Review: Magic Bites by Ilona Andrews

Title:  Magic Bites (Kate Daniels #1)
Author:  Ilona Andrews
Publisher:  Penguin (March 27, 2007)
Genre:  Urban Fantasy
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When the magic is up, rogue mages cast their spells and monsters appear, while guns refuse to fire and cars fail to start. But then technology returns, and the magic recedes as unpredictably as it arose, leaving all kinds of paranormal problems in its wake.

Kate Daniels is a down-on-her-luck mercenary who makes her living cleaning up these magical problems. But when Kate's guardian is murdered, her quest for justice draws her into a power struggle between two strong factions within Atlanta's magic circles.

The Masters of the Dead, necromancers who can control vampires, and the Pack, a paramilitary clan of shapechangers, blame each other for a series of bizarre killings—and the death of Kate's guardian may be part of the same mystery. Pressured by both sides to find the killer, Kate realizes she's way out of her league—but she wouldn't have it any other way…

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I don't know about you but I love a book that has a kick ass heroine.  To many books nowadays have very weak female leads, and trust me when I say Kate Daniels is NOT one of them.  This is a fantastic debut novel for the co-author couple. 

Kate Daniels lives in alternate Atlanta, where technology and magic are constantly at odds with each other.  When her guardian is killed, she will do anything in her power to bring his killer to justice....the Kate Daniels way.  Which is bad ass and hilarious at the same time.

Just like any fantasy book, there are vampires and shape shifters.  But in this world the vampires are NOT the absolutely drop dead gorgeous beings to ever walk on two legs.  They don't "sparkle", and they still don't like the sunlight.  They tend to walk on all fours, have gleaming red eyes, with their flesh rotting off their bones.  They are out of control, and must have a "driver"  to keep them under control.  In other words, they are undead puppets controled by the Masters of the Dead.

As for the shape shifters, they are HOT, plentiful, and come in many different breeds of animal (bear, lion, wolf, panther, hyena, rat...just to list a few).  Number one favorite is Curran, the packs king.  He will have you drooling all over yourself the second you meet him.  He is always giving Kate a hard time, and vise versa, but he is always there when she needs him the most.  I can't wait to see what's in store for these two.

It did take a while for the book to get rolling, and I did find it confusing at some points.   Just give the book a chance, and you won't be disappointed.  All in all, this book will forever be gracing my bookshelves.

Rating:  5 out of 5

“Here, Kitty, Kitty, Kitty...” 
- Ilona Andrews

^ That quote comes from one of the best scenes in the book!!!