Deadly Spells

Prospero's War #3

by Jaye Wells

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

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

Deadly Spells is the third novel in the Prospero's War series that started with Dirty Magic and Cursed Moon!

Genres: Urban Fantasy, Fantasy, Magic, Paranormal, Audiobook, Mystery, Crime

400 pages, Paperback

First published February 10, 2015

About the author

Jaye 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!

Reviews

[✘✘ Sarah ✘✘ (former Nefarious Breeder of Murderous Crustaceans) · Rating 5 out of 5]

☢ No No No No this Cannot Be the Last Published Instalment in this Series Sob Sob Sob Sob and No No No No No Again MacHaloistic Buddy Reread (NNNtCBtLPIinSSSSaNNNNA™) ☢

Previous rating: 4 stars.
New rating: 5 stars.

I don't know what the bloody freaking shrimp I was on the first time I read this book, but it must have been high quality stuff. I mean, I originally rated this story 4 stars! 4 disgusting, pathetic little stars! I should be ashamed of myself. Such disgraceful behavior on my part should be severely punished (preferably by Morales a certain federal agent who shall not be named

).

Yeah, yeah, yeah, it's true, the first part of the story isn't as deliciously insane and wild-ridish (yes, that is a word) and Bahahahaha Best Profanities/Obscenities/Improper Comments Ever-ish (BBPOICE™) as book 2, but bloody shrimping hell, does the rest of the story make up for it! So 5 stars it is. QED and stuff.



✉ A very private message to Jaye Wells: you have to write a sequel. NOW. It's been two years, Jaye Wells. TWO bloody shrimping years! Barnacles are getting restless. So are murderous crustaceans. So get writing, woman! Who the fish cares if your publisher is a total nitwit who declined to buy another book in the series?! I have three two words for you, my dear: SELF. FREAKING. PUBLISHING. Got that? Good. And in case you need a little extra incentive: if you don't write a sequel NOW, I'll either become an alcoholic, or unleash the shrimpy homicidal maniacs on you. But hey, no pressure.

P.S. I want Morales to bother the shit out of me when I grow up.



· Book 0.5: Fire Water ★★★★
· Book 1: Dirty Magic ★★★★
· Book 2: Cursed Moon ★★★★★
· Book 4: Volatile Bonds ★★★



Original crappy non-review (February 2015):

You don’t like the game, change the rules.



Yes, there is a point to this cupcake.

Last name: Prospero
First name: Kate
Nickname: Cupcake (don't let that fool you, there's nothing sweet about this girl) See? There was a point to the cupcake.
Occupation: Magic Enforcement Agency detective

☛ Reasons why Cupcake's life is a freaking mess:
☑ Evidence #1: she's a recovering dirty potion cooking addict.
☑ Evidence #2: she's a recovering alcoholic.



☑ Evidence #3: she's the ex-heir to Abe Prospero, Arcane criminal underworld kingpin (who also happens to be uncle dearest).

“Hold up—Prospero? You one of Old Abe’s relations?” I nodded. “His niece.” “And you’re a cop?” Hot Pocket shook his head. “Ain’t that a trip? And here I thought I was the black sheep of my family.”

☑ Evidence #4: her ex-boyfriend is Babylon's newly appointed mayor. He also happens to be an ex-member of uncle dearest's coven. And an asshole with a hidden agenda. Obviously.

I looked up from the damning document to glare at Volos. “You son of a bitch.”

☑ Evidence #5: her roommate is a seventy-something crazy potion cooking/senior citizen-stalking freak. Gotta love Baba.

She liked to give her potions names that reflected their uses, like Lose Dat Ass Tea or, even more disturbing, Sexy Juice.

☑ Evidence #6: she's the guardian to her pain-in-the-ass, DUDE member teenage brother. In case you're wondering, DUDE stands for Don't Use Dirty Elixirs. Ha.

With all that crappy stuff going on Cupcake should pretty much feel like this:



☛ But no. She's way too busy saving Babylon from a black Brazilian giant who happens to either turn into a cat or go poof. And running away from reporters. And dealing with her teenage brother's daily drama. And going on crappy dates with self-righteous assholes. And watching her boss' back. And kicking serious butt no matter what. And being generally awesome. I mean, the girl calls the guy in her life "my bitch." How cool is that?

Cupcake. I'm in love.

☛ As much as I love Kate, I have to admit that this instalment was a bit slow-going compared to the previous ones. Well the first part of the book anyway. It lacked the total craziness of Cursed Moon: insane leprechauns, evil flute-playing satyrs, dirty magic lust potions, truth potions… And it wasn't as dark or gritty. Still, the pace picked up a lot after the 40% mark. And then it was a wild ride until the very last page, twist and turns included.



☛ On today's menu we have: havoc and mayhem scenes, nerve-wrecking scenes, headdesk scenes, I could kill you with my bare hands scenes, attagirl scenes (lots of those), you devious asshole scenes (lots of those as well), omg-this-is-so-sick-I-love-it scenes, you scumbag scenes, oh no you don't scenes, you have got to be kidding me scenes, Kate-Prospero-don't-be-such-a-freaking-idiot scenes, oh wow scenes, well-I-didn't-see-that-one-coming scene… And that final scene. Man that final scene. {insert delerious fangirl scream here} Very cool.

☛ Hmmm… This hasn't been a very informative review now has it? Oh well. It doesn't make much sense does it? Oh well. I guess you'll just have to read the book to figure out WTH I'm talking about. Sucks to be you, doesn't it?

Oh wait, I almost forgot:



*sighs*

You don't get it? Of course you don't. Just read the book I tell you. It will all make sense soon enough.

[Choko · Rating 4 out of 5]

*** 4.44 ***

A buddy read with the MacHalo Freaks!

OMG!!! This is so unfair!!! Just when things really started to get difficult and convoluted, just when the bastard asshole has really been doing some very sneaky and horrible things and it seems like he is nothing like what we thought he is, just when Kate P. is finally waking up to reality and choosing to change the rules of the game,, we don't get another book??? Publisher of this series, WAKE UP AND ORDER THE REST OF THE BOOKS, FOR GOODNESS SAKES!!!! We need to see revenge being served to all who need it! We need more of Kate, Volos, Macho, Denny,. Baba, Pen, Mary and baby! And most of all, we need closure! This is too good of a series to be left half way done - it has potential as well as a pretty good following, so we, the readers, deserve more of this crazy, rough, sometimes funny, sometimes violent, always somewhat crass police procedural Urban Fantasy!!! We want more! Thank you!!!

I wish you all Happy Reading and a wonderful New Year!!!

[Jilly · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one was a little bit of a let-down after the first two because there was a lot less of the fun and crazy happenings. I mean, you don't have a crazy leprechaun tossing out a love potion that makes cops turn into cop-strippers in one book and then turn around and have none of those awesome moments in the next one. It's like comparing Star Wars to the Phantom Menace - a disappointment. There is even a lot of political posturing in this one. Really? Like the in the Galactic Senate?



No wonder he turned evil. Listening to the senate all day would drive anyone to destroy a planet.

