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Kate Daniels #4
Magic Bleeds
An alternative cover edition for this ASIN can be found here.
Kate Daniels works for the Order of the Knights of Merciful Aid, officially as a liaison with the mercenary guild. Unofficially, she cleans up the paranormal problems no one else wants to handle—especially if they involve Atlanta’s shapeshifting community.
When she’s called in to investigate a fight at the Steel Horse, a bar midway between the territories of the shapeshifters and the necromancers, Kate quickly discovers there’s a new player in town. One who’s been around for thousands of years—and rode to war at the side of Kate’s father.
This foe may be too much even for Kate and Curran, the Lord of the Beasts, to handle. Because this time, Kate will be taking on family....
Kate Daniels works for the Order of the Knights of Merciful Aid, officially as a liaison with the mercenary guild. Unofficially, she cleans up the paranormal problems no one else wants to handle—especially if they involve Atlanta’s shapeshifting community.
When she’s called in to investigate a fight at the Steel Horse, a bar midway between the territories of the shapeshifters and the necromancers, Kate quickly discovers there’s a new player in town. One who’s been around for thousands of years—and rode to war at the side of Kate’s father.
This foe may be too much even for Kate and Curran, the Lord of the Beasts, to handle. Because this time, Kate will be taking on family....
386 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 25, 2010
About the author
Ilona Andrews
148 books31.4k followersIlona Andrews is the pseudonym for a husband-and-wife writing team. Ilona is a native-born Russian and Gordon is a former communications sergeant in the U.S. Army. Contrary to popular belief, Gordon was never an intelligence officer with a license to kill, and Ilona was never the mysterious Russian spy who seduced him. They met in college, in English Composition 101, where Ilona got a better grade. (Gordon is still sore about that.)
Gordon and Ilona currently reside in Oregon with their two children, three dogs and a cat. They have co-authored two series, the bestselling urban fantasy of Kate Daniels and romantic urban fantasy of The Edge.
Gordon and Ilona currently reside in Oregon with their two children, three dogs and a cat. They have co-authored two series, the bestselling urban fantasy of Kate Daniels and romantic urban fantasy of The Edge.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 3,897 reviews
July 31, 2023
Found footage of Curran keeping his alphas in line:
February 16, 2016
Warning
The following review contains numerous crazy gifs and incoherent fangirling.Proceed with caution.
I honestly tried to be calm.You know,cool,not overly excited.After all,they're just fictional characters.My ship has sailed,what's the big deal,right?I'm cool.
So cool.
MY SHIP HAS SAILED I DESERVE TO SCREAM AND SQUEAL AND DANCE AND HYPERVENTILATE AND FAINT AND ACT LIKE A CHILD THAT JUST MET SANTA!!!
*turns off fangirl mode*
Ok,I can continue now.
Yeap that's right,after the flying palace and the rakshasas there is a new, more dangerous threat.The babylonian god of plague and chaos with seven deadly sidekicks decided to use Atlanta as a playground and eliminate competition by attacking the mighty forces of the city.Kate Daniels is the only one who can defeat this evil force,but the price is the revelation of her bloodline that might endanger everything she holds dear.
After 3 books,one would expect that Ilona Andrews would have trouble writing a compelling and fresh storyline,but that's far from the truth!Magic Bleeds combines action,mystery and romance wrapped up with sarcasm and clever humor and makes falling in love with the story and the characters inevitable!Reading the adventures of Kate Daniels and her furry friends is effortless and utterly enjoyable!I was once again sucked in a complex world full of magic and blood and I still crave more,more battles,more secrets,more sassiness,more ass-kicking,more Curran,more everything!
Let me tell you this,the relationship between Kate and Curran was a crazy roller-coaster.Every single thing Kate felt,I felt it too.Anger,disappointment,betrayal,heartbreak,longing,happiness,love.She showed a more vulnerable side and I loved her even more for that.Kate and Curran are both arrogant assholes,and it took them some time to solve a terrible misunderstanding,but once they stopped behaving like children,Curran became Kate's own personal psycho and oh boy,it was good!
And OH MY GOD THEIR SCENES WERE HOT HOT HOT HOT!!!They never stopped fighting but that was sexy!!Curran is the most delicious alpha-male ever,but he could also be a romantic teddy bear that made me giggle and want to hug him!And do some other,bad things with him!
In case I didn't make myself clear,I loved Magic Bleeds!
The following review contains numerous crazy gifs and incoherent fangirling.Proceed with caution.
“We had a fight,screamed at each other for a while,I kicked him in the head,and then he stayed the night.”
I honestly tried to be calm.You know,cool,not overly excited.
So cool.
MY SHIP HAS SAILED I DESERVE TO SCREAM AND SQUEAL AND DANCE AND HYPERVENTILATE AND FAINT AND ACT LIKE A CHILD THAT JUST MET SANTA!!!
*turns off fangirl mode*
Ok,I can continue now.
“Nothing good could possibly come from a plan that involved turning a man into a syphilis incubator.”
Yeap that's right,after the flying palace and the rakshasas there is a new, more dangerous threat.The babylonian god of plague and chaos with seven deadly sidekicks decided to use Atlanta as a playground and eliminate competition by attacking the mighty forces of the city.Kate Daniels is the only one who can defeat this evil force,but the price is the revelation of her bloodline that might endanger everything she holds dear.
“The rabbis paled. I’d managed to terrify holy men. Maybe I could beat up a nun for an encore.”
After 3 books,one would expect that Ilona Andrews would have trouble writing a compelling and fresh storyline,but that's far from the truth!Magic Bleeds combines action,mystery and romance wrapped up with sarcasm and clever humor and makes falling in love with the story and the characters inevitable!Reading the adventures of Kate Daniels and her furry friends is effortless and utterly enjoyable!I was once again sucked in a complex world full of magic and blood and I still crave more,more battles,more secrets,more sassiness,more ass-kicking,more Curran,more everything!
“He was mine.He cared for me,he made me lose all sense,he didn't give a damn about my father.He was what I wanted,because he made me happy.I wanted him like I'd never wanted anyone in my life.”
Let me tell you this,the relationship between Kate and Curran was a crazy roller-coaster.Every single thing Kate felt,I felt it too.Anger,disappointment,betrayal,heartbreak,longing,happiness,love.She showed a more vulnerable side and I loved her even more for that.Kate and Curran are both arrogant assholes,and it took them some time to solve a terrible misunderstanding,but once they stopped behaving like children,Curran became Kate's own personal psycho and oh boy,it was good!
“You don't pick the family you're born into. You pick the one you make. I already chose my mate and glued her ass to the chair to make sure she knew it.”
And OH MY GOD THEIR SCENES WERE HOT HOT HOT HOT!!!They never stopped fighting but that was sexy!!Curran is the most delicious alpha-male ever,but he could also be a romantic teddy bear that made me giggle and want to hug him!And do some other,bad things with him!
In case I didn't make myself clear,I loved Magic Bleeds!
February 16, 2023
➽
And the moral of this particular rerererererereread is:
I want to be Kate Daniels when I grow up. Just so I can weld the bimbo room shut.
👋 Until next time and stuff.
[June 2019]
🐈 The Adventures Of A Brave Little Kitty Buddy Rerererereread (TAOABLKBR™) with the IA Addicts 🐈
➽ And the moral of this particular rererererereread is: there's nothing quite like magically delicious syphilis, if you ask me.
P.S. Why the books in this series aren't prescribed as antidepressants is and forever will be one of the greatest mysteries of the universe.
👋 Until next time and stuff.
[January 2018]
⚔ The Grand IAA™ KD Buddy Rerererereread Extravaganza (GIAAKDBRE™), aka theyellow brick road to Magic Triumphs ⚔
Presenting Episode 4, or How Kate Daniels Learned Being Naught but a Little Squirrel Doesn't Mean You Can't Beat the Fish Out of the Deliciously Villainous Villains.
➽ And the moral of this rererererererereread³ is :
Also, if you see golden headlights coming right at you while you're playing with your deadly toothpick, beware. Especially if there are rolling tumble weeds around.
[June 2016]
❣ KD is the Cure to All of Life's Problems Buddy Read (KDitCtAoLPBR™) with my dear wife Ange, and the poor IAA souls who have fallen into our deathly KD Surprise Reread Trap (KSRT™).
· Original rating: 5 stars
· Rating after xxxxxx rereads: 100,000³ stars. More or less. Kate Daniels is IT. Kate Daniels cannot be rated.
» And the moral of this particular rererereread is: I want Ilona Andrews and Glen Cook to team up and write a series/book/cereal box blurb/whatever/anything with Kate Daniels and Lady as main characters. Now that would be intergalactically EPIC. And epically INTERGALACTIC. I'd read the story and never recover. Well maybe I would. If I rererererereread it over and over and over and over again. Forever after. And stuff. It would be glorious.
➽ Ilona, Gordon, Glen:
The End
[Original review]
☆☆☆ Post-Shift Productions proudly present ☆☆☆
Yet Another Exciting Day in the Life of Kate Daniels
►8.00 a.m.: investigate the death of a human barnacle. Realize it's a case of magically delicious syphilis. It's going to be a long day. Again.
► 8.30 a.m.: think about His Furiness. Feel like punching His Furiness in the face. Where did that thought come from?
► 9.00 a.m.: fight a demonic, spawn-of-hellish beast. Good doggy.
► 9.30 a.m.: listen to your voice mail at work. "I curse your arms so they will wither and die and fall off your body. I curse your eyeballs to explode. I curse your feet to swell until blue. I curse you. I curse you. I curse you." Okay then.
► 10.00 a.m.: still investigating. A guy in a cloak did it. Good to know. Consider praying to Miss Marple.
► 10.30 a.m.: find yourself doodling a horned lion with a pie on his pitchfork. Now who could that be?
► 11.00 a.m.: trade your teenage werewolf sidekick for a deadly, mutant attack poodle.
► 11.30 a.m.: bubonic plague. Dysentery. Influenza. Cholera on magic steroids. What did you ever do to anybody?
► 12.00 a.m.: wish that the furry bastard would stop intruding on your thoughts for five seconds. Consider dancing a jig in celebration the minute it happens.
► 12.30 a.m.: discuss vamp storage cavities with Ghastek. Find out he prefers throats to anuses. Thank the gods for small favors.
► 1.00 p.m.: friendly visit to the Mercenary Guild. Find a guy pinned to the elevator shaft by a spear through his throat. Nifty.
► 1.30 p.m.: Oh look, the Beast Lord. Stay cool. Zen. No punching in the face. Punching would not be Zen.
► 2.00 p.m.: be awed by His Fussiness' ability to use big words. Afriendly conversation ensues. Consider throwing in some whistling. And rolling thumbleweed. You're all set.
► 2.30 p.m.: time for a well-deserved break. Go home, resurrect a head in the kitchen. Your deadly attack poodle barfs a little.
► 3.00 p.m.: have His Furry Majesty throw you around a little. Things are looking up.
► 3.30 p.m.: get Raphael & Andrea out of jail. Hot tub. SIG-Sauer P-226. Diving for clams. That's boudas for you.
► 4.00 p.m.: sneak into the Keep. Weld the bimbo room shut. Decorate with catnip. Fun times.
► 4.30 p.m.: go back to the office. Have a short phone conversation with His Furiness. Realize your butt is glued to your chair.
► 5.00 p.m.: surprise visit from Auntie Erra. She came all the way from Babylon too. Coolest aunt ever. This is one happy little squirrel.
► 5.30 p.m.: Saiman suicidal. Curran homicidal. Oh. My. God. The Universe just exploded. BIG TIME.
► 5.45 p.m.: relax in a hot tub. Lose all sense. It's not the bathtub, baby. Oh boy.
► 6.00 p.m.: decide to give your judgemental crocodile bodyguard a room at the Keep. Think it might give Jim an aneurysm.
► 6.30 p.m.: meet Auntie Erra again. Realize she recently developed a fetish for spandex. Why you?
► 7.00 p.m.: bloodward. No problem. Meow.
► 7.30 p.m.: pinned to the ground? No biggie. Got a toothpick.
► 8.00 p.m.: relax after a long day's work. Read The Princess Bride to a big sleeping cat.
► 8.30 p.m.: attend a lovely family reunion at the Keep. Feel very welcome. Challenge a few shapeshifters just for kicks.
► 9.00 p.m.: read The Princess Bride to a big sleeping cat. Again. Will this day never end?
► 9.30 p.m.: meet a gay mongoose with an ambitious name. Try to keep the creepy down a notch. Fail miserably.
► 10.00 p.m.: feline wake-up time. Attend yet another family reunion. This is one pissed off little kitty. RAWR. Oh boy.
· Book 1: Magic Bites ★★★★★
· Book 2: Magic Burns ★★★★★
· Book 3: Magic Strikes ★★★★★
· Book 5: Magic Slays ★★★★★
· Book 6: Magic Rises ★★★★★
· Book 7: Magic Breaks ★★★★★
· Book 8: Magic Shifts ★★★★★
· Book 9: Magic Binds ★★★★★
· Book 10: Magic Triumphs ★★★★
· Book 10.5: Magic Tides ★★★★★
· Book 10.6: Magic Claims · to be published June 2023
👋 Until next time and stuff.
[June 2019]
🐈 The Adventures Of A Brave Little Kitty Buddy Rerererereread (TAOABLKBR™) with the IA Addicts 🐈
➽ And the moral of this particular rererererereread is: there's nothing quite like magically delicious syphilis, if you ask me.
