Favorite Quote:

They would have to go through the two of us. Many had tried before, and all of them had failed. Even my father.
“We’ve got this,” he said. “We’ll kill them all.”
Our son snored in his car seat without a care in the world. As he should.
Curran was right. We would kill them all.

I read this back in July as soon as it hit my Kindle. I don’t have a whole lot of willpower, and when it comes to Ilona Andrews what willpower I do have goes away completely. I had a heck of a lot of stress going into this last book in the series, simply because it WAS the last book in the series. I mean this was it, the war between Kate and her father was happening and I expected chaos and destruction and blood and death. I almost felt like I wanted to bubble wrap all my loves to keep them safe. I know the pressure on these authors to put out the perfect ending to this much beloved series had to be enormous, but I always had faith. This author duo has never let me down.

This series finale gives readers everything they could have possibly wanted. Action, adventure, mystery, and closure. Kate becoming a mother and Kate ferociously protecting her cub. Kate and Curran welcoming parenthood and discovering their son is unique and powerful and special in ways no one could have predicted. The biggest conflict of the series requires every ally Kate has ever made, and a few she didn’t know she had, to come together. I wasn’t sure how Kate would defeat her father and save her family, and I was surprised, but also absolutely, 100 % satisfied with how it all came to be.

In the end, all my favorites made it through and thankfully there were plot threads left dangling and questions left unanswered. I’m hoping this means readers will get to revisit these characters in a spin-off series in the future. Maybe several. I know Hugh has several more books to come in his series, and I’m hoping Derek will decide to follow Julie wherever it is she’s going and we’ll see them together again.

I love Kate Daniels. I love Curran and Derek and Julie. I love Christopher and Martha and Raphael and Robert and Desandra and Barabas and Ascanio and Andrea and Dali and so many, many more. I’ll miss them.

Fantastic ending to a fantastic series. One of the best series end I've ever read. While it's sad to see Kate & Curran go, they could NOT have had a better send off than this & if it does continue that will be the icing on the cake..

As this is the "last" of the Kate Daniels' arc- it is all hands on board. I have devoured this series- waiting on the next one, each year. Without giving away spoilers- a most satisfying ending , and yet, a beginning for other characters in the series. Am I vague enough? Go read it, or if you are just coming on board, read the series ( in a sense I envy you the continuous read - without the waiting) - you really won't be disappointed.

TOTAL. BOOK. HANGOVER. I have no idea what to read next, oh yeah, I'm going to read this entire series from start to finish again! RIGHT NOW! I completely loved it. Perfect closure for Kate's and Curran's story, leaving this Kate Daniels series fan wanting more... And with the epilogue there is a chance of more to come with a possible spin off with other characters we've come to love ... maybe??? ... Keeping my fingers crossed and begging the amazing duo Ilona Andrews for MORE.

I received this ARC copy of Magic Triumphs from Berkley Publishing Group. This is my honest and voluntary review. Magic Triumphs is set for publication August 28, 2018.

My Rating: 5 stars FAVORITE
Series: Kate Daniels
Sequence in Series: Book 10
Hardcover: 336 pages
Publisher: Ace
Publication Date: August 28, 2018
ISBN-10: 0425270718
ISBN-13: 978-0425270714
Genre: Urban Fantasy | Romance

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Magic-Triumphs...
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*ARC received from NetGalley in return for an honest review*

Kate Daniels is a series near and dear to my heart. I have to admit, the last few books have not lived up to just how amazing the first books were. Ilona Andrews have happily brought back the magic! Kate and Curran have been through so much and it shows in this book. Old friends are brought back so I totally recommend rereading the series before picking up the last book. While it is a lot of reading it will certainly help add to the depth that Magic Triumphs holds.

Honestly, I was a little apprehensive about how this series was going to end. I wanted the best for these characters and that was what I got. I really don't want to spoil this for everyone since it just came out. In the end, all I have to say is block out a few hours to just curl up with this gem.

