'Blood Heir' by Ilona Andrews

 

From the BLURB: 

A KATE DANIELS WORLD NOVEL 

Eight years ago, Julie Lennart left Atlanta to find out who she was. Now she’s back with a new face, a new magic, and a new name—Aurelia Ryder—drawn by the urgent need to protect the family she left behind. An ancient power is stalking her adopted mother, Kate Daniels, an enemy unlike any other, and a string of horrifying murders is its opening gambit.

Okay, so - thoughts on 'Blood Heir' ...

First of all, I am SO HAPPY we got Julie's continued story at all. I remember not too long ago (2019) Ilona Andrews wrote a blog-post answering the question of whether or not they'd ever expand the 'Kate Daniels' universe to tell Julie's story (and by extension, Derek's - since it was understood that they were, or would be, HEA end-goals). Well. Their answer kinda broke my heart, because they went on to detail the fact that they get Julie hate-mail. No joke, the post is still up: https://ilona-andrews.com/2019/braining-is-hard/ 

And I quote: "Long story short, we get Julie hatemail. Half want bad things to happen to Julie. They literally hate her and want her to die. The other variation of the hatemail is, “I am just not interested in Julie as a character and I don’t think she could carry a book.” Right, because despite writing 12 books set in this world, all of which succeeded in being entertaining, we will lose all of ability to tell a compelling story just because Julie is the main character."

So first of all - Julie and Derek (and yeah, Ascanio) are three of my *favourite* characters. I am actually overall very partial to any and all spin-offs within the Kate Daniels universe (I loved Andrea and Raphael in Gunmetal Magic and also loved Jim and Dali in Magic Dreams and OMG, I hope we get to see the four of them in future spin-off minor appearances). I do not understand people who are morally opposed to more spin-offs, let alone one that focuses on one of THE MOST FASCINATING female characters within a multi-layered and wonderful universe. Which Julie *is*. We've seen her at her most frightened, saved and beloved by Kate, I am already a total trope-fiend for anything unrequited love AND enemies-to-lovers so the *slight* triangle we get between Julie, Derek and Ascanio has always delighted me (even as I am Team Derek, all the way and especially because he has tortured hero coming out his ears.) But basically, I thought a Julie spin-off would be a slam-dunk guarantee after the end of KD. 

Not so. 

And actually - there's a beautiful note in the acknowledgements of 'Blood Heir' where Ilona Andrews basically says they decided to write this story (originally presented in installments on the blog, before they fully committed to an indie-print run) where they explain that they wrote it for a reader of theirs who is an ICU-nurse, and said reading them during her breaks at the height of the pandemic was the one thing bringing her a semblance of sanity. *tears* 

In many ways we only got Julie's story when we did, because of the absolute trash-fire year 2020 turned into. And no, that's not a worthwhile bargain ... but it has become a small delight that I am certainly holding close to my chest and am thankful for, as a fan. 

And 'Blood Heir' is bloody delightful. 

I don't want to overly spoil anything for anyone - save to say, Ilona Andrews have come up with an ingenious work-around that keeps Julie away from her family core for the most part (Kate and Curran mainly), raises the stakes, and lets us see the young woman she has become while away from Atlanta. 

There's lots of reward to this work-around, high-stakes plotting that has Julie needing to sneak into Atlanta with a new face, body, and persona as Aurelia Ryder ... interact with beloved characters who don't know she's Julie Olsen, and yes - eventually - she does interact with Ascanio and Derek too. 

The Derek interactions have a bittersweetness to them. Part of it is Julie's childhood longing and full-fledged romantic love for him that was never returned, the mystery of where he disappeared to not long after she left Atlanta. And the mystery of who they've both become while away from each other. 

I will say, part of the plot about Julie changing her entire appearance bugged me when it comes to Derek .... because Julie is, by all measurements, royally beautiful now. She's taken from Kate's blood-line so looks as otherworldly stunning as Kate and her family. And that's sad, to me. But to Ilona Andrew's credit, it's sad for Julie too. Derek and Ascanio both definitely seem to respond to her new radiance, and that gives her a twinge of sadness - for who she was as pixie-faced and sweet Julie, and there's but a *hint* of the inadequacy she felt as that orphan girl who Kate adopted and Roland mentored, despite for a time - not being blood. I like that Ilona Andrews didn't just make Julie magically stunning and have all these bros falling at her feet and she's delighted. She's actually quite hurt by Derek's seeming interest in this face - and the Julie she was is jealous that he's so moved by a new body and look. I am keen for Ilona Andrews to keep feeling this issue out, because it adds layers to Derek and Julie's past - and also their future. 

