Scan barcode
kzimm2024's review against another edition
5.0
Original read May 2018, 5 stars and no review
Re-read Feb 2024, 4.75 stars and I really like how Kate tries to change the future but dealing with dear old dad is getting tiresome...
Spoilers in the highlights, tried to keep them a minimum.
As always, its the characters we love. I love how this story starts with a visit to Roman who is NOT answering his phone:
“No sacrificial pit ringed with skulls?” I asked.
“Ha. Ha.” Roman rolled his eyes. “Never heard that one before. I keep the virgins chained up in the basement. Do you want some coffee?”
I shook my head.
“Yes,” Curran said.
“Black?”
“No, put cream in it.”
“Good man. Only two kinds of people drink their coffee black: cops and serial killers. Sit, sit.”
-----------
Roman appeared with two mugs, one pitch-black and the other clearly half-filled with cream. He gave the lighter mug to Curran.
“Drinking yours black, I see,” I told him.
He shrugged and sat on the couch. “Eh . . . goes with the job. So what can I do for you?”
“We’re getting married,” I said.
“I know. Congratulations. On Ivan Kupala night. I don’t know if that’s good or bad, but it’s brave.”
-----------
He plugged the phone into the outlet. It rang. Roman stared at it as if it were a viper. The phone rang again. He unplugged it. “There.”
“It can’t be that bad,” I told him.
“Oh, it’s bad.” Roman nodded. “My dad refused to help my second sister buy a house, because he doesn’t like her boyfriend. My mother called him and it went badly. She cursed him. Every time he urinates, the stream arches up and over.” LOLOLOL
Mahon:
“You’re looking thinner. Trimming down for the wedding? Or she not feeding you enough?”
“He eats what he kills,” I said. “I can’t help it that he’s a lousy hunter.”
Mahon chuckled.
“I’ve been busy,” Curran said. “The Guild takes a lot of work. Outside the Keep, it’s not all feasts and honey muffins. You should try it sometime. You’re getting a gut and winter isn’t coming for six months.”
Curran loves his Guild gig:
I leaned over to Curran and kissed him. His arms closed around me and he squeezed me to him for one bone-crunching second. “I’m off.”
“I’ll be right here,” he said.
“Have fun with your A-team. Sharpen some knives. Clean some guns. Don’t kill anybody while I’m gone.”
“I can’t make any promises.”
Andrea:
A Pack Jeep turned onto our street and slid to a stop in front of our house. The window rolled down and Andrea stuck her blond head out. “I’m free! Free!”
Oh boy. “Aren’t you supposed to be in the Keep?” I could’ve sworn Raphael told me during the Conclave that Doolittle had confined her to the medward.
“Screw that. We’re going to lunch.”
“It’s almost dinnertime.”
“Then we’re going to dinch. Or lunner. Or whatever the hell early-dinner-late-lunch stupid combo we can come up with.”
“Now isn’t . . .”
Andrea’s eyes blazed. “Kate, I’m nine months pregnant and I’m hungry. Get in the damn car.”
--------------
“You’re letting him get to you. You’re like a walking mythological encyclopedia, Kate. You pull random mystical crap out of your head and figure out that a giant monster nobody has seen on the face of the planet for three thousand years is allergic to hedgehogs and then you find a cute hedgehog and stab the monster in the eye with it.”
“Where do you even get this shit?”
Kate has some serious things to decide, let Curran die or her child die or her dreams die. Thankfully Curran is a voice of reason throughout this whole book:
“Yes.”
“Then we get married. Fuck them.” He put his arm around me and squeezed me to him. “If I’m going to die, I’d rather die married to you. But more important, what makes you think I’ll roll over?”
“I didn’t say you would. I have no plans to roll over. I want to win, but I don’t know how.”
Jim gives me whiplash- friend, not friend, concerned, not concerned- I don't like him at all.
Kate decides a show of power is needed:
I touched the surface of the ocean. It pulsed. Curran jumped backward a full fifteen feet.
Now that felt interesting. I touched it again. Another pulse.
“Every time I use my magic, everybody gets so concerned. I defend them, I bleed for them, and the moment the immediate danger passes, they let me know how much they disapprove. As if their fucking disapproval matters. As if I should ask their permission, like a servant, to do what is in my power.”
“Kate,” he said. “I know you’re in there. Stop.”
-----------
“You know that’s not me.”
“I know. You’re the least power-hungry person I’ve ever met. You’re also the most stubborn person I’ve ever met. Disrespectful. Mouthy.”
“You mean independent and proactive in taking initiative.”
