Tag Archives: Ilona Andrews

Clean Sweep

Book Review of Clean Sweep (Innkeeper Chronicles #1), by Ilona Andrews

Clean SweepI bought a copy of Clean Sweep, by Ilona Andrews.

Description from Goodreads:
On the outside, Dina Demille is the epitome of normal. She runs a quaint Victorian Bed and Breakfast in a small Texas town, owns a Shih Tzu named Beast, and is a perfect neighbor, whose biggest problem should be what to serve her guests for breakfast. But Dina is…different: Her broom is a deadly weapon; her Inn is magic and thinks for itself. Meant to be a lodging for otherworldly visitors, the only permanent guest is a retired Galactic aristocrat who can’t leave the grounds because she’s responsible for the deaths of millions and someone might shoot her on sight. Under the circumstances, “normal” is a bit of a stretch for Dina.

And now, something with wicked claws and deepwater teeth has begun to hunt at night….Feeling responsible for her neighbors, Dina decides to get involved. Before long, she has to juggle dealing with the annoyingly attractive, ex-military, new neighbor, Sean Evans—an alpha-strain werewolf—and the equally arresting cosmic vampire soldier, Arland, while trying to keep her inn and its guests safe. But the enemy she’s facing is unlike anything she’s ever encountered before. It’s smart, vicious, and lethal, and putting herself between this creature and her neighbors might just cost her everything.

Review:
I have a really odd relationship with Ilona Andrews books. I enjoy them, but I almost never rate one higher than 3 stars. I like them but just don’t think they’re all that great…but taken together, I always want another. They’re like hard candies, not anything special but once you’ve had that first one you just want to keep popping them in your mouth until your tastebuds burn. That’s me and Andrews. I don’t think the books are great, but I always want another one. What am I supposed to do with that?

This is no exception. I thought it was a lot of fun, though bordering on utterly ridiculous and there were several too-coincidental-to-be-believed moments. But I liked all the characters; as always I appreciated the strong female and alpha male willing to let her lead, there are a ton of little easter eggs hidden in it and I’m already ready for the next one.

Burn for Me

Book Review of Burn for Me (Hidden Legacy #1), by Ilona Andrews

Burn for meI bought an e-copy of Burn For Me, by Ilona Andrews.

Description from Goodreads:
Nevada Baylor is faced with the most challenging case of her detective career—a suicide mission to bring in a suspect in a volatile case. Nevada isn’t sure she has the chops. Her quarry is a Prime, the highest rank of magic user, who can set anyone and anything on fire.

Then she’s kidnapped by Connor “Mad” Rogan—a darkly tempting billionaire with equally devastating powers. Torn between wanting to run or surrender to their overwhelming attraction, Nevada must join forces with Rogan to stay alive.

Rogan’s after the same target, so he needs Nevada. But she’s getting under his skin, making him care about someone other than himself for a change. And, as Rogan has learned, love can be as perilous as death, especially in the magic world.

Review:
I almost passed this one up because I find that cover so horrible. But it was on sale at Amazon yesterday and I love the Kate Daniels series, so I gave in and snagged it. I’m glad I did. Turns out the heroine is nowhere near the limpid fashionista that cover makes her look like. In fact, that cover presents the entirely wrong tone/feel for the whole novel. Thank goodness or I wouldn’t have liked it anywhere near as much.

Nevada is awesome. She held her own, kicked some serious ass and still felt like a woman. Rogan is an alpha’s alpha type man and while he was an asshole, I enjoyed his upfront jerkery. Together, however, the two were just freakin’ hilarious. That’s the main thing I appreciated about this book, the humor.

Now, I did think there was an awful lot of, ‘Oh, his manly, masculine maleness is sooo sexy.’ *Rolls eyes* And, while I get that his moniker was Mad Rogan, it felt really strange to hear him introducing himself by that name, as if Mad was his first name. Lastly, the epilogue felt really contrived. But I stayed up until 2am to finish it and if the sequel was out (not until Oct. 2015 apparently) I’d have bought it before going to bed so I could start it today.

Edit: According to I. A.’s blog, the publication of White Hot has been pushed back. 🙁

Book Review: Magic Bites, by Ilona Andrews

magic bites cover

About the book:

Atlanta would be a nice place to live, if it weren’t for magic…

One moment magic dominates, and cars stall and guns fail. The next, technology takes over and the defensive spells no longer protect your house from monsters. Here skyscrapers topple under onslaught of magic; werebears and werehyenas prowl through the ruined streets; and the Masters of the Dead, necromancers driven by their thirst of knowledge and wealth, pilot blood-crazed vampires with their minds.

In this world lives Kate Daniels. Kate likes her sword a little too much and has a hard time controlling her mouth. The magic in her blood makes her a target, and she spent most of her life hiding in plain sight. But when Kate’s guardian is murdered, she must choose to do nothing and remain safe or to pursue his preternatural killer. Hiding is easy, but the right choice is rarely easy…

Review:

When I first read this book, I said, by way of a review, “Fairly standard Urban Fantasy. Interesting world, though a little weak on the ins and outs of it. Fun heroine and enough variety in side characters to keep it interesting. Basically enjoyable, even if not rave-worthy.

That remains true. But it also completely failed to encapsulate the fact that this became a favorite series. Kate, Curran, and crew became characters I missed while away from the book. I basically read everything this husband-wife duo writes.

Here, kitty…