And there will be a future. 'Blood Heir' ends on about 3 cliffhangers, I'd say - and they're *good ones* too. It's evident that maybe 2 of them will be short-term goals reached, but there's an over-arching 'Big Bad' that will - it has been confirmed - take up the topic of at least two more books in the series (confirmed after Ilona Andrews revealed they've landed on Bestseller lists for ebooks and paperback; which is extraordinary considering 'Blood Heir' is a self-published title). 

Ilona Andrews is one of my favourite author/s - hands down - their books make me happy, and 'Kate Daniels' was a phenomenal favourite series I was happy-sad to read come to a satisfying finale. But, I wanted Julie and Derek's story *so badly* and by no means is it a worthwhile trade-off (Julie spin-off and all we had to endure was a wee pandemic ... NO.) but after 2020 I am grateful for what Ilona Andrews gave to fans during a spectacularly awful time. Maybe, just maybe, those who so despised Julie can better understand the hardening of a young woman during trying times ... and come to 'Blood Heir' and the 'Aurelia Ryder' series with slightly more opened hearts and minds. But even if they're still morally opposed to Julie being a complex character (egads! The horror!) I know they'll be happy to strap in for what is a truly compelling ride anyway!

5/5 

'Magic Triumphs' Kate Daniels #10 by Ilona Andrews

From the BLURB:

Kate has come a long way from her origins as a loner taking care of paranormal problems in post-Shift Atlanta. She’s made friends and enemies. She’s found love and started a family with Curran Lennart, the former Beast Lord. But her magic is too strong for the power players of the world to let her be.

Kate and her father, Roland, currently have an uneasy truce, but when he starts testing her defenses again, she knows that sooner or later, a confrontation is inevitable. The Witch Oracle has begun seeing visions of blood, fire, and human bones. And when a mysterious box is delivered to Kate’s doorstep, a threat of war from the ancient enemy who nearly destroyed her family, she knows their time is up.

Kate Daniels sees no other choice but to combine forces with the unlikeliest of allies. She knows betrayal is inevitable. She knows she may not survive the coming battle.

But she has to try.

For her child.

For Atlanta.

For the world.

‘Magic Triumphs’ is the tenth and last book in Ilona Andrewws’ epic urban fantasy series, ‘Kate Daniels’ that first began back in 2007.

*DEEP BREATH*

Okay. This is it. The end.

There may be some SPOILERS ahead so, consider yourself warned.

This book came out on August 28 but I held off until now (my birthday weekend, as a special treat) to actually sit down and read. And I fully admit, there was a degree of stalling to this strategy because I don’t think I was ready to say goodbye to this universe that I’ve been checking in to for eleven-years now … though with the caveat that; it’s pretty clear Ilona Andrews is not entirely done with this universe, even if Kate Daniels-focused arc is wrapped up …

This is the big-bad end to the ‘Kate Daniels’ series and show-down with Kate’s all-powerful, egotistical father. But from ‘Magic Bites’ to now, Kate has slowly been accumulating love, life and family from the loner she once was. There’s so much more she risks losing now, and the stakes (that have been accumulating across 9 books and countless short-stories) are higher than ever.

The books opens not with an adrenaline-rush – as most readers would have been coiled for – but with a more sedate pace and establishment of Kate and Curran’s home life. Including, yes – a child, a baby called Conlan who is developing at a rapid pace. And it’s in this sweeter side that Ilona Andrews remind readers of the true crown they wear in the realms of serial fiction – gifting readers the best example of life after ‘will they or won’t they?’ dramatic romantic tension. Conlan is another jewel in this crown, as possibly one of the best examples of a child-character integrating perfectly into a previously childless core cast.

But when the coil snaps – as it always needed to – Ilona Andrews hits the ground running. But it must be said, they owe a lot of the perfect pacing and wrap-up to ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ finale blueprints; particularly season 5 ‘The Gift’ and series finale ‘Chosen’. There was one moment in ‘Magic Triumphs’ that so perfectly harks back to season 5 episode ‘Checkpoint’ and Buffy’s epic power speech to The Watchers' Council (“You're Watchers. Without a Slayer, you're pretty much just watchin' Masterpiece Theater.”) I say this with the utmost respect that I could see these tendrils in Kate’s finale, because truth be told – nobody did season finales and big-bad arc wrap-ups better than ‘Buffy’ and that legacy carries over here to Kate’s grand finish to great effect.

I particularly loved that we got to touch-base with all the secondary characters we’ve come to love, and who populated Kate’s life to the point that those stakes became perilously high. A particularly lovely addition to the cast was a character named Yu Fong, who first appeared in Dali & Jim short-story ‘Magic Dreams’ and then later became part of Julie’s scholastic world in ‘An Apple for the Creature’ anthology short-story, ‘Magic Tests’. Yu Fong has long stayed with me and intrigued me, and I was so glad to see him become a player in ‘Magic Triumphs’ … it begs the question then; why establish such an intriguing character most fully in the series finale? Hmmmmm.

