Review: Magic Rises by Ilona Andrews

Magic Rises by Gordon Andrews, Ilona Andrews
Series: Kate Daniels #6
Published by ACE on July 30, 2013
Genres: PNR, Urban Fantasy
Pages: 327
Format: eBook
Source: Advance Reader Copy, author
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Atlanta is a city plagued by magical problems. Kate Daniels will fight to solve them—no matter the cost.

Mercenary Kate Daniels and her mate, Curran, the Beast Lord, are struggling to solve a heartbreaking crisis. Unable to control their beasts, many of the Pack’s shapeshifting children fail to survive to adulthood. While there is a medicine that can help, the secret to its making is closely guarded by the European packs, and there’s little available in Atlanta.

Kate can’t bear to watch innocents suffer, but the solution she and Curran have found threatens to be even more painful. The European shapeshifters who once outmaneuvered the Beast Lord have asked him to arbitrate a dispute—and they’ll pay him in medicine. With the young people’s survival and the Pack’s future at stake, Kate and Curran know they must accept the offer—but they have little doubt that they’re heading straight into a trap…

Some books you really can’t review without just simply saying “Wow,” and this is one of them.

WOW.

The thing about a Kate Daniels book is that it leaves you wanting to never leave the world that Ilona Andrews has built. I could float around for days after reading still wanting to go back and re-read the others in the series just so I can stay with Kate and Curran a bit longer. Since starting this review, I’ve actually re-read Magic Rises already. I couldn’t help myself!

Quick and non-spoilery: Curran is called to Europe to keep a pregnant wolf shifter safe. Her father uses her as a pawn, she’s pregnant with twins from different men (yes that’s possible!), and everyone wants a piece of her children. Whichever twin born first will gain that pack a certain mountain pass and land that is just prime land. Kate and Curran go in knowing it’s a trap, but they have something dangled in front of them that they can’t really refuse. The problem is that maybe the trap isn’t set for Curran, but someone else in their group. . .

There are so many times where I wanted Kate to be able to show how freakin’ badass she really is, but every single thing was an insult to the other pack, or to the other alpha, or to someone for something. It was so frustrating (and meant to be), but man there’s one point where Kate is sparring with someone (I can’t say who and it’s Keeeling me to not tell you), and she is seriously awesome. I think that was the first time the other shifters around started to realize that Kate isn’t just Curran’s eye candy. She’s pretty handy with a blade, and all of those shifters would have a true fight against her. Kate is treated like crap by everyone around her because she’s merely human, however someone pretty awesome (and unexpected) steps up for her.

One shifter in particular is so young (21), and she wants a piece of Curran, but sees Kate as nothing. Even less than nothing. She not only puts moves on Curran, but he allows it. I was shocked. I won’t spoil what happens, but it’s kind of a big deal.

But you never get a chance to breathe. The second you think one problem is solved, another hurdle needs to be cleared. When people talk about books keeping you on the edge of your seat, holding your breath and flipping pages as quickly as you can, they are speaking of this book.

The many emotions I went through in the duration of this book left me in awe of the authors, and left me wanting so much more. When you have a series that follows the same couple for more than 1 or 2 books, the characters can get stale, the storylines can feel recycled, but you always know with and Ilona Andrews book, that will never happen. Kate and Curran feel both fresh and like coming home after being away for too long. The new rules and world-building in this plot bring a new depth to the series, as do the problems and trials their relationship faces.

All old fans will love this story, and any new fans to this series will be so lucky to have so many books to read right off the bat! No long waits for you, you lucky readers, you! That is, until the next one, which this reader can NOT wait for.

***ARC courtesy of the authors and publisher