Magic Burns by Ilona Andrews

Magic Burns (Kate Daniels, #2)

by Ilona Andrews

Mercenary Kate Daniels tries to save her city from divine intervention in this novel in the #1 New York Times bestselling urban fantasy series.

As a mercenary who cleans up after magic gone wrong, Kate Daniels has seen her share of occupational hazards. Normally, waves of paranormal energy ebb and flow across Atlanta like a tide. But once every seven years, a flare comes, a time when magic runs rampant. Now Kate’s going to have to deal with problems on a much bigger scale: a divine one.

When Kate sets out to retrieve a set of stolen maps for the Pack—Atlanta’s paramilitary clan of shape shifters—she quickly realizes much more is at stake. During a flare, gods and goddesses can manifest and battle for power. The stolen maps are only the opening gambit in an epic tug of war between two gods hoping for rebirth, and if Kate can’t stop the cataclysmic showdown, Atlanta may not survive...

Reviewed by kimbacaffeinate on

4 of 5 stars

Share
Magic Burns the second book in the Kate Daniels series has solidified this audio series as a favorite. While still gritty, Andrews’ added depth smoothed out some of the rougher aspects and endeared me to Kate. If you have not tried the Kate Daniels series, I urge you to do so. Magic Burns is fresh and original with a storyline and characters that will have you casting the real world aside and losing yourself within its pages!

Squee! I am almost at a loss for words. Andrews’ world and its characters are complex and kept me engaged. Narrator, Renée Raudman brings Magic Burns to life and her interpretations of the characters are brilliant.

Kate Daniels is kick-ass as a mercenary. Her job cleaning up magic gone wrong is dangerous, unappreciated and intense. Kate resides in an alternated Atlanta where magic ebbs and flows. In this installment, Kate does battle with a divine one and the tale that unfolds held me tightly in its grips. What starts out as a simple task of retrieving stolen maps for a shape-shifting clan quickly becomes complicated. Kate soon finds herself in a battle to save them all.

As a heroine, Kate is fantastic. The girl has tude and her snarky; quick-witted comments had me smiling like an idiot while I listened. What makes it so epic is that most of the time she does not do this deliberately. It is just Kate pure and simple. Her interactions with the smexy alpha male Curran are among my favorite. Anytime these two shared scene time, I was completely smitten.

The storyline is intense and action packed with a heaviness that weighed on my heart. Death, loss, and change all affect the tone. Andrews continues to flesh out the world and the characters. We gain insight into Kate’s past and see growth in her powers. There is so much more to Kate and her gift. Magic Burns is fast paced, and with the magic flare that is occurring we see many fascinating creatures. Andrews’ world is utterly fascinating and complicated without overwhelming the reader. In fact, they only make me crave more. The ending was nail-biting and climatic making me immediately download the next audible, Magic Strikes. Eeep!

Magic Burns is a fantastic urban fantasy and lives up to its massive following. Ilona Andrews is brilliant, absolutely brilliant and I cannot wait to listen to more.This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Book Reviewer

Last modified on

Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 31 October, 2014: Finished reading
  • 31 October, 2014: Reviewed