Magic Bleeds (Kate Daniels, Bk 4) by Ilona Andrews

Tweet

If you read Magic Strikes then you are likely to have also read the sneak peek of Magic Bleeds offered in the back, which describes a scene in which Kate Daniels stands in her kitchen surrounded by a sumptuous feast she has prepared for Curran, only to realize that she has been stood up. And if you read this heartbreaking scene, then you have probably been anxiously awaiting to get a hold of the complete book to find out what happens next.

After apparently being rejected by the one man who might have given her a chance at love, Kate determines to forget Curran and focus on her job. This tactic turns out to be a rather successful one as Kate is soon challenged by the one of the most difficult and dangerous cases she has ever encountered.

There is a new villain in town, one who is causing havoc and spreading deadly diseases in cities across Georgia. When both the vampires and shapeshifters turn to Kate for help, she knows she is in trouble. Matters only get worse when Kate finally identifies the culprit and discovered her own personal connection to the murderer, a connection that might finally force the truth of her heritage into the open.

Magic Strikes was a fun, fast paced read with plenty of action and some interesting developments, and if you enjoyed the previous Kate Daniels books then you won’t be disappointed by this one.Unfortunately we don’t get too see too much of the other pack members, who I enjoyed getting to know in the previous books, or of Julie, Kate’s adopted daughter. We do get some great romance here, and as usual, Andrews manages to mix in just the right amount without allowing it to take over the story.

There were also some interesting facts included about Greek mythology and a look at the magical side of the Atlanta Jewish community, which involves a Golem guarded synagogue and a magical circle. Andrews also talks a bit about the Hebrew name of G-d which I thought was interesting because in Judaism the true name of G-d (which is no longer known) actually acts in a similar way to the words of power that are used in these books, and which Kate has been secretly collecting. I’m now curious if this is where Andrews got her idea for the power words.

Admittedly, soon after finishing the book I had a hard time recalling the individual details of the story, which might have to do with the repetitive battle scenes between Kate and the villain’s minions. Much of the book involves Kate rushing to one fight scene after another and it was clear that each battle was only a step in the direction of the final confrontation so I didn’t feel like they really added that much to the plot, although they took up most of the story.

Although Magic Bleeds is not a book that will likely stick with you for a long time after finishing it, it still provides a fun and entertaining reading experience, which is a good enough incentive for me to pick up a book.

Magic Bleeds is the fourth book in the Kate Daniels series. If you have not read the previous books in the series, I highly suggest you do so first, before reading this one.