Magic Rises (Kate Daniels)

This was a fantastic read...no holds barred, major character dies, everyone is in the book and plays significant roles, big magic, big problems, big solutions, in-depth relationships, more "family" problems for Kate, more steely resolve....I only read it 4 times....

I think the Kate Daniels novels are wonderful. I can't browse through any of the previous books without finding myself re-reading chapter after chapter until I've nearly read the whole book again. Still, I almost gave this book 4 not 5 stars, over some pretty minor quibbles that I have. Repetitive back story descriptions that could be condensed and that don't actually drive the story forward (like, we KNOW how Derek used to have a different face until something happened to him, but that's not important for this story). Some impossibly condensed timelines (I know this is fantasy, but it still takes some doing to get a large ship from the Aegean Sea into the Black Sea without giving it wings, not to mention fight to near death in the morning have a couple of meetings and fight to near death again before dinner plot lines). It's a tribute to the Andrews team that they pull it off in a book that manages to keep up the momentum in the evolution of the relationship between Kate and Curran without sacrificing all the energy and intensity of the dangerous world they inhabit. It would be insulting to their readers to make it seem as though two characters whose entire previous lives have depended upon not revealing compromising and dangerous secrets about themselves could go from 0 to 60 (from "tell no one" to "tell everything to this one person who could do me the most damage") in a heartbeat.

So it took me a few days after finishing the book to realize that what felt to me like a weak plot line about secret formulas that was worth only the 4 stars--was really not the heart of this book. I don't like giving out spoilers so I won't, but this book is all about temptation and trust. The Andrews team really nails it.

Kate keeps getting better and better. I've been waiting for a while for this book and it doesn't disappoint. Initially I was worried that some of my favorite characters would be left out. Don't worry most of the crazy cast is involved. Aunt B and the boudas (aunt B is great), Mahon, Derek, and others. The story starts simple enough and right away you get that great Curran, Kate dynamic. There are some twists in the story and some things while not unexpected, are still shocking.

Kate continues to progress in wonderful ways. Her magic is growing but really what really makes these books so good is her role with the pack. You really see how the pack is better with her involved.

The Curran and Kate relationship is one of the best reads in urban fantasy. Their relationship isn't perfect. It's actually far from it. They argue and fight and doubt and wonder. They are constantly tested and work through it.

A small comment on the big picture. I always felt that things with Roland are not exactly what Kate thinks. That the author has been giving us hints. Well we get a few more and I don't think the story will work out anything like the obvious conclusion. I hope we don't have to wait long for the next book.

The whole crew hits the road, um... ocean, for this one!

What do you do when you need a cure for the children in your pack who're going 'loup'? Why you travel the ocean to Europe to find the panacea that may cure them.

Kate, Curran, and their bunch of misfits run into trouble while protecting a pregnant were, who seems to have two baby-daddies in the works. But, if they want their payment of panacea, they'd better find a way to keep her alive.

An old flame of Curran's is introduced in this installment &, for the first time, you really get a sense of Kate's angst & self-doubt as to where she fits in Curran's pack/world.

An enemy Kate thought had been left behind in the states shows up at their European lodgings, surprise!

A frenemies abound. Mohan begins to show his a** more openly. Grumpy old bear that he is, he thinks Kate is not good enough for Curran. A certain polyform/frost giant 'helps' keep them all safe - Hey! He DID sign a contract!

Old friends, Derek, Andrea, & Raphael, have Kate's back.

Doolittle suffers a life-changing event.

Kate rescues (sets free) a crazy man who'd been held & tortured by one of her old foes, Hugh. Isn't it nice when those you rescue turn out to be just what you needed in the first place?

A 'shifted' world torn between random waves of magic & technology. A strong, intelligent, & sexy heroine (Kate Daniels). A story with depth and fantastic one-liners. Ms. Andrews' offers us a wonderfully crafted new world filled with shapeshifters, beastkin, witches, vampire navigators, and differing & sometimes warring paranormal police departments.

Each of the Kate Daniels books offers a deeper & more complex look at these groups and each allows her relationships with these individuals to grow stronger. I absolutely LOVED the fact that, even though you know she and the Beast Lord, Curran, are 'it' for each other that their relationship takes a while (& several books) to fully develop.

