Customer Reviews

Magic Bleeds (Kate Daniels, Book 4)

5 star:		(191)
4 star:		(15)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The husband-wife writer duo have come out with the best book in the series! I thought it couldn't be possible after the Midnight Games in Magic Strikes but I am simply ecstatic to be proved wrong!

Kate Daniel's secret identity is swiftly unraveling, her relationship with Curran is on rocky volcanic plasma, her shape-shifter friends are in extreme danger since a very special big baddie has come to town to target them. And her Order boss doesn't want her to help or assist them. To mention anything more would be a spoiler...

I love the combat in Magic Bleeds, which by itself is good enough to rate the book 5 stars. The tension is ratcheted up several notches, the battle scenes are extremely vivid and unlike the earlier books, Kate is tested to the limits of her sword mastery - no easy monsters here. For the folks who don't care much action, the humor and witty repartee that has been a feature of these books since the beginning continue to make you laugh uncontrollably at times (don't read in public or you'll get strange looks). Yet the story is much darker and no character has it easy. This book truly begins the final countdown with Roland.

A fantasy series with no boring filler book! To hit the sweet-read jackpot again and again like this takes amazing skill and dedication on part of the authors.

SYNOPSIS: Kate Daniels is sent to investigate a fight at the Steel Horse, a bar in the area bordering the territories of the shapeshifters and the vampires. Not exactly a top notch tourist spot, but a regular local hangout. What she finds when she arrives is magic in a form she's never encountered before. It takes a lot of investigating to find that this magic is worked by someone every bit as powerful as Kate is herself. The bad news is, Kate has stumbled upon a relative of hers and only one of them can survive in the crumbling Atlanta that remains since the war between magic and technology started. If Curran (Beast Lord of Atlanta) hadn't stood her up for their dinner date Kate would gladly call on him for help with this problem. As it is, she might just kill him the next time she sees him.

OPINION: I would just love to meet Kate Daniels. Ilona Andrews continues to write Kate in such a realistic way that I feel I could actually talk to her, argue with her, kid around with her, but never, ever fight with her. What makes this series of stories so outstanding for me is the absolute humanity I see in these characters. And since some of them are only partly human, that's quite a feat for these authors. I enjoyed the added twist of having one of Kate's blood relatives show up here. All through the previous three books we have been teased with references to Kate's blood and shown to what extraordinary lengths she will go to keep her blood from falling into the wrong hands. Well, now we understand why. I applaud the way the personalities of Kate and Curran have been blended, shaped and molded to allow these two incredibly strong characters to have a relationship that feels real and right. I know that this couple will only become more complex and interesting as their bonding solidifies.

So why, you are asking, did I give this book 4 stars instead of 5? Well, because there were so very many demons that Kate had to face that it all began to blend together for me after the third or fourth or fifth huge battle-to-the-death scene. I was actually tempted to skim ahead through the fighting. Now, that's a great big no-no so I resisted, but the fact remains that I was tempted. The author says in the acknowledgments section that this was a very difficult book to write. I can certainly understand that after having read it and seen how complex it is. Still, for me, maybe tackling seven demons and the demon relative multiple times was a tad too many fight scenes.

RECOMMENDATION: As far as I'm concerned, this book is a must-read for Urban Fantasy devotees. As stated on the cover, this is the fourth book in the series. Quite honestly, I would suggest to a friend that they start with the first book and read them in order. This book contains wonderful background information, a very good attempt has been made to cover all the past history revealed in the previous books. But there is just no substitute for reading an entire novel to get your information first hand as the author unfolds it. So, for me, starting with number one and then galloping on to number two, then diving directly into number three will have you on the razor's edge of anticipation for number four. Just plan on not leaving the house, or talking on the phone, or getting any work done. You will be completely engaged in a magic world full of magical characters. Evidently Penguin Group (USA) is betting on that too. They have placed a money back guarantee on you liking this book. You might send yours back, but I'll fight anybody who tries to take mine!

I don't usually review on Amazon but I wanted to throw in a five star review to weigh against the extremely illogical (and only) one star review by someone who hasn't read the book and is mad it isn't on Kindle. Suck it up, dude. I wanted it on Kindle, too, but once I realized I'd have to wait I went for the paperback and bonus! Got it a week early at BAM since it was a soft release.

