Short and Sweet Book Reviews # 289 - Dominator by Mike Shepherd, Magic Triumphs by Ilona Andrews

Dominator by Mike Shepherd
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was as bored as Vicky at her wedding. Like she said it just went on and on. Then the honeymoon was cut short as Vicky went to first rescue her father and then try to fix the mess he let his half of the empire get into. After the wedding there was plenty of action, danger and adventure. Vicky has really changed from when she first appeared in a Kris Longknife book. It is fun watching how she tries to live up to her new job and husband.


Magic Triumphs by Ilona Andrews
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A nice ending to Kate Daniels' series. I listened to the audio and loved the voice of Renee Raudman. She did a great job of bringing the story to life. The end left Kate and Connor alive and well but at the end of the story arc with the main problems solved. I especially enjoyed how and where Roland ended up. This is not a standalone and is best enjoyed after reading the entire series.

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Short and Sweet Book Reviews # 154 - Magic Binds by Ilona Andrews, Sungrazer by Jay Posey, Beast by Anna Hackett

Magic Binds by Ilona Andrews
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Kate and Curran should be planning a wedding but of course things just keep getting in the way. This moves the story line forward. Solves some things, brings some surprises about characters, keeps the danger developing and the tension at a very high level. The reader does a really great job of the different voices. The voice matched what was happening in the story adding to the enjoyment of the story.


Sungrazer by Jay Posey
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A fun journey full of danger and surprise, Sungrazer bring the Outrider team back together with a new dangerous mission. This is space opera with a great cast of characters, interesting world building and backstory. Set in the Solar System with most of the action on Mars the story is fast paced keeping everything moving. The reader did a very good job with the voices of the characters and matching the pace of the story.


Beast by Anna Hackett
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

You knew Mia and Vek had a connection in the last story but I wondered how they would find their HEA. Vek is such a complex character. At heart he is kind but from his capture as a child he has been drugged and made into a killer in a illegal fight ring. From the time he was freed and helped free Mia she has been the only one who can calm the rage left over from the drugs. I loved how Hackett found a way to burn that rage away and make Vek a valuable member of the Galactic Gladiators. Mia is also a complex characters. She was the under performer in her family and it was great seeing her bond with Vek and finding that she had a very valuable talent. Great addition to the series and a very nice set up for the next set of stories.

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Waiting on Wednesday July 18, 2012

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

I am waiting for Gunmetal Magic" A Novel in the World of Kate Daniels by Ilona Andrews.  This is a new series and the first book is due out on July 31, 2012.  I have it on pre-order from Amazon. 

Book Beginnings on Friday January 13, 2012

Book Beginnings on Friday is a meme hosted by Katy from A Few More Pages. Anyone can participate; just share the opening sentence of your current read, making sure that you include the title and author so others know what you're reading.

My book beginning this week is from Magic Bites by Ilona Andrews.  I like the Edge novels and the Silver Shark and Silver Knife stories but have never read any of the Kate Daniels books.  I say Magic Bites, the first book, on the list of ebooks available for checkout at my local library and put a hold on it.  I got the notice this week that it was available so I downloaded it and have started reading.  I am about 40 pages in and so far I really like the story.  Here is how it starts:

"I sat at a table in my shadowy kitchen, staring down a bottle of Boone's Farm Hard Lemonade, when a magic fluctuation hit.  My wards shivered and died, leaving my home stripped of its defenses."

Here is what Goodreads says about Magic Bites.

One moment magic dominates, and cars stall and guns fail. The next, technology takes over and the defensive spells no longer protect your house from monsters. Here skyscrapers topple under onslaught of magic; werebears and werehyenas prowl through the ruined streets; and the Masters of the Dead, necromancers driven by their thirst of knowledge and wealth, pilot blood-crazed vampires with their minds. In this world lives Kate Daniels. Kate likes her sword a little too much and has a hard time controlling her mouth. The magic in her blood makes her a target, and she spent most of her life hiding in plain sight. But when Kate’s guardian is murdered, she must choose to do nothing and remain safe or to pursue his preternatural killer. Hiding is easy, but the right choice is rarely easy.