Book Review: Magic Rises by Ilona Andrews

Magic Rises

Author: Ilona Andrews

Publication: Ace (July 30, 2013)

Description: Atlanta is a city plagued by magical problems. Kate Daniels will fight to solve them—no matter the cost.

 
Mercenary Kate Daniels and her mate, Curran, the Beast Lord, are struggling to solve a heartbreaking crisis. Unable to control their beasts, many of the Pack’s shapeshifting children fail to survive to adulthood. While there is a medicine that can help, the secret to its making is closely guarded by the European packs, and there’s little available in Atlanta.
 
Kate can’t bear to watch innocents suffer, but the solution she and Curran have found threatens to be even more painful. The European shapeshifters who once outmaneuvered the Beast Lord have asked him to arbitrate a dispute—and they’ll pay him in medicine. With the young people’s survival and the Pack’s future at stake, Kate and Curran know they must accept the offer—but they have little doubt that they’re heading straight into a trap…

My Thoughts: MAGIC RISES was an excellent entry into the Kate Daniels series. It was filled with danger and adventure and really tested Kate and Curran's relationship. There are a variety of plot threads woven into this story. First of all, Julie's best friend Maddie is an danger of going loup. A fairly large percentage of were children go loup at adolescence and have to be killed. There is a cure but it is tightly controlled by the European weres who aren't into sharing.

When Kate and Curran are asked to act as a neutral party concerning three rival clans and the birth of a child, they know that this is some kind of trap. However, their fee includes the panacea that will keep more of the were children alive. 

Since Saiman owes Kate a favor, she calls it in by having him use one of his fleet of ships to take them, and about a dozen of their pack members, to the shore of the Black Sea and the political minefield that is brewing there. Kate's one piece of optimism is that it will get her out of the sight of Hugh who is her father's warlord. She has been on the run from her father since her birth.

Arriving at the fortress, she finds her hopes are dashed when the human in charge turns out to be Hugh and the plot gets even thicker and twistier. Throw in an old girlfriend of Curran's who is absolutely sure she would make a better Consort than Kate and is willing to do anything to prove it and things really come to a boil.

As always, one of the most magical parts of the Kate Daniels series are the creatures who inhabit the stories. This story is no exception. It introduces new creatures based on Babylonian myth that even Kate hasn't heard of. 

I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. Fans of this series will not want to miss the excellent episode.  

Favorite Quote:

"A young djigit stopped by my room," I said. "His name is Volodja and for three thousand dollars he will walk me deep into the mountains and show me where the bad shapeshifters live."

"How fortunate." Aunt B's eyes lit up. "Would you like some company for this wonderful trap, I mean, adventure?"

I bought this one as soon as it was available. You can buy your copy here.

Book Review: Seduction in Death by J. D. Robb

Seduction in Death

Author: J. D. Robb

Publication: Berkley (September 1, 2001)

Description: Dante had been courting his victim in cyberspace for weeks before meeting her in person. A few sips of wine and a few hours later, she was dead. The murder weapon: a rare, usually undetectable date-rape drug with a street value of a quarter million dollars. Detective Eve Dallas is playing and replaying the clues in her mind. The candlelight, the music, the rose petals strewn across the bed—a seduction meant for his benefit, not hers. He hadn’t intended to kill her. But now that he had, he is left with only two choices: to either hole up in fear and guilt. Or start hunting again… 

My Thoughts: This episode in the In Death series is not a "whodunnit" but rather a police procedural where we watch Eve and her team gather the evidence needed to stop the murderers. The story begins when Eve is called to the case of the death of a young woman who might have jumped, or might have been pushed, from the balcony of her apartment. The death is witnessed by Dr. Louise Dimatto who Eve had met on an earlier case. Eve quickly learns that the young woman had been dosed with two unusual sex enhancement drugs. It was the amount and the combination that killed her.

We also get a look into the killer's minds. They are two rich boys who are playing a game. Their births were the result of the original experiments with the two drugs before it was learned how dangerous they were. One is a computer hacker and the other is the one who is making the drugs. Kevin is the one who accidentally killed the first girl but Lucias is the one who deliberately sets out to kill the second girl. The game escalates for them with Lucias being the leader and Kevin the tool who follows his lead. 

This case brings back some of the memories Eve has about her childhood where she was sexuallly and physcally abused by her own father which makes it a hard one for her to investigate. Roarke works with her as her civilian consultant as they try to track down the killers.

The big relationship issue in this story doesn't center on Eve and Roarke. Instead, McNab and Peabody's relationship is the focus. McNab is very jealous because he believes that Peabody's relationship with licenced companion Charles is sexual. Of course, Peabody hasn't told him that they are just good friends. When Charles and Louise meet and start a relationship, McNab is angry with Charles for hurting Peabody. They do manage to resolve their relationship issues and begin dating exclusively.

