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4.28 AVERAGE
4.28 AVERAGE
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
As the sixth installment in the Kate Daniels series, Magic Rises proves that this series has not lost its flavour. An absolute joy to read, Kate remains a stellar protagonist—strong, sharp-witted, and endlessly compelling. I adored how the tension and jealousy in her relationship with Curran were explored in this book. It added a layer of complexity and revitalized their dynamic. And Hugh as a villain? LOVE. He’s cunning, charismatic, and obsessed with Kate. What a whacko.
That said, there were some rough spots. A lot of my favorite side characters, like Derek and Andrea, felt underutilized, which was disappointing. The novellas that bridge the gaps between the main books seem to hold much of their individual development, which left me feeling out of the loop when certain relationships popped up out of nowhere in the mainline series. And while I appreciated the strain on Kate and Curran’s relationship, Curran’s behavior crossed the line into outright publically humiliating Kate. I wish she had held him more accountable—it felt like he got off too easily. The pack politics were another weak point for me; they just didn’t hold my interest.
But alas, this is very quickly becoming my comfort series to read, and I can't wait to read more. 4/5 stars
That said, there were some rough spots. A lot of my favorite side characters, like Derek and Andrea, felt underutilized, which was disappointing. The novellas that bridge the gaps between the main books seem to hold much of their individual development, which left me feeling out of the loop when certain relationships popped up out of nowhere in the mainline series. And while I appreciated the strain on Kate and Curran’s relationship, Curran’s behavior crossed the line into outright publically humiliating Kate. I wish she had held him more accountable—it felt like he got off too easily. The pack politics were another weak point for me; they just didn’t hold my interest.
But alas, this is very quickly becoming my comfort series to read, and I can't wait to read more. 4/5 stars
It has been a long time since the 5th installment of the Kate Daniels series was released. A long time. I was worried that after so much time a lot of the magic of the series would have dimmed, and I was concerned that I would be totally lost regarding characters and major plot points. Well, never fear ... I was able to jump right into this story with little problem. What I found was a story that was engaging and interesting in so many ways. There is enough action in this one story to constantly keep your heart pumping, and events occur on a regular basis that make you question what you had previously decided about these characters. Kate and Curran return in all of their glory along with a strong supporting cast of characters that make this a rich and layered story, sure to please all fans of this wonderful urban fantasy series.
What I liked:
Hugh d'Ambray. It is unusual for me to put a villain as the first thing that I love about a book, but in this book I have to do it. I absolutely LOVED this character. He is an example of what a perfectly written villain looks like. He is suave and dashing (to use a 19th century description). He has an almost tragic history in some ways, a history that seems to make him super similar to Kate. He is intelligent and gorgeous, and at times he can seem so very desirable. I knew all along that I shouldn't trust this guy, and yet there were times in this story where I could feel myself hoping that Kate would get together with him. How could my loyalty be pulled from the amazing Curran so easily? I adore Curran. And yet, there I was, sort of rooting for Hugh. Bizarre. And an excellent example of what made Hugh such a terrifying bad guy. I loved him, and I can't wait to read more about this fascinating man.
Kate. Kate may be one of my favorite kick-tail heroines in all of urban fiction. She is a human having to navigate the crazy politics of shape-shifters, and she manages to do it with humor and finesse. She has a will of steel when it comes to doing what will best help the pack, even if they don't completely accept her. Despite her lifetime of belief that she should trust no one and keep herself separate, she manages to fall in love with Curran with all her heart. She is complicated in many ways. She could be a character who is written so tough that she is hard to relate to, but Kate manages to be a lethal killer who has a heart of gold and a good dose of insecurity to keep her real. I love her.
Curran. The Beast King. What can I say about this wonderful head of the Pack? He can be so amazing at times, and then he can turn around and make the most bone-headed decisions when it comes to Kate. There were some times in this book where I was beginning to question him a bit. He was seriously ticking me off. Everyone tried to say that he always has a reason for his actions, but still ... he was being a total jerk, to put it mildly. But the Curran I love so much came through for me in the end, and I have to say I love him all the more for it. He is a great companion for a lady like Kate, and seeing him manages his quick-to-anger pack is magical at times.
The supporting cast makes this story so rich. There are all sorts of secondary story lines that are going on all the time. None of them really ever come to the forefront during the book, but because they are there, each of the minor characters have a depth that gives them life within the action of the story. I find myself wanting to know so much more about many of them, and yet I never feel as if this need to know more affects my overall enjoyment of the story.
