Book 4, Magic Bleeds: Kate Daniels Series

Any book that turns a dust bunny into a magical monster has my instant attention. I think that’s one of the things I love most about this series: it’s ability to make me laugh at the most ludicrous, outrageous, impossible things – things that, in spite of being so unlikely, I can see happening. This all happens while Kate is once again fighting for her life and the lives of those she cares about, and while trying to untwist the thorny push-me/pull-you sexual tension between herself and the Beast Lord. There’s a lot of book here. I loved every moment of it.

~ 5 Magic Bleeds Stars ~

HAWT DAME! AMAZING! Another winner in the Kate Daniels series.

We are thrown back into Atlanta and a new threat that will expose Kate even more to those she never wanted to find her.

Emotional turmoil & revelations happen in Magic Bleeds. We have relationship issues, hard chooses that will change everyones futures, and a big mystery to solve. If you don’t know by now I am a FAN of the Andrews team and LOVE this series. It has everything an Urban Fantasy needs, action, adventure, a kick-ass heroine, fantastic world building, amazing secondary characters, and so much more.

HAWT Dame! Yep, Kate and Curran’s relationship explodes in this novel in so many ways. Andrea and Raphael end up imploding (big rift) between them and that relationship was looking so good too. Someone from Kate’s bloodline makes a very big and dramatic entrance into her life and we learn so much from this mysterious person. Last Kate has some very hard chooses to make and one that will affect her deeply and change her future.

Magic Bleeds is a book that will take you away with non-stop action, pulling you into a world full of mystery, magic and so much more. Once I picked this book up I could not put it down and then I had to go and start the next book. Must read series!

Another spectacular book from this author, does not disappoint.
What to say about the story... very good, we got to know better Kate's origins and a few family members, which I found interesting.

Kate and Curran are still at odds due to a misunderstanding created on purpose by others members of the pack. But when they get together, and finally they are together, the earth shakes, or at least the house is all turned upside down.

Kate continues to fight the bad guys and the fight scenes continue very well described, I can imagine all the small details. She has developed her powers and learned to control them and with every book I realize that she must be really powerful, be careful with her.

Curran continues determined to protect her lady at any costs, as if Kate were a doll glass, little does he know. Although he suspect that she's not very normal. What happens to him in the end left my heart shaking, let's see what happens with the Pack in the next books.

I missed other characters like Jim and Derek, they used to have more time. They appeared but I wished it had been more.

There are other characters that appear throughout the book that annoy me, all bossy and thinking they are the owners of reason.
Ilona makes those books very complete, there are characters and attitudes that make you have all kinds of reactions, which is great for us readers. I don't like plain characters or very well behaved.

Another thing that I love about this books it's the little pieces of mythology of all cultures that appear and I love mythology and always learn something with it. Very good indeed.
For all this, I would strongly recommend to read this series and this author.

When Magic Strikes ended with concrete plans of a naked dinner date between Kate and Curran in the near future I knew that Magic Bleeds would not disappoint. Not that any of Ilona Andrews' books ever have but this installment pushed me from enthused reader into full-out fangirl territory and surprisingly enough, it wasn't even the sex that tipped me over the edge, although it did help.

I don't know what it is about these books but it's the little things that slay me. First there's Grendel the attack poodle, being a dog person I could easily relate to Kate's puking, smelly mongrel woes and I loved all of the hilarious hijinks' her furry companion brought to the story. Then, of course, there's Daniels and Curran's mating ritual; between her welding his shag pad door shut to him gluing her butt to a chair, I couldn't get over how childish these two big, bad fighters acted. It was absolutely priceless and reminded me of elementary school when boys pull girls' hair to let them know that they like them. Ooh, and I mustn't forget the crocodile shapeshifter. Now I've seen everything!

Kate and Curran are better than ever in this installment; it's confession time for both of them. In order to be able to move forward in their relationship, they need to be honest with each other about their colourful pasts. For the first time in this series, their love interest takes precedence over the action which is the very moment that I've been anxiously anticipating since I first started these books. As satisfying as the build-up has been, I'm happy that they've finally reached their boiling point. Kate and Curran lay all of their cards out on the table and after some heated negotiations, they finally reach a compromise that they both can live with. Fans of this series will not be disappointed by the turn their relationship takes in this book and it's in large part one of the main reasons why this installment is my favourite one to date.

I finished this book with more answers than questions which is a first in this series. We learn important information about Curran's background, pack politics and yes, I finally know who Roland is (although I had my suspicions)! A few interesting tidbits about Kate's family and abilities are also brought to light, namely that her blood really does have power in it but not in the way that you might expect. I thought that this was an interesting twist and will be curious to see how it plays out in future installments. Be prepared to lose your s*** because Magic Bleeds will make a Kate Daniels fangirl out of anyone. Guaranteed.

I read the first 4 Kate Daniels book in one week.
So that should tell you how I feel about this series, so yeah.

Now, let’s talk about this particular book:
It was fun, it had mystery and suspense, plus THE THING HAPPENED.

I’m really enjoying the world building now, full of pack dynamics and a larger view of their time and history in general.

Reading this along with the Curran’s POV pdf was the cherry on top.

--- SPOILER ALERT ---

Ok, so in the first few chapters of this book I was completely livid. I felt Kate's pain so much that I couldn't sleep and wanted to kick a door down. But then eventually we find out what really happened and the romance kicks off and now I can sleep again. I still think Curran should have made more of an effort to find Kate and explain what happened. Leaving a note at a house she doesn't go to regularly and expecting her to come to the Keep to find out why HE was super late is ridiculous. If it had been me I would have expected him to make me a really good dinner from scratch with no help, at a minimum.

Anywho, this series really does keep getting better and better. I think Kate had more funny comments in the previous book, but this one had good lol moments too.

I really hope we see some lion cubs in the near future. I also hope the bff gets her priorities straight and maybe starts working with Kate? That'd be cool.

If there is one thing that I’ve come to expect from the Kate Daniels series it is that each book takes everything up just a notch. Magic Bleeds was most definitely no exception. From the Prologue to the Epilogue I think it is safe to say that this book was the most emotional packed one in the series so far.

It’s been a while since I’ve read Magic Strikes, but it didn’t take me long to get back into the world that Ilona Andrews created for their characters. This is one of those series that gives me that ‘coming home’ feeling. You know that feeling. It’s familiar and you feel surrounded by people you know. Corny, yes, but there are a select few series that give me that feeling and Kate Daniels just happens to be one of them.

Magic Bleeds takes up in the Prologue just a little while after Magic Strikes leaves off. Readers knew that Kate and Curran were finally going to stop being so stubborn and give into their feelings for each other. In a perfect world maybe, but in Kate and Curran’s world, nothing could ever be that easy. *sigh* That Prologue just about killed me, but it was necessary. I can’t say much more without giving anything away, just don’t throw the book across the room when you finish the Prologue. Be patient, it gets better, honest.

Beyond Curran and Kate, a lot happens in Magic Bleeds. This book was packed with pretty much everything. Action, humor, suspense, betrayal, romance, politics and heartbreak all were front and center. Some of it was expected but some of it took me totally by surprise. For instance, the tears were totally unexpected. As intense as this book was in the emotion department, the signature wit and humor were still there. From Kate’s ‘pet’ names for Curran to a practical joke war there were plenty of literal ‘laugh-out-loud’ moments. I think that is one of my favorite parts of this series. I’ve come to expect it and this author duo always delivers.

Magic Slays is next in the Kate Daniels series and I’d love to read it before the end of the year. We shall see If you haven’t picked up this series yet, you are really missing out. The characters are smart, well developed and make you want to get to know them. The world building and mythology are fantastic and the story lines are unique and compelling. Definitely one of my favorite UF series.

After the stunner that was part three, my favorite of the series, I couldn't wait to dig into this one. The series is heavy on the shifter scene, even more so than the magic one, and everytime the pack seems in some sort of jeopardy. Not a coincidence, but a make sense kind of thing since they have grown in power and are attracting the even-more powerful wanting to bring them down before they can rise further.

The villain in this one is super bad-ass, being Kate's aunt and look-alike Erra, Babylon's god of chaos and terror. Each book in this series delves deeply into mythology, this one even further than others. Erra brings with her seven warriors to fight: Deluge (flood water), Tremor (earth quake), Gale (hurricane wind), Torch (fire inferno), Venom (disease poison), Beast (animal monster), and Darkness (overpowering dread). Seems each villain and fight is even bigger and badder than the last book. The various showdowns between Kate and Erra as incredible, especially the big bang to wrap up that ending. It digs further into how powerful Kate can really be or become, and makes me itch to see more.

Again my heart throbbed for Kate and Curran, as their relationship further developed in a big way.
The scenes with Saiman, Curran, and Kate notched up the tension, Derek is busy coping with his darker changes and the darkness of that, and the introduction of the shaggy poodle dog to Kate is hilarious. Andrea was an important addition this time again, as she is even more Kate's ally than before. She has her own subplot issues to deal with. There were some heartbreaking scenes where Kate was forced to do what she didn't want to, and the writing of the Daniels pair made this shine, even if hard to stomach.

You can't complain about the uniqueness of the story, the characters, the action sequences, the romantic element, the violence (there's plenty of it again), or the greatness that is the Kate Daniels series. This one did hold a little less humor than the third, but still excellent and will forever stay on my bookshelf. The end leaves me curious on what's going to happen next and I'm assuming it shall last, otherwise there may be pitchforks and mobs with burning torches on the streets. If you're an Urban Fantasy fan, you're REALLY missing out if you don't read this series.

Please be aware that this review will contain minor spoilers - I've tried but I just can't seem to write it without them!

So after the ending of Magic Strikes I couldn't wait to get started on Magic Bleeds and see Kate pay up on her bet with Curran where she promised to cook him dinner naked. It feels like I have been waiting FOREVER for them to finally give into their desire and become a couple so I had such high hopes for that night. Well you can imagine my disappointment when Curran fails to turn up - I think I was almost as broken hearted by the way things turned out as Kate was, especially when she calls the keep to make sure he is OK and gets a big brush off. As you'd expect from Kate she turns her pain into anger and she becomes absolutely determined to avoid all contact with Curran in the future, something that she knows isn't going to be easy when she is the Order's main point of contact for all things involving the Pack. It gets especially difficult to avoid him when a mysterious new arrival in town starts targeting shapeshifters, not only are they behind multiple deaths but they also seem determined to start a modern day plague in the middle of Atlanta. It doesn't take too long for Kate to figure out that one of Roland's most trusted warriors is in town, unfortunately this is one family reunion that she is never going to forget - that's if she even survives it.

Just when I think I can't love this series more Ilona Andrews pulls it out of the bag and delivers yet another 5 star read. Magic Strikes has everything I've loved about the previous books - the fantastic characters, edge of your seat action, truly evil enemies who aren't going to be easy to beat and to top it all off the absolutely wonderful banter between Kate and Curran. They may have a HUGE misunderstanding at the beginning of the book but oh boy do they make up for it further down the line and finally, FINALLY we get to see the moment we've all been waiting for!!!! I seriously don't think I'll ever get enough of this couple or their friends so I just hope the authors start writing faster - I need at least a book a month from them to keep me happy!

The stakes are higher than ever and Kate is facing her greatest battle yet. It honestly makes me worry about what will happen when she eventually has to face Roland, I really don't know how she will be able to survive it. She isn't the type to give in easily though and she kicks arse in this book just as well as (if not better than) she ever has before. As much as Curran steals the show every time he steps onto the page I also adore the secondary characters in this series, Angela is just brilliant and she gives Kate the kick up the butt that she needs when it comes to giving Curran a chance to explain himself. I have to give a special mention to Kate's new attack poodle too, he added a lot of light relief to the story and I hope we'll see more of him. There were just so many moments I loved about this book, particularly towards the end when Kate has a face off with the shapeshifter council to stand up for her man.

Lots of people have already reviewed this book and I'm not sure that I can articulate my thoughts well enough to come up with a coherent review so I'm just going to tell the rare few people who haven't started this series yet that they need to do it immediately. If you have started the series but are still playing catch up like I have been then you need to hurry up because the books really do just get better and better!

Fourth in the Kate Daniels urban fantasy series set in an alternate-universe Atlanta, and it's three months since Magic Strikes (Kate Daniels, #3).

"In essence, if a person feels they are human, then they are."

My Take
From the very first book in the series, Magic Bites (A Special Edition), we've been slowly teased with the knowledge that Kate is different from everything on Earth. We eventually learned that Roland is her father. We know that Kate dare not leave any molecule of her blood behind for someone to sniff out as it would tell too much about her.

And now we learn to never stand Kate up, for it's big trouble in Atlanta--when Curran doesn't show. Oh, boy. And it's hard work listening to Kate become furious and then have to talk herself down. It makes sense, but, ooh, mama, it hurts. But the scene when Kate first encounters Curran after he skipped her dinner...smokin'...ooooh, mama!

The way vampires are depicted in this is both intriguing and gross. It certainly makes for some interesting dialog between the Masters and Journeymen who navigate the things. Then toss in Kate's story of the first vampire which she tells the golem with its allusion to Cain and Abel. Wasn't my first thought when it came to that Bible tale, but Andrews does it well.

We get Andrea's recent back history as to how she got sidelined to Atlanta as well as Curran's family history. The only positive I can find in their backstories is that this type of behavior is found in human society as well...sigh...

Nice touch, bringing in the personal with those chocolate-covered strawberries---it made me cry. Saiman, of course, is just the opposite of sentimental when he coerces Kate into being his date---it's war when Saiman pays Curran back for having Aunt B and Mahon "guard" him during the Games in Magic Strikes. And ya just can't help but crack up over Curran's retribution...as much as it hurts to see that kind of damage.

We get another tidbit to tack onto our too-skimpy knowledge about Kate's background when Saiman claims that there were hundreds of words written on Kate's skin. He also makes her a business offer, anticipating Curran here.

Kate and Curran's courting intensifies---Mating Negotiation 101---unfortunately it's "all or nothing" in the manner of Cat weres with Kate taking the leap, defying the precepts taught her by her stepfather, Voron. In an odd way, the negotiating between Kate and Curran is the kind that every couple should do when first thinking of moving in together or simply becoming a monogamous couple as it addresses and acknowledges the strengths and weaknesses of each party. It is funny how possessive and jealous Curran is---just read Jim's frustration at the questions that would follow if he were to get into a jeep with Kate. I do love his "demands" at the end. How it shows he gets Kate; he knows what she needs; and, he knows the minimum of what he needs to know she's safe.

This is the story with the blowup between Raphael and Andrea over her loyalty to the Knights. And the problem is that I can see both sides to this. Raphael does have the edge, though.

Erra does deliver an interesting lecture on conquering---whether its people or cities---and Kate delivers one back on Erra's childishness. Doesn't go down well, LOL.

Ted is such a betraying idiot of a jerk, and his bigotry is wide, covering women and his narrow definition of human.
"It's convenient for us to let them think they're human for the time being, but in the end, there is no place for them in our society." --Ted Moynohan

He's not the only betraying ally either. With Curran down, his Pack Council, the people he's supported and been so fair to are plotting his removal and Kate's ejection.

The Story
It's been two months since Kate lost her bet with Curran, and now she's putting the finishing touches on that dinner she owes him. And he's late. Kate knows he wouldn't miss this dinner, so the response she gets to her phone call ticks her off no end.

It's the plague the Steel Mary sets off that is the focus here, but the shocker is when Ghastek shows up in Kate's office and petitions aid from the Order. Yup, must be the end of the world or hell freezing over.

The Characters
Kate Daniels is a Friend of the Pack and the liaison between the Guild and the Order. Slayer is the name of her almost-sentient saber. Julie, a human m-scanner we met in Magic Burns , 2, is now her ward. Marigold is her mule. Voron the Raven is her stepfather and once Roland's Warlord. Grendel is the name of the phantom poodle Kate picks up at the Steel Bar. Christy lives down the road from Kate's house in Savannah.

The Pack
The Pack is all 1,500 (their population has really increased over the last couple books!) shapeshifters in the Atlanta area and a bit beyond. It includes seven clans: bouda (Aunt B); wolves (Daniel and Jennifer are the alphas); Clan Cat; rats (Robert and Thomas Lonesco are the alphas); Clan Heavy are the bears, wereboars, werebison, werewolverines, and werebabboon; Clan Nimble; and, Clan Jackal. It's led by the strongest among them: the Beast Lord of Atlanta, Curran, a First, which terrifies Erra and Roland. The Pack's central headquarters is the Keep.

Jim Shrapshire is a shapeshifter, a Jaguar in charge of the Pack's security, and he is the closest to being a friend as Kate can get. The one absolute Kate can always count on with him is that the Pack will always come first. Brenna, George, and Dingo are part of his security team. Derek Gaunt, a damaged killer wolf shapeshifter (Magic Strikes), works directly for and is completely loyal to Curran. Dr. Doolittle, a medmage badger, keeps on bringing Kate and Curran back to health. Dali is a legally blind, driving-mad, Indonesian shapeshifter, a vegetarian tiger who gets sick at the sight of blood. Mahon is the Kodiak bearshifter, and the very traditional man who stood as a father to Curran. Part of Aunt B's deal with Kate includes Barabas and Jezebel.

The Lycos Virus, a.k.a., Lyc-V for short, changes a human into a shapeshifter, leading to the individual's battle between mind and body. If the mind wins, they join the Pack. A loner is a shapeshifter who chooses not to join the Pack; a loup is a shapeshifter who allows their body to control their actions, and they're killed on sight.

Saiman, a different kind of shapeshifter, a polymorph, is the best expert in the city. He is Kate's resource for truly mystifying questions of magic, specializing in information, and he has a bone to pick with Curran. Naeemah is a croc shifter who owes Hugh d'Ambray a favor. Cash and his wife, Maggie, own the Steel Horse, a border-straddling bar. Toby and Vik are the bouncers. Joshua is a shapeshifter and the first victim in Atlanta. Rabbi Melissa Snowdoll leads Kate to Rabbis Peter Kranz and John Weiss.

The three legal enforcement divisions are the Paranormal Activity Police Division (PAD), which is like a magic SWAT unit; the Military Supernatural Defense Units (MSDU); and, the Order of Knights of Merciful Aid will help you and only charge what you can afford. Hopefully you can also afford to lose.

Patrice Lane is Biohazard's in-house medmage.

Knights of the Order
Andrea Nash is a knight but has been sidelined by Ted; she's also beastkin, the product of a union between a werehyena and a hyenawere. She's been happily dating Raphael, Aunt B's beyond-gorgeous son who met her in Magic Burns . Maxine is the telepathic secretary with cookies! Ted Moynohan is the knight-protector and the definition of bigoted jerk. Mauro, a Samoan whose wife is a vet, is another knight. Richter is a new addition to the Atlanta Order. Tamara Wilson is a master-at-arms and good with a blade. Beau Clayton is the sheriff in Milton County with a weakness for swords.

The Mercenary Guild is hired when it's magic that the police can't or won't handle. The Clerk mans the counter while Mark is the Guild secretary. Solomon Red heads up the Guild, a legend. Ivera, Amelia Juke, Bob Carver, and Ken, a Hungarian mage, are the Four Horsemen; Ronnie Ma works with Eastern magic.

The People
The People are necromancers, Masters of the Dead, who navigate the vampires with the Casino as their headquarters. Ghastek Stefanoff and Rowena are both Masters of the Dead; Ghastek is the more prominent, the most dangerous, and has the most encounters with Kate while Kate prefers Rowena, if she has to talk to one of the People. Nataraja leads the People in Atlanta and answers to Roland, the legendary head of all the People and Kate's biological father. Roland is also the Ishum of Babylon and Erra's brother. Hugh d'Ambray is Roland's Warlord; he witnessed Kate's breaking of an unbreakable sword, the Scarlet Star in Magic Strikes.

Auntie Erra, a.k.a., Nergal, is a god of plagues, fear, and chaos with seven warriors: Darkness, Torch, Beast, Tremor, Gale, Deluge, and Venom. A psychotic being worshipping violence and mayhem. Feared by the inhabitants of the first Babylon and now, intent on destroying the Pack the same way she and Roland, her brother Im, also known as Ishum, havedestroyed before.

The Cover
Well, it's different. I keep expecting the background to reflect the magic breakdown of Atlanta but this, and probably more accurately, reflects the magic of love as Kate glares out at us holding her saber, Slayer, bristling with light as Curran in his animal shape gazes up although I can't tell if it's Kate or the sword which holds his attention.

The title refers to family. And when that family is über supernatural and clashes with each other, well, Magic Bleeds.

This book really stepped it up for me. I'm finally started to get why everyone is in love with the story. There's bloody fights, sexual tension and mystery all wrapped up in one story.

I'm glad that Curran and Kate are finally moving forward. They each show that they are ready to make this mating thing work and I couldn't be happier. Apparently, showing your ready to mate means rearrange the other persons place. So in true Kate fashion, she goes in, welds stuff together in Curran's place. Of course, Curran retaliates and the whole thing was pretty funny. I liked that this story finally started picking up on the romance aspect, which was why I started reading it.

There, of course, is also a lot of fighting and crime solving. There were a couple of times where it looked really bleak but of course everything pulls through in the end.

For me, I wish there was more Curran and Kate time but I guess now that things are moving forward with them, I will get more time with the two characters. I really like the two of them together. They are both hard headed and tough as nails but when they love, they will go to the ends of the earth to protect that person.

I think aside from the romance, I also really liked the furry four legged addition, and no I'm not talking about a shifter. I thought it was brilliant and it definitely wasn't something I was expecting.

All the rumors are true. Book three, Magic Strikes, is where this series really makes it into the big leagues. So where does that leave Magic Bleeds? It leaves it at a status of being even better!! That's right Magic Bleeds was even better then the epicness of Magic Strikes.

It picks up at the much anticipated "panty breakfast " and the sparks fly immediately as Kate and Curran bump heads. Of course the leaves things into a beautiful mess. Kate decides to court Curran the Lion shifter way, and from there it's great one liners and laughs all around. Andrews doesn't stop there. (And no I won't go into details for fear of ruining it.)

In the last book Kate practically told the captain of her nemeses' army who she is. Now that she's opened herself up to friends and having loved ones, her nightmares are coming true. Everyone is at risk, especially since her evil aunt is sweeping into town to take out the shape shifters. Kate's too good to ignore this threat and soon her aunt is all too willing to take her out. This leads into epic battle scenes that I have come to crave from the Kate Daniels series.

This is a book of change that will leave fans spinning exorcist style. Curran and Kate are hooking up in ways that fans couldn't have dreamt up more perfectly. Kate ditches the Order of Merciful Knights, for something better. Andrea's--Kate's hyena shifting best friend--relationship is beyond fun and it's truly just as appealing as Kate and Curran's "struggles"! This has been said by many fans before me, but it's only truer because I doubted it. If you read book one and two and didn't think the series was that great, hold on. Keep. Going. You will become a convert. A very devoted convert.

Sexual Content: Oh, dirty and steamy. Ahem. Sex 7 times within a 24 period (wink-wink) and all the other great bits we've come to expect from this series.

5/5- Fabulous, a beautiful obsession!

Originally reviewed on Book Whispers.

