Magic Rises: A Kate Daniels Novel

I like the Kate Daniels series. There's a lot of blood and fighting, but it's fairly fast moving with interesting characters and decent plots. The authors do a good job.

On the other hand, the Edge series, while again having some interesting characters, is way too dark.

I love the Kate Daniels novels and was really looking forward to this one. However, the Kate portrayed in this volume was not the Kate of the previous five. Out of nowhere she became insecure, jealous, and immature. What happened to the strong, secure Kate? I sure hope this trend does not continue into the next volume.

As I read this latest Kate Daniels adventure, I thought, "How can I explain how good this book is? What can I say to make that clear? Why is my upper limit five stars when it's good enough for ten or fifty?" I have been waiting for this book and it was so much better than I had hoped (and my expectations were high).
I love this series. I love Curran and Kate. Suddenly their status as Lord and Consort, unmarried alphas, is under attack. To the skeptical judgement-hurling Eastern European and Italian weres, Kate is a non-shifter outsider (her magical status and parentage is still under wraps) so she is perceived as weak. Curran, unmarried Beast Lord, is fair game for eligible young alpha wannabes. There's nothing better than a little competition to test the fidelity and trust that bind a relationship. Plus: Is it unwanted attention? Ah, but that would give things away. Even Curran's oldest friends and pack members worry.
How about the complications Kate brings to the castle party? Her handsome magical host and friend of her father has his own cards to play. I look forward to more from Hugh in future books. I also hope Kate can continue her magical training back in Atlanta.
I recommend readers start at the beginning of the series, for maximum enjoyment of Magic Rises. But the authors capably offer plenty of backstory details (and even a deleted scene as a bonus) if you decide to jump in to this series with this book.

I can't stop reading these books! The characters are engaging and the storylines unique and complex without being pretentious. I literally check every day to see if the next book has been published early (we should be so lucky).

There is not one book in this urban fantasy series that I don't love. Action is face paced yet easy to follow, the characters are all well developed and still interesting and, most of all, Kate & Curran, but mostly badass mamajama Kate Daniels. I wish I could be her.

Another freaking fantastic addition, if a little heart-wrenching, to one of the best urban fantasy series out there

This is an outstanding book. The Ilona Andrews writing team just keeps coming out with great books. The actions starts of right away and continues throughout the book. As always, I enjoyed the action between Kate and Curran in this story. Also, enjoyed seeing all the regular cast of characters.

The lastest Kate Daniels doesn't disappoint. The novel keeps you guessing and doesn't forget the emotional side of the characters we've come to read about. I counldn't put it down and then was sad to see it end...

Ilona Andrews is the best author of Urban Fantasy bar-non. This due is amazing. The plot is thoroughly developed. The charterers have grown, and more importantly the authors are not afraid of killing off main characters. Yes, a lovable Buddha dies in an epic battle against some mythological super bad creatures and Voron's general. Enough said. Read it. It's worth every penny ;0)

The book is perfect. The best in the series. I wish it was longer. Looking forward to the next book in the series.
The only thing I would change ... without death ....
I lost one of my favorite characters ...

At some points in the book I had to stop myself from reading because I couldn't handle the emotion of what was happening, and I wanted to draw it out so it wouldn't end to soon. I still read it in a day and I can't believe I have to wait a year for the next book.

This is hands down the best urban fantasy series with a female lead. Not only is she a bad ass, but the way she deals with the ups and downs life are so real. Even if she over or under reacts it makes perfect sense. I love that Curran is her mate, they fell in love over time, and they deal with the good and bad of being in a relationship. It's not all rainbows and unicorns, sometimes its hard and it sucks, but they fight through because they love each other.

I wish other author's would read this series and take note. WIt, action, drama all occur in a amazingly built world with well rounded characters.This is the gold standard.

The plot is really moving along. I love how much the writers of this set of novels have matured as the books have gone on. Kate Daniels is a very well written protagonist, and I enjoy her perspective.

Every time I finish a book in this series I think "Well, that's it, they'll never top that", and every time a new book comes out I'm proved wrong. Magic Rises is an epic, amazing ride; a roller coaster from the first line. What is so incredible is how the authors wring such powerful, conflicting emotions within pages of each other. I'm laughing with Kate and Julie then I'm crying because..well, no spoilers, but I'm CRYING IN CHAPTER ONE!!! How can I be crying in the first Chapter?!?!?

A lot of people have made quite a bit of the conflict between Kate and Curran this time. I felt bad for Kate hurting, but I totally got Curran. He's such a Guy, and such an Alpha. He really thought what he was doing was a good idea. Yes, he's an idiot, but I enjoyed seeing him act so normally. That's one of the reasons I love this series - even with all of their abilities and skills they still act embarrassingly human.

I was sad to see a character I loved die, but what a great scene. Horatius at the bridge has seldom been better written - I could feel Kate's desperation as she watched, helpless to save her Packmate.

Can you tell I loved this book? It's one of the best I've read this year, and an incredible part of this amazing series.

It has everything a fantasy book has to have: magic, humor, great suspense, fights and romance. I just loved it, no boring parts. Personally this is one of my favourite out of their series. Definitely better than the last two.

I Do love UF with a ton of action and Magic Rises delivers. There is romance but I dont believe that the story hinges on it.( Thank God) The writers in UF that can deliver on good and believable action scenes using weapons are few and far between, but this Wife and Husband team does this effortlessly and cleanly. My only issue withthe series is the lack of diversity in the characters. Atlanta has a very high population of African Americans, but there is only one minor African American character (a scowling dark skinned female named Jezebel!). The rest of the shape shifters, humans, etc seem to be Norwegian with a smattering of Asian. I honestly don't understand how the writers' vision of their characters could be so narrow given the breadth of the population that makes up Atlanta.

One of the reasons that I love the Skinwalker series is that when the story takes place in New Orleans, the characters reflect the population of New Orleans, along with their accents, habits, etc.There a cajun characters, characters form Africa, characters that are mixed race, characters that arenot mixed race. And these characters are not just personalities lurking along the periphery of the story, they lend bulk and substance to the plot.

I was looking forward to this latest installment with a mixture of hope and fear. The last one was really superb, with an intricate and very clever plot, pulling on your heart for Kate and Curran and people who you have really grown to care about (Julie). How could they top that?!? THEY DID. Its amazing, but they really did. I was so engaged that I stayed up till 4:45am just to see what happened. I'm 49 yrs old and I work in the day! I have never stayed up all night just to read a book. Kate and Curran's relationship is really tested and their responses very true to the characters. The perils and suspense from both the ongoing plot of Roland and the new plot particular to this story with the shape shifters/politics is very taut and gripping. I'm too old for this doodoo- I couldn't sleep until I knew all would be okay. In many ways the relationship with Kate and Curran is like my relationship with these authors: I love them and think I trust them (to give me an excellent reading experience with a satisfying ending) but for a while there I was really scared that there was just no way out of this, and that I was going to end up tossing the book against the wall in frustration.
It was the best of times and the worst of times. I laughed and I cried. If you care about these characters you will too. You'll be exhausted physically and mentally when you are finished. And if that is not the hallmark of a great book, what is?

OMG! The best yet and I didn't think that was possible! The last couple of chapters were nail biters; very descriptive. I was there fighting along side the Pack. Sad, definitely but also so courageous, so much love and very funny. Thank you, guys, for a wild ride. I read the last chapters three times and can hardly wait for more.

There are so few series that once passed the third book continue to improve but each Kate Daniels book gets better and better; this one is by far, one of the best. To be sure, there is a lot more drama and angst in Magic Rises than in some of the past books, but one of the reasons it works so well is because the authors have done a fantastic job building up to this point. There are so many things that I want to say but honestly, I'm not sure I could do justice to the book without giving away too many spoilers. Suffice to say, I loved this book.

Magic Rises was a great continuation of the series. I advise that you read the others in the series prior to this read. The relationship between Kate and Curren evolved. What relationships, no matter how solid they seem, don't have bumps in the road? It was interesting to see Curren make mistakes and to see more of his human side.
As for action, it was full of great fight scenes. As for characters, there were several introduced who ended up surprising me at the end without it being gimmicky. I like that.
Many emotions were tweaked during the story. I chuckled a couple of times, although not as often as in the other stories as this one seemed more serious. I cried a couple of times too. I become so attached to the characters it is hard to see them hurt. The authors know how to tug on my heart strings.
I like that while there is a feeling that the story isn't over that the authors don't do the cliffhanger thing at the end. If an author writes a great story then they don't have to have a cliffhanger for me to read the next book. Believe me, I will be waiting for the next book with extreme anticipation.

If I loved less the previous course of Kate’s and Curran’s relationship, I would most certainly rate this book higher.
My main objection is concerning character motivation. They have already reached the level where they would willingly die for each other, and they have already been aware that is that particular feeling is mutual, they have already had a deep understanding of each other’s biggest personal fears and flows, simply speaking, they already overcome bigger issues, so the problem they faced in “Magic Rises” seems inadequate and their actions highly unlikely. Someone wrote in his/her review that the fear of infidelity is normal within the first year of relationship, that they didn’t know each other that well, but I cannot agree. If Kate knew Curran would leave his pack (and his pack is his whole life) for her, that he would gladly die protecting her, she, no matter how big her personal fears and relationship issues are, would never for a second believe that Curran (her personal psycho) would leave her for anyone. If the girl in question were better opponent, if she were clever, braver, stronger character, perhaps the whole situation would seem more probable, but this character wouldn’t made Kate (extremely strong Kate, I liked so much, from previous works) jealous.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I liked that they traveled across the ocean to a new place that they "made" their own. One sad part was the death of a major player. Can't wait to see the next book in the series! Hmmm, maybe a baby for them or Andrea? Or maybe both pregnant at the same time? The possibilities are almost endless!

I feel incredibly sad that I have finished the book, it was so good and I'm not ready to let these characters out of my head yet. The authors are among the best in this genre...no, not just in this genre, across fiction. The writing seems so effortless, the stories are intricate and make sense, and the characters are all compelling. Once again, I can't wait for the next one.

Another whiz bang book by Andrews. I have loved this series since the beginning, and it is just getting better and better. A journey overseas brings together my favorite characters, and together they do what they do best, kick ass and take names. The ending leaves me ravenous for more, and I will count down the time till the next book comes out.

It is shocking to me the amount of knowledge contained in this book- the biblical references, the legendary animals, the mythologies, and the swordsmanship makes me wonder how the Andrews team has any time to actually write a book with all the research they have to do! I'm intrigued by the Shepard, and would have loved to learn more about him; but I don't think that wish will be granted. Not unless they have another reason to travel overseas, and seeing how well this journey went, I don't foresee any of the Pack wanting to head out anytime soon!

Anyway, prepare yourself for some super emotional scenes, questioning the actions of characters you have trusted implicitly, and perhaps even some tears at the sacrifices made. I would strongly recommend this book to one and all. Enjoy!

I generally love me some Kate Daniels and while I mostly enjoyed this latest outing, I do have some concerns. While the interplay between Kate and Curran and the rest of the cast is wonderfully written, I'm a little tired of the Kate/Curran "How do you really feel about me" argument that seem to take place in every novel. Events toward the end of Magic Rises indicates that (hopefully) we won't be seeing this debate again, but I'll believe it when I DON'T see it in the next story. Also, I felt that the way that new characters and / or races were introduced wasn't handled as well in this book as in others. Kate at one point literally falls on someone who introduces her to another guy who then performs the duty of narrator and provides random background information that the author(s) apparently couldn't figure out any other way to introduce. On the plus side, Kate continues to be one of the more dynamic and interesting heroines in the urban fantasy genre, her relationship with Curran is generally entertaining (except for "the discussion" parts), watching her force herself to behave when she really doesn't want to is kind of comical, and the supporting cast is well written. I do think that the storyline is reaching critical mass for characters whose names we're supposed to remember, so hopefully the author(s) will make do with what they have. And we're far enough into the Kate Daniels saga that we'll hopefully start making some more serious advances in the Kate-and-her-father angle which is supposed to be the "biggie" but hasn't really advanced toward any kind of real confrontation in what feels like forever.

This is one of my favorite books of this series. This book is full of emotional turmoil. The action scenes are as intense as ever. Relationships will be tested. People will be betrayed. Long time characters will die. And above all else, nothing is as it seems. This book is a roller coaster ride from start to finish.

I love this series. Others have detailed the plot, so I won't. I will just say that I went to work with only 2 hours of sleep because I had to know how it ended. Now the wait for their next book will be interminable. If only they (and Patricia Briggs) would right faster! No one else can compare!

I was really looking forward to the next novel and it didn't disappoint. The pace was good the character development good without being too familiar that you get bored. The plot maybe not as strong in surprises as others but still good. So, when's the next one! If you a fan of the series totally enjoy

This is one of the few series that I find myself re-reading over and over. I have new books waiting to be read but I keep going back to this series. I keep all of the books loaded on my phone so that I can read my favorite parts when I have down time. The characters are so multi-dimensional and the short stories that go more in depth on secondary characters are highly welcome. If you haven't read the Curran Point of View on the author's web site (some are also available as shorts on the store), you are missing out!

There are longer reviews here that spell out the awesomeness of this series, so I'll just say that this series never disappoints.

The good:
-Kate, Curran and crew change location, but remain kick-ass and hilarious.
-Action scenes are completely bananas- in a good way.
-The fleshed out supporting characters, which raise this series above all others, continue to thrive- and-- hello Jim's sister!
-New crazies, new mythologies explored!

There are two negatives--

-A lot of exposition in the story routinely takes place while people sit around tables, or stand around (but, on the plus side, the routine of Kate waking up in a bed seems to have ended...)
-And part of the conflict involves "marriage" of two folks that are already "mated"-- perhaps the importance of the difference in definitions was lost on me.

Seeds are planted for the next installment of the series. As a fan, you'll probably re-read the book to explore all the details.
If you haven't read this series yet, this is probably not the book to start.

I started this book when I woke up this morning - and I didn't put it down. My husband, kids, furniture shopping, all took a backseat. Or rather, I rode in the front seat, and read on my kindle because it was THAT good.

Ilona and Gordon impress me at every turn, with every book, with their incredible skill as authors who weave a brilliant story rife with angst, laced with humor, and filled with death and destruction.

I was riveted, angry, sad, horrified, engrossed, and hitting the page button faster than a falcon snatching its prey. Hey, Magic Rises even had some smexy in it :) I cried. My heart ran the gamut of emotions. The tension was real and palpable.

I have questions. I'm frustrated at a few things, (Okay, mostly to do with Lorelei, and the ending) but overall? Magic Rises delivers all you want in a novel, and I know Ilona and Gordon will answer in book 7. I trust them.

I had high expectations for this book. I've waited what feels like a very long time for its release. I literally stared at my kindle around midnight on release day for the download to begin. It would have been very easy for this book to disappoint me with such high expectations. I should have known better.

Ilona Andrews are my favorite authors. I have loved nearly everything they've written - including this book. This is the best series, the series nearly every other series in the genre gets compared to. It is the King of urban fantasy meets paranormal romance, and no one could write it better than Ilona Andrews.

Kate is complex, flawed, hilarious, sexy, badass and everything you could want in your hero. It makes me smile just thinking about her. I laughed outloud a dozen times throughout this book, rereading pages I enjoyed just to enjoy them again. I cried as well, grew angry, relieved, happy, frustrated, etc. You really get to take the journey with Kate because she is so well-written.

The first few chapters reacquaint us with our beloved characters and set up the epic journey. Action, love, romance, betrayal, magic, new creatures, Greek and other European lore and much more make the book spectacular. Do yourself a favor and read the book. If you haven't read the others, do that first - then read this book.

Forgive me if I'm not especially loquacious in this review but I loved this book so much I'm going this on my kindle. I love these two authors for their unique voice, interesting characters, and surprising plots. They've improved as the books progressed; I don't remember any instances of their favorite fighting description, "I moved on liquid joints" throughout the entire novel.
This novel is about Kate and Curran's trip to the Black Sea in a quest to retrieve the antidote to loupism. They've been contracted to protect the daughter of a powerful alpha but for Kate and Curran nothing is as simple as body-guarding. There's Hugh d'Ambry, weird sharpshifter species, and political intrigues to navigate as well as Kate and Curran's personal relationship. I really enjoyed that we saw those two interact a lot more in this novel than in the last book.

I stayed up late/early to finish reading. I'm emotionally drained. A lot happens in this book. We get know more about Hugh, and I was a little surprised by him. Kate and Curran are never boring, that's for sure. We find out more about some of the Pack, where they stand, and their motivations. I wish there was more. Plus we get new faces that lead to more burning questions (at least for me).

I LOVED the book. I LOVE Kate. I wanted to punch Curran a few times (but still love him). Ilona and Gordon made me laugh, freak out, get PO-ed, and tear up. Thanks again for letting me escape reality for a little while. I can't wait for the next book.

If you like world building, paranormal fiction, you will really enjoy this series. If you haven't read this series, I highly recommend it.

I recommend any Ilona Andrews book. The books are very gripping and I find myself addicted to them like a drug. Love love love their work. I'm pretty picky about my authors, but I love all of their stories, and I can't say enough just how much I enjoy them. This series has humor, action, suspense, drama, love, horror, tragedy, creativity, and heart. You name it. Definitely my favorite series and I just can't get enough. This book is no exception and I cannot wait for the next one!

Iv'e read everything publsihed, and this series I've read twice. By now, I should know not to start reading a new Kate Daniels novel at 9 pm. Seriously. So So So good. Can't wait for this next one this summer.

If you are reading this review to figure out if you want to buy the series let me just tell you something: Buy it now. Honestly my favorite series on planet earth. I picked up this series when it was a couple books in and read them all in two days. I was dying for the next book, and luckily for me it came out a few weeks later. But now I wait close to a year for a new book and it seems like forever! Yet, the books always turn out amazing so the wait is worth it. I even requested off work yesterday so I could sit at home and read this book. I can't tell you anything else you haven't already read in the other reviews. The series never loses pace and I'm just as excited to read the next one as I was to read the first one.

The more I read of the Magic series, the more I enjoy the rich character development. This book did not disappoint, giving me further glimpses into the lives of many of my favorite characters.

What I liked:
* Kate continues to be a strong character, physically, magically, and willfully.
* The pack, as a whole, continues to grow as an interesting character of it's own.
* The painful situation of losing pack children is believable and heartbreaking.
* The book is suspenseful, kept me turning pages until I couldn't keep my eyes open.

What I didn't like:
Just one thing -- I felt a bit cheated by the complication/conflict between Kate and Curran. I would rather have seen them working more as a team, and some of what happened between them felt contrived to me. It can be challenging to portray a couple in love and include complications without separating them, but I'd like to see the authors push that boundary. Kate and Curran are well-developed characters, and they could meet challenges together, rather than having things wedged between them. (See Elizabeth Peters' Amelia Peabody series for a good example of this).

To be fair, that's a personal preference for me, and it would have really made a completely different story. This one, as is, is very good. If you are a fan of this series, you will enjoy this newest installment.

This is another geat book in the Kate Daniels Series, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Her series si always growing in new ways and tht makes it especially good to read because it's not just about conflict with the same old same old but fesh new takes on the characters and their lives. I do look forward to the next in this series. I do also find the chief characters to be ost endearing.

I am not a writer, I leave that to others, but had to give a review for this book. I always buy any Ilona Andrews story I can find, because it is always worth it. Always. Best if you have read the series, I cant recommend the book or the writers enough. On my Kindle, I save books into folders, Sci-fi, Fantasy, Fiction, Urban Fantasy, but I have a special folder for Ilona Andrews.

If you've already read the Kate Daniels series to this point, then know that this is one of the best. If you haven't read Magic Bites then go get it and start there- you will never regret it. I have a book-a-day habit and this series is the best I have ever read bar none. It is character driven but the emotional responses feel natural, never cheesy. The protagonists are flawed but heroic, good hearted, and admirable- and never ever stupid or unethical. Violent yes- but they end fights, not begin them. Plots are tight, creative, surprising, never obvious. World building is superb! I only give 5 stars for books I reread over and over- this one was released 10 hours ago, I've finished it, and I'm now downloading the audio version so I can listen to it with my hands free to do what I must. This is the only series I own in hard copy, ebook, and audio- it's just that good. Be sure to check out the author's web site- it has the richest content of any author I have ever heard of. Free fiction, snippets from works in progress, essays on writing both as art and business.

Summary: Loupism takes over shapeshifter children all the time, and the Atlanta Pack is tired of it. Soon they are offered a deal for a possible cure, but they have to across the ocean to Europe to help protect a vicious shapeshifter's pregnant daughter. But when Kate Daniels, her man candy Curran, and the rest of their crew get there, Kate sees a familiar face and realizes it's a trap. Can they get out alive and return with the cure to save the children?

Review: I devoured the book and want to go back for seconds. There is a reason why Kate Daniels is one of my favorite series (if not THE favorite). This book reminds me of that reason.

They always find new and innovative ways to expand their world. I'll just say this: Dolphin shapeshifters. And there is more, so much more. European shapeshifters were cruel and vicious. They lack loyalty, something we are used to seeing in the Atlanta Pack. And we got some experience with Roland and Hugh's world, Kate's biological world. Fascinating.

There was not that much individual character growth. We got to know some of the characters a bit more. I love Barabas. We see Derek changing (and it's not all good), Aunt B at her best, and Mohan's acceptance. We got introduced to new characters, like Jim's sister Kiera and a crazy werewolf named Desandra (love her!). And then of course we had Hugh D'Ambray... And that was an adventure in of itself.

I was a bit worried about Kate and Curran's relationship troubles. I did not want it go into "romance novels" category, where they moon over each other. I thought it might have headed out to angst territory, but I should have trusted Andrews. Yes, there was trouble and the potential to tear the couple apart was real. But I felt the reality of their relationship bearing down on my emotions. They didn't behave childishly. Shapeshifter violence, yes, but they handled their issues like an adult. And with some fighting.

There is a lot of emotion in this novel. And they were weighty, like the possible death of children. But it was well managed. Andrews showed the price shapeshifters pay for their powers, without it being an emotional drag. And there is always a good dose of humor sprinkled through the books. The unique characters are great at delivering one-liners.

I would love to share more, but I can't because of spoilers. You have to read the book. Why are you still reading my review? Go!

Sex: sex scene, kissing.
Violence: It's a Kate Daniels book; when isn't there blood, guts and mayhem?

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Series Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Quote:
"Would you care for something to drink?"
"Is it poisoned?"
"It's Saturday," I said. "We only serve poison during the week."

Next Book: Magic Breaks, book 7 of the Kate Daniels books. No release date yet.

When I read other reviews and the first thing they said was Holy S@@t, well they got it right. There is many, many of those moments couldn't have asked for a better book in Kate Daniels series. This book has everything all rolled into one book, hard to write a review on because everything is a spoiler. I'm so glad they are working on the next one now because I want to know what comes next. There were questions answered and new questions waiting to be answered. Will miss the character that was lost, and left wondering who the snitch is. The line that stopped me in my track at the end was when Kate though everything they lost was for nothing.

I can't help it I was charmed by Hugh, Kate's nemesis and adopted brother...... I think he's hot. He was actually more appealing than Curran in this installment of the series. I think Curran and Kate are perfect for each other but even evil super villains need love too. (ie. Lothaire from IAD series). I think he needs a love interest. Anyway, this book was amazing, artfully written with lots of build up, suspense and intrigue, and many of our old favorites make an appearance.

Oh. My. God. I didn't think anything could top the last book, but this one is even better, and it is an emotional roller coaster! Strap yourself in and get ready for the ride! You must read all the books in the series, including Gunmetal Magic, to get the full effect of the dramatic twists and turns. A new reader would understand the plot just fine, but I think you need the whole story to really feel the impact of loss, betrayal, and triumph at the end. An excellent addition to an amazing series, go read it!

Ilona Andrews never disappoints. Magic Rises is complete with everything we have come to love in a Kate Daniels book. By the end of the story you are both satisfied by the ending and eager for the next installment in Kate and Curran' s saga.

The Kate Daniels series is one of the best and unique Urban Fantasy series out there. If you are new to the series please start with book one Magic Bites and not this book.

