April 19, 2013

Review: Magic Burns

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

magicburns

Genre: Urban Fantasy
Edition Reviewed: Paperback
Amazon: Paperback | Kindle
Goodreads: Magic Burns

Down in Atlanta, tempers – and temperatures – are about to flare…

As a mercenary who cleans up after magic gone wrong, Kate Daniels has seen her share of occupational hazards. Normally, 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. Now Kate’s going to have to deal with problems on a much bigger scale: a divine one.

When Kate sets out to retrieve a set of stolen maps for the Pack, Atlanta’s paramilitary clan of shapeshifters, she quickly realizes much more at stake. During a flare, gods and goddesses can manifest – and battle for power. 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…


Review:

Magic Burns could easily have passed as book one for the Kate Daniels series.  In fact, I might have preferred it as the starting point.  It brought more details about Kate to light, but not much.  Then some of the more basic questions about the universe of the Kate Daniels were finally given a better explanation.  The lack of world building and character depth on Kate were two of my biggest complaints on the first book.  The focus on Magic Burns is much like the previous book—Magic Bites—the supernatural mystery.  Since I like mysteries I can’t complain too much and the magic “wave” that comes up here is just too much fun!

Andrews shows us a side of both Kate and Curran that had been seemingly lacking in the first book—featuring compassion and personalities outside of killing things.  A little girls live is at stake and it’s warming how both Kate and Curran do everything in their power to help this one girl.  Kate still isn’t fleshed out enough for me. I. Need. More.

The monster isn’t as scary as the creepy animalistic rapist from the first book, but it’s definitely up there. A magic flare is coming up, where magic takes out technology for days to weeks.   What was supposed to be a quick retrieval of some pack maps turns quickly into a gruesome battle between gods. Of course the evil god is trying to break through and become “real” on the human plane—which can only successfully happen during a magic flare. 

Another fun entry to the Kate Daniel world.  It helped flesh it out a bit more, but I still feel like it held a lot back.  Fun characters come in and are not explored enough, mainly a certain goddesses’ horny “hell hound”.   The buildup between Kate and Curran is definitely heating up, and I’m starting to see why the fans rave.  With a better plot, tons of great action, and simply more Kate Daniel time—why miss it?

Sexual Content:  As mentioned in the review, there is one horny guy/hellhound.  Nothing too risky, unless you can’t handle the sexual tension building up.

 
3/5- Adored it, just a few minor details held it back


Previous book(s) in series:
Reviewed on BW: Amazon: Goodreads:

Magic Bites (1)
Magic Burns (2)
Magic Strikes (3)
Magic Bleeds (4)
Magic Slays (5)
Gunmetal Magic (5.5)
Magic Rises (6)
Magic Breaks (7)
Magic Shifts (8)
Untitled (9)
Untitled (10)



Magic Bites (1)
Magic Burns (2)
Magic Strikes (3)
Magic Bleeds (4)
Magic Slays (5)
Gunmetal Magic (5.5)
Magic Rises (6)
Magic Breaks (7)
Magic Shifts (8)
Untitled (9)
Untitled (10)

Magic Bites (1)
Magic Burns (2)
Magic Strikes (3)
Magic Bleeds (4)
Magic Slays (5)
Gunmetal Magic (5.5)
Magic Rises (6)
Magic Breaks (7)
Magic Shifts (8)
Untitled (9)
Untitled (10)

4 comments:

Carolina said...

I love Kate Daniels series, especially since it's one of the first ones I've read in a long time that doesn't have "insta-love" between the characters. You're right the first two books are a little rough around the edges but they do fill out! And you get to meet so many awesome characters along the way. Hope you have a good time getting to know them like I did!

Shera (Book Whispers) said...

Yeah. Book 3 starts to get into the swing of things and book 4 finally nails it.

The reviews for those books should be up next week.

Dazzling Mage said...

I cannot wait to start this series! Great review!

Shera (Book Whispers) said...

Oooo, I want to know what you think of this series once you start it.