Kate Daniels (Iron Convenant) / Ilona Andrews

[Vivian]

What Sandra said, not a big spoiler at all. So if you need a dose of Kate and Curran before Tuesday, go for it :)

[Steph, Serious series addict]

Np! Ok, I'll have to check it out. Thanks for screening it for me. :)

[Vivian]

Yup, all for you, had nothing to do with us wanting to read it ourselves. Totally selfless we are ;)

[Sandra, Kindle Operator Licence Required]

Yep, go Vivian! Steph we just didn't want you to suffer if we could do that for you ...... LOL

[Steph, Serious series addict]

LOL! I appreciate it. ;)

[Steph, Serious series addict]

My copy was resting comfortably in my mailbox when I went out for a bike ride this evening. SURPRISE! I love it! Can't wait to dive in! :)

[Kay]

Can't wait to hear what you ladies think of the book - I finished it yesterday and sooooo need to talk to someone about it!

[Karin Elisabeth]

As a dutiful and devoted fan I have pre-ordered KoS and Magic Slays. I decided - against my better judgment - to buy the hardcover.
And here comes the ultimate foolishness. Recently I bought a Kindle and guess what - I'm going to buy both Kindle versions because I'm sure snail mail will at least take another week. Sometimes I can't help but wonder about the state of my brain.

[Literary Ames]

I want the postal systems of the world to hurry up and deliver everyone's copies of MS so we can start chatting about it (I read it today) and KoS because I feel like I've been waiting forever for it to arrive.

[AH]

Well, the release date is tomorrow. Hurry up Canada Post and deliver that book!

[Steph, Serious series addict]

Don't feel like an odd ball, Karin. I preordered the DTBs and the eBooks for both MS and KoS. :) So, you're not alone!

I'm looking forward to reading MS as soon as I finish up my current reads. Looking forward to chatting about it with everyone. Y'all can chat here at any time. Maybe use spoiler block for those like me who read all the threads (and sometimes peek under spoiler tags). LOL!

I feel better just having the pretty little thing in my possession early. :)

[Regina]

I just finished Magic Slays and it was my favorite in the series so far. Amazing stuff. I loved all the Curran and Kate stuff, they have not lost their edge, lol. Great quest they had to solve and I LOVED seeing Derick and the new addition. I also appreciated that we learned about Kate's background, that was one of the best parts of this book. The resolutions in this book were nice. (view spoiler)[ I like how Andrews resolved the tension with Jennifer and Saimhain. Lesser authors would milk the tension and aggriavation with those characters for books and books. Andrews is not a lesser author -- she resolves it and moves on! I know there will be more annoyances for Kate and Curran, but Andrews will give us fresh stuff to play with. (hide spoiler)]

[Sandra, Kindle Operator Licence Required]

Resisting the pull of the spoiler .... ooohhh, it's tough!! LOL

[Regina]

LOL, it isn't a huge spoiler, but you don't want to read it. :) Let the story unfold!

[Judithe, Soap Operas never end....]

Grrr....so now I'm also dying to click on the spoiler...and already had to do a superquick close on their web page due to spoiler-esqe teaser!

[Regina]

Oh -- should I delete it? I don't want to ruin anyone's Saturday! I will say this, it isn't anything about the over all story arc, but it is something that if you read it, would take away the magic of the book a little.

[Sandra, Kindle Operator Licence Required]

No Regina leave it there. You've done the right thing with the spoiler tag. And I'll want to read it when I get my hands on the book. LOL

[Regina]

I hope you get to read it soon. It is just pure enjoyment. I am sorry it is over. :)

[Judithe, Soap Operas never end....]

Ditto what Sandra said!

[Lis]

Regina wrote: "I just finished Magic Slays and it was my favorite in the series so far. Amazing stuff. I loved all the Curran and Kate stuff,..."

Loved it! and I think its my favorite too. Storyline was great, full of emotional highs and lows you expect from this series... I think all the Kate fans will be pleased with this latest edition... and I will spare everyone from a spoiler temptation. But I'm ready to chat about it... Curran, what a great beast...

[Kay]

Lis wrote: "Regina wrote: "I just finished Magic Slays and it was my favorite in the series so far. Amazing stuff. I loved all the Curran and Kate stuff,..."

Loved it! and I think its my favorite too. S..."

Curran.....*sigh* I actually think I'm a little bit in love with the Beast Lord. How on earth did he not win that Alpha contest? As someone who has not read the Fever series, I admittedly don't know anything about this Barrons guy, but really, more Alpha than Curran? Is that even possible?!!

[Regina]

LOL, yes. :)

[AH]

Must not read spoilers - Must not read spoilers - Stupid Canada Post - My copy has not arrived yet - Stupid Canada Post - Why strike now?

[Kay]

Really? More Alpha than Curran? The man(werelion) is perfect though!
Hmmm, maybe I should read this Fever series then :)

[AH]

Barrons is very, very Alpha. Way more than Curran. Curran has a sense of humor, Barrons, not so much.