When a shape shifter has a baby there is a 50% chance the child would go "loup" a rabies like madness that leaves the parents with a choice, to mercifully kill the child or hope they have access to an extremely rare and hard to make cure.

Julie's (Kate's adopted daughter) best friend has gone loup and to get the cure Kate and The Pack have to go on suicide mission to guard a pregnant were from assassins and political intrigue. Or is it a carefully laid trap by someone from Kate's past?

I loved 90% of the book and would have gave it 5 stars if not for a chunk of the story was annoying. It involved Kate whining and pining over her mate Curran. She comes off very childish and weak which is the opposite of Kate's personality. If I didn't know what Kate's personality was normally like and I hadn't had read the other books in the series I would have hated Kate. But since I know better I was just left with an annoyance with this immature side of Kate. It was the only thing that kept the book from being great.

I also was upset to find one of my favorite characters dies and another is disabled. But I love the new characters George, Keira and especially Christopher. Christopher is an enigma that I can't wait to see more of in later books.

And now I have to wait for the next book!! I don't know if this was my favorite Kate Daniels book, after all there are many to choose from. The plot was fast paced, the action gut wrenching and the story was good. Kate and Curran, what can I say? All of the favorites and a few new additions. Can't wait!!

I was really nervous about reading this book. I'd heard some scary stuff and that I'd hate Curran through half of it. None of that happened. Even when he was behaving questionably I never doubted his true intent or his love for Kate. This book was just WOW. Hugh, who knew???? I can't wait for the next one!

The series just keeps getting better, the world the author builds is populated by such great characters that before each new release I reread the ones before to catch up with my friends in this wonderful wonderful imaginary world! You should take the time to visit!!!!

I read a great deal for my work as a psychotherapist. It is just plain fun to escape into Kate's world for a while and enjoy the fantasy, romance and wit that Ilona Andrews infuses into every book in this and the related series. Thank you, Ilona and Andrew!

~No spoilers~ Well, this is the first time I'm not giving 5 stars to a book in this series. It's really good for the most part, but there's a couple reasons why it won't be going on my favorites shelf...

I felt like crap throughout a lot of this story. I was hurting so much right along with one of the characters, like, really hurting. On one hand, that really is a testament to how amazing this author is that she can immerse a reader into the story so fully, so intensely, that I fricken almost started having physical symptoms - I sort of felt gutted. I suppose that is the definition of an author excelling at her craft. Which is awesome. But excellent storytelling aside, bottom line is...I felt like crap throughout a lot of this story. Which kind of sucked.

The other thing that I wasn't too thrilled about had to do with the ending. But I don't really want to put spoilers here, so I won't go into it.

But other than those 2 things, this book was really good. That familiar humor is wonderfully present (as crappy as I felt throughout most of the book, there were still parts that I could laugh out loud at), the action was well-written and intense (chapter 15 is hands down my favorite scene in this book. loved it!) and Kate has only further solidified herself as my most favorite female character EVER. And as to that (sorta) new character that we really get to know more of in this book? All I can say is damn -- color me fascinated.

I can honestly say this book was worth the wait and overall, I ended it feeling satisfied but at the same time, hungering for more so that I eagerly anticipate the next installment (which Andrews manages to accomplish without the use of a weakass cliffhanger, which I continue to appreciate). A must read of course for the series.

Worth every single penny!

If you haven't tried this series yet--you really should. Especially if you are a fan of *great* urban fantasy. Every book just gets better and better. It's a beautiful thing to be so drawn to characters that are so much fun to read. Extremely well written and enjoyable. This is kick ass action, drama, love, craziness, sadness, and humor at it's finest!! Awesome characters and storyline--I am planning on reading it again as soon as I finish this review.

I just wanted to write a quick review and say that I absolutely loved this book. I love the whole series and it just keeps on getting better with each book. I feel like reading the book again, I love it so much!

I love this series of books and this one was worth the wait. It picked up where the last one ended. Kate and her crew was just as good as ever. Great job, I can hardly wait until the next book is released.

This is the best ever in this series!!!!!! Sincerely. I do say that about the previous books in this series when they come out. This is how you separate the masters from pretenders. The authors are just too good and smooth, they are formidable. In the first place they have good concepts of their plots. Secondly the diction is flawless. Thirdly, they have believable characters and more delectable Alpha and Alpha (yes, emphasis mine). Even though Kate is supposedly 'human', her genetics is otherworldly. Curran and Kate's relationship develops, matures and gets stronger with each book. In the series, their romance took time to materialize. Even though it might be considered love at first glance, or 'shift', we watched in frustration the parries between these two. We know there is something because Curran will walk through fire for Kate.

Even though the task and danger they faced in this book is as formidable as ever, they have each other's back. They are not mushy, kissy faced most times but they say and do enough. The spot of jealousy thrown into this book makes my spine tingle!!! Wow, thanks guys, I hope we don't have too long to wait for the next book. But if it is going to be as superliscious as this one, please take your time!!!

And get this people it is a fricking HEA for each book!!!!!!! Yep. And we are still buying the next book in the series. We don't need a heck cliff hanger to buy !!! Take that.......

Magic Rises takes us on another great journey to the Kate Daniel's universe where magic randomly overcomes technology and mythical creatures again walk the Earth. This time, that journey is a literal one as Kate and Curran and an entourage of trusted pack members head to Europe to guard a pregnant wolf-shifter.

Saying that Curran's last visit with the European packs did not go well is a gross understatement, but with the nearly impossible to obtain `panacea' - the only cure for shifter children who have `gone loup' - offered as payment for keeping shifter Desandra alive until the birth of her twins, Kate and Curran deliver themselves into what they know is a trap on the slim chance that they can actually walk away with the bait. While all of the political landmines of dealing with the three shifter factions that have a vested interest in the upcoming birth keep Kate and companions on their toes, it is the end result of the surprising encounter with the individual who baited the trap that pushes Kate to her limits and gives her a chance to stretch her magical muscles. I liked getting a glimpse of just what Kate might be capable of in the long run - wow. And just as interesting as seeing `who' Kate could become, there is another player - who is far more than he initially seems - who opens up the whole world of the series to exciting new possibilities befitting the title.

Still, even with those glimpses of promise for Kate and the larger world, this series wouldn't be anywhere near as entertaining if weren't for all of the great characters surrounding Kate. As much as I love Kate and Curran together, it is Kate's interactions with Barabas, Doc, Aunt B, Andrea, Raphael, Mahon, George, Saiman, and Derek that really bring Magic Rises to life. Plus, if Kate didn't have all of those connections, she wouldn't have as much to lose either. So when circumstances work to undermine the foundation of the new life she's built for herself as Consort of the Pack, I could really empathize with her hurt and frustration. And as hard as it was watching that upheaval, as a result Kate finds some support from a surprising quarter, and it also precipitates a dialog between Kate and Curran that was one of the high points of the book for me because it so profoundly reveals the core of `who' they are and what that means to any future they might have together.

Since Magic Rises is book six in the series and a recap is needed to bring new readers up to speed, there is little bit of `info-dumpy-ness' near the start of the book, but this is just a minor nit - the Andrews are so good at weaving the story here that, even though I am generally not much of a re-reader, I spent the weekend with Kate and read Magic Rises twice back to back and I am still having a hard time leaving this world behind. It was just that good.

ARC received from the author but I also purchased my own nicely formatted copy for my keeper shelf.

Loved every page. Best novel yet of a great, great series; tightly written, well edited, superb plotting, and character development was spot on. How is it possible that a series this excellent keeps getting better? Magic...

Many editing errors. Julie has been with Kate longer than a year. How did Eduardo fish out that shipping container if he can't swim since they have no loading crane? The distance from Key West Florida to the Straights of Gibraltar is 3949 Nautical Miles (11th edition of 'distances between ports by US government') and at an average speed of 27 knots, a ship can make the trip from Atlanta to there in about a week. I could keep going, but won't.

The parts I liked best were Kate's confrontations with the castle's lord. I didn't feel connected to the new characters introduced in this book, they didn't have enough personality to make me actually care. I know Ilona Andrews can create great characters with good personalities, it was done excellently in the arena fight several books ago with the cat-wizardess who has a speed-driving problem. I only remember her name started with a 'D', but I still recall many details about her. At times in this book, I forgot 'George' was a woman, and I couldn't remember anything about Keira other than suddenly she's Jim's sister. She had no memorable traits or quirks.

Finally I didn't get to read a good ending. There is loss, and then there is discovery. Both these vitally important events were over fast, and for both of them, I wanted to read about five pages of character reactions, conversations, and discussion. Instead of having a great ending, it was rushed.

Overall I rate this book at three and a half stars. I did not like the beginning because of factual inconsistencies, and I did not like the end. The middle was generally good, though part of my enjoyment of the series is Kate immediately knowing and describing obscure mythology. That she didn't know a creature's origins herself made the book lose a little something.

All hail Ilona Andrews. That is all. This wasn't my favorite of the series but it still was a kick ass book. The humor will still alive and kicking. The romance was awesome. I just want to hug Mrs. Andrews and become apart of Kate's crew of weirdos.

Let me preface this by saying up until this book I have raved to all and sundry about the Kate Daniel series by the Ilona Andrews team. Unfortunately I cannot rave about this much awaited instalment in the series. The plot premise is okay. But the execution was lack lustre and I felt like it was just a string of scenes strung together, many of them out of character, and often just an excuse for meaningless violence. One minute Kate is portrayed as a killer, the next as a moral human, another time magically super powerful and then the next not. By the end of the book I was wanting her to run off with Hugh, embrace her heritage and figure out just exactly what she was. There were a lot of threads that just were unnecessary and tedious. Too many quick tie offs and conveniences, and seriously, what was the point of having Siaman there. He was so out of character in this. As was Hugh, for that matter. And Kate. And almost everyone else. Hopefully the next one is written with a little more thought and planning and internal consistency.

I truly enjoy this series with Kate and the gang. I have read and re-read the entire series. I can't wait for the next book. I have read all of Ilona Andrews and I am unable to put them down one started. Share with everyone.

I was excited and a little nervous waiting for this book. Magic Slays was like a break from the story arc and Andrea and Raphael's story just wasn't the same as Kate and Curran so it felt like three long years to get us back onto the main antagonist of Roland, but I can say without hesitation, it was worth the wait. This installment has everything I've grown to love about this series including the humor, sarcasm, friendship, love, and epic fight scenes. This go around was all that, but with greater intensity and maturity that I found very satisfying.

When Julie's best pal, Maddie, and her sister start to go loup through their adolescence, Kate and company are completely helpless with no alternatives but to wait or kill them. There is one drug, Panacea, that could help to reverse the effects, but there isn't enough to save the girls and certainly none for future generations. When Kate and Curran are offered a chance to get a large supply of the Panacea in exchange for body guard duty, they know right away it's a trap, but they feel they have no choice but to try. This brings them across the Black Seas with a small entourage in tow for the ultimate of showdowns against none other than Hugh D'Ambray, Roland's second in command.

Although the book's first half starts a little slower than usual with some recap of things that have happened in past installments and lots of mythological background, the second half definitely compensates to balance it out nicely. The usual suspects are all here with the exception to Jim, and several new characters are also introduced. Although Erra was an epic antagonist, Hugh is no slouch in the villain department. Kate is forced to use a lot more magic than she ever has before and it makes you realize she still has a long way to go, but that just means many more stories to come. The relationships develop, the wit is still there, the action and battles are rich and plentiful, and although there are victories, overall the story is bittersweet when balanced with all the losses. I'll have to read it again to be sure, but this could be my favorite so far.

I am in love. This is one of the best series out there, I usually like my books a little more erotic, but I love this series, the love that Curran and Kate have for each other is unique. This series has it all action, romance and suspense. The main characters are not stupid I love that. I cant wait until the next series, I hate to wait until next year for the next book.

5 stars because that is as high as the rating goes.
Didn't like that it ended. Loved that Kate's powers are advancing. Can't wait to find out what happens next. My only criticism is that there was some unneeded tension between Curran and Kate. Want more scenes showing them together and Kate learning how to control her magic. Wish the epilogue was longer. Her Mom was a witch-does Kate have any magic from that side? If it were me I would be exploring the mystical side of things just as much or more as the physical. These are minor criticisms, though. I pre-ordered this book and devoured it as soon as it showed up on my kindle. I will go back now and read it through more slowly, so I can savor every word. I love this series and these writers. They never disappoint. May they live long and continue to keep me and others happy with this fabulous story. It feels as if things are just heating up and I feel so fortunate to be along for the ride. THANK YOU ILONA ANDREWS!

It's hard to know where the series is going to end up, and I love that about them! Most series are predictable. This is not! I recommend this series to all my friends, and none of us have been disappointed! Thank you Ilona Andrews for writing this FANTASTIC addition to the series!

I love Ilona Andrews and Magic Rises doesn't disappoint! Ilona Andrews is an automatic buy for me because of terrific characters, great plot, and amazing stories. Magic Rises is a great addition to the series and i can't wait for the next one! Highly recommend!

As usual you'll want to hit Curran over the head (at least that's my response!) for his actions, but it is definitely a page turner that will be hard to put down. At least it was for me.

Enjoy!

Book 6 in Kate Daniels series, and Ilona Andrews team continue to give us amazing books. It had everything a reader might expect after the five previous books: love,drama,fighting,and some heart-breaking moments that left me hurting.

The action was non-stop, and i couldnt leave it before i had read the last page. You will not be dissapointed.

I have this entire series and LOVE it, love the kick-ass heroine and hilarious witty sarcasm throughout. It seems that so many authors now with a successful series continue to drive it until the wheels fall off and this was NOT my fav in the series. It actually was pretty stale and the pettiness and ignorance of the characters annoyed me greatly to the point I really lost enjoyment of the book.
++SPOILER ALERT++
I agree with the readers who have noted inconsistencies with the mythology and timelines. Specifically, in a previous book Kate noted her blood attacked the lyc v virus, yet in this book she and Curran discuss kids as a real possibility. HUH? NO KIDS! For someone who knows so much about her "blood" she has apparently never thought about THIS? Heck, humans have blood mismatches that sometimes cause loss of babies.
I really thought I read in a previous book that shifters take mates and don't get married- jewelry is hard for shifters, yet first Andrea now Kate are getting proposals? Maybe I imagined this...
Wasn't she the one who noted she could never be "alpha" because she could never be a shifter? yet she is calling herself alpha now? huh? I think it was better to leave her as "consort" and allow that there will be some who never approve of her... or worship her...
And of course the always confusing Roland arc- if he is "godlike" and wanted to find and kill her (and his sister already found her), uh, why hasn't he?? Wouldn't he have done that already? And thousands of years of skill vs. twenty and Kate is a threat??
And last but not least, the Beastlord, mean big dude, power hungry and control freak, willing to give everything up, abandon the pack he rules for a chick he met a year ago. really? this is a pussy, not a lion. Very inconsistent to portray him as madly in love and willing to give up all for kate within the initial description of a powerful ruler.
The post-epilogue added short story has Kate preferring to die rather than speak a magic word in front of Saiman, despite the fact that she had no problems discussing her father with Hugh, so by now the world knows anyway? It doesn't matter if Saiman knows or not if she is DEAD...
THEN the immature STUPID interactions between Kate and Curran, sheesh, I wanted to kill them both. I think the authors are trying to hold onto that romantic tension but FAIL. The series was much better without pushing "the domestic agenda", ie having kate and curran happily (or otherwise) married with kids. I personally would love to see Kate back on her own finding exciting new guys and kicking ass as a loner! Nope, just have to try and figure out how a (mostly) human would smell like anything other than food to a shifter. Loved loved the initial romance between Kate and Curran and of course am disappointed that there wasn't a good planned "stop" for the series with them finally getting together. SOOOO much better that than the endless drudgery of a slowly dying series. I for one would hope Kate would decline curran's proposal, after the ass he just made of himself, but since the next book will be out soon I suspect they have already situated the couple in engaged bliss rather than position Kate as the strong, independent woman she was at the beginning of the series. Blech.

I love this series and couldn't wait for this to come out. I am not usually obsessive, but I actually counted down the hours. At 12:01 I was waiting for it to download and had to keep checking back every few minutes... Finally at 12:18 it downloaded. I read all night and it lived up to the anticipation.

Kate and Curran are a great multi-dimensional couple who love fiercely yet can still have problems making their relationship work. I love the other characters that have come to be important in their own rights thru the series, like Derrick, Barabas, Mahon, Rafael, and Andrea... And let's not forget Aunt Bea!

I won't to a whole run down as the book description will do that, and other reviewers, but I will highly recommend it and tell you to start with the first book... Because if you have read the others, you won't bother with reviews as you will have first hand experience in how great this series is!

I like the series in general, and this book, but I just hate the way consequences are written. It's hard to get specific while also avoiding spoilers but... When a certain character dies at the end, it feels like they die not because it was a natural consequence of the events that lead up to it, but because it was written to happen that way. Does that make any sense? Instead of it occurring through a natural sequence of events that was orchestrated by the writers, it was an event that they tried to -make- happen to add in some sort of tension into future books so no one thinks everyone is invincible. So in order to -make- it happen they wrote some odd circumstances that would lead to this one person being alone against a bunch of other people. There's like, 10 allies just sitting there when it happens, on the other side of a wall they could easily scale, and another on top of a tower (which they supposedly can't get down off of, but they later do anyways for someone who's apparently more important). Doo somethinnnggg.

One thing that was believable, was earlier in the book when someone gets paralyzed, that worked well, and it resulted in some damp eyes and all that, but I felt it fit into the story. But later there's a scene where someone loses a limb, and they say they can reattach it, but later it fails so this person is permanently without a limb. The reason given for the magic not working is literally "For whatever reason, the body rejected the limb." It's not for 'whatever reason' you wrote it! There's nothing in the lore, that I can remember, that even suggests this as a possibility, it's just dumb. Why couldn't one of the various monsters they were being attacked by just have eaten the arm so there was nothing to reattach? The person who lost the limb was also a Were, why didn't they transform before getting attacked?

Ugh, I mean, the fact that I'm nitpicking over -this- is in itself, a sign that the book as a whole is pretty good. But that just makes me more mad that it has these immersion breaking issues. It's a pretty good book with them, but it could be a great book without them.

I feel kind of bad for giving it 3 stars, because I know I'm pretty alone in seeing these issues in the book, but it's my review right? If I don't rate it based on my opinion then it's not really a review...

... at myself. My idiot self wouldn't put the book down, even at 3:30 in the morning, so I'd finished the book by 4am. I have things to do today; that's ridiculous. Needless to say, the book lived up to it's previous awesomeness, an once again, I wanted to punch Curran, and giggled like a little girl when things weren't what they seemed....

Somewhere along the line this fine pair of authors have forgotten the basics. Minor discrepancies like that Kate had only had Julie a year, when the previous stories cover so much more than that amount of time. But the big "oops" is that immediately after Kate thinks about having saved Julie with her blood, Kate proceeds to worry that if she and Curran have kids they run the risk of loopism. Since Kate's blood prevents LycV, the child would NEVER get the virus because her on blood is what nourishes the child during pregnancy.
The story is still a good one, but, like their book "Steel's Edge", the duo keeps changing things that were in previous books (Richard's hair color for one). The wife and I really like the stories, but the details are getting forgotten between books.

I finished this book about a week ago, after much anticipation, and I've been letting it percolate in my head since, trying to come to terms with why it left me so unsettled. Here are some spoilers, so back off if you haven't read the book yet. The plot of a hit contract out on Kate's life was just silly. The way Curran handled it was much worse than silly. To publicly humiliate his mate/Consort and leave her open to such intense ridicule was mind-boggling. Yeah, yeah, I've read all the arguments about how he was willing to cut her heart out to save her life, and this was supposed to be proof of how much he loved her. Hello? One never treats his or her mate in such a horrible, dismissive manner. Never. For any reason, other than to send a message that the relationship is over. I was surprised that Kate decided this was not a deal-breaker. It made her seem weak, lacking in self-respect, and a total fool. What will Curran do next, when he decides solo to take a drastic action against her? This unfortunate turn of events has left a bad smell over the series for me. Not sure if I will continue to follow it.

Good story, HORRIBLE E-BOOK

The latest Kate Daniels story doesn't disappoint. Action packed, engaging and filled with the peculiar brand of dry humor that can have me laughing.

The E-book however, is filled with numerous typographical errors that are obviously due to whatever software they used to convert the book into mobi format. A typical error would be 'She hugged me and cried, so desp V wa="al.' This occurs often enough to break the flow and it is especially irksome when you are in the middle of a tense scene and you have to take the time to puzzle out what the gibberish means.

I paid $7.99 for this product. Can I at least get an e-book that has been edited? For that I take a star.

First off, I'm glad to see they stopped white-washing the cover.

This novel moves things out of the familiar bounds of Atlanta, Georgia, USA, across the sea to the country of Georgia, on the coast of the black sea. Curran has been hired to several as bodybuard/mediator to a dispute between the eastern European packs. Kate and Curran know its a trap, but the pay is medicine that the pack vitally needs to save the young shapeshifters.

Sadly, Julie, one of my favorite characters, only features in the first few chapters, since they leave her behind for the trip. The team they do bring are the elitist of the elites of the pack fighters, including Andrea and Raphael, Mahon, Aunt B, and few new players. Doolittle and Saiman tag along as well.

This book starts slower than the rest of the series, hampered by the fact that the group actually has to get across the ocean to their destination before the real story starts. An attack by pirates livens things up, and I love how they circle this back around to the real significance of this later in the novel.

Once they arrive, things are much as they expect at first, with three rival clans at each others throats, playing politics with a pregnant woman and her children. An unexpected twists presents itself in the form of Lorelei, daughter of the Alpha of Ice Fury, the Alaskan pack. She is gunning for Curran as her mate, and happy to sacrifice Kate in the process.

I don't want to spoil things, but things are not as they seem at first. Mysterious attacks, disappearing guards, lurkers in the walls, and more await the group.

The subplot of Kate and Curran going through a rough patch in their relationship is great. It feels real, and powerful, and you honestly don't know that things will turn out roses. Which is one of the things I love about this serious - its a romance, but it isn't afraid to go to hard and difficult places, places a lot of romance books avoid.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book almost to the end. The action was fun, the pacing right on. The build up to the climax was perfect, I was on the edge of my seat wondering how Kate was going to get them out this time.

And then things went to crap. This is literally the biggest, glaringly obvious horrible Dues Ex Machina ending I have ever read. I had to restrain myself from throwing my Kindle down and stomping on it.

The ending was so bad, I took two stars off my review for it, even though I thoroughly enjoyed the rest of the book.

Wow! Just . . . Wow! The emotional tension in this book . . . aches. Curran is an ass (that’s putting it mildly). His reason for being one just isn’t good enough. The hurt he puts Kate through is tremendous and you just want to kick him where it hurts. But I guess it was necessary to make this such an arousing story. A mother desperately wants to save her children, but she hasn’t the power to do so – she gets down on the floor to sing to them, giving what comfort she can. Curran, Kate, and several of main characters sail off for the promise of a magical cure that will ensure fewer children go loup. They know it’s a trap, they just aren’t sure what kind. There are so many twists and turns and, as usual, danger almost from the beginning. Did I mention Curran acts like an ass through much of this? Must be part of the emotional side, you just want to kick him (a lot).

If I could have given this book more stars, I would have; despite some of the problems inherent in providing an emotional story. I would give it more stars because I am good at suspending belief and forgiving small discrepancies – and Magic Rises took me on an emotional roller coaster. When it finally ended I was relieved, I couldn’t have handled much more. I would defiantly recommend this book/series to others.

I have loved this series. I have loved Kate's character development - she was a bit harsh and unlikeable at the very beginning, but over the books she's developed into a sympathetic, strong, kick- butt character who steps up for the vulnerable. Curran was a strong, mostly likeable lead - his jealousy and controlling tendencies have been kept in check by Kate's strength and independence.

And then this book happened.

Don't get me wrong, it's well written, though it seriously bogs down in places. It's just that the whole concept is infuriating, and suddenly their relationship is fatally flawed.

#Spoilers#

Basically, they go into a known trap with absolutely no plan except "pair up"... And they don't even do that. They have no contingency plans, no ace up their sleeves. They don't even scout out the darn castle. Kate is left alone to run the pack and do all the work, while Curran... does what exactly?

