IAAA - Ilona Andrews Addicts Anonymous: Kate Daniels: Wilmington Years & Other spinoffs (December 2024)

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

That’s kinda KD world in a nutshell… the magic/tech waved leave the world in flux… big random things happen

[Nirkatze]

Magic Tests #5.6 Nice getting some Julie POV (view spoiler)[cute little short, tricking Julie into having a stake in school... (hide spoiler)]

Retribution Clause #5.7 Have we met these people? They don't seem familiar, but it's interesting...

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

Retribution Clause: They're just a random story set in the same world... MC was a cousin of Saiman...

[Nirkatze]

Timelord Iain wrote: "Retribution Clause: They're just a random story set in the same world... MC was a cousin of Saiman..."

Okay, that's good to have that confirmation--I'm so good at missing bits and names I wasn't entirely sure. I pretty much figured Adam was the same kind of being as Saimon... and I really enjoyed that little slice. It felt very different. Kinda made me miss legal thrillers... haven't read much, but Justice of Kings, and The Law... even the bits of Pack Law in these books... I enjoy it when someone (literally or figuratively) hits someone with The Book.

[Charlie]

I really love the shorts, I'll definitely be reading them all.

4 chapters into Gunmetal Magic (view spoiler)[

@Nirkatze Raphael is a huge ass! What was he thinking?! Bringing that woman into Andrea's office?? Also, HE TOOK HER HOME TO AUNT B! He can't be bloody serious. (hide spoiler)]

[Charlie]

Tonari no Emily wrote: "Finished #5 Magic Slays and sad to see there is more relationship drama especially after this one [spoilers removed]"

The pack court thing was immense! I thought Jennifer was going to attack Kate there and then, if not for her mate. For a shifter, she has terrible impulse control.

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

I mainly like Gunmetal Magic for the long sequence with Andrea and Ascanio, in the first half of the book...

[Marie]

I read the Curran POVs. It's very interesting to see the matters from his side. Also shows what he has to deal with as the pack leader. I like that it's not only limited to his POV in the same scenes but includes additional story.

[Charlie]

Marie wrote: "I read the Curran POVs. It's very interesting to see the matters from his side. Also shows what he has to deal with as the pack leader. I like that it's not only limited to his POV in the same scen..."

Yes! I felt the Curran scenes gave the world a lot of depth. He's also pretty funny, I liked his inner monologue.

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

Nirkatze wrote: "Trying to clear through the shorts today, and finding the timeline and where to find them a bit confusing...

Curran POV Collection shorts in Small Magics really enj..."

Jim's POV takes place after book 7... I think that's where I included it in the initial timeline in comment 1-2...

PRE-EDIT: checked, and I split Curran's POV into 4.6 and 7.5 on the list, with 7.5 being the last 2 chunks...

I'm not sure I've read Jim's POV before, but you might have spoiled a pretty big thing from book 7 as a result, I dunno...

[Charlie]

5 chapters into Gunmetal Magic (view spoiler)[ Oh no, Andrea is telling Ascanio about her mum's history with her pack, absolutely heart-breaking.

Also, that battle at the glass menagerie was super cool, shame the beasties had to die though. (hide spoiler)]

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

So many of the early sequences in these books bled together, for me, until we re-read and I'm reminded which one happens in which book... (view spoiler)[from the harpy/banshee family member in a tree, to the bar contagion...

And then a bit later in each book, from Kate visiting Unicorn or that Beehive-esque apartment building to Andrea visiting the Glass Menagerie... or Kate and the fire salamander in the parking garage... or mentions of the Lindworm...

This world is just full of random magical chicanery and creatures, popping out the woodwork... (hide spoiler)]

[Charlie]

Timelord Iain wrote: "So many of the early sequences ..."

I feel like it all blends in too, but I love it. I think all these encounters in different places with different creatures and magical issues just make the world so rich,

[Charlie]

12 chapters into Gunmetal (view spoiler)[ Andrea is the new Beta and she is amazing! I loved that when she went to bail the kids out of jail she used the idiot dad as an example of how to threaten someone. Amazing in every way.

I had been getting through this quite slowly, I usually devour a IA book but this one is taking me a while. I'm finally engrossed, really enjoying it now! (hide spoiler)]

[Charlie]

Finished Gunmetal Magic. I realised I had 0 memory of this so it was like reading it again for the first time. Still not my favourite, I prefer the Kate books but it was great fun.