This was an enjoyable entry into this long-running series. 

Favorite Quote:

It didn't matter that they'd been together more than a year. It occurred to her that she would, very likely, have this leap of heart, this dazzling rush, every time she saw him for the rest of her life.

Eventually, it might stop embarrassing her.

I bought this one for my Kindle to read it again. You can buy your copy here.

Teaser Tuesday: Magic Rises by Ilona Andrews

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

Share the title and author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

This week my teaser comes from Magic Rises by Ilona Andrews. I am a big fan of this urban fantasy series and had to move it to the top of my reading list as soon as it arrived. Here is the description of this July 30 release:

Atlanta is a city plagued by magical problems. Kate Daniels will fight to solve them—no matter the cost.

Mercenary Kate Daniels and her mate, Curran, the Beast Lord, are struggling to solve a heartbreaking crisis. Unable to control their beasts, many of the Pack’s shapeshifting children fail to survive to adulthood. While there is a medicine that can help, the secret to its making is closely guarded by the European packs, and there’s little available in Atlanta.

Kate can’t bear to watch innocents suffer, but the solution she and Curran have found threatens to be even more painful. The European shapeshifters who once outmaneuvered the Beast Lord have asked him to arbitrate a dispute—and they’ll pay him in medicine. With the young people’s survival and the Pack’s future at stake, Kate and Curran know they must accept the offer—but they have little doubt that they’re heading straight into a trap…

Teaser:

"And who's going to watch your ass while you're over there? It's not just about what they are doing, it's thinking about what they could do and how they could do it. Who'll do that for you?"

"Not you," Curran said. "I need you here."

Jim turned to me. "Kate?"

If he thought I was getting in the middle of that, he was crazy. "Oh, look at all this paperwork I have. Can't talk now, very busy."

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (August 19, 2013)

It's Monday, What Are You Reading? is a meme hosted by Sheila at Book Journey.

It’s Monday!  What Are You Reading, is where we gather to share what we have read this past week and what we plan to read this week.  It is a great way to network with other bloggers, see some wonderful blogs, and put new titles on your reading list.

On the Personal Side: I got out of the hospital Monday morning and have been gradually resuming my life. I have become a big fan of afternoon naps and have been learning how to do things when I have a 10-pound limit on what I can lift, push or pull. I will be very glad when that ends in just 4 more weeks!

I am feeling really good and gradually getting ready to begin my next school year. I have been spending a couple of hours a day at school trying to get organized. We are starting something new this year where we have late starts every Wednesday morning so that our professional learning teams can meet. However, the proposed schedules right now mean that I won't get a lunch break on Wednesdays during the second semester. I think that is a problem that both my elementary and secondary principals need to solve before school begins.

Last Week I read these books in this order:

I finished the 15th in the In Death series - Purity in Death - while waiting to be dismissed from the hospital. I love this series and, since they are re-reads, they make a great choice when looking for some reading to distract from real life. 

I read Sure Signs of Crazy by Karen Harrington which was a middle grade ARC my friend chose for me at ALA. I thought it was one of the best written books I have read this year. I also think it would be a great companion read to To Kill a Mockingbird. My review will be posted on August 22.

I read Biting Bad by Chloe Neill which is the latest in her Chicagoland Vampires series. It was entertaining. My review will be posted on August 28.

Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas was the one ARC I really wanted from ALA. I very thoroughly enjoyed this sequel to last year's amazing Throne of Glass. My review will be posted on August 24.

Since I finally caught up with old Amazon Vine books, I got a chance to choose some more. I picked Big Girl Panties by Stephanie Evanovich and thought it was an entertaining story that straddled the line between romance and chick lit. My review will be posted on August 31. 

I just finished Conjured by Sarah Beth Durst and hereby declare it the best book I have read so far in 2013. It was amazing, compelling and I literally couldn't put it down until I reached the final page. This one will be released on Sept. 3 and should be on every fantasy lovers wishlist. My review will be posted on August 29.

I have chosen these four review books for next week's reading:

The Edge of Normal by Carla Norton has been waiting on my Kindle since I got it through Minotaur's Early Review program a while ago. This thriller will be released on September 10.

A Study in Silks by Emma Jane Holloway was my second Amazon Vine pick this month. This steampunk mystery will be released on September 24.

My YA choices this week are Don't Look Now by Michelle Gagnon which will be released on August 27 and The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black which will be released on September 3. I got both ARCs at ALA and was lucky enough to have Holly Black autograph hers. 

