REVIEW: Magic Strikes by Ilona Andrews

Magic Strikes by Ilona Andrews
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Format: Real Live Book
Narrated By: NA
Original Publication Year: 2009
Genre(s): Urban Fantasy
Series: Kate Daniels #3
Awards: None

So I gave the first two books in this series 3 stars and I’ve been pretty nitpicky about some little irritating foibles in the books. But you know what, screw that. I’m giving this one 4 stars even though the foibles are still there. Why? I LOVE what Ilona Andrews does with her characters. All I can say is Bravo!

Kate continues to be a fantastic heroine. She’s strong, and independent and smart, and compassionate but she’s not perfect. She’s too reflexively aggressive, stubborn, and self-sufficient to a fault. Curran is an Alpha Male romantic hero that doesn’t make me want to beat my head against a wall until bloody. He has an actual personality and obviously cares and thinks about other people and is also very compassionate; i.e. he actually has a personality beyond just being a uber macho. The development of the romance between Curran and Kate has also been done just right and I so appreciate Andrews taking the time to let it develop. It’s done in a way that doesn’t make my feminist sensibilities cringe. I have encountered this combination of awesome so infrequently in this genre and I feel like it has continued to get better as the series progresses so 4 stars.

This 3rd installment in the series also has a great and somewhat more cohesive story centered on a gladiatorial tournament called the Midnight Games. Key members of the Pack have started operating outside of The Beast Lord’s radar which is disturbing enough but the worst is yet to come. The introduction of some Indian mythology as well as a ratcheting up of Kate’s own personal mystery adds some spicy goodness. There is also some enlightenment regarding Saiman.

Final Verdict: This series continues to be ridiculously satisfying and this installment exceeds the first two. It’s an imaginative and action packed thrill ride.

Does anybody else love this series?  If so, do you have any similar series to recommend?  What's your favorite kind of romantic hero?

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