Very satisfying when (view spoiler)[ the woman who used to torture Andrea got rejected from the pack, such a great moment! (hide spoiler)]

[Nirkatze]

Charlie wrote: "Finished Gunmetal Magic. I realised I had 0 memory of this so it was like reading it again for the first time. Still not my favourite, I prefer the Kate books but it was great fun.

Very satisfying..."

Ooh, I really liked that moment! I love comeuppance.

[Diana Stormblessed]

Reading the short stories now. They’re ok but I’m not very invested in any. The Curran POVs are good.

[Nirkatze]

Starting #6 Magic Rises and really enjoying--favorite so far.

Through Chapter 4 (view spoiler)[What a gut-punch of a start, with the kids going lupe... and now we know there is a cure? Interesting.

But why now? Why Curran's pack? Have a feeling it has to do with Kate, not Curran. Did someone leak about what she did with Julie? Or all the Roland-connected people who've been coming to town... one of them recognized her and got back to him... Where is Roland exactly? I've been imagining him in Europe with the origin of vampires, but Kate's stories seem more Arabic country...

LOL Saimon. Just LOL. (hide spoiler)]

Through Chapter (view spoiler)[I like all the Greek etc mythology drops so far. Lots of fun! Also enjoying all of the posturing and Kate getting underestimated and insulted... just builds up to a good comeuppance. Like that fight with that scaled gryphon-esque thing... very curious about that, and very smooth moves.

Hugh showing up... weighs the possibility of Kate being the target higher. But wondering if it might not be both? Kate & Curran both targets... keep wondering if maybe Kate's blood might be part of panacea, or something--did what she do to Julie leak? (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 9--(view spoiler)[Golden Fleece? Could it be related to the Panacea? Supposedly it can cure anything... (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 10 (view spoiler)[Aw, shucks. Fake Golden Fleece. (hide spoiler)]

Through Chapter 12 Seeing what y'all're saying about the annoyance around 50% in...(view spoiler)[Well, the whole Lorelei/Curran thing is getting really annoying. I'm glad Kate is smart enough to know that Curran is Up To Something, but that doesn't keep me from being more pissed than Kate is about his Failure to Communicate.

Also, the "in her best interest" clause in the contract totally means that Kate & co need to bring Cassandra back to the States with them--since living in Europe among all the assholes is not in her best interest. Preferably after killing her father.

Rather enjoyed the Hugh & Kate tet-a-tet/coordinated fight. More curious what he's up to. (hide spoiler)]

[Nirkatze]

Finished #6 Magic Rises (view spoiler)[Definitely agree that Curran's excuse for his actions was Not Acceptable. Kate's arguments were spot on. And to add to it--he was taking actions that were not guaranteed to keep her safe, were guaranteed to make her emotionally unsettled, and didn't even warn her that there was a specific target out against her. Not just overprotective alpha and mistrusting--but plain dumb move. Glad Kate gives him an ultimatum.

Really sad to see Auntie B exit... she was badass...

Also glad that the guy in the cage was rescued... when he said he kept Hugh's books in order I was wondering if he might know the Panacea recipe, especially after Hugh was revealed to be its source... But did Hugh not know that he could make it? Anyway. I laughed when Kate said "we don't have many books" and the kid replied with "you will get more, I will help. And then I will keep them for you." LOL Kid after my own heart...

The bit at the end--I almost wondered if the ancient being who helped them might be Roland himself... but then he talked about Roland, and knowing him long ago, giving him an ultimatum about visiting Europe... I guess it could still be him, talking in third person... but probably not... (hide spoiler)]

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

Nirkatze wrote: "Starting #6 Magic Rises and really enjoying--favorite so far.

Through Chapter 4 ..."

Chapter 4: (view spoiler)[Kate's backstory is definitely pre-Arabic, with mentions of a Babylon before the Babylon the world knows of in the real world...

Also, throughout the series, it's been mentioned that Roland & the People have operations in other parts of the US... generally when Kate was still with the Order and they'd disappear at a critical time... (hide spoiler)]

Unspecified chapter: (view spoiler)[Kate is a threat / etc, as a child of Roland... Curran is a threat as an Alpha of the largest shifter Pack in America... attracts more shifters like flies... definitely both targets for different reasons... from stuff mentioned in previous books... (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 12: Desandra, not Cassandra...