This series came highly recommended to me by those who had read it. Of the ten books, I've only read two. While I'm sure I'd follow the stories better if I'd read the whole series, it was not necessary. I've enjoyed both books. The world created by Andrews is highly imaginative and incredibly entertaining. For some reason, I enjoy post-apocalyptic fiction and Kate Daniels exists in a future version of Atlanta where life as we know it has ceased and magic flourishes. Kate is incredibly talented magically and few can match her ability. One, her own father, is a huge part of her problems in life. Without working together, can Kate and dear old dad avoid death since their mutual well-being is literally tied together?

After fighting all kinds of malevolent magical creatures and humans, Kate is now facing down an entirely new threat, a dragon of great power. It'll take every bit of magic Kate and all of her allies have to fight this battle and save Atlanta and everyone in it. The uneasy alliances with many of these "allies" make the structure of their armies iffy up until the day of the showdown.

I love the relationship between Kate and Curran. He's always got her back and he's not threatened by her leadership role and off the charts talents. Watching her fight so hard while still dealing with ordinary mothership issues added a comical element to the story at times and made me laugh.

Andrews has delivered another fascinating, fast-paced, nail-biting treasure of a book.


reviewed by Jem

Goodbyes are hard, and it's even harder when you're saying goodbye to a series that you've lived and breathed for the last year or so. I never expected how much this series would come to mean to me when I started reading Magic Bites last year. After 9 books, several novellas and one spin-off later, we finally get the final book in Ilona Andrews' wildly successful Kate Daniels series, and they delivered!


“You and me, Kate. We’re forever.”


Magic Triumphs delivered an ending I will not soon forget. It's the ending that I never thought I wanted or needed. They have built up this story for over 10 books and after reading this one twice before I even started writing my review, I'll say that nothing in this book was a coincidence. Everything that happened here was a result of painstaking world and story building that only Ilona Andrews could deliver. I finished this book satisfied and yet oddly, craving for more.

Kate and Curran are on borrowed time. Roland has been relatively quiet after the events in Magic Binds but the specter of his presence has never left Kate or Curran. As long as he is alive he continues threaten the lives of those that Kate loves. This time, there's even more at stake because Kate and Curran just had a baby, and we all know how Roland likes shiny new things, and Conlan is that shiny new thing that Roland wanted. Honestly, I couldn't really blame Roland for wanting Conlan because this kid is seriously one of the best addition to this series.

But Roland isn't the only power threatening Atlanta. An old nemesis is back to settle an old family score. And when I say old, I mean, really, really OLD. I got to say that out of all of Kate's enemies, this enemy is probably the most powerful. Kate had battled a lot of super powerful beings, including Roland, but this enemy is on another realm in terms of power and the depth of its cruelty. This is the first time where I felt like Kate can't win, not without Roland's help. I was so anxious while I was reading it for the first time that after I was done, I couldn't think straight. I had to reread the entire series and then reread Magic Triumphs again just to give myself time to take it all in because I felt like I missed a lot of things. Boy, was I glad I did that because everything made even more sense.

Everything that happened in this book has been set up in the earlier books. I don't think Ilona Andrews know the meaning of coincidence. The level of foreshadowing and call backs they employed throughout the series was nothing short of amazing. So a word of caution. If you've missed a book in the series, you better hurry before this one comes out because Magic Triumphs is the third act of the third act in the Kate and Roland saga. Everything that we've learned about Kate and her family came to head in this book. This is the culmination of everything so it would be a mistake to read this book without reading the first nine books that came before it, including Iron and Magic.

I'm not going to go into plot details because I think you guys should experience that first-hand, but let me just say that this book packs a wallop. But because Kate's world is so large now, it's understandable that some characters get lost in the shuffle or don't get as much page time as others. Rest assured that the major players are there front and center though. Some notable characters for me aside from Kate, Curran and Conlan are Dessandra and Adora. Man, I really want a Dessandra book now. It'd be hilarious and full of inappropriate things. Adora really surprised me here. I ended up really enjoying her character even more.

