Before we begin, just a reminder this post and its comments will include spoilers for Ilona Andrew’s Kate Daniels series. This read-along is for those who have read the books previously and also for those who are new to the series, so please no spoilers for books beyond the one featured in the discussion this week.
Book 2: Magic Burns
Magic Burns by Ilona Andrews Narrator: Renée Raudman
Series: Kate Daniels #2
Genres: Urban Fantasy
Length: 9 hours, 38 minutes
Format: Audiobook
Source: Purchased
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As a mercenary who cleans up after magic gone wrong, Kate Daniels has seen her share of occupational hazards. Normally, waves of paranormal energy ebb and flow across Atlanta like a tide. But once every seven years, a flare comes, a time when magic runs rampant. Now Kate’s going to have to deal with problems on a much bigger scale: a divine one.
When Kate sets out to retrieve a set of stolen maps for the Pack, Atlanta’s paramilitary clan of shapeshifters, she quickly realizes much more at stake. During a flare, gods and goddesses can manifest – and battle for power. The stolen maps are only the opening gambit in an epic tug-of-war between two gods hoping for rebirth. And if Kate can’t stop the cataclysmic showdown, the city may not survive…
Kate Daniels is a favorite series of mine. It has been a long time since I revisited this series. I started off reading this series, but once I listened for the first time, I was hooked on the audiobooks. If you’ve never listened to Renée Raudman read this series (or anything really and she narrates all of Ilona Andrews books), I can’t recommend it enough. She really adds to an already amazing story.
So there is a magical flare coming to Atlanta. It has everyone on edge. The Knights of the Order are all out doing their thing to keep Atlanta safe. The People and The Pack are circling the wagons. So Kate is trying her best to do what she does.
We learn more about Kate and her past. We meet more characters that will become indispensable to the series going forward, namely Andrea and Julie, but others too. Derek, Jim, Curran and Ghastek all make appearance. We also get to meet the coven witches and the oracle.
This series is full of so many great snippets. I have to include a few, because how can I not?
The man spread his arms. I didn’t like the way he moved, either, light on his feet.
“What’s with the cute shoelace on your head?”
“What this?” He flicked the end of the cord with his finger.
“Yeah. Rambo called, he wants his bandana back.”
“This Rambo, he a friend of yours?”
“Who’s Rambo?” Julie asked.
If a cultural reference flies over a man’s head, does it make a sound if nobody else gets it? I had never managed to watch the whole movie—magic always interfered, but I had read the book. Maybe after the flare cut out and tech reasserted its dominance for a few weeks, I’d dig the minidisc out and watch the darn thing from start to finish.
Her face fell. “You’re not my mom. You can’t tell me what to do,” she said finally, but her tone signaled the end of the argument.
“I’m a substitute mom,” I told her.
“You’re more like a crazy aunt who only gets called when somebody needs bailing out of jail,” Derek said.
I pointed my finger at him. He grinned.
“Julie, until I find your real mom, I’m in charge of your safety. She loves you and she’s a good person. She deserves to be found and to have you be alright. If I found her, but something happened to you, I don’t know what I would do.” And if I can’t find your mom, she would’ve wanted you to be safe.
“Derek couldn’t pick up Julie’s scent at the scene?” A slight growl of disapproval crept into his voice.
I shook my head. “The shaman used too much wolfsbane. I’ll find her. I just don’t know how yet.”
“If there is anything I can do, I’ll help. Don’t get excited. It’s not because of you. For the child. If it wasn’t for her and the flare, I’d throw your dumb ass out of this window.”
“What does the flare have to do with it?”
“I don’t want it to be attributed to a loss of control on my part. When I throw you out of the window, I want there to be no doubt the act was deliberate.”
Wow, he was pissed.
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Who said (for Read-along giveaway):
“You know,” she said, stirring her tea, “the fastest way to get him off your back is to sleep with him. And tell him you love him. Preferably while in bed.”
Schedule and wrap up:
We are doing one book every four weeks, posting on Mondays. We should have a review for most of the books with the team here at Books of My Heart plus some of our blogging friends.
Mar 12: Magic Strikes
Apr 9: Magic Bleeds
May 7: Magic Slays
Jun 4: Magic Rises
Jul 2: Magic Breaks
Jul 30: Magic Shifts
Aug 27: Magic Binds
Aug 28: Magic Triumphs (release day!)
Miss a post?
