Showing posts with label Ilona Andrews. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ilona Andrews. Show all posts

Review: Magic Triumphs by Ilona Andrews


Title: Magic Triumphs
Author: Ilona Andrews
Series: Kate Daniels, #10
Publisher: Ace
Release Date: August 28, 2018
Pages: 352
Rating:

Kate has come a long way from her origins as a loner taking care of paranormal problems in post-Shift Atlanta. She's made friends and enemies. She's found love and started a family with Curran Lennart, the former Beast Lord. But her magic is too strong for the power players of the world to let her be.

Kate and her father, Roland, currently have an uneasy truce, but when he starts testing her defenses again, she knows that sooner or later, a confrontation is inevitable. The Witch Oracle has begun seeing visions of blood, fire, and human bones. And when a mysterious box is delivered to Kate's doorstep, a threat of war from the ancient enemy who nearly destroyed her family, she knows their time is up.

Kate Daniels sees no other choice but to combine forces with the unlikeliest of allies. She knows betrayal is inevitable. She knows she may not survive the coming battle. But she has to try.

For her child.

For Atlanta.

For the world.

Hi, Dad, it's me. I know you're trying to kill me, my husband and our son, but guess what, all is forgiven, I need your help. Ugh. I'd rather walk on broken glass. 

The Kate Daniels Series is one of the few series I have enjoyed from start to finish. And MAGIC TRIUMPHS is no exception. I have enjoyed every single book in the series and I am sad it's over. Things happened that I didn't expect, the plot, the characters, the story, it made me want more! So when the end came, I was like, "fuck, now what?"

MAGIC TRIUMPHS opens with Kate giving birth to their son and things are relatively normal for Kate for a while until she is thrown into another big mystery and let me tell you, this one is BIG. On top of that we got a mystery box on her doorstep and she's not really sure of the message inside it and she's busy making sure Roland doesn't get her hands on her son.

Now before starting MAGIC TRIUMPHS I thought this whole book was going to be dedicated to bringing Roland down. I was caught off guard, but the plot twist was so amazing. This BIG mystery involves people dying in a bad way, but it connects to a terrible enemy of Kate's Family, obviously from Roland's side of the Family. And as soon as this is revealed I am totally bummed that this is the last Kate Daniels book because I FREAKING LOVE Kate's family history! Let's just say Kate is a busy bee in the book for all the shit she is occupied with.

Now this big long lost family enemy was done so well. We know how strong Erra and Roland are. I mean Kate and Curran were barely able to defeat Erra, but this enemy was someone Erra and Roland were barely able to defeat, so you know they are strong and I loved that. So Kate thought Roland was their biggest problem, boy was she wrong, this guy's 10X worse. I am insane, but I loved the villian. I swear Ilona Andrews is the only one to get me to love people I'm suppose to hate.

"Don't you want to wait until after dinner?" I murmured into his ear and licked the corner of his jaw, tasting the rough edge of his stubble. "Fuck dinner." 

Kate and Curran in this book were amazing as always. Kate obviously will do anything to make sure her son and Curran live, even killing herself. But Kate, you married a stubborn man. Kate has plans in motion to make sure her husband and son survive, but Curran set some things in motion as well. I'll just say he did something BIG. And my mind is thinking how is that possible? Ugh. I can't say more, it's hard to spill and not spill at the same time.

Okay. Conlan Lennert. Gimme! I want one so bad!!! Kate and Curran's son. I FREAKING LOVE HIM!!! I'm sure eveyone will love him. It's always fun when kids are thrown into the mix, and he was definitely fun! Conlan was quite the mystery because of Kate's magic and Curran being a shapeshifter, so what was gonna come out of two very powerful alphas? I'll just say we are STILL finding out stuff about this kid. I will beg you right know, Ilona Andrews, I NEED a Conlan book!

I knew Hugh and Elara just had to be in this book. I mean it's the final book and come on, we need everybody against this huge upcoming battle. Now if you haven't read the Iron and Magic aka Hugh's book, please go back and read it before you read MAGIC TRIUMPHS. Anyways Hugh is here to atone and Kate isn't really sure what to think. And we get to here a little about Hugh's past. Obviously after Hugh's book I love him. Hell! Even before that I loved him. But in MAGIC TRIUMPHS you get a little bit of clarity into Hugh and what a blood bond really means.