So, in this book we have a pretty gruesome murder to start off. Sounds promising, yes? No. Not at all. Because after this murder, we get to watch the police and the Magic Enforcement Agency fight over who has jurisdiction. Yup, there's paperwork involved. What could be worse?



Oh yeah. That was worse.

In the meantime, we get to see Anita Blake Kate Prospero go around being a jerk to everyone. And, about that... what's the deal with how she treats her ex? In the first book she says she feels terrible about how she broke up with him 10 years ago and was embarrassed by her actions, but then she treats him like crap every time she sees him. Why? I keep waiting to find out some horrible thing he has done to her to justify her hatred of him, but it never comes. It's not like he directed The Phantom Menace or wrote the Jar Jar Binks character. Then, her hatred would be totally justified.



But, from what I can see, her ex had his heart broken by her, then he got her evil uncle, who was a threat to her, thrown into prison. Since then he looks out for her and her little brother, and he drops everything to help her, see her, or speak to her.

When Kate drugs (hexes) him to make him be a trade exchange for another prisoner:

"What I don't get is why you felt the need to hex me." He turned his head to look me in the eye. "you just had to ask me."

I snorted. "Sure."

"When have I ever denied you anything?" Hell, I'd just offered to blackmail a political rival just so Danny could get back in that school."

Guilt bloomed cold in my gut.

What a horrible monster this man is!!! He is willing to do absolutely anything for this woman - no matter what the danger. No wonder she constantly vows to "bring him down" and screams "I hate you" into his face! He's pure evil.



She does, Grumpy Cat, she really does!

So, basically, this series is losing its luster. In the next book I need a lot more action and funny, reasons why her ex is deserving of her intense hatred (or, even better - have them get together. He is kind of delicious), less Kate being an unreasonable bitch, and a much better mystery. That's your homework, Jaye Wells - snap snap - this book ain't going to write itself.

[Maria Dimitrova · Rating 5 out of 5]

Buddy read with the MaHalos.

Why, oh, why is this the last published instalment??? *sobbing uncontrollably* And there are no plans for publishing a next one in the foreseeable future! *wailing* Things just got so much more interesting! *stomps away*

This was an excellent example of urban fantasy. There was a lot of action, moral dilemmas, magic and all of our favourite characters. And just when things finally got going on so many fronts: we know the truth about Kate's mom, Dany showing a degree of maturity and what kind of man he will be when he grows up, Kate finally hooking up with Morales and realising deep down that the world isn't as black and white as she wants it to and Volos showing just how much of an asshole he can be. and I won't get to see how the rest plays out? This isn't fair! We even got a bit of info regarding the rest of the world and covens outside of Babylon. So much wasted potential! Please, please let there be a forth book!

One of the reasons I lied this book so much is the complexity of both the characters and the world. But it's so well written that you don't get boggled down by details, the heavier stuff are interspersed among bouts of excellent humour - the banter between Kate and Morales had me walking around with a stupid grin glued to my face! <--This scared the people that know me, because I'm not a person that smiles a lot. It's the type of book, that while realistic in showing how screwed up and corrupted the world is, it still makes you feel good, feel as if there's still a chance for a better future. And that's something we all desperately need in the increasingly violent world.

[AH · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not sure if it was just my mood or maybe my lack of reading time, but I found this installment in the Prospero's War series a little dull and missing something that attracted me to this series initially. I did enjoy both books 1 and 2 so I was surprised that I couldn't get into Deadly Spells. There's a lot going on in this book and if you can't make the time to pay attention to all the details and the whole slew of characters, it can be easy to get confused. The murder mystery was OK. I did enjoy the book more when the focus was on Danny, Kate's little brother. His story line was much more interesting. And as my co-blogger Christal mentioned on her review John Volos reminded me of the love/hate relationship we had with Trent Kalamack in The Hollows series. I do plan to keep on reading the series and I hope that this was just a blip in the ongoing story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit Books for a review copy of this book.

[Mogsy · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum http://bibliosanctum.com/2015/02/13/b...

Ever since the release of Dirty Magic a year ago, I’ve been hearing such great things the Prospero’s War series, which is why over the holiday season I decided to take the plunge and binge read the first and second books. And that’s the story of how I got hooked into yet another urban fantasy series, as well as my first introduction to the work of Jaye Wells.

Meet protagonist Kate Prospero, former scion of a dirty magic coven who has turned her back on her old life in order to start clean. Now a beat cop on loan to the Magical Enforcement Agency, Kate is hoping to shed the prejudices of her notorious family name by helping her new team members investigate magic-related crimes in the rust belt city of Babylon, while also trying to raise her younger brother by herself.

Deadly Spells begins with the murder of a leader of a dirty magic coven leader, lighting a spark which could set off a chain of events leading to an all-out turf war if Kate and the MEA task force can’t track down the killer first.

For a series that’s already three books in, it is not surprising that it’s had its ups and downs. I’ve come this far though, so obviously I’m still enjoying the hell out of it. I like my urban fantasy fast-paced and entertaining, and Prospero’s War delivers. Wells has created and built a whole world around a relatively simple concept involving “clean” versus “dirty” magic. Those individuals who are magically adept can “cook” potions, creating all sorts of concoctions with a variety of uses. Clean potions are made, sold, and used legally, whereas dirty potions are cooked and distributed by cartel-like organizations on the streets for the less law-abiding citizenry. Like I said, it’s a simple and straightforward concept, yet its potential for interesting cases is virtually limitless.

Kate is also a complex but sometimes exasperating character. Our heroine has gone through a lot in the last two books, so understandably her emotions are a whirlwind of confusion and guilt by this point. But while some characters carry their burdens with grace, unfortunately that’s just not Kate. She’s the kind of person who gets into a lot of trouble due to her own stupid decisions, but dare to point that out to her and she’ll chew your face off. There’s only so much I can take of a character’s crap, and admittedly she came dangerously close to that line in the last book. Thankfully, now that she’s made her peace with magic, her attitude has vastly improved. While at times she is still a bully and a condescending self-righteous hypocrite, at least she did not try my patience as much in this book (though making stupid decisions due to impulsiveness and her own negligence is sadly still a pattern).

However, on the whole I’m enjoying where the main series arc is headed as well as the development of the relationships between various characters. Kate’s situation of raising her teenaged brother Danny is perhaps a bit clichéd, but wrangling a broody and defiant sixteen year old always makes for some stories in every book. I’d also hoped that Kate would finally stop wasting her time with John Volos and that Wells would stop teasing that pairing as a possible romance since that doozy appears to be hitting a brick wall no matter how you look at it. Again, there seems to be progress in this area, as well as certain developments in Kate’s love life that should make Drew Morales fans very happy. Finally, Kate’s pretty clueless, but still I can’t help but be curious about where future stories in this series will go now that she’s been hit with some huge revelations about her past life.

