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wetdryvac's review against another edition
5.0
I really liked this a lot, particularly Grace of Small Magics.
angels_gp17's review against another edition
5.0
This is a wonderful collection of short stories from the Andrews team. I’ve only read A Questionable Client and Magic Tests before, so Retribution Clause, Of Swine and Roses, and Grace of Small Magics where all new to me. I loved this collection of stories!
A Questionable Client - 5 Stars
This one was previously published in the anthology [b:Dark and Stormy Knights|7292791|Dark and Stormy Knights|P.N. Elrod|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1442685746s/7292791.jpg|8586274]. A Questionable Client is #0.1 in the Kate Daniels series. We get to see Kate the Mercenary and meet Saiman for the first time. Saiman shows his true nature at their first meeting and Kate is the kick-ass herione I have come to love in the series. As always the author does a superb job of describing the world, giving us lots of action and great banter between our characters.
I loved reading A Questionable Client all over again.
Retribution Clause - 4 Stars
This one was previously published in the anthology [b:Hex Appeal|12993852|Hex Appeal (Phoenix Chronicles; The Shadowfae Chronicles, #4.5; Kate Daniels, #5.6; The Dresden Files, #11.9)|P.N. Elrod|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1338952795s/12993852.jpg|18154114]. Retribution Clause is #5.6 in the Kate Daniels series. Here we get to meet Adam who it turns is related Saiman. It tales place in post-shift Philadelphia instead of Atlanta, but we still get two great characters, some action, and adventure. Both Adam and Siroun work for the POM Insurance Adjusters. They have been tasked to enforce a client’s Retribution Clause.
Retribution Clause was a new to me story and I enjoyed it.
Of Swine and Roses - 4 Stars
This one was originally published as a digital short story. Alena is a young adult. She was a sweet young women who does the right thing for her family and an animal who needs her help. Something magical happens at the end. Of Swine and Roses gives you a quick peek into the world and the magical families that make-up the latest endeavor of the Andrews team, which is their Hidden Legacy series.
Of Swine and Roses was a new to me story and I enjoyed it.
Grace of Small Magics - 5 Stars
This one was originally published in [b:The Mammoth Book of Paranormal Romance|4916680|The Mammoth Book of Paranormal Romance|Trisha Telep|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1327897957s/4916680.jpg|4982233]. It also, just like Of Swine and Roses, takes place in the Hidden Legacy world. Nassar has called on Grace’s family. Grace’s family are magic users, but they only have a very small amount of magic and have been forced into servitude; because of something that happened over 100 years ago. Grace is a strong women who vows to end this servitude. We are treated to a family at war, interesting mythology, a little attraction, some action, and a unique set-up to the world and characters. I would love to see more of Grace and Nassar.
Grace of Small Magics was a new to me story and I loved it.
Magic Test - 5 Stars
This one was previously published in [b:An Apple for the Creature|13543159|An Apple for the Creature (Kate Daniels, #5.3)|Charlaine Harris|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1334181976s/13543159.jpg|19107455]. Magic Test is #5.3 in the Kate Daniels series. We get to peek into Julie’s mind and life with the author telling us the story in her POV. As always the author does a superb job explaining the world, how it works, and the characters. We have a mystery to solve and Julie is on the case.
I loved reading Magic Test all over again.
Fans of the Andrews team will not want to miss picking up this collection of shorts to read or re-read.
A Questionable Client - 5 Stars
This one was previously published in the anthology [b:Dark and Stormy Knights|7292791|Dark and Stormy Knights|P.N. Elrod|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1442685746s/7292791.jpg|8586274]. A Questionable Client is #0.1 in the Kate Daniels series. We get to see Kate the Mercenary and meet Saiman for the first time. Saiman shows his true nature at their first meeting and Kate is the kick-ass herione I have come to love in the series. As always the author does a superb job of describing the world, giving us lots of action and great banter between our characters.
I loved reading A Questionable Client all over again.
Retribution Clause - 4 Stars
This one was previously published in the anthology [b:Hex Appeal|12993852|Hex Appeal (Phoenix Chronicles; The Shadowfae Chronicles, #4.5; Kate Daniels, #5.6; The Dresden Files, #11.9)|P.N. Elrod|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1338952795s/12993852.jpg|18154114]. Retribution Clause is #5.6 in the Kate Daniels series. Here we get to meet Adam who it turns is related Saiman. It tales place in post-shift Philadelphia instead of Atlanta, but we still get two great characters, some action, and adventure. Both Adam and Siroun work for the POM Insurance Adjusters. They have been tasked to enforce a client’s Retribution Clause.
Retribution Clause was a new to me story and I enjoyed it.
Of Swine and Roses - 4 Stars
This one was originally published as a digital short story. Alena is a young adult. She was a sweet young women who does the right thing for her family and an animal who needs her help. Something magical happens at the end. Of Swine and Roses gives you a quick peek into the world and the magical families that make-up the latest endeavor of the Andrews team, which is their Hidden Legacy series.
