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caitybell's review against another edition
5.0
This book wrecked me. It was so kick Ass. The villain was amazing, Kate’s growth is still such a fluid thing I appreciate her flaws and character and bloodthirst all at the same time! Kate and Curran’s relationship continues to evolve and grow in the best of ways, even when they butt heads. Each of these books have their own individual arc but throughout the whole series Ilona Andrews has been setting up for an even bigger fight, this book really flung us into the bigger picture and I can’t wait to continue!
leschroniques_delea's review against another edition
5.0
Je l’ai lu en deux jours tellement j’étais captivée par ce tome, il est encore meilleur que le précédent, cette saga est dingue !
L’intrigue de ce tome monte encore d’un cran avec une enquête à résoudre qui amènera Kate à rencontrer une personne qui appartient à son passé et qui s’avère être d’une force supérieure à Kate au départ. On a beaucoup de révélations dans ce tome qui sont plus approfondies et qui expliquent bien mieux l’origine de Kate et de sa famille.
L’action est au rendez-vous, on ne s’ennuie pas une seule seconde et même dans les moments plus calmes c’est rythmé d’une manière à donner envie au lecteur de tourner les pages encore et encore.
Kate est une protagoniste que j’adore, pour n’importe quelle situation elle a de la répartie, garde sa force et même dans les moments de faiblesse on voit qu’elle reste elle-même. Elle est forte mais n’hésite pas à demander de l’aide quand il le faut et à mettre sa fierté de côté pour protéger ceux qu’elle aime.
Entre Curran et Kate on sent une tension de dingue, ils sont tout le temps entrain de se chercher, de s’envoyer des piques et très sarcastiques. Leur relation évolue dans ce tome-ci et on les découvre très attachés l’un à l’autre et protecteurs mais sans que ça soit dans l’abusif.
L’intrigue de ce tome monte encore d’un cran avec une enquête à résoudre qui amènera Kate à rencontrer une personne qui appartient à son passé et qui s’avère être d’une force supérieure à Kate au départ. On a beaucoup de révélations dans ce tome qui sont plus approfondies et qui expliquent bien mieux l’origine de Kate et de sa famille.
L’action est au rendez-vous, on ne s’ennuie pas une seule seconde et même dans les moments plus calmes c’est rythmé d’une manière à donner envie au lecteur de tourner les pages encore et encore.
Kate est une protagoniste que j’adore, pour n’importe quelle situation elle a de la répartie, garde sa force et même dans les moments de faiblesse on voit qu’elle reste elle-même. Elle est forte mais n’hésite pas à demander de l’aide quand il le faut et à mettre sa fierté de côté pour protéger ceux qu’elle aime.
Entre Curran et Kate on sent une tension de dingue, ils sont tout le temps entrain de se chercher, de s’envoyer des piques et très sarcastiques. Leur relation évolue dans ce tome-ci et on les découvre très attachés l’un à l’autre et protecteurs mais sans que ça soit dans l’abusif.
masha_masha's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
sawesome's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
is_book_loring's review against another edition
4.0
Another fun read with again a very awesome choice of mythology. Ancient Babylonian of thousands years ago, yay! Personally, this was the first time I really rooted for Kate and Curran. They were the kind of couple that had such a super hard time to cross the line into relationship zone, but once they worked it out, they would be so solid, nothing could break them apart. I loved that. The ending was satisfying, and the epilogue promised a new direction in Kate's professional life, a really awesome direction too. Can't wait!
shawniebooks's review against another edition
5.0
I'm in love with these characters. Again, excellent fight scenes. I can totally visualize the sword fights.
katyanaish's review against another edition
5.0
I really, really, really enjoyed this book. So much that I honestly want to pick the first book up off the shelf and re-read the entire series right now.
I have to hand it to the author. When I read, in the preview chapter that she released in advance, that Curran never shows for his dinner with Kate, I got really nervous. You see, there seems to be this trend going on in books I have read lately. It goes like this:
Strong Female Lead (let's call her SFL) feels treated poorly by Love Interest (LI) just as they have been getting things together on their relationship. They fight, and seem to break up. Since these books are largely written from the POV of the SFL, we see, in detail, her hurt, her pining for the LI. Her regret over the handling of the situation. Eventually, SFL and LI come back together, and SFL apologizes profusely for the fight, taking all blame. The initial issue is disregarded, treated as a non-issue. LI magnanimously agrees to forgive SFL. They reunite.
