I love this series. I love the fact that on paper, these characters are unlikable. Chess is an unrepentant drug addict who lies to everyone in her life. Terrible is a ruthless killer. Lex is a manipulative dealer.

And yet, I love these characters. I love their imperfections and their unlikable parts. I love the fact that Terrible is ugly inside and out but he becomes beautiful when we see him through Chess' eyes - when she allows herself to really see him, that is.

I really like the language of the characters - how Downspeak and Churchspeak create immediate class barriers. It does take a while to get used to and I admit that I found it annoying at first. But once you get used to it and take the time to suss it out, it becomes easy to understand.

Stacia Kane has created a fascinating world, unlike any other that I've read in urban fantasy. These books are well worth the read.