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Prospero's War #1
Dirty Magic
Action-packed police procedural meets dark urban fantasy in a world where cops and wizards are fighting a war over addictive, dangerous, and illegal dirty magic.
Magic is a drug. Careful how you use it.
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 the Magic Enforcement Agency, who want to know why she killed their lead snitch.
The MEA keeps dirty magic off the streets, but there's a new blend out there that's as deadly as it is elusive. The more Prospero learns about the investigation, 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 given up dirty magic for good.
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 never say never.
The first book the Prospero's War series from bestselling author Jaye Wells.
Magic is a drug. Careful how you use it.
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 the Magic Enforcement Agency, who want to know why she killed their lead snitch.
The MEA keeps dirty magic off the streets, but there's a new blend out there that's as deadly as it is elusive. The more Prospero learns about the investigation, 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 given up dirty magic for good.
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 never say never.
The first book the Prospero's War series from bestselling author Jaye Wells.
416 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 21, 2014
223 people are currently reading
7033 people want to read
About the author
Jaye Wells
32 books2,156 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 705 reviews
February 18, 2016
Reviewed by: Rabid Reads
I’m surprised I ended up reading Dirty Magic by Jaye Wells. My TBR list is out of control, and while I read most of Wells’ Sabina Kane series, I liked it, but I didn’t love it. I liked the MCs and the plot, and I think the first time I ever got chills from the mention of a specific song in a book was when Voodoo by Godsmack was playing in the background of the vamp club in Red-Headed Stepchild . . .
BUT . . . it was a little too crass for me. Having a sex-fiend of a demon side-kick will do that, I guess. Anyway, I think I read all but the last book in the series and again, I liked them, but I still haven’t gotten around to finishing it.
Then a week or so ago, I ran across the EXTENDED FREE PREVIEW for Dirty Magic on Amazon, and I downloaded it. Then I thought, nah, and deleted it. Then I got bored and needed a break from my reread, so I re-downloaded it.
And I read it.
And then I spent all of the time from then until the Tuesday it actually came out chewing my fingernails, waiting, waiting, waiting, b/c the second I finished the preview, I pre-ordered the book.
I. Had. To. Have. It.
And it was quite a departure from her last series.
Kate Prospero lives in a world overrun with magic. There’s “clean” magic that the rich can buy in potion form to make themselves more attractive, smarter, faster, more virile . . . and then there’s dirty magic cooked on the streets and distributed by cartel-like organizations for the rest of the population. Kate grew up as the dirty magic heiress, groomed by her uncle to take over his empire one day, but when a family tragedy occurs, she wants out, and she takes her kid brother with her.
Compelled to pay her debt to society, she becomes a cop. But after nearly five years she’s still working the beat with no promotions in sight—cops are mostly mundanes (non-magical) and as ever, they fear what they don’t understand.
So Kate’s barely scraping by when her world is turned further upside down by being forced to kill a jacked-up magic (ab)user when said junky attacks and tries to eat (yes, EAT) her. Junky is then revealed to be a CI for the book’s version of the CIA/FBI/DEA/WHATEVS and Kate decides that she absolutely MUST be involved in the case trying to hunt down the new drug’s origins. She’s tired of arresting dime-a-dozen dealers, and desperate to be involved in something that could actually make a difference. After some unconvincing grumbling, her superiors put her on the task force, but only after one of Kate’s own informants insinuates that her ex-boyfriend/adolescent love-of-her-life who has also left behind his nefarious beginnings in the same underground crime ring, only to become a successful business man (rather than beat cop), is responsible for putting the new taste-for-flesh-inducing drug on the streets.
So that’s the basic premise.
And it’s good. Really good. In Dirty Magic, Wells manages to walk that fine line between gritty and vulgar that I felt got crossed so many times in the Sabina Kane series.
Wells also has a way of describing the incredibly vivid characters she creates so that you feel like you know them. You stand behind them in the check-out at the grocery store, and you hold their door open as you’re leaving your workplace. They’re a dime a dozen, and yet her tiny details work together to form a whole that is breathtakingly REAL. From Kate’s teenage brother angrily declaring, “It’s just a book. Jesus, don’t be such a fascist,” to the little-old-lady neighbor and friends who, “often got together for such activities as quilting, making scrapbooks, and casting revenge spells under the full moon,” I was groaning in commiseration when I wasn’t snorting with laughter.
And then there are the ever-present Alpha males. Ex-boyfriend is one, and new MEA partner is definitely one, to the tune of, “He looked like the kind of guy whose cologne was made from gasoline and whiskey.”
Sigh . . . dreamy sigh . . .
Book 2 is set TBR in August, and I CANNOT wait.
I’m surprised I ended up reading Dirty Magic by Jaye Wells. My TBR list is out of control, and while I read most of Wells’ Sabina Kane series, I liked it, but I didn’t love it. I liked the MCs and the plot, and I think the first time I ever got chills from the mention of a specific song in a book was when Voodoo by Godsmack was playing in the background of the vamp club in Red-Headed Stepchild . . .
BUT . . . it was a little too crass for me. Having a sex-fiend of a demon side-kick will do that, I guess. Anyway, I think I read all but the last book in the series and again, I liked them, but I still haven’t gotten around to finishing it.
Then a week or so ago, I ran across the EXTENDED FREE PREVIEW for Dirty Magic on Amazon, and I downloaded it. Then I thought, nah, and deleted it. Then I got bored and needed a break from my reread, so I re-downloaded it.
And I read it.
And then I spent all of the time from then until the Tuesday it actually came out chewing my fingernails, waiting, waiting, waiting, b/c the second I finished the preview, I pre-ordered the book.
I. Had. To. Have. It.
And it was quite a departure from her last series.
Kate Prospero lives in a world overrun with magic. There’s “clean” magic that the rich can buy in potion form to make themselves more attractive, smarter, faster, more virile . . . and then there’s dirty magic cooked on the streets and distributed by cartel-like organizations for the rest of the population. Kate grew up as the dirty magic heiress, groomed by her uncle to take over his empire one day, but when a family tragedy occurs, she wants out, and she takes her kid brother with her.
Compelled to pay her debt to society, she becomes a cop. But after nearly five years she’s still working the beat with no promotions in sight—cops are mostly mundanes (non-magical) and as ever, they fear what they don’t understand.
So Kate’s barely scraping by when her world is turned further upside down by being forced to kill a jacked-up magic (ab)user when said junky attacks and tries to eat (yes, EAT) her. Junky is then revealed to be a CI for the book’s version of the CIA/FBI/DEA/WHATEVS and Kate decides that she absolutely MUST be involved in the case trying to hunt down the new drug’s origins. She’s tired of arresting dime-a-dozen dealers, and desperate to be involved in something that could actually make a difference. After some unconvincing grumbling, her superiors put her on the task force, but only after one of Kate’s own informants insinuates that her ex-boyfriend/adolescent love-of-her-life who has also left behind his nefarious beginnings in the same underground crime ring, only to become a successful business man (rather than beat cop), is responsible for putting the new taste-for-flesh-inducing drug on the streets.
So that’s the basic premise.
And it’s good. Really good. In Dirty Magic, Wells manages to walk that fine line between gritty and vulgar that I felt got crossed so many times in the Sabina Kane series.
Wells also has a way of describing the incredibly vivid characters she creates so that you feel like you know them. You stand behind them in the check-out at the grocery store, and you hold their door open as you’re leaving your workplace. They’re a dime a dozen, and yet her tiny details work together to form a whole that is breathtakingly REAL. From Kate’s teenage brother angrily declaring, “It’s just a book. Jesus, don’t be such a fascist,” to the little-old-lady neighbor and friends who, “often got together for such activities as quilting, making scrapbooks, and casting revenge spells under the full moon,” I was groaning in commiseration when I wasn’t snorting with laughter.
And then there are the ever-present Alpha males. Ex-boyfriend is one, and new MEA partner is definitely one, to the tune of, “He looked like the kind of guy whose cologne was made from gasoline and whiskey.”
Sigh . . . dreamy sigh . . .
Book 2 is set TBR in August, and I CANNOT wait.
March 5, 2016
3.5 stars
Kate Prospero is on patrol one afternoon when she sees something she wasn't expecting. Someone who looks like a werewolf is nom-noming on a victim. She gives chase and ends up killing the baddie.
Then she lands in some hot water for killing one of the MEA's (Magic Enforcement Agency) lead snitches, but they didn't realize that he had wolfed out. A new potion is on the streets and it's one that could be bad for the whole city. Kate wants that place in MEA's team to help bury some of her past and put some bad guys where they belong.
Kate is an Adept, meaning she has magical abilities..but she doesn't use magic of any kind. She was destroyed inside by magic and has sworn it off. Be it the 'dirty magic' cooked up on the streets or legal 'clean magic'...she doesn't want it.
She gets that chance to be on the MEA's team and must face some of her past including her uncle Abe, who used to be the biggie of the coven leaders. He is in jail now but he still has not been challenged for position and it looks like he still has a bunch of control.
This is a pretty decent first book. There is quite a bit of world building because I think you probably do have to have it for an urban fantasy book. The potions on the street are so much like drugs that are out there in our world and the magic in this book is pretty light though so if you are looking for lots of shazam be aware of that. It's a cooking up alchemy type thing with a little extra boost.
Booksource: Library, because this author is coming to a festival near me and I was curious. I see that most people like her other series Red-Headed Stepchild even more than this one. So I'm thinking I'll probably stand in line some for her.
My sweet friend Patrycja's review is a great look at this book.
Kate Prospero is on patrol one afternoon when she sees something she wasn't expecting. Someone who looks like a werewolf is nom-noming on a victim. She gives chase and ends up killing the baddie.
Then she lands in some hot water for killing one of the MEA's (Magic Enforcement Agency) lead snitches, but they didn't realize that he had wolfed out. A new potion is on the streets and it's one that could be bad for the whole city. Kate wants that place in MEA's team to help bury some of her past and put some bad guys where they belong.
Kate is an Adept, meaning she has magical abilities..but she doesn't use magic of any kind. She was destroyed inside by magic and has sworn it off. Be it the 'dirty magic' cooked up on the streets or legal 'clean magic'...she doesn't want it.
She gets that chance to be on the MEA's team and must face some of her past including her uncle Abe, who used to be the biggie of the coven leaders. He is in jail now but he still has not been challenged for position and it looks like he still has a bunch of control.
This is a pretty decent first book. There is quite a bit of world building because I think you probably do have to have it for an urban fantasy book. The potions on the street are so much like drugs that are out there in our world and the magic in this book is pretty light though so if you are looking for lots of shazam be aware of that. It's a cooking up alchemy type thing with a little extra boost.
Booksource: Library, because this author is coming to a festival near me and I was curious. I see that most people like her other series Red-Headed Stepchild even more than this one. So I'm thinking I'll probably stand in line some for her.
My sweet friend Patrycja's review is a great look at this book.
January 1, 2022
☢ Sometimes the MacHalos Listen to Silly Little Me Miracles do Happen and the MacHalos Pick Non-Crappy Books to Read Buddy Reread (StMLtSLMMdHatMPNCBtRBR™) ☢
This book survived being reread by me. Which is, in itself, quite an accomplishment. Not only that, it also managed to retain its 4-star status.
As I am, Little Green Man, as I am.
So. Why was reading this book just as wondrous in 2016 as it was in 2014 (when I was young and naïve and stuff), you ask? Because…
① Kate Prospero :
✔ Her name is Kate, so of course she's awesome (because Kate Daniels, DUH.)
✔ She takes bullshit from no one. And she never bullshits, either. This is one glorious chick who tells it like it is. She curses beautifully, too. And she is delightfully conflicted. And she is deliciously flawed. And she can pretty insecure sometimes, too. I'm telling you, my Little Barnacles, that girl is so complex and cool and stuff, she should be outlawed.
✔ PS: I am very slightly in luuuurrrrrve with her.
