Magic Strikes (Kate Daniels Book 3)

You guys... *takes a deep breath* this was such an amazing book :) like... I have no words good enough to describe all of the feelings I have about it, but I will do my best to articulate as much of them to convince you to pick it up if you haven't already... ;) since this is book #3 in a series all about one main character and things in later installments build up on events from the previous stories, I will divide my review into two parts... the next paragraph will be completely spoiler free, giving you some details about Kate, the heroine of the story and some background informations about the world, and then in the third and last paragraph I will share my thoughts and feelings about this particular istallment, and I'm gonna try my best to not spoil you things ;) ok, now that we have all of this out in the open, let's get to the good stuff :)First of all, I can't believe I am soooooo very late to finally read this amazing series... for example, this particular story was first published in 2009 or something like that... not only that, but I read book #2 almost a year ago... I mean... what took me this long... *sighs heavily in disappointment about myself* ok, moving on :) if somehow you haven't heard about the awesomeness of Kate Daniels, let me give you a few details :) the whole series takes place in an alternate version of our world, in Atlanta... it's a world where magic comes in surges and basically disables all technology for some time... all of that comes in waves and have a much bigger and more meaningful impact on the world, but I don't want to get into more details right now, cause it's explained much better in the books :) there are also all sorts of magical creatures, but there are so many of them, that I will leave the details for you to discover while you read the stories :) Kate is a mercenary who keeps to herself and doesn't make friends... she has oh so many reasons for her solitude, but I am after reading three books already and know only a bit about it, so I definitely won't spoil you any additional things :) all of that starts to change in that very first book, when Kate investigates the death of her former mentor... during it, she will cross paths with some very interesting characters... *smiles knowingly* and some of them will definitely leave a lasting impression... ;) what I love most about this series, is the main character... Kate is such a fantastic heroine... she's clever and brave, doing things because they are right, even if most of the time it's dangerous... she's such a kickass character, and the more I read about her, the more I love her... :) and if that wasn't enough, there is a bunch of very interesting and entertaining secondary characters that you will fall in love with... trust me, it's the only possibility :) but since not all of them are obvious at the beginning, once again I won't be sharing any names... at least not in this paragraph :) before I get into my more detailed thoughts about this third book in a series, let me just say one more thing... if you have any doubts whatsoever about giving this series a try, just go for it... even though it might take you a moment to get into all the details and rules of this world, just stick to it, because once you have a basic understanding, things get so much better... ;) each book is filled with action and surprising twists and turns... not to mention an absolutely entertaining writing style that will keep you glued to the pages :) we see character's growth and some unexpected decisions and it's just... soooo... it's just the best, trust me on that :) ok, now that we have all that out of the way, let me tell you all about my love for this third installment :)Because I want to keep this review spoiler free as much as possible, I will be a bit vague on the details... even though it might just kill me ;) this third book picks up about two months after the last one and involves Midnight Games, an illegal fighting tournament for all things supernatural :) Kate is pulled into a situation by accident... because how else ;) whe she has to help one of her friends... we have mysterious enemies, revenge after someone close to Kate almost dies... and reading those scenes nearly brought me to tears... and as always lots of action and surprises... :) perfect mix for an etertaining read :) we get to know more about Kate's history and see how her relationships with people, and creatures ;) close to her change and grow :) the mythology of the world is expanded as well, because we see a side of it I did not expect at all, but it was a really good choice :) as always I loved the banter between Kate and Curran, the Beast Lord and alpha of the alphas of shapeshifters... :) I adore a good slow burn romance and this one shapes up to be just the best of them all ;) looking forward to see more in the future installments... but this is just a small part of a much bigger picture... not only it's action packed, like I already mentioned, but this book shows us a more complex and different side to quite a few secondary characters we met before... and I was very intrigued to get to know them like that :) I inhaled this story, because I absolutely needed to know how everything will end... and I was kept at the very edge of my seat up until the very last page... I mean... I was half afraid it will end on a major cliffhanger or something like that, but no worries, it doesn't :) the more I read of this series, the more I am falling in love with it... and I have a confirmation from very trusted sources... as in K, my #BookBestie who recommended it to me in the first place, that it just keeps getting better :) add to it the fact that the concluding novel is already out and it's really hard to not binge all of it... ;) but it's so good that I want to take my time to really enjoy it, so that I can remember at least a bit from each installment... although trust me, I can already tell you that I will be re-reading this whole series at some point... once I know everything I will be on the lookout to discover little teasers and glimpses in the previous books of things that will happen in the future... but that's a story for another time :) for now, let me finish this review by strongly encouraging you to just PICK THIS BOOK UP because it's absolutely phenomenal :) that is all ;)

