MAGIC BLEEDS

Magic Bleeds by Ilona Andrews

367 pages

Reviewed by Rae C.

From SLPL Bibliocommons:

The fourth Kate Daniels novel from the #1 New York Times bestselling author who "defines urban fantasy" (Fresh Fiction). 

Kate Daniels works for the Order of the Knights of Merciful Aid, officially as a liaison with the mercenary guild. Unofficially, she cleans up the paranormal problems no one else wants to handle--especially if they involve Atlanta's shapeshifting community.

When she's called in to investigate a fight at the Steel Horse, a bar midway between the territories of the shapeshifters and the necromancers, Kate quickly discovers there's a new player in town. One who's been around for thousands of years--and rode to war at the side of Kate's father.

This foe may be too much even for Kate and Curran, the Lord of the Beasts, to handle. Because this time, Kate will be taking on family...

What a great series! Every book just gets better and better!  And this one is really significant because we meet another member of Kate's family, her relationship with Curran becomes serious, she gets a dog- and there is a twist in the dog's story which is hilarious and awesome! (Actually two twists in the dog's story.)  The relationship between her and Curran is especially satisfying because they are both so crazy and stubborn, and there are so many obstacles to overcome.

The only drawbacks are the same as the other books- they really read a lot mythology, but none of it retains any of the original flavour, it's all just filtered into modern comic book superhero identities.  But these are fun books, not meant to be serious.  But if, like me, you read a lot of old cycles and stories, and read a lot about world religions, it does require turning your academic brain off.

If you want to read my reviews of the other three, the links can be found here:
https://slplbookchallenge.blogspot.com/2018/11/magic-strikes.html

MAGIC STRIKES

Magic Strikes by Ilona Andrews 310 pages

https://slpl.bibliocommons.com/item/show/1023714116

Reviewed by Rae C.

This is book three in the Kate Daniels series. 

My review of book one https://slplbookchallenge.blogspot.com/2018/09/magic-burns.html
My review of book two https://slplbookchallenge.blogspot.com/2018/11/magic-burns.html

This is an alternate reality world (or possible future) where technology is often overcome by waves of magic.  Cars and electricity will stop working during a magic wave, and when tech comes back on, magical things will often not work, or won't work in the same way. Kate has magical powers of her own, and she work both in the Mercenary Guild (who you call when the cops can't help you) and The Order of Merciful Aid (the cops). 

A regular character, Saiman, who has the ability to shift his appearance but is not a member of the Pack- half-human and half animal- and also has an extreme amount of intel on the various magical forces, hires Kate to help him at the Midnight Games- a kind of Thunderdome, fight to the death, with various magical and otherworldly creatures and weapons.  Saiman is part owner under a fake name and one of his fake appearances.  Initially Kate is just there to give her opinions on the fights and one team in particular.  Of course, Kate ends up in the ring, kicking *** and taking no names.  We learn more about her parentage and powers, more about Saiman (oooh he has a great secret!), more about Andrea, and Curran... The ending of this book is so enticing!  I cannot wait for book four to get here!  I love this series because the romance isn't overdone, in fact, the first two books were just a tease.  Ironically, I keep wishing for a just a bit more bodice ripping, and this book delivers. 

Highly recommend! But don't read these books out of order! 

MAGIC BURNS

Magic Burns by Ilona Andrews  260 pages

Reviewed by Rae C.

This is book two of the series.
My review of book one https://slplbookchallenge.blogspot.com/2018/09/magic-burns.html

Kate Daniels lives in an Atlanta besieged by waves of magic so strong that technology is left powerless, and sometimes skyscrapers collapse.  When the magic rolls through the cars stop and the lights go out, so people will ride horses or magic vehicles, and use fey and other magically charged lights. Kate now works for the Order of Merciful Aid as well as the Mercenary Guild.  And in this book there is a magic "flare"- much stronger than usual, in fact, strong enough for Gods and their entourage to enter this realm.  Kate helps a young girl, Julie, whose mother has gone missing, along with the rest of the witches in her coven.

I like this book a lot.  I love the introduction of Julie, and Julie's storyline- especially the romantic interest Julie has for a boy who is just worthless (sorry, that could be considered a spoiler). And I love Andrea's developing character, and I won't give any spoilers on that.  The romance between Curran and Kate begins to sizzle, and we get some very interesting information on Pack relationships, especially alphas. We also learn a lot more about Kate's background and what she is capable of- enough to make accurate guesses about what is going to be revealed in book 3- and we explore a lot more of this alternate Atlanta, and it is spectacular!