"It may prove foolish." "If it does, I'll deal with it," I told her. "Spoken like a queen." My aunt ran her ghostly fingers through my hair. "I finally made you into one." Too bad I've run out of time. 

Erra, Kate's Aunt made fantastic character development from when we first met her to the end of the series. I am really glad where Ilona Andrews took her character. She went from unbeatable enemy to mother figure for Kate and I absolutely loved that. And also that despite who Erra was when Kate and her first came face to face to now, Erra is an actual part of Kate's family. Erra is an example of what we wish Roland could be. Let me tell you though Roland is a whole other story.

We see so many moments in the series with Roland and Kate that are perfect father and daughter moments that you wish that he could be more to her. And I will go more in depth with this once this book is out. But I will say I didn't expect this ending for him, but it is genius. (view spoiler) Roland disappointed me. Family should be held above all. After everything, Erra got that, Roland didn't, (view spoiler)

Now MAGIC TRIUMPHS had such a satisfying ending, but I refuse to believe that is it, because this series has tons of side characters with outstanding stories that NEED to be told. I will say this is the end of Kate's story, but for the rest of them, I don't think so. I was left with so many questions for all of the other characters. Ilona Andrews is something amazing to be able to hold my attention for 10 complete books and making me not want it to end.

As I previously said, the Kate Daniels Series was amazing start to finish and without a doubt will always remain to be one of my all-time favorite series. I know Ilona Andrews will write more series I will gush over and I look forward to all their future projects. All I will say is Good-bye, for now.



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Review: Iron & Magic by Ilona Andrews


Title: Iron & Magic
Author: Ilona Andrews
Series: The Iron Convenant, #1
Publisher: CreateSpace
Release Date: June 26, 2018
Pages: 322
Rating:

No day is ordinary in a world where Technology and Magic compete for supremacy…But no matter which force is winning, in the apocalypse, a sword will always work. 

Hugh d’Ambray, Preceptor of the Iron Dogs, Warlord of the Builder of Towers, served only one man. Now his immortal, nearly omnipotent master has cast him aside. Hugh is a shadow of the warrior he was, but when he learns that the Iron Dogs, soldiers who would follow him anywhere, are being hunted down and murdered, he must make a choice: to fade away or to be the leader he was born to be. Hugh knows he must carve a new place for himself and his people, but they have no money, no shelter, and no food, and the necromancers are coming. Fast. 

Elara Harper is a creature who should not exist. Her enemies call her Abomination; her people call her White Lady. Tasked with their protection, she's trapped between the magical heavyweights about to collide and plunge the state of Kentucky into a war that humans have no power to stop. Desperate to shield her people and their simple way of life, she would accept help from the devil himself—and Hugh d’Ambray might qualify. 

Hugh needs a base, Elara needs soldiers. Both are infamous for betraying their allies, so how can they create a believable alliance to meet the challenge of their enemies? 

As the prophet says: “It is better to marry than to burn.” 

Hugh and Elara may do both. 

She spun on her feet and walked out. Behind her Lamar murmured, "One day that woman will drown you in the moat and I won't blame her." 

For real, I didn't think I was going to love IRON AND MAGIC as much as the Kate Daniels Series, but I do! I have no words that will do this book justice. It's just Oh.my.god. Just gimme more already! Now, I have freaking loved Hugh D. Ambray in the Kate Daniels Series since we freaking met him!

I don't know what it is, but hot damn do I love my bad boys. I was even at the point that if there was a Hugh and Kate thing, I didn't mind, I loved him that much! I was so pissed when we didn't see him anymore in the Kate Daniels World. I was like, What happened to my Hugh!!! But to hear he was not only going to get his own book, but his own trilogy?! The gods have answered my prays!

