You know how sometimes you read a book, especially as an author, and you close it, and you just want to applaud the author for their brilliance? Yeah. That. I finally got to read Magic Rises last night, the latest instalment in Ilona Andrews’s Kate Daniels series.
Oh. My. Word.
You guys! THIS is how pacing is supposed to be done!
I know the book benefits from the weight of 6 previous novels and 3 previous novellas – and do not underestimate the emotional weight that that can carry – but seriously. This book had me on the edge of my seat the entire time. I stayed up late the night before my first day on the new job, because I stopped at a point that literally left me emotionally distraught, and although I tried to put the book down by stopping for a shower, I knew that I wouldn’t sleep properly because I was too keyed up – I had to have this plot line resolved for the sake of my own emotions, forget the main character’s! 😀 On the authors’ website, they have a review snippet that says, “I am emotionally spent. No one can say Kate and Curran are boring now that they are mated. I need a cookie or something.” (Jen of Red Hot Books) Emotionally spent is totally the right description. This book is GRIPPING, y’all. GRIPPING.
So yes, this is my official recommendation: if you haven’t read Ilona Andrews before, and you like urban fantasy with a kickass heroine, highly relatable relationships, romantic tension, cool worldbuilding (including the most GENIUS things with real-life history/mythology), and utterly superb pacing, particularly in the later books (they just keep getting better!), then do yourself a favour and go check out the Kate Daniels series. They are awesome. I heart them. /nodnod. 😀