② The Awesome Bunch (AB™), aka the cast of somewhat awesome secondary characters:
✔ This ain't no One-Dimensional Character Land (ODCL™), my Little Barnacles. Let me tell you, there's more to the AB™ than meets theshrimp eye. These guys and gals here? They aren't of the flat, dull, bland type. And a few of them have beautifully selfish ulterior motives, too. And that's kinda hot, if you ask me.
✔ Baba, the horny septuagenarian/neighbour/babysitter/sexy juice cooker steals every scene she's in. I want to be her when I growold up. I want to check out hot guys' asses (oops, I think I already do that), join smutty book clubs (oops, I think I already do that *waves at the MacHalos*) and sexually harass retirement home folks.
✔ PS: Morales is mine. He can be such a jerk sometimes. Yum yum yummy. And stuff.
✔ PPS: Spoiler Spoiler Spoiler (not his real name) is a complete, total, absolute, egotistical asshole. I hate him I hate him I hate him ← I might tell you how I really feel about him after my third reread. But still, he's kinda sorta cool.
③ It's a magnificently dirrrrty world out there :
✔ Original stuff. Shady stuff. Dark stuff. Gritty stuff. YES! This book is so deliciously Fluffy Bunny Unfriendly (FBU™) I want to lick it!
✔ This ain't no straightforward, black and white world, my Little Barnacles! We've got supposedly reformed crooks, deviousmafia coven overlords, cops of dubious morals, and unscrupulous types of questionable ethics. It's beautiful.
✔ Babylon, Ohio really is the coolest holiday destination ever: turf wars, dirty magic potion dealers, addicts and junkies everywhere, crooks and criminals galore, cutthroat neighbourhoods...Friendly locals + exciting hot spots = shrimp the Caribbean, I'm going to Babybon!
④ 100% of the MacHalos who've read this book so far have rated it 4 stars = make of that what you will = QED and stuff.
» And the moral of this review is: why aren't more Barnacles reading this series?! Little Barnacles everywhere! What are you waiting for?! Read this series!
» And the other moral of this review is: MacHalos, when I tell you to read a book because it's REALLY good, it means that you should read the shrimping book. BECAUSE IT'S REALLY GOOD.
· Book 0.5: Fire Water ★★★★
· Book 2: Cursed Moon ★★★★★
· Book 3: Deadly Spells ★★★★★
· Book 4: Volatile Bonds ★★★
Original crappy non-review (December 2014):
Magic and potions and addicts, oh my!
As first instalments go, Dirty Magic is pretty fantastic. Actually no, Dirty Magic is pretty fantastic period. I'd bought the book a long time ago and more or less forgot about it until I stumbled upon it last week. I'd just read two crappy books in a row and although this one didn't sound mind-blowingly fascinating I thought it couldn't be any worse than what I'd just been through. I picked up the book. And was subsequently dead to the world for two days. That's how good this book is.
When I first started reading the book and realized the mc was a cop I thought "uh oh, not good." I gave up reading mysteries a long time ago and the last thing I want to read about in UF books is cops. Silly little me and my preconceived notions. Less than 10 pages in and I was hooked. Yes there are cops but this world is unlike anything you've ever come across.
Magic rules: there is clean, legal magic ("Big Magic") with its pharmaceutical type companies and over-the-counter potions for the rich. But first and foremost there is illegal Dirty Magic with its cartel-like covens selling poor quality potions cooked on the streets. With the illegal industry comes the power struggles and inevitable corruption… It's a pretty crappy world to live in. The first part of the book is packed with detailed information about this world. You might get a bit confused at first but stick with it, it's really worth it.
Dirty Magic is chock-full of great ideas: left-handed Adepts who have the genetic ability to do magic vs Mundanes who don't. Arcane Anonymous groups ("Just say no to magic") for those addicted to potions. Tactical wizards. Rock salt loaded flare guns and salt-and-pepper sprays to neutralize magic. The Arcane Crimes Division. Street wizards. The Magic Enforcement Agency. The Mystical Coven of the Sacred Orgasm, aka the Os (hahahahaha, love that one!). An homunculus informant (LM is just hilarious!). And so much more! I loved it all!
Kate Prospero, congratulations. You just made it to my favourite heroines list. The appointed heiress to her uncle's Dirty Magic illegal business, Kate decides to leave it all behind, stops cooking magic and becomes a cop. When we first meet her she is struggling to raise her teenage brother while fighting illegal magic on the streets. I love Kate. She's tough, opinionated, straightforward and kicks serious butt.
The secondary characters are fantastic: Danny (Kate's teenage brother) is annoyingly lovable. Then we have Pen, Kate's best friend and a recovering potion addict. Baba, Kate's septuagenarian wiccan neighbour is hilarious (sexy juice, smutty-book-club meetings…). Wez & Shida, Kate's colleagues at the MEA are great. I love Agent "no bullshit before 5 p.m." Gardner. And we even have not one but two Alpha males: Volos, Kate's ex-boyfriend and supposedly reformed dirty magic coven member (I don't buy that for a second thank you very much). But most importantly we have Drew Yum Yum Yum Morales, Kate's new MEA partner. 'Cupcake' + 'Macho' = I just can't wait to see how this plays out! I think what I love most about the cast of characters is that they are all well developed and ring very true. They make one great dysfunctional gang!
Anything else? Yes. Humour. Lots of it. I love the dialogues and some scenes are just hilarious. The first time Kate introduces Morales to LM & Mary? Bahahahahaha! Any scene with saucy Baba? Priceless. Fun, fun, fun times!
Fast paced, action packed and entertaining, Dirty Magic is the very well-crafted, strong start to an exciting new series. Next please!
This book survived being reread by me. Which is, in itself, quite an accomplishment. Not only that, it also managed to retain its 4-star status.
As I am, Little Green Man, as I am.
So. Why was reading this book just as wondrous in 2016 as it was in 2014 (when I was young and naïve and stuff), you ask? Because…
① Kate Prospero :
✔ Her name is Kate, so of course she's awesome (because Kate Daniels, DUH.)
✔ She takes bullshit from no one. And she never bullshits, either. This is one glorious chick who tells it like it is. She curses beautifully, too. And she is delightfully conflicted. And she is deliciously flawed. And she can pretty insecure sometimes, too. I'm telling you, my Little Barnacles, that girl is so complex and cool and stuff, she should be outlawed.
✔ PS: I am very slightly in luuuurrrrrve with her.
② The Awesome Bunch (AB™), aka the cast of somewhat awesome secondary characters:
✔ This ain't no One-Dimensional Character Land (ODCL™), my Little Barnacles. Let me tell you, there's more to the AB™ than meets the
✔ Baba, the horny septuagenarian/neighbour/babysitter/sexy juice cooker steals every scene she's in. I want to be her when I grow
✔ PS: Morales is mine. He can be such a jerk sometimes. Yum yum yummy. And stuff.
✔ PPS: Spoiler Spoiler Spoiler (not his real name) is a complete, total, absolute, egotistical asshole. I hate him I hate him I hate him ← I might tell you how I really feel about him after my third reread. But still, he's kinda sorta cool.
③ It's a magnificently dirrrrty world out there :
✔ Original stuff. Shady stuff. Dark stuff. Gritty stuff. YES! This book is so deliciously Fluffy Bunny Unfriendly (FBU™) I want to lick it!
✔ This ain't no straightforward, black and white world, my Little Barnacles! We've got supposedly reformed crooks, devious
✔ Babylon, Ohio really is the coolest holiday destination ever: turf wars, dirty magic potion dealers, addicts and junkies everywhere, crooks and criminals galore, cutthroat neighbourhoods...Friendly locals + exciting hot spots = shrimp the Caribbean, I'm going to Babybon!
④ 100% of the MacHalos who've read this book so far have rated it 4 stars = make of that what you will = QED and stuff.
» And the moral of this review is: why aren't more Barnacles reading this series?! Little Barnacles everywhere! What are you waiting for?! Read this series!
» And the other moral of this review is: MacHalos, when I tell you to read a book because it's REALLY good, it means that you should read the shrimping book. BECAUSE IT'S REALLY GOOD.
· Book 0.5: Fire Water ★★★★
· Book 2: Cursed Moon ★★★★★
· Book 3: Deadly Spells ★★★★★
· Book 4: Volatile Bonds ★★★
Original crappy non-review (December 2014):
Magic and potions and addicts, oh my!
As first instalments go, Dirty Magic is pretty fantastic. Actually no, Dirty Magic is pretty fantastic period. I'd bought the book a long time ago and more or less forgot about it until I stumbled upon it last week. I'd just read two crappy books in a row and although this one didn't sound mind-blowingly fascinating I thought it couldn't be any worse than what I'd just been through. I picked up the book. And was subsequently dead to the world for two days. That's how good this book is.
When I first started reading the book and realized the mc was a cop I thought "uh oh, not good." I gave up reading mysteries a long time ago and the last thing I want to read about in UF books is cops. Silly little me and my preconceived notions. Less than 10 pages in and I was hooked. Yes there are cops but this world is unlike anything you've ever come across.
Magic rules: there is clean, legal magic ("Big Magic") with its pharmaceutical type companies and over-the-counter potions for the rich. But first and foremost there is illegal Dirty Magic with its cartel-like covens selling poor quality potions cooked on the streets. With the illegal industry comes the power struggles and inevitable corruption… It's a pretty crappy world to live in. The first part of the book is packed with detailed information about this world. You might get a bit confused at first but stick with it, it's really worth it.
Dirty Magic is chock-full of great ideas: left-handed Adepts who have the genetic ability to do magic vs Mundanes who don't. Arcane Anonymous groups ("Just say no to magic") for those addicted to potions. Tactical wizards. Rock salt loaded flare guns and salt-and-pepper sprays to neutralize magic. The Arcane Crimes Division. Street wizards. The Magic Enforcement Agency. The Mystical Coven of the Sacred Orgasm, aka the Os (hahahahaha, love that one!). An homunculus informant (LM is just hilarious!). And so much more! I loved it all!
Kate Prospero, congratulations. You just made it to my favourite heroines list. The appointed heiress to her uncle's Dirty Magic illegal business, Kate decides to leave it all behind, stops cooking magic and becomes a cop. When we first meet her she is struggling to raise her teenage brother while fighting illegal magic on the streets. I love Kate. She's tough, opinionated, straightforward and kicks serious butt.
The secondary characters are fantastic: Danny (Kate's teenage brother) is annoyingly lovable. Then we have Pen, Kate's best friend and a recovering potion addict. Baba, Kate's septuagenarian wiccan neighbour is hilarious (sexy juice, smutty-book-club meetings…). Wez & Shida, Kate's colleagues at the MEA are great. I love Agent "no bullshit before 5 p.m." Gardner. And we even have not one but two Alpha males: Volos, Kate's ex-boyfriend and supposedly reformed dirty magic coven member (I don't buy that for a second thank you very much). But most importantly we have Drew Yum Yum Yum Morales, Kate's new MEA partner. 'Cupcake' + 'Macho' = I just can't wait to see how this plays out! I think what I love most about the cast of characters is that they are all well developed and ring very true. They make one great dysfunctional gang!
Anything else? Yes. Humour. Lots of it. I love the dialogues and some scenes are just hilarious. The first time Kate introduces Morales to LM & Mary? Bahahahahaha! Any scene with saucy Baba? Priceless. Fun, fun, fun times!
Fast paced, action packed and entertaining, Dirty Magic is the very well-crafted, strong start to an exciting new series. Next please!
March 16, 2016
What the hell is "dirty magic"? Well, it's like street drugs as opposed to "clean magic" which is like pharmaceutical medications. Both types are supposed to cure what ails you, but also come with a price.
For instance, you know how you watch a commercial for a drug to help toenail fungus and the spend half the ad telling you all of the horrible side effects if you take it? Like diarrhea, anxiety, heart palpitations, hives, risk of stroke, hair loss, and possibly death? That's the price of getting rid of your toenail fungus. Personally, I'd rather have a gross toenail than be a bald headed anxious stroke survivor running to the bathroom every 10 minutes. But, that's just me.