If I had to describe the fourth installment of the Kate Daniels series in a two word phrase, I would have to go with this: Girl Power. Not only do we have Kate, Andrea, Aunt B, and a number of other female shapechangers with claws and an attitude, our villain's a chick as well! I realize that the villain in Magic Bites was a woman, but she didn't feel nearly as present as we see in Magic Bleeds. I feel like this series has really been building up on its action, and we've graduated from henchmen to sidekicks in the bad guy brigade; I'm starting to get pretty amped for the inevitable final showdown between Kate and Daddy Dearest.

As we see Kate gain more power, we also see more of her vulnerabilities. This becomes more and more apparent through Magic Bleeds as Kate struggles with her now acknowledged feelings for Curran, and the reality that being with him puts him and his people in incredible danger. Kate's been raised to not form ties, and we've seen her systematically making them more plentiful and tighter as the series goes on. First Jim, then Derek, Julie, Andrea, Curran, and now a vicious attack poodle.

I appreciate that Magic Bleeds isn't just all sunshine and rainbows in the `people you love will make you stronger' category. Kate has very legitimate fears about what personal connections will cost her, and things don't always turn out all peachy keen in the end. I will say this though, when Kate sets her mind to something, woe be it to anyone who decides to stand in her way (this also equates to much fist pumping on my part).

Magic Bleeds wasn't quite as much fun for me as Magic Strikes, but I still loved it. I mean come on, where do you go from gladiators? I think Ilona Andrews did a pretty darn good job. I did feel that there was a little unnecessary rehashing of her personal story. She explains it in the beginning, which is a-okay, but then goes over it again with Andrea, which we didn't really need to read a second time. That's really just me being nit-picky though. Like I said, I'm glad that the bad guys are getting badder, the romance hotter, and the social life messier.

I started off Magic Bleeds incredibly pissed at Curran, moved to being pretty pissed at Kate, and ended up pretty happy with both of them. There was a lot of Curran in this one, for which I was happy. It's about time! I love that the things that make them work as a couple are also the things that drive them apart. They're both incredibly strong willed, pig-headed, and want their own way. If those crazy kids can make it work, let it be a lesson of communication in relationships to us all. Also, can I just say that Kate and Curran's attachment to The Princess Bride literally brings tears to my eyes?!

P.S. I really hate Ted. Don't you guys really hate Ted? Racist bigot with the power of law behind him. If he's not addressed more in Magic Slays, I'm really hoping the whole situation with him, the Order, and Andrea comes to a head in Gunmetal Magic. And that maybe he loses his. Head that is. Is it wrong to actively root for the gruesome death of fictional characters?

Reviewed at Another Look Book Reviews

BEST ONE YET!

I am trying to stop and leave a review before I dive into the next book.

I am pretty sure if I looked up AWESOME in the dictionary I should find Magic Bleeds as the definition. I think after this book 4, the Kate Daniels series has moved up from my "Awesome" category to "EPIC". Very few have made it on that list.

There are a lot of mind boggling fighting scenes in Magic Bleeds. I don't even know how a special effects Hollywood crew could replicate what I imagine from the descriptive pages of Magic Bleeds. The choreographing is one thing but mix that with the circumstances, the adrenaline rush and the wild orchestral battle scene music playing in my head is pretty much spectacular. Each book seems to end off with a major fight battle scene and Magic Bleeds certainly tips the scales over to the phenomenal realm. We can thank Kate's fight with her biological twin looking aunt for the action. Oh yes, there is a wee spoiler for you.

Now to offset all of this violence, I also found Magic Bleeds to be one of the more humourous books so far. I found I was quoting and bookmarking more than usual.

"I can't give you the white picket fence, and if I did, you'd set it on fire."

I paused with the pen in my hand. "He burst into flames?"
"He became engulfed in fire"
"Was his buddy made out of orange rocks and did he at any point yell 'It's clobbering time'?"
"I find your attempt at levity inappropriate."
"Consider me properly chastised."

"Every woman should be told she's attractive. Men are seduced by their eyes, women by their ears."

I know I could keep pasting because the quotes are numerous.

Kate and Curran take a relationship leap in Magic Bleeds and just like the beginning of the series, it is not rushed. I LOVE that there are no silly misunderstandings thrown in this story (THANK YOU Ilona Andrews) There are no complicated conflicts that are holding them back. Just good old fashion nerves to be the one to make the first move. Of course the first move needs to be translated into shapeshifters and pack culture but I am pretty sure the catnip Kate spreads all over Curran's bed got the message across.

On to book 5!!!

Teasers: Story of the first vampire, Grendel the attack poodle with mad skills, literally gluing Kate's ass to a chair, sealing the slut hut

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales

Quick & Dirty: Kate decides her future with Curran while trying to protect Atlanta from her crazy strong Aunt Erra.

Opening Sentence: I rode through the streets of Atlanta, rocking with the hoofbeats of my favorite mule, Marigold, who didn't care for the birdcage attached to her saddle and really didn't care for the globs of lizard spit dripping from my jeans.

The Review:

Magic Bleeds is a pivotal book in the Kate Daniels series. This is where Kate commits to her future with or without the Beast Lord, Curran. It also happens to be where all of Kate's paranoia about her family comes to pass with the introduction and confrontation of Erra, known to the ancient Babylonians as the Plaquebringer and big sister to Roland, Kate's biological father.

Kate's fears are deep seeded and well founded. A woman in her position would have a difficult time having a relationship knowing that her father will eventually use them against her in the worst possible way. Though she has loosened up over the no-friends policy, she is still troubled over the boyfriend stuff. It is obvious that she loves Curran, but is that enough? They both have issues with trust and lots of personal baggage. Neither one is willing to compromise or even admit they were wrong. Curran is her first love and Kate is the first person he has considered for a mate. The two of them having been dancing around the issue for far too many books and I am satisfied with the resolution. They are the type of couple a reader smiles when they finally figure it all out. Though their relationship has been a major theme in this series, I am confident that the whole story is far from over.

I find Curran's baggage, aka the Pack, very entertaining. Kate has made friends with a few of them and has been given Friend of the Pack status, but she is still not one of them. The dynamics and structure of the Pack are rigid and absolute, for good reason. To live within the Pack you must follow the Code, a strict set of rules. If you are not following the Code, you are most likely loup, out of control and have a hankering for human meat, and too dangerous to let live. With Kate now intimately involved with the Pack, I am willing to bet the chaos that ensues will rub all their fur the wrong way. Luckily, her status would be at the top of the food chain as Curran's mate. Just thinking about Kate in charge when she hates all authority makes me giggle.

Kate's biological father has been on the periphery in this series to date; Erra is the first person we meet that gives us a more firsthand look at how immortal bad guys think and act. There is insight to gain from learning about Erra and her motivations. Her outlook on life is unique with good reason; she sees others as temporary because to her lifespan, they are. She also has a healthy dose of arrogance that Kate exploits to her advantage. But whether or not Kate comes out on top after their fight, one thing is for certain; she is about to lose her anonymity.

Readers also get more background information into Kate's biological family, not only on vampires as a whole but Roland in particular. As the series progresses, we get closer and closer to the final showdown between Kate and her father. I look forward to seeing who will be supporting Kate's side and whether or not there will be interference from the People; for or against.

Kate books are usually filled to the brim with sass, sarcasm, and good natured ribbing. This book is a little more serious but still manages to stay true to the overall humor the series is so well known for. Now that Curran got what he wants, I look forward to seeing more "were-lion humor" in the future.

FTC Advisory: Penguin/Ace graciously provided me with a copy of Magic Bleeds. No goody bags, sponsorships, "material connections," or bribes were exchanged for my review. The only payments I receive are hugs and kisses from my little boys.

I wasn't bored for a second. Magic Bleeds, the 4th installment in the Kate Daniels series, pits Kate against her toughest opponent yet--herself? Not quite.

Let's just say this ain't your typical nuclear family. If Roland is her final exam, she faces a mid-term here. While the Midnight Games were pretty cool in Magic Strikes (Book 3), I was super creeped out by havoc Kate's new enemy wreaked. Non-female shifters beware! And perhaps Kate should be herself. We witness the power Kate may be capable of in the hands of evil. I can't wait to see that full fledged power used for good.

Once again, Kate is forced to balance her duties as a merc of the Order with her obligation to her shifter friends. She makes a tough decision, but it's the right one.

I highly enjoyed Andrea's character this time around, too. She's coming into her own a bit more as a beastkin. She hasn't had much of a choice, but I'm glad to see her dealing. There is a major development in her relationship with Raphael and if you read the side story, Magic Mourns, you'll learn how they got to this point. Even I haven't read it yet, but I plan to very soon. There was this one scene about a third into the book that will forever be epic to me. One quote: "Who's diving for clams now, bitch!" I love how all of these characters are so badass but they make mistakes, they get hurt, they LEARN! They do exactly what you'd want to do.

I definitely recommend picking this up if only to see about the progress made in Kate and Curran's relationship. I really enjoy how their interactions are woven into the story and how they have realistic challenges personally as well as politically (at least as realistic as you can get in a post-apocalyptic Atlanta). I really look forward to seeing how they'll work in a real partnership. They are both still very headstrong, but need to trust each other and work to compromise.

The hilarious one-liners, the high action, the world building, and the characters keep me coming back for more. As a new fan of the Kate Daniels series, I read all 4 books in succession, so it's needless to say that I'm itching for Book 5 already. It's really nice to have a series where you know you're guaranteed to get quality.

We start with a prologue; our dinner of Kate serving Curran. However, Kate remembers a life long lesson taught to her. The first chapter is three weeks after the said dinner. Kate is still heartbroken. Someone starts a fight at a border bar in neutral territory of Shapeshifters and The People, Steel Horse. Both groups Kate is currently trying to avoid ~ lead by Curran and Roland. At the Steel Horse, there is a dead body; infected and growing, spreading, and highly contagious. Locked in the cellar, a dangerous creature...a dog, that seems harmless and likes Kate. More attacks happen, The People ask for the Orders help (shocking!) then another attack including a shifters death and the Pack offers their assistance. Just what Kate needs when her own family is after her.

Kate's personal life is a struggle for her; what she should do and what her heart says it wants, collide. This is an internal struggle for Kate, and with this we learn more of her past and raising with her day. Ilona and Gordon are wonderful at creating so many things through the action and happenings; a whole history, character development, and beliefs of a group or two.

I love the suspense used with the arrival of Curran in the books. It makes me want him around more, and to love him and Kate when they are together. We might be a little mad at Curran in this one. But who can really stay mad at Curran?

When a book grabs me like this one did, I ask why. Why was I so drawn in? There are so many reasons. I'm invested in the series and know the characters being the fourth book. But I love all the book offers; action, fight, humor, love, and a kick butt storyline that keeps me wondering and wanting to find out. And gives me clues along the way. I just keep flipping pages! This was the ABSOLUTE HARDEST book, I've ever read, I really could not put it down.

Coming into this book I wanted more about Roland and Roland in relation to Kate. I needed that this time. And I got some of what I wanted. We didn't get Roland, himself, but we did get closer and learned more in that arena. That appeased me greatly, and I look forward to getting closer to Roland as the books go. I want to know more on Roland with Kate and I thought this could get interesting with this area of the story. It is getting interesting, the connection made to Kate, and more that can come. I NEED to see what happens with Kate, and with Kate and Curran.

Oh goodness! Just go read the book already!!!

AMAZING!
OUTSTANDING!
FANTASTIC!
This book has me on adjective overload! There are so many more words I could use to describe my thoughts on this book, but honestly, none of them come close to the awesome that this book is.

I have decided that Curran is now to be called the Sexiest Beast Lord or His Furriness instead of plain Beast Lord. His Majesty was one of the best parts of this book. I literally jumped for joy whenever he appeared on the pages and swooned at his sexy form. I wanted to crawl into the pages and pet his fur and distract him away from Kate. Seriously, how can Kate even attempt to deny him? I would have crawled all over him in book one, but the authors wait until book four to give us Chapter 17! I read that chapter three times before moving on to the rest of the book.

In this installment of the series, Kate is up against not only the most powerful enemy yet, but she is also up against her Aunt Erra. That's right readers -- we get to see her go up against her Father Roland's sister. Erra also happens to bring disease wherever she goes at thinks she can defeat Kate. Be prepared for a blood bath when these two collide several times in the book.

Not only can Ilona Andrews deliver the perfect story of suspense, fantasy, fighting and honor, but the author can also deliver some of the best witty and humorous dialogue throughout the chaos. I found so many quotes in this book that I would love to share, but then I would have to quote the whole book!

I have found this series to be a new favorite of mine and has made me discover that Urban Fantasy can be just as great as other genres. I can't wait to get my hands on the next book and pick up where Magic Bleeds ends.

Plot Summary: At the end of book three, Kate and Curran set up a highly anticipated dinner date, with some interesting terms. Magic Bleeds opens on this momentous day, and events do not unfold according to plan. What does happen pisses Kate off royally, and she gets over it by stomping around Atlanta after a strange bad guy who likes to spread nasty diseases. This installment is all about explosive encounters between Kate and Curran, and between Kate and the bad guys, and it doesn't get any better than this.

I can't really say that I read Magic Bleeds, because I was inhaling it at super-human speeds; it's more accurate to say that I slammed it back like a shot of whiskey. I literally lost track of time while reading, and when I finally surfaced for air, it was past 7 p.m., and I had forgotten to put dinner on the table for my kids! Yes, this book turned me into the world's worst mother for about five hours. It's a good thing that stories like Magic Bleeds don't come along every day, or I'd be in serious trouble.

I was deliriously punch-drunk after completing Ilona Andrews fourth stellar novel in the Kate Daniels series. It was everything I'd hoped it would be. This is a pivotal installment where a lot of issues come to a head - Kate & Curran's relationship, Kate's career at the Order, and her secret family issues - and it turns the reader into a compulsive zombie. This book is unputdownable. Is that a real word? I don't know, but it describes how I felt about Magic Bleeds from the first page to the last.

Okay, that's all I'm going to say here, because I don't want to give anything away. If you haven't started this urban fantasy series - the best one I've ever read - then here's the reading order:

The Kate Daniels Series
Magic Bites (Kate Daniels, Book 1)
Magic Burns (Kate Daniels, Book 2)
Magic Strikes (Kate Daniels, Book 3)
Magic Bleeds (Kate Daniels, Book 4)

My goodness...THIS BOOK.

I loved it so, so, SO much! Every moment, every scene, every line. Everything! Even the mythology was spot on this time. That Erra was nasty. It's hard to believe she's related to Kate. Ugh.

The beginning was so exciting, with Kate preparing the naked dinner and all, but then everything went wrong, and I was almost pulling my hair out, where the hell was Curran?! But the writers were right; it would have been too soon to have them all over each other, they needed just a little bit more of suffering. xD And when the time finally came for them to be together: OH. BOY. Run for your lives, people!

I absolutely *loved* the phantom poodle, Grendel, and I kind of missed him at the end, because after the battle he went MIA, but then again I was so scared for Curran that I couldn't really care for any other character. Those final moments were CRAZY GOOD!!

Kate kicking ass at the Keep blew my mind away - so funny how everyone kept telling her: "go easy, don't challenge the alphas" and she goes in there and pretty much challenges everyone. She's the biggest badass, EVER. (o.o)

I can't even imagine what the next book will be like, but I can't help to think that maybe, just maybe, Roland will finally come into action... on the other hand, there are 2 more books scheduled for this series after Magic Slays, so he could make Kate wait a little longer... *scared anyway* (Stay away, douche!)

This is the 4th book in the Kate Daniels series by Ilona Andrews. Right now there are seven books contracted for this series. Believe it or not, this book was even better than Magic Strikes, book 3. These books keep getting better and better...I mean just wow! I absolutely loved this book. I listened to this on audio book and the audio books are very, very well done.

Kate gets a call for help from a bar. She arrives to find that there a shapeshifter dead and infected with a virulent disease. As she tries to track down the magic user spreading the disease she finds out that this is no ordinary bad person. Someone from Kate's family is in town and they want to bring down Kate and all of Atlanta with her. Kate's position in the Order becomes shaky as the lead Knight of the Order forces Kate to choose between saving lives and following protocol. Things are also especially tense between Kate and Curran; especially when Curran fails to show for a special dinner date.

This was an awesome book. The Andrews (husband and wife writing team) do an excellent job with characterization, action scenes, and plot. The writing is darkly humorous, sardonic, engaging, and just all out fun to read. There are some pretty steamy scenes in this book and the Andrews do an excellent job capturing characters' vulnerable sides as well as their kick-ass attitudes.

So what was the most awesome part of the story? Well basically all of it. We learn a ton about Kate's family and past. Kate's new enemy is unbelievably powerful and brings along four excellent sidekicks in a mission to destroy Kate. It was wonderful to learn more details about Kate's childhood and crazy past. We also learn a lot about Curran's past; where he came from and what made him who he is.

The action scenes are spectacular and creative. The undead mages that Kate fights, fight dirty and Kate uses a lot of creative techniques to deal with them. This book helped fill out the world as a whole and tied a lot of things together.

Of course I have to mention the relationship between Kate and Curran. There relationship...matures a lot in this story. They still drive each other nuts, but I was happy to see how realistically and practically they dealt with the problems their relationship (or lack of one at points) causes. It was so nice to have two great characters compromise in ways that leads to a solid, if troublesome, relationship.

At the end of the book the main storyline in nicely wrapped up. There is still the overlying story-arc of Roland and what he will do if/when he discovers Kate is alive. I have been very happy with how these novels are done. They are well done, well planned, and have excellent characters. I enjoy the humor, action, and engaging plot. If I have one small complaint it is that Kate can get a bit melodramatic at times and approaches fights with a kind of "OMG we are all going to die attitude." She does this quite often and, being how many fights she's survived, I wish she had a bit more confidence in herself :-)

Overall loved this book. It is perfect. Can these books keep getting better and better? Well I will have to wait for book 5 to find out and I am eagerly,desperately waiting for book 5. Meanwhile I will have to settle with reading the Edge book, Bayou Moon (The Edge, Book 2), which is out in September. Also check out Silent Blade if you haven't. It is more of a romance than the Kate Daniels series but still an awesome story.

5 stars.

This series gets better and better with each book.

*************Some Spoilers Ahead*************

Kate is a character that in the first book I didn't love completely but with her caring about her friends, her loyalty, her strength, and her vulnerabilities she has quickly become one of my favorite female characters.

Although we didn't get a battle between Roland and Kate (yet, I have no doubt something big with happen with these two in the future) we did get big battle between Kate and Erra. I was very impressed and didn't mind at all that the Roland and Kate fight will have to wait.

Curran & Kate, I love them. I love them together, I love separate, I just love them completely. In the first part of the book I felt Kate's pain at the disastrous dinner date and although I was sure all was not as it seemed I still wanted to pop Curran in the nose a couple times. So glad that it wasn't Curran's doing, the only issue I had (and I might have missed it) was why did the person Kate called tell her that Curran didn't want to talk to her and for her to go through Jim, again though I might have missed or forgotten that it was explained.

As always the background characters are wonderful. I do wish there was a little more Derek in this one but what we got with him was still good.

This series has quickly rocketed up to my favorites list and I can hardly wait to read Magic Slays.

In this book Kate is knee deep in trouble once again, as an unknown power is attempting to unleash a plague of disease on Atlanta. The Pack appear to be prime targets for the Steel Mary (as the villain is labeled). Kate has strong loyalties to The Pack--many members are close friends. More importantly Kate carries a torch for the Alpha, Curren.

Once again Andrews delivers a captivating and well written urban fantasy story. The villain is original and genuinely scary. There is a ton of action and violence. Plus we learn just a little more about the rules of magic, particularly Kate's personal powers. Ilona Andrew's shines when it comes to clever world building. As usual Kate is a bold, kickass heroine with a good heart, who grows with each book.

Now, as to the relationship between Kate and Curren--I was aware that this was the book when it was all supposed to be addressed. And I was really excited to see that happen. I don't want to get too specific and spoil anything, but...this book uses the Big Misunderstanding trope. Yeah...one person doesn't show up for a date, the other assumes it's because they don't care, and instead of actually talking about it (which would have fixed things in like 10 seconds) they decide to ignore one another and brood in silence. Now, this no talking, brooding thing does fit Kate and Curren's personalities. But I still felt like it was a pretty cheap plot device. Other than that though, I love these two as a couple and I was excited to see hints at their future together. And according to this book, lions can mate up to 30 times a day, so I think they'll be pretty happy.

*Side Note: Princess Bride references in this book earned the authors major brownie points.

I can't say enough good things about this series so far. I highly recommend it to any urban fantasy fan. 4.5 stars.

Originally Reviewed for Reading to Penguins

Magic Bleeds begins with Kate and Corran not on good terms. Things seem to be go from bad to worse between them when some shapeshifters keep dying by strange ways. Now Kate is out to figure out what is going on, and trying to deal with Corran as well. This book takes us on a crazy ride through Kate, and Curran's personal relationship. As well us showing us a knew threat that isn't just against the Pack, but against Kate as well. She knows know that she's basically being discovered and will soon be hunted by the man whose blood she shares. Then she has to deal with a whole lot of Pack politics because she's technically going to be a part of it now. And she's got drama going on with the Order, and Ted her boss.

Wow, it was crazy how much was actually in this book. So much happened, and Kate's life really took on a major turning point. And the ending of this was seriously awesome. I'm now super excited for the next book. I can not wait to see more of Kate, and Curran!!

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

The Kate Daniels series has everything you could possibly want in an urban fantasy. It starts out with an interesting world with waves of magic and technology, throws in a different take on vampires, and adds a strong were community. Then we have gods in the mix, as well as other extremely powerful beings, and some compelling characters too. On top of all that each book presents a solid mystery. Did I mention the romantic chase of a life time? Well all of that is here, and it all works well together.

Magic Bleeds has all of the characteristics that made the previous books in the series good, and I absolutely could not put this book down. If you have read the series, which I assume you have if you are on book four, then you know what is good about it. If you liked the previous installments, you will like this book. That being said, I gave Magic Bleeds four stars instead of five. First, there is a lot going on. I like that there is never a dull moment in this series, but the large number of bad guys and the many different threads of the investigation in this installment were a bit much at times. The numerous killings, the many demons, and the multiple people asking for help were a bit overwhelming. I'm sure they were overwhelming to the main character as well, which adds a bit of realism, but I can't help but think that some of it could have been removed entirely. Around page 200 after the first big battle my interest started to wane. I knew there could possibly be 6 more huge battles and everything seemed to have settled itself nicely around page 200. To me, it felt like the book went on and it didn't need to. All the mystery solving was complete at the time of the first fight, so the rest was just more fighting, and that was my least favorite part. When books turn from exciting to frantic they start to lose a bit of cohesion. I saw that happening a bit in Magic Bleeds. Too much action starts to get boring and makes me want to skip things. We know she is going to win the fight, let's move on the the next one. That was almost the case here, but I stuck through it and read it all.

I have to admit that I worry about my future enjoyment of this series. I can't say much for fear of spoilers, but the ending made me think this series may turn into Silver Borne, which I strongly disliked. I don't necessarily think that will be the case here because Kate is so strong, but the chase was one of the things I loved about this series and now that is over. Still, I look forward to the next book and seeing what kind of trouble everyone can manage to get into.

"Magic Bleeds" by Ilona Andrews is the perfect combination of a thrilling story and awesome characters. The mixture of lovely, funny, sexy and sad moments fascinated me completly.

