A Novella in the World of Kate Daniels - Magic Mourns

I have read & re-read everything that they write. I am loving the companion books to the Magic series. Illona Andrews always delivers with adventure, romance and excellent writing. Keep it going for EVER.....

Great book written by a husband and wife team. This is an excellent series and one of the few that I purchase the book as soon as it comes out without fear that it will disappoint. Highly recommend.

This is actually a rather important connecting story between Magic Strikes and Magic Bleeds. It is referenced several times in Magic Bleeds, and shows the beginnings of Andrea and Raphael's relationship more directly.

If you like the Kate Daniels world and story lines, you would like this quick read. My favorite part, though, was the Epilogue. No way to explain without a spoiler, so you will simply have to get to it - Do Not read it before the story, as that would destroy all types of suspense in the story.

This is a tightly crafted, entertaining novella that fills in some of the details of why/when Andrea and Rafael got together as well as explaining a few rather obscure comments in Magic Strikes. Well worth the money - too short, unfortunately, but lots of fun.

Andrea is a very interesting character.The mate thing between she and Raphael is different from Kate and Curran.The story is about the greece myth.I like the magic apple part most.Especially knows that the apples became the apple pie that Curran ate after he stick Kate`s ass on the chair....

This novella brings a much needed perspective on the love story between Andrea and Raphael, and makes me understand their story in Gunmetal Magic so much more. Bravo, Ilona Andrews, for writing yet another brilliant thriller!

But an excellent mod on Greek mythos!
Oh, and the scoop on bouda hunk and beastkin babe rocked.

Looking forward to Slays, and how that all works out. Seriously, anytime my hub wants to goveme a lingerietree, I'm ready.

A short story on two of the supporting characters in the Kate Daniels series. It's entertaining but it's not enough. It's missing the depth of the full length novel. The characters connection feels out of sync. Give it a try though to fill in on some back story. It's not bad, its not awesome, but it is good.

With apologies to everyone I did a cut and paste to the wrong review.

This is about two of the peripheral characters in the series. This is about how they become lovers and an interesting adventure with Cerberus. Very interesting plot with some good humor and nicely written characters. This book could make a decent introduction to the series as it can pretty much stand on its own. Overall a very nice read. Introduces Teddy Jo and the Apples of Immortality.

This is a fantastic, must read companion for any lover of the Kate Daniels series. It's Andrea and Raphael's story from the Must Love Hellhounds compilation, so if you've already read it there, this is the same story. If you haven't, it fills the gap between how they actually got together and to my surprise, it also provides some heavy insight into Curran and explains some of Kate's antics in Magic Bleeds... think apple pie and welding weight benches. If you've never read the Kate Daniels series, this would be an entertaining teaser, but you would definitely miss alot since it literally falls into a consistent timeline between Magic Strikes and Magic Bleeds.

While Kate is recovering after the events from Magic Strikes, best pal, Andrea Nash, closet beastkin hyena shapeshifter and Order Knight of Merciful Aid, is bored out of her mind covering for her, when she finally receives a call from a man named Teddy Jo who seems to be a friend of Kate's. He tells Andrea he saw a shapeshifter who's tail is on fire being chased by a giant dog as big as a house. Andrea springs into action bringing out the big guns, literally, to investigate, only to find that the shapeshifter in distress is Raphael, the werehyena who's been courting her, and the giant dog is actually a twenty foot tall, three headed mythological creature of Hades, Cerberus. Together, Andrea and Raphael get caught up in a mystery with vampires, missing bodies, an Angel of Death and magical apples.

This short story, like all of Ilona Andrews work, is simply incredible. Andrea is a bada$$ in her own right and you finally get to see her mettle here. The dialogue is as funny and witty as ever but the story goes deeper than mere physical attraction between Andrea and Raphael. As they spend time together and learn about one another, you really do see a cosmic relationship building. That, and the chemistry between them is explosive. Magic Mourns has everything you would hope and expect as part of the Kate Daniels series including tons of action and plenty of snark. Even with the absence of Curran and only a cameo appearance by Kate, this story is perfect in its own right. The ending is absolutely riveting and although it answers several questions, it raises even more to leave you panting for the next installment.

I re-read Magic Mourns in Must Love Hellhounds. 

I just LOVE the Kate Daniels series.