If there is anything to complain about, it is that the ending came almost too quickly. There was a massive battle going on. Things seemed hopeless. And then they weren't. Just like that. There were so many things going on, and I felt like I needed a few more pages to process things. Just a minor issue, though.
Like the other books in this series, this book does not end on a cliff hanger, but it does leave so many things out there that need to be resolved. I hope that I don't have to wait so long for the next installment in this series. Five stars!
What I liked:
Hugh d'Ambray. It is unusual for me to put a villain as the first thing that I love about a book, but in this book I have to do it. I absolutely LOVED this character. He is an example of what a perfectly written villain looks like. He is suave and dashing (to use a 19th century description). He has an almost tragic history in some ways, a history that seems to make him super similar to Kate. He is intelligent and gorgeous, and at times he can seem so very desirable. I knew all along that I shouldn't trust this guy, and yet there were times in this story where I could feel myself hoping that Kate would get together with him. How could my loyalty be pulled from the amazing Curran so easily? I adore Curran. And yet, there I was, sort of rooting for Hugh. Bizarre. And an excellent example of what made Hugh such a terrifying bad guy. I loved him, and I can't wait to read more about this fascinating man.
Kate. Kate may be one of my favorite kick-tail heroines in all of urban fiction. She is a human having to navigate the crazy politics of shape-shifters, and she manages to do it with humor and finesse. She has a will of steel when it comes to doing what will best help the pack, even if they don't completely accept her. Despite her lifetime of belief that she should trust no one and keep herself separate, she manages to fall in love with Curran with all her heart. She is complicated in many ways. She could be a character who is written so tough that she is hard to relate to, but Kate manages to be a lethal killer who has a heart of gold and a good dose of insecurity to keep her real. I love her.
Curran. The Beast King. What can I say about this wonderful head of the Pack? He can be so amazing at times, and then he can turn around and make the most bone-headed decisions when it comes to Kate. There were some times in this book where I was beginning to question him a bit. He was seriously ticking me off. Everyone tried to say that he always has a reason for his actions, but still ... he was being a total jerk, to put it mildly. But the Curran I love so much came through for me in the end, and I have to say I love him all the more for it. He is a great companion for a lady like Kate, and seeing him manages his quick-to-anger pack is magical at times.
The supporting cast makes this story so rich. There are all sorts of secondary story lines that are going on all the time. None of them really ever come to the forefront during the book, but because they are there, each of the minor characters have a depth that gives them life within the action of the story. I find myself wanting to know so much more about many of them, and yet I never feel as if this need to know more affects my overall enjoyment of the story.
If there is anything to complain about, it is that the ending came almost too quickly. There was a massive battle going on. Things seemed hopeless. And then they weren't. Just like that. There were so many things going on, and I felt like I needed a few more pages to process things. Just a minor issue, though.
Like the other books in this series, this book does not end on a cliff hanger, but it does leave so many things out there that need to be resolved. I hope that I don't have to wait so long for the next installment in this series. Five stars!
Review posted: Happily Ever After - Reads
Blog rating: A
“The invitation is for the Beast Lord and the Consort. I understand if you choose not to go.”
I just looked at him. Really? He meant everything to me. If I had to die so he could live, I would put my life on the line in an instant, and he would do the same for me. “I’m sorry, run that by me again?”
“We’ll have to cross the ocean in the middle of a hurricane season, go to a foreign country filled with hostile shapeshifters, and babysit a pregnant woman, while everyone plots and waits for an opportunity to stab us in the back.”
I shrugged. “Well, it sounds bad if you put it that way…”
One of the major storylines throughout the series, and one that hit Kate hard in the last book as it related to Julie, is how shifter children run a high risk of turning loup (losing all humanity) and having to be killed. There is a cure of sorts that lowers the risk for many, panacea, but it’s a very, very hard thing to come by with the overseas packs being the only ones with the knowledge to make it. When the chance comes up for Curran, Kate and crew to get a supply of panacea they have no choice but to try for their people. The catch is, they’re probably heading off to fight for their lives, but none of them, especially Kate and Curran, would be able to live with themselves if they didn’t at least try. In order to get the panacea, Curran has been asked to protect a pregnant shifter who’s going to have twins, by two different men. Without going into too much detail, the father of the pregnant woman, Desandra, is horrible. That’s putting it mildly. He’s forced his daughter into two marriages and now the big question that both packs from the fathers-to-be are waiting for the answer too is whose baby will be born first. It’s an important detail and with Desandra’s father, who just wants her dead, the both packs are living in close quarters until the births. Curran has been asked to come play referee and ensure Desandra’s safety until the babies are born and in return he’ll get the panacea his people are desperate for. Both Kate and Curran know that they’re in for more than just babysitting duty as the whole thing feels like a big trap, but they go anyway. They take along a group for support that includes Derek, Mahon, Aunt B and Andrea to name a few and they’ll need every single person to watch each others back to make it home alive.