“That, too. Also infuriating. And strong. You won’t let anyone take your freedom, Kate.”
And these are entirely relatable moments that make my heart happy:
I went to the larger filing cabinet and rifled through the files. “Where is the Weird Crap folder?”
“Derek has it.” Ascanio walked over to Derek’s desk, grabbed the folder, and handed it to me.
I looked at Ascanio. “Where’s the rest?” He shrugged his shoulders, his face a picture of perfect innocence. “Julie was the one who filed it. I just work here. I have no idea why the Blond Harpy does anything.”
Argh.
Kate and Julie finally talk and eventually Julie gets to see Roland as even worse. And this is why Kate is making these hard decisions- I would have no clue what to do:
“Decide,” Roman-Chernobog repeated.
I raised my head and looked the god in the eye. “No.”
Aspid hissed.
“You’re asking me for something not in my power to give. I guard the land. I do not own it and I do not own its people. They pray to their own gods.”
“Then you die,” Roman-Chernobog said.
LOVE this:
Aspid hissed and slithered to Roman, the serpent dragon’s huge head level with him. If he opened his mouth, he could swallow the volhv in one gulp.
Roman shook his head, clearing it. The dragon opened his mouth, his teeth like long curved sabers. Oh crap.
“Roman!” I started toward them and sank into the mud. Aspid’s long serpentine tongue flicked out and wound around the volhv. I sped up, splashing through the bog. There was no way I could make it through all this muck in time.
Roman blinked again and smacked Aspid’s nose with his hand. “What did I say about kisses? No kisses unless invited.” Aspid’s tongue contracted. He pulled Roman into his mouth. I sprinted.
“Yes, I love you, too,” Roman said from inside the forest of teeth. “I need to go now. Come on.” The dragon opened his mouth and put Roman back into the mud.
and Roman in a nutshell:
“Happens every time,” Roman said. “He misses his father. I’m a substitute until he sees Chernobog in the next flare.”
“You have a weird life.”
“Look who’s talking.” He shrugged. “It’s not that I’m that evil, really. I’m just beloved by evil things.”
Yay Christopher!
“What will you do now?” I asked.
He smiled, baring vampire fangs. “When you fight your father, I will soar above you. I want to be the last thing he sees before he dies.”
So far I had the god of evil and the god of terror on my side. My good-guy image was taking a serious beating.
Maybe I should recruit some unicorns or kittens with rainbow powers to even us out.
Her pegasi companion for the trip to Mishmar:
At least I had stopped worrying about Sugar flying off and leaving me to fend for myself. She seemed to find me amusing and stuck around.
I’d learned to sneak off before taking a bathroom break, however, because she decided that pawing at me with a hoof after I found a secluded spot to pee was the funniest thing ever.
Kate has a face to face with Roland at the Guild:
I’d done it again. Damn it. I’d let the magic drag me away from who I was.
“What the hell was all that about?” Juke asked. “All I heard was a weird hissing language with some ‘fucks’ in it.”
Ah- this explains Julie's connection with Derek!
My aunt, the downer.
“Binding a child of the Koorgahn. A dangerous game you’re playing, squirrel.”
“I was trying to save her. She was dying of loupism.”
“Yes, they are susceptible. Wolves, horses, and birds of prey, those are her things.
Wedding planning!~
“Can he select the cake?” I pointed at Curran. “This wedding involves two of us.”
“He already did,” Mary said. “These are the choices he narrowed down.”
I turned to Curran. “You narrowed it down to sixteen choices?”
“They were all very delicious,” he said.
----------
Roman heaved a sigh and looked at Mary. “Do you see what I have to put up with?”
“Roman, if I don’t do this, Atlanta will be destroyed.”
“Atlanta is always getting destroyed,” Mary said. “Eat some cake. It will make you feel better.”
“Before I forget,” Roman said. “Sienna said to tell you to beware . . .” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a piece of paper. “Crocuta crocuta spelaea. Apparently it’s going to try to murder you.
Don’t you want to eat some delicious cake before you die a horrible death?”
Erra is growing on me :) glad she is helping Kate:
My aunt peered at the drawings. We waited.
“Moron.” Erra rolled her head back and laughed. “Oh, that sentimental fool! This is what happens when a man is thinking with his dick.”
--------------
"Do you understand? You are bound together. He can’t kill you. If he does, he will die with you.”
My brain screeched to a halt. There was no way. Curran laughed. The two of us looked at him.
“It’s not funny,” I told him.
“It’s hilarious.”
-----------LOVE Curran---------
“Is that what you do?” Erra asked. “You keep track of the times she almost dies?”
