Magic Binds
Ratings59
Average rating4.3
It took me a while to get into the book. Once I got passed the first couple of chapters it went fast.
This review is also featured on Behind the Pages: Magic Binds
Kate is beginning to learn what it means to own a city and the magic within it. The threats are only increasing, and it isn't just her family and friends she has to protect, it is all of Atlanta. As her father builds at her border, he continues to needle at her, trying to spark her anger and push her over the edge. Kate never takes the subtle route; she prefers to smash and talk later. But she will have to tread carefully or else lose the ones she loves the most.
What never fails to surprise me is the weight of responsibility Ilona Andrews puts on Kate whenever she increases in strength. Most series let the main character gain power, and while they suffer temporarily, it isn't a permanent struggle. Everything Kate does comes with sacrifice and regret. Nothing is easy, there is a trial for everything. And it never fails to entertain.
There never fails to be a sprinkling of humor added to each story, so the reader does not become overloaded by everything happening. This time around the main focus for the humor is Kate and Curran's wedding. It's a little hard to pick out dresses and choose what kind of cake you want to eat at your wedding while there is a rampaging warlord about to start a war. But hey, you have to do what you have to do for the wedding. So, Kate might ruin a wedding dress as she runs out the door to do battle, but what can you do?
The Kate Daniels series never has useless filler. It has continued to be set on Kate and developing her character. The world-building has never once let me down or become repetitive despite being now nine books into the series. The secondary characters have all had their moments to shine and gone through their own course of development as well. There is only one book to go, and I don't want it to end, but I need to know what is going to happen!
I'm in love with this series and have enjoyed all the books, but this one may be my favorite so far. Maybe I'm starting to get sentimental with the end of this particular tale approaching, but this segment totally moved me in unexpected ways. There's so many complicated relationships that speak to life's uncertainties about the self and others, all in the midst of epic battles, stunning reveals, and emotion that will tear your heart out. I've totally cried and laughed during Magic Binds, sometimes both, and almost missed my train stop too many times to count because the outside world faded. Though I'm not quite ready to let go, I'm ready to see how Kate Triumphs. 5 Roaring Stars.
This book has everything! After having to checkout the actual book from my library because the digital versions had long ass lines and I was not waiting, I decided I could not wait to get home from visiting family to read this. Yup, I grabbed my husbands credit card and purchased this. HAHA! It was worth every penny. There is humor, action, a little of that sexual tension IA is so good at writing, and a whole lot of kicking ass. I cannot remember the last time I thoroughly enjoyed a series the way I am enjoying Kate Daniels. Seriously.
This series gets better with every book!
This story gets more compelling with each book. Kate Daniels is my favorite heroine, strong, funny, flawed, but always trying to do what's right. Can't wait to read what happens next!
The mix of high drama and snarky black humor is hard to get right. Sometimes Ilona Andrews nearly crosses the line and the humor almost nullifies the impact of the dramatic events. But then they pull it off anyway. This has been one of my favorite urban fantasy romance series, with a strong but flawed heroine, worthy hero and a large cast of memorable secondary characters, and I'll be sad when it ends in the near future with book #10. But meanwhile I'm enjoying the ride. Extra points for Andrews pretty much turning Lorelei from that disastrous trip to Europe into a joke between Kate and Curran (it wasn't so funny back in Magic Rises when Kate thought Curran had dumped her for Lorelei.
Kate Daniels has been one of my favorite ongoing series since the phenomenal third and fourth books, but I've been disappointed in the last few books. Magic Binds has a lot of great humorous lines and I did have fun with the first half, but I also felt that the entertaining dialogue masked a lot of problems and was bored throughout most of the second half. Though a lot happens and there were some parts I liked, it's too rushed, the plot is uninspired, and as much as I like the presence of the main antagonist, I also find his portrayal rather inconsistent.
2 1/2 stars - Despite some fun parts, I was disappointed by the time I reached the end
Full Review: http://www.fantasybookcafe.com/2016/09/review-of-magic-binds-by-ilona-andrews/