I wasn't sure what to expect from this prequel novella in the Downside Ghosts series, all I knew was that it was darker than Stacia Kane's other series, which I loved. It also came highly acclaimed by trusted Goodread friends, so I decided to give it a try. Now, after reading it, I'm not so sure this was the right place to start, and I had to spend a lot of time piecing together the world she lives is, rather than Chess herself.In the prequel novella we meet 18 year old Chess, who's just getting started in the Church of Real Truth. She's diligent and obviously a gifted student, but she is also untried and untested. Which is why she's sent on a week-long training mission with the Black Squad who solve ghost related crimes. Chess is a damaged individual, there's a lot of neglect and abuse in her past. As a result she doesn't handle interpersional relations well and has serious trust issues and low self-esteem. Unfortunately this translates into a poor working relationship with her temporary colleagues. What I found most compelling wasn't the story of the ghost murders or the horrid city of eternity. It was watching Chess start with a sip or two of vodka to make it through the bad parts of her day, being privy to all of her inner turmoil. Really sad.Finding Magic wasn't love at first sight, but I will most likely give the first book in the series a try to see if it makes more sense.3 stars, mainly because I didn't get to now the world as much as I would have liked. In retrospect, that's my faul and not the athor's, so it's possible I'll do a re-evaluation of my rating after I have read the first full length Downside Ghosts novel. It was an interesting look into how Chess got started in the Church of Truth. I thought it was rather touching, although sad, to see how Chess started her love/hate relationship with pills. To see her start out using alcohol as a crutch, to numb all the bad memories and feelings, was poignant. We then see her character take a pill, and her personality almost softens before our eyes. You can tell already that Chess has found a new way to cope with her demons. As much as I hate to see it, I can understand it. I can see that her drugs will become a character in the books themselves. There is a bittersweet feeling as you realize that the pills will become a very important part of Chesarias' story. This was a compelling beginning to a gritty urban fantasy series.
What do You think about Finding Magic (2012)?
Sad beginning to the addiction, but good prequel to my new favorite series.
—Christine
Ooookay, so no wonder she's a full-blown junkie in the first installment.
—greeneyes
Struggled to get into this one, hopefully the next book is better!
—Jarri
A good look into the start of Chess's life with the Church.
—starsofdaimond
Now I'm just dying for the new book to come out.
—katy0678