P.S. Why the books in this series aren't prescribed as antidepressants is and forever will be one of the greatest mysteries of the universe.
👋 Until next time and stuff.
[January 2018]
⚔ The Grand IAA™ KD Buddy Rerererereread Extravaganza (GIAAKDBRE™), aka the
Presenting Episode 4, or How Kate Daniels Learned Being Naught but a Little Squirrel Doesn't Mean You Can't Beat the Fish Out of the Deliciously Villainous Villains.
➽ And the moral of this rererererererereread³ is :
Also, if you see golden headlights coming right at you while you're playing with your deadly toothpick, beware. Especially if there are rolling tumble weeds around.
[June 2016]
❣ KD is the Cure to All of Life's Problems Buddy Read (KDitCtAoLPBR™) with my dear wife Ange, and the poor IAA souls who have fallen into our deathly KD Surprise Reread Trap (KSRT™).
· Original rating: 5 stars
· Rating after xxxxxx rereads: 100,000³ stars. More or less. Kate Daniels is IT. Kate Daniels cannot be rated.
» And the moral of this particular rererereread is: I want Ilona Andrews and Glen Cook to team up and write a series/book/cereal box blurb/whatever/anything with Kate Daniels and Lady as main characters. Now that would be intergalactically EPIC. And epically INTERGALACTIC. I'd read the story and never recover. Well maybe I would. If I rererererereread it over and over and over and over again. Forever after. And stuff. It would be glorious.
➽ Ilona, Gordon, Glen:
The End
[Original review]
☆☆☆ Post-Shift Productions proudly present ☆☆☆
Yet Another Exciting Day in the Life of Kate Daniels
►8.00 a.m.: investigate the death of a human barnacle. Realize it's a case of magically delicious syphilis. It's going to be a long day. Again.
► 8.30 a.m.: think about His Furiness. Feel like punching His Furiness in the face. Where did that thought come from?
► 9.00 a.m.: fight a demonic, spawn-of-hellish beast. Good doggy.
► 9.30 a.m.: listen to your voice mail at work. "I curse your arms so they will wither and die and fall off your body. I curse your eyeballs to explode. I curse your feet to swell until blue. I curse you. I curse you. I curse you." Okay then.
► 10.00 a.m.: still investigating. A guy in a cloak did it. Good to know. Consider praying to Miss Marple.
► 10.30 a.m.: find yourself doodling a horned lion with a pie on his pitchfork. Now who could that be?
► 11.00 a.m.: trade your teenage werewolf sidekick for a deadly, mutant attack poodle.
► 11.30 a.m.: bubonic plague. Dysentery. Influenza. Cholera on magic steroids. What did you ever do to anybody?
► 12.00 a.m.: wish that the furry bastard would stop intruding on your thoughts for five seconds. Consider dancing a jig in celebration the minute it happens.
► 12.30 a.m.: discuss vamp storage cavities with Ghastek. Find out he prefers throats to anuses. Thank the gods for small favors.
► 1.00 p.m.: friendly visit to the Mercenary Guild. Find a guy pinned to the elevator shaft by a spear through his throat. Nifty.
► 1.30 p.m.: Oh look, the Beast Lord. Stay cool. Zen. No punching in the face. Punching would not be Zen.
► 2.00 p.m.: be awed by His Fussiness' ability to use big words. A
► 2.30 p.m.: time for a well-deserved break. Go home, resurrect a head in the kitchen. Your deadly attack poodle barfs a little.
► 3.00 p.m.: have His Furry Majesty throw you around a little. Things are looking up.
► 3.30 p.m.: get Raphael & Andrea out of jail. Hot tub. SIG-Sauer P-226. Diving for clams. That's boudas for you.
► 4.00 p.m.: sneak into the Keep. Weld the bimbo room shut. Decorate with catnip. Fun times.
► 4.30 p.m.: go back to the office. Have a short phone conversation with His Furiness. Realize your butt is glued to your chair.
► 5.00 p.m.: surprise visit from Auntie Erra. She came all the way from Babylon too. Coolest aunt ever. This is one happy little squirrel.
► 5.30 p.m.: Saiman suicidal. Curran homicidal. Oh. My. God. The Universe just exploded. BIG TIME.
► 5.45 p.m.: relax in a hot tub. Lose all sense. It's not the bathtub, baby. Oh boy.
► 6.00 p.m.: decide to give your judgemental crocodile bodyguard a room at the Keep. Think it might give Jim an aneurysm.
► 6.30 p.m.: meet Auntie Erra again. Realize she recently developed a fetish for spandex. Why you?
► 7.00 p.m.: bloodward. No problem. Meow.
► 7.30 p.m.: pinned to the ground? No biggie. Got a toothpick.
► 8.00 p.m.: relax after a long day's work. Read The Princess Bride to a big sleeping cat.
► 8.30 p.m.: attend a lovely family reunion at the Keep. Feel very welcome. Challenge a few shapeshifters just for kicks.
► 9.00 p.m.: read The Princess Bride to a big sleeping cat. Again. Will this day never end?
► 9.30 p.m.: meet a gay mongoose with an ambitious name. Try to keep the creepy down a notch. Fail miserably.
► 10.00 p.m.: feline wake-up time. Attend yet another family reunion. This is one pissed off little kitty. RAWR. Oh boy.
· Book 1: Magic Bites ★★★★★
· Book 2: Magic Burns ★★★★★
· Book 3: Magic Strikes ★★★★★
· Book 5: Magic Slays ★★★★★
· Book 6: Magic Rises ★★★★★
· Book 7: Magic Breaks ★★★★★
· Book 8: Magic Shifts ★★★★★
· Book 9: Magic Binds ★★★★★
· Book 10: Magic Triumphs ★★★★
· Book 10.5: Magic Tides ★★★★★
· Book 10.6: Magic Claims · to be published June 2023
May 25, 2024
4.5 stars
Kate and Curran get off to a bit of a rocky start, what with her cooking him dinner in her underwear and him standing her up.
Will these two crazy kids ever manage to get together?
The short answer is yes. Yes, they will. But not before they kick the shit out of each other a few times and establish some boundaries.
The gist of this one is that a creepy magic user with the ability to bring plagues to life is rolling through Atlanta and setting the necromancers and the shifters at each other’s throats.
And while Kate and Curran can’t seem to agree on whose fault it was that date night went sideways, they will have to work together to save everyone they care about.
Also, Kate finds out that she’s got a bit more family out there than just her immortal, power-mad father. Awww.
Her immortal, power-mad aunt wants a chunk of Kate, too.
But they say if you don’t have family, you don’t have anything.
The end of this is completely worth it.
Kate’s a badass with a soft side and you finally get to see the start of her happily ever after in this one.
Highly Recommended.
Kate and Curran get off to a bit of a rocky start, what with her cooking him dinner in her underwear and him standing her up.
Will these two crazy kids ever manage to get together?
The short answer is yes. Yes, they will. But not before they kick the shit out of each other a few times and establish some boundaries.
The gist of this one is that a creepy magic user with the ability to bring plagues to life is rolling through Atlanta and setting the necromancers and the shifters at each other’s throats.
And while Kate and Curran can’t seem to agree on whose fault it was that date night went sideways, they will have to work together to save everyone they care about.
Also, Kate finds out that she’s got a bit more family out there than just her immortal, power-mad father. Awww.
Her immortal, power-mad aunt wants a chunk of Kate, too.
But they say if you don’t have family, you don’t have anything.
The end of this is completely worth it.
Kate’s a badass with a soft side and you finally get to see the start of her happily ever after in this one.
Highly Recommended.
May 12, 2021
probably my favorite of the series so far. big fan of Curran <3333
July 4, 2018
Reread 7/2018
4.5 stars!
“I can't give you the white picket fence, and if I did, you'd set it on fire.”
I'm a giant fan of urban fantasy. I read all kinds of genres of books, but when I read urban fantasy I get a feeling of being at home. The Ilona Andrews writing team created a universe where when I'm having a bad day or want to have a good time, I can open a paperback, and escape there effortlessly and happily. And that's exactly what I did with this book. I recently had some crap come up in my personal life, and when I had the chance I transported myself into this world of mercenaries and werebeasts and didn't want to come back out. So massive kudos to the authors, you did your job right.
In magic flare zone Atlanta, Kate Daniels is stood up. That's right, she cooked the Beast Lord Curran dinner, and he never showed. Flash forward about a month or so and the two are at each others' throats. On top of this, there's a strange shaman who keeps showing up in bars and casinos and trying to magic blast the place with plague and disease. It's not long before Kate gets called onto the case, and when she does she finds she might be more connected to it than she expected.
This was the best book of this series for me so far. The plot was thrilling, the banter was witty and humorous, and I couldn't put the darn book down even when my eyelids were slowly closing due to a need for sleep.
My favorite part of the book? The pranks Kate and Curran were playing on each other. When she covered his bed in catnip and he glued her ass to her office chair? Priceless. The addition of the attack poodle to Kate's daily life only made the story more entertaining.
"....I think a dog is a great idea. I just never pictured you with a mutant poodle.”
“He isn’t a poodle. He’s a Doberman mix."
“Aha. Keep telling yourself that.”
Also, another reason why this book was awesome? It's the hook up book! Yes, the Kate and Curran relationship finally comes to a explosive collision in this book and it was all it was cracked up to be.
"I miss you. I worry about you. I worry something stupid will happen and I won't be there and you'll be gone. I worry we won't ever get a chance and it's driving me out of my skull."
This was also the book where I finally stopped skimming when it came to the plot. By this I mean the underlying issue or mystery. As much as I love the other books and their stories, there were points when I skimmed. That didn't really happen in this book. All of Kate's investigations had me utterly enthralled, and the parts with Kate and Erra was like watching an interrogation between a smart ass and a sociopath (it would make great television, just saying).
And that ending?
"You don't pick the family you're born into. You pick the one you make. I already chose my mate and glued her ass to the chair to make sure she knew it.”
Follow me on ♥ Facebook ♥ Blog ♥ Instagram ♥ Twitter ♥
4.5 stars!
“I can't give you the white picket fence, and if I did, you'd set it on fire.”
I'm a giant fan of urban fantasy. I read all kinds of genres of books, but when I read urban fantasy I get a feeling of being at home. The Ilona Andrews writing team created a universe where when I'm having a bad day or want to have a good time, I can open a paperback, and escape there effortlessly and happily. And that's exactly what I did with this book. I recently had some crap come up in my personal life, and when I had the chance I transported myself into this world of mercenaries and werebeasts and didn't want to come back out. So massive kudos to the authors, you did your job right.
In magic flare zone Atlanta, Kate Daniels is stood up. That's right, she cooked the Beast Lord Curran dinner, and he never showed. Flash forward about a month or so and the two are at each others' throats. On top of this, there's a strange shaman who keeps showing up in bars and casinos and trying to magic blast the place with plague and disease. It's not long before Kate gets called onto the case, and when she does she finds she might be more connected to it than she expected.
This was the best book of this series for me so far. The plot was thrilling, the banter was witty and humorous, and I couldn't put the darn book down even when my eyelids were slowly closing due to a need for sleep.
My favorite part of the book? The pranks Kate and Curran were playing on each other. When she covered his bed in catnip and he glued her ass to her office chair? Priceless. The addition of the attack poodle to Kate's daily life only made the story more entertaining.
"....I think a dog is a great idea. I just never pictured you with a mutant poodle.”
“He isn’t a poodle. He’s a Doberman mix."
“Aha. Keep telling yourself that.”
Also, another reason why this book was awesome? It's the hook up book! Yes, the Kate and Curran relationship finally comes to a explosive collision in this book and it was all it was cracked up to be.
"I miss you. I worry about you. I worry something stupid will happen and I won't be there and you'll be gone. I worry we won't ever get a chance and it's driving me out of my skull."
This was also the book where I finally stopped skimming when it came to the plot. By this I mean the underlying issue or mystery. As much as I love the other books and their stories, there were points when I skimmed. That didn't really happen in this book. All of Kate's investigations had me utterly enthralled, and the parts with Kate and Erra was like watching an interrogation between a smart ass and a sociopath (it would make great television, just saying).
And that ending?
"You don't pick the family you're born into. You pick the one you make. I already chose my mate and glued her ass to the chair to make sure she knew it.”
Follow me on ♥ Facebook ♥ Blog ♥ Instagram ♥ Twitter ♥
February 11, 2023
One of my all-time favorite series and a "must buy" for me. Delicious fun with a strong warrior-type heroine. The imagined world that fluxes between magic and technology is truly unique. Kate investigates the mystery of a tall dark stranger in a cloak who seems to be able to cause terror in were-beasts as well as unusual contagion. Of course, this requires her to interact with the King of Beasts after he had not shown up for their special dinner. The mystery ends up giving us a little more insight into Kate's heritage. I admit confusion over a minor point or two, but overall a very well written urban fantasy. A great deal of action, but not so much that it sacrifices atmosphere and setting. The world building gives a sense of the long time a horse ride takes between destinations, for instance, or the quiet beauty in a Jewish temple. I also thought the long-awaited Extra bonus for the series for having a strong heroine who does not suffer from post-traumatic stress syndrome. Kate's complex of protective solitude versus risking the people she loves is understandable and not overly angsty.
re-read 2/2023 I still like it, and it still holds up as a story. Definitely one of the earlier ones in the series, in the sense that Andrews are still holding on to the idea of the characterization of Kate as a wise-cracking blade/investigator for hire. The story feels very consistent throughout, with a very even narrative tone. I'd do better on a review, but frankly, my vacation ends tomorrow, so there's a lot to be done. For instance, I have to go see if I need to re-read Kate Daniels #6 now (I've been working backwards).
re-read 2/2023 I still like it, and it still holds up as a story. Definitely one of the earlier ones in the series, in the sense that Andrews are still holding on to the idea of the characterization of Kate as a wise-cracking blade/investigator for hire. The story feels very consistent throughout, with a very even narrative tone. I'd do better on a review, but frankly, my vacation ends tomorrow, so there's a lot to be done. For instance, I have to go see if I need to re-read Kate Daniels #6 now (I've been working backwards).