And to answer the question on everyone's mind right now: are there any deaths? Yes, there are notable deaths. And yes, I said "are" so multiple characters are going to die. There's one death that was kind of disappointing only because we didn't get to see it but other than that, I have no complaints.

Reading Magic Triumphs was such a rewarding experience from start to finish. The amount of time I've invested in this series was so worth it. As much I would love to continue reading about Kate, I'm glad Ilona Andrews decided to end this part of her journey because while I would miss the feeling of looking forward to a new KD each year, Kate deserves her rest and her HEA.

“I promise you this morning wouldn’t be the last time,” he told me. “I keep my promises.

I loved this book! I'm sad that the series is over, but I'm happy with the way it ended. I have been reading Andres since the very beginning. I carry all of their titles in our store. I can't wait to see what they write next.

Brought to you by OBS reviewer Omar

Magic Triumphs starts nine months after the events of Magic Binds and we see Kate Daniels give birth to her and Curran’s son, Conlan Dilmun Lennart. Thirteen months later, we find Kate and Curran settling into the life of parenthood. Kate wakes one morning to a pounding on her door, Curran has been away on a hunting trip, so it is just her and Conlan. Her guest is Teddy Jo, the avatar for the God Thanatos, who is there for her help with a problem that he has. After leaving Conlan with his aunt George and getting Derek, Kate arrives at a settlement outside Atlanta where all the people of the community, almost two hundred, disappeared from their homes. The group finds their remains in a puddle of flesh and clothes nearby, Teddy cannot help their souls move on, giving that all the remains are mixed together. They come to the conclusion that this is the work of an elder power who was able to teleport all the members of the community and leave only a puddle.

The settlement massacre is not the only problem Kate has, the Pack informs Kate and Curran that Roland has started to move his forces and is planning to attack Atlanta soon. Also, Roland’s assassins have been spotted in the city and Conlan is their main target. War is building is the horizon, and it has increased with this mysterious Elder power that wants to conquer and kill everything in his path. The secret to defeating this new villain might be in all Atlanta working together and allying themselves with those who hurt them in the past.

Kate and Curran’s main object is the safety of their family. They will do everything they can to keep each other alive, even if it means asking for help and coming into contact with divine beings.

I love the Kate Daniels series, I have been a fan of this series since I read the short story, Magic Tests, in the anthology An Apple for the Creature; since then I have read all the books in this series and followed the adventure of Kate and Curran as they try to survive the magic dystopian world that they live in. This time, it took me almost 10 hours to read the whole book, it was great that it was a slow day at work and nobody noticed me reading.

As a fan of the series, I’m happy and sad that we finally got to the end of Kate and Curran’s journey, they have been through a lot since they met in that abandoned building all those years ago. They are finally getting their happy ever after (HEA), or their version of HEA that exists in a world that is in a constant battle between magic and technology.

What better way to end their journey than starting their longest and most fun adventure, the best act of love between them, parenthood. I loved Conlan, he is the best combination of Kate and Curran, he was a delightful and the most fun character. To add a child to the main couple shows a different side of them for the reader to meet, he keeps them on their feet and alert. Reading other characters interaction with him was even better, he seems to capture everyone’s heart. The things that he can do and will be able to do in the future have no limits.

“‘As I was saying,’ Erra continued, “there has never been a child of the Wild within our bloodline. I was hoping that the Wild wouldn’t manifest, but it did and now it coexists with our powers inside his body. The might of our magic fuels him. I fear for my grandnephew, for he may be capable of terrible things.’”

Like the other books in the series, Kate and the characters in the book have funny scenes or one lines that light up the mode and make the reader laugh. At one point there’s even a funny shout out to Dungeons and Dragons that fits so perfect with the plot line of this story. Kate’s sarcastic and funny thoughts still predominate in the narrative, and now that she has Conlan it seems that she has new ammunition to use against other people.

“About fifteen minutes into the drive, Conlan gave up singing the sad song of his people and fell asleep.”

