Jaye Wells

MAGIC IS A DRUG. CAREFUL HOW YOU USE IT. The Magical Enforcement Agency keeps dirty magic off the streets, but there's a new blend out there that's as deadly as it is elusive. When patrol cop Kate Prospero shoots the lead snitch in this crucial case, she's brought in to explain herself. But the more she learns about the investigation, the more she realizes she must secure a spot on the MEA task force. Especially when she discovers that 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.

Dirty Magic

Story kicks straight into the magical and urban fantasy world that our protagonist Kate Prospero lives in. She is a local cop whom, upon our first meeting of her, is pursuing a sort of magical junkie. It ends in her having to shoot him and we find out he's actually an informer, which complicates things. She joins the Magical Enforcement Agency in hopes of taking out the distributor of the recent magic known as Gray Wolf. Juggling work and her kid brother Kate deals with a lot going in in her life, especially when her brother says he wants to learn magic. Thing turn more dire when a raid is planned and Kate's brother Danny is targeted, leading her to try and resort back to magic to save him. A crazy action packed ending and some last minute shadiness made for an explosive first book.

Sasha Mann

Sarah Escorsa

☢ 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 the shrimp 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 grow old 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, devious mafia 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!

Nickie Mohler

I have to say that I had never read any of her books prior to this one. Thanks to goodreads first reads I have added Jaye Wells to my list of favorite authors. This book was great!!

Dirty Magic

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