Kate and Curran Dinner?

I was just pointed to a new excerpt from Ilona Andrews!

******************** KATE DANIELS SPOILER ********************

It's the promised "naked" dinner Kate has to cook for Curran! Enjoy here!

Review: Magic Strikes by Ilona Andrews

Title: Magic Strikes

Author: Ilona Andrews

Published: March 2007

Number of Pages: 310

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Stand Alone/Series: Kate Daniels #3
Book 1: Magic Bites
Book 2: Magic Burns

Why This Book: It's Kate Daniels!!! How can you pass it up?!

From the Author Site: Drafted into working for the Order of Merciful Aid, mercenary Kate Daniels has more paranormal problems than she knows what to do with these days. And in Atlanta, where magic comes and goes like the tide, that’s saying a lot.

But when Kate’s werewolf friend Derek is discovered nearly dead, she must confront her greatest challenge yet. As her investigation leads her to the Midnight Games - an invitation only, no holds barred, ultimate preternatural fighting tournament - she and Curran, the Lord of the Beasts, uncover a dark plot that may forever alter the face of Atlanta’s shapeshifting community…

Heroine: Kate Daniels is still the sword wielding manic that we have all come to love! She's still mouthy and has problems with authority figures (mostly Curran), but she is certainly learning all those codes and regulations. I guess that happens when you are a civil servant and lets face it working for the Order of Merciful Aid is definitely working in law enforcement. You know: bad pay, horrible hours, and doing things that no one in there right mind would actually volunteer to do. And on top of all that she's still the Order representative for all things mercenary or Pack related. AND she has to deal with Saiman! Poor thing! (*grins with glee*)

Review: This is another action packed page turner!! Ilona Andrews takes us back into Kate's world, the post-magic wave Atlanta, where all thing are not well. This story opens a few months after the events of Magic Burns. The post flare months were a bit slow, but with magic back in the swing of things, everything picking up. Once again, Kate's having to stick her neck, and sword, out to protect her friends and the world at large.

Once the action starts there is no stopping right up to the last page. The story is fast pace, the dialog is witty (still snickering at some of Kate exchanges with Jim and Curran) and well thought out. All those lovely details required for the story are filled out just enough to make every understandable and enjoyable. The world building in relation to Roland continues smoothly and it makes me eager to see the "final" battle/show down between Kate and Roland! This is what the whole series is building towards and I really love that about a series. An overall "goal" or outcome that the story it building towards. It helps keep all the stories in continuity with each other and makes for a great series.

Kate with her brash, no nonsense, kick ass attitude makes it a fun read. Since all is told from her perspective, we get all her inside thoughts and feeling. Which still a hoot! I just love the way her mind works (or doesn't at times). Though Kate doesn't want friends or responsibilities she's got them and she goes the extra mile and then some for them. She is definitely a great friend to have, especially if you need to kick some ass!

I honestly couldn't put it down. In fact I read it then pulled out books 1 and 2 and read right on through book 3 again! It was great! All that's missing is MORE! More Kate and her wicked sword skills, more Kate and Curran, more Roland, more, more, more! Ilona Andrews leaves us with tantalizing teaser which just makes me snicker then yell for MORE.

On Kate's relationship with Curran: I just love their banter! Their whole relationship has me laughing myself silly every time I thing about them. So let's sum up their relationship to date.

Magic Bites: At their very first meeting, she greets him with:

Here, kitty, kitty, kitty.

And he's response, after trying to wrap his head around her greeting, is:

What kind of woman greets the Beast Lord with 'here, kitty, kitty'?

Magic Burns: As their relationship starts to be more than just work, at least in Curran's eyes. Kate's whole take on it is:

If we were the last two people on Earth, I'd find myself a moving island so I could get the hell away from you.

To which he responds with:

We'll see

Magic Strikes: Curran is still is pursuit and Kate is, well, being Kate and is still evading and denying that anything at all exists. Kate:

I think you're confused as to the nature of our relationship ship. You and I don't get along. You're a psychopathic control freak. You order me around and I want to kill you. I'm pigheaded insubordinate ass. I drive you mad and you want to strangle me."

And Curran:

Once! I did it once!

LOL... I can't wait to see what happens. Especially with that tantalizing note at the end of the book!

What I liked Best: I have to say it's Curran's little note to Kate at the very end of the book. In fact it on the very last page of the book. It so totally makes me drool for the next book! And it's not out until March 2010!!! *sigh* And the best line in the whole book:

Er. I was sitting atop the Beast Lord in my underwear, holding a knife to his throat. What the hell was my next move?

What I found Most Annoying: Nothing! I love it. I think the only thing that bothers me is that I need MORE Kate! And now I have to wait until March 2010!! Good thing that whole Mayan end of the world thing isn't until December 2010 so there should be no trouble in getting the book! *grin*

Keeper?: YES!!! Must have!

Recommendation: I highly recommend this series. Although each book stands well on its own, in order to fully enjoy all of Kate's on-going relationship you should read the series in order.

Grade: A+
Series Grade to Date: A+

Review: Magic Burns

Title: Magic Burns

Author: Ilona Andrews

Published: April 2008

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Stand Alone/Series: Kate Daniels #2
Book 1: Magic Bites

From the Author Site: 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...

Review: Its back to the adventures of Kate Daniels. So its been a couple of months since the death of her Guardian and she's still working for the Order as the liaison to the Mercenary Guild. Still having a hard to making ends meet and taking on the odd jobs for the Mercenary Guild. But for the most part things have settled down to a somewhat happy routine for Kate.

