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