The set-up for this story has a lot of information, a lot of new names and packs to keep track of but it becomes clear the more the story progresses about who’s who and one thing is very certain, Kate can’t trust anyone. I should have known that angst was coming up fast and strong when it was said over and over that when they got to their destination, the packs and Desandra’s father would do everything they could to tear Curran and Kate and their pack apart. And oh boy, do they ever. It starts with a female from Curran’s past who meets them when their boat docks and goes downhill from there. The biggest shock comes a third of the way into the story when the leader of the town they’re staying in walks in to the room, and yes, I gasped and said NO WAY. NO WAY! It just adds to the build up for the huge fight that everyone sees coming and one that not everyone, including someone from our pack of good guys, survives.
Kate and Curran go through an emotional roller coaster with this one, especially Kate. Curran acts very standoff-ish, he’s a little too friendly to the young female shifter, Lorelei, who met them when they first arrived. So much so, that many members of the rival packs believe that Curran’s shoving Kate aside for her, especially when Kate sees him do something so intimate, giving Lorelei food. I knew deep down there had to be more going on with Curran and the way he was acting, but it hurts to see Kate hurt. And it leads to Kate and Curran having it out. I like to believe that they’re left in a better place with their relationship by books end, but damn, it’s a hard journey for them. The mood does get lightened with the fun banter and hilarious comments that all the characters in this series are known for, but the emotion is still so strong and there are some tough moments for the alpha pair.
Kate has her share of randomness as well. She fights a lot, there’s a new dangerous creature that’s attacking and eating humans and she has to try and figure out, one – what exactly they are, two – who in the castle is turning into these creatures and three – how to kill them. When she’s not fighting for her life or watching Curran be all chummy buddies to Lorelei, she’s facing her past and it’s a confrontation that’s been steadily building and one that takes Kate right to the edge. The fight at the end between all the packs, the scary human-eating creatures and an army that Kate knows all too well can end them all is massive. There are casualties, pain and suffering and Kate and Curran’s people don’t fair so well. And the character that dies…I never expected to shed a tear over this person, but I did. It’s heartbreaking seeing the violence and fighting going on through Kate’s eyes and very devastating.
“…Some people will take longer to adjust, but in time, you will be accepted just as you are. Not ‘human’, not whatever, but Kate. Unique and different, but not separate. Kate is just Kate and you belong with us. That’s all that matters.”
I was the badass Consort and he was the grim Pack’s executioner. Hugging him in the hallways would be entirely inappropriate.
The writing team of Ilona Andrews continues to be top notch. I was drawn in from page one, I laughed out loud many times and even had to wipe away a few tears at the end. It’s a wild ride, filled with action and fast paced storytelling that made it impossible for me to put this book down. Whether it’s a sexy moment between Curran and Kate, a conversation without words between best friends Andrea and Kate or words from Mahon that Kate desperately needs to hear, it all just works. The series keeps getting better and better with the set up for future storylines and the issues that Kate knows she’ll have to face in the future continuing to build and have me anxious, nervous and excited to read more. I can’t recommend reading this series enough and Magic Rises raises the bar yet again.
Blog rating: A
“The invitation is for the Beast Lord and the Consort. I understand if you choose not to go.”
I just looked at him. Really? He meant everything to me. If I had to die so he could live, I would put my life on the line in an instant, and he would do the same for me. “I’m sorry, run that by me again?”
“We’ll have to cross the ocean in the middle of a hurricane season, go to a foreign country filled with hostile shapeshifters, and babysit a pregnant woman, while everyone plots and waits for an opportunity to stab us in the back.”