Curran acts unforgivably, on the weakest of pretexts. Remember that Curran has for months been in a killing rage because a longtime client got Kate to go to dinner with him in front of Pack people, at a time when Curran and Kate weren't even dating yet. So another's action, before any commitments had even been made, made Kate deal with crap from him for months. Then also remember that Curran giving Kate food was a signal that she was his Mate, the only woman of many he ever did that for. So then Curran does so much worse, in Pack terms. He flirts with a Pack princess, seats her in Kate's chair, gives her food, lets her snuggle up naked, and lets her finish his kill... Then lies to Kate about it, repeatedly. She's shamed, hurting, and left vulnerable to repeated assassination attempts while he's away, all due to his actions. She asks in a moment of privacy if it's all a ruse, and he looks her in the eyes and lies both about his actions and his motivations. In the end he gives a weak excuse about having hidden a bigger threat than she knew, and pretended to replace her to keep her safe. Ohhh, right, because Kate's a frail little thing who can't handle herself, and hiding a threat is a great way to keep her safe. I'm done with Curran, even if Kate somehow papered over the betrayal in her desperation for love. Curran can't be trusted.

I also used to buy that the Pack helped protect Kate from danger, but by now she's been on the verge of death too many times on their behalf. Without Curran being worthy of her loyalty, she's living in a bulls eye. I hope she strikes out on her own with Julie.

First of all, it's still amazing to me how the Andrews can reduce you to tears over peripheral characters with just a few sentences.

One minute you're fine, then the next you're, "Well, that sucks," and then your face gets warm, your eyes get hot, and before you even know what's happened, you're blubbering.

YES. Blubbering.

Why are you blubbering?

B/c a mother gets down on the floor to sing her child, who will more-than-likely have to be killed b/c she's gone rabid, a lullaby, barely able to choke out the words. Through plexiglass.

*sobs*

But more than simply messing with your FEELS b/c they can, this situation clearly illustrates Curran and Kate's willingness to sail to Europe as neutral third parties, and play bodyguard/arbitrate a situation that has three separate packs ready to come to blows, despite being fully aware that they are walking into a trap . . . b/c the payment for doing so is a year supply of panacea, an herbal mixture that greatly decreases the chance of loupism in shifters, especially during birth and in adolescence.

In short . . . a worthy cause.

But for the first time, I had a couple of issues with a Kate Daniels book:

1. One of my biggest RAGE buttons when I'm reading is anything that involves cheating, the appearance of cheating, ex-lovers, wives, etc. showing up and trying to get back what they didn't appreciate when it was theirs, and . . . pretty, young things trying to steal your man.

*grinds teeth*

I'm really angry at myself for not reviewing this properly the first time I read it, b/c as hesitant as I was to put myself through the reading of Magic Rises a second time, all of my anxiety was for nothing. I already knew what was going on, so I wasn't able to recapture the absolute misery I went through on the first pass, and am therefore unable to adequately describe it for you.

But I'm still determined to try.

It. Was. A-W-F-U-L.

I was in the depths of despair, b/c damn the Andrews, they made you walk with Kate through her steadfast belief in Curran's love and loyalty, through the steady decline to fear and doubt, all the way to the end that was heartbreak, disbelief, fury, and a bitter numbness.

It was physically painful to read this book, which brings me to my second issue:

2. I'm not sure how I feel about Kate and Curran being so perfect for each other based on their sameness, which makes them capable of understanding the horrible things they put each other through.<-----I'm not convinced that's a healthy relationship.

3. Lastly, and I can't decide if it's this or the RAGE button that I have the biggest problem with, but . . . there were too many weird and obscure creatures.

I'm fine with the creatures that were ultimately the Big Bad in this installment (excluding Hugh, of course), and I even thought Doolittle's walkthrough that first insinuated the statues were an allegory was really cool.

And the astanay was awesome. Loved that guy. The monster eel was fine too. I think it was the weredolphins that pushed me over the edge. (<-----over the EDGE . . . HA)

I get that there's mythology to support their existence, but I don't care, the concept is just so . . . cornball. It pushed me over the hey-that's-a-really-cool-mythical-creature line and into the realm of that's-just-silly.

BUT . . . my least favorite Kate Daniels book is still WAY better than most of the other UF available. This was still a really good book. I just really hate that it was necessary for Curran to do what he did, and I'm not sure I'll be able to love Kate and Curran the same way as a couple after this.

Okay - this book was just ... wow. I thought it was non-stop action and intrigue. There was relationship anxiety and angst which I felt we were already past, but to see some insecurities pop up again, stressed me out to read. I definitely felt like punching certain characters in the face on many an occasion (no spoilers).

Kate and Curran receive word that three separate packs of European shifters want Curran to come and arbitrate a dispute. They claim that they want a neutral party to ease the diplomatic tension. It's very unusual that they would ask the Beast Lord to come all the way across the ocean and something doesn't sit right, but the lure is something neither Curran or Kate can ignore - 10 drums of the panacea that helps young shifters when they are fighting going lupe. That amount of the panacea could help so many young shifters from going lupe and being terminated. Even the smallest chance of getting their hands on the panacea is enough for Kate and Curran to decide it's worth any risk.

There were so many twists and turns in this book, if the action didn't keep me glued to the page, the intrigue certainly did. Kate and Curran bring 10 of their most trusted pack members with them to guard their back, but they know they are going straight into a hornet's nest. I also still love the humor and interplay between the characters. The writing style is still one of my favorites.

Okay - the relationship angst totally stressed me out in this book. I kept saying, well, are you gonna fight or what? And when Kate did approach him, he kind of laughed it off and she was okay with that. Then it escalated and I was like okay, NOW can you please kick him in the boys?? I was getting really frustrated. I didn't love one part of the ending. There was this HUGE, epic fight at the end and then (no spoilers) there should've been something a little more dramatic and a little less like - huh, well, that was lame. Don't get me wrong, the REST of the ending was totally epic. 5 star for sure. The biggest thing I didn't like about this book is that it ended and I know I will have to wait FOREVER for the next book to come out. Also I love that these books are still $7.99 and haven't gone the way of the $12.99 or even $14.99 wallet rippers. For a $7.99 book I will pre-order that months in advance.

"The day was bright: golden sunshine, blue sky, pleasant wind...I wanted to punch the happy day in the face." - Kate Daniels

I enjoyed this book so much that I went back and read choice parts immediately after finishing. It was lovely seeing our intrepid band in a new setting. They take a sea voyage across the Atlantic to take on a thankless task of protecting a pregnant European shifter whose unborn babies are the key to a volatile territorial dispute. The Euro packs turn out to be truly awful people. I don't have a real review so I will just highlight my favorites using gratuitously placed pop culture references:

The Wile E. Coyote dropping anvil award for the thing you know is totally gonna happen goes to: Hugh D'Ambray showing up. As soon as Kate started sounding smug about Hugh not finding her I knew she was doomed. It was a classic set up. I was simply counting the pages til he showed up. Her reaction was priceless.

The Kayser Soze award for stuff you did not see coming: A certain character who turns out to be not who you think they are. As Kate says "We've been had." Yup. And honestly, it was well played of them and kind of bad-ass.

The RuPaul's Drag race award for character most deserving to be read for filth: Lorelei. I gave this chick such a hard side eye. She was an annoying gnat who needed to be swatted.

The Dr. Evil/Ernst Stavro Blofeld award for overly complex plan that might have worked but on second thought is kind of stupid: Curran. What were you thinking?

The Walter White/Heisenberg award for awful character I am really conflicted about sorta/kinda rooting for: Hugh D'Ambray. I am sorry but I was really kinda digging Hugh in this book. Andrews gave him some great layers.

The Joan Holloway totally awesome indispensable assistant award goes to: Barabas. Barabas totally rocked in this book. Both as a person who knew that information = power, but also as a guy who was totally 100% committed to Kate's well being. And he had some great funny lines as usual.

The Return of the King lighting of the Beacons award for things I would totally love to see in the movie adaptation: Kate and Hugh's sparring match.

The Anti-Cousin Oliver award for coolest new additions to the cast: Keira (Jim's sister) and Eduardo.

All winners have a one-minute time limit on acceptance speeches!

This book was effing awesome. I don't know if my nerves can take waiting for the next one. The ante has been upped sooo much. It is only a matter if time until Roland discovers Kate's existence and I'll need to create a whole new award for when that happens

I read the first five books in the Kate Daniels series before starting my blog. I loved this series so much but other than reading Gunmetal Magic which is Andrea’s book, I haven’t managed to get back into the books… until now! So even though it’s been over three years since I finished Magic Slays, it was easy to pick up Magic Rises and to be swept away in the world once again. Each book has its own story, and the series story arc is still easy to follow, and I was quickly immersed back into the world once again.

Before I began reading Magic Rises, there was a note in the front suggesting to the reader to read An Ill-Advised Rescue, a short story in the back of the book, where Kate goes out to save Saiman who has managed to get himself captured. I am glad that I did because even though the events didn’t impact a lot on this book, the favour that Saiman then owed Kate was a key piece for the trip that they all had to go on. It was a quick, action packed read that I devoured quickly before jumping into the main read!

I then set off with Kate and Curran, and the crew that decided to help them on their reluctant journey. The whole situation screams trap! but they head off anyway. They want the medicine that will help their young shifters survive the change and are willing to do anything to get it. It was an interesting trip with many obstacles to get past and new enemies making appearances.

Magic Rises was an exciting and gripping read. Kate and Curran’s love and trust in one another was tested and Kate found it hard being a human surrounded by so many shifters, especially the ones outside of their pack. She knows that her people will look out for her, but her life is constantly under threat, her emotions are all over the place and she finds herself in a few difficult situations. She’s as strong willed as ever, though, and manages to get herself out of most of them. She formed a few new friendships that may help her more in the future as well.

The trip was as action packed as you would expect from the world of Kate Daniels, so brace yourself for the battle that comes in this book. I was shocked, there were tears, and it was difficult for everyone, including me! But we all pushed through and are now looking at the bigger picture, even though sacrifices were made. I loved every moment of reading Magic Rises; the epilogue made me smile and I can’t wait to see what comes next for Kate and Curran!

Originally posted: [...]

When it comes to Kate Daniels I can’t be objective I loved her from page one on Magic Bites and I still love her all through her journey in magic Atlanta, all through her six books of adventure, drama, passion and disappointment.

Magic Rises is the sixth book of Kate Daniels and Co adventures and in this book she comes face to face with her great fears both physical and emotional.

In the far away land of Georgia in the banks of the Black Sea three packs are fighting over a pregnant woman and Curran and his pack are invited to play the peace maker and will be rewarded with panacea. What they don’t know is that the biggest player of them all is Hugh D’Ambray the master of the castle, their host, the preceptor of the Iron Dogs, Roland’s commander.

I was quite socked by Hugh, I expected that the man Kate fears most (besides Roland) would be…scary! Well he is, but he is also an intriguing character, a master of manipulation, a passionate man and a fierce negotiator; Hugh uses EVERY weapon in his disposal to isolate Kate from the pack and Curran and the only reason for failing is Kate’s sheer stubbornness. Their chemistry is Wicked Good!!!! The memories they share are unique and I loved the way their history unfolded itself, the similarities they share due to their upbringing and of course their differences and their fighting scenes are breathtaking!!!

““There are thousands of shapeshifters. Kill a hundred and there are always more. But there hasn’t been another one like you for five thousand years. I would slaughter everyone in that room below for a shot at a single conversation with you.””

In this book Kate realizes that although she has Currans’ love, her friends’ devotions and the Packs’ loyalty she will always be different. Despite the fact that she was raised to BE on her own the time she shared with Curran and the Pack has forever altered her and in this book she realizes the fear of losing everything, of being alone.

A lot of favorite characters impressed me in this book, first of all Mahon and Aunt B!!!!!!! But I will always love Derek! His character will never cease to amaze me. I want to see him grow, I want to see him dream and I want to see him find a new purpose in his life. He is the brother I dream of having and the boyfriend I will never have (why? Oh, why?).

Getting to know Jim’s sister was brilliant, Dessandra is a perfect addition to the pack and Christopher… I really want to know what more we could see from him.

On the final note I want to add that I’ve read a lot of UF books, there are few authors who could put their characters to test the way the Andrews did with Kate and Curran and come whole on the other side, plus there are even less that could introduce a hobbit and not have the whole book community LOLing on their account.

“”I’d managed to find a hobbit in the Caucasus Mountains. I wondered what he would do if I asked him about second breakfast.””

Overall I love Kate Daniels! If you still haven’t read the books what are you waiting for????

P.S Magic Rises comes with a bonus. “An Ill-Advised Rescue," is a short story which centers on the kidnapping and rescue of Saiman by Kate and Derek.

The Andrews team may not have wowed me with the first two books in the Kate Daniels books, but I'm glad I gave them another shot. Because they've won me over, with their other series and finally by book 3 of the Kate Daniels series. They're officially some of the top authors on my list and an instant buy. They've proven that they can write amazing couples (even if they are basic copies/outlines of each other, but lots of authors do that!), children (no really very few authors can do that), and great fantasy worlds. Magic Rises hit every sweet spot I’ve come to love from this series. Feeding the epic connections this series has with it's characters, there are consequences and not everyone makes it to the end of this book. The plot is ambitious and definitely a stronger one for the series. Kate and Curran are amazing together, well kind of . . .

Before I get into the rest of the review I have to say it. It took me until about book 3, Magic Strikes, to actually see Curran as a love interest. By the end of book 4, Magic Bleeds, I was really starting to get into Kate and Curran. Book 5, Magic Slays, turned me into a diehard fan of the couple. Then book 5.5, Gunmetal Magic, was a great look at the couple through others eyes, and I loved it. The warm and fuzzy intenseness of their romance was sweeping me off my feet within a few pages of Magic Rises. Kate and Curran's banter is even better than ever here:
“I elbowed Curran. Their Castle is bigger.”
He winked at me. “Mine is taller. It's not the size of the castle. It's what you do with it.” – Kate & Curran
Then Curran starts sniffing around another woman. I like that they can both admit that despite their love they're not to a point were they can 100% trust each other. Though I find it odd considering they'll die for each other without blinking, but they can't trust each other? While it's true if Kate's dad told her to come with him and he'd leave everyone she loves alive, she'd do it. Thus betraying Curran cause he would want to help her. Curran's betrayal was stupid and pointless. In the end it made me really dislike him. Kate's amazing, she can look after herself. And in the end she still ended up having to save her own ass from the very thing Curran was trying to protect her from. Curran just tossed a huge distraction in front of Kate to deal with. Yeah . . . my Curran enthusiasm is pretty low at this point. Bleep him. Bleep him and his fuzzy mane.

The rest of the book is amazing! It starts of on a dramatic note with some of Julie's friends going loup. They're these sweet little twins and Andrews wastes no time making you feel the pain. It's quickly established that panacea can help young shifters so that they don't go loup. And this is what the whole base of this book about. How important the children are and what everyone is willing to sacrifice to save them by obtaining it.

This book is intense, from the get go it's clear that Kate and Curran are walking into a trap. The trap gets deadlier as the mystery goes on and the real trap setter is revealed. This book is a rush and things are building up to Kate and her dad's final battle. All the ties and advice to the fact that Kate is no where near ready is great for the buildup. Magic Rises is a great entry and the biggest rush yet. Andrews isn't afraid to maim their characters, and this book doesn't just maim it kills off some great characters.

While Curran and Kate's love story ended up turning into a bitter thing for me, and only some amazing stuff can bring me back to feeling good about them as a couple, this book is a great entry. Magic Rises is the biggest adrenaline rush yet for the series. There's fabulous blending of mythologies here. Just what I love about the series. New monsters to feed readers' imaginations. The development of Kate’s place in the pack without Curran as a factor is great, especially seeing others loyalty to her. An overall fantastic book for characters—except for Curran. Oh, I'm ready for the next entry all right!

Sexual Content: Mmmm, the most graphic sex scene I’ve read from these two yet! Sexual humor, talk, and such.

4/5- Great! Really enjoyed it.

Originaly reviewed at Book Whispers.

This is my favorite Kate Daniels book to date (which is saying a lot, because I adored Gunmetal Magic) -- I liked it so much that I went back and re-read parts of it repeatedly as soon as I was done.

It's always fun to see your favorite characters out of their natural habitat, and Magic Rises is a particularly well done example of that trope. You get to see characters under pressure, many of their hard-won defenses and resource stripped away. Coupling that with political intrigue, literally life-or-death stakes for the whole of the pack, and twists and turns ever few pages, this book was incredible.

I can't talk about half of what I enjoyed about this book due to spoilers, but any fan of the KD series can be assured that it continues to challenge our heroes, collect new enemies, and enthrall and delight the reader more deeply in Magic Rises.

Now please excuse me, the only thing keeping me from ripping into Magic Breaks is finishing this review. Yay!

Okay, so I am a huge fan of these books. I loved the premise, the magic was great, the fights awesome, the characters for the most part rounded, and the writing good. However, for me this one fell a little flat because it seems that Kate and Curran regress way too far in their relationship (with not trusting each other). Also, I thought this was urban fantasy not paranormal romance. Love the romance, but I don't really like spending a lot of time in the bedroom. It almost felt more like the Edge novels.

SPOILER WARNING

What was with Curran not telling Kate anything and Kate not trusting him? I felt like I was back in high school. Huh? Knock it off with the, "I can't tell you what's going on because you won't be able to lie about it," or "oh, he loves her more than me." Really? They should have been past all that by now. I felt the book would have been much stronger if there had been a real reason for the conflict between Curran and Kate. I'm hoping that future novels don't pursue this kind of untrusting relationship side plot because I love the world and the characters.

Intimacy: yes, both off-screen and detailed sex.
Swearing: repeated use of the f-bomb was annoying and distracting. I don't remember so many in past books and it bugged me in this book.
Violence: lots of it, love the good vs evil.

There are SPOILERS in this review!

I may get lambasted for posting this since this book wasn't all roses for me and I know the series has a huge positive following. But, if you've made it this far in the series then you know these books are like a drug. No matter what you just have to keep reading. Even though the writing can be stilted (please stop suddenly dropping contractions), even though every stereotypical trope is in heavy play, even though the main romance is borderline abusive packaged in a pretty bow that make lots of women (myself included sometimes) think it's the best thing ever.

These books have the standard kick-ass heroine, the drama, politics, the love interest, etc. Basically every cliche is there. Unfortunately, this series could be awesome if the authors kept away from so many cliches. In Magic Rises they had the perfect opportunity to shake things up, but they fell short of the mark if their intent was to get deeper into their protagonist.

The scene where Kate and Hugh fought together and later when he confronted her on the balcony with a little “flirting” were two of the most interesting scenes I came across. Why? Because Hugh provided an unknown. We don’t know his motive, his ambitions, and where he stands. We don’t know for certain if he’s good or bad. We don’t know if he and Kate will be working together some day. But those scenes were brief. And while they did make Kate take pause for a moment, she very quickly reverted back to whatever attitude she had before. No real exploration, no I Wonder Ifs.

I will be so incredibly disappointed if Roland and Hugh are actual Bad Guys. There is nothing worse in literature or TV or any form of media where a Bad Guy is Really Bad just so the protagonist has someone to fight. I’m nervous all the hype that Roland is evil for doing basically the same thing the shifters are trying to do will fall completely flat. Introducing Hugh was a smart move, but I think it could’ve been even better had we seen a bit more of him. Maybe I need to go back and do another careful read, but this is what I got out of it.

I can really go on and on about Curran - and very little of it in a positive way even though I loved him in the first book or two.

I'm bringing him up because there were several instances where he acted like a jerk in this book. The most obvious instance was the whole Lorelei thing. Curran had to have known he was behaving inappropriately toward Lorelei regardless of her newfound adulthood. And to laugh it off when Kate confronted him and then to keep doing it…yup, I would’ve castrated him then and there. Otherwise I’m forced to blame inconsistent writing. Either Curran was being a jerk or the writers forgot the emphasis they placed on pecking order in previous books. Because after all the drama Kate went through to understand what Curran was even about in the beginning of their courtship Curran should have known better. And it’s even worse when you consider the crap Kate had to go through to establish her own dominance within the Pack. And then Kate, of course, decided she still loved him because he said he loved her. And I guess all was forgiven? Maybe it'll come up in the next book...

I’ll admit, I was rooting for Hugh during all of that. Even when he started in on the wanting a challenging partner talk. *Headdesk*

So basically I’m still holding out hope that the Roland and Hugh dynamic will make a bigger entrance in the next book. I’m hoping there’s more to Roland than just being the Bad Guy. Ditto Hugh.

I’m hoping either Curran stops the He-Man attitude or Kate ditches him. Girl can do better IMHO. Which should be interesting considering what Curran did at the end.

I’m also hoping the authors start keeping better track of minor character’s first names (I know I’m not the only one who noticed Doolittle’s given name seemed to have changed). Grammar was still a little awkward in places and descriptions were sometimes redundant.

For the life of me I don’t love this book. But I can’t stop myself from reading it. Please send help.

Oy, another great audiobook from Ilona Andrews and narrated by Renee Raudman. We all love Ilona's stories... but let me tell you, I cannot say enough good things about Renee Raudman as a narrator. She is freaking fabulous. I would love to see a video of her working to see the effort she puts into her different voices, accents, and inflections. Each character is different and unique and she really brings their personality to life. And when emotion is called for, she does not shy away from emitting tears, rage or cold fury. I would totally fangirl over this narrator! In fact, I will only do Ilona's books in audio now just because Renee does such a good job. She did a great job with Burn for Me and I hope to do The Edge series next in audio.

When you start this book, you may think that it won't be one of your series favorites. I mean, the pack going to bodyguard a pregnant girl while the families bicker about an inheritance? Sounds easy peasy, right? Well, of course things are never as they seem and Kate and Curran are in for a huge surprise. And of course, the writing team does not disappoint with their imagination and creativity with myths and legend. The weredolphins were unique and the llamasu were straight from legend. These books would make great graphic novels just for the extraordinary paranormal characters. We have more biblical references in this installment with the Book of Daniel and and the story of the Shepherd.

Kate and Curran's relationship hits a rocky road in this book and I was totally getting depressed right along with Kate and wanting to shake the crap out of Curran. And that bitch (literally) Lorelei, I wanted to pull all her hair out! Although this was a little painful, the situation does help show an emotional side to Kate so we are not always seeing her as the methodical killer. Though I do love Kate as a kickass heroine. Some of my favorite scenes in this book were when she fought along side and against Hugh d'Ambray. And I am still holding out hope for Hugh to be redeemed. He is an interesting character and it would be nice to see if his interest in Kate could overcome Roland's hold on him.

With this book I started to get sad because I know the story arc is coming to an end soon, and I think there are only 3 more books on the contract. This will be such a sad day for me because this has become such a favorite series for me. I predict that I will be re-reading/listening to these many times in the future.

It is funny how you can miss a world and it's characters so very much without even really realizing it until you pick the series back up and dive in and all those feels, all that love you have for them, come rushing back in.

And the new people, holy heck I love Keira! It is funny how just when you think you have all the characters figured out, all the ones you think you love, someone new steps in and manages to steal the show. But the best part of this series, really is the characters. How well they work together, like each other (in most cases) and how they have each other's back. Curran and Kate will always be number one, but Andrea and Raph, are such a close second, I adore these two, especially after reading Andrea's story in the last book. Keira and Eduardo were hilarious, Doolittle amazing like always and Derek, well, he is just wonderful and I so want someone for him so much so that it hurts. He needs someone in his life to love him for him because he is amazing.

Barabas was once again hilarious and adds something light to the mix and Aunt B was...well, Aunt B and I love her for it.

If there is one thing I love most about this series, besides the amazing characters, it is the diverse range of sups. Just when I think I know them all, they throw a new one into the mix, weredolphins, who would have thought?

Throw in pirates, myths, storms, and one heck of a battle (or a dozen) and once again, this was one action packed, blow your mind kind of read.

While I loved this read, it is a hard one to review at the same time because of all the damn feels it made me have. So very much happens. I wanted to punch characters, knee others, hug even more of them, and shake a few along the way.

Did I mention that I cried too? Because I did, a couple of times. I'm not going to lie, people die, a lot of them and I don't just mean the bad guys this time.

