Andrews, Ilona; Magic Bites (Kate Daniels #1); "Relaxed Buddy Read" ; Start Date 9 September 2013 **REVISIT** 12 May 2018

[Karen ⊰✿, Fiction Aficionado]

Finished!

Loved it. So glad to have gone back to book 1. I'm trying to decide if I continue to book 2, or just go straight to the book I'm actually up to in the series (#8)... Decisions, decisions....

The bits I really like about this series compared to other UF
(view spoiler)[
Kate. She is seriously one of the best female heroines I have come across
The humour.
Curran. I love his integrity, ethics... and yeah... probably the mature way he wields power. I think he needs a very strong female partner
The vampires/The People. This whole idea is so unique and I really like it
The pack. Kind of same as above. I like all the thought that has gone into the rules, politics, how they shift etc. (hide spoiler)]

[Karishma]

Definitely continue onto book 2 Karen.

[Devann]

looking at all the different covers for this book is making me laugh because there's a different model in every one and most of them don't really look alike. anyway, i know a lot of you are re-reading but this is my first time with this series. i doubt i will get all of them in before the end of the challenge because i kind of just have to squeeze them in if i finish everything else i need to, but i'm definitely enjoying it so far.

CHAPTERS 1-3

I'm really enjoying the world-building so far although I still have a ton of questions about how certain things work, but I'm sure they will be answered in time. in most urban fantasy books magic is usually something that has to be kept secret so it's interesting to see this world where everyone knows about it. also very intrigued about how the magic and technology kind of seem to switch off depending on which one is strong at the moment, definitely something unique that i haven't seen a lot of before.

also really intrigued by what she is doing with the vampires, again it's an interpretation i haven't really seen before and i read a LOT of urban fantasy so it's always good to think out of the box. also re: the thing with the vampire in the morgue (view spoiler)[i'm fucking dying over here. if you asked me to make a list of things i thought would be in this book 'our heroine cutting open a dead vampire's ballsack to look for a brand' would literally not even be on there. i love it. (hide spoiler)]

kate seems pretty cool although we don't know much about her at this point besides 'is a total badass' but it still seems like a fun series. i'm gonna try to go read a few chapters of another book i'm kind of struggling through but i might come back to this later today

[Elen]

Chapter 3-5

I am really intrigued by the correlation between magic and tech. I am a very huge vampire fan and how vampires are described in this book is so cool and unique (hahaha, not shiny (U know what book I am mentioning)).

(view spoiler)[3rd chapter was the funniest so far: "Here, kitty, kitty, kitty", I was laughing so hard. I LOVE Curran and Kate relationship #shipping them. Curran wants always to piss Kate off and vice-versa. The formal invitation to Pack meeting is one of the examples.
I think Dr. Crest is "normal" aka not magical, but we will see. And I don't like him, he is so slick and wants really to please Kate. When Kate needs a man who is not afraid to say what he really thinks and show his "power". (hide spoiler)]

The further I am in the book, I like this world even more and more and want to find out everything asap.

[Elen]

Karen ⊰✿ wrote: "Finished!

Loved it. So glad to have gone back to book 1. I'm trying to decide if I continue to book 2, or just go straight to the book I'm actually up to in the series (#8)... Decisions, decisions..."


Most difficult decision ever. If you have the extra time, of course, read book 2 too :)

Also, I agree with your statement about Kate, Curran etc.

[Elen]

Silje wrote: "Is it just me or"


Yes, I did and I hope something wonderful will between them. They are both very powerful characters in this book and I think they need each other to balance it out. (Hopes are high)

[Michelle]

I’m starting this one today! Can’t wait to see how I like it since it’s such a popular series.