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

Nirkatze wrote: "Finished #6 Magic Rises ..."

(view spoiler)[Yep... stupid relationship stuff...

Aunt B died the way she lived... a badass... sad every time I re-read, tho...

The guy in the cage: there's alot more to him than you know... definite character to watch in future books... I think Hugh thought he'd been broken too much to remember useful stuff... also a bit older than you think... being around Roland/etc gives access to age-defying tinctures... (hide spoiler)]

[Diana Stormblessed]

Nirkatze wrote: "Finished #6 Magic Rises Definitely agree that Curran's excuse for his actions was Not Acceptable. Kate's arguments were spot on. And to add to it--he was taking actions that were not guaranteed to ..."

Love reading your thoughts! I’m about 75% done with it. Reread thoughts: I still (view spoiler)[ dislike Curran but it doesn’t feel as pointlessly annoying this time around. Like I’m not anti Kate for the miscommunication. Everything happened so fast and she tried to talk to him many times. I am still very anti Curran. Like how did he think this would affect her? (hide spoiler)]

[Marie]

I am listening to Gunmetal Magic and the cover is making me uncomfortable every time I see it lol

[Nirkatze]

re: Magic Rises--cage--@Iain--(view spoiler)[The impression I got from the dude was that he might be from the same time period as Roland and the guardian dude--from the previous time of magic ascension... I don't know why he gave me that impression though. (hide spoiler)]

@Diana--(view spoiler)[I'm glad I'm not the only one who isn't overly sanguine about Curran! Though I do feel better about him after reading the Curran POV shorts, I'm still not comfortable with him... (hide spoiler)]

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

cage: (h)uge... bigly... he used to be (view spoiler)[the Legatus of the Golden Legion... leader of The People, the way Voron & Hugh D'Ambray lead the Iron Dogs... Vampire Division vs Shifter/Human army Division... 2 halves of Roland's hierarchy... but Roland gotta be Roland and do Roland stuff, and things spiral, and he's in a cage... things get explained in books 8-9, I think... (hide spoiler)]

(that's full of spoilers, but then I turn around and get vague again... I wanna spoil and not spoil at the same time... sprinkle enough spoilers to get you thinking about story potential, basically...

Speaking of books 8-9, I think Curran & Kate's dynamic shifts in interesting ways in books 7/8-10 (ba-dum-tsh... book 8 is called Magic Shifts)... but then, some of that is getting slowly reverted in Wilmington Years, to setup Aurelia Ryder / Julie Lennart book 2-3+...

[Diana Stormblessed]

Nirkatze wrote: "re: Magic Rises--cage--@Iain--[spoilers removed]

@Diana--[spoilers removed]"

I love him except for this book. His choices were very selfish and inconsiderate of her feelings. He justifies it to himself as if this was the only course of action but it def wasn’t.

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

Yea... in general, I like him too... anyone looks good, next to Jim :D

[Nirkatze]

I'm still waiting for Jim to do the big asshole things that everyone hates him for...

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

Oh, they're coming... he goes on a power trip in books 8-10... altho it's more a fear/anxiety response, I think?... the psychology is explained in more depth in the Wilmington books... and there are hints of it, in the backstory about his dad that was mentioned in KD 3-5?...

I'd say Mahon mellows out as the series progresses, and Jim ramps up...

Mahon is pretty great in book 1, from what I remember, then is a bit retconned in books 2-4 to be a bit of a specist / bigot about his "baby boy" Curran and who is worthy of him, and then it's slowly tempered by plot & his wife/daughter/events... he's pretty firmly on Team Kate by book 6 here, but the daughter is introduced, as a new touchy subject in books 7-9...

[Nirkatze]

Ooh goody--will probably start book 7 today, so getting close...

[Nirkatze]

Diana Stormblessed wrote: "I love him except for this book. His choices were very selfish and inconsiderate of her feelings. He justifies it to himself as if this was the only course of action but it def wasn’t...."

Looks like I am still alone then! Though he is growing on me.