Everything seems to go wrong in Kate Daniels life. Atlanta is threatened by some evil magic and Curran, lord of the beasts, seems to have lost interest in a realtionship with her. While Kate tries to unsolve the riddle about some deadly incidents she also has to deal with Curran. He is still very interested in Kate but has to work hard to convince her that they can have a future together. Because Kate fears that her family could be a huge danger for Curran and the other shapeshifters. In the end they have to overcome their issues and work together, because the evil they are fighting against is more dangerous than everything they had to deal with before.

"Magic Bleeds" is just amazing. From the first to the last sentence this book is perfect.
Kate is once again a kick-ass heroine. She is hard and merciless when it's needed but also compassionate and she always tries to shelter the people she cares about. Curran is just as stubborn as Kate and to see them take a big step in their realtionship was awesome. They finally get the change to life as an official pair and I loved all of their interactions. There are some hilarious scenes between them when they are still trying to find out where their realtionship will go and I had to laugh so much. After finishing this book I'm totally in love with the couple Kate and Curran and I hope that the future will be good to them. Their relationship will never be boring and I loved reading about their fights and about the tender moments between them.
It was also great to meet all of the other characters again and especially the relationship between Raphael and Andrea changes throughout the book. Some of the scenes in "Magic Bleeds" are heartbreaking and I really felt for what Kate had to do. However there's always hope and Kate is no longer alone, from now on Curran and she will fight side by side.

All in all this book is just perfect and I can't wait to read more by this amazing author duo.

I read a lot. I average about one paperback a day --and while I diligently rate each book with a star-rating, I have never taken the time to write a review before now. That I'm changing that now, is how great I thought this book was.

I'll admit, the covers on this series were a turn off for me. For some reason, a lion and a chick with a sword didn't suit my UF/PR tastes, which lean toward early Anita Blakes, Night Huntress, Dark Hunters & the like. But I finally succumbed to the the store Recommendations and the plethora of 5-star ratings for these books. I'm so glad I did.

This book was phenomenal. The action is fast; story development is clear and logical. The lead character, Kate Daniels, is extremely rootable. No Mary Sue... just a woman who is strong, but not perfect; loyal and brave. The supporting characters are endearing. I care what happens to them. And the love interest... Well, suffice it to say, the wait was worth it.

There is a reason that 99% of readers gave this book 5 stars. I'm not going into the plot here. I'm not going to spoil you. And anyone who has already read the preceding Kate Daniels won't need my influence to buy this one. I have no doubt they couldn't wait to get it, with no needed encouragement from me. BUT, if you've never picked up a book in this series, you should. Start with the first one Magic Bites (Kate Daniels, Book 1) and read the whole series. It gets better with every book.

The only complaint I have, is that I wish each one was longer. And that I have to wait more than 6 more months for Magic Slays (Kate Daniels, Book 5).

Let me just start by saying, I'm biased. I have been reading this series from book 1 and have loved every page of it. The heroine is strong, but not 'perfect' like you see in some fantasy novels. She doesn't keep discovering new and wonderful ways to use her magic/skills in moments of tension. Basically, she is what she is, and she uses what she has. She's a good swords-woman, not because she had a magic sword, but because she's been training with it every day of her life since she could walk. She doesn't see the hero (in book 1 ) and fall immediately into love (which I think is much more closer to lust when it's written about in books). In fact, she finds him irritating and arrogant and he thinks she's a glory-seeker (she most definitely is NOT). Bottom line, Kate is LIKABLE. She's a smart-ass, very funny, surprisingly smart, and she's loyal, which is a character trait that I particularly like. When she is friends with someone, then she is their friend, even if they turn out to have a hyena for a father. She accepts them as they are, which is such a rare thing.
Her relationship with the hero develops slowly, over 3 books and it is completely believable. They are both very strong personalities and they strike sparks off each other from the start. The portrayal of their relationship in book 4 was like a cool breeze on a hot day. They didn't suddenly get along perfectly once they were 'together'. Neither one of them had a dramatic change in personality once they were with the one they loved. They're both adults, sometimes they disagree, and they have to work through it. It was so realistic that I couldn't read a romance for 2 months, until the memory of their dialogue had fuzzed a little in my mind. I also adored they they didn't drag out the bloody romance. I can't tell you how sick and tired I am of reading a series and on book 9, the two main characters have still not resolved their relationship (terry goodkind's book of truth novels come to mind). In this book it comes up, they talk about it, they agree to give it a try, and then they do. Nothing crazy happens to make Kate change her mind, and Curran doesn't suddenly decide he can't handle the commitment, etc,etc. It was just so REFRESHING; I can't say enough about it! I had been afraid at the start that this would happen, that the authors would just DRAAAAAAAGGG the romance on in a transparent effort to keep readers interested, but happily, I was wrong. I should have had more faith in the husband-wife writing duo, and in the future, I shall.
The action stayed fast and intense as well, with secondary characters appearing in ways that make sense to the story, instead of place-card reminders. You know the kind of writing I mean. The last battle was dramatic, the aftermath nail-biting, and the ending happy smile-inducing. I laughed out loud multiple times while reading the book. In fact, I read it as fast as I could the second I got my hands on it, took about 10 minutes after I was finished to just bask in the happiness a well-written book can cause, then I flipped to page one and read it all again. I couldn't help myself.
Book 4 has definitely lived up to the great heights I had risen it to in my mind. I was no disappointed in a single thing about this book. Even the cover art was good! Amazing! If I could give the book an infinite amount of stars, I would. I re-read it quite frequently, and I think I'll go a little crazy waiting for book 5, which has just now hit the editing stage.
My recommendation: Start with book 1 and read on. You will not be disappointed, I promise. Phenomenal writing, fantastic world-building, and believable characters with believable strengths and weakness. One of the best series I've ever read, and I do not say that lightly.

4.75 sparkling stars! Way to ratchet up the sexual tension!
When last we were in the company of Kate & Curran the smoldering embers were primed for stoking. Alas, mixed messages and misunderstandings - or is that perfect understandings have kept them apart.

For this outing there seems to be an undead mage threatening the power brokers of Atlanta. This rampage allows us to gather quite a bit of information on all fronts, about Kate, Curran, Kate & Curran, the Guild, the Order and Saiman. That information overload was not just filler; it gave us closure to some items while providing springboards for new beginnings. In addition, Kate finally began to show signs of maturity. (Declarations of Intent notwithstanding.) The best villain to date of the series ever deserves the best action scenes to date and they are delivered on a grand scale. Curran takes his alpha-ness to the next level when after a 1 ½ week coma it only takes a bowl of soup to set him to rights (that must have been some soup)! The secondary and tertiary characters also stepped up to their roles providing humor, support, wit and conflict as necessary making this one of the stronger entries of the series.

I only thought I loved book 3 but I was very, very wrong, I actually liked it because I loved book 4!

Magic Bleeds, book four of the Kate Daniels urban fantasy series, takes Kate one step closer to her final confrontation with Roland. At this point in the story there is no way she can return to her regular life as a merc. I cannot say much more, because it would be a spoiler. Let's just say the stakes continue to rise.

A lot of Magic Bleeds is about Kate and Curran, and is less G-rated. The authors do a decent job of keeping this fresh and interesting, though the situation between them has been a long time coming. I wished there had been more of Derek, Julie, and Andrea and their stories. I have grown attached to them from previous books. Andrea has more show time than Derek and Julie.

The authors have built an interesting setting where technology and magic blend, with emphasis on the magic. The characters are fun. The dialogue is great, especially Kate's internal dialogue. There are a lot of slightly contrived fight scenes that are drawn out more than is generally my taste, but all in all, I recommend this book for fans of urban fantasy. The reader of the audio book has the characters voices exactly as I would imagine them.

Kate Daniels, employee for the Order of Knights of Merciful Aid can't catch a break - professionally or at home. At the end of the last book Kate promises Curran, Beast Lord, a dinner prepared naked. As she waits with all of his food requests scantily clad, he never shows up. When she calls The Keep to make sure he is alright, she is told by another member that he is busy and not to be disturbed. Kate is hurt and angry, thinking she is a fool that there could be something between them. Weeks go by and she avoids him at all costs. But her life has much more going on than just man troubles. She gets called to a scene where a shifter has been speared to a pole at a bar right between Pack and The People's (vampires) territory. Worse, he is diseased, and the disease has a mind of its own. Kate creates wards and calls in biohazard to help stop what could become an epidemic. Witnesses say a cloaked figure came in, the shifters literally started going crazy and all chaos broke out. After another attack, and more shifters go insane, Kate knows someone with serious power is out to do harm. When the Pack offer help, Kate and Curran are forced to deal with each other.

This series by the writing team of Ilona and Gordon Andrews is one of my favorites, and I think Magic Bleeds is my favorite installment yet. Kate Daniels is an awesome heroine and in this book we see her struggle with being the self assured, tough girl to battling rejection and feelings of hurt over her relationship with Curran. We also dive into Kate's family tree and I think they mystery and villain are very strong and intriguing in this one.

I also love the dynamics between Kate and Curran. Kate is so independent, so in control of her life - she is absolutely terrified of being rejected. When there is a miscommunication and Curran doesn't show up for his naked dinner, Kate closes down. She refuses to listen to reason, and builds up that very fragile wall she has erected around herself. But finally, in this book, Kate decides to take another chance - which is really tough for her. For both of them to give up an inch - to not always have the last say, is tough, but the reward is so intensely wonderful. Ilona Andrews amps up the number of pages devoted to their relationship in this one, and it pays off really well.

This series is just getting better and better. I honestly can't think of a single complaint I have about this book. The villain and romance are top-notch and the quality writing really sets this series apart.

The wait is actually (almost) worth it for the books in the Kate Daniels series by Ilona Andrews. Although the world is so complex, some details from the previous books were a little fuzzy when I read "Magic Bleeds", Andrews did such an incredible job with the writing that I didn't feel lost or confused. In this story, Kate is stood up by Curran, the beast lord, for dinner and won't speak with him. Her job with the Order of the Knights of Merciful Aid still has her working jobs others don't want. Now a man has walked into a bar and scared away many shapeshifters, and left a dead and diseased body in his wake. What this leads to takes Kate to her worse foe yet, and thats saying something. Others have said more about the plot, so I won't rehash too much of that. I want to comment on the unbelievably well drawn and consistent characters Andrews has introduced us to. Kate is the most human of any of urban fantasy's many heroines today. She is tough as nails and she can get the nastiest, scariest jobs done, but she is still a woman. She still can be hurt, not just physically but emotionally as well. Curran standing her up hurt Kate worse than anything we've seen since her mentor Greg died in the first book. She is sarcastic but not overly so...its enjoyable without ever being annoying. The relationship between Kate and Curran is probably the best I've read. I don't mind paranormal romances for the most part, but I just love a story where that isn't the focus. I don't love pages and pages of overdone emotional musings. The way Curran and Kate play off each other is amusing and endearing. This is a couple that I believe could stay interesting and strong even if/when they ever come to be truly together. I love the side characters and I absolutely adore this book's new addition. I hope he sticks around for a long while. Its fun watching Kate who has for some long kept relationships away, gaining more and more all the time. I came to this series for the action promised on the back cover, but I stay for the enjoyment I get out of spending time with Kate and the other characters. Still surprisingly stellar after four books, but if you haven't picked these up yet, please start with the first!

I'm not going to go into the plot details here, since it's been done plenty in prior reviews. I'd rather comment on the series as a whole. I've been reading the Kate Daniels books in order and have to say this is turning out to be one of my favorite series. Each book just gets better and better. They have everything - great descriptive action, wonderful imaginative storylines, detailed characters who continue to grow and change, and best of all, a strong heroine who kicks butt, but also gets hurt too. She's no "Mary Jane" like LKH's slutty Anita Blake. Kate is smart, wise and loyal, but can also be rash and impulsive. She puts the welfare of the people she loves before her own. There's nothing about Kate I don't like. I've read some series where you just don't like any of the characters, but I love them all in these books.

And Kate and Curran--I could go on and on, but I won't. Needless to say, how could anyone not adore this fierce, wickedly funny power couple who clearly belong together. I literally laughed out loud at some of their scenes. I love how their relationship has been growing slowly from book to book. I just hate it when a book has a couple meet and practically fall into bed after the first chapter or two and declare their undying love for one another before the end of the book. Ilona Andrews has gone to the top of my favorite author(s) list.

I'm so glad I pick up this series that even though after book 4 I'm still hooked. One of the best UF series that I like most is the Karen Mooning Fever series, despite the heroin MacKayla is annoying at times. Kate Daniels is my favourite heroin to date. What I like most is that she is very independent and she doesn't spent all her time with the hero. She had her own friends and job to do and she totally kiss ass. She is every woman inspiration. Only one little flaw is that she got hurt so many times, I'm wondering she might showing a hint of being immortal.

What drew me most is the witty dialogue and internal monologue that Kate had in her mind. She provide us with plenty of eye rolls and laugh out loud moments. I felt like quoting her sometimes. The funniest part in this installment, gotta be the scene whereby Curran chasing Saiman down. I'm thinking 'Saiman, you're so screwed'.

Talking about Curran, he is the first alpha male lead that manage to make me doubt my love for Fever series' enigmatic Barron. Barron used to me my no. 1. Now I'm wondering should I replaced him with Curran. Yes, Curran is that great! He is so real despite him being a werelion. The things is he said and the stuff he did makes me swoon.

Magic Bleeds opens with what has to be the best prologue of all time - it's that good. There is positively no contest here folks. In the interest of not becoming all spoiler-y, I won't go into details, but just know that after the dust settles, we are left with one mad Kate. Mad with a capital M. And it would be safe to assume that most of that barely controlled animosity is directed firmly at His Fuzziness, The Beast Lord, Curran. Fortunately for us, Kate isn't like the rest of world when she's furious. She's a teeny bit more dangerous since she never goes anywhere without her enchanted sword, Slayer, strapped to her back. That would add a little bit of swagger to any girl's stride.

So Kate's already seeing red when the Order of the Knights of Merciful Aid calls upon her to investigate a bar fight turned deadly. Upon her arrival, Kate finds not only an entire bar of spent brawlers who have no idea why they began fighting in the first place, but a man staked to a telephone pole, crawling with what appears to be a fast-multiplying, deadly disease. Kate contains the disease (barely) but then finds herself up against all sorts of obstacles upon discovering that the victim was a shapeshifter and therefore part of Curran's territory. Not someone she really wants to deal with at the moment. But as the plague-spreading culprit strikes again and again, Kate realizes she's gonna have to call in every favor and rely upon every weapon in her arsenal before this newest enemy can wreck complete destruction on the city of Atlanta. And that means working together with the Order, the Guild, the People, and most importantly the Pack to control this centuries-old evil from destroying everything Kate holds close.

I can feel myself starting to grin like a idiot right now because I've just got to say it: This. Book. Is. Awesome. And then some. Like if Awesome and Mind-Blowing went and had a love child it would be called Magic Bleeds. It's been obvious since day one that husband and wife writer duo Ilona Andrews has had a plan in store for Kate (and us), but "Magic Bleeds" just went and and blew all my expectations right out of the park.

Weighing in as one of my top picks of 2009, "Magic Strikes" set the bar pretty dang high as far as impressive books go: we finally got to know Kate's Big Secret and saw some very nice relationship development between her and Curran (roar). I wasn't sure it would be possible but it's like "Magic Bleeds" took those eye-popping elements and then ramped up the intensity, the action, and the sizzle (whoa baby) one-hundred fold. Magic Bleeds simply delivers.

And dang it, but every time I'm enjoying watching Kate kick some serious butt, I end up forgetting just how frightfully brilliant she is. The girl is a total sword-swinging killing machine; too often taken for a simple mercenary with nothing much going on upstairs. Not so. Kate is infinitely more capable - and deadly. Sometimes it's hard to remember that not only has Kate been training as a warrior since age two (or earlier), she's also been getting a comprehensive education in mythology, history, and magic at the same time. It's not until she rattles off the minutiae of some obscure, ancient belief system at the drop of a hat to stunned audiences that I remind myself to pick my jaw up off the floor and just turn the page. She's just that good and I cannot even begin to explain how skillfully her story has been crafted. It's okay, we all want to be Kate. Go ahead and admit it. You'll feel much better after you do.

Listened for Fun (Audible)
Overall Rating: 4.50
Story Rating: 4.25
Character Rating: 4.75

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

First Thought when Finished: Oh that end!

Quick Thoughts:Magic Bleeds by Ilona Andrews was the most heart-tugging and emotionally wrenching story to date. THANKS BE that I already have the next one ready to go. Also can I just say that it is about FREAKING TIME!

Audio Thoughts:

Narrated By Renée Raudman / Length: 13 hrs and 7 mins

Oh just listen to these already. I could wax on forever and ever about how great this team is but you will need to listen to understand!

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

This is more of a review of the entire series, because it is one that has really impressed me. I'm not much for detailing the plot -- there are plenty that do it on reviews.
I am an avid reader of urban fantasy and PNR, and I have to say, Kate and Curran's story gets better with every book.
This is a series that I would strongly recommend is read in the proper order (Magic Bites, Magic Burns, Magic Strikes and Magic Bleeds). It is paramount for the build up of action, the getting to know and caring about the characters, and of course the understanding of the conflict and sexual tension. Although these books may be incorrectly cataloged as paranormal romance (it is more urban fantasy, IMO), they definitely have their share of romance. Kate and Curran's story will make you laugh out loud, bite your fingernails while sitting on the edge of your seat, and at times bring tears to your eyes. You'll find yourself easily caught in the action (there us plenty of that), the mystery and suspense (plenty of that, too) and of course the teasing, the smart mouthing and the fast, intense dialogue. And then there is the tenderness that builds up throughout all four books, the romance and the epic demonstrations of loyalty and true love (ick, this is mushy).

I would recommend these books for adults and YA that are not bothered by more adult themes. Not because of the sex (somewhat explicit but not intense as other series), but there is plenty of blood and gore as would be expected in urban fantasies for adults. And some themes can be pretty horrific. So if you have kids that are still in their teens and like UF, read this one yourself first and then decide.

4.5 stars

The book starts where the last one ended. Kate is preparing a dinner for Curran as a payment for a lost bet, but then he never shows up. She's furious but decides to act like nothing happened. Then villain comes around who plans on getting rid of the shapeshifters.

Let me start this by saying that now I'm officially Curran fangirl. And maybe just a bit Jim, and teeny tiny bit Derek.... Okay moving on...

We finally see some progressing on Kate's and Curran's relationship even though I'm sad we don't see the dinner she promised to make. That would have been entertaining. Kate seems to grow as a person in every book and Curran is trying to learn to share and both are trying very hard making it work.

We learn more about Kate's family and that's always interesting stuff. Can't wait for Kate to meet her dad one day.

I'm starting to run out of ways to describe the awesomeness of this series but I really loved this. There was more of Curran but less of Derek and I'm starting to hope more of Jim in future books. Oh the problem of too many hot men!

I had no idea a book of this quality and adventure existed.

I have been searching for a series besides Mercedes Lacky's and Yasmine Galenorn's complete series.

I started with "Magic Bleeds" and absolutely loved it!

Kate is the independent investigator character I did not expect to champion in each chapter of this book. She is in the Order and following the rules of the Knighthood. She's trying to save Atlanta from the magical plague of Steel Mary. Everything she holds dear could be lost at any moment.

That moment comes. She scrambles. She learns more about her magical family and heritage. Then, she fights for everything she knows.

What she doesn't know is Curran's love will also hold her fast in the storm of the Steel Mary and her heritage has never been more needed in this do it all fight to save the world.

Complex characters. Intrigue. Politics and good all drag 'em out fights. Plus love.

In this installment we are finally getting some real info on Kate, more of her past and her heritage is revealed.
A New Nemesis shows up caring illness that can affect shapechangers and make them go loup.
And when the mystery is revealed Kate will have to fight for her and her friends life's.

Kate&Curran are officially my favorite couple. The antics these two pull, I can't even...
Curran is setting an ultimatum and Kate is the one who has to answer, no running this time.
I loved Curran didn't even flinch at the revelation of the past.

Did I mention the new sidekick, but this time there's no snark, but a lot more fur (oops hair I mean)
A real fighting poodle.

This book left me a slobbering mess. We finally see what Kate is like when fighting for someone else, especially if that "someone" is the person she loves most in the world.
Kate is scary crazy.
I love how Curran is not promising her the stars (he knows she would shoot them down) instead he promises her today and tomorrow if they're still alive, and he will fight for that.

Derek climbed up the Clan pole (Woot!) he's so cool now. I always get the siblings feeling whenever he and Kate interact, you can see how much he's attached to her and how much she dotes on him.
In the future, I want more of that.

The Nr.1 spot for most disappointing character goes to...... (Drum roll please)..... Andrea.
Yes, can you believe it, I am so pissed at her. And I hope she gets her shit in order, or else.

This book was the most personal for Kate, from the choices she made trough the reprobate who could destroy her and everything and everyone else she came to love.

The ending is like a calm in the storm, you know there is shit about to happen in the sequels, but you have no choice but to wait it out.

This is probably the grimmest and yet most hopeful books of the entire series so far and just that fact makes it the best in my opinion.

Kate is a kick-@ss heroine that is used to fending for herself, but in the last three installments she somehow managed to acquire friends, family and people that care about her as much as she cares about them, which goes against her earliest training of self-sufficiency.

Kate finds herself tied more and more tightly to Atlanta's Pack in which seven clans of shapeshifters led by Curran, the Beast Lord (who is Kate's love interest) coexist with The People (vampires and their handlers) and the normal run-of-the-mill humanity. Magic and Technology war with each other in post-shift Atlanta and Kate, a mercenary and a representative in the Order of Merciful Aid helps keep the peace (to an extent anyway since Kate being Kate causes a disturbance or two).

In this book much is revealed in regards to both Kate and Curran's pasts. This means that much is also done to further (and hinder) their romantic relationship.

This is a must-read book but I think it's essential to have a good grasp on the first three books before you pick up this one. It is an awesome series and I'm already anxious for the next book.

Kate and Curran just moved up to the top of my all-time favorite paranormal couples. I'm a big fan of Jeaniene Frost's Cat and Bones and they used to be my favorite until I read Ilona Andrews' Kate Daniel series. All I can tell you is that I was HOOKED at the first book. The dynamic between Kate and Curran is simply irresistible and I just want to keep on reading and reading about them. But other than that, I've grown to really love the supporting characters like Andrea, Jim, Saiman, and even Ted! If Grendel the dog could talk, I'd bet he'd be similar to the demon/dog (who's named Jim!) of Kate Macalister's Aisling Grey series! Still though, Grendel is a character onto himself. I loved the way Kate "tolerated" her new pet.

I rate this book five stars because simply put, it's AMAZING. I was so upset that it wasn't on Kindle on the day of its release that I bought the ebook version from Barnes and Noble!! Then I spent all night reading it on my computer! But I see now that the store finally has a Kindle version (HURRAY!!) so by golly, I bought that too. (I heart my Kindle DX!)

Magic Bleeds by Ilona Andrews is hands down the best of the series (so far). The story had the perfect blend of mystery, suspense, romance and humor that drew me in and kept me intrigued cover to cover. There are multiple storylines going on in this book and it is that depth of storyline that makes "Magic Bleeds" such an amazing book.