Each story shows different aspects of each character, too. I couldn't read the series fast enough & completed the entire series (to date) within a weeks time. So, even though I came to know the series late, it actually benefited me in that I could read them all at one go.

Book #1: Magic Bites
Book #2: Magic Burns
Book #3: Magic Strikes
Magic Mourns
Book #4: Magic Bleeds
Book #5: Magic Slays
Gunmetal Magic (Andrea & Raphael's story)
Magic Dreams
Book #6: Magic Rises
Book #7: Magic Breaks (due out July 2014)

I really enjoy the Kate Daniels series, and am always worried the next book wont be able to top the last. I'm proven wrong EVERY time. I completely lose myself whenever I read them. I rarely give anything 5 stars, but this book earned it. This writing duo keeps getting it right.

lIona Andrews never fails to spin a spectacular story! A must read! It was a great effort to pull myself away from the story, I could hardly put the book down. You won't regret buying this series!!!

I just finished this book ... and I must admit that I have really learned to love this series. The stories are always well written ... and action packed. I didn't know much about the author when I first started reading the series... and after the first book, I thought, "Is this author really a man?" And low and behold ... a couple writing team! Haha! This team is great. Although I have some serious questions about the world building and the suspense being held back with Roland .... I appreciate everything this series offers. The writing? Excellent. Unlike many authors of urban fantasy (with not much love of the English language), these authors have me whipping out a dictionary at least once and learning something new! Love it! Great story line. Well written and authentic characters. To anyone seeing this review that has not read the first 5-6 books (including the novellas), go back to the beginning before buying. You will be extremely happy once you get to this book -- and upset that that next book isn't out yet! Cheers to a great series.

VAGUE SPOILERS IN THE REVIEW.

As an adventure this book deserves five stars - as usual we are treated to the fascinating world this writing team build which keeps expanding with every book. The reason for adventure is heart wrenching and stakes are justifiably high. I loved the interactions between Kate and secondary characters. Derek, Eduardo, Aunt B and so many others rocked.

But the temporary conflict which happened between Kate and Curran felt so very contrived to me. Both of them felt out of character with their reactions. Curran would hide something from Kate because he thinks she is a bad actor? Granted, I have not reread other books in the series lately but off the top of my head I surely do not remember that this was established in the previous books. After all they had been through, really?

And Kate, Kate? OMG, I cannot stand when the smart tough character is forced to act like an idiot because the writers need to get to the certain plot points and the character does not resemble herself IMO.

I still love them and because I loved the plot in the book so much I am grading it that high, but I could not believe what I was reading and surely thought that I could be much happier if this book did not contain this idiotic fight on both sides.

That woman on the cover is NOT Kate Daniels. Kate doesn't have to be Helen of Troy beautiful, but she should at least be attractive. I won't accept her even if I have to put a cover on the book. Now for the story. It was easily the best of Kate Daniels so far; it was mesmerizing. Most urban fantasy series reach a point where there doesn't seem to be room to grow, but Andrews blew a hole in the walls of Post-shift Atlanta and sent everyone to the Mediterranean, where they met new species, and the story of Kate's ancestors was fleshed out a bit. The rationale for the trip was beautiful -- the Europeans have a drug that can stop teenagers from "going loup" when coming into adulthood, and one pack of shapeshifters is willing to trade the drug for the services of Curran et.al. Our heroes know they are walking into some kind of trap, but need the drug too urgently to avoid it. So they accept the job and hope for the best. Of course, treachery follows, and Kate is forced to deal with her father's "warlord," Hugh D'Ambray. I liked that Andrews did not make Hugh a complete monster; there were aspects of his personality that humanized him, and made the reader believe that he was not all bad. His likeable moments mad him much more engaging than the usual sadistic psychopathic villain. I can't wait for the next adventure.

In light of how some other urban fantasy heroines have completed lost their way, I've developed a greater appreciation for writers like IA who can keep the heroine both true to what we as the readers fell in love with, while also allowing her to grow and change as we all must on this journey called life. There were so many things I loved about Magic Rises that it would take forever to give an inventory and I don't want to spoil it for anyone but suffice it to say - you will NOT be disappointed.You may tear your hair out, you may clutch your pearls, you may scream for blood and demand to know "WHY?!!!" but you will not be disappointed because IA gives you all of the things that you love about Kate, Curran, the Pack and all of the other misfits that are part of this wonderful world. I devoured this book in two days, mourning when I had to put it down to sleep - that's how it good was. LOVE, LOVE LOVED IT!!!