Jan 15: Magic Bites
The winner of last giveaway, Magic Mourns, is: bn100
This Book’s Giveaway:
Read-along Giveaway:
About Renée Raudman
Renée Raudman is a multi-award-winning audiobook narrator. A multiple Audie Award nominee, she has earned a number of AudioFile Earphones Awards, including for The Last Secret by Mary McGarry Morris and Wesley the Owl by Stacey O’Brien, as well as a Publishers Weekly Listen-Up Award for Joe Schreiber’s Chasing the Dead. She has also performed on film, TV, radio, and stage, including the recurring roles of Jordon on ABC’s One Life To Live, Phyllis on NBC’s Passions, and guest-starring roles on prime-time TV. She has been heard in cartoons (The Simpsons, Billy & Mandy), videogames, and on the E! channel. Her narration of Homer’s Odyssey by Gwen Cooper was selected by Library Journal as one of the best audiobooks of 2009, and her reading of Marthe Jocelyn’s Would You was selected by the ALA as one of the best young adult audiobooks of 2009.
About Ilona Andrews
“Ilona Andrews” is the pseudonym for a husband-and-wife writing team. Ilona is a native-born Russian and Gordon is a former communications sergeant in the U.S. Army. Contrary to popular belief, Gordon was never an intelligence officer with a license to kill, and Ilona was never the mysterious Russian spy who seduced him. They met in college, in English Composition 101, where Ilona got a better grade. (Gordon is still sore about that.)
Gordon and Ilona currently reside in Texas with their two children and many dogs and cats.
They have co-authored several bestselling series, including the #1 NYT bestselling urban fantasy of Kate Daniels, rustic fantasy of the Edge, paranormal romance of Hidden Legacy, and Innkeeper Chronicles, which they post as a free weekly serial.
I started listening to audiobooks when a new book in a series was coming out and I wanted to get a refresher, but didn’t have time to read all the books (I think it was Anita Blake). I fell in love. I stayed with strictly re-reading books that I’d already read for a long time. I eventually tried an audiobook for something that I hadn’t read first and was hooked there too. Now, I listen to audio for both re-reads and first time. I have some series that I’ve given up reading and only listen. I try to get any many books/audiobooks from the library to help save on my budget. Books on CD and the newer digital downloads from the library really allow me to listen more. I then purchase my favorites (because who can wait in line for your favorite book??) and less mainstream books from Audible or some other online retailer.
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Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
- COYER Winter Switch
Nice review. I had to pull out my paperback copy of Magic Burns and skim it to find out who said what for the giveaway. ^_^ I love the audio for this series. It’s so good.
It’s one of my favorite lines in the entire series!!!
It’s a great line….
I would’ve have remembered it either if I hadn’t just relistened to the story.
I love this series so hard! Great choice of quotes. I always listen to these on audio and I’m only a couple of books behind. Don’t want it to end!
I don’t want it to end either. But on the other hand, I can’t wait to see what they come up with next.
I’m pretty sure I know who says that line, but my brain doesn’t want to give up the name. I wish I had these in ebook to find out, it will drive me crazy all day. Love this series so hard. I wish I had time to do a reread before the final book!
I don’t really have time for a reread, but I decided to do it anyway. Who needs time anyway. LOL
SO not her on that cover, oh well
I keep forgetting you are everywhere
Yep, I’m everywhere. 😀
I love this series so much! I have read the book and listened to the audio for this one and think that they are both great experiences. When did they change the cover for the audiobook? So glad you enjoyed this one!
I don’t know when they changed the cover for the audio. If there is one thing I can fault this series for, it is the covers. But truthfully, it is the least important aspect to me, so…
I just thought that I might have missed a book for a second since I didn’t recognize this cover.
That makes sense. They have several books where the cover is completely different from the print covers. I noticed it the most when Recorded Books was doing the audiobooks. I think Brilliance Audio recorded the last book. Tantor was for this one. They’ve had several different audiobook publishers. I’m glad they were able to stay with Renee Raudman. There would be a revolt if she wasn’t the narrator.
I know all of the print covers are different than the audio for this series but this audiobook cover is different than the one that I have. I just checked my audible library and the version that I have is no longer available for purchase. I bought my audiobook from audible back in 2012 so there has been a lot of time for changes to be made but it still shows in my account with a completely different cover.
I was ready to go buy myself a new audiobook when I saw this cover yesterday 🙂
Fantastic thoughts. This is one of my favorite audio and urban fantasy series. I adore this writing team.
Me too. They are the best.
I love this series. Rereading it, I can see so many little things that will be important later .
Me too. I just listened to book three. So many great parts to this series.
What a fantastic idea Melanie! I need to get back into this series myself! I’d love to read it on audio!
The audio is soo good. I can’t help but recommend it to everyone.