Magic Mourns can be read as a standalone title or part of the series. The Andrews team does a fabulous job giving you all the pertinent information about the world that you need to enjoy this novella. 

Andrea Nash, works for the Order of Knights of Merciful Aid and she’s also a Beastkin, but that’s a secret only a few know about. She’s a kick-ass women who loves her guns. I love Andrea. She is such a wonderful character and a great friend to Kate Daniels. 

Raphael is a werehyena and bouda to the hyena clan. He’s been trying for 6 months to get Andrea to give him a try. 

We are treated to Andrea’s POV. Where this novella starts Andrea is filling in for Kate who’s on medical leave. A call comes in about a big dog chasing a shapeshifter and so she goes out to investigate. What she finds is Raphael being chased by “the coolest thing ever, a twenty foot tall three headed dog.” 

It’s was nice to see Andrea loosen up a bit. It was also nice to see Raphael not give up and wear her down. These two have such a fun flirtatious banter between them in this novella and their romance explodes once they give into their desires and decide it’s ok to give a relationship a try. 

This story is full of action, world building, mystery, mythology, and exciting characters. The world they live in is an uncertain one and Magic comes and goes as it pleases.

Magic Mourns is a fabulous read.

Rated: 5 Stars

In "Magic Mourns", which is a 90-page novella in the anthology "Hell Hounds", we get a POV from Andrea, Kate's friend as Kate is in the background due to the climax of Magic Strikes and Andrea gets to deal with the Order's problems as Kate's replacement. Andrea has not been able to get much outdoors action due to certain issues which were focused upon in Magic Burns [2nd Kate Daniels book]. She gets a call from out of town to investigate a three headed dog that seemed to be chasing a Pack animal.

She jumps onto this chance and on further investigation it turns out that the creature in question is none other than Ralph [the were-hyena who is smitten by Andrea]. The reason for him being chased has something to do with his mother Aunt B. the current Alpha for the Hyena clan & her mate. The tale then expounds as to what might be happening and why a certain three headed dog [whose mythological background you can easily guess] is hell bent upon his stay at a certain place.

This novella is set in the timeframe after the events of the third book and is a nice departure from Kate and we get to see more of Ralph & Andrea who seem to be another crazy couple in-the-making. The mythological aspect discussed in this tale is again a new one. The authors are doing a swell job of concocting their tales and utilizing different mythos to power their stories and yet developing links to enmesh them cohesively as a part of this series.

This novella serves as a nice sidebar to the Magic series and preferably will have to be read before the 4th book "Magic Bleeds" as some characters and the tale's ending bears minor ramifications in the next Book. Overall an "A" effort and a story not to be missed by fans of Ilona Andrews.

This is chapter one from book 5, Magic Slays. I just paid for the same book, but with a new title. How about some sort of warning for the fans? I will read anything by Ilona Andrews...but I already read this.

This is a great novella - excellent pacing and action, good meaty character development for fans of the series, and several really funny bits ... not to mention lots of naked Raphael.

And it's not a terrible place to get a quick taste if you're considering starting the series. Some of it would go over a new reader's head, but there is plenty of in-line context and the action and interpersonal parts stand fine on their own.

I am also impressed at how well Ilona Andrews managed to keep Andrea's voice distinct from Kate Daniels' despite the surface similarities between them. I never forgot that I was reading Andrea.

The best part of this novella, though, is the opportunity to see Andrea and Raphael working together. Between that and watching the two of them spar, we get more insight into both of their characters, plus a bit of backstory on Andrea.

And hey, naked Raphael.

[Originally posted at DarkUrbanFantasy.]

Magic Mourns is available to purchase as an ebook novella but was also included in the Must Love Hellhounds anthology. The story is set after Magic Strikes while Kate is still recovering from her injuries and taking a break from her duties for the Order of Knights so her friend Andrea is standing in for her. When Andrea gets a call from a member of the public concerned that a shapeshifter is in danger she gets more than she bargains for when she goes to investigate. Not only does she come face to face with a giant hellhound but she is also forced to work closely with Raphael, the werehyena she has been trying to avoid ever since she realised he had feelings for her.

