The Hogfather by Terry Pratchett
A sharp, funny, and profoundly human reminder that we make the world real by believing in it.
October 20, 2025
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Magic Bites by Illona Andrews
Title:
Magic Bites
Author:
Rating:
Reviewer:
Barbara
Genre[s]:
Publisher:
Publication Date:
2007-03-27
Series:
Page Count:
260
Format Read:
Illona Andrews
A masterclass in world-building, weaponized wit, and what it means to be a strong woman
Synopsis
From the Publisher:
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…
Review
Welcome to Atlanta, post-collapse, where magic and technology take turns throwing tantrums. Some days your lights work; other days, a spell eats your car. Buildings crumble, monsters rise, necromancers have HR departments, and everyone’s just trying to survive the next “magic wave” without spontaneously sprouting claws or getting eaten by something that did. Somehow, Ilona Andrews makes it all make sense. It’s gritty, vivid, and weirdly believable
Kate Daniels is everything you want in an urban fantasy heroine: competent, clever, and covered in blood more often than not. Sarcastic without being cruel. Strong without a chip on her shoulder. She’ll save the day, deliver a killer one-liner, and still be annoyed she has to do laundry afterward. Her trauma is real, and only lightly touched on in this book. You can tell that the writing team Illona Andrews (a Wife and Husband) really thought through who she was and what makes her tick.
The Beast Lord himself. Alpha male. Overbearing. Gorgeous. Deeply damaged, but finding out how to control his trauma without loosing his humanity.
His emotional range is roughly that of a battle axe, but to be fair — that axe is sharpened to perfection. You understand why he’s controlling, even when you’re mentally yelling at him to sit down and use his words. You want Kate to smack him with a chair… and then a desk… and maybe a dumbbell… and the bed. Preferably after it’s been otherwise used…. if they still have some energy.
The supporting cast doesn’t just fill space — they own it. Jim, the snarky shifter bestie with loyalty like steel. The faithful Werewolf teen sidekick, Derek. Ghastek, everyone’s favorite necromantic bureaucrat (he’d absolutely win a “most likely to schedule a murder via Outlook” award). And Slayer — yes, the sword — deserves a spinoff novella titled “The Point of It All — Memoirs of a Murder Weapon”
The pacing is tight, the voice is sharp, and the blend of humor and violence hits perfectly. Tight as a drawn bowstring. Action, banter, blood, repeat. The humor hits where it should, the violence satisfies, and the quiet moments remind you these characters feel everything — even when they pretend not to.
This isn’t a book you read once. It’s the kind you dog-ear, annotate, and eventually rebuy on Kindle because your paperback looks like it survived one of Atlanta’s magic waves. Every reread hits the same — like coming home to chaos that somehow makes sense.
Score Breakdown
Plot:
❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️
Every twist hit harder than a magic wave
Main Characters:
❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ 🤍
Kate’s everything I want in a heroine: lethal, loyal, and allergic to stupidity.
Secondary Characters:
❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️
The supporting cast didn’t just show up; they kicked the door down and demanded equal page time.
World Building:
🌍 🌍 🌍 🌍 🌍
The alternating waves of magic vs. tech are genius — a world that constantly eats itself, forcing people to adapt or die
Voice / Writing Style:
💛 💛 🧡 ❤️ ❤️
Distinctive, whip-smart, and a little dangerous — just how I like my urban fantasy.
Emotional Impact:
❤️ ❤️ ❤️ 🤍 🤍
It’s not the kind of book that breaks you — it fortifies you, then sneaks in a gut-punch just to remind you you’re alive
Pacing / Tension:
⚡ ⚡ ⚡ ⚡ ⚡
It’s chaos, claws, and clever quips from page one to the end.
Spiciness:
🫖 🫖 🫖 🫖 💋
One kiss, so much tension. Settle in for the slow burn
Originality:
🦄 🦄 🦄 🦄 🦄
Genuinely one of the most creative spins in the genre
Dialogue:
❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️
Smart, funny, sharp as Kate’s blade.
Trigger Warnings
Trope Badges
Emotional Damage Report
Blunt-force snark trauma.
Pair this read with...
Your favorite F-Around-And-Find-Out playlist
Vibes
Gritty magic, gallows humor, and zero damsels in distress in sight.
If this book were a...
Drink: A double espresso spiked with bourbon — bitter, hot, and guaranteed to make you believe you can fight demons before breakfast.
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