Review: Magic Slays by Ilona Andrews

Magic Slays
Book 5 of the Kate Daniels series

Author: Ilona Andrews
Publisher: Penguin Group
Genre: Urban Fantasy
ISBN: 9780441020423
Release date:  May 31, 2011
Author's website:  http://www.ilona-andrews.com/

Received book from publisher for review.

Kate Daniels may have quit the Order of Merciful Aid, but she’s still knee-deep in paranormal problems. Or she would be if she could get someone to hire her. Starting her own business has been more challenging than she thought it would be—now that the Order is disparaging her good name, and many potential clients are afraid of getting on the bad side of the Beast Lord, who just happens to be Kate’s mate.

So when Atlanta’s premier Master of the Dead calls to ask for help with a vampire on the loose, Kate leaps at the chance of some paying work. Turns out this is not an isolated incident, and Kate needs to get to the bottom of it—fast, or the city and everyone dear to her might pay the ultimate price . . .

After opening her new business with the help of the pack, things are off to a slow start for Kate.  But not for long as she is asked to help find a device that a missing engineer was working on.  With her best friend Andrea working with her they try to get to the bottom of things.  They soon find themselves in a race against time as they learn the truth to what this device could do.  Along the way, Kate has to deal with personal issues regarding her ward Julie, her love Curran and her new role within the pack, as well as meeting an important person from her past.  This person knows more about Kate than Kate knows of herself and when Kate learns what was hidden from her all this time, it's a shock and changes everything that she once believed in.

This book is all about Kate and it made me love her even more than before!  Not only is she physically strong for all the things that she has had to endure throughout her life, but she has had to be just as mentally strong in order to become the woman that she is.  But with that strength is also vulnerability and the reader gets to see a whole new side of Kate that has never been seen before.  We are taken on an emotion ride as Kate finally finds out the truth to who she really is. Ilona Andrews does an excellent job letting the reader get into her head to really feel her emotions and feel for her.  I found myself tearing up as Kate gives into these emotions and realize that there is someone there for her now that loves her for who she is.  Curran becomes her rock and you really get a sense of how much these two truly love each other.

Let me just say that since this is book is really all about Kate, Curran takes a backseat to her story.  I love his character and wanted there to more of him in the book.  Because Kate's story is so important, I can understand why it as written the way it was.  The reader is still treated to some great moments between Kate and Curran and I'm so happy because these two have THE BEST BANTER THAT I'VE EVER READ!!!  No one does it like Kate and Curran!!! (I think you can realize just how much I love this now.)   Here is an example that shows just why I love these two so much.

"You sure you don't need your Prince Charming to come and save you?"  "Sure, do you have one handy?"  "Oh, I think I could scrounge one up somewhere. As often as I have to rescue you..."  "I'm going to kick you in the head when I get home.  Repeatedly."  "You could try.  You probably need the exercise since you sit on your but in the office all day."  "You know what, don't talk to me."  "Whatever you want, baby."

See what I mean?  Kate and Curran constantly entertain us one way or another.  There were some scenes that had me clutching my stomach from laughing so hard and others that had me jumping up and throwing my fist in the air.  Curran truly captured my heart during one scene in which he shows his true devotion and love to Kate.  This scene had me bawling and quickly became one of my favorite scenes that I have read all year.  It looks like Kate and Curran are going to be my couple of 2011. I don't think there will be anything that can make me change my mind.

I'm giving Magic Slays a rating of:

I have to be honest and say that there were a few times at the beginning of the book that I found myself a little bored.  But once the book reached the halfway point, it became more exciting to me and there was lots more action going on.  Other than that, Magic Slays is brilliantly written and was a great addition to the Kate Daniels series.  I've come to expect brilliance when it comes to reading a book written by Ilona Andrews and this book was just that.  Thank you Ilona Andrews for giving your readers such a great series to love.