The primary story is the introduction of Erra, the bringer of the seven plagues. Erra has a past that is tightly connected to Kate and we are further introduced into Kate's background and the reasons that she is so cautious and guarded with her personal life.

My favorite storyline was the relationship between Curran and Kate. The book starts off with Kate being stood up by Curran, on their first "date" and let me tell you, hell hath no fury like a woman stood up! The series of miscommunications between Kate and Curran are classic, but serves the purpose of allowing each of them to determine what they really want out of their relationship and what they are willing to give.

In conclusion "Magic Bleeds" is a really fabulous book. If you like Urban Fantasy, depth of story and characters, you'll enjoy this book.

Kate Daniels pays her lost bet to the Beast Lord Curran with a meal she prepares. However, when he fails to collect, Kate becomes outraged by his affront and humiliated as she wanted to see him. Fuming, she declares war on Curran; leading to not talking, emailing or twittering one another.

However, a truce is needed when a "Steel Mary" plague carrier arrives in Atlanta planning to kill shapeshifters; collateral damage of the innocent being acceptable. The Order of Merciful Aid assigns Kate to hunt down the lethal Steel Mary using whatever force is necessary to end the deadly plague. However, as Kate, with Curran's reluctant help, closes in on the deadly visitor, she fears she knows who macabre murdering Mary is.

The latest marvelous "Magic" urban fantasy (see Magic Bites, Magic Burns, and Magic Strikes) is a terrific entry filled with a deadly dangerous inquiry balanced by jocular domestic pandemonium. Kate is kissable and killable as she works the Steel Mary plague case as well as her personal hostility with Curran. She and readers will wonder which side is the more dangerous combat to the heroine as Ilona Andrews provides another powerful Magical Mystery Tour of Atlanta.

Harriet Klausner

5/5 Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
This is one if the best series I've ever read! Every book just gets better. Kate and Curran now have a solid relationship. I like the way they act when there around each other it is so funny!! I will for sure be reading the next book in the Kate Daniels series. I would totally recommend this book to anyone who love magic, shape shifters and romance.

This is Andrews' best book yet. It kept me engaged the entire time, and she's really come up with an inventive villain in this outing. Updated ancient gods are the big thing since Gaiman's American Gods, but Andrews put a very clever spin on the trope, something I did not expect and was refreshing (if scary as hell).

Kate Daniels definitely falls into the standard "kick-ass renegade heroine"-type, but she's smart, strong yet human, and completely beguiling. My only quibble is with her relationship with the muscle-bound hyper-macho were-lion Curran, which unfortunately strays into bodice-ripper romance novel cliches every now and then. He does nothing for me as a character (I find the bizarre Saiman and the gorgeous bouda Raphael far more interesting), but as he's Kate's big love I suppose I'll have to endure his presence.

Apart from that, this is a very good urban fantasy: exciting, imaginative, and affecting.

Kate Daniels and Curran's relationship come to a head they are facing disaster of epic proportions. Kate's Aunt Erra has come to town to play. Otherwise known as the Babylonian god of chaos, plague, terror, and war, she causes as must death and destruction as she can. Piloting the 7 undead warriors Deluge, Tremor, Gale, Torch, Venom, Beast, and Darkness - her ultimate goal is to level Atlanta to the ground. Discovering that Kate's related is just a side benefit. Kate on the other hand, is terrified that she can't win against a 6 thousand year old demigod and that if miraculously does, her father Roland will come to investigate.

I just eat these series up. I have always loved a strong female lead in my books and Kate takes the crown. She is tough, witty, and always finds a way to save the day - even if it isn't easy. She never runs from a fight and always fights for what she thinks is right. Given the chance I will suggest to anyone and everyone to try out this series - you won't regret it.

This is such a good series. Kate is a very independent woman but she is in love with the pack leader. Their relationship is spark filled, both romantic and tempermental. In this story one of Kate's relatives finds her and tries to kill her along with many shape shifter, humans and anyone else - she likes killing. Curren and Kate are having misunderstandings and the person over her where she works does not trust her and she finds out he would like to see the end of shape shifters. Kate is not one, but Curren is and many of her friends are. She has a lot of decisions to make. Remain loyal to the order in spite of her boss? Work things out with Curren? Stand up to her Aunt who is like a horrible God, or get out of there. Hard to put down.

I am still speechless. It may be the best book in the series so far, and I didn't think that anything could be better than Midnight Games. She - I say she even though it is a husband and wife team, because she does most of the actual writing - is one of the very, very few authors whose books I finish - and immediately re-read.

If you are unfamiliar with this series, please start at the first book. I promise, it will be well worth your time. The characters are unforgettable and the setting ... I guarantee you'll never think of Atlanta the same way again.

Also, check out her new series, The Edge. If possible, I liked it even better than the Kate series. I read the first book (the only one out) three times in a row.

Just an observation - this is the book where for the first time, it really sank in that Curran is a king. A real king. I love that we get to see what is going on in Curran's head.

Just a hint, but I would just love to see more novellas about characters in this series, like the one about Andrea and Raphael that came out in the anthology Must Love Hellhounds, particularly one with more Julie and Derek.

I'm actually reading this series in order for a change and watching the relationships slowly progress has been as enjoyable as the fast paced fantasy aspects that encompass each installment. When this one starts Kate is thisclose to caving in to Curran's charms but things don't turn out the way anyone expects. And I liked that. It kept me guessing instead of petering out and leaving me bored. Nothing is going to be easy for these two.

This was my favorite of the series, the urban fantasy subplot was interesting in that it was so closely tied to Kate and seemed to flow naturally, it didn't seem like a tacked on throwaway monster of the week sort of thing too common in these sorts of books. I adored the new canine sidekick, of course, and Kate and Curran's relationship takes a giant leap here only after some minor bumps, missteps and some craftily placed super glue. This book was exciting, fun and it made me teary. 5 stars. I don't know how she can improve on this one but I'll be anxiously waiting to see what happens next.

Ilona Andrews has offically become my favorite author. So far, both her series, have totally entranced me. Kate Daniels is such a kick a** character. She's tough, smart, (even though she doesn't realize it), and flawed. I love the way Andrews combines mystery, fantasy, action, and romance in her novels. There is never more one than the other. Her scene discriptions are right on, even the fight scenes. Her secondary characters are well rounded and are not there just to fill space.

In this one, Kate is asked to handle a strange attack at a local bar. This mysterious creature has her questioning her parentage, her ability, and her relationship with the shapeshifters. An added bonus, Kate and Curran, attempt to bring their relationship a step futher.

What is most enjoyable for me in Andrew's novels, is her ability to create such witty, smart, and funny characters. Kate's quips and comments on her life and unusual situations truly make this series a fun read. I highly recommend Andrew's novels.

A lot of things finally fell into place during Magic Bleeds, thank god. I am still very much enjoying the story lines and characters; I can't wait to start the next book. I have to confess I became very annoyed/frustrated and even to a point angry with the interactions between Kate and Curran for most of the book. As a reader I have my own personal limit with how long I can deal with things being drawn out and my personal line was definitely crossed. I listened to the audio book for most of the story but did read some.

This review contains some spoilers.

Ilona Andrews, how I love thee? Let me count the ways!!

Ilona and Gordon are a prime example of writers who only get better with time. Not only are they good, they are consistently good, which is a rare and precious trait. Pick up any of their novels or short stories and you will see what I mean. Still, even with the bar set so high, nowhere are these superlative qualities as evident as in this fourth book in the Kate Daniels series.

I won't go into detail about the plot - it's been well covered by other reviewers before me. Suffice it to say, it's completely engrossing. The important thing is that Magic Bleeds is the book in the series where major changes take place: many bridges are burned, and some new ones are built to last a lifetime. We go deeper into the story arc, learn more about the characters, and watch as events shape up for future developments. Most importantly however, we get to see the relationship between Kate and Curran reach a point of no return.

I can hardly remember the last time I derived so much pleasure from reading about a fictional relationship between two characters. Kate and Curran are worthy of each other and have grown immensely throughout the books. Their mutual devotion, respect and real, unsentimental yet heartbreakingly beautiful love for each other are all reflections of the characters themselves, and of the writers' unique ability to create a fictional relationship that is complex, tense, challenging, and incredibly satisfying. This is a perfect example of two people meant to be together, not because of their attraction, but because of their desire to give everything they have, commit themselves completely to giving their love a chance. Despite many past mistakes, Kate and Curran reach a point when they become worthy of each other. They become a unit, a team, a partnership. They accept each other completely, warts and all (and are given some hilarious dialogue in the process). Their relationship is a beautiful thing to behold.

I can wax nostalgic ad nauseam about my love for the characters. However, this review would not be complete without mentioning, once again, just how superlative the world building is in these books. In fact, pick up any other book of Ilona's, even a short story, and you will find whole worlds drawn in bold strokes in those pages. Characterization is excellent as always; the plot is engaging and the action keeps the readers at the edge of their seats. It's so vividly and deftly described, one can almost see a little action movie playing in one's head. I also love how unflinching and unapologetic the writers are, in every single way - when describing a terrifying foe, a horrible act, or when relating the inner struggles of their characters. It's raw and honest and unsentimental, in because of that, makes for some of the most moving, profound and emotionally honest writing you can find in today's paranormal genre.

So what's my conclusion? Unequivocally, go forth and buy the book, but make sure you buy and read the first three in the series, first. Trust me, it will only take you a couple of days to go through them all (sleeping, eating and communicating with the outside world will all become irrelevant during that time). And then you'll want more, which will lead you to the authors' other series set in the world of Edge, as well as short stories and novellas. I would also recommend visiting their website where they both write a hilarious blog. In short, most highly recommended - but beware, also highly addictive, or in other words, just what a great book ought to be.

I'm not sure why I am doing a review since there are already 33 5-starred reviews. I guess I have to join in the raves. It is so enjoyable to read such a well-written urban fantasy novel as this is. Ilona Andrews is two people, a husband and wife team, but I think it is the wife who is the wordsmith. While I'm sure he does his part with plot development and story lines, I've read her blog about writing. She obviously thinks how to craft words, sentences, paragraphs, and chapters so they not only tell the story but they weave the reader into the story.

The plots are well-thought out and the storylines engrossing, but it is the wordsmithing that is truly wonderful. Let me give you an example:

"The Steel Horse occupied an ugly bunker of a building: squat, brick, and reinforced with two steel bars over the windows and a metal door about two and a quarter inches thick. I knew how thick the door was because Marigold had just trotted past it. Someone had ripped the door off its hinges and tossed it across the street..."

In this one paragraph, she gave us a basic description of the bar along with a sense of danger and a small laugh. I smiled when I read it. I also love her vampires--no romantic figures who walk around brooding and have hot sex. Andrews' vampires are mindless, blood-lusting demons who are mine-controlled by necromancers. Some of the funniest moments are Kate interacting with a necromancer through a vampire. Such as when the controller has the vampire vomit up a metal cylinder. (Kate) "That's disgusting." "He is thirty years old," Glastek said. "All his internal organs...atrophied long ago. The throat makes for a very good storage cavity. People seem to prefer it to the anus."

You need to read this series, but you have to start with the first book. Andrews develops the characters from book to book and you don't won't to miss out on any of it.

I did not think that it was possible for this excellent series to get any better, but I am happy to say that I was wrong. Ms. Daniels has exceeded all of my expectations with this book. The combination of outstanding worldbuilding, memorable and unusual characters, and a totally gripping story make this book far and away the best story that I have read this year. I have always loved the Kate Daniels series, particularly the explosive, sensual, at times funny relationship between her and the Beast Lord. The plot is also loaded with action scenes, at times more than a bit violent, but always very exciting. All of the best and worst characters from the previous books are present with the addition of one very scary villain. I was on the edge of my seat in anticipation of what was going to happen next and whether or not my favorite characters were going to survive this one. This must read for fans of Kate Daniels and the Urban Fantasy genre. - Maura Frankman

Magic Bleeds is yet another example in this series of how fun it can be to read an extremely well written urban fantasy. There's so much right with this novel. It's possible to read these novels out of order, but you'll get the full effect of all the different plots and sub plots if you read them as they were written - in order. We get to see a bit of Kate's awkwardly evolving friendships - she never did learn how to have friends, and doesn't know how a friendship really works. Her relationship with Curran remains explosively satisfying to read. Kate Daniels also remains satisfyingly assertive and aggressive.

While each of the books in the Kate Daniels series seems to be better than the last book, I don't think that I would be able to pick a favorite out of them all. There's not many series that I can say I absolutely enjoyed every aspect of each book. There's always at least one book that I don't like as much as the others, but not so with this series.

So Kate's got a cray-cray Aunt that comes to town to bring end of the world catastrophes and diseases and stuff to humans and shape-shifters alike. Just another day in the life.

This was a good book. A lot really happens here, esp. involving Kate and Curran. Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes. I know I'm reading this one after the fact and most people here have already devoured it and moved on, but in my view, Ilona Andrews really knows how to do the world-building thing. Other urban fantasy authors are really gonna have to step their game up now that this formidable writing team is around and here to stay.

Loved it!

Ilona Andrew's Kate Daniels series is one of my new favorites. I love the writing style, and the story line. Kate is a kick ass woman with something special about her. We are told that it's something about her bloodline, but as of this book in the series, don't know exactly what that might be. The sexual tension between the Beast King and Kate is palpable as we get glimpses into their personal struggles with their demons as well as those they fight in a world filled with magic gone awry.
This book is another one that will lead me to seek out the next in the series because I just can't get enough. I want to know more about what makes them tick, what makes them who they are.
Magic Bleeds is a good Ilona Andrews book, and if you're one of her fans you'll want to read this book.

There's a lot going on for Kate in this book as she finds herself struggling to keep up with the whirlwind of events that are thrown at her. There are no dull moments; I could hardly put the book down. Someone is trying to bring a plague of magical proportions to Atlanta, and it's strong enough to infect even the shape shifters. Meanwhile, some magic-wielding undead attack the People's casino. Kate also realizes her family is in town, which is never a good thing when your family would like nothing more than to kill you and everyone you know and love.

From the beginning of the book, Kate and Curran's relationship is at its breaking point. They have to decide if they're going forward with it or not. This means there are some tough decisions for Kate--she doesn't like burdening others with her problems, nor does she want to talk about her father. We learn more about Curran's past, and a little about his own powerful magic.

Things are brewing between Andrea and Raphael as well (which will mean more to you if you read their short story in the Must Love Hellhounds anthology).

Overall, this was one of the most entertaining books I've read. It has laugh out loud funny moments, action, drama, and romance. Andrews' still takes time to flesh out the story and tie up some critical loose ends, while still leaving enough open to make me eager for the next book.

All I can say is...from the second I cracked the cover of Magic Bleeds, I could not put it down, and when I got to the last 20/30 pages or so, I was, really, truly sad because I knew the book was about to be over. I couldn't stop reading! But I didn't want it to end! Oh, Ilona Andrews, it hurts to finish your books because they are so very good.

Magic Bleeds is full of fantastic twists and turns and I don't want to give too much away. Before the release, the author pair of Ilona Andrews teased us with a few little tidbits. We learned, for example, that we'd finally get resolution on the Curran/Kate relationship; it was time for them to become a couple or part ways for good. And then the book starts out, in the first chapter, with Kate sitting around hours after the fancy dinner she'd prepared for him has gotten cold, still in the fancy lingerie she'd agreed to wear, wondering why Curran stood her up. Without giving away the ending here (is anyone really in doubt? But let's pretend...), the opening chapter is a sign that even if we'll get some much-needed resolution, it's not going to arrive early or come easy.

Anything involving Curran and Kate kind of makes me melt, but to tell the truth, when I found out why Curran's people insulted and stonewalled Kate when she called about the dinner, I kind of didn't buy the answer. It was my least favorite part of the book and I didn't find it all that believable. But after that hiccup, the rest unrolls naturally and is delightful.

The big baddie this time takes us a little closer in the series-arc plot of Kate's plan to murder her father, Roland. Kate is more and more out about her true identity. She's not ready to proclaim it from the rooftops, but after the end of book 3, lying low isn't really an option. As the book progresses, Kate takes a lot of risks and a fair number of people get a glimpse of her true abilities. The cat's going to be out of the bag very soon.

So the villain in Magic Bleeds is closely connected to Roland, and we learn a lot more about him. I really, really enjoyed this aspect of the book - I have a much clearer picture of Roland now than I ever did before, who he is and what he's about, and a better understanding of exactly what a Big Deal he is. While we're absorbing all this info, Kate battles - yet again - an adversary that physically and magically outmatches her.

The Kate Daniels series gets better with every book. The world seems more real, more complex, more fascinating, and I'm so eager to jump in and spend some time with all the characters I've grown to know and love. There were some pretty big issues that I would have liked to see dealt with more fully (the Saiman sub-plot gears up to go somewhere very dramatic and then fizzles; Kate's surprising alliance with a crocodile requires more explanation; some surprising developments with the Order seemed a little sudden) but one book can only cover so much & I think what I'm really saying here is, you know, why couldn't it be two or three books, or ten, all released at once so I can gobble them up.

As it always seems to happen, mercenary Kate Daniels is more than ten hours into her shift, her jeans are covered in lizard spit, and she has yet to eat lunch or dinner. Working as a rep for the Order with Friend of the Pack status keeps her busy and in demand. Right when she thinks she can't handle anymore sleep and food deprivation, she'll get a call from telepathic secretary Maxine who through her mind-reading will ask Kate if she can take one more job. And knowing Kate, she never says no. This time it's a murder at the border bar The Steel Horse. What she knows is the attacker was caped and bred fear and violence in his wake before killing one man and turning his body into a ticking disease epidemic. With all the blood, guts, and monsters Kate has seen, this may be her grossest and most mysterious crime yet. Racing from new attack and infected victim, Kate only barely manages to prevent massive outbreaks and struggles to amass any clues to his identity while trying to avoid the Beast Lord Curran at all costs. Curran, who stood her up and hadn't come by since. Kate's personal and professional life collide when she discovers the possible involvement of her family and the dire threat this poses to the Pack, Curran, Julie, and all she cares about.

I was a squeeing fangirl in my need and anticipation for Magic Bleeds after the absolute awesomeness which was Magic Strikes. There was never any doubt in my mind that it wouldn't live up to my expectations. What unsurprisingly remained constant and a stand out for me is the extremely witty, laugh-out-loud first person sarcasm and oneliners of Kate. There'll always be a dozen that stand out and require restraint not to quote. What I didn't expect was to be blown out of the water by the unpredictable, action-filled plot and the depth and integrity of the characters. The main plot arc surrounding Kate and her hidden identity, the romance between Kate and Curran, and the inner politics of the Order, the Pack, and the People developed in ways I couldn't have seen but that were so much more gripping and astonishing then I could've imagined and made so much sense. What a relief that this series is in the hands of the adroit husband/wife writing team that is Ilona Andrews. That it was so hard and so many impossible choices and sacrifices were involved for all the characters was something I didn't anticipate. As you know, in Kate's mind it's not a possibility to endanger all those she loves with her parentage getting closer and closer to being uncovered by the outside world. She'd sever all her relationships and surrender her life just to protect those people rather than choosing her own happiness. There are absolutely no compromises for Kate and Curran but also for Andrea and Raphael, Jim, and painfully honest Saiman (whom I love, scheming immorality and all). Moral and ethical dilemmas abound but the characters remained true to themselves and ever the more intriguing and beloved because of it. There's nothing more to say really than to apologize to the non-fangirls for my exorbitant giddiness and declare my love for Ilona Andrews. She has definitely earned favorite author and auto-buy status with this book.

How unoriginal, I decided to give this one a four star grade too. I can't edge it up into the 5 star territory because, well, I just don't think it's that good. But it's better than average, so I can't give it only three stars. I wish we had half stars too. Then I could at least be a bit more specific about my grade.

Honestly, I expected this one to be better. I was doing alright, coasting along, reading the book... Until I found out who the main villain is. After that my expectations shot through the roof. I expected this battle to be huge. I was expecting heartfelt confessions and maybe a few breakdowns. I mean, look at who you're fighting! But, no... that's not what I got. The fight scenes were still cool of course, but it wasn't difficult enough for me.

Sure, Kate gets injured pretty bad a few times, but she always seems to get better so easily that it just doesn't have that much of an impact on me. She seemed to injure the villain just as bad (although the villain bounced back quicker). Also, it seemed ridiculously easy to kill those seven beings. How have they made it alive this long?

I did like learning more information from the villain. I wish we learned why Kate's ability that cropped up in the last book has gone kaput. I also liked that her injuries seemed more severe at the end and that she didn't just shrug them off. I don't want her to be injured, of course, but I need to see some repercussions or I'll never feel any sort of danger for the character. The scene at the end with Kate and the council was pretty awesome. I liked her style there. That's one way to scare the crap out of everyone.

So, why four stars instead of three? Well, I thought the character relationship parts were well done. I liked seeing more of Raphael and Andrea and I liked learning who Jim was sweet on. I enjoyed learning about the mating games the pack plays (and even seeing a few). Kate's idea of participating was particularly hilarious.

I liked that Kate didn't go all hysterical and psycho and storm the keep and make me embarrassed for her. It was nice to see her practice a little restraint for a bit. Poor Saiman, I don't think he's making any friends with the weres. His actions were understandable but severely misguided. No wonder he had to get so drunk.

So how's that for a change? I actually enjoyed the character relationships better than the action for once in this series. I'm interested in seeing the backlash of the events in this book and seeing the characters grow closer.

I enjoyed the author's other Edge book series very much and recommend it to anyone that likes fairy tales.

Having nothing else to read, I read this series. It is readable, but did not love it.

From the first to the fourth in this series, I've liked each new book better than the previous one. This fourth book was the best of the bunch. I enjoyed it tremendously.

Curran and Kate played some mating games. That was fun, because I just adore Curran to pieces. I was frustrated at some point that Kate was too reluctant to give into her feelings. But that I was just proof that was invested in their story.

One of the things I liked most about this book is that we got to see deeper into the shapeshifter world, including shapeshifter mating and politics. Also, Kate's best friend Andrea became more of a real person, as did Kate's boss Ted. Although the bad guys were extra cool and scary, it was really the characters' personalities that made this book great.

Oh Lord! I found a new favorite series! I absolutely loved this series from start to finish. It's strong & smart. The authors don't indulge - they have their heads on, are confident in their vision & it translates on the page.

Calling all Buffy fans! It reminded me a ton of Buffy. Very Whedon-esque all around. The dialog, the humor, delivery, is all spot on - never forced & administered with innate ease.

I thought it was a really tight series from the get.

The world building was very fully realized even from book 1, the plots were great, the pacing was excellent. The characters all rang true.

I adore Kate so much she might be my new fave female MC I have read yet. They just nailed her character.

Someone you would trust as your wingman to watch your back & with your private info who is intelligent, funny as hell (very dry), pragmatic, ruthless when she needs to be & when it comes to the people she cares for, yet she has humility. She is very cool & drawn realistically.

I can't say enough about it. I know I am in love (or close to) when there are moments when reading I smile to myself hugely or do a long shoulder shaking silent laugh & sometimes flip the book down & squee; "It's so good!Now this is what I am talking about!"

I've hyped it which is kind bad but I have been dying for a really good book series for such a long time & this fits the bill. I just really like their style (hubby & wife team authors).

