Magic Bleeds

Magic Bleeds by Ilona Andrews
Kate Daniels # 4

Publisher: Ace Books
Number of pages: 349
My copy: paperback, bought from PowerBooks

Atlanta would be a nice place to live, if it weren’t for the magic. When the magic is up, rogue mages cast their spells and monsters appear, while guns refuse to fire and cars fail to start. But then technology returns, and the magic recedes as unpredictably as it rose.

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…

* * *

Since I loved how Magic Strikes ended, I knew I couldn’t wait to read the fourth book in the Kate Daniels series, even if it meant finishing the book would make me itch for the fifth book already. But when the last book has left you smiling and the fourth book is just waiting to be read, well…you just have to grab it to keep the magic going. That, and I needed to know what happened to Kate and Curran. Yes, I needed to.

Magic Bleeds opens up a whole lot of doors into Kate and Curran’s lives, both individually and in their lives together. It picks up right where the previous book left off, of course we know that there will be a bump in the road where their relationship is going. The book starts off with that, and it left me wondering what will happen once their paths cross again. That doesn’t mean the story revolved only around their romance. Kate is faced yet again with a problem of epic proportions, and it truly is epic because of the connection to her past. Here we get to see and know just who Kate is preparing to fight. The result of all the fighting leaves me wondering if she is really capable of winning the fight of her life and still save the people she cares for. Of course we know she’ll win in the end, but how she will win is the big question. Kate is stronger here but also she’s grown softer now that she forming relationships with the people she works with. She’s still as snarky as ever though, and the book is littered with a ton of quotable quotes and funny anecdotes with the same deadpan humor that somehow lifted the feeling of impending doom.

We also learn more about Curran and how he became the Beast Lord, and why he acts the way he does. I like that he’s not the perfect guy, and I like that he’s just as flawed as Kate is. This just goes to show how good they are for each other. More Pack dynamics were discussed in this book, which showed that there was even a more complicated world inside the magical one that they live in. The diversity of the Pack and their politics were so well-thought out that we absolutely understand why Curran acts that way. It’s been said many times already, but I must say it again: Ilona Andrews knows how to build worlds, down to the smallest details.

Which brings me to the Kate and Curran scenes in this book: wow. Totally absolutely satisfying (and if you don’t mind this tiny spoiler — there is lingerie involved)! I have to admit that sometimes I like the sparring and the romantic tension more than the actual relationship itself. Sometimes I don’t want the characters to “level up” because when something finally happens I know things will change. I was afraid for that to happen with Kate and Curran, but the authors did a very good job in keeping the relationship exciting while making it grow. I’m content with the fact that Kate would still be the same snarky heroine that I loved from the first book, and Curran will still be the control freak Beast Lord, despite all the developments. :)

One more plus point about this book: Kate adopted a dog. IMHO, you can never go wrong when the protagonist adopts a dog. ;)

And like with the rest of the fans of the series, I absolutely cannot wait for the fifth book. When, oh when will it be out? :o

Rating: [rating=4]

Other reviews:
Chachic’s Book Nook
Angieville
Artseblis
Janicu’s Book Blog
Book Harbinger
Emily and her Little Pink Notes
Attack of the Book

10 Thoughts on “Magic Bleeds

  1. Agreed about the dog. I have a soft spot for books where the protagonist gets a dog or has a dog!

    I think Ilona Andrews does well with the conflict in their relationship even when they level up. And there is the hint that there’s more things that they have to work on together.

    • Characters with pets are good characters, IMO. That’s why I loved Todd and Manchee so much in The Knife of Never Letting Go. And oh, Manchee. *sigh*

      A little spoilery — I can’t remember if “The First” was explained well in Magic Bleeds. I might have to look for that part again.

  2. Amen to Ilona Andrews knows how to build worlds. Have you read The Edge series yet? That world rocks as well.

    • I haven’t read any of The Edge yet. I’m going to have to hunt for the two books in that series for now while I wait for the next Kate book. :)

      • Butting in to say that the two books in the Edge series are both available in certain Fully Booked and Powerbooks branches. :) Yes, I’m a fan that’s why I know where they’re available.

        • I think there was one book in Powerbooks Shang, right? Oh dear, whatever happened to my book buying ban? (Like that was ever successful :P)

  3. *grins* Such a great book, right? I remember seeing in Ilona Andrews’ website that this one is about Kate and Curran and how couples come to a point in their relationship where they decide where they’re going. I love how they were able to pull that off in this one.

    Yes to the incredible worldbuilding! Can’t wait for Magic Slays either. I think it’s going be released sometime next year. There’s also going to be a novella about Jim and Dali. Hey, have you read the scenes from Curran’s POV? I love those.

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