sure I wouldn't have made Pen to grovel before letting her back in my good graces.
Cursed Moon improved on Dirty Magic by adding more dept to both the world and the characters. It sucks you in and makes you crave more. A great addition to the UF genre.
Where do I start? From the rating it's obvious I loved the book. It had all the elements I adore. Particularly the great banter between Morales and Kate. I don't think I would have liked the guy half as much if it wasn't for the witty comebacks! The plot was super interesting. And it make me feel grateful that I don't live in that world. There are enough crazy fanatics in the real world with deadly weapons if they could potentially get magical ones as well we'll be screwed. Thankfully Babylon has Kate Prospero to save it.
The biggest drama in the book occurred between Kate and Pen. Pen failed the BFF test. She acted horribly towards Kate and was so full of vitriol that I wanted to smack her! How dare she judge Kate for doing whatever is necessary to save her little brother. I would do a hell of a lot more than give up on a sobriety I had forced on myself if it means saving a life! And if that life belongs to a family member or a friend? You can bet that I won't even think about it before I do it. In the end Kate proved to be a better person than me because I'm not sure I wouldn't have made Pen to grovel before letting her back in my good graces.
Cursed Moon improved on Dirty Magic by adding more dept to both the world and the characters. It sucks you in and makes you crave more. A great addition to the UF genre.
January 7, 2015
Not a bad series so far, though the protagonist really tries my patience sometimes. Stupid, self-righteous, and selfish hypocritical bully...
May 28, 2015
“Did you know a woman’s pussy contains magical properties, Special Agent?”
Morales, God love him, did not even blink. “I’m well acquainted with the magical powers of pussy, ma’am.”
:)
Morales, God love him, did not even blink. “I’m well acquainted with the magical powers of pussy, ma’am.”
:)
June 28, 2023
The high suspense in this novel, which is set about six weeks after the events of the first book Dirty Magic, is keyed to our friends' desperate effort to stop a Raven (kind of a rogue wizard) from using his chaos magic to destroy the city of Babylon at the moment the moon becomes full, because it will be a rare Blue Moon. Chaos creeps into all magical affairs as the Blue Moon approaches, reaching an extreme that will make the city vulnerable to the Raven's weapon.
That notion that a blue moon is somehow cursed (as in the book's title) spoiled the excitement for me, because my understanding was that it's just what you call any full moon that happens on the 29th-31st of a month--nothing special about it that should affect magic, psychic stuff, the etheric, whatever. To double check, I searched "blue moon" in Wikipedia and learned something I never knew before; you may already know it.
Blue moon is what the Maine Farmers' Almanac called the third full moon in a season with four of them. Because the interval between full moons is a little shorter than a calendar month, there are seven "blue" moons in any nineteen-year period. Not so rare after all. And still not magical in any way!
But the fearsome full moon in this story has a magical or occult side I could definitely get into emotionally, even though it was never made an issue. It coincides with Halloween, better: with Samhain, a day of great power in the pre-Christian Celtic universe and elsewhere too I think. So like an editor I tried to make that mental adjustment and enjoy the suspense! And it worked, partly.
Anyhow, that's why for me the adventure this time around was overshadowed by the human drama, and that had to do with secrets and lies. Kate Prospero's strong ethical sense and good will cause her to suffer in every interaction with her colleagues, especially Morales the ranking officer and Gardner the chief of the Magical Enforcement Agency unit that has taken Kate on. You see, . The spoiler tag is for the first book, Dirty Magic; feel free to open it if you've already read that one (recommended!).
The heart of the story for me was the development of Kate's relationships with Morales, Gardner, her kid brother, wealthy problem person and ex-lover John Volos, and her uncle Abe the master criminal who's still powerful in prison. It gets very tense indeed before a conclusion that left me feeling pretty satisfied. 3.5 stars rounded up.
For the world-building and the cast of characters, here's my review of the first book: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show....
That notion that a blue moon is somehow cursed (as in the book's title) spoiled the excitement for me, because my understanding was that it's just what you call any full moon that happens on the 29th-31st of a month--nothing special about it that should affect magic, psychic stuff, the etheric, whatever. To double check, I searched "blue moon" in Wikipedia and learned something I never knew before; you may already know it.
Blue moon is what the Maine Farmers' Almanac called the third full moon in a season with four of them. Because the interval between full moons is a little shorter than a calendar month, there are seven "blue" moons in any nineteen-year period. Not so rare after all. And still not magical in any way!
But the fearsome full moon in this story has a magical or occult side I could definitely get into emotionally, even though it was never made an issue. It coincides with Halloween, better: with Samhain, a day of great power in the pre-Christian Celtic universe and elsewhere too I think. So like an editor I tried to make that mental adjustment and enjoy the suspense! And it worked, partly.
Anyhow, that's why for me the adventure this time around was overshadowed by the human drama, and that had to do with secrets and lies. Kate Prospero's strong ethical sense and good will cause her to suffer in every interaction with her colleagues, especially Morales the ranking officer and Gardner the chief of the Magical Enforcement Agency unit that has taken Kate on. You see, . The spoiler tag is for the first book, Dirty Magic; feel free to open it if you've already read that one (recommended!).
The heart of the story for me was the development of Kate's relationships with Morales, Gardner, her kid brother, wealthy problem person and ex-lover John Volos, and her uncle Abe the master criminal who's still powerful in prison. It gets very tense indeed before a conclusion that left me feeling pretty satisfied. 3.5 stars rounded up.
For the world-building and the cast of characters, here's my review of the first book: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show....
September 3, 2014
Initial Thoughts I fell in love with this series when I read Dirty Magic and I can say that I thoroughly enjoyed Cursed Moon book 2 of Jaye Wells' The Prospero's War series. In this installment, Kate and her MEA (Magic Enforcement Agency)team are working against the upcoming Blue Moon (which coincides nicely with Halloween), when all hell is to break loose in the city of Babylon, Ohio. Kate also has a few issues of her own to work through as well. This is a dark and gritty book, with an amazing cast of secondary characters and a well developed, intricately built world.
Christal and I review this book on Badass Book Reviews. Check it out!
Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit for a review copy of this book.
Christal and I review this book on Badass Book Reviews. Check it out!
Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit for a review copy of this book.
June 5, 2023
Stars: 4 out of 5.
I am liking this series so far. The first book was a surprise hit for me, and the second book continues the streak of good luck. The action picks up several weeks after the events of the first book, and leaves Kate with a lot of guilt and frustration over what happened and what she was forced to do (and then cover up). That frustration slowly builds up during this book until it all comes to a boiling point and explodes all over her relationships with the people she cares most about. It was messy, it was frustrating to watch, and I wanted to cuff her around the head a few times for being a dick, but I never stopped caring. That's a sign of a good book right there - when the character behaves like a dick, and you still care because you understand what's going on and where she is coming from.
I loved the concept of the Blue Moon, and the effect it would have on Adepts vs Mundane people. Or that magic would be stronger and more chaotic during that phase. Not only did that raze the stakes for our characters, but it also dialed all their feelings up. And when emotions run high, things are bound to get messy. But, like Baba said, the Blue Moon can also be a blessing in disguise, because it shakes up the status quo.
By the end of this book Kate finally came to terms with her past and her magic, which made her stronger as a person. She also cleared the air with her brother and Pam. Hopefully, their relationships will be healthier going forward.
I also have to mention that Baba is quickly becoming one of my favorite characters. She is far from being this cookie old lady that cooks homemade remedies and plays bingo at the community center. I think both Kate and the reader tend to forget that she had a long and eventful life before she got to enjoy her twilight years, and this book showcases that very well. Baba is the one who sees through Kate's bulls&^t and calls her on it. Baba is the one who doesn't judge, just nudges her in the right direction and gives some very good advice. I honestly want to know more about Baba now!
Of course, this book also left us with more questions than answers. What really happened to Kate's mother, and why does it scare Uncle Abe so much? Who financed Dionysus and "aimed" him at Babylon? What is Uncle Abe's end game? And what does John Volos really want?
I guess I will need to pick up the next book to find out. And I will gladly do that.
I am liking this series so far. The first book was a surprise hit for me, and the second book continues the streak of good luck. The action picks up several weeks after the events of the first book, and leaves Kate with a lot of guilt and frustration over what happened and what she was forced to do (and then cover up). That frustration slowly builds up during this book until it all comes to a boiling point and explodes all over her relationships with the people she cares most about. It was messy, it was frustrating to watch, and I wanted to cuff her around the head a few times for being a dick, but I never stopped caring. That's a sign of a good book right there - when the character behaves like a dick, and you still care because you understand what's going on and where she is coming from.
I loved the concept of the Blue Moon, and the effect it would have on Adepts vs Mundane people. Or that magic would be stronger and more chaotic during that phase. Not only did that raze the stakes for our characters, but it also dialed all their feelings up. And when emotions run high, things are bound to get messy. But, like Baba said, the Blue Moon can also be a blessing in disguise, because it shakes up the status quo.
By the end of this book Kate finally came to terms with her past and her magic, which made her stronger as a person. She also cleared the air with her brother and Pam. Hopefully, their relationships will be healthier going forward.
I also have to mention that Baba is quickly becoming one of my favorite characters. She is far from being this cookie old lady that cooks homemade remedies and plays bingo at the community center. I think both Kate and the reader tend to forget that she had a long and eventful life before she got to enjoy her twilight years, and this book showcases that very well. Baba is the one who sees through Kate's bulls&^t and calls her on it. Baba is the one who doesn't judge, just nudges her in the right direction and gives some very good advice. I honestly want to know more about Baba now!
Of course, this book also left us with more questions than answers. What really happened to Kate's mother, and why does it scare Uncle Abe so much? Who financed Dionysus and "aimed" him at Babylon? What is Uncle Abe's end game? And what does John Volos really want?
I guess I will need to pick up the next book to find out. And I will gladly do that.