Urban fantasy readers, you can’t go wrong with the Prospero’s War series. It sounds like there may be more books after Deadly Spells, though I can’t seem to find any sources to confirm at this time of writing. I sure hope so though, as this series is just starting to get off the ground. It’s fun, it’s fast, and it has a bite. Sure, the protagonist isn’t perfect, but then who is? There are themes in these books that will make those with more delicate sensibilities squirm, but if you like a slightly more twisted vibe to your UF then you’re golden.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

Questions of the ethics of taking another person's life are faced in the heat of the moment, at different times including the explosive climax, by just about all the principal players in this third installment of the Prospero's War series. The first-person narration by Kate Prospero takes us again and again through her internal conflicts over major events in her life and lets us see that, to some extent anyway, she perceives the troubled minds of the people with whom she makes close contact.

Those include especially her team leader Gardner in the Magic Enforcement Agency, her immediate superior and slowly budding love interest Morales, her teenage brother Danny whom she tries to protect, and her ex-lover from long ago John Volos, now the mayor of the city and still both a good guy and a bad guy at the same time, in spades.

Others do come in for a bit of Kate's penetrating insight--team members Mez and Shadi, crusty old Baba who's had to move in with Kate and Danny, and quite a few of the witnesses and suspects in the main criminal threat of this adventure.

Along the way a secret that those closest to Kate have been keeping from her for a decade now is finally revealed with a dual effect--release from a heavy burden on her conscience and a horrified reappraisal of someone she thought she had known well. The revelation is also a blow to her already damaged trust in the ones who have lied to her for so long while knowing what that was doing to her.

Even though what I've said so far sounds pretty ruminative, this story is packed with action and suspense. It's dark--you need to be prepared for something really bad to be done to at least one of the good guys--and it's set as usual in the Cauldron, the violent magic-infested slum of a Rust Belt city (modeled on Cleveland, Ohio) in the aftermath of industrial collapse. There's constant conflict among the three covens who pretty much rule the Cauldron to perpetrate dirty magic, making and selling addictive potions, but now a Brazilian coven called A Morte "The Death" is horning in and vicious murders are the order of the day.

Tough people making tough choices, and Kate is definitely one of them. A vigorous change of pace from more delicate urban fantasies, and the breath-taking conclusion sets up what looks like it'll be more of the same from a different direction. Strongly recommended for tough readers.

[BookAddict ✒ La Crimson Femme · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kate, just have sex, please? The sexual confusion in this book is frustrating. I'm not sure if this book is a paranormal romance or urban fantasy. Not that it makes much of a difference because I whipped through the book in a few hours after reading the 2nd book.

Kate is now has 3 different men to choose from. John will definitely open his arms to her anytime she wants to walk back into them. I think he should give it up. Kate is unusually cruel to him and I don't think he deserves it, even after the terrible reveals in this book. John, move on, she's not that great a piece of ass. Morales is the one I think matches who Kate is now. He's a good guy and apparently quite studly. The school teacher, Hart, is an asshat. The whole date scene with him made me see red. He is just a jerk and I hope he dies. I'm incensed by his attitude and holier than thou perspective. I'd have gutted him.

There is a lot going on in this book and it really comes down to power play, blackmail and secrets. I'm still feeling sorry for John. I want to smack Kate upside the head. Her uncle Abe needs a knee to the groin. Her brother Danny needs a smack upside the head. And really, what the hell is up with Duffy? Why is he such a jerk? He's like one of those closet gay men who beat up on other gays because he's in denial. I have no respect for him and I hope he dies in the next book.

The story moved nice and fast. The killer in here was no surprise and really, it's not much of a suspense or crime to solve. What I really took from this book was the big reveals and more soul searching for Kate. Not sure I really care about Kate's personal drama. Not really sure where this series is headed either. Still, it's a fun read on a Saturday afternoon. Recommended for magic lovers who enjoy politics, intrigue and revenge.

[Elena Linville-Abdo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stars: 5 out of 5.

This book was intense and by far the best in the series so far. The stakes were high, the murders gruesome, and Prospero and Morales finally came to terms with their mutual attraction. Oh, and it was fast-paced and un-put-downable as well.

I love that Kate's relationship with her little brother continues to evolve. Kate has been a helicopter parent for too long. Out of necessity, for sure, but she is slowly learning to let go of the control. She is starting to understand that Danny is a growing person with his own opinions and a moral compass, and that in order to receive his trust, she needs to extend some trust first. We also see that being an Adept in a rich school full of Mundanes isn't as glamorous as it's painted to be.

I am also happy that her relationship with Morales finally evolved, and that she stopped running away from her feelings. Those two are a good team, and they understand each other a lot better then other people understand them, because they both have been through some very though things. They have each other's back and they understand that both of them are broken, but more importantly, they know when to give each other space. 

We finally learn what truly happened to Kate's mom. While it was a shock, I'm glad that Kate can finally let go of the guilt she's been carrying for 10 years. She didn't kill her mother. But it also reinforces that she did the right thing when she walked away from the coven and turned her back on that life. I mean none of the people in her past were exactly outstanding members of the human race.

My only regret is that Volos managed to get out of the mess he's created without a scratch... yet again. I think the author is trying to keep the reader ambivalent about him. She is trying to portray him as someone who has good intentions but the execution can be rather catastrophic. Well, we know that the road to Hell is paved with good intentions. And in Volos's case, he is NOT a good person. And I really really hope that he gets everything that he deserves eventually.

Also, it seems like someone is steadily eliminating the leaders of the main covens in Babylon. We have one in each book so far, or so. Question is who and why? Someone is trying to consolidate magical power over the city. I hope we get our answer in the next book.

If you liked this review, check out my blog.

[Cyndi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent book! I love the world building and the overall plot line. Our heroine is trying to succeed as a cop while juggling family and romance. Meanwhile murder and mayhem abounds. Can she stop the bad guys while using only clean magic? Can she stop the old boyfriend who wants to become more powerful and use underhanded tactics to do it? Good story!

[Denisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Still worth reading this series!

[Melliane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mon avis en Français

My English review

I had a great time with the first and second book and it’s true that I was eager to immerse myself in the sequel since the end of the previous volume. I must say that each of the characters manages to take us with them and I was curious to find out what would happen afterwards.

So we find our dear Kate Prospero who is facing a new survey. Indeed, it seems that the head of her former clan was assassinated, which could trigger a war. Since the previous events, each Covens evolves amid of visible tensions. But while the challenges keep coming and that everyone stays alert, a new player enters the field. Oh yes, a member of a Brazilian gang is in town, and he appears to be at the source of all problems. While Kate tries to flush out the man, the bodies are piling up in the streets and everyone stays on their toes.

Of course, Volos is present again here, as all the characters that we have previously discovered. I admit that it is a character that attracts me especially and even if the feelings there between him and Kate are conflicting, I admit that I am still waiting for something to happen, even if it is perhaps in vain. I must say that he has a real bad boy temperament, and the attitude that goes with it. The problem is that there are consequences that go with that. And then we have Kate’s partner … oh what a difficult choice for the young woman who is determined to stay alone. The problems are only amplifying between Danny and his troubles at school or the changing attitudes of her boss, the harassment of a specifically determined journalist or the shenanigans of her uncle Abe. Too much to handle for one person …

I took great pleasure to follow the whole story and I admit that I was surprised by many of the revelations. Oh yes, and we will learn more here about the past of the young woman, what she wants and what has been hidden from her for so long.

