The Downside series kept me engaged for all five books and this was a somewhat fitting end to the story. I wanted to get Chess straightened out and make sure she was going to be okay but I don't think that would have been the right ending so I appreciate that Chess remains herself to the end.If you've not read these, pick them up. They aren't paranormal romance, they are really urban fantasy. There is a romantic triangle between Chess and Terrible and Lex, but it is not the focal point of the series. The relationships are important and you get to experience the highs and lows as Chess tries to muddle her way through life as a Churchwitch and an emotionally damaged junkie. What I liked best about this series is the world that the author has created, a world where ghosts are real, religion is gone and the only authority is The Church of Truth, where witches and magic can control the ghosts and keep them from terrorizing the people of the world. Stacia Kane does a fantastic job of realizing this world and setting the stage for some very kick-ass ghost busting! My favorite aspect of this series though is getting to know and understand Chess, how her life as an orphan after Ghost Week has shaped her, how her loyalty to the Church keeps her from destroying herself, that and her fear of ending up dead and being banished to the City of the Dead. Chess is a fantastic character and I will miss her!