“Yes.”
“Wouldn’t it be easier to find yourself some shapeshifter heifer and have a litter of kittens, rather than deal with all this?”
I thought we were over this.
“Well, if I’m banging a heifer, technically the kids would have an equal chance of being calves and kittens,” Curran said. “So it might be a litter or a small herd.”
YES!
“If you remove adversity, you remove ingenuity and creativity with it. There is no need to strive to make something beautiful or better if it already is.”
Barabas:
“Can I talk to Christopher?” I asked.
“He’s his own man.”
I lowered my voice. “How are things?”
“Horribly awkward. Also confusing. I used to have to keep track of when he bathed and ate. Now he’s patrolling the grounds. We discussed your father last night. Christopher may be the smartest man I’ve ever spoken to.”
“And that’s bad how?” Barabas heaved a sigh. “It’s complicated.”
“I thought you found intelligence attractive.”
“I do. As I said, complicated.”
They join forces with the People and the Pack and others (Guild, Order, witches, Roman) to rout Roland- temporary success!
And a wedding- finally!! Love the cliffhanger :)
Re-read Feb 2024, 4.75 stars and I really like how Kate tries to change the future but dealing with dear old dad is getting tiresome...
Spoilers in the highlights, tried to keep them a minimum.
As always, its the characters we love. I love how this story starts with a visit to Roman who is NOT answering his phone:
“No sacrificial pit ringed with skulls?” I asked.
“Ha. Ha.” Roman rolled his eyes. “Never heard that one before. I keep the virgins chained up in the basement. Do you want some coffee?”
I shook my head.
“Yes,” Curran said.
“Black?”
“No, put cream in it.”
“Good man. Only two kinds of people drink their coffee black: cops and serial killers. Sit, sit.”
-----------
Roman appeared with two mugs, one pitch-black and the other clearly half-filled with cream. He gave the lighter mug to Curran.
“Drinking yours black, I see,” I told him.
He shrugged and sat on the couch. “Eh . . . goes with the job. So what can I do for you?”
“We’re getting married,” I said.
“I know. Congratulations. On Ivan Kupala night. I don’t know if that’s good or bad, but it’s brave.”
-----------
He plugged the phone into the outlet. It rang. Roman stared at it as if it were a viper. The phone rang again. He unplugged it. “There.”
“It can’t be that bad,” I told him.
“Oh, it’s bad.” Roman nodded. “My dad refused to help my second sister buy a house, because he doesn’t like her boyfriend. My mother called him and it went badly. She cursed him. Every time he urinates, the stream arches up and over.” LOLOLOL
Mahon:
“You’re looking thinner. Trimming down for the wedding? Or she not feeding you enough?”
“He eats what he kills,” I said. “I can’t help it that he’s a lousy hunter.”
Mahon chuckled.
“I’ve been busy,” Curran said. “The Guild takes a lot of work. Outside the Keep, it’s not all feasts and honey muffins. You should try it sometime. You’re getting a gut and winter isn’t coming for six months.”
Curran loves his Guild gig:
I leaned over to Curran and kissed him. His arms closed around me and he squeezed me to him for one bone-crunching second. “I’m off.”
“I’ll be right here,” he said.
“Have fun with your A-team. Sharpen some knives. Clean some guns. Don’t kill anybody while I’m gone.”
“I can’t make any promises.”
Andrea:
A Pack Jeep turned onto our street and slid to a stop in front of our house. The window rolled down and Andrea stuck her blond head out. “I’m free! Free!”
Oh boy. “Aren’t you supposed to be in the Keep?” I could’ve sworn Raphael told me during the Conclave that Doolittle had confined her to the medward.
“Screw that. We’re going to lunch.”
“It’s almost dinnertime.”
“Then we’re going to dinch. Or lunner. Or whatever the hell early-dinner-late-lunch stupid combo we can come up with.”
“Now isn’t . . .”
Andrea’s eyes blazed. “Kate, I’m nine months pregnant and I’m hungry. Get in the damn car.”
--------------
“You’re letting him get to you. You’re like a walking mythological encyclopedia, Kate. You pull random mystical crap out of your head and figure out that a giant monster nobody has seen on the face of the planet for three thousand years is allergic to hedgehogs and then you find a cute hedgehog and stab the monster in the eye with it.”
“Where do you even get this shit?”
Kate has some serious things to decide, let Curran die or her child die or her dreams die. Thankfully Curran is a voice of reason throughout this whole book:
“Yes.”
“Then we get married. Fuck them.” He put his arm around me and squeezed me to him. “If I’m going to die, I’d rather die married to you. But more important, what makes you think I’ll roll over?”