As you can see, a very good volume again and I am very curious to have more now.

[Shelley · Rating 3 out of 5]

*Genre* Urban Fantasy
*Rating* 3.0

*My Thoughts*

"You don’t like the game, change the rules."

Deadly Spells is the third installment in the Prospero's War series. Spells picks up 5 months after the end of Cursed Moon. Babylon PD Detective Kate Prospero and the team from Magical Enforcement Agency (MEA), must once again enter the world of coven politics when a member of Kate's former coven is brutally murdered, and all indications are that Kate's ex-boyfriend and Babylon's newly appointed mayor, John Volos, is involved up to his ears.

*Full Review Posted @ Gizmos Reviews*

http://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/201...

Published: March 3rd 2015 by Orbit

[Lila · Rating 2 out of 5]

2,5 stars


I'll repeat same line I used in previous reviews:

Great premise, weak execution.

When I heard this series is set in world where magic potions are illegal, and magic covens are in criminal business of cooking and distributing them to streets, I thought it sounded amazing. I wasn't surprised when Wells shared news about selling TV option for this series, because this premise is *made* for screen.

Unfortunately, it never lived up to my expectations.
Author focused more on procedural part and never tried to explore in depth magic part of her world. Kate, who is a cop, is also Adept(human with magic abilities) and that part of her character was never truly developed since she categorically refused to use magic.
Story opens with death of Votary coven member. The person responsible is a wizard from notorious Brazilian cartel who came to Babylon with one goal: to cause disruption. Like every other trouble Kate comes across, this one is also tied to new mayor, Volos. The same character glitch that annoyed me in previous novels reached its peak in this one: Kate didn't use her magical skills at all- she worked on a case being a badass cop, using only her investigative skills, following the protocol and filing paperwork.:\
I want to be clear- I have nothing against procedural, but her behavior was so removed from setting I started wondering why is this story set in Babylon in the first place. For example: at one point, team collects evidence-a potion. Kate, whose expertize is reading potions and its ingredients and recognizing signatures of wizard who made it, doesn't want to tell her boss about it and they end up sending evidence to lab. :\
It doesn't even make sense considering twist from last book. not all magic is dirty and not everyone who cooks is bad.
Plot was very linear and predictable, and there were some inconsistencies: If this wizard has popping and vanishing into thin air ability, why would he need them to bring him Volos at the end? And if he took Gardner from her apartment where they found blood, why did she say she was ambushed in front of her own door? Also his logic that if they don't give him Volos, Brazilian cartel will send team of wizards doesn't make sense- why would that prevent them to send one anyway?!

Love triangle is resolved, not that we had any doubt about it. When there is a dark-haired and blond dude in the mix, we all know who wins 9 out of 10 times.
The abundance of crude comments from last book was a serious issue for me, but it was lowered in this one. Still it was there for some inexplicable reason:
"He motioned toward his crotch. “I got your money right here.”


I expected to like this series much more. Roc/Ace is delivering these 3 books-contract UF series in last several years and I can't remember if I was as excited about any others like I was about this one.
I kept reading because I wanted to invest myself in this world and these characters, considering its great potential.
I kept waiting for it to become awesome.
I am sorry in the end that Wells never really stepped up her game and brought it up a notch.
If there's sequel, I'll wait some reviews first.:)

[Dark Faerie Tales · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales

Quick & Dirty: A coven war is brewing, and the MEA is running out of time to stop it in this thrilling installment in the Prospero’s War series.

Opening Sentence: There was a body in the church.

The Review:

Things have been quiet the past few months for Kate Prospero and the MEA task force. That all changes when they’re called in to assist on a particularly grisly murder scene. Kate immediately recognizes the victim – the leader of the Votary coven. All the evidence points to the leader of the rival coven, the Sangs, but it’s all a little too convenient for Kate to believe. As the MEA digs deeper, they find ties to a dangerous cartel as well as newly elected mayor John Volos. None of the evidence is strong enough for a solid case though, and time is growing short as tensions continue to rise among the covens. The MEA needs to work fast in order to avoid an all out coven war. Will they be able to find the real murderer in time?

This is turning into a really solid series for me. The books thus far have been fast paced, full of action as well as spots of humor to lighten the mood, and the characters are fantastic. I’m happy to say this book didn’t vary from that pleasant formula. I was interested in the plot from page one, and my interest didn’t wane at any point in time. What more can you ask for?

I really love the character of Kate. I’ve mentioned in reviews of previous books how I greatly enjoy her interactions with her brother, and that doesn’t change here. Danny has done some growing up, and it’s great to see how his and Kate’s relationship is progressing now that some secrets have been revealed. Kate also does some soul searching in this installlment, and it’s interesting to see how much she’s grown already from the person she was in book one. She’s learning how to not let her past hold her down and prevent her from becoming the cop she’s meant to be. It’s really awesome to see that much development in just three books.

I find myself very curious to see what Wells’ end game is for Volos. He keeps popping up, and while it’s obvious he still has feelings for Kate, his actions keep her from feeling anything but scorn for him, so I’m not so sure he’s going to become a love interest. At the same time, I’m not positive he’s going to become a villain either. I can’t wait to see what else his character has in store for Kate (and the readers).

Once again, this installment is light on the romance, although there is a little here. The tension between Kate and Morales is cranking up, and I find myself really loving every scene they have together. This is still mainly urban fantasy though, so those who crave a strong romance storyline in their books may want to look elsewhere.

All in all, this was another very satisfying installment in this series. Those who enjoyed the first two books definitely won’t be disappointed. I’m very much looking forward to book 4!

Notable Scene:

Puck slowly tore the card into pieces. Several of his cronies chuckled. “We don’t help traitors.”

“Suit yourself,” I said. “But let me make one thing clear.” I looked out over the assembled crowd to make sure I had their attention. “Your cousin,” I said, referring to Volos, “has the entire BPD on alert for a coven war. They’ll come down hard on anyone caught even looking at a rival coven the wrong way.” I looked at Puck again. “If I hear about any of your guys making any more moves against Harry Bane or his crew, we will be back with warrants and lots of guys with big guns.”

Puck laughed. “You do that.”

“I mean it, Puck. No war.”

He leaned forward and snapped his teeth at my face.

“Easy,” Morales growled.

Ignoring my partner, Puck whispered, “That’s the tricky thing about a war, Detective.” He held up a finger like a gun and pulled the invisible trigger. “Lots of stray bullets and collateral damage. Never know who will get caught in the crossfire.”

I grabbed his finger and twisted it until he fell to his knees on the ground. The crowd moved forward, but Morales drew his gun to halt their advance. The blonde stood to the side glaring bullets at me.

I leaned down and looked into the pained eyes of the cocky asshole who’d just threatened me. “Your mouth is declaring wars your ass can’t win.” His finger cracked under the pressure. He didn’t yell out in pain, but his jaw tightened and his eyes watered. “I might not be a member of this coven anymore, but I learned everything I know from a ruthless son of a bitch named Abraxas Prospero. If you come after me, I will end you.”

With that, I released his broken finger. “Let’s go,” I said to Morales and marched away without another glance.