In this world (which is awesome, by the way), instead of drugs, it's magic that people use. There is clean magic that will give you an energy boost, help you diet, or change your hair color; then there is dirty magic that will get you high, make you prettier, or turn you into a flesh-eating werewolf. Yeah, the flesh-eating werewolf one is kind of a problem. Once again - toenail fungus. Not worth it.
So, Kate was a dirty magic cooker in her youth. Her mom died from some bad stuff and Kate left her life of crime to become a cop instead. She is now on the other side and is fighting dirty magic. And, of course, she is trying to stop this flesh-eating werewolf drug. She gets a lucky break and ends up working on a task force to figure it out.
Like I said, the world created in this book is really cool and fun. There are crime syndicate type of things going on, tons of different types of magic, and a really down and dirty street scene that just reeks of desperation and scumbuckets. It's awesome!
The characters are also great. Kate is funny and sarcastic, and the people on her task force are all fun and interesting. The cool thing was that I really wasn't sure what I thought of Kate's ex-boyfriend for most of the book. I like when I don't immediately figure someone out.
There is no romance at all, but lots of action and a decent mystery. It reminds me a bit of the Harry Dresden series.
I would have given all the stars, but I felt like it started slow and I almost DNFed it. But, I'm glad I stuck with it because I ended up enjoying the story a lot. See, sometimes that sadistic streak of continuing to read a book that you don't like pays off!
For instance, you know how you watch a commercial for a drug to help toenail fungus and the spend half the ad telling you all of the horrible side effects if you take it? Like diarrhea, anxiety, heart palpitations, hives, risk of stroke, hair loss, and possibly death? That's the price of getting rid of your toenail fungus. Personally, I'd rather have a gross toenail than be a bald headed anxious stroke survivor running to the bathroom every 10 minutes. But, that's just me.
In this world (which is awesome, by the way), instead of drugs, it's magic that people use. There is clean magic that will give you an energy boost, help you diet, or change your hair color; then there is dirty magic that will get you high, make you prettier, or turn you into a flesh-eating werewolf. Yeah, the flesh-eating werewolf one is kind of a problem. Once again - toenail fungus. Not worth it.
So, Kate was a dirty magic cooker in her youth. Her mom died from some bad stuff and Kate left her life of crime to become a cop instead. She is now on the other side and is fighting dirty magic. And, of course, she is trying to stop this flesh-eating werewolf drug. She gets a lucky break and ends up working on a task force to figure it out.
Like I said, the world created in this book is really cool and fun. There are crime syndicate type of things going on, tons of different types of magic, and a really down and dirty street scene that just reeks of desperation and scumbuckets. It's awesome!
The characters are also great. Kate is funny and sarcastic, and the people on her task force are all fun and interesting. The cool thing was that I really wasn't sure what I thought of Kate's ex-boyfriend for most of the book. I like when I don't immediately figure someone out.
There is no romance at all, but lots of action and a decent mystery. It reminds me a bit of the Harry Dresden series.
I would have given all the stars, but I felt like it started slow and I almost DNFed it. But, I'm glad I stuck with it because I ended up enjoying the story a lot. See, sometimes that sadistic streak of continuing to read a book that you don't like pays off!
March 26, 2022
Dirty Magic by Jaye Wells
1st book in the Prospero’s War series. Urban fantasy cop with magic.
Kate Prospero is a new member of the Magic Enforcement Agency task force. Her job gets more complicated when her brother wants to learn to “cook” dirty magic and he calls Kate’s ex.
Engrossing cop procedural with magic and family issues. Kate is raising her brother the best she can with ethical issues she still has to work out. The tension between Kate and her ex is tense and rich with feelings neither want to revisit. And poor Danny feeling like an outcast and just trying to survive high school is so dramatic and such a teenager.
The Magic investigation and Kate’s desperately trying to do the right thing carries a bit of angst but it’s so real and powerful, it makes the story that much more compelling to finish.
I will be reading more of this series.
1st book in the Prospero’s War series. Urban fantasy cop with magic.
Kate Prospero is a new member of the Magic Enforcement Agency task force. Her job gets more complicated when her brother wants to learn to “cook” dirty magic and he calls Kate’s ex.
Engrossing cop procedural with magic and family issues. Kate is raising her brother the best she can with ethical issues she still has to work out. The tension between Kate and her ex is tense and rich with feelings neither want to revisit. And poor Danny feeling like an outcast and just trying to survive high school is so dramatic and such a teenager.
The Magic investigation and Kate’s desperately trying to do the right thing carries a bit of angst but it’s so real and powerful, it makes the story that much more compelling to finish.
I will be reading more of this series.
October 10, 2016
*** 4 ***
A Buddy Read with the UF fans of the MacHallo Group:)):) Let's get our Magic on!!!
When I started this series, I went blind into it with only my fabulous friend Sarah as a guide. I was a bit afraid and felt a bit like the dude whom Kate Prospero, a Babylon PD cop, took to interrogate for a bit said:
"... ""How do I know where you're really taking me? Maybe you got a plan to kidnap me and make me your sex slave."
I scanned a dubious gaze over the man's ratty gray hair, serious dental hygiene crimes, and the dirt caked back under his nails. "It's tempting, but I think I can control myself today."... "
Soooo.... I am happy to report, my person was not violated or disappointing in any way by following and getting into the story. Thank you Sarah, for not taking advantage of my trusting nature:):):)
So, Prospero is a street cop who deals with the "Dirty Magic" on the streets - the pushers and the addicts... She did not always take a stand against this troublesome phenomenon plaguing the streets of Babylon. There had been time when she was in awe of her uncle, who used to run the Dirty Magic Business there and some of her first memories are of her becoming his apprentice, cooking the formulas, and being treated as the hair-apparent. Until a tragedy opened her eyes to the horrors, the dark side of the magic she and her fellow magic adapts are cooking. She swore off all magic, the Dirty, illegal one and the legal, so-called "Clean Magic", which is sold everywhere. She had learned that all magic comes with a price and in the long run, none of it is pretty...
So, from the debts of the dark side, she goes and enters the polar opposite world - the world of Law Enforcement. However, her job is dangerous, seems to be very unsatisfying, and it pays almost nothing at all... And she has bills - not only the usual, but she also has been raising her now 16 year old brother since he was six, all by herself. Occasionally she gets some help from her neighbor Baba and her best friend, but finances are very tight. So when an incident at work secures her a temporary position with the MEA, something like a CIA only with magic, she would do anything possible to secure the position as a permanent one - after all, it comes with easier work, less messiness, a promotion and a better pay!!! Kate is determined to make a good impression... However, things are never as easy as we hope them to be and she is ensnared in a dangerous game of magic, murder and betrayal... Also, the new MEA partner is one sexy alpha-male and her supper-hot and hunky rich ex is also determined to make an impression, so things get complicated...
I loved the secondary characters - Baba is my # 1 and second comes the Homunculus with the dirty language and diapers... Very creepy and disturbing, but funny as well! So, the world as a whole felt very real, very easy to imagine yourself into, and treating the magic almost as legal or illegal drugs, made it easy to put in a realistic terms and make it relatable. This Urban Fantasy really brought the Urban into it with heavy PD drama overtones. It was full of banter and action, so I would recommend it to those who enjoy this branch of the genre. I personally plan on reading the next books in the series as soon as possible - it was easy to get involved in the story and now I want to know what the heck will happen:):):)
I hope you have a good week and Happy Reading to you all!!!
A Buddy Read with the UF fans of the MacHallo Group:)):) Let's get our Magic on!!!
When I started this series, I went blind into it with only my fabulous friend Sarah as a guide. I was a bit afraid and felt a bit like the dude whom Kate Prospero, a Babylon PD cop, took to interrogate for a bit said:
"... ""How do I know where you're really taking me? Maybe you got a plan to kidnap me and make me your sex slave."
I scanned a dubious gaze over the man's ratty gray hair, serious dental hygiene crimes, and the dirt caked back under his nails. "It's tempting, but I think I can control myself today."... "
Soooo.... I am happy to report, my person was not violated or disappointing in any way by following and getting into the story. Thank you Sarah, for not taking advantage of my trusting nature:):):)
So, Prospero is a street cop who deals with the "Dirty Magic" on the streets - the pushers and the addicts... She did not always take a stand against this troublesome phenomenon plaguing the streets of Babylon. There had been time when she was in awe of her uncle, who used to run the Dirty Magic Business there and some of her first memories are of her becoming his apprentice, cooking the formulas, and being treated as the hair-apparent. Until a tragedy opened her eyes to the horrors, the dark side of the magic she and her fellow magic adapts are cooking. She swore off all magic, the Dirty, illegal one and the legal, so-called "Clean Magic", which is sold everywhere. She had learned that all magic comes with a price and in the long run, none of it is pretty...
So, from the debts of the dark side, she goes and enters the polar opposite world - the world of Law Enforcement. However, her job is dangerous, seems to be very unsatisfying, and it pays almost nothing at all... And she has bills - not only the usual, but she also has been raising her now 16 year old brother since he was six, all by herself. Occasionally she gets some help from her neighbor Baba and her best friend, but finances are very tight. So when an incident at work secures her a temporary position with the MEA, something like a CIA only with magic, she would do anything possible to secure the position as a permanent one - after all, it comes with easier work, less messiness, a promotion and a better pay!!! Kate is determined to make a good impression... However, things are never as easy as we hope them to be and she is ensnared in a dangerous game of magic, murder and betrayal... Also, the new MEA partner is one sexy alpha-male and her supper-hot and hunky rich ex is also determined to make an impression, so things get complicated...
I loved the secondary characters - Baba is my # 1 and second comes the Homunculus with the dirty language and diapers... Very creepy and disturbing, but funny as well! So, the world as a whole felt very real, very easy to imagine yourself into, and treating the magic almost as legal or illegal drugs, made it easy to put in a realistic terms and make it relatable. This Urban Fantasy really brought the Urban into it with heavy PD drama overtones. It was full of banter and action, so I would recommend it to those who enjoy this branch of the genre. I personally plan on reading the next books in the series as soon as possible - it was easy to get involved in the story and now I want to know what the heck will happen:):):)
I hope you have a good week and Happy Reading to you all!!!
April 28, 2020
27 April 2020: $1.99 on Kindle
8 April 2020: $3.99 on Kindle
This is going to be a difficult review to write. The pages of this were filled with things that intrigued, and things that irritated. This is the first book by Jaye Wells that I've read, though I've had the Sabina Kane series on my shelf for years. My friends have been overwhelmingly positive in their reviews of this book (and the Sabina Kane series, truth be told), so, even though I ended up liking it, I'm feeling a bit of the lone-dissenter here because it just didn't work as well for me.
I think the majority of my issues I can put down to first-book-syndrome. Series that take place in complex worlds I tend to give a slight pass for a lot of little things because there's definitely some finesse required to set up the world, develop characters, and carry a convincing storyline. And though there are definitely authors out there that do it very, very well....there are a lot more that don't. And sometimes those that don't hit that sweet spot for me in the first book manage to really ramp it up as they settle into the world. So I tend to not discount a series based on the first book.
But it doesn't mean I don't notice all the problems that I had. And I nit-picked a lot in this story.
The biggest problem I had was that it took until nearly a 1/3 into the story for the plot to actually get moving. Up until that point I was picking apart everything that happened, and all character actions/thoughts/conversations because I was bored .
A lot of my friends have said that they really enjoyed the complexity of the characters in this book, but I just didn't feel that. I'm in the very small minority here, though, so take it for what it's worth. I felt like all the characters, except for Kate maybe, were stereotypical. Morales (whom I do not love) was the basic alpha-hole with his cockiness, condescension, and his questionable attitude towards women. It's like he couldn't be a MAN without "reading the articles" in a nude magazine, or oogling some woman, or demeaning our main character by calling her "Cupcake" (which I hate ).
Let me get off on a slight tangent. I'm not against pet-names in general. I think they're commonly used in real life, and it's normal. What I am against are pet names that demean a person. He called her Cupcake the first time specifically to demean her, to remind her that he thought he was better than her, more capable than her, smarter than her in their field of work. To continue to call her that, even if his opinion has changed (which, whatever), just brings that initial caveman attitude back to me every time. And I hate it. This, honestly, is probably why I never warmed up to Morales, despite him becoming more reasonable as the story progressed. But women shouldn't have to go through a gauntlet and prove themselves just because they're women . They shouldn't be given basic, courteous respect only after they've passed some unknown bar by an asshole of a man. So yeah, I don't like Morales.
