Magic Bites (Kate Daniels #1) , by Ilona Andrews ;start date: September 20,2013

[Phoenix (Online Elf), Moderator]

When the magic is up, rogue mages cast their spells and monsters appear, while guns refuse to fire and cars fail to start. But then technology returns, and the magic recedes as unpredictably as it arose, leaving all kinds of paranormal problems in its wake.

Kate Daniels is a down-on-her-luck mercenary who makes her living cleaning up these magical problems. But when Kate's guardian is murdered, her quest for justice draws her into a power struggle between two strong factions within Atlanta's magic circles.

The Masters of the Dead, necromancers who can control vampires, and the Pack, a paramilitary clan of shapechangers, blame each other for a series of bizarre killings—and the death of Kate's guardian may be part of the same mystery. Pressured by both sides to find the killer, Kate realizes she's way out of her league—but she wouldn't have it any other way…

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As always expect spoilers!

[Phoenix (Online Elf), Moderator]

Reserved.

[Susan (susayq ~), Moderator]

Mr. Elf! Thanks for posting this! I've wanted to read this for while :) I'm in!

[Elishia]

I'm in

[ShoSho , Moderator]

I'm in,I read it a few weeks ago so I'll join in the discussion

[Gisela, Moderator]

I'm in! I like the 3rd cover best. It fits best my mental image of Kate facewise, Kate has more muscle though...

[Lauren]

Love this series - I'll be lurking...

[ShoSho , Moderator]

Gisela wrote: "I'm in! I like the 3rd cover best. It fits best my mental image of Kate facewise, Kate has more muscle though..."

Me too

[Becca]

I'm thinking about joining in for this one. UF isn't my favorite but I'm feeling in a bit of a rut trying to make progress on some of my 2013 challenges.

[Nichole]

I love this series! I'm thinking I will join y'all and listen to the audiobooks this time.

[ShoSho , Moderator]

Rebecca wrote: "I'm thinking about joining in for this one. UF isn't my favorite but I'm feeling in a bit of a rut trying to make progress on some of my 2013 challenges."

UF isn't my favorite either but I really loved it. I'm going to read book 4 this week.

[ShoSho , Moderator]

Nichole wrote: "I love this series! I'm thinking I will join y'all and listen to the audiobooks this time."

I listened to the first 3 and it got me about an hour to get use to but ended up loving the narration!
My library doesn't have the rest on audio so I'm going to read the rest!

[D.G.]

My Sci-Fi/Fantasy Meetup group will be reading this in October so I was thinking of re-listening! So I'll join you guys. :)

The audio is excellent for all of you who listen to audio. ;)

[D.G.]

Tantor has the audio download for $6.99 for anybody interested: http://www.tantor.com/BookDetail.asp?...

[Lisa Kay, Moderator]

Thanks, D.G.!

[Becca]

Thanks Jenny for posting that! I went ahead and bought it, so I'm in for this read.

Idk why my price drop didn't notify me of the sale :(

[Becca]

Elishia, it feels like forever since we've done a group read together! :)

[Elishia]

I know Rebecca, I had a few months when I didn't read so I fell so behind with the other series.

[Lisa Kay, Moderator]

Thanks, Jenny!

[Becca]

So I'm about 15% in... And I've been trying to get into it for a few days. Really struggling with it. I feel like I'm starting a book that's actually in the middle of the series

[D.G.]

I know what you mean, Rebecca. I had problems getting into in print because the series starts after magic has been back into the world for a while and the world is completely different. When I read the audiobook, I was able to follow along though.

[Becca]

I can't imagine listening to this book and following any of it. I have to highlight and make notes on my kindle to reference back to. I like audiobooks but I don't think I could handle this in that format!

[D.G.]

I found it easier...maybe because I didn't have to think as much and just had to follow along. Also, I didn't get Kate's humor as much in print. I didn't like her at all.

LOL, if you have any questions, feel free to ask!

[Becca]

Here's my current big question... What the hell does the power words do? It seems like just knowing the words does something, which doesn't make sense to me...

[D.G.]

Power words are like an enchantment that allows the user to command others to do her bidding. They usually mean something simple like kneel, stop, etc. So if Kate utters a power word in front of somebody, they have to do whatever she commands them.