This was definitely worth the wait. This series continues to remain fresh...this time due to a change of scenery and many new faces.

Kate and Curran travel abroad with several members of the pack to protect a young pregnant shapeshifter wolf, while settling a dispute between rival packs. Things are not all as they seem, and they are faced with many difficult physical and emotional battles. It's not an entirely happy story, but the events felt necessary to move the plot along. I have to admit, though, I'm still in a state of shock at everything that occurred.

Seemingly inconsequential characters have key roles. And Kate comes into contact with a signifiant character from her past. I expect some of these characters will stick around, or show their faces in the near future. Either way, it made for interesting reading, and I am so looking forward to the next one!

Most everybody here has already disected and gone on about why this book is so awesome, so I will just put in my two cents and say this:

This book is like a roller coaster. It runs you through all emotions possible-anticipation, fear, heartache, joy-and does it with masterfully crafted words. I could actually see the story playing out in my head like a movie. Ilona and Gordon move out of Atlanta, and instead of hurting the series like sometimes happens, it actually makes the world feel more real and alive. I read the entire thing in just over 16 hours (including a four hour break to finally get some sleep)-and plan on reading it again after I finish re-reading the whole series for the 70th time (slight exaggeration-but not by much). Ilona (and Gordon) are officially my favorite authors, and have been for a little while now-and they have yet to do wrong by me...

In short(ish) I highly recommend this book if you are a fan of the other Magic books. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll rage, and then sigh contentedly-until you realize you have to wait at least a whole other year until you get to go on the next Kate and Curran adventure...

Magic Rises stayed true to the series characters and continued their story nicely. They had been set up in the last book, needing a better option for dealing with shapeshifting children going loup, since they didn't really have a repeatable option after the last book. Well this story revolves around that need, and drives our favorite characters to take some risky chances. I wasn't expecially happy with the ending of this book, and that's why I gave it 4 stars instead of 5. I know Kate and Curran have a tendency to use force rather than finesse to resolve their problems, and the books are action-packed as a result, but this book ended in a big battle that I found a little confusing. Kate and Curran seem to survive due to grit instead of brains though, which makes me wonder where they're headed.

THis is a great series and keeps getting better. Magic Rises is a greek epic of story that kept me glued until the last page. I raced to finish it because the story was so gripping and then was saddened when it was over knowing there wouldnt be another book for a long while. Kate and Curran are mythic-heroic figures who set out on journey to save the future children of the pack and maybe even their own someday. They are betrayed at every turn but they persevere. This story was darker than the other noevels, perhaps is a portent of the battle to come between Kate and her father? Spoiler....I will miss Aunt B--she was a larger than life character, Doolittle's fear of Kate was also saddening. However, interesting new characters were introduced. The odyssey continues.

I pretty much read all the Kate Daniels Series together and have found the quality of the writing and plots are so consistently good i had to give this book 5 stars. I dont know how the author does it but she manages to keep the stories fresh and interesting with great dialogue and attention to detail. Im really looking forward to the next book in the series.

It has been a long time since the 5th installment of the Kate Daniels series was released. A long time. I was worried that after so much time a lot of the magic of the series would have dimmed, and I was concerned that I would be totally lost regarding characters and major plot points. Well, never fear ... I was able to jump right into this story with little problem. What I found was a story that was engaging and interesting in so many ways. There is enough action in this one story to constantly keep your heart pumping, and events occur on a regular basis that make you question what you had previously decided about these characters. Kate and Curran return in all of their glory along with a strong supporting cast of characters that make this a rich and layered story, sure to please all fans of this wonderful urban fantasy series.

What I liked:

Hugh d'Ambray. It is unusual for me to put a villain as the first thing that I love about a book, but in this book I have to do it. I absolutely LOVED this character. He is an example of what a perfectly written villain looks like. He is suave and dashing (to use a 19th century description). He has an almost tragic history in some ways, a history that seems to make him super similar to Kate. He is intelligent and gorgeous, and at times he can seem so very desirable. I knew all along that I shouldn't trust this guy, and yet there were times in this story where I could feel myself hoping that Kate would get together with him. How could my loyalty be pulled from the amazing Curran so easily? I adore Curran. And yet, there I was, sort of rooting for Hugh. Bizarre. And an excellent example of what made Hugh such a terrifying bad guy. I loved him, and I can't wait to read more about this fascinating man.