I have been a fan of Andrea since she first appeared in the series, she always makes such brilliant snarky comments and her interactions with Kate never fail to make me smile. I loved getting to see her take a leading role and this has me even more excited to read the full length novel that is told from her point of view (Gunmetal Magic). Andrea is just as kick ass as Kate but in a different way, where Kate excels with a sword Andrea is more comfortable with guns - the bigger the better. It's a good job she's a crack shot because her skills are certainly put to the test in this story. This may only be a novella but it packs a lot in and I really enjoyed seeing Andrea start to come to terms with her past and accept herself and her abilities.

I have to say I really started to fall for Raphael during this story, I've always liked him and found him amusing but this was the first time I really felt the chemistry. He is such a sweetie when it comes to Andrea, she has been pushing him away for a long time now because she is scared of getting hurt but now he finally has her full attention he goes all out to prove that she can trust him. I love the way he acts towards her and think they make a great couple so I'm all for seeing more of them together in the future.

I'm not going to talk about the plot because it would be too easy to spoil this novella but I will tell you that it has everything you'd expect from one of Ilona Andrew's full length books just wrapped in a shorter package. There is plenty of action, a lot of humour and some fab banter between the main characters. Don't expect to see much of Kate though, she only makes a very brief appearance as this is very much Andrea and Raphael's story. A very worthy addition to the series and a story that fans aren't going to want to miss, my only complaint is that I wanted more!

When I picked up Magic Mourns, I was expecting Kate. What I got was Andrea. The shift in narrators was a surprise for me, but not an unwelcome one. I love me some Kate, but I've really enjoyed Andrea's character in the past two books, and knowing that Gunmetal Magic is coming out this summer with her PoV, I was pumped for the preview. And friends, Magic Mourns did not disappoint!

Often, when you pick up new narration by the same author, it's incredibly similar. However, Ilona Andrews really took me by surprise with Andrea. She doesn't write the same for this character at all. Sure, it's still written very well, but Andrea's thought process is different to Kate's. We see that not only in her mental dialog, but because it is written in first person, we see it in every word. Andrea's narration isn't full of well-known phrases and clichés, it's not as clipped, moody, or sharp; it is another strong butt-kicking chick with a wry sense of humor, and I am now more than ever a fan of Andrea's.

I'm going to say after the past three books, Ilona Andrews kind of owed us this one. Magic Mourns tells the story of Andrea dealing with duty without Kate. When she receives word of the (supposedly) giant dog chasing a shapeshifter outside of the city, she heads out to check the scene. There she finds, much to her dismay, Rafael. Rafael running from what is, indeed, a three headed dog the size of a house. Andrea doesn't particularly want to work with Rafael, but she doesn't want to leave the guy either. She wants to create a better bond between herself and the Pack, hoping that she can earn a position of trust similar to Kate's, making relations easier for everyone.

As always, we get a fun and unique play on mythology (Greek this time), but with it comes the gratification of Andrea and Rafael, and how their relationship differs from Kate and Curran's. Andrea and Rafael, unlike the other couple mentioned, actually acknowledge and talk about the issues between them. For better or worse, at least they have some form of communication going. Magic Mourns also gives us better insight into Andrea's past. We've known she is beastkin, but other than the stigma involved, we've been a little blind to what that really meant for her growing up. I was incredibly interested to have her past laid bare, appalling as aspects of it may be. Where Ilona Andrews has been giving us snippets of Kate's past and relationship with Curran slowly over 3 novels, it was really quite satisfying to learn so much about another character in such a short period of time. Not that I'm complaining about Kate's pacing, quite the opposite, I love it, but that doesn't mean I don't need to be thrown a bone every once in a while. Andrea's story was well paced, informative, and the perfect balance between action and romance.

Overall, Magic Mourns is a must read for Kate Daniels fans, particularly those preparing to enjoy Gunmetal Magic!

I just adore Ilona Andrews. They're a phenomenal team with great writing and great ideas. I didn't love this particular installment because it felt like a novel-length story in a novella-length package. The story was just too big, and as a result it seemed rushed.

A body is missing, so Andrea and Raphael hunt it down, battling a humongous three-headed dog along the way. (No spoilers here. You learn this much in the opening scenes.) A navigator of vampires joins the fun, bringing with her a few vamps. Andrea has to stop the navigator. Another monster pops up, and they have to battle that one too. Along the way, we get Andrea's backstory in large blocks of dialog when she confesses her feels to Raphael. And their relationship shifts dramatically in the span of a single scene.