[Karishma]

Enjoy Michelle

[Karen ⊰✿, Fiction Aficionado]

Haha Elen
Yes vampires that shimmer in the sunlight are a bit ridiculous 😜

I decided to start book 2. Hard not to when I remembered Andrea is introduced in that one ☝️

[Devann]

Chapters 4-6

i don't really have much to say about this section other than i can't stand Curran and why do all werewolf books have to be Like This™

on that note i've got a bit of a spoilerly question about the series in general but i'd like an answer because i'm unsure if i'll be continuing the series at this point (view spoiler)[are kate and curran together at the end of this book / in future books? and if so is it in all the books or just for a few? i know it probably seems silly to some people for me to drop a series because i don't like the romantic pairing in it but i only grudgingly tolerate romance to start with and if i can't stand the guy then my patience drops to zero (hide spoiler)]

i am very intrigued to learn (view spoiler)[what is so special about kate's blood (hide spoiler)] though so i hope that's something that gets revealed before the end of this book. i was gonna try to finish it today but i'm honestly not very happy with it right now so i think i'll wait til tomorrow.

[Michelle]

Hi Devann! I didn’t know you were reading this too! I’m starting tonight.

[Karen ⊰✿, Fiction Aficionado]

@Devann
If you don't like Curran (view spoiler)[and you're not happy with the potential pairing, then it is probably best to stop as he becomes a very large part of future books.
He is dominant, but so is Kate, so I actually found their relationship quite healthy.

Kate's blood and some of those other hints aren't resolved until quite a few books in :) (hide spoiler)]

[Devann]

@Karen ah, well that's unfortunate for me on both counts lol i've still got the later third of this book to read so i guess we'll see how i feel about it when i'm done but right now i'm very unsure

@Michelle i am! although i'm not really sure how i feel about it right now, hopefully you will have better luck than me

[Karen ⊰✿, Fiction Aficionado]

Devann wrote: "looking at all the different covers for this book is making me laugh because there's a different model in every one and most of them don't really look alike. anyway, i know a lot of you are re-read..."

That's actually always bothered me. But then I wondered if it was intentional - like trying to get the reader to make up their own image in their mind of Kate.
Or maybe I'm ovethinking it. lol

[Devann]

@Karen haha yeah i guess that could be the reason, although from what i understand authors often don't have a lot of control over what their covers look like. the default cover on goodreads is the greenish one and honestly i think that one looks the most accurate as to how she is described in the book [which i think was basically reddish hair and darker skin, while all the other ones seem to be pale women with brown hair]. i wonder which one is the original cover.

[Karen ⊰✿, Fiction Aficionado]

Yes I agree that one seems the most like her. She also describes herself as not "pretty", but "striking",
and on some of the covers her features looks a little too "soft" (for lack of a better word!!)

[Devann]

yeah definitely. the other covers look like models [which i mean ...they ARE cover models i guess but you know what i mean] while in that one she looks more like a 'normal' woman [but still very pretty, at least i think]

[Elen]

Finished!

I liked it. Wasn't the best one, but I hope that further books will be much better. Going to continue with series.

(view spoiler)[I desperately want to know why Kate's blood is so special. Also, I liked all technical terms for rituals, spells and "word of power".
I hope that Kate's and Corran's relationship will improve, if they won't be a couple, then I want them to be fight partners - both of them are really powerful and stubborn. (hide spoiler)]

[Devann]

CHAPTERS 7-END

well ...that was okay i guess? i mean it had some interesting stuff with the magic vs. tech and the vampire mythology was interesting and original but i just cannot stand 'alpha male' bullshit so once the shapeshifters became a large part of the plot i was pretty much halfway tuning out. i still gave it 3 stars but i don't think i'll be continuing with the series. probably just gonna go reread the october daye series instead because it's actually got a really similar feel but at least she has decent taste in men lol

[Christina]

Lol Devann, I kind of agree to be honest. I don't care much for the romance story line (I mean it's obvious where this is going at some point) but I'm reading book 2 at the moment and it could be worse (so far) :D

[Devann]

haha maybe one day i will be like 'hmm i wonder what was up with kate's special blood' and give it another go but for now my tbr is too long [and honestly too full of very similar urban fantasy titles] for me to continue with it anytime soon

[Shannon]

Karen ⊰✿ wrote: "Chapters 1-4

It's always fun to go back and re-read the first book in a series. It made me realise how much has changed and how many things I had forgotten regarding the development of characters...."