I would have also loved a Raphael and Andrea (and baby!) scene together, because I loved that couple. Ditto Dali and Jim (though we get a lovely sense of their future, even without the two sharing a scene physically). BUT … I am slightly wounded that a favourite character – teen bouda and bad-boy Ascanio – makes no appearance. He is alive, and well, and alluded to on a confusing number of occasions throughout … but he doesn’t get a single scene and it’s slightly maddening. The only thing that lessens this wound is a niggling suspicion that he has bigger things in store for the future; I do believe a lack of Ascanio and meatier role for Yu Fong were big hints of what’s to come.

As to that … I was GLEEFUL over that epilogue. Julie has felt like a storm gathering speed to become a tornado for a while now, and with that send-off cliff-hanger it’s an out and out confirmation from Ilona Andrews that they’re tucking her away for another day. I’ve no doubt that the writing-duo will concentrate on Hugh d'Ambray and his ‘Iron Covenant’ world for a little while (or not – maybe ‘Iron and Magic’ will be much like Andrea’s one-off ‘Gunmetal Magic’?) but I can see them having a little rest after their mad-cap ten-books-in-eleven-years publishing schedule, and any break could also act as time-passing for Julie’s character. Because – yes – much as I am ready for her to come riding back already, with Erra and a cast populated by Ascanio, Yu Fong, and especial concentration on Derek … Julie does need to mature, and the easiest way to do that is off the page where she can obtain some mystery and secrecy for readers too.

But it’s a testament to Ilona Andrews and the ‘Kate Daniels’ series that ‘Magic Triumphs’ is – wait for it! – SUCH A TRIUMPH that concludes so beautifully, but I’m also already desperate for them to keep carrying this world along. This tenth book walks a majestic tightrope of being both utterly fulfilling as its own entity, while also mouth-watering for the possibilities of Julie and more.

I will not begrudge Ilona Andrews a rest. But when you’re an author this good and so much at the top of your game, you’ve got to expect that your readers will be baying for more books. That’s the price you pay when you’re THIS DAMN GOOD – to end a series with such satisfaction, at the same time stoking the fires for more. Brava.

5/5

'Magic Binds' Kate Daniels #9 by Ilona Andrews

Received via NetGalley

From the BLURB:

Mercenary Kate Daniels knows all too well that magic in post-Shift Atlanta is a dangerous business. But nothing she’s faced could have prepared her for this...

Kate and the former Beast Lord Curran Lennart are finally making their relationship official. But there are some steep obstacles standing in the way of their walk to the altar...

Kate’s father, Roland, has kidnapped the demigod Saiman and is slowly bleeding him dry in his never-ending bid for power. A Witch Oracle has predicted that if Kate marries the man she loves, Atlanta will burn and she will lose him forever. And the only person Kate can ask for help is long dead.

The odds are impossible. The future is grim. But Kate Daniels has never been one to play by the rules...

‘Magic Binds’ is the ninth book in Ilona Andrews’ epic urban fantasy ‘Kate Daniels’ series.

Next year we’ll be getting the final installment in this series that started way back in 2007 – giving us a very well-rounded ten books in ten years. As such, you can expect that a lot of ‘Magic Binds’ is build-up for what’s to come, tightening that suspense coil and preparing readers for a big finale finish.

There is a lot happening in this book – which of course follows on from the events of ‘Magic Shifts’ with Kate having “taken” the city of Atlanta to keep it out of her father’s clutches. When we meet up with her again, she’s also planning her wedding to Curran, while anticipating a deadly magic battle against her ancient, megalomaniac father who is currently squatting on the outskirts of her land…

There are a lot of important tangents in ‘Magic Binds’ – quite a few quests and pieces of the plot puzzle fit together making a suspenseful whole. But it does feel like we’re getting maybe three or four mini-novellas squeezed into this ninth book … always leading back to the over-arching “Big Bad” of Kate’s father Roland, and a countdown clock to tragedy. If I can relate this installment to anything, I’d point to Ron, Harry and Hermione searching for horcruxes in ‘Deathly Hallows’ before the battle at Hogwarts.

I really, thoroughly enjoyed this ninth book – not least because all the secondary characters I love are coming out to play and gear up for the battle. Raphael and Andrea, Ascanio, Derek, and Julie (who I always, always, always want more of – and desperately wanted a scene with them as a trio!), Jim and Dali, Roman, Christoher and Barabas. And of course, as always in a ‘Kate Daniels’ book – Curran, Curran, Curran. He and Kate are one of the rare examples of a “will they or won’t they?” who existed for so many books with delicious tension and snarky commentary, surviving and thriving after getting together. There are new facets to their relationship that keep deepening and surprising me as a reader, and they just keep pleasing me no end.