April 23, 2023
Reread.
Atlanta got a visit from Kate's relative and all hell break loose. Shapeshifters going mad to town on the verge of epidemic, add Kate's dark mood over Curran standing her up for the dinner to the mix; it was a rollercoaster ride. So many moments where I laughed out loud, and bit my nails (specially those final battle scenes). An enjoyable read.
Atlanta got a visit from Kate's relative and all hell break loose. Shapeshifters going mad to town on the verge of epidemic, add Kate's dark mood over Curran standing her up for the dinner to the mix; it was a rollercoaster ride. So many moments where I laughed out loud, and bit my nails (specially those final battle scenes). An enjoyable read.
November 21, 2021
Geez, friggin', Louise . . .
Just in case you've somehow missed my enthusiasm for Kate #3, MAGIC STRIKES, I'll say (at least) one more time that it is my favorite installment in a UF series ever.
And it is.
But MAGIC BLEEDS gets 5 stars too.
It's maybe my second favorite installment in a Urban Fantasy series ever. It's been too long since I've read BITTEN by Kelley Armstrong (best first installment in an UF series ever), to say for sure . . . but it's a close thing, either way.
And I love MAGIC STRIKES and MAGIC BLEEDS for similar, yet very different reasons.
One of my favorite (and simultaneously least favorite) things about blogging is that it's made me think about why I like or dislike something in a book. Sometimes I miss the simplicity of finishing a book, saying, "I love it, it RAWKED," then moving on to the next thing, but on the whole, I think I get more out of the books I read now.
For example, this is probably the fifth time I've read Kate #4, but it's the first time I've realized that the more one of these books touches on her family history, the more I like it. Same goes for how direct the link between the Bad Guy and that history (Roland) is.
In book 3, the Bad Guys were Roland's flunkies.
In MAGIC BLEEDS . . . well, I can't tell you who the Bad Guy is, but suffice it to say, NOT a flunkie. And for those of you (like me) who devour every, single speck of Kate lore, you will be so ridiculously happy with this book. Just after the mid-way point, is History of Roland 101. Back to Bad Guy though, this one is both enthralling and terrifying. Bad Guy is crazy. No, really. Total psychopath. But at the same time Bad Guy is . . . "ruthlessly intelligent."
MAGIC BLEEDS is full of these insightful, little life lessons, and for the first time, you begin to understand what Kate is up against. Her enemy is THOUSANDS of years old, with THOUSANDS of years worth of not just knowledge, but application of that knowledge.
Seriously fantastic villain and history lesson aside, there are a multitude of other reasons to love this book. Most of those reasons can be boiled down to Kate being Kate and Curran being Curran. It's not a spoiler to tell you that Curran doesn't show for the naked dinner, b/c it's the very first thing that happens in this book. Now imagine all the various ways that could play out, and you start to get an idea of the epic awesomeness of this book. YEP. It's that good. LOVE it.
My other reviews for this series:
A Questionable Client (Kate Daniels, #0.5)
Magic Bites (Kate Daniels, #1)
Magic Burns (Kate Daniels, #2)
Magic Strikes (Kate Daniels, #3)
Magic Mourns (Kate Daniels, #3.5)
Magic Dreams (Kate Daniels, #4.5)
Magic Slays (Kate Daniels, #5)
Magic Tests (Kate Daniels, #5.3)
Magic Gifts (Kate Daniels, #5.4)
Gunmetal Magic (Kate Daniels, #5.5)
Retribution Clause (Kate Daniels, #5.6)
An Ill-Advised Rescue (Kate Daniels, #5.8)
Magic Rises (Kate Daniels, #6)
Magic Steals (Kate Daniels, #6.5)
Magic Breaks (Kate Daniels, #7)
Magic Shifts (Kate Daniels, #8)
Magic Stars (Kate Daniels, #8.5, Grey Wolf, #1)
Magic Binds (Kate Daniels, #9)
Iron and Magic (Kate Daniels, #9.5)
Magic Triumphs (Kate Daniels, #10)
Curran POV Collection
Just in case you've somehow missed my enthusiasm for Kate #3, MAGIC STRIKES, I'll say (at least) one more time that it is my favorite installment in a UF series ever.
And it is.
But MAGIC BLEEDS gets 5 stars too.
It's maybe my second favorite installment in a Urban Fantasy series ever. It's been too long since I've read BITTEN by Kelley Armstrong (best first installment in an UF series ever), to say for sure . . . but it's a close thing, either way.
And I love MAGIC STRIKES and MAGIC BLEEDS for similar, yet very different reasons.
One of my favorite (and simultaneously least favorite) things about blogging is that it's made me think about why I like or dislike something in a book. Sometimes I miss the simplicity of finishing a book, saying, "I love it, it RAWKED," then moving on to the next thing, but on the whole, I think I get more out of the books I read now.
For example, this is probably the fifth time I've read Kate #4, but it's the first time I've realized that the more one of these books touches on her family history, the more I like it. Same goes for how direct the link between the Bad Guy and that history (Roland) is.
In book 3, the Bad Guys were Roland's flunkies.
In MAGIC BLEEDS . . . well, I can't tell you who the Bad Guy is, but suffice it to say, NOT a flunkie. And for those of you (like me) who devour every, single speck of Kate lore, you will be so ridiculously happy with this book. Just after the mid-way point, is History of Roland 101. Back to Bad Guy though, this one is both enthralling and terrifying. Bad Guy is crazy. No, really. Total psychopath. But at the same time Bad Guy is . . . "ruthlessly intelligent."
"Why call them half-breeds?"
"It's a convenient term. It drips with contempt. Your're a soldier who faces a monstrosity. It's stronger and faster than you, it looks like a nightmare, and when it takes a wound that would kill a normal man, its fellows push you back and fifteen minutes later the creature you wounded is back on its feet. Where will your courage come from?"
I leaned toward her. "But if you think the creature is an abomination, a half-breed, who is less than you, you might reach deep inside and find a pair..."
"Exactly."
MAGIC BLEEDS is full of these insightful, little life lessons, and for the first time, you begin to understand what Kate is up against. Her enemy is THOUSANDS of years old, with THOUSANDS of years worth of not just knowledge, but application of that knowledge.
Seriously fantastic villain and history lesson aside, there are a multitude of other reasons to love this book. Most of those reasons can be boiled down to Kate being Kate and Curran being Curran. It's not a spoiler to tell you that Curran doesn't show for the naked dinner, b/c it's the very first thing that happens in this book. Now imagine all the various ways that could play out, and you start to get an idea of the epic awesomeness of this book. YEP. It's that good. LOVE it.
My other reviews for this series:
A Questionable Client (Kate Daniels, #0.5)
Magic Bites (Kate Daniels, #1)
Magic Burns (Kate Daniels, #2)
Magic Strikes (Kate Daniels, #3)
Magic Mourns (Kate Daniels, #3.5)
Magic Dreams (Kate Daniels, #4.5)
Magic Slays (Kate Daniels, #5)
Magic Tests (Kate Daniels, #5.3)
Magic Gifts (Kate Daniels, #5.4)
Gunmetal Magic (Kate Daniels, #5.5)
Retribution Clause (Kate Daniels, #5.6)
An Ill-Advised Rescue (Kate Daniels, #5.8)
Magic Rises (Kate Daniels, #6)
Magic Steals (Kate Daniels, #6.5)
Magic Breaks (Kate Daniels, #7)
Magic Shifts (Kate Daniels, #8)
Magic Stars (Kate Daniels, #8.5, Grey Wolf, #1)
Magic Binds (Kate Daniels, #9)
Iron and Magic (Kate Daniels, #9.5)
Magic Triumphs (Kate Daniels, #10)
Curran POV Collection
September 26, 2019
4.33 stars. While Magic Bleeds doesn't quite hit the heights of the third book, Magic Strikes, it's still a great, action-packed book.
As a mercenary peacekeeper, Kate gets called to investigate a strangely intense fight at a bar. When she gets there, there's a body strung up on a utility pole, pinned to it with a crowbar. The body is very dead ... but the deadly disease that infests him is NOT. As magically virulent flesh-colored fuzz starts creeping toward Kate and others, it's all Kate can do to try to contain it within magical ward circles.
This is just the start of troubles for Kate. Two more attacks occur, more dead bodies pile up, more magically mobile diseases attack. As it turns out, someone with a very long relationship (think centuries, even millennia) with Kate's magical father has Kate, the Pack, and Atlanta generally in their sights.
Meanwhile, after things had started looking up for Kate's slow-developing relationship with Curran the Beast Lord at the end of book #3, it all comes crashing down at the beginning of this one: Curran doesn't show up for an EXTREMELY significant dinner for two, with no explanation, and Kate gets blown off when she calls the Keep (the shapeshifter's Atlanta compound) to check on him. Being Kate, she doesn't take it at all well. The question is, who can out-stubborn who?
Magic Bleeds is a solid entry in the Kate Daniels urban fantasy series, with the familiar mixture of vampires, werewolves and other shapechangers, ancient and exotic gods (this type we're dealing with Babylonian legends), sometimes unreliable magic, and a major helping of snark. This one is noteworthy for some serious changes in Kate's life and some significant revelations about her past and her ancestry.
You know those books that keep you up way too late at night because you just need to finish them since you just can't leave the characters hanging where they are? Yeah, this is one of those. And the second time I read it, instead of staying up all hours, I read it during the day while I should've been doing other things. But Curran and Kate kept calling to me ...
As a mercenary peacekeeper, Kate gets called to investigate a strangely intense fight at a bar. When she gets there, there's a body strung up on a utility pole, pinned to it with a crowbar. The body is very dead ... but the deadly disease that infests him is NOT. As magically virulent flesh-colored fuzz starts creeping toward Kate and others, it's all Kate can do to try to contain it within magical ward circles.
This is just the start of troubles for Kate. Two more attacks occur, more dead bodies pile up, more magically mobile diseases attack. As it turns out, someone with a very long relationship (think centuries, even millennia) with Kate's magical father has Kate, the Pack, and Atlanta generally in their sights.
Meanwhile, after things had started looking up for Kate's slow-developing relationship with Curran the Beast Lord at the end of book #3, it all comes crashing down at the beginning of this one: Curran doesn't show up for an EXTREMELY significant dinner for two, with no explanation, and Kate gets blown off when she calls the Keep (the shapeshifter's Atlanta compound) to check on him. Being Kate, she doesn't take it at all well. The question is, who can out-stubborn who?
Magic Bleeds is a solid entry in the Kate Daniels urban fantasy series, with the familiar mixture of vampires, werewolves and other shapechangers, ancient and exotic gods (this type we're dealing with Babylonian legends), sometimes unreliable magic, and a major helping of snark. This one is noteworthy for some serious changes in Kate's life and some significant revelations about her past and her ancestry.
You know those books that keep you up way too late at night because you just need to finish them since you just can't leave the characters hanging where they are? Yeah, this is one of those. And the second time I read it, instead of staying up all hours, I read it during the day while I should've been doing other things. But Curran and Kate kept calling to me ...
May 29, 2021
4.25/5 ⭐
Honestly, this book was great but oh boy wasn't AMAZING actually because they finally put an end to THAT excruciatingly painful sexual tension? Oh yeah, it was great like that!
What can I say? This went from good to great in a matter of chapters so yay for it!
(Book-styled)
Honestly, this book was great but oh boy wasn't AMAZING actually because they finally put an end to THAT excruciatingly painful sexual tension? Oh yeah, it was great like that!
What can I say? This went from good to great in a matter of chapters so yay for it!
(Book-styled)
November 22, 2023
Re-re-re read with the new Graphic Audio
Verdit??? LOVED, LOVED, LOVED it even more with the full cast.
Sale Alert: Books 3 and 4 of this series were my absolute favorites which is saying something since this is one of my all time favorite UF series. This book is currently on sale 9/30/17 $1.99
Yes I'm reading the Kate Daniels Series AGAIN and guess what I love it a little more every time. 3rd read and this series is still so much fun and at the top of my short list for UF/PRN. Kate/Curran and Saiman have all the best parts in this.
Buddy Read/Reread June 8 with the gang at Ilona Andrews Addicts (IAA)
Re-read...YAY I'm finally to my favorite book in the series for my re-read before Magic Breaks
Review after Re-read 7/15/14
This was my favorite in the series the first time through and I believe it safely retains that ranking this time as well. In my first read through I remember hurrying through parts to get to what was going to happen between Kate and Curran. This time I have the luxury of knowing what will become of them so I was able to focus on all the other great stuff happening as well.
Some of the best parts are the great side characters. The introduction of Kate’s new best friend with four legs that looks like a mutant attack poodle was so much fun. I love animal companions in novels.
“You should name him Fezzik,” Andrea said.
“Inconceivable,” I told her and took the canine traitor back to my office.