When we meet Hugh D' Ambray in IRON AND MAGIC he is in a very drunken state. Roland has exiled Hugh of failing him in bring his daughter to him. But come on, let's be real, who can make Kate do anything she doesn't wanna do? Not even Curran! lolz! Now the Iron Dogs that Hugh leads are being hunted down by Landon Nez, who is Rolands's left hand man. So Hugh needs to find a base for them.

"If you ever pull a demented stunt like that again, I will make your life a living hell." He bared his teeth at her. "You already do darling." 

And now we have Elara Harper, The White Warlock who needs protection. So an Alliance begins, though none of them trust each other. So for it to be a true alliance on the inside and to the outside there has to be a marriage. A marriage between Hugh and Elara who basically can't stand each other!

I greatly enjoyed Hugh's and Elara's constant bickering and fighting all the time. And also to mention trying to piss each other off because they enjoy the other's misery. There is definitely attraction there and the want for the other, and I am going to enjoy seeing this relationship develop further.

I loved like all of the side characters. I enjoyed getting to know the Iron Dogs and I loved getting to know Elara's people as well! After reading IRON AND MAGIC I can't say that I think Hugh is a bad man, he's not. He just followed the wrong man, but that couldn't be prevented because Roland is like the only father Hugh knows. Now I know after finishing IRON AND MAGIC this is the question on everyone's mind, but I just have to say it too, What the hell is Elara? I have to know! I look forward to finding out that's for sure!



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Review: Magic Binds by Ilona Andrews


Title: Magic Binds
Author: Ilona Andrews
Series: Kate Daniels, #9
Publisher: Ace
Release Date: September 20, 2016
Pages: 384
Rating:

Mercenary Kate Daniels knows all too well that magic in post-Shift Atlanta is a dangerous business. But nothing she’s faced could have prepared her for this…

Kate and the former Beast Lord Curran Lennart are finally making their relationship official. But there are some steep obstacles standing in the way of their walk to the altar…

Kate’s father, Roland, has kidnapped the demigod Saiman and is slowly bleeding him dry in his never-ending bid for power. A Witch Oracle has predicted that if Kate marries the man she loves, Atlanta will burn and she will lose him forever. And the only person Kate can ask for help is long dead.

The odds are impossible. The future is grim. But Kate Daniels has never been one to play by the rules…

I caught Curran giving me an interested look. Was he actually ... Yep, he was checking me out. Yeah, where were you last night, buddy? I would've stayed awake ... Well, no. Probably not. 

It is no secret that I am obsessed with the Kate Daniels Series and I was blown away how good this book was. Basically SHIT IS FINALLY HAPPENING! Can we all say OMFG! Give me more of this amazing series! I am so ready for more!

In MAGIC BINDS Kate and Curran are getting ready to finally have their wedding. Like actual wedding planning is happening, people! And people are driving Kate crazy, the usual! Haha! But Kate's father has kidnapped Saiman and Kate wants to get him back at any costs. Oh, and we have some development in the big reveal from the previous book, That means close your eyes if you haven't read the previous book!

Yes, he did. Oh he did. Now was really the wrong time to screw with me. My magic shot out of me. All of the anger I'd been trying to keep under the lid boiled out. 

Kate finds out that Roland wants Kate's future child and she is going to go through hell and back to make sure that doesn't happen. So Kate basically needs help to defeat her father from..... *BEEP* (ummm...yeah, you didn't really expect me to spill, did you?) MAGIC BINDS was everything and more! Things I totally didn't expect happened and I loved it all.

We get to have Kate fighting her dark side, we get lots of backstory on Kate's ancestors (which I loved), wedding happenings, and just enjoying Kate and Curran. One thing was this book totally had the final installment feels, but it totally isn't and there's more! I get to enjoy! And the ending?! OMFG! Like I said, SHIT IS FINALLY HAPPENING! AND IT'S GETTING EPIC!



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Review: Magic Shifts by Ilona Andrews


Title: Magic Shifts
Author: Ilona Andrews
Series: Kate Daniels, #8
Publisher: Ace
Release Date: August 4, 2015
Pages: 352
Rating:

After breaking from life with the Pack, mercenary Kate Daniels and her mate—former Beast Lord Curran Lennart—are adjusting to a very different pace. While they’re thrilled to escape all the infighting, Curran misses the constant challenges of leading the shapeshifters.