[Nirkatze]

#7 Magic Breaks I just want to say thank goodness for recaps and character lists... and it was fun getting it from the Mongoose...

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

My favorite part of Magic Breaks is the first 50%... action-packed... middle 25-33% has alot of great plot developments...ending can be a bit lackluster for anyone expecting a big season 1 finale, but makes sense and sets up future of series...

[Marie]

I am strict with my five stars so before I only awarded best book in the series with it and it was Magic Breaks. This time I decided to be a bit more generous with my favorite series, book 3 and 4 already received them.

[Nirkatze]

Timelord Iain wrote: "My favorite part of Magic Breaks is the first 50%... action-packed... middle 25-33% has alot of great plot developments...ending can be a bit lackluster for anyone expecting a big season 1 finale, ..."

A bit past 50%--maybe 60%? (view spoiler)[And I was starting to think the first half was slow... then daaaaamn. That scene at the Order... I feel like we've had a bigger body count of named characters there since we've had so far total... but then, no names I really remember, except for Ted... even the guy with a wife I don't remember... I am glad the Bauda intern kid survived.

Also enjoyed Desandra getting on... Jennifer? Jessica? The wolf? alpha who has been sneakily causing trouble for Kate? Anyway, I've been enjoying Desandra stirring things up there...

Why do I feel like this is going to end with the Pack voting "no confidence" in Kate right after she saves their asses, then Curran coming back and saying f-you to them all? (hide spoiler)]

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

Nirkatze wrote: "Timelord Iain wrote: "My favorite part of Magic Breaks is the first 50%... action-packed... middle 25-33% has alot of great plot developments...ending can be a bit lackluster for anyone expecting a..."

(view spoiler)[it's a stealth mission for a large chunk of the first 50%... then a race... from the moment Hugh shows up and ruins the monthly meeting with the trumped up murder charges... and Ghastek left in the lurch, having no idea wtf is going on...

And then, yea... The Order... it needed wiped out, honestly... Ted and his cronies were useless / bigoted... sucks for Nick, tho... he's a much better leader for the Order Chapter, even if he doesn't really get along with Kate much better than Ted did (but for much different, and more pseudo-sibling understandable reasons, being the son of Greg Feldman and all)... the memorable Order people to me, other than Kate & Andrea, are Ted, the telepathic receptionist, and the big sumo dude that had the wife you mentioned, I think...

Ghastek has some good content later in this book, and I think he has a good character arc in the series in general...

I think you have a good feel for where this series might be going, but not the details of the hows and whys :D

I also love that sheriff with the coffee can of bullets, that Kate had to bribe a few books ago, because Andrea pulled a gun at a sauna/bath house... (hide spoiler)]

[Charlie]

Just read Magic Gifts (5.6) and it was great fun. Didn't add anything to the major story arc but it was a cool side quest.

[Nirkatze]

Timelord Iain wrote: "Nirkatze wrote: "Timelord Iain wrote: "My favorite part of Magic Breaks is the first 50%... action-packed... middle 25-33% has alot of great plot developments...ending can be a bit lackluster for a..."

Thanks for that breakdown!

Finished the book--actually stayed up listening to finish... (view spoiler)[It was interesting getting Ghastek's past... what a name origin! And I loved his response when he realized that his work-acquaintance was Roland's daughter. LOL!!

It was actually quite interesting... I was playing Elder Scrolls and creeping through a dungeon while Kate & co were trying to navigate their way out of Hugh's trap... it provided great ambiance to the story. I get jumped by mobs, Kate runs into vampires... none of my companions got captured or killed though.

I shouldn't have been surprised that J was the traitor. Should've thought of that earlier... I guess I just didn't think she was high enough in the trust circle to be able to leak what was leaked... Roland even knew about Julie. But then, that could have been from blood... seems like he always knew where to find Kate, but stayed away so she wouldn't grow up with him? Interesting first meeting. Very curious to see how that develops going forward. (hide spoiler)]

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

Nirkatze wrote: "Timelord Iain wrote: "Nirkatze wrote: "Timelord Iain wrote: "My favorite part of Magic Breaks is the first 50%... action-packed... middle 25-33% has alot of great plot developments...ending can be ..."

(view spoiler)[Yea... Ghastek's backstory is wild, and explains his actions in later books, I think...