Alas the dog’s name does not end up being Fezzik but it is much cooler and l loved the reason Kate choose it for him. Once again proving our girl has brains and brawn.
But my absolute favorite side character in this is Aunt B. I loved her the first time through as well but this time I really could appreciate just how smart and crafty that lady is. Nothing gets past her and she does seem to have Kate’s best interest at heart especially if it helps out the Bouda clan as well.
”Did he spend the night?”
Putting claws to my throat was never a good idea. I smiled. “None of your business.”
“So he did. Did he use the word ‘mate’?”
“What happened between me and Curran is our own affair.”
Aunt B raised her eyebrows. “Congratulations. Then you are indeed, the mate.”
Why me? “That would be news to me.”
“I wouldn’t be surprised if you were the last to know.”
Saiman, I forgot how wonderfully charming that man/quarter god could be when he wants to be. He has some fantastic interactions with Kate and while he might have overestimated his position in a few things I love some of the scenes with him, especially when he was pulling on deaths whiskers this time around.
KATE AND CURRAN!!! Yes this is the book they finally get down to the nitty gritty. It isn’t all roses and sunshine they are both alpha material and totally clash while trying to maintain their dominance. But my girl Kate once she decides what she wants she is ALL IN and nothing and no one will separate her from His Furriness.
“If you come, you better come in force because I will kill every single one of you. My hand won't shake, my aim won't falter. My face will be the last thing you'll see before you die." I jammed my knife into the table and walked out.”
Forward ho onto the next great installment of the series.
If you are a fan of UF/PRN at all this is a fantastically fun series……READ IT!!!
Original Review 9/28/13
Before I totally fangirl over the Kate/Curran drama …oh and I totally will….I’ll attempt to talk about the rest of the book.
One of the things I like about the Kate Daniels series is that the villain is always based in some sort of lore that I haven’t been overexposed to I’m not even sure if it is real or just made up. In that I feel like I’m learning a little bit more but also I don’t already have a bunch of preconceived notions of how the god/mythical creature should act and it is like starting with a clean sheet.
The villain in this installment is undoubtedly the most dangerous and complex that Kate has faced to date. The bad guy carries seven plagues around with them and unleashes them at different times on Atlanta. Each one is devastating and causes incredible havoc. They also have some strange similarities in power to Kate and she doesn’t know how to control her power nearly as well and needs to learn fast.
Hugh is busy gathering information on Kate to make sure he knows everything about her before presenting her to Roland and is biding his time through this newest crisis. Kate knows that soon she will have to face her father and is desperately struggling with either going it completely alone or letting people into her life. But to do that she will have to come clean and tell the people closest to her who she really is.
You can’t smelt happiness out of a lie. The world doesn’t work that way.
The character I most enjoyed this book beside the new addition of the attack poodle and Kate and Curran or course was Aunt B. She is sneaky, manipulative, intelligent an opportunist and at times even the voice of reason. I really like the way she runs her clan of hyenas and how she interacts with Kate. Aunt B is the alpha that you definitely do not want to get on the wrong side of. The deal she makes with Kate is one that benefits Kate but also helps her. I like how she is an example and a strong female character without being portrayed exclusively as a bitch.
The plot arc was one of the strongest of the series and delved into the magic of the world Kate lives in even more. This is probably the strongest book in the series to date.
Okay on to the fangirling of the romance aspect of this book. There may be a few minor spoilers don’t read on if you don’t want to know.
Cat courting practices are interesting to say the least and a little dangerous it seems to any that stand to close…ehmm Saiman cough cough. I was worried at the beginning of the story that the minor misunderstanding between Kate and Curran was going to derail them for an entire book (I’ve seen it done in other series and I’m not a fan) but no worries all is made well again before the end.
Kate miserable without Curran in her life decides to try to play by his rules and it is about time. I loved that she finally decided, this is what I want, and took charge. Even if later she doubts herself and her choices I admire the initial push in the right direction.
There are some very good steamy scenes and I love that everything isn’t roses for them right after. They have distinctly different personalities and wants. Curran is desperate to protect Kate and Kate is desperate to run into the face of danger and sacrifice herself if needed. But tenderness and vulnerability are definitely there at the blooming of their relationship.
“People think I built the Pack, because I'm the guy who has the welfare of all shapeshifters in mind. They're wrong. Everything I built, I did so that when I mate and have children, nobody can touch my family. (...) I built all this so I can protect you.”
Plus being Mated to the Beast Lord isn’t all glamorous. You live in a glass house always surrounded by people watching looking for an edge something to give them the upper hand looking for any weakness to exploit. I couldn’t believe how fast some of the pack turned after the main battle.
I’m ecstatic that Kate and Curran have finally made some progress on this front since the tension between them was killing me. Like the end of other books in this series it really just made me want more. I can’t wait to see what will happen to the main Alpha’s next.
Verdit??? LOVED, LOVED, LOVED it even more with the full cast.
Sale Alert: Books 3 and 4 of this series were my absolute favorites which is saying something since this is one of my all time favorite UF series. This book is currently on sale 9/30/17 $1.99
Yes I'm reading the Kate Daniels Series AGAIN and guess what I love it a little more every time. 3rd read and this series is still so much fun and at the top of my short list for UF/PRN. Kate/Curran and Saiman have all the best parts in this.
Buddy Read/Reread June 8 with the gang at Ilona Andrews Addicts (IAA)
Re-read...YAY I'm finally to my favorite book in the series for my re-read before Magic Breaks
Review after Re-read 7/15/14
This was my favorite in the series the first time through and I believe it safely retains that ranking this time as well. In my first read through I remember hurrying through parts to get to what was going to happen between Kate and Curran. This time I have the luxury of knowing what will become of them so I was able to focus on all the other great stuff happening as well.
Some of the best parts are the great side characters. The introduction of Kate’s new best friend with four legs that looks like a mutant attack poodle was so much fun. I love animal companions in novels.
“You should name him Fezzik,” Andrea said.
“Inconceivable,” I told her and took the canine traitor back to my office.
Alas the dog’s name does not end up being Fezzik but it is much cooler and l loved the reason Kate choose it for him. Once again proving our girl has brains and brawn.
But my absolute favorite side character in this is Aunt B. I loved her the first time through as well but this time I really could appreciate just how smart and crafty that lady is. Nothing gets past her and she does seem to have Kate’s best interest at heart especially if it helps out the Bouda clan as well.
”Did he spend the night?”
Putting claws to my throat was never a good idea. I smiled. “None of your business.”
“So he did. Did he use the word ‘mate’?”
“What happened between me and Curran is our own affair.”
Aunt B raised her eyebrows. “Congratulations. Then you are indeed, the mate.”
Why me? “That would be news to me.”
“I wouldn’t be surprised if you were the last to know.”
Saiman, I forgot how wonderfully charming that man/quarter god could be when he wants to be. He has some fantastic interactions with Kate and while he might have overestimated his position in a few things I love some of the scenes with him, especially when he was pulling on deaths whiskers this time around.
KATE AND CURRAN!!! Yes this is the book they finally get down to the nitty gritty. It isn’t all roses and sunshine they are both alpha material and totally clash while trying to maintain their dominance. But my girl Kate once she decides what she wants she is ALL IN and nothing and no one will separate her from His Furriness.
“If you come, you better come in force because I will kill every single one of you. My hand won't shake, my aim won't falter. My face will be the last thing you'll see before you die." I jammed my knife into the table and walked out.”
Forward ho onto the next great installment of the series.
If you are a fan of UF/PRN at all this is a fantastically fun series……READ IT!!!
Original Review 9/28/13
Before I totally fangirl over the Kate/Curran drama …oh and I totally will….I’ll attempt to talk about the rest of the book.
One of the things I like about the Kate Daniels series is that the villain is always based in some sort of lore that I haven’t been overexposed to I’m not even sure if it is real or just made up. In that I feel like I’m learning a little bit more but also I don’t already have a bunch of preconceived notions of how the god/mythical creature should act and it is like starting with a clean sheet.
The villain in this installment is undoubtedly the most dangerous and complex that Kate has faced to date. The bad guy carries seven plagues around with them and unleashes them at different times on Atlanta. Each one is devastating and causes incredible havoc. They also have some strange similarities in power to Kate and she doesn’t know how to control her power nearly as well and needs to learn fast.
Hugh is busy gathering information on Kate to make sure he knows everything about her before presenting her to Roland and is biding his time through this newest crisis. Kate knows that soon she will have to face her father and is desperately struggling with either going it completely alone or letting people into her life. But to do that she will have to come clean and tell the people closest to her who she really is.
You can’t smelt happiness out of a lie. The world doesn’t work that way.
The character I most enjoyed this book beside the new addition of the attack poodle and Kate and Curran or course was Aunt B. She is sneaky, manipulative, intelligent an opportunist and at times even the voice of reason. I really like the way she runs her clan of hyenas and how she interacts with Kate. Aunt B is the alpha that you definitely do not want to get on the wrong side of. The deal she makes with Kate is one that benefits Kate but also helps her. I like how she is an example and a strong female character without being portrayed exclusively as a bitch.
The plot arc was one of the strongest of the series and delved into the magic of the world Kate lives in even more. This is probably the strongest book in the series to date.
Okay on to the fangirling of the romance aspect of this book. There may be a few minor spoilers don’t read on if you don’t want to know.
Cat courting practices are interesting to say the least and a little dangerous it seems to any that stand to close…ehmm Saiman cough cough. I was worried at the beginning of the story that the minor misunderstanding between Kate and Curran was going to derail them for an entire book (I’ve seen it done in other series and I’m not a fan) but no worries all is made well again before the end.
Kate miserable without Curran in her life decides to try to play by his rules and it is about time. I loved that she finally decided, this is what I want, and took charge. Even if later she doubts herself and her choices I admire the initial push in the right direction.
There are some very good steamy scenes and I love that everything isn’t roses for them right after. They have distinctly different personalities and wants. Curran is desperate to protect Kate and Kate is desperate to run into the face of danger and sacrifice herself if needed. But tenderness and vulnerability are definitely there at the blooming of their relationship.
“People think I built the Pack, because I'm the guy who has the welfare of all shapeshifters in mind. They're wrong. Everything I built, I did so that when I mate and have children, nobody can touch my family. (...) I built all this so I can protect you.”
Plus being Mated to the Beast Lord isn’t all glamorous. You live in a glass house always surrounded by people watching looking for an edge something to give them the upper hand looking for any weakness to exploit. I couldn’t believe how fast some of the pack turned after the main battle.
I’m ecstatic that Kate and Curran have finally made some progress on this front since the tension between them was killing me. Like the end of other books in this series it really just made me want more. I can’t wait to see what will happen to the main Alpha’s next.
January 17, 2022
Sixth re-read: 17.01.22
This one is a good addition to the series as well. I love Curran, Kate is great, Derek is awesome. I skimmed a lot as I remember it all. Enough said.
Fifth re-read: 17.07.19
Curran is one of my favorite male characters and Kate is one of my favorite female characters. Together, they are one of my favorite couples. They are strong, supportive, protective and loves each other very much. It's beautiful to see them become closer. After reading this book so many times, I remember pretty much everything, so I ended up skimming a lot (I've done this with all the re-reads of this series I've done these couple of days), but it's still damn enjoyable and I really love the main characters.
New Rating: 3.5 stars.
Fourth re-read: 27.04.17
This will be my last re-read for now. I won't go on with the series; I just wanted a bit of Curran. Sometimes I get that need. Luckily, it got fill after re-reading #1-4 :)
Third re-read: 18.09.16
One of the downsides with this book is how little Curran is in it. Other than that, it's pretty good, as always. There is no doubt that I'll be re-reading it yet again.
Second re-read: 07.08.15
Still awesome. And still wish for more Curran.
Re-read: 29.07.14
I love this series. So much that there was no surprise that I re-read it :P
First read review:
Ilona Andrews is becoming one of my favorite authors! :D I love her, and she's a fantastic writer! :) Magic Bleeds was as awesome as all the other books in the series. I love Kate & Curran, and I can't wait to continue reading their story! :D
This one is a good addition to the series as well. I love Curran, Kate is great, Derek is awesome. I skimmed a lot as I remember it all. Enough said.
Fifth re-read: 17.07.19
Curran is one of my favorite male characters and Kate is one of my favorite female characters. Together, they are one of my favorite couples. They are strong, supportive, protective and loves each other very much. It's beautiful to see them become closer. After reading this book so many times, I remember pretty much everything, so I ended up skimming a lot (I've done this with all the re-reads of this series I've done these couple of days), but it's still damn enjoyable and I really love the main characters.
New Rating: 3.5 stars.
Fourth re-read: 27.04.17
This will be my last re-read for now. I won't go on with the series; I just wanted a bit of Curran. Sometimes I get that need. Luckily, it got fill after re-reading #1-4 :)
Third re-read: 18.09.16
One of the downsides with this book is how little Curran is in it. Other than that, it's pretty good, as always. There is no doubt that I'll be re-reading it yet again.
Second re-read: 07.08.15
Still awesome. And still wish for more Curran.
Re-read: 29.07.14
I love this series. So much that there was no surprise that I re-read it :P
First read review:
Ilona Andrews is becoming one of my favorite authors! :D I love her, and she's a fantastic writer! :) Magic Bleeds was as awesome as all the other books in the series. I love Kate & Curran, and I can't wait to continue reading their story! :D
August 11, 2021
Reread August 2021 : 4 stars. I liked it better this time around, so I'm bumping up my rating. I understand why I stopped after this one a few years ago, though. It's such a good place to stop??? Anyway if it wasn't for allll the great reviews of the later books, I would pretend that everything's fine and stop here again but alas, I'm more invested this time so I'll read the rest. I HOPE I DON'T REGRET THIS 😤.