Volos was interesting, but I'm again in the minority here. Most people hate him with the fiery passion of a thousand burning suns. To me, he's more of an enigma than most of the other characters in the story. And maybe he's an asshole, too (which evidence points to), but at least he's an interesting one. Right now, he's the kind of asshole that I love.
Kate...what can I say about Kate? She suffered, quite a lot, early while I was reading this book because I (unintentionally) was comparing her to Kate Daniels. I almost always consciously make the effort to forget Kate Daniels exists when I'm reading Urban Fantasy. She's the epitome of everything I love and adore, so everyone will suffer when held up to her standard. I failed a bit here, and my initial feelings towards Kate (though they did improve) still (slightly) color my opinion of her now. I love that she's so conflicted, and has an interesting history to both learn from, grow, and overcome. But I kind of hate that she's so damn sanctimonious, cautious, and stubborn. She's almost obstinate - and this kind of unyielding refusal to even consider other possibilities irritated me, especially when there were so many people having real discussions with her about these things. HOWEVER, I do have to admit to an almost grudging respect for her. She sticks to her ground, and when she does decide to bend, she does it with thought and not automatically. I like her, but I worry about her obstinacy becoming a problem for her (and me).
The world is interesting as hell. It's our world, but we've (finally) discovered that magic is really just science with a little something extra. And it's started to be used - for good (clean magic) and ill (dirty magic). I'm not sure I entirely understand all the aspects of how magic works - though that may be appropriate - or exactly why some magic is "dirty" and other magic is "clean," but again: first-book-syndrome. I really liked that it seems like the ambiguity between clean and dirty magic is going to be explored in this series, because I'm really into looking into the grey areas of life. I'm a little less enamored of the police-procedural aspects of the book, and there were some minor irritations where I was didn't completely buy the way things were going down, like a city mayor and police captain having any sort of control of a federal investigation, but it was just a few eye-roll moments for me that didn't end up really detracting from my interest. I'm really looking forward to learning more about this world and seeing it more fully fleshed out.
There's definitely a lot of good here, and I'm excited to start the next book in the series to see it become even more.
Review also available at The Book Eaters
3 July 2015: $2.99 on Kindle
25 December 2014: $2.99 on Kindle
8 April 2020: $3.99 on Kindle
This is going to be a difficult review to write. The pages of this were filled with things that intrigued, and things that irritated. This is the first book by Jaye Wells that I've read, though I've had the Sabina Kane series on my shelf for years. My friends have been overwhelmingly positive in their reviews of this book (and the Sabina Kane series, truth be told), so, even though I ended up liking it, I'm feeling a bit of the lone-dissenter here because it just didn't work as well for me.
I think the majority of my issues I can put down to first-book-syndrome. Series that take place in complex worlds I tend to give a slight pass for a lot of little things because there's definitely some finesse required to set up the world, develop characters, and carry a convincing storyline. And though there are definitely authors out there that do it very, very well....there are a lot more that don't. And sometimes those that don't hit that sweet spot for me in the first book manage to really ramp it up as they settle into the world. So I tend to not discount a series based on the first book.
But it doesn't mean I don't notice all the problems that I had. And I nit-picked a lot in this story.
The biggest problem I had was that it took until nearly a 1/3 into the story for the plot to actually get moving. Up until that point I was picking apart everything that happened, and all character actions/thoughts/conversations because I was bored .
A lot of my friends have said that they really enjoyed the complexity of the characters in this book, but I just didn't feel that. I'm in the very small minority here, though, so take it for what it's worth. I felt like all the characters, except for Kate maybe, were stereotypical. Morales (whom I do not love) was the basic alpha-hole with his cockiness, condescension, and his questionable attitude towards women. It's like he couldn't be a MAN without "reading the articles" in a nude magazine, or oogling some woman, or demeaning our main character by calling her "Cupcake" (which I hate ).
Let me get off on a slight tangent. I'm not against pet-names in general. I think they're commonly used in real life, and it's normal. What I am against are pet names that demean a person. He called her Cupcake the first time specifically to demean her, to remind her that he thought he was better than her, more capable than her, smarter than her in their field of work. To continue to call her that, even if his opinion has changed (which, whatever), just brings that initial caveman attitude back to me every time. And I hate it. This, honestly, is probably why I never warmed up to Morales, despite him becoming more reasonable as the story progressed. But women shouldn't have to go through a gauntlet and prove themselves just because they're women . They shouldn't be given basic, courteous respect only after they've passed some unknown bar by an asshole of a man. So yeah, I don't like Morales.
Volos was interesting, but I'm again in the minority here. Most people hate him with the fiery passion of a thousand burning suns. To me, he's more of an enigma than most of the other characters in the story. And maybe he's an asshole, too (which evidence points to), but at least he's an interesting one. Right now, he's the kind of asshole that I love.
Kate...what can I say about Kate? She suffered, quite a lot, early while I was reading this book because I (unintentionally) was comparing her to Kate Daniels. I almost always consciously make the effort to forget Kate Daniels exists when I'm reading Urban Fantasy. She's the epitome of everything I love and adore, so everyone will suffer when held up to her standard. I failed a bit here, and my initial feelings towards Kate (though they did improve) still (slightly) color my opinion of her now. I love that she's so conflicted, and has an interesting history to both learn from, grow, and overcome. But I kind of hate that she's so damn sanctimonious, cautious, and stubborn. She's almost obstinate - and this kind of unyielding refusal to even consider other possibilities irritated me, especially when there were so many people having real discussions with her about these things. HOWEVER, I do have to admit to an almost grudging respect for her. She sticks to her ground, and when she does decide to bend, she does it with thought and not automatically. I like her, but I worry about her obstinacy becoming a problem for her (and me).
The world is interesting as hell. It's our world, but we've (finally) discovered that magic is really just science with a little something extra. And it's started to be used - for good (clean magic) and ill (dirty magic). I'm not sure I entirely understand all the aspects of how magic works - though that may be appropriate - or exactly why some magic is "dirty" and other magic is "clean," but again: first-book-syndrome. I really liked that it seems like the ambiguity between clean and dirty magic is going to be explored in this series, because I'm really into looking into the grey areas of life. I'm a little less enamored of the police-procedural aspects of the book, and there were some minor irritations where I was didn't completely buy the way things were going down, like a city mayor and police captain having any sort of control of a federal investigation, but it was just a few eye-roll moments for me that didn't end up really detracting from my interest. I'm really looking forward to learning more about this world and seeing it more fully fleshed out.
There's definitely a lot of good here, and I'm excited to start the next book in the series to see it become even more.
Review also available at The Book Eaters
3 July 2015: $2.99 on Kindle
25 December 2014: $2.99 on Kindle
November 16, 2014
Title: Dirty Magic
Series: The Prospero's War
Author: Jaye Wells
Release Date: 21st January, 2014
Rating: 3.5 stars
Cliffhanger: No.
HEA:
This will be short and sweet
The thing I appreciated most about this book was that plot was so action packed that not even once for a second I was bored. I really liked the suspense. Jaye Wells done a great job at creating characters and interesting world full of magic potions.
The only thing I missed? Romance! I needed some sexy times or some heart wrenching moments. There is a great possibility that in the next books Kate Prospero will open her heart for a certain someone (I'm crossing my fingers for that). There are even two guys who are SMOKIN HOT, but I hope Kate will choose only one and leave it at that. No more love triangles, please.
By the way, can this get made into a movie???? Seriously, it would be awesome show! I can picture every scene in my head. Officer Prospero on look out for a crimnals, lots of potion's dealers, magic and dark world. One word: Incredible.
Overall, Dirty Magic is intense, fast paced, never slowing down first book in new Urban Fantasy series, which I definitely will be following.
Read
November 27, 2016Dirty Magic is mature, well-written and action-packed Urban fantasy. It's one of those books that seriously impresses you with its believable and intriguing characters, with it's lack of love triangle and with the way topics such as drug dirty magic abuse are handled.
My MAIN complain however is the limited amount of magic we see. Sure, when we finally got to the part of potion making, it was kind of exciting, but magic in general was rarely used throughout the book except to show the consequences of addiction. I would've loved to see more examples of how magic has changed the every day life of people, what kind of tools it has replaced and so on.
For me, it lacked the main ingredient for a great fantasy book - imaginative and unique world-building. But for many others, I'm sure that wouldn't be a bother. The characters are complex, the plot is well-paced and highly relevant to today's society, there are some unpredictable plot-twists and, most importantly, you DO get attached to what happens next. I was so bothered by the world-building, yet, I couldn't stop reading.
If you're a fan of the genre, I highly recommend you try Dirty Magic for one HUGE reason - it doesn't rely on romance or sexual tension between characters to move the story forward and to make it compelling. That's kind of unique for the Urban Fantasy genre with female leads. Not enough magic for me, but you might have a different opinion.
My MAIN complain however is the limited amount of magic we see. Sure, when we finally got to the part of potion making, it was kind of exciting, but magic in general was rarely used throughout the book except to show the consequences of addiction. I would've loved to see more examples of how magic has changed the every day life of people, what kind of tools it has replaced and so on.
For me, it lacked the main ingredient for a great fantasy book - imaginative and unique world-building. But for many others, I'm sure that wouldn't be a bother. The characters are complex, the plot is well-paced and highly relevant to today's society, there are some unpredictable plot-twists and, most importantly, you DO get attached to what happens next. I was so bothered by the world-building, yet, I couldn't stop reading.
If you're a fan of the genre, I highly recommend you try Dirty Magic for one HUGE reason - it doesn't rely on romance or sexual tension between characters to move the story forward and to make it compelling. That's kind of unique for the Urban Fantasy genre with female leads. Not enough magic for me, but you might have a different opinion.
April 23, 2017
I really enjoyed this! It's Urban Fantasy, with more emphasis on the 'Urban.' Kate is a cop in a run-down city that has a drug problem (I mean magic potion problem). People are addicted to illegal potions that eventually alter you from the inside out - or kill you - and a new killer potion has hit the streets. Kate has insider knowledge from her past to help the FBI (I mean MEA) find out who put it there.
For much of the book, this is very much a police procedural. Kate is a cop who is constrained by procedures, and actually follows orders even when she doesn't want to. Well, mostly. I thought that was refreshing. Often you get these tough heroines who flaunt the rules because rules don't apply to them. I immediately respected Kate because she tried really hard to work within constraints. I liked her and her sense of honor, even though she's so blind and stubborn about magic. She is carrying around a boat load of guilt from her dirty potion-cooking days, and she has to deal with that mess during the investigation. I can't wait to see how she changes in the next book. There's definitely room for growth.
I also liked several of the supporting characters - this wasn't a one-person show. I'm looking forward to getting to know them all more. And hoping to see more potion cooking! Aside from the opening scene, magic only really makes an appearance in the last third of the book, which is the exact point at which I could no longer put it down. With some twists I didn't see coming and some nail-biting scenes, I was completely satisfied with the mystery-suspense aspect of this. Especially as solving the mystery revealed more complexity that only makes me hope the sequel lives up to my expectations.
For much of the book, this is very much a police procedural. Kate is a cop who is constrained by procedures, and actually follows orders even when she doesn't want to. Well, mostly. I thought that was refreshing. Often you get these tough heroines who flaunt the rules because rules don't apply to them. I immediately respected Kate because she tried really hard to work within constraints. I liked her and her sense of honor, even though she's so blind and stubborn about magic. She is carrying around a boat load of guilt from her dirty potion-cooking days, and she has to deal with that mess during the investigation. I can't wait to see how she changes in the next book. There's definitely room for growth.