I shrugged. “Well, it sounds bad if you put it that way…”
One of the major storylines throughout the series, and one that hit Kate hard in the last book as it related to Julie, is how shifter children run a high risk of turning loup (losing all humanity) and having to be killed. There is a cure of sorts that lowers the risk for many, panacea, but it’s a very, very hard thing to come by with the overseas packs being the only ones with the knowledge to make it. When the chance comes up for Curran, Kate and crew to get a supply of panacea they have no choice but to try for their people. The catch is, they’re probably heading off to fight for their lives, but none of them, especially Kate and Curran, would be able to live with themselves if they didn’t at least try. In order to get the panacea, Curran has been asked to protect a pregnant shifter who’s going to have twins, by two different men. Without going into too much detail, the father of the pregnant woman, Desandra, is horrible. That’s putting it mildly. He’s forced his daughter into two marriages and now the big question that both packs from the fathers-to-be are waiting for the answer too is whose baby will be born first. It’s an important detail and with Desandra’s father, who just wants her dead, the both packs are living in close quarters until the births. Curran has been asked to come play referee and ensure Desandra’s safety until the babies are born and in return he’ll get the panacea his people are desperate for. Both Kate and Curran know that they’re in for more than just babysitting duty as the whole thing feels like a big trap, but they go anyway. They take along a group for support that includes Derek, Mahon, Aunt B and Andrea to name a few and they’ll need every single person to watch each others back to make it home alive.
The set-up for this story has a lot of information, a lot of new names and packs to keep track of but it becomes clear the more the story progresses about who’s who and one thing is very certain, Kate can’t trust anyone. I should have known that angst was coming up fast and strong when it was said over and over that when they got to their destination, the packs and Desandra’s father would do everything they could to tear Curran and Kate and their pack apart. And oh boy, do they ever. It starts with a female from Curran’s past who meets them when their boat docks and goes downhill from there. The biggest shock comes a third of the way into the story when the leader of the town they’re staying in walks in to the room, and yes, I gasped and said NO WAY. NO WAY! It just adds to the build up for the huge fight that everyone sees coming and one that not everyone, including someone from our pack of good guys, survives.
Kate and Curran go through an emotional roller coaster with this one, especially Kate. Curran acts very standoff-ish, he’s a little too friendly to the young female shifter, Lorelei, who met them when they first arrived. So much so, that many members of the rival packs believe that Curran’s shoving Kate aside for her, especially when Kate sees him do something so intimate, giving Lorelei food. I knew deep down there had to be more going on with Curran and the way he was acting, but it hurts to see Kate hurt. And it leads to Kate and Curran having it out. I like to believe that they’re left in a better place with their relationship by books end, but damn, it’s a hard journey for them. The mood does get lightened with the fun banter and hilarious comments that all the characters in this series are known for, but the emotion is still so strong and there are some tough moments for the alpha pair.
Kate has her share of randomness as well. She fights a lot, there’s a new dangerous creature that’s attacking and eating humans and she has to try and figure out, one – what exactly they are, two – who in the castle is turning into these creatures and three – how to kill them. When she’s not fighting for her life or watching Curran be all chummy buddies to Lorelei, she’s facing her past and it’s a confrontation that’s been steadily building and one that takes Kate right to the edge. The fight at the end between all the packs, the scary human-eating creatures and an army that Kate knows all too well can end them all is massive. There are casualties, pain and suffering and Kate and Curran’s people don’t fair so well. And the character that dies…I never expected to shed a tear over this person, but I did. It’s heartbreaking seeing the violence and fighting going on through Kate’s eyes and very devastating.
“…Some people will take longer to adjust, but in time, you will be accepted just as you are. Not ‘human’, not whatever, but Kate. Unique and different, but not separate. Kate is just Kate and you belong with us. That’s all that matters.”
I was the badass Consort and he was the grim Pack’s executioner. Hugging him in the hallways would be entirely inappropriate.
The writing team of Ilona Andrews continues to be top notch. I was drawn in from page one, I laughed out loud many times and even had to wipe away a few tears at the end. It’s a wild ride, filled with action and fast paced storytelling that made it impossible for me to put this book down. Whether it’s a sexy moment between Curran and Kate, a conversation without words between best friends Andrea and Kate or words from Mahon that Kate desperately needs to hear, it all just works. The series keeps getting better and better with the set up for future storylines and the issues that Kate knows she’ll have to face in the future continuing to build and have me anxious, nervous and excited to read more. I can’t recommend reading this series enough and Magic Rises raises the bar yet again.