April 28, 2015
*Genre* Urban Fantasy
*Rating* 3.0
*My Thoughts*
Featuring protagonist Kate Prospero, Cursed Moon is the second installment in The Prospero's War series by Jaye Wells. Kate is a former coven member who walked away from magic 10 years ago after her mother died. She's come a long way since. 5 years as one of the only Adept (magic) cops; was deeply involved in events of Dirty Magic in stopping Ramses Bane; received a promotion to the rank of detective in the Babylon PD. She's now part of the task force known as the Magical Enforcement Agency which has taken up home in Babylon.
*Full Review posted @ Gizmos Reviews 04/28/2015*
http://www.gizmosreviews.blogspot.com...
Published: August 12th 2014 by Orbit
*Rating* 3.0
*My Thoughts*
Featuring protagonist Kate Prospero, Cursed Moon is the second installment in The Prospero's War series by Jaye Wells. Kate is a former coven member who walked away from magic 10 years ago after her mother died. She's come a long way since. 5 years as one of the only Adept (magic) cops; was deeply involved in events of Dirty Magic in stopping Ramses Bane; received a promotion to the rank of detective in the Babylon PD. She's now part of the task force known as the Magical Enforcement Agency which has taken up home in Babylon.
*Full Review posted @ Gizmos Reviews 04/28/2015*
http://www.gizmosreviews.blogspot.com...
Published: August 12th 2014 by Orbit
November 21, 2017
4 1\2
I'm seriously thinking of going paper with this series and buying it on paperback too.
And yes I loved it almost more than the first, and yes, it represents everything I like in the genre. Mystery, procedural, political dealings, a very shady world. Gritty and not for the faint of heart.
After the damning hints given here I so want the third book...
I'm seriously thinking of going paper with this series and buying it on paperback too.
And yes I loved it almost more than the first, and yes, it represents everything I like in the genre. Mystery, procedural, political dealings, a very shady world. Gritty and not for the faint of heart.
After the damning hints given here I so want the third book...
June 28, 2015
Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales
Quick & Dirty: A madman is planning something big for the people of the Cauldron, and it’s up to Kate Prospero and the agents of the MEA to stop him in this thrilling second book in the Prospero’s War series.
Opening Sentence: If you want to know your future, the last person to ask is a fortune-teller.
The Review:
Kate Prospero has been fighting a lot of personal demons since closing her first big case with the MEA. Only one other person knows that she cooked the potion that saved her brother’s life. As far as the rest of the world is concerned, she’s still clean. Keeping the secret is beginning to take its toll. Friends are thinking she’s drinking too much, her brother Danny thinks she’s working too much, and her temper is wearing pretty thin. Amidst all this personal turmoil, she has yet another big case. One of the most powerful people in the Cauldron has been robbed, and the theft makes Kate realize that someone is planning to cause a lot of chaos in the city. With the Blue Moon approaching, the countdown is on. Will Kate and the rest of the MEA be able to track down the thief before he unleashes his new weapon on the world?
I really enjoyed the first book in this series, so I was really excited to have the chance to read and review this one. Thankfully, this book was just as enjoyable as the first one. It was fast paced and full of the humor that I loved in the first book. I think my only complaint would be that it took me a little bit of time to get my bearings and remember how the world worked since it had been a while since I had read the first book. There was a bit of recapping, but this is definitely a series that needs to be read in order.
One of my favorite things about this series is how Jaye Wells is able to make a world full of magic seem so realistic. This comes through especially in the relationships Kate has with the secondary characters. Her relationship with Danny continues to make me feel very emotional as I read certain scenes. I get so wrapped up in the book that I feel like I’m Kate, so the problems she’s having with Danny feel like they’re my problems as well.
Another aspect of the book that feels very real is how Kate handles her relapse and how it affects her relationships. There were many times I found myself feeling very frustrated with Kate and how she responded to certain situations, but even through my frustration, I felt that how she was acting was very true to life. Because of that, I found myself feeling even more connected to her despite my frustration.
For those looking for a bit of romance, they’ll be disappointed with this installment. There are developments on the romance front, but they’re very slight, and it’s much more of a detective story than a romance. As someone who loves romance, I honestly didn’t miss it. I was so wrapped up in everything else that was going on that I really didn’t care. That more than anything should show how much I enjoyed this book. I’m very much looking forward to book three!
Notable Scene:
His costume–too short for his five-foot-and-spare-change frame–was a green double-breasted blazer, matching tights, and two black shoes with shiny silver buckles. A bowler hat on his head tipped jauntily forward over greasy brown hair. And on each cheek, he’d painted a jagged black lightning bolt.
He turned to face us, and a small plume of glittery golden powder spilled from the cauldron’s wide mouth.
I had my weapon in my hand before you could say Erin go Bragh. “Stand down!” I shouted in my best or-I’ll-shoot tone.
A single black brow disappeared under the brim of the hat. His gaze went to the salt flare gun in my hand. Every criminal in the Cauldron knew that the rock salt’s purpose was as much about inflicting pain as it was neutralizing magic.
Beside me, Morales aimed his Glock at the guy. “Put down the cauldron!”
As it turned out, fake leprechauns are surprisingly fast runners. One second he was staring down the barrels of our guns, and the next the bastard took off. The tails of his jacket flapped in the breeze, and it was a miracle of physics that he managed to keep his hat attached to his head. Morales and I exchanged shocked looks and took after the little shit.
“We need EMS at Pioneer Square,” I yelled into my phone. “Two officers down and several civilians hexed.”
“Ten-four, Detective Prospero,” the dispatcher replied. “On their way.”
“Stay with him,” Morales snapped. “I’ll cut through the alley and head him off at the intersection.”
He veered off to the left. I dug in and ignored the burning in my thighs. My gaze locked in on the sequined clover mocking me from the back of the leprechaun’s coat.
A high-pitched, potion-mad giggle taunted me. “Ye can’t catch the Leprechaun Man!”
I considered shooting the asshole in his pot of gold.
FTC Advisory: Orbit provided me with a copy of Cursed Moon. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
Quick & Dirty: A madman is planning something big for the people of the Cauldron, and it’s up to Kate Prospero and the agents of the MEA to stop him in this thrilling second book in the Prospero’s War series.
Opening Sentence: If you want to know your future, the last person to ask is a fortune-teller.
The Review:
Kate Prospero has been fighting a lot of personal demons since closing her first big case with the MEA. Only one other person knows that she cooked the potion that saved her brother’s life. As far as the rest of the world is concerned, she’s still clean. Keeping the secret is beginning to take its toll. Friends are thinking she’s drinking too much, her brother Danny thinks she’s working too much, and her temper is wearing pretty thin. Amidst all this personal turmoil, she has yet another big case. One of the most powerful people in the Cauldron has been robbed, and the theft makes Kate realize that someone is planning to cause a lot of chaos in the city. With the Blue Moon approaching, the countdown is on. Will Kate and the rest of the MEA be able to track down the thief before he unleashes his new weapon on the world?
I really enjoyed the first book in this series, so I was really excited to have the chance to read and review this one. Thankfully, this book was just as enjoyable as the first one. It was fast paced and full of the humor that I loved in the first book. I think my only complaint would be that it took me a little bit of time to get my bearings and remember how the world worked since it had been a while since I had read the first book. There was a bit of recapping, but this is definitely a series that needs to be read in order.
One of my favorite things about this series is how Jaye Wells is able to make a world full of magic seem so realistic. This comes through especially in the relationships Kate has with the secondary characters. Her relationship with Danny continues to make me feel very emotional as I read certain scenes. I get so wrapped up in the book that I feel like I’m Kate, so the problems she’s having with Danny feel like they’re my problems as well.
Another aspect of the book that feels very real is how Kate handles her relapse and how it affects her relationships. There were many times I found myself feeling very frustrated with Kate and how she responded to certain situations, but even through my frustration, I felt that how she was acting was very true to life. Because of that, I found myself feeling even more connected to her despite my frustration.
For those looking for a bit of romance, they’ll be disappointed with this installment. There are developments on the romance front, but they’re very slight, and it’s much more of a detective story than a romance. As someone who loves romance, I honestly didn’t miss it. I was so wrapped up in everything else that was going on that I really didn’t care. That more than anything should show how much I enjoyed this book. I’m very much looking forward to book three!
Notable Scene:
His costume–too short for his five-foot-and-spare-change frame–was a green double-breasted blazer, matching tights, and two black shoes with shiny silver buckles. A bowler hat on his head tipped jauntily forward over greasy brown hair. And on each cheek, he’d painted a jagged black lightning bolt.
He turned to face us, and a small plume of glittery golden powder spilled from the cauldron’s wide mouth.
I had my weapon in my hand before you could say Erin go Bragh. “Stand down!” I shouted in my best or-I’ll-shoot tone.
A single black brow disappeared under the brim of the hat. His gaze went to the salt flare gun in my hand. Every criminal in the Cauldron knew that the rock salt’s purpose was as much about inflicting pain as it was neutralizing magic.
Beside me, Morales aimed his Glock at the guy. “Put down the cauldron!”
As it turned out, fake leprechauns are surprisingly fast runners. One second he was staring down the barrels of our guns, and the next the bastard took off. The tails of his jacket flapped in the breeze, and it was a miracle of physics that he managed to keep his hat attached to his head. Morales and I exchanged shocked looks and took after the little shit.
“We need EMS at Pioneer Square,” I yelled into my phone. “Two officers down and several civilians hexed.”
“Ten-four, Detective Prospero,” the dispatcher replied. “On their way.”
“Stay with him,” Morales snapped. “I’ll cut through the alley and head him off at the intersection.”
He veered off to the left. I dug in and ignored the burning in my thighs. My gaze locked in on the sequined clover mocking me from the back of the leprechaun’s coat.
A high-pitched, potion-mad giggle taunted me. “Ye can’t catch the Leprechaun Man!”
I considered shooting the asshole in his pot of gold.
FTC Advisory: Orbit provided me with a copy of Cursed Moon. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
January 16, 2015
Mon avis en Français
My English review
I admit that I loved the first book and I was really looking forward to immersing myself in this second volume. It must be said that the end of the previous volume made me very curious about the continuation of Kate in the story.