I also liked several of the supporting characters - this wasn't a one-person show. I'm looking forward to getting to know them all more. And hoping to see more potion cooking! Aside from the opening scene, magic only really makes an appearance in the last third of the book, which is the exact point at which I could no longer put it down. With some twists I didn't see coming and some nail-biting scenes, I was completely satisfied with the mystery-suspense aspect of this. Especially as solving the mystery revealed more complexity that only makes me hope the sequel lives up to my expectations.
September 5, 2014
Ugh. There's some good things in this book. Lots of them. But they were all eclipsed, for me, by Kate's stupidity.
The world is gritty, seen through the eyes of a beat-cop, that's no surprise—particularly when Wells has created a magic that's largely alchemical and used the current drug trade as her model. I don't say that as a bad thing. As a choice, it allows you to immediately see the dangers of magic use and the draw of it as well. I mean, imagine that you could buy potions that actually bring luck or stamina or strength? Yeah, there are side effects but it's got to be worth it, right? It's an interesting take on modern magic and Wells does a good job exploring the mechanics of it without going too far into either of the tempting poles of pedantry or fancy.
And the idea of a cop ex-wizard renouncing her family's ties to one of the bigger covens in town in order to protect people is admirable and provides a lot of good conflict and moral and emotional dilemmas to explore. There's a balance between useful and harmful in anything and that dimension begs to be explored.
Unfortunately, Kate isn't the character to explore it. She's completely irrational regarding magic and that made her very hard to tolerate as a lead character. Wells gives her enough emotional trauma in the past to choke a goat, and that's fair enough as far as it goes. But she also expects us to buy that Kate has lived ten years of emotional stasis where she remains in this completely irrational denial state where magic is concerned. She's more fanatically anti-magic than any other character we meet (or even hear about) and that makes her an extremely poor choice as someone to explore the moral implications of magic use in her world. She maintains that dogged, dogmatic stance in the face of every evidence to the contrary, going so far as to put herself and others in danger as a result of it. I'm sorry, but someone who is supposed to be driven by justice and protecting the innocent who doesn't even see how her dogma stands in her way even when it is directly pointed out to her is not brave, noble, or heroic. If anything, she is pathetic and needs to be sidelined until she can get over herself.
But it's even worse than that because Kate has charge of her younger brother. It's here that we see that she's not only completely irrational about magic, she's also completely irrational with practically her whole life. Yeah, I get it, she wants to protect him. But no sixteen year-old boy needs babysitters, and there's really no way to defend her smothering stupidity with him. She gets the occasional flash of insight where she thinks "I really should lighten up, here." but those flashes don't last and never actually produce any lightening-up action. The poor kid is on the verge of rebellion, and I, personally, don't see how he hasn't run away, already. Any parent that can't work up enough trust to leave a sixteen year-old alone for an evening had better have a lot of evidence that said supervision is necessary. Otherwise, it's just plain abuse, and not the fluffy kind. She's sending him very clear signals that he can't be trusted despite anything he can do. That's deadly to an ego that is very short years away from entering an adult world.
There were times when I was so frustrated with Kate's stupidity that I nearly stopped in book-hurling disgust. I kept going because the investigation was still intriguing, some of the side characters were busy exploring the moral/legal/emotional dimensions of the whole magical potion as drug metaphor, and I wanted to see how it would end. And I'm glad I finished as the things I was interested in paid off. At the same time, Kate regresses right back into her prior stupidity so not even the events of this book were enough to show her how very stupid she has been. So yeah, no thanks on picking up book 2...
The world is gritty, seen through the eyes of a beat-cop, that's no surprise—particularly when Wells has created a magic that's largely alchemical and used the current drug trade as her model. I don't say that as a bad thing. As a choice, it allows you to immediately see the dangers of magic use and the draw of it as well. I mean, imagine that you could buy potions that actually bring luck or stamina or strength? Yeah, there are side effects but it's got to be worth it, right? It's an interesting take on modern magic and Wells does a good job exploring the mechanics of it without going too far into either of the tempting poles of pedantry or fancy.
And the idea of a cop ex-wizard renouncing her family's ties to one of the bigger covens in town in order to protect people is admirable and provides a lot of good conflict and moral and emotional dilemmas to explore. There's a balance between useful and harmful in anything and that dimension begs to be explored.
Unfortunately, Kate isn't the character to explore it. She's completely irrational regarding magic and that made her very hard to tolerate as a lead character. Wells gives her enough emotional trauma in the past to choke a goat, and that's fair enough as far as it goes. But she also expects us to buy that Kate has lived ten years of emotional stasis where she remains in this completely irrational denial state where magic is concerned. She's more fanatically anti-magic than any other character we meet (or even hear about) and that makes her an extremely poor choice as someone to explore the moral implications of magic use in her world. She maintains that dogged, dogmatic stance in the face of every evidence to the contrary, going so far as to put herself and others in danger as a result of it. I'm sorry, but someone who is supposed to be driven by justice and protecting the innocent who doesn't even see how her dogma stands in her way even when it is directly pointed out to her is not brave, noble, or heroic. If anything, she is pathetic and needs to be sidelined until she can get over herself.
But it's even worse than that because Kate has charge of her younger brother. It's here that we see that she's not only completely irrational about magic, she's also completely irrational with practically her whole life. Yeah, I get it, she wants to protect him. But no sixteen year-old boy needs babysitters, and there's really no way to defend her smothering stupidity with him. She gets the occasional flash of insight where she thinks "I really should lighten up, here." but those flashes don't last and never actually produce any lightening-up action. The poor kid is on the verge of rebellion, and I, personally, don't see how he hasn't run away, already. Any parent that can't work up enough trust to leave a sixteen year-old alone for an evening had better have a lot of evidence that said supervision is necessary. Otherwise, it's just plain abuse, and not the fluffy kind. She's sending him very clear signals that he can't be trusted despite anything he can do. That's deadly to an ego that is very short years away from entering an adult world.
There were times when I was so frustrated with Kate's stupidity that I nearly stopped in book-hurling disgust. I kept going because the investigation was still intriguing, some of the side characters were busy exploring the moral/legal/emotional dimensions of the whole magical potion as drug metaphor, and I wanted to see how it would end. And I'm glad I finished as the things I was interested in paid off. At the same time, Kate regresses right back into her prior stupidity so not even the events of this book were enough to show her how very stupid she has been. So yeah, no thanks on picking up book 2...
August 12, 2014
Cool...an Urban Fantasy with a female protagonist (pictured leaning toward us on the cover) that DID NOT turn out to be a PNR (paranormal romance). I almost...almost didn't go 4 stars on this one. I do plan to follow it up and see how the series goes. I couldn't quite get past a few things that bugged me here and considered dropping the rating to 3 and calling it 3.5 but in the end thought I enjoyed the book and had no trouble getting back to it when I'd had to lay it aside. I got to know the characters pretty well (if they did also have a couple of notable annoying issues).
So, while there are 4 star books I like much better, there are books I've called 3.5 I like less.
This 5 star rating system gets tricky....sometimes it's like one of the things Kate tells us about Dirty magic. You don't want to mix a dirty magic potion while sober. Maybe I need a drink to rate some of these books?
Anyway....while the world here isn't some totally new type of UF world (and really how could it be with urban fantasies and paranormal romances being turned out every few seconds) it's a good one. We get a "lived in feel" here. the city, the people feel just a little grubby as if we are dealing with an inner city set of neighborhoods.
I do get a little tired of the foul language. I get it that 'some of us" spew blue language without a thought, but not everybody...really. I was even in the army without using the profanity so many seem to think is required. Still it is a part of life and I can mostly let it go past me. Just letting you know that if that kind of thing bothers you Kate and many of our cast do drop the "F" bomb frequently with no little apparent thought (that even though Kate keeps a "swear jar" at home where she or her brother have to drop a dollar if they drop a "swear word").
Kate is a patrol officer on Babylon PD with a background in dirty magic. It's kind of held her back in the promotion department (even though she's been assured that's not it). Now, because of a violent confrontation and shooting she's got a "shot" (pun accidental) at a task force spot, a promotion.
Of course the fact that the task force may be investigating an old boyfriend and some of her family could be a bit...tricky, but hey who said life would be simple.
While there are a couple of places where the old boyfriend's voice "cuts her to the bone" or she gets a bit weak-kneed at the sight of him it doesn't go on and on, doesn't take over the story. I always thought this kind of description would annoy some women... Here it's passing and the book definitely does not turn into a PNR.
So, pretty good book. The four(4) star rating may be a low 4 star, but it's still a 4. Recommended.
So, while there are 4 star books I like much better, there are books I've called 3.5 I like less.
This 5 star rating system gets tricky....sometimes it's like one of the things Kate tells us about Dirty magic. You don't want to mix a dirty magic potion while sober. Maybe I need a drink to rate some of these books?
Anyway....while the world here isn't some totally new type of UF world (and really how could it be with urban fantasies and paranormal romances being turned out every few seconds) it's a good one. We get a "lived in feel" here. the city, the people feel just a little grubby as if we are dealing with an inner city set of neighborhoods.
I do get a little tired of the foul language. I get it that 'some of us" spew blue language without a thought, but not everybody...really. I was even in the army without using the profanity so many seem to think is required. Still it is a part of life and I can mostly let it go past me. Just letting you know that if that kind of thing bothers you Kate and many of our cast do drop the "F" bomb frequently with no little apparent thought (that even though Kate keeps a "swear jar" at home where she or her brother have to drop a dollar if they drop a "swear word").
Kate is a patrol officer on Babylon PD with a background in dirty magic. It's kind of held her back in the promotion department (even though she's been assured that's not it). Now, because of a violent confrontation and shooting she's got a "shot" (pun accidental) at a task force spot, a promotion.
Of course the fact that the task force may be investigating an old boyfriend and some of her family could be a bit...tricky, but hey who said life would be simple.
While there are a couple of places where the old boyfriend's voice "cuts her to the bone" or she gets a bit weak-kneed at the sight of him it doesn't go on and on, doesn't take over the story. I always thought this kind of description would annoy some women... Here it's passing and the book definitely does not turn into a PNR.
So, pretty good book. The four(4) star rating may be a low 4 star, but it's still a 4. Recommended.
June 30, 2018
Finally found the motivation and time to finish this book! 'Dirty Magic' is an urban fantasy novel and it was surprisingly enjoyable, just goes to show that my older brother has good taste!
If you've read Laurell K. Hamilton's Anita Blake series, then you'll most definitely enjoy this, although it's less fantasy in comparison to Anita Blake. The main character Kate is a patrol cop and she possesses the ability to brew potions, which are essentially seen as drugs and include vanity potions, blood potions, and romantic potions. The more you use, the more you become addicted and the potion essentially goes the opposite way to what you initially wanted. However, Kate got out of the family business where they dabbled in dirty/street potions many years ago.
Naturally, there were males present in the book—one an ex-lover and the other is her new partner when she joins a special task force to bring down this dangerous new potion called Grey Wolf. The chemistry was there for the both of them, but more so her ex-lover and much to my surprise, nobody hooked up in the book. Not even a peck, just some light touches here and there. I found myself liking that because we got to focus on Kate, the world, and the situation more without having to stop for some romantic interlude. However, I definitely think it will be present in the following books, which I completely there for!
I've looked over some other reviews on Goodreads with some people calling it a slow read... And while it took me forever to finish it due to lack of motivation for reading and time, it didn't come across as slow to me.
I don't have much else to say, but I know I'll be picking up the sequel sometime to see what happens next!
If you've read Laurell K. Hamilton's Anita Blake series, then you'll most definitely enjoy this, although it's less fantasy in comparison to Anita Blake. The main character Kate is a patrol cop and she possesses the ability to brew potions, which are essentially seen as drugs and include vanity potions, blood potions, and romantic potions. The more you use, the more you become addicted and the potion essentially goes the opposite way to what you initially wanted. However, Kate got out of the family business where they dabbled in dirty/street potions many years ago.
Naturally, there were males present in the book—one an ex-lover and the other is her new partner when she joins a special task force to bring down this dangerous new potion called Grey Wolf. The chemistry was there for the both of them, but more so her ex-lover and much to my surprise, nobody hooked up in the book. Not even a peck, just some light touches here and there. I found myself liking that because we got to focus on Kate, the world, and the situation more without having to stop for some romantic interlude. However, I definitely think it will be present in the following books, which I completely there for!