“I didn’t say you would. I have no plans to roll over. I want to win, but I don’t know how.”
Jim gives me whiplash- friend, not friend, concerned, not concerned- I don't like him at all.
Kate decides a show of power is needed:
I touched the surface of the ocean. It pulsed. Curran jumped backward a full fifteen feet.
Now that felt interesting. I touched it again. Another pulse.
“Every time I use my magic, everybody gets so concerned. I defend them, I bleed for them, and the moment the immediate danger passes, they let me know how much they disapprove. As if their fucking disapproval matters. As if I should ask their permission, like a servant, to do what is in my power.”
“Kate,” he said. “I know you’re in there. Stop.”
-----------
“You know that’s not me.”
“I know. You’re the least power-hungry person I’ve ever met. You’re also the most stubborn person I’ve ever met. Disrespectful. Mouthy.”
“You mean independent and proactive in taking initiative.”
“That, too. Also infuriating. And strong. You won’t let anyone take your freedom, Kate.”
And these are entirely relatable moments that make my heart happy:
I went to the larger filing cabinet and rifled through the files. “Where is the Weird Crap folder?”
“Derek has it.” Ascanio walked over to Derek’s desk, grabbed the folder, and handed it to me.
I looked at Ascanio. “Where’s the rest?” He shrugged his shoulders, his face a picture of perfect innocence. “Julie was the one who filed it. I just work here. I have no idea why the Blond Harpy does anything.”
Argh.
Kate and Julie finally talk and eventually Julie gets to see Roland as even worse. And this is why Kate is making these hard decisions- I would have no clue what to do:
“Decide,” Roman-Chernobog repeated.
I raised my head and looked the god in the eye. “No.”
Aspid hissed.
“You’re asking me for something not in my power to give. I guard the land. I do not own it and I do not own its people. They pray to their own gods.”
“Then you die,” Roman-Chernobog said.
LOVE this:
Aspid hissed and slithered to Roman, the serpent dragon’s huge head level with him. If he opened his mouth, he could swallow the volhv in one gulp.
Roman shook his head, clearing it. The dragon opened his mouth, his teeth like long curved sabers. Oh crap.
“Roman!” I started toward them and sank into the mud. Aspid’s long serpentine tongue flicked out and wound around the volhv. I sped up, splashing through the bog. There was no way I could make it through all this muck in time.
Roman blinked again and smacked Aspid’s nose with his hand. “What did I say about kisses? No kisses unless invited.” Aspid’s tongue contracted. He pulled Roman into his mouth. I sprinted.
“Yes, I love you, too,” Roman said from inside the forest of teeth. “I need to go now. Come on.” The dragon opened his mouth and put Roman back into the mud.
and Roman in a nutshell:
“Happens every time,” Roman said. “He misses his father. I’m a substitute until he sees Chernobog in the next flare.”
“You have a weird life.”
“Look who’s talking.” He shrugged. “It’s not that I’m that evil, really. I’m just beloved by evil things.”
Yay Christopher!
“What will you do now?” I asked.
He smiled, baring vampire fangs. “When you fight your father, I will soar above you. I want to be the last thing he sees before he dies.”
So far I had the god of evil and the god of terror on my side. My good-guy image was taking a serious beating.
Maybe I should recruit some unicorns or kittens with rainbow powers to even us out.
Her pegasi companion for the trip to Mishmar:
At least I had stopped worrying about Sugar flying off and leaving me to fend for myself. She seemed to find me amusing and stuck around.
I’d learned to sneak off before taking a bathroom break, however, because she decided that pawing at me with a hoof after I found a secluded spot to pee was the funniest thing ever.
Kate has a face to face with Roland at the Guild:
I’d done it again. Damn it. I’d let the magic drag me away from who I was.
“What the hell was all that about?” Juke asked. “All I heard was a weird hissing language with some ‘fucks’ in it.”
Ah- this explains Julie's connection with Derek!
My aunt, the downer.
“Binding a child of the Koorgahn. A dangerous game you’re playing, squirrel.”
“I was trying to save her. She was dying of loupism.”
“Yes, they are susceptible. Wolves, horses, and birds of prey, those are her things.
Wedding planning!~
“Can he select the cake?” I pointed at Curran. “This wedding involves two of us.”
“He already did,” Mary said. “These are the choices he narrowed down.”
I turned to Curran. “You narrowed it down to sixteen choices?”
“They were all very delicious,” he said.
----------
Roman heaved a sigh and looked at Mary. “Do you see what I have to put up with?”
