BLOOD HEIR

Blood Heir by Ilona Andrews
Book 1 of the Aurelia Ryder series
Narrated by Suzanne Elise Freeman
Genre: urban fantasy
Format: ebook & audiobook

About Blood Heir:

An all-new novel set in the Kate Daniels World and featuring Julie Lennart-Olsen, Kate and Curran's ward.

Atlanta was always a dangerous city. Now, as waves of magic and technology compete for supremacy, it’s a place caught in a slow apocalypse, where monsters spawn among the crumbling skyscrapers and supernatural factions struggle for power and survival.

Eight years ago, Julie Lennart left Atlanta to find out who she was. Now she’s back with a new face, a new magic, and a new name — Aurelia Ryder — drawn by the urgent need to protect the family she left behind. An ancient power is stalking her adopted mother, Kate Daniels, an enemy unlike any other, and a string of horrifying murders is its opening gambit.

If Aurelia’s true identity is discovered, those closest to her will die. So her plan is simple: get in, solve the murders, prevent the prophecy from being fulfilled, and get out without being recognized. She expected danger, but she never anticipated that the only man she'd ever loved could threaten everything.

One small misstep could lead to disaster. But for Aurelia, facing disaster is easy; it’s relationships that are hard.

Cover Art: Luisa Preissler

Source: Info in the About Blood Heir was taken from GoodReads at https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54561555-blood-heir on 13/01/2021.

Buy Link(s):
 

My Thoughts:

In the dedication, it said, "To the fans of Kate Daniels World who refuse to let it go." — Dang right! I refuse to let it go!! And, thank you!!!

This book was bought as soon as it was available to buy, so there was no audiobook then, and I was trying to read this book very, very slowly. As slow as I could stretch it! Make it last! The book still finished too fast for me. The pace is therefore, a 5 out of 5.

I was used to the eagle being Abra, reading Turgan instead is a little bit disorienting...

When the audiobook came out, of course it also got bought! I didn't like the sing-song in Suzanne Elise Freeman's narration. But I soon forgot about it as I sunk deeper into the story.

As usual Ilona Andrews delivers and I had a wonderful time reading this book! Now, it is post-great-book-depression waiting for the next book to come out .

Empirical Evaluation:
Story telling quality = 5
Character development = 5
Story itself = 3.5
Writing Style = 5
Ending = 4
World building = 5
Cover art = 4
Pace = 5
Plot = 4
Narration = 4

Overall Rating: 5 out of 5 cherries

Meet The Author

About Ilona Andrews:

Ilona Andrews is the pseudonym for a husband-and-wife writing team. Ilona is a native-born Russian and Gordon is a former communications sergeant in the U.S. Army. Contrary to popular belief, Gordon was never an intelligence officer with a license to kill, and Ilona was never the mysterious Russian spy who seduced him. They met in college, in English Composition 101, where Ilona got a better grade. (Gordon is still sore about that.)

Gordon and Ilona currently reside in Oregon with their two children, three dogs and a cat. They have co-authored two series, the bestselling urban fantasy of Kate Daniels and romantic urban fantasy of The Edge.

www.ilona-andrews.com | twitter | facebook | goodreads

Meet The Narrator

About Suzanne Elise Freeman:

Audiobook narrator and voiceover artist narrating books in multiple genres, including Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Young Adult, Mystery, and Romance.

www.suzannefreemanvoice.com | twitter | facebook | goodreads

FTC Disclosure:
The ebook and audiobook copies of the book were purchased with private funds.
No money received for this review.

MAGIC TRIUMPHS

Magic Triumphs by Ilona Andrews
Book 10 of the Kate Daniels series
Read by Renee Raudman
Genre: urban fantasy
Format: ebook & audiobook

About Magic Triumphs:

Mercenary Kate Daniels must risk all to protect everything she holds dear in this epic, can't-miss entry in the thrilling #1 New York Times bestselling urban fantasy series.

Kate has come a long way from her origins as a loner taking care of paranormal problems in post-Shift Atlanta. She's made friends and enemies. She's found love and started a family with Curran Lennart, the former Beast Lord. But her magic is too strong for the power players of the world to let her be.

Kate and her father, Roland, currently have an uneasy truce, but when he starts testing her defenses again, she knows that sooner or later, a confrontation is inevitable. The Witch Oracle has begun seeing visions of blood, fire, and human bones. And when a mysterious box is delivered to Kate's doorstep, a threat of war from the ancient enemy who nearly destroyed her family, she knows their time is up.

Kate Daniels sees no other choice but to combine forces with the unlikeliest of allies. She knows betrayal is inevitable. She knows she may not survive the coming battle. But she has to try.

For her child.

For Atlanta.

For the world.

Source: Info in the About Magic Triumphs was taken from GoodReads at https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17333180-magic-triumphs on 29/08/2018.

My Thoughts:

I was dreading going into this book, knowing that this is the last book in the series. I thought that beloved characters would die! Well, there was death... but the ending, though finished the story arc in the series, still left room for more stories to come and I am hopeful! Because this is really a beloved series! I want to read more of it. I am also hoping to read more of Conlan in future books in off-shoot serieses. Who doesn't want a cuddly little kitten version of Curran!! There is also an element of predictability in the story. Normally this is a downer for me. But in this book, I can totally ignore it for the wonderful reading time I get out of it!

As usual, Ilona Andrews did not disappoint! There are advantages and disadvantages to that. The advantage is, that we get a wonderful reading time! The disadvantage is that, now the post-wonderful-read depression sets in

Empirical Evaluation:
Story telling quality = 5
Character development = 5
Story itself = 3.5
Writing Style = 5
Ending = 4
World building = 5
Cover art = 4
Pace = 5
Plot = 4
Narration = 5

Overall Rating: 5 out of 5 cherries

Meet The Author

About Ilona Andrews:

Ilona Andrews is the pseudonym for a husband-and-wife writing team. Ilona is a native-born Russian and Gordon is a former communications sergeant in the U.S. Army. Contrary to popular belief, Gordon was never an intelligence officer with a license to kill, and Ilona was never the mysterious Russian spy who seduced him. They met in college, in English Composition 101, where Ilona got a better grade. (Gordon is still sore about that.)

Gordon and Ilona currently reside in Oregon with their two children, three dogs and a cat. They have co-authored two series, the bestselling urban fantasy of Kate Daniels and romantic urban fantasy of The Edge.

www.ilona-andrews.com | twitter | facebook | goodreads

Meet The Narrator

About Renée Raudman:

Renée Raudman is a multi-award-winning audiobook narrator. She has earned a number of AudioFile Earphones Awards, including for The Last Secret by Mary McGarry Morris and Wesley the Owl by Stacey O'Brien, as well as a Publishers Weekly Listen-Up Award for Joe Schreiber's Chasing the Dead. She has also performed on film, TV, radio, and stage, including the recurring roles of Jordon on ABC's One Life To Live, Phyllis on NBC's Passions, and guest-starring roles on prime-time TV. She has been heard in cartoons (The Simpsons, Billy & Mandy), videogames, and on the E! channel. Her narration of Homer's Odyssey by Gwen Cooper was selected by Library Journal as one of the best audiobooks of 2009, and her reading of Marthe Jocelyn's Would You was selected by the ALA as one of the best young adult audiobooks of 2009.

www.reneeraudman.com | twitter | facebook | goodreads

FTC Disclosure:
The ebook and audiobook copies of the book were purchased with private funds.
No money received for this review.