ARC Review: Gunmetal Magic by Ilona Andrews + GIVEAWAY

Gunmetal Magic

by Ilona Andrews

Kate Daniels #5.5

So...we have to go a year without a Kate Daniel's book. I admit, I cried, I fell to my knees and howled to the moon "whhhhhhhhhhhhhhhyyyyy" in most most despairing tone...but once they let me out the padded room (major over reaction by the way, just because you howl at the moon, it DOES NOT make you crazy!) and ate some chocolate my rational brain smoothered my crazy brain and I started to think. I like Andrea, she is a kick arse female, I wanted to know what would happen with her and Rapheal and Kate and Curran would surely peek in at some point; all is not lost. So I pulled on my big girl panties, went back to work and put the pint of emergency Ben & Jerrys ice cream back in the freezer for another day. And now after reading Gunmetal Magic I am currently eating my celebration tub of Ben & Jerry's (yes, I have a pint for all occassions) quite simply...it kicked "goods" bottom and immediatly upgraded to awesome. As if Andrea would have it any other way.

In all honesty this wasn't actually that much different from a Kate Daniel's book, it had the action packed plot full of freaky imaginative creatures and self obsessed demi-gods set in the backdrop of a wild Atlanta where quite literally anything can happen. It also had that dash of romance as we get to see Andrea and Rapheal play out the mating dance...again only bigger and better this time. This quote really caught my eye and explains thier relationship perfectly:

"If you put up with me, I will put up with whatever you can throw my way," he said. "Bad days, good days, 'I'll cut you if you look at me the wrong way' days. I'll take them all."

But most importantly it had a great female lead character. Andrea. She might not quite have Kate's great mix insanity and sarcasm but Andrea as her own kind of crazy which was just as enthralling to read as she begins to accept parts of herself that she has been trying all her life to ignore. These parts of her though have breasts, furry breasts that the men in this book couldn't seemed to ignore, best recurring joke ever! And Gunmetal Magic does funny really well, although some serious things are happening and Andrea is an intense person. I love that humour is still included, especially when it is between two of my favourite gals:

"If you paste some stars on her butt, you'll be riding My Little Pony." [Kate]
"Bugger off." I patted the mare's neck. "Don't listen to her, Sugar. You are the cutest horsey ever. The correct name for her color is strawberry roan, by the way."
"Strawberry shortcake, more like it. Does Strawberry Shortcake know you stole her horse? She will be berry, berry angry with you."

I must also mention Ascanio, our teeange delinquent Bouda...if I were 10 years younger there would be posters of him all over my wall...okay I have a slight crush on him, it feels wrong, but I can't help it. I can't wait to have a book about him *hint hint* He is charming, lethal, gorgrous, funny and very very wicked:

"Did those nice church ladies come by again?"
He nodded. "I asked them if a man died and then the woman remarried, and the three of them met in heaven, would it be a sin for them to have a threesome, since they were all married in God's eyes. And then they decided they were late to be somewhere else."

This was the right blend of action, humour and romance that has created a fantastic read that I all but devoured and reminded me (not that I would ever forget) why Ilona and Gordon Andrews are my favourite authors. I promise I will never doubt you again!

*opens up a second pint of Celebration Ben & Jerry's* 

*ARC provided by publisher

Purchase Links: Amazon  

 We have a copy of GUNMETAL MAGIC up for grabs.

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Covers to Covet

Gunmetal Magic

by Ilona Andrews

Kate Daniels # 5.5

Some people have everything figured out — Andrea Nash is not one of those people. After being kicked out of the Order of Knights of Merciful Aid, Andrea's whole existence is in shambles. All she can do is try to put herself back together, something made easier by working for Cutting Edge, a small investigative firm owned by her best friend, Kate Daniels.

When several shapeshifters working for Raphael Medrano — the male alpha of Clan Bouda and Andrea's former lover — die unexpectedly at a dig site, Andrea is assigned to investigate ... and must work with Raphael. As her search for the killer leads her into the secret underbelly of supernatural Atlanta, Andrea knows that dealing with her feelings for Raphael might have to take a backseat to saving the world ...