I completely agree. You forget how much you’ve forgotten lol. I’ve read all of them, but I’m thoroughly enjoying this reread. It is nice going in totally comfortable with the world, it’s also kind of fun to pick up all the Easter eggs when you know where it’s going. I too, can’t really remember the mystery, so that’s helpful in keeping my attention.

[Karen ⊰✿, Fiction Aficionado]

Shannon wrote: "I completely agree. You forget how much you’ve forgotten lol...."

lol
exactly!

[Silje]

Karen ⊰✿ wrote: "Chapters 1-4

It's always fun to go back and re-read the first book in a series. It made me realise how much has changed and how many things I had forgotten regarding the development of characters...."

Her first line when meeting Curran is epic!

[Silje]

Karishma wrote: "✿ Claire ✿ ~ The Clever Berry wrote: "Chapter 4

When asked wether I prefer vampires or weres/shifters stories my aswer is always were/shifters. There's always something about pack community that f..."

I was a bit fascinated by the concept of that in your spoiler. Not something I had read before.

[Silje]

Karen ⊰✿ wrote: "Finished!

Loved it. So glad to have gone back to book 1. I'm trying to decide if I continue to book 2, or just go straight to the book I'm actually up to in the series (#8)... Decisions, decisions..."

I completely agree with you. Those things really make this series special!

[Cathy M.]

I initially read this book during Gladiator Games when it was 90 degrees outside and I was stuck in bed with the flu (ah, memories!). Almost 3 years and a couple hundred books later I forgot most of what happened so it feels like reading it for the 1st time.

Thru Chpt 3 - (view spoiler)[I remember having to get used to this world and the characters the 1st time around. Not as confusing now and I already love most of the characters so it makes this experience a lot easier! Question for someone who has read more of the series - (view spoiler)[At this point she doesn't know who her real father is right? He doesn't really come into play until later books right? (hide spoiler)]

I know this is totally random but I don't remember this at all. Her sword has to be fed? Craziness! And she has a fish tank and food for it?! I just had to stop and laugh at that. I must say that's original.

Anna's "vision" was bizarre. Woods, idols, Kate eating a corpse. It has to be related to the person she is hunting here re Greg's death but beyond that I have no idea where this is going!

That 1st encounter between Curran & Kate = awesome! Here kitty kitty :) One of the reasons why I've always loved Kate is because of her snarky dialogue. I didn't like Curran at this point so I love that Kate didn't fawn all over him. Interesting to read knowing what happens in their future. (hide spoiler)]

[Diane ~Firefly~]

Cathy M. wrote: "I initially read this book during Gladiator Games when it was 90 degrees outside and I was stuck in bed with the flu (ah, memories!). Almost 3 years and a couple hundred books later I forgot most o..."

spoiler for series
(view spoiler)[Yes Kate does know who her father is but she isn't sharing with the reading audience at this point. (hide spoiler)]

[Cathy M.]

Diane ~Firefly~ wrote: "Cathy M. wrote: "I initially read this book during Gladiator Games when it was 90 degrees outside and I was stuck in bed with the flu (ah, memories!). Almost 3 years and a couple hundred books late..."

Cool thanks! I asked because (view spoiler)[she mentioned the picture with her "parents" and Greg with Anna so wasn't sure. And that's a pretty important part of her storyline! (hide spoiler)]

[Cathy M.]

Work was busy yesterday & today so didn't have a chance to comment. Add to that I had both ebook and audio so I pretty much flew thru it! Still can't believe how new a lot of it seemed... guess it's been a while since I've read this series! Going thru my notes -

Kate - (view spoiler)[Not much to say about her except that I love her! Snark, humor, badass-ness. Can't wait until she comes more into her power! Didn't get the scene where she strips out of her clothes on the way to the bathroom and there is no mention of her grabbing/destroying them since they were blood-covered and Derek and Crest were in her apt.Felt like it was missing something important... (hide spoiler)]

Curran - (view spoiler)[Trying to think of this Curran as a different character than the following books. For this edition alone, didn't really care for him. He did make an impact in his alpha-ness but didn't really see the appeal of him at this point. (hide spoiler)]

