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4.28 AVERAGE
4.28 AVERAGE
Listen, I’ve rethought my ratings. Is this a romance book? I’ve decided no. This book was so good! So much action I couldn’t put it down. Kate doing her thing and it’s so satisfying.
“You’re a terrible liar so I could t give you full disclosure on why I was apparently ditching you for another gal who’s more like me”
As usual, terrible excuses for horrendous communication between loving partners.
Other than that, I really liked this one. The crew leaves Atlanta and goes to Europe in a time where airplanes don’t work anymore, and a AWOL nemesis returns. Kate was in charge of protecting a pregnant client and shenanigans of course ensue.
As usual, terrible excuses for horrendous communication between loving partners.
Other than that, I really liked this one. The crew leaves Atlanta and goes to Europe in a time where airplanes don’t work anymore, and a AWOL nemesis returns. Kate was in charge of protecting a pregnant client and shenanigans of course ensue.
This is one of my favorite Kate books, and I love it so much that I'm ignoring all of the unforgivable bullshit Curran pulls in this book.
Very enjoyable 6th book in the series. Of course the whole series is 5 star to me. I enjoyed that the book took place overseas. I enjoyed Hugh beginning to come to prominence and more depth added to Barabas and Mahon. I am hoping we learn more about Christopher's backstory in the next book.
I'm not sure I can adequately express how much I love this series. Magic Rises is a brilliant addition. I laughed, I cried, I worried that Kate and Curran wouldn't make it. I think I will have to read the series again from the beginning while I wait for the next book. Well done Ilona Andrews, well done.
It's been awhile since I read the last book in this series, but I was able to remember the cast pretty well.
The story and setting were interesting, but I did miss Atlanta. I loved meeting the Shepherd and his little friend. Having Hugh around made things exciting. The addition of Desandra and Christopher are nice, but the loss of Aunt B was difficult. Makes me want to keep reading the series for sure
The story and setting were interesting, but I did miss Atlanta. I loved meeting the Shepherd and his little friend. Having Hugh around made things exciting. The addition of Desandra and Christopher are nice, but the loss of Aunt B was difficult. Makes me want to keep reading the series for sure
Another great Kate Daniels read! It was fascinating to see the European packs and get a glimpse of the mythology at work there. The basics of planning the journey were also interesting to see, given the magical waves that have taken over their world. I look forward to the next.
Once again, Ilona and Gordon, the husband and wife team behind the pseudonym Ilona Andrews, have knocked it out of the ball park. Magic Rises is the sixth book in the action-packed, urban fantasy series that focuses on Kate Daniels, a warrior living in a world where the balance between magic and tech is unstable. Kate's magical blood makes her powerful, yet vulnerable to her fratricidal father. Fortunately, she has the backing of her pack courtesy of her role as mate to Currran, The Beast Lord and ruler of the Atlanta shape shifters.
In Magic Rises, Kate and Curran travel to unfriendly European pack territory to protect a pregnant werewolf and moderate in the resulting paternal dispute (yes, I mean paternal rather than paternity - a dispute of fathers, if you will). Recognizing it for the trap that it is, the alpha couple and a team of their trusted pack members assume the risk to acquire Panacea from the European packs, a rare substance that can save the lives of adolescent shifters, preventing them from the insanity of loupism and the death sentence it carries. The danger far exceeds their expectations, threatening not just the lives of their contingent, but also their loyalties and the mate bond between Kate and Curran.
This book is chock full of page-turning, edge-of-your-seat, high intensity action and adventure. Gordon and Ilona produce such wonderfully written battle scenes that I often found myself holding my breath while reading them. There are several such scenes included in Magic Rises and it is hard to choose just one that is more memorable. That is not going to stop me from admitting that the "sparring" match between Kate and Hugh not only captivated me, but also awakened a blood-thirsty inner voice that kept chanting, "Kill him, Kate! Cut that smug expression right off of his rotten little face!" Who knew I possessed such blood lust? (Um, ok, probably everyone, being that I am Darth and all.)
I am sure that if anyone was around to witness my reading reactions, they would think I was a total lunatic. I laughed out loud, I gasped, I may or may not have cried a little, and I surely started to turn blue in the face from holding my breath. I found myself obsessively compelled to get in just one more page (I might even have snuck in a few page or two while stopped at traffic lights). I just could not put it down, I needed to know what was going to happen to some of my favorite characters next.
The complexity of these characters deepens even further in Magic Rises. At the same time that she struggles with her esteem as an alpha who is not a shifter, Kate reveals just how much of an alpha she truly is. Her heart is breaking, and yet she continues to put the pack above herself time and again. (Not killing Hugh, trying to make sure Derek does not feel divided loyalty between her and Curran, and carrying on with the assignment). Curran, who we already know is a total alpha (hello, Beast Lord, here), further demonstrates his leadership abilities, despite his worry about Kate (we’ll get to that in a minute). All of the shifters in the book displayed a depth of devotion and furvor to protect their own, but none more so than Aunt B, who has long been one of my favorite characters in the series. I wish I could tell you more, but better to let you read it on your own.
Romantic relationships in non-romance series often grow either stale or silly after so many books. Ilona and Gordon keep this fire burning bright without sacrificing the emotional intelligence of their characters. The razor sharp tension between Kate and Curran fits within the context the plot without changing the essence of the characters themselves. I like the fact the fact that Curran is not apologetic about the fact that yes, he was an ass. However, he had come to terms with the decision that he’d risk losing Kate's love rather than losing her life. In the end, she is forced to admit she’d do the same. Once again, it the is alpha in both of them.