It wasn’t until we were both outside and the door slammed behind us that Morales finally spoke. “So that went well.”

FTC Advisory: Orbit provided me with a copy of Deadly Spells. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.

[Annie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’ve been a fan of Jaye Wells’ books since the RED-HEADED STEPCHILD days. It’s her gritty, plot-driven stories and kickass heroines that keep me coming back for more so when this new series came out, I was excited to read a police procedural Urban Fantasy as dark as the magic it was inspired by.

Book one in the series absolutely blew me away, book two confused me a little bit with Kate’s character, and unfortunately, with this one, book three in the series, I just lost interest in it. I don’t know what happened but the usual tight writing isn’t there. Wells takes a very, very long time to set up the story. Nearly three chapters in and I felt like nothing really happened apart from some idle banter between her and her partner, Morales.

Morales was another thing I really loved about the first book but have fallen out of love with. His dynamic with Kate used to be something that thrilled and excited me, but their banter fell flat in this one and it seemed like there was no other place for it go. For any partnership to work, whether it’s based in romance or friendship, there needs to be some chemistry. I didn’t feel it in this book. Something about it just felt off.

As the story progressed, I found my attention waning more and more. Despite all that occurred in this book, the suspense seemed cut out and it didn’t feel as fast-paced as I hoped it would be. I don’t know if it was because I was disappointed with the last book, but I was hoping it was just a fluke and Wells was coming to come back with something strong. It took me a very long time to get through DEADLY SPELLS and it devastates me to say that because I’m a longtime lover of this author’s work. I’m hoping there’s a comeback in the future.

*ARC provided by publisher

Read my alternate review at Fresh Fiction

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a tough one to rate. The review at the Saucy Wenches captured many of my own thoughts:

http://thesaucywenchesbookclub.blogsp...

Mostly, though, I found myself getting increasingly annoyed at Kate's alternating moralizing and projecting her own shortcomings on others. Frankly, I wanted to slap her a lot. She plays holier-than-thou with just about everyone, yet does some shitty things herself, rationalizing them just as she condemns others for doing. Kate using Volos's trust of her to dose him with magic, kidnap him, and basically turn him over to the bad guys who want to kill him--never mind her untold plan to save him which might go wrong--was a horrible betrayal. The fact that Volos had betrayed her with the secret about her mother (which, incidentally, she didn't find out until afterwards) hardly warranted her own actions, especially since Volos so often had gone out of his way to help and protect her.

Wells's shifting Volos more clearly into the bad guy camp really didn't work so well for me, either, especially since Kate, though increasingly angry with him, uses some of the same tactics (hiding the gun to later use against him) that he did to gain leverage over others. While still "struggling" with the notion of using magic for good, something she supposedly came to terms with in the last book, she has no trouble whatsoever using magic to betray Volos. Her whole "realization" at the end of the book that she may have to do some bad things in order to do some good (even if most of that "good" is getting revenge on those who have hurt her!) seemed ridiculous considering she already had dirtied her hands.

There certainly were some good points of the book, especially Kate's handling of the crisis with Danny, her relationship with Baba, and even her horrible date. But Kate's hypocritical moralizing too often interfered with my enjoyment of the story. I'll read the next book, but with some trepidation.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

NOTE: Per the author, this series is not meant to be a trilogy. There may or may not be additional books after Deadly Spells.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review from Tenacious Reader: http://www.tenaciousreader.com/2015/0...

Deadly Spells regains what I felt was a bit lost in Cursed Moon. This is a stronger and more enjoyable book and I never felt the pace slow down or my interest waiver. There is a murder in the beginning of the book (this is hardly surprising, I mean Kate is a detective). But this turns out to be a member of her former Coven, someone she was quite familiar with. And it seems there is an emerging Coven war. As one might expect, Volos (Kate’s ex, current mayor, and someone that has been known to be enmeshed in Coven politics) if somehow involved as well. I’m not complaining, honestly, Volos seems to make things in Kate’s life a bit more interesting. So, I was actually glad to see how he was also some how pulled into this case.

The love triangle is always a small subplot, never coming close to taking over the story. I appreciate that. We get a small taste of the underlying desires between the characters, but none of them are driven by the relationships, and they certainly don’t allow those desires (repressed or not) to overshadow the real threat and concern of solving this case. There just always seems to be a bit of sexual tension between Kate and Volos and Kate and Morales. And this time, she gets the excitement of a new guy as well (this potential romance is also never a major component of the story).

In my last review I complained about Morales calling her “Cupcake”. Hopefully people don’t consider this a spoiler, but I was quite happy to see her call him out on that in this book. Won’t say more, but it made me happy even if she still has more tolerance for it than I do. Yay for Kate finally saying something to her partner for his demeaning nickname!? Yes, better late than never in my opinion!

One of the things I find interesting in this series is how Kate has to manage not just her career and her romantic interests, but relationships and duties beyond that. Things that normal people contend with in the normal everyday real lives. I think it just makes her a bit more real and relatable. On top of her high pressure job, she has to also juggle in caring for and raising Danny, her teenage brother. And this book, he definitely tests her abilities to handle everything. Danny has girlfriend, and she is struggling to deal with something that happens to her. Danny also has been drawn into trouble at school, causing Kate to have to prioritize and juggle putting out multiple fires at once.

Ultimately, what I enjoy about these books is they are just fresh and fun for me. I enjoy reading an empowered female protagonist that is not defined by her romantic conquests and also is not defined by a single role in her life. She has to deal with both her professional and personal life, both of which are impacted by previous and current relationships. Definetely recommend the series, and for anyone that may have been unsure to continue after book two, I urge you to read on.

[Jen Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another very good installment in the Propero’s War series. Jaye Wells has crafted a heroine who is easy for me to understand and to root for. She’s had a tough life and made bad choices, but she works herself to the bone every day to be something better. Her past haunts her and sometimes it comes back to bite her, but she keeps fighting the good fight… for herself, for her little brother, and for a city that teeters on the brink of total corruption. Plus, there is just enough of a hint of romance to satisfy me.

This story picks up a few months after the end of Cursed Moon, and although I think you would get maximum enjoyment from reading the earlier books, I think this book holds up individually very well. Yes, it works toward advancing a larger arc, but none of the backstory is too complicated to pick up as you go.

Anyway, someone has killed a member of Kate’s old coven and her team must work to unravel the mystery before they lose access to the case. Of course, things only get more complicated from there, because once they identify their enemy, catching him is infinitely harder. Throw in some angst at Little Brother’s school, a connection to her old flame Volos, and a partner looking for a love connection and Kate’s life is pretty full. (I still hate Volos, by the way.)

I didn’t feel as much teeth gnashing from Kate this time around. I feel like she is really growing and coming to terms with a lot… about herself and her past. Yes, she still struggles with her choices, but not nearly as much as before. And the magic element is something she is becoming much more at peace with. I appreciate Wells’ commitment to character growth, and that she is finally moving Kate forward with her life.

As for the atmosphere and tone, Babylon still has a Gotham-esque vibe going one. But this book didn’t feel quite as dark as the last one.