Our heroine is plagued by guilt, by the heady feeling she felt while cooking these potions she thought she had long abandoned. But as she is trying to forget that fact by drinking, she plunges lost heart in her work as the Blue Moon day arrives, upsetting the lives of everyone. Oh yes because it seems that the emotions of each character are exacerbated and magic users are much more active. But when a rogue wizard steal potions in different covens, as some causing great sexual aggressiveness including rape (yes I really wondered about the purpose of these potions, really, because it is really twisted), Kate knows she will have to soon discover the culprit. But something simple at first could be more dangerous than expected, threatening the entire city.
Kate has to overcome many obstacles here and it is true that some information obtained in the course of history poses many more questions than we started with. When I remembered that the series was supposed to be a trilogy, I wondered how things were going to be unfolded thereafter. I really wish it was possible to have more books to really explore all the possibilities but still, we shall see in the next volume how it will exactly be.
I was immediately grabbed by the story and it’s true that I was really excited to see how everything would unfold. The plot was really well done and all the characters that we have discovered before are again present for our great pleasure.
As I said, we are going to learn a little more about Kate and her past, especially about her mother and her uncle. Yess! After hearing so much about her dear uncle, we truly encounter him here and I confess that I could not wait to see this meeting. But it is true that many issues are added too.
Of course, we also have a chance to see Volos again. I admit that between him and Moralez, Volos is always the one remaining in my heart. However, I think we see him too little for my taste and I love every interaction with Kate. Ah Volos is the typical example of the bad boy. I really do not understand why our heroine resists him that much elsewhere. But back to Kate, I have a few words to say about her … Oh yes because I did not expect that the reactions of the young woman would annoy me so much. She judges everyone without restriction while she should judge herself in the matter. She doesn’t take the time to take care of her little brother and retreats into a world of self-pity, which is not necessarily pleasant. I understand that she has a lot of problems, but it’s the same for everyone and sometimes you only have to understand others and help them through the process. I think she finally understands at the end of the story that sometimes she needs to share her burdden to survive and she has to avoid making decisions for others.
I have in any case spent a good time and I can not wait to read the next book.
My English review
I admit that I loved the first book and I was really looking forward to immersing myself in this second volume. It must be said that the end of the previous volume made me very curious about the continuation of Kate in the story.
Our heroine is plagued by guilt, by the heady feeling she felt while cooking these potions she thought she had long abandoned. But as she is trying to forget that fact by drinking, she plunges lost heart in her work as the Blue Moon day arrives, upsetting the lives of everyone. Oh yes because it seems that the emotions of each character are exacerbated and magic users are much more active. But when a rogue wizard steal potions in different covens, as some causing great sexual aggressiveness including rape (yes I really wondered about the purpose of these potions, really, because it is really twisted), Kate knows she will have to soon discover the culprit. But something simple at first could be more dangerous than expected, threatening the entire city.
Kate has to overcome many obstacles here and it is true that some information obtained in the course of history poses many more questions than we started with. When I remembered that the series was supposed to be a trilogy, I wondered how things were going to be unfolded thereafter. I really wish it was possible to have more books to really explore all the possibilities but still, we shall see in the next volume how it will exactly be.
I was immediately grabbed by the story and it’s true that I was really excited to see how everything would unfold. The plot was really well done and all the characters that we have discovered before are again present for our great pleasure.
As I said, we are going to learn a little more about Kate and her past, especially about her mother and her uncle. Yess! After hearing so much about her dear uncle, we truly encounter him here and I confess that I could not wait to see this meeting. But it is true that many issues are added too.
Of course, we also have a chance to see Volos again. I admit that between him and Moralez, Volos is always the one remaining in my heart. However, I think we see him too little for my taste and I love every interaction with Kate. Ah Volos is the typical example of the bad boy. I really do not understand why our heroine resists him that much elsewhere. But back to Kate, I have a few words to say about her … Oh yes because I did not expect that the reactions of the young woman would annoy me so much. She judges everyone without restriction while she should judge herself in the matter. She doesn’t take the time to take care of her little brother and retreats into a world of self-pity, which is not necessarily pleasant. I understand that she has a lot of problems, but it’s the same for everyone and sometimes you only have to understand others and help them through the process. I think she finally understands at the end of the story that sometimes she needs to share her burdden to survive and she has to avoid making decisions for others.
I have in any case spent a good time and I can not wait to read the next book.
August 23, 2014
In my review of Dirty Magic, I wrote that downside of that book was author's insisting on procedural- it would be great, but not in this world and not when heroine is Magic or Adept as they are called in book.
Events of Dirty Magic left Kate with a dirty secret, unwilling alliance with Volos and guilty conscience. She used magic few weeks upon fulfilling her 10y abstinence goal, she is hiding what happened from her best friend and colleagues and her little brother is praising Volos for saving his life. Blue Moon is approaching and magic users are getting restless, so she doesn't have one day of rest. It really doesn't help that a Raven, rogue wizard came to Babylon to create chaos and that her uncle wants to see her badly.
Oh, Kate...
Everything I didn't like about first book was only amplified in second... So, obviously, Kate is tormented because she is keeping secrets, but guilty conscience makes her also volatile, judgmental and she is drinking more often. As a consequence, she blurts in anger and hurts people who only wants the best for her. There is really not much we can like here about here. :(
Also, she still categorically refuses to use magic, so once again we read only about her cop work. The bad side was that Kate's "badass cop-ism" was cringe worthy. Just read this snippet from the part when they came to murder scene:
It’s not that I enjoyed the smell of death, but the ability to handle a rotting corpse was somewhat of a mark of honor among the BPD. Only rookies and pussies wore masks, and God help you if you yakked.
She has lines worthy of Horatio from CSI: Miami. -___-
I really didn't like that all of her friends hated her work suddenly, so we had conflict about this: This was handled badly, imo.
Plot is also centered in big part on Aphrodite, the third wheel of most powerful covens in Cauldron. I can only say that author used this to a maximum with massive gangbang scene. And no, it wasn't even funny.
Love triangle theory is confirmed, because this book was all about establishing believable basis for relationship between Kate and Morales and making him worthy opponent to Volos. Volos on the other hand is barely present and his character isn't complex any more...he is just a bad guy and we all know who is she supposed to end up with.
In line with this, the plot device to make Kate spill all her secrets was.. convenient.
There is also a kickass scene at the end where...ding, ding, ding: Kate uses magic!!! I think this is all I have to say about direction where I wish this series to go.
April 17, 2017
"Aren't all families fucked up?"
In this case, everyone in the freak-ing book. What the HELL happened?! I struggled, I mean REALLY struggled, with rating this one.
On the one hand the advancement of the plot was very good. On the other hand the characters all turned into overdramatic plebs with outrageous emotional outbursts and unreasonable judgments of themselves and each other. Added to that, this turned into a sort of jump-on-Kate anger episode for everyone involved.
Not okay. Soooo not okay.
"They killed themselves. I was simply their suicide weapon."
They crime syndicate portion of our magical crime novel is simple: we have a new kid in town who wants to tear down the thin veneer of civility seen in the Babylon by utilizing potions and targeting criminal and do-gooder alike. He seems one step ahead of everyone and likes to play sick games in public places. Added to this pandemonium we have a Blue Moon, which apparently makes everyone go a little nutzoid and the people with magic abilities more sensitive to potions and less in control of emotions and power.
"The skeletons in our closet are proof of a well-lived life."
As I may havestated hinted at the interpersonal relationships and emotional intelligence went way down hill during this book. The best friend went all holier-than-thou attitude because she was not kept apprised of the magic slips that were not abusive in the least. The little brother is in full teenage angst mode and going behind the back to the decade old ex with sketch morals and a worst past. The ex is getting presumptuous and is way to involved in Kate's life for her not having seen him for a decade. (the dude seriously needs to either come clean on the feelings or move on...acting like a manipulative jerk is not the way to win fair maiden's heart...particularly when you are into blackmail and power.) The partner is going through his meriod (man-period is a thing) with all the emotional upheavals. The boss is playing politics. And good ole Uncle Abe is back in the play.
What is a ex-potion cooker turned cop supposed to do? ALCOHOL. Lots of alcohol.
Overall this was a backward half step from the last novel. The plot progression was awesome but the character development went squiffy.
In this case, everyone in the freak-ing book. What the HELL happened?! I struggled, I mean REALLY struggled, with rating this one.
On the one hand the advancement of the plot was very good. On the other hand the characters all turned into overdramatic plebs with outrageous emotional outbursts and unreasonable judgments of themselves and each other. Added to that, this turned into a sort of jump-on-Kate anger episode for everyone involved.
Not okay. Soooo not okay.
"They killed themselves. I was simply their suicide weapon."
They crime syndicate portion of our magical crime novel is simple: we have a new kid in town who wants to tear down the thin veneer of civility seen in the Babylon by utilizing potions and targeting criminal and do-gooder alike. He seems one step ahead of everyone and likes to play sick games in public places. Added to this pandemonium we have a Blue Moon, which apparently makes everyone go a little nutzoid and the people with magic abilities more sensitive to potions and less in control of emotions and power.
"The skeletons in our closet are proof of a well-lived life."
As I may have
What is a ex-potion cooker turned cop supposed to do? ALCOHOL. Lots of alcohol.
Overall this was a backward half step from the last novel. The plot progression was awesome but the character development went squiffy.
August 14, 2014
The Prospero’s War series inhabits a world where magic permeates the landscape of chemistry and pharmacology. With hints of allegory to our own reality’s war on drugs, the fundamental difference is how those born with magical potential have an advantage when it comes to cooking, but no additional defenses against the powerful high such activity creates.
As an Adept trying to go cold turkey off cooking, Kate Prospero has all the hallmarks and emotions of an addict. This concept is introduced in book one, but the true focus of CURSED MOON is on her struggles with addiction and recovery. Guilt, anger, self-destructive behavior, Kate experiences it all. Though an understandable consequence of the events in DIRTY MAGIC, I didn’t find Kate’s emotional outbursts or self-righteousness to make for particularly good reading. I lost interest and patience for Kate’s emotional issues early on in CURSED MOON, leaving the Batman-esque super villain, Dionysus, as the only element pulling me forward through the story. This guy escaped from a mental institution, personally mailed the police and his victims pretty much every piece of evidence used to catch him, and engages in all sorts of flamboyant criminal behavior, so his presence in the story really doesn’t do anything to promote a “police procedural vibe” so much as a “when will he and the police stumble in to each other on a street corner” type deal.