****SPOILERS****

1st - I want to commend the authors for building a strong female friendship between Kate & Andrea which for me, is almost just as engaging as reading Kate with Curran.

In these series, there are so few good females friendships & when there are, they're bogged down with more "frenemy" issues or just plain boring b'c god forbid the friend outshines the MC, which is a real shame.

I'm concerned, at the end of this book, that Andrea may be heading into frenemy territory & I really hope Andrews doesn't relegate her to such undeserving status.

2nd - Another reason for my adoration is the directness between Curran & Kate. The smart, crisp dialog & interaction which, with each book has been straight up & honest (given the context) & has been brilliantly paced.

OK, I am going to struggle w/trying to articulate why this next bit is such a big deal to me but here we go...

Majority of the times we have the love triangle's dragged out laboriously. MC's who deny truth's to themselves or don't speak their truth's to the people they should be speaking it to. What we usually get is avoidance issues, deluded thinking, coyness, disingenuous regret, immature misunderstandings that play out like a Three's Company plot, etc..

What's different in this series is that with each book - Kate realistically grows to the point where four books in, she can freely admit she is madly in love in spite of the belief's she was raised with.

What I love is that Andrews simultaneously had us understand & believe Kate's plight (her background & current situation vs. what her very core truly wants for herself) w/out taking advantage of how easily those excuses could've been utilized.

Meaning.... they could've constantly used it as an excuse to keep Curran, Julie or anyone else at a distance & they didn't at all.

They did that by having Kate just simply own her truth & speak it when the appropriate time came. And they don't have her continuing to avoid or lie in order to protect people, which would've been easy to do in this series.

They don't use coy misunderstandings as ways to drag out the romantic tension, which again could've EASILY done with this book in particular. That whole dinner debacle was a major set-up for that kind of thing.

What they seem to be allowing her to to do is fight for what she wants.
They're actually allowing her character to have a life! To let people in. To truly grow b'c she is intelligent, capable & pretty honest amongst having many other great qualities. I freakin' LOVE that.

If Kate were real, I'd definitely be friends with her. Just like the authors, she has her stuff together & her head screwed on tight.

To me, the authors completely own their material & characters. They don't seem to be letting things get away from or ahead of them which I think happens too often. They just seem to really think it all through & not get overwhelmed or distracted & it really shows, IMO.

Their plots are tight. The characters & their reasoning's are all believable & understandable, even the psychos. I never had a moment's reading where I felt a character or plot went off page into WTF? territory.

There's no grasping for trite excuses, no overplayed or desperate plot devices...it's all just solidly written & crafted with keen thought behind it all. As an avid reader - I just appreciate that so much.

I really, really hope this series stays consistently good. It deserves to.

Magic Bleeds (2010) is the fourth Fantasy novel in the Kate Daniels series, following Magic Strikes. The initial volume in this sequence is Magic Bites.

In the previous volume, Kate was trying to talk an old lady banshee down from a utility pole. She put up a ladder and told her that it was very sturdy. The old lady let out a wail had the dogs and a wolf howling in harmony. Then the magic ended.

Kate put back the ladder and went back to her mule. Marigold had a swastika painted on her rump in green paint. A paint stick was laying on the ground, along with some blood and a tooth.

The magic had been down for two months. When it came back, the people of Atlanta had numerous problems. Kate had been working night and day since Wednesday. Now it was Friday and Kate was thinking about showers, bed and a piece of apple pit.

Maxine interrupted her thoughts to notify her of a dead shapeshifter at the corner of Ponce de Leon and Dead Cat. Kate headed for the location of the incident. On the way, she checked the ID of two lost vampires.

At the crime scene, she found Jim's crew looking for clues and cleaning up the site. She saw one of the crew pick up a human arm. The crime was now murder, but Jim insisted that it was Pack business.

In this novel, Kate Daniels is a Mercenary specializing in magic. She had been in the Order, but quit due to its regimentation. Now she is the Order's liaison with the Pack.

Curran is the Beast Master. He is the leader of the shapeshifters.

Jim is a shapeshifter. He is a jaguar and also Kate's partner.

Ted Moynhan is the knight-protector of the Atlanta Chapter of the Order of the Knights of Merciful Aid. He despises shapeshifters.

Maxine is the secretary at the headquarters of the Atlanta Chapter of the Order. She is a telepath.

Andrea is a Knight of the Order. She had been exposed to the Lycos Virus. She was transferred to Atlanta and restricted to headquarters while waiting to see if she is infected. She is a werehynea, but is hiding it from the Order.

Mauro is a knight of the Order. His wife is a vet and he raises Dobermans.

Patrice Lane is a med-mage. She is an executive of the Biohazard element of the Atlanta Paranormal Activity Division.

Saiman is a shapechanger. He can take any form. He lives in Champion Heights, the former Lenox Point building,

Solomon Red is the leader of the Guild. He is seldom send except when he hands out bonuses.

Mark Meadows is the administrator of the Guild. Actually he is the operations manager.

Marigold is an Order mule. Kate frequently rides her around Atlanta.

In this story, Kate is preparing dinner for Curran in her house outside Savannah. She has set the date and time and Curran has agreed. Yet he is late and the dinner is getting cold.

Kate waits for three hours before giving up on Curran. She puts on her working clothes and leaves for Atlanta. She takes the ley line since the magic is still up.

For the next three weeks, Kate avoids Curran. Finally Maxine sends her to the Steel Horse bar to solve a murder and check out a monster in the cellar.

A man has been killed by a Mary. He was stabbed in the mouth with a crowbar. The body then started to rot and pieces fall off.

Kate starts putting wards around the dead man. She asks the bystanders to call for a Biohazard team. But the phones are not working.

Hours later, Patrice and her team come to find Kate still laying down ward glyphs. The body continues to slowly disintegrate. The med-mages determine that the body is contaminated with syphilis. Then the telephone pole falls, but is contained within Kate's outer wards.

Patrice declares the killer as a Mary, a source of disease. Biohazard gives him the name of Steel Mary. They discover he has hit other cities in Florida and Georgia.

Kate phones detectives in the other cities. She convinces the detective in Savannah to send her copies of his files. Included in the evidence was an ambulate with a blank piece of parchment.

Kate convinces Ted to hire Saiman to examine the parchment. Saiman also investigates the murder of Solomon. He had been pinned to an elevator door by a spear. Many Guild members had seen the murder, but none had seen the man's face.

Kate also acquires a large dog from the first murder. He had hidden in the cellar of the Steel Horse bar. The staff had locked him in and swore that he was a monster. He does have the ability to vomit and urinate at the same time.

Kate thinks that he is a Doberman, Andrea declares that the dog is a poodle. Kate disagrees, so they ask Mauro. He says that the dog is an oversized standard poodle. Kate has a groomer give him a poodle cut.

Finally she encounters Jim and Curran. She talks with Jim, but not Curran. They have a problem. The victim at the Steel Horse was a shapeshifter. So was Solomon.

This tale leads takes Kate to the Guild with Saiman. He has the four Guild mercenaries and Mark drink a potion. Then he reenacts the murder.

Kate gets a closer look at the Steel Mary. Another case has an undead man who sounds like a woman. Yet Kate believes that the Steel Mary is actually a woman.

Saiman takes Kate to Benard's for a social occasion. The next installment in this sequence is Magic Slays.

Highly recommended for Andrews fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of murder mysteries, magical detectives, and a bit of romance. Read and enjoy!

-Arthur W. Jordin

I bought this book.

Kate Daniels #4

Like most books this deep into a series I have to start with a disclaimer: DO NOT start this series here. Magic Bleeds is the fourth in the series, and like most series it has a point where the world and characters are fairly well established and the story start moving on with the readers as friends and close relatives rather than as an audience. For the Kate Daniel series, Magic Bleeds is that book.

The Kate books are set in a post apocalyptic-ish Atlanta where tech and magic are at war for dominance over reality. By this point "tech" being up and "magic" being up, as well as the characters and the monster archetypes (such as vampires being "horses" for necromancers and werecritters being unified under one ruler in a feudal-like system of clans) should be familiar for readers because Andrews is moving on to expand, rather than explain.

The book opens with Kate following through on a bet she lost (that entails her cooking a meal and serving it in lingerie to the Beast Lord--Curran). Except Curran stands her up, which is a massive blow to Kate, emotionally, since she was raised to never get close to anyone, and had let Curran in anyway. This directly sets up the plot for plenty of angst, however Andrews backs up Kate's fear of trusting people with a big whopping dose of the family from Hell. Formerly Jesse Custer, main character of the Preacher graphic novel series, held the title of worst family ever (in my reading experience). But Kate's family is legendary, as in actual legends, like the kind that have parents swallowing children out of jealousy and full grow adults being born from each others' heads.

If Kate's destiny and relatives aren't enough to keep her from getting attached, the fact that someone in Atlanta is targeting the strongest magic users in the city and turning their bodies into sentient, aggressive, living diseases (as in, these disease will literally chase you down to infect you) and appears to be outright after the shapeshifters, making Kate's angst over being attached to the beast clans an even harder decision.

Character progression is what this series is about, possibly even more than the mysteries and thrill of each book itself. Kate is the cold, vicious killer that we know isn't as heartless as she seems. It's hard not to get drawn in, especially when on an emotional level we want to see Kate conquer the world by allowing herself to be open and passionate and a real person instead of a flat killer.

Engaging, exciting, sensual and darkly hilarious, Magic Bleeds is a wholly satisfying read with a hint of Arthurian legend in a backdrop of murder, magic and werewolves. If you love paranormals and adventure this series is not to be missed.

I try to be a polite typer, but some situations simply call for capslock. To the fans of Ilona Andrews' Kate Daniels series, I say: MAGIC BLEEDS IS EVERYTHING WE HOPED FOR, AND MORE.

When a deadly fight erupts at a shifter bar called the Steel Horse, Kate, a Knight of Merciful Aid, is brought in to investigate. Instead of evidence of a shifter/necromancer smackdown, she finds tales of a mania-inducing man in a cape, who nobody could get a look at, and discovers a living, crawling magical mutation of a very nasty disease. You know, the usual.

Then outbreaks of living disease start happening all over, not just in Kate's stomping ground of Atlanta, and many more horrors are cropping up that can't possibly be connected, but all of which are tied back to a giant man in a cape. And Kate's got personal trouble, too. Her longterm "it's complicated" with werelion Curran, the Beat Lord of Atlanta, has been severed, and she's miserable about it. If only she could challenge him to a duel, sword vs. claws, she might feel better.

Magic Bleeds contains even more action than the previous three books in the series, but it's all follow-able and riveting. Normally when there's a constant stream of action scenes, my eyes glaze over. Not so, here. Every stab and kick is important and engrossing. Kate's always fighting for a reason, and I know that I'd best pay attention, because the details will come into play later.

Regarding the antagonist/s, I wondered how the interest in absent villain Roland would be maintained over the series (think of Lord of the Rings, where Sauron is essentially a flaming eyeball sitting on a mountain, and yet he's infused with believable menace), but Ilona Andrews makes it work by introducing baddies that are close to Roland. By the time the man himself arrives in later books, it's going to be truly climactic.

One of my favorite aspects of the story is that we get to learn a lot more about shapeshifter society, which I was longing to do. The whitherto's and whyfors of their social dynamics are believable, well planned, and absolutely necessary knowledge, since most of the beloved characters from this series are shifters. On that score, no secondary character is left behind in this novel, but the narrative doesn't feel crowded by their presence (though I could have done with more of everyone's favorite teen wolf, Derek. He gets his own spinoff book, pretty please?): Jim, Doolittle, Andrea, Raphael, Aunt B (whom I LOVE), Saiman, Dali, Julie, and more. I'm invested in every single one of them.

For intellectual stimulus, the mythology employed is genius, as per usual, and not mythology from any sources you'd expect. While most series' are slumping hard by book four (I can think of a half dozen series off the top of my head that had a less than stellar book four), this one shines. And as for the Kate-Curran resolution we were promised...I shall say nothing except I'm smiling, which is spoiler enough.

I am loving this series and it keeps getting better and better. I have had a hard time finding something close to Dresden Files and this is the closest thing I have found so far. Sandman Slim is great too but I have a hard time comparing because it is a different flavor. If you are into Urban Fantasy series and love the aforementioned series, this is one you need to checkout starting at Book 1. The relationship between Kate and Curran is well-written and developed which I personally find the best thing about this series much like Harry and Molly's relationship in DF.

By necessity its required to keep the synopsis pretty short. Actually I cut out a line from the synopsis because it gives away a detail that is more of a punch if you don't know beforehand. Basically Kate gets into trouble again, though its fair to say that it may have been wrapped up quicker if people didn't keep getting in the way of her fighting.

A routine barfight turns out to be something much, much worse. A mysterious cloaked stranger, overly aggressive behaviors, three weres in hiding and one very dead and very infected were makes Kate's day implode. And it only gets worse for her.

Truthfully, as much as this book was focused on the action and Kate fighting the new threat, a whole lot of the subplots and background machinations were focused on the romance between Kate and Curran. For any urban fantasy fan out there who has encountered any serious length series where the romance seems to go back to Zero with each subsequent book, this will be a novel change. Andrews resolves the issues of Kate and Curran, all the dancing around customs, mixed signals and misread intentions are focused and brought to bear.

This could be either a godsend or a complete injustice depending on your viewpoint. I certainly enjoyed watching the two of them run around trying to get the other's goat, trying to see how far they can push the other before something snaps. Kate pulls a wonderful trick on Curran, but he pulls an equally hilarious one himself. Saiman, the ever so helpful, stirs up the pot quite a bit with his own brand of 'humor'. Not all of Curran's followers are...receptive to Kate as a potential candidate for Alpha Queendom, but that maniac Aunt B sees the benefits real quick and starts a campaign to win over Kate's goodwill.

Our villain for this piece is...or was...considered a God at one point. Considering the immense power she wields, her tremendous age and strength, Erra is...horrifying. In the same way that Kate's father, in the abstract since Roland hasn't shown up yet, is. She plays on a different playing field--to her it means nothing to kill dozens just to ensure she hits the right target. She's ruthless, merciless and shrewd. Erra was exciting to read about. Her banter with Kate is priceless and despite all appearances to the contrary she hunted Kate because she got in the way and had to be dealt with. Her original mission in Atlanta had nothing to do with Kate.

I want to say that Kate could have easily taken her, but she couldn't. Where Kate could make up for in speed and new tricks Erra didn't know, Erra had brute force and a furious power that Kate knew quite well. Several times Kate gets her to a standstill, but every time she is stopped. An enemy from book 3, Magic Strikes makes his presence known in the most frustrating manner (though he apparently isn't as clever as he would wish).

The ending is...heart breaking a little bit. The world is changed, secrets are out and neither Kate nor Curran will ever have the same life they led. This won't let down fans of the Kate Daniels series. There is no simple rescue, no wham bam thank you ma'am explanation. If Erra is any indication, Kate's life is going to be hell from now on.

Originally posted at Smokin Hot Books.

1) Kate's weapon specialty is the sword. She has her own magical sword and it's named ... Slayer. She can do crazy awesome things with it and she has to feed it blood. I don't know about you but that is hands-down Awesomesauce in my book.

2) The most treacherous and sinister neighborhood where bad things go down is called Unicorn Lane. A terrifying place with Unicorn in the name? YES, PLEASE!

3) Vampires are so not sexy, they are nude and hairless freaky looking creatures who are actually controlled by necromancers. That removes vampires from the dating pool (well, it should!!), which is a nice refreshing change from other popular series out there.

4) There are shapechangers in this series that actually shift, and it can be quite gross to witness. They don't go "*POOF* TaDa! I'm a lynx!" They physically change from human to beast with all the pains, noises and muscle & bone movements to go along with it. Kewwwwl.

5) Curran, the Beast Lord (and also Kate's love interest), commands a force of three hundred thirty-seven shapechangers in their city of Atlanta alone and has yet to meet anyone who can kick his ass. He is also a hugungous Lion. And his chemistry with Kate goes BOOM!

My friend K.C. here at Smokin' Hot Books told me that I had. had. had to read this series, and I am so happy that I listened to her. I picked up Magic Bites, Magic Burns, and Magic Strikes about three weeks prior to the release of Magic Bleeds, and I was HOOKED from book 1. True to a majority of Urban Fantasy series, the novels are told from Kate Daniels' point of view and she is the ultimate Urban Fantasy Heroine. If you are an Urban Fantasy fan, this is THE series you cannot miss.

In Magic Bleeds, the fourth book in the Kate Daniels series, we pick up with Kate working for the Order of the Knights of Merciful Aid. She is in a new position as a liaison with the mercenary guild, but pretty much busts her butt cleaning up the town when things go wonky with paranormal activity. Which is pretty much all the time. Our girl does not get much sleep. Ever. To kick off this tale, Kate is called to clean up a very nasty mess of a plague at a bar in the territory between necromancers and shapechangers. She learns that she may very well have met her match in someone she can call Auntie, including Auntie's crew of nasty demons.

Saying this is one of my most favorite books of 2010 is pretty bold, so here is why I can say this with absolute confidence. It's been quite a journey with Kate so far. We've watched when Kate first met most of the characters in this series who all play a significant role in her life now. We've watched as she first met Curran and called out "Here kitty kitty kitty" to him, much to his chagrin. We were there when she first met Derek, her utterly endearing occasional side-kick, as well as the alpha pack leaders such as Doolittle and Aunt B. Her friends she knew when the series started such as Saiman (part Norse god), Jim (were-leopard and fellow Merc), Andrea (hyena beastkin and fellow Order member)... they all shape this series and lend such fantastic support to Kate as well as the story overall. Because of this, they feel like old friends to me, no matter what krazy krap they pull. Ilona Andrews writes the characters in such a realistic way that you feel they remind you of someone you already know, or someone you want to know. Their dialog and comradery with Kate and with one another simply pulls you in and doesn't let go.

The chemistry between Kate and Curran is what has also kept a lot of us coming back. Kate and Curran have gone toe-to-toe with one another each and every interaction they've had in the past three books. They just cannot resist one another and the attraction comes alive on the pages as you are reading. The way they show their affection for one another and the gestures they take become downright laugh out loud hysterical. By the time we get to Magic Bleeds, the growing tension between the two is ramped up so high you are practically cheering out loud by the time they do seal the deal. But of course, they still have a lot of things to work through, and they are tasked with a huge test on commitment towards the end of the story. The point, however, is made crystal clear that they have both accepted to work with each other as a Team and take on anyone who dares challenge them individually or their union.

Just take a look at one of many of my favorite interactions between Kate and Curran from the book:

"He leaned his head to me, his neck so close to my lips, I felt the heat coming off his skin. His breath was warm against my ear. His voice was a ragged snarl. "I miss you."

This wasn't happening.

"I worry about you." He dipped his head and looked into my eyes. "I worry something stupid will happen and I won't be there and you'll be gone. I worry we won't ever get a chance and it's driving me out of my skull."

No,no,no,no.........

We stared at each other. The tiny space between us felt too hot. Muscles bulged on his naked frame. He looked feral.

Mad gold eyes stared into mine. "Do you miss me, Kate?"

I closed my eyes trying to shut him out. I could lie then we would be back to square one. Nothing would be resolved. I'd still be alone,hating him and wanting him.

He grabbed my shoulders and shook me once. "Do you miss me?"

I took the plunge. "Yes."

Ilona Andrews' world building in Magic Bleeds is nothing short of phenomenal. There is a heavy dose of raw dark grittyness instilled in this series and more specifically this novel. The neighborhoods and establishments of Atlanta are filled with shady characters and sketchy activities, described so vividly. Most creatures we meet are magical in some way, there is no time for regular boring humans here. You are immersed in a world you have no familiarity with, which is incredibly descriptive and imaginative. There is violence and gore, fighting and discord, and nothing is sugar-coated. Add all this together with Kate's down-to-earth personality, hilarious wit, and huge sense of loyalty and this book is pure gold.

Is Kate Daniels someone I want to meet? No. When I grow up, I want to BE Kate Daniels. Sword and all.

You can follow Pam on twitter @spazp and she also guest blogs over at Wicked Lil Pixie's bloggy.

I received an ARC of Magic Bleeds in April 2010
For over a month I have been writing and re-writing my review of Magic bleeds in my head. Last night as I was trying to sleep, I had the perfect review written, it was unfolding beautifully, words dancing around in my head with little effort. I should have gotten up to write it then, instead of waiting until it disappeared... Pregnancy insomnia at its finest, leaving you unable to sleep, but also, reluctant to physically get out of bed.

Magic Bleeds is essentially the turning point, the pivotal book in the Kate Daniels Series. It's a will they or won't they book. {Speaking of Kate and Curran of course}

Ilona and Gordon crafted a well written, strong plot, with a very prominent relationship storyline. The Villain of Magic Bleeds was a welcome surprise. I never guessed, not could figure out who the bad villain was until I was told, and then I was all like "WOAH! Totally AWESOME!!!" I love when an author can surprise me. Too many times lately a book or series is very predictable, and it is so refreshing to have authors who just GET IT. They get how to write a crafty plot without giving us who it is, they put out little red herrings, and then bash you over the head with the real deal. It's fun, exciting, and appealing to the reader.

Let's talk about Kate for a minute. Kate is one of my favorite heroines of all the book series I have read to date, and that is quite a few, especially in this genre of Urban Fantasy and Paranormal Fantasy/Romance. Kate is fierce. She is fiercely loyal to those she cares about, despite her fathers warning to remain closed off and to become a sociopath. She is fiercely independent, although she longs for companionship and love. She is fiercely private, to a fault; where she can't trust anyone with her secrets, her heart, or her life. She is a master with her saber, will kick your ass if you threaten her or what she considers hers. She is all the things a quality leading lady should be, despite her 'not being a lady' <grins> Her mouth get's her into trouble, and she often takes the approach of kill now, ask questions later. She has earned the right to claim that she is a walking, talking, bad ass, but she won't. She knows she is, but she's not egocentric which is nice to read. She does what she feels she has to do. To protect. Protect herself, protect her friends, and protect humanity.

One of the themes I found most prevalent in Magic Bleeds is love. Despite Kate feeling like she will never have the kind of love she desperately wants, she can't help but be hurt at Curran's no show for their dinner. As she tries to put him out of her mind and move forward, he is constantly creeping into her thoughts, intruding in her life. He invades her privacy. She grieves for the man she wants, and feels she will never have. At the same time she is royally pissed off and humiliated and she does not know how to deal with these emotions. She's quite volatile. I wanted to give her a hug, but didn't want to get my eye jabbed by her sword.

When Kate and Curran first see each other, it's, well, it's hard to read, and awkward and you can feel the energy leaping off the page. The way Kate handles it is classic, and sort of funny, but not in a good way funny. But funny nonetheless because of who Kate is and how her mouth works. You know the expression... Insert foot? Well, Kate obviously doesn't :)

Fans of the series will be engrossed, enraged, and enthralled with the Kate and Curran storyline. Have faith that Ilona and Gordon know what they are about. They do. And they do it brilliantly.

The battle scenes are great. The plot is interesting without being crazy. The death toll rises. Kate does indeed lose much in this book.

The end pages are killer. The last 50 pages or so are gut wrenching, jarring, sad, and finally bow down at Ilona and Gordon's feet and proclaim them your masters :) I jest, but seriously, the ending is fantastic. Just the right amount of everything. Grief, Pain, Hope, Love, and Future.