There are no huge shockwaves here, though there are some meaningful revelations. I read Wells refer to this series once as a crime procedural with supernatural elements, and I think that hits the nail on the head. At times, I wish it were a bit more true urban fantasy, with a little less crime solving focus and a little more people focus. The book is at its best when it’s about Kate and the people in her life. Overall, I definitely enjoyed it and am looking forward to finding out what happens next.

Rating: B


*ARC Provided by Orbit

[Jessie Potts · Rating 4 out of 5]

Why you should read it: This is book three and you HAVE to read the first two. I fell for Jaye's writing with Red Headed Stepchild (you must get it on audio), and this is her Prospero's War series. Kate is a butt-kicking heroine, and I love reading about her cases at the Magical Enforcement Agency. This installment has everything the first two have (plus an ending that will make you want to strangle the book), and was filled with a coven war, killers and one nosy reporter. I loved it, and fans of urban fantasy will have fun with Kate … except for the scary action parts that will have you running alongside her.

Head over to the HEA blog to see what Jaye is working on next!
http://www.usatoday.com/story/happyev...

[Lianne Pheno · Rating 3 out of 5]

3/5
https://delivreenlivres.home.blog/202...

Malheureusement cette série s’arrête la pour moi. Il ne me restait qu’un dernier tome à lire mais je ne le lirais pas. Et le pire c’est que je n’ai pas détesté, j’ai même bien aimé l’intrigue du tome. Mais il y a un petit problème pour moi dans cette série : le fait d’avoir l’impression d’être en décalage par rapport au message que l’autrice essaye de faire passer vis à vis de son personnage.

En gros pour expliquer le point qui m’énerve, je vais vous parler un peu du personnage principale, Kate. Celle ci a grandit dans une mafia qui était dirigée par son oncle dont elle était l’héritière. Dans cet environnement elle a un ami d’enfance, Volos, qui devient son copain quand elle est ado. Mais un événement terrible arrive, sa mère meurt par sa faute et Kate décide donc de laisser totalement cette vie derrière elle. Elle quitte son copain, sort du gang et recommence une autre vie. Elle entre dans la police et devient inspecteur.

Du coup dans le présent de l’intrigue, des années après ça, Kate rencontre à nouveau Volos. Celui ci a aussi quitté le gang et c’est forgé une nouvelle vie.

Et depuis le début de la série j’ai vraiment l’impression que Kate hais Volos. Mais une haine féroce !
Elle fait toujours tout pour le déstabiliser, casser tout ce qu’il entreprend, le foutre dans la merde … A chaque occasion qu’elle trouve elle va contre lui. Pour elle il incarne tout le mal du monde, et elle est vraiment déterminé à le faire tomber, méchamment. Mais personnellement je ne comprend pas du tout cette réaction.

Il est à son image pourtant, il a fait la même chose qu’elle : il est sorti de son ancienne vie. Et il ne l’a pas eu facile comme elle. Elle était protégée de loin par son oncle qui avait un grand pouvoir et n’aurait laissé personne lui faire du mal (la famille avant tout).
Du coup il a mis bien plus longtemps à arriver à sortir, et il a du se protéger de la seule façon qu’il connaissait : en utilisant la magie et en faisant payer le prix fort à ceux qui s’attaquaient à lui. En plus il est sorti en fanfare de la mafia vu que c’est lui qui l’a fait tombé en devenant l’informateur principal de l’enquête contre elle. Ce qui a conduit l’oncle de Kate en prison.

Du coup oui, il n’est plus le gentil jeune homme qu’elle a connu avant. Mais il n’avait pas le choix, il n’avait pas la possibilité de faire comme elle, jamais son oncle ne l’aurait autorisé a s’en sortir vivant. (« la seule façon de quitter le clan, c’est les pieds en avant »).
En plus il fait tout pour l’aider depuis le début, il va jusqu’à mettre à mal sa nouvelle carrière quand elle est en difficulté. Mais elle s’en balance et elle lui renvoi ses aides dans la gueule méchamment à chaque fois.

Voila, je ne comprend pas pourquoi elle a tellement la haine contre lui. Et du coup ça m’énerve dans ma lecture.
Je n’arrive pas à m’identifier à elle. En plus je trouve que les seules raison pour laquelle elle pourrait le détester sont mauvaises à mon avis :
– Parce qu’il lui rappelle son passé?
– Parce que lui n’a pas respecté le statu quo comme elle en partant dans le calme et a fait tomber son oncle (malgré le fait qu’elle déteste son oncle aussi)?
– Parce que lui réussi à se faire une image public propre et qu’il a choisi une vie publique (politique) alors qu’elle galère et soulève les suspicions de partout?
– Parce qu’elle ne lui a jamais demandé de la suivre (quand elle l’a quitté elle ne lui a même pas proposé de venir avec elle au départ) et qu’elle ne supporte pas qu’il l’ai fait (il aurait du rester dans la mafia avec son passé) et qu’elle doive le côtoyer maintenant ?
– Parce qu’il continue à utiliser la magie alors qu’elle l’a banni de sa vie ? (la magie rend addict, du coup elle est tout le temps en train de devoir se raisonner pour ne pas l’utiliser)

Et le pire c’est que je trouve qu’elle est vraiment dans le déni le plus total. Vers la fin de ce tome elle sort une phrase (en résumé) « il est temps d’agir, et d’arrêter d’espérer qu’il soit toujours le gentil garçon qu’il était avant ».
C’est la que ça bloque pour moi. L’autrice n’a pas réussi à me faire penser ça et je n’arrive pas à m’imaginer qu’au vu de ses réactions le personnage ai même espéré ça depuis le début de la série. Elle n’a fait que tenir les propos (et les pensées) les plus violent(e)s à son égard !
Si c’était ça le message que l’autrice essayait de faire passer, elle a totalement merdé son coup parce que ce n’est pas du tout de cette façon que je l’ai ressentit.

C’est le décalage donc j’ai parlé. J’ai l’impression d’avoir lu un autre livre et apprit à connaitre un autre personnage que celui qu’a fait évolué l’autrice dans ce tome ci.

Je précise que leur affrontement est au cœur de l’intrigue de ce roman, et que non, ça n’est pas un antagonisme qui pourrait anticiper une relation entre les personnages (ça arrive dans ce genre de séries des fois, mais la clairement pas du tout. On n’est pas dans ce genre d’optique, de toute façon les deux personnages sont tout les deux dans une autre relation qui marche très bien).

Bref, du coup le dernier tome à mon avis sera porté la dessus car c’était le sujet de la fin de celui ci (c’est clairement devenu l’antagoniste de la série). Et si ça fini par elle qui le détruit ça va vraiment me mettre en colère. Je ne pense pas pouvoir apprécier.
Le pire c’est qu’en dehors de ça j’ai bien aimé ce tome et le cheminement qu’on fait durant l’intrigue autre que cette partie la. Dommage.

Du coup je ne vous ai même pas parlé de ce tome ci en particulier, mais finalement ça reflète ce que j’en ai pensé, vu que 2 semaines après c’est la seule chose dont je me souvient dessus.