Release Date: July 31st

Review: Magic Gifts by Ilona Andrews

 

Magic Gifts

(Kate Daniels # 5.5 )

by Ilona Andrews

Please note that this review is wrote with extreme prejudice, one; because it was free, and who doesn't automatically loooove a free book? And two; this is a Kate Daniel's book and we are complete fangirls! We actually let out an extremely uncool little shriek and did a little dance when we saw this, and the third and perhaps most important thing, Curran's in it. Naked. Nuff said.

Kate and Curran. There are no other two characters I love more.

The Beast Lord takes his mate, Kate to a lovely dinner. All goes well until an incident involving a necklace, two journeymen, some vampires and blood put their romantic dinner date to a grounding halt.

Two journeymen - a man and a woman who are romantically involved have their own dinner together. The man gives his girlfriend a gift. She opens the package to find a necklace. However, when she puts it on, the necklace becomes a noose and strangles her, snapping her head off. Her boyfriend screams and chaos ensues.

Kate and Curran do a little slicing and dicing to get the situation under control. The dead woman’s family marches in demanding to know what has happened, but as soon as her father touches the necklace, her mother steps in and snaps the necklace on to her son, a boy of only seven-years old.

Unsure of the reason why a parent would do that to their son when the same item killed her daughter moments ago, Kate and Curran have their newest case to solve.

On the way they get involved in a brawl with some vikings and encounter some evil undead. All in a day's work for Kate.

This was a great short story, fun and full of adventure and Kate and Curran were at their witty best. Anyone who is a fan of the Kate Daniel's series has got to get their hands on it. It is a quick read but well worth it. And who is this blonde chick with Raphael??? Must we wait so long for the next book? Bring on Gunmetal Magic! I'm so ready!

 

 

 

This book is FREE right now for a LIMITED TIME on Ilona Andrew's site

RUN! Don't walk!

War of the Beasts: Barrons vs Curran

WARNING: This post contains bitchiness, Barrons burning & Curran slapping. But it is all for fun and Jen and Suzanne love both series!

Welcome to War of the Beasts where we have decided to pit two of the biggest, baddest babes in Urban Fantasy against each other in a series of categories to see who comes out on top.

In one corner Jen from Red Hot Books will be defending the mysterious Jericho Barrons from Karen Marie Moning's Fever series. In the the other corner our very own Suzanne will be defending Atlanta's Beast Lord, Curran from Ilona Andrew's Kate Daniels series.

*ding ding*
 Let the battle commence

When you're an Alpha hero, your heroine has got to know you can kick some arse.So between Barrons and Curran, who would win in a fight?

Suzanne on Team Curran:

Curran. He is the King of the Jungle. He would use not only his shifter strength, dagger-like claws and mighty fangs but also his wiles. Curran is clever and patient and would stalk his prey, tease out their weaknesses until he is ready to pounce, then BAM - buh bye Barrons! I am not saying Barrons is useless.  If I ever needed a spider removed or a lid unscrewed from a particularly stubborn jar, I would call him. Well, maybe if Curran wasn't around.

He gave an impression of coiled power, a contained violence that if released, would explode with terrifying intensity.

Jen on Team Barrons:

As a man, Jericho Barrons uses whatever is at his disposal to get what he wants. His mind, his experience, and his body: all weapons - to intimidate... to dominate... or to dessimate at will. Skilled in the Druid arts, he can bend your mind to his control. He may carry a thin veil of civilitity, but it doesn't hide what lurks underneath. And believe me, the monster hiding beneath the face of a man, terrifies beasts far more powerful than a mere lion.

"Electric, wild, one foot in the swamp. Never going to crawl all the way out."

★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★

So now your Alpha has won the fight. He can defend your honour - not that you need it, you are a UF heroine after all - but how good will your Alpha look on your arm?  Which Beast is a sexy beast?

