[Archive] LITERAL ADDICTION's Review of Magic Rises

“Ilona Andrews” is the pseudonym for a husband-and-wife writing team. Ilona is a native-born Russian and Gordon is a former communications sergeant in the U.S. Army. Contrary to popular belief, Gordon was never an intelligence officer with a license to kill, and Ilona was never the mysterious Russian spy who seduced him. They met in college, in English Composition 101, where Ilona got a better grade. (Gordon is still sore about that.)

Gordon and Ilona currently reside in Texas with their two children and many dogs and cats.

Magic Rises, Book #6 of the KATE DANIELS series
by Ilona Andrews

Synopsis: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…

Our Review, by LITERAL ADDICTION's Pack Alpha - Michelle L. Olson:
*eARC received from the Publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

I am ashamed to say that this was my first foray into the Kate Daniels universe. I have had this series on my TBR forever, but just hadn't gotten to it yet. When I set up an Author Event for the Magic Rises release, I really wanted to include a review so I jumped in with two feet.

Magic Rises follows Kate, Curran, and 10 of their hand picked best on a quest across the Black Sea into what they know is a trap, but what they hope may be a coup. It was an action-packed read full of emotion, suspense, drama, and surprise and I was thoroughly engaged!

Ilona and Gordon wrote Magic Rises in such a way that I, as a first time reader, had no issues following the tale. I know that there are probably plenty of subtleties that I missed (believe me, I've engaged in enough "OMG you need to read that series now!" debates to know that much), but overall in read wonderfully as a stand-alone. The only thing that I feel may have been over my head was the very last sentence, but it just makes me want to go back and read the first 5 books of the series now immediately.

This book is a must read for all Kate Daniels fans - you will laugh, gasp, rail in frustration, mutter in shock, smile contentedly, and hope for more - and if you're a new reader, you'll do the same.

A solid 4 Skull read, and I'm looking forward to much more in the KD-Verse!

Magic Rises