[Katelyn (Lost as Alice, Mad as the Hatter) · Rating 3 out of 5]

"...the thing is, being right isn't always enough."

Actual Rating: 3.6

Okay...so we turned this series back around. The crime is more organized. The characters are less drama prone. The blackmail is held by more powerful individuals. The power plays are raising the stakes. And, the politics are blurring more lines and making unlikely bed fellows become bosom buddies of the familial sort.

"Where a person spends their time is the truest indicator of their priorities."

Kate has spent a lot of time in the with her new crew at the task force. She is more a part of them than the PD her badge comes from. But this time her involvement will take her loyalties to her team deeper than ever before. And the deeper she delves into the her co-worker's lives (past and present) the more ambiguous the moral ground becomes.

"Alpha males were pains in the ass, but at least they didn't pretend to be something they weren't."

Our leading men (John the evil ex and current mayor and the partner hunk extraordinaire) are at odds. Between how close Kate is becoming with her partner and how far John is from the boy Kate once loved, the love/hate between the 3 is becoming untenable. Worse yet is that Kate has not admitted to herself just why the decade long hiatus from her ex has come to its end...or why things are becoming strained with the partner. Throw into the mix that her little brother still sees the new mayor as a sort of hero and is suddenly getting into the sort of trouble at school that is drawing Kate's best friend home enraged; and Kate has more than enough problems in her personal life.

"What's the matter? Is your ass too important now to touch anything but Corinthian leather?"

Into this mess of personal implosion we add new players with old agendas that are threatening to tear the Babylon underworld apart--along with Kate's boss. With the new criminals we are getting new talents that threaten to strain the teams' talents and destroy the city all the way up the ladder in city hall.

What will Kate do when the only way out might mean becoming the very monsters that she has come to hate?

The dialogue is flawless. The character development is on point (John you evil villain I love to hate you...I hope your tie chokes you dead.) The plot moves along ate just the right pace. The reader frustration is real...especially with THAT ENDING! OMGIAMSOPROUDOFKATE!!!

Overall this was an enjoyable read that keeps a reading interested without being overly heavy or complex. The crime is gritty. The world is morally ambiguous (even for the cops.) The potions are twisted. And the minions lack loyalty. A definite pickup if you survived reading Cursed Moon.

So now I just have one questions....

WHY IS THERE NO 4TH BOOK?!!

[Christal · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

See this review and others like it at Badass Book Reviews!

Deadly Spells is a hard book for me to review because, as much as I love the Prospero's War series, something just felt a little off to me here. The story was still fast-paced and intriguing but I ended the book thinking, "Hmmmm... okay... what was missing?"

Deadly Spells starts off with the murder of a coven leader, a coven that Kate Prospero just happened to belong to at one time. As the investigation goes along, many of the different covens are being attacked and neither the cops nor the MEA can figure out why. Enter John Volos... he has a connection to the coven killer that goes back to an event in the second book and he's the one actually being targeted. The killings are happening right on his doorstep and, as the newly elected Mayor, the crime is not making Volos look very capable. Kate, the MEA, and the local police must team up to bring down the killer -- even if it means Kate helping out Volos.

Things get pretty personal in Deadly Spells in many ways. Kate learns much more about her mother's death and the actual cause. She has to learn to deal with her grief all over again and the new information provides her with leads she never imagined. This has been one of my favorite parts of the series so I am happy that we will learn more about Kate's prior coven life and what really happened with her mother.

One of the parts that didn't pay off for me was Kate and Morales taking things to the next level. I like Morales a lot and he seems really sexy plus they have great banter and tension, but for some reason it just didn't flow for me. I'm willing to say it might just be me but, at this point, the passion just wasn't there. I feel like Kate needs to deal with her feelings for Volos (they are there no matter how much she wants to bury her head in the sand) before she can move on and have a solid relationship with anyone else.

Deadly Spells also gives us more Danny and Pen with Danny running into some serious problems at school. I like Danny; I think he's a good kid despite his bad attitude at times. It was very sad to see the school treat him the way they did -- actually, the whole plot line was very sad -- but also unfortunately believable. I was glad to see Pen stand up for herself and am even happier that she and Kate seem to have worked everything out. On the other hand, Kate experienced one of the most uncomfortable dates imaginable and it was actually kind of tough to read just because I was so embarrassed for her. I'm glad it didn't work out with that guy because I always felt like he was secretly smarmy, but it sucked watching Kate go through that experience. She came out the better person though, and went on to show just how shady that guy really was at the end of the book.

We also learn a lot about Gardner in this book and how she came to be in charge of the MEA task force. She also has a previous connection to the coven killer and this investigation brought out facets of her character that we had never seen before. She had a tough time of it, but I was glad to see the team rally around her. She also dropped some hard truths on Kate towards the end of the book. Everything Gardner told Kate was true and I think it will add some more shades of gray to Kate's outlook in the future.

Looking back, I think the part of Deadly Spells that really hit a sour note for me was John Volos. I love a good (redeemable) anti-hero, but Volos might have stepped over the line in this book. And that's coming from someone who ended up on the Trent Kalamack love train. It wasn't even what Volos did that bothered me in the end, it was how coldly he did it, how he justified it to Kate, and how he didn't seem to care about the situation that he ended up putting her and the MEA in because of his actions. I just don't know, guys. I mean, I knew he was a ruthless politician and former coven honcho, but I just thought he had a softness about him when it came to Kate. Now I'm not so sure he can ever redeem himself to her... or to me!

All in all, Deadly Spells was an exhilarating read that left me feeling a little uncertain at the end. I really do hope there are more (many, many more!) books in this series because I think we are just starting to scratch the surface of all the conspiracies in this world. Kate still has so much more she needs to learn -- about her mother, about Volos and her coven past, about working in law enforcement, and about herself. It wouldn't be fair to leave us hanging now. I know it's not all up to Jaye Wells, so I hope her publisher realizes what a knock out this series is and keeps it going for many installments to come.

Thank you to Orbit and Netgalley for providing an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Jessica (a GREAT read) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jaye Wells’ Deadly Spells was one wicked conclusion to her Prospero’s War trilogy! It was yet another exciting and action packed Urban Fantasy read that just makes me love the genre even more! Granted, in this series the paranormal elements are rather light, it’s still a kickass kind of read!

A few months have gone by since the events of the last book, and surprise, surprise, John Volos is now mayor. The man who continues to infuriate Kate on several levels continues to haunt her life no matter how many times she tries to be rid of him. This time the case that winds up at the MEA’s feet hits close to home for more than just Kate. When she first finds out that a coven leader she once knew when she was in the coven crowd, was murdered, things suddenly get more real for her.

The case spirals out into larger portions when lots of things from the past coming biting back. Her mother’s death comes up again, after being briefly mentioned and Kate will discover that there was more to her mother’s death than she initially thought. A reporter is hounding her for a good story based on her background. And then the investigation of the coven leader’s murder brings her closer to home than she would like. So naturally, things are chaotic and messed up all around!