Then of course its the late night call for an assist that turns into more trouble than the norm. Kate not so happily goes to the aid Jim, the panther shapeshifter mercenary, (for a fee of course) and one thing leads to another and the next thing she knows the Pack wants her help to:

... track down a supernaturally fast sniper who can disappear into thin air, retrieve your maps, and do it so nobody finds out what [Kate] is doing or why...

So the adventure starts. And one thing leads to another and before she can do anything about, Kate is once again wading neck deep in trouble. Not only does she have to deal with a sniper who can poof anywhere and has more wandering hands than an octopus, she's has to protect a helpless kid looking for her mom, deal with demons that just won't die and go away, and she's helping the Beast Lord's ex-lover by arranging her marriage to Kate's almost boyfriend, Crest.

Like Magic Bites, this book gets it claws into you and doesn't let go until the end. We're introduced to some intriguing new characters, Andrea, a Knight of the Order who has some serious problems and Julie, the abandoned street kid. We get to catch up with Derek, Kate's former wolf shifter body guard, who has matured some and has moved up a bit in the Pack hierarchy. Ghastek, the Master of the Dead, also makes appearance as does Saiman (still don't know what he is other than a bit strange) and of course Curran, the Beast Lord. And the revelation of the true depth of Kate's powers and more hints about Roland.

And the book leaves us with some intriguing questions: 1.) Just who and what is Roland (other than Kate's possible father) and just how powerful is he? 2.) How powerful is Kate? After the glimpse of her raw strength, it leaves one to wonder. Also the continued references of waiting until she is more powerful to kill someone, possibly Roland, makes one think that she only going to get more powerful as time goes by. And the biggest question of all 3.) Will Kate and Curran ever get together? Curran is a definite YES with:

Not only will you sleep with me, but you will say 'please'.

Ooh... the shivers. Love that whole alpha-male thing. And Kate is a definite NO with:

You've got to be insane. All that peroxide in your hair has finally did you brain in, Goldilocks.

You gotta love that smart mouth remark especially considering he can turn into a lion. Oh the possibilities. Can't wait to see how it all plays out.

Although the story is very satisfying it leaves you flipping pages helplessly at the end shaking your fist saying... "wait there's gotta be more, I NEED more" then wailing "What do you mean I have to wait until April 2009 for the next book!" And of course drooling for the next book. Can't wait for Magic Strikes!

Keeper?: Definitely.

Recommendation: It was definitely a great read. Anyone who loves a mouthy, kick-ass heroine will enjoy this book greatly. It going on my best of 2008 list for sure!

Rating: 5 of 5

Review: Magic Bites - Ilona Andrews

Title: Magic Bites

Author: Ilona Andrews

Published: March 2007

Genre: Urban Fantasy, Paranormal

Stand Alone/Series: Book 1, Kate Daniels

From the Author Site: Atlanta would be a nice place to live, if it weren't for magic...

When the magic is up, rogue mages cast their spells and monsters appear, while the guns refuse to fire and cars fail to start. But then technology returns, and the magic receeds as unpredictably as it arose, leaving all kinds of paranormal problems in its wake.

Kate Daniels is a down-on-her-luck mercenary who makes her living cleaning up these magical problems. But when Kate's guardian is murdered, her quest for justice draws her into a power struggle between two strong factions within Atlanta's magic circles.

The Masters of the Dead, necromancers who can control vampires, and the Pack, a paramilitary clan of shapechangers, blame each other for a series of bizzare killings - and the death of Kate's guardian may be part of the same mystery. Pressured by both sides to find the killer, Kate realizes she's way out of her league - but she wouldn't have it any other way...

Review: This book grabbed you from the very beginning and didn't let go until the end. A definite page-turner with non-stop action and suspense throughout the story. It is told all in the first person and masterfully done.

The story starts with Kate relaxing at home when a vampire comes to visit and asks her when she saw her guardian last. This compels Kate to check on her guardian, Greg, only to find out that he has be murdered. So Kate leave her safe, comfortable home and heads to Atlanta to investigate the death of her guardian who also happens to be the knight-diviner for the Knights of the Order of Merciful Aid of the Atlanta Chapter. The knight-protector for the Atlanta Chapter of the Order allows Kate to investigate of Greg's murder. From there everything goes wild. She get drawn into a mystery dealing with the deaths of shapeshifters (the Pack) and vampires (controlled by the Masters of the Dead or the People) and their respective leaders in the Atlanta area (Beast Lord aka Curran and Master of the Dead Nataraja).

Kate Daniels is a completely kick ass heroine, quite literally. No nonsense, action inclines and smart mouthed, that gets her into a lot of trouble. With her trusty sword, Slayer, she takes each problem and challenge head on. I love that she is straight forward, do what needs to be done kind of heroine. Also there is a mystery of her origins and the mystery of her blood is quite interesting and I hope that the author will enlighten us on it in future book.

The world was fascinating. Apparently technology ruled the world at one point, like ours, but suddenly magic started strongly flux into the world the throwing the world into chaos. It was interesting to see the struggle between technological equipments (cars, building, lights, etc.) and the magically equipment (cars that run on magic, leylines, feylanterns, etc.). I also liked the concept of vampires as puppets and are controlled by necromancers. It was very colorful and mostly believable. The history is somewhat sparse but adequate for the intent of the story. I would have like to see more of how magic re-entered the world and the founding of all the different organizations, but that just me and it was not really required for the storyline.

Keeper?: Yes

Recommendation: Anyone who enjoys a good story will enjoy this book. Lots of action and adventure and sticky situations. Not for someone looking for a romance. Though there is some, it is not the center piece of the story. (I do hope that she ends up with Curran in the long run though).

Rating: 4.5 of 5