This kills the book, and the series, for me. Because if all agree that the original issue was a non-issue, SFL's credibility takes a hit. Further, LI comes across as a dick: being very general (because this formula varies), LI made a decision that was hurtful to SFL. They fought, and LI punishes SFL for being, in essence, a strong female. They split. She comes crawling back. They reconcile. The only "forward progress" made in the evolution of the relationship is SFL feels the need to monitor herself, to make sure she doesn't lose control like that again. LI is free to carry on with business as usual.
Anyway. I enjoy this series, and I was worried that it was going down this route. And it ***absolutely did NOT***. I loved that in this book, two strong, independent characters managed to build a healthy, functional relationship without sacrificing the things that make them themselves. The author was able to walk the road of compromise, without compromising the personalities.
And on top of all that, the other plotlines in this book were masterfully handled, and all the elements of the story wove together into a remarkably satisfying conclusion that brings the entire series to, in my humble opinion, an entire new level.
I can't express how excited I am to see where the author continues with these characters. I, for one, will be chomping at the bit for the next book.
Re-read (#345892345) April 2017 (yes, I re-read this series a lot... sue me)
If I had to pick a single book in this series that was my favorite, this one would probably be it.
I just love it. I love everything in Kate's history coming together. I love Erra - yes really - because she gives us such incredible insight into Kate - who she could have been, who she could still become, why she fights against it. It's shit-or-get-off-the-pot time for Kate - - and this book changes everything.
I love the way her relationship with Curran unfolds (as mentioned in my original review) ... though I have one quibble:
Because no one did, there's an element of ... suspension of disbelief here. Because I have a hard time believing no one would have called her, and so this feels like it's a bit overdramatic. And I think the reason this didn't rub me that way originally is because if you go JUST by this book, there is no indication that ANYONE knew. The impression is that Curran kept it private. In which case of course no one called. And I think that's how it was written, honestly, because Jim finds out about the dinner in this book, at the Guild, and seems shocked ... at which point he promptly abandons their fight. So anyway, minor quibble ... probably a quibble that is just about continuity / consistency.
The other tough part for me is the very end of this book. To be honest, sometimes I skip the last 30 pages on re-reads. Not because it isn't well done, but because it is devastating.
The worst is the betrayal of Curran.
It is pretty strongly implied that everyone - at least the Pack Council - knows his history. Certainly Mahon knows. Jim knows. Aunt B tells Kate it isn't her place to disclose it, so she knows. You have to assume that if half the Pack Council knows, they all know ... and as B said to Kate, nothing stays secret in the Pack. So they know he built this Pack so his family could be safe. He's suffered for them, bled for them, worked himself to exhaustion for them ... and when push comes to shove, they stabbed him in the back.
It is heartbreaking to see that everything Curran thought he built and fought for is worthless. And he knows it. He's wrecked at the end of this book. His Pack betrayed him. And he knows - he KNOWS - that he can never trust them again. He continues on with them, for now, because he still thinks they are tool he can use to keep his mate safe. But you can see that he will never forgive them, never trust them. Never. And it's so hard to read. So emotional.
Because the book is Kate's POV, in the original read I was absorbed in how horribly they treated her when she gave up EVERYTHING to save them. But after re-reads, my attention is more on Curran. What they did to Kate is wrong. It is a betrayal of Curran on every level. And I think it shatters a part of him. Everything he thought he'd done - as he tells her in this book, he built this, all of it, to keep her safe, and he needs to know she'll stay - was wrong. At the end, like his father, he's still standing alone trying to protect his family.
Devastating.
I have to hand it to the author. When I read, in the preview chapter that she released in advance, that Curran never shows for his dinner with Kate, I got really nervous. You see, there seems to be this trend going on in books I have read lately. It goes like this:
Strong Female Lead (let's call her SFL) feels treated poorly by Love Interest (LI) just as they have been getting things together on their relationship. They fight, and seem to break up. Since these books are largely written from the POV of the SFL, we see, in detail, her hurt, her pining for the LI. Her regret over the handling of the situation. Eventually, SFL and LI come back together, and SFL apologizes profusely for the fight, taking all blame. The initial issue is disregarded, treated as a non-issue. LI magnanimously agrees to forgive SFL. They reunite.