Over the course of the story, we get small battle scenes that make the narrative even more interesting and exciting for the reader. My favorite mini battle is Kate fighting a group of assassins. But the last battle was one of my favorites of all of the books in the series, it was a combination of many characters coming together to defeat a greater evil that otherwise left alone would have killed them all.

Like many other final books in the series, in Magic Triumphs there are some loses. Some characters go to war and don’t come back, they die protecting their freedom and love, knowing that they are making the world better for them. Some of these deaths were shocking but they help the story and making their sacrifice meaningful. There was one character that died, he is a little sneaky, so I’m not quite convinced he is dead, but who knows.

Like with the other books in the Kate Daniels series, I love the magic that the characters use. In this story, we get a variety of magic users and more magic. There are a couple of scenes that use magic in a way that I would never have guessed they would defeat an enemy like that.

“To the left Phillip’s clear voice commanded, ‘Prepare amplification spheres.’ Magic shifted. The line of students raised their arms. A transparent sphere formed above each of them, three feet wide and shimmering like hot air rising from the pavement, and spinning.”

We finally get to the end of Kate and Roland’s confrontation. Roland, Nimrod the builder of towers, the immortal wizard has found his match with his daughter Kate Daniels, the sword of Atlanta. Their fight was always meant to happen, Kate works hard to find a solution that would actually kill her father, only to take him out of the board game. I liked the ending to this battle between them, Kate has come to love her father, but she loves her family more and was able to outsmart the Great Wizard.

“‘Don’t do it,’ I told him. ‘Don’t, Father.’ His voice rolled through the battlefield. ‘Surrender, my daughter.’ He’d betrayed me. I’d known he would. I had expected it, but it hurt so much.”

I liked that time has come for Kate’s self-imposed breaks to come off, the stakes are high, and she needs to use all her power to stop the threat to Atlanta. In Magic Triumphs, we get many scenes of Kate not caring who sees her true self or how much magic she has. I loved these scenes and the different reaction other characters had when they see her.

If you are a fan of the Kate Daniels series, or of the work of Ilona Andrews, then I recommend you Magic Triumphs. The last battle for Kate and Curran has arrived, the stakes are high, and the enemies are powerful, it’s going to take everything in their power and the citizens of Atlanta to triumph this time.

*OBS would like to thank the publisher for supplying a free copy of this title in exchange for an honest review*

Thank you to netgalley and berkleypub for an arc of Magic Triumphs by Ilona Andrews
The Kate Daniels series has been hands down one of my favorite series. The character development and plot line made this series so unique and engaging. So many characters to love and so many possibilities. I 💕 this series so much!
Magic Triumphs marks the end of the Kate and Curran story line but we are blessed with Hugh’s storyline (which I’m still not over how good it was) and Julie’s story line. In this installment, without giving too much away, We see the epic battle that’s been brewing occur. I enjoyed the conclusion although in all honesty I expected a little bit more with the Roland storyline but I still I’ll think it was a good close to an amazing series.
I’ll still give this a 5 Star just because it’s been an astounding decade and then some with these characters and I was happy to see Kate and Curran’s storyline wrapped up because after all the drama they endured it was time for them to see some peace. I love Curran and Kate! One of my favorite book couples of all time.
Did I say we still get more Hugh? 😂
If you haven’t read this series I’d 💯 recommend it I promise you’ll enjoy!

This was a bittersweet read. I was excited for the adventure but yet I did not want this series to end! I went by release dates so read Iron and Magic first, and I’m really glad I did. There is definitely crossover from Hugh’s story into Magic Triumphs. Another big difference for me was that I read the ebook instead of listening. I think I’ve only done that with novellas that didn’t have audios. It was kind of strange, but didn’t dim the excitement as much as I thought it was going to.

In Magic Triumphs we are jumping forward a bit. We do have a prologue of little baby Lennart’s birth, but the story itself is over a year later. Roland is still Kate’s biggest threat and she is preparing as best she can for the raid she knows will be coming. She knows her father wants her son and she is doing all she can to make sure that never happens. Including a plan that would mean sacrificing herself.