Kate. Kate may be one of my favorite kick-tail heroines in all of urban fiction. She is a human having to navigate the crazy politics of shape-shifters, and she manages to do it with humor and finesse. She has a will of steel when it comes to doing what will best help the pack, even if they don't completely accept her. Despite her lifetime of belief that she should trust no one and keep herself separate, she manages to fall in love with Curran with all her heart. She is complicated in many ways. She could be a character who is written so tough that she is hard to relate to, but Kate manages to be a lethal killer who has a heart of gold and a good dose of insecurity to keep her real. I love her.

Curran. The Beast King. What can I say about this wonderful head of the Pack? He can be so amazing at times, and then he can turn around and make the most bone-headed decisions when it comes to Kate. There were some times in this book where I was beginning to question him a bit. He was seriously ticking me off. Everyone tried to say that he always has a reason for his actions, but still ... he was being a total jerk, to put it mildly. But the Curran I love so much came through for me in the end, and I have to say I love him all the more for it. He is a great companion for a lady like Kate, and seeing him manages his quick-to-anger pack is magical at times.

The supporting cast makes this story so rich. There are all sorts of secondary story lines that are going on all the time. None of them really ever come to the forefront during the book, but because they are there, each of the minor characters have a depth that gives them life within the action of the story. I find myself wanting to know so much more about many of them, and yet I never feel as if this need to know more affects my overall enjoyment of the story.

If there is anything to complain about, it is that the ending came almost too quickly. There was a massive battle going on. Things seemed hopeless. And then they weren't. Just like that. There were so many things going on, and I felt like I needed a few more pages to process things. Just a minor issue, though.

Like the other books in this series, this book does not end on a cliff hanger, but it does leave so many things out there that need to be resolved. I hope that I don't have to wait so long for the next installment in this series. Five stars!

I have thoroughly enjoyed this series and can't wait to find out what happens next! The relationship between Kate and Curran constantly surprises me and at times makes me laugh out loud. Two very enthusiastic thumbs up!

Action, action, action all the way, Another great installment in the series.
One small gripe; in some of the longer dialogue scene it was difficult to keep track of who was speaking as the authors don't make it terribly clear, I had to back track several times.

I have really enjoyed all the books in this series. I like the way the characters are growing and changing ... it keeps the stories from getting stale. In this book, Kate and Curran are "invited" to go to Europe to help settle a dispute among the shapeshifter packs there. They know it is a trap, but it is an offer they cannot refuse because the European packs have a drug that all shapeshifters need. This drug helps keep the young shifters from going "Loup" when they hit puberty - and when a shifter goes "Loup" the pack is forced to kill them; which is heartwrenching. So Kate and Curran go, knowing they are walking into a trap ... and then even they are surprised by what they find. Love the new character (won't tell you any more because I don't want to give spoilers) and the insight into Kate's family.

This series just keeps getting better. Kate and Curran are getting closer. She is becoming more important to the Pack. I am sure we have not seen the last of Hugh. I cannot wait to see what is in store for us next.

The story was heartbreaking, mysterious, full of action, and endless surprises. Kate's relationship with Curran gets put to the test when they get in the middle of three shifter clans dispute while knowing it's a trap all to get medicine to keep young shifters from going loup. Politics, manipulation, attempted assassinations, and so on keep you constantly on the edge. It also reveals that Roland is not the only ancient powerful being that has woken up. As always IIona Andrews never fails to weave an entrancing tale in her book series of Kate Daniels. You will see Kate get stronger, and in the end become wiser. But what is funny is that the shifters who think they are the deadliest has no idea that the "just human" Kate Daniels is decended from one of the deadliest beings to walk the earth. Each event is detailed in the story from Kate and Curran's preparation to their voyage to their personal issues. And the fight scenes never disappoint, Curran, Kate, and their allies are deadly when ticked off and even deadlier when they are surrounded. Five stars for this amazing story!