“Roman, if I don’t do this, Atlanta will be destroyed.”
“Atlanta is always getting destroyed,” Mary said. “Eat some cake. It will make you feel better.”
“Before I forget,” Roman said. “Sienna said to tell you to beware . . .” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a piece of paper. “Crocuta crocuta spelaea. Apparently it’s going to try to murder you.
Don’t you want to eat some delicious cake before you die a horrible death?”
Erra is growing on me :) glad she is helping Kate:
My aunt peered at the drawings. We waited.
“Moron.” Erra rolled her head back and laughed. “Oh, that sentimental fool! This is what happens when a man is thinking with his dick.”
--------------
"Do you understand? You are bound together. He can’t kill you. If he does, he will die with you.”
My brain screeched to a halt. There was no way. Curran laughed. The two of us looked at him.
“It’s not funny,” I told him.
“It’s hilarious.”
-----------LOVE Curran---------
“Is that what you do?” Erra asked. “You keep track of the times she almost dies?”
“Yes.”
“Wouldn’t it be easier to find yourself some shapeshifter heifer and have a litter of kittens, rather than deal with all this?”
I thought we were over this.
“Well, if I’m banging a heifer, technically the kids would have an equal chance of being calves and kittens,” Curran said. “So it might be a litter or a small herd.”
YES!
“If you remove adversity, you remove ingenuity and creativity with it. There is no need to strive to make something beautiful or better if it already is.”
Barabas:
“Can I talk to Christopher?” I asked.
“He’s his own man.”
I lowered my voice. “How are things?”
“Horribly awkward. Also confusing. I used to have to keep track of when he bathed and ate. Now he’s patrolling the grounds. We discussed your father last night. Christopher may be the smartest man I’ve ever spoken to.”
“And that’s bad how?” Barabas heaved a sigh. “It’s complicated.”
“I thought you found intelligence attractive.”
“I do. As I said, complicated.”
They join forces with the People and the Pack and others (Guild, Order, witches, Roman) to rout Roland- temporary success!
And a wedding- finally!! Love the cliffhanger :)
astrodish's review against another edition
5.0
5 fantasy stars ✨
This series is wonderful. I don't even know where to start but this checked all my magic loving boxes.
Auto buy author(s) for all time.
This series is wonderful. I don't even know where to start but this checked all my magic loving boxes.
Auto buy author(s) for all time.
bhookjunkhie's review against another edition
5.0
Holy crap! That was awesome❤️❤️....I could read a few hundred more pages!! Can't wait for more!
caitybell's review against another edition
5.0
I AM PANICKING BECAUSE AFTER FINISHING THIS BOOK I ONLY HAVE ONE MORE KATE DANIELS NOVEL AND I AM NOT READY!
This book finally leveled out the change in pace and character development that began a couple books back with the big bad finally showing up. It was a different speed and it has taken me a little getting used to it, but this book really helped me get back to what I love most about the series.
I can not (but also kinda want to because omg it can’t be over yet!) wait to read the next book!
This book finally leveled out the change in pace and character development that began a couple books back with the big bad finally showing up. It was a different speed and it has taken me a little getting used to it, but this book really helped me get back to what I love most about the series.
I can not (but also kinda want to because omg it can’t be over yet!) wait to read the next book!
is_book_loring's review against another edition
3.0
The writing in this installment is a bit rushed and clumsy at times, and the humor felt off to me. It felt like there are a lot of things needed to packed inside the book to push the story toward the final of the series, but at the same time nothing really happens by the end; Magic Binds is stage preparation for the final showdown. The ending did make up for it, I might need to take a break before the last book, my mental is not ready to part with Kate and this series.
itendswithsmut's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
katyanaish's review against another edition
5.0
I don't even know what to say. This book was amazing. This series is amazing.
I'm going to cry when it's over. But for now I will bask in my utter joy.
(p.s. Does anyone else finish the new book in this series, but feel utterly unable to leave this world yet, and so immediately re-read from book 1? I do that. Every time. I don't do that with any other series. It's weird... *rolls in pile of KD books* ... not ready to leave yet!)
Re-read April 2017
So good. So, so good. Let's talk about a couple things...