But as much as I didn’t like Kate’s drama through out the book and just wanted Dionysus caught, these two issues completely switch places when it comes to end game satisfaction. Dionysus going down was a forgettable check mark, but Kate’s growth at the conclusion was extremely satisfying (if a bit abrupt). Though CURSED MOON suffers from a lot of the same issues I had with DIRTY MAGIC, this series still seems to be building an upward trend. Here’s hoping book three is the one that delivers.
Sexual Content: References to prostitution, sex, and sex acts. Rape scenes.
As an Adept trying to go cold turkey off cooking, Kate Prospero has all the hallmarks and emotions of an addict. This concept is introduced in book one, but the true focus of CURSED MOON is on her struggles with addiction and recovery. Guilt, anger, self-destructive behavior, Kate experiences it all. Though an understandable consequence of the events in DIRTY MAGIC, I didn’t find Kate’s emotional outbursts or self-righteousness to make for particularly good reading. I lost interest and patience for Kate’s emotional issues early on in CURSED MOON, leaving the Batman-esque super villain, Dionysus, as the only element pulling me forward through the story. This guy escaped from a mental institution, personally mailed the police and his victims pretty much every piece of evidence used to catch him, and engages in all sorts of flamboyant criminal behavior, so his presence in the story really doesn’t do anything to promote a “police procedural vibe” so much as a “when will he and the police stumble in to each other on a street corner” type deal.
But as much as I didn’t like Kate’s drama through out the book and just wanted Dionysus caught, these two issues completely switch places when it comes to end game satisfaction. Dionysus going down was a forgettable check mark, but Kate’s growth at the conclusion was extremely satisfying (if a bit abrupt). Though CURSED MOON suffers from a lot of the same issues I had with DIRTY MAGIC, this series still seems to be building an upward trend. Here’s hoping book three is the one that delivers.
Sexual Content: References to prostitution, sex, and sex acts. Rape scenes.
March 8, 2015
Kate is cursed. Cursed by a past that won't let go! I'm mixed about this series and Kate. Kate tries so hard to be on the straight and narrow. She's like one of those born again non-smokers. She's so critical of those who smoke because she used to smoke. Basically, it Kate's world, magic is bad because it temps a person and it's all dirty. She wrestles with her past and the fact that she could have ended up running her Uncle Abe's coven. She could be rich and powerful. Instead, she's a poorly paid detective.
I like Kate and her well meaning intentions. It's tiring to read about her though. She reminds me a lot of Gin from Jennifer Estep's Elemental Assassin series. In this one, Kate's past rears it's ugly head again. Despite it all, Kate solves the mystery and once again falls off her no magic wagon.
I like the world building in here. I like the characters too. There are so many shades of grey here with the characters. No one is perfect. In fact, it's like a book full of anti-heroes. I'm mixed about John because for me, I don't see anything really wrong about him. He reminds me of Roarke from J.D. Robb's death books. He also reminds me a little bit of Trent from the Hollow's series. Mostly, I just want to learn more about John because he's a bad boy and rich. Plus he still loves Kate even if she loathes him.
Morales as a partner is amusing as a foil to Kate. He's also prime beef to jump on. In this one, he's still funny and endearing. His response to the the Sorority orgy is hilarious. Although the realities of the Sorority girl orgy is a downer with Ms. Wells making it all "rapey". I personally found it arousing to read about sexy co-eds violating young college boys with vibrators. Oh the little bit shared was delicious.
Overall, this is a good read as I sucked it down in a few hours on a snowy Saturday afternoon. Recommended for paranormal romance lovers who also enjoy urban fantasy with a lead female who kicks ass.
I like Kate and her well meaning intentions. It's tiring to read about her though. She reminds me a lot of Gin from Jennifer Estep's Elemental Assassin series. In this one, Kate's past rears it's ugly head again. Despite it all, Kate solves the mystery and once again falls off her no magic wagon.
I like the world building in here. I like the characters too. There are so many shades of grey here with the characters. No one is perfect. In fact, it's like a book full of anti-heroes. I'm mixed about John because for me, I don't see anything really wrong about him. He reminds me of Roarke from J.D. Robb's death books. He also reminds me a little bit of Trent from the Hollow's series. Mostly, I just want to learn more about John because he's a bad boy and rich. Plus he still loves Kate even if she loathes him.
Morales as a partner is amusing as a foil to Kate. He's also prime beef to jump on. In this one, he's still funny and endearing. His response to the the Sorority orgy is hilarious. Although the realities of the Sorority girl orgy is a downer with Ms. Wells making it all "rapey". I personally found it arousing to read about sexy co-eds violating young college boys with vibrators. Oh the little bit shared was delicious.
Overall, this is a good read as I sucked it down in a few hours on a snowy Saturday afternoon. Recommended for paranormal romance lovers who also enjoy urban fantasy with a lead female who kicks ass.
December 31, 2015
3.5 stars- A new magic player, Dionysus, is in town and has stolen some sex magic potions that he is using to terrorize the town of Babylon which is already ramping up the crazy-scale due to an impending Blue Moon.
I enjoyed Cursed Moon in audio for the most part but with two exceptions. First, Second, Kate's attitude about potion use and magic in her dealings with her friends and brother irritated me - and the hypocrisy added another level to that irritation. On the plus side, Kate does have an epiphany that allows her to work on mending the damage that attitude has caused. Another plus for the book is that fallout from an encounter for Kate and fellow magical crime task force agent Morales, adds a foundational change to their relationship and it will be interesting to see what builds on that change.
So, bottom line is that Cursed Moon left me very interested in seeing what happens next for Kate and Babylon.
I enjoyed Cursed Moon in audio for the most part but with two exceptions. First, Second, Kate's attitude about potion use and magic in her dealings with her friends and brother irritated me - and the hypocrisy added another level to that irritation. On the plus side, Kate does have an epiphany that allows her to work on mending the damage that attitude has caused. Another plus for the book is that fallout from an encounter for Kate and fellow magical crime task force agent Morales, adds a foundational change to their relationship and it will be interesting to see what builds on that change.
So, bottom line is that Cursed Moon left me very interested in seeing what happens next for Kate and Babylon.
September 3, 2014
4.5 stars. I've noticed that when the best authors write fantasy they find a way to ground it in reality or find a way to solidly connect it to something that the very human readers can relate to. It feels to me like building a bridge I can use for my imagination to be able to travel accross to the story so that I can be a part of it. It might be an urban fantasy novel set in Chicago where the author tells me about real streets and restaurants, so I can see the places that are actually familiar to me. Or the way that J.K. Rawling created a secret shopping district in the center of London with a magic wall whose bricks shifted to open, and the image she created was so clear that everyone who saw the first movie based on her book all felt that it looked exactly how she described it. We all moved together from the regular London into Diagon Alley, or when we read about the kids taking the train to the school, we feel that we have moved from reality to a truly magical place.
In this book the foundation that connects the story so strongly to the real world is emotional. The city isn't a real city, it's based on somewhat on Cleveland from what I read but that seems more for the Lake Erie location than for any landmarks, political issues or other real connections. It seems like the world is supposed to be ours but it's changed so much since magic became an issue (why did that happen? I don't even know at this point) that it feels more like an alternate world, it would be easy to feel disconnected from this world and just read it as a fantasy that is fun, but not important, just a light read. But then there's Kate. After reading this second book in the series, I know Kate. I feel her struggles and I relate to her on a deep level. It doesn't matter that she can do magic or was raised totally differently from me or anyone I know. I know this woman, I get her. She's my bridge.
The best parts of the book are the parts that are the most frustrating, because they're the most real. When I was yelling at Kate for being a jerk, that was when Jaye did her job the best, because I was thinking of her as a person and not as a character. There was so much deeply emotional baggage flying around behind the scenes of this investigation, it was incredible. At the same time that I was turning the pages to try to figure out what was going on with the crazy guy who was going to do something awful to the city in a few days, I was also totally wrapped up with what was going on with Kate and her friends. And by wrapped up I mean talking back to the book the way I yell at the TV screen when my characters are doing something dumn. I was totally ticked off at Kate she was so judgmental of Pen wanting relief from the pain after her accident. I was sitting there in a lot of pain from my stupid broken toe, and let me tell you, it can get pretty darn bad and it's just a dang toe. Of course I have a chronic pain condition that exacerbates everything. Anyway, my stuff was nothing compared to what Pen was dealing with after her car accident with a concussion, sprained wrist, couple of broken ribs, contusions all down one side of her body, and whiplash. Kate wouldn't let up on her about using any kind of magic (whether she's right or not because Pen's an addict with a bad heart from her former use) in a world where they don't even make aspirin anymore because potions are too much easier/cheaper to make. I get that Kate wanted to help her friend be strong when she needed the support. But she was being such a bitch about it. She was taking so much of her own problems out on Pen because she felt guilty about having used magic to help save Danny's life. She felt like she'd relapsed on her committment to Arcane Anonymous and didnt deserve the big party everyone had just thrown her for her ten year anniversary. So she was being really harsh with Pen, who really was a potion addict and using did have serious risks for her, even using white magic.