One of my favorites of the entire series. This one dealt with a lot, love, loss, fear, betrayal and more. I hope the next one is just as good. Don't go backwards Kate, move forward. I like that we got to get a lot from all of the characters. I have one question though...Lorelei, where art thou?
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
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:
Yes
I finally picked this series back up again! Yay for my bookish commitment issues not winning for once.
So, to start, I have mixed feelings (both bad and good) on certain aspects of this book. It was good overall, and I liked it - but there are things that I would've liked to be done differently.
Number 1: I completely agree with people when they say the conflict between Kate and Curran in this book was ridiculous. Just everything about it - how it happened, what it resulted in, the aftermath/how they made up - was really dumb. At the end of the day, in my opinion, what happened truly meant nothing to the overarching plot in the end. Like, I really do think there were other ways for it to be handled. It did not need to go down this way. Dumb. And I'll go ahead and say it: Curran should've groveled more!!
Number 2: Hugh is HOT. There, I said it. I need him!!! I can fix him!!! (I'd probably make him worse.) (I like my men deranged.)
Number 3: I LOVE BADASS ANGRY KATE. I was FUMING alongside her the entire time while reading this book. I will always be on her side. Forever. And her fight scenes were so good!!! Hugh was right when he called her an artist.
Number 4:
In the end, I say this, because at the end of the day nothing else about this series matters: I love Kate Daniels. Thank you and Goodbye.
So, to start, I have mixed feelings (both bad and good) on certain aspects of this book. It was good overall, and I liked it - but there are things that I would've liked to be done differently.
Number 1: I completely agree with people when they say the conflict between Kate and Curran in this book was ridiculous. Just everything about it - how it happened, what it resulted in, the aftermath/how they made up - was really dumb. At the end of the day, in my opinion, what happened truly meant nothing to the overarching plot in the end. Like, I really do think there were other ways for it to be handled. It did not need to go down this way. Dumb. And I'll go ahead and say it: Curran should've groveled more!!
Number 2: Hugh is HOT. There, I said it.
Spoiler
I'm not saying Kate should have left Curran for him like Hugh wanted her to, but honestly, I would've.Number 3: I LOVE BADASS ANGRY KATE. I was FUMING alongside her the entire time while reading this book. I will always be on her side. Forever. And her fight scenes were so good!!! Hugh was right when he called her an artist.
Number 4:
Spoiler
AUNT B SHOULD NOT HAVE DIED!!! I understand why they probably needed to kill her off - to advance Andrea's storyline. However, I hated it. Especially since Kate was just WATCHING it happen. Yes, Kate was basically dying - however having her jump down a few minutes later to help Curran kinda diminished that. Idk, it seemed silly, but I understand why it had to be done. Still dumb though.In the end, I say this, because at the end of the day nothing else about this series matters: I love Kate Daniels. Thank you and Goodbye.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
~ 5 Magic Rises Stars ~
(No Spoilers)
Magic Rises is book six in the Kate Daniels series by Ilona Andrews. You will not be disappointed in this book or the series.
WOW! Amazing! Outstanding! Spectacular! LOVED IT!
Another great read in the Kate Daniels series. I was pulled in on another amazing adventure. We have suspense, action, romance, betrayal, and some amazing surprises that left me going OH MY GOD, WOW, and AHHH!
I loved Magic Rises and HIGHLY recommend this book and series.
If you have not read this book yet DO NOT read any reviews with spoilers. You want all the surprise that happen to be unspoiled. It is that good!
Audio Review 2017: Amazing. Loved it.
Audio 2020: OMG! I had all the feels again. It was just like the first time I opened the book. I cried, I laughed, I felt deeply for Kate, and the trails everyone went through. SO GOOD!!
(No Spoilers)
Magic Rises is book six in the Kate Daniels series by Ilona Andrews. You will not be disappointed in this book or the series.
WOW! Amazing! Outstanding! Spectacular! LOVED IT!
Another great read in the Kate Daniels series. I was pulled in on another amazing adventure. We have suspense, action, romance, betrayal, and some amazing surprises that left me going OH MY GOD, WOW, and AHHH!
I loved Magic Rises and HIGHLY recommend this book and series.
If you have not read this book yet DO NOT read any reviews with spoilers. You want all the surprise that happen to be unspoiled. It is that good!
Audio Review 2017: Amazing. Loved it.
Audio 2020: OMG! I had all the feels again. It was just like the first time I opened the book. I cried, I laughed, I felt deeply for Kate, and the trails everyone went through. SO GOOD!!