1 - The baby
I'm squeeing, while I'm also freaked out. Because generally, when UF series decide to bring a baby in, either it goes terribly (all drama becomes about the baby, which changes what the series revolves around) or it's over. Now, I know that the 10th book is the last that is contracted, but the writers have been somewhat cagey about whether they will do more. They've said it depends on whether there are more stories they want to tell. And that's cool - I don't want them to drag it out if they aren't telling a story they are passionate about, because this series deserves better - but I just love Kate and Curran, and would miss them. And I'm not particularly interested in continuing the story on with Julie (I know I'm in the minority here, but I find her and her naive bullshit - "I'm going to form a relationship with a 5,000 year old evil wizard because I feel sure that I'm too smart for him to manipulate! If only everyone was as smart as me, I could end this conflict in 15 minutes and then we could all go out for ice cream!" - to be incredibly tiresome, and don't even get me started on her now developing some kind of extra awesome Mary Sue powers) or a different secondary character. I like the one-off stories fleshing out the secondary characters, but they don't hook me in like Kate and Curran do. So I'm excited about the baby, but also nervous that this signals an end to Kate/Curran books.
2 - Nick Feldman
I don't like him. I guess that's not a surprise - Kate and Greg didn't really get along either - but I liked Nick in book 1, and I just don't understand what he's such a dick now. I mean, he's acting like a toddler. He's mad at Kate because of all kinds of shit that she had nothing to do with. Really? You hate her because your dad once loved her mom? That's stupid. Greg didn't leave Anna for Kalina, even. Kalina was dead when Greg left Anna. And in any case, it has nothing to do with Kate. He sounds like a petty child. How can a fucking knight of the Order - a knight-protector, even - allow his fucking childhood parental drama to warp his vision like this?
3 - Some of Kate's friends kind of suck
Long-term friends were disappointing in this book. It hurts because yes, we can all see that Kate is struggling with her power, now that it's all out there and she's connected to the land now. She's being a bit hot-tempered. But it's like they've all forgotten that not only has she never hurt them, she has repeatedly put herself in danger to help them.
Firstly, Jim. I think Jim is struggling with some kind of Beast Lord version of the Shar himself, because he's been a full-on douchebag since he took over the Pack. Him telling Kate he'd kill her if she crossed his line is bullshit, and it is especially bullshit after everything they've been through, and all the shit he's pulled on her (suggesting to use her as bait for Bran, having his people beat the shit out of her during the Midnight Games shitshow). Kate has always had his back, and why he felt like he needed to take Kate down a peg yet again is beyond me. And maybe Kate went too far, with the comment about if she becomes her father, he'll pledge himself to her and be happy to do it, but this has always been Kate. When she gets stressed or pushed, she mouths off. Jim has seen that again and again, as she and Curran bashed against each other repeatedly before getting together. So for Jim to take that winking comment (and she did literally wink) and run with it into some horrible headspace where she's a monster and a threat ... that's just shitty. Jim needs to get the fuck over himself, and put his ego in check. Frankly, I think he's a shitty Beast Lord. He's made a series of bad choices, and burning down Roland's castle was just stupid. How about make a real plan? Like Curran said, if he was Beast Lord he wouldn't go in until he had a plan he knew would take Roland down, because he wouldn't just throw his people away for nothing. But noooooo, Jim just brought war to Atlanta, and had no actual plan to keep his people from getting nuked (because he refused to bend his giant ego enough to talk to Kate and Curran ... his people had to fucking go behind his back). He's a shitty Beast Lord and a shitty friend, and he's going to get them all killed.
Secondly, Derek. He disappointed me in this book. He leaped to this ridiculous conclusion that Kate had enslaved Adora, and it came entirely out of left field. Like, hello asshole, the words you heard are literally translated as "You are no longer a slave." He didn't even ASK what happened. He just went off on Kate. She deserves better. She's never lied to him, and he's seen her throw herself into danger again and again to help people. He was tremendously unfair. And he never owned up to that. At least Jim apologized (though Dali forced him to, so I'm not giving him much credit).
And we've got other examples here. Barabas jumping all over her case for not just like, bending over and licking Roland's boots to avoid a war, while staring at field full of crucified children. (As an aside, it's fucking annoying that Barabas bitched at Kate for being baited into an argument with Roland, but had not one single word to say about Jim falling for the bait and risking everything to wave his big dick around and burn Roland's house down.) Andrea also gave her the stink eye a few times. I feel like it has to hurt Kate that her friends are suddenly so scared of her that they leap to the worst possible conclusion at every opportunity. It's also got to make her wonder why she threw everything away for them, exposing herself to her father to help them.
4 - But other Kate friends are awesome
Roman is awesome in this book. As is Christopher, Teddy Jo, Dali, Robert, and so many others... including Mahon, who has made a complete about-face and is awesome. This series has an enormous secondary cast and I love them. They add so much.