In a season of disappointing series continuations this was a real standout. Just as tight as always, characters stay in character but we get to see a bit more of them, and the stakes get higher as Kate's family starts closing in.

Cannot wait for the next Kate book or the next Edge, either. Congrats to the author on delivering such a payoff without killing the tension.

I loved the first three books in the Kate Daniels series, so I was surprised to not enjoy Magic Bleeds from begining to end.

Don't get me wrong, if you've started this series MB is a must read to keep up with the characters and series plotline. I have every plan to continue the series and will keep this book on my shelf. However the other reviews were sooo glowing I wanted to point out that this book, while good, was not IMHO the best of the series or the best Ilona Andrews can or has produced.

Spoiler alert

Problem 1: The failed date between Kate and Curran. These characters have been shown to be smart and capable people. So what smart man shows up four hours late for a date and is mad or surprised if the woman has taken off? Now let's test the logic of Curran's actions. You're leader of the free beasts of Atlanta and your future mate is not answering her phone, worried for her you travel to one of her homes only to find she is not there, you: 1. Call your army to arms and start searching 2. Call all of her homes and place of work to explain your tardiness 3. Leave a note pinned to the house you are sure she is not at to say "I am here" and then blame her for the failure of the date.

Problem 2: What was Kate's aunt in Atlanta to do? Infect the city, oh no that changed to cause mayhem, oh no that stopped and she moved on to killing all of the important people, oh no that changed to killing all the shapeshifters, no killing Kate, oh no that changed again to... dueling? Her logic, motive, and minions changed from chapter to chapter and was not up to the bad guys of Kate Daniels past.

Problem 3: Suddenly the shapeshifters hate Kate, when did that happen? They are lying to Curran about phone calls, have forgotten they had befriended her in book 1 for helping them out, and trying to kill Kate when Curran is injured.

The bottom line for me is this: The problems seemed forced to get the charcters were Andrews wanted them for the end of the book. The miscommunications and general chaos of this plot wasn't in line with the characters behaviors from previous books.

Final thought: Guys if you get tied up before a date, give your lady a call before waiting four hours to show up at her house, and if she's pissed don't be surprised. This conflict wasn't realistic to the characters, and the length it was drawn out was unrealistic by any but the worst romance novel standards.

Magic Bleeds opens with what has to be the best prologue of all time - it's that good. There is positively no contest here folks. In the interest of not becoming all spoiler-y, I won't go into details, but just know that after the dust settles, we are left with one mad Kate. Mad with a capital M. And it would be safe to assume that most of that barely controlled animosity is directed firmly at His Fuzziness, The Beast Lord, Curran. Fortunately for us, Kate isn't like the rest of world when she's furious. She's a teeny bit more dangerous since she never goes anywhere without her enchanted sword, Slayer, strapped to her back. That would add a little bit of swagger to any girl's stride.

So Kate's already seeing red when the Order of the Knights of Merciful Aid calls upon her to investigate a bar fight turned deadly. Upon her arrival, Kate finds not only an entire bar of spent brawlers who have no idea why they began fighting in the first place, but a man staked to a telephone pole, crawling with what appears to be a fast-multiplying, deadly disease. Kate contains the disease (barely) but then finds herself up against all sorts of obstacles upon discovering that the victim was a shapeshifter and therefore part of Curran's territory. Not someone she really wants to deal with at the moment. But as the plague-spreading culprit strikes again and again, Kate realizes she's gonna have to call in every favor and rely upon every weapon in her arsenal before this newest enemy can wreck complete destruction on the city of Atlanta. And that means working together with the Order, the Guild, the People, and most importantly the Pack to control this centuries-old evil from destroying everything Kate holds close.

I can feel myself starting to grin like a idiot right now because I've just got to say it: This. Book. Is. Awesome. And then some. Like if Awesome and Mind-Blowing went and had a love child it would be called Magic Bleeds. It's been obvious since day one that husband and wife writer duo Ilona Andrews has had a plan in store for Kate (and us), but "Magic Bleeds" just went and and blew all my expectations right out of the park.

Weighing in as one of my top picks of 2009, "Magic Strikes" set the bar pretty dang high as far as impressive books go: we finally got to know Kate's Big Secret and saw some very nice relationship development between her and Curran (roar). I wasn't sure it would be possible but it's like "Magic Bleeds" took those eye-popping elements and then ramped up the intensity, the action, and the sizzle (whoa baby) one-hundred fold. Magic Bleeds simply delivers.