But what I really loved in this book was the relationship Kate has to the villain, Roland – her father. I can only really think of Leigh Bardugo from recent times, who likewise gave me a villain to actually – oddly? – root for. Someone who you hope has a sliver of decency, but also whose villainy is so much fun to read that you almost want them to keep carrying on …

“She isn’t alive, Blossom. She is a wild force, a tempest without ego. One can only speculate what damage she would cause if unleashed.” 

Aha. Of course, you buried her away from everything she loves because she is too dangerous. 

We resumed our strolling along the walls, slowly circling the tower. 

“How go the preparations for the wedding?” 

“Very well. How goes the world domination?” 

“It has its moments.”

In this book, Roland does some pretty vile things – we (and Kate) see the true extent of his evil … and yet it sits alongside snappy scenes of dialogue between the two, and weird daddy-daughter bonding. Roland as a villain is up there with Glory for me, from ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ season five. Just that great, almost camaraderie (?) between villain and hero that raises all the stakes and makes for pure delight to read.

I adored ‘Magic Binds’ – and while I’m going to be sad when this series is over (…while also forever hopeful of a Julie/Derek spin-off! PLEASE - FOR. THE. LOVE. OF. GOD!) I am also ridiculously excited to read the end now – so close, I can practically taste it.

5/5

'Magic Stars' Kate Daniels #8.5, Grey Wolf #1 by Ilona Andrews

From the BLURB:

Novella set in Kate Daniels world...

Derek Gaunt has no family and few friends. Scarred, solitary, he is the lone wolf who separated from his pack. When those close to him are murdered, he’ll stop at nothing to hunt their killer through magic-drenched Atlanta. 

Soon Julie Olsen joins him and what begins as revenge turns into the race to save the city. Their search puts them against powers they never imagined and magic so old, it predates history. It may cost Derek his life, but there are things for which even he would risk everything.

This novella from Ilona Andrews (#8.5 in the ‘Kate Daniels’ universe, also called book #1 in a new ‘Grey Wolf’ series – INTRIGUINGLY!) I read it in an hour and now I just have to share my thoughts because, … I think this is one of my favourite pieces of writing from Ilona Andrews. Like, ever.

First off: everyone by now should know that I’m a huge Julie fan, and have been ever since she kicked some serious butt in her own short story in ‘An Apple for the Creature’ anthology. I have also been a long-time Derek and Julie shipper, probably from the time of book #3 ‘Magic Strikes’ when she didn’t care that he was scarred. And sure, teen Lothario Asciano poses some interesting tension in Derek and Julie’s dynamic, but I know who the HEA should be for Julie when she’s of an age.

‘Magic Stars’ is a delicious slice of suspense and character revelation, wrapped in an action-adventure for Julie and Derek to go on when they find themselves investigating the same mystery from different sides.

I would say that if you’re a huge ‘Kate Daniels’ fan, you need to read ‘Magic Stars’ as a priority. There are a few hints about what Julie has been doing in talking to Roland, which was quickly revealed in last book ‘Magic Shifts’. There are also revelations about Julie’s awareness of her shifted relationship with Kate. Both of these crumbs have no doubt been sprinkled in this novella in a lead-up to bigger revelations in 2016’s ‘Magic Binds’, but they’re particularly delicious to read from straight from Julie’s perspective.

This book though, is really about Julie and Derek. Julie is sixteen, mind – so it’s not a romance … it goes deeper than that. We see how comfortable they are with each other, the trust that’s there when Derek doesn’t think he can rely on anything in this world, and the foundations that have already been laid for a future *something*. It’s really special to read, and just has me desperate for Ilona Andrews to give Julie her own spin-off series, that she continues to prove she can more than handle.

There’s definitely a hint here that giving Julie her own series would require her to first go down a dark path … but reading how strong a bond she has with Derek, I trust that he could bring her back from the brink of anything. And goddamn, do I want to read the heck out of that!

5/5

'Magic Shifts' Kate Daniels #8 by Ilona Andrews

From the BLURB:

After breaking from life with the Pack, mercenary Kate Daniels and her mate—former Beast Lord Curran Lennart—are adjusting to a very different pace. While they’re thrilled to escape all the infighting, Curran misses the constant challenges of leading the shapeshifters.

So when the Pack offers him its stake in the Mercenary Guild, Curran seizes the opportunity—too bad the Guild wants nothing to do with him and Kate. Luckily, as a veteran merc, Kate can take over any of the Guild’s unfinished jobs in order to bring in money and build their reputation. But what Kate and Curran don’t realize is that the odd jobs they’ve been working are all connected.

An ancient enemy has arisen, and Kate and Curran are the only ones who can stop it—before it takes their city apart piece by piece… 

‘Magic Shifts’ is the eighth book in Ilona Andrew’s ‘Kate Daniels’ urban fantasy series.