The book is amazing. I can't wait for Kate Daniels 5.

I have no negatives with regards to this book. The pace is on par with all the other books, the writing is superb, the angst is real, the battles are bloody, hope is alive.

The fourth book in the series brings gratification in the form of "someone" finally gets it going on. (I won't mention any names). Kate has some unwanted attention from her biological family, who in turn want to destroy Kate and anyone she loves. Again the story is quick, without pause and takes time out for witty responses. I am not sure whether these books are a brilliantly rounded due to the fact that the writing team consists of a male and female, so they cover all the angles. I have read the add ons Curran: Volume I (Curran POV),Fathers and Sons (Curran POV), which are real eye openers to Currans view on the situations. I am already well into the next book, and I really recommend these books.Magic Bleeds

I haven't written a review in a long time, but had to make an exception for this fantastic book. By far the best book in the series...and that is really saying something since they are all fantastic. I'm also writing this because I noticed 2 one-starred reviews based on the publisher/the store battle and the authors have no control over that. This book has tight writing, moves the story along, and my goodness...the imagination it must take to write something so wonderful (especially with the background mythology stuff) leaves me speechless. This book doesn't disappoint and was worth every penny I spent to buy it. I've stopped purchasing some of my other authors' books because the stories got worse and the characters less recognizable with each release, but Ilona Andrews can have my money any day. Amazing job!

..but we wouldn't have it any other way! I don't like reading spoilers so won't give any. One tends to doom a series by thinking 'there's no way the next book can be as good as the last...' or maybe that's just me, because boy howdy, did I love Magic Strikes. Didn't keep me from running to Borders to find this release a few days early and squeal like a schoolgirl though. And once I dove into the magic of Atlanta, I was immediately and easily entertained once again. I think my first guffaw was on page forty-something, completely off-the-cuff. But that's the way this husband/wife team works: creative plots that draw you in slowly then hit you on the head with their raw wit. The world of Miss Daniels is so well described that most times I find myself creating each pivotal scene in my head. Kate and Curran are still a driving force but the fun and not-so-fun-loving characters in these books have become staples in their own right. Magic Bleeds was a non-stop read for me; enough for me to start at the beginning of the series once again in order to savor this newest installment as part of its entirety. Fans will be ecstatic and those who are curious? Please start at the beginning with Magic Bites; believe me it won't take you long to catch up ;)

I won't summarize the plot, since many of the earlier reviewers have already done so, other than to say that Kate's wicked aunt comes to town, Kate and Curran become a team, and mayhem ensues.

This is a terrific series, with well defined characters, engrossing plots, action that makes sense, and wonder of wonders, isn't gratuitous, because it fits seamlessly into the plot. If anything (and this is my only criticism of this book), the action is underplayed, because in the end, a 6000 year old wicked witch should have been a lot harder to take down.

Still, this series is what the Anita Blake series used to be, before its author became self-indulgent. It's pretty close to perfect, and I don't say that often.

What I like about Book (4) is that there is the same high action and interesting story woven into a familiar setting that encourages me to pick up the next book in this series. Ilona does not quit writing from one book to the other. The story line itself makes sense to the reader whose started way back in Book (1) while telling a separate story to the person who stumbles into Book (4) without making a novice stop and scratch their head and say "I guess I should have read the first book." Either way you can pick it up and continue a story or discover a new story without noticing a difference in the action packed story that leaves your heart pounding. Then of course there is the romance bouncing around in the background that makes a girls heart just thump.. "will they?" Finally, what is most important to some like myself; is that I will keep this book and re-read it until the pages melt. It will become an heirloom book that I will encourage anyone in my family to read with the same joy, interest and zest as the first time. I can safely say that if the house were to catch on fire that I'd grab Ilona Andrews books first (along with a few others) and leave some of the necessities behind.

Kate Daniels, and her sarcastic banter, is as entertaining and well written as anything out there. Kate has a terribly troubled past and is not affraid to meet any challenges without insults and physical battle. Kate can definitely back her talk the talk by walking the walk. Its always amusing to see her get out of the trouble her mouth gets her into.

Book four of the Kate Daniels series also adds two huge new additions to her life; a mating with Curran, who is as awesome as ever, and a new attack poodle, which is hilarious in its own right. This book also has a truly terrifying member of Kates past as a worthy adversary. Im really looking forward to a future story with Hugh with anxious anticipation...

Everything in this book is spot on and the series just gets better and better. More 'life changing' events happen in this book then the entire series prior and everything is a page turner. I have also never seen a book get as many close to perfect reviews as this one...

The Kate Daniels series, now four books deep, is as good as it gets and is quite possibly the best urban fantasy series out there. If you even slightly enjoy Harris, Hamilton, Harrison, Armstrong, or Briggs, you owe it to yourself to read this series.

I was extremely impressed with this series. It took me a while to get into it, but once I did it became one of my favorite series out there. LOVE the character development. LOVE the heroin. The world building in this serious is one of the best. I want to read all four books over again... and that rarely happens to me. There are no boring or awkward "filler" parts in any of these books. I really love everything about this series.

I've got to say also that it's nice to have the main character in love with something alive and warm for once... got a little sick of all the cold, dead vampire romances.

Again, i was impressed. When does the next one come out???

By and far the best, and the pivitol, Kate Daniels book. This is where the rubber meets the road so to speak. Kate's past is out there for anyone who has 2 and 2 to add together. Andrea already has. You have to guess Hugh has too. That particular nastiness hits the fan. It all starts to fly as Kate realizes it is time to fish or cut bait with Curran. And let's face it, Kate and his fuzzyness have three books worth of pent up 'bring it' to sword through.

I laughed until tears spilled down my face. Oh jeeze. When you read 'acetone' just think of me trying to rub the tears out so I could read through them. There were parts that I wish it were a movie so I could close my eyes and just skip the tension. My nails are now nubs. I just can't imagine it written any better. I even loved the dang dog!

And although many things are wrapped up. Choices are made. Ends are had. I feel like a new series is beginning with book 5 next year. A fresh start. A new journey to explore with Kate and some familiar, and some new, faces. My mind is reeling with the possibilities!

This is the best book by far. I did not have to use my good read guarantee to return it because it's awesome. The story progresses for Kate as Roland's daughter. In this one, she meets her aunt and has a showdown. Roland's right hand man already knows about her, so after this, it must mean the next book is a showdown. Kate and Curran finally consummated their relationship! After four books, it is about time! These books are always a little gory and gross, but this one was the least gross-out for me. I enjoyed the story and am glad that the whole universe created is finally moving past Kate's career. A must read, but cannot stand alone, so buy 1-3 first.

and yes shes crazy! Erra what a great name by the way, coming from Erratic. So Kates father is plotting a war between shapeshifters and vampires. Oh boy is Curran going to have hes hands full since hes King of the shifters. More humor and mystery is brought to the storyline and anticpating Magic Slays. Kate makes a smart move and decides to start her own buisness and Andrea picks sides in the book that was shocking. Hopefully her and Kate will still be best friends, but who knows about her love interest. Not much of Nat or Ghastek who I hope we get more off in future books. I know we should problably hate the vampire but I think since we learned not much about them there my favorite.

I can just see it now... Damsel in distress saved by half-man, half lion beast. Oh wait, that's been done before and written to death. I'm not sure what the point of this book is. It reads very predictable plot-like. If I could pinpoint where this series started turning for the worse, it would be the book prior to this one. This book reads fine like a high school novel, except for the sex scenes; or maybe young adult fiction is too sexed up and this is totally normal.

This series just keeps getting better and better. Kate is her usual sword toting, butt kicking, wisecracking self. I laughed out loud many times while reading this book. The plot has twists and turns and it will shock you. I repeat, it will shock you. Curran appears in the book (obviously he'd have to after the way the 3rd book ended) and that's all I'll say about it. You will want to take off work to finish this book as soon as you can because it's just that great. You can't wait to find out what happens next. There is not a cliffhanger ending. I never would have predicted the ending but it is satisfying. Buy this book and be prepared for an all nighter.

You May authors, you. What are you trying to do to me? I toss and turn in reading slump hell for what seems like weeks on end and then you present me with a string of top-notch books and it's like emerging from a drought into hip-deep water. With mermaids. And flying fish. And seals. What? I like seals. I thought husband-and-wife duo Ilona Andrews raised the stakes incredibly high in the third installment in the Kate Daniels series, launching it instantly into my top two urban fantasy series right up there neck and neck with Patricia Briggs' Mercy Thompson books. And I have to say, it's been an absolute delight getting to read the latest volumes in both series within two months of each other. Spring is a killer season when it comes to my favorite urban fantasy and I just love it.

Kate is pissed off. And I love it when Kate is pissed off. It means that all manner of mayhem can and will happen. It means she's gonna be swinging her enchanted sword Slayer in seven different directions. It also frequently means Curran will be involved because, quite often, the Beast Lord is the cause of Kate's fury. These are just a few of my favorite things. And the opening of MAGIC BLEEDS is no exception. All of the above apply. Except that Kate manages to rein in her anger to a degree, enough to set her issues aside and answer the Order of Knights of Merciful Aid's call when they need an agent to head out and investigate a bar brawl gone horribly wrong in the seedy outskirts of Atlanta. Once there, she encounters the damning detritus left in the wake of a powerful, cloaked being who skewered a shapeshifter and left a plague-like calling card. With a ponderous amount of mythical lore at her fingertips, Kate tries to work with the Order, the Mercenary Guild, the government, and the Pack to uncover the villain's identity before Atlanta becomes a wasteland, its population decimated by any number of heinous diseases. And because the murder involved a shifter, Curran will inevitably want to control matters. Tightly. As things are not going so well in Kate-and-Curran land of late, sparks (and body parts) may fly when they're forced to face (and work with) each other to stop the threat to the city they both call home.

So I could just say, "Every single expectation met. And then some." And leave it at that. But that wouldn't be any fun. You guys really wanna know how good this book is, right? It's so good I stopped more than once mid-book to immediately re-read whole sections, savoring the interaction between these characters I've come to care about with a fierce kind of love. It's so good I laughed out loud. On multiple occasions. Loud enough to make DH smile at me, nod knowingly, and say, "I love it when you're in love with a book like this." It's so good it surprised me, even when I thought I knew it so well. With its addictive blend of a non-stop parade of monsters, and hell beasts, and demons, oh my! and quiet, revealing scenes between Kate and the people she loves most (even if it is wholly against her formidable will), MAGIC BLEEDS had me at hello and didn't let go its choke hold on my throat and emotions until the final page. Things played out even better than I imagined. And that's saying something, as I wanted so much for Kate. You see, she tries to keep her hope, along with her heritage, hidden in case the worst happens and everyone she loves is forced to suffer for her sake. Me, I'm willing to lay all mine out on the table. If anyone deserves happiness and safety and love, it's her. And, come hell or high water, I want her to have it! And yet, everyone remained themselves. No one sacrifices integrity for the sake of moving the plot forward. Including the hilarious and most excellent Saiman, who, judging by his actions in this one, may actually have a death wish. But, amoral propositions aside, I love the guy. I'm glad Kate has him, even if he does put her in the most awkward situations. This book goes a long way toward addressing all these issues and the question of whether or not her background and training will, in fact, be too much to overcome when it comes to having such dangerous things as friends, family, and relationships. And, as with the last installment, we get another piece in the puzzle of both Kate and Curran. Such pieces never come without a price. And these two warriors know it. Perhaps too well. But they're not that strong for nothing, you know? It was the highest kind of pleasure spending time in their company. My expression shifted from wide grin to intense focus to desperate concern throughout the course of the book. But I closed it with a grin on my face. And you will, too. Because there's nothing but awesome here. Happy reading, my friends.

Ilona Andrews (actually a husband-wife team) is a phenomenally talented writer. These books are the perfect balance of a smart, spunky, sexy heroine who is realistic and interesting, unlike many I have seen in print. Kate Daniels is believably awesome but with flaws. There is plenty of delicious romantic tension as Kate brushes up with shapeshifters and men of all sorts but no pointless/weird sexual relationships that water down the plot and contribute nothing to the story. The story is set in a unique world where magic and technology shift and constantly change the playing field of Atlanta. There is amazing tension between shapeshifters, humans, and vampires, as they struggle to co-exist and Kate is constantly being pushed from all sides as she sorts out conflicts and threats. There is a lot of mythology in the series which amps up the intellectual level but its all masterfully incorporated within the sarcastic and irreverent tone of Kate's character in a fast-paced story you can't put down. This book is one of the best in the series and the characters develop well. Absolutely one of the best urban fantasy series I've ever read.

This book has exceeded expectations. I was anxiously awaiting it and I had very high expectations, let me tell you. Ilona Andrews has created such a complex world with everything about it explained. Kate Daniels is constantly growing and never whining about her situation. She is an upfront kind of gal who doesn't think of herself as a heroine, which is why she is one. She is fiercely loyal to those she loves and will fight to the death for them.

In this book, Kate finds out that she is fighting family. And that she has a good chance of losing. Her thought processes are so real, so detailed, that you could see yourself thinking those things if you were in that situation...and if you were and awesome Kick butt heroine with family issues beyond the norm.

I am so excited to see what happens next and I only wish more people knew about this series. Definitely a recommended read along with the rest of the series.
Magic Bites (Kate Daniels, Book 1)
Magic Burns (Kate Daniels, Book 2)
Magic Strikes (Kate Daniels, Book 3)
Must Love Hellhounds(Magic Mourns)

SYNOPSIS: Kate Daniels is sent to investigate a fight at the Steel Horse, a bar in the area bordering the territories of the shapeshifters and the vampires. Not exactly a top notch tourist spot, but a regular local hangout. What she finds when she arrives is magic in a form she's never encountered before. It takes a lot of investigating to find that this magic is worked by someone every bit as powerful as Kate is herself. The bad news is, Kate has stumbled upon a relative of hers and only one of them can survive in the crumbling Atlanta that remains since the war between magic and technology started. If Curran (Beast Lord of Atlanta) hadn't stood her up for their dinner date Kate would gladly call on him for help with this problem. As it is, she might just kill him the next time she sees him.

OPINION: I would just love to meet Kate Daniels. Ilona Andrews continues to write Kate in such a realistic way that I feel I could actually talk to her, argue with her, kid around with her, but never, ever fight with her. What makes this series of stories so outstanding for me is the absolute humanity I see in these characters. And since some of them are only partly human, that's quite a feat for these authors. I enjoyed the added twist of having one of Kate's blood relatives show up here. All through the previous three books we have been teased with references to Kate's blood and shown to what extraordinary lengths she will go to keep her blood from falling into the wrong hands. Well, now we understand why. I applaud the way the personalities of Kate and Curran have been blended, shaped and molded to allow these two incredibly strong characters to have a relationship that feels real and right. I know that this couple will only become more complex and interesting as their bonding solidifies.

So why, you are asking, did I give this book 4 stars instead of 5? Well, because there were so very many demons that Kate had to face that it all began to blend together for me after the third or fourth or fifth huge battle-to-the-death scene. I was actually tempted to skim ahead through the fighting. Now, that's a great big no-no so I resisted, but the fact remains that I was tempted. The author says in the acknowledgments section that this was a very difficult book to write. I can certainly understand that after having read it and seen how complex it is. Still, for me, maybe tackling seven demons and the demon relative multiple times was a tad too many fight scenes.

RECOMMENDATION: As far as I'm concerned, this book is a must-read for Urban Fantasy devotees. As stated on the cover, this is the fourth book in the series. Quite honestly, I would suggest to a friend that they start with the first book and read them in order. This book contains wonderful background information, a very good attempt has been made to cover all the past history revealed in the previous books. But there is just no substitute for reading an entire novel to get your information first hand as the author unfolds it. So, for me, starting with number one and then galloping on to number two, then diving directly into number three will have you on the razor's edge of anticipation for number four. Just plan on not leaving the house, or talking on the phone, or getting any work done. You will be completely engaged in a magic world full of magical characters. Evidently Penguin Group (USA) is betting on that too. They have placed a money back guarantee on you liking this book. You might send yours back, but I'll fight anybody who tries to take mine!

Kate Daniels has had some measure of stability throughout the series, but all that goes straight down the toilet in "Magic Bleeds." Ilona Andrews' fourth book focusing on the magical merc is a harrowing experience from beginning to end, filled with gruesome action, feisty romance, and a nearly unkillable enemy. In other words, it's finger-gnawingly brilliant.

Atlanta is being hit by a series of impossible attack -- a werecoyote is eaten alive by a magical strain of syphilis, the Casino is attacked by a pyromancer, and the Guild's founder turns inside out from magic cholera. Every major power in Atlanta is on red alert, but Kate is having some troubles figuring out who's responsible, since the culprit's appearance seems to change every time he/she attacks.

And after a disastrous dealing with Saiman, she discovers the true identity of the "Steel Mary" who is quietly attacking the People, the Pack and the Guild -- a supernatural horror from the earliest days of human civilization. Even worse, it has a personal connection to her. As the city is ravaged by one supernatural attack after another, Kate, Curran and her allies must enter a battle that they may not be able to win.

It's not quite Jim Butcher's "Changes," but "Magic Bleeds" takes virtually everything in Kate Daniels' life and turns it on its head -- she suffers some devastating losses, makes some important personal choices, and is now in more danger than ever before. Some is good, some is bad -- but Kate's life is irrevocably changed in almost every way.

In fact, Andrews sticks the main plot on the backburner for awhile so some attention can be paid to the relationship between Curran and Kate. Without revealing too much, their fiery sexual tension finally gets some kind of resolution, only to stumble across some NEW problems.

But the main plot is pretty brilliant as well -- Andrews' prose is painted in blood, fire and poison, with some genuinely harrowing action scenes, snappy dialogue ("Did you have any trouble getting that ego through the door?" "Not in the least"), and some hilarious situations (during a war-of-pranks with Curran, Kate's butt gets literally glued to her chair). And she inserts some fascinating new facts into her world's mythology, such as Kate describing the origins of the vampires.

Kate is her usual self here -- volatile, stubborn, strong and capable, as well as a bit paranoid about her rotten family. But Andrews takes the time to explore her tenderer side when she adopts an "attack poodle" ("I hate you. "You stink, you slobber, and you think I'm a nice person"). Curran is fleshed out considerably -- and even more important, he starts interacting with Kate as an equal rather than a domineering jerk. The one downside: not enough Saiman!

Magic bites, magic burns, and now "Magic Bleeds." Ilona Andrews' fourth Kate Daniels book is a roaring, bloodsoaked adventure full of shocking changes -- and the potential for even more.

I decided to try Magic Bleeds after reading the glowing reviews. I have always been an avid fan of the Iliona Andrews writing team and I absolutely love Kate Daniels character. I will admit at times the violence can be a little dark for my liking however, at times I really want something a little dark and gritty that's why I bounce back and forth between my love for Mercy Thompson (Briggs) and Kate Daniels. However, after reading this book I am in love Kate Daniels and really love Kate and Curran as a couple. I never could get into Mercy and Adam as a couple so it often takes away from the book.

This book kicked a**. I loved it. I bought it on Saturday afternoon and finished it on Sunday morning opting to sleep two hours to rest my eyes so that I could finish the book. Yeah, you can say it because I said it a couple times my self "You loser". But it was just that good and I couldn't stop reading. I loved that fact that you saw the strong (both physically and emotional) and vulnerable side of Kate. The authors did a great job developing the relationship between Kat and Curran and throwing in obstacles that showed the strength of the relationship and the challenges they will face.

The best parts of the book, for me, was Kate's little speech to the Council when they attempted to remove her from the Keep and away from Curran; and the manner in which she continued to speak to him despite that fact he is asleep. I hated and loved Saiman and the banter between her and the villain, her aunt was funny and entertaining. Magic Bleed had me laughing out loud at times, saying "Ah, how sweet" at others and "Wow, what the hell" very often.

This was a very good book and met all my expectations. Honestly, I thought I would hate it because far too often books aren't nearly as good as the reviews however it exceeded my expectations. Five stars definitely. My only complaint are the covers of this series. They are just absolutely awful! It's a good thing I don't judge a book by it's cover.

Ever since that teaser chapter at the end of On the Edge, we Ilona Andrews fans have been dying to get our hands on Magic Bleeds. Curran stands Kate up, and when she calls the Keep trying to reach him, his people give her a humiliating brush-off. Not knowing why this happened, and what happens next, has had us anxious for months! Well, fellow Andrews fans, this is the book you've been waiting for. And the first thing you want to know, I'm sure, is "is it worth the wait?"

In a word, yes!

Kate Daniels is my favorite urban fantasy series, yet between books, I sometimes forget just how much I'm craving *this* character, *this* voice. I don't realize how much I've missed it until I can sink into it again. When I reached these lines --

"Who the hell would attack the Steel Horse anyway? What was the thinking behind that? 'Here is a bar full of psychotic killers who grow giant claws and people who pilot the undead for a living. I think I'll go wreck the place.'"

-- I said, out loud, "My girl's back!"

Kate goes to the aforementioned wrecked bar to investigate, and finds a scene of horror. Someone incited a bar brawl, then murdered one of the regulars and loosed a potentially devastating plague. Kate must figure out who has done this and why, then eradicate the threat. The solution, when it's revealed, is really clever. I'm even more impressed with it now that I've looked up the myth on which it's based.

(She also finds a dog. Every scene involving the dog is wonderful. And just wait till you find out what Kate names the dog and why she picks that name.)

Magic Bleeds is bursting at the seams with plot. In addition to the mysterious disease-spreading entity, Kate has to deal with shapeshifter politics, the slick machinations of Saiman, and plenty of upheavals in her personal and professional life.

And Curran. Kate tries so hard to put Curran out of her mind, but he's prominent enough in supernatural Atlanta that she keeps running into painful reminders of him. When the two finally speak again, it's explosive. These two are infuriating, frustrating, and perfect for each other. I kept wanting to reach into the book and knock their heads together! So. Much. Pride. So. Much. Stubbornness. It's great fun and incredibly tense at the same time.

All of this is narrated in Kate's snarky voice. Her voice feels like an old friend at this point and adds some comic relief to a pretty dark story. Magic Bleeds has about the same level of gore as Magic Bites, which is to say a lot. It's just *violence* violence this time rather than sexual violence, though, so many readers may find it more palatable.

I liked Magic Strikes just a little bit more than Magic Bleeds, but that's like saying I like the raspberry Ghirardelli chocolates better than the caramel ones. Magic Bleeds is a terrific urban fantasy novel and a worthy addition to a great series. If you're new to Kate Daniels, you'll want to start with the earlier books; the events of this book are much more affecting if you've read the build-up. If you've been following Kate's adventures, don't hesitate to pick this up!

I chose the rating five because so far the books haven't became stagnant and continue to move forward in a steady pace. I like the different intrigue that originally came from Hugh. I'm curious to see how that plays out as well as the blood issues. Overall I am happy with the outcome of the book.

Extraordinary book in an extraordinary series. Hard to avoid spoilers but I can say that we learn A LOT more about Kate's heritage, she and Curran reach some agreements, Kate's mouth gets her in as much trouble as usual... and the action is absolutely amazing. Never - ever - would have thought that I would or could enjoy Urban Fantasy, but this series has proven me oh so wrong.