Once again I am in love with this series. The Andrews certainly know what they are doing and I can't wait for more but I am so very nervous about it all too.

Kate Daniels returns in book six of the Kate Daniels series. This time around Kate and Curran are invited to go across the world to mediate and bodyguard a former acquaintance of Curran's the weeks before she gives birth. You see, the girl is pregnant with twins by two different fathers. Whoever's child is born first gets a prize pretty much. Each wants it, which leads to a lot of tension between everyone involved.

Magic Rises opens with two teens at the Keep running the risk of going loop. Going loop is a death sentence for any shifter. If they cannot maintain control of their shifter side they are putting everyone in danger. Curran is promised a medicine that will help children not go loop, if they go to bodyguard the girl Curran knew in his past. They are hesitant, but it's a necessary risk. There is another little twist to the story though, Kate has been hiding in plain sight for her entire life. A guy that works for her father was introduced a few books back, and I've been waiting for the big confrontation between the two. Hugh d'Ambray wants to trap Kate into showing that she really is Roland's daughter. He'll have ample opportunity to do so while everyone is playing bodyguard. His ulterior motive is to divide and conquer though. I wasn't sure if the shifters brought along would be able to stick together, or if they'd crumble according to plan.

This review is hard to write. There is an epic battle in this book and more than one person was injured. Some of the ones we've grown to care about are injured to the point of death, and some do not survive. So emotional. I immediately wanted to know what happened next, so I've read the next book. I'll post the review for Magic Breaks up later this week. If you're looking for a Urban Fantasy series that just keeps getting better and better, I highly suggest the Kate Daniel's series.

MAGIC RISES is the sixth book in the Kate Daniels series. This is the first book where we get to see the rest of the world Post-Shift, as Kate and the Pack travel to Europe to guard a pregnant shapeshifter. They know it’s a trap, but they go anyway, because the promised payment is panacea, a medicine that can reverse loupism.

I really liked getting to see more of the world than just Atlanta. It’s good to see how other countries cope (or don’t) with magic, and who has come out on top. You won’t believe who the lord of the castle is in MAGIC RISES — but he’s an excellent pick. MAGIC RISES has a lot of Pack dealings, but it also moves Kate’s arc towards her inevitable confrontation with her father. I appreciate that the author isn’t making Roland a one book enemy, and I like how we’ve learned more about his background and Kate’s powers as the series progresses.

I wasn’t super thrilled with Curran in this book; it felt like Kate and Curran’s relationship took a step backwards. There are a couple of inconsistencies with how they act, and I wanted to slap Curran for a good portion of MAGIC RISES. I didn’t buy his excuse for the whole thing with Lorelei, and with the sheer amount of important stuff happening, I could’ve done without the relationship problems.

Otherwise, I really enjoyed MAGIC RISES. As usual, I can’t believe how much the author packed into the book: a bodyguard case, the lord of the castle, mysterious new shapeshifters, Kate/Curran, and some big important battles. There were a few scenes that made my eyes sting, because I care so much about the characters in this series.

4 stars!

“Aha! So I’m not crazy.”
“You are most definitely crazy,” Derek said. “But in a deranged, endearing way.”

I really enjoyed this book, it's a great addition to the series and basically sets up many huge plot points for what is to come from this series. There were some low points (like the weredolphins, I mean really??) and some high points (I'm not telling you the high points lazy! Read it yourself!).

But I love this series and I want to jump right into the next one. So peace out!

At A Glance
You know that feeling when you finish an effing amazing book and you just sit there, shivering from your bookgasm, basking in the giddy high of fiction art? Yeah, Magic Rises was better than that.

The Good
If you haven't read this series by now, something is wrong with you (just kidding *cough* but not really *cough*) But seriously, anyone who knows me, knows that the Kate Daniels series is my FAVORITE series of all time. When I first got into reading, urban fantasy was my choice of drug, and that has never changed. And that's all because of Ilona Andrews (a married writing duo, but I will refer to them as one person for the sake of this review). Ilona is spot on in everything that makes fiction so damn enjoyable: the humor, the action, and pacing, the detailed plots and storylines, the descriptions, and the supernatural aspects. They are all flawless. And Magic Rises is another example of perfection.

I want to get this out now, even if you are not a huge fan of urban fantasy, please, please try the first two books of this series (some say they really get into it by the second book). Not one person who I have recommended this series to has been disappointed. They have all come back with 4 and 5 star ratings for every book. You cannot go your whole life without at least trying this series out. It would be a travesty.

Okay, okay, on to the review. I couldn't devour this book fast enough. I had a pit in my stomach the whole time, stressing out that Kate and Curran were walking into a trap, and I loved every minute of it. The frightening parts seem a little more bearable knowing that Kate and Curran are so capable of taking care of themselves and others. And they are smart, they know it's a trap, they are just that confident.

I care about these characters like they are my family. I know it's weird, but I can't help it. They feel so real to me. I think it's the dialogue. Ilona is the all-star in writing dialogue. It flows so naturally and is packed with wit, sarcasm, and sincerity. I dare you to read this book without laughing and cracking a smile every page. I straight up laughed out loud throughout all of Magic Rises. Even during the serious parts, Ilona doesn't hold back even then.

OMG, the action. I don't even know what to say. It's so real, it's so detailed, it's so effing awesome. No one writes action like Ilona does. It's art the way she does it. You can tell she does extensive research to make sure all the movements, sword swipes, and offensive and defensive strikes are realistic and factual.

The background detail on supernatural creatures is beyond even my expectations. The mythology is so well organized and integrated into Magic Rises I am still speechless. It blows my mind how in-depth Ilona goes when it comes to the history of every creature.

Kate is still the most amazing character ever made into being. She is really taken on a rollercoaster ride of effedupness in Magic Rises. She is hit hard as more shapeshifter children turn loup (crazy, mindless monsters). She can't help but think that if she ever had children with Curran, this might be their fate. And even though the cure requires Kate, Curran, and the team to walk into a trap, they do it anyway. Kate would do anything for her pack. Even face pure evil. And she does. I love Kate's commitment and love for Curran and his pack. Even when they don't always show it back, she takes her responsibilities to keep them safe seriously. But I also love the Kate who needs to fight, to cause pain, to kill. Kate's vicious side is what makes her so fearless and strong. Without this scary side of her, she would have never survived the world she lives in. We see a lot of different side's of Kate in Magic Rises, and I loved every one of them. Especially jealous Kate. Oh yeah, that made for so much fun.

Curran scared me a bit in this book. He does some crazy things, but I never really doubted him. He's still my Beast Lord. Uh, I mean Kate's Beast Lord. Yeah, that's what I meant. *looks around for any signs of Kate* Hey, that bitch is scary, don't judge. The rest of the gang made an appearance and they were all wonderful, just like I remembered them. Derek is walking a fine line though. I am worried for his future. I hope something good happens to him soon. And, I have to warn you guys. An important character dies in Magic Rises. Some of you are going to be mad. Their death will change a lot of things. Personally, I like when authors kill off important characters. I like the change up. I was sad, but honestly, there is no love lost between me and this character. But I know some of you will be devastated.

I could go on and on about this book. But I think you got the hint. Read this series, read this book, become obsessed with Ilona Andrews like the rest of us.

The Bad
That's blasphemy just hinting anything was wrong with this book.

The Snuggly
Oh jeeze, Curran and Kate are put through the ringer in this book. It was so hard for me to watch Kate struggle with what was going on with Curran. She reminds me a lot of myself, by shutting down emotionally when people mess or play with her feelings. So I totally got where she was coming from, her reactions made perfect sense to me. But no matter what, I will always love Kate and Curran because I know that they will always end up together. There is literally no better "made for each other" couple out there in the world of fiction. They are soulmates in ever sense of the word.

There is a pretty hot sex scene or two that will get your blood boiling. Nothing over the top though. Personally, I want more details, but that's because I have no limits when it comes to Curran. He should be mine. I want to know every inch of his body.

Final Thoughts
I gave Magic Rises my special 6 stars because it was perfection from beginning to end. Which reminds me, the ending was perfect, a little sad, but mostly happy. In my eyes, Ilona Andrews can do no wrong because she is consistent in her awesomeness. You can tell this author never gets tired of her work. She has found her calling. If that doesn't make you want to read this book, I don't know what will. Extremely recommended.

Quotes
"You're taking a nap? Come on, Kate, I need you for this fight. Stop lying around."
"You must think you're funny."
"Just saying, you have to pull your own weight. A hot body and flirting will only get you so far."
"Everything I do, I learned from you, boy toy."
"Boy toy?" Curran asked.
"Would you prefer man candy?"

"Aha! So I'm not crazy."
"You are most definitely crazy," Derek said. "But in a deranged, endearing way."

"Five minutes later, we were rolling around on the helipad as he tried to muscle his way out of my armlock, after slamming me onto the helipad.
"I finally realized the source of your mutual attraction," Saiman said, his voice dry.
I looked up. He was standing a few feet away.
"Do enlighten us." Curran tried to roll into me to break the lock. Oh no you don't.
"You both think violence is foreplay."

"One time I was dying in a cage inside a palace that was flying over a magic jungle. And some idiot went in there, chased the palace down, fought his way through hundreds of rakshasas, and rescued me."
"I remember," he said.
"That's when I realized you loved me," I said. "I was in the cage and I heard you roar."

"Outside the windows the day was bright: golden sunshine, blue sky, pleasant wind ... I wanted to punch the happy day in the face, grab it by the hair, and beat it until it told me what the hell it was so happy about."

Oh my, what an awesome adventure, I loved it! A Kate Daniels story is always an action-packed adventure, and this one was a fantastic addition to the series. Kate, Curran and crew have agreed to travel across the Atlantic and the Black Sea to guard a pregnant shapeshifter that is in the middle of a dispute between three packs. The first born of her twins will inherit a highly prized mountain pass, and the volatile shapeshifters, including her brutal father, are going to be a challenge to keep under control. Once they arrive, things go from bad to worse, with attacks by an unknown entity on the woman in their charge as well as their crew, a beautiful young shapeshifter trying to cause a rift between Kate and Curran, and the owner of the castle they’re staying at manipulating everyone. Kate proves once again that she’s unstoppable, and after an eventful trip into the mountains searching for the new entities that are wreaking havoc among them, she makes a couple of new friends, who offer her some welcome relief from all of the pressure of the mission. There is a lot of story advancement in this book, with more of Kate’s family background revealed, relationship issues between Kate and Curran to be worked out, and physical and/or emotional changes for all of the crew. The final battle had me full of suspense, wondering if everyone would make it, and there were times when I was afraid to keep reading but dying to see how it all turned out. By the end I felt like I’d been through the wringer, right there with everyone, but very satisfied as well. This is one of those books that keeps you thinking about the story, especially the ending, for days afterward - just the kind of book I love.

Listened for Fun (Audible)
Overall Rating: 4.00
Story Rating: 4.00
Character Rating: 4.00

Audio Rating: 5.00 (not part of the overall rating)

First Thought when Finished: Magic Rises by Ilona Andrews was such a hard book to rate.

Overall Thoughts: Had you asked me in the middle of Magic Rises what I thought after the relationship drama, pirate were-dolphins (WTF), and mean girls, I would have said this book was a 3 or 3.5 (what can I say I still love all my side characters and loved the new ones)! However, I am an ender and that freaking last quarter had ALL THE FEELS! I am like seriously so drained that I don't think I can pick up the next one yet. I am emotionally gutted and yet I laughed like a wicked witch during the epilogue. Gah ---just all over the place. I am sure those that have read it understand and those that haven't just don't start here.

Breath in, Breath out and grab the next one! First though I am going to listen to the deleted scenes.

Audio Thoughts:

Narrated By Renee Raudman / Length: 15 hrs and 6 mins

She NAILED IT! Just listen already :)

Part of my Read It, Rate It, File It, DONE! reviews

Magic Rises is the sixth of the Kate Daniels novels. Despite that I found it quite readable on its own. Yes, there’s plenty of background that would be useful to have, but author Ilona Andrews has a great knack for filling in just the spare details needed to keep things understandable.

The characters in Magic Rises have plenty of quirks and twists and turns to their personalities. I found the emotional minefields in Kate and Curran’s relationship entirely believable. I also loved that there were genuine tough problems in their relationship that couldn’t simply be solved with a cathartic bout of sex.

There’s plenty of adventure and danger waiting for Kate in Europe. There’s always intrigue to be found, character development to be experienced, and plenty of violence to keep the pace up. There are mysteries to be solved, such as the identity of the deadly, previously unknown shape-shifter that attacks Kate shortly after her arrival. But the true mystery is why exactly someone has gone to so much effort to bring Kate and Curran to Europe–and what could they hope to gain by it? Unraveling that is the truly fun part of things.

There’s another character who has an interesting relationship with Kate later in the book. I’ll just say that I really liked the fact that there was palpable chemistry there despite the… problems… between them. Also, that other person has a fascinating personality that keeps things interesting. (Sorry for the vagueness–I don’t want to spoil anything for you.)

I loved the characters and adventure of Magic Rises enough that I plan to track down and read the first five books–and that’s about the best recommendation I can give it.

[NOTE; review book provided by publisher]

Kate and Curran set off for Europe to obtain the panacea for counteracting the effects of the Lyc-V virus that causes many shifters to go loup. In exchange, they must arbitrate a disagreement between two packs. While they know it's likely a trap, it's worth the risk if they can save one of Julie's friends and bring peace of mind to the shape shifters of their pack.

I was riveted to this story from the onset. The political intrigue, exciting confrontations and twists/surprises all made for an outstanding plot and tale. And, it's even better being told from Kate's point of view. I love how her mind works and her wry humor, even in the face of imminent danger. The narrator is also outstanding and I don't think I could ever go back to simply reading the series again.

This is one of the most consistent series in any genre, let alone urban fantasy. It has everything, including the fierce relationship between Curran, the Lord Beast, and Kate, his human consort. It just doesn't get any better than this.

The tone in Magic Rises was darker, heavier and more emotional compare to the previous books, which were full of humor, sarcasm and hilarious moments. The shapeshifter children life were often threaten by loupism and now they found out there is a rare medicine that can help to cure them. The medicine is so rare that all the money in the world can't even buy it.

Thus it bring us to the current predicament. Curran was summoned to the European Pack to act as a mediator and guarding a pregnant shapeshifter due to some political reason and in return he will be rewarded in the medicine. Although sensing this is obviously scream TRAP!, there is no way they will give up hope of curing their Pack children. Therefore the Pack headed to Europe with Saiman's help.

I was displeased to find out that Jim was not included in the trip. He is my favorite secondary character here. His had the best chemistry with Kate and their bicker were damn entertaining. The Pack that were included were Mahon, Aunt B, Andrea, Raphael, Derek, Barabas and etc.

Once they reach Europe, that's where the annoying issue started. A young female wolf, Lorelei make her appearance and at first glance I already hated her. Apparently Curran and Lorelei knew each other since they were young and now Lorelei was hoping to seduce Curran to get the Consort status while at the same time getting rid of Kate. In order not to provoke any war, Curran had ensure that all his Pack will behave and act for the Pack best interest.

Hugh, Kate's evil father's warlord made an appearance at the lair. So it seems that the entire thing was orchestra by him to bring Curran and Kate into his territory. While dealing with Hugh tormenting her emotionally, she had to deal with the jealousy of seeing Curran spending time with Lorelei. What's up with him?

In previous books, Kate and Curran were always an united entity that can't be threaten by anyone. They are the fantastic duo. But now, their faith in each other was tested. I find Kate very mature in handling this, she didn't go throwing tantrums or giving Curran the third degree. Nonetheless, I'm not liking the situation here, with Kate feeling vulnerable, insecure and lack of faith in Curran. I myself had total faith in him. They had go through life and death in 5 books, there's not way he will be tempted even if there are ten naked Lorelei parading in front of him. I thought Kate knew better.

I breezed through the whole book in one sitting foregoing sleep just to make sure I'm right about Curran. Is satisfying to find out he didn't disappoint me. He is the big picture kinda guy. Their loves for each other run deeper than just wanting to be together. I believes after this fiasco, their relationship will become stronger than ever.

And there's nothing more romantic that to hear Curran threaten to pummel any jackass who came near Kate into a bloody pulp.

"Just pondering what Hugh's version of flowers and candy will look like"
"Like bloody mush. Because I will crush his head and his brain will ooze out of his ears."

Every Kate Daniels book wouldn't be complete without an epic battle near the ending. Time and time again they will be fighting till an inch of their lives, yet we knew they will pull through. They were like the unbeatable superheroes to me.

"I think we should go to dinner. What are you going to wear?"
"My badass face."
"Good choice"

To me, this series is perfect in every way. We have the action, the humor, sarcasm, kickass heroine, badass hero, the great secondary characters, evil villain and epic battle scene. The only thing that would make this even better is the additional of smuttiness in it. Ilona Andrews had this blog post about getting fans to urge them to write sexier scene, which I totally support. We did get a shower scene that had to be the hottest so far in 6 books. Thank you so much for rewarding us fans.

"If you ever disappeared, I would leave the Pack and I would look for you until I found you. However long it took."

Magic Rises by Ilona Andrews
*SPOILERS*

I want to be Ilona Andrews when I grow up.

She--well, they--are the one of my favorite writers. Their novels mesmerize, make me laugh, leave me in awe and inspire me. The last book of hers I reviewed was the first in the series--Magic Bites. Well, that was because I've been so busy reading every novel and novella the husband/wife team has published.

The Kate Daniels world is amazing and so original. And there is no heroine in all of literature that is as kick-ass as Kate.
Each new novel goes farther, digs deeper and makes the reader's eye bug out. And yet she keeps it all fast and funny.

Her newest novel, Magic Rises is no exception. I loved this novel from page one. And even though it leaves the familiar environ of post shift Atlanta Georgia and sails off (literally) to Europe, and deceit and mayhem, murder and betrayal, it is still Kate doing what she does best: sticking to her guns (well, swords, since she's a suck shot) and fighting for those she loves.

I have to give Ilona credit, she really had me going this time. She had me on the edge of my seat, dismayed and depressed that Curran was actually going to leave Kate.

I've never skipped to the last page of a novel before, but by halfway through I did. I just couldn't deal with how the thought of him breaking up with her was affecting me.

Man can she write.

By the end all the questions are answered, Kate and Co. almost die, and she finds out that her powers are far more vast and deadly than she had imagined.

I was so sad to see Aunt B die. She was a one in a million character and went down with such savage honor. She will be missed.
I can't rate this one high enough. Spectacular!

What I love about the Kate Daniels books is how clear Kate's character is and how when she does the right thing, even when it's hard, she is saved in the end by those she chose to save and defend. When you are powerful, your actions have consequences. Kate knows who she is matters far more than who her father is. Which is why she's the hero and better get the happy ending in the final book.

I have read the whole series numerous times over. I have loved every single one but for some reason this one just didn't pull me in and I have read it twice since it came out. I was let down something seemed off throughout the story. I am hoping that the next one will pull me back in.

Prepare yourself readers, Magic Rises is action packed from the first page and Andrews' keeps the pressure on the reader from start to finish. This instalment of the story is set in Europe rather than Atlanta which adds a whole new dimension to the plot and makes a great change. Curran has been coerced by the European packs to witness to the birth of a set of shifter twins and in exchange he will receive a large shipment of panacea which would save the Pack's children from the threat of loupism. It may seem on the surface like a simple case of babysitting the mother and waiting for the birth. Curran and Kate know they are probably walking into a trap and risking their own lives and those of their friends. The opportunity to save shifter children is something they aren't willing to miss.

Moving the setting in Europe was really effective for refreshing the plot. While I love this series it could have had the potential to get a bit 'samey' with every book focusing on the same core characters in the same location. While most of my favourite characters made the trip across the Atlantic with Kate and Curran there was lots of opportunity to get to meet new characters. Barabas has started to take a more central role as a strong secondary character. In fact, at one point I think that he has more page time than Derek. I did miss that there wasn't further development of Kate's and Julie's relationship. Although Julie appears at the start and end of the book she is not part of the 'European/baby' plot for reasons which are clear when you read the book. I feel that this relationship really 'humanises' Kate as she struggles to be a parent to the teenager. Kate is flawed - she isn't the perfect adopted mother, or perfect friend or partner. This makes her more human and therefore, more realistic than other females characters in similar books in this genre. Kate and Curran's relationship is fleshed out even more in the course of the plot with satisfying results. This is a great couple and I enjoy the roller-coaster that is their relationship.

Andrews' also treats us to a subtle history lesson about Assyrian mythology through one of the antagonists. Not only was this a very clever way to introduce a new shifter species but also seems to add a sense of gravitas to the plot. There is even a reference to Assyrian statuary that I have seen at the British Museum (replicas of the real thing) which has me wanting to study Assyrian history and then go back and re-read these chapters. That is not an easy feat!

In my view Kate Daniels is a fantastic heroine. She isn't perfect but she is multi-faceted and conflicted which makes her such an engaging character. If kick-assery was a real word and kick-assery was in the dictionary Kate's picture would be beneath it. We get to see yet another side of Kate's character both in her relationship with Curran but also with the other characters who feature in this instalment.

I love this series and Magic Rises is yet another great in the series. I read it really quickly and now have that sense of disappointment I often get when I finish one of the books in this series. Not disappointment in the book but rather, that I have to wait for another year to find out what happens next. Although I generally re-read the series quite often in between releases I still miss these characters in between books. This isn't a series to start mid-way through so if you haven't read any of the books make sure you start at the beginning. It won't take you long to get to Magic Rises and you will be left like me and pining for more.

MAGIC RISES is the epitome of emotional roller coaster. I was everywhere emotionally...excited, anxious, angry, disappointed, devastated, amused, shocked, entertained and finally heartbroken. If you have come to care about Kate and her pack mates, then you will be as shaken and as wrung out as I am. When I finished the book, I just kind of lounged about, unsure how I felt. Awhile later I have the answer. I love this book. It managed to fulfill all my demands without being obvious or giving me exactly what I wanted. It felt like one of the earlier books in the series, one of the books that pushed Kate past all the hundreds of other books, I have read and made it a top five favorite series.

There has always been one downside of being a shifter in the Kate Daniels world and that downside is the chance that you will go loup. The virus that runs through a shifter's blood making them faster and stronger can turn against them in a moment and make them crazy. There is a chance that all shifter's can go loup, but that chance is even higher for children and is a fear of every parent. There is a cure, Pancea, but Curran's pack does not know how to make it. So, when European packs contact him with the job of mediating shifter drama involving one women, two babies and two fathers, with the payment of the only loup cure, how can the pack refuse?

From the start this book is like a punch in the gut. A child close to Kate goes Loup and it becomes clear that Kate and Curran will have to do anything to save this child's life even if it means walking into a trap. Armed with a few shifters (old and new favorites) the alpha couple head to Europe to mediate a soap opera. One shifter princess has been dangled in front of two packs with the promise of a prime piece of land that ends up with the princess being pregnant by both men and succession in question. Add to that constant fights between three clans, assassination attempts and damaging words this conflict has the feel of an epic drama.

The interaction with the European packs highlight many things we may have missed in earlier books. Like how unusual Curran's rule as Beast Lord is, that his choosing of Kate as his mate is controversial all over the world and that their relationship is not as steady as we thought. When Curran called Kate his Mate and demanded she move in with him, I thought that was it. It was settled and it was jarring and painful to realize that it was not. This book really takes a look at their relationship and all the obvious and subtle differences between them and other couples. I do not want to ruin the twists and turns, but know this: if you love Kate and Curran you will be tested. Boy will you ever be tested.

Opening this book, I was under the impression that I was sick of the pack. I began to question what thus series is about. Was it about Kate conforming to the pack life or was it about Kate gearing up for the fight of her life. Her fight against Rolsnd. I thought that the authors had strayed from their path and this series was too much taken over by Curran. This book shut me up. The pack is so important. Kate needs them not only for the fight against Rolsnd, but also for herself. A rag tag bunch of miscreants who are as violent and temperamental as she is. Reconnecting with the pack was the fun I expected, but this time with an emotional kick. In this book we see through the eyes of the pack. The fear that to have children is to bury them. Watching as these men and women sacrificed themselves for their children, for the future of the pack and for a reverent hope that it will get better, almost killed me. I didn't know how much i cared. Due to the fact that Kate goes off to Europe with a small team it means that we get to see more of the deviously intelligent aunt b, the old school Mahon, the new not so improved Derek and a few others. We also get to meet and fall in love with new characters.