And Baba, who refuses to listen. Even if Baba needed to be straightened out, she didn't deserve to be treated like that. Kate just kept taking her anger at herself out on the people who love her most. Sound like anyone you know? I'd be shocked if whoever is reading this hasn't been in a situation like this at least once in your life. And if Kate hadn't pushed it to the point where Pen was suffering so extremely then Pen might not have had to act so extremely. Being in pain is bad, really bad and people who don't know what it's like just stand there and judge, that's reality, but it bugs me. Just be stronger, they say, or when they don't say it, they think it. And then they get a little cold and whine for days. Right. And if Kate wasn't feeling so guilty about her own behavior she wouldn't have been so pushy with Pen anyway, Jaye knew exactly what she was writing, Kate was obviously overreacting because of her own fall off the wagon. Just like Kate was completely oblivious to the fact that her desire to drink whiskey at totally inappropriate times was a big problem. Like somehow because it wasn't potions it was OK. A lot of the deep, emotional baggage of addiction was dealt with in this book from several different angles, and it felt real, without feeling too heavy for a fun urban fantasy book. Both Kate and Pen were dealing with their pain, physical and emotional, in between dealing with all of their other commitments, just like real women do. And their friendship and love and frustration and anger felt absolutely real. Even if it hadn't read the first book and didn't know how close these two women had been for years I still would have felt the connection. And Kate's struggle with the role that magic plays in her life is critical to the book and the series, as well as to her relationships with Pen, her brother Danny, her uncle Abe. John Volos, her work, really it's the central theme of the series, so the way that the addiction theme played out in this book was a real breakthrough. And I found the scene at the end when Kate and Pen were at AA (Arcane Anonymous) to be very touching in a lot of ways.
Kate was just as screwed up in her relationships with her brother, or with Baba. She says all of the wrong things at the wrong times, she says the things she should say the wrong way, she's a typical single mother who's exhausted and frustrated with her totally cool and frequently annoying sixteen year-old kid/little brother. Her bosses range from pretty cool to really awful, adding to her stress. And this case shes working is as stressful as it gets. The personal relationships in the book are terrific and create a very real foundation for the fantastic and magical elements to float on top of, it's really just top notch.
And to make it really clear, the mystery and the fantasy stuff was also top notch! I love a good police procedural. Step by step trying to figure out what's going on, working as a team. And this team is terrific, all really interesting characters. Jaye could easily do a spin-off about Mez when this series is over, he has star potential written all over him. The partnership between Kate and Morales is very satisfying, with or without the sexy edge to their story. He feels like a good guy. I'm very interested to see what happens with him in the next book. The whole investigation was a real page-turner. With that weaving in and out of Kate's private life, it was just a terrific book.
Oh, and one more thing, there's no love triangle! Yay! Well, OK, it's there a little, tiny bit. But these books are actually about the investigations and about Kate's life. They're not paranormation romances, it's urban fantasy. There are two extremely handsome men. She has a connection to one that she's fighting and an attraction to the other that she probably should fight, she's not sure yet what she thinks about it. There might be a little tiny bit of romance building, or friendship, or maybe just a romp in the sack, but then again maybe not, we'll just have to wait and see. But Kate's love life is not the focus of this books, it's just another factor in what grounds the books in reality, she's trying to juggle everything that's going on in her life in between her very busy and stressful job and being a single mother, trying to be a friend to Pen when she needs her, and dealing with her own issues with magic. The woman is a mess, but a totally relatable one that I'd love to be friends with. If she ever had the time to even have a cup of coffee with me.
My only small complaint, not even complaint, just sort of a comment really, is that it is kind of weird that the city is based on Cleveland (or so I read in an interview once) but everyone from the city seems to be white. Not that the author described everyone, other than Harry being super pale, but it definitely felt that way. The MEA team is very diverse, but they're all imports, recently at that. This is just something that bothers me frequently in urban fantasy and science fiction. Especially in science fiction, where our entire future frequently seems to be whitewashed, but that's another story. Anyway, this is a fictional city, I do know that. Because if it was here way more of these characters would be people of color. Of many colors and ethnicities, and expecially with a whole lot of African Americans, in positions of authority and influence too, politicians, doctors, teachers, and certainly police officers. I know it's a fictional city, it's just something I've noticed more and more, or maybe less and less depending how you look at it. I do see that Kate's family and maybe her neighborhood or relations appear to be Greek, fine, but where's the rest of the city? The mayor, the police, the snitches, white white white.The MEA team is well balanced though, it looks like a children's show in it's diversity; two straight women, one gay woman, two straight men, on top of the ethnic diversity, so that's a good thing.
The only thing I really don't like about this series is that when the next book, Deadly Spells, come out in March 2015 the trilogy will be complete.
In this book the foundation that connects the story so strongly to the real world is emotional. The city isn't a real city, it's based on somewhat on Cleveland from what I read but that seems more for the Lake Erie location than for any landmarks, political issues or other real connections. It seems like the world is supposed to be ours but it's changed so much since magic became an issue (why did that happen? I don't even know at this point) that it feels more like an alternate world, it would be easy to feel disconnected from this world and just read it as a fantasy that is fun, but not important, just a light read. But then there's Kate. After reading this second book in the series, I know Kate. I feel her struggles and I relate to her on a deep level. It doesn't matter that she can do magic or was raised totally differently from me or anyone I know. I know this woman, I get her. She's my bridge.
The best parts of the book are the parts that are the most frustrating, because they're the most real. When I was yelling at Kate for being a jerk, that was when Jaye did her job the best, because I was thinking of her as a person and not as a character. There was so much deeply emotional baggage flying around behind the scenes of this investigation, it was incredible. At the same time that I was turning the pages to try to figure out what was going on with the crazy guy who was going to do something awful to the city in a few days, I was also totally wrapped up with what was going on with Kate and her friends. And by wrapped up I mean talking back to the book the way I yell at the TV screen when my characters are doing something dumn. I was totally ticked off at Kate she was so judgmental of Pen wanting relief from the pain after her accident. I was sitting there in a lot of pain from my stupid broken toe, and let me tell you, it can get pretty darn bad and it's just a dang toe. Of course I have a chronic pain condition that exacerbates everything. Anyway, my stuff was nothing compared to what Pen was dealing with after her car accident with a concussion, sprained wrist, couple of broken ribs, contusions all down one side of her body, and whiplash. Kate wouldn't let up on her about using any kind of magic (whether she's right or not because Pen's an addict with a bad heart from her former use) in a world where they don't even make aspirin anymore because potions are too much easier/cheaper to make. I get that Kate wanted to help her friend be strong when she needed the support. But she was being such a bitch about it. She was taking so much of her own problems out on Pen because she felt guilty about having used magic to help save Danny's life. She felt like she'd relapsed on her committment to Arcane Anonymous and didnt deserve the big party everyone had just thrown her for her ten year anniversary. So she was being really harsh with Pen, who really was a potion addict and using did have serious risks for her, even using white magic.
And Baba, who refuses to listen. Even if Baba needed to be straightened out, she didn't deserve to be treated like that. Kate just kept taking her anger at herself out on the people who love her most. Sound like anyone you know? I'd be shocked if whoever is reading this hasn't been in a situation like this at least once in your life. And if Kate hadn't pushed it to the point where Pen was suffering so extremely then Pen might not have had to act so extremely. Being in pain is bad, really bad and people who don't know what it's like just stand there and judge, that's reality, but it bugs me. Just be stronger, they say, or when they don't say it, they think it. And then they get a little cold and whine for days. Right. And if Kate wasn't feeling so guilty about her own behavior she wouldn't have been so pushy with Pen anyway, Jaye knew exactly what she was writing, Kate was obviously overreacting because of her own fall off the wagon. Just like Kate was completely oblivious to the fact that her desire to drink whiskey at totally inappropriate times was a big problem. Like somehow because it wasn't potions it was OK. A lot of the deep, emotional baggage of addiction was dealt with in this book from several different angles, and it felt real, without feeling too heavy for a fun urban fantasy book. Both Kate and Pen were dealing with their pain, physical and emotional, in between dealing with all of their other commitments, just like real women do. And their friendship and love and frustration and anger felt absolutely real. Even if it hadn't read the first book and didn't know how close these two women had been for years I still would have felt the connection. And Kate's struggle with the role that magic plays in her life is critical to the book and the series, as well as to her relationships with Pen, her brother Danny, her uncle Abe. John Volos, her work, really it's the central theme of the series, so the way that the addiction theme played out in this book was a real breakthrough. And I found the scene at the end when Kate and Pen were at AA (Arcane Anonymous) to be very touching in a lot of ways.
Kate was just as screwed up in her relationships with her brother, or with Baba. She says all of the wrong things at the wrong times, she says the things she should say the wrong way, she's a typical single mother who's exhausted and frustrated with her totally cool and frequently annoying sixteen year-old kid/little brother. Her bosses range from pretty cool to really awful, adding to her stress. And this case shes working is as stressful as it gets. The personal relationships in the book are terrific and create a very real foundation for the fantastic and magical elements to float on top of, it's really just top notch.
And to make it really clear, the mystery and the fantasy stuff was also top notch! I love a good police procedural. Step by step trying to figure out what's going on, working as a team. And this team is terrific, all really interesting characters. Jaye could easily do a spin-off about Mez when this series is over, he has star potential written all over him. The partnership between Kate and Morales is very satisfying, with or without the sexy edge to their story. He feels like a good guy. I'm very interested to see what happens with him in the next book. The whole investigation was a real page-turner. With that weaving in and out of Kate's private life, it was just a terrific book.
Oh, and one more thing, there's no love triangle! Yay! Well, OK, it's there a little, tiny bit. But these books are actually about the investigations and about Kate's life. They're not paranormation romances, it's urban fantasy. There are two extremely handsome men. She has a connection to one that she's fighting and an attraction to the other that she probably should fight, she's not sure yet what she thinks about it. There might be a little tiny bit of romance building, or friendship, or maybe just a romp in the sack, but then again maybe not, we'll just have to wait and see. But Kate's love life is not the focus of this books, it's just another factor in what grounds the books in reality, she's trying to juggle everything that's going on in her life in between her very busy and stressful job and being a single mother, trying to be a friend to Pen when she needs her, and dealing with her own issues with magic. The woman is a mess, but a totally relatable one that I'd love to be friends with. If she ever had the time to even have a cup of coffee with me.