I could handle all that if it was drawn out over a novel. In this novella form, it felt rushed, under-developed, and even unbelievable in how quickly things happened. But I adore this series, and I look forward to reading later installments!

I was reading this Kindle story and kept thinking how familiar it was. Finally I looked at my notebook and discovered that I had indeed already read it in the anthology Must Love Hellhounds. Since I had not read it since 2009 I decided to go ahead and finish the Kindle version. Sure enough, it was just as good as I had remembered it being.

Kate Daniels has been injured in that epic battle in the arena and is on medical leave and Andrea Nash is trying to substitute for Kate so she can have some actual recuperative down time. When Andrea gets a call about a shapeshifter being chased by a giant dog she heads out to handle the situation. Well, what she discovers is that the shapehsifter is Raphael, a werehyena who considers himself to be courting Andrea and the giant dog is actually Cerberus from Greek mythology fame.

Even if you have never read any of the full length Kate Daniels novels you will get a good background of what has happened to the city of Atlanta during the conflict between the world of magic and the world of technology from this novella. This story will not acquaint you with the main character of Kate, but Andrea does figure in the novels quite prominently so learning the backstory of Andrea and Raphael is definitely not a bad thing. I do wish the publisher had put some notice on this *eSpecial* to let fans know the story was not new. My mistake for not checking it out more fully.

OK, first, this story is indeed in "Must Love Hellhounds", so get over it. It is a GREAT story, and well worth reading again. yes, I was sort of disappointed that I had read it already, but hey, if I had been paying attention, I would have seen that I already had it in "Hellhounds". It is worth it. The story has been described by others, so I will only say that this is yet another dip into the Andrews world of Magical Atlanta, but from another perspective. You can read my review of Gunmetal Magic for more on the main characters of this novel, Andrea and Raphael. And then don't forget to get Gunmetal - it is AWESOME!

The Andrews do it again - fit a novella within their world-building that fits like a glove, and gives you even more reason to want to move into Kate's Atlanta.

If Raphael weren't mentioned so prominently throughout this short story, the tone and voice of the speaker could be Kate. In fact, the narration style is a lot like Kate. There's a lot of repetition between this and the other books in the series. I presume that it is so that all the books can be read independently of each other. For an Andrea story, this was terribly boring. As for her character identity, Andrea just flops about like a bouda out of water. There isn't much holding this short story together. If you picked this up hoping for some character insight or development, you might want to just finish reading the series instead.

This is a side tale to the Kate Daniel's adventures featuring Andrea Nash, Knight of the Order of Merciful Aide, beast kin and Kate's best friend. Set just after the third full novel, Magic Strikes, in the series; this story provides the catalyst for Andrea and were hyena Rafael to move their budding relationship forward. And it doesn't disappoint! Storyline in interesting and reveals a few interesting tidbits about the characters in the aftermath of the Midnight Games. For a novella, the pacing was great, it was well written, interesting and finished with an interesting twist!

I checked Magic Mourns out from my local library. A nice short story about Andrea and Rafael-- I enjoy all the Kate Daniels series, but this couple has a special place, as they have so many obstacles to overcome. A pivotal book in the series.

You can't go wrong reading about the other characters in this urban fantasy series and you have to love Raphael. I mean he's soo cute! Especially in this novella with Andrea. Awesome addition to the series.

With a tale of Andrea and Raphael, we are drawn once more into the fascinating world of magic vs. tech. I really like the story as well as the story writing...it keeps you going right up to the end. A definite read for all who are immersed in this world as I am...

For fans of the Ilona Andrews Kate Daniels series, this is a fun side trip developing the characters of Andrea and Rafael. It's a fast-paced romp that works by itself, although there's a gap between this story and Magic Slays that leaves the door open for a lot more development of the relationship between these two. Highly recommended if you're a fan of the series. This story is also included in the "Must Love Hellhounds" collection of short stories.

I love Ilona Andrews!!! She is my new favorite writer, she is creative and a very rich writer, all the scenes in her books are so well written, that you feel
Like your watching a movie!!!highly recommend the Kate Daniels series, and the On the edge series!!!!
I will be anxiously waiting for her next books!!!

I choose this rating because it had all the things I like in a good book. First likable characters, 2nd a sprinkling of humor, third a plot that is unpredictable.

Thanks for another good read. MJ