Side note: I LOVE Derek and missed his involvement in the last few books. He is back as Kate's number 1 assistant. It was great seeing their interactions, but the changes in my baby Derek were difficult. I am ready for his own romance. Ready for him to heal the emotional scars he has. Find a good love and move on. Part of me wishes it could be Julie, because she crushes on him, but I think the wait for her to be an adult could kill my baby Derek.

In MAGIC RISES, the writing team that is Ilona Andrews takes us places that I didn't know that this series could take us. It really highlighted the fact that we have been emotionally sheltered in the Kate Daniel's world. We have not experienced the deep loss, trauma and frustration that other books have brought. I realized that I have come to expect 100% happy endings and full resolutions. The ending of this book is bittersweet and there is so much more on the verge that while its s complete story that will not leave you wanting, I would not say that it is at all completely resolved.

MAGIC RISES pushes the series narrative in ways I did not foresee when I opened the book. Roland is coming. He is on the horizon and I am not sure if Kate is ready for him. I am not sure that the world understands who he is or if the pack is prepared for the fight that is coming to their door. All that doesn't matter, because I am excited. I cannot wait to open book 7 and meet Kate's god of a father. I have a feeling that we will bury beloved characters and relationships will be tested to their absolute boiling point. I have a feeling we're in for great writing and I am very excited.

Let the wait begin.

I really really struggled with why I didn't like this book. I am a huge, huge Ilona Andrews fan, and have counted down the days for each of their various series. They rock. In this book, the writing - as usual from the Andrews team - is outstanding, but, after much thought, I have to say the plot of this story and the development of it was a problem for me. First of all, a new shapeshifter was discovered after Kate killed it in a hallway. Okay. It dies. To me that is all you need to know - you don't have to use something special to kill it, and you don't have to have a special weapon to kill it. It dies. So why was there SO much research into it - what it was, what it did, etc.? I do realize that it helped pinpoint WHO was attacking Kate and her party, but that was discovered by Doolittle - not all the research and bogus scientific explanations. Next, throughout the previous five Kate books, the relationship between Kate and Curran was developed very carefully until it had reached a point that each of them had fought for each other and literally tried to give their lives for each other. They were SOLID. But in this book, the Andrews would have me believe that Kate became jealous, insecure and basically got to the point that she was going to end the relationship with Curran over some stupid 21 year old? Oh, C'mon guys! That wasn't Kate - nor was the decision by Curran to leave her out of the loop, Curran. I don't know who those people were. Lastly, I have bitched for years about LKHamilton not having the guts to kill off a character or maim them. Well, you sure can't say that about the Andrews' team. In fact - pun intended - talk about overkill. First they kill off an extremely well-liked character in a way that I hated. I mean, she didn't have a chance. That just sucks, and it made the entire series different. Then a handful of other people were injured in such a way that they will never recover - despite the magic and Doolittle's efforts. What? Lastly, two guys showed up midway through the story that lived in the hills surrounding the castle. One was a hobbit like creature and one a shepherd. Both characters were enjoyable UNTIL we got to the end of the book and they basically saved the day. How lame. Was there bright spots in the book? Yes. I enjoyed the beginning and the ocean crossing. Great stuff. I also enjoyed Christopher - the guy in the cage - his ultimate purpose in the book was super. I knew something was up with him, but never suspected his true purpose. Terrific. However, the bright spots were few. I do realize that this is the Andrews' story and they can tell it anyway they want to, but so much of the plot seemed contrived and unnecessary. Will I read more of their books? Of course, I will. One bad book doesn't turn me off terrific writers like Ilona Andrews.

BTW, at the end of the book is a short story the Andrews threw in about Kate and Siaman. It actually was a scene that took place before Magic Rises, so that you should skip and read it first. However, the fact that it was a cutting room scene should not take away proper editing. In the middle of the story, two paragraphs were rewrote word for word with a couple of pages in between them.

Overall I very much enjoyed this book. You can hardly go wrong with this writing pair it seems. The only problem I had was unfortunately a big one. The primary story I thought was really good, but it seemed like it was not really present in the middle of the book. Instead what we got was a forced conflict between the two main characters. It was a cliched "I lied to you, and treated you like crap for your own good" story, and to me those have gotten really tired. You spend this book and the last couple telling us how much the two main characters love each other and then you shove this story down our throat and you expect us to believe that people who are in that kind of relationship haven't figured out to confide in, and lean on each other? I know that alot of people seem to like this kind of plot development, but I find it really old and tired. Other than that plot line though the story was great, the characters were awesome as always. Not one of their better books but I would still happily recommend it.

Ilona Andrews is one of my 'go to' authors. I think I've read if not everything, most of what she has out there. What I like about her writing is that it's not just about the romance, although there is definitely romance in the story. In Magic Rises, Curran and Kate take a contract to protect a werewolf who is pregnant by twins by two different men. They know by going it's a trap to attack Curran and the pack. While there, Curran appears to take interest in another shifter, and some weird dragon type beings start attacking and killing people. And worst of all, someone is there who Kate didn't want to run into for years to come......

This was an awesome read.

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

***My husband purchased this book for me.***

The best of the series. This book gripped me like the mind of The People would grip their vampires. It was amazing. I wanted to kick Curran a couple of times. You will not believe how much Kate has matured and the amazing choices she makes. There were tears and laughter and I gripped the book in utter suspense and terror a couple of times. I wasn't pleased with the art on the cover of the book. It doesn't look like the Kate I have seen in past books. I really love the duo of Ilona Andrews. I wonder if they intended the Shepherd to imitate Jesus. That's what he seemed to be to me. Love, love, love this book.

Oh boy, what a ride! While this book wasn't as quotable with the usual hilarious quips that make me love this series so much, it is definitely one of my favorite books of the series, if not my favorite. I usually love books when the characters go on road trips or end up out of their usual element. It usually gives a series a fresh perspective, revealing new aspects about my favorite characters and ultimately showing what they are made of when the going gets tough. Ilona Andrews really brought their A-game from start to finish. Kate and Curran, how can you not love them? As solid as they are, or at least as solid as we assume they are, their relationship and feelings for one another are put to the ultimate test.

I must say that bringing just about every essential character along for the quest set off my alarm bells early that nothing was going to be the same from here on out. I feared that not everybody would make it back or make it back in one piece. And they do take a hell of a beating in that department I'm sad to say. But I believe everything that happened happened for the sake of pushing the story forward to the best conclusion possible.

There were definitely frustrating moments making me feel for both characters as individuals as well. I will always be a Kate and Curran girl, but I thought they handled the chemistry between Kate and Hugh D'Ambry (her father's right hand) surprisingly well. I was genuinely looking forward to their scenes together and the outcomes weren't always predictable. I was really engrossed in the back story involving Kate's heritage and felt satisfied with what was revealed. It felt integral to the story and to what we can expect of the series here on out. So often I run into series where the overarching plot is merely peppered throughout the book instead of being the meat of it, making it very obvious that the author plans to drag the story out as much as possible. I am so happy that wasn't the case here, though I honestly haven't read a disappointing Kate Daniels book.

If we thought things were complicated before, this book proved to me that we haven't seen anything yet. I heard the series was going to end at 7, but then they decided to extend it to 10. At this point I think 10 books is definitely the sweet spot.

If you want a true page turner, this is one of the best you are going to find this year, guaranteed.

I love this series so much! This has been my favorite book in the series so far. These characters, the writing, this world that has been created- just wow. This book gave me so many feels. So much action in this one, along with a jealous Kate and jealous Curran. Great addition to the series.

I’m reviewing this only a few hours after finishing this book in audiobook format so I’m probably a little closer to this one than my usual review. That being said – damn! You always know that these books make no guarantees that everyone ends the book in good shape (or even alive) but I’m pretty beat up here.

This book is another road trip-type. Kate and a select few from the pack end up making a trip across the ocean into what everyone agrees is a big trap. Everyone knows that there can be no good reason that Curran was selected to negotiate and protect a disputed pregnant woman. Everyone knows that they will walk right into this trap with the promise of a magical lupism cure at the end of it. How can they not? At the same time, soon after arriving, it’s like everyone forgot. People are playing their own secret games hidden within games, but (again) it’s like nobody remembers that this is a gigantic trap.

I’m not even really sure what of the plot I can talk about without getting into some serious spoilers, but overall, this trip to a castle ends up being (shockingly) a bad idea. Yes, they might come out slightly ahead (definitely stronger) but there are some big checks in the “loss” column that some might argue outweigh the wins. That being said, Kate is still… Kate. There is a lot of unbearable girlishness thrown in here, but she’s still the non-stop killing machine we’ve come to know and love. This book also gave us some good, in-depth time with some of the more supporting characters. At one point I even found myself appreciating how much more I know and love a certain character because of the actions of this book. This was a bad omen.

So what happens that I can talk about? Kate’s secret is a big player in this book. What starts as a book that seems about Curran ends up (of course) actually being about Kate really. All of her work has been leading up to a big confrontation in this book (no, not *the* big one, but still, a pretty epic battle). While I’m happy where we end up here, at least as far as Kate and Curran go, I spent most of the time in this book dreading coming back to it. The relationship drama was so unbearable, but eventually works itself out (thank god). I look forward to a book where everyone is back at home and the Kate/Curran team can be strong again.

Ok... let me start by saying that this duo are amazing at writing books... the scenes that are painted are so good it's like you are there. I HAATE books that are told from one person's perspective... I always want to know what is the other person thinking... instead of what the main character THINK they are thinking... but I barely notice it in any of these books (I'm currently going through the series). The story is told so well that I don't mind that it is told only from Kate's point of view. Very talented Authors!! will definitely look for more from them.

In the opening chapters when Aunt B, Saiman, Curran and Kate find themselves stuck on a boat in the middle of the ocean together I just knew that this installment was going to kick butt. Trapping these four in a confined space is a recipe for disaster but throw in a few pirate were-dolphins (yes, you read that right!) and you have yourself a boatload of action right out of the gate! This book has it all; from epic fight scenes, to heart-breaking loss, to one of the most messed-up happily-ever-after-for-now’s that I have ever read. Magic Rises proves beyond the shadow of a doubt that the Ilona Andrews author duo deserve to be crowned king and queen of Urban Fantasy.

Throughout this series Curran hasn’t exactly been subtle about his dislike of all males who look at Kate the wrong way but up until this point we haven’t seen much jealousy from Daniels. Meet Lorelei, the pack princess and all-around scheming brat; I think it’s safe to say that green is definitely NOT Kate’s colour! Unfortunately, Curran acts like a tool for the better part of this book and does absolutely nothing to reassure his mate so her feelings aren’t entirely unjustified. There were points in this story where I wanted to rip the Beast Lord a new one for being such a dummy and at times it seemed like Andrews almost enjoyed stringing readers along for as long as she did. Thankfully, the authors more than make-up for their mind games by delivering one heck of a resolution, blood, fire and all!

In a lot of ways this novel felt like Kate’s “coming out” party; she had no choice but to tell Julie about her past, a few other pack members overhear some tidbits along the way and then, Hugh d’Ambray shows up at the meeting in Europe. This series is known for its epic battle sequences but Magic Rises really ups the ante in that department. Andrews does a phenomenal job of writing detailed yet intense fight scenes. Kate’s arch nemesis goads her into a duel and the result is jaw dropping. Both these characters were trained by Voron so watching them finally face-off was truly something to behold. The action is far from over though and this novel culminates in a battle that’s worthy of legendary status.

There are a lot of interesting developments in this installment; Kate learns an important new skill that’ll come in handy when she eventually clashes with her father and a pretty significant character dies. I’m still a little upset about that last one. Even Dolittle doesn’t make it out of this one unscathed. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed Hugh; learning about his past made him seem like less of a monster and his hidden agenda was… unexpected. He’s the type of villain you just love to hate and I look forward to round 2 between him and Kate in a future installment. Daniels also adds a few new people to her merry band of misfits which is just one of the many reasons why I love her so.

I continue to be blown away by Renée Raudman’s narration of this series; they couldn’t have picked a better voice to bring Kate Daniel’s story to life in audio. Magic Rises is off-the-charts awesome with plenty of heck yeah and oh s*** thrown in for good measure. My only complaint is that the next book doesn’t come out until August. AUGUST!

Is it possible for a series to just keep getting better and better? This book totally sucked me in for a few hours until I finished it in basically one sitting, only moving and sleeping when I have to. I stayed up way into the morning to try to finish, and when I couldn't stay awake anymore, I slept a few hours, woke up, finished it, and went back to sleep. Yeah, this book was that good!

Kate and Curran, along with other members of the pack, are headed to Europe to guard a pregnant woman. While they know it's a trap, they must go because they will be paid in panacea, a highly guarded medicine that reduces chances of teenage shapeshifters from going loup (going crazy and psycho). Despite Kate's tough upbringing, she wasn't one to let innocents suffer if she can do something about it, so we find our characters taking a long trip to Europe.

Some people might find it disappointing that the book doesn't take place in Atlanta, but I was excited to go somewhere else. I was eager to explore the rest of this post-apocalyptic world that Andrews had created away from Atlanta. There was the sea journey where we get to see some sea monsters and storms and fight pirates. Then there were the other packs across Europe. The book at places had a bit of info-dump, but it was nothing that really dragged it down. Andrews have a very matter-of-fact writing style that give you all you need to know to prepare you for the upcoming action and story. The Europe packs behave very differently than Curran's pack, so it's always fun to see the differences in culture built into the story.

Kate and Curran have been together for a few months now, but that doesn't mean their relationship is all flowers and sunshine. Kate and Curran are both set in their ways and it's hard for them to change. Kate is still that no non-sense straightforward. Watching her trying to be diplomatic and not kill the people who keep insulting her had me laughing out loud. Curran at times was as unfathomable and manipulative as ever. Andrews was such tease and had me seriously worried about their relationship all throughout the book! With that said, there was too much diplomacy in this book and I prayed that Kate would just turn Lorelei through with Slayer. Yeah, I'm getting bloodthirsty. Reading this series will do this to you.

The stakes are a lot higher in this book, not that the previous books were sissys. We meet Hugh d'Ambray for real. Hugh is Kate's father's general, whom Kate knows is out to kill her, but things aren't as straightforward as Kate would think. Can I just say I'm a little in love with Hugh? Yeah, he's a bastard but I can't help it! I loved the complicated relationship between Kate and Hugh, and the choices Kate have to face. There was no stop to the tension in the book either! While Kate has to deal with Hugh, the shapeshifters had to protect the pregnant woman from three volatile European packs who plotted to stab them in the back the moment their guard is down! And you wonder why I gave up on sleep over this book! I just honestly couldn't stop!

Between Kate and Curran's romantic problems, Hugh d'Ambray, and crazy shapeshifters out for blood, Magic Rises is a fantastic addition to the series! I also can't forget the crazy amount of mythology mixed into this book! If you like any kind of mythology in your books, then this'll be your heaven. The way Andrews mishmashed multiple culture's mythology into this one is nothing short of amazing! Now I have to wait another year for the next book! I may just have to reread this to get more fill of Curran and Kate!

Let me start by saying I love the Ilona Andrews books, particularly the Kate Daniels series. This book is no exception. It is well written and faced paced. While it is a bit darker than earlier books, there is still some humor. We see a lot of familiar faces and some new ones. It will be interesting to see how all the threads from this book are pulled together in the next. That being said, I felt parts of this book did a disservice to Kate, Curran and their relationship. I also was a bit disconcerted by who saved the day, how and why. (For more details see below). Regardless of my few qualms, this is an exceptional book and i strongly recommend those who are familiar with the series read it. If you have not read the previous books, I would not suggest you start with this one.

**SPOILERS**

Along with some of the other readers I felt there were some inconsistencies in this book, that caused me to pause. The main one is the drama with Curran and Lorelei. I would have been far more comfortable with Curran's explanation had Kate stood her ground longer or showed him the flaws in his reasoning. Instead she agreed with him. I don't see how they can ever have a true relationship if they can't trust each other. Curran said the reason he acted like he did was to protect Kate and he didn't tell her because she wasn't good at lying. Since when? She has hidden her power from everyone for years and kept major secrets. She may not like lying and may not be as good at it as others, but she certainly has managed to keep secrets and not betray herself. Further, Curran's plan SUCKED. He expected Kate to take everything he did and not react? After he berated her previously for not confronting him in Magic Bleeds? In addition, he didn't think his actions to put her in further danger (which they did), hinder her investigation and the protection of the pregnant woman they are responsible for (which it did), or cause major issues in the pack ( which it did) and could have actually splinters the pack(which it almost did)???? What makes his actions even worse is he makes his decision right after they all talk about how the bad guys are going to try and play mind games to separate them - so Curran decides he'll walk right into it? I was so frustrated.

I could see him making that decision because he is crazy when it comes to protecting Kate, but she should have pointed out he almost caused the very thing he was trying to prevent. And his sole argument in his defense seems to be that Kate would walk away from him and the pack if her father said he wouldn't attack Curran. Kate then agrees with him. If they can't trust each other, in my opinion they have no relationship but sex. Kate has already decided she will fight her father when he comes, and that she will fight forCurran. Now she changes her mind? All the sudden she thinks her father might leave Curran and the pack alone, when previous books have said Curran was already on her father's radar to be eliminated? REALLY? This type of inconsistency and lack of follow through was one of the major items that kept me from rating this 5 stars.

**end spoilers**

In addition to the relationship drama, I the ending threw me. We are introduced to new characters who save the day? Randomly at the end? If this is tied up in the next book, I will have an easier time of it, but I felt like this book left a lot more threads loose than previous books.

I still highly recommend this book, I just couldn't give it five stars because it wasn't up to normal Ilona Andrews standards.

Magic Rises by Ilona Andrews is the sixth book in the Kate Daniels series and I will admit to being completely in love with this series. Magic Rises just reaffirmed my complete love of anything Ilona Andrews writes so basically you should go and read this series ASAP! Even if you didn't think the first book was all that special, you probably will enjoy the series if you stick with it because these books continue to improve with every addition. I don't generally read an entire book in one sitting, but I literally read the last 2/3 of Magic Rises in one night because I absolutely could not put it down. There will undoubtedly be spoilers for the earlier books in the series.
Note: I purchased Magic Rises and all opinions are my own.

Strengths:
All right all, I love sleep. I seriously think my bed is the best place in the world. I gave up hours of sleep to finish Magic Rises and was happy about it!
We get to explore more of the Post-Shift world :D. The gang goes to Europe in Magic Rises and we get to see how that side of the world is faring with the downfall of technology.
There is so much research that must go into these books. We get even more crazy new creatures in Magic Rises that pull from non-typical lore for this genre. It is freaking awesome!
Omg, THE FEELS! There was crying, there was white-knuckled anger and fear, there was gushy-happy. All of them!
While Kate and Curran have very much established their relationship by the beginning of Magic Rises, there is still room for the romance storyline to be extremely gripping.

Weaknesses:
Um.... I honestly got nothing. Make sure that you have room in your schedule to do nothing but read before you start this one ;-).

Summary:
I cannot express my love enough :D. I'm been hesitant to give 5 star ratings recently, but wow, I know it when I see it! You'd think that a series would run out of cool things to explore, but I have seen no evidence of that in this one. Just wow.

I've got into the habit of breaking down books that I review into two sections, namely the good and the bad. This presents a problem because I couldn't find a flaw in Magic Rises, the latest of the Kate Daniels novels. To be fair I'm completely biased, this is one of my favorite books series and I purchased both the hard copy and kindle edition the day it came out, and waited with baited breath until its release.

Magic Rises takes us away from Post Magical Apocalypse Atlanta and over to Europe, which is a fresh and new playground for Kate. I guess this is actually the weakness of the piece, because the fact that they were in Europe had really little to do with the overall plot. Really it could have taken place just about anywhere, switch up two monsters and a single minor character and it could have worked. However, Ilona Andrews does bring a great sense of isolation to the group, separating them from their allies and connections and placing enemies on all sides. We're never allowed to forget that we aren't in Atlanta anymore and neither are the characters.

Especially Kate. Part of what I found most enjoyable with this book is that it brought a new spin to well established monsters and culture rather than creating something entirely new. The primary focus is on shapeshifter politics and intrigue and it is captivating. None of these new players have ever met or heard of Kate before so it's almost like completely starting from scratch. We even get some brand spanking new characters that go with her and Curran over to Europe, and those boys and girls are awesome. I definitely look forward to seeing Keira and Eduardo again and reading more buffalo steak jokes. Also, George is just plain cool.

And speaking of relationships, Kate and Curran cannot be said to have lost any spice or tension. Their relationship is still wonderfully dynamic and our favorite husband-wife writer team does not shy away from throwing monkey wrenches at them. Or any of their other characters. I think they might have been watching a little Game of Thrones while they wrote this because they do not shy away from letting their characters get hurt or killed.

I heartily give Magic Rises my stamp of approval and recommend it to any lover of urban fantasy.

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Badass female lead? check!
Scrumptious beast lord? check!
action? check!
drama? check!
romance? check!
suspense? check!
mystery? check!
blood and gore? check!
fighting? check!
Weird Supernatural creatures and new annoying bad guys for Kate to pwn? check! check!

What's not to love about these books? The Kate Daniels books just get better and better. I can't wait to see how Kate eventually faces off with her father. I love the pace of these novels. I love that the story progresses on multiple fronts through each book and I'm never disappointed or feel like one of the stories was just a filler novel.

Kate and Curran's relationship progresses *yay* and while I felt exactly like Kate and wanted to ram my foot up his (you know what) at some points of the story, he just made me all warm and melty inside by the end - this guy is a keeper!! roooaarrr!!

The storyline with her father also continues and I just CAN'T WAIT to see how it all ends!! Kate gets up and close with her daddy's right hand man Hugh (who definitely knows who she is now) and surprise surprise - Hugh takes a fancy to her! Who wouldn't though? I mean Kate is hot in so many ways I might consider jumping the fence for this chick. Her and Curran are so good together. They are an unstoppable force (a team - to use their words).

One thing though - please make Derek happy. I love that guy and I want to see him get his own book (like Andrea), or at least be made happy in one of these books. He deserves it! Perhaps him and Desandra can find some common ground and fill a hole for each other... HINT HINT! hahaha.

Would I recommend this book? Absolutely (and in fact I already do)
Will I read it again? for sure!

I love Kate Daniels, so I'm not that impartial. Her relationship with Curran comes full circle with some bumps along the way. I think we're getting closer to her fighting Roland. Too many people know about her heritage. This is the first time the couple venture outside of Atlanta, so readers get a boarder picture of Daniel's world with magic and tech. Once and for all I think Kate knows that Curran loves her for her and is not scheming because of who and what she is.So, Ilona Andrews wrote a story to solidify their relationship and Kate's position in the pack.

I've been grabbing a Kate Daniel's book here and there. I want to get up to date on the series. I have a way to go if counting all the in-between series books but only 2 more to go to get up to date. I like this one a lot. There is a lot of action going on. Kate is funny as always. The romance and relationship with Curran is getting stronger and serious. I love how jealous Kate gets in this one. Major jealous. This is one of my favorites so far in the series. They just keep getting better and better.

Loved the action in this book! I have always been weary of Curran and his high-handedness and this book reminded me why. Really disliked his choices, no matter the reason. Kate was her usual awesome self. My favorite fight scene of Kate’s is now one in this book.

It's taken me a long time to get my thoughts together enough to write this review, Magic Rises took me on such an emotional roller coaster that there were times when I couldn't tell up from down and I was exhausted by the end of it. That happy kind of exhaustion where you have cycled through so many different types of emotion but are left with a huge smile on your face, where the highs were only as high because you plunged into the lowest lows but you've finally made it out the other side and lived to tell the tale. I have become such a huge fan of this series over the last couple of months, I've devoured all of the books and short stories and I've loved every minute of it. Each time I finish a book I'm convinced that Ilona Andrews can't possibly top it but with every new instalment they consistently manage to. I'm not going to lie there were things in Magic Rises that I absolutely hated, things that made me so angry I wanted to throw something, but in spite of that I loved every single page of this book. There aren't many stories that can inspire such rage in me but then turn around and make my heart melt, have me bawling my eyes out one minute and clutching my sides with laughter the next. Magic Rises does all that and more and for that reason alone I'm going to have to say it's my favourite book in what has hands down become my favourite series.