I really like how Kate has to question her own morals several times throughout this book. The challenges she faces are hardly what you can call easy ones. And over the course of the trilogy, we’ve watched her change and grow. Sometimes, she has to accept her own dark past as being a part of her rather than trying to escape it all the time. And when I say dark, I mean by her own choices rather than having bad things happen to her for no reason. So she wasn’t completely innocent in the grand scheme of things, a fact she will always agree with in some sense!

The characters to this series have been incredible! I love how real they are. I mean, which things get intense, their reactions are spot on. I love when characters react realistically as well. I love when they have internal problems and dilemmas that make them act in a way we can relate to. Their pasts affect who they are, and yeah, they’re not perfect and remain a bit damaged. They try to do good and be good, but our pasts do make us who we are in the present. Granted, sometimes you want them just to just do whatever exciting thing is coming at them instead of walking away, but you gotta admit, the courage it takes for said characters to walk away! So yeah, basically what I’m getting at is that these characters are incredibly real and I adore them for that!

The tension in this one is just as thick and intense as it predecessor had been! There’s sooo much going on and while there’s not a clear cut deadline looming in the near distance, there’s still plenty of danger to appear if the good guys don’t save the day.

Questions of morals and what’s good and right come up in this one as well. I thought it was another nice added touch, because sometimes, it’s hard to see what is the right way or the wrong way. Note, sometimes! Lol. But Jaye really did a good job of showing us what I mean by this. I enjoyed that aspect, because it felt real. Scary, but real.

It’s not all just crime fighting and solving as well. Kate deals with more real life issues such as dating and raising her teenage brother as he starts to become a little more troublesome. I got to give her props for keeping her cool at the worst of time, when it came to her brother. And yes, there’s a bit more romance happening in this one, but still in that very subtle way of Jaye’s! And when I saw that we basically had three guys going after Kate, I admit to being a bit scared over that love shaped mess she had walked into. There were times that it was very interesting though, when the romantic times took the occasional page. For again, I will say that this romance once again takes place in the background and rarely gets attention, but again, the tension is always there!

Overall, Deadly Spells was an exciting read that will have you enthralled from the getgo! It’s a different kind of read, mind you. Again, the paranormal elements aren’t as strong, but are still clearly there! The ending to this trilogy was spot on, it gives you enough of a conclusion to know that the story is done, but leaves you knowing that these characters are far from done living their lives! It’s a fun kind of read that will sure to keep you entertained from start to finish!

Overall Rating 4.5/5 stars

[Hennie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Het was alweer een tijd geleden dat ik deel 1 en 2 heb gelezen, maar ik zit er weer helemaal in. Ben dan ook snel begonnen met deel 4.

[Dolly Sandor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very glad this is not the end of this series!!

What I liked: There was an error on Goodreads that indicated this would be a trilogy. I think every one panicked, including me. The world Ms Wells has created in this series is certainly worthy and entertaining enough for more than three books!

The previous book, Cursed Moon wasn't my favorite. I'm not sure which is harder for the writer, the first book or the second. So much to establish in the first entry but enough to keep the reader hooked and then following it up with another to lay the ground work for the series as a whole.

Ms Wells is moving this series characters slowly forward but not without drama, character development and world building. I like the flow of Deadly Spells, it's at the perfect speed with a crescendo here and there. I'm still not exactly sure what Volos is up to and how his character is going to shake out (that's a good thing). I have no doubt he's not a very good guy but there seems to be more going on with him than we've been privy too so far.

Kate had me a bit frustrated concerning her love life and feelings in this installment of the series. I couldn't get a good read on her and her expectations for her life until right at the end. Her actions at the end gave me a better feeling for her character and her actions.

Of course there are a myriad of other characters and we finally get to know a bit more about Agent Gardner and how her life spun out of control. I really like her character as she seems to be grounded but a bit mysterious.

What I didn't like: It wasn't so much about what I didn't like as more what frustrated me. Kate!! Back and forth with her emotions and her feelings. Yeah, I know, not a bit deal but I wanted her to "man up" a few times but it turned out okay....for now.

Overall, a good solid read. If you like Urban Fantasy and police procedurals, you'll really enjoy Deadly Spells!!

Recommend!!!!

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kate Prospero returns in book three of the Prospero's War series. This time around Kate is on a case trying to find out who is attempting to start a coven war. She works for the Magical Enforcement Agency aka MEA trying to get dirty potions off the streets and solve crimes. When a coven member winds up dead, Kate knows something is amiss and there will be other coven members seeking revenge. You know it's going to be really bad when some of the big coven leaders are going in hiding or leaving town. There is never a dull moment in Babylon.

The love aspect I still can't decide who's team I'm rooting for. Morales, Kate's partner clearly likes her and I do enjoy his character. He's a hunky alpha male that I wouldn't mind having for myself. Then there is Volos, Kate's old flame from her teens. Volos knows Kate's true self, how she was when she was a member of the coven, all the dirty bits of her past and why she has set defenses. JWells is making it hard on a girl, I'll be interested to see what happens in the next book.

I really enjoy JWell's writing style, it's gritty and in this series, Kate is always determined to solve the crime and get the bad guy. I started out reading Well's Sabina Kane series and thought it couldn't get better than that but the Prospero's War series is quickly becoming my favorite. Kate somehow balances being a "mom" to her little brother, hanging out with her BFF in her very limited free time and kicking butt while solving cases. I adore this series and highly recommend it if you're looking for a gritty Urban Fantasy with a kick butt cop lead.

[Stacy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't find DEADLY SPELLS to be as heavy feeling as CURSED MOON, but there was still plenty of action, suspense, drama and sneaky situations involved.

While Kate and Drew work to solve their latest crime we get to learn more about Gardner's past in book 3. We get to see a pretty different side to her and I loved how the team rallied into action when they needed to. John Volos is once again pretty involved in the storyline. I never really know his intentions, but Kate did a really good job keeping him at a distance. She has a few issues with keeping her feelings out of decisions, I don't think that can be helped when it comes to those two.

There is something I really need to get off my chest. Danny's attitude is killing me, I am so over him being a pain in the ass towards Kate. YES she can be a little overbearing/over protective, but he really needs an attitude adjustment. He is so lucky he isn't my kid (or the kid brother I raised).

On the romance side of things. I was NOT expecting what happened with Danny's teacher, I was HOPING something would happen with Drew, and I was GLAD nothing happened with John. That's all you're getting out of me.

As you have probably seen already, Jaye has said that this series is not meant to be a trilogy and there might or might not be more books. I would read more so I hope we get more. I have really enjoyed getting to know Kate and her 'gang' of colleague and friends, their stories are far from over.

* This book was provided free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

[Mina Khan · Rating 4 out of 5]

So I again started in the middle of the series, instead of with book one...seems to be a chronic habit of mine. Anyhow, I must give kudos to Wells because I never felt lost. She gives just enough back story for the reader to be clued in without slowing the pace down.

I'm definitely a fan on paranormal mysteries and this didn't disappoint. The villain was delicious!

My favorite part of the book was the character arc of the main character, Katie. She's complex and her growth reflects that complexity. There is no black and white division of good and bad in this story, but a lot of murky, interesting gray areas.

If you like intelligent & complex urban fantasies, give this one a chance. I'm off to find the first two books....