I went into this instalment with slightly lower expectations than I usually take into my yearly ‘Kate Daniels’ reading. This was due to the fact that I had some issues with book #7, ‘Magic Breaks’ – though I’m in the minority for that – but I really thought the book was a light-footed affair and for all the build-up in plot, I wanted a little more carnage and casualties. So I went into #8 a little wearier than usual, but came away more in love with this series than ever before …

This book begins where ‘Breaks’ left off, with Curran having stepped down as Beast Lord of Atlanta and he, Kate and Julie moving into a nice suburban setting and three-storey house that Kate is secretly thrilled to discover feels like her first real home. Kate and Curran are not permitted near the Keep as Jim and Dali move to take their place as new Beast Lord and Consort, and meanwhile they’re working away at Cutting Edge which is when they receive word of a missing shifter and packs of ghouls roaming Atlanta … the two unusual events are connected, and it’s up to Kate and Curran to get to the bottom of it.

I loved the early ‘Kate Daniels’ books for tracking Kate and Curran’s relationship from animosity to love – it was a slow, delicious burn and I will admit that I haven’t quite enjoyed their relationship as much since they claimed each other. But in ‘Magic Shifts’ I loved reading Kate and Curran’s changed dynamics in a domestic setting … dealing with uppity neighbours, piling bills and a sometimes-sullen teenager in Julie. There’s just something about them moving to the suburbs that has rejuvenated their romance and made it all the more intriguing to me. I loved their quibbling and compromising, especially because it still has this fantastical/snarky edge to it that is both absurd and lovely;  

“Where were you? What happened?” I carved a chunk out of another lizard’s face.  

“I just took the kids to fight some ghouls,” Curran said.  

Oh, so it was fine, then . . . Wait. “You did what?”  

He kicked a lizard. It flew into the others like a cannonball. “I called Jim before we left the house to talk about ghouls, and he said they found some in the MARTA tunnels. So I grabbed the kids and did a little hunting.”  

I would kill him. “Just so I get it right, Jim calls you and says, ‘Hey, we found a horde of ghouls in the MARTA tunnels,’ and your first thought was, ‘Great, I’ll take the kids’?”  

“They had fun.” A careful note crept into his voice. Curran saw the shark fin in the water but wasn’t sure where the bite would be coming from.  

“You even took the dog.”  

Grendel chose that moment to try to shove past me. I shoved him back into the Guild and he began running back and forth behind us, growling.  

“He had fun, too. Look at him. He’s still excited.” 

The mystery at the heart of this instalment is brilliant – the monsters that spew forth are creepy-fantastic, and with Ilona Andrews skill for description, they made my skin crawl. I also appreciated the heart at the centre of this mystery – I don’t want to say who it concerns, but it does lead to a look at pack politics and one family’s hierarchy in particular that was really fascinating, and added a new dimension to quite a few characters who’ve only ever been on the periphery, as well as Curran.

But the main reason I loved this instalment was for the build-up and stakes that are ratcheted up now. With a degree of domestic bliss for Kate, comes more she could potentially lose to her father. At one point in this book she muses on her very isolated childhood, versus all the people who she now loves and are relying on her … which means she has more to lose. I think that’s been building up for a while now, but in this book Kate actually starts cataloguing all those people and becoming increasingly scared of her father … even as she shares one of the hands-down best scenes Ilona Andrews have ever written, which is daddy/daughter deadly, there’s this strange dynamic of love/hate between them that’s so delicious for all the future possibilities.

My miniscule qualms about this book are the same I’ve had ever since Ilona Andrews presented the fascinating triangle of Julie, Derek, and Ascanio – and that is that I always want MORE! Especially since seeing this Tweet from author Jeaniene Frost, dropping massive hints about a Julie and Derek book that Ilona Andrews discussed with her … I WANT IT!

‘Magic Shifts’ is a brilliant instalment in this phenomenal series. There is an end in sight now, and that’s being wound up tighter and tighter especially in this book … and now I’m at that magical place as a reader, where I both want to know how it’s all going to play out, but I also can’t stand to think of this series coming to a close (… but, y’know, a Julie spin-off would ease that somewhat. HINT. HINT!)

5/5

'Burn for Me' Hidden Legacy #1 by Ilona Andrews

From the BLURB:

Nevada Baylor is faced with the most challenging case of her detective career—a suicide mission to bring in a suspect in a volatile situation. Nevada isn't sure she has the chops. Her quarry is a Prime, the highest rank of magic user, who can set anyone and anything on fire.

Then she's kidnapped by Connor "Mad" Rogan—a darkly tempting billionaire with equally devastating powers. Torn between wanting to run and wanting to surrender to their overwhelming attraction, Nevada must join forces with Rogan to stay alive.

Rogan's after the same target, so he needs Nevada. But she's getting under his skin, making him care about someone other than himself for a change. And, as Rogan has learned, love can be as perilous as death, especially in the magic world.

