Magic Breaks by Ilona Andrews (Kate Daniels #7)

 

Synopsis (from BN.com) :

No matter how much the paranormal politics of Atlanta change, one thing always remains the same: if there’s trouble, Kate Daniels will be in the middle of it…

As the mate of the Beast Lord, Curran, former mercenary Kate Daniels has more responsibilities than it seems possible to juggle. Not only is she still struggling to keep her investigative business afloat, she must now deal with the affairs of the pack, including preparing her people for attack from Roland, a cruel ancient being with god-like powers. Since Kate’s connection to Roland has come out into the open, no one is safe—especially those closest to Kate.

As Roland’s long shadow looms ever nearer, Kate is called to attend the Conclave, a gathering of the leaders from the various supernatural factions in Atlanta. When one of the Masters of the Dead is found murdered there, apparently at the hands of a shapeshifter, Kate is given only twenty-four hours to hunt down the killer. And this time, if she fails, she’ll find herself embroiled in a war which could destroy everything she holds dear…

My Thoughts:

This is one of my most favorite urban fantasy series. One thing that I love about this series is that this is book seven in the series, and the story continues to grow and build with each book, and the characters continue to develop. I find with some series with numerous books in them, the story and characters seem to go stagnant and don't move anywhere after a certain point. 

Another thing I love about this series is the world that Ilona Andrews has created. I am always interested to see how authors are going to put a different spin on the paranormal genre, and this series is definitely an original!

This is a series I recommend to anyone who has any interest in this genre!

Rating: A

Black Magic Sanction (Rachel Morgan #8) - Kim Harrison

Overview from BN.com:

Rachel Morgan has fought and hunted vampires, werewolves, banshees, demons, and other supernatural dangers as both witch and bounty hunter—and lived to tell the tale. But she's never faced off against her own kind . . . until now.

Denounced and shunned for dealing with demons and black magic, her best hope is life imprisonment—her worst, a forced lobotomy and genetic slavery. Only her enemies are strong enough to help her win her freedom. But trust comes hard when it hinges on the unscrupulous tycoon Trent Kalamack, the demon Algaliarept, and a lowlife ex-boyfriend-turned-thief.

My Thoughts:

I absolutely love this series and the cast of characters (especially Jenks, the tough, foul-mouthed pixie). The plot continues to build and grow with each book, and the characters continue to develop, especially the main character, Rachel Morgan. The last couple of books have been developing the story behind Rachel's special powers and how they stem from her childhood, as well as bringing in some of the history between witches, elves, and demons. This current book continues to build on that a bit, which in my opinion, is definitely one of the more interesting sub-plots - I'm really excited to read and see where and what that will lead to.

The Rachel Morgan series is definitely in my top 5 favorite series. Rachel is a confident, strong heroine, while also being a little clumsy and insecure. I would definitely recommend this series to anyone who loves strong female characters and urban fantasy.

Rating: A

Dime Store Magic - Kelley Armstrong

Synopsis:

Unlike the Wizard of Oz, the witches in this sexy supernatural romance, including the murdered mother of 23-year-old heroine Paige Winterbourne, are not evil entities inhabiting a fairy tale land. They're an ages-old race of women so frightened by the possibility of exposure and endangerment that they've allowed their magical powers to atrophy. When Paige inherits her mom's mantle as Coven leader, however, she also inherits caretaking responsibility of Savannah Levine, an extremely gifted but rebellious 13-year-old who possesses her dead mother's penchant for dark magic-and for attracting the unwanted attention of darker magical beings (including Savannah's long-lost sorcerer father). The only person Paige can depend on is the one person she doesn't want to associate with: Lucas Cortez, an endearingly nerdy lawyer/sorcerer ("It was a sad world when a witch had to rely on a work-starved sorcerer for help"). As in Armstrong's debut novel Bitten, this story's special strength lies in its seamless incorporation of the supernatural into the real world. A convincing small-town setting, clever contemporary dialogue, compelling characterizations and a touch of cool humor make the tale's occasional vivid violence palatable and its fantasy elements both gripping and believable.

My Thoughts:

A great follow up to Armstrong's last book 'Stolen'. This story felt a little different from the last two books, and that could possibly just be because it's told from a different point of view, but I was still completely drawn into the characters and the story, just like the previous books. Really the synopsis says it all :) Another great one by Kelley Armstrong!

Rating: A

Dead Witch Walking - Kim Harrison

 

Synopsis:
All the creatures of the night gather in "the Hollows" of Cincinnatie, to hide, to prowl, to party...and to feed.
Vampires rule the darkness in a predator-eat-predator world rife with dangers beyond imagining - and it's RAchel Morgan's job to keep that world civilized.
A bounty hunter and witch with serious sex appeal and an attitude, she'll bring 'em back alive, dead...or undead.

My Thoughts:
This is my first Kim Harrison book and I absolutely loved it. I thought the world she creates is fantastic, and am excited to see how that evolves. I also loved the characters and their interaction with one another (my personal favorite being the fiesty pixie, Jenks). I thought the story was intersting with touches of humor here and there, and definitely left some things open for the next book. I'm really looking foward to reading more in this series!

Rating: A