This series has become one of my favorite series. I was very much looking forward to the release of this book and it doesn't disappoint. We haven't had a new Chess book since 2010 with City of Ghosts. At the end of that book things had started looking up for Chess. She went through a lot in the previous books and by the end I was hoping she would get some hapiness and of course she does in the form of Terrible. 
 Sacrificial Magic picks up about a month after the events in City of Ghosts and Chess and Terrible are still together even though they don't broadcast their relationship to everyone (in consideration for Terrible's job). I like their relationship and I like that we get to see them becoming more, if that makes sense. Chess has so many insecurities about her that she doesn't understand why Terrible would want to be with her, why anyone would want to be with her. While there's a lot of rumination on her part thinking that Terrible will someday wise up and leave her, I never felt like it overtook the story. I could see where she was coming from with her past which Chess parallels a lot to her current relationship. She's only ever known people who want to use her for whatever reason and she can only believe that it's a matter of time before the other shoe drop with Terrible. I like the moment that she understands that even though opening yourself up to someone is scarey, it's still worth it because he makes her happy. Sometimes I wish Stacia Kane wrote this series with mulitple POV's because I almost want to bet that Terrible has some of the same fears as Chess. They've always been so similar with how things have played out in their lives that I almost think it's a safe bet. 
 Even though Chess and Terrible's relationship, and understanding of that relationship, is probably the main thing readers / fans are interested in, Chess also gets a case at a school on the otherside of town. Specifically Lex's side of town. Then on the other hand some snitch has been giving away the locations to Bump's buildings and they've had problems with them being vandalized. Throw into it a body discovered in one of them with magical runes etched on their body and Chess has a lot on her plate on Sacrificial Magic. She is once again forced into both Slobag and Bump's serivces. 
 I really liked this book. There was a lot of growth for Chess in this one, and I think I say that with every book, but she really has been growing with every book in the series and I look forward to seeing where else she can go, especially where else her and Terrible can go in their relationship. The only thing that I'm upset about is the fact that I read the book too fast and I'm ready for the next book Chasing Magic. Luckily for us, it comes out in June so not too long of a wait. Until Then!