Hands down, Magic Strikes is my favorite of the first three books in the Kate Daniels series. While maintaining a level of excellence in both originality and execution of the plot, a standard for this series, this story is sleeker and more streamlined than the first two, to positive effects. Where the first two books had complexity almost to the point of convolution, the plot of Magic Strikes is cleaner, perhaps a bit simpler, but definitely far more personal to Kate and her friends. As a result, the connection between the plot and characters achieves a level of cogency previously unrealized.A few months after the events of  Magic Burns (Kate Daniels, Book 2) , Kate is still working the liaison job between the Merc Guild and the Order of the Knights of Merciful Aide when a phone call from Saiman drops her into a mess that's a bit outside her pay grade. Derek, the boy wonder shapeshifter and Kate's erstwhile protector, had tried to break into Saiman's condo to steal two tickets to an underground fighting bout that Pack are supposed to be banned from. For Derek to do so, to risk Pack law and the Beast Lord's wrath, something very serious is going on, but despite helping Derek out of the cage Saiman stuck him in by bargaining with the sex-focused body changer, Derek remains mum about his issues, and only asks that Kate, when accompanying Saiman to the fights as part of their deal, slip a note to one of the females on one of the fighting teams. Much like the shot heard round the world, that one note sets off a sequence of cataclysmic events that throw Kate into direct opposition of Curran's laws with Derek's life hanging precariously in the balance.Magic Strikes is a totally kick ass book from start to finish, and the overly-described scenes that tended to bog down the pace of the first two books to varying degrees are blessedly absent in this one. I love the solid continuity of even the minutest detail (blue panties with a bow, for example) that Ilona Andrews brings to this entire series, and the way that these characters develop and their lives intertwine as the stories unfold is fantastic and very satisfying for me as a reader. It builds a solid foundation of belief in these characters and the world they inhabit. In Magic Strikes, the conflict is very personal for Kate, and it shows in the increased intensity of her aggressions and her willingness to put everything on the line. Combine all of that with the fact that I've also always been a huge fan of Derek's and every facet of this book really worked for me.I'm totally enamored with the slow, yet steady, methodical progression that's being made with issues and relationships over the series arc. What little mystery that is left of Kate's issue with her blood is addressed, though there was little surprise left by the time of the big reveal. The consequences of it, however, and the doors those consequences open for future development were shocking and the scenes surrounding it ultimately satisfying. Kate's growing cadre of friends, however reluctant she is to amass them, continues to ground her and humanize her, and along with her own mordant sense of humor, provide quite a bit of comic relief in this dark, cruel world (the scene with Jim after the first fight was funny enough to make me laugh out loud).Now, let me pause for a moment and reflect on the ubergoodness that is the Kate/Curran relationship. Oh. My. God. I swear, I could eat them up with a spoon. The tension and slow (water-torture slow) development between those two is going to make me chew my nails down to the quick, but I love every single damn minute of it. It's quite possibly the most frustrating and most amazing relationship I've read in fiction recently, and I have nothing but respect for Andrews (husband-and-wife writing duo Ilona and Gordon) for addressing...in sometimes gut clenching ways...the complexities and pathos of two such individuals reaching for something that could be amazing, despite the risks inherent. Sometimes I want to drop a house on Kate and get her to wake up a little, but in truth, I sympathize with this solitary, tragic woman who has lived a life with burdens no normal human...or even the King of Beasts...could truly comprehend.Kate is still one of, if not the top female heroine in any of the many, many UF and paranormal romance series I read. The steel spine, deadly habits, and dedication to honesty and honor surrounding that tiny grain of woman who desperately wants to be loved is a supremely appealing combination and I can not wait to see what she gets thrown into...or what gets thrown at her...next. Absolutely fabulous book, and series, that I highly recommend.

and I was so excited each time I forgot to write a review! As always Ilona Andrews books are well written. Kate Daniels is an amazing character and her growth is astounding, Curran Lennart? Oh whatMan/lion! All the characters meld so well into the series and most are read throughout the series. Beau The sheriff? He’s one of my favourites and hoping to get a book on Beau The Brave one day lol.Thank you Ilona for Kate Daniels 10 book series and all the spin-offs.I’ve re read this every 3 months or so and have finished all 10 books at least 20 times! And I’ll keep on doing it as I still read parts and think ‘wow that’s new!’