Of Swine and Roses was a new to me story and I enjoyed it.
Grace of Small Magics - 5 Stars
This one was originally published in [b:The Mammoth Book of Paranormal Romance|4916680|The Mammoth Book of Paranormal Romance|Trisha Telep|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1327897957s/4916680.jpg|4982233]. It also, just like Of Swine and Roses, takes place in the Hidden Legacy world. Nassar has called on Grace’s family. Grace’s family are magic users, but they only have a very small amount of magic and have been forced into servitude; because of something that happened over 100 years ago. Grace is a strong women who vows to end this servitude. We are treated to a family at war, interesting mythology, a little attraction, some action, and a unique set-up to the world and characters. I would love to see more of Grace and Nassar.
Grace of Small Magics was a new to me story and I loved it.
Magic Test - 5 Stars
This one was previously published in [b:An Apple for the Creature|13543159|An Apple for the Creature (Kate Daniels, #5.3)|Charlaine Harris|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1334181976s/13543159.jpg|19107455]. Magic Test is #5.3 in the Kate Daniels series. We get to peek into Julie’s mind and life with the author telling us the story in her POV. As always the author does a superb job explaining the world, how it works, and the characters. We have a mystery to solve and Julie is on the case.
I loved reading Magic Test all over again.
Fans of the Andrews team will not want to miss picking up this collection of shorts to read or re-read.
amibunk's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 stars, but rounding up
I really enjoyed three out of the five short stories in this collection. A Questionable Client, Retribution Clause, and Magic Tests were all nicely done. I particularly enjoy Retribution Clause because it was nice to see the world of Kate Daniels in some other place than Atlanta. I would definitely read a full length novel featuring the characters of this story. (Hint, hint, nudge, nudge Ilona Andrews.)
The other two stories were interesting and creative, but since they took place outside the world of Kate Daniels, I had no previous knowledge to flesh them out in my mind. In these cases, the short story format didn't really work, since I never felt fully invested in the characters or their world. Turning them into longer novellas, might have been a better choice.
I really enjoyed three out of the five short stories in this collection. A Questionable Client, Retribution Clause, and Magic Tests were all nicely done. I particularly enjoy Retribution Clause because it was nice to see the world of Kate Daniels in some other place than Atlanta. I would definitely read a full length novel featuring the characters of this story. (Hint, hint, nudge, nudge Ilona Andrews.)
The other two stories were interesting and creative, but since they took place outside the world of Kate Daniels, I had no previous knowledge to flesh them out in my mind. In these cases, the short story format didn't really work, since I never felt fully invested in the characters or their world. Turning them into longer novellas, might have been a better choice.
golden_lily's review against another edition
4.0
How's your public library?
Small Magics is a slim, 150 page ebook that gathers five short stories by husband and wife writing team, Ilona Andrews. It is not, strictly speaking, a collection of their Kate Daniel's series, though it is promoted that way. It sells for $2.99, which would not be unreasonable for the content, however, only Questionable Client, a prequel showing Kate and Saiman's first meeting, features Kate in any real way. QC is available for free on Ilona's website. The book does not feature the Jim/Dali or Andrea/Rafael novellas.
So I ask again, how's your library system?
QC was my least favorite of the stories. It's the second longest, but it can't be more than 30 pages. This leads to a rushed and overstuffed plot about the tree of life, a talking cat, and Saiman being pregnant with an acorn. Saiman's never a nice guy, but the way he interacts with the group he stole the acorn from is just mean. I don't understand why Kate would keep working with him, (and in fact she vows not to.) Kate gets to be badass and destroy a lot of skittering nightmares, but lacks a connection to anyone. I can see why Andrews has published it for free; I don't see anything worth paying for.
I liked the second story, Retribution Clause, a lot more. Saiman's cousin Adam is an insurance adjuster. Because of the magic, that job is a lot more hardcore than in our mundie world. He and his partner are sent out to enact the "retribution clause" in a dead woman's life insurance - they have 24 hours to kill her murderer. I want a spin-off. The romance between Adam the frost giant and his partner Siroun, some kind of fire spirit ninja badass, is everything. I loved the conversation with their boss, that the murderer had hired expensive guards, so don't kill more than 3 or it'll be cost prohibitive to the company. It felt like Kate's world but a totally new experience.
Of Swine and Roses and Grace of Small Magics are set in an entirely different series, the Hidden Legacy world. I don't feel like the book blurb or Ilona's website explains this well, as Kate and Curran are on the cover and Small Magics is filed in the Kate Daniels section of the site. I had no idea until I was halfway through GoSM that this wasn't just all happening during a magic wave. Hidden Legacy is a more standard fantasy. Magic always exists; there are three schools of magic: elemental, mental, and arcane; mages are ranked by power. Strong families of mages are clans, lesser families serve them.