Jen on Team Barrons

If you're in the market for a Ken doll, with a pretty face and golden locks, Curran is your man. I think Mac put it best when she said, "I'd never been turned on by the Ken doll—even before I looked down his pants and saw what was missing."

But Barrons is dark, exotic, and dangerous. 6'2 with dark hair, golden skin and dark eyes. Strong, chisled features. As for conversation, who needs laughs, when a man can make you lose your breath just with the promise of sex in his voice?

"When he comes, he makes a noise deep in his throat that is so raw and animal and sexual that I think if he merely looked at me and made that noise, I might explode in an orgasm.”

Suzanne on Team Curran:

Oh Curran, you smexy studmuffin with your gorgeous golden mane of hair and amber eyes and body that makes my body go all a-quiver! Curran is definitely the sexiest-  his rugged masculity; his aura of leashed violence; his wittiness and sense of honour he makes my girly parts sit up and beg.

"...you expect me to fall on my back with my legs spread."
"Not necessarily. ... You can fall on your hands and knees if you prefer. Or against the wall. Or on the kitchen counter. I suppose I might let you be on top, if you make it worth my while."

★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★

Your sexy beast has emerged victorious in a fight, but how alpha is he? How Alpha is your Alpha?

Suzanne on Team Curran:

The Beast Lord of Atlanta, or Your Majesty for short, has been the big bad in the shapeshifter world since the age of 15. Ruling all the shifters in Atlanta from rats to bears, his Alphaness is the only thing preventing a legion of shifters becoming cannibalistic killing machines, does it get more alpha than that?

"Curran is the Beast Lord. Tremble."

Jen on Team Barrons:

Tremble, huh? Barrons doesn't need a pretentious title. Mac may call him her beast, but his underlying animal is so primal, so visceral, there isn't even a name for it. He does what he pleases. If it doesn't interest him, he ignores it. Otherwise, he'll kill it, eat it, or fuck it until he has his fill.

He once told Mac, "In the Serengeti, Ms. Lane, I would be the cheetah. I’m stronger, smarter, faster, and hungrier than everything else out there. And I don’t apologize to the gazelle when I take it down.”

★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★

Your Beast has shed his human skin, what fearsome creature lies beneath? Who has the best beast form?

Suzanne on Team Curran

Why have one shifter form when you can have two? Both of which are mightyly fierce!  We have the maginificent form of a prehistroic lion - powerful, lethal, he is death tied up in a beautiful package. Then there is the warrior form, half human and half lion, the strength and claw of his lion with a grotesque human twist.

"Half-man, half-beast, all nightmare. The shapeshifter warrior form."

Jen on Team Barrons:

In his beast form, Barrons can terrify even the most vile and wild things. His scent alone makes them run in fear. Nine feet tall, massively muscled, with horns and talons. Against a mere lion? Please.

"The thing was a natural born predator. It was at the top of its game. Powerful, uncomplicated animal. It had few purposes in life. It had been born and bred to kill, conquer, reproduce, and survive."

★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★

Behind every great man there is a woman. So how does your hero compare in the heroine department? Which Beast has the best Beastess?

Jen on Team Barrons

Mac had a lot of growing up to do when she first crossed paths with Barrons. But through hardships, torture, trauma, and loss, she became a stronger, better version of herself. She comes back from things no one ever has. She risks her life to give our world a future. She ends up a fierce and powerful force in her own right. One that even Barrons cannot resist.

"Nobody looks good in their darkest hours. But it's those hours that make us what we are." In the end, Mac's actions define her.

Suzanne on Team Curran

A man is only as good as the woman he feels for and Kate feels fantastic! She possess all the great aspects of a heroine: sarcasm and a sword, with the skills to back up both. And as an added bonus she makes the Beast Lord crazy with love, lust and a healthy dose of angry. Curran's choice of mate is impeccable.

“What kind of woman greets the Beast Lord with 'here, kitty, kitty'?”

★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★

The Last Word...

Suzanne on Team Curran

There is no doubt in my mind the Curran in the King of the Beasts. He transforms into a primal monster that was terrifying our ancestors in the depths of time and hasn't ever been tamed.  Curran is King.

