Magic Strikes

New Ilona Andrews today.

This would be Book 3 in the Kate Daniels series. I was lucky enough to get an advance copy, and I totally meant to post this review yesterday, the day before its release. I spaced the date and failed, so now I'm posting this the day of its release. :)

I like to keep these as spoiler free as possible.

If you haven't read the first two books in the Kate Daniels series, Magic Bites and Magic Burns, you should. They are also both available in ebook form.

In the plethora of urban fantasy books out there these days, this series is a stand out. Ilona blends technology with magic in her world, linking the two and making each the other's flaw. Magic fluctuates and makes technology unreliable, but when the magic fades, it's good to have tech as a back up. Hence the use of swords and horses in a modern world. It's a great bit of worldbuilding that gives the books a unique feel.

Kate, the POV character, is a strong, independent woman with her own secrets to protect. She tends to be a bit standoffish to that end, and has a hard time opening up to people. Not to mention, her mouth sometimes gets her into trouble, especially when she's talking to Curran, a were lion with a serious case of 'alpha male'. And no wonder - he's the Beast Lord, leader of all the were-creatures. The two have a very strong push-pull attraction going on, and Kate is often forced to deal with him in the performance of her duties as a member of the Order of Merciful Aid. (Not to mention her friendships with certain members of the Pack.) She used to be a mercenary, but now she works to help and protect people for the Order.

I've thoroughly enjoyed both of the previous books in this series, but this was by far my favorite. Truthfully, I've been waiting on pins and needles for it since I finished Book 2. The characters are nicely established now, and the relationships Kate has with others in her sphere are deepening and getting more complicated, despite her need to keep secrets. (There are parts of Kate's origins that even the reader doesn't know yet, an ongoing plot thread that winds through the entire series.) The banter between Kate and Curran, in particular, was full of tension, humor, and unresolved feeling. I won't lie - following how their relationship progresses is my favorite part of the series, although all of Kate's interactions keep you reading. Her mentoring of Derek the werewolf, the odd contest of wills she continues with the dangerously powerful Samain. All of these things are woven nicely into the plot; in fact, it is her friendship with Derek that starts the plot rolling in this book.

Much like when I finished Book 2, finishing the third book in the Kate Daniels series left me wondering when we can expect book 4. The writing is strong, the characters fascinating, and the tension keeps ratcheting higher. You really need to read the first two before sitting down with this one, but I will say this is my favorite of the three. Each book seems better than the last, which is how you want a series to progress. Tiny not-quite-a-spoiler: Fans of Kate/Curran will finally get a little bit of pay off for all the teasing and tension we've had.

I eagerly await the next book to see what Ms. Andrews has in store for Kate. :-)

(For those that have read the snippets in ilona_andrews' LJ, the hot tub scene does not disappoint!)

As a bonus, I'm going to give away a single copy of the book to people who comment on this review. I'll draw the winner at random, and send you a brand new, hot-off-the-presses copy of Magic Strikes, which has beautiful cover art of Kate and Curran. Just comment with your name between now and midnight on Thursday , and I'll do the drawing and post the winner Friday.

(no subject)

OMG. Andy Hallett is gone.

:-( Lorne was one of my favorite parts of Angel, and I always thought Mr. Hallett was so very talented. How tragic.

Lorne, for those who don't know, was a green skinned, red eyed, horned demon who could tell the future for someone when he watched them sing. He had a thing for Elton John, showtunes that weren't written by Andrew Lloyd Weber, and he was one of the best parts of the show. It's the only role I ever saw Andy Hallett in, and truly, he was spectacular. He had great comic timing, and a beautiful voice.

Some Lorne quotes:

Claire: [seeing Lorne] You... you're... here for the children's reading program.
Lorne: Yes. Yes, I am.
Claire: It's not until tomorrow morning.
Lorne: I know. I never perform without checking out the space first. Get a feel for the room.
Claire: Oh! Well, the kids will flip over your costume. It looks so authentic.
Lorne: Thank you.
Claire: Ah, except for the horns. But those are probably hard to fake.
Lorne: If you only knew.

~~~~

(punches Eve in the face, knocking her down)
Ooh. Oh, I'm sorry. That was a knuckle-buster. I'm Jake LaMotta over here. It's pathetic. Oh.
(leans in close to Eve)
Here's the thing, Eve: You're going to sing for me, and I'm going to read you right now. And here's one more thing: Winifred Burkle once told me after a sinful amount of Chinese food, and in lieu of absolutely nothing, "I think a lot of people would choose to be green. Your shade, if they had the choice."
If I hear one note—one quarter-note—that tells me you had any involvement, these two won't even have time to kill you.
(stands)
Oh, and anything by Diana Warren will also result in your death—well, except "Rhythm of the Night."

~~~~

And lastly:

Look, you're a big hunk of hero sandwich. You wanna save the girl, I can see why, but you're missing the crucial point here. Things fall apart. Not everything can be put back together, no matter how much you want it.

:-(