Unfortunately, Atlanta is hit with another foe at the same time. Leaving Kate, Curran and the crew scrambling for a way to save everyone they love. The problem is this foe is a heavy hitter and it is going to take everyone, possibly even taking a chance on an unknown, to win this battle.

I love Kate and Curran together. They work together seamlessly even when they are both working on secret plans. Curran knows what Kate is up to and he will do what he can to protect her and their family. Kate, Curran and Conlan make such a sweet family! I love the way Kate is such the helicopter mom and Curran is such the rough and tumble dad. They both bring so much to the table for Conlan. Plus he is a little handful. Doing things totally unexpected and keeping his parents and other family members on their toes. He is definitely going to be a force!

Something I found out while reading Magic Triumphs is that it is best read AFTER Iron and Magic, Hugh’s book. There is a bit of crossover and you’ll love it. There was some stuff about Hugh and Elara that I was actually kind of surprised about in Magic Triumphs which made this story even better. I can’t wait for the next Hugh book.

The Andrews team does not disappoint with this final installment of the Kate Daniels series. The action and adventure is as intense as always as well as all the family and relationship stuff Kate gets into. I felt like there were a few strings left open and I’m anxious to see where they go. I don’t normally keep up with the stories the author releases on their website because I really hate reading on my computer. There could possibly be answers to some of the things I’m left wondering about. I’ll have to check it out.

4.5 stars!

In this epic final novel, Katie Lennart faces a huge threat and must rely on alliances with enemies in order for Atlanta to stand.

I really enjoyed this final novel in this series. It’s a really solid urban fantasy series with a heroine who is everything a strong female character should be. My absolute favorite part of this book was baby Conlan and all of his developments. It reminded me a lot of Jack Jack in The Incredibles 2 and added a nice touch of humor to a story that would normally be pretty grim.

The ending was amazing!!! I kept wondering how everything would play out, the last 20% of the book was so compelling and suspenseful. A lot of issues were resolved, some heartbreak was involved. I teared up frequently as I was reading. I find I’m also left with questions and hoping Julie gets a book. I also felt the lack of Ascansio in this final story and found I really missed his witty presence I had grown used to in the previous novels.

I think Ilona Andews have made a great place for themselves in the fantasy genre and I can only see good things coming from them in the future. I’ll need to read all their other series to fill the hole in my heart the Kate Daniels series has left.

ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

I've enjoyed this story arc from the beginning with Magic Bites. In this final installment I liked the clever resolution of the conflict between Kate and Roland, it did not disappoint. I did feel less connection to many of the characters due to the brevity of their appearance in this book. I was very entertained by Conlon's antics and Kate and Curran's efforts to cope all presented with Ilona Andrews usual and wonderfully snarky humour.

Anyone who knows me or who has been following my blog for any length of time should already be aware that I'm a proud member of the Ilona Andrews fan club and totally addicted to this writing duo's books. The Kate Daniels series has been one of my favourites for such a long time now and it's one I reread over and over again so it's fair to say I'm hugely invested in this world and these characters. It's really hard to write a review for the final book in a much loved series because you want to be able to talk about ALL THE THINGS that happened and rave about how incredible it was but I don't want to spoiler anyone so I'm going to deliberately try to keep this vague.

If you're a fan of this series you'll probably have a good idea of what to expect anyway: there's humour, fabulous banter, incredible characters (ones you'll love and ones you'll love to hate), fascinating mythology, weird and wonderful creatures and high drama action scenes that have you praying all the characters you love will survive. This is a story that will make you laugh and cry but will leave you with the biggest smile on your face by the end. Some series go out on a fizzle but Kate Daniels is going out with a BANG. It ends on the highest of highs and gives us a fitting end to a series that we've invested years in but it also leaves a few doors open for some of the side characters to get their chance to shine.

We already know that Hugh and Elara have another 2 books left in their series, Ilona has also mentioned a potential story about Roman and she's not discounted the possibility of other characters (and possibly even Kate and Curran) to make the occasional come back in a book or novella. I for one will be happy to read any other story that Ilona and Gordon choose to set in this world (or any other for that matter!) but at the same time I'm so, so happy that Kate and Curran are going to get to enjoy the happily ever after they've spent so long fighting for.

