#Saturday Review - Sacrifices by Jamie Schultz (Urban Fantasy) @JamieDSchultz @AceRocBooks

Series: Arcane Underworld # 3
Format: E-Galley, 352 pages
Release Date: July 5, 2016
Publisher: ROC
Source: Publisher 
Genre: Urban Fantasy

Things get a little demonic in the latest Arcane Underwold novel from the author of Splintered.  Thanks to their recent involvement with a magus crimelord and his demonic partner in mayhem, occult thieves Anna Ruiz and Karyn Ames are both stuck sharing head space with a demon. But while Karyn’s possession has had the unexpected benefit of focusing her visions of the future, Anna’s demon is spurring on her darkest urges, and it’s only a matter of time before she acts on them—and hurts someone in the process.   To save their skins, the two need to find a mysterious relic. But with their search taking them into some of the darkest places in the arcane underworld, Anna and Karyn will have to ally themselves with a group no self-respecting thief would be caught dead with—the Federal Bureau of Investigation...

Sacrifices is the third and apparent final installment in author Jamie Schultz's Arcane Underground series. Anna Ruiz and Karyn Ames have been friends for the 10 years. They have a reputation at being very good at stealing dubious occult items from their rightful owners. Two months ago, things changed when they met notorious crime boss & millionaire Enoch Sobell. Since that meeting, he has given them more and more dangerous jobs in order to help Karyn out with her hallucinations. 

Sobell forced Anna to take on Genevieve Lyle, a talented practitioner in the occult arts and a sort of spy among the group who was last seen leaving with Sobell & Belial. The fourth member of the group is former soldier DeShawn "Nails" Owens. After Anna took over the leadership of the group in Splintered, it led to her and Karyn being betrayed and possessed by separate demons. As Sacrifices opens, Karyn's demon is actually helping her, while Anna's is making her more and more angry, feeling destructive, and wanting to kill someone.  

This leads Anna, Karyn, and Nails to search for a relic that Karyn's prophecy has foretold that can save them from their demons. Sobell is also after it since it can save him from hell. This leads to an unlikely agreement with the FBI's non-standard Investigations Branch & Special Agent Elliot. This also leads to Anna returning to the neighborhood where she grew up. A neighborhood ripe with strife between several gangs. A neighborhood with a strange priest that seems to possess some unusual beliefs. 

I am happy that Karyn is back after barely being there in Splintered. As the leader of the group for so long, I am happy to see her able to deal with her precognitive abilities without getting stuck in an alternate reality. I dare say that Anna continues to be the heart and soul of this group. She is the key member of the group and she is the one who kicks some serious ass in this book. I am also glad that she and Genevieve are back together after what I felt was Genevieve's betrayal in the previous book. Don't feel sorry for Nail as the only dude in the group. He is more than what he's worth in gold and what he brings to the table.

On that note, I am saddened to learn that this is the final installment in this series. I do wish that more people had found this series to their liking. This is a rather dark urban fantasy series, but one that I happen to like because I'm not one to shy away from bloodshed and violence. The occult aspect of this series is also different in that when a 

practitioner uses one of the relics, he or she loses a bit of themselves in the process. The more they use, the more they come committed to joining the denizens of hell for eternity. If you want an example of this, think Willow from Buffy fame. The more she used dark magic, the more obsessed with it she became.

FYI - The covers feature the 3 main characters. Karyn, Nails, and Anna. 

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#Review - Splintered by Jamie Schultz (Urban Fantasy)

Series: Arcane Underworld # 2
Published by: Roc
Released: July 7, 2015
Format: E- Galley, 352 pages 
Source: NetGalley  
Genre: Urban Fantasy

Anna Ruiz is on a mission: Help her friend and partner-in-crime, Karyn Ames, break free of the tangle of hallucinations and premonitions that have cut her off from reality. With the aid of her crew—ex-soldier Nail and sorcerer Genevieve—she’ll do whatever it takes to get Karyn help, even if it means tracking down every lowlife informant and back alley magic practitioner in the occult underworld of Los Angeles.

But since a magical heist went to hell, the crew has been working for crimelord and doomed magus Enoch Sobell. Between fighting Sobell’s battles with some seriously scary demonic forces and tangling with a group of violent fanatics who want to manipulate Karyn’s abilities for their own gains, Anna, Nail, and Genevieve are beginning to realize they’re in way over their heads.

And now that Karyn’s secret about seeing the future is out, even more unpleasant parties—human and otherwise—are about to come knocking…

Splintered is the second installment in the Arcane Underworld series by Jamie Schultz. Anna Ruiz and her best friend Karyn Ames have been stealing dubious occult items from their rightful owners for 10 years now. Two months ago, things changed when they met Enoch Sobell and became his indentured servants. With Karyn checked out from reality not being able to separate the present from the future, Anna, Nail, and Genevieve have found themselves doing more and more bizarre jobs for Sobell who has a bunch of his own issues. Anna has taken over the reins of leadership of their little group, while also searching for the missing Adelaide, and a way to help bring Karyn back to reality.

Splintered is a complicated, highly twisted, and disturbing story at times. There are so many different storylines going on that you do have to pay attention, or at least take good notes. You may be asking yourselves why. Well, first there is Special Agent Gina Elliot who works for the FBI's Non-Standard Investigations Branch (NSIB). She really wants to take Sobell down from his high perch. Then, there are the survivors of Mendelson's group from Premonition who have taken up with a man, Edgar Van Horn, that Sobell wants kidnapped. The so called Chosen are really a dark group who do things I don't dare spoil. On top of all of this, Karyn is being sought out for reasons that don't become clear until the story actually comes together and all the pieces are brought to light.

Anna is very devoted to finding a cure for Karyn. This I totally get behind. The two of them have been through hell along with Nail, and not having your partner there to lean on, or ask questions, makes what Anna and group goes through all that more real. I still have my issues with Genevieve. She obviously has some goals and issues all her own and cares for Anna in her own way. But, I don't really trust her at this point. Nail is probably the one character that stands out because he does what he does to help his older brother. He may not like what the group is doing, but it is a way to stay out of jail, and maybe keep his brother alive. 

Unlike Premonition, Splintered isn't about stealing artifacts. It's a book that is on the darker side with possessions, plenty of deaths, and vivid scenes of self-mutilation. If you like Dark Fantasy novels, then you are in for a treat. The biggest let down for me, was Karyn's disappearance from most of the story. She is in her own world, and what happens next is anyone's guess. I guess one could say that for Anna as well with what she ends up dealing with. I'm in this series until the end. There are a whole lot more ideas, and Anna & Karyn have just begun to figure out what to do next about Sobell and his minions. 

**I received this book for free from (Publisher) via (NetGalley) in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.**

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