And dang it, but every time I'm enjoying watching Kate kick some serious butt, I end up forgetting just how frightfully brilliant she is. The girl is a total sword-swinging killing machine; too often taken for a simple mercenary with nothing much going on upstairs. Not so. Kate is infinitely more capable - and deadly. Sometimes it's hard to remember that not only has Kate been training as a warrior since age two (or earlier), she's also been getting a comprehensive education in mythology, history, and magic at the same time. It's not until she rattles off the minutiae of some obscure, ancient belief system at the drop of a hat to stunned audiences that I remind myself to pick my jaw up off the floor and just turn the page. She's just that good and I cannot even begin to explain how skillfully her story has been crafted. It's okay, we all want to be Kate. Go ahead and admit it. You'll feel much better after you do.

I have been a fan of the Kate Daniels "Magic" series since book one, "Magic Bites." Since this is book four of a planned seven-book arc, it would make sense for this book to be pivotal to Kate Daniels' story and it is.

Although "Magic Bleeds" can be read as a stand-alone story, it is only as the fourth book of the series that it truly shines. If I were to pick a theme for the book, it would be Family. The book turns on the relationships between the family you are born with and the family you choose. Curran, the Pack Leader, werelion and romantic interest for Kate is a choice for Kate in this book. In previous books, Kate has been flirting with the idea of what Curran represents for her: home, hearth, the 'white picket fence' and all the trimmings. However, because of her blood and the family she was born into, she has been brought up to believe that the relationship Curran offers to her is neither something she can have nor something she should even be wanting.

Because of events in book three, "Magic Strikes," her chickens are coming home to roost. Unfortunately, this includes family ties that she wasn't even aware of. Kate knew what breaking the sword in book three would mean to her staying under her birth father's radar. When she was a mercenary in book one, she could pick up and go at a moment's notice if she had to. Choices that were made in books one and two shaped the choices she made in book three. The hard choices come in this book and ultimately the rest of the series will hinge on what happens in this book.

I felt the story itself was well-written and tightly plotted. There was movement from beginning to end and once I started reading, I didn't want to put it down until I had finished. I am anxiously awaiting book five!!!

It's really not fair to write a book this enjoyable if it eventually has to end.

This is book 4 in my favourite series. The previous books were: Magic Bites, Magic Burns, Magic Strikes, and the short story Magic Mourns (from the Must Love Hellhounds anthology).

Kate Daniels is an investigator/mercenary in an urban fantasy world where magic and tech waves alternate. She prefers to use her sword, because it works during all waves. She deals with vampires, shape-shifters, mages, witches, etc., and always tries to do what's right. She has a big secret that she tries to keep hidden.

Kate is very real, even when she's powerful and using her sword skills. Her relationship with Curran, the leader of the shapeshifters, is riveting. This is the book where their relationship is resolved.

The characters are all very well-drawn, the secondary characters are well-rounded, the dialogue is really great, certain parts are hilarious, and the plot is a real twister.

I read this book 3 times in the first day, got it in ebook format and got 2 hard copies.

Unlike other fantasy series, this series only gets better. I think it does need to be read in sequence with the previous novels.

I highly, highly recommend this series. I got tired of Anita Blake (too many new partners for the heroine), Charlaine Harris (unconvincing relationships), Kim Harrison (couldn't relate to the heroine), Carrie Vaughn and Karen Chance (very unconvincing love stories), Sherrilyn Kenyon (meandering plots and universe), etc. Ilona Andrews is the only author(s) who hasn't disappointed.

I don't really write reviews, and actually I never have, but this series is so mindblowingly hilarious, touching, exciting, and just generally efficient at being awesome, that I needed to add to the mountain of 5 stars.

The action is there, the mysterious backstory is there, the romance is there, and the beloved pithy, sarcastic, and occasionally insolent dialogue is there. I actually can't believe a book series this good exists.

And the timing is so spot on in these books. The big backstory (I guess it's not technically a mystery anymore, though) is developed, but not resolved. Each book reveals just enough to up the pressure a teeny bit and make the blowout with Roland mean more when it finally happens (pretty sure that's where they're going with this, anyway).

