Saturday, November 24, 2018

Magic Burns (Kate Daniels, #2) by Ilona Andrews

Narrated by Renee Raudman
Synopsis (via Goodreads): Down in Atlanta, tempers – and temperatures – are about to flare…

As a mercenary who cleans up after magic gone wrong, Kate Daniels has seen her share of occupational hazards. Normally, waves of paranormal energy ebb and flow across Atlanta like a tide. But once every seven years, a flare comes, a time when magic runs rampant. Now Kate’s going to have to deal with problems on a much bigger scale: a divine one.


When Kate sets out to retrieve a set of stolen maps for the Pack, Atlanta’s paramilitary clan of shapeshifters, she quickly realizes much more at stake. During a flare, gods and goddesses can manifest – and battle for power. The stolen maps are only the opening gambit in an epic tug-of-war between two gods hoping for rebirth. And if Kate can’t stop the cataclysmic showdown, the city may not survive…
“I don't want it to be attributed to a loss of control on my part. When I throw you out of the window, I want there to be no doubt the act was deliberate.”
I LOVE this series! The Ilona Andrews duo never ceases to amaze me, and I hope they write books together forever! I first discovered this writing team when I read Burn for Me, which is part of their Hidden Legacy series. When I ran out of books to read in that series, I went searching for something else to replace it and stumbled across their Kate Daniels books. I read the first book (read my review here) and knew it was going to be wonderful. The world-building is fantastic, the characters are complex and detailed, and the stories have been engaging and action-packed.

Kate is a snarky, no-nonsense character, and I love her personality. She has a big secret that we've only scratched the surface on, and I have a feeling the authors will slowly reveal new details as the story continues. We learn a little more about her with each consecutive book, and I have a vague idea of what she might be hiding. I really like that her thoughts show us how scared or concerned she might be in a situation, but she always sounds confident and gives plenty of attitude. “We were screwed and he didn't even kiss us first.” 

Curran is everything I want in a male character. He's clearly an alpha, and doesn't hesitate to put people in their place. I think he secretly enjoys it when Kate challenges him, despite her clearly being the weaker opponent. Yes, she has magic at her disposal, and she's good with a sword, but Curran is fierce and acts with an animal's instincts. Their back-and-forth banter is one of my favorite things! They like each other, but haven't admitted their feelings to anyone. It's apparent in the way they choose to interact, even if they're never overly obvious about it.

I really enjoy all of the secondary characters, no matter how small their roles are within the book. Derek is clearly a teenager, but he has a lot of responsibility within the Pack, and he takes his job very seriously. I like that he's usually assigned to guard Kate (per Curran's orders), and think the two have a lovely working relationship. He's sweet and dependable, always loyal to the Pack, and fiercely protective. 

Ghastek is rarely there as a human, because he's almost always piloting a vampire, but I love his dry sense of humor and how he teases Kate throughout the book. They get along for the most part, but working alongside a vampire is never easy (though there are some benefits). It's eerie what a vampire can do, and there is always the possibility of Ghastek losing control.

Andrea is a new favorite of mine, and I cannot wait to see her in future books! She and Kate share a secret, which only solidifies their friendship, and I hope Andrea is involved in future adventures. Even people that are only mentioned once or twice feel significant. It's really amazing!

I'm always surprised by the story and rarely anticipate the direction it will go. There are vampires, shifters, witches, gods, mythology, giant turtles -- it's almost impossible to imagine what will happen next! I can never listen to the audiobooks fast enough, and I'm always eager for the next one as soon as I'm finished. It's a bummer there is a wait list at my library! 

If you haven't heard of this series or these authors, I highly recommend you check them out! They've written some amazing things, and I look forward to reading whatever they come up with next.


10 comments:

  1. Okay, I think you've convinced me to try this series now!

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    1. I've heard it gets better with every book! Do you have a favorite, or just love the series as a whole? :)

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  3. I’ve had a rocky start with Ilona Andrews (I listed to the first book of a different series on audio and it was a disaster) but I’m thinking about giving this one a try. I see so many rave reviews of it and it’s been a long time since I had a good YF to get hooked on. Plus you have me super excited about Curran! :)

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    1. I've only read their Hidden Legacy series and this one! I've enjoyed both immensely! I'm sorry you're first Ilona Andrews attempt was a bust. I didn't initially like the narrator for this series (she also narrates the Hidden Legacy books), but she quickly grew on me! She has a great range of voices and I love the way she portrays Kate's sarcasm and inner thoughts. Curran is definitely an alpha! I love the way they challenge each other. <3

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    2. I’m keeping this one in mind for another time. I wouldn’t go the audio route again (since she always seems to use the same narrator) but I know my library has this on Overdrive so that may be the way to go. :)

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    3. If you do decide to try it, let me know what you think! :)

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  4. I have to read the last 2 books still but this is a great series. Andrea has a book too and it was great.

    Karen @ For What It's Worth

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    1. I just met Andrea! I never would have suspected her secret, but I love how it connects Kate to the Pack even more. How many books are in this series? I hope there are a lot! I also want Kate and Curran to start having steamy sex scenes, haha. <3

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“Stuff and nonsense. Nonsense and stuff and much of a muchness and nonsense all over again. We are all mad here, don't you know?”
― Marissa Meyer, Heartless