5 - Erra is really awesome, and Roland is a great villain
Terrifying, for sure. But awesome. I really enjoy her character. And it is so great watching this like... Dr. Jekyll / Mr. Hyde Roland. He has so many layers to his plans and motivations that he's fascinating. There are times when he seems to really care for her - the conversation they had on the balcony at Cutting Edge was really one of the best quiet scenes of the book. But we know that he's probably playing that up, somewhat, because he can't kill her ... so it's easier for him if she feels like he likes her a little bit. But still, I think he does care, in his way. And then there are times when he's a total sociopath. Yeesh.
Also, on Erra ... that bit at the end, that Kate and Erra were discussing with the witches ... so, they're getting a body for Erra, right? Is that what folks think is going on? I think that's what is going on. And Curran is going to freak, haha.
6 - Where is Hugh?
I think the fact that Kate rescued his second-in-command will be important. Otherwise, that's a bit of an odd thread. But if Hugh cares about his people - and he seems to - that will matter to him. I'm interested to see how it plays.
7 - Curran ate a god.
I'm suspicious that the baby is going to have an extra-special batch of powers, fueled by Curran's god-dinner.
Okay, that's probably about enough ... I've gone on and on for a re-read update. It's just because I love this series, and would happily talk about it all day. There are things I'm unhappy with - mostly, the friends being shitty - but those are things that are organic to the series. Meaning, it isn't that I'm bitching that someone did something out of character. I'm just disappointed that these characters I love (particularly Jim and Derek) made these choices.
I would very much like for both Jim and Nick Feldman to pull their heads out of their butts for the next book.
Re-read April 2018
HUGH WATCH! - in addition to saving his right-hand dude, which as I mentioned above, will likely matter greatly to Hugh ... now that I've read some snippets from Hugh's books, I caught that bit about the White Warlock at the end. I was wondering how they were going to fold Hugh back into the story in such a way that Curran wouldn't instantly kill him. Innnnnnterrrrrresting...
I'm going to cry when it's over. But for now I will bask in my utter joy.
(p.s. Does anyone else finish the new book in this series, but feel utterly unable to leave this world yet, and so immediately re-read from book 1? I do that. Every time. I don't do that with any other series. It's weird... *rolls in pile of KD books* ... not ready to leave yet!)
Re-read April 2017
So good. So, so good. Let's talk about a couple things...
Spoiler
1 - The baby
I'm squeeing, while I'm also freaked out. Because generally, when UF series decide to bring a baby in, either it goes terribly (all drama becomes about the baby, which changes what the series revolves around) or it's over. Now, I know that the 10th book is the last that is contracted, but the writers have been somewhat cagey about whether they will do more. They've said it depends on whether there are more stories they want to tell. And that's cool - I don't want them to drag it out if they aren't telling a story they are passionate about, because this series deserves better - but I just love Kate and Curran, and would miss them. And I'm not particularly interested in continuing the story on with Julie (I know I'm in the minority here, but I find her and her naive bullshit - "I'm going to form a relationship with a 5,000 year old evil wizard because I feel sure that I'm too smart for him to manipulate! If only everyone was as smart as me, I could end this conflict in 15 minutes and then we could all go out for ice cream!" - to be incredibly tiresome, and don't even get me started on her now developing some kind of extra awesome Mary Sue powers) or a different secondary character. I like the one-off stories fleshing out the secondary characters, but they don't hook me in like Kate and Curran do. So I'm excited about the baby, but also nervous that this signals an end to Kate/Curran books.
2 - Nick Feldman
I don't like him. I guess that's not a surprise - Kate and Greg didn't really get along either - but I liked Nick in book 1, and I just don't understand what he's such a dick now. I mean, he's acting like a toddler. He's mad at Kate because of all kinds of shit that she had nothing to do with. Really? You hate her because your dad once loved her mom? That's stupid. Greg didn't leave Anna for Kalina, even. Kalina was dead when Greg left Anna. And in any case, it has nothing to do with Kate. He sounds like a petty child. How can a fucking knight of the Order - a knight-protector, even - allow his fucking childhood parental drama to warp his vision like this?
3 - Some of Kate's friends kind of suck
Long-term friends were disappointing in this book. It hurts because yes, we can all see that Kate is struggling with her power, now that it's all out there and she's connected to the land now. She's being a bit hot-tempered. But it's like they've all forgotten that not only has she never hurt them, she has repeatedly put herself in danger to help them.