My only small complaint, not even complaint, just sort of a comment really, is that it is kind of weird that the city is based on Cleveland (or so I read in an interview once) but everyone from the city seems to be white. Not that the author described everyone, other than Harry being super pale, but it definitely felt that way. The MEA team is very diverse, but they're all imports, recently at that. This is just something that bothers me frequently in urban fantasy and science fiction. Especially in science fiction, where our entire future frequently seems to be whitewashed, but that's another story. Anyway, this is a fictional city, I do know that. Because if it was here way more of these characters would be people of color. Of many colors and ethnicities, and expecially with a whole lot of African Americans, in positions of authority and influence too, politicians, doctors, teachers, and certainly police officers. I know it's a fictional city, it's just something I've noticed more and more, or maybe less and less depending how you look at it. I do see that Kate's family and maybe her neighborhood or relations appear to be Greek, fine, but where's the rest of the city? The mayor, the police, the snitches, white white white.The MEA team is well balanced though, it looks like a children's show in it's diversity; two straight women, one gay woman, two straight men, on top of the ethnic diversity, so that's a good thing.
The only thing I really don't like about this series is that when the next book, Deadly Spells, come out in March 2015 the trilogy will be complete.
February 28, 2018
4.5 stars
Review originally posted at RabidReads.ca.
I was glad to get back into the world of Detective Kate Prospero. They are coming up on Halloween, but also a Blue Moon, which isn’t good for magic. Magic is more potent and people are taking advantage and stirring up trouble. Her MEA (Magical Enforcement Agency) team are helping the BPD just to keep things calm. That is until one of the major coven leaders is robbed.
Aphrodite Johnson is the leader of the O Coven. S/he is the Hierophant of the Mystical Coven of the Sacred Orgasm. S/he is also a hermaphrodite. S/he is literally half male and half female. As in draw a line down the center of her body and one side was very feminine and the other very masculine. One side is usually in charge, which you can tell by mannerisms and voice. You use the pronouns that go with that gender. If you aren’t in her/m present you use the combo pronouns or just use her/m name. Kate also has a past with Aphrodite. Her mom was very high up in this coven.
In this story, Kate has to find the person who stole some pretty potent rape potions that were stolen from Aphrodite. The thief seems to stay one step ahead of her team. He keeps the team running circles. Especially when someone really important ends up dead. Her Uncle Abe, who is in prison and the leader of one of the most powerful covens in the Cauldron, wants to help, but Kate doesn’t want his help because it will come with a price. Kate is also fighting some demons and guilt from actions in the previous story. Her relationship with Danny and Pen are strained. Even Baba is worried about her.
Again, I had a great time with all the characters. Most are back in the picture. The MEA team, Morales, Mez, Shadi and Gardner. Her neighbor and mundane witch, Baba. Danny, Kate’s little brother that she is raising. Pen, her best friend. John Volos, her ex-boyfriend and up and coming city figure. He is somewhere between a villain and a good guy. He hasn’t really shown his cards yet. We also get to meet Uncle Abe for the first time.
This was again a great story. It is has a wonderful mix of action, magic, characters, snark and suspense to keep me turning the pages. I really love the interesting characters she creates. They are so unique, especially Aphrodite and Little Man and Mary. I love seeing the detective work, but I also really enjoy seeing her struggle with real life. The issues with Danny and Pen and even Baba while still getting her job done is something I can see even mundane cops having problems with. I can’t wait to see where the series go from here.
I should mention that you really want to start with book one in this series, though things are explained pretty well in this book. But I think to really understand Kate’s struggles with what happened in the first book, you need to experience it first.
Review originally posted at RabidReads.ca.
I was glad to get back into the world of Detective Kate Prospero. They are coming up on Halloween, but also a Blue Moon, which isn’t good for magic. Magic is more potent and people are taking advantage and stirring up trouble. Her MEA (Magical Enforcement Agency) team are helping the BPD just to keep things calm. That is until one of the major coven leaders is robbed.
Aphrodite Johnson is the leader of the O Coven. S/he is the Hierophant of the Mystical Coven of the Sacred Orgasm. S/he is also a hermaphrodite. S/he is literally half male and half female. As in draw a line down the center of her body and one side was very feminine and the other very masculine. One side is usually in charge, which you can tell by mannerisms and voice. You use the pronouns that go with that gender. If you aren’t in her/m present you use the combo pronouns or just use her/m name. Kate also has a past with Aphrodite. Her mom was very high up in this coven.
In this story, Kate has to find the person who stole some pretty potent rape potions that were stolen from Aphrodite. The thief seems to stay one step ahead of her team. He keeps the team running circles. Especially when someone really important ends up dead. Her Uncle Abe, who is in prison and the leader of one of the most powerful covens in the Cauldron, wants to help, but Kate doesn’t want his help because it will come with a price. Kate is also fighting some demons and guilt from actions in the previous story. Her relationship with Danny and Pen are strained. Even Baba is worried about her.
Again, I had a great time with all the characters. Most are back in the picture. The MEA team, Morales, Mez, Shadi and Gardner. Her neighbor and mundane witch, Baba. Danny, Kate’s little brother that she is raising. Pen, her best friend. John Volos, her ex-boyfriend and up and coming city figure. He is somewhere between a villain and a good guy. He hasn’t really shown his cards yet. We also get to meet Uncle Abe for the first time.
This was again a great story. It is has a wonderful mix of action, magic, characters, snark and suspense to keep me turning the pages. I really love the interesting characters she creates. They are so unique, especially Aphrodite and Little Man and Mary. I love seeing the detective work, but I also really enjoy seeing her struggle with real life. The issues with Danny and Pen and even Baba while still getting her job done is something I can see even mundane cops having problems with. I can’t wait to see where the series go from here.
I should mention that you really want to start with book one in this series, though things are explained pretty well in this book. But I think to really understand Kate’s struggles with what happened in the first book, you need to experience it first.
Her smug look made me want to punch that makeup off her face. She thought she’d somehow discovered a weakness. She was wrong, though. Weakness came from shame, and I was not ashamed of my mom or my past. And maybe if I kept repeating that over and over in my head, I’d finally believe it.
Mean, I could handle, but mean and stupid was a lethal combination.
June 25, 2017
Yes! This is what I want. Police in a world that uses potions (magic-ly made). I am once again taken with how closely related the magical potions run to drugs in our world. The magical potions gives the story an urban fantasy feel but it could very easily be replaced with drugs from our world. The world is a bit grittier here too. A feel I really enjoy.
****FULL REVIEW****
*I read this book for my own enjoyment.
Halloween's in two weeks. The full blue moon is the double full moon this month and has people acting all sorts of crazy. The police have their hands full so MEA, Kate's team, is helping to subdue events. Then things take a turn for a scary future. Aphrodite Johnson has one of her Houses of Worship robbed, $50,000 of powerful sex magic potions stolen. The hint of the Raven, new thief in town, they are looking for comes from Kate's Uncle Abe. The big show from this new threat is planned to happen on Halloween when the blue moon is at it's fullest.
No more introduction. We know Kate and her close friends, or those that she doesn't consider friends, well and get right into work. Yes! This is what I want. Jaye does remind us of events in the previous book as the story goes because those events affect current places of the characters mentally and physically, but we are fully focused here in this book.
I feel for Kate in this book. She's working hard to keep her family and dear friends safe along with keeping her big secret from them all. The guilt over the secret has her feeling worse and worse with everything that happens, and seeing John Volos getting all the admiration and love from her littler brother... which is part of her secret. It's eating Kate from the inside out. It seems like no matter how hard she tries, everything just keeps piling on.
This is what I wanted! Kate's anxiety and internal stress is growing and I can feel it. It's terrible to watch life as people react to what you did, but they don't know it was you. The good and the bad that resonate from it, the love and hate that's felt.
Kate and her friends. Her relationship with her brother Danny is cracking. Danny's upset with her not being around like she use to be, but there's more to it too. Pen knows something is up with Kate, she's been drinking more and gets a feel for something else. John Volos... oh he's a slippery slope for Kate. She hates him, yet there's something else. I guess that first love never really leaves, but you know it's not a good relationship. John's not as prominent in this book but he's here, a shadow in Kate's life and mind. Is he holding the secret over Kate's head? Will he act against her uncle? Or will John get in more trouble? Only time will tell. Then there's Morales. I really enjoy him and Kate together. They have an easy banter and sixth sense as partners when it comes to work. They trust each other and know how to work together.
Kate feels the temptation to read potion signatures and cook. This is the withdrawal from cooking in the first book. Just that one time has a pull on her. And she likes it. Kate fights herself and pulls through, but she'll realize that magic is a part of her. She has to figure out how to handle that. For me, I loved this part of the book. Kate faces her demons in magic and who she is. This makes Kate stronger to me.
Another demon Kate faces is her uncle. I love seeing her go toe to toe with the man verbally. I just hope she can stay ahead of him because there is a lot of work to do in order to not fall under his thumb.
We learn more about Adepts. We know they aren't suppose to be affected by potions. But in this book we see it happen. The double blue moon causes the immunity usually seen to not be as strong, and Adepts are struck with the same results as humans.
Yes! This is what I want. Police in a world that uses potions (magic-ly made). I am once again taken with how closely related the magical potions run to drugs in our world. The magical potions gives the story an urban fantasy feel but it could very easily be replaced with drugs from our world. The world is a bit grittier here too. A feel I really enjoy.
****FULL REVIEW****
*I read this book for my own enjoyment.
Halloween's in two weeks. The full blue moon is the double full moon this month and has people acting all sorts of crazy. The police have their hands full so MEA, Kate's team, is helping to subdue events. Then things take a turn for a scary future. Aphrodite Johnson has one of her Houses of Worship robbed, $50,000 of powerful sex magic potions stolen. The hint of the Raven, new thief in town, they are looking for comes from Kate's Uncle Abe. The big show from this new threat is planned to happen on Halloween when the blue moon is at it's fullest.
No more introduction. We know Kate and her close friends, or those that she doesn't consider friends, well and get right into work. Yes! This is what I want. Jaye does remind us of events in the previous book as the story goes because those events affect current places of the characters mentally and physically, but we are fully focused here in this book.
I feel for Kate in this book. She's working hard to keep her family and dear friends safe along with keeping her big secret from them all. The guilt over the secret has her feeling worse and worse with everything that happens, and seeing John Volos getting all the admiration and love from her littler brother... which is part of her secret. It's eating Kate from the inside out. It seems like no matter how hard she tries, everything just keeps piling on.