I've looked over some other reviews on Goodreads with some people calling it a slow read... And while it took me forever to finish it due to lack of motivation for reading and time, it didn't come across as slow to me.
I don't have much else to say, but I know I'll be picking up the sequel sometime to see what happens next!
October 10, 2016
Buddy read with the MacHalos that listen to what Sarah says ;) And with this result we should do it more often!
When a book starts with a bang there are two options:
1) It's going to slow down and be a total bore or
2) Be absolutely awesome.
Thankfully this was the second case :) Kate Prospero lives in a f@#$ed up world where magic has replaced drugs. You have covens that cook up dirty potions, which are basically the cartels from real world, corrupted officials and cops more interested in their political advancement than actually helping people and keeping the streets safe. It's our world bit a bit worse. It's so similar to our own that there's almost no need for worldbuilding and you feel right at home from the very start. After reading a few fantasy novels where I felt lost and confused for more than half of the book lately it was a much needed respite!
Kate is my favourite type of heroine - smart, witty, brave and doesn't let people walk all over her. She's frank and honest with her own set of principles she really believes in. But also flexible enough to know when a compromise will work better that charging in like a bull. Sure she had her moments of weakness like but that doesn't detract from her allure. Add the fascinating septuagenarian neighbour with naughty thoughts, the annoying but still cute teenage brother, the macho partner, witty but supportive best friend and the a@@hole ex and you get a support cast to dream of! I loved Baba - the smutty book club, kitchen witch, ass checking neighbour. Just because you're 70 years old doesn't mean you're dead! And that should be out motto! She stole every single scene she was in. I laughed my head off when she made Kate's partner Morales uncomfortable. Sucks when suddenly you're the one objectified uh Morales? Don't get me wrong I like the guy but a little bit of his own medicine was needed. By the end of the book he had grown on me even though at the beginning I had my concerns. The ex went from "you're annoying me go away" through "hey maybe he's not such a bad guy after all" to "I hate your guts I want you to die right now!". Still he will make for an interesting sequel. And since there were a lot of unanswered questions I can't wait to get my hands on the second book.
When a book starts with a bang there are two options:
1) It's going to slow down and be a total bore or
2) Be absolutely awesome.
Thankfully this was the second case :) Kate Prospero lives in a f@#$ed up world where magic has replaced drugs. You have covens that cook up dirty potions, which are basically the cartels from real world, corrupted officials and cops more interested in their political advancement than actually helping people and keeping the streets safe. It's our world bit a bit worse. It's so similar to our own that there's almost no need for worldbuilding and you feel right at home from the very start. After reading a few fantasy novels where I felt lost and confused for more than half of the book lately it was a much needed respite!
Kate is my favourite type of heroine - smart, witty, brave and doesn't let people walk all over her. She's frank and honest with her own set of principles she really believes in. But also flexible enough to know when a compromise will work better that charging in like a bull. Sure she had her moments of weakness like but that doesn't detract from her allure. Add the fascinating septuagenarian neighbour with naughty thoughts, the annoying but still cute teenage brother, the macho partner, witty but supportive best friend and the a@@hole ex and you get a support cast to dream of! I loved Baba - the smutty book club, kitchen witch, ass checking neighbour. Just because you're 70 years old doesn't mean you're dead! And that should be out motto! She stole every single scene she was in. I laughed my head off when she made Kate's partner Morales uncomfortable. Sucks when suddenly you're the one objectified uh Morales? Don't get me wrong I like the guy but a little bit of his own medicine was needed. By the end of the book he had grown on me even though at the beginning I had my concerns. The ex went from "you're annoying me go away" through "hey maybe he's not such a bad guy after all" to "I hate your guts I want you to die right now!". Still he will make for an interesting sequel. And since there were a lot of unanswered questions I can't wait to get my hands on the second book.
February 11, 2014
Initial Thoughts: 3.5 - 4.0 stars. A solid start to a new series with a very meticulous and detailed world. This is not your average urban fantasy and it promises to be a series to look out for. The first 100 pages have a lot of information about this world - stick it out - it's worth it.
The Review:
Dirty Magic is the first book in Jaye Wells' new urban fantasy series Prospero's War. Dirty Magic is a solid, action packed, magic infused thrill ride and a fantastic start to a new and original series. Dirty Magic is the story of Babylon Police Department's Officer Kate Prospero as she investigates some strange goings on in the Cauldron, a very seedy part of her city. This is an urban fantasy that reads like a crime procedural novel.
At first, I found the book bogged down with a lot of information. No detail is spared and it does slow down the narrative for a short time. Even though the details are fascinating, this may put off some readers - keep reading - it will be worth your time. This is an incredible world full of different kinds of magic and policing bodies for said magic, as well as some really interesting characters. Once I got through that first third of the book, I had difficulty putting the book down.
There's so much to like about this book. The world building is phenomenal, the plot is action packed and full of interesting twists. I loved Kate - what a tough cookie! I can't even begin to imagine how complex law enforcement could be in a world full of magic and corruption. The magic is really neat. Potions are the drug of choice and some of them are quite deadly.
Dirty Magic is a strong start to an exciting new urban fantasy series. I can't wait for the next book, Cursed Moon.
Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit for a review copy of this book.
The Review:
Dirty Magic is the first book in Jaye Wells' new urban fantasy series Prospero's War. Dirty Magic is a solid, action packed, magic infused thrill ride and a fantastic start to a new and original series. Dirty Magic is the story of Babylon Police Department's Officer Kate Prospero as she investigates some strange goings on in the Cauldron, a very seedy part of her city. This is an urban fantasy that reads like a crime procedural novel.
At first, I found the book bogged down with a lot of information. No detail is spared and it does slow down the narrative for a short time. Even though the details are fascinating, this may put off some readers - keep reading - it will be worth your time. This is an incredible world full of different kinds of magic and policing bodies for said magic, as well as some really interesting characters. Once I got through that first third of the book, I had difficulty putting the book down.
There's so much to like about this book. The world building is phenomenal, the plot is action packed and full of interesting twists. I loved Kate - what a tough cookie! I can't even begin to imagine how complex law enforcement could be in a world full of magic and corruption. The magic is really neat. Potions are the drug of choice and some of them are quite deadly.
Dirty Magic is a strong start to an exciting new urban fantasy series. I can't wait for the next book, Cursed Moon.
Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit for a review copy of this book.
April 16, 2014
I received this a copy of this book from NetGalley for an honest review.
When I first read the synopsis of this book I was really excited, so boy what a letdown it was. It had a lot of my favorite aspects, like a strong female lead, and the plot looked quite interesting. Too bad it just didn’t make the grade, the beginning started off with a bang, then slowed right down to a crawl. The plot included a super rich bad boy from the main characters past, which ugh, I am totally sick of. Though what really got me disgusted with the book was the fact that everyone that the main character interacted with either tried, or succeeded as using her as a pawn. Yes, that can be a good plot device, and cause for some serious pissed off kickassery later, but there is also saying “too much of a good thing”. Plus the fact that most of the people in the book are asshats, pure and simple. I can’t say that I remember one nice person in the book, not saying that there were none, just saying if there was they were not memorable.
So this book was a big old bag of fail for me. I will be sticking to the authors other series, which I like better.
When I first read the synopsis of this book I was really excited, so boy what a letdown it was. It had a lot of my favorite aspects, like a strong female lead, and the plot looked quite interesting. Too bad it just didn’t make the grade, the beginning started off with a bang, then slowed right down to a crawl. The plot included a super rich bad boy from the main characters past, which ugh, I am totally sick of. Though what really got me disgusted with the book was the fact that everyone that the main character interacted with either tried, or succeeded as using her as a pawn. Yes, that can be a good plot device, and cause for some serious pissed off kickassery later, but there is also saying “too much of a good thing”. Plus the fact that most of the people in the book are asshats, pure and simple. I can’t say that I remember one nice person in the book, not saying that there were none, just saying if there was they were not memorable.
So this book was a big old bag of fail for me. I will be sticking to the authors other series, which I like better.
September 22, 2014
4 1\2
Everytime I think I am pretty burned out on UF, there is a new book out that makes me change my mind, again. Dirty Magic may not be the perfect novel, but it represents everything I like in the genre.
It's a police procedural/mistery revolving around drugs, in this case magical ones. Like in a real setting, any drug is potentially lethal, and it's made in the same way whether it's pharmaceutical or criminal. In Babylon magic can be legit, ergo clean, or dirty, ergo criminal. With the added bonus/layer of realism that dirty refers also to the setting where drugs are cooked.
The leading lady is an ex Mob girl, she was the one who did the cooking and now is struggling to stop the dealings. (I suspect that in the future we'll learn something more around her mother's death.) Her past leaves her weak in the eyes of the Law, so she jumps on the bandwagon when an opportunity strikes. Here stars the story.
The world-building is neat, if not particularly deep. But it's one of those case where I really wouldn't want that much more. It would only detract to the gritty story. It builds, in fact, on what we know.
But the real deal to me were the characters, some of which, even if minor, were absolutely remarkable. I liked the added experience of a family to defend, so often our heroines are lone wolves.
Some readers may be annoyed at the thread of predictability in the plot, but again I don't think it detracted to the story. I'm going to pre-order the next book in the series.
Want to read
August 31, 2016
Another MacHalo Group read beginning October 3, let me know if you want in on this action if you're not already a member.
October 31, 2019
Hmm, this could be fun.
I've been meaning to read this series for ages now, I've heard great things about it. I finally found the time to start and well, I'm not exactly ecstatic about it, but it does have a lot of potential!
I don't love Kate yet, but Danny is cool. I can't say I love the male characters, either, but they might end up being fun.
So, I just have to continue this series and see what happens.
Yay!
I've been meaning to read this series for ages now, I've heard great things about it. I finally found the time to start and well, I'm not exactly ecstatic about it, but it does have a lot of potential!
I don't love Kate yet, but Danny is cool. I can't say I love the male characters, either, but they might end up being fun.
So, I just have to continue this series and see what happens.
Yay!
February 20, 2015
Tortured sigh. Looks like I’m still I my slump after all.
I was so excited about this book because I loved Jaye Wells’ Sabine Kane series, and the synopsis for this one was exactly what I like in stories, but this just wasn’t quite what I wanted. I loved that Kate was such an independent and capable woman, but other than that, not too much else ended up working for me. I was pulled in a few times but overall spent most of the book watching the words go by.
I do still like the style of writing that Wells uses and it’s because she’s good: good pacing, hooks, character development, humor, and all that other stuff I like to see in stories, but this one was almost too clean for me I guess. I hesitate to use the word clean because it’s got it share of nasty themes: addiction, co-dependency, abuse, cruelty, despair, ect ect, but it wasn’t real enough. I’m reading about these addicts and how they’re ravaged by the potions they’re slaves too, but it wasn’t anything more than reading- I didn’t feel for them. The name choices were atrocious- I mean, really, one of the coven names is something about the O’s because they’re a sex potion coven.
An aspect I found interesting is Kate and her best friend go to AA (Arcane Anonymous) meetings and Kate is very blunt and honest about everything in her life. I really liked that and the fact that she was a single mom and managed to stay intelligent for the entire story… but something was lacking. I like more grit and darkness in my stories, more trauma and crazy, and this was pretty mild and down to earth even with the magical elements. Actually, now that I wrote that out I realize that right there is what made this fail for me. I read UF/PRN/scifi/fantasy/dystopia/post-apocalyptic and the like because I want all that crazy otherwise I’d just read plain ol’ contemporary fiction (there’s nothing wrong with contemporary it’s just not my thing - typically). Maybe I could chalk some of my issues up to a case of first-book-syndrome, and since I am a fan of the author I’m going to read the next in the series before giving up, but I’m not very hopeful this series will be for me.
January 20, 2014
I’ve been a fan of Jaye Wells’ writing ever since Red-Headed Stepchild came out so I was very excited to hear she was starting a new series. DIRTY MAGIC is the explosive beginning to the Prospero’s War series.