If I finish those, I have lots more books on both the review stack and the TBR mountain to choose from. Right now, I am not sure what I'll be picking. 

What do you have planned for this week?

Stacking the Shelves (August 18, 2013)

Tynga of Team Tynga's Reviews has a meme to spotlight the books we receive each week. Visit her site to check out the linky and see what everyone gets. I guarantee that your TBR pile will grow.

This week I added ten books to my stack.

I bought:

Dragonwriter: A Tribute to Anne McCaffrey and Pern edited by Todd McCaffrey because I have been a fan of McCaffrey's work for years and am interested to see what some other noted authors think about her work and influence.

Her Ladyship's Curse by Lynn Viehl appealed to me because I am becoming a big fan of steampunk.

Biting Bad by Chloe Neill is the latest in her Chicagoland Vampires series. 

I also bought the next five in J. D. Robb's In Death series for my Kindle. These are books 16 through 20 in the series. 

Survivor in Death

Visions in Death

Divided in Death

Imitation in Death

Portrait in Death

Finally, I received two books for review from the Amazon Vine Program.

I chose Big Girl Panties by Stephanie Evanovich and A Study in Silks by Emma Jane Holloway.

What did you get this week?

ARC Review: Blood and Roses by A. K. Alexander

Blood and Roses

Author: A. K. Alexander

Publication: Thomas & Mercer (August 20, 2013)

Description: Someone is torturing and killing high-stakes players in the horse-racing world, deliberately mimicking equine injuries. Legs shattered, knees hobbled, shot point-blank between the eyes, all signs point to an animal activist gone rogue. But San Diego CSI Holly Jennings knows better. She’s seen enough violence in her time to know the difference between a killer bent on revenge and a killer seeking sheer destruction.

To stop him, Holly must venture beyond the gleaming facade of jockey silks and Derby hats into the seedy underbelly of the racing world, where ambition and greed trump ethics and fair play, and people will do anything—even kill—to win. But just when she thinks the killer is within her reach, a ghost from the past returns to threaten it all: her case, her job…and her life.

My Thoughts: BLOOD AND ROSES was a plot driven thriller that was fast-paced. Characterization suffered a little because of the focus on plot. And what a plot it was, including murders, terrorism, a couple romances, a husband returned from the grave, and the dark side of the the horse racing world. 

The story is told from multiple viewpoints. Each chapter is told from on character's point of view. The chapters vary in length buy most are short. Because there are so many points of view, little time is spent on character development. 

Police Detective Holly Jennings is the main character. We know she is a widow of a fellow police officer who died in the line of duty while doing a drug bust. The warehouse burned and his body was never recovered. She was pregnant at the time of his death and now has a daughter who is about 10. She has met another man who also has two daughters and she is planning their wedding, or, she would be if she wasn't so busy trying to solve her cases. She is a dogged investigator who feels that she can know if any of the people she interviews are telling the truth. She is described as being intimidating to suspects.

The writing was competent but not polished. I found the story readable but not emotionally engaging. Fans of thrillers and horses may enjoy this plot driven novel. 

Favorite Quote:

"I always liked that about you, El. You got that spunky little hard-ass thing going on."

She put a piece of egg on her fork and flicked it at him. "And you have that total ass thing going on."

I got this ARC through the Amazon Vine program. You can buy your copy here.

Friday Memes: Blood and Roses by A. K. Alexander

Happy Friday everybody!

Book Beginnings on Friday is now hosted by Rose City Reader. The Friday 56 is hosted at Freda's Voice. Check out the links above for the rules and for the posts of the participants each week. Don’t dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.

This week I am spotlighting Blood and Roses by A. K. Alexander. I got this ARC through the Amazon Vine program. Here is the description of this August 20 release:

Someone is torturing and killing high-stakes players in the horse-racing world, deliberately mimicking equine injuries. Legs shattered, knees hobbled, shot point-blank between the eyes, all signs point to an animal activist gone rogue. But San Diego CSI Holly Jennings knows better. She’s seen enough violence in her time to know the difference between a killer bent on revenge and a killer seeking sheer destruction.

To stop him, Holly must venture beyond the gleaming facade of jockey silks and Derby hats into the seedy underbelly of the racing world, where ambition and greed trump ethics and fair play, and people will do anything—even kill—to win. But just when she thinks the killer is within her reach, a ghost from the past returns to threaten it all: her case, her job…and her life.

Beginning:

Tommy Lyons was on a high.

And a roll.

Friday 56:

"Scott Christiansen's equine sports medicine company is located within yards of the building—a dive shop to be exact—where the jockeys were found murdered."