OSaR is a pretty standard fairy tale. Alena's family has suffered some setbacks and she needs to marry into a strong clan for protection. She agrees to go out with Chad Thurman, muscleheaded prince of the community. The date is a disaster and ends with Chad and his cronies trying to kill a piglet. The pig isn't at all what he seems and in the end, Alena gets her HFN (happy for now). It skews much younger than any of Kate's stories and it's short, but it's also a fun trip. Now I'd like to see what Ilona does with a full fairy tale retelling.
GoSM also focuses on a clan, Clan Dreoch. They're one of the twelve main families and the magic rulers of...the world? The US? There's a distinct lack of world building. (The short was published in 2009, HL wasn't picked up as a full series until 2014, so don't give me that, "read the rest of the series" crap.) Grace is a servant of the clan due to a betrayal by her great great great great grandparents. She's recruited to play in the magic Hunger Games. The romance is sexy and I enjoyed the plot, but it's rushed and doesn't stand alone.
I've already reviewed Magic Tests in its original anthology. Short version, four stars because Julie is awesome. Confusing again as we've now switched back to the KD world. I just don't find the book well formatted or edited. The stories are good and well written, but the collection as a whole has flaws.
Small Magics is a slim, 150 page ebook that gathers five short stories by husband and wife writing team, Ilona Andrews. It is not, strictly speaking, a collection of their Kate Daniel's series, though it is promoted that way. It sells for $2.99, which would not be unreasonable for the content, however, only Questionable Client, a prequel showing Kate and Saiman's first meeting, features Kate in any real way. QC is available for free on Ilona's website. The book does not feature the Jim/Dali or Andrea/Rafael novellas.
So I ask again, how's your library system?
QC was my least favorite of the stories. It's the second longest, but it can't be more than 30 pages. This leads to a rushed and overstuffed plot about the tree of life, a talking cat, and Saiman being pregnant with an acorn. Saiman's never a nice guy, but the way he interacts with the group he stole the acorn from is just mean. I don't understand why Kate would keep working with him, (and in fact she vows not to.) Kate gets to be badass and destroy a lot of skittering nightmares, but lacks a connection to anyone. I can see why Andrews has published it for free; I don't see anything worth paying for.
I liked the second story, Retribution Clause, a lot more. Saiman's cousin Adam is an insurance adjuster. Because of the magic, that job is a lot more hardcore than in our mundie world. He and his partner are sent out to enact the "retribution clause" in a dead woman's life insurance - they have 24 hours to kill her murderer. I want a spin-off. The romance between Adam the frost giant and his partner Siroun, some kind of fire spirit ninja badass, is everything. I loved the conversation with their boss, that the murderer had hired expensive guards, so don't kill more than 3 or it'll be cost prohibitive to the company. It felt like Kate's world but a totally new experience.
Of Swine and Roses and Grace of Small Magics are set in an entirely different series, the Hidden Legacy world. I don't feel like the book blurb or Ilona's website explains this well, as Kate and Curran are on the cover and Small Magics is filed in the Kate Daniels section of the site. I had no idea until I was halfway through GoSM that this wasn't just all happening during a magic wave. Hidden Legacy is a more standard fantasy. Magic always exists; there are three schools of magic: elemental, mental, and arcane; mages are ranked by power. Strong families of mages are clans, lesser families serve them.
OSaR is a pretty standard fairy tale. Alena's family has suffered some setbacks and she needs to marry into a strong clan for protection. She agrees to go out with Chad Thurman, muscleheaded prince of the community. The date is a disaster and ends with Chad and his cronies trying to kill a piglet. The pig isn't at all what he seems and in the end, Alena gets her HFN (happy for now). It skews much younger than any of Kate's stories and it's short, but it's also a fun trip. Now I'd like to see what Ilona does with a full fairy tale retelling.
GoSM also focuses on a clan, Clan Dreoch. They're one of the twelve main families and the magic rulers of...the world? The US? There's a distinct lack of world building. (The short was published in 2009, HL wasn't picked up as a full series until 2014, so don't give me that, "read the rest of the series" crap.) Grace is a servant of the clan due to a betrayal by her great great great great grandparents. She's recruited to play in the magic Hunger Games. The romance is sexy and I enjoyed the plot, but it's rushed and doesn't stand alone.
I've already reviewed Magic Tests in its original anthology. Short version, four stars because Julie is awesome. Confusing again as we've now switched back to the KD world. I just don't find the book well formatted or edited. The stories are good and well written, but the collection as a whole has flaws.
starlitbooknerd's review against another edition
5.0
Awesome
I love these little glimpses into the Kate Daniels world and the Jim POV was especially interesting! I can’t wait to see what happens next!!
I love these little glimpses into the Kate Daniels world and the Jim POV was especially interesting! I can’t wait to see what happens next!!
eastofthesunwestofthemoon's review against another edition
4.0
Good stories that help flesh out the KD world.
jules_writes's review against another edition
4.0
A great collection of short stories, and quite a varied selection.
xvicesx's review against another edition
5.0
I like it so much when there's a chance to deep dive back into Kate's world. Beautiful concept and really nice to drop back in for a couple stories.
amandapgold's review
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
tuufa's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0