Magic Bites

DNFed @ 23% 75 pages

I was excited when Jonny suggested this book as our next buddy read. I've been wanting to read something by this author for a while now so I thought this was perfect. unfortunately this book did not work for me.

I first started reading it by listening to the audiobook. The one I found was a dramatized version. I had no idea what that meant when I started listening to it. I just thought it was going to be a normal audiobook. Boy was that no the case. I hated the dramatized version. It was to much so much so that I couldn't even understand what was being said sometimes. I love the idea of a dramatized version but it's just not for me. I then found the eBook on Libby and I tried listening to it while following along but that didn't work either because the audiobook was missing a lot of the text that was in the eBook. I got 13% into the audiobook when I finally decided I was just going to start over by just reading the eBook. I was hoping this would help me to get into it more but alas that didn't help either.

The author throws you into the story immediately which I usually enjoy but we are thrown in with no knowledge of the world and barely get any within the little bit I was able to read. It's definitely fast paced and the lack of world building just left me confused a lot of times not to mention all the different characters being thrown in I couldn't keep up with who was who and who was good or bad. It was just all to much to try to keep up with.

Because of all this I just found myself not caring about anything and every time I put the book down I had to force myself to pick it back up. I really wanted to like this book and I am sad that I didn't. maybe one day if I can find a normal audiobook of it I will give it another try but right now that's probably highly unlikely.

Okay, so I loved this and will absolutely be reading the rest of the series. I think it's the perfect maternity leave series – short books with easy plots. It's a paranormal romance – or it will be. I think it's a looong drawn out thing but I'm here for it.

Many seem to love these books and sure the MC was kind of fun but was there anything new here? No. It was an okay read. I might give the second book a try to see if it gets better.

Many love the Kitty bit but the milk part is even better.

3.5 - this had a bit of a rough start, but I really enjoyed the characters and storyline more in the later half. I've heard the series improves a lot going forward, so I'm excited to continue the series!

3.5
I enjoyed reading this book but it would really have benefitted from some more editing. I feel like the pacing was a bit off and the plot had some holes in it.

Apart from that, Kate???s character seems rather flat to me and that may well be because she never actually builds a meaningful relationship with anybody else so all of her dialogue are snarky remarks.

To substantiate her ???not like other girls??? status she only ever interacts with men (excluding a maternal friend with little dialogue) and I???m just tired of action/urban fantasy/YA books that don???t even try to introduce a diverse set of characters who are driven by more than sex hormones and power.

In the same vein, the romantic interest is only ever portrayed as a sensual being with an emphasis on his primal nature and manly man body. At the same time we have a heroine that does not easily give in to lust, she is not one for one night stands (nothing wrong with that but it???s an old trope). As a result we have a juggle of sexual tension (to lure readers in) that cannot be released and a very innocent seeming romantic build up. The tension has to build up (to keep readers in) and reaches its climax (pun intended) only after some puritanical absolution - ie marriage or some other otherworldly bond that equals marriage. Bonus points if there are children.
This is a very American (and deeply conservative) approach to romance and sexuality (in media) and works on the premise of unfulfilled lust which is the only thing that keeps the characters interested in each other. In this way we never get to explore the true nature of their attraction to each other.

I think this book had a massive case of overhyping, and I expected better than what I got. This world is exciting, and an intriguing concept, but the characters fell flat. I can easily see it getting better, but this book was not exceptional.

My second book in the paranormal/vampire romance genre. I tried 2 other books in the genre (Guilty pleasures, The Hollows) and they were also disappointments.

This books starts much more promising then Guilty Pleasure's vampire strip club first scene. The heroine is a kick ass girl, much like Anita Blake, but she is mourning the lost of her friend and town's Knight Protector Gabriel (?)

The thing i didn't like about the book was the poor quality of writing. Every person she meets has their clothes briefly described. “So I went to the police, the clerk was wearing a white shirt and blue jeans. I asked him for information... On the way to the chief of police, a women in dark skirt and yellow shirt greeted me. The chief was a short fat men, wearing...“

She goes to the “police station”, or equivalent law agency, to ask information about her friend who died. It is a place who she scorns because even though she wants to fight evil, she is a free spirit (aka, vigilante).

They somewhat know about her, that she is a capable monster killing mercenary or something. But when she asks if she can investigate her friend's death, they not only agree with this (she is still just a civilian), but they give her an office and everything.

The protagonist also feels like an anti social, xenophobic, misandrist (dislike of men) idiot. I'm pretty sure it wasn't the author's intention, but in the scene she meets the police chief, she immediately dislikes him for

1) being a man
2) being short and fat
3) being a Texan

The chief barely gave any indication of being the stereotypical neanderthal one could expect, but I understood the intention.