Kate Prospero is my kind of heroine. She is kick ass, lively, determined and a little vulnerable as well. As she tries to make her way up the career ladder as a patrol cop, she shoots a man who just happens to be the lead snitch in the Magic Enforcement Agency. This brings on a lot of trouble and a lot of opportunities, but the questions is, what will Kate do about it?
DIRTY MAGIC turned out to be refreshingly funny and sexy. There were so many lines that had me laughing out loud with Kate’s comebacks. Though the major conflict lies in the fact that she doesn’t want to practice magic anymore, the events she experiences inevitably lead to a hard choice. I love this part of the storyline and felt that it really tested Kate’s character early on. We learn things about her that we normally wouldn’t have and I liked that Wells attacked this early on in the series because it sets a good example of what we can expect from Kate’s character in the future.
I sense a bit of a love triangle between Morales and Volos. Though I am heavily leaning onto one side, I can see the appeal for both characters. One is a cocky cop and the other is an old flame. It makes me eager to read more of Kate’s love life.
Fans of the Downside Ghosts will enjoy this series. As it involves cookers, magic and a world that is so uniquely original, I am sure that this series will be just as successful, or perhaps even more so, than the Sabina Kane series.
DIRTY MAGIC is a flat-out high-octane thrill ride in an alluring world. I can already sense that Kate Prospero will become a highly recognizable name in Urban Fantasy soon.
*Review copy provided by publisher
April 30, 2023
Stars: 4 out of 5.
This is everything the first book in a series should be. It has an engaging heroine, an interesting story that manages to get personal for said heroine. There is just enough worldbuilding to introduce the world and the main players, but we aren't bashed in the head with infodumps.
The city of Babylon has a problem - a dirty magic problem. Think about the war on drugs and multiply it by ten, because the effects of dirty magic potions are mostly well-documented, but if a new one pops on the market, they can be quite unpredictable and even deadly. As Kate Prospero finds out one night on patrol when she has to confront what looks like a literal werewolf. But there are no such things as werewolves, right? Correct. It's a new potion called Gray Wolf, and it's a nasty one.
I really liked Kate as a character. And I loved her backstory. I can understand her hatred for dirty potions and those who cook them. She was one of them. She loved doing it to, discovering new recipes, letting others try them. And the consequences and side effects were somebody else's problem... until those consequences hit very close to home. I understand her desire to cut herself from magic altogether, because she is afraid of relapsing into cooking again. And even though it complicates her life a lot in this book, and I really wanted to shout at her a few times because she was being pigheaded about it and putting the life of her loved ones in danger, I still understood her motives. That's what I like about my protagonists - I don't have to necessarily like them, but I have to understand what makes them tick.
I also liked that Kate isn't a lone wolf or a woman-hater, like a lot of urban fantasy protagonists tend to be. She has a solid support system and a good female friend in Pam. And while her life is difficult, because with the same last name is a notorious coven leader and crime lord it's hard to make an honest living, she tries to make the best of the hand she'd been dealt.
My only issue with this book is the main villain's motivation. I understand what the original plan was and even what Bane wanted to gain by creating Gray Wolf. What I don't understand is why he thought attacking Abe's flesh and blood (and I'm not talking about Kate here) would be a good idea. I also don't understand Abe's motivation for going along with this. Surely, revenge wasn't the only reason... I'm hoping to find out more in the next book in the series.
All in all though, I'm glad I finally gave this book a chance. I crossed another book off my TBR list and discovered another interesting urban fantasy series I wouldn't mind continuing.
This is everything the first book in a series should be. It has an engaging heroine, an interesting story that manages to get personal for said heroine. There is just enough worldbuilding to introduce the world and the main players, but we aren't bashed in the head with infodumps.
The city of Babylon has a problem - a dirty magic problem. Think about the war on drugs and multiply it by ten, because the effects of dirty magic potions are mostly well-documented, but if a new one pops on the market, they can be quite unpredictable and even deadly. As Kate Prospero finds out one night on patrol when she has to confront what looks like a literal werewolf. But there are no such things as werewolves, right? Correct. It's a new potion called Gray Wolf, and it's a nasty one.
I really liked Kate as a character. And I loved her backstory. I can understand her hatred for dirty potions and those who cook them. She was one of them. She loved doing it to, discovering new recipes, letting others try them. And the consequences and side effects were somebody else's problem... until those consequences hit very close to home. I understand her desire to cut herself from magic altogether, because she is afraid of relapsing into cooking again. And even though it complicates her life a lot in this book, and I really wanted to shout at her a few times because she was being pigheaded about it and putting the life of her loved ones in danger, I still understood her motives. That's what I like about my protagonists - I don't have to necessarily like them, but I have to understand what makes them tick.
I also liked that Kate isn't a lone wolf or a woman-hater, like a lot of urban fantasy protagonists tend to be. She has a solid support system and a good female friend in Pam. And while her life is difficult, because with the same last name is a notorious coven leader and crime lord it's hard to make an honest living, she tries to make the best of the hand she'd been dealt.
My only issue with this book is the main villain's motivation. I understand what the original plan was and even what Bane wanted to gain by creating Gray Wolf. What I don't understand is why he thought attacking Abe's flesh and blood (and I'm not talking about Kate here) would be a good idea. I also don't understand Abe's motivation for going along with this. Surely, revenge wasn't the only reason... I'm hoping to find out more in the next book in the series.
All in all though, I'm glad I finally gave this book a chance. I crossed another book off my TBR list and discovered another interesting urban fantasy series I wouldn't mind continuing.
January 20, 2018
I really liked this book! It had a kinda gritty, noir television series feel. You know what I mean? Like one of those fantasy tv shows that opens in an alternate reality where magic takes the place of drugs, but more powerful. Magic is in common use to alter appearances but then can become addictive and have terrible consequences.
Kate is one of the few with the gene to make spells. You can identify them easily because they are left handed.
Kate refuses to use magic in her police work even when she needs it for her safety.
A really good start to the series with a strong female character and a good audio reader. 😊
Kate is one of the few with the gene to make spells. You can identify them easily because they are left handed.
Kate refuses to use magic in her police work even when she needs it for her safety.
A really good start to the series with a strong female character and a good audio reader. 😊
May 23, 2023
Despite the gritty, hard-boiled tone that permeates this story, the first-person narration of the main character Kate Prospero reminded me strongly of the Peter Grant Rivers of London series. Both Kate and Peter are earnest, hard-working, and low-ranking police officers dedicated to fighting the criminal use of magic--and not without a sense of humor, or at least irony, at what they confront each day. They have a well-developed sense of ethics and sober self-evaluation.
The settings are quite different. Instead of London with its rich history, charming neighborhoods, and the gods and goddesses of its rivers, we have an amalgam of American Rust Belt cities named Babylon and spend most of our time in a dreadful inner-city area called the Cauldron, where the abandoned factories and warehouses of the failed steel industry now house magical crime organizations every bit as dangerous as the old Mafia.
It's an alternate history in which magic has gone public and taken over the American economy, providing goods and services of all sorts but especially drugs. And just like the nonmagical drugs they've replaced, there are clean ones good for what ails you and dirty ones that get you high--and addicted. Quoting from an early chapter:
Thus begins a suspenseful, high-stress story in which Kate must deal with her ex-lover, John Volos, who was her uncle's, well, left-hand man (that magic gene, remember?) but has risen to a position of power in the city and is now clean, in public at least. Is he secretly spreading Grey Wolf? Or is a competing gang doing the dirty trade? Along the way Kate's trials in being a surrogate mother for her sixteen-year-old brother force her into deep self-examination over her relationships to people and to magic, especially when her kid brother wants to learn magic--with Volos.
Recommended, if you're OK with some tough scenes.
The settings are quite different. Instead of London with its rich history, charming neighborhoods, and the gods and goddesses of its rivers, we have an amalgam of American Rust Belt cities named Babylon and spend most of our time in a dreadful inner-city area called the Cauldron, where the abandoned factories and warehouses of the failed steel industry now house magical crime organizations every bit as dangerous as the old Mafia.
It's an alternate history in which magic has gone public and taken over the American economy, providing goods and services of all sorts but especially drugs. And just like the nonmagical drugs they've replaced, there are clean ones good for what ails you and dirty ones that get you high--and addicted. Quoting from an early chapter:
...starting in the 1960s, the steel manufacturers' hubris caught up with them when some Chinese alchemists revolutionized steel processes. ... Sure, magic had always existed, it's just no one really understood how it worked. That was until a scientist...discovered the genetic marker for magic was tied to left-handedness.Now the world is divided between Adepts who have the magic gene and Mundanes who don't. Kate is an Adept who grew up in the Cauldron, the niece of the most powerful magical crime boss in Babylon. Under his tutelage she learned to cook dirty magical potions; then, when she was fifteen her mother died from dirty magic and Kate swore off magic of any kind. Ten years later her uncle is serving a long prison sentence and Kate is patrolling the Cauldron as an officer of the Babylon Police Department.
Now, five decades later, everyone and their mothers used "clean" magic to wash their clothes and add zip to their sex lives. Instead of iron and steel, magic was the currency that kept us going. But...the illegal dirty magic industry had set down its black roots in our soil.
I wasn't a Mundane looking to recover from addiction to dirty magic. Instead, I was an Adept trying to overcome an addiction to the power I felt from cooking...dirty magic.The worst of the new dirty magic drugs is called Grey Wolf. One injection quickly turns a person into a snarling werewolf who loses all self-control, craves human flesh, and attacks whoever's nearest. Kate has to kill someone who's taken the drug and he turns out to be the main informant for the Magical Enforcement Agency's investigation of the Cauldron. Yes, think FBI. Kate manages to persuade Special Agent Miranda Gardner of the MEA and Kate's own boss Eldritch at the BPD to let her be a liaison between the two law enforcement agencies because of her familiarity with the Cauldron and its criminal gangs.
Thus begins a suspenseful, high-stress story in which Kate must deal with her ex-lover, John Volos, who was her uncle's, well, left-hand man (that magic gene, remember?) but has risen to a position of power in the city and is now clean, in public at least. Is he secretly spreading Grey Wolf? Or is a competing gang doing the dirty trade? Along the way Kate's trials in being a surrogate mother for her sixteen-year-old brother force her into deep self-examination over her relationships to people and to magic, especially when her kid brother wants to learn magic--with Volos.
Recommended, if you're OK with some tough scenes.
January 4, 2014
The Prospero's War is a new urban fantasy series by Jaye Wells and Dirty Magic has launched it with a bang. I loved this book! It had all the elements of UF I love the most, fantastic heroine, interesting new world, beginning of a complicated romance and a bit of humour. So although I did like Jaye Wells' Sabina Kane series, I get the feeling that I am going to love this one.
February 10, 2014
Book of the Week 6
Reading it February 8/9
Review:
I feel kind divided about this one. Because there were some awesome parts and some things that grated one me.
It was also interesting to see the reactions of my GR friends. Their ratings were just as divided. Some people enjoyed it others just found it annoying.
Let's start with the prose because that's in the middle for me. It's well written and enjoyable but I wouldn't describe it as amazing writing style.
The plot was fun. Never a dull moment. There was always something happening. 400pages of action. There were some fun twist and turns, and though none surprised me, I enjoyed the ride. I was worried about a love triangle coming up- well I still am worried that one will come up...
The world building was brilliant. Seriously! I loved the idea of dirty magic, magic addicts, the caldrons- just down my alley.
The character building, well sadly not my favorite part. I found Kate annoying. Well, not at first but as the book went on- her stubbornness just grated on me. I can't stand the whole black and white view she has. And her bravado and pride kinda didn't help that one.
All the other characters were a bit cliche and rather done before. New hot partner, rebellious darling bro, stuck-up boos and the bestie, well you name them, not only weren't they done before, they also didn't brake the mould throughout the story. As the story progresses not a single character did any growth or change or made me see them in a different light.
Though this has finished a chapter of a part of a story- it did feel like the set up for the next book.