[Regina]

I just thought of something. In Patricia Brigss' books alpha implies a need to care for and protect those around the alpha. That is not barrons. He could likely not care less, hmmmmmm maybe curran is more alpha if we consider the role of the alpha? Barrons is more dominant, scarier, darker and I gotta say sexier.

[Kay]

Regina wrote: "I just thought of something. In Patricia Brigss' books alpha implies a need to care for and protect those around the alpha. That is not barrons. He could likely not care less, hmmmmmm maybe curran ..."

Aahh, good point Regina. I think the fact that Curran has so many sides to him - loyal, protective, funny, snarky and strong - makes him the fantastically sexy leader that we all adore. Maybe it's because we love Kate so much too? They make a brilliant couple. Magic Slays was a joy to read, start to finish :)

[AH]

I think the difference is that Barrons has this mysterious Alpha male thingy - you never really know what he is until nearly the end of the series and I am still not sure.

Curran's character and traits are revealed to us in a comical, loving way. While he is the Beast Lord, his royal furriness, he is far more endearing to the reader. And come on, who hasn't enjoyed reading about his kitty mating habits?

[Regina]

You are right AH. Really they are just different, but it is how Moning and Andrews write them and introduce them to us. I loved in Magic Slays (view spoiler)[when Kate is doing the petitions and addressing the shifter that was shot when he broke into the other shifter's home. And Kate details how she let Curran know she was interested. :) (hide spoiler)]

I need to go to her blog -- is that stuff on the blog?

[AH]

It's not there yet, only about the contest between Curran and Barrons.

[Steph, Serious series addict]

Sandra wrote: "Resisting the pull of the spoiler .... ooohhh, it's tough!! LOL"

LOL! Ditto!!

[CyberAlmu]

Regina wrote: "You are right AH. Really they are just different, but it is how Moning and Andrews write them and introduce them to us. I loved in Magic Slays [spoilers removed]

loved that part too. I think Kate was awesome, handling the situation.

I can't wait to read the next book, that Epilogue was just cruel... I want to know more!

[Steph, Serious series addict]

The dynamic duo posted a snippet of Andrea's book. I've put it in spoiler block b/c of the length. I haven't read it, so I don't know if spoilers actually exist.

(view spoiler)[Gordon says I should share a small chunk of Andrea book. Blah-blah work in progress, blah-blah subject to change. Also the Latin is supposed to have been mangled. :)

#

The morning brought light and magic. I took a few extra minutes to decide what to wear. Not that it would make any difference, but I put on my pale blue shirt. It matched my eyes and looked nice. I put on my favorite jeans and looked at myself in the mirror.

Full on makeup would be too much. I brushed some mascara on and styled my blond hair, which was doing its best to grow out of its shorter hairdo.

Like a kid before the prom: gussying up and shaking with nerves. I crossed my arms and glared at myself in the mirror. Sniper, death, kill, tough, hooah. Okay, that was better.

Raphael always brought out a strange side of me. The wild side, the one that was knitted from pure emotions. The wild crazy Andrea loved him completely and did irrational things, like sitting by the phone with her heart beating too fast, waiting for him to call, or running headfirst into danger against overwhelming odds to fight by his side. That wild Andrea once got arrested. We had gone away for a romantic retreat and while I left the hot tub in the courtyard of the hotel to use the bathroom, some floozy had attached herself to Raphael, not taking no for an answer. When I returned, instead of beating retreat she suggested we should all have fun together. I had dunked her a couple of times. Unfortunately I was pointing a gun at the hotel security at the time, and the sheriffs showed up.

Raphael had eaten it up. I was finally acting like a mated shapeshifter: irrational, possessive, and head over heels in love.

I didn't know if it was my hyena side or just that uncompromising fifteen year old girl that lives inside every woman, but now wasn't a good time to let her out. I had to stay rational, so I could apologize and try to mend things between us.

Cutting Edge occupied a sturdy building on the northern edge of Atlanta, about an hour from the Keep. The Beast Lord, also known as Kate's sugarwoogams, had chosen the location, and he pretty much picked the closest place to the Keep that was still within city limits. Curran didn't like to be without Kate and Kate didn't like to be without Curran.

The door was unlocked. Great. I walked in. Ascanio looked up from his broom.

Despite having very few clients, Cutting Edge had an excess of employees, partially because Kate kept hiring them. According to her Ascanio Ferara was an intern. In reality nobody with a drop of sense would hire him as intern or anything else, except maybe as a traffic jam generator. If you stood him on a street corner, sooner or later some female driver would wreck.

Fifteen going on thirty, with glossy black hair and green eyes, Ascanio was beautiful. Not just pretty, not just attractive, beautiful. He had that whole fallen angel thing going – there was a devious, sly mind behind that innocent face and pretty eyes.

