2 Bloggers 1 Series - Magic Shifts

So Stormi and I are moving right along with our year-long Kate Daniels project.  This month we finished up #8.  That leaves two more left, along with the book about Hugh that Stormi and Anne from Books Of My Heart have convinced needs to be read before the last book.  So read on for my thought on this latest installment and then check out Stormi's over @  Books, Movies, Reviews! Oh My!

As usual, no intentional spoilers but it IS book 8 so read at your own risk.  

TITLE: Magic Shifts (Kate Daniels #8)

AUTHOR: Ilona Andrews

PUBLISHER: Ace

PUBLISHING DATE: August 4, 2015

FROM GOODREADS: After breaking from life with the Pack, mercenary Kate Daniels and her mate—former Beast Lord Curran Lennart—are adjusting to a very different pace. While they’re thrilled to escape all the infighting, Curran misses the constant challenges of leading the shapeshifters. 

So when the Pack offers him its stake in the Mercenary Guild, Curran seizes the opportunity—too bad the Guild wants nothing to do with him and Kate. Luckily, as a veteran merc, Kate can take over any of the Guild’s unfinished jobs in order to bring in money and build their reputation. But what Kate and Curran don’t realize is that the odd jobs they’ve been working are all connected. 

An ancient enemy has arisen, and Kate and Curran are the only ones who can stop it—before it takes their city apart piece by piece… 

MY THOUGHTS: There were quite a few things I really liked about this installment, yet it wasn't my favorite.  Kate and Curran are still separating from The Pack and Curran is helping Kate in her investigative business.  Julie, their adopted daughter, is trying to go to school and be normal but she really doesn't want to and it's quite clear that it really isn't possible. 

So Eduardo, the boyfriend of the main Clan Bear's daughter, George, has gone missing.  Since her father despises him, George goes to Kate and Curran for help locating him.  Along the way, they discover that some other shenanigans are going on in Atlanta and they are trying to decide if Kate's father, Roland, is behind any or all of them.

Without ruining much of the plot, I will say that there is something major that happens to Kate in this book.  I actually viewed Kate from Curran's POV a tad more and saw how her sometimes reckless decision making can lead to dire consequences.  Now I love Kate but I wish sometimes she would just think.  I know she has now taken all of Atlanta's safety on her shoulders but if something happens to her, what then? 

As usual there is a fair amount of snarkiness and humor.  And Christopher, a side character that was rescued from Hugh several books back, continues to light up my world.  There is just something in his brilliance yet child-like innocence (he is Broken after all) that touches my heart.  And there is PLENTY of Curran in Magic Shifts which is always a plus.  Curran is learning new roles yet is still the roaring lion he has always been and how he handles living in a new suburban neighborhood is worth its weight in gold. 

And FINALLY, Grendel is back.  I really have missed that attack poodle.  He even gets in on some of the action in this installment but I'm hoping that Andrews does the right thing and keeps him safe until the end.

So overall, a good addition to the series, but not my favorite.  I feel like the ending was wrapped up almost too quickly and it was too easy to defeat the bad guy once they figured out who/what he was.  I am anxious to see what lies ahead!

RATING: 4 PAWS