Reviews with content warning for Violence - Magic Bleeds

First rating read: 4,5 stars
Second rating read: 4,75 stars

*review will contain spoilers

I don't remember why back then in 2013, the first time I read this book, I didn't bother to write the review. Maybe I'm just lazy, maybe I'm just not feeling it. But, look into my reading status in 2013 the conclusion is my 2013 version was happy that finally Kate and Curran hit the sack.

LOL.

I rated this SLIGHTLYYY below Magic Strikes. The story is awesome as usual but I admit while the bantering and fighting between Kate and Curran can be so amusing to read, the misunderstanding kinda make me rolling my eyes a bit. Just a tiny, little bit. I know it called mating frenzy, but what Kate and Curran did to each other was juvenile even they themselves admitted it. Such a meta remarks. Although I understand that IA want to show this is what happen when Kate going from a loner to slowly care for everyone around her. Kate maybe didn't realize that much, but all that Voron's saying about "to not care for others less they will be targeted with Roland and everyone you love will die" tend to giving her stress. And she finally exploded although Kate did it in her cool way. The not talking because of the misunderstanding also hurt to read, but I did get it. When you love each other so much, even you deny it at first, things will get ugly when you fight. Been there, done that.

I like the touch of mythology that IA used for Magic Bleeds since they used Mesopotamian mythology. Not the Gilgamesh ones or Code of Hammurabi but trace back back 12000 BC or so. More like 6000 BC since the enemy, Erra, said that she is 6000 years old. Now, while you think "but Erra in the myth is a male, a god of plague to be sure?", IA apparently did a genderbent and make Erra woman, also she is Roland's older sister. While Kate also give us glimpse into the origin of vampire which somehow the story tied to Bible. Nice. There's also a hint that Curran's origin is maybe connected to a divine being of sort. Still a mystery of course, you don't want to reveal all the juicy bits. This book mostly focused to Kate's father origin and that include Erra. Speaking about Erra, boy, she's so villainy it's amusing to read. Like to talk high and mighty, but she also a capable fighter of her own right. While she's losing (if she's not the story will not end), I have a hunch she will come back later.

I state in Magic Mourns that Andrea and Raphael officially become a lover, but I predict there will be a problem in the future. The problem happen in this book and maybe will be solved in Andrea's own book, Gunmetal Magic. Not much appearance of Derek and Julie, but we have plenty scene regarding Saiman. Saiman is...for better or worse his lack of humanity is very apparent and I liked that Kate didn't hesitant to point out his weakness especially regarding love and people's feeling. While the Order of Knights of Merciful Aid is live up into their name, pretty much a stuck up organization especially Ted's view regarding the shapeshifter. I also like how the Pack's politic explained and while the shifter still have their animal characteristic, the politic and machination is pretty much human ones that based on the animal hierarchy. Poor Kate, since she agree to become Curran's mate so she is now also responsible regarding Pack matter. But we know Kate. If she can buldoze her way into Order, Guild, also decimated Erra, she can also handle the Pack. Beside, she have Curran now on her side although I know that their relationship will not become an easy one since both are alphas.

All in all, a satisfying read!

Content Warnings

wickedgrumpy's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes

4.5

Honestly this feels like the real start to the series where the first few books were the set up/prologue. We get introduced to some new characters who end up being faves (for example: Barabas) and there's one of my favorite tropes right at the end of the book as well.

I love found family and it's all starting to come together.

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booksthatburn's review against another edition

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adventurous dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

MAGIC BLEEDS finds Kate furious at Curran and trying to keep doing her job with almost no support from the Order as a guy in a cloak skewers the toughest guys in town and panics crowds.

The worldbuilding focuses on character work and backstory, with a bit of deep lore tossed in. Something that has been a welcome but minor note until this point in the series has been the casual mentions of the existence of gay (male) characters generally, with the boudas (were-hyenas) as a queerer zone than the rest due to the influence of hyena their beast forms onto the rest of their society. This book sees a longer and more explicit discussion of queerness (specifically gay men, again) which makes it clear that while it might be unusual in the Pack it doesn't seem to carry a stigma in the new generation. Even Saiman, described as a sexual deviant throughout the series, is labeled such because of the way he approaches sex as a conquest and an experiment, not because he changes forms like outfits to accomplish it.

This isn’t a series that tends to wrap up anything definitively. Things progress, but at this point in the series anything that’s unrelated to the main crisis (and even some things which are) will have follow-ups in later books. It alleviates the pressure on any one plot thread, because there’s room for more later, and enough of a status check to keep things in play. The new storyline is a series of magically-enhanced attacks on locations filled with fighters. The cause of the attacks serves to advance a main storyline in a new way, and the attacks themselves are introduced and resolved within this book. Some major things are left for later, and I like the new status quo which is established by the ending. Kate is still the narrator, and while her narrative voice is consistent with the previous book she’s also changing as a character (gaining friendships and people to protect will do that). This wouldn’t make much sense if someone started here without reading the previous books. The cold open in particular is a response to the end of the last book, and even though I’ve read the previous books and this one several times before, it’s still emotionally jarring in a way that would be either off-putting or confusing to someone using this as their entry point into the series.

This has one of my favorite main plots and least favorite opening in the series. The magically-enhanced plagues, the person behind them, and Kate’s moment of decision with the Order are excellent. There's a discussion of the merits of incremental change within a flawed system versus leaving to make something new that isn't broken for everyone involved. I dislike the opening, though I must begrudgingly acknowledge that this mix of misunderstanding and stubbornness which characterizes the interpersonal conflict that suffuses the first half of the book is entirely in keeping with Kate and Curran's personalities. I dislike it so much as a terrible way for the characters to behave that I have trouble assessing how well it does or doesn't work in the narrative. The way things resolve is appropriate and dramatic, and I appreciate the way that Kate's conduct shows how much she's grown as a person thus far in the series.

There's an excellent sequence with Saiman, Kate, and Curran which goes rather terribly for Saiman but which displays his glass cannon of a personality. He's good at a list of very specific things, and when he meets something his money cannot obtain for him he becomes willing to break everything to prove that he can have it (or if he can't then no one will). There were hints of it in previous books, but it comes to a head here in a pretty spectacular manner.

Content Warnings

hanz's review against another edition

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adventurous dark funny fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

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