2 Bloggers 1 Series - Magic Bleeds

So Stormi and I are moving right along with our buddy read of the Kate Daniels series.  I mentioned in last month's post that I am anxious to see what book finally gets a 5/5 rating from me.  I think I figured it out.  Read on for my thoughts and then be sure to hop over to Stormi's at  Books, Movies, Reviews! Oh My! and see what she thought. 

TITLE: Magic Bleeds (Kate Daniels #4)

AUTHOR: Ilona Andrews

PUBLISHER: Berkley Publishing Group

PUBLISHING DATE: May 25, 2010

FROM GOODREADS: Kate Daniels works for the Order of the 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 midway 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 Lord of the Beasts, to handle. Because this time, Kate will be taking on family… 

MY THOUGHTS: So I've been told by several fellow bloggers that this series just keeps getting better and better and I have to agree that thus far, I am finding that to be the case.  In "Magic Bleeds" Kate's familial ties are starting to catch up to her.  There is a "Steel Mary" running around Atlanta creating utter chaos and spreading plagues.  Kate is struggling to stop the havoc while playing by The Order's rules.  People Kate know are dying left and right and on top of that, she is trying to figure out where her relationship with Curran is headed, if it is headed anywhere at all.

I think Andrews does a wonderful job with the characters in this series.  There are so many that I have come to love.  I adore the dynamic between Kate and Curran and I really hope to pick up the books featuring her best friend Andrea at some time because I think she is just downright awesome.  And of course, there's her adopted daughter Julie.  She is someone I could have seen me being friends with when I was her age.  And finally, there's Curran.  He and Kate clearly have feelings for each other but both have such strong personalities, it's been excited to see how things develop, or in some cases, how they lack development.

So as mentioned, I always wondered what might push me to a 5/5 rating and I think I figured it out.  It's the introduction of Grendel, the giant attack poodle which befriends Kate in this installment and ends up being a pretty faithful sidekick through most of the book.  Yep, a dog pushed the rating over the edge.  Imagine that. 

So thanks to all the people urging Stormi and I to continue on and so many of you were right, this series is awesome.  I can't wait for the next one.

RATING: 5 PAWS