Magic Claims
Author: Ilona Andrews
Reviewer: Jen
Rating: B+
What I’m Talking About:
Kate is coming to the realization that no matter where they go, their friends and enemies will find them. She and Curran discuss moving their home to a more fortifiable location when Solina (one of the people Kate rescued in the previous book) and her grand uncle, Ned, visit. They have family trapped in a small town who can’t leave because of an evil that lives in the woods since the last flare (5 years). Ned entices Curran to help by offering him land. They entice Kate to help by showing her the ten people who will be sacrificed.
Magic Claims continues the story of Kate, Curran, and Conlan living in Wilmington and away from the Pack. Although it’s a new tale and time in their lives, the story has a familiar feel. Kate and Curran must protect the innocent. While the names of the primary players have changed, their roles have not. A group of local Pack shifters assist Kate and Curran on their quest, and the Alpha of Clan Cat of the Pack, Karter, shows up to update Curran on the slow collapse of the Pack under Jim’s leadership. I don’t know how I feel about the whole Pack storyline. I like the idea of Kate and Curran moving on, and this book sets the stage for continued involvement with the Pack. I feel like the series is sliding backwards rather than progressing forward, and the scene with Karter was kind of confusing and honestly killed the flow of the story. With that said, I am happy with how things were resolved within the context of Magic Claims. We’ll see what happens next…
The evil in the woods is a formidable foe, bringing a new, more powerful breed of shifters into the mix. I absolutely LOVE their origin and found the battle with this enemy exciting and engaging. Similar to previous books in the Kate Daniels world, the story provides an original, creative opponent based in human mythology. The authors continue to amaze me with their imagination. I enjoyed watching Kate figure out what is going on and love how Curran backs her up. Their relationship continues to grow stronger and stronger.
We see more of Kate’s evolving relationship with her father, Roland, which I enjoy. I love that Kate is embracing her familial powers while tampering it with her own moral compass. I was a bit confused at times when Kate visited with Roland, but ultimately, it didn’t matter because the outcome was clear to me. Kate also meets with one of Roland’s former spymasters, Kizzura and his son, Jushur, who was in the previous book. Their arrival clues Kate into Julie’s transformation, therefore tying this series with Julie’s series. I am excited to see how their involvement impacts Kate’s ultimate journey.
Overall, I enjoyed the Magic Claims a lot, and I LOVED the “inside joke” the authors gave fans in the epilogue. The story has a transitional feel as Kate and Curran discover what they are and who they want to be. I was worried the overall storyline was going backwards, but Kate and Curran are determined it will be new, different, better. Knowing how much I love Ilona Andrews, it will be new, different, better.
My Rating: B+
Jen
About the Book:
Kate and Curran have just settled into their new home and their ‘low prolife,’ when a local businessman approaches them with an offer they can’t refuse. A mysterious evil has spawned in the nearby forest and is holding a defenseless town hostage. The ‘due date’ is rapidly approaching.
It’s exactly the kind of fight the Lennarts can’t resist, not for the prize the town offers, but for the people who will surely die if they ignore it. If they succeed, they’ll be rescuing an entire community and can build a strong new base for their family and the Wilmington Pack. If they fail…well, fail is a four-letter word.
Nothing comes without a price. Now Kate must decide if she has what it takes to pay it.
Release Date: June 13, 2023
Publisher: NYLA
Series: Kate Daniels: Wilmington Years #2; Kate Daniels #10.6
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Format(s): paperback (238 pages), e-book
Book Source: Publisher/NetGalley
Purchase Info:
Amazon (affiliate link)
Reviews in the Series:
Magic Bleeds by Ilona Andrews (Kate Daniels #4)
“Magic Dreams” by Ilona Andrews (Hexed) (Kate Daniels #4.5)
Magic Slays by Ilona Andrews (Kate Daniels #5)
“Magic Gifts” by Ilona Andrews (Kate Daniels #5.4)
Gunmetal Magic by Ilona Andrews (Kate Daniels #5.5)
Magic Rises by Ilona Andrews (Kate Daniels #6)
“Magic Steals” by Ilona Andrews (Night Shift) (Kate Daniels #6.5)
Magic Breaks by Ilona Andrews (Kate Daniels #7)
Magic Shifts by Ilona Andrews (Kate Daniels #8)
Magic Stars by Ilona Andrews (Kate Daniels #8.5/Grey Wolf #1)
Magic Binds by Ilona Andrews (Kate Daniels #9)
Iron and Magic by Ilona Andrews (Iron Covenant #1/Kate Daniels #9.5)
Magic Triumphs by Ilona Andrews (Kate Daniels #10)
Magic Tides by Ilona Andrews (Kate Daniels: Wilmington Years #1; Kate Daniels #10.5)