Of course, no Kate Daniels book would be complete without a plethora of snarktastic fun, and Magic Rises certainly rises to the occasion. (See what I did there?) The banter is well-written and leaves me grinning like a loon. I think a lot of authors struggle with dialog, trying too hard to convey too much information in stilted exchanges between characters. Meanwhile, Gordon and Ilona make witty dialog seem effortless. They convey so much about personalities, relationships, and plots in just a few, often humorous, words, such as "Dear God, the cookie was poisoned." (Upon reading, I hooted with laughter.)
Another aspect of this book, and the series as a whole, that sets it apart is that while there is a clear plot arc across books, each books has a fully developed and COMPLETED plot line. Some higher profile fantasy authors could take note (ahem, GRRM). I not only enjoyed the adventure, but I felt satisfied at the end. Not so satisfied that I won't buy the next book on its release date just as I did with Magic Rises.
If for some reason, you have not yet started on this series, I cannot urge you enough to jump on in. This is really solid urban fantasy writing. The world-building is phenomenal, the action is exciting, and it is all accomplished with a wry sense of humor. For those of you who know and love this series, I’ll be waiting for you to finish Magic Rises over on the I-can’t-wait-for-Magic Breaks couch.
In Magic Rises, Kate and Curran travel to unfriendly European pack territory to protect a pregnant werewolf and moderate in the resulting paternal dispute (yes, I mean paternal rather than paternity - a dispute of fathers, if you will). Recognizing it for the trap that it is, the alpha couple and a team of their trusted pack members assume the risk to acquire Panacea from the European packs, a rare substance that can save the lives of adolescent shifters, preventing them from the insanity of loupism and the death sentence it carries. The danger far exceeds their expectations, threatening not just the lives of their contingent, but also their loyalties and the mate bond between Kate and Curran.
This book is chock full of page-turning, edge-of-your-seat, high intensity action and adventure. Gordon and Ilona produce such wonderfully written battle scenes that I often found myself holding my breath while reading them. There are several such scenes included in Magic Rises and it is hard to choose just one that is more memorable. That is not going to stop me from admitting that the "sparring" match between Kate and Hugh not only captivated me, but also awakened a blood-thirsty inner voice that kept chanting, "Kill him, Kate! Cut that smug expression right off of his rotten little face!" Who knew I possessed such blood lust? (Um, ok, probably everyone, being that I am Darth and all.)
I am sure that if anyone was around to witness my reading reactions, they would think I was a total lunatic. I laughed out loud, I gasped, I may or may not have cried a little, and I surely started to turn blue in the face from holding my breath. I found myself obsessively compelled to get in just one more page (I might even have snuck in a few page or two while stopped at traffic lights). I just could not put it down, I needed to know what was going to happen to some of my favorite characters next.
The complexity of these characters deepens even further in Magic Rises. At the same time that she struggles with her esteem as an alpha who is not a shifter, Kate reveals just how much of an alpha she truly is. Her heart is breaking, and yet she continues to put the pack above herself time and again. (Not killing Hugh, trying to make sure Derek does not feel divided loyalty between her and Curran, and carrying on with the assignment). Curran, who we already know is a total alpha (hello, Beast Lord, here), further demonstrates his leadership abilities, despite his worry about Kate (we’ll get to that in a minute). All of the shifters in the book displayed a depth of devotion and furvor to protect their own, but none more so than Aunt B, who has long been one of my favorite characters in the series. I wish I could tell you more, but better to let you read it on your own.
Romantic relationships in non-romance series often grow either stale or silly after so many books. Ilona and Gordon keep this fire burning bright without sacrificing the emotional intelligence of their characters. The razor sharp tension between Kate and Curran fits within the context the plot without changing the essence of the characters themselves. I like the fact the fact that Curran is not apologetic about the fact that yes, he was an ass. However, he had come to terms with the decision that he’d risk losing Kate's love rather than losing her life. In the end, she is forced to admit she’d do the same. Once again, it the is alpha in both of them.
Of course, no Kate Daniels book would be complete without a plethora of snarktastic fun, and Magic Rises certainly rises to the occasion. (See what I did there?) The banter is well-written and leaves me grinning like a loon. I think a lot of authors struggle with dialog, trying too hard to convey too much information in stilted exchanges between characters. Meanwhile, Gordon and Ilona make witty dialog seem effortless. They convey so much about personalities, relationships, and plots in just a few, often humorous, words, such as "Dear God, the cookie was poisoned." (Upon reading, I hooted with laughter.)
Another aspect of this book, and the series as a whole, that sets it apart is that while there is a clear plot arc across books, each books has a fully developed and COMPLETED plot line. Some higher profile fantasy authors could take note (ahem, GRRM). I not only enjoyed the adventure, but I felt satisfied at the end. Not so satisfied that I won't buy the next book on its release date just as I did with Magic Rises.
If for some reason, you have not yet started on this series, I cannot urge you enough to jump on in. This is really solid urban fantasy writing. The world-building is phenomenal, the action is exciting, and it is all accomplished with a wry sense of humor. For those of you who know and love this series, I’ll be waiting for you to finish Magic Rises over on the I-can’t-wait-for-Magic Breaks couch.
Okay, if I was reading this instead of listening, I would have hated this book. However, I love the narration! So, this book was pretty great.
Not my favorite, but I'm still into the characters!
Not my favorite, but I'm still into the characters!