Derek - (view spoiler)[He is one of my favorite characters in this series. He was so young and innocent at this point. But my god, I feel like he got the short end of the straw at times. He gets hurt so much and it's all because of that 1st scene when Kate came to the keep. (hide spoiler)]

Doolittle - (view spoiler)[Is that really his name or is that a joke? I totally remember the character but the name doesn't seem right to me! (hide spoiler)]

Corwin - (view spoiler)[He wasn't a big character but I think more the opportunity to meet a different type of were (born a lynx, later shifted to man). The scene where he's dying seriously broke my heart. It was so sad to read, especially since there was nothing they could do for him. Was hoping he would be around for at least one more :( (hide spoiler)]

Nick/Battle scene - (view spoiler)[When reading this scene, I totally thought it was a later book in the series (3rd or 4th) because I totally thought he died! Wondering how he survived that fall... but I'm sure we'll learn that soon enough. He's familiar but I don't remember enough about him so need to read more! (hide spoiler)]

Kate & Curran brawling - (view spoiler)[That was awesome! She gave as good as she got & I loved how Mahon broke it up. :) (hide spoiler)]

Killer - (view spoiler)[I so did not see Bono as being the villain! He seemed sort of insignificant when he appeared earlier in the book but when I went back and re-read his scenes, I felt like I should've caught on. Why else would he give her that page about the upir, and especially when she caught him watching her. Thought for sure it was Crest because there seemed something off about him. Or maybe it's just because he was too into himself. But I don't think Kate actually believed he was the upir, even before she confronted him with the pack. (hide spoiler)]

Overall, it's been a couple years so I really enjoyed this re-read. Looking forward to re-reading the rest of the series (in a shorter time span so I can retain all of the details)!

[Diane ~Firefly~]

Cathy M. wrote: "Work was busy yesterday & today so didn't have a chance to comment. Add to that I had both ebook and audio so I pretty much flew thru it! Still can't believe how new a lot of it seemed... guess it'..."

Derek (view spoiler)[He is one of my favorites as well. Man does he go through a lot. And it is Curran's fault he acted the way he did when he first met Kate. (hide spoiler)]

CurranYou don't really get to see anything but the outside layer of Alpha in this book

Doolittle(view spoiler)[That is the name he chooses to go by (hide spoiler)]

[Rosina]

Finally back to this book...
I have completed chapter 2...
Yes it does feel like information overload but in a way this compares to the fluctuations between magic and technology....when technology is working i bet people charge up lots of devices and download bunches of info...
What i am liking is how different the vampires are protrayed...like the idea of remote controlled vamps..

[Cathy M.]

Rosina wrote: "Finally back to this book...
I have completed chapter 2...
Yes it does feel like information overload but in a way this compares to the fluctuations between magic and technology....when technology ..."

I think during times of magic, tech doesnt work at all so no point in charging everything up! Except for phones.

I agree, the vamps/necromancers are one of the coolest deviations from the typical vampire stories out there.

Is this a re-read for you?

[Rosina]

Cathy M. wrote: "Rosina wrote: "Finally back to this book...
I have completed chapter 2...
Yes it does feel like information overload but in a way this compares to the fluctuations between magic and technology....w..."

I read this one probably 5 years ago and dont remember much...never continued with the series...cant remember why not..

[Rosina]

As i continue reading i keep wondering how did they share the writing? It is so fluid. Did one person write Kate and the other wrote Curran?

Just finished the part where Kate interviews Corwin and gets Derek as her guard. Love the interaction with Curran and how Kate dishes out tne snark.

The writing keeps drawing me in further.

[Victoria]

I just started my reread and I feel as though I've already read this series too many times in the last few years... oh well :)

[Victoria]

Rosina wrote: "As i continue reading i keep wondering how did they share the writing? It is so fluid. Did one person write Kate and the other wrote Curran?

Just finished the part where Kate interviews Corwin and..."

I've often wondered how they and other dual writers mange to write one, fluid book. I don't know if they switch off or if one person provides most of the ideas and the other takes the bulk of the writing, no idea! I mean, I have a hard enough time making group powerpoint projects look cohesive

[Michelle]

So...I have never read it, and I'm going in completely blind.