This is what I wanted! Kate's anxiety and internal stress is growing and I can feel it. It's terrible to watch life as people react to what you did, but they don't know it was you. The good and the bad that resonate from it, the love and hate that's felt.
Kate and her friends. Her relationship with her brother Danny is cracking. Danny's upset with her not being around like she use to be, but there's more to it too. Pen knows something is up with Kate, she's been drinking more and gets a feel for something else. John Volos... oh he's a slippery slope for Kate. She hates him, yet there's something else. I guess that first love never really leaves, but you know it's not a good relationship. John's not as prominent in this book but he's here, a shadow in Kate's life and mind. Is he holding the secret over Kate's head? Will he act against her uncle? Or will John get in more trouble? Only time will tell. Then there's Morales. I really enjoy him and Kate together. They have an easy banter and sixth sense as partners when it comes to work. They trust each other and know how to work together.
Kate feels the temptation to read potion signatures and cook. This is the withdrawal from cooking in the first book. Just that one time has a pull on her. And she likes it. Kate fights herself and pulls through, but she'll realize that magic is a part of her. She has to figure out how to handle that. For me, I loved this part of the book. Kate faces her demons in magic and who she is. This makes Kate stronger to me.
Another demon Kate faces is her uncle. I love seeing her go toe to toe with the man verbally. I just hope she can stay ahead of him because there is a lot of work to do in order to not fall under his thumb.
We learn more about Adepts. We know they aren't suppose to be affected by potions. But in this book we see it happen. The double blue moon causes the immunity usually seen to not be as strong, and Adepts are struck with the same results as humans.
Yes! This is what I want. Police in a world that uses potions (magic-ly made). I am once again taken with how closely related the magical potions run to drugs in our world. The magical potions gives the story an urban fantasy feel but it could very easily be replaced with drugs from our world. The world is a bit grittier here too. A feel I really enjoy.
August 14, 2014
AH and I discussed this book and many others on Badass Book Reviews!
I am seriously enjoying this new series from Jaye Wells! It's completely different from the Sabina Kane books but still has the biting wit and sarcasm that I loved so much. Kate and Co. got a little darker with Cursed Moon -- a little more angst, a little more drama, and a whole lot of secrets. I'm intrigued to see where Kate's new acceptance of clean magic will take her.
I wasn't crazy about the villain and his motivations in this book, but I have to admit that his actions were terrifying. Using potions to cause mass groups of people to lose control was just evil. The scene at the sorority house was particularly chilling.
Kate is starting to find herself in a bit of a love triangle with Morales and Volos. Volos made some interesting insinuations in this book, but I do still question his motivations towards Kate. I think, at this point at least, that I prefer Morales. He's very straightforward and always supportive and I think Kate could use someone like that in her life right now. I actually think going through the truth serum event together towards the end of the book will bring them closer. Mixing work and love though, that could be a complication...
Speaking of complications, I was actually a little disappointed in the way Danny was acting throughout Cursed Moon, especially in regards to DUDE, until they very end. Him believing that Kate would have let him die to protect her magic "sobriety" made sense and gave more weight to his actions. DUDE is rubbing me the wrong way though; I don't think Danny or that teacher are being straight with Kate about the group's true intentions. The first book hinted that Danny had magic like Kate, but he needs training. I'm glad that he and Kate worked through things and I'm looking forward to seeing them learn clean magic together. I hope he sticks with her instead of trying to get Volos to help him out.
In regards to magic and addiction, Pen was a major stumble for me here. I didn't really understand why she acted so horrible for a good part of the book. It seemed so out of character, even with her falling off the potion wagon that one time. It was just a little strange and made for a particularly nasty characterization for Pen in Cursed Moon. On the other hand, I loved the character of Aphrodite, the Hierophant of the Mystical Coven of the Sacred Orgasm. S/He was crafty and devious and just a touch creepy. Loved it and can't wait to see how these favors she gave Kate come to play out.
I think my favorite part of this book was seeing Kate stand up to Abe. She shows him how strong of a woman she can become and that he does not control her anymore. Yes, she's still scared of confronting him and her past, but she really does take control of the situation and gives him what he deserves in the end. I am very interested to learn the truth about Kate's mother and to see what Abe's true intention were in lying to Kate about her death.
Though I think I preferred the first book a tiny bit more than this one, I still thought it was great. Jaye Wells has deepened the world and given the characters a new prerogative on magic. I can't wait to see how the story continues to grow in the next book!
Thank you to Orbit and Netgalley for providing an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I am seriously enjoying this new series from Jaye Wells! It's completely different from the Sabina Kane books but still has the biting wit and sarcasm that I loved so much. Kate and Co. got a little darker with Cursed Moon -- a little more angst, a little more drama, and a whole lot of secrets. I'm intrigued to see where Kate's new acceptance of clean magic will take her.
I wasn't crazy about the villain and his motivations in this book, but I have to admit that his actions were terrifying. Using potions to cause mass groups of people to lose control was just evil. The scene at the sorority house was particularly chilling.
Kate is starting to find herself in a bit of a love triangle with Morales and Volos. Volos made some interesting insinuations in this book, but I do still question his motivations towards Kate. I think, at this point at least, that I prefer Morales. He's very straightforward and always supportive and I think Kate could use someone like that in her life right now. I actually think going through the truth serum event together towards the end of the book will bring them closer. Mixing work and love though, that could be a complication...
Speaking of complications, I was actually a little disappointed in the way Danny was acting throughout Cursed Moon, especially in regards to DUDE, until they very end. Him believing that Kate would have let him die to protect her magic "sobriety" made sense and gave more weight to his actions. DUDE is rubbing me the wrong way though; I don't think Danny or that teacher are being straight with Kate about the group's true intentions. The first book hinted that Danny had magic like Kate, but he needs training. I'm glad that he and Kate worked through things and I'm looking forward to seeing them learn clean magic together. I hope he sticks with her instead of trying to get Volos to help him out.
In regards to magic and addiction, Pen was a major stumble for me here. I didn't really understand why she acted so horrible for a good part of the book. It seemed so out of character, even with her falling off the potion wagon that one time. It was just a little strange and made for a particularly nasty characterization for Pen in Cursed Moon. On the other hand, I loved the character of Aphrodite, the Hierophant of the Mystical Coven of the Sacred Orgasm. S/He was crafty and devious and just a touch creepy. Loved it and can't wait to see how these favors she gave Kate come to play out.
I think my favorite part of this book was seeing Kate stand up to Abe. She shows him how strong of a woman she can become and that he does not control her anymore. Yes, she's still scared of confronting him and her past, but she really does take control of the situation and gives him what he deserves in the end. I am very interested to learn the truth about Kate's mother and to see what Abe's true intention were in lying to Kate about her death.
Though I think I preferred the first book a tiny bit more than this one, I still thought it was great. Jaye Wells has deepened the world and given the characters a new prerogative on magic. I can't wait to see how the story continues to grow in the next book!
Thank you to Orbit and Netgalley for providing an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
September 25, 2014
I have to say I am kind of bummed out in the wake of this book. Not because I didn’t like it. But because I am sad to leave it behind. I want more! More of the great world-building. More Kate. More Morales. More smart, entertaining, ass-kicking story. Unfortunately, I must wait another nine months for all of these things. So like I said: bummed.
If you haven’t read Dirty Magic, pick up a copy now. This is a progressively building Urban Fantasy series and you’ll want the foundation of the first book before you read this one. I liked Dirty Magic, but I thought this one was even better. I saw real growth in Kate: the character development is great. The plot moves along quickly; the pacing is good; and the story is interesting. The interpersonal relationships continue to develop in ways that make me really care about the characters too. Sadly (for me) there still isn’t much in the way of romance, but there is a foundation there I really want Jaye Wells to explore.
This story picks up just a few weeks after the events of the last book and the action resumes right away. Someone has stolen a very powerful sex potion from a local wizard and is threatening to use it and throw the city into chaos. Kate and her team must work the case, under a quickly approaching Samhain deadline. This, as our heroine struggles with her use of magic in the last story, her tenuous relationship with her younger brother, and her guilt over lying to her friends. Kate is feeling overwhelmed and she is starting to crack at the seams.
I thought Wells did a really good job showing us how Kate was falling apart. And despite the fact that the story is told entirely in her POV, it was very effective to see how her behaviors affected everyone around her. It all ties in with how she sees herself, her actions, and her past. We get more backstory, and ultimately see just how interwoven the wizard community is in Kate’s life, whether she likes it or not.
One thing I didn’t like: Volos. Despite the fact that the book is light on romance, there is a hint of a love triangle here –and I want no part of it. The more I see of Volos, the more I dislike him. At the same time, I find the other leading man contender, Morales, is taking a larger role and I’m down with that. I like him. I want HIM to be the guy. I’m worried he won’t be, but I’ll save that complaint for if it actually comes to pass.
I’m going to stop before I give too much away. But absolutely recommend you give this series a go. It’s only getting better.
Rating: B+/A-
*ARC Provided by Orbit
If you haven’t read Dirty Magic, pick up a copy now. This is a progressively building Urban Fantasy series and you’ll want the foundation of the first book before you read this one. I liked Dirty Magic, but I thought this one was even better. I saw real growth in Kate: the character development is great. The plot moves along quickly; the pacing is good; and the story is interesting. The interpersonal relationships continue to develop in ways that make me really care about the characters too. Sadly (for me) there still isn’t much in the way of romance, but there is a foundation there I really want Jaye Wells to explore.
This story picks up just a few weeks after the events of the last book and the action resumes right away. Someone has stolen a very powerful sex potion from a local wizard and is threatening to use it and throw the city into chaos. Kate and her team must work the case, under a quickly approaching Samhain deadline. This, as our heroine struggles with her use of magic in the last story, her tenuous relationship with her younger brother, and her guilt over lying to her friends. Kate is feeling overwhelmed and she is starting to crack at the seams.
