Book Review: Magic Strikes

Magic Strikes

By:  Ilona Andrews

Publisher:  Ace Fantasy

Publish Date:  April 2009

Format:  Paperback, 310pgs; pocketbook size

Genre:  Urban Fantasy

Series:  3rd novel in Kate Daniels series; Book 1 ~ Magic Bites, Book 2 ~ Magic Burns

Recommendation:  If you are reading this series and enjoying it, then you NEED to keep going!  Keeps getting better and better!

Book Synopsis:
When magic strikes and Atlanta goes to pieces, it's a job for Kate Daniels...

Drafted to work for the Order of Knights of Merciful Aid, mercenary Kate Daniels has more paranormal problems these days than she knows what to do with.  And in Atlanta, where magic comes and goes like the tide, that's saying a lot.

But when Kate's werewolf friend Derek is discovered nearly dead, she must confront her greatest challenge yet.  As her investigation leads her to the Midnight Games - an invitation-only, no-holds-barred, ultimate preternatural fighting tournament - she and Curran, the Beast Lord, uncover a dark plot that may forever alter the face of Atlanta's shapeshifting community...

First Sentence:
Some days my job was harder than others.

My Thoughts and Summary:
Two months after the flair and big battle with a god, magic is starting to flicker back to normal and people are flooding the Order with calls of help, Kate's days are full of several awful things now.  Kate has not stopped but for a few short hours of sleep.  After midnight on her way home, Kate gets a call from her telepathic secretary... a dead Shapeshifter, and being Kate's area of expertise she is off to investigate.  Jim is there handling the situation and sends her home declining the Orders help.  Kate gets a call from Saiman, he has Derek in his apartment and caged.  Kate bargains for her close friends release without mention, by agreeing to go to the highly illegal midnight games (the tickets Derek was after) with Saiman.  Kate finds herself getting involved with attacks, that seem to be associated with the forbidden game participants.

This one carries through with Curran and Kate's banter.  I love when Kate gets caught mocking him. LOL!  I had to laugh.  It's a classic scenario, but I just love it with these two.  And we start to see moments where they can talk, like normal people, even work together!  It's shocking, but wonderful to see these two come around to each other.  Oh, and so much more. lol.  Kate knows she wants Curran, but refuses to give in to a man who likes a challenge and a game... or so Kate thinks.

Oh Derek!! He is my favorite, sorry I know Curran should be but well... I was so sad for him here!  The poor kid!  But, I still love him, no matter what. ;)  My heart broke for Kate with only a few people she considers friends and Derek being top of the list.  She would kill for him.  I have to say Saiman caught my eye here too! I was curious about him before, well we get to see his true birth form and I want to see more of Saiman!

I love how we stumble through with Kate, learning the Shapeshifter ways.  In this book we learn of courting of the were-people, with a few different species.  It's always neat to see this world more and more each book.  We then learn tidbits of Kate's past as well (thanks be!) we get to learn a little about Roland.  In the end we get a look into that world.  I've been waiting for this, and so glad to see it coming to the surface, even just a tad.  I think this will surface more in the next few books.

We have a fight arena here in this book, part of the dark side.  This throws a neat twist into what we learn, and how we learn it.

It seems each book gets better and better as you get to know the characters and world.  I'm so happy that some of the Roland hints have been touched on here.  I have been waiting for that story to pick up, and now I'm excited to get to the next book in hopes of more.  I'm on to the next book, next month.  Can't wait!


I read this book for my own enjoyment.