This series continues to be an all time favourite and I know it's one I'll continue to reread at least once a year so if you've not discovered this world yet now is the perfect time to start. Whatever you do don't start with Magic Triumphs though, this book is the culmination of 10 books and numerous short stories and novellas and if you don't start at the beginning with Magic Bites then you'll be doing yourself a huge disservice. Please do give the series a try though, it's absolutely wonderful and I'm so jealous of those people who are still going to get to experience it for the first time!

Reviewed by Tori

Favorite Quote: “Nobody likes a quitter.”

The end has arrived. Only one person can rule Atlanta and winner takes all.

Kate Daniels has grown from a psychopathic killer with no ties to a wife and mother with a wide base of friends, allies, and unfortunately a lot of enemies. She has embraced her heritage, challenged her destiny, and claimed Atlanta as her own to stop her megalomaniac father from taking over the world. Now an ancient enemy has risen, determined to claim Kate as his own and enslave the world. Kate must put aside her fear, anger, and hatred for the sake of her family and friends and accept help from her enemies if she is to once again save mankind from certain doom.

Ahhh…here we are. The last book in Ilona Andrews’ epic and bestselling urban fantasy Kate Daniels series. Fans have waited a long time for this book though once in hand, the feeling is decidedly bittersweet. Saying goodbye is never easy, especially for someone who spends half their life enmeshed in the world of make-believe.

SIGH

I do want to note that it is in the reader’s best interest to read Iron and Magic (The Iron Covenant, #1) first as there are events from it that relate and help to push this story forward.

This series is what all fantasy writers strive to create and every fan wants to read. It embodies everything I love in the genre. Action, suspense, alternative worlds, magic, love, loss, sacrifice, forgiveness, family, and humor. Witty dialogue, a strong cohesive storyline, fast pacing, and an eclectic personable cast of characters will hook you up and hold you hostage till the very end. The lack of pretentiousness is perhaps one of its most compelling factors for me. No need for a spreadsheet to keep track of everyone and everything happening. Its sheer ability to flow effortlessly from one plot line to another is a sight to behold. Real social and political issues slide under the radar, the Andrews using their writing to hammer home the injustices that plague us to this day and uses Kate to teach some much needed lessons in humanity and tolerance. We’ve been led from the beginning to this very moment and the Andrews’ shine bright as they guide us to the end of this road.

From the beginning, Magic Bites, through now, we have watched a young women whose life has been spent in hiding slowly emerge into a power to be reckoned with. She has thrown off the shackles of her guilt, fear, and childhood. She has lost many but gained so much in return. Now she has everything she never dared to dream for herself and she will do whatever it takes to keep it.

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“The first generation of the sahanu is dead.
The second generation of the sahanu is dead.
The Order of the sahanu is dead.
Everybody is dead.”

“Praise be to In-Shinar, the Merciful.”

The balance between the usual and unusual blends perfectly as the conflict opens to a scene that affects all of Atlanta’s magical heavy hitters. The sins of the father play a huge role in that Kate’s last challenge is a face from the past. A nasty villain whose lack of humanity and immense power will require everyone to play their part. Faces from the past and present step up to offer advice, put aside differences, makes us laugh, cause some chaos, and unsheathe their swords in this ultimate battle.

Atlanta would come together. We weren’t just one thing. We were many: shapeshifters, necromancers, witches, mages, mercenaries…We came in all shapes and sizes, in every age, in every human color, in every variation of magic, and from that we drew our strength. We were surprising and unexpected, and united.

The Andrews once again go for broke, tossing aside all the rules and embrace the outrageous, fantastical, confounding, and unexpected. Kate’s need to protect everyone is intensified by her responsibilities to the land and everyone who lives there. Even if it destroys her in the end.

“The word of the Sharratum is binding…I don’t rule but I am a queen. I claimed the city. They all need my protection. They don’t even know it, but they need me to survive….”

