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bree_h_reads's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
While this book is very much a product of its time in some aspects, it was still very enjoyable.
To start, I listened to the Graphic Audio version. I was super unsure about this version going into it, but in the end it was my favourite aspect. I listen to a lot of audiodramas, so it was a lot like them just with narration. I really enjoyed the cast and their performances. Overall I thought it really added to the experience. This version ALSO had some of the extra content for the series of the prequel novella and Currin’s two POVs of events in the book. Having these are part of the book was really nice. I was in the middle of trying to sort out how to get and read them when the audiobook started reading one of them out.
Outside of the performance, I really enjoyed Kate as a character. I liked her sense of humour and it was a nice change to have a more loner FMC as opposed to a loner MMC. I didn’t find that aspect of her character annoying either. I think it also helped that she had several allies that DESPITE the loner attitude still liked her/put faith in her.
The mystery of the book was also really enjoyable. I had a pretty easy time following most of the trains of thought for what was really going on. When the twist was finally revealed it felt like such an “oh obviously moment.”
I also LOVED the world building. While sometimes it could get a bit info dumpy, I appreciated that the reader was just thrown into the world. I had a pretty easy tome following the world and its functions, even if it wasn’t fully explained. And as more was revealed it felt well thought out and made sense.
Despite how much I enjoyed the book, it did have its flaws. Which again, are mostly a consequence of the time. So while I do understand that, it still rubbed me the wrong way.
To start, there was a level of casual sexism in the book that really threw me. Especially from Currin and his POV chapters. It just gave me the ick. I don’t think it happened often, but it happened enough that I had a few comments on it.
The other is Currin’s whole deal. Especially in his POV he felt like a classic “super tough guy who only feels horny and angry”. There is MORE to his character than that, which is appreciate. It’s just that that aspect tends to bleed through more. So while I DO ship him and Kate it’s more of a “if I close my eyes I don’t see the red flags” thing.
Overall it was a super enjoyable book! I’ll be continuing the series and I think it still mostly works today.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Blood, Animal death, Death, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Alcohol, Cursing, and Body horror
Moderate: Grief, Sexism, Misogyny, Kidnapping, Sexual harassment, and Death of parent
Minor: Infertility, Kidnapping, Racism, Self harm, Pregnancy, Fatphobia, Medical content, Sexual violence, Suicide attempt, Rape, and Sexual assault
readinginfl's review against another edition
3.75
*My star number review is based solely on enjoyment.
Content Warnings
Minor: Pregnancy and Self harm
naturally's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
funny
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
i can see why ilona andrews are considered two of the greats in urban fantasy - and this book isn't the best i've ever read. it was strong for a first book in an urban fantasy series, although it was extremely info-dumpy at times. the pace lagged quite often, meaning the last third was jam packed with action but the villain reveal was pretty underwhelming. magic bite's saving grace is that the worldbuilding is detailed, immaculate and so, so, so intriguing. along with fantasy, andrews incorporate horror and sci-fi elements seamlessly.
to say it plainly: kate daniels in a bad b*tch! i love her narration, her perspective and especially her one-liners. she's intelligent but still has her blind spots, and her mouth gets her into a lot of trouble. the side characters are just as vivid as our bada$$ heroine. curran is an a$$hole, yet i can't wait to see how he becomes a worthy partner for kate. i love slow burns; i'm already invested in this one. my only other point of criticism is that like many other female-led fantasy novels, kate appears to be lacking in female friendships other than her few correspondences with anna.
the world of kate daniels series in over 10 books long, so i don't doubt there will be ample opportunity for said relationships to develop. this is me, preparing for the long and entertaining ride ahead!
to say it plainly: kate daniels in a bad b*tch! i love her narration, her perspective and especially her one-liners. she's intelligent but still has her blind spots, and her mouth gets her into a lot of trouble. the side characters are just as vivid as our bada$$ heroine. curran is an a$$hole, yet i can't wait to see how he becomes a worthy partner for kate. i love slow burns; i'm already invested in this one. my only other point of criticism is that like many other female-led fantasy novels, kate appears to be lacking in female friendships other than her few correspondences with anna.
the world of kate daniels series in over 10 books long, so i don't doubt there will be ample opportunity for said relationships to develop. this is me, preparing for the long and entertaining ride ahead!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cannibalism, Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Death, and Gore
Moderate: Child death, Alcohol, Animal death, Infertility, Medical content, Murder, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Rape, War, Self harm, Sexual assault, Stalking, Suicide, and Incest
booksthatburn's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
MAGIC BITES follows Kate Daniels, a mercenary in magic-riddled Atlanta who tries to stay clear of the major powers in the city but tends to be too stabby for that to work all that well.
Kate is a loner by necessity who finds herself getting more entangled than she intended when she investigates her mentor's murder. She has a sword that's excellent at killing undead and needs to be fed if it doesn't get the opportunity often enough.
I wish we had a bit more of her dynamic with Jim, though maybe that's me thinking they were closer than they actually are when this starts out. If the point is that she's kept even her most frequent battle partner at a distance, this conveys that pretty well by treating him as an afterthought except when necessary. Her dynamic with Curran, Jim, and the Pack lays the foundation for many things later on in the series, but, focusing on this book specifically, I like how both she and Curran are so wrapped up in violence as a language that their every interaction is tense and has the possibility of blood, even things that ought to be innocuous.
When starting out a series that seems to be mostly the contemplation of violence, actual violence, and then some romance, it's still a bracing start to kick things off with cannibalism, necrophilia, bestiality, and a murder dungeon. These are balanced with less stressful elements in the narrative, with the most upsetting topics tending to get the barest descriptions, but in combination they make it clear that this city isn't kind to its residents, and Kate will have plenty of things to stab even when this particular murder spree is (hopefully) halted.
MAGIC BITES is a book I've read and re-read for years; it's the start of one of my favorite urban fantasy series, and I enjoy it tremendously. Reading it for this review, I'm impressed with how it holds up for me, but it was never my favorite book in the series. Every time I read it I intensely dislike what happens with Crest. It mostly fits the plot, it enables a truly fantastic related plot beat, but the moment where Kate shows up at his apartment always devastates me because I just wish she'd put other things together earlier. I don't think it breaks the book or anything, it's just a very stressful scene that serves to change who Crest is and can be in the series to make room for someone else.
I love the twist itself, and I appreciate how the groundwork is laid from the very start of the book. The plot works well (even that one scene I don't like has a pretty important purpose), and this sets up a lot for the series to draw upon as it gets going.
Kate is a loner by necessity who finds herself getting more entangled than she intended when she investigates her mentor's murder. She has a sword that's excellent at killing undead and needs to be fed if it doesn't get the opportunity often enough.
I wish we had a bit more of her dynamic with Jim, though maybe that's me thinking they were closer than they actually are when this starts out. If the point is that she's kept even her most frequent battle partner at a distance, this conveys that pretty well by treating him as an afterthought except when necessary. Her dynamic with Curran, Jim, and the Pack lays the foundation for many things later on in the series, but, focusing on this book specifically, I like how both she and Curran are so wrapped up in violence as a language that their every interaction is tense and has the possibility of blood, even things that ought to be innocuous.
When starting out a series that seems to be mostly the contemplation of violence, actual violence, and then some romance, it's still a bracing start to kick things off with cannibalism, necrophilia, bestiality, and a murder dungeon. These are balanced with less stressful elements in the narrative, with the most upsetting topics tending to get the barest descriptions, but in combination they make it clear that this city isn't kind to its residents, and Kate will have plenty of things to stab even when this particular murder spree is (hopefully) halted.
MAGIC BITES is a book I've read and re-read for years; it's the start of one of my favorite urban fantasy series, and I enjoy it tremendously. Reading it for this review, I'm impressed with how it holds up for me, but it was never my favorite book in the series. Every time I read it I intensely dislike what happens with Crest. It mostly fits the plot, it enables a truly fantastic related plot beat, but the moment where Kate shows up at his apartment always devastates me because I just wish she'd put other things together earlier. I don't think it breaks the book or anything, it's just a very stressful scene that serves to change who Crest is and can be in the series to make room for someone else.
I love the twist itself, and I appreciate how the groundwork is laid from the very start of the book. The plot works well (even that one scene I don't like has a pretty important purpose), and this sets up a lot for the series to draw upon as it gets going.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Blood, and Gore
Moderate: Animal death, Fatphobia, Murder, Death of parent, Alcohol, Body horror, Body shaming, Cursing, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Self harm, and Sexism
Minor: Suicide, Ableism, Animal cruelty, Slavery, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Racial slurs, Rape, Sexual content, and Mental illness
thoughtsontomes's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Intriguing enough for the start of a series and an interesting world but not enough revealed about the Meta plot to know if it’ll be a new favorite. Also leans more horror than some urban fantasy.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual violence, Gore, Body horror, Rape, Fire/Fire injury, and Self harm
Moderate: Death
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