I have really enjoyed all the books in this series. I like the way the characters are growing and changing ... it keeps the stories from getting stale. In this book, Kate and Curran are "invited" to go to Europe to help settle a dispute among the shapeshifter packs there. They know it is a trap, but it is an offer they cannot refuse because the European packs have a drug that all shapeshifters need. This drug helps keep the young shifters from going "Loup" when they hit puberty - and when a shifter goes "Loup" the pack is forced to kill them; which is heartwrenching. So Kate and Curran go, knowing they are walking into a trap ... and then even they are surprised by what they find. Love the new character (won't tell you any more because I don't want to give spoilers) and the insight into Kate's family.

This series just keeps getting better. Kate and Curran are getting closer. She is becoming more important to the Pack. I am sure we have not seen the last of Hugh. I cannot wait to see what is in store for us next.

The story was heartbreaking, mysterious, full of action, and endless surprises. Kate's relationship with Curran gets put to the test when they get in the middle of three shifter clans dispute while knowing it's a trap all to get medicine to keep young shifters from going loup. Politics, manipulation, attempted assassinations, and so on keep you constantly on the edge. It also reveals that Roland is not the only ancient powerful being that has woken up. As always IIona Andrews never fails to weave an entrancing tale in her book series of Kate Daniels. You will see Kate get stronger, and in the end become wiser. But what is funny is that the shifters who think they are the deadliest has no idea that the "just human" Kate Daniels is decended from one of the deadliest beings to walk the earth. Each event is detailed in the story from Kate and Curran's preparation to their voyage to their personal issues. And the fight scenes never disappoint, Curran, Kate, and their allies are deadly when ticked off and even deadlier when they are surrounded. Five stars for this amazing story!

Whether in Georgia or abroad, Kate Daniels gives it her all. She is a smart heroine weighing the risks, instead of willy-nilly throwing herself into the fray. Loved this book, and it will stay on my Keeper shelf.

GREAT edition to the Kate world! Woo-hoo!

Kate and Curran pick a crew of their best to travel by Saiman's ship over the ocean to the Russian wilderness to mediate 3 feuding packs in a power struggle and to protect a pregnant shifter in order to earn the panacea they need to keep their children from going loup. I loved it! This is the best one, in my view, since book 3 (the gladiator pit-fighting one).

I gotta say, I know Hugh is a bad guy, but he was so HOT in this book! lol

Also, it's interesting what they did with Curran in this one.

SPOILER
SPOILER I knew there had to be an explanation why he was acting distant and getting all cozy with that shifter chick, but I was also right there with Kate going, WTF?! I was mad at him. Oh, and Aunt B! :( so sad.

This is my favorite Kate novel! The plot moves quickly and, it kept me guessing until the end. Also, I was happy to be able to spend some more time with secondary characters like Mahon, George, and Barbaras,

I finished Magic Rises at about 2:30 this morning and am still processing. The word "wow" just keeps repeating over and over in my head. Words will never do this book justice, but I will try. I read one review that called it an emotional roller coaster ride and that is very accurate. Its starts with heartbreak over two young girls and just keeps going. There was an OMG moment about 30% of the way in that I did not see coming, I had to put my kindle down I was so shocked.

This book is typical Ilona Andrews. The words just seem to flow off the page, the imagery it produces is exceptional and they throw out a lot of information, but it never slows down the plot. This book made me laugh, gasp, cry, and had my stomach churning. They hold nothing back and the final action scene will blow you away. I love how Kate and Curran are still developing as a couple and just because they are together doesn't mean its all roses. That would be impossible given Kate's background and fear of the future. I am so glad that the series was picked up thru book 10 because it would be impossible to say goodbye to these cast of characters after only one more book. At the rate Ilona and Gordon are going there is a lot more story to come without any fear that the plot will becomes stale or routine.

The wait for the next book is going to be nothing less than excruciating torture and that is the best compliment I can give. Thank you Ilona and Gordon for one of the best sleepless nights I've ever had!

The tension just keeps mounting, and Kate's life continues to grow more and more complicated with each book.
I feel like there's a clock ticking as we get closer and closer to the Kate v Roland showdown, a supernatural MMA match!!!
Nothing bad to say about this book, it is a necessary addition to the storyline, with a LOT of things happening (don't want to give away any spoilers), I love Derek and wish we saw a little more of him in this one.
I've already reread this series three times and will probably do it again before this next release - it never grows old and sucks me in each time. Highly recommended if you like tough, practical female leads who prefer swords, yet who have just enough vulnerability to care for others and still want to be recognized as feminine and girly once in a while by her main squeeze.