May 2, 2024
*** 5 ***
The Great Kate Daniels Buddy Read/Reread of 2017 with the gang at Ilona Andrews Addicts (IAA)!
"...“You slept with Curran and you didn’t tell me? I’m your best friend.”
“It didn’t come up.”
“How disappointing for you.”
Ha-ha. “That’s not what I meant.” ..."
Well, how can anyone give this emotional and action steamroller less than five stars??? If you are a fan of the series and give this book anything else, than you must be missing something vital... To the rest of us, this book is known as the one "they finally did it!". This is not a spoiler, just what all the IA readership has been waiting for now three books in a row... We all knew it was coming, we just didn't know when and how, and boy did we not get disappointed! It was one feral, raw, emotional and darn satisfying resolution of many tense moments and not very smart or mature hilarious mating dance... All of it happening while a very virulent forms of plagues bringing creature is unleashed on the city, together with something that scares the minds out of people and shifters alike, as well as weird undead attacking all the major clans, creeds and organizations, freaking the population as a whole out. And the culprit might be a close family member of Kate's. Ahhh, her family tree are such sweet people, all of them:)
"..."“You'll lose."
"What makes you so sure?"
"You have no discipline. All you do is tear down shit down. My father is a bastard, but at least he builds things. You turn cities into smoking ruins and blunder about like some hyper child, smashing anything you see. And then you sit here and wonder, 'Why did all of my children turn out to be violet idiots? It's a mystery of nature,'.” ..."
Kate and Curran, Andrea and Raphael, love seems to be in the air, but there are complications, as it is always the case with the Pack. There are so many politics and clan manipulations, your head would spin. I wanted to scream at some of the clan Alphas, since all of them are constantly in-fighting for power and position, making Kate's future as the Beast Lord's mate a position full of danger and some ass kissing too, which I am sure she feels much less comfortable with than the power challenges.
"..."“I surveyed the rest of the Council and looked directly at Mahon. “Some of you know me. Some of you have seen me fight and some of you are my friends. Have your vote. But know this: if you come to remove me, come in force, because if you try to separate me from him, I will kill every single one of you. My hand won't shake. My aim won't falter. My face will be the last thing you‟ll see before you die.”
I jammed the knife into the table and walked out.” ..."
We lost a very favorite animal, but we also gained a big protector for Kate - an attack poodle!!!! He is ferocious and scares.... well, mostly scares all who are danger to his girl, unless they have something to eat, of course...
"..."“I also stole a small yellow doughnut from the box of Duncan's doughnuts in the rec room and fed it to the attack poodle in my office. He made a great production of it. First, he growled at the doughnut, just to show it who was boss. Then he nudged it with his nose. Then he licked it, until finally he snagged it into his mouth and chomped it with great pleasure, dropping crumbs all over the carpet.” ..."
Overall, this installment of the series is the best so far and the IA team are getting better with every book! I wholeheartedly recommend this and any series written by the two of them when you feel like some action with a heart and no stinginess when it comes to battles and toughness, but also some romance sprinkled throughout. A modern classic of the Urban Fantasy Genre!!!!
Now I wish you all Happy Reading and many more wonderful books to come!!!
The Great Kate Daniels Buddy Read/Reread of 2017 with the gang at Ilona Andrews Addicts (IAA)!
"...“You slept with Curran and you didn’t tell me? I’m your best friend.”
“It didn’t come up.”
“How disappointing for you.”
Ha-ha. “That’s not what I meant.” ..."
Well, how can anyone give this emotional and action steamroller less than five stars??? If you are a fan of the series and give this book anything else, than you must be missing something vital... To the rest of us, this book is known as the one "they finally did it!". This is not a spoiler, just what all the IA readership has been waiting for now three books in a row... We all knew it was coming, we just didn't know when and how, and boy did we not get disappointed! It was one feral, raw, emotional and darn satisfying resolution of many tense moments and not very smart or mature hilarious mating dance... All of it happening while a very virulent forms of plagues bringing creature is unleashed on the city, together with something that scares the minds out of people and shifters alike, as well as weird undead attacking all the major clans, creeds and organizations, freaking the population as a whole out. And the culprit might be a close family member of Kate's. Ahhh, her family tree are such sweet people, all of them:)
"..."“You'll lose."
"What makes you so sure?"
"You have no discipline. All you do is tear down shit down. My father is a bastard, but at least he builds things. You turn cities into smoking ruins and blunder about like some hyper child, smashing anything you see. And then you sit here and wonder, 'Why did all of my children turn out to be violet idiots? It's a mystery of nature,'.” ..."
Kate and Curran, Andrea and Raphael, love seems to be in the air, but there are complications, as it is always the case with the Pack. There are so many politics and clan manipulations, your head would spin. I wanted to scream at some of the clan Alphas, since all of them are constantly in-fighting for power and position, making Kate's future as the Beast Lord's mate a position full of danger and some ass kissing too, which I am sure she feels much less comfortable with than the power challenges.
"..."“I surveyed the rest of the Council and looked directly at Mahon. “Some of you know me. Some of you have seen me fight and some of you are my friends. Have your vote. But know this: if you come to remove me, come in force, because if you try to separate me from him, I will kill every single one of you. My hand won't shake. My aim won't falter. My face will be the last thing you‟ll see before you die.”
I jammed the knife into the table and walked out.” ..."
We lost a very favorite animal, but we also gained a big protector for Kate - an attack poodle!!!! He is ferocious and scares.... well, mostly scares all who are danger to his girl, unless they have something to eat, of course...
"..."“I also stole a small yellow doughnut from the box of Duncan's doughnuts in the rec room and fed it to the attack poodle in my office. He made a great production of it. First, he growled at the doughnut, just to show it who was boss. Then he nudged it with his nose. Then he licked it, until finally he snagged it into his mouth and chomped it with great pleasure, dropping crumbs all over the carpet.” ..."
Overall, this installment of the series is the best so far and the IA team are getting better with every book! I wholeheartedly recommend this and any series written by the two of them when you feel like some action with a heart and no stinginess when it comes to battles and toughness, but also some romance sprinkled throughout. A modern classic of the Urban Fantasy Genre!!!!
Now I wish you all Happy Reading and many more wonderful books to come!!!
March 23, 2019
Allow me to tell you about Kate’s family:
HER FAMILY FROM THE PAST:
1. Her biological father, Roland. We finally learn the true story of Roland, the story of his first children and the first vampire he had created. Kate tells the story to a golem to emphasize the power of the blood that runs in her veins.
2. Her mother. We learn how she feels about her mother and her importance. Kate shows an old picture of her to Andrea. Unfortunately Kate has no memories and no recollection of her mother and her step father being together.
3. Her aunt and her seven undead servants. Kate and her bloodthirsty auntie have a “pleasant reunion”. They share memories and stories. They have a cup of tea. Her aunt talks about her old goldfishes, about the loved ones who come and go through the centuries. She talks about how badly she would like to destroy Atlanta and kill every available shapeshifter. They fight to death.
HER FAMILY FROM THE PRESENT:
1. Her best friend Andrea. The closet beastkin hyena is in trouble and Kate does not hesitate to offer a real valuable artifact to get her and her boyfriend, Raphael, off the hook. Kate will not hesitate to help Andrea at any cost and any time.
2. Her adopted niece, Julie. Kate agonizes for her safety. She is crazy of worry in case something happens to Julie. She is afraid that her psychopath aunt will try to hurt Julie in order to hurt Kate.
3. The Pack. They have become her closest friends. They run to her rescue, they patch her injuries, they make her feel safe. They are her true home. Kate will not let anyone think less of them and call them nonhuman.
4. The dog. Kate unexpectedly is the proud owner of a poodle who loves to vomit and bark to creatures that threaten Kate. Kate will have a hard time finding a name for him. Everything else will come easy.
5. Greg’s House. Maybe it is time for Kate to say her goodbyes and move on. The Keep is waiting for her.
HER FUTURE FAMILY:
Obviously.
Curran. Curran. Curran. Curran.
The disappointing dinner date will be a good start for Kate to acknowledge her feelings for Curran.
The silent treatment, after the disappointing dinner date, will be a good start for Curran to acknowledge the sacrifices he is willing to make for Kate.
The games they play and the hilarious pranks they pull on each other, after the explanations about the disappointing dinner date, will make the start of their mating easier.
The games and the pranks will be definitely a pure delight for readers as well.
Well this is one these books. These books you want to start reading again, the second you finish them.
The best book so far in the series. I absolutely loved it!
HER FAMILY FROM THE PAST:
1. Her biological father, Roland. We finally learn the true story of Roland, the story of his first children and the first vampire he had created. Kate tells the story to a golem to emphasize the power of the blood that runs in her veins.
2. Her mother. We learn how she feels about her mother and her importance. Kate shows an old picture of her to Andrea. Unfortunately Kate has no memories and no recollection of her mother and her step father being together.
3. Her aunt and her seven undead servants. Kate and her bloodthirsty auntie have a “pleasant reunion”. They share memories and stories. They have a cup of tea. Her aunt talks about her old goldfishes, about the loved ones who come and go through the centuries. She talks about how badly she would like to destroy Atlanta and kill every available shapeshifter. They fight to death.
HER FAMILY FROM THE PRESENT:
1. Her best friend Andrea. The closet beastkin hyena is in trouble and Kate does not hesitate to offer a real valuable artifact to get her and her boyfriend, Raphael, off the hook. Kate will not hesitate to help Andrea at any cost and any time.
2. Her adopted niece, Julie. Kate agonizes for her safety. She is crazy of worry in case something happens to Julie. She is afraid that her psychopath aunt will try to hurt Julie in order to hurt Kate.
3. The Pack. They have become her closest friends. They run to her rescue, they patch her injuries, they make her feel safe. They are her true home. Kate will not let anyone think less of them and call them nonhuman.
4. The dog. Kate unexpectedly is the proud owner of a poodle who loves to vomit and bark to creatures that threaten Kate. Kate will have a hard time finding a name for him. Everything else will come easy.
5. Greg’s House. Maybe it is time for Kate to say her goodbyes and move on. The Keep is waiting for her.
HER FUTURE FAMILY:
Obviously.
Curran. Curran. Curran. Curran.
The disappointing dinner date will be a good start for Kate to acknowledge her feelings for Curran.
The silent treatment, after the disappointing dinner date, will be a good start for Curran to acknowledge the sacrifices he is willing to make for Kate.
The games they play and the hilarious pranks they pull on each other, after the explanations about the disappointing dinner date, will make the start of their mating easier.
The games and the pranks will be definitely a pure delight for readers as well.
Well this is one these books. These books you want to start reading again, the second you finish them.
The best book so far in the series. I absolutely loved it!
August 30, 2018
First reread January 2015
Original rating: 5
New rating: 8
☆☆☆ Post-Shift Productions proudly present ☆☆☆
Yet Another Exciting Day in the Life of Kate Daniels
►8.00 a.m.: investigate the death of a human barnacle. Realize it's a case of magically delicious syphilis. It's going to be a long day. Again.
► 8.30 a.m.: think about His Furiness. Feel like punching His Furiness in the face. Where did that thought come from?
► 9.00 a.m.: fight a demonic, spawn-of-hellish beast. Good doggy.
► 9.30 a.m.: listen to your voice mail at work. "I curse your arms so they will wither and die and fall off your body. I curse your eyeballs to explode. I curse your feet to swell until blue. I curse you. I curse you. I curse you." Okay then.
► 10.00 a.m.: still investigating. A guy in a cloak did it. Good to know. Consider praying to Miss Marple.
► 10.30 a.m.: find yourself doodling a horned lion with a pie on his pitchfork. Now who could that be?
► 11.00 a.m.: trade your teenage werewolf sidekick for a deadly, mutant attack poodle.
► 11.30 a.m.: bubonic plague. Dysentery. Influenza. Cholera on magic steroids. What did you ever do to anybody?
► 12.00 a.m.: wish that the furry bastard would stop intruding on your thoughts for five seconds. Consider dancing a jig in celebration the minute it happens.
► 12.30 a.m.: discuss vamp storage cavities with Ghastek. Find out he prefers throats to anuses. Thank the gods for small favors.
► 1.00 p.m.: friendly visit to the Mercenary Guild. Find a guy pinned to the elevator shaft by a spear through his throat. Nifty.
► 1.30 p.m.: Oh look, the Beast Lord. Stay cool. Zen. No punching in the face. Punching would not be Zen.
► 2.00 p.m.: be awed by His Fussiness' ability to use big words. Afriendly conversation ensues. Consider throwing in some whistling. And rolling thumbleweed. You're all set.
► 2.30 p.m.: time for a well-deserved break. Go home, resurrect a head in the kitchen. Your deadly attack poodle barfs a little.
► 3.00 p.m.: have His Furry Majesty throw you around a little. Things are looking up.
► 3.30 p.m.: get Raphael & Andrea out of jail. Hot tub. SIG-Sauer P-226. Diving for clams. That's boudas for you.
► 4.00 p.m.: sneak into the Keep. Weld the bimbo room shut. Decorate with catnip. Fun times.
► 4.30 p.m.: go back to the office. Have a short phone conversation with His Furiness. Realize your butt is glued to your chair.
