In DIRTY MAGIC, Jaye Wells introduces us to a dangerous new world inhabited by alchemists and potion junkies. It's a fast-paced story that grabs your attention from the first page and will leave you begging for more when you hit the back cover.
Kate Prospero, alchemist turned beat cop, does her best to maintain order in the Cauldron but it's a losing battle. Dirty magic potions are everywhere and addicts line the streets. Kate used to cook potions and was the heir apparent to one of the big bosses until tragedy struck. Now, she eschews all magics, even though she craves the powerful high that cooking brings, while raising her teenage brother and trying to get ahead in life. She's the kind of protagonist I instantly root for because she's so driven, fighting against some big obstacles. Plus she's a total underdog, especially once she joins up with the task force and its super talented members.
DIRTHY MAGIC is such a great book that it's hard to pinpoint my favourite parts. There's strong characterization, not just for Kate and the team, but for each of the major and minor players who enter the story. I really liked Penelope, Kate's best friend, in particular. She's such a sympathetic ear but she's also a very human element in a story with so many magical beings. The plot is also fantastic. Figuring out who's putting this dangerous new potion on the streets is a complex mystery that takes Kate all over the city, into some of the darkest parts of the town and her past.
While DIRTY MAGIC still has Wells' trademark humour and fast-paced action, it's a bit different from the Sabina Kane novels in that DIRTY MAGIC is more of a paranormal thriller. It's got a real hard-boiled feel to it, which I love. Gritty stories (almost) always have fantastic character arcs and twisty plots, which Wells delivers in spades. If you are already a fan, you'll definitely love DIRTY MAGIC. If you've never tried Jaye Wells before, now's the time because DIRTY MAGIC is near perfect urban fantasy.
Kate Prospero, alchemist turned beat cop, does her best to maintain order in the Cauldron but it's a losing battle. Dirty magic potions are everywhere and addicts line the streets. Kate used to cook potions and was the heir apparent to one of the big bosses until tragedy struck. Now, she eschews all magics, even though she craves the powerful high that cooking brings, while raising her teenage brother and trying to get ahead in life. She's the kind of protagonist I instantly root for because she's so driven, fighting against some big obstacles. Plus she's a total underdog, especially once she joins up with the task force and its super talented members.
DIRTHY MAGIC is such a great book that it's hard to pinpoint my favourite parts. There's strong characterization, not just for Kate and the team, but for each of the major and minor players who enter the story. I really liked Penelope, Kate's best friend, in particular. She's such a sympathetic ear but she's also a very human element in a story with so many magical beings. The plot is also fantastic. Figuring out who's putting this dangerous new potion on the streets is a complex mystery that takes Kate all over the city, into some of the darkest parts of the town and her past.
While DIRTY MAGIC still has Wells' trademark humour and fast-paced action, it's a bit different from the Sabina Kane novels in that DIRTY MAGIC is more of a paranormal thriller. It's got a real hard-boiled feel to it, which I love. Gritty stories (almost) always have fantastic character arcs and twisty plots, which Wells delivers in spades. If you are already a fan, you'll definitely love DIRTY MAGIC. If you've never tried Jaye Wells before, now's the time because DIRTY MAGIC is near perfect urban fantasy.