My problems were with the use of Celtic mythology.  Bran is obviously modeled on Bran the Blessed, I was okay with that. And the inclusion of the Fomorians led me to think that the authors had done some real research, and then tailored it to fit their story.  (There's scant information available in the old stories on the Formorians, the sea demons that the Celtic tribes had to fight when they arrived in Ireland.) But Bolgor the Shepherd was a little too over the top and obviously pure invention- and invention that is not rooted in any sort of existing mythology that I know of.  Bolgor doesn't behave or have powers in a manner suited to any branch of Celtic mythology.  And this strange Morrigan versus the Great Crow? Well,  just turn your academic brain off if you need to, and let the characters exist solely in the story.  That's what I did.

Couldn't wait to read book 3 when I finished this one!

Magic Bites

Magic Bites by Ilona Andrews 260 pages

Reviewed by Rae C.

I put this book down twice, but only because I absolutely had to! I’m not starting the second book until I have 4 hours of uninterrupted free time.  The heroine, Kate Daniels, lives in a world where our current technological age has been overtaken by magic and supernatural forces.   There are vampires, shapeshifters, necromancers, deities, and ordinary mortals.  When magical energies flood the atmosphere, technology functions badly or not at all, to the point of sometimes collapsing whole buildings.  During supernatural fluctuations, electrical power can go out, and Fey lights come up, and people (supernatural or otherwise) ride horses or use magical vehicles instead of cars.

Kate is special.  Throughout the book we get hints at the origin of her specialness, but we never learn exactly what she is. She’s strong, able to withstand a lot of pain, but she is neither shapeshifter or vampire, and she stays away from supernatural law enforcement agencies like the Order of Knights of Merciful Aid, even though she could have a guaranteed job with them.  She instead chooses to be a Mercenary, until her Guardian is killed by a new kind of monster, unfamiliar even among the supernatural communities.  The People, the vampire organization, and The Pack, the shapeshifter organization, both suspect each other, but neither side wants a war.  Since Kate’s Guardian was a member of the Order, she works with all three groups to solve the murder.

The first couple of chapters has a lot of descriptions and set up for the series, but I didn’t find it slow or dull, although the person that suggested it to me did.  I did find the gore and machismo and action/fighting scenes over done, and written for male readers (probably by the husband in the husband and wife team), and I personally felt like much of it could have been edited without the story suffering.

I appreciated that it was “romance” (paranormal or otherwise) written for women that are mature, satisfied adults that don’t need every chapter to have sex in it.  There’s a lot of hot and juicy bits, but this is not a bodice ripper or panacea for the uninitiated or unfulfilled.

Kate Daniels is a strong, self-contained woman that can take a man if he’s worthy, and leave him if he’s not.  But she's also a tough outsider, a longer by necessity, and a cynic when it comes to men.  I don’t want to give any spoilers, but that is why the situation with Dr. Crest was so bittersweet and achingly emotionally honest.

The story is well-plotted and suspenseful, and only sometimes predictable, and even then, the world Daniels’ inhabits has surprises for the reader.  I loved that the authors did thorough research on esoteric and ceremonial magick, and appreciated the references to obscure mythologies and demons. 

A great book for strong women, looking for adventure in an alternate paranormal world, with a little romance in the mix.  I think fans of Harry Dresden, The Invisible Library, and/or the tv show Buffy the Vampire Slayer would enjoy this book.

Every Time You Go Away

Every Time You Go Away by Beth Harbison           Audio Book:  8 hours, 13 minutes           Paperback Book:  320 pages               Genre:    Paranormal Romance

Willa has lost her husband, Ben and has been grieving for the past 3 years trying to force herself to continue living and going on with her life.    She can’t even be much of a comfort to their son, Jamie, because she is so distraught and her world as she knew it is gone.  The family own a beach house which is where Ben was when he died of a heartattack.    Willa has not be able to go there since because of all the memories it holds of all the good times they have had there over the years with family and friends and friend’s children.    After much thought, Willa decides to sell the beach house in Maryland.   Summoning all of her courage she knows she has to go there and clean it up and get it ready to put on the market.     Her son, Jamie cannot stand the thought of going back there knowing his Dad died there, Willa’s best friend has to work, but, promises to come up to the beach house that weekend to join Willa and help her get it sale ready.  So with much dismay Willa begins the trek dreading it all the way.    When she arrives there is a lot of work neede to be done to update the place and when she contacts a realtor she gets an even longer list of to dos on the place.   She decides to stay as long as it takes to get it all done and over with from there the story takes off into the paranormal range.   I don’t want to spoil it for the reader, but, it is really well done and I think anyone who is a fan of the ghostly, a fan of romance novels, anyone who has lost a loved one and anyone who enjoys a good read will find this book pleasing.    It shows the remorse of losing someone you love, the reality of not being able to function, the inability to be there for others as much as you would like when you are drowning in your own pain and the guilt of not being the comforter to your own children when grief surrounds you so wholely and the value of dear friends in your time of need and understanding.    Well done, well told, enjoyable read.