► 5.00 p.m.: surprise visit from Auntie Erra. She came all the way from Babylon too. Coolest aunt ever. This is one happy little squirrel.
► 5.30 p.m.: Saiman suicidal. Curran homicidal. Oh. My. God. The Universe just exploded. BIG TIME.
► 5.45 p.m.: relax in a hot tub. Lose all sense. It's not the bathtub, baby. Oh boy.
► 6.00 p.m.: decide to give your judgemental crocodile bodyguard a room at the Keep. Think it might give Jim an aneurysm.
► 6.30 p.m.: meet Auntie Erra again. Realize she recently developed a fetish for spandex. Why you?
► 7.00 p.m.: bloodward. No problem. Meow.
► 7.30 p.m.: pinned to the ground? No biggie. Got a toothpick.
► 8.00 p.m.: relax after a long day's work. Read The Princess Bride to a big sleeping cat.
► 8.30 p.m.: attend a lovely family reunion at the Keep. Feel very welcome. Challenge a few shapeshifters just for kicks.
► 9.00 p.m.: read The Princess Bride to a big sleeping cat. Again. Will this day never end?
► 9.30 p.m.: meet a gay mongoose with an ambitious name. Try to keep the creepy down a notch. Fail miserably.
► 10.00 p.m.: feline wake-up time. Attend yet another family reunion. This is one pissed off little kitty. RAWR. Oh boy.
**********
Original review (June 2014):
This series is killing me! How much sleep do I have to lose over it?? Magic Bleeds is such an amazing read that by the time I finished the book I wasn’t sure whether I wanted to read it again or jump right to the next one…
• Book 1: Magic Bites ★★★★★
• Book 2: Magic Burns ★★★★★
• Book 3: Magic Strikes ★★★★★
• Book 5: Magic Slays ★★★★★
• Book 6: Magic Rises ★★★★★
• Book 7: Magic Breaks ★★★★★
• Book 8: Magic Shifts ★★★★★
• Book 9: Magic Binds ★★★★★
• Book 10: Magic Triumphs ★★★★
Original rating: 5
New rating: 8
☆☆☆ Post-Shift Productions proudly present ☆☆☆
Yet Another Exciting Day in the Life of Kate Daniels
►8.00 a.m.: investigate the death of a human barnacle. Realize it's a case of magically delicious syphilis. It's going to be a long day. Again.
► 8.30 a.m.: think about His Furiness. Feel like punching His Furiness in the face. Where did that thought come from?
► 9.00 a.m.: fight a demonic, spawn-of-hellish beast. Good doggy.
► 9.30 a.m.: listen to your voice mail at work. "I curse your arms so they will wither and die and fall off your body. I curse your eyeballs to explode. I curse your feet to swell until blue. I curse you. I curse you. I curse you." Okay then.
► 10.00 a.m.: still investigating. A guy in a cloak did it. Good to know. Consider praying to Miss Marple.
► 10.30 a.m.: find yourself doodling a horned lion with a pie on his pitchfork. Now who could that be?
► 11.00 a.m.: trade your teenage werewolf sidekick for a deadly, mutant attack poodle.
► 11.30 a.m.: bubonic plague. Dysentery. Influenza. Cholera on magic steroids. What did you ever do to anybody?
► 12.00 a.m.: wish that the furry bastard would stop intruding on your thoughts for five seconds. Consider dancing a jig in celebration the minute it happens.
► 12.30 a.m.: discuss vamp storage cavities with Ghastek. Find out he prefers throats to anuses. Thank the gods for small favors.
► 1.00 p.m.: friendly visit to the Mercenary Guild. Find a guy pinned to the elevator shaft by a spear through his throat. Nifty.
► 1.30 p.m.: Oh look, the Beast Lord. Stay cool. Zen. No punching in the face. Punching would not be Zen.
► 2.00 p.m.: be awed by His Fussiness' ability to use big words. A
► 2.30 p.m.: time for a well-deserved break. Go home, resurrect a head in the kitchen. Your deadly attack poodle barfs a little.
► 3.00 p.m.: have His Furry Majesty throw you around a little. Things are looking up.
► 3.30 p.m.: get Raphael & Andrea out of jail. Hot tub. SIG-Sauer P-226. Diving for clams. That's boudas for you.
► 4.00 p.m.: sneak into the Keep. Weld the bimbo room shut. Decorate with catnip. Fun times.
► 4.30 p.m.: go back to the office. Have a short phone conversation with His Furiness. Realize your butt is glued to your chair.
► 5.00 p.m.: surprise visit from Auntie Erra. She came all the way from Babylon too. Coolest aunt ever. This is one happy little squirrel.
► 5.30 p.m.: Saiman suicidal. Curran homicidal. Oh. My. God. The Universe just exploded. BIG TIME.
► 5.45 p.m.: relax in a hot tub. Lose all sense. It's not the bathtub, baby. Oh boy.
► 6.00 p.m.: decide to give your judgemental crocodile bodyguard a room at the Keep. Think it might give Jim an aneurysm.
► 6.30 p.m.: meet Auntie Erra again. Realize she recently developed a fetish for spandex. Why you?
► 7.00 p.m.: bloodward. No problem. Meow.
► 7.30 p.m.: pinned to the ground? No biggie. Got a toothpick.
► 8.00 p.m.: relax after a long day's work. Read The Princess Bride to a big sleeping cat.
► 8.30 p.m.: attend a lovely family reunion at the Keep. Feel very welcome. Challenge a few shapeshifters just for kicks.
► 9.00 p.m.: read The Princess Bride to a big sleeping cat. Again. Will this day never end?
► 9.30 p.m.: meet a gay mongoose with an ambitious name. Try to keep the creepy down a notch. Fail miserably.
► 10.00 p.m.: feline wake-up time. Attend yet another family reunion. This is one pissed off little kitty. RAWR. Oh boy.
**********
Original review (June 2014):
This series is killing me! How much sleep do I have to lose over it?? Magic Bleeds is such an amazing read that by the time I finished the book I wasn’t sure whether I wanted to read it again or jump right to the next one…
I could do this. I just had to stay cool. Zen. No punching in the face. Punching would not be Zen.Well, to be honest, the first part of the book wasn’t that fantastic but the second half simply blew me away. Why? Action, mystery, the usual Kate badassery, lots of emotion, some downright heart-breaking moments and humour, lots of it.
A lion roar burst through the phone. I held it away from my ear until he was done. “Very scary. I feel it’s my duty to remind you that threatening a member of law enforcement is punishable by law. If you would like to file a petition regarding your break-in, the Order will gladly look into the matter for you.” The phone fell silent. Oh God, I gave him an aneurysm.In this instalment we get more details about Kate’s blood and lineage (lovely family!) and learn about the Pack rules & regulations in detail (such complexity, I love that!). Kate becoming Curran’s mate is wreaking havoc in the Pack politics, with most of its members suffering from a collective panic attack. This new situation is unsettling for most of the weres and gives a new edge to the series, with some unexpected twists & developments.
Kate Daniels, deadly swordmaster. Fear my twitching pinkie.Kate. Do I really have to go into this? Okay. Hall Hail the Queen of Snarky Badasses. I rest my case.
The rabbis paled. I’d managed to terrify holy men. Maybe I could beat up a nun for an encore.The Kate/Curran love story does take precedence over the action in this instalment, which apparently disappointed some readers. I actually liked that the romance part of the series was only a subplot until now and was afraid this would turn into some boring paranormal romance thing. Well, fear not for Ilona Andrews handles things very well. I was annoyed at first because Kate & Curran were both acting stubborn and very childish but it didn’t last long. Besides, things never get corny-mushy between them. With these two? Oh no. They’d rather rip each other apart first! This is no bunnies & rainbows romance. We get some very serious conversations between Kate & His Fuzziness but mostly we get hilarious scenes. The mating game is just hilarious. It doesn’t get much better than that!
“What’s this?”Yes. I'm in love with this series. Yes. I want to be Kate Daniels when I grow up. Yes I need to get my hands on the next instalment NOW.
“A needle.”
“What should I do with it?” He’d walked right into it. Too easy.
“Please use it to pop your head. It’s obscuring my view of the room.”
• Book 1: Magic Bites ★★★★★
• Book 2: Magic Burns ★★★★★
• Book 3: Magic Strikes ★★★★★
• Book 5: Magic Slays ★★★★★
• Book 6: Magic Rises ★★★★★
• Book 7: Magic Breaks ★★★★★
• Book 8: Magic Shifts ★★★★★
• Book 9: Magic Binds ★★★★★
• Book 10: Magic Triumphs ★★★★
August 11, 2010
"You know you've read a good book when you turn the last page and feel a little as if you have lost a friend."
— Paul Sweeney
Now I have no idea who Paul Sweeney is. I could hazard a guess that his occupation is a barber and he swings toward the demonic side of life, but I have a feeling that this would be inaccurate. Please forgive me. I'm an illiterate, poorly educated plebeian - I admit it.
I also ask the many Kate Daniels fans on my friends list to forgive me. I made you think, in my first review, that I wasn't really digging this series.
I was wrong. So very, very wrong.
I loved this series. I loved it so much. I know there's more to go but I wish it were out already. I can't wait to read more and when it finally does end for good, I will be devestated.
Everybody was right, Curran mellowed a little bit but he never changed. I suppose, over time I just grew to accept him. He'll never top the list as my absolute favourite literary boy toy. I think Clayton may just always sit there with Barrons and a few others scattered around him, semi-naked and cooling their hot bodies on the beach sands as I walk among them...
OKAY! Back on track! But I have a total girlcrush on Kate. I love and adore her! I love this world that Andrews has created and the writing with which she has crafted it.
-Signed,
The New Kate Daniels Fan Girl
— Paul Sweeney
Now I have no idea who Paul Sweeney is. I could hazard a guess that his occupation is a barber and he swings toward the demonic side of life, but I have a feeling that this would be inaccurate. Please forgive me. I'm an illiterate, poorly educated plebeian - I admit it.
I also ask the many Kate Daniels fans on my friends list to forgive me. I made you think, in my first review, that I wasn't really digging this series.
I was wrong. So very, very wrong.
I loved this series. I loved it so much. I know there's more to go but I wish it were out already. I can't wait to read more and when it finally does end for good, I will be devestated.
Everybody was right, Curran mellowed a little bit but he never changed. I suppose, over time I just grew to accept him. He'll never top the list as my absolute favourite literary boy toy. I think Clayton may just always sit there with Barrons and a few others scattered around him, semi-naked and cooling their hot bodies on the beach sands as I walk among them...
OKAY! Back on track! But I have a total girlcrush on Kate. I love and adore her! I love this world that Andrews has created and the writing with which she has crafted it.
-Signed,
The New Kate Daniels Fan Girl
June 21, 2016
Currently rereading this with the fun chicks over at the Ilona Andrews Addicts group.
Rereading such epicness was a blast. I think this was the book that finally got me to fall for Curran. He was too much of an alpha-asshole for me until now. But, the way he turns it around and finally shows some respect for Kate made me love him at last. Good kitty.
Original review from Feb, 2015:
Crazy Aunts - we've all got one. My crazy aunt took me to a gay bar when I was 16 years old (I didn't realize that some of those women weren't men...). Hey, I was just happy to be in a bar at 16, I had no idea...
But, Kate's aunt is literally a psychopath:
"You're a psychopath."
"What does that mean?"
I got up and brought her a dictionary. She read the definition. "That sums it up well, yes...."
Not exactly Auntie Em.
But, one of the best parts of this book, to me, was the addition of Kate's new dog - the attack poodle. I am a dog person. I have three dogs, two of them are very large labs, and the things Kate says about her attack poodle cracked me up so much because I could, unfortunately, relate.
Apparently "stay" in faithful canine companion language meant "follow with enthusiastic glee."
...I opened the door and saw a huge slimy pile of dog puke cooling in the middle of my hallway carpet. The attack poodle sat nearby, an expression of perfect innocence on his narrow mug. I pointed at the puke. "That was a dick move." The attack poodle wagged his tail.
...
The attack poodle trotted around me and proceeded to vomit an inch from my left boot.
"Delightful," Saiman reflected as the dog, having puked his guts out, urinated on the nearest wall.
"He's a dog of simple pleasures," I told him.
Okay, this ^ stuff really got me laughing out loud, in the middle of the night, while all of my family was trying to sleep. If I'm not careful, they will be calling me a psychopath pretty soon!
Rereading such epicness was a blast. I think this was the book that finally got me to fall for Curran. He was too much of an alpha-asshole for me until now. But, the way he turns it around and finally shows some respect for Kate made me love him at last. Good kitty.
Original review from Feb, 2015:
Crazy Aunts - we've all got one. My crazy aunt took me to a gay bar when I was 16 years old (I didn't realize that some of those women weren't men...). Hey, I was just happy to be in a bar at 16, I had no idea...
But, Kate's aunt is literally a psychopath:
"You're a psychopath."
"What does that mean?"
I got up and brought her a dictionary. She read the definition. "That sums it up well, yes...."
Not exactly Auntie Em.
But, one of the best parts of this book, to me, was the addition of Kate's new dog - the attack poodle. I am a dog person. I have three dogs, two of them are very large labs, and the things Kate says about her attack poodle cracked me up so much because I could, unfortunately, relate.
Apparently "stay" in faithful canine companion language meant "follow with enthusiastic glee."