I imagine they are from some ancient magical language that only people with magic can learn. However, in order to 'learn' a power word, the user must master them - and they are so powerful that if you attempt to get one and can't master it, it will kill you.

[Lauren]

@Rebecca - the more you read, the less confusing it becomes as everything is ultimately explained.

When I first started, I thought that I had missed a prequel or something because it was all so confusing. It took me a while but I eventually got the hang of the terminology and once that happened, the world building took on a life of its own and is so original and fascinating.

@D.G. - That is a perfect explanation of the power words :0)

[Becca]

Alright, I guess I'll power through. So many people love it... Am I the only person reading it for the first time right now?

[ShoSho , Moderator]

Rebecca wrote: "So I'm about 15% in... And I've been trying to get into it for a few days. Really struggling with it. I feel like I'm starting a book that's actually in the middle of the series"

I agree with D.G. and Lauren .If you get past the first few chapters ,it gets much better.
I had to listen to the part with the vampire on the wall a few times to understand what's what!

[ShoSho , Moderator]

Rebecca wrote: "Alright, I guess I'll power through. So many people love it... Am I the only person reading it for the first time right now?"

I think Susan and Elishia are reading it for the first time too.They haven't started yet !

[Lauren]

While I enjoyed the first two books a great deal, it wasn't until book #3 that I became a rabid fan...

[Lauren]

ShoSho wrote: "I had to listen to the part with the vampire on the wall a few times to understand what's what! "

That was the part where I thought I had missed something. I couldn't understand why some (view spoiler)[weird vampire was crawling down the wall of Kate's apt and talking to her as if it knew her but she was revolted and wanted to blow its head off, lol! (hide spoiler)]

[Becca]

Ok... What is tech? I thought it was when technology worked bc magic had waned, but now I'm questioning that bc most people don't have cars that work during tech? Confused.

[ShoSho , Moderator]

Rebecca wrote: "Ok... What is tech? I thought it was when technology worked bc magic had waned, but now I'm questioning that bc most people don't have cars that work during tech? Confused."

You are right it's when the technology works. and no most people don't have cars .They use horses .

[Lauren]

You are right, tech is technology.

In a perfect world - tech and magic exist in balance. However, in Kate Daniels' world they are in constant struggle with each other for dominance. First magic was dominant then tech and now tech is weakening and magic is on the rise.

More advanced cars with lots of electronics and such don't work but there are other, older cars that are less technologically sophisticated that do work when the tech is up but not when the magic is.

[Susan (susayq ~), Moderator]

I'm starting this tonight and it's my first time reading it.

[Elishia]

I can't start yet thought it started later in the week so I'm not joining this time :-(

[Susan (susayq ~), Moderator]

Elishia wrote: "I can't start yet thought it started later in the week so I'm not joining this time :-("

It does start later. On the 20th. Even though I said I'd start yesterday, I haven't had an opportunity to open the book yet lol

[Becca]

E - yeah I only started bc I had a road trip and nothing else to read. You should still join. I'm reading slow with it for sure

[Elishia]

oh ok then

[ShoSho , Moderator]

How is your reading going? I have a question for the last 30% of the book

[Becca]

I haven't read any since my last update. This book just isn't holding my interest very well. I'll try to get back to it

[D.G.]

ShoSho wrote: "How is your reading going? I have a question for the last 30% of the book"

I'm around there. What's your question, ShoSho? I have a question too and I want to see if it's the same one!

I've also been having fun reading Curran POVs. It took me a while to find the one with the Dinner at Fernando's but I found it!

http://www.ilona-andrews.com/snippet-...

This is towards the end of the book...I like to read them after I read the scenes from Kate's POV.

[ShoSho , Moderator]

Thanks D.G. ! Loved that POV!

[ShoSho , Moderator]

Here is my question from chapter 8


After talking to Saiman , everyone was sure that an upir is behind all the things and they wanted to find who it was.
Curran said it must be Crest and everyone else including Kate went with it.
After they were sure it wasn't Crest. Everyone acted as if it the suspicion came from Kate and as if she was crazy thinking upirs exist. Crest wasn't the upir but it didn't mean the upir didn't exist. Why just everyone acted like that and forgot all about the upir ? and why Kate thinks "I'd pissed away whatever meager credibility I'd had with the Pack." it was Curran fault, wasn't it? What did you think of this?