The third installment in Ilona Andrews’ Kate Daniels series, Magic Strikes brings us a lot of what we’ve been wanting.

When Kate’s werewolf friend Derek is discovered nearly dead, she must confront her greatest challenge yet. As her investigation leads her to the Midnight Games – an invitation only, no holds barred, ultimate preternatural fighting tournament – she and Curran, the Lord of the Beasts, uncover a dark plot that may forever alter the face of Atlanta’s shapeshifting community…

First off, I have to say that I am loving the Kate Daniels series by Ilona Andrews.  It just keeps getting better and better.  This time around, the chemistry between Curran and Kate gets even hotter and we’re given a sneak peak at what is going on in both Kate and Curran’s head.   We’re given a clue as to how each feels about the other, but they obviously do not say anything to each other.  If anything, Magic Strikes just proves that their courtship is definitely going to be one wild ride and I can’t wait to read more.

We also get to learn the reason Kate continually burns her bloody bandages.  The reasons have been hinted at in the previous novels, but not only is it stated in black and white, but someone finds out and that is going to cause a lot of problems for Kate in the future.  I’m not sure if that is where the fourth book is heading, but it does tell us that we’re going to be learning more about a certain group of individuals in Kate’s world that hasn’t been fully explored before.

One thing I truly loved about this book – does anyone know what a rakshasas is?  It’s a demon or unrighteous spirit in Hindu and Buddhist mythology and the only place I’ve ever seen one depicted is as a tiger in Neverwinter Nights: Hordes of the Underdark.  Granted, I haven’t read a lot of everything that is out there yet (I do have over 500 novels to get to), but you would think that this type of demon would have been used as a villain before.  I mean, it’s a  mythological shapeshifter come to life.  Where have they been hiding?

I love the fact that Andrews gave us a villain that hasn’t been seen a lot.  There are a ton of paranormal novels coming out right now, so we’re getting a lot of vampires or demons as villains, but a specific demon from a religion other than Christianity is really fresh.  There is so much belief out there in the various religions of the world that I love it when I find something that involves other evils than what Christianity has.

Overall, I am really loving the Kate Daniels series and Magic Strikes doesn’t disappoint in any fashion.  Not only does Kate and Curran continue to draw us into their warped courtship, but we want to be there to cheer Curran on.  I also love the unique twist Andrews has given her world and how she involves characters that are not typically seen in other places.  This is one series that is on my “absolutely must buy” list and it should be on yours to.  Hurry up and get out there and buy this book today!

Read Order:
Magic Bites – excerpt
Magic Burns – excerpt
Magic Strikes – excerpt
Magic Bleeds – excerpt

Also reviewed by:
Tricia’s review on Literary Escapism
Darque Reviews
Genre Go Round Reviews
Lurv a la Mode