...I opened the door and saw a huge slimy pile of dog puke cooling in the middle of my hallway carpet. The attack poodle sat nearby, an expression of perfect innocence on his narrow mug. I pointed at the puke. "That was a dick move." The attack poodle wagged his tail.
...
The attack poodle trotted around me and proceeded to vomit an inch from my left boot.
"Delightful," Saiman reflected as the dog, having puked his guts out, urinated on the nearest wall.
"He's a dog of simple pleasures," I told him.
Okay, this ^ stuff really got me laughing out loud, in the middle of the night, while all of my family was trying to sleep. If I'm not careful, they will be calling me a psychopath pretty soon!
April 27, 2017
I ran the gamut of emotions while reading this book; first I was annoyed, then bored, sad, excited, and finally happy. What's interesting, now that I think about it, is that my emotions ran parallel to what Kate was feeling at the time, which I have to say is a pretty outstanding feat for an author.
I spent the better part of the novel pissed off alongside Kate. The opening scene shows Kate waiting in her kitchen with the dinner she made cooling and her temper heating up. She thinks Curran stood her up and when she calls the Keep looking for him she's told that he's busy and not to bother him. She's understandably pissed off. Her first thought is to drive out their and chew his head off, but then she decides that's what the old Kate would do and she's trying to be more responsible. So instead of fighting him, she decides to give him the silent treatment. Of course, Curran has a reason for not showing up for dinner, but there isn't a way for him to explain because she won't talk to him. He's pissed at her, she's pissed at him, and it's all based on a giant misunderstanding caused by someone else. I really wanted them to just sit down and talk, but with their volatile personalities it was believable that they wouldn't be able to just calmly talk things out without destroying something first.
The main villain of this installment was brilliant. She's strong, evil, and a threat to everything Kate holds dear. I honestly think there is only one other villain that will hold a candle to her, and he has yet to even grace the pages, except in name and backstory. The villain's henchmen though, were kind of weak. For some reason they didn't have the same creepiness as the vampires and without any sort of separate intelligence they were little more than puppets. Venom was disgusting though.
Kate of course, was fantastic. She really is my favorite heroine and probably the one out of all the series I read that I can relate to the most.
A few more things I loved that I won't go too far into for fear of spoiling:
Catnip/Weight Bench/Glue
Grendel: I love that Kate got a furry companion; even if his special power is throwing up on the floor.
I was especially glad with the choice she made in regards to the Order.
I hope she's finally done dealing with Saiman now, he sure is slimy
Naeemah, what she is and who she works for - duh, duh, DUH!
The council meeting - I actually said, "Fuck yeah, Kate!" out loud.
The end/epilogue
A few things that made me cry:
Kate finally coming clean with Curran and his reaction
Marigold : (
The attack on the wolves
The final fight
I could nitpick and point out the things that bothered me, but there really wasn't all that much. Andrea kind of disappointed me. Some parts of the book were slow and at other times I was worried about where things were going to go so I'd set it aside for a few hours. And like I said, I was pissed off (mostly at Curran) because I agreed with Kate, but the end really fixed everything.
Also, it's plain to see that the authors are really setting up things for the long haul and that's not something I'm disappointed by. I just hope they don't drag out this thing with Roland indefinitely and drive the series into the ground, but I always look forward to whatever they write.
Check out my reviews of books two and three in this series: Magic Burns and Magic Strikes.
I spent the better part of the novel pissed off alongside Kate. The opening scene shows Kate waiting in her kitchen with the dinner she made cooling and her temper heating up. She thinks Curran stood her up and when she calls the Keep looking for him she's told that he's busy and not to bother him. She's understandably pissed off. Her first thought is to drive out their and chew his head off, but then she decides that's what the old Kate would do and she's trying to be more responsible. So instead of fighting him, she decides to give him the silent treatment. Of course, Curran has a reason for not showing up for dinner, but there isn't a way for him to explain because she won't talk to him. He's pissed at her, she's pissed at him, and it's all based on a giant misunderstanding caused by someone else. I really wanted them to just sit down and talk, but with their volatile personalities it was believable that they wouldn't be able to just calmly talk things out without destroying something first.
The main villain of this installment was brilliant. She's strong, evil, and a threat to everything Kate holds dear. I honestly think there is only one other villain that will hold a candle to her, and he has yet to even grace the pages, except in name and backstory. The villain's henchmen though, were kind of weak. For some reason they didn't have the same creepiness as the vampires and without any sort of separate intelligence they were little more than puppets. Venom was disgusting though.
Kate of course, was fantastic. She really is my favorite heroine and probably the one out of all the series I read that I can relate to the most.
A few more things I loved that I won't go too far into for fear of spoiling:
Catnip/Weight Bench/Glue
Grendel: I love that Kate got a furry companion; even if his special power is throwing up on the floor.
I was especially glad with the choice she made in regards to the Order.
I hope she's finally done dealing with Saiman now, he sure is slimy
Naeemah, what she is and who she works for - duh, duh, DUH!
The council meeting - I actually said, "Fuck yeah, Kate!" out loud.
The end/epilogue
A few things that made me cry:
Kate finally coming clean with Curran and his reaction
Marigold : (
The attack on the wolves
The final fight
I could nitpick and point out the things that bothered me, but there really wasn't all that much. Andrea kind of disappointed me. Some parts of the book were slow and at other times I was worried about where things were going to go so I'd set it aside for a few hours. And like I said, I was pissed off (mostly at Curran) because I agreed with Kate, but the end really fixed everything.
Also, it's plain to see that the authors are really setting up things for the long haul and that's not something I'm disappointed by. I just hope they don't drag out this thing with Roland indefinitely and drive the series into the ground, but I always look forward to whatever they write.
Check out my reviews of books two and three in this series: Magic Burns and Magic Strikes.
January 29, 2020
4.5 stars rounded up to 5 stars!
I stayed up way too late finishing this book. I’m going to suffer at work tomorrow! 🥴🤣
This is always the sign of a good book when you can’t put it down and finish it in days.
Magic Bleeds did this to me. This is the 4th book in the Kate Daniels series and I knew that I would enjoy it. I’ve enjoyed all the books in the series so far!
What I did not realize was how much I missed this series and characters. Ilona Andrews has created a kick ass heroine that most everyone can cheer for. She’s tough, competent, loyal and snarky. In my opinion, the best kind!
Magic Bleeds starts off with Kate investigating a fight and murder that happens at a neutral spot between the shapeshifters and necromancers.
A shapeshifter was killed in a gruesome way and ends up involving the Biohazard unit with the Order of the Knights.
Why was this shapeshifter killed and does it involve Kate’s father or are the necromancers doing this?
Magic Bleeds continues with the hidden history of Kate Daniels and her heritage. I’m really enjoying where the series is going on this plot. We not only get more information about Roland, but we get to see where Kate and Curran’s relationship is taken.
Yeah, that was entertaining and steamy!
The only gripe that I had with Magic Bleeds was the lack of communication that happened with Kate and Curran in the beginning.
Ugh…must there always be drama with not talking to someone?!
Another great subplot in the book was reading and experiencing all the shapeshifter politics with the alphas and different beast clans.
It gives the series and shapeshifter community more interest and plots for further books!
One last thing that's great in Magic Bleeds, there’s an attack poodle in it!
If you are looking for a great urban fantasy series to read, check out Kate Daniels. You won’t regret it!
I stayed up way too late finishing this book. I’m going to suffer at work tomorrow! 🥴🤣
This is always the sign of a good book when you can’t put it down and finish it in days.
Magic Bleeds did this to me. This is the 4th book in the Kate Daniels series and I knew that I would enjoy it. I’ve enjoyed all the books in the series so far!
What I did not realize was how much I missed this series and characters. Ilona Andrews has created a kick ass heroine that most everyone can cheer for. She’s tough, competent, loyal and snarky. In my opinion, the best kind!
Magic Bleeds starts off with Kate investigating a fight and murder that happens at a neutral spot between the shapeshifters and necromancers.
A shapeshifter was killed in a gruesome way and ends up involving the Biohazard unit with the Order of the Knights.
Why was this shapeshifter killed and does it involve Kate’s father or are the necromancers doing this?
Magic Bleeds continues with the hidden history of Kate Daniels and her heritage. I’m really enjoying where the series is going on this plot. We not only get more information about Roland, but we get to see where Kate and Curran’s relationship is taken.
Yeah, that was entertaining and steamy!
The only gripe that I had with Magic Bleeds was the lack of communication that happened with Kate and Curran in the beginning.
Ugh…must there always be drama with not talking to someone?!
Another great subplot in the book was reading and experiencing all the shapeshifter politics with the alphas and different beast clans.
It gives the series and shapeshifter community more interest and plots for further books!
One last thing that's great in Magic Bleeds, there’s an attack poodle in it!
If you are looking for a great urban fantasy series to read, check out Kate Daniels. You won’t regret it!
April 12, 2020
This review can now be found on Rosaline's Rolls & Scrolls.
Actual rating: 4.5 Stars
Amount of enjoyment:
Okay, okay, okay! So much to cover! Brace yourselves for extreme amount of happiness and cheer!
I loved so much stuff in this book I don't know where to begin. I have been praising Kate Daniels so much I sound like a broken record. So I'm gonna stop, and just show you.
First of all, we have Curren prowling around and flexing his gracious ass for everyone and being all
Who then tries to keep his majestic alphaness around Kate, but instead going
Here, kitty kitty kitty!
Then there's my bae Kate going all badass on damn knights, clan alphas, and very very dangerous Certain People. And of course, His Royal Meow!
Then arrives a very dangerous Certain People whom I will not elaborate on cause you just gotta read the book!
We have lots of nice fighting,
Glued asses,
Scaring off of half-gods by means of growling and being unreasonable,
And of course, some Beastelicious times!
(I just realized how wrong this sounded! Nope, nope, nope, nope, nope....)
Honestly, it was about time, Kate! We were all dying over here from you two's constant sizzling!
Anyways, I have nothing more to say! Time is precious and I gotta go read the fifth book book!
One more thing, this entire time I was imagining Kate in her own room and now I find out she's been sleeping in the living room all these books? Now my whole mental image is destroyed! Why me?
BLOG | GOODREADS | INSTAGRAM| TWITTER
Actual rating: 4.5 Stars
Amount of enjoyment:
Okay, okay, okay! So much to cover! Brace yourselves for extreme amount of happiness and cheer!
I loved so much stuff in this book I don't know where to begin. I have been praising Kate Daniels so much I sound like a broken record. So I'm gonna stop, and just show you.
First of all, we have Curren prowling around and flexing his gracious ass for everyone and being all
Who then tries to keep his majestic alphaness around Kate, but instead going
Here, kitty kitty kitty!
Then there's my bae Kate going all badass on damn knights, clan alphas, and very very dangerous Certain People. And of course, His Royal Meow!
Then arrives a very dangerous Certain People whom I will not elaborate on cause you just gotta read the book!
We have lots of nice fighting,
Glued asses,
Scaring off of half-gods by means of growling and being unreasonable,
And of course, some Beastelicious times!
(I just realized how wrong this sounded! Nope, nope, nope, nope, nope....)
Honestly, it was about time, Kate! We were all dying over here from you two's constant sizzling!
Anyways, I have nothing more to say! Time is precious and I gotta go read the fifth book book!
One more thing, this entire time I was imagining Kate in her own room and now I find out she's been sleeping in the living room all these books? Now my whole mental image is destroyed! Why me?
BLOG | GOODREADS | INSTAGRAM| TWITTER
![Profile Image for Anna [Bran. San. Stan].](https://cdn.statically.io/img/i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/users/1593184464i/98245866._UX200_CR0,0,200,200_.jpg)
November 18, 2023
Re-read via Graphic Audio: I'm upping this to five stars. I had such great time; the dinner date misunderstanding didn't bother me all that much this time around since I knew how much Curran and Kate's relationship would have progressed by the end of the book. It also didn't hurt that Curran's voice is 🔥.
_____________
2022: Curran and Kate were too fatheaded for my liking in the first half or so. I was so looking forward to the naked dinner date! I still don’t get how that misunderstanding could arise. Thankfully they figure it out and then it‘s all I wished for. Oh, and the plot was pretty good too; more of Kate‘s family comes to light. All in all, I loved the second half, the first half rather annoyed me as far as Kate and Curran were concerned.
_____________
2022: Curran and Kate were too fatheaded for my liking in the first half or so. I was so looking forward to the naked dinner date! I still don’t get how that misunderstanding could arise. Thankfully they figure it out and then it‘s all I wished for. Oh, and the plot was pretty good too; more of Kate‘s family comes to light. All in all, I loved the second half, the first half rather annoyed me as far as Kate and Curran were concerned.
May 11, 2020
Can't...review. Must...read...next...book...
August 14, 2023
Wow, another amazing Kate Daniels series book by the fabulous Ilona Andrews. As with book three, this one continued the trend of being even better than the books that have come before. Kate and the gang have to solve the case of a plague that seems to be attacking Atlanta and the various complications that go from there. But what I really enjoyed about this one was the exploration of various relationships, both romantically and in the family sense. We got a lot of backstory on various characters and that made the narrative that much more interesting. A super installment! 5/5 stars.
May 20, 2011
Let's take a moment to review the things I love in this life.
*My husband and kids
*Diet Coke
*French Fries
*And an awesome little book, called Magic Bleeds.
I really didn't think the Kate Daniels series could actually get any better after Magic Strikes. But as good as that one was, this one was better.
