31) Deadly Spells by Jaye Wells

The Blurb :

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.

My Thoughts :

It has been a long busy week and I didn't get much reading done but this new release was calling to me and I finally found some time this weekend to curl up with it.  Prospero's War is turning out to be an amazing series and I have to say I am starting to enjoy it more than Jaye's previous amazing Sabina Kane series.

Kate is a strong character that you would love to have on your side in any situation,  She is best friend material if you don't mind about her past and her many present problems.  In this third installment Kate is once again thrown into her past as she continues to work with the MEA.  Her knowledge and links to the covens make her an asset to the team but it means she has to face some of her ex-friends and family to get results.

Nothing about this series so far has caused me to hate it and I love the fresh and original concept and very likable characters.  The on-going plot is definitely a reason to go back for more but the cases full of action, horrors and magic are just too good to pass on.  Once again, in this latest addition to the series, there is no kid gloves or training wheels but just pure Paranormal Urban Fantasy goodness with no holding back.  Expect blood, weirdness and swearing but used in the best way possible and not to excess.

This is one of the best new series I have been reading lately and I can't wait for more.  The ideas inside this series are not only different but unusual.  It is refreshing to read something so gritty, interesting and not at all familiar.  Make sure you try this series if you are looking for something new.  There is a lot of goodness in here and Kate Prospero is the leading lady who is trying to keep things good.

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6) Fire Water by Jaye Wells

The Blurb :

Rookie cop Kate Prospero only has one more training assignment to pass before she's officially sworn in to Babylon Police Department. But the veteran cop in charge of the river patrol boat is a salty old guy isn't happy about playing tour guide to a rookie and seems even less interested in real police work. But while on patrol, they stumble on to what appears to be a floating dirty magic lab. This highly combustible situation might finally be the key to these two unlikely partners finding common ground.

My Thoughts :

If you haven't already read the first two books from the Prospero's War series then Fire Water is the perfect opportunity to try before you buy.  A short story set before the series begins, this novella is a look at what you can expect from the full length novels.

Back when Kate was just a rookie and her brother was younger, she had to do what she could to get them stable.  It wasn't easy for her because of her history and family but this short story gives the reader a quick look at a moment in Kate's life that changed things for the better and started her direction.

Of course the full length novels are way more in depth and detailed than this short tale but any fans of the series/author will love this quick read.  Anyone who hasn't yet given the author or the series a chance will be able to see what it is all about without investing too deeply.  Sure Fire Water doesn't do the series justice on its own but I am sure it is enough to spark an interest in the other books.

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99) Cursed Moon by Jaye Wells

The Blurb :

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.

My Thoughts :

I wanted to read this book in one big yummy bite but work, a cold and other commitments kept hindering me from really sitting down and getting this book finished.  So in reality it took me three weeks to read Cursed Moon.  Which is a huge shame because it is definitely going to be in the top ten of the best books I read this year.

I already enjoyed the first book in this new series by Jaye Wells. Dirty Magic was new, original and had a certain wow factor just like the Sabine Kane series that got the author into the Paranormal Urban Fantasy scene.  Now this sequel has me convinced that Prospero's War is the better of the two.  Quite a shock statement if you go back and read my reviews of the Sabine Kane novels!  I didn't think that it was possible to out do the Sabine Kane saga but it was and Jaye Wells has done it with bells on.

There is something about this series that has me excited and giddy about the future of this author.  While the Sabine Kane series was brilliant and unforgettable there is something about Kate and this dirty magic concept that has me loving it more than Gighul and red-headed vampires.  It is more mature, raw and emotional with lots of elements you, as a reader, can relate to.  Addiction, family problems, friends depending on you, a job that sucks your life away, demons that come back to haunt you and finally a love that you want and another you can't get rid of.

While this series is filled with magic and takes place in a fictional place and time, it is easy to relate to the problems Kate is faced with.  Her strength and courage is infectious and you can't help but like her even if she is making mistakes.  The author has surprisingly given the main character a brother who she has to care for and while it makes more problems for Kate it is refreshing to have a leading lady having someone who is dependent on her and the reason she keeps doing what she does.

This time around the plot gets very edgy and wild but the Blue Moon will do that to you.  If you don't like watching the gritty stuff with blood, guts and sex then you can stay away from this one.  If you don't mind things getting a little heavy while keeping things realistic then you won't mind the few scenes that make the story really stand out.  The police procedure mixed with magic is a good combination and this is one of those series that you can really imagine being a great TV hit.

I eagerly await book three in the series and hope that there are more Prospero stories to come.  There seems to be a good amount of story left in this one and I am going to be pre-ordering anything that comes along.  Make sure you give this amazing story a try and pass it on to your friends.  The Paranormal Urban Fantasy genre has been throwing me some boring, unoriginal and bland books lately but Cursed Moon is the complete opposite and has me left me hopeful for the future.

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6) Dirty Magic by Jaye Wells

The Blurb :

The last thing patrol cop Kate Prospero expected to find on her nightly rounds was a werewolf covered in the blood of his latest victim. But then, she also didn't expect that shooting him would land her in the crosshairs of a Magic Enforcement Agency task force, who wants to know why she killed their lead snitch.

The more Prospero learns about the dangerous new potion the MEA is investigating, the more she's convinced that earning a spot on their task force is the career break she's been wanting. But getting the assignment proves much easier than solving the case. Especially once the investigation reveals their lead suspect is the man she walked away from ten years earlier—on the same day she swore she'd never use dirty magic again.

Kate Prospero's about to learn the hard way that crossing a wizard will always get you burned, and that when it comes to magic, you should be never say never.

My Thoughts :

I haven't read very much so far this year and even having some amazing books waiting for me on my Kindle hasn't helped me make time and energy for reading.  So this weekend I finally managed to sit down with a book I have been dying to read since I heard about it.  Dirty Magic by Jaye Wells is the debut in a new series from the author who wowed and amazed me with her Sabine Kane series.  I have been looking forward to something new from this special writer and the cover and blurb screamed out to me every time I say it anywhere online.

It is never easy to get into a new series.  There is so much to take in, learn and process but Dirty Magic doesn't stress or test you.  The story flows and adds the bits and pieces you need as you need them making the initial getting to know you phase go along easily.  It also makes you keep reading.  As you get to know more about Kate and the Magic this series revolves about you can't help but keep reading.  The information doesn't overwhelm but it keeps the reader eager to read on.  The suspense and mystery grows constantly as the story unfolds.

The authors willingness to add a dependent to the main character surprised me and it was great to see the way Kate dealt with her younger brother.  The police procedure was interesting and well written with some good changes to fit the story.  Kate is a great character and she has some wonderful co-stars.  I wonder what other skeletons are in the closet waiting to fall out and how long it will take before some kind of romantic arc comes into play.

For a debut in a new series this was very good.  If you haven't read Jaye Wells work before then you really need to check this new Prospero War series out.  Dirty Magic has a little Kim Harrison, a pinch of Devon Monk and some Jocelynn Drake vibes.  All great Urban Fantasy writers who managed to come up with something original and unusual.  Just like Prospero's War does.  This one gets five stars from me and a highly recommend/ I suggest you read this asap declaration.

With some nice twists and turns the plot turned out to be exceptionally good.  The whole concept gets a wow rating and the characters a happy nod.  This is another brilliant release from Jaye Wells.  This author shows how serious she can be and how well she rocks the Urban Fantasy scene.   I can't wait for more and look forward to taking another trip to Babylon and be a part of the dark and mysterious stuff that goes on there.

Edit :  I just saw that the second book in the series, Cursed Moon, will be out in August!  Yay and Kudos for not making us wait a whole year!




 

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