So when the Pack offers him its stake in the Mercenary Guild, Curran seizes the opportunity—too bad the Guild wants nothing to do with him and Kate. Luckily, as a veteran merc, Kate can take over any of the Guild’s unfinished jobs in order to bring in money and build their reputation. But what Kate and Curran don’t realize is that the odd jobs they’ve been working are all connected.

An ancient enemy has arisen, and Kate and Curran are the only ones who can stop it—before it takes their city apart piece by piece…

I have to say for the record, I never in a million years thought I would be disappointed with a Kate Daniels book, EVER! I swear that 2015 is not my year. I have been disappointed in almost every highly anticipated book of 2015 on my list, but a few. I don't even know where to start with MAGIC SHIFTS. Basically I assumed this book would be different, I mean in the previous book, Kate met her father, Roland and she claimed the city. But, Roland demanded that she also could not be in a position of power that she gets by being the Beast Lord's Consort. So she needed to leave the pack, but she could not leave the pack and still be with Curran, because he is the Beast Lord, so he decided to leave it all. So in this book we are experiencing how it is like for Curran and Kate leading somewhat peaceful lives since the are not apart of the keep any longer.

“Why, of course, Your Majesty. What was I thinking? I will go and do this right away, just please don’t look at me.” “Kate, get in the car.” “Maybe you should growl dramatically. I don’t think I’m intimidated enough.” 

Do I believe the book wasn't as great as the others because Curran and Kate were no longer apart of the keep? Yes and no. I think I was so used to the keep and Curran being Beast Lord. And I don't care what anyone says, Curran will always be the Beast Lord! I mean Kate still calls him, his majesty! I miss the craziness of a lot of the pack members you got in the previous book by driving Kate and sometimes Curran nuts. But we still get to see a lot of the pack members, because the do come and visit Kate and Curran. And anyone who decided they want to leave the keep with Kate and Curran may also do so. Everything just fell so out of place with this. I guess, I just don't like change. Haha!

What really had turned me off was the plot and storyline. A lot of the time it is the focal point of the book, so if the plot is no good, I have trouble even being interested in the book in the first place. This is the first time in a Kate Daniels book that I wasn't into the book because of the plot. It was so fucking boring that I found my myself skimming! Skimming a fucking Kate Daniels book! I don't do that! And this book made me want to do that! And I do feel like this book was a filler book. It felt like a filler book to me because of the nonsense of the plot and the plot had to happen to discover something that is vital to the continuation of this series. Oh, and what the fuck! Did Hugh get written out or something? He's mentioned, but I want my crazy psychopath back!

I would kill him. “Just so I get it right, Jim calls you and says, ‘Hey, we found a horde of ghouls in the MARTA tunnels,’ and your first thought was, ‘Great, I’ll take the kids’?” 

But that does not mean that I did not like the book at all. I semi-liked it because I did love the character developments and great dialogue that Ilona Andrews is famous for. We got Kate, Curran and Julie trying the whole dynamic family thing. Cute. We had pack members who remain completely loyal to Kate and Curran still no matter who the new Beast Lord is. And Oh.my.god. (view spoiler) And I don't care what anyone says, the best moment in this whole book is when George (aka Mahon's daughter) and Curran totally BURN Mahon! He's finally getting a taste of his own medicine on how much a asshole he is! Oh, yeah! Like I said, Best.Moment.Ever. And we do get some Roland, like one freaking scene. Yeah, Daddy's crazy! And Kate finally finds out what he's after and she plans to do everything in her power to prevent it!

All and all, I did like MAGIC SHIFTS, but I didn't love it. I don't expect to love every freaking book in every one of my favorite series, there's bound to be some duds. This one wasn't freaking horrible, it was just okay and didn't pack the punch that the rest of them did for me. This one basically felt like a filler book and felt so unlike the rest of them. But it had great Kate Daniels moments and great dialogue. You'll still laugh and enjoy it. I just want the next one, because of that ending. Things are definitely getting interesting and I can't wait for Kate to grow stronger with her magic being a key factor.



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