Roland is a piece of work... lots left to be revealed there... aspects of KD 10 reminds me of Alex Verus 11-12, too... the whole "we need to come together and deal with a bigger threat, but of course there will be betrayal"...

Roland isn't happy with Hugh after his actions here, and he disappears for awhile, leading up to his own book, #9.5 Iron and Magic... Hugh is getting a trilogy, all set between book 9 & 10 I think, but Ilona Andrews is only finally getting around to writing book 2 of the trilogy later this year...

I dunno if I'd call it retconning, but the camera angle is gonna shift alot on Hugh between books 8-10, and turn it into a (view spoiler)[sibling thing... rivalry between 2 kids raised/trained by Voron, under the shadow of Roland in similar ways, same fighting styles, etc etc etc... (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

[Diana Stormblessed]

Going to start Magic Breaks tonight. I'm obsessive about book order and still need to finish Magic Steals, which is taking me longer cuz I'm eye reading it.

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

I'm 90% obsessive about book order... I like reading everything in order I can get on audio, and get slacky with ebooks/eyebooks... still haven't re-read the companion piece to Gunmetal Magic, where Kate dealt with the Draugr/Vikings...

[Marie]

I am almost done re-reading Gunmetal Magic and remembered that Magic Gifts comes first and it made me somewhat uncomfortable to read out of order lol. Like why is the novella included at the end of Gunmetal instead of the beginning.

[Nirkatze]

Timelord Iain wrote: "I'm 90% obsessive about book order... I like reading everything in order I can get on audio, and get slacky with ebooks/eyebooks... still haven't re-read the companion piece to Gunmetal Magic, wher..."

I feel this... but you know how I will literally make my own ebooks telling me where to read which story interwoven with which book or what chapter to pause at to go start which side novel... But I'm also an acolyte of full chronological.

@Marie--I so feel that too!!

[Diana Stormblessed]

Marie wrote: "I am almost done re-reading Gunmetal Magic and remembered that Magic Gifts comes first and it made me somewhat uncomfortable to read out of order lol. Like why is the novella included at the end of..."

Yes! Same. It gave me a bad reaction knowing I was reading them backwards lol

[Diana Stormblessed]

Magic Steals - I liked it a lot more than the first Dali book


Magic Breaks - I love binge reading these books cuz I can notice and laugh at small details I would have forgotten had it not been an only 1 week gap between books, like the reference to "plums' lol

I love the Kate/Desandra dynamic, as well as Derek/Ascanio (those 2 together are always fun to read).

The book starts out really strong. I'm already loving it.

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

Started Magic Breaks... always psyched to re-read this one... Ghastek's reactions are the best...

(view spoiler)[Also knowing all the details behind the ongoing paranoia about the mole is fun on re-read... (hide spoiler)]

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

Diana Stormblessed wrote: "Magic Steals - I liked it a lot more than the first Dali book


Magic Breaks - I love binge reading these books cuz I can notice and laugh at small details I would have forgotten had it not been an..."

Desandra really shines in this one, and Ascanio grows alot in a few short books... isn't he basically (view spoiler)[the male Bouda Beta by Iron & Magic? (hide spoiler)]

[Marie]

I found Magic Gifts has dramatized audio on Hoopla so I went for it. Don't really like dramatized audio as it can easily miss the tone mark but this one is pretty enjoyable. There is actually quite a bit happening in the novella. Lot of rumination and Kate getting used to her new position and it's responsibilities. You can really miss a lot of story not reading the novellas.

[Marie]

Also forgot to leave my comments on Gunmetal.

(view spoiler)[I liked how we see Andrea really detailed about the work and making sure she knows the city to be more efficient in her work.

I though that unaffiliated vampire navigator was an interesting character. Would be cool to have character like him. Navigator that is not afraid to be on the front lines.

So sweet and funny that Ascanio keep buying his mom soap because he know she likes the soap lol.

The snake tower battle was just hilarious.

I think Ascanio and Roman shine way more than Raphael in the story. This one is really quite fun. and yet also full of emotions. The relationship drama not as much, but it didn't bother me.
(hide spoiler)]

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

Thanks for that... I'd heard Graphics Audio had been doing all the short stories (I think they include the Curran POVs in the main book productions, for example... then forgot that could mean this one that doesn't have regular audio, too...