I have been eagerly anticipating Magic Bleeds--especially since I read Magic Strikes (Kate Daniels, Book 3) where Curran makes his menu request for the dinner Kate owes him for losing the bet. Magic Bleeds starts 8 weeks after Magic Strikes on date night, but things don't go as anticipated. We see Kate having cooked Curran his dinner and waiting and waiting and waiting but he never shows. Determined not to let him know how much he hurt her, she pushes forward. Three weeks later, Kate responds to an incident where a shifter was killed and an infectious disease has a mind of its own. Soon, a cloaked figure is killing people and trying to spread plague and disease. Kate tries to investigate the who, the why, and the "how do I kill `em" all while trying to come to terms with the mess her life has become.

This book has such great balance. It did an amazing job of pulling off a balance between character development, action, mystery, and romance. Not many authors can pull it off, and few can do it as well as Ilona Andrews.

Kate has spent her life hiding--hiding her blood by burning it, hiding her potential behind mediocrity, hiding her heart by isolating herself, and hiding from her destiny too afraid that she isn't strong enough. Kate has slowly come out of hiding throughout the books. But, events in Magic Strikes has made it impossible for her to hide any longer. Her blood, her potential, her heart, and her destiny are now before her and she has to decide if she will run from any or all of these or face them head on.

I absolutely LOVED this book. I was a reluctant fan at first as my review for book 1 shows, but I have grown to love Kate Daniels and her band of friends and enemies.

1. Kate--I love Kate. She knows her strengths and her weaknesses and lives with it. She has to make hard choices, but instead of agonizing over them for pages and pages she does what she must do and moves on. Her hard edges have definitely softened since we first met her, but also our understanding of what made her who she is has added to this as well. She doesn't take herself too seriously, and I love her inner thoughts. Many of them had me hurting for her, smiling at her world, and laughing out loud.
2. Villain--we haven't met someone this nasty and well done before. Kate is up against family, and boy is this villain a piece of work. Also, it adds a whole new light to Kate.
3. Action and Mystery--the action is still great and the mystery propels the story forward towards the ultimate showdown we know is still in the making.
4. Romance--Kate and Curran must decide where they stand. They must decide to move forward together or not. Here you have a control freak and someone who abhors all authority. I was afraid this would take over the entire book, but it doesn't. But, there is plenty of romance there, and I loved it and what it meant to Kate's development.
5. Supporting characters--I love all the supporting characters! Kate started out as a loner and has slowly built a support group of friends around her. Some get more page time than others, but the authors did a great job of not writing them in just because.

My only minor complaint about the book was the timeline--it was goofed. It starts out on November 15. 3 weeks pass and we watch about a week or maybe 2. Then 11 days pass, and we get a bit more story where Thanksgiving dinner is mentioned. Then, 3 weeks later Kate is getting an early Christmas Present. Hmmmm, does anybody else see a problem with that? Apparently, the month of November is VERY long in Kate's world. Really, it's just a stupid thing, but it bugged me none the less. Other than that, the book was perfect. Now, I have to try and be patient for Book 5.

Magic Bites (Kate Daniels, Book 1)
Magic Burns (Kate Daniels, Book 2)
Magic Strikes (Kate Daniels, Book 3)
Magic Bleeds (Kate Daniels, Book 4)
Magic Slays (Kate Daniels) (Book 5 Due Spring 2011)

Goodness, this series got better and better every book I read!

The writing style now is like what I've familiar with. Sometimes what Kate said was so hilarious. Lots of important things happened in this book. The romance worth the waiting. I'm so glad they finally acted on their attraction. It was so little I cherished it every time Curran appeared.

I was on pins and needles waiting for this book. My agony only increased upon my wretched curiosity that lured me to into reading the first chapter of Magic Bleeds made available on Ilona Andrew's website. Not only did it fail to satisfy my Curran craving; it increased my torment ten fold. Agh! Luckily, good things come to those who wait, or rather, have a book store within driving distance that isn't opposed to breaking on sale dates. Magic Bleeds gave me everything I wanted, plus a few things I hadn't thought to ask for.

I told myself that I would take it slow, that I wouldn't fly through the pages, but alas, as with all the other books in this glorious series, it's impossible to put it down once you've gotten started. The book opens with Kate attempting to salvage the dinner she laboriously prepared for Curran after losing yet another bet to the Beast Lord. A dinner that every reader has been angsting over. A dinner that will determine the future of their relationship. A dinner that Curran is three hours late for and counting. Horror of horrors, Curran stands her up. What?! WTF?! Worse, when Kate calls the Keep, she is told that Curran will not speak to her and requests she direct any communications through his chief of security, Jim. Crushed and dejected, Kate begins plotting his death. When rationalization sets in, she rules that thought out, opting for storming the Keep, inflicting physical violence and demanding an explanation that would likely cause an interagency scandal in the process. But rather than risk her hide, Kate decides to put her heart on ice and ignore him. Thankfully, fate has other plans. As always, Kate's life is never simple. There's a new villain in town, bringing about plagues and destroying well versed opponents as though they were nothing more than annoying gnats. Naturally Kate receives the case, much to my delight and her annoyance. Kate's only hope is that the case doesn't involve a shifter, and it doesn't, it involves several. Haha! With one dead shifter, and several MIA, Curran's intrusion is sure to follow. Yay! True to form, Curran breaks his weeks of silence to offer Kate the assistance of The Pack. Initially reluctant, and oh so jilted, Kate declines. But logic trumps heartache when an undead water mage interrupts their heated debate to attack Curran. Curran may have saved Kate's hide once again, but Kate knows she isn't the target. Someone is targeting Curran, and though she is loathe to admit it, Kate can't bear the thought of something happening to Curran. In attempt to watch his back, Kate accepts the Packs assistance, but refuses to speak to Curran, opting rather to work through Jim, per Curran's request weeks ago. Curran doesn't understand why Kate refuses to speak to him, and he is not taking this slight lightly. In fact, he is furious, and a bit jilted himself. Curran insists that he did show that night. Albeit, he arrived four hours late, but he did show, and never received her inquiring call. Now Kate is stuck between a rock and a hard place. Does she follow her heart, and give Curran and herself a shot at true happiness, or follow 25 years of conditioning, and keep herself and those she loves at arms length? All this would be so much easier to rationalize if the latest monster of the week wasn't her all powerful and unflinching aunt.

Magic Bleeds was a delight. While I must confess, Magic Strikes is still my favorite in the series, this book was absolutely wonderful. *spoilers ahead*. I simply adored the fact Ilona Andrews had Kate meet Curran half way and finally deal with him on Shape Shifter terms. It was fraught with sexual tension and spiced with humor. Their story continues to make me grit my teeth, swoon, laugh, cry, and swoon. For those of you who worried that Kate and Curran finally coming together would ruin the heat, fear not. Andrews doesn't let us down. If anything, I think the tension increased, as these two now know what they stand to lose. Furthermore, Curran admittedly in love is even more delicious that Curran in frustrated romantic confusion. Oh how enticing he is! His character development has taken him to new heights as has Kate's. I cannot wait to see how Kate copes with her new status as Curran's mate and female Alpha of the Pack.

I have only one complaint, and to be honest, I feel bad for complaining because Ilona Andrews gave me everything I said I wanted. But like a spoiled reader, I have to make one request; can we get more Jim, Derek, Doolittle, and Raphael in the next installment? What you provided to us was beyond fantastic, but I missed them, and I don't like being peeved at Raphael. Also, love the addition of Grendel, and well done with Saimon. He makes me laugh with his peevishly pervy ways. Is the next one done yet?

Part of the Kate Daniels urban fantasy series, Magic Bleeds (#5) picks up following the anthology Magic Mourns (#4) in Must Love Hellhounds. Kate Daniels, a powerful magic user and sword fighter, works as a liasion between the Mercenary Guild and the Order of the Knights of Merciful Aid. She takes magical related cases, as well as those relating to the Pack (shapeshifters) or the People (vampires). The book starts out with a major surprise, leaving you wondering if Kate and Curran, the Beast Lord and pack leader, will ever get together. That question is ultimately answered in this book. (I won't elaborate because it'd be a spoiler!) Kate is called into a case for the Order. Someone magical is killing by transmitting disease so strong it may start an pandemic. Even more shocking, the first victim is a shapeshifter--who is not supposed to be able to be infected. And several more shifters have gone missing. Meanwhile, someone has attacked the People's casino and Ghastek asks Kate to help investigate. And Kate deals with her jerk of a boss, facing pressures from all sides as the city is in turmoil over the threats. Some very climatic events take place and shocking truths uncovered--can she maintain her anonymity and keep hidden from Roland?

This was another great addition to the series--I couldn't put the book down! Good mix of action, suspense, mystery and some romance. The world building in this series continues to be excellent. I love the use of the power words--very creative and I haven't encountered anything like them in other series. Terrific snarky dialogue--I laughed out loud so many times reading this book. I like the interactions with the shapeshifters, and tend to like those scenes better than the ones when Kate works alone. It was great seeing a lot of the characters from the earlier books--Curran, Andrea, Raphael, Derek, Aunt B, etc. I would have liked to see a bit more of Julie and Derek, however I enjoyed the addition of her new dog. An area for improvement--the pacing was a little off. The story started a bit slow, while Kate focused on the investigations and the author reminded us what happened in the earlier books. (I know authors need to do this, but I had just re-read the series recently so it felt really redundant.) But then the storyline really picked up and kept me on the edge of my seat. I liked that the author handled Curran and Kate's relationship. I've read other series that drag on the romantic tension forever and never resolve anything, which gets old.

All in all, this was a highly entertaining read. Fans of urban fantasy and paranormal romance will enjoy this good addition to an already strong series. If you haven't read the series, it's best to read them in order because the books build on each other and a good bit of character development happens in the earlier books.

If you are on the hunt for more books simliar in style, here are some others that I also enjoyed:
Mercy Thompson series by Patricia Briggs
Chicagoland Vampires series by Chloe Neill
Dorina Basarab Dhampir series by Karen Chance (Don't miss the anthology in On the Prowl, which should be read between Midnight's Daughter and Death's Mistress)
Guild Hunters series by Nalini Singh
World of Lupi series by Eileen Wilks

In my opinion this is one of the best series out there and this is the best book yet! Magic Bleeds had it all action, romance, scary, and humor. I think the authors do a fantastic job of moving the overall story arc along yet keep the essential plot line of the book interesting and contained in the book itself.

In Magic Bleeds we get a resolution between Kate and Curran will they or won't they??? We meet a member of Kate's wicked family a person who may be too tough for Kate to fight! This book (and series) has some of the best one-liners too. Kate manical smile...His furriness!

I just love how this series and books stays true to the characters and the world it is in. My greatest fear is that at some point the authors are going to go off the rails with their series like some other authors have but so far they haven't and this remains on of the best series and this the best book in it. I highly reccomend it!!

Stray Observations/Plot Spoilers:
I literally laughed out loud during the scene where andrea was drowning the woman in the hot tub and pointing her gun at Raphael. What is the deal with her at the end of the book? Why is she avoiding Kate? Should be interesting to find out.

This is the first book where I felt you couldn't read this book without having read any of the other books. You couldn't just jump into the series with this book.

I would love to get more Jim...

I wonder when Kate will fight Roland. I hope the authors don't take too long for it to happen b/c you don't want the series to drag on too long and become tiresome like other series.

Magic Rocks! I started this series because it was a relative kindle bargain and I was looking for some supernatural goodness. Almost immediately, I was hooked and the series has so far improved with each installment. Wife and husband team, Ilona Andrews, really creates an imaginative universe for the setting. Post-magic apocalypse, Atlanta is the stomping grounds for things imagined and re-imagined from myths and religions far and wide. They are each fast-paced, action-packed and easy to get through. And while the plot clips away at a great pace, what really draws you in is the characters. You would be hard pressed to find someone who doesn't have some Kate Daniels inside begging to come out. She is a total bad-ass and suffers many fools (but not well). Most the other characters are equally compelling and as the series progresses, they all get fleshed out more, much to the readers' satisfaction. I was especially pleased with the insight gained into Curran's character in Magic Bleeds. You will also find yourself laughing out loud at the humor, sarcasm, and innuendo that manages not to be groan-inducing.

If you are looking for insight into the romantic angle, what I will say is that in this series, you will find more steam than fire. But I think that makes the series all the more engaging because each steamy scene leaves you begging for more. And each novel builds on the previous tension. I'll say that if Magic Bites smolders, the fire is definitely lit by the time you finish reading Magic Bleeds.

Potential spoilers: I have to say I'm really pleased with where Ilona Andrews has taken us so far on this journey with Kate and her compatriots, romantic and otherwise in Magic Bleeds. I think it would be hard to maintain the same level of intensity through seven novels, but after reading "Bleeds," I have high hopes that things will not get any easier for Kate which will make it all the more readable. I definitely want Kate to find happiness ultimately, but I want to read about all the craziness that ensues along the way.

I also have to add that I was initially skeptical of the concept of a writing "team" rather than a single author, because that usually smacks of a "product" more than a novel, but the end result is a great read, so I can't argue with that. I love that they say that they "don't take themselves too seriously," but I think that their novels so far show that they are committed to the craft of story-telling.

I don't often review but Ilona is one of my top favorite authors. Waiting for this one to come out was downright painful, but worth it. This series is one that I read over and over again just for the enjoyment of seeing the characters interact and grow in leaps and bounds. If anyone asks me for a book suggestion, this Author is the first I recommend and I read an alarming amount of books, it's no small thing to keep me on the edge of my seat counting down days for a release date.

Many thanks to the "Magic" writing team for creating a fantastic world I can immerse myself in and share the heartache and joys of the characters I find in the pages. If you haven't read the series yet, you're truly missing out on something wonderful :)

I'm an Ilona Andrews fan girl and truly believe that she make each book better and better. For me there are not stars enough to rate this book, is simply genial! The conflict of Kate and Curran and their "negotiation" for a stable relationship as a couple is priceless.
I was totally immersed in a world full of magic and imagination, supernatural elements, brutal fighting, conspiracy, intrigue, and violence but also humor, loyalty and love and the most original characters I ever had the pleasure to read. I can't wait for the next one!

I was very much looking forward to reading the 4th book in the series as I've enjoyed every single one and this one didn't disappoint. I love that I laugh out loud when reading the series and this book had some very funny moments. I particularly like the "slut hut" references. The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars was I felt the pacing was off. There were a lot of new elements to fit into one book and I felt that the uber villain plot felt rushed. The uber villain more than just a villain (don't want to give any spoilers here) and so I expected the end fight to be epic. I think it would have been a better book if it were either longer or the plot split into two books but otherwise I loved it and am counting down to the next installment.

Magic Bleeds

You wouldn't think that a niece and her aunt trying to slaughter each other with lengthy pieces of sharp metal as painfully as possible would be funny.

However, Andrews manages it. This is literally laugh out loud funny in several places. If you can pull off horror, humour, and adventure along with romance in one novel then you really can't ask for much more. I thought it might be a little difficult to keep up the quality of the last novel and the recent novella, but it has been handled happily.

The situation becomes even more fraught with peril for Kate Daniels, as along with homicidal demigoddess aunts with a posse of undead mage servants, she also has to deal with scheming lycanthropes, bigoted knights, and being left in her undies, holding the dinner by big headed furry boyfriends. Plus a stressed out gun maniac best friend.

I even hate poodles, and there's a poodle in here, and I liked it. So this book has to be good.

I put it on a par with the previous work. That is, very good.

Oh, and Tim Bradstreet cover. Which some people might consider using edged weapons to get, in general.

I love Curran. I want him for my own, even. Who wouldn't want a prehistoric lion shifter who is quite crazy? Though, I do think Kate is perfect for him. This book was brilliant and couldn't have gotten better!

Magic Bleeds was everything I've been waiting months for! It was a fantastic continuation of a great series.
I don't even care that its not available on kindle right now, I would read these books if they were scratched into rocks, that's how good they are :P

Kate must track down yet another super powerful supernatural enemy, get stitched up by Doolittle, snarl at Curran and evade Saiman's romantic attentions- just another day in Atlanta for our favorite sword-wielding mage. We get quite a bit of Roland's backstory, learn about Curran's past, and find out we don't have to hate him for standing Kate up for The Dinner.

I would recommend reading the previous books in the series, its not necessary, but there are references to events that take place before Magic Bleeds that may not make sense if you haven't read them.

This is the only series that I actually count the months between books and stalk the author's blog for snippets. The sad part is now I have to wait another forever for Book 5! Write faster Ilona and Gordon!

I'm a devoted Kate Daniels fan because I love the character she is, and who she is becoming. You want to see a series progress both by moving the story along as well as what I think is most important, character development. Ilona Andrews does just that unlike other authors who I feel are trying to milk their series for all its worth. But I digress. In Magic Bleeds, Kate makes a huge decision and is prepared for its consequences. I like that she didn't shy away from making a firm decision. We are audience to her internal battles, all of which provides us insight into the type of person she is and is becoming. Anyways, I was already a die hard fan by Book 2, this book just cemented my love for Kate. I can't wait for the next book.

The Kate Daniels series has been good from the first book. This series has now REPLACED the Anita Blake series for me. Kate is similar to the early Anita Blake in that she has an interesting group of friends surrounding her, she has a mystery to solve each book, and she develops new powers each book. The great thing is that all this happens without all the random sex that DOMINATES the Anita Blake series. Kate is smart and tough and easy to like. A wonderful series.

Love it but dear god, the audiobook narrator is awful. I guess being a Savannah girl, the horrible portrayal of "Georgia drawl" sounded sadly like a mentally challenged person and not a southerner. It was really sad and upsetting actually. I think if someone is supposed to sound southern, maybe she should, I don't know ::shrug:: visit there first? But seriously I will NEVER buy another audio book read by this woman and that is sad as I am an audio addict.

So, while I give the book 5 stars. I have wasted 22 bucks on an audiobook that I can't force myself to listen to =( Save yourself the torture!

Anyone that enjoys Urban Fantasy has to love this series.

I need not say anything more!

Note: if new to this author, do you self a favour and start at book 1 (buy all 4 books at once, trust me again) and if possible take a day or two off work ! put a do not disturb note on your door ! and ENJOY the adventure :)

I am extremely picky with books (because I have read thousands) and Ilona Andrews is one of my favourite authors EVER!

she gives good books ;)

I don't really write reviews, and actually I never have, but this series is so mindblowingly hilarious, touching, exciting, and just generally efficient at being awesome, that I needed to add to the mountain of 5 stars.

The action is there, the mysterious backstory is there, the romance is there, and the beloved pithy, sarcastic, and occasionally insolent dialogue is there. I actually can't believe a book series this good exists.

And the timing is so spot on in these books. The big backstory (I guess it's not technically a mystery anymore, though) is developed, but not resolved. Each book reveals just enough to up the pressure a teeny bit and make the blowout with Roland mean more when it finally happens (pretty sure that's where they're going with this, anyway).

And the romance. Thank you, thank you, thank you. I'm so used to reading UF or paranormal romance, and walking away thinking, "I was entertained for three hours. That was a cute story." This series has something more. Ilona Andrews wraps you up so tightly in these characters that by the time you get to certain points in the book (without giving anything away), you'll be practically vibrating, wanting them to do or say certain things. I promise, it will be embarrassing how much you'll care.

If you've read the first 3 books, you know that Kate doesn't blindly fall into Curran's arms (and he might have dropped her if she did). She's not really a 'heaving bosoms' type of heroine, anyway. The relationship is built slowly on a sliver of respect and competition, then on more respect and attraction through the course of several books, and then finally, in the end, you actually really care what happens and what the characters decide, because you buy the relationship and you feel like you've seen it happen. It's not an, "I saw him, he was hot, I was hot, we're soulmates. It's epic, we swear. Have a sex scene. And an adorable baby. Oh, look, it's a happy ending!" type of book. There's some heavy lifting in terms of character development, and I'm so grateful.

And the humor. It's in the situations, it's in the dialogue, it's in the descriptions. Even Curran (can you tell I have a fixation?) has a sense of humor. They're able to balance this stoic, hugely powerful person with humor (and you cannot tell me that Magic Strikes didn't end perfectly and hilariously, I simply will not allow it), and they make it seem in-character. It's kind of amazing.

For me, this series has been perfect so far, and I'm actually afraid to read the fifth book, because I'm honestly doubtful that this book can be outdone. Hope does spring eternal, though. :)

. . .urban fantasy books that are truly URBAN FANTASY as this series is. this series has action, a plot, great dialogue, characters that you can get in to, a heroin that you like to meet, ditto for the hero. kate is not a mary sue -- she's tough but capable of saying, "i appreciate the help". you got your romance but thankfully, because this series is an URBAN FANTASY, it isn't the focal point here and neither, thank all that is holy, the sex. I'm waiting with bated breath for the 5th book.

I loved this book because there is finally romance! It was time that Curran and Kate stop skirting around and accept their attraction, but nothing is easy between this two. Magic Bleeds is a fast-paced and action-packed read. I highly recommend this series, it's amazing!.

Another novel in Ilona Andrews' series that I enjoyed surging through. The characters in this novel are more defined and novel has a faster pace until the last five chapters where things slow down and battles drag on and on. Interesting plot, God of Plagues mixed with paranormal, mythology, and sex made for a good read

I love the Kate Daniels Series! This is a great series that offers a twist to the fantasy romance genre! If you like the early Laurell K Hamilton-Anita Blake series, before she became a nympho, you'll love this! My only criticism is how long it takes these books to be released on the store. I read this book ages ago and am still waiting for another to be released that is later in the series. You must try it for youself. Also there is a few character spinoffs with multiple shorter stories, try and read them in order otherwise you'll jump ahead with plots from the Kate Daniels series.

4th book in the Kate Daniels series, set in "Post-Shift" Atlanta - Kate's family secrets come out to play and we get a fantastic villain.. as well as the matter of Kate & Curran's relationship being hashed out properly. I like how all of it evolves, the reveals of what's driving the characters and how the world keeps ticking along in the face of the magic/tech waves and upheaval.

Ilona Andrews can do better. Magic Bleeds was a good read, but parts and tangents aren't well-integrated into the whole of the novel. Plot wise, Kate does fight against her biggest challenge-villain, and I had a problem with the outcome. The antagonist is written as so challenging and powerful that I found the final conclusion forced and unrealistic. (It reminded me of early Anita Blake vs. the Earthmover in Circus of the Damned (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter), before Anita Blake turned into trash.)

Overall I found the romantic side above the curve, the action side forced, and the humor side funny but sometimes out of place. Kate's conflict with any and all 'authority' figures was probably the best part of the book for me. While Ilona Andrews is much better than other urban fantasy authors, room for improvement in the writing exists. Perhaps I'm being nitpicky here, but I know Andrews can write better, and I really want to read *those* books. Still a strong book four that anyone who likes the series will enjoy.

I have been reading the Kate Daniels series for years now and I have to say that this latest installment is my favorite to date. The characters have all continued to grow and evolve in logical ways. And even though the romantic interest between Kate and Curran was more front-and-center than usual there was enough action and general butt-kicking to keep the novel from becoming a straight-up romance. The writing is smooth and enjoyable, the world continues to fascinate, and the main characters are compelling and likable. I highly recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys a novel featuring a strong female protagonist who isn't afraid to be a woman AND a fighter.