Jen on Team Barrons

There is something so appealing about a man who carries within him a beast which seethes just beneath the surface. Barrons' thin veneer of civility and sex appeal is just the icing on the rich and delicious cake of the barely restrained alpha predator within.

He is sex. He is violence. He is undeniable. He's Barrons.

Disclaimer: All words in this post are meant to be taken lightly. Both Jen and Suzanne love each series dearly and for the purpose of this post only, they have brought the claws out. Special thanks to Jen at Red Hot Books for being such a good sport! We love you! No beasts were harmed in the making of this battle.

TIME TO VOTE!!!



Ilona Andrews is graciously giving away TWO SIGNED copies of Fate's Edge to one International reader and one US reader.

Audrey Callahan left behind her life in the Edge, and she's determined to stay on the straight and narrow. But when her brother gets into hot water, the former thief takes on one last heist and finds herself matching wits with a jack of all trades...

Kaldar Mar-a gambler, lawyer, thief, and spy-expects his latest assignment tracking down a stolen item to be a piece of cake, until Audrey shows up. But when the item falls into the hands of a lethal criminal, Kaldar realizes that in order to finish the job, he's going to need Audrey's help...

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1. Be a follower
2. Fill out the form below

Review: Magic Slays by Ilona Andrews

 

Magic Slays (Kate Daniels # 5)

by Ilona Andrews

Urban Fantasy

Find it on Goodreads!

 

This is the fifth installment of the Kate Daniels series and I LOVED IT! I completely completely consumed it this book, no page was left unturned, no word undevoured! In the last book it was left with Kate and Curran finally getting their freak on and becoming mates, and Kate starting up her own PI business with a little assistance from the Pack. In Magic Slays it has been a couple of months and she hasn't had a single client which, isn't surprising been as Ted her former boss at the Order has been bad mouthing her. But, when she does finally get her first job of finding out where a kidnap victim is, she stumbles on more then she bargained for and the whole of Atlanta's magical community have to team up or face certain death.

Although I love the action packed plots of all the Kate Daniel books, in this book I found myself looking forward to some Kate-Curran interaction and was a little worried that now they have gotton together the funny push and pull of their relationship would disappear; however, it was a needless concern, the two of them have still had heaps of chemistry and the witty banter that marked their relationship from the beginning. I loved watching them figure out exactly how they were going to life together, both of them are stubborn and used to getting their own way so sparks definately fly and although this book is fairly tame in the sex department, it is mostly fade to black, you can still feel the heat between them.

This book also expanded more on Kate's crazy family, and I really can not wait for the final confrontation between Kate and Roland and how it will pan out, Kate is like Spiderman she always beats the big bad guys even though she seems to have less power they they do, I just hope she can do the same with Roland. I have a feeling though that Hugh might be in the next book, her step father's prodigy and Roland's right hand man.

The only thing that was slightly disappointing was that I wanted to see Andrea and Rapheal together! There wasn't a single confrontation between them! They can't split up! I can't allow it damn it *shakes fist*! They were perfect for each other!

I really loved this book, not only did it have a fast action packed plot, but it had my favourite couple in it and it has left me waiting very impatiently for the next.

 

Review: Magic Bleeds by Ilona Andrews

 

Magic Bleeds (Kate Daniels # 4)

by Ilona Andrews

Urban Fantasy

Find it on Goodreads!

Any book that I read in the space of one day and actually growl at people when they dare interrupt me deserves 5 stars.

This installment of the Kate Daniels series begins with Kate being stood up for the "naked" dinner she was meant to be serving Curran, the very sexy and infuriataing Beast Lord. From there, for Kate, things go from bad to worse, with plagues being started; powerful people being killed and an unpleasent family reunion. However it isn't all bad, the Kate and Curran will-they-won't-they finally reaches its inevitable conclusion, which had me jumping up and down in joy!