For the first time we see Kate and Curran venture out of Atlanta and travel across the seas to Georgia because Curran has been asked to mediate a dispute between three European packs. It's not something he's looking forward to, in fact he's pretty sure it's a suicide mission because he's had dealings with these packs before and it didn't go well the first time, but they are offering the one thing they know he can't refuse - panacea. The European packs are the only ones who know how to create the medicine that can save the lives of young shapeshifters who are on the verge of going loup and they have promised to pay Curran with it if he resolves their dispute. Both Curran and Kate will do whatever it takes to protect the youngest members of their Pack and they aren't afraid to put their lives on the line to do it.

I was quite excited to see Kate and Curran in a different environment, especially when I found out they would be taking most of my favourite characters with them - Derek, Andrea, Raphael, Doolittle, Aunt B, Barabas, Saiman and a few less familiar faces too. We even get to meet Jim's sister Keira who I have to say I hope we see more of as the series continues. I knew it would be interesting to see them all out of their comfort zone, especially Curran who is so used to being in charge and for everyone around him to immediately follow his orders! What I wasn't expecting was the strain it put on Kate and Curran's relationship. Some of Curran's actions made me absolutely crazy, even though I knew he had to have a good reason and was sure there was some kind of plan he was acting on I was so mad at him I couldn't see straight. I wanted to climb into the book and punch him on the nose on Kate's behalf and to give her a comforting hug at the same time. My heart broke right alongside hers and I hated seeing her hurting so badly.

As mad as I was with Curran I was thrilled with the way Kate's friends rallied around her, she has come such a long way since the beginning of the series. From that loner who kept her distance from everyone to someone with friends and an adopted family who she loves deeply and would die to protect. It was great to see that they also have her back and that they'll even take her side when Curran acts like an arse. I will say that Curran went a long way towards making up for his behaviour by the end of the book. I'm still mad at him but I understand the reasons for doing what he did. He knew that he was risking losing Kate forever but he went ahead anyway because it was the only way he could see of keeping her safe, he loves her enough that he would rather risk seeing her walk away from him than to let anything happen to her. I still want to see more grovelling from him in the next book but I have high hopes that they're back on the right track.

I don't really want to go into any details about the rest of the story so I'm just going to tell you that there are some extremely interesting new characters, shocking twists, a lot of action, fabulous fight scenes, moments that will break your heart and others that will make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Basically it's everything you'd expect from Ilona Andrews and this series but to the power of 10. Magic Rises is hands down the best book in the series so far and it will turn you into an emotional wreck while you're reading it. Clear your diary before you start reading because you are not going to want to put this book down for a second! I don't know how I'm going to survive the wait for Magic Breaks.

The book starts with a heartbreaking scene. Julie's best friend Maddie and her twin sister Margo have gone loup, like one in four shifter children do during puberty. And when they cannot snap out of it themselves, they have to be terminated. Their mother is heartbroken, and asks Kate for her help. All Kate can do is give Meredith more time though. There is a cure for this, something called Panacea, but the European packs guard the secrets of how to make it carefully, and buying enough of it is impossible.

When Curran is asked by three European packs he had dealings with in the past, to come over and act as negotiator between them, they know they will be walking right in a trap. But he will be paid in Panacea, and they desperately need it. Of course Kate will come with them, with 5 bodyguards/companions each. Travelling to Europe will not be easy, with Tech and Magic wreaking havoc on the world, they will need a good ship and a trustworthy crew to sail them over. Saiman is the only choice left to supply them with a good ship. Kate is very much surprised that he has decided to join them on the journey, as she knows he is deadly terrified of Curran (and with good reason).

Their job will be to keep Desandra safe. She is pregnant from two different men, both her previous husbands, and her father once promised a very important and profitable pass in the Carpathian mountains to her firstborn child. But now Jarek Kral has vowed he would rather kill his only child and the children in her womb, than give up the pass. For now, Desandra is in a neutral place, but she will give birth in two months, and all three packs will be there to witness the birth. Depending on which child will be born first, that pack will claim the inheritance.
Desandra is sad as neither of her husbands seem to care about her at all. Her first husband, Radomil of the Volkodavi pack from Ukraine is ruled by his brother and sister, and seems happy about it. Her second husband, Gerardo of the Belve Ravennati from Italy, is completely under his mother's thumb. Neither men fought for her, when her father demanded she came back home.

On the journey they have to deal with dolphin pirates, and they are really intent in killing Kate. But Kate can handle herself, just like the other members of their party, and they defeat the pirates.

Desandra is not the only woman from Curran's past, waiting for him in Gagra though. Her father once gave her to him in exchange for his son, but Curran denied him, and send Desandra back. Now not only the Djigits (jackals) are on the shore waiting, but also a little golden wolf princess named Lorelei, who is determined to steal Curran from Kate. After all, she is only a fragile little human, and Lorelei is a shifter. She would be much better suited to the Beast Lord!

But when they meet the Lord of the Castle, Kate's worst fears have come true. Lord Megobari is none other than Hugh d'Ambray, Rolands warlord, the men she was trying to escape. The trap is not set for Curran at all, but for her. He does know she is Roland's daughter after all. But why doesn't he kill her on the spot? Why the elaborate setup to get her here?

This is a book filled with action and danger, and emotion. Ilona Andrews sure put Kate through hell in this book, thinking that she is losing Curran to Lorelei, having Hugh want her, and make her fight him, revealing her powers to him. And then there are those impossible shapeshifters hunting her. But she does make allies in unsuspected places, just by being herself, and taking care of those unable to take care of themselves. She walks into danger knowingly, if she can safe Curran's life with it, or that of her companions. Kate is courageous and kick ass, and has the biggest heart of them all.

The ending to the book was heartbreaking and awesome, and I cannot wait for the next book to be published. Ilona Andrews sure tugs on my heartstrings, but she also makes me laugh at times with her subtle sense of humor. She does not shy away from making hard decisions and have bad things happen to her characters. And even though it hurts my reader's heart, it makes the story that much stronger and realistic.

10 stars.

© 2013 Reviews by Aurian

I read this book in three days! I was torn between wanting to read it as fast because I NEEDED to know what was going on and wanting to read it as slow as possible so that my fantasy besties could live in my mind longer. There is so much that goes on in this book. My husband asked me, "What's happening now?" because I told him one evening after work, "No talking tonight, only reading!" He knew it was serious time! But what can you say to that? "What is happening now?", he asks me. My response? "Everything! Everything is falling apart! Now hush!"

So in the beginning, the pack finds themselves in need of panacea. This is the stuff that can prevent and reverse the youngsters from going loup. They are presented with an opportunity to acquire the coveted and impossible to get panacea. The problem is that they know it is a trap, but the panacea is one thing they have to risk the trap to get to. They find themselves going to the Black Sea to guard a pregnant lady. There are so many surprises when they get there and while the trap is obvious, they find that there is a bigger game afoot and they are not at all sure what it is.

Thoughts:

Kate is coming closer to meeting her father. I am so nervous for her. I think that Roland is more powerful than she can imagine. At times I think Kate is the best of the best and then at times she seems so weak I want her to run from her life and hide in a tiny hole so no one can find her. She is put through a lot of emotional stuff in this book with the pack and Curran. I wanted to punch him numerous times. While the reason for his behavior is probably the only reason I would accept as a possible explanation, I still think it was terrible and awful! Kate was humiliated repeatedly. She behaved so maturely and I loved that about her. Her heart was breaking, but she carried on. I am pretty sure if I was her that would have been some bloodshed.

The only thing I didn't like about the book was that I felt that the situation with Lorelei was not resolved sufficiently. I loved the scene at the last dinner when Lorelei came over to the head table, but I needed more than that. She is a stupid girl who needed things spelled out for her about her situation.

There were so many quotes and scenes in this book that I loved. I think I highlighted more on my kindle for this book than I ever have before. I love how the authors put phrases from The Lion King and The Princess Bride in the conversations. Although I think the Lion King reference was from the Curran Panty Party POV I just read. Regardless, I love it! I will still attempt to put one of my favorite quotes on here:

For the first time in months I felt completely alone.

I know, it's short and tells you nothing, but at the same time it sets the tone for this book. Kate is in a castle with her pack and three others and yet she feels alone. The kind of alone that she used to pursue with deadly intent to keep herself safe and secret, but she let go of this when Curran came along. But its back...

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I didn't even realize that the latest Kate book was out until a few days ago. To be honest, I was a huge fan of Ilona Andrews but got tired of urban fantasy. I loved the first three books. But I thought the last two books in this series were merely OK, possibly even disappointing, and promptly forgot almost everything about them after reading them. So, it's been a while since I read a Kate Daniels book and thoroughly enjoyed it.

People, this the achievement of true author skills: bringing back a wayward, skeptical reader into fanhood once more. I was reluctant to even buy this book, and now I keep diving back to it and rereading all the good parts, obsessively...

It's not like this is a perfect book, and my favorite still might be the third book of the series. But this book is still very good: great action scenes, surprises lurking around the corner, humor, very dark things happening, and more dark things happening.

In a way, this was like a "bridge" book in which things are mixed together, set under pressure to cook, and then we'll wait for the next book to see how the kitchen will explode. But good god, what fun and how delightful to see how things are mixed up here.

I'm talking of course about Hugh d'Ambray, who is the villain and master manipulator. Yes, he is twisted and Not Good and not in the least repentant. But he jumps out at you so surprisingly; he's such an echo to Kate, such a complement to her training and swordskills, her fighter mentality, her history. Hugh calls to Kate's dark side.

And he's hot. Really hot.

I think his chemistry with Kate sizzles, whether she admits it or not. I know she'll never leave Curran, and that's a good thing. I just hope that in the next book (yes, which I will definitely read), Ilona Andrews doesn't turn Hugh into the ridiculous overblown villain easy to kill and dismiss. His character is way too good for that.

************
Content: One explicit sex scene. Some swearing (a few F-bombs, no religious profanity). Buckets of blood.
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I have read the entire Kate Daniels series, so obviously I'm a fan. I enjoyed this book, too, but I didn't love it like crazy. Too much squee, raising my expectations too high. My favorites by these authors are still Bayou Moon (The Edge, Book 2), followed by Magic Strikes (Kate Daniels, Book 3).

Not a spoiler; we learn this right at the beginning: A werewolf is pregnant with twins from two different fathers from rival clans. A coveted land prize goes to the twin first out. The losing clan will likely tear the infants to shreds. To get their hands on some panacea -- which helps stave off loupism but is not 100% reliable -- the Atlanta Wolf Pack agrees to protect Desandra, till she bears her twins.

Sounds straightforward, but NOTHING is at it seems in Lord Megobari's domain, high in the Carpathian Mountains. So, it's off to Eastern Europe we go. The Republic of Georgia, on the Black Sea. What a set up!

Some cool monsters in MAGIC RISES, but the emotional drama seemed contrived, unlikely, and unnecessary. Lost a full point with me, Curran's decision to keep a secret from Kate bummed me, because he hurt, confused, angered, and shamed her, and -- not only that -- he stopped watching her back, leaving her alone in the woods (for one example) after INSISTING everyone follow the buddy system safety rules. I didn't buy Curran's rationale for misleading Kate. His pretence went on MUCH too long, demeaning Kate's intelligence and her ability to defend herself, which she has certainly proven in prior books.

However! It was truly heartwarming to see the pack gather round Kate, despite the Beast Lord's unfathomable actions. Even Mahon the gruff werekodiak was just a big teddy bear, saying:

"No matter what happens, you will always be Pack. Because you have that loyalty and restraint. Not human, not whatever, but Kate. Unique and different, but not separate."

Aww. :-)

CHARACTERIZATION ::: Curran's dumb decision aside, characterization was a strong point in this book. The most interesting character was the super villain. Great sparring scene with him! I really felt the internal conflict Kate endured, as Curran's stupid pretence played on and on.

One secondary character was such a great mix of spoiled, pitiful, strong and smart. Well done, authors!

One member of the Pack died. I won't say who, but it was fairly well written, even though I didn't shed a tear. Something bad happens to two other characters. Sob. Tragic. But well written, especially the tragedy that befell the male character.

We gained two new members of the Pack, and both of them were neatly characterized, even though I predicted what the male would do at the very end. He should prove an interesting addition to the pack in future books.

Loved Barabas, the clever mongoose, and Kiera, Jim's sister, the black panther, and of course, brave werewolf Derek. Fun dialogue between Kiera and Eduardo, the werebuffalo. Enjoyed George(ette), Mahon's bear daughter. Good to see Andrea and Raphael so happy together. Andrea rocked in this book, and Raphael was right at her side. In a word, hot. I finally warmed up to Aunt B, in her silly frocks. Even Siaman won my trust a bit!

The plot also includes two surprising new strangers, a little guy, Atsany, and a big shepherd, Astamur.

PLOT ::: Decent, but not outstanding -- predictable in places, but still entertaining. In addition to the unwarranted drama, several saves relied on deus ex machina. I do want to respect Kate's intelligence, but sometimes she takes stupid risks. Cool fight scenes, with monsters falling from the sky, climbing the walls, bounding across the ocean, slithering in the deeps... However, I didn't buy it the second time the demi-god stepped into the fray, at the castle. He did something and just disappeared, till much later? Huh??

I was fully behind the Pack's goal, agreeing to safekeep Desandra to get some panacea so werewolf youth don't go loup. (But why did nobody mention panacea when Julie was going loup, in Magic Slays (Kate Daniels, Book 5)? Well, Curran did, but he didnt call it panacea; he called it an herbal concoction. It got only a mention).

Some cool little plot twists. I predicted the final twist, on board the ship.

Left hanging: Who is the mole, the spy in the Pack? Why was it left untouched?

WRITING STYLE ::: Few or no typos, but the narrative gets redundant. Here is an example: "They felt ancient, just like the stone slabs. This was an old place, permeated with age. Centuries ago..." (So it's not a new site???)

SETTING ::: We're not in Kansas anymore. It felt like Team Andrews had themselves taken a theme cruise -- "myths and legends of the ancient world" -- through the Mediterranean, past Crete of the maze and the Minotaur, across the Black Sea to Georgia, famed for Jason and the Argonauts (inserting a little history lesson about disputed border countries) and finally berthing at Port Gagra. The plot includes a hunt scene with a prize reminiscent of Jason and the Golden Fleece. Some Biblical accounts of nearby Babylonia, with legendary beasts from the book of Daniel -- some weird winged creature, a shapeshifter with three forms, called a lamassur (sp?) .

I became upset quite early on when I realized Kate and company were getting involved in situation overseas that could not end well. Throughout the book, my hopes for relief from my tension and anxiety kept getting dashed by the number of pages still left until the end of the book. What is beautiful about Magic Rises is the lengths that people will go for children, even for those that are not their own. Even the most ornery of the Weres jumped at the chance to join in what was an obvious trap. Kate becomes more accepted by the pack than ever, but Curran's political machinations, and the assassination attempts by foreign Weres who have no appreciation for her human status, makes her feel more alone than ever. It is quite heart wrenching to go through this with Kate. She really asks for so little for herself. Her concern for the greater good is what makes her an Alpha equal (in addition to her kick ass fighting skills). But it is also her ability to put things aside through small acts of kindness that puts her above the crowd...and turns what is an outright loss into an ultimate win. This book is unrelenting in its intensity and my kudos to the duo of Ilona Andrews for always throwing in twists that I could not anticipate. Loss is experienced in many different ways, but it forges stronger connections at the same time. My one complaint is that I wanted to read something really colorful about what happened to Lorelei. Perhaps the next book can provide that color with a nice juicy reference to her fate?!? (hint, hint).

I love this whole series (albeit that I came to these books rather late... I have to say that this book in the series was, for me, the very best. I literally could not put it down! In fact, my gym workouts were all about cycling so that I could read while working out! My Kindle became attached to me and I read this book at every opportunity. I am not going to go in great detail about the plot and characters etc, suffice to say, if you like this series you will absolutely love this book! I cannot wait to get to the rest of the series.

Reviewed at Another Look Book Reviews

LOVE LOVE LOVE LOOOOOOOOVE!!! OMG so good. So so sooooooo good.

Excellent. Fabulous. Can you tell I loved Magic Rises?

I am kind of like a broken record because each one of these Kate Daniels books are better than the previous one and I pretty much rate each on a perfect 5.

Why are these books the best? Kate. Kate is the ultimate. She is supremely badass as a warrior but she is 100% woman. She has no need to wear distracting sexy clothing or have to flirt and bat her eyelashes to get attention. That is one of the reasons I love her so. People, shapeshifters and even scum criminals can't help but respect her. She is witty, brilliant at martial arts and yet she still has so many of the vulnerabilities that women have. She can still get jealous even when she is talking herself out of those ridiculous feelings.

Now in Magic Rises, those jealous feelings aren't really all that ridiculous. Her mate Curran seems to be spending to much time with another female shapeshifter and he also seems to breaking a lot of shapeshifter social blunders with her. For most of the book, Kate takes the high road and knows that there is something more going on but Curran disregards her concerns. I have to say, if felt like Curran was cheating on Kate and ME! How dare he! This particular plot involving Kate and Curran was just the tip of the iceberg within Magic Rises. There was just so much much more.

The main characters spend the majority of the book across the sea in Europe in a castle sharing time with a couple of other packs. There is just so much going on in this story that my review would literally be pages long if I commented on each of the storylines. Now having said that, I don't mean that there is so much going on that your mind is spinning to keep caught up. Not at all. Magic Rises is written to Ilona Andrews' flawless standards and is perfectly executed. I was up to 4:23am until it was done! There was just no way I could put down the story. Besides, I'd just go to bed and dream about them anyways.

Teasers: boat voyage, jealous Kate/jerk Curran, big confrontation, Aunt B story

Originally published on Tales to Tide You Over

I decided I’d give myself a treat from my to be read pile this week because I’ve been working hard. What did I choose? A Kate Daniels novel. They tend to have the perfect blend between sassy dialogue and real emotions.

That said, Magic Rises held more of a punch than I was expecting mixed in amongst the laughs and quotable lines.

Kate styles herself as a badass fighter with difficulty connecting, and yet as usual, she manages to find the right words, though blunt ones, to help even those she doesn’t quite want to. And she’s always choosing to help others, an insane path considering the risks. It’s what makes her such a compelling character for me. She has every reason to be selfish, reasons that might even be for the good of all, but chooses not to. Time and again, she puts herself out there, calling it no choice, calling it for the contract, or whatever excuse she might come up with this time. What’s telling, so I won’t tell you the exact nature, is how she describes Curran and how he interacts with his world. That’s who she wants to be, and who she succeeds in being despite her absolute surety that she doesn’t have it in her.

And Curran is…well…Curran. He doesn’t change at the root, though he definitely suffers growing pains. He’s what I call a grounded person. He knows who he is, what he wants, and what he’s willing to do to get it. Sure, he doesn’t always tell people, and his way of going about things can be maddening, but eventually he spills his guts and everything makes sense. He’s a person to be taken on faith even when he does his best to shred that faith into the tatters left when he explodes into full beast form.

Ultimately, the Kate Daniels novels are people novels, hence why I start with a glimpse of the main characters. Magic Rises, though, takes it a step further by bringing forward the underlying story of Kate’s bloodline and taking it in interesting directions. This book had me laughing, but it also had me on the edge of tears. It’s powerful, fun, dramatic, and fascinating. If you haven’t tried the series, you don’t know what you’re missing.

Oh, and if you read the acknowledgements, they tell you to read the story at the end first. It’s what I call treats from the cutting room floor, and the note from the author is important (something I discovered when I got to the end of the book) because there is some overlap between that story and the information in the book, in part because Ilona Andrews attempts to cue new readers in on enough of the backstory to make each story readable by itself, or maybe just to make sure existing readers are brought up to speed when the new book comes out. Regardless, despite some repetition, it’s a great book with a wonderful short story at the end, that actually comes before this book begins.

The Kate Daniels series is one of my favorite series of all time! The first book, though I didn’t love it as much as the rest of the series, still blew me away with the incredible world that Ilona Andrews created. And Kate totally hooked me in, with both her narration and character. Kate is a major badass. She’s like, queen of badass heroines. Sigh, I just love her so much. The second book was even better than the first, and that was when I started l o v i n g the series. And the third book, just, wow. Absolutely incredible, and still my favorite of the entire series (well, Magic Rises was a close second). The fourth and fifth books were amazing as well! I know I will always be wowed by a Kate Daniels book, and Magic Rises totally didn’t disappoint at all!

Magic Rises is full of everything you can expect in a Kate Daniels book—Kate being her badass, snarky, hilarious self. Crazy intense and exciting action. The best secondary characters (I love Derek so freaking much) that are just as fleshed out as the main characters. And CURRAN. Curran. Curran. Curran. Curran. Curran. This lion shapeshifter is one of my ALL-TIME FAVORITE book boyfriends. Like, ever. He’s the alpha of alphas (literally, he is), incredibly fierce, strong, loyal, hot, and most of all, he loves Kate with all his heart. He would drop everything he had worked for, all to save her. But of course, Kate would do the same in reverse. Their romance is one of my favorites. They’re strong and top dogs independently, but together, they can do and best anything. They bring out the best (and sometimes worst, which is usually hilarious to read) out of each other.

Curran. *SWOONS* *FAINTS*

Anyways, back to the err… fighting scenes. Yes! Fighting scenes. God, I get so crazy excited during all the action scenes in the Kate Daniels books. Because they’re just so well done! My head is completely into the fight, my heart’s beating, and I’m worrying about who can defeat whom. It’s so intense! And there are so many fight scenes in Magic Rises. LOVED them! I always enjoy action in books I read, and Magic Rises definitely gave me the rush and adrenaline I get when I read them.

There’s a special character who appears in the story, but I can’t say who, because it’s a spoiler! But I really liked him. Like, really really did. Even though he’s evil. There was just something so intriguing and dark and sexy about him… and his fight scenes with Kate! So. hot. Not that he could ever compare with Curran, but he’s still mighty fine on his own. If only he weren’t evil. Drat. Still, I’m excited to see more of him, and we definitely will be seeing more of him in future books.

The Kate Daniels series has romance in it, but it’s not a romance. It’s urban fantasy at its finest. So there aren’t really mushy, lovey-dovey scenes, and even if there were, they would make me feel kind of weird since lovey-dovey stuff is so not Kate and Curran. They usually make me laugh more often than they make me swoon, but I don’t love them any less for it! They’re perfect exactly the way they are. I never had a problem with Kate and Curran not really saying how much they love each other, since their actions speak louder than words, and I still don’t. But I didn’t realize how much I would enjoy reading an occasional mushy scene. And I swooned so. freaking. hard. I was all smiling, being all giddy and giggling, and I loved that even though Kate and Curran have been together for several books, their love is still going strong.

So go forth and read this series if you haven’t started! It’s a must-read series, and for those who are fans of Kate Daniels, you won’t be disappointed with Magic Rises!

Originally posted here: [...]

Julie's best friend and her twin sister go loup. Using the last dose of panacea, split between the twins, Curran call all loupism related terminations to stop and sedate them. Curran is up to something because their contact for the paste was found dead with his murderers shipped away before Curran could get to them. Packs in Europe are having troubles with a pregnant shifter - between her father and the two men she's pregnant too. Curran's history with the father has brought him to the forefront and asked with the payment of panacea to be the neutral party to guard and prove witness to the first born child. It stinks of a trap, but they need the medicine and seeing it so close to home, they want it.

To the high seas we go!! With Magic! Pirates, weredolphins, Haha! The weredolphins are dangerous but so cool. And ancient creatures. So great to see these! And I love the myths and mythical creatures built on in this world as they surface. Oh yes, there are always thing surfacing in this magic fluxed world.

No frets! We have our full crew of favorite characters traveling with us. I was worried at first, but how can I be? It's Ilona and Gordon. They wouldn't do that to us and leave out all that we love. Although...there maybe a few who don't make it home...