‘Burn For Me’ is the new urban fantasy series from husband-wife writing duo, IlonaAndrews.

The final book in Andrews’ ‘The Edge’ series wrapped up in 2012, and they’re still contracted through to book #10 in the ‘Kate Daniels’ series (due for release in 2017) … with this new ‘Hidden Legacy’ series, Ilona Andrews are contracted for three books, ‘Burn For Me’ being the first.

This has been a most-anticipated book for many Ilona Andrews fans. Much as we love Kate Daniels (even more so since the Kate and Curran pairing was finally realised!) Ilona Andrews are undoubtedly one of the best urban fantasy authors writing today – a new release in this genre from them is most welcome indeed. I was especially excited for the beginning of this new series, because the last ‘KateDaniels’ book was a bit of a disappointment to me and I was looking forward to a shake-up. And while I did love ‘Burn For Me’, I’ve got to admit that I didn’t love this book as much as other readers seemed to…

To begin with: Ilona Andrews love to world-build, and they’re very good at it. But they tend to be more at the ‘fantasy’ end of ‘urban fantasy’, and some of the more intricate details take a while for me to fully comprehend (I don’t think I really understood the Kate Daniels universe until around ‘Magic Strikes’). In the universe of ‘Hidden Legacy’, something called the Osiris serum was discovered in 1863 that brought out one’s magic talents. In this world, magic users are segregated into five ranks: Minor, Average, Notable, Significant, and Prime. And a family with a powerful magic is considered a House when it produces at least two Primes within three generations. For more information, check out the ‘Magic 101’ cheat-sheets on Ilona Andrews’ website.

Our protagonist in ‘Hidden Legacy’ is Nevada Baylor – a young woman who has been running her family’s private investigation firm since the death of her father a few years ago, and her soldier mother was wounded during her last tour. Nevada has low-level magic which allows her to know when someone is lying. When a pyrokinetic man from a powerful house goes AWOL and leaves a trail of destruction, Nevada is forced by his family to find him and bring him home – unharmed – or else lose her family’s business.

I opened a writing app and began typing what I knew about Pierce.
Vain.Terminal fear of T-shirts or any other garment that would cover his pectorals. Deadly.
Doesn't hesitate to kill. Holding him at gunpoint would result in me being barbecued. Whee.
Likes burning things. Now here's an understatement. Good information to have, but not useful for finding him.
Antigovernment. Neither here nor there.
Hmm. So far my best plan would be to build a mountain of gasoline cans and explosives, stick a Property of US Government sign on it, and throw a T-shirt over Pierce's head when he showed up to explode it. Yes, this would totally work.

When one of the world’s most powerful Primes, a man called Mad Rogan offers (insists, cajoles, threatens) to help Nevada bring this criminal to justice she can’t exactly refuse … even when she’s terrified of her attraction to this homicidal, powerful Prime and has to keep reminding herself that he’s not for her.

This isn’t ‘Kate Daniels’, but there are certainly repeated elements in ‘Burn For Me’ that perhaps stopped me from loving this first book and our introduction to this new universe as much as others seemed to. Nevada is a PI, where Kate worked for the Mercenary Guild – both have elements of crime-fighting, whodunit-ing (totally a word). Admittedly Nevada has the weight of her family on her shoulders (mother, grandmother, sisters and cousins) whereas Kate’s story-arc was that she needed to be a loner. Even the love-interests are very similar – both Curran and Mad Rogan are big men and leaders (Curran of The Pack, Mad Rogan of his magic house and various employees).

I even found the romance dynamics to be very similar – Kate objectively appreciate Curran’s good looks in ‘Magic Bites’, she came to the conclusion that he was an egomaniac who collected notches on his bedpost rather than actual intimate relationships and was more trouble than he’d be worth … Nevada likewise is very much physically attracted to Mad Rogan, who lets it be known that he would appreciate a bedroom romp with her but she is put off by his homicidal tendencies, hunger for power and intimidating magical prowess.

Now, don’t get me wrong, I love that Ilona Andrews’ are able to revisit the romantic snark they so perfected with Kate and Curren through the new coupling of Nevada and Mad Rogan:

“Speak to me."
"I hate you."
"Okay." Mad Rogan let go of me. "You're fine.”

But part of the reason I loved their ‘The Edge’ series was that it was such a departure from the Kate Daniels romance – it offered varied pairings and HEAs – but with ‘Burn For Me’ the crucial romance element of this urban fantasy series felt too much like a throw-back to the good old days of Kate and Curran’s back-and-forth, will-they-or-won’t-they. Undoubtedly Ilona Andrews do that well – but my point is they’ve been there, done that.

I really did enjoy this first book and I am looking forward to the second in the ‘Hidden Legacy’ series (due in 2015). I am invested in Nevada Baylor and her family – a backstory that is brilliantly established in ‘Burn For Me’. I really like this world of magic Houses, and socio-economic dynamics being dictated by magical ability. It is very clever, and I can see that this is a world that will offer plenty of high-octane storylines.

