Thursday, November 3, 2016

Magic Binds by Ilona Andrews - Review

Mercenary Kate Daniels knows all too well that magic in post-Shift Atlanta is a dangerous business. But nothing she’s faced could have prepared her for this…

Kate and the former Beast Lord Curran Lennart are finally making their relationship official. But there are some steep obstacles standing in the way of their walk to the altar…

Kate’s father, Roland, has kidnapped the demigod Saiman and is slowly bleeding him dry in his never-ending bid for power. A Witch Oracle has predicted that if Kate marries the man she loves, Atlanta will burn and she will lose him forever. And the only person Kate can ask for help is long dead.

The odds are impossible. The future is grim. But Kate Daniels has never been one to play by the rules…



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Another romping Kate Daniels story. I liked the escalating tensions between Kate and her father and by proxy, Kate and her own magical potential. I thought that we saw more development in her character in this installment than in previous ones, as well as more interactions with the secondary characters. The conflicts with her father, her ancestors, and the prophecy that surrounds her really amped up the action and excitement. 

I think that the ending seemed a little rushed, and the cavalier way in which Kate approaches everything took away from the story a little bit. The stagnancy I've felt in the series recently was gone, though I started to notice it a little more towards the end, when I felt the climax of the story was played down a bit. While Kate's character is always a joy, I feel like the stakes were raised and her response seemed a little unbelievable. I wish that the final battle and the weight of the prophecy held a little more sway over plot and character development, but overall, readers get exactly what they came for: a hilarious, exciting, magic-filled Kate Daniels adventure.
** I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review **
Find out more about Ilona and her works here: http://www.ilona-andrews.com.

“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.

They have co-authored three NYT and USAT bestselling series, the urban fantasy of Kate Daniels, rustic fantasy of the Edge, and paranormal romance of Hidden Legacy. They are also working on USAT bestselling series Innkeeper Chronicles, which they post as a free weekly serial. For complete list of their books, fun extras, and Innkeeper installments, please visit their website at Ilona-andrews.com.

Happy Reading!

Jasmine