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Book Review of Magic Bites (Kate Daniels, Bk 1)

Magic Bites (Kate Daniels, Bk 1)
skywriter319 avatar reviewed on + 784 more book reviews


I think if I could only read one urban fantasy series for the rest of my life, it would be this one. And that's probably not even a legitimate claim I should make, since my experience with UF has been limited so far (changing this summer though). But Magic Bites is smooth, witty, and even--dare I say it?--sweet at appropriate moments. It is truly a respectable accomplishment in UF.

Kate's world is an easy one to get lost in. Ilona Andrews does a fantastic job of world-building so that you never doubt even for a second that this could exist. Kate herself is an excellent protagonist, with just the right touch of strength, snark, sexy kick-butt abilities, and vulnerability. Indeed, both the world-building and the characterization in this book are so good that it's hard to decide which one is better, which one made this book for me. Supporting characters are highly memorable, branding themselves in my mind even a week after I finished the book. I can't wait to delve into the future books in the series and catch up with them all again, as I'm sure they'll give me no end to the entertainment, suspense, and envy that Ilona Andrews can write so well.

Aside from occasionally over-written passages (lush descriptions and UF don't mix too well) and a plot that sometimes meandered (though I could barely detect, what with the terrific narration going on), I can't really think of anything else wrong with this novel. When I reluctantly finished this book, I immediately began to look about acquiring the other books in the series. I have no doubt that I will finish this series by the end of summer, and then I'll join the legion of fans breathlessly waiting for the next book in the series.