Magic Burns (Kate Daniels, Book 2) | Ilona Andrews

Magic Burns (Kate Daniels, Book 2) | Ilona Andrews | Burns is an understatement!

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Magic Burns (Kate ...

	Magic Burns (Kate Daniels, Book 2) Ilona Andrews Ace, 2008 - 272 pages average customer review:based on 45 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

As a mercenary who cleans up after magic gone wrong, Kate Daniels knows how waves of paranormal energy ebb and flow across Atlanta like a tide. But once every seven years, a flare comes, a time when magic runs rampant. When Kate sets out to retrieve a set of stolen maps for the Pack, Atlanta's paramilitary clan of shape shifters, she quickly realizes much more is at stake. The stolen maps are only the opening gambit in an epic tug of war between two gods hoping for rebirth, and if Kate can't stop the cataclysmic showdown, the city may not survive.

A real page turner

This KATEGORIE|/book" class="textlinks">book held my interest from page 1. It is a fast paced, interesting and very different Urban Fantasy. There are so many really creative characters and scenes - something is happening constantly. I couldn't put it down.

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Burns is an understatement!

Atlanta may be a strange and magical place, but it is nothing like it used to be. Now, Kate Daniels anticipates the ebb and flow of the magical energy that shuts down technology like a switch - everywhere. It's her job as a mercenary to clean up the mess after the magic, and now that it appears that a flare is coming - a time when the magic's energy comes more often, stronger, and somewhat unchecked - her work is cut out for her. On what is supposed to be an easy retrieval, she encounters a stray which - knowing Kate - she can't help but take in. This doesn't help her situation because it would seem that a lot of the higher magical powers converging during the flare seem to want something powerful, and Kate is quickly narrowing it down to the stray she is trying to save. Can she save the world and get a decent meal before the next magic wave hits?

As usual, Kate manages to jump into situations with both feet without knowing she's jumping in the first place. In this case, she's agreed to help the shapeshifters find their stolen maps, not realizing that in doing so she's tied their case to the young girl, Julie, whose mother is missing. Julie's mother is a witch who has disappeared into the chaos of the flare. Amidst this is a man with a crossbow who is able to disappear/reappear into the mist at will - a talent no one has ever seen before. Not knowing who he is working for, Kate assumes he is one of the bad guys and keeps going on her merry way until she realizes he is the thief. Picking and choosing her way carefully through the multitude of characters, Kate sifts through the clues and centuries of mythology and fantasy to come up with an incredible race for power and control unthought-of before now.

Awesome is the word that comes to mind when I think of this work. I wish that they would write faster. I love the byplay of the characters, the humor included in the work, and the eclectic historical references. A lot of it is quite far-fetched but within the bounds of human nature. The tortoise is great. I wish I could think of a better word, but nothing quite covers it. And the sexual tension that Kate is emitting has me gritting my teeth - definitely can't wait for the next book.

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Absolutely Fascinating!! Must Read!!

I had read the twilight series and was looking for other things in the same vein with a little romance thrown in and thought I would try this series. I absolutely adored the first one and I can honestly say I like this one even better than the first one. This KATEGORIE|/book" class="textlinks">book is not boring and there is never a dull moment, which I like because I hate reading a book, getting to a good part and then having to read through a dragging slow section. All the characters she creates are really real characters and the dialogue is just absolutely wonderful. I think this is the best dialogue I've read in a long time. Its very real sounding and that is so important to me to bring the story and characters and be able to invest in it emotionally. The romance is very slow but I like it that way because with any great story its better when the characters stay apart, it makes you want them together that much more. I hope they never get together and that way the tension is maintained. I like just a little tease of a romance and then there is something to build on for the next sequel and then the next etc. I loved this book.

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Even better than book 1!

This KATEGORIE|/book" class="textlinks">book had me from page 1 - although this is not surprising, since I loved book 1 of the series! The action here picks up three months after the end of book one, with Kate still super-tough, but realizing that perhaps Boone's Farm isn't the place she wants to visit anymore - nice to see a character that isn't self-destructive, but rather tough-as-nails and wanting to get the job done no matter what.

The action here is still gory, and the mythology keeps on coming, this time from the Irish pantheon. Andrews keeps the storyline moving, as in book 1, and some development takes place regarding Kate's origins (I have a guess) and her relationship with Curran.

According to Andrews' blog, books 3 and 4 have been bought by Ace, so hopefully the next book in the series will be out soon!

So - if you like lots of action, otherworldly gore, and a tough female heroine with flaws (but still eminently likable, IMO), don't miss this series! Also, I don't think book 2 is necessarily stand-alone, so I recommend reading book 1 first.

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Dark & gritty urban fantasy

In Magic Burns, the sequel to Andrews' Magic Bites, the magic in Kate Daniels' world is going crazy. More specifically, it is leading up to a flare, a period of time where the magic overtakes tech and holds steady and strong. During a flare all kinds of things can happen - including the manifestation of deities into the mortal world, bringing all their squabbles and wars with them.

I'm really liking this series, and cannot wait for the next installment! There are still a few issues in this book which I mentioned in my review of the previous book: namely, twists of storytelling which go too fast for me to follow (I could have used a turning signal, or at least a few more paragraphs) and a few editing and proofreading errors. Nonetheless, this is definitely an entertaining world which Ilona Andrews has crafted, and I enjoy reading Kate's viewpoint of her world.

I am glad that more of Kate's background is coming to light in this book. I have my guesses as to some of her secrets, and am sure that in the next book (or two or three) they will be confirmed. I am also loving the subtle, slowly growing romance between Kate and Curran, the Beast Lord.

I definitely recommend Magic Bites and Magic Burns to lovers of urban fantasy - especially dark urban fantasy, as this series is certainly not light, happy-go-lucky fare. It is real and gritty, with death and blood as much a part of Kate's world as (if not more than) love and happy endings.

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