4.5I love being in Downside, which is quite honestly a very odd thing to say. It's such a dark, lonely, hopeless place. But my goodness, what a world! Every time I read another in this series, I'm just blown away. Something about these characters is so endearing, even with all of their faults. In Chasing Magic, Chess and Terrible are once again tested in their relationship. Let me tell you, there are some nail biting moments in which I wasn't quite sure if Chess was going to make the right decisions. I actually gasped out loud and held my breath, skimmed down to the end of the page because I couldn't stand waiting one more second to know the outcome of the scene. Talk about the edge of my seat!There has always been a fair amount of action in this series too, but this particular installment was loaded with fighting, magic flying everywhere, massive explosions, and some serious suspense going on. Chess stretches her magical abilities to their limits and we get to see Terrible in his element...in mortal hand to hand combat with a worthy opponent. IT IS AWESOME!!!! No one ever really goes up against Terrible and has any chance of coming out in one piece, so for fans of the greatness that is he, you'll be pleased. Not only does Terrible get to prove to the readers why he is THE enforcer of Downside, but he also shows Chess his possessive side.... FINALLY!!!!!!!! I've always loved Terrible, but when it comes to Chess, I've also always thought that he shows her too much leniency. Each partner in the relationship has their own hard limits and so far Chess hadn't pushed any of Terrible's. I never understood why, by I think Ms. Kane was saving it for this book because good gracious, Terrible goes alpha stud on Chess's happy ass and proves his dominance over her. It's always been a give and take relationship between these two, but after this particular scene, I'm convinced Chess will do better with a firm hand.Poor Lex! (I just love Lex!!) I can tell that he cares for Chess, but his position as Bump's opponent in Triumph City has put him in an impossible situation. The animosity between he and Terrible comes to a head, and everyone involved is forced to make some tough decisions.Chess...ah, Chess! What can I say? Her addiction defines her. More so now than ever before, and I have to admit, I'm growing tired of it. An addict is one of the most selfish people you can know. Ultimately, number one in their life is themselves. No matter how much Chess bares her soul to the reader, how enlightened she is in her love for Terrible, in my eyes...Chess IS her addiction. It governs everything about her. Everything. Every mood she has is amplified by her next pill. The only thing that makes her feel other than the pills is Terrible and to a much lesser extent, Elder Griffin. Even those emotions, however, are clouded by her self loathing and guilt.I hope so badly that there is some character development for Chess, but I don't see it coming. Thing is, I don't see where this series can go without some changes. If Chess is always an addict, can she ever feel any self worth? Will she ever actually deserve Terrible, in her own eyes? In my eyes? I just don't know, and I'm afraid I won't find out. I've just realized that not everyone in the world is as big a fan of the Downside Ghosts series. Ms. Kane isn't sure that it will be released in the US, and is considering self publishing here. Please, PLEASE give us another! At this point, I can't imagine the series ending with this book, I just CAN'T!!And if you consider reading this series, DO IT! Truly, it satisfies all of my reader needs...it has action, romance, mystery, magic, ghosts, murder....on and on and on. Every book is one hell of a ride!