And I do like that this is a series being built around Nevada and Mad Rogan – I look forward to investing in them, and hope that in future books their romance breaks away from the same-sameness of Kate and Curran’s chemistry. Mad Rogan certainly has an intriguing enough history to make him unique.

I can see why people are loving this book – it offers everything that Ilona Andrews is so darn good at … particularly the snarky romance. But it’s exactly because I felt like Ilona Andrews had plowed many of these dynamics in the ‘Kate Daniels’ series that I wasn’t as taken with this first book – I still enjoyed it, don’t get me wrong, but I thought I’d love it and I just didn’t quite get here.

3.5/5

'Magic Breaks' Kate Daniels #7 by Ilona Andrews

From the BLURB:

No matter how much the paranormal politics of Atlanta change, one thing always remains the same: if there’s trouble, Kate Daniels will be in the middle of it… 

As the mate of the Beast Lord, Curran, former mercenary Kate Daniels has more responsibilities than it seems possible to juggle. Not only is she still struggling to keep her investigative business afloat, she must now deal with the affairs of the pack, including preparing her people for attack from Roland, a cruel ancient being with god-like powers. Since Kate’s connection to Roland has come out into the open, no one is safe—especially those closest to Kate. 

As Roland’s long shadow looms ever nearer, Kate is called to attend the Conclave, a gathering of the leaders from the various supernatural factions in Atlanta. When one of the Masters of the Dead is found murdered there, apparently at the hands of a shapeshifter, Kate is given only twenty-four hours to hunt down the killer. And this time, if she fails, she’ll find herself embroiled in a war which could destroy everything she holds dear…

**** SPOILERS! - of past books in the 'Kate Daniels' series, but also spoilers for Magic Breaks. Only read once you've read #7 and want to know why I only gave it 3-stars, mmkay? ****

‘Magic Breaks’ is the seventh book in the urban fantasy ‘Kate Daniels’ series, from husband and wife writing duo Ilona Andrews. In an author letter at the start of the book, Ilona Andrews highlight that in this book a huge story arc is coming to a close, while another one is just beginning – stressing that #7 is not the final book in the ‘Kate Daniels’ series (they’re contracted up to #10).

‘Magic Breaks’ starts shortly after ‘Magic Rises’ – Kate is preparing from the fallout of Hugh d'Ambray reporting back to her father, the powerful Roland, with news of her whereabouts. She’s plagued by guilt and nightmares over the death of Aunt B, while also putting on a good show as Consort for Beast Lord (and fiancée) Curran, who has a lot of wheeling and dealing to do since obtaining control of the Lyc-V cure Panacea. 

When Hugh finally shows his hand and makes his next move, the implications are devastating – an orchestrated war between the Pack and the People that Kate can’t see any way out of without involving Roland.

Ok. So. I’ve given this book a 3-star rating, and it’s something I’m still wrapping my brain around, even while I think I can justify the so-so rating. Because here’s the thing: I liked this book. I really, really did … but I expected more. More fallout, more heartache, more tough choices … just *more* and I think Ilona Andrews weren’t as ruthless as they needed to be. Let’s be honest – ‘Magic Breaks’ is the book. The one we’ve all been waiting for since first meeting Kate way back in ‘Magic Bites’ and being curious as to why this woman felt the need to be alone, to anticipate a bloody battle that would one day come, to hide in plain sight … this is that book. This is the book where the long game plays out, where the plot that Ilona Andrews laid groundwork for back in 2007 comes to a head. 

At the start of the book there’s a write up ‘From the Journal of Barabas Gilliam’, which both acts as a summary of past events and gives a deep sense of foreboding for what lies ahead… 

There is a storm gathering on our horizon. We will make a stand, but I wonder if it will matter in the end. 

Because everything has been leading to this moment – Kate facing off against Roland. He’s the big bad who has been built up as a God-like entity, with possible biblical origins and a devious mind – apart from trying to kill Kate when she was in the womb, and murdering her mother when that first plan didn’t succeed, Roland created the psychotic likes of Hugh d'Ambray and is responsible for the very magic world the Kate Daniels universe is set in. He’s a big freakin’ deal, as has been built up and established for six books now … I imagine fans going into this book are expecting bloodshed and hard choices, on behalf of Ilona Andrews and by extension – Kate. We know that her character journey has been from loner to responsible for a whole Pack of people (some of whom she loves dearly, others who’d like to see her die promptly) so it makes sense that at the culmination of that journey all she has become and established will be risked.

