I received this book for free from the author as a free story in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
"Magic Gifts"
by
Ilona Andrews
It is part of the Kate Daniels #5.4 series and is a urban fantasy that was published by the author on December 24, 2011 and has 100 pages.
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Other books in this series include [books_series]
Other books by this author which I have reviewed include Must Love Hellhounds, Dark and Stormy Knights, Angels of Darkness, Hexed, Fate's Edge, Hex Appeal, An Apple for the Creature, Gunmetal Magic, Innkeeper Chronicles, Steel's Edge, Magic Bites, Magic Burns, Magic Strikes, Magic Bleeds, Magic Slays, Magic Rises, Magic Bleeds, Burn For Me, Night Shift, Magic Shifts, Magic Binds, White Hot, Wildfire, Iron and Magic, Magic Triumphs, "Gerard Demille and Helen Meet", "Diamond Fire", "Sweep with Me", Clean Sweep, Sweep in Peace, "A Mere Formality", Blood Heir, "The King of Fire", Sapphire Flames, "A Misunderstanding", Emerald Blaze, "The Cool Aunt", One Fell Sweep, Sweep of the Blade, "Silent Blade", Fated Blades, On the Edge, Bayou Moon, "George and Jack in School", Sweep of the Heart , Magic Tides, Small Magics, "The Wilson Building", "Conlan’s Birthday Text", "Dabwaha", "Don't Fight with Fate", “A Bit More of Roman”, “Getting Distracted”, "Sgt Munoz Had to Go", Ruby Fever, "Regina", Magic Tides, "The King of Fire", Magic Claims, "Sandra", "No Heroes", "Purpose", "A Mere Formality", "I Will Explain Everything", "Sanctuary", "Kind Regards"
This is 5.4 in the Kate Daniels urban fantasy series revolving around Kate Daniels and Curran, the Beast Lord. It’s currently found in the back of Gunmetal Magic, and I recommend reading it before.
My Take
I really wish I had read this before Gunmetal Magic. Events within it take place and finish during Magic Slays, 5, and Gunmetal Magic simply continues on from it.
Crack me up! Kate gets jealous about a woman Curran was checking out and she pays him back nicely.
As terrifying as the scene is with the draugr, it is pretty funny to see the difference in the before and after of Ghastek’s reactions.
The Story
It was supposed to be a simple, pleasant dinner for two harried people. Instead, it becomes a magical assassination and an attack by vampires.
Dinner that night ended in one death, and one being killed, slowly, in front of Kate and Curran. It’s Curran’s concern about Ghastek’s ethics and intentions that cause him to take the boy. He knows that he and Kate will try to save Roderick. Ghastek only cares about the magical necklace. And getting it any way he can.
The clues lead to a dvergr, but no one can explain how to find him. Kate will need to bargain with a draugr and escape alive to help Roderick.
The Characters
Kate, a.k.a., the Consort, is mated to Curran, His Furry Majesty, and she’s frustrated over the efforts of Jim and the Mercenary Guild forcing her to choose who will head the guild. Julie is Kate’s fourteen-year-old adopted daughter and she can easily see magic, even better than an m-scanner.
Andrea Nash is Kate’s best friend and another former employee of the Order. Together they work at Cutting Edge. The company which the Pack staked for Kate.
Jim Black is a werejaguar and in charge of security for the Pack. He also belongs to the Mercenary Guild and it’s been six months since Solomon was killed. The Guild is falling apart and it seems that only Kate can settle things. Doolittle, a were-honeybadger, is the Pack doctor and will do everything he can to help Roderick. Derek is a wolfshifter and he works for Kate at Cutting Edge.
Mark was Solomon’s longtime assistant, an accountant. The Four Horsemen are their leader Bob, Ivera is nasty and a fire mage, Ken, and Juke. Both want Kate to endorse them to lead the Guild.
Ghastek Sedlak is a Master of the Dead and making a bid to take over the People’s Atlanta office. Rowena runs the People’s PR department. Amanda Sunny is a journeywoman for the Masters of Death. Lawrence was another journeyman and the two were obviously lovers. Aurellia Sunny is Amanda’s mother and more concerned with her husband’s survival than her children’s. Colin Sunny is an accountant with a past he has forgotten; his sister is married to the district attorney which could cause problems for the Pack holding Roderick. The People’s concern about Amanda’s death is the money they spent on her training.
Dagfinn Heyerdahl, a.k.a., Don Williams. used to be part of the Norse Heritage Foundation until they kicked him out for drinking and fighting. He’s brilliant with runes. The Norse Heritage Foundation is like a club. They’ll take in anyone who exhibits the qualities of the clichéd Viking: drinking vast amounts of beer, fighting at the drop of a hat, and wearing a horned helmet. Makes ya wonder just how bad Dagfinn was…? Gunnar is the Norse sentry. Ragnvald is their leader.
Håkon has become a draugr, “a mythical Norse undead who guards the treasure of its grave”. Immokalee is a Cherokee medicine woman who explains to Kate how to contact the draugr.
Ivar is a dvergr, a dwarf skilled at metalworking.
Vampires are mindless, ravening beasts controlled by navigators, a.k.a., Masters of the Dead, necromancers. They and the Pack have a very careful truce.
The Title
The title says it succinctly, although it might consider adding Beware Magic Gifts.