But all in all I did enjoy this. It's fast, it's kickass and it's entertaining. I actually think this would be a cool tv series- bit of dark angel, a dash of sin city and a good portion of alias- always my cup of tea ;)
I am planning to read the next one.
This is for lovers of the genre who are looking for some action and fun world building.
3,5Stars
Reading it February 8/9
Review:
I feel kind divided about this one. Because there were some awesome parts and some things that grated one me.
It was also interesting to see the reactions of my GR friends. Their ratings were just as divided. Some people enjoyed it others just found it annoying.
Let's start with the prose because that's in the middle for me. It's well written and enjoyable but I wouldn't describe it as amazing writing style.
The plot was fun. Never a dull moment. There was always something happening. 400pages of action. There were some fun twist and turns, and though none surprised me, I enjoyed the ride. I was worried about a love triangle coming up- well I still am worried that one will come up...
The world building was brilliant. Seriously! I loved the idea of dirty magic, magic addicts, the caldrons- just down my alley.
The character building, well sadly not my favorite part. I found Kate annoying. Well, not at first but as the book went on- her stubbornness just grated on me. I can't stand the whole black and white view she has. And her bravado and pride kinda didn't help that one.
All the other characters were a bit cliche and rather done before. New hot partner, rebellious darling bro, stuck-up boos and the bestie, well you name them, not only weren't they done before, they also didn't brake the mould throughout the story. As the story progresses not a single character did any growth or change or made me see them in a different light.
Though this has finished a chapter of a part of a story- it did feel like the set up for the next book.
But all in all I did enjoy this. It's fast, it's kickass and it's entertaining. I actually think this would be a cool tv series- bit of dark angel, a dash of sin city and a good portion of alias- always my cup of tea ;)
I am planning to read the next one.
This is for lovers of the genre who are looking for some action and fun world building.
3,5Stars
July 12, 2017
This was UF definitely not PNR. Kate has a love interest but it's not the focus or a plot device, it's more of life experience. Everyone has an ex everyone has a cute coworker that maybe would be a fun tumble...
This book could be described as dark or gritty it is surely not light or bubblegum fantasy. Great world building well rounded characters. Plenty cussing.
I will continue to follow this series.
This book could be described as dark or gritty it is surely not light or bubblegum fantasy. Great world building well rounded characters. Plenty cussing.
I will continue to follow this series.
July 20, 2014
Ever since Jaye Wells wow’ed me on a string of book convention panels, I promised myself I would read one of her books. If nothing else, I had to see if her writing would be a fraction as entertaining as I found the author to be in person. Honestly, this was nothing like I expected. I kept waiting for evidence of her humor and wit to surface, but this is not that kind of book. It’s dark and gritty. It’s violent and complicated. And I really enjoyed it.
The story follows Kate Prospero, a beat cop, raising her teenaged brother in a world brimming with magic. Kate, herself, was quite skilled at cooking potions. And her uncle was the king of the dirty magic trade on the streets. But once a potion killed her mom, and her uncle landed behind bars, Kate rid herself of all magic in her life. She also broke up with John, the man she loved, to sever ties to the magic community. She still struggles with her decision, and because of her status as an adept, has to work extra-hard to prove herself as a legit cop.
With the appearance of a potent new dirty potion on the street, Kate finally has a chance to advance her career. It’s turning people into flesh-craving animals, and no one knows the source. Kate becomes part of the investigation, which becomes more and more personal, as the suspects and victims end up a who’s who of her past and present.
I really liked the world Wells created here. It’s a little dense, especially in the beginning, but I didn’t feel lost while she laid it all out. It’s kind of bleak at times, fraught with a drug underworld vibe. It’s easy to see things through Kate’s eyes as we learn how prolific potions have become and how blurry the lines really are between so-called clean and dirty magic. It’s no wonder she is so wary of it. She is an interesting blend of tough and downtrodden, as she struggles to stay true to her beliefs and raise her brother in a life where she can’t even afford a single taxi trip to work. She risks her life on the job, but meets derision and distrust for her trouble.
And then there is her little brother. Who I couldn’t stand. He’s an ungrateful little snot, but Kate loves him more than anything. Which is what makes me want to kick him in the face for the enormous amount of grief she goes through because of him. Not all of it is his fault, but enough of it is. The dynamic between these two probably made me empathize and care about Kate more than anything. It was very well done. But lest you think Kate is just a punching bag, she also shines as a tough and effective cop. When the chips fall, she can definitely take care of business.
If you’re looking for a romance, unfortunately you won’t find one here. There are two possible love interests, which could play out in future books: one, the cocky partner and two, the manipulative ex boyfriend. I have a feeling the ex is going to come out on top, but I just didn’t like him. Either way, at this point there is nothing to see on that front anyway.
Overall, I did enjoy it, though. If you’re an urban fantasy fan that doesn’t need a romance –or if you like a dark street vibe, I’d say give it a try.
Rating: B
*ARC Provided by Orbit
The story follows Kate Prospero, a beat cop, raising her teenaged brother in a world brimming with magic. Kate, herself, was quite skilled at cooking potions. And her uncle was the king of the dirty magic trade on the streets. But once a potion killed her mom, and her uncle landed behind bars, Kate rid herself of all magic in her life. She also broke up with John, the man she loved, to sever ties to the magic community. She still struggles with her decision, and because of her status as an adept, has to work extra-hard to prove herself as a legit cop.
With the appearance of a potent new dirty potion on the street, Kate finally has a chance to advance her career. It’s turning people into flesh-craving animals, and no one knows the source. Kate becomes part of the investigation, which becomes more and more personal, as the suspects and victims end up a who’s who of her past and present.
I really liked the world Wells created here. It’s a little dense, especially in the beginning, but I didn’t feel lost while she laid it all out. It’s kind of bleak at times, fraught with a drug underworld vibe. It’s easy to see things through Kate’s eyes as we learn how prolific potions have become and how blurry the lines really are between so-called clean and dirty magic. It’s no wonder she is so wary of it. She is an interesting blend of tough and downtrodden, as she struggles to stay true to her beliefs and raise her brother in a life where she can’t even afford a single taxi trip to work. She risks her life on the job, but meets derision and distrust for her trouble.
And then there is her little brother. Who I couldn’t stand. He’s an ungrateful little snot, but Kate loves him more than anything. Which is what makes me want to kick him in the face for the enormous amount of grief she goes through because of him. Not all of it is his fault, but enough of it is. The dynamic between these two probably made me empathize and care about Kate more than anything. It was very well done. But lest you think Kate is just a punching bag, she also shines as a tough and effective cop. When the chips fall, she can definitely take care of business.
If you’re looking for a romance, unfortunately you won’t find one here. There are two possible love interests, which could play out in future books: one, the cocky partner and two, the manipulative ex boyfriend. I have a feeling the ex is going to come out on top, but I just didn’t like him. Either way, at this point there is nothing to see on that front anyway.
Overall, I did enjoy it, though. If you’re an urban fantasy fan that doesn’t need a romance –or if you like a dark street vibe, I’d say give it a try.
Rating: B
*ARC Provided by Orbit
January 28, 2014
Dirty Magic (The Prospero's War #1) by Jaye Wells
Let's start with the quotes!
Well this was a fun one! Does the cover model remind anyone else of Olivia Munn? I should know!
I think this series is off to a great start. I don't really read too many police procedurals, but Dirty Magic makes it more interesting through incorporating paranormal elements in a traditional urban fantasy setting. The magic is really unique and I liked that it isn't totally flashy. It comes off as more scientific which makes the parallels between magic in this world and drugs in ours very believable.
Kate can be very funny and I think she's a good heroine so far. Though she has a tragic past, the series doesn't come off as too dark. I found myself quoting several hilarious lines though the latter half isn't quite as quotable as the first one. A few of the supporting characters should develop pretty nicely in the sequels, but I wasn't quite attached to them right away. I do sense a potential love triangle brewing, but I wouldn't be surprised if this series doesn't put a lot of focus on romance.
I'm very happy to have given Jaye Wells another shot. I tried a novel in her Sabina Kane series and it didn't really grip me, but Dirty Magic's witty dialogue, solid worth building, and character development put this series on track to become a potential favorite.
*ARC provided by the publisher.
*Review also posted to Amazon.
Let's start with the quotes!
"I pinned him with pitying glare. 'That the best you got?"
His eye flares at the challenge. 'No, this is.' His hand cupped his balls.
'According to Alice in Dispatch'--I lowered my gaze to his crotch and winced--'there ain't much magical about that wand."
"How do I know where you're really taking me? Maybe you got a plan to kidnap me and make me your sex slave."
I scanned a dubious gaze over the man's ratty gray hair, serious dental hygiene crimes, and the dirt caked back under his nails. "It's tempting, but I think I can control myself today."
"I leaned against the counter and eyed the back of Danny’s head. His hair was in the style his peers favored—meticulous messiness. I swear the kid took half an hour applying goo to his hair so it could look exactly like it had when he rolled out of bed."
Well this was a fun one! Does the cover model remind anyone else of Olivia Munn? I should know!
I think this series is off to a great start. I don't really read too many police procedurals, but Dirty Magic makes it more interesting through incorporating paranormal elements in a traditional urban fantasy setting. The magic is really unique and I liked that it isn't totally flashy. It comes off as more scientific which makes the parallels between magic in this world and drugs in ours very believable.
Kate can be very funny and I think she's a good heroine so far. Though she has a tragic past, the series doesn't come off as too dark. I found myself quoting several hilarious lines though the latter half isn't quite as quotable as the first one. A few of the supporting characters should develop pretty nicely in the sequels, but I wasn't quite attached to them right away. I do sense a potential love triangle brewing, but I wouldn't be surprised if this series doesn't put a lot of focus on romance.
I'm very happy to have given Jaye Wells another shot. I tried a novel in her Sabina Kane series and it didn't really grip me, but Dirty Magic's witty dialogue, solid worth building, and character development put this series on track to become a potential favorite.
*ARC provided by the publisher.
*Review also posted to Amazon.
January 12, 2014
I received this gratis book through the publisher via NetGalley.
I have read a lot of urban fantasy. Frankly, I have started to get burned out on several series because they feel too episodic and the protagonists unlikeable. I enjoyed Wells' Sabina Kane series because the writing was so fantastic, even if vampires are not my thing. Therefore, I was excited about Dirty Magic because it had such a cool premise: a world where magic is a new, ugly form of drug addiction. Wells nails it. This is a fresh take on urban fantasy that's dark and sometimes creepy, with zippy dialogue and a protagonist who is snarky but still relatable.
Kate Prospero is a great heroine. She has the full background conflict going on--as a kid, she grew up cooking dirty magic and has now sworn off magic all together--and she's now trying to be a single parent to her baby brother who is in full teenage angst mode. She's the lawful good cop who drops expletives by the pitcher-full. There's some romantic tension in the book, but for me the real love story was between Kate and her brother. It just plain felt real.
I was reminded at times of another urban fantasy with a cop, Hard Magic, though that book had a more noir feel. Dirty Magic remakes modern Earth in a much more dramatic way.
This is definitely a series to follow.
I have read a lot of urban fantasy. Frankly, I have started to get burned out on several series because they feel too episodic and the protagonists unlikeable. I enjoyed Wells' Sabina Kane series because the writing was so fantastic, even if vampires are not my thing. Therefore, I was excited about Dirty Magic because it had such a cool premise: a world where magic is a new, ugly form of drug addiction. Wells nails it. This is a fresh take on urban fantasy that's dark and sometimes creepy, with zippy dialogue and a protagonist who is snarky but still relatable.
Kate Prospero is a great heroine. She has the full background conflict going on--as a kid, she grew up cooking dirty magic and has now sworn off magic all together--and she's now trying to be a single parent to her baby brother who is in full teenage angst mode. She's the lawful good cop who drops expletives by the pitcher-full. There's some romantic tension in the book, but for me the real love story was between Kate and her brother. It just plain felt real.
I was reminded at times of another urban fantasy with a cop, Hard Magic, though that book had a more noir feel. Dirty Magic remakes modern Earth in a much more dramatic way.
This is definitely a series to follow.
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