Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Review ~ Magic Strikes by Ilona Andrews

  
TITLE: Magic Strikes
AUTHOR: Ilona Andrews
COPYRIGHT: 2009
TYPE: Urban Fantasy
PAGES; 310
SERIES: oh yeah and you can read my fan girl review below!
1. Magic Bites (will post a review as a re-read later)
2. Magic Burns
3. Magic Strikes

REASON FOR READING: Because I am a rabid fan of the Kate Daniel’s series and have been patiently awaiting this 3rd release.

SUMMARY: {From goodreads}
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-hold-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…


THOUGHTS/OPINION:
Okay as the summary stated this book takes place in modern Atlanta Georgia where magic comes and goes. When it comes through the city all technology is lost and the people are crippled. When the magic leaves technology returns leaving people wondering when the next magic wave will hit. Many of the characters have horses or donkeys for the time the magic is down. Kate carries a sword with her at all times (AKA saber) b/c guns and weapons of that type don’t work when the magic is up. Kate has a suburb cast of secondary character ranging from pack members to a fellow knight who is a shifter. Add in a little girl she rescued in the last book feeling responsible for, and finally the Beast Lord who believes Kate is his. When you have a back up cast like that and a non stop action plot you get a wonderfully developed story that has you laughing out laugh in delight, gasping in horror, and sitting on the edge of your seat wondering how it will end.

Things I enjoyed:
-I absolutely loved the plot and sub-plots that are weaved in throughout the story. Not many authors can keep me in suspense and laughing at the same time. Here’s a classic example (pg. 25): Kate has just rescued her friend Derek a werewolf who claims he doesn’t need help as he is leaving he stops and comes back to Kate. In a breath he halted by my side. “I lied I need your help.”
“Who are we killing?”
That is classic Kate when it comes to those she cares about.

-There are a ton of things I found wonderful about this book but the cutest thing and the one that made me laugh so hard was the tigress Dali. She is legally blind and was banned from driving (which she does drag racing) she was currently under house arrest for doing it. When she shifts from woman to beast she gets short term memory loss and cross eyed. Kate being concerned asked her old partner and shape shifter Jim if she was dangerous (this is the conversation that followed)
Jim: “No she gags on raw meat and blood.”
Kate“What?”
Jim: “She won’t bite or scratch or she’ll vomit. She’s a vegetarian.”
Kate: Oh boy. “But when she’s in beast form…”
Jim: He shook his head. “She eats grass. Don’t ask.”
See it doesn’t get any better than that. Trust me you will love this scene.

-The fighting and action scene in this book are wonderful and believable. I could totally see someone doing them and as I read each scene it was written so well I could actually picture the fight in my head.

-As I said these authors have a wonderful way of sucking you in so deeply to their story that you find you don’t want to leave their world. I can’t stand that I have to wait for the next installment. I have so many questions that I am dying to get answers too but will have to wait. WHAAAAAAAAA

Things I didn’t care for:-There isn’t much I didn’t care for in this book. The only thing was the Hindu legends and myths that are incorporated. They are little difficult to understand and grasp especially if this is the first time, like me, having heard them. Although fascinating I found I had to read and re-read it over a couple of times to understand the significance.

-I didn’t like how much Kate keeping trying to convince herself that she would just be another notch in the bedpost for Curran. She just wouldn’t except that he might actually want her for more than just sex and that got annoying after reading the other shifters opinions. I seriously doubt her shifter friends would lie to her about something so important.

-Even though this is a personal thing I really didn’t appreciate Derek getting hurt. I know a lot of girls love Curran and I do too. I think he and Kate are made for each other. However, Derek is my favorite character in these books and I was sorry to see him suffer. But than again that is a personal preference.

Are you keeping it or passing it on? KEEPING IT will defiantly be re-reading this series in the immediate future.

SCORE: 9 out of 10

Anything Else: .You do need to read the previous books in order to understand the complex relationships of the characters and the growth of Kate through the series.

Okay the book releases tomorrow in stores go forth and buy!!!

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