Except it’s really not. The hardest death Kate witnesses in this book is someone from her past who I can barely remember, and whose connection to Kate has to be reminded and established in lengthy paragraphs because we haven’t seen them for a few books now … it hurts her, don’t get me wrong, but it’s a glancing blow compared to some of the other characters who could have been sacrificed. I was all ready to have my heart torn out in this book – such is the cunningly ruthless writing I’ve come to know and expect from Ilona Andrews – but it never comes. There are near-misses, but no real casualties to hurt and impact readers. And that’s a problem for me. I’m not saying I wanted mass-slaughter of everyone’s favourite secondary characters, but when the build up has been so big the pay-off needed to match – and it just didn’t, I’m afraid. On two occasions Ilona Andrews came close to breaking readers hearts, but they pulled back. It’s like pulling a punch, in my opinion. 

On the one hand: yay! No sacrifice, no beloved characters to mourn. On the other hand … now that a new story arc has been set up that’s meant to topple the previous one for Big Bad, I’m not sure how convinced I am that they can pull it off. As a reader, I really don’t think there’s anything at stake. 

So, there. That’s my reasoning. I think the lack of ‘Kill Your Darlings’ ruthlessness made this a fairly light-weight instalment, when it should have been The Book it was built-up to be. I think I’ll be in the minority in this reasoning, but hopefully people can at least acknowledge where I’m coming from.

Another issue for me was the lack of Julie. Also at the beginning of the book there are character profiles, and when I read Julie’s is struck me all over again that she’s being set up to become a protagonist in her own right; 

Julie: she has a crush on Derek, who sees her as a little sister, and an adversarial relationship with Ascanio, who views her as a rival and potential romantic conquest … Julie had been infected with Lyc-V, the shapeshifter virus, and was going loup. Kate used one of her father’s rituals to save Julie’s life by washing her blood with her own, which bound Julie to her. Julie is unable to refuse Kate’s direct order, a fact that Kate and Curran hide from her. 

There’s just so much material there to play with, and I was excited to see how Julie would fit into the big storyline of ‘Magic Breaks’. Except she doesn’t … she has a couple of scenes, and Kate *talks* about her a lot, but that’s it. Really disappointing, because it felt like Ilona Andrews pulling more punches and avoiding writing the tough stuff (she’s the last person I want to read die, but being so young and human, not to mention bound to Kate, Julie is the most vulnerable … so I wonder if shuffling her off-screen was a way to avoid hard decisions where she’s concerned).

The lack of Julie also grated because ever since reading the ‘Magic Tests’ young adult short story, which appeared in the anthology ‘An Apple for the Creature’ (and is provided in ‘Magic Breaks’ as an extra at the back of the book) I’ve thought Julie needs her own spin-off. Maybe not YA, but definitely when she’s older Julie is interesting enough to hold her own. I asked this of Ilona Andrews last year, and this is what they said: 

A: We've talked about it. We would like to write an older Julie, maybe a love triangle between her, Derek and Ascanio. Lately though, my money is on the dragon guy. We're not YA writers though, and it might not work as well as we'd like. 

The lack of Julie is even more frustrating because, really for the first time in a long time, Derek and Ascanio have scenes together … and they’re funny! 

“Okay.” Ascanio took a step back. “I understand you need a moment.” 

“Would you like me to beat him?” Derek asked. 

“Personally, I don’t think this is a good time to be fighting among ourselves,” Ascanio said. “But if Mr. McBroodypants would like to see how much I’ve learned in the past year, I’d be happy to show him. It would make a lot of noise and draw a lot of attention with all the blood flying around.” 

Mr. McBroodypants took a step forward.

They’re developing such a great antagonism, that I really wanted to throw Julie into the mix to see what happened. 

“I can give it a shot,” Ascanio offered. 

“Sit your ass down, Don Juanabe,” Derek said. 

“Don Juanabe?” Ascanio pulled out his swords. 

“Don Juan Wannabe,” Derek explained. “See, I shortened it. If you still don’t get it, I’ll write it down for you after the fight.” 

“You’ve maxed your wit quota for the night,” Ascanio said. 

Derek and Ascanio were probably my favourite part of the whole book, which is itself an issue. Their comedic scenes were all that I really *loved*, which isn’t great in a book that’s meant to be a huge climax to the over-arching Big Bad story thread.

I mean, sure, I loved the Kate and Curran stuff too – especially that a lot of the book is Kate handling things on her own without relying on Curran overmuch. And, yes, I think Hugh d'Ambray is a sadistically great villain who I really enjoy reading. I’m excited about the set-up for books #8, #9 and #10. But I do think that Ilona Andrews pulled punches in ‘Magic Breaks’, and handled their readers with kid-gloves a little too much. I’m desperate for Julie to be given more to do, and by extension to see Derek and Ascanio grow up more alongside her (and, oh my god! I want that love triangle to play out SO BAD!). 

The fact is, ‘Magic Breaks’ was okay … but it could have been great. 

3/5