Firstly, Jim. I think Jim is struggling with some kind of Beast Lord version of the Shar himself, because he's been a full-on douchebag since he took over the Pack. Him telling Kate he'd kill her if she crossed his line is bullshit, and it is especially bullshit after everything they've been through, and all the shit he's pulled on her (suggesting to use her as bait for Bran, having his people beat the shit out of her during the Midnight Games shitshow). Kate has always had his back, and why he felt like he needed to take Kate down a peg yet again is beyond me. And maybe Kate went too far, with the comment about if she becomes her father, he'll pledge himself to her and be happy to do it, but this has always been Kate. When she gets stressed or pushed, she mouths off. Jim has seen that again and again, as she and Curran bashed against each other repeatedly before getting together. So for Jim to take that winking comment (and she did literally wink) and run with it into some horrible headspace where she's a monster and a threat ... that's just shitty. Jim needs to get the fuck over himself, and put his ego in check. Frankly, I think he's a shitty Beast Lord. He's made a series of bad choices, and burning down Roland's castle was just stupid. How about make a real plan? Like Curran said, if he was Beast Lord he wouldn't go in until he had a plan he knew would take Roland down, because he wouldn't just throw his people away for nothing. But noooooo, Jim just brought war to Atlanta, and had no actual plan to keep his people from getting nuked (because he refused to bend his giant ego enough to talk to Kate and Curran ... his people had to fucking go behind his back). He's a shitty Beast Lord and a shitty friend, and he's going to get them all killed.
Secondly, Derek. He disappointed me in this book. He leaped to this ridiculous conclusion that Kate had enslaved Adora, and it came entirely out of left field. Like, hello asshole, the words you heard are literally translated as "You are no longer a slave." He didn't even ASK what happened. He just went off on Kate. She deserves better. She's never lied to him, and he's seen her throw herself into danger again and again to help people. He was tremendously unfair. And he never owned up to that. At least Jim apologized (though Dali forced him to, so I'm not giving him much credit).
And we've got other examples here. Barabas jumping all over her case for not just like, bending over and licking Roland's boots to avoid a war, while staring at field full of crucified children. (As an aside, it's fucking annoying that Barabas bitched at Kate for being baited into an argument with Roland, but had not one single word to say about Jim falling for the bait and risking everything to wave his big dick around and burn Roland's house down.) Andrea also gave her the stink eye a few times. I feel like it has to hurt Kate that her friends are suddenly so scared of her that they leap to the worst possible conclusion at every opportunity. It's also got to make her wonder why she threw everything away for them, exposing herself to her father to help them.
4 - But other Kate friends are awesome
Roman is awesome in this book. As is Christopher, Teddy Jo, Dali, Robert, and so many others... including Mahon, who has made a complete about-face and is awesome. This series has an enormous secondary cast and I love them. They add so much.
5 - Erra is really awesome, and Roland is a great villain
Terrifying, for sure. But awesome. I really enjoy her character. And it is so great watching this like... Dr. Jekyll / Mr. Hyde Roland. He has so many layers to his plans and motivations that he's fascinating. There are times when he seems to really care for her - the conversation they had on the balcony at Cutting Edge was really one of the best quiet scenes of the book. But we know that he's probably playing that up, somewhat, because he can't kill her ... so it's easier for him if she feels like he likes her a little bit. But still, I think he does care, in his way. And then there are times when he's a total sociopath. Yeesh.
Also, on Erra ... that bit at the end, that Kate and Erra were discussing with the witches ... so, they're getting a body for Erra, right? Is that what folks think is going on? I think that's what is going on. And Curran is going to freak, haha.
6 - Where is Hugh?
I think the fact that Kate rescued his second-in-command will be important. Otherwise, that's a bit of an odd thread. But if Hugh cares about his people - and he seems to - that will matter to him. I'm interested to see how it plays.
7 - Curran ate a god.
I'm suspicious that the baby is going to have an extra-special batch of powers, fueled by Curran's god-dinner.
Okay, that's probably about enough ... I've gone on and on for a re-read update. It's just because I love this series, and would happily talk about it all day. There are things I'm unhappy with - mostly, the friends being shitty - but those are things that are organic to the series. Meaning, it isn't that I'm bitching that someone did something out of character. I'm just disappointed that these characters I love (particularly Jim and Derek) made these choices.
I would very much like for both Jim and Nick Feldman to pull their heads out of their butts for the next book.
Re-read April 2018
HUGH WATCH! - in addition to saving his right-hand dude, which as I mentioned above, will likely matter greatly to Hugh ... now that I've read some snippets from Hugh's books, I caught that bit about the White Warlock at the end. I was wondering how they were going to fold Hugh back into the story in such a way that Curran wouldn't instantly kill him. Innnnnnterrrrrresting...
annagy's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
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
5.0
OMG???!
amsosa's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25