Before we begin, just a reminder this post and its comments may include spoilers for the previous books in 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.
Book 4: Magic Bleeds
Magic Bleeds by Ilona Andrews Narrator: Renée Raudman
Series: Kate Daniels #4
Published by Ace Genres: Urban Fantasy
Length: 13 hours, 6 minutes
Format: Audiobook, eBook
Source: Purchased
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Kate Daniels works for the Order of Knights of Merciful Aid, officially, as a liaison with the mercenary guild. Unofficially, she cleans up the paranormal problems no one else wants to handle—especially if they involve Atlanta’s shapeshifting community.
When she’s called in to investigate a fight at the Steel Horse, a bar on the border between the territories of the shapeshifters and the necromancers, Kate quickly discovers there’s a new player in town. One who’s been around for thousands of years—and rode to war at the side of Kate’s father.
This foe may be too much even for Kate and Curran, the Beast Lord, to handle. Because this time Kate will be taking on family…
Why is Magic Bleeds my favorite book of the series? Three words: Shapeshifter Mating Rituals. This is the book that the slow burn of the prior books starts to really play off in big ways and Kate decides once and for all what is hers and what she is willing to do for it. But of coarse, because this is Kate, it isn’t all roses and dinners for courting. She isn’t that girl and wouldn’t really know what to do if there wasn’t a little blood and destruction involved.
One of the things that makes Kate Daniels my favorite Urban Fantasy series of all time is not only the characters (they are really awesome) but the different story arcs and world building. The Andrews really research lore that isn’t often found in Urban Fantasy and turn it on its head to give us something spectacularly new. The ‘villain’ for example in this is everything I love in a villain. Smart, three dimensional, scary, deadly and best of all Kate grows to understand them. But they also have some lore behind them to really give them weight and a huge backstory, because the details matter.
My favorite new character is Grendel, I think Kate really needed a furry companion and the puke on command eater of garbage fits that bill completely. But this is a series, so it is very hard for me to pick a favorite character. Aunt B makes the top of the list but Andrea, Jim, Saiman and others get some great scenes throughout the book which make it really hard to decide on a favorite. This is my 5th reread and I find something new to love in the book and series every single time.
Kate and Curran have a believable relationship. They have grown together over time and it is really easy to believe in their love story. I’ve rooted for them since Magic Bites and this is totally a pay off book for me in so many ways. There is the fun of the courting, but there are also the deeper emotions Kate has never felt before, so it can get a little messy from time to time. This book lets us into see a softer, more vulnerable side of Kate and I love it.
Narration:
I’ve read and listened to this series a grundle (yes that is a technical term) and Renee Raudman is the voice of this series. She has narrated most of the Andrews works but I think of her as Kate and while I like most of her performance, it took awhile to accept her version of Curran. To be fair, I’d read five books before starting to listen to the series the first time and Curran sounded so different in my head up to that point. Her performance of all the characters is very well done and she does add my overall enjoyment of the series capturing Kate’s dry humor very well.
Who said:
“I’ve protected people of power and people of wealth. Many, many people. I’ve judged you worthy. Don’t disappoint me.”
Schedule and wrap up:
We are doing one book every month, 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.
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
Feb 12: Magic Burns
Mar 12: Magic Strikes
winner of last book’s giveaway of Magic Gifts is: Amanda F.
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.
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I enjoyed the back and forth in Kate and Curran’s relationship. And I liked her explaining the origin of vampires to the golem.
The thought put into all the lore of this series is so great. All the backstories about Roland and such is just awesome.
My book bff and I wondered if Grendel was Kate’s familiar since she is kinda a witch. We asked the Andrews about it and found out that Grendel was Bran’s dog in the Mists, but when Red went into the service of Morrigan the dog didn’t take a shining to him and so took off to find Kate. Details like that are just awesome.
I love the attention to detail which Kate lives her life. She looks at all the factors with compassion to make the best decisions she can. I just finished the next book Magic Slays yesterday (I read a book I didn’t like and had to retreat into the Kate Daniels world.) Anyway, I love Grendel. There are so many details it really helps to read the series again all together as I (we) are doing now to pick up on things missed when reading possibly a year apart.
THis series is such a great one!
Really in UF I haven’t found it’s equal. IA are just fantastic writers.