Read 1:29/09:06 16%

CAWPILE Breakdown:
Characters: 5
Atmosphere: 9
Writing: 7
Plot: 6
Intrigue: 8
Logic: 6
Enjoyment: 9

A lot of people recommend this series and I was a little hesitant after the disappointment of Moon Called but this book was pleasantly surprising. Kate is a great main character who has so much sass and a mouth that can get her in trouble. I also loved the idea of magic in this book with the aspect of it coming and going. You have to always be prepared for the world to change in an instant. I'm super curious to see what else Kate gets up to in future books.

Magic Bites is a fun urban/contemporary(ish) fantasy that mostly consists of groundwork for the series, which makes sense since it's the first book. I think there are the makings for some really solid characters and an MC I could really root for. I love the magic system and find it's implementation to be incredibly unique.

I've read this book because it sounded a bit like [a:Jim Butcher 10746 Jim Butcher https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1400640324p2/10746.jpg]'s “Dresden Files” which I like. And, indeed, there are similarities – the most important one for me was that I didn't really like either series' respective first book. “Magic Bites” was a confusing read much of which is due to the messy style of storytelling employed here. There's a knightly order that's supposed to help people in case of magic disasters which seem to happen due to weird alternating “cycles” of magical and technological “dominance” which in turn seem to have devastated the major cities but not everywhere (?). There's a mercenary guild that somehow plays a role as well and of which Kate, our heroine, is part of. Somehow Kate is obviously “special” due to her father (?) but at least in this first instalment of the series we never get to know what the big deal is. Lots of things aren't explained or so badly explained that I missed those explanation or promptly forgot about them – none of that being very likely. I often felt like I was missing crucial information. As if I had started not the first but a follow-up novel in the series. But from some other reviews, I don't seem to be the only one. As far as the story goes, it's simple, nothing new and, to be honest, rather boring: Kate's mentor Greg, one of the more important and powerful knights of the order, has been brutally murdered and Kate is investigating what happened. “Move over, Sherlock.” is how she puts it but that's really not how I see things because Kate doesn't seem to have much of a criminalistic sense or experience. At least, though, she's lucky and so she somehow manages to solve the case and (barely) survive. We don't really get to know Kate, though: We rarely “see” her in her “natural habitat”; yes, she does go out with a potential love interest but while it starts out nicely... “Would you go to dinner with me?” “I would,” I found myself saying. “Tonight?” he asked, his eyes hopeful. “I'll try,” I promised and actually intended to do so. “Call me around six.” I gave him my address in case the magic knocked the phone out.“ ... and I found myself smiling, what happens during that date feels artificial and shallow because Kate – who obviously really wanted to go – is suddenly greatly annoyed when they eat at a fancy restaurant and considers giving up on the guy entirely. Harry Dresden at least whines and complains and while I didn't exactly like him in the first “Dresden Files” book there was at least humour and cheesiness in a good way. At times there are attempts at humour here as well but they often fall quite flat: Like calling a mare “Frau” (German for “woman”). It's a small thing but it bothers me. There are tons of loose ends as well: “The fact that vampires weren't supposed to have existed two hundred years ago when the tech was in full swing bothered me a great deal” Ok, and what does Kate do about it? Does she follow up on this with anyone at all? No. She's greatly bothered but promptly forgets about it. Wow. In fact, who is Kate? Who was her father? What – apart from her mentor – was Greg to Kate? Why does everything miraculously fall in place during the epilogue? As if that wasn't enough, the writing isn't very good either: “There was something so alien in the way he moved, in how he sat, how he smelled, how he looked at me with the eyes brimming with hate, something so inhuman that my brain stopped, smashing against that inhumanity like a brick wall. He made me want to scream.” Sorry, what? Her brains stops but smashes itself... Sorry, I think mine is about to disengage trying to make sense of that. Ultimately, I'm confused by this book but I'm told the series “gets waaaaaaayy better!” so – just like “Dresden Files” that took 9 books till I liked it – I'm going to give this series another chance. Not like Kate who has the last word(s) in the book... “Tomorrow,” I said. “I can start tomorrow.” ... but once after I've recovered from my book-induced dizziness. ;-) Blog Facebook Twitter Instagram

Audiobook/physical book re-read 2022
Love my “ehhhh not really feeling it” review from way back when because this author duo has because one of my favorites, this series a comfort read. I've grown to love this book so much– this is the 4th time I've read it. I like the audiobook, but do think the narrator either gets better or grows on you has the series progresses.
————-
7/14/16 Re-read as audiobook

3* -> 3.5*

Still not one of my favorite books ever and I'm not left with really wanting to know more but, it was so well done and there is so much love for the series I feel compelled to at least try the second book out.

I do love the dialogue but, I don't have much feelings towards Kate in general or any characters here really. Oh! Except the Kodiak.... for reasons unknown haha.
Also, the rules of the world aren't clearly defined and I wish I knew how the magic worked. Can anyone use it???