A whole regime of emotions felt while reading this one. Hope, jealousy, worry, tears for loss, confusion, and stunned for actions of one I never thought to be kind then paranoid wondering what his plan and game really is. Happy for life, yet there's sadness that one will never fit in, always an outsider. My heart drops at the thought that no matter what they'll never part of the pack.

This is one that we see another side of Kate. One that Curran brings out in her. Well...maybe a few sides of Kate. Curran. Such a shocker! Thoughts that ran through my head - Curran better not!! He's got a plan. He HAS TOO. Ooooo, then we have a special treat. I reeeeally liked our surprise guest, or host, we get to see. *giggle* Oh he's well played out here. So much great information about Kate and her history too!

An Ill-Advised Rescue
We get a bonus story in the back!

Saiman is kidnapped. The Guild gets the note. The Guild also gets a nice profit for rescuing kidnapped victims. The Guild calls Kate, now she has ownership over the Guild and being it's Saiman.

I love watching Kate at work. Even when she is amazing at tormenting Saiman too.

Book #6 in the Kate Daniels series

I believe this is the darkest in the series so far. Lots of angst. <spoiler>I thought at one point Kate was going to break it off with Curran.</spoiler>

Kate & Curran travel to Europe in order to secure panacea (a medicine that help keep shifters from going loup) for the Pack. They know it's a trap, they just don't how the trap is going to spring. Their mission is to protect a female shifter & her unborn twins & mediate once the babies are born since the first born is supposed to inherit the rights to an important mountain pass from the woman's father.

It's a difficult trip because they have to remain neutral & not be provoked into violence. Trouble is deliberately allowed to cause a huge rift between Kate & Curran. But they prove they're still a power couple.

This book was all about the story-line and we see very little of the passion between Kate & Curran that we've seen in the previous books. That hotness is part of why I love this series so much and I missed it, so I rated this book down a star.

POV: First person from Kate’s point of view. Kate is saucy hard-coated and prickly (and really funny), but has a kind loving heart-she’s one of my all-time favorite characters.

I always get really nervous before reading a Kate Daniel’s book; of the (approx.) 150 Urban Fantasy books I’ve read in the past three years, the six in this series have outranked the rest by a magical-landslide, that’s a lot to live up to. But, as always, the husband-wife author team that goes by the pseudonym ‘Ilona Andrews’ outdoes themselves with Magic Rises.

This book, while still having a mythological mystery and our favorite cast of characters, for the first time takes the adventure out of their usual haunts in post-magical-apocalypse Atlanta and across the sea to the Black Sea; a risky move for any series, but they do it so well. The romance between Kate and Curran is fresh and steamy in this book; I often get a little “can you show me something new?!” by book six, but wowza—I seriously had tears in my eyes at one part, screaming (inside) “Curran, NO!”

The one thing that (didn’t really bother me, but) might bother some, is that the mystery was not as complicated as they usually create, it was relatively straight-forward—but I think perhaps they deliberately sacrificed this so they could focus more on Kate’s past and Kate and Curran’s relationship.

This is a must read series for all book lovers no matter what genres you like.

If I could rate this book higher than 5 stars I would.
Every book in this series just keeps getting better and better. This series is action packed, featuring memorable and unique characters and superb world building. This book featured all that and more. We get Kate and Curran's witty banter, the snark we've all come to love with an emotional storyline that had me laughing and cheering one minute to wanting to slap a few characters and near crying the next. Kate is put through an emotional rollercoaster, my heart ached for her. I've never loved and hated a book so much.
We see the usual cast of side characters we love and learn more about Hugh and Roland. This book is the beginning steps in the battle that will eventually ensue between Kate and Roland.
I could go on forever about why this series is my favorite but I'd be rambling for twenty pages. All ill say is that if you haven't started this series, what are you waiting for? Pick it up and pick it up now. You won't be disappointed.

Magic Rises begins when two of the packs children might go loup. So when the opportunity comes Curran, and Kate go over seas with a team to get medicine to help these two kids. The problem is they know they are going into a trap, but they don't know all of the pain and suffering that will actually happen just for them to protect the children of the pack.

Curran, and Kate go through a whole lot lot of misserable things in this book. I felt bad for both of them. But one thing that really bugged me was I didn't really understand why Curran did what he did. I mean I know he wanted to help Kate, but to me it just didn't make since. He could have gone about it another way in my opinion. But oh well, what's done is done. I was very sad at the end of this one. I felt like we lost too many in this book, and too much as well. However, I look forward to the next book in the series!

More reviews at Shooting Stars Reviews, [...]

Very entertaining to read. Too bad about Aunt B though. No doubt another alpha will emerge for that clan, maybe Andrea? The most gaping loose end I can see from this book is the disarray that the group's journey causes upon their return. Imagine if you would... all the 'alpha' characters from a region embarking on a heroes quest. I'd be surprised if nothing happened in Atlanta's balance of power with their absence. The ending of the book was too tidy, imho.

I can't help making the comparison between Harry Dresden (whose character and books I love and await just as eagerly as "Magic...") and Kate Daniels. And in my mind Kate Daniels comes out on top as protagonist in a semi-magical world. Unlike Harry, she's not the one thing standing between the certain destruction of her city by magical villains. But in Kate Daniels' role as warrior, protector of her adopted daughter, consort of the Beast Lord and co-leader of his thousands of shifters, each conflict - whether it's between her and Curran, her and Hugh D'Amblay, or her and some new magical creature -- is not simply a test of her powers and strength, but an an evolution her character. This writing team also seems to have increased their power. Because this book rocks, big time. More than its predecessors. It deserves a lot more stars. Don't pass it by.

This is another great book that was added onto this series. I love that these books are all different and the stories haven't become repetitive. Sometimes as a series progresses the leading ladies become winey, say cheesy things, and they change into someone unfamiliar and we lose the heroine that we fell in love with. This does not happen. Kate stays Kate. She is tough as nails, witty, and does stupid yet heroic things for people she cares for. You want to kick Curran in the head in this book but for good reason on his part.
The character and story development is wonderful. We are riding the luxury train taking in the beautiful scenery (I'm talking yosemite) and there is no rush to get to the final destination. That's how I feel when I read these stories.
There are no terrible cliff hangars so I really look forward to the next book but I'm not pissed that it's not here. The ending comes around to a full circle.
I'm rereading it's that good

Having Kate, Curran, and a group of shifters travel overseas into what they are sure was a trap shook up this series and made everything feel fresh and exciting. Kate learned a lot more about herself and her background, and she and Curran came to an agreement. I liked the new characters who were introduced and am looking forward to seeing them in future books.

Some book series start to decline in quality after a while, but not so with the Kate Daniels series. Quite the opposite, in fact. I'm going to try not to be a gushy fan girl here and restrain myself, because I really flippin LOVED this book and can't say enough good things. First of all, five stars is not enough, so as the title says, I'm giving it ten. This book delivers and has it all, great engaging story, romance, crazy action scenes, new characters including a few new baddies, a bitchy were-princess who's after Curran, and an evil villain who practically twirls his mustache. And, of course, you get your Kate and Curran relationship fix. Kate and Curran are quite possibly the best couple in urban fantasy and I can't get enough of them.

All the main characters are present as they travel to Europe on a dangerous mission that will hopefully pay off with the acquisition of "panacea," an herbal substance that significantly reduces the chance of loupism in weres. This book is a roller coaster ride, and okay, I guiltily admit I called in sick from work so I could stay home and finish the audio book and couldn't put it down. The audio books was wonderfully narrated again by Renee Raudman, however I wish Renee had used a different voice for Hugh because he sounds almost exactly like Saiman.

I love the Kate Daniels series, so when I got this book I had very high hopes for it. I was not disappointed! This book does not have a slow point at all! It keeps going and is fast paced the entire time! I was truely amazed. I ended up finishing the book and thinking 'Holy smokes!'.

Kate, Curran, and others get an offer to bodyguard someone in one of the European packs in exchange for panacea. They know its a trap, but the panacea is so badly needed they have no choice but to go. Ilona Andrews put a special twitter snippet on their website. It was what the characters would twitter about if they had twitter. There's a reference to one of these in the book! I loved it! I'm not going to give anything else away. This book was truely wonderful, and Ilona Andrews never disappoints!

Sixth in the Kate Daniels urban fantasy, alternate world series featuring a fearless Kate who's terrified of crossing her father's path.

"An Ill-Advised Rescue" is at the end of the story. I could swear this is an outtake from an earlier installment, but my notes are lousy. It's Saiman's kidnapping, the end of which results in that huge favor he owes Kate.

My Take
Wow. I'm totally torn on this one. There were some amazing twists in this with that surprise ending. And don't forget the new cast of troubles that Andrews has thrown in. It'll be interesting to see where the authors go with this new ally(?).

On the other hand, there was a juvenile quality to this, especially with Lorelei, whom Desandra has diagnosed as a sociopath. And I think she's right.

It is funny that a general rule is to keep tension up by preventing a love resolution. This is so not a problem with Kate and Curran! They're tension together, and when the Pack and all their alphas are brought in, the tension simply increases exponentially. Then bring in their world and enemies...well…

And...shockingly, most of the Pack has accepted the oh-so-human Kate. It's that particular state that will create problems with the European Packs, as they won't take her or her relationship with Curran seriously. The insults are constant! And Aunt B isn't helping when she raises Mahon's enmity toward Kate.

Oh, oh. That panacea has got Kate thinking babies!

Go, Andrea!

"Aunt B looked at her. 'You and I need to work on your air of mystery.'

Andrea shrugged. 'She's my best friend. I won't lie to her.'

I raised my fist and she bumped it with hers."

Hmm, Kate worries about her and Julie's dreams intersecting sounds like foreshadowing for the next Kate Daniels installment.

In spite of all her issues and behavioral problems, Desandra turns out to be a lot more interesting—in a positive way—than I had expected.

I loved Curran's snark at Jarek:
"I wish you'd scrape enough balls together to try. I'm already bored."

Curran does tick me off, however. I don't like this game he's playing. And I don't think the Andrewses did an adequate job of working this angle. It's too surface. Too much tell. Andrews keeps telling us about Curran's wrongful behavior, but they don't show us anything. My whole attitude about it was oh, Kate, wait and see. Ya just know he's got a plan because there's no tension to this part of the drama. She knows what a schemer Curran is. Even the insults are too little girl. Kate doesn't even really buy into what Hugh is saying. She knows he's playing her. The authors don't make this believable. I did like the explanatory scene. Still too surface-y, tell-y, but Curran's reasoning was lovely. Hugh's soliloquy on his and Kate's training. Their need for the kill. Again. All surface. The Andrewses never dive down to any depth.

Gawd, Hugh is too creepy in this with total contempt for the shifters! And a very good actor...ick. We find out what he wants in a partne...and in a one-night stand.

Ah, jeez, that moment...that moment when Doolittle freaks about how Kate saved him. The pain it causes her. It made me want to cry. And the enlightenment Doolittle came across? That provoked the attack? Minor in its confused wording. Those blood samples, though. That would be reason enough to attack him.

Once we learn the truth about Christopher, I'm very surprised that Hugh let him go so easily.

Yeah, all in all, a confused tale with odd loose ends that I suspect the traumatic events were supposed to overshadow.

The Story
Two of the teens in the Keep go loup, and Curran can only get enough for one dose of panacea to help the girls. Then an offer for 10 drums of it come in. A deal with all sorts of traps built into it.

Three warring packs claim they want Curran to guard the girl because of his strength—and they don't trust each other. Not with so much riding on whose child is born first. And the offer of panacea ensures that Curran can't turn it down.

Not with all those hopeful mamas fearful for their children.

It doesn't take long before the trap falls. Whether the Atlanta Pack can escape is the question.

The Characters
Kate Daniels, the Consort, is the daughter of a powerful godlike being, who will seek her death if he finds her, and a powerful witch who did love Kate. Her entire life has been spent preparing to battle her father, and she has found love where she least expected it. Slayer is the saber she carries. Julie is her foster daughter, rescued back in Magic Burns , 2. Due to events in Magic Slays , 5, Kate must train Julie and use great care.

Curran Lennart is a First, who leads the 1,500-strong Pack of Atlanta (500 of 'em live at the Keep), the Beast Lord. A shifter more powerful than your average run-of-the-mill shifters. We know he's in love with Kate.

Maddie is a werebear and Julie's best friend; Margo is Maddie's twin sister. Meredith Cole is the girls' distraught mother.

Doc Darrien Doolittle is the Pack medmage. Tony is one of his assistants. Jennifer Hinton is the alpha of Clan Wolf. Pregnant. Terrified of this reminder of what could happen to her unborn child. Aunt B is the alpha for Clan Bouda and a power to be reckoned with. Jezebel and Barabas, a weremongoose, are a couple of her misfits whom she's assigned to help Kate. Ethan is Barabas' significant other. Raphael is Aunt B's son; he's engaged to Andrea Nash, a former Knight of the Order. Jim Shrapshire is in charge of Pack security; Keira is his sister (whom we've not met before). Mahon Delany is the alpha for Clan Heavy and the Pack Executioner. George, short for Georgetta, is Mahon's daughter as well as the Pack's clerk of the court. Derek Gaunt is Curran's aide and Kate's friend. One about whom she worries. Eduardo Ortega is a werebuffalo and part of the team going to Europe.

Mike Wilson is alpha of Ice Fury, a strong pack in Alaska. His ex-wife, Genevieve de Vos, took their daughter, Lorelei, back home to Belgium with her.

Saiman is a frost giant and polymorph who owes Kate a huge favor. He buys and sells intelligence and desperately wants to get Kate into his bed simply because she's refused him. After events in Magic Bleeds , 4, Saiman is terrified of Curran.

Astamur is a hunter who lives in the mountains. Gunda is his Caucasian shepherd [dog]. Atsany is the race to which the "hobbit" belongs; he won't give up his name as it could give Kate or Astamur power over him. Suliko is a descendant of a long line of dancers, people who have danced for the kings of Georgia.

Jarek Kral is a nasty, crude alpha of the Obluda Pack—or, as Aunt B puts it, he's a troglodyte—with an obsession about leaving a legacy. Kind of hard to do when you keep killing off your kids… Desandra is his only child, a daughter, and he uses her like a boomerang. Renok is one of his bodyguards.

After failing to "sell" her to Curran, he pushes her onto Radomil with the Volkodavi, then yanks her back to marry her off to Gerardo Lovari of the Belve Ravennati, from whom he yanks her back. What can I say? Boomerang. Gerardo and Ignazio are the sons of Isabella and Cosimo Lovari of the Belve Ravennati.

Hugh d'Ambray is Kate's father's warlord, and he's already suspicious of who Kate is. Voron was Roland's warlord and Hugh's father figure before he was bedazzled by Kate's mother and ran off with the pregnant Kalina. Roland is Kate's father, the father of the People, a wizard-king, and has lived for thousands of years. Christopher is a slightly nutty human whom Hugh has caged. And Kate's humanity is gonna pay off big time!

Lord Megobari is the human hosting Desandra's stay along with the three European Packs. Hibla is his chief of security. Demet is a healer sent by Megobari.

Going loup is a one-way ride to a type of shifter insanity. Once a shapeshifter goes loup, he or she is put down. The People are a nasty version of vampires in this world.

**** Spoiler ****

Lamassu are nasty enhanced versions of shapeshifters formed from werewolves who eat human flesh. They then grow wings and become stronger and meaner.

**** End Spoiler ****

Volodja is one of Hugh's men, and he has information for Kate. The Iron Dogs are Roland's elite unit.

The Cover
The cover finds Kate with a questioning look on her face and surrounded by fire with a snarling Curran in his lion form behind her left shoulder.

I suspect the title refers to Astamur and the atsany and the others whom Astamur says exist in the world, those who have reawakened from their long sleep, for Magic Rises.

Just how does Kate manage to end up in the middle of so much trouble?
This book was a bit of a nice change or pace do to locations that we haven't seen before as well as a lot of new characters some of who could play important parts later.
Another success from Ilona and Andrew.

The 6th book in the Kate Daniels series. The Pack's children are having problems controlling their beasts during puberty and are not surviving. There is a medicine in Europe that can help but making it is a closely guarded secret and there is not much to be had in Atlanta. There is a chance for Kate and Curran to get more but it is certainly a trap as three European packs have asked Curran to come and help mediate a dispute and keep safe the daughter that is pregnant with twins but whose babies have different fathers. What kind of trap it will be isn't clear and when it finally becomes clear, it will shake their world down to the core.

Seems like we waited forever for this one and it's not fair that it's so impossible to put down that I'm done in two days. There was so much going on and so many points where I was like "OMG, that did NOT just happen!". At a few points I was ready to throttle the authors as well because some of that was just not ok. There are some parts that are just hard to swallow in this one although I'm glad they have the ending they did or I may have thrown the book and refused to ever pick up another one. As it is, I'm even more completely committed to this series and will be waiting impatiently for the next one.

Ilona Andrews have risen to the challenge! (*See what I did there...a not-so-clever pun on the title!*) Kate Daniels is one of only 3 series (World of Lupi, Sebastian St. Cyr) that's on my auto-buy list. Each time I read an instalment and walk away amazed at the fantastically intricate world-building, the character growth, and the riveting story lines. Each time I say to my self: "self, I don't know how they'll beat this the next time. How does it get better?"

And each time, it gets a little better, a little more intriguing and a little more un-put-downable.

In this instalment we see the rise of an insidious villain who mirrors Kate -- if she were to turn to evil. We see the temptations she struggles against as a trained baddie striving to be good. (*C'mon people, I love Kate, but she was raised to be an assassin. A non-stop killing machine.*) There's a tricky and elaborate plot that tugs at our heartstrings but also gives us a much closer look at the world of the BeastLord and all that that entails. Mahon, Aunt B, Dr. Doolittle and a sterling cast of others give us a glimpse of politics and allegiances; how to make and lose friends and allies; and the costs of loyalty.

It's been a breathtaking ride, and I can't help think...how much better will the next one be as we inch closer to Roland's entrance.

A well-deserved NY bestseller #1! Bravo!

This book had me on edge (the 3 cups of coffee probably didn't help) and I wanted to murder Curran a lot. Like literally, the whole situation was making me feel sick to my stomach (again, the coffee wasn't helping.) That being said, I loved this book, dumb stupid anxiety inducing relationship drama and all. Five stars!

What an emotional thump on the head this book was. Holy Twirl a Whirl I need to sit down.
I went from loving Curran to wanting to neuter him, to fearing for his life and back to loving him again. Bad Kitty, shouldn't do that to my feeble heart. He was the most irritating, rude, egocentric, lovable, sweet, rotten, adorable, strong, weak man.
Kate, oh beaten torn and sliced, she did it all. She losses her heart, losses her trust, looses her place and losses a comrade. She is the punching bag that keep inflating itself for more. Well, until she's had enough and there is nothing left to loose. Poor Kate.
The pack was trying to protect their future. They need to accomplish this goal to save the lives of some of the children. Well, it wasn't as simple as it was made out to be. No surprise there. There was one huge surprise one that will change the future forever. The hiding is over, the war may be beginning.
We meet several new characters. One I really look forward to learning more about is Christopher. He is a mystery, with no known history and some serious abilities.
I think he will be a major player in the next book. There are some new nasty ones that are perfectly rotten and so easy to hate. It's always good to have a cache of nasties around for balance.
Really enjoyed it. I need a re-read on audio to get a better feeling of it.

This is one book in the Kate Daniels series. This is a series best read in order. The first book is Magic Bites.

This is one of those books in a series where things take a dramatic turn and things really change for the characters. I won't spoil anything, but this installment has ups and downs and twists and turns, soon after the story starts.
It all starts with an offer the pack can't refuse. An assignment as body guards of a werewolf carrying twins, by different fathers. A pawn used to lure Kate by someone from her past, and that is just the beginning of an intricate weaved story.
Worth the time to read it. A wonderful installment to the Kate Daniels series.

A-mazing! Simply, ridiculously,excellent. I loved every minute of this book. I couldn't read it fast enough, I couldn't put it down because I so desperately needed to know where the plot was going and then I was devastated because it was over, oh so soon. I LOVE EVERYTHING ABOUT THE KATE DANIELS SERIES. Wow! A real thrill read.

Makes it agonizing waiting for the next book to come out a year from now. If you have not read all the books in the series starting with Magic Bites, do Not read this book. Go read all the others before this one as well as her ancillary stories. You will be very happy you did. They are fabulous.

They really out did themselves on this one. I just cant imagine where this story line is going to go. I know you are so super busy, Ilona Andrews, but could we perhaps have 2 books a year instead of just one? Five stars is just not good enough to adequately indicate what a great story this is!

Move over Sookie Stackhouse and Rachel Morgan, Kate Daniels is here!! I binge read these books and I'm highly anticipating the next release. There's sex, magic, shapeshifters and a whole lot of action. What more could a fantasy lover want?

Oh hell yeah!

This series just keeps getting better with every book. I read this book in one setting and the thought of waiting for the next book is killing me.

Kate and Curran is going over the seas to guard a pregnant shifter and acting as a neutral party between the families. Their payment is the magical substance that will help shifter teenagers from going loup. They desperately need the substance despite the fact they know it's some kind of trap.
All hell is about to break loose and you are in for a wild ride.

I highly recommend this series.

A Night Owl Reviews Book Review - Top Pick 4.5 Stars

Review by: ELF

This impressive urban fantasy series effortlessly immerses the reader in a remarkable world with a set of complex rules and very charismatic beings. The authors present an inventive collection of shapeshifters and one thoroughly lethal human woman who has fought for her position and garnered a set of loyal followers who support her through the precarious navigation required when dealing with complicated pack politics. There were a couple of jarring notes for me, as I thought that Kate's reactions to Curran's machinations were a little disingenuous and some of their bodyguarding charge's actions seemed a little simplistic but the overall story was as action-filled and as fun as ever. Despite the fact that I have missed some of the novels in this very enjoyable series, there is enough backstory that I wasn't lost and I think that any lover of this genre will enjoy this tale and will search for the other books if they have not read them. I love the snark and sarcasm as well as the impressive monsters and fight scenes and can't wait for more fantastic stories from this great writing team.

Full Review on Night Owl Reviews / © Night Owl Reviews

We received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

I did, I finished the book in a day when I told myself not to. 'Savor it' I said. 'Don't blow it all at once' I reminded. Lot of good it did but really knew better once I opened it. It is my favorite series for a dang reason. Hmph.

And just reading the few reviews up top with such witty honesty, they do a much better full review with or without spoilers. So I'll just say that yes, again I was blown away to new heights. The icing of this book was the completely different scenery, a whole new setting, cultures, peoples in the same world yet so apart from it. Also, the relationships revisited in their normal progressions whether good or bad, this stuff happens and the reason why we love these characters and why they're close to our hearts because Andrews keeps them 'real'. We love the trials and tribulations because we've all been there, because it's reality. It's what makes us laugh out loud, as well as scream, throw books, etc. I will say, I can't remember last time I truly cried/hurt for a character. Feel for them, yes, but to mourn them as real, no. That tells you how well they are written and how well the authors seep them into our being without our knowledge. And I'm not mad about it.

Lastly, the layers of these characters are peeling one by one and it's astonishing and endearing. I love Barabas that much more, keep loving Derek, and I won't start on Hugh but he is definitely more than I bargained for in ways I didn't foresee. Love to hate much? I may get a t-shirt.. I also adored Saiman in Magic Rises and not because he's my fave, but again the layers: to see him in a different scenario and in a new way. Really, all these characters were thrown for a loop (no pun) and we got to be the fly on the wall. The new characters are amazing and I do hope to see more of them.

The crap storm IS coming but I am ready. I'm not ready for it to end, but as the authors said 'you have to say The End some time'. Just a little more please...

The Kate Daniels series by Ilona Andrews, the husband and wife writing team is one of my most treasured series - aka I'm totally biased. I eagerly await each new entry. The 5th novel in the series, Magic Slays was released in May 2011 so it's been a long 2 year wait for my Kate and Curran fix but it was worth it because Magic Rises, the sixth entry in the series is brilliant. This is the rare series where each book is better than the previous novel. The series just keeps getting better and better with Magic Rises exceeding all my lofty expectations!

