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A review by katyanaish
Magic Bites by Ilona Andrews
4.0
Re-read April 2017 - Okay, this is probably re-read 6 or something, because I tend to re-read this series when a new book comes out. I never used to track that, but I'm doing a challenge this year, so I'm being more diligent.
Anyway.
This is one of my favorite series. It may actually be my favorite, but it's hard to say ... it's like trying to pick which kid you love most.
There are rough spots in this series opener. For me, the toughest is that I find Curran to be pretty despicable. Look,
Binding Derek? That's entirely because of his bullshit little display of power. She couldn't fight, and asking for him to intercede just acknowledges that she's under his power. Also intolerable, because she has to represent the Order with at least some level of neutrality.
The thing with Crest? She never EVER thought it was Crest. Curran thought it was Crest, and convinced the Council. And when it wasn't, Curran pretty much spit in her face, as if the bad judgment call was hers.
Helping the Crusader leave? It was critical. They wouldn't have won that fight without Nick getting the weapons. Kate's mistake here was not telling him this ... but even that is somewhat forgivable, given that he is unbending in his insistence that no one knows better than him throughout this book. Risking him saying no and locking down Nick would have been a disaster.
And all the other little things, paired with his constant disdain for her and his accusations that she just craves attention, make him a character I pretty seriously disliked in this book.
And so the first time I read the series, I wasn't sure I was going to like it moving forward.
It's a beautiful thing.
Which is why this series is pretty much an annual re-read for me.
Anyway.
This is one of my favorite series. It may actually be my favorite, but it's hard to say ... it's like trying to pick which kid you love most.
There are rough spots in this series opener. For me, the toughest is that I find Curran to be pretty despicable. Look,
Spoiler
most of the shit that goes wrong goes wrong because of him and his absolutely mammoth ego. Kate isn't perfect - and she's obviously super new to this, and stumbling through as best she can while coping with the fact that her last family member was just horrifically murdered - but most of the things his High Doucheyness decides are horribly offensive are things she didn't have control over.Binding Derek? That's entirely because of his bullshit little display of power. She couldn't fight, and asking for him to intercede just acknowledges that she's under his power. Also intolerable, because she has to represent the Order with at least some level of neutrality.
The thing with Crest? She never EVER thought it was Crest. Curran thought it was Crest, and convinced the Council. And when it wasn't, Curran pretty much spit in her face, as if the bad judgment call was hers.
Helping the Crusader leave? It was critical. They wouldn't have won that fight without Nick getting the weapons. Kate's mistake here was not telling him this ... but even that is somewhat forgivable, given that he is unbending in his insistence that no one knows better than him throughout this book. Risking him saying no and locking down Nick would have been a disaster.
And all the other little things, paired with his constant disdain for her and his accusations that she just craves attention, make him a character I pretty seriously disliked in this book.
And so the first time I read the series, I wasn't sure I was going to like it moving forward.
Spoiler
Because it seemed pretty clear that Curran was eventually going to be the hero, and I couldn't see myself liking him. But that's because I was new to Andrews. I didn't yet know how incredible this writing team is. Now, 9 books in, I can see Curran's arc - from the utterly alone authority figure who MUST remain unbending - to the incredible partner he now is. Don't get me wrong, there are serious hiccups along the way ... but it's a great arc, and it is key to why this is at the top of my favorites pile. Kate and Curran hammer against each other repeatedly, until they find a way for two such incredibly dominant personalities to co-exist without diminishing each other.It's a beautiful thing.
Which is why this series is pretty much an annual re-read for me.