This kills the book, and the series, for me. Because if all agree that the original issue was a non-issue, SFL's credibility takes a hit. Further, LI comes across as a dick: being very general (because this formula varies), LI made a decision that was hurtful to SFL. They fought, and LI punishes SFL for being, in essence, a strong female. They split. She comes crawling back. They reconcile. The only "forward progress" made in the evolution of the relationship is SFL feels the need to monitor herself, to make sure she doesn't lose control like that again. LI is free to carry on with business as usual.
Anyway. I enjoy this series, and I was worried that it was going down this route. And it ***absolutely did NOT***. I loved that in this book, two strong, independent characters managed to build a healthy, functional relationship without sacrificing the things that make them themselves. The author was able to walk the road of compromise, without compromising the personalities.
And on top of all that, the other plotlines in this book were masterfully handled, and all the elements of the story wove together into a remarkably satisfying conclusion that brings the entire series to, in my humble opinion, an entire new level.
I can't express how excited I am to see where the author continues with these characters. I, for one, will be chomping at the bit for the next book.
Re-read (#345892345) April 2017 (yes, I re-read this series a lot... sue me)
If I had to pick a single book in this series that was my favorite, this one would probably be it.
I just love it. I love everything in Kate's history coming together. I love Erra - yes really - because she gives us such incredible insight into Kate - who she could have been, who she could still become, why she fights against it. It's shit-or-get-off-the-pot time for Kate -
Spoiler
does she run, or does she take a stand and fight for the life she built ... though to be fair, she did make that choice in Magic Strikes, but it is different now when she's staring her Aunt in the faceI love the way her relationship with Curran unfolds (as mentioned in my original review) ... though I have one quibble:
Spoiler
The no-show at Sexy Dinner. This feels like a stretch to me. I tried to figure out why I felt that way now, when I clearly didn't in the original read. I think it may be partially because of the Curran POVs that the authors have released (which are amazing, this isn't a knock). From the POVs, we know that Jim knows about the Sexy Dinner. Derek likely knows about the dinner. It seems even Aunt B knows. So ... WHY in HELL did no one call Kate? This entire situation was an easy fix - both the night of the dinner, or in the immediate aftermath when Curran, we're told, was raging around the Keep because of their falling out - if someone had just picked up the damn phone.Because no one did, there's an element of ... suspension of disbelief here. Because I have a hard time believing no one would have called her, and so this feels like it's a bit overdramatic. And I think the reason this didn't rub me that way originally is because if you go JUST by this book, there is no indication that ANYONE knew. The impression is that Curran kept it private. In which case of course no one called. And I think that's how it was written, honestly, because Jim finds out about the dinner in this book, at the Guild, and seems shocked ... at which point he promptly abandons their fight.
The other tough part for me is the very end of this book. To be honest, sometimes I skip the last 30 pages on re-reads. Not because it isn't well done, but because it is devastating.
Spoiler
The level of betrayal here is stunning. Kate has utterly thrown her safety away for the Pack. She's saved them, multiple times, and given up the safety she had in staying hidden. This marks the third time Roland has come at them - Olathe, rakshasas, and now Erra - and she has put herself directly in his path to protect them each time. And in return, they treat her like garbage. But that's not the worst of it.The worst is the betrayal of Curran.
It is pretty strongly implied that everyone - at least the Pack Council - knows his history. Certainly Mahon knows. Jim knows. Aunt B tells Kate it isn't her place to disclose it, so she knows. You have to assume that if half the Pack Council knows, they all know ... and as B said to Kate, nothing stays secret in the Pack. So they know he built this Pack so his family could be safe. He's suffered for them, bled for them, worked himself to exhaustion for them ... and when push comes to shove, they stabbed him in the back.
It is heartbreaking to see that everything Curran thought he built and fought for is worthless. And he knows it. He's wrecked at the end of this book. His Pack betrayed him. And he knows - he KNOWS - that he can never trust them again. He continues on with them, for now, because he still thinks they are tool he can use to keep his mate safe. But you can see that he will never forgive them, never trust them. Never. And it's so hard to read. So emotional.
Because the book is Kate's POV, in the original read I was absorbed in how horribly they treated her when she gave up EVERYTHING to save them. But after re-reads, my attention is more on Curran. What they did to Kate is wrong. It is a betrayal of Curran on every level. And I think it shatters a part of him. Everything he thought he'd done - as he tells her in this book, he built this, all of it, to keep her safe, and he needs to know she'll stay - was wrong. At the end, like his father, he's still standing alone trying to protect his family.
Devastating.
iamdocrob's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5