Mini Reviews: From the World of Kate Daniels

Magic Steals by Ilona Andrews

Published: August 16th 2016 (first published 2014)

Publisher: InterMix

Series: Kate Daniels #6.5

Format: Kindle Format: Purchased

My Rating: 5 Stars

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~Review~

I love reading these novellas from Kate Daniels world. I learn something new about my favorite characters that I can’t get from Kate’s POV in the main novels. This novella is about Dali and Jim. I love Kate and Curran, but Dali and Jim are a close second in the favorites department. I love the diversity of the characters in this world, so Dali (Indonesian) and Jim (African-American) just adds to the many ethnicities. I always want more when I finish, so Andrews knows how to snare a reader.

What I love about this story is how Dali is very much connected to her culture. Like Kate, Dali is very powerful. So it’s no surprise that she is called upon for some magical business. Of course, Jim-badass-Shrapshire comes along for the action. I don’t want to spoil for those who haven’t read it, but this one is packed with action and magic. By now, Jim and Dali are a couple, so you get to see them interact without all the dilly-dally. Dali being a half blind, white weretigress comes with its perks. She and her homicidal jaguar dive deep into the mystery.

I love this couple! They are so different, yet they fit together perfectly. Before the end of Magic Breaks, there’s very little of Jim and Dali together in the other books. They appear separately (except for Magic Strikes), so I grasp at any chance to see them doing their couple thing. Andrews does well on character development, and I won’t even speak about the mythology. Every time I read some new mythology in this world, I Google it until I know a little more. (I even added Bulfinch’s Mythology to my books-to-buy list after reading Magic Binds). Andrews spins the lore to make it their own, and it is really well detailed. Another great novella in this amazing world of Kate Daniels!

 

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A Questionable Client by Ilona Andrews

Published: September 1st 2011 (first published 2010)

Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin

Series: Kate Daniels #0.5

Format: ebook Source: Library

My Rating: 5 Stars

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~Review~

This novella is an introduction into the Kate Daniels world. I never knew exactly how Kate met Saiman. Until now. This is Kate as a mercenary, working for the Guild. She’s assigned a bodyguard detail, and is in for an interesting night. 

In Saiman’s quest to have the answer to everything, he has pissed off the wrong people. As Kate kicks ass, and Saiman flirts, dark creatures come to kill them. This is all things Russian Lore, so the volhvs are involved. Let’s just say that Saiman changed his shape to acquire an object of power to get an answer to a question.We never get his question because it all backfires. 

It was hilarious. If you know Saiman, then you know that he’s all about SELF. He thinks his money will buy him anything. He thinks his polymorphism can get him into any bed he desires.Well, that mess doesn’t work on Kate Daniels. This is Kate’s introduction, and if I had read this before the first book, I would have wanted more immediately. If you want some Saiman shenanigans, these 65 pages will satisfy you.