While the main arc and its various subplots are definitely the prize of the story, it’s the relationships that Kate has built that have intrigued with me throughout. Like a web with Kate at its center, it’s glistening strands encompass a wide variety of people from the love of her life to her greatest enemy. All of whom share a strong bond with Kate despite their humble sometimes antagonistic beginnings. The themes of family and forgiveness is expanded up with everyone owning their deeds and learning that we are not always the sum of our actions. No one is taken for granted or used to pad the storyline. Each is a formidable entity that can more than hold their own in this ever-changing world.

My favorite character in here though, besides the obvious, has to be Conlan. Sweet, adorable, unpredictable Conlan. Kate’s heart and soul. Her as a mother is not only enlightening but hilarious. As magical beings, the most mundane scenes are usually the most amusing as you watch Kate deal with a child who is the product of the Beast Lord and In-Shinar. And Kate handles it like a champ…sometimes.

“He’s eating something. What could he be chewing under there?”
“Electric cords. Old tissues dead bugs.”
Kate Lennart, mother of the year. What do you feed your son? Dead bugs he found under the bed, of course. “We need to get him out now!”
“Have I told your a helicopter parent?”
“I’m going to to be the Wrath of Hell parent in a minute.”

The finale is sublime and everything you’d expect it to be with one last twist that delighted me with its devious cleverness. Andrews’ effectively resolved the conflict, the arc and STILL left room for possibly more stories.

BRAVO!

Magic Triumphs is indeed a triumph for this author duo who eleven years ago introduced us to a smart-mouthed merc, an autocratic lion, and an adventure that enchanted readers of all ages. Well worth all the praise, Kate Daniels has stood the test of time and in my opinion will continue to do so.

Grade: A+

MAGIC TRIUMPHS was a bittersweet ending to a much loves series.

Not only is there the showdown between Kate and her father in the last book of the Kate Daniel series, but there is another conflict throughout MAGIC TRIUMPHS that makes the situation even more dicey. We got plenty of action, suspense, and danger throughout the whole story.

It's so hard to say goodbye to all the characters we have seen grow over the years. We have liked some more that others, but MAGIC TRIUMPHS seemed to bring them all together to fight for their world. Kate has had her fair share of battles, but fighting for her child really brought out another side to her. She is willing to do anything to keep her family and friends safe and she does.

I really enjoyed meeting and getting to see Conlan grow a little. There were a few things that make me think there is at least two characters that might be given a spin-off and I look forward to seeing what happens with them. For all the other loves characters of this series, I felt like they all added something to the storyline in MAGIC TRIUMPH and I was glad to see them all involved in some way to the send off of the series.

I'm happy with how the Kate Daniels series ended, yet sad that Kate and Curran will no longer be the focus of future stories. I will miss their voices, but happy that they got there HEA.

* This book was provided free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

<a href="https://booksofmyheart.net/2018/08/28/magic-triumphs-by-ilona-andrews/" target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart</a>

Review copy was received from . This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
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Robin and I both read Magic Triumphs and also listened to the audio version. Robin was on the beta team. I was fortunate to get an eARC and we both received the audio for review. It is hard to do such an amazing book justice.   I've said many times how it is my favorite series. So we decided to try to answer some questions for you (without spoilers).