And the romance. Thank you, thank you, thank you. I'm so used to reading UF or paranormal romance, and walking away thinking, "I was entertained for three hours. That was a cute story." This series has something more. Ilona Andrews wraps you up so tightly in these characters that by the time you get to certain points in the book (without giving anything away), you'll be practically vibrating, wanting them to do or say certain things. I promise, it will be embarrassing how much you'll care.

If you've read the first 3 books, you know that Kate doesn't blindly fall into Curran's arms (and he might have dropped her if she did). She's not really a 'heaving bosoms' type of heroine, anyway. The relationship is built slowly on a sliver of respect and competition, then on more respect and attraction through the course of several books, and then finally, in the end, you actually really care what happens and what the characters decide, because you buy the relationship and you feel like you've seen it happen. It's not an, "I saw him, he was hot, I was hot, we're soulmates. It's epic, we swear. Have a sex scene. And an adorable baby. Oh, look, it's a happy ending!" type of book. There's some heavy lifting in terms of character development, and I'm so grateful.

And the humor. It's in the situations, it's in the dialogue, it's in the descriptions. Even Curran (can you tell I have a fixation?) has a sense of humor. They're able to balance this stoic, hugely powerful person with humor (and you cannot tell me that Magic Strikes didn't end perfectly and hilariously, I simply will not allow it), and they make it seem in-character. It's kind of amazing.

For me, this series has been perfect so far, and I'm actually afraid to read the fifth book, because I'm honestly doubtful that this book can be outdone. Hope does spring eternal, though. :)

This review contains some spoilers.

Ilona Andrews, how I love thee? Let me count the ways!!

Ilona and Gordon are a prime example of writers who only get better with time. Not only are they good, they are consistently good, which is a rare and precious trait. Pick up any of their novels or short stories and you will see what I mean. Still, even with the bar set so high, nowhere are these superlative qualities as evident as in this fourth book in the Kate Daniels series.

I won't go into detail about the plot - it's been well covered by other reviewers before me. Suffice it to say, it's completely engrossing. The important thing is that Magic Bleeds is the book in the series where major changes take place: many bridges are burned, and some new ones are built to last a lifetime. We go deeper into the story arc, learn more about the characters, and watch as events shape up for future developments. Most importantly however, we get to see the relationship between Kate and Curran reach a point of no return.

I can hardly remember the last time I derived so much pleasure from reading about a fictional relationship between two characters. Kate and Curran are worthy of each other and have grown immensely throughout the books. Their mutual devotion, respect and real, unsentimental yet heartbreakingly beautiful love for each other are all reflections of the characters themselves, and of the writers' unique ability to create a fictional relationship that is complex, tense, challenging, and incredibly satisfying. This is a perfect example of two people meant to be together, not because of their attraction, but because of their desire to give everything they have, commit themselves completely to giving their love a chance. Despite many past mistakes, Kate and Curran reach a point when they become worthy of each other. They become a unit, a team, a partnership. They accept each other completely, warts and all (and are given some hilarious dialogue in the process). Their relationship is a beautiful thing to behold.

I can wax nostalgic ad nauseam about my love for the characters. However, this review would not be complete without mentioning, once again, just how superlative the world building is in these books. In fact, pick up any other book of Ilona's, even a short story, and you will find whole worlds drawn in bold strokes in those pages. Characterization is excellent as always; the plot is engaging and the action keeps the readers at the edge of their seats. It's so vividly and deftly described, one can almost see a little action movie playing in one's head. I also love how unflinching and unapologetic the writers are, in every single way - when describing a terrifying foe, a horrible act, or when relating the inner struggles of their characters. It's raw and honest and unsentimental, in because of that, makes for some of the most moving, profound and emotionally honest writing you can find in today's paranormal genre.

So what's my conclusion? Unequivocally, go forth and buy the book, but make sure you buy and read the first three in the series, first. Trust me, it will only take you a couple of days to go through them all (sleeping, eating and communicating with the outside world will all become irrelevant during that time). And then you'll want more, which will lead you to the authors' other series set in the world of Edge, as well as short stories and novellas. I would also recommend visiting their website where they both write a hilarious blog. In short, most highly recommended - but beware, also highly addictive, or in other words, just what a great book ought to be.