Seriously, once I get into the series more maybe I'll have more love for it.

Kate Daniels is a mercenary with a mouth as sharp as her sword. She lives in a world where magic and technology cannot co-exist. When magic is running rampant, almost all technology shuts down until it draws back. The city of Atlanta is falling apart. Buildings have collapsed from the constant struggle between magic and technology. And something is stalking the streets killing shapechangers and vampires, bringing the city close to an all-out war between the two groups of supernatural creatures. That same something killed Kate's guardian, and now she is on the hunt for whoever, or whatever killed him.

Kate might be small, but don't mistake her for being weak. She will challenge anyone who gets in her way to finding the truth. Of course, she doesn't always think before she speaks, and it can put her in some precarious situations. Especially with Curran, Lord of the shapeshifters. Being the alpha means no challenge can go without being met, and Kate doesn't hesitate to mouth off to him.

While Kate tries to navigate pack politics, she'll have to also deal with The People. Necromancers who pilot vampires. In this series, vampires are not walking around talking and charming the pants off unsuspecting mortals. They are nothing more than blood-sucking shells that must be controlled by a necromancer, or else be reduced to a blood-lusting rage. I enjoyed the creep factor brought in by the vampires, almost the polar opposite to any other urban fantasy series.

I read this series when it first came out, and never got around to finishing it. This time, I'm committed to the end. I can't wait to see how the series develops and what else this world holds.

Interesting premise. A bit hard to follow at times, but you eventually catch up. I liked it and will go on to the next one.

Buku ini benar2 membingungkan, penjelasannya gk tuntas, banyak hal2 yg diperkenalkan tanpa penjelasan lebih lanjut. Sebenarnya aku cukup murah hati memberi 3 bintang, sdh mempertimbangkan ngasih 2 bintang sj krn aku gk ngerti.
Tapi ak tetap mau memberi seri ini kesempatan jadi belum bisa memberi kesimpulan sebelum baca buku selanjutnya.

Just picked this up to read today and realized it is yet another book I have read before and didn't review. Ugh... I have to start making sure I at least write a small something after reading from now on.

I remembers liking this one and am surprised at how well it has stayed fresh in my mind. Especially like the way the romance slowly built. Great characters too. I do also remember being a bit lost at times too, that being he reason book 2 hasn't, according to my shitastic memory, been read.

Wow! I have read a few other books by this tag team author, and I have really enjoyed them. This particular title though, started off a little slower to pull me into the dazzle. I was reading the first 2 chapters wondering when the action was going to start. Then, BOOM, it was non-stop. I enjoyed the rest of this book SO much that I have already checked out the next book, [b:Magic Burns 1811543 Magic Burns (Kate Daniels, #2) Ilona Andrews https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1311280284s/1811543.jpg 1810889], and put book 3 on hold, even though I told a certain someone that I would read a bunch of docs first. I hate it when I know that there are a bunch of books out and I can be caught up in the series, because other people know things I dont know. Curran is a very interesting character, I almost think he is more interesting than Kate. The world building is a little confusing, but only because I think IA is packing a HUGE idea and trying not to simply spell everything out for you. This reviewer does a really good job explaining it.

Wow..
Took very long time to read this.
I don't know the reason but at first it was difficult to get into the story,but that was my fault.
This book is amazing..
This is the second book i read from Ilona Andrews after burn for me( Which is awesome by the way) and I'm very impressed.

Wow! I think this was refreshing. I loved Kate and her snarky attitude. She isn't described as the gorgeous, perfect protagonist who can do no wrong. She makes mistakes and she admits to them. She has scars, she gets down and dirty, and she doesn't care how hot she looks. Romance wasn't a main part of the book, in fact I think it was barely there. I think most of the characters were portrayed well and were individuals. Definitely reading the next book!

Compelling first novel in a series. I'll have to look for the next book.

3.5

3.5 stars out of 5.

Le premesse di questa serie sono molto buone. L'unico difetto è che è un po' confuso.
Sono fiduciosa sul seguito :)

I've started this a couple of times before, but put it down for various reasons. Being in the mood for some other genre, being in a reading slump... Now that I finished it I have to say I liked it. It wasn't perfect, but entertaining. I think I'll read more in the series.

I'm probably going to review this for Bureau42 or for a video (or both), but long story short, I enjoyed the book. Kate, the book's protagonist, is an interesting hardboiled urban fantasy detective. However, the way magic works in the setting, and how the cosmology of it works falls into some of the Magic Vs. Technology nonsense that I'm not particularly a fan of.

I've decided to finally continue on with this series, and thought I better re-read the first 2 to refresh my memory. I loved it just as much the second time around!

If I could do a search on the text of this book, I'm pretty sure the word “grimace” would show up at least 3,000 times. Which is a pretty apt description of the face I made while forcing myself to finish the book.