I had to come and post a review since this book just made me so very happy this holiday weekend! The action, the character development - all were top notch in this outing. This series just keeps getting better - if you had told me when I read the first book in this series that I would love it so much - I wouldn't have believed it. But Kate Daniels now rates up with Mercy Thompson (Patricia Briggs' heroine) for me. I have no clue when the next installment will come out but I will be first in line to buy it! In the meantime, I'm actually going to reread the entire series - that's how stoked this book got me! Great job Ilona Andrews!!!!

I loved this book!!! This is my favorite one in the series. Definitely a 5 star read (but, you must of have read the previous books in the series to really appreciate this book like you should).

Love Curran and Kate together. They are a great match![...]Loved this book! (...oh, did I already mention that?)

Happy Reading from Bona Fide Reflections!

Of course you've either read or heard the rave reviews by now. Coming up with even a little criticism seems silly when compared to the overall excellence of this book and series. ESPECIALLY when compared to some of the other top books in series that recently came out and were VERY disappointing. My only complaint is --DARN IT!-- this author team has written themselves into a corner. Of course the story, action, setting, characters are outstanding. But the way the ROMANCE is handled is--perfectly reasonable and therefore---(sigh) doomed. Once all the whys and werefores are laid out--there is no room left for both a fantasy HEA and truthfullness with these characters. Wow. This is gonna be a tough one to fix for the rest of the series.....

Dear You,

WHY DID I EVEN AGREE TO READ THIS???!! I'm so serious! I don't know why! Why did I agree to read this when I knew, I KNEW, I KNEW that the next book wasn't out and I'd have to wait for it? That could take years! I wanted to pace myself and look what happened - no pacing. I read it over two days. I tried slowing down but to no avail. I just had to know what would happen next. Now I'm done, I loved it, and there's nothing more to read. Argh! This is why I don't like series!!! Torture, sweet torture!

Can you tell I liked this one? Well, if not - I did like it. No wait - loved it! Hey, remember all those funny one-liners? Weren't they so funny? Oh and the comebacks!! You know how I always am impressed by quick and witty comebacks? Well Magic Bleeds is chock full of them! I really liked Kate in this one.

"The rabbis paled. I'd managed to terrify holy men. Maybe I could beat up a nun for an encore."

Ahhhh, that Kate, she's so funny!

And I liked the villain in this one. She was funny and brought a lot of funny to a book that could have been grim. She was crazy. The bad guys were something else, weren't they? No really - they were something else.

Hear that? That's the sound of my heartbeat going into overdrive. Ah, Curran! Yes! I really like the Beast Lord in this one. Boy was I so very pleased with Kate and Curran. What a good story to reinforce why it's always better to talk it out and not assume. And that talking it out actually works! Who'da thunk?

Kate was still awesome and funny. She tried so hard to mature and be different. But she realized that didn't work. Guess she figured out that we like her just the way she is, yes we do! I love it when they describe her smiles. I tried doing them myself but I don't think I got the desired effect. My kids said it wasn't a smile and that I wasn't scary. They offered me better examples that I told them I liked. Between you and I, I wasn't that impressed.

One of favorite, and perhaps the most hardcore scene out of the whole series is when Kate meets up with a certain pack member and his mate. She had me at kick! That was THE Best.Scene.Evar. Umm, does that mean somethings wrong with me? No doubts about how awesome Kate is after that!

And was that ending awesome, or what? *swoon* Say 'or what' and I'll go Kate on you! Kidding, I wouldn't unleash that kind of violence on you. About the book - yes, it's violent and gritty and fun and romantic and it's the best series!! I can't wait for the next one. It did not end in a cliffhanger but I want to know what's gonna happen! Is that so wrong??

Love,

Your faithful FanGurl

PS. Did you also miss what happened to Grendel? Also, what's up with a certain person? You KNOW who I'm talking about. Just in case you've given this letter to someone else who hasn't read it (why ever not??), I've left out the deets.

PPS. Saiman. I would say that I'd punch him but I know that Kate and Curran can handle themselves.

this is a great series of books but more than a year between paperback and kindle is ridiculous. Havine said that, it should not stop anyone reading this series, its good writting with great characters. I disagree that its anything like the anita blake series but to each their own.

This is Book #4 in the Kate Daniels series. READ IT!

FYI there is a short story called Magic Mourns in the anthology called Must Love Hellhounds set between Book #3 and Book #4. If that is not enough and it probably won't be... the author's website if full of snippets and mini novellas from different points of view.

The series is set in a future Atlanta where magic comes in waves. The authors manage to write gritty action, excellent one-liners, and unforgettable characters in such a way that you want to visit ever so often while waiting for the next book. I could spend several paragraphs explaining the mix of mythology and the neat little twists on what you think the creatures that live in this world will be, but ultimately you should not read too many of the descriptions and just enjoy what will be a great ride.

I envy those who are just picking up this series... you have not suffered as I have waiting on Books #3 and #4 but if you start now... you'll be suffering right along with me waiting on the rest. Don't worry... it hurts so good.

This is book 4 in my favourite series. The previous books were: Magic Bites, Magic Burns, Magic Strikes, and the short story Magic Mourns (from the Must Love Hellhounds anthology).

Kate Daniels is an investigator/mercenary in an urban fantasy world where magic and tech waves alternate. She prefers to use her sword, because it works during all waves. She deals with vampires, shape-shifters, mages, witches, etc., and always tries to do what's right. She has a big secret that she tries to keep hidden.

Kate is very real, even when she's powerful and using her sword skills. Her relationship with Curran, the leader of the shapeshifters, is riveting. This is the book where their relationship is resolved.

The characters are all very well-drawn, the secondary characters are well-rounded, the dialogue is really great, certain parts are hilarious, and the plot is a real twister.

I read this book 3 times in the first day, got it in ebook format and got 2 hard copies.

Unlike other fantasy series, this series only gets better. I think it does need to be read in sequence with the previous novels.

I highly, highly recommend this series. I got tired of Anita Blake (too many new partners for the heroine), Charlaine Harris (unconvincing relationships), Kim Harrison (couldn't relate to the heroine), Carrie Vaughn and Karen Chance (very unconvincing love stories), Sherrilyn Kenyon (meandering plots and universe), etc. Ilona Andrews is the only author(s) who hasn't disappointed.

The books in this series just keep getting better and better. Magic Bleeds delivers. Period. I won't include a synopsis in this review because that has been done, just my opinion. Kate Daniels is my favorite heroine I've read so far in any series. She can kick a lot of ass, but has enough depth to her character/flaws/humor that makes her more realistic and hard not to love. The plot and world building has been superb. I also love how the romance between her and Curran has developed through the novels. Ilona Andrews has found a perfect balance of tension and resolution between the two characters so that they're relationship isn't incredibly infuriating with contrived conflicts, nor is it mindless pandering. Bravo Ilona. I cannot wait for the next installment.

Great series. It was great. She finally gives in to her feelings. =) Also she meets more of her family and it seemed to be going well for the most part. You all know how family events turn out... The cloaked man makes disease flurish beast go crazy and panick is spread to all. Death seems certain for some...There's a war brewing and Curran and Kate are the underdogs in this one. I can't wait to reread it!

With each book, Ilona Andrews improves on the world and characters of the Kate Daniels series. Kate has really grown as a character, and I enjoy being in her mind more than ever. Curran is one of my favorite heroes of the genre, and watching the interaction between the two of them is often hilarious and always entertaining. They are both very strong characters, and are all the more intriguing because of their flaws. The other characters of the series have also captured my interest and often my affection, and watching what happens to and for them is another reason to read this book and the series. This was my favorite of the Kate Daniels books so far. I was glad to see real attention being given to some things that I had been waiting to see addressed, and the way they were handled was perfect. Andrews went beyond my hopes and expectations with this latest installment. All I can say now is, when will the next be out?

honestly i'm a shallow type of reader, the lighter the content, the more i'm into it which makes sense right? i purchased all 4 books at once and after reading the first three pages of book 1 my brain was like mush, i was on the brink of returning them the next day. i own a lot of paranormal/urban fantasy series and most of them are pretty stright forward. i was clearly lacking some mental exercise because it took me a while to digest every damn detail there was about what kind of world ilona andrews was trying to paint. her books are so descriptive (for me at least) that halting every other paragraph was necessary to have a clear picture of what was being narrated. patience is truly a virtue cuz i eventually got over my chronic cerebral lack of peristalsis.

now with that said i loved the series so much that i finished burns/bites/strikes/bleeds in 4 freakin days. yes it's nerdy but i wont apologize since it brought me joy and excitement during a time of depression. the love story was frustratingly like molasses but it was well worth it ergo book 4 as my fave.

i find the main characters interesting and likeable (luv Derek),and everything is refreshing. cant wait for the 5th!

love it! it has humor, action, romance and drama.

The book focuses more on the relationship between kate and curran rather than the mystery. So if you havent read the earlier series, you wont really understand the romantic tension between them. So... better read the earlier ones :).

I dont want to give a summary because it would just give the whole plot away. There's really not much mystery to it, but the delivery of the story and the conversation between characters are a must read.

this book was everything I couldve wished for and more. I have been reading urban fantasy for over 10 years, and Ilona and her husband have excelled in their art. Readers of Butcher, Briggs, Harris, and Hamilton ( the ones disillusioned with Anita, that is) need to get on board for this ride!

Ilona Andrews just keeps getting better and better and better! Magic Bleeds more than lives up to the promise of the earlier books in the series (which were increasingly terrific, in and of themselves). Lately, I have been disappointed in the quality of certain sequels/installments in series (I won't mention any names here) and had been harboring a small, secret fear that Magic Bleeds might fall into that category. My fears were completely and totally unsubstantiated. Magic Bleeds is highly satisfying in every way - happy, sad, funny, serious, passionate, cruel, scary, and hopeful!

One of the things I admire/appreciate the most about the Ilona Andrews books is how the authors abide by the rules of the world they have created and keep the characters true to themselves. Without giving too much away - I think that knowing how things resolve diminishes the anxious, anticipatory thrill that accompanies the first reading of a good, exciting book - the authors do a wonderful job with the Kate/Curran relationship and interactions. They both have a lot of baggage and neither one is going to do a "magical" personality change to accommodate their relationship. Thank god for that! The same goes for Andrea and Raphael and all the other characters, both main and peripheral. Now, this does not make things easy or happy - some of the developments are heartbreaking, even while they are completely and totally right! Life isn't easy, and life in post-magic-apocalyptic Atlanta is certainly not simple, straightforward, or trouble-free.

Long story short, I loved every aspect of this book and would recommend it highly! The main villain is terrifically evil, yet somehow also charming in a completely amoral way. The conflict is tight and advances the storyline beautifully. I loved reading all the interactions between the characters, both new and old. I was never once tempted to skip ahead. The surprises are terrific, too - not the least of which is how what we thought were the good guys may turn out to be bad guys. Kate and Curran are their typical, amazing selves. As always, I loved, loved, loved Jim. Saiman is such an engaging, unscrupulous character, he is always delicious to read. It was great to see a bit more of Aunt B and Mahon (I would have loved to be a fly on the wall when Curran and Mahon had their little talk. :)). As I think about it, I actually do have one complaint about the book - it should have been longer! More would only be better. In particular, I would have loved to see a bit more of Derek and Julie.... Darn those publishers' page limits!

How long do I have to wait until Kate 5 comes out???

Magic Bleeds is another fabulous book in this series.

Everything I would like to write about this book is a spoiler so I'm just gonna say this, if you loved the rest of the series you will really love Magic Bleeds!

There is not much to say that everyone else hasn't already said, but I wanted to make sure that the authors get the ratings and feedback they deserve. If you're reading this and contemplating whether or not to spend the money starting yet another urban fantasy, stop now and just take the plunge. All four of the Kate Daniels novels are superb, so get them all and make sure you have time to dedicate yourself to these treasures. You won't regret a thing.

I stayed on edge the whole time I read this book, Kate has to take on family this time and almost looses her life more times than not and risk it all, she could loose Curran before this book is over, only time will tell.

Great book! Love the entire Kate Daniels series and am looking forward to reading more. Love the characters and the story progression. If you like these books you might enjoy reading snippets from [...]
Wish that the store and other bookstores promote this series more. I already had my copy almost two weeks before the store sent out emails that it was available.

This book is a fitting addition to the wonderful Kate Daniels Series. The Andrews manage with each book to keep us intrigued and the story advances like no other series I have read. Relationships don't stagnate and the action is heart stopping.

ILONA!!!

You made the sex scene one paragraph?!!!

No soup for you! :(

I mean OMG, how many books have I been reading through to get to Kate and Curran's sex scene and you give us a Wham, Bam, Thank you, Ma'am!!! One freakin' paragraph.

Yeah, that sex is so awesome. Blink and you'll miss it.

Sigh. So the loss of one star.

As you can tell from the title, I love this book. We got the next step in the Kate and Curran, the Beast Lord, relationship, which keeps you crying and laughing and on the edge of your seat, so to speak, from the very beginning. We got a super-awesome villain, the best yet in the Kate series. We got Saiman being an idiot, more so than usual. We get more history from both Kate and Curran. And we got Jim. Jim is perfect in this book. Some of the best moments are courtesy of his interaction with Kate, and sometimes Curran. This book is going on my keeper shelf. Hope you enjoy it too.

This one was definitely the best one yet! The characters are still great, the descriptions vivid. I love the humor, the mystery and the drama. This book finally gave me what I was waiting for in the romance department though, which made it the best yet! Luckily I only have to wait about a month until the next one comes out, but I sure wish I could swing by the bookstore tonight and pick it up!

I like to read books in a series, but very few fuel such a gripping, page-turning adrenaline rush as the Kate Daniels series. Each book leaves me craving more! The character development and vivid description along with exciting story lines and breath-holding climaxes completely envelope me in this magic filled world. If you need an action packed escape that prompts laugh-out-loud humor and a charged chemistry between characters, grab this book!!! A caveat... you may not be able to put it down.

Another great installment in the Kate Daniels series! The books get progressively better with each one. The writing is clean and concise and sucks you in from the first page. The plot is tight and the villain is very well done. The romantic tension between Kate and Curran is deftly handled and in the end you are both satisfied and impatiently wanting more. Well done team Andrews!

I really don't know what some of these people are talking about. The husband/wife author Ilona Andrews has once again put forth an excellent title. I actually loved the fact that this book was chock full of outstanding fight's and complex relationship's. It was really hard to put down. You see Kate's character make some very firm decisions that need to be made in order to get closer to the end game fight with Roland. I'm very impressed that the authors are still trying to create a great book, instead of a 19 part series that drags on long after the characters are no longer relevant like a lot of writers do nowadays...a la Anita Blake. All in all the book was a five and I can't wait to read the newest installment in May. I'm really looking forward to when Kate lets it all hang out.

Ilona Andrews is amazing, this book is amazing, everything she has written is amazing. Great story, longer than her other books, start at beginning of series if you are new to it. I re-read this series when I have nothing new to read.

A page turner. Never a dull moment as Kate takes on her psychopathic aunt and her 7 deadly henchmen. Tons of blood and gruesome gore. Some sweet times between Kate and Curran, His Fuzziness, the alpha lion and Beast Lord.

Needed more character development, more coherence between the actions and the characters. Sometimes, it reads like a comic book, superficial.

In this book, Curran and Kate finally mate. That was nice, but not all that exciting.

I cannot say enough good things about this series as a whole. I won't give a synopsis of this book, because I personally HATE reviews that tell you the whole story. If I want the story - I'll read the book!! All I can say is read this series and start with Magic Bites. A deluge of 5 star reviews doesn't lie.

I love the Kate Daniels series; always well written, great story, funny dialogue, and edge of your seat action. The over all plot of the series moved along nicely as did the romance between the main characters, so not a filler book by any means. My only complaint is that the husband and wife team that creates this wonderful world doesn't write fast enough.

I adore this book and absolutely adore this series. This, the 4th installment in the Kate Daniels series, was a fast paced pleasure to read. Kate gets her man and woman! If you haven't read the series yet, you don't know what you're missing. I can't wait for the next!

I have read all of the Kate Daniels books to date and Magic Bleeds is just as awesome as the rest. If you have not picked up the series yet...do! You won't regret it once you start. In Magic Bleeds Kate goes thru so many emotions I was right there with her. This is one book series I have found myself cheering, laughing and crying for the characters. The writing is great you find yourself checking out the web site to the books everyday.

This husband/wife duo knows how to make awesome novels! Kate Daniels series is so worth reading. The combat, humor, friendship, and romance makes for a great read. I couldn't put this novel or any of their other novels down, and I CAN'T wait for MAGIC SLAYS their next novel in this series that comes out in the summer!

It's been a LONG time since I have gone through a book this fast, and an even longer time since I have enjoyed a book in a series this much. Andrews manages to do what many authors just can't seem to accomplish lately, make a book in a series not only enjoyable but still satisfy readers with believable plot development. I've been really disappointed lately with a lot of Urban Fantasy series installments, but Andrews was able to remind me why I love this genre so much.

While I still think the 3rd book (Magic Strikes) is my favorite, this one definitely hit the spot! I love how these books continue to progress relationships and the overarching storyline of Kate's ultimate quest. I have the next book on preorder!

These stories are so well written and never falter from book to book. The characters stay the same personalities and with the same qualities. The story line is continuous and doesn't drag. The main character is very believable as a person and the humor in the whole stories is amazing. I love these books.

All of the Kate Daniels books are fantastic but this is the best one by far. It's an action packed fast paced story that keeps your attention and keeps you turning the page hungry for what happens next. The authors do a wonderful job continuing the development of the characters and evolving the story. They prove that happily ever after, isn't the end of story..it's just the begining. Loved every minute of it!

Usually by book 4 I am getting sick of a series (i.e. Anita Blake), but this series just keeps getting better. I read it all in one sitting. You get a better understanding of Kate and even a little or Curran that explains why they are the way they are. I will admit I was a little put out with Andrea. All in all I can't wait until the next installment.

I don't know how this writing team does it, but the books just keep getting better and better! After 350+ pages I wanted more! I would say you should read this series from the first book to get the full impact. I found myself laughing out loud and telling my husband that "I have found my geek people, and they write really good books!". I love the fullness of the characters, even the secondary ones to be totally amazing! I have been recommending these books to all my friends and I can't wait for the next one!

Why is it a major NO-NO for Kate to receive a blood transfusion in the first book, but okay in this book? I find such inconsistencies to be a major distraction in my reading pleasure. Overall, a very good read!

Fans of the series will not be disappointed with this book. The plot is dead on, the humor is sharp as ever, and the visceral, draw-you-in-and-won't-let-go feel of the fight scenes is enough to keep you riveted until the end. Overall, a fantastic addition the series and I'm already anticipating the next book.

I love this series of books. They story alone is worth reading. As an avid reader of urban fantasy books, it is refreshing to read a series that doesn't rely on sex to keep your attention. The story alone catches your attention and keeps you glued to the screen (or page). Would highly recommend this series.

This is my favorite book of the series (I've read the five that are out). The husband/wife duo wrote a nearly perfect book! They have the typical Kate attitude, an interesting plot, and manage to keep Curran and Kate interesting, despite the warming of the romance.

As a suggestion: after you read it, look up Curran's POV Vol. 1 and Vol. 2. They are fantastic companions to the series.

I loved the first three books in the Kate Daniels series, so I was surprised to not enjoy Magic Bleeds from begining to end.

Don't get me wrong, if you've started this series MB is a must read to keep up with the characters and series plotline. I have every plan to continue the series and will keep this book on my shelf. However the other reviews were sooo glowing I wanted to point out that this book, while good, was not IMHO the best of the series or the best Ilona Andrews can or has produced.

Spoiler alert

Problem 1: The failed date between Kate and Curran. These characters have been shown to be smart and capable people. So what smart man shows up four hours late for a date and is mad or surprised if the woman has taken off? Now let's test the logic of Curran's actions. You're leader of the free beasts of Atlanta and your future mate is not answering her phone, worried for her you travel to one of her homes only to find she is not there, you: 1. Call your army to arms and start searching 2. Call all of her homes and place of work to explain your tardiness 3. Leave a note pinned to the house you are sure she is not at to say "I am here" and then blame her for the failure of the date.

Problem 2: What was Kate's aunt in Atlanta to do? Infect the city, oh no that changed to cause mayhem, oh no that stopped and she moved on to killing all of the important people, oh no that changed to killing all the shapeshifters, no killing Kate, oh no that changed again to... dueling? Her logic, motive, and minions changed from chapter to chapter and was not up to the bad guys of Kate Daniels past.

Problem 3: Suddenly the shapeshifters hate Kate, when did that happen? They are lying to Curran about phone calls, have forgotten they had befriended her in book 1 for helping them out, and trying to kill Kate when Curran is injured.

The bottom line for me is this: The problems seemed forced to get the charcters were Andrews wanted them for the end of the book. The miscommunications and general chaos of this plot wasn't in line with the characters behaviors from previous books.

Final thought: Guys if you get tied up before a date, give your lady a call before waiting four hours to show up at her house, and if she's pissed don't be surprised. This conflict wasn't realistic to the characters, and the length it was drawn out was unrealistic by any but the worst romance novel standards.

Magic Bleeds is a pivotal book in the series, and it does not disappoint. Unlike so many other series (such as Anita Blake), this one just keeps getting better and better. I've read it three or four times through, and I'm still going back through my favorite passages. I can't wait for the next one!

Most often, authors start to lose their way by the 4th book. I've seen it happen in so many series. Magic Bleeds, as it should, leaves you longing for more. Ilona & Gordon have created a rich world from both the male and female viewpoint realistically. What more could you ask for?

I was eagerly anticipating the release of this book and I was not disappointed. This has become one of my favorite series and it just keeps getting better and better with each new book. Magic Bleeds is just a fantastic addition to this series.

I had no doubts whatsoever in Ilona and Gordon. I simply knew that Magic Bleeds was going to be good. They proved me wrong, because it's not only good, it's BREATHTAKING AND AWESOME.

If you enjoyed the other books, grab Magic Bleeds, read and be happy!

Once again Ilona Andrews knocks it out of the park. The book sucks you in with first page and doesn't let you go again until the end. I laughed, I bit my nails, I even teared up in parts. Now it's the unbearable wait for number 5 in the installment.

I absolutely loved this book!! This book is by far the best book I have read all year! I can't wait for the next book and I highly recommend anyone who hasn't read this series that you won't be disappointed.

I don't usually review on the store but I wanted to throw in a five star review to weigh against the extremely illogical (and only) one star review by someone who hasn't read the book and is mad it isn't on Kindle. Suck it up, dude. I wanted it on Kindle, too, but once I realized I'd have to wait I went for the paperback and bonus! Got it a week early at BAM since it was a soft release.

In a season of disappointing series continuations this was a real standout. Just as tight as always, characters stay in character but we get to see a bit more of them, and the stakes get higher as Kate's family starts closing in.

Cannot wait for the next Kate book or the next Edge, either. Congrats to the author on delivering such a payoff without killing the tension.

I just love kate daniels (along with mercy thompson and a few others) - those girls with a heart and a fighting arm.
and well written too. you just have to start reading. when you stop, you realise you've finished the book.

Does not disappoint! The best one yet! The authors do a great job at balancing all aspects (action, comedy, romance, exposition, etc.) to create a story that I just could not put down. Highly recommended.