Magic Bleeds by Ilona Andrews - 5 stars

Magic Bleeds (#4) by Ilona Andrews
5 stars

Previous Kate Daniels Series Reviews

Magic Bites (#1) | Magic Burns (#2) | Magic Strikes (#3)

Ah this is my favorite book of the series. I just love it. It's got great plot and character development and it just makes me happy. It's funny and entertaining but also really deep and suspenseful at the same time. This is one book that drags you on an emotional roller coaster. They really managed to put Kate's emotions through the wringer.

We a have a prologue in Magic Bleeds. Magic Strikes ended with a note from Curran setting a date and menu for the naked (but not really) dinner. Curran doesn't show up (view spoilers).* Kate's heart breaks and mine did too. Kate heads to Atlanta with a broken heart to continue her work with the Order.

Kate picks up a petition. Someone is going around the city killing people and making magically amplified diseases come to life. They are completely deadly and they have the potential to spread an epidemic. Yet again Ilona Andrews has come up with another myth and has twisted it to make it even more wonderful (view spoiler).** It turns out that the Steel Mary (the nickname they give the mythical person) is related to Kate. Kate has finally run into family (view spoiler).*** Dun dun dun.....

We also get the introduction of a pet in Kate's life. While investigating, Kate acquires a dog. Grendel. This has got to be the worst dog ever. He pukes and eats everything. He's huge and gross and happy. He's wonderful for Kate and helps her in more ways than one. I would never want a shaved poodle but he helps her when she's sad and he's a good companion. He's also some kind of special dog.

We have a little more of Andrea in this book as well. She's Kate's best friend and she's the comfort Kate needs when dealing with the heartbreak over Curran. Andrea and Raphael are together in this book and they are extremely happy together. Knowing later books and the novellas and all the stuff I know now, I like them as a couple.

Saiman also has a large role in this story as well. He's key in figuring who the Mary is and he's also key in the Kate and Curran relationship. Basically he forced them together by his own stupidity and arrogance (view spoiler).****

Narrated by the
talented Renee Raudman

What I love about these books is the development of secondary characters. Usually main characters are the only ones with story arcs and the secondary characters are flat. Not in the Kate Daniels books. We learn through novellas but we also see a lot of development in the novels themselves. I love Doolittle and Aunt B and a lot of what I call "main secondary characters." Now I don't know the technical term for this but they are wonderful to me. Each character has their personality and story and I just love it.

My one disappointment is the scarcity of Derek in this book. I think this was mentioned to the authors because Magic Slays has a lot of Derek. That's another reason why I love them. They take their fan's opinions into account. Can you tell that they're one of my favorites. There is a reason why I stalk their blog.


Check out Curran's POV in Volume I and Volume II. Also, Curran's POV for the naked dinner here.

Five stars all the way. My favorite of the series. Read it read it read it!

Some awesome quotes:

“Who the hell would attack the Steel Horse anyway? What was the thinking behind that? “Here is a bar full of psychotic killers who grow giant claws and people who pilot the undead for a living. I think I’ll go wreck the place.”

“What's that?"
"That's my attack poodle.”

“The rabbis paled. I’d managed to terrify holy men. Maybe I could beat up a nun for an encore.”

“I picked up the phone and dialed Andrea's extension.
“Yes?”
“He glued the chair to my ass.”
Silence.”

“ Hi, Your Majesty, we drugged your love muffin and then let her walk out into the dark, in the snow. Her apartment is destroyed and we're not sure where she is...”

Review on Goodreads