A little too much world-building for my taste. But, if you like a rich, complex fantasy world, it might be right up your alley. And it's worth reading for the dialogue alone. The banter is pretty fantastic. ( )

Magic Bites
4 Stars

Renee Raudman's narration is good - she manages to convey the different voices well although I may have been spoiled by Phil Gigante's Barrons and was expecting something deeper for Curran.

The world of Kate Daniels is a fascinating place with an abundance of magical creatures and concepts that are at times familiar yet unique. The world building takes some getting used to as there are numerous new words and ideas that seem to come out of nowhere with little explanation. However, everything is ultimately explained as the story progresses but it can all, nevertheless, be quite confusing at first and may make the reader wonder if they missed a prequel (no, you didn't).

The tone of the book is exceedingly dark and edgy with numerous gruesome descriptions and much blood and gore. As such, it is not for the squeamish or faint of heart although it is perfect for me with my personal motto of " if it bleeds, it leads".

Kate is an engaging kick-ass heroine. Her sarcastic wit and snarky attitude are perfect survival tools for the harsh post-apocalyptic world of the series. Her interactions with Curran and the other secondary characters lead to several laugh-out-loud moments. Speaking of Curran, the man (beast?) is simply scrumptious and I look forward to seeing how his relationship with Kate plays out - they certainly have an interesting dynamic.

The mystery is absorbing and I must say that the identity of the culprit caught me by surprise - my suspicions lay in a completely different direction so kudos to Andrews for laying out all the necessary clues but still being able to lead me astray.

All in all, a solid beginning to a series that seems to have great potential. ( )

Do we really need another 20something kickass woman who has supermagic? I guess so. This is the start of a long popular series. Not bad, probably much better thought out than some, with interesting monsters, but I can’t feel it is so special. ( )

“Here, Kitty, Kitty, Kitty...”

Where it all started years ago....and where I never reviewed it the first time....

It's strange how perceptions can change. I don't know if it was mood thing, but I know that I used to find Kate slightly abrasive when I first read the series, but when I re-read, the issue didn't exist anymore. This time I dug her sarcastic wit, she didn't come across quite as cold and unapproachable. It was fun to relive her sarcastic quips aimed at Curran. The introduction of every main character rocked - that intro with the beast lord, what could be better? Besides the restaurant scene where they clash with their dates, of course! And that roar... Ghastek with his dry humor while he cared only about himself was even a treat.

The story isn't as gripping as later installments, but it still offered up a good one. There was mystery to be had, fights to be fought, and secrets to keep covered. People seem to dig the magical world Andrews created - it makes "UF lists" - but while I enjoy the twists on the vamps and respect the shapeshifter structure and how they blend in one large pack, no matter the breed, I always disliked that magic comes and goes. I can't put my finger on why it always bugged me. Perhaps it's because I like my magical characters to stay that way, not lose abilities depending on the time of day.

Ilona Andrews has a natural, easy-to-follow writing style that simply grips the reader. The pacing wasn't druggy fast but it worked and I never found a dull moment besides the first few chapters. I do have to say Curran is a loved character, but he irritated me some in the first book, first by accusing her of being a gloryhound, and second for becoming irrationally angry and blaming Kate when they fingered the wrong guy for the crime.

Oh, and I still hate Jim this re-read as much as I did the first read. Otherwise enjoy and hop on board this epic UF series if you haven't already. ( )

Admittedly, I overdosed on Urban Fantasy for about five years straight and, as a result, I became jaded by the genre as a whole. Two, maybe three, years ago I had to make myself stop reading UF altogether. Quit cold turkey. But I've started missing it. So I allowed myself baby steps back to UF and selected Magic Bites; I'd heard people mention Kate Daniels before. Overall, I had a good time, but if I started to think about the story much, I'd probably have some issues, nitpicks if you will. In the spirit of objectivity, and faced with the high ratings and rave reviews, I'll chalk my reaction up to more me than Kate. When I'm ready to give UF another go, I'll be sure to check out Magic Burns.

3.5 stars

I will say I absolutely loved the magic system as well as the setting of Atlanta, GA. The bonus material at the back of this edition also helped clarify m-scanner colors, the current state of the world, and the factions.

From the FAQ: What caused the magic to start flooding the world?

"Theory said that magic and tech used to coexist in a balance. Like the pendulum of a grandfather clock that barely moved, if at all. But then came the Age of Man, and men are made of progress. They overdeveloped magic, pushing the pendulum farther and farther to one side until it came crashing down and started swinging back and forth, bringing with it tech waves. And then in turn, technology oversaturated the world, helped once again by pesky Man, and the pendulum swung again, to the side of magic this time. The previous Shift from magic to tech took place somewhere around the start of the Iron Age. The current Shift officially dawned almost thirty years ago. It began with a flare, and with each subsequent flare, more of our world succumbed to magic." ( )