How far in the future is this set? Or is it an alternate universe for Atlanta? Lots of references that make it seem current, but then not. Like a Dresden Chicago maybe?

Sorry, just finished chapter 1 and I'm a little lost. Need to get my mind set the right way to enjoy the world building.

[Cathy M.]

Victoria wrote: "Rosina wrote: "As i continue reading i keep wondering how did they share the writing? It is so fluid. Did one person write Kate and the other wrote Curran?

Just finished the part where Kate interv..."

It's hard to understand especially since it is all in 1 POV. I would think one person throws out more of the ideas while the other sits and writes it, all the while collaborating about everything. Don't know how else it could stay so cohesive!

[Cathy M.]

Michelle wrote: "So...I have never read it, and I'm going in completely blind.

How far in the future is this set? Or is it an alternate universe for Atlanta? Lots of references that make it seem current, but then ..."

We've all been there Michelle :) It is quite complex and confusing at first, but the more you read, the more you will understand.

It's more of an alternate universe, in present time.

The Magic vs Tech thing is easier to think of as a pendulum (this is how it was described in Book 2). In the past Magic and Tech coexisted and were in balance until Man messed up that balance and caused that pendulum to shift from one extreme to the other. So there are times when Magic is up (and tech does not work), and times of Tech (where magic doesn't work).

[Michelle]

Cathy M. wrote: "Michelle wrote: "So...I have never read it, and I'm going in completely blind.

How far in the future is this set? Or is it an alternate universe for Atlanta? Lots of references that make it seem c..."

This helps a lot, thanks! I have finished up my other two books so I can focus on this one tomorrow. It seems to be a fast read.

[Victoria]

This series has some of my favorite world-building, I just love the balance between tech and magic and pretty much everything else about it

And I've found all the books to be pretty fast reads. I seem to easily steamroll through them all at any rate :)

[Victoria]

Just finished reading this for the third time! I actually thought I had reread it more times, but once a year for the last three years seems like a good amount - I think I have an obsession

And, according to GR, it took me two days to finish each time

[Rosina]

Finally time to sit and read uninterrupted.
just started chapter 7 and i dont remember any of this from the last time i read it.
Loving how this story evolves. Hoping i can get it done this weekend.

[Michelle]

I think (think) I like Kate? It's hard to tell.

I thought the scene in Greg's office was interesting. I'm trying to wrap my brain around the concept of magic times / technology times. Seems inconvenient for travel. You would think someone would design a car that is dual-purpose. Or maybe Kate just can't afford one?

[Diane ~Firefly~]

Michelle wrote: "I think (think) I like Kate? It's hard to tell.

I thought the scene in Greg's office was interesting. I'm trying to wrap my brain around the concept of magic times / technology times. Seems inconv..."

Kate grows on you. She is very much a snarky loner in the first book.

They do address the car issue in the series.

[Cathy M.]

Victoria wrote: "Just finished reading this for the third time! I actually thought I had reread it more times, but once a year for the last three years seems like a good amount - I think I have an obsession

And, a..."

I think a lot of use share in your obsession :D

[Cathy M.]

Michelle wrote: "I think (think) I like Kate? It's hard to tell.

I thought the scene in Greg's office was interesting. I'm trying to wrap my brain around the concept of magic times / technology times. Seems inconv..."

I wasn't sure of her at first (though I loved her snarky attitude and general badass-ness) but she really does grow on you! She has a big heart but a lot of secrets that keep her from opening up to others.

As Diane said, it does get addressed (about the cars), but she doesn't have a lot of money either! The work that she does isn't exactly lucrative.

[Michelle]

Ok, ended up really liking the book. I’ll definitely continue on with the series. And I quite like Curran. :)

[Shannon]

Cathy M. wrote: "Michelle wrote: "I think (think) I like Kate? It's hard to tell.

I thought the scene in Greg's office was interesting. I'm trying to wrap my brain around the concept of magic times / technology ti..."

I’m going to agree with this wholeheartedly. Kate definitely grows on you with the series.

It was fun going back to the beginning though, it’s just been so long. You forget how it all started.