Magic Bites

I have to admit that I judged Magic Bites by its cover. When I received it, I wasn't interested in reading it at all, but after hearing some really good things about it I was more excited to give it a try. I was not disappointed. This book is fantastic! Kate Daniels is a member of the Mercenary Guild. Mercenaries are called in to deal with situations involving magic that the police either can't or won't handle. When Kate's guardian, Greg is found dead, Kate sets off on a mission to find out what happened. She finds a case of strange killings Greg has been working on, and it leads her to the necromancers who control vampires and The Pack, a group of shapeshifters. Urban fantasy can be hit or miss with me. Magic Bites was definitely a hit. The story was never boring and kept me entertained the entire time. It reads like a thriller with some magic, vampires, and shapeshifters thrown in. The necromancers and The Pack are both suspected in the killings Kate's guardian was investigating, and it is left up to her to figure out who is responsible before all hell breaks loose between the two groups. Some people might be burned out on vampires and werewolves, but I assure you...these are more your standard fare than those of the sparkling, buff teenage variety. They are menacing. I found myself thinking that Kate was in danger throughout most of the book and had that "edge of my seat" feeling throughout the entire read. It only took the first few lines of the book for Kate Daniels to become one of my favorite female characters. The story opens with her drinking Boone's Hard Lemonade and watching television...and she drinks Boone's not because she's poor but by choice! Who does that?!! Only someone who is very secure with themselves and VERY cool. When I read those first few pages I immediately knew that this book would be more like reading The Dresden Files than reading a romance-y girlie urban fantasy book. Kate seems more down on her luck in the romance department and can definitely handle herself in a fight. I happen to love female protagonists that aren't all bosoms and eyelash batters. Call it the feminist in me, but I like it when writers make women capable of more than seducing a man. Kate Daniels fits that profile for me, and I want to read more of her story! For those of you that like a little hint of romance, there's definitely some romantic tension, and the series seems to hint at that being a part of the story arc in the coming books (which I will most likely be picking up soon). My hope is that they continue to focus on Kate Daniels being a hardened merc with a little bit of a soft side. The only thing that left me wanting in the book is that I wish there was a little more world building on the part of the neuromancers and The Pack. Since the books are relatively short, that might come later in the series. Overall I thought the book was fun and quick. If you're an urban fantasy fan, like women who can kick booty, or even want to delve into urban fantasy, I highly recommend Magic Bites. It's definitely a good way to spend a lazy Saturday! *Notice of disclosure: I received this book for review from Penguin Books.show more

About Magic Bites: Atlanta would be a nice place to live, if it weren't for magic... One moment magic dominates, and cars stall and guns fail. The next, technology takes over and the defensive spells no longer protect your house from monsters. Here skyscrapers topple under onslaught of magic; werebears and werehyenas prowl through the ruined streets; and the Masters of the Dead, necromancers driven by their thirst of knowledge and wealth, pilot blood-crazed vampires with their minds. In this world lives Kate Daniels. Kate likes her sword a little too much and has a hard time controlling her mouth. The magic in her blood makes her a target, and she spent most of her life hiding in plain sight. But when Kate's guardian is murdered, she must choose to do nothing and remain safe or to pursue his preternatural killer. Hiding is easy, but the right choice is rarely easy... Source: Info in the About Magic Bites was taken from the author's website at http://kate.ilona-andrews.com/novels/magic-bites/ on 01/08/2010. Review: This is the first book of the Kate Daniels story which I recently realized that I haven't reviewed yet! So this is a retrospective review hence I've read this book ages ago. By now there are 4 books in the series already and it just keeps getting better! Click here to see my review of the most recent release of this series, Magic Bleeds. This review applies to all the books in the series. If I am to give a rating to the series as a whole I would give it a 5 out of 5. Is it obvious that I am an Ilona Andrews die hard fan?! ;) Masterpiece. The story telling quality is very compelling and I would give it a 5 out of 5. The author weaves a magical world of Atlanta and make it seem all too possible. I would give the world building a 5 out of 5. The story leaves you with characters which walks around a readers' head long after you've read the book that you can't wait for the next installment to get published! I would give the character building another 5 out of 5. Overall Rating: 5 out of 5show more