Reviews

3.5 stars. I have feelings! A lot of them are mixed, but I'm still very much in love with this series. Kate is still one of my favourite protagonists. I still love the mix of noir and camp. The plot is interesting, combining a lot of classic paranormal tropes and characters, but with really unique twists and turns. I'm never bored while reading these books. It's not one of those stories where I feel compelled to theorise or try to figure out the plot or what's coming next; I'm just along for the ride and enjoying myself. The humour and the banter just hits perfectly right, and I'm still endlessly entertained by Kate's little parade of love interests and exes and the various parts that they play.

I didn't really want to talk about spoilery stuff, but after that ending I have to. So, spoilers below.

Spoiler

I was so freaking sad that Kate couldn't count on Julian when it really mattered! I do understand Julian being ultimately selfish and pessimistic, having outlived all of her lovers and deciding that she can't love any of them above herself, but still, it was such a bummer. I really thought she would have at least done SOMETHING to save Kate. Also, this is the second time in this series that a big rescue mission to save one person has resulted in the deaths of other unrelated people, and that's just something I don't like in any media. It's just such a downer, especially when none of the characters really... acknowledge it? Eve's mercenaries just died en masse and there were like, two sentences about it. Kate's not exactly a knight in shining armour, and she admits to being selfish and callous but it just feels weird that she would have such a huuuge moral dilemma about killing a nasty, demonstrably evil old lady, and then shrug off the deaths of people who came to save her. And on that note, I'm glad we got some confirmation that Corin is using some sort of magic to give her an edge, because it's also weird that Kate keeps being so nice to the woman who murdered her partner.

Anyway, as sad as I am about the break up, I have to admit, this does up the chances of Kate fucking Tara, which I'm shallowly very excited for. Tara is haughty and proud and a little obnoxious, but I have a thing for werewolves.

arimcewan's review

Go to review page

adventurous funny mysterious tense fast-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? It's complicated

5.0

8cht's review against another edition

Go to review page

4.0

Took some time to get into the story, but then I couldn't stop reading

iam's review against another edition

Go to review page

4.0

You can find this review & more here.

4.5 stars
I'm a bit torn about this one. The third installment of the Kate Kane series was fast-paced and kept upping the ante, the world once again at risk, on a much bigger scale than before.

And for the most part that was amazing. Kate and her various friends, exes, acquaintances, former enemies, current enemies, and more made for an amazing crew that was never boring to read about.

Content warnings include: violence and gore, injury and death, casual sexism, relationship between a teenager and an adult, abduction, very mildly explicit sex on-page, pretty unhappy ending.

We even got a couple chapters from another character's POV towards the end, which was amazing, and just as hilarious as Kate's voice, if in another way. However... the ending. I was not a fan. It felt just so bleak, and gave me mixed feeling as I finished the book, rather than ending on a high note like the previous books. Which, sadly, also painted my entire view of the book in retrospect in a more dim light than before.
It also makes me really hope for a fourth book - there are sooo many open ends despite the final feeling conclusion that it would be a shame to stop the series here.

Overall I did really enjoy Fire & Water, though. I adore Kate & friends, the plot connected nicely to what happened before and picked up previously forgotten threads, there were both old and new elements and it was exciting to read and made me laugh as often as the prequels. A few of the new elements felt kind of lacking in the explanation/ground work department, but it wasn't too distracting.

I received an ARC and reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

jamietherebelliousreader's review against another edition

Go to review page

4.0

I like my whiskey like I like my women: embroiled in a magical war.

4 stars. This was good but my feelings for it are kind of all over the place. The plot and action were really good and I’m really loving the growth and development of Kate’s character with each book but the ending was a bit of a let down and I also was so put off by Julian. I’ve never been a fan of her character and this book let me know why. She’s terrible to Kate. I pray that they aren’t endgame because no. Kate deserves better. Other than that I liked just about everything else about this book. It’s well paced, funny, well written and action packed. The romance just needs some work.

More...