As the book begins, Kate is preparing for that naked dinner she promised Curran. But he doesn't show. She calls The Keep and gets the brush off. And hours later, she decides she's been played for a fool. A few weeks later, she is back at work and determined to forget her feelings for the Beast Lord. She gets pulled into a case, where a mysterious being is bringing a plague to Atlanta. Throughout the course of the investigation, Kate has to use her contacts with the mercenary guild, Saiman, and even the shapeshifters. Which throws her plan to avoid Curran out of the window.
It's clear these two are crazy about each other, but there's a lot working against them... The worst offenders are their responsibilities and stubbornness. But it is so gratifying to watch them work it out. Their relationship is so great, because they can retain their individual strengths, while allowing the other in. During their courtship, we learn a lot about Curran's background and pack politics. Not only that, we see what it will mean if Kate needs to carve herself a place in his life.
While Kate's personal life heats up, her investigation into the Plaguemaker takes a more personal turn. As so many things in her life do, it ends up with a major connection to Roland. And it forces her to share some of her most closely kept secrets.
AND THERE IS FINALLY SOME SEX.
I can't say enough about how good this book was. Not only does it put most other series to shame... It puts the first two books in this series to shame as well. All hail Kate Daniels. 5 stars.
*My husband and kids
*Diet Coke
*French Fries
*And an awesome little book, called Magic Bleeds.
I really didn't think the Kate Daniels series could actually get any better after Magic Strikes. But as good as that one was, this one was better.
As the book begins, Kate is preparing for that naked dinner she promised Curran. But he doesn't show. She calls The Keep and gets the brush off. And hours later, she decides she's been played for a fool. A few weeks later, she is back at work and determined to forget her feelings for the Beast Lord. She gets pulled into a case, where a mysterious being is bringing a plague to Atlanta. Throughout the course of the investigation, Kate has to use her contacts with the mercenary guild, Saiman, and even the shapeshifters. Which throws her plan to avoid Curran out of the window.
It's clear these two are crazy about each other, but there's a lot working against them... The worst offenders are their responsibilities and stubbornness. But it is so gratifying to watch them work it out. Their relationship is so great, because they can retain their individual strengths, while allowing the other in. During their courtship, we learn a lot about Curran's background and pack politics. Not only that, we see what it will mean if Kate needs to carve herself a place in his life.
While Kate's personal life heats up, her investigation into the Plaguemaker takes a more personal turn. As so many things in her life do, it ends up with a major connection to Roland. And it forces her to share some of her most closely kept secrets.
AND THERE IS FINALLY SOME SEX.
I can't say enough about how good this book was. Not only does it put most other series to shame... It puts the first two books in this series to shame as well. All hail Kate Daniels. 5 stars.
May 8, 2016
First read July 2014
Second read May 2016
Rating: Same. (I'll explain)
This book is called Magic Bleeds. Just like my heart bled for Kate in the first chapters.
For years, first my father and then my guardian, Greg, had warned me to stay away from human relationships. Friends and lovers only brought you trouble.
...................................................................
One day I’d find someone to lean on as well. It just wouldn’t be Curran. And I really had to stop thinking about him, because it hurt.
When you don't know what's really happening, don't you just want to kill Curran?? How could he do that to poor Kate??
Curran likes to play. He's a cat after all. a big one, but still a cat. He is attracted to power, which Kate has in large quantities. I think he was cynical in this book. Even his thoughts were cynical (Curran POV Collection). He wants Kate, but he's not eager to sacrifice anything. He demands things from Kate and gives nothing in return, because he's the Beast Lord.
One of the best parts of the book was the Conclave scene. Oh, how I loved Saiman there. I was enjoying so much that Curran was suffering.
“There is only one difference between us. The Beast Lord will lie to you. He’ll tell you he loves you, that you’ll always be the only one, that he’ll sacrifice everything to be with you and keep you safe. I won’t lie to you. I won’t make promises I can’t keep. Honesty, Kate. I offer honesty.”
I couldn't agree more. This. THIS is the reason for my disbelief towards Curran. Take it, you jerk!
And the other best part was when Kate massacred all her challengers. She is a total kickass/badass.
Of course there were some steeamyyy scenes, that uhhh...
And the humor is never absent:
“While you’re with me, I’m the only one. Anybody else touches you and I’ll kill them.”
“What if I accidentally bump into someone?”
Gold flashed in his eyes. “Don’t.”
4 **** stars, because:
"Besides, if Curran didn't think you're fit, he wouldn't have made the offer. Yes, he's obsessed with you, but he's shrewd enough to take your ability into consideration. Alphas are typically attracted to other alphas. I wouldn't mate with a weakling, and neither would he.
This part, and oh so many others, make me think that the only reason Curran wants Kate is so she can help him protect his damn Pack. So you can understand now why I started liking him only at the end of book #7 and in book #8.
Nevertheless, the book was full of good action. Secondary characters make this book awesome. Dr Doolittle is so funny. Have you guys noticed the age difference between Julie and Derek is 6 years, same as in Kate/Curran? I should have noticed these hints!
Second read May 2016
Rating: Same. (I'll explain)
This book is called Magic Bleeds. Just like my heart bled for Kate in the first chapters.
For years, first my father and then my guardian, Greg, had warned me to stay away from human relationships. Friends and lovers only brought you trouble.
...................................................................
One day I’d find someone to lean on as well. It just wouldn’t be Curran. And I really had to stop thinking about him, because it hurt.
When you don't know what's really happening, don't you just want to kill Curran?? How could he do that to poor Kate??
Curran likes to play. He's a cat after all. a big one, but still a cat. He is attracted to power, which Kate has in large quantities. I think he was cynical in this book. Even his thoughts were cynical (Curran POV Collection). He wants Kate, but he's not eager to sacrifice anything. He demands things from Kate and gives nothing in return, because he's the Beast Lord.
One of the best parts of the book was the Conclave scene. Oh, how I loved Saiman there. I was enjoying so much that Curran was suffering.
“There is only one difference between us. The Beast Lord will lie to you. He’ll tell you he loves you, that you’ll always be the only one, that he’ll sacrifice everything to be with you and keep you safe. I won’t lie to you. I won’t make promises I can’t keep. Honesty, Kate. I offer honesty.”
I couldn't agree more. This. THIS is the reason for my disbelief towards Curran. Take it, you jerk!
And the other best part was when Kate massacred all her challengers. She is a total kickass/badass.
Of course there were some steeamyyy scenes, that uhhh...
And the humor is never absent:
“While you’re with me, I’m the only one. Anybody else touches you and I’ll kill them.”
“What if I accidentally bump into someone?”
Gold flashed in his eyes. “Don’t.”
4 **** stars, because:
"Besides, if Curran didn't think you're fit, he wouldn't have made the offer. Yes, he's obsessed with you, but he's shrewd enough to take your ability into consideration. Alphas are typically attracted to other alphas. I wouldn't mate with a weakling, and neither would he.
This part, and oh so many others, make me think that the only reason Curran wants Kate is so she can help him protect his damn Pack. So you can understand now why I started liking him only at the end of book #7 and in book #8.
Nevertheless, the book was full of good action. Secondary characters make this book awesome. Dr Doolittle is so funny. Have you guys noticed the age difference between Julie and Derek is 6 years, same as in Kate/Curran? I should have noticed these hints!
December 9, 2016
One of my favorite in the series!
If you got to the 4th book then there is no need for me to tell you to read this. If you haven't read any of Kate Daniels' books and you like Urban Fantasy than what are you waiting for?
What I liked about this particular novel was that we finally meet a member of the Kate's family. I kind of liked her aunt even if she was supposed to be the villain. There were some power games between Curran and Kate, some entertaining, some annoying.
If you got to the 4th book then there is no need for me to tell you to read this. If you haven't read any of Kate Daniels' books and you like Urban Fantasy than what are you waiting for?
What I liked about this particular novel was that we finally meet a member of the Kate's family. I kind of liked her aunt even if she was supposed to be the villain. There were some power games between Curran and Kate, some entertaining, some annoying.
March 24, 2023
TW: gore; self harm
Solid continuation to the series and continued expanding of the overarching plot. This installment really picks up the pace with the romance and is a good example of how IA can write an alpha male without it being toxic - discussions of boundaries, arrangements, etc.
Solid continuation to the series and continued expanding of the overarching plot. This installment really picks up the pace with the romance and is a good example of how IA can write an alpha male without it being toxic - discussions of boundaries, arrangements, etc.
July 14, 2018
Re-read! Rating still stands!
What can I say? AnotheramazinginstallmentintheKateDanielsseries!!!
Kate Daniels, mercenary and psuedo Knight of the order gets to meet a long lost family member. It should've been a happy family reunion but this is Kate Daniels we're talking about and to say that her family is just dysfunctional is an UNDERSTATEMENT!
The stakes just keeps getting higher and Kate is confronting bigger and more powerful beings. Man, the action in this book is top notch. There are so many moments where I don't even know if Kate and Curran would come out of it alive.
There's also politics and intrigue added to the mix. In the hands of less skilled writers, this book would've feel bloated but Gordon and Ilona have proven themselves adept at juggling storylines. But where they really shine is with their characters.
Again, we see growth with each and every character in this series. Kate has changed. She's still Kate but with each and every book, we get to see her make tough decisions. There's a really powerful scene in this book where we see Kate struggle with a decision between doing what she was taught to do and doing what was right. That scene was so powerful to me because it speaks of who Kate is and I know I sound like a broken record here but man, she's such an amazing hero.
But what really makes this book special is the romance department. Look, I'm not one of those people who thinks that a badass heroine becomes less of a badass because she wants love or falls in love with the hero. Nope. I'm firmly in the "heroines can fall in love and still be a badass because we can do whatever the fuck we want" camp. And Kate does what she wants. And she wants the Beast Lord. And I can totally get behind that because while Curran might be overbearing at times, he is learning and making comprises with Kate.
I love how they negotiated and compromised with each other. They are both stubborn. Both are alpha. Kate has baggage, so does Curran and they both have identities outside of each other. Curran's life is with the pack, while Kate was a loner. She doesn't belong to anyone. It would've been a disservice to Kate's character if she suddenly becomes subservient to Curran and vice versa. But somehow Ilona Andrews made it work. That doesn't mean they didn't make mistakes. They made plenty of mistakes. They had their share of jealous fits and misunderstanding but the way the authors handled their conflict was wonderful.
I've never read 4 straight books in a series before. Never. I tend to get bored easily even with series I love. But this is just too good to put down. So I'm off to read book 5.
________________________________
“I can't give you the white picket fence, and if I did, you'd set it on fire.”
What can I say? AnotheramazinginstallmentintheKateDanielsseries!!!
Kate Daniels, mercenary and psuedo Knight of the order gets to meet a long lost family member. It should've been a happy family reunion but this is Kate Daniels we're talking about and to say that her family is just dysfunctional is an UNDERSTATEMENT!
The stakes just keeps getting higher and Kate is confronting bigger and more powerful beings. Man, the action in this book is top notch. There are so many moments where I don't even know if Kate and Curran would come out of it alive.
“Don’t die on me, you stupid sonovabitch. You goddamn fucking idiot. I told you to stay out of the damn fight! Why the hell don’t you ever listen? I fucking hate you. I hate you, you hear me? Don’t you dare die on me, because I need to kill you with my bare hands.”
There's also politics and intrigue added to the mix. In the hands of less skilled writers, this book would've feel bloated but Gordon and Ilona have proven themselves adept at juggling storylines. But where they really shine is with their characters.
Again, we see growth with each and every character in this series. Kate has changed. She's still Kate but with each and every book, we get to see her make tough decisions. There's a really powerful scene in this book where we see Kate struggle with a decision between doing what she was taught to do and doing what was right. That scene was so powerful to me because it speaks of who Kate is and I know I sound like a broken record here but man, she's such an amazing hero.
“The stairs ended. I wished I knew the jackass who’d made the staircase so short. I’d throw him down the damn steps so he could count them with his head.”
But what really makes this book special is the romance department. Look, I'm not one of those people who thinks that a badass heroine becomes less of a badass because she wants love or falls in love with the hero. Nope. I'm firmly in the "heroines can fall in love and still be a badass because we can do whatever the fuck we want" camp. And Kate does what she wants. And she wants the Beast Lord. And I can totally get behind that because while Curran might be overbearing at times, he is learning and making comprises with Kate.
“You might want to decide fast. We live in a dangerous world. If you see a chance to be happy, you have to fight for it, so later you have no regrets.”
I love how they negotiated and compromised with each other. They are both stubborn. Both are alpha. Kate has baggage, so does Curran and they both have identities outside of each other. Curran's life is with the pack, while Kate was a loner. She doesn't belong to anyone. It would've been a disservice to Kate's character if she suddenly becomes subservient to Curran and vice versa. But somehow Ilona Andrews made it work. That doesn't mean they didn't make mistakes. They made plenty of mistakes. They had their share of jealous fits and misunderstanding but the way the authors handled their conflict was wonderful.
Mad gold eyes stared into mine. "Do you miss me, Kate?"
I closed my eyes trying to shut him out. I could lie then we would be back to square one. Nothing would be resolved. I'd still be alone, hating him and wanting him.
He grabbed my shoulders and shook me once. "Do you miss me?"
I took the plunge. "Yes.”
I've never read 4 straight books in a series before. Never. I tend to get bored easily even with series I love. But this is just too good to put down. So I'm off to read book 5.
“I gave him my hard stare. “You're a control freak and I fight all authority. And you want us to mate?”
A wicked spark lit his eyes. “Many, many times.”
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