Like most male children of the Bouda Clan, he was treasured and babied, more so because he was lost for most of his life and his mother had just found him a few months ago. In this short period he had gotten into every possible trouble imaginable, culminating with being arrested for having a threesome on the courthouse steps. The boy did not understand how the Pack worked, and finally Aunt B foisted him off on Kate. It was that or kill him. Kate's solution was to make this raging ball of problems and hormones into our intern. How her mind worked, I would never understand. It was a mystery.

Ascanio snapped to attention and saluted me, holding the broom like a rifle.

I pointed at the broom. "No."

"Why not?"

Because it would've made every ex-military instructor I ever had foam at the mouth. "You salute with your weapon as a sign of respect."

He presented me with expression of puzzled innocence. "I don't have a rifle or a sword. The broom is my weapon."

Smartass. "Kid, you make my head explode."

"Ave Andrea! Ianitori te salutant!"

Hail, Andrea, those who janitor salute you. Kate was forcing Ascanio and Julie, her ward, to learn Latin, because a lot of historical magical texts were written in it and apparently it was an essential part of their education. Since the lessons were conducted in the office during our copious spare time, I was learning the language along with them.

I pointed at Ascanio with my finger. "Not another word. Latin is a dead language, but that doesn't mean you get to molest its corpse. Finish sweeping, ianitor."

He spun the broom with the dexterity of a Marine on a Silent Drill team, planted the handle into the ground, jumped, spinning around it, his legs straight out, and landed on one knee, his head bowed, his right hand extended, holding the broom in his fist parallel to the floor.

"You had coffee this morning, didn't you?"

He looked up at me and nodded, a big grin plastered on his face.

Teenage boudas. Enough said.

I sat down and tried my best to concentrate on going through my case. The survey of the evidence only confirmed what I had already realized last night: I didn't find any smoking guns. Most of what I had picked up looked just like common trash. Now, that didn't mean it was trash, but its significance wasn't immediately apparent. I cataloged it anyway. Crimes weren't always cracked by the super-brilliant. Most of them were solved by the patient and the meticulous.

The roar of a water engine thundered outside of our door and died. Raphael. Had to be. Kate would have parked in the far corner of the parking lot on the side, because she had trouble backing out.

I pretended to be absorbed in my likely worthless evidence.

A knock sounded through our absurdly reinforced door.

"Periculo tuo ingredere!" Ascanio proclaimed.

What the hell did he just say? Ingredere… Enter… Enter at your own risk. "If it's a client, I will shoot you," I told him. (hide spoiler)]

[Alyssa]

It's not really to spoilery, mostly just heartwrenching. But, I have faith we'll end up with a HEA - they haven't done us wrong yet!

[Judithe, Soap Operas never end....]

Oh...can't read it yet~too many months away, and it'll depress me that I don't have the book NOW.

[Steph, Serious series addict]

Thanks for letting us know, Alyssa. They are pretty good about that (no spoilers), but ya never know. Heart-wrenching, huh? Maybe I'll pass on reading it then. Don't want to be left wondering for 1+ yrs.

I agree, Judithe. 17 months until the next one? Boo!

[Judithe, Soap Operas never end....]

*stunned* I hadn't counted the months...now I know why...*sob* At least they're putting out some other very interesting ones between now and then....

[Steph, Serious series addict]

Sorry. Had to share the pain. :\ Yuck! But, yeah, you're right. There will be others TBR. :)

[Judithe, Soap Operas never end....]

NP...one is coming very soon! And I'm hanging on to some shorts to read when the waiting-pain becomes unbearable...

[Steph, Serious series addict]

LOL! Me too. ;)

[Marsha]

What a great series. One of my favorite lines is still, "Here kitty, kitty." Love her attitude! It's going to be a long wait for the next one though. The funny thing is that I even got my husband to read (and love) this series!

[Steph, Serious series addict]

LOL! That is one of my favorite lines too. I love all the little nicknames she has for Curran. I have a list somewhere. My husband loves it too. He's up to #5.

[Renee]

Kate Daniels is my favorite heroine. After reading about her adventures, I had a hard time picking up another series. I tried the others with female protagonists but somehow, none of them came close. :(

Also, I love all the bantering between Kate & Curran.. :) No insta-love - just the way it works in reality. Can't wait for the next book!

[Steph, Serious series addict]

Ditto, Renee! :D

[Sandra, Kindle Operator Licence Required]

Yay!!!! BD posted my copy of yesterday. C'mon Mr Postman, hurry along :DDDD

[Steph, Serious series addict]

*jealous*

[Leah]

*stands in the jealousy queue behind Steph*

[Sandra, Kindle Operator Licence Required]

Well, its not like I've got it yet! Mr Postman may decide to read it before I get it. LOL.

[Leah]

Sandra wrote: "Well, its not like I've got it yet! Mr Postman may decide to read it before I get it. LOL."

LOL better check the book for page creases and dog eared pages when you get it!!

[Steph, Serious series addict]

LOL! :D