The action as usual with Ilona Andrews was fast paced and brutal and satisfied all my blood thirsty urges. The plot line was also interesting and developed at a steady pace; it always kept me anticipating what was going to happen next. The story in this book also pushed forward over arching storyline of Kates birth alot more then the other books, and I can't wait to find out what happens when Kate finally meets with her father Roland.

Now the romance *sighs* this book finally, finally concludes the tension built up between Curran and Kate in the last three books, and it was worth it. I am glad she did it in this book, it was the right time I think doing it before would have been too soon, but dragging it out for another book would have been frustrating.

However, although I enjoyed this book immensley and I believe it does deserve 5 stars, I don't think it was as good as Magic Strikes. To me Magic Strikes is the best book in the series, it has brilliant action in the Midnight Games and also has some of the best Kate and Curran scenes. The bath scene anyone?! Also the love scene in Magic Bleeds although it is hot, I think Andrews writes action and sexual tension alot better then the actual "deed" itself.

But this is an excellent read, one of the best for me so far this year, and a must read if you love the Kate Daniels series and an incentive to start reading the series if you don't.

 

Review: Magic Bites by Ilona Andrews

Magic Bites (Kate Daniels # 1)

by Ilona Andrews

Urban Fantasy

Find it on Goodreads!

Anyone who knows me, knows about my love -that burns with a fiery and undying passion- for these books and have probably been stongly encouraged (okay coerced) into reading them! But I can't help it. Something about them draws me in. It has all the things I love, interesting new world; check! Sarcastic and funny heroine; check! Out of this world sexy alpha male; check! Paranormal creatures; check! A fast paced plot and plenty of bloody action; check! Tell me what is NOT to love?

Kate is one of my favourite characters, as I said above she is sarcastic and funny, and also completely kick ass..Someone pointed out to me recently that I only like the sarcastic, tough, bitchy heroines, and well they might be right, but what can I say, I hate whiners! As for Curran *deep girly lustful sigh* need I say more?

The world building in this is also really good, there is alot of it in the first book, but once you have your head around it, it is a complex and interesting new world Ilona Andrews introduces you to, a world where pretty much anything can happen and frequently does. This gives the story an edge of excitement as you know to expect the unexpected. I also really like the vampires in this book, these vampires don't sparkle, and they don't brood and wax poetic about the beauty of the night they infact will just rip your neck off and gorge unless they are tightly controlled by necromancers.

I hope this little reveiw, which is really just me gushing about how much I love this series encourages you to pick this series up and give it a try!

Waiting on Wednesday

Magic Slays by Ilona Andrews (Kate Daniels #5)

For me Magic Slays is the most anticipated book of the year, the series just keeps on getting better and better. It has become one of my favourite EVER series and I seriously cannot get enough of Kate and Curran. I am in particular looking forward to this book as, at last, Kate and Curran have gotten together after four books of them stomping around each other and some pretty interesting and hilarious courting techniques, the main ingredients of which being catnip and glue. So if their courtship was that...original, I can’t wait to see what their actual relationship is like! Also The Death! We have all heard that someone is going to die in this book, but is it going to be....?! Bring on May 31^st!

Just to tantalize you even more, here is the blurb...

Plagued by a war between magic and technology, Atlanta has never been so deadly. Good thing Kate Daniels is on the job

Kate Daniels may have quit the Order of Merciful Aid, but she’s still knee-deep in paranormal problems. Or she would be if she could get someone to hire her. Starting her own business has been more challenging than she thought it would be- now that the Order is disparaging her good name and many potential clients are afraid of getting on the bad side of the Beast Lord, who just happens to be Kate’s mate.

So when Atlanta’s premier Master of the Dead calls to ask for help with a vampire on the loose, Kate leaps at the chance of some paying work. Turns out this is not an isolated incident and Kate needs to get to the bottom of it-fast, or the city and everyone dear to her might pay the ultimate price...

And for those of you (crazy people) who like to read the excerpt (I personally don’t, it makes waiting even harder!) Ilona Andrews has the prologue up.

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly meme, hosted at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating.