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A review by kzimm2024
Magic Gifts by Ilona Andrews
5.0
I read this previously in Gunmetal Magic (Andreas story, 2018) but forgot about that and ended up buying this novella again. Oh well- supporting some very talented writers.
I love the casual relationship between Curran and Kate:
I held my slimy arms out to keep him from getting covered in ooze, leaned forward, and kissed the Beast Lord. He tasted like toothpaste and Curran, and the feel of his lips on mine made me forget the lousy day, the bills, the clients, and the two gallons of slime drenching my clothes.
The kiss lasted only a couple of seconds, but it might as well have been an hour, because when we broke apart, it felt like I had come home, leaving all my troubles far behind.
“Hey,” he said, his gray eyes smiling at me.
“Hey.”
Behind him, Andrea rolled her eyes.
Curran tries to take Kate out for dinner:
I reached over and squeezed Curran’s hand.
“Come on, you, me, a platter of barely seared meat…it’ll be great. If we see the necromancers, we can make fun of the way they hold their forks.”
They get embroiled in a mystery, surrounding a murderous necklace and mystical beings. But first they have demands from the Guild and Pack to get through:
“No.”
“You always say that word,” he said. “Is it supposed to mean something?”
--------------
Curran and I looked at each other.
“He’s trying to get rid of us,” I said.
“You think he’s planning a coup?” Curran wondered.
“I hope so.” I turned to Jim. “Is there any chance you’d overthrow the tyrannical Beast Lord and his psychotic Consort?”
“Yeah, I want a vacation,” Curran said.
Jim leaned toward us and said in a lowered voice, “You couldn’t pay me enough. This is your mess, you deal with it. I have enough on my plate.”
He walked away. “Too bad,” Curran said.
And I loved this:
Generally, tackling someone from behind is very effective, because the person doesn’t know you’re coming. However, after being tackled a dozen times, the victim becomes accustomed to it.
Which is why when Curran made a grab for me, I danced aside and tripped him. He grabbed my arm, then we did some rolling on the floor, and I ended up on top of him, our noses about an inch apart.
He grinned. “You’re jealous.”
The mystery takes them to the neo-Vikings:
He walked now next to my horse in his human form, a big smile on his face.
“What?” I asked him.
“Good thing you took the lead on that one,” he said. “It could’ve gone badly and degenerated into a huge brawl.”
“Screw you.”
“Oh, I hope you do, baby.”
------------
“I hate you,” I told Curran.
He chuckled. “You’d hate me more if Jim quit. We’d have to find a replacement. I don’t trust that many people. Just think how much more shit you’d have to put up with.”
“Don’t,” I warned him.
“Mhm, Kate, the chief of security. Sexy. Who better to guard my body than the woman who owns it?”
“Curran, I will punch you.”
“Rough play.” Curran pretended to shiver in excitement.
-------------
Some men got excited by white lace and a translucent negligee. My love muffin got excited by a woman dressed to murder.
There is some overlap with Andrea's story and Ascanio but ultimately this was a story to give us a glimpse into Kate and Curran- LOVED it.
I love the casual relationship between Curran and Kate:
I held my slimy arms out to keep him from getting covered in ooze, leaned forward, and kissed the Beast Lord. He tasted like toothpaste and Curran, and the feel of his lips on mine made me forget the lousy day, the bills, the clients, and the two gallons of slime drenching my clothes.
The kiss lasted only a couple of seconds, but it might as well have been an hour, because when we broke apart, it felt like I had come home, leaving all my troubles far behind.
“Hey,” he said, his gray eyes smiling at me.
“Hey.”
Behind him, Andrea rolled her eyes.
Curran tries to take Kate out for dinner:
I reached over and squeezed Curran’s hand.
“Come on, you, me, a platter of barely seared meat…it’ll be great. If we see the necromancers, we can make fun of the way they hold their forks.”
They get embroiled in a mystery, surrounding a murderous necklace and mystical beings. But first they have demands from the Guild and Pack to get through:
“No.”
“You always say that word,” he said. “Is it supposed to mean something?”
--------------
Curran and I looked at each other.
“He’s trying to get rid of us,” I said.
“You think he’s planning a coup?” Curran wondered.
“I hope so.” I turned to Jim. “Is there any chance you’d overthrow the tyrannical Beast Lord and his psychotic Consort?”
“Yeah, I want a vacation,” Curran said.
Jim leaned toward us and said in a lowered voice, “You couldn’t pay me enough. This is your mess, you deal with it. I have enough on my plate.”
He walked away. “Too bad,” Curran said.
And I loved this:
Generally, tackling someone from behind is very effective, because the person doesn’t know you’re coming. However, after being tackled a dozen times, the victim becomes accustomed to it.
Which is why when Curran made a grab for me, I danced aside and tripped him. He grabbed my arm, then we did some rolling on the floor, and I ended up on top of him, our noses about an inch apart.
He grinned. “You’re jealous.”
The mystery takes them to the neo-Vikings:
He walked now next to my horse in his human form, a big smile on his face.
“What?” I asked him.
“Good thing you took the lead on that one,” he said. “It could’ve gone badly and degenerated into a huge brawl.”
“Screw you.”
“Oh, I hope you do, baby.”
------------
“I hate you,” I told Curran.
He chuckled. “You’d hate me more if Jim quit. We’d have to find a replacement. I don’t trust that many people. Just think how much more shit you’d have to put up with.”
“Don’t,” I warned him.
“Mhm, Kate, the chief of security. Sexy. Who better to guard my body than the woman who owns it?”
“Curran, I will punch you.”
“Rough play.” Curran pretended to shiver in excitement.
-------------
Some men got excited by white lace and a translucent negligee. My love muffin got excited by a woman dressed to murder.
There is some overlap with Andrea's story and Ascanio but ultimately this was a story to give us a glimpse into Kate and Curran- LOVED it.