Magic Rises finds Kate and company off on a little jaunt, leaving Atlanta temporarily behind and heading to Europe. There is a possibility of obtaining a special medicine that will help to prevent the children of the pack from succumbing to a shape-shifter type madness during their teenage years. Kate, Curran et al hopefully if grimly set off across the Atlantic. Needless to say, things don't go smoothly!

Magic Rises is fantastic - I loved every page. The novel is funny, bloody, sad and ultimately breath-taking. The world building is detailed and intricate as always with Ilona Andrews. I love the extended cast of characters - all unique, complex and amazing in their own way. Kate and Curran are their typical stubborn and awesome selves. The plot is interesting and fast paced but I'm just in love with the characters. I highly, highly recommend this series.

My Rating: 9.5/10

*CAUTION SPOILERS AHEAD*

Wow, this book was one emotional roller-coaster. From the first chapter your heart starts breaking and just keeps going until the end. I laughed, I cried, cheered for some characters and wanted to slap others. It kept me at the edge of my seat, glued to my ereader, flipping pages and holding my breath throughout the entire book. This series only gets better and better.

This book takes Kate and Curran to another level, both in their relationship and individually. It shows their relationship in a new light. The Atlanta pack has accepted their relationship but in this book you really see how unique their relationship is. It is not widely accepted by all shapeshifters. They look down upon it and on Kate because she is human. They don’t take her seriously as a human or as an Alpha. Up until now we’ve seen the discrimination of the shapeshifters in Kate’s world by humans and other magical beings, how they’re thought of as just animals that are ruled by their instincts. But now we see the way some of the shapeshifters view humans, as weak and lesser than themselves.

Kate had to put up with a lot and I was amazed by how strong she was. So many times I wanted her to show them how badass she really is. How she can kick any of their asses without breaking a sweat. I think if we were back to the Kate in book 1, she would’ve. But this Kate has changed. She’s no longer the loner thinking of what’s best for only her. As a true Alpha, she was thinking of what was best for the pack and therefore didn’t act when others wanted to humiliate and belittle her. There’s a couple of instances in particular that I really wanted to jump up and clap for her when she showed them that she really shouldn’t be messed with.

I really wanted to hit Curran in this book. I wanted Kate to beat the hell out of him. I was mad at him throughout the book. I didn’t, for one moment, buy he was interested in the very immature princess. I didn’t think that he wanted anything from her other than what was necessary for his plan to work. But I thought he could’ve handled it in a better way. I thought he needed to have a little more faith in his mate and communicate with her a bit better. Because of that, and because I was hoping that Kate would deal with the idiot princess in the end, and Curran would humiliate her more in front of everyone, I took off 1/2 a star from my review.

But I understood him when he explained. And as hard as it was to see Kate question herself and her relationship, I thought the conversation they had because of this conflict was one of the most important things because it gets to who they really are. I agree that Kate would’ve handled the situation in a similar way. They will each do what they think necessary to keep the other safe. It might not be the right thing, or the smart thing, to do but they will do it because when the other is in danger they won’t be thinking with a clear head.

The rest of the characters were great as well. I was not expecting to like Hugh as much as I did. He was deliciously manipulating and evil. The sparring session between him and Kate was one of my favorite parts in the book. I liked how they went at each other and at the same time it showed everyone that she’s not just Curran’s arm candy. She can hold her own against the best of them and shouldn’t be messed with. I think it earned her some respect. And I liked how it got Curran all jealous. With how much of an ass he was being I enjoyed him seeing someone else wanting his mate.

I absolutely loved Barabas. As someone pointed out to her, she’s not a shapeshifter, she will never be one of them, but she’s Pack. She’s part of them even if she isn’t one of them. And I thought Barabas showed that fact and his loyalty to her throughout this book. But especially when he was willing to go against his Alpha because of what he had done to Kate. I really wanted to kiss Barabas when I read that.

I was so surprised by Mahon in this book. I was not expecting that “You’re Pack” speech. I didn’t like him much before but his words and actions in this book endeared him to me.

I loved Derek’s loyalty to Kate as well. But I’m so scared for him and what will happen with him. He’s gotten darker and more withdrawn in this book. I want him to be okay. I want him to heal all those emotional scars he has, find someone to love and be happy.

I’ve always like Aunt B. She’s extremely manipulative but I thought she was on Kate’s side and loved her for it. Her sacrifice at the end and watching it through Kate’s eyes was heart-breaking.

The end was bittersweet. They got the much needed panacea. But they lost a lot to get it. Not everyone got a happy ending. And I’m emotionally exhausted. lol. But I loved this book and can’t wait to see what’s next for Kate and Curran. The next book can’t come fast enough.

Read from July 30 to August 01, 2013

Seriously? I don't understand the people who are so against the jealousy and death in this book. What is so offensive for Kate to have normal human emotions? It's not like she's this infallible superhero who's only emotion she is allowed to have is to love and hate and be loved and hated by others. Sure I was uncomfortable reading what Kate had to go through with Curran's idea of keeping Kate safe, but it made Kate more real. Normally it's Kate trying to save a situation her own way and Curran being frustrated with the whole situation. I honestly enjoyed the angst and thought Kate handled her emotions a lot more mature than some people would. Compare to the real world, her jealousy was quite drama free. The death of a favorite character is always unpopular to the readers, but in this case, it wasn't so bad. It was sad because I really enjoyed the character and cannot imagine how Kate would be without her influence. However, it will also be interesting to see how others would try to step in and fill the alpha role in the ensuing books. I would LOVE to see a love triangle between Curran and Hugh. Hugh is the bad guy, but Ilona Andrews has fleshed him out so well that he is just so damn interesting and I can't help but root for him to flip sides, which I know won't happen. Some recurring characters weren't given as much page time, but we got to see more of Barabas and learn more about him, which is awesome! Please do not take another two years for another Kate Daniels book to come out!

I love this series, although it had some surprises that I personally wasn't prepared for, I still liked the book.
The writers are very good at spinning a tale and I know things happen but.... please read it. I will continue to buy
the series because in the end, they are exciting tales with scary awesome characters.

I came late to the Kate Daniels series by the husband and wife writing team Ilona Andrews and have sped through them all. While all of the books are great examples of the Urban Fantasy genre, I think the latest, Magic Rises, is by far the best yet. Packed with action (some of the best battle scenes ever) and emotional tension, it kept me spell-bound.

Curran,(alpha of the Atlanta pack) and his mate, Kate, are hired to protect a pregnant were Princess of the European Packs. They really do not want to take on the job but are to be paid off in "panacea", a cure for loupism which destroys so many were children. Only the European Packs have the formula and have refused it to the Americans. Curran and Kate know that it is most likely a trap of some kind but can't refuse. Along with their most trusted pack mates they set off for the Carpathian Mountains. Danger is on all sides, especially for Kate.

Highly recommended!

I love all of the books in this series, but this one is one of my favorites. It’s hard to put my finger on what it was- probably just learning more pieces in the puzzle with info supplied by Hugh. Excellent read!

Warning ***SPOILERS*** in this review.

*A quick aside: As someone who rereads the entire series before the new book comes out, it would be nice to have a MAP of "Kate's Atlanta". The author does a great job of painting a very detailed, descriptive picture of this world and it can get confusing in relation to groups and locations. Magic Rises is almost entirely set outside of Atlanta, but as I have just reread all the books, I thought that I would mention it.*

Magic Rises is my 2nd favorite book in the Kate Daniels series so far, after Magic Strikes. Why??? As with all of the Ilona Andrews books, this book had good flow, great dialogue and character interaction along with plenty of action. It felt real. Magic Rises has the usual background and depth you come to expect with the author's books and the new location was imaginative and creative. Taking the book outside the Atlanta area was a good way to keep the series fresh. The main theme of the book is centered on getting panacea for the pack. Shape shifters are going loop and will continue to die without it. So Kate and crew are off on an adventure to get some. Clearly this is a trap but the heroes have no choice but to follow and see where it leads. The trap turns out to be set by Hugh d'Ambray, Roland's right hand man. There are multiple twists, turns and complications along the way. It's a great storyline and it works.

Kate spends most of the book being led around by her emotions (mainly her insecurity). Kate has a lot of interaction with Hugh in this book, which gives Kate a different view of life. We get to see Kate in relation to Hugh, a human with magic and blood just like hers with a fighting style to match. In fact, Kate seems to be alienated from everyone except Hugh because: Curran is spending most of his time with another woman; her pack seems to disrespect her authority at every turn; and the foreign packs take every opportunity to humiliate her and treat her like a mere weak human, which she is powerless to contradict because of the need to get the panacea. Kate seems very much alone in this book. Although Kate doesn't fall for Hugh's act, he isn't the typical villain. Hugh is a much more complicated character. I think Kate would be very much like Hugh if she would have been raised by Roland.

The death of one of the mainstay characters is powerful and hard to read. It makes sense to the storyline but it is still graphic and gut wrenching. The loss of this character is acceptable (as opposed to, say, someone like Derek) but the way the author presented it was masterfully done in a way to maximize the pull on your heartstrings.

Things I loved: The Entire Book but will narrow it down to my 3 favorite scenes: ~ Kate and Hugh sparring. ~ Kate with the vampires. ~ Kate and Hugh at the Hunt. All three scenes show Kate's strengths and weaknesses along with much action and being highly entertaining in a Kate like fashion.

Things I didn't love: ~ Why is it that the female lead always has to be the one who is hurt and humiliated by the one they love most? I know Curran has his reasons but Kate was right, they aren't a team. Kate plays the role Curran wants her to play with his pack. A role she never wanted all for him. I hate that her people, even though they love her, treat Kate like a weak human and disrespect her. The scene in which Barabas holds her down for George to "treat" her made me mad. She is their Alpha, they don't treat her with the deference they show Curran. ~ I would have liked to see Kate get credit for solving their panacea problem instead of just a 1 year band aide they were going to get. Her compassion for people in need is what solved the problem. Christopher is only there because of Kate. ~ Lorelei gets off scot-free. So, contract murder is okay since she is young and naive??? ~ There is a power gap between Kate and Hugh. It doesn't seem like her power is growing very much. Why is she not practicing and working toward that goal? She knows her father is coming. It is inevitable. Who cares if she gives herself away now? It has been 3 books since Magic Strike and Roland's broken sword. Hugh knows who she is, all he has to do is tell Roland. Kate should be practicing. A Lot!

If you have read the series thus far you will love Magic Rises. If you are new to the series, start from the beginning. Just like the rest of the Ilona Andrews books, this book leaves you wanting the next book RIGHT NOW!

Just an all-out fantastic series. I always finish in a matter of a couple of days because I can not put it down.

In this installment, Kate and Curran have to travel across the seas to protect a pregnant mother. In return, they will be rewarded with much needed and wanted panacea (a magical herb that will save an infant or youth from going lupe). Of course, not everything is as it seems and the couple with their chosen few will have to battle for their lives.

Can't wait until the next.

When a book keeps me up until 2 in the morning to finish it then it's a realllly good book. When an author puts a little piece in about another authors book (David Eddings and The Sapphire Rose) then I'm really impressed. So why did I not put it as 5 stars? I just got tired of the f word and thought it was used 'way too much. Otherwise it was an excellent read and will probably turn right around and re-read it to make sure I didn't miss anything. Kate and Curren are one of my favorite couples so I'm really looking forward to the next book in the series.

I love a good series, but normally this far into it I'm rolling my eyes in frustration at the way things are heading....NOT THIS TIME! I love everything about this series. I understand the "drama" that others mentioned, but I was actually happy that there was some turbulence amongst Curran and Kate. Everything can't be perfectly blissful all the time. Anyhow, I would definitely recommend this book and, really, anything that the Ilona Andrews team writes is worth reading.

As I get deeper into a series, I tend to notice a dip in overall quality. I can't say the same for Ilona Andrews' Kate Daniels series. This book packed such a punch. So much action, well developed characters, and they actually had me fascinated with the bad guy too! I'm a spoiler lovin' girl, but I think knowing anything beforehand will just ruin the book for you. So I'll keep this short and say that I loved it enough that I've already re-read it multiple times.

Can't believe all the action stuffed into this surprisingly quick read. Hardly any quiet moments between Kate and Curran- which I live for. Curran's explanation of pushing Kate away bothered me. He didn't tell her about the hit Jarel and Lorelei had on her because she doesn't lie well, wtf? I thought maybe Hugh put a spell on Curran to turn him against Kate,much more believable imho. Love Saiman, hope he gets a novella or even his own series , he's extraordinary.

This latest book in the Kate Daniels series has Kate, Curran and company traveling to Europe to get access to some desperately needed panacea. Things are never easy or straightforward for Kate and the trip quickly takes a bad turn. This book has everything I've come to expect from a Kate Daniels novel, non-stop action, quirky humor, lots of pop culture references and big fights for Curran and Kate. The tension and pacing of this book were superb! I loved every minute of it! Can't wait to read what comes next! This series just keeps getting better!

If you were not a urban fantasy reader before reading this series, I promise you will become a hard core fan of the genre! Ilona and Gordon Andrews just continue to bring the best A game to the industry. Kate, Curran and the all the supporting cast members are so complex and real that I really would love to meet everyone personally (even if they go furry and may scare me senseless). Magic Rises storyline is truly believable and at times heartbreaking. I am not going to spoil the story for those who need to read the book (stop delaying and quickly buy one of the best books of the year), but to suffice it to say I can see how the overall plot is moving us toward the meeting with Roland. The ultimate fight!

Very exciting. Very good story. Live the heroine. Super fight scenes. Just enough romance. So difficult to find fun books with characters I like and good stories. This book has everything I like. I'm buying this one.

I loved this book, the storyline kept me engrossed from start to finish. Some series can lag and become dull, often getting caught up in the same interactions between the main characters that just stalls the progression. Not so with this husband and wife writing team! This book is fresh, and the writing pulls you in leaving you desperate for more. The character progression is amazing; I feel genuinely vested in the characters...all of them. This, to me, is a writing duo that delivers again and again. A must read, you won't be sorry! Enjoy!

One of the many things I love about the Kate Daniels series is the ability of Ilona Andrews to gently remind you of what you already know. With all the books that you read, it’s easy to forget the fine details of what has happened in prior novels. So, it's super helpful to be reminded of the "big picture items." This book is another enjoyable Kate Daniels story and starts to introduce even more of Kate's history and why she is so protective of her blood and powers. I continue to enjoy the Kate-Curran dynamic and look forward to the remaining books in this series.

I tried to read it slow--to savor every minute like a fine wine with a good filet- enjoyed it immensely-- and like a good meal - did not last long enough. Going back to re-read the series.. Thank goodness for the snippets to tide us over.

Book provided by the author.

Wow.......love, love, loved this book. Brilliantly written as always. Action packed, glued to the edge of your seat plot and characters that keep getting better and better. I've gota say, I had a lot of Oh Shit moments in this, so much so I couldn't put it down and its now 6am and I need sleep haha.
I cannot wait for the next book to see how it develops :)

Went from really liking this series a lot to freaking loving it! Had to immediately reread all of the "OMG! I can't believe that happened!" moments! I Dig the new character developments. Full of surprises. I can often predict plot twists but never saw these coming, it grabbed me and made me love this series. A whole new interesting thing just opened up and now I can't wait to read the next one. Laugh out loud moments, almost cried a couple of times, angry a bit, some swooning and I was intrigued. The battle scenes are far more graphically detailed than the bedroom scenes but the romance is there. It's a read for women who like their "sheros" to truly kick butt and not get all damsel like, following their man around waiting to be kidnapped and then rescued. Kate is no damsel! Ever! Need to read all others in series first to fully enjoy. Prepare to be angry at some favorite characters and for some painful loss. But it's still fun and fast paced read. Buy it, clear your evening and find a comfy spot to curl up!

Spoiler alerts

Oh my, this one was well done, just like the previous books. I am so impatient to read the next one.
I just love Kate and Curran. I've got to say, though I knew Curran was up to something other than trying to get with that stupid twit of a girl, I was a bit upset with him that he'd do that knowing Kate's history. He knows she struggles with being with someone with how she was raised. But it was so sweet when Curran came after her when she went missing. though it was good he was getting some of it back from Hugh's lusting after Kate, and she wasn't encouraging it.
Go Kate using that power and taking over those vampires. Loved how the one Master of the Dead that was left at the end of that capture attempt realized who she was and bowed down to her and Kate was like whatever and took that last one right out.
I was so sad with what happened to Aunt B, I was almost ready to cry. She was funny. Gonna miss her.
And we've got the mystery on did Hugh intentionally allow Kate to have Christopher because he's hot for her, or did he think Christopher's mind was so screwed up he would not be able to remember how to do what the pack needed. I loved how that was written, telling Kate don't cry, he'll make some for her. I was like yay!
And we just couldn't be done with Hugh yet. Wy do they always have to get away and be in yet another book?

Okay, favorite lines in the book said by Kate and Curran

Kate after she asked Aunt B if there was a cookie at the end of her lecture, she found out Andrea and Rafeal were going with her to Europe and was like yes, there is a cookie. Then Aunt B announced she was going too and Kate's responding thought to herself - "Dear God, the cookie was poisoned.". LOL at that one

Kate - "Everyone looked at Curran. I decided to look at him too, just so I wouldn't feel left out."

Curran comes upon Kate working out on the ship's helipad, just finishing a kick - "A knockout," Cuuran said behind me."
"Nah. That wasn't a knockout. I just staggered him a bit."
"I wasn't talking about the kick, baby." (LOVE CURRAN!!)

Curran after he finds Kate in the mountain after she went missing, he thinking she may be dead and talk about what he was doing with that little twit Lorelei - "I love you so much," he said. Please don't leave me.". Aaaaaaawwwwww

And finally, Curran to Kate - "Will you marry me?"
I sure hope they get married early on in the next book. I see no reason it should be dragged out, they are already married in shifter terms. No more drama on that front please Ilona and Gordon, please, please, please!

When Julie's best friend Maddie, along with her twin sister Margo, start going loup, Kate and Curran are left with a heartbreaking situation. Even through magic herbal concoction called panacea can just about cure loupism, it is almost impossible to get. When offered the chance to get 10 barrels of the stuff as payment for body-guarding a pregnant shapeshifter in the Carpathian Mountains, Kate and Curran have no other options but to accept. And because such an irresistible reward was offered both Kate and Curran know that the trip is a trap, they just can't figure out for who.

Wow. I sat down and read this in 4 hours - so good. This installment was so emotionally wrenching with so many ups, and downs, and twists and turns, you don't know which way your are going at times. But I have to say, I LOVED every minute of it.

The only reason I didn't give this one a five star was because of Curran's actions. He constantly irritated me with his leaving Kate out of the loop and not just in this book. He even allowed an attractive shifter to sit in a place meant for Kate. When Kate disappeared and he finally finds her, he berated her. Of course, he is the victim again.
He placed it all on her. As usual, he did things to hurt her, and she was to blame because he had a good darn reasons for his actions. She should have trusted him no matter what she saw.
This story reminds me of a joke someone told me where the wife comes homes and catches her husband with another woman. The husband then replies if she was going to trust him or what her eyes told her.
I realize that Curran's reasons were mostly noble, but it still added up to he didn't trust her.

This series keeps getting better. I keep waiting for that disappointing filler book that even great series have. Many series hit a sophomore slump around book four or five because the author started out knowing what they wanted for their first 2 or 3 books and they know what they want at the end but not how to get there.
I was really worried when I found out this was going to be a road trip book, taking us away from the Atlanta we love. I was pleasantly surprised when this road trip book moved the larger plot forward, and is in no way a rehash of earlier books. This book opened up the Kate Daniels world and gave us information and background that filled out existing characters.

A fantastic addition. Currently Kate Daniels is working on edging out Harry Dresden as my favorite bad ass.

I have eagerly read everything I could find written by Ilona Andrews. It has been several months since I read any of their work and was not feeling motivated to dive back in. From the beginning I was absorbed. It is such a powerful combination of action and emotion with just enough humor thrown in. I can't wait to see what comes next.

~ 5 Magic Rises Stars ~
(No Spoilers)

Magic Rises is book six in the Kate Daniels series by Ilona Andrews. You will not be disappointed in this book or the series. 

WOW! Amazing! Outstanding! Spectacular! LOVED IT! 

Another great read in the Kate Daniels series. I was pulled in on another amazing adventure. We have suspense, action, romance, betrayal, and some amazing surprises that left me going OH MY GOD, WOW, and AHHH!

I loved Magic Rises and HIGHLY recommend this book and series. If you have not read this book yet DO NOT read any reviews with spoilers. You want all the surprise that happen to be unspoiled. It is that good!

WOW just WOW! Best book in the series! Ok I need to end the fangirl gushing now...but wow! I had finished another book I had to review late last night and couldn't sleep so I was laying in bed moaning about how I needed something to read when it dawned on me the new Kate Daniels book came out today. I forgot, how the hell did I forget?! So at midnight I jumped out of bed ran to my computer downloaded it then uploaded it to me ereader. Then spent the next 6 hours reading it. That's right I was up all night! I couldn't put it down.

Friends of Julie's a set of twins both go loup, there is a medicine called Panacea made by the European packs that helps deal the loupism significantly increasing the teens survival rates but there is only enough for one dose. The stuff is worth it's weight in gold it saves children, so shapeshifter parents can have an opporunity to save their children. Curran is asked to mediate a dispute bewtween 3 European packs and guard a pregnant woman in exchange for barrels of the stuff. It's a trap, they all know it but must go anyway only thing...the trap was not for who they thought.

I read the excerpts on the website as soon as they were available and wasn't sure about the whole road trip aspect I thought I would miss some of the usual characters in the series. As it turns out most of them go with them, I did miss more Jim though :(. Kate and Curran bring along 10 shapeshifters with them so we have some regulars like Derek, Andrea, Raphael, Mahon, Doolittle and Aunt B along with some minor characters we had only seen briefly before.

This was easily the most emotionally charged book in the series to date, the writers throw everything at us. Kate is tested on every emotional level; her bond with Curran, her position in the shapeshifter community and her place in the pack as a whole. Every insecurity she has ever had gets thrown in her face. More is revealed about her past and the direction her future will go. For action fans, there's lots of that too and big epic battles Kate and Curran nearly don't survive and some members of the pack don't survive at all, sadly. Kate comes to the realization that she is nowhere near ready to face her father...for that I am grateful means more books yanno.

I don't know if I said this or not but BEST BOOK in the series thus far and hands down the best book I have read this year!

Whew what a ride. I'm exhausted. MAGIC RISES takes place far away from Atlanta and the pack. With some trusted pack members, Kate and Curran set out to arbitrate a dispute with another pack and keep a pregnant shifter safe. They know it won't be easy but they never would have guessed what was really going on. No matter what they have to see it through as it will net them the medicine to save the pack children in the future.

With non stop danger and action at every turn this author team really knows how to keep you on your toes. I just can't get enough of these characters and their world! I wish the books came out quicker but I guess making magic takes time. Lets talk Kate and Curran because anything else would start giving away spoilers. They are so stinking exciting together. Their love and romance is nothing like any other characters I have read about. They are frustrating, they butt heads, they make stupid decisions but that just does not matter. They are always there for each other and they fit together perfectly. There are some hard times for them in MAGIC RISING and watching Kate struggle with her confidence and feelings was hard. She handled things so much better than I could have and I liked the way it all played out.

The plot development in book 6 is crazy. A lot happens and things will never be the same but the ride is never smooth when Kate is involved. The game has changed and I have no clue what could possibly follow this. I really missed the rest of the gang, but I enjoyed the story as much as all the previous novels in the series. *Imagine me ringing the dinner bell* Come and get it!

I am totally wrecked. Magic Rises kept me on the edge of my seat and my emotions on a roller coaster. This has got to be the best book in the series. Kate and Curran take hit after hit, but are still going strong. No spoilers from me...LOL Thank you to the writing team of Ilona Andrews for another great novel in the Kate Daniels series.

This series just keeps getting better with each new book and it was fabulous to begin with. : )
I did miss some of the humor and snark but considering the latest crisis with the Were's it's totally understandable. I loved that it was set in Europe and I really enjoyed the tension between Kate, Curran and Hugh. I knew Curran had something up his sleeve and I applaud Kate for staying strong. ;)
Kate's not ready for Roland YET...but she will be. Kate is no Mary-Sue! I love that she kicks butt and is no damsel in distress.
Eagerly awaiting the next book!