I thought Wells did a really good job showing us how Kate was falling apart. And despite the fact that the story is told entirely in her POV, it was very effective to see how her behaviors affected everyone around her. It all ties in with how she sees herself, her actions, and her past. We get more backstory, and ultimately see just how interwoven the wizard community is in Kate’s life, whether she likes it or not.
One thing I didn’t like: Volos. Despite the fact that the book is light on romance, there is a hint of a love triangle here –and I want no part of it. The more I see of Volos, the more I dislike him. At the same time, I find the other leading man contender, Morales, is taking a larger role and I’m down with that. I like him. I want HIM to be the guy. I’m worried he won’t be, but I’ll save that complaint for if it actually comes to pass.
I’m going to stop before I give too much away. But absolutely recommend you give this series a go. It’s only getting better.
Rating: B+/A-
*ARC Provided by Orbit
August 19, 2014
Review can also be found on my blog.
Something I really loved about Cursed Moon was the gritty writing, which tends to be Wells’ writing style overall. Also her books are very unapologetically real, they are what they are, and there is not a damn thing they are ashamed about.
I have loved Kate since Dirty Magic, I do have some problems with her but she’s a flawed character and that only makes me like her more. My biggest issue with her is that she is very judgemental, and considering the things she does and mistakes she has made she really has no place casting judgement on anyone. Despite that Kate is a really hard character not to like. She is human, she is a woman who is not even 30, and raising her 16 year old brother. She has been for the last ten years, she does the best that she can, and she does not always think that it is good enough. She’s prideful, has a hard time letting people in, a hard time trusting people, and she makes mistakes.
Another thing I loved about this book, and really Urban Fantasy as a whole, is that it is so much more focused on the characters and the plot than romance. (Do not get me wrong, I love a good romance, but in fantasy I tend to want more plot, character development, and world building with romance being a side plot.) While I ship Kate and Morales like there is no tomorrow, there is not really any romance in this book. There is a lot of sexual tension and undertones in this book but the book is definitely more plot driven than anything.
The only issues I have with the world that Wells has built with this series is the stuff with magic being compared to illegal drugs and addicts. I am not sure if she was trying to allude to that or not. But I wish we had gotten a little more explanation on the effects magic have on users, why it’s essentially like cocaine and meth, is clean magic safer than dirty magic? Is all magic bad? The entire time I was reading the book I kept frowning at the addict stuff, it was slightly not believable to me. I think if I understood it a little better I would not have a problem with it.
Overall, I really am enjoying this series. I pretty much read this book in two days, and I look forward to the next one in the series.
Something I really loved about Cursed Moon was the gritty writing, which tends to be Wells’ writing style overall. Also her books are very unapologetically real, they are what they are, and there is not a damn thing they are ashamed about.
I have loved Kate since Dirty Magic, I do have some problems with her but she’s a flawed character and that only makes me like her more. My biggest issue with her is that she is very judgemental, and considering the things she does and mistakes she has made she really has no place casting judgement on anyone. Despite that Kate is a really hard character not to like. She is human, she is a woman who is not even 30, and raising her 16 year old brother. She has been for the last ten years, she does the best that she can, and she does not always think that it is good enough. She’s prideful, has a hard time letting people in, a hard time trusting people, and she makes mistakes.
Another thing I loved about this book, and really Urban Fantasy as a whole, is that it is so much more focused on the characters and the plot than romance. (Do not get me wrong, I love a good romance, but in fantasy I tend to want more plot, character development, and world building with romance being a side plot.) While I ship Kate and Morales like there is no tomorrow, there is not really any romance in this book. There is a lot of sexual tension and undertones in this book but the book is definitely more plot driven than anything.
The only issues I have with the world that Wells has built with this series is the stuff with magic being compared to illegal drugs and addicts. I am not sure if she was trying to allude to that or not. But I wish we had gotten a little more explanation on the effects magic have on users, why it’s essentially like cocaine and meth, is clean magic safer than dirty magic? Is all magic bad? The entire time I was reading the book I kept frowning at the addict stuff, it was slightly not believable to me. I think if I understood it a little better I would not have a problem with it.
Overall, I really am enjoying this series. I pretty much read this book in two days, and I look forward to the next one in the series.
January 25, 2015
This second novel in the Prospero's War series is filled with both external and internal action. Kate is dealing with the guilt she feels after cooking dirty magic and keeping it a secret in the first book of the series. She feels guilty and extremely disappointed with herself. Her relationship with her brother is troubled both because of her lies and because he's a teenager. She is burying herself in her new job with the task force which means that she is neglecting her relationships with her brother and her friends.
It doesn't look like the job pressures are going to end any time soon either. A new Raven has come to town. He is stealing dangerous potions from the powerful covens and is planning something spectacular for Halloween which happens to occur on a Blue Moon this year. Kate and the task force have to find and stop him. It would also be good if he finds them before the leaders of the covens do because they won't even leave a body to discover.
To make matters worse, Kate's uncle who is in prison but who hasn't lost control of his crime empire wants to talk to her. He is still pulling strings. Kate ran from him years ago after the death of her mother and wants nothing to do with her Uncle Abe. But Abe isn't letting her go so easily. Finally, in this book, she comes to terms with this toxic relationship.
She has a couple of other relationship issues going on. Kate has a long history with John Volos who is the head of one of the dirty magic covens. In fact, it is the coven that used to be run by her uncle. John had his criminal past wiped clean in return for providing evidence against Uncle Abe. Now John looks like an upstanding citizen and is even running for mayor. But Kate knows that he hasn't given up dirty magic.
Her relationship with her new partner on the task force - Drew Morales - is also heating up. Both are in denial about whether or not they want to begin anything personal and so there is a lot of sparring and teasing going on. Other members on the task force have been taking bets about when the two will have sex.
This was a complicated and very entertaining urban fantasy. The relationships among the characters were well-developed. I enjoyed it very much and can't wait for the third book in the series to be released in February. I have already ordered my Kindle copy.
It doesn't look like the job pressures are going to end any time soon either. A new Raven has come to town. He is stealing dangerous potions from the powerful covens and is planning something spectacular for Halloween which happens to occur on a Blue Moon this year. Kate and the task force have to find and stop him. It would also be good if he finds them before the leaders of the covens do because they won't even leave a body to discover.
To make matters worse, Kate's uncle who is in prison but who hasn't lost control of his crime empire wants to talk to her. He is still pulling strings. Kate ran from him years ago after the death of her mother and wants nothing to do with her Uncle Abe. But Abe isn't letting her go so easily. Finally, in this book, she comes to terms with this toxic relationship.
She has a couple of other relationship issues going on. Kate has a long history with John Volos who is the head of one of the dirty magic covens. In fact, it is the coven that used to be run by her uncle. John had his criminal past wiped clean in return for providing evidence against Uncle Abe. Now John looks like an upstanding citizen and is even running for mayor. But Kate knows that he hasn't given up dirty magic.
Her relationship with her new partner on the task force - Drew Morales - is also heating up. Both are in denial about whether or not they want to begin anything personal and so there is a lot of sparring and teasing going on. Other members on the task force have been taking bets about when the two will have sex.
This was a complicated and very entertaining urban fantasy. The relationships among the characters were well-developed. I enjoyed it very much and can't wait for the third book in the series to be released in February. I have already ordered my Kindle copy.
September 5, 2014
his second installment in Ms Wells The Prospero's War has me a bit stymied. So I'm reversing the way I normally write my reviews.
What I didn't like: It took me a bit to get into Cursed Moon. I wasn't connected in the beginning. Not bored exactly, but not connecting and not really intrigued. I wasn't put off exactly by the sex/rape/vulgarity of the story because, that's the basis of the story. It was crass but I've read crass before so that didn't bother me, however, it was just a bit jarring. Maybe that was the point. I still think there's alot going on in this world which we don't know. I'm hoping Ms Wells keeps the development going.
What I liked: The writing is great, the humor a bit off color but good for me. I still have A LOT of questions and that's a good thing. After I got through the beginning, I was totally engaged. I'm still in love with the majority of the characters, hate the ones I'm supposed to hate and wondering about others. That's a good combination for an author to keep me reading their series.
I really felt for Kate and I wanted to smack not only her brother, Danny, but her best friend, Pen. Kate is trying to balance way too many things and keep her head on straight. She manages, but not with much help from those you would expect. Baba is still my favorite of the supporting cast.
I enjoyed this as a police procedural and wonder how everything is going to play out with just one book to go. There's so much to be resolved that I'm really expecting an action packed novel in Deadly Spells (due out March 3rd 2015).
While I enjoyed Dirty Magic more than Cursed Moon, I can see the progression of the storyline and the characters. Like I said, I have questions and can't wait to see how the characters handle the war to come.
Recommend (only if you read Dirty Magic first)!!
What I didn't like: It took me a bit to get into Cursed Moon. I wasn't connected in the beginning. Not bored exactly, but not connecting and not really intrigued. I wasn't put off exactly by the sex/rape/vulgarity of the story because, that's the basis of the story. It was crass but I've read crass before so that didn't bother me, however, it was just a bit jarring. Maybe that was the point. I still think there's alot going on in this world which we don't know. I'm hoping Ms Wells keeps the development going.
What I liked: The writing is great, the humor a bit off color but good for me. I still have A LOT of questions and that's a good thing. After I got through the beginning, I was totally engaged. I'm still in love with the majority of the characters, hate the ones I'm supposed to hate and wondering about others. That's a good combination for an author to keep me reading their series.
I really felt for Kate and I wanted to smack not only her brother, Danny, but her best friend, Pen. Kate is trying to balance way too many things and keep her head on straight. She manages, but not with much help from those you would expect. Baba is still my favorite of the supporting cast.
I enjoyed this as a police procedural and wonder how everything is going to play out with just one book to go. There's so much to be resolved that I'm really expecting an action packed novel in Deadly Spells (due out March 3rd 2015).
While I enjoyed Dirty Magic more than Cursed Moon, I can see the progression of the storyline and the characters. Like I said, I have questions and can't wait to see how the characters handle the war to come.
Recommend (only if you read Dirty Magic first)!!
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