There's a lot to love in Magic Strikes, but my favourite aspect has to be finally getting a better understanding of Kate's lineage, specifically Roland and how that relates to Atlanta and herself in the present. A lot of things that have been teased since the first novel are finally explained here. And how her blood is employed at the end was as unexpected as it was fascinating. Up to this point, Kate's magical abilities have been rarely emphasised (usually reserved for the battle at the end of each novel); it's actually really easy to forget she even has power words, given their application can feel a little arbitrary. I understand that a certain degree of peril is the baseline, but I'm never quite certain where that line exactly is and the book doesn't offer much else.Also, the mating rituals are handled much better this time around than in Magic Burns, where it felt like there was little parity in the situation. Through conversations with Raphael, it's made clear that both individuals can and do engage in the rituals—not that it mitigates Curran's actions in the previous book—it's just good to know that generally both parties are supposed to be equal participants. I'm also glad that Kate was actually firm about setting boundaries with Curran, even if it feels half-hearted at this point.Derek, Jim, Saiman (his lecherousness remarkably toned down this time), and Andrea are back, too, and each gets a good moment or two during the gladiatorial games, although Derek is definitely the one who undergoes the most development this time. I'm interested to see if that development actually goes anywhere in the sequel.

As that would leave nothing for authors to work with, to aspire to.I came late to the Ilona Andrews books but it has been worth the wait. I love intelligence, humour even when it's sarcastic, information and knowledge imparted and romance that isn't always smutty or pornographic. This series (and others by the way) have all this and more.I read on, expecting to be entertained!!

OK. Kick-ass heroine with a secret who's attracted to the head of the local supernatural pack. You know how this goes if you're familiar with how Urban Fantasy has developed over the years. The challenge is to write so well that the cliches fade into the background and the husband-and-wife duo behind the Ilona Andrews name certainly manage that. Heroine Kate Daniels is the only surviving child of the legendary original vampire, who would kill her as a threat to his power if he knew of her existence. That's the backdrop and the reason why she's been trained since childhood as a warrior - she's going to have to kill Daddy at some point. Complete with magically supercharged blood and a tasty fey sword, she tries to maintain as low a profile as possible while doing supernatural clean-up in a near-future Atlanta. The authors have created a believable world where magic comes in unpredictable waves, disabling all modern technology and clearing the way for a variety of supernatural beasties. Meanwhile, the heroine has a love/hate relationship with Curran, leader of the local were-tribes. Unlike some authors in this field, the duo behind Ilona Andrews don't let the 'relationships' engulf and devour plot, action and a hard-boiled approach. In this book, the heroine finds a werewolf friend badly injured. Werewolves are tough - who could have done this? Her investigations lead to an illicit gladiator contest called the Midnight Games. You just know she's going to end up taking part to find the bad guys. Throw in a series of supernatural baddies (and goodies) plus some realistic action and inter-species politics and you end up with a very satisfying mix. Recommended.

Magic Burns is the 3rd book in the Kate Daniels Series (1st book being Magic Bites) by the husband and wife writing team known as Ilona Andrews who have also written the Edge series. The series is set in Atlanta but in a time when magic and technology compete with each other to be in charge, resulting in a world where nothing is guaranteed to work in 5 minutes time even if it it working now. Kate Daniels is feisty with a sense of humour and an interesting family background but also a tendency to jump both feet first into many situations. Kate is tough which is good when she doesn't always play nicely with others, however she's not the only stubborn one and so luckily doesn't have to face everything alone even when she intends to. Other characters include Shapeshifters such as Jim, Derek, Raphael, Dali and the Beast Lord Curran, Vampire Navigator (Master of the Dead) Ghastek, Andrea a Knight of the Order, Saiman a Shape Changing Consultant (not a Shape Shifter) and Julie a street kid who has become Kate's ward, all of whom have some interesting banter with Kate.Other people have written more comprehensive descriptions of the storyline but I'm going to write a shorter summary and then concentrate on why I enjoyed the book. When Kate is being kept out of a Shape Shifter investigation it makes her suspicious especially when the Beast Lord is also being kept out of the Loop. When she finds out why though, Kate also tries to keep Curran out of it but he manages to find a way to get himself involved all the same. The Midnight Games really is a tournament to the death and it risks exposing Kate's family history. I love the sense of humour with which the book is written and the depth given to all of the characters. Interactions between characters are always done intelligently and with the tongue firmly in cheek, even when the encounter is antagonistic. This story builds upon the characters from Magic Bites and Magic Burns and introduces more new ones too. It is a story that carries you along with it giving you the information you need as you need it, rather than overloading you and expecting you to remember everything.It was fun to read the first and all subsequent times when reading the whole set each time I get the next in series.