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<h5>1. If you could give people your reasons for reading the Kate Daniels series, what would you tell them?</h5>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><strong>Anne:</strong> How much time do you have?  Getting right to the point, though, I love the action, the mythology of the world-building and the "villains", the amazing growth and development of the characters, the touch of romance, the smart battles, Kate's compassion for others, her collection of allies (even ones who don't like her or believe her) and the humor.  Reading the <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/series/40691-kate-daniels" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em><strong>Kate Daniels series</strong></em></a> is fascinating, exciting and an emotional journey.
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><strong>Robin: </strong>Kate Daniels is a book series I totally push into everyone's hands. I almost feel a little pushy about it but console myself that they will thank me later.  Kate's a strong woman with a very clear morale code and she sticks to it.  I love that she is who she is and for the most part is really comfortable with that, plus she has a sword and kicks some ass.  Even though Kate is so awesome (she is my spirit animal) the real magic in these books comes with the supporting cast of characters.  The humor they add to the story and the relationships Kate build make ending the series bittersweet.  Plus the cool Magic/Technology tides world is just amazing.
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<h5>2.  Name 2 characters in the series you love and why?   Name a character you don't like and why?</h5>
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<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><strong>Robin:</strong> Two??? How can I only pick two?  It is almost impossible as it is hard for me to think of characters I don't like.  Even the ones I hate I love. There are characters I love for the comic relief and others I love for their devotion to Kate.Okay *deep breathe* I love Curran, to be sure, but besides him I really love Kate's BFF <strong>Andrea</strong>.  They are what true great friends should be. Andrea calls Kate on her bullshit but would still back her up against anything.  If either of them needed anything the other would drop everything to be their for them.
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">The other character I'm completely obsessed with is<strong> Derek</strong>.  I've loved him since he made Julie a metal rose and threatened Red.  He is totally in Kate's corner.  That guy will always have her back and protect her and anything she loves with his life, no questions asked. He is like a best friend and a son all rolled into one and I love how simple life is to him when it comes to Kate and Curran.
<p style="padding-left: 60px;">Gah...I love them all. Even the villains I love hating.  Voron maybe, I'm super mad at what his plans for Kate were.   While I love how he trained her to help her be the person she is in this series, I really hate how he planned to use her for some kind of revenge.
<strong>Anne: </strong> I love them all! I'm going to highlight <strong>Christopher</strong> because he is so smart, so broken and so devoted to Kate. She saves him, as she does so many, and then they become part of her life and circle of allies.  Another one is <strong>Ghastek</strong>. He fascinates me, although his motivations are rather transparent. He has such a hard time with Kate for many reasons, but their interactions always make me laugh. He is skilled but it is so easy to tease him.
<p style="padding-left: 60px;">I don't like <strong>Jim, </strong>at least how he treats Kate. He can be an asshole who uses Kate for his own purposes when he needs her but offers no support or loyalty unless he must. But he is our asshole, as they say.
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<h5>3.   Did you think Ilona Andrew would be able to do a series finale which would be amazing?</h5>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><strong>Anne:</strong> Yes.  I have complete faith in Ilona Andrews. They never disappoint. <strong>Magic Triumphs</strong> is amazing!
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><strong>Robin:</strong>  I get nervous anytime a series I love is ending.  I mean I've read a few where the last book totally ruined the magic for me.  But in IA I Trust.  I knew they could do it.  For one, they had a clear plan of when the series would end instead of just popping out more books just because they could.  It almost feels natural that this is where the story went.  That said, I was a little worried Kate being a new mom was totally going to hijack everything and I'd loose interest in the story.  *Pfft* I was so wrong -Momma bear Kate is even better.
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<h5>4.    Does Magic Triumphs meet your expectations for a series finale?</h5>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><strong>Robin:</strong>  OMG yes!!! This has everything in it I've come to expect from the Kate Daniels series.  It has humor and heart, action and substance, good moments and hard moments.  <strong>Magic Triumphs</strong> is Triumphant!
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><strong>Anne: </strong>  I completely agree with Robin. <strong>Magic Triumphs</strong> is everything I wanted and expected.
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<h5>5. What do you like best about <strong>Magic Triumphs</strong> (without spoilers)?</h5>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><strong>Anne: </strong>I feel like I say the same things over and over. Nothing beats great world-building, amazing characters who grow and develop, intelligent plots, action, and the emotional savvy of compassion, courage and caring brought to each book in this series.  Humor is the crowning jewel.   I also feel the wrapping up of various plot lines was ingenious. It was done in a way they could keep their moral integrity.
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><strong>Robin: </strong> Momma Bear Kate!  I totally loved how, having a child, she had some of the same first time parent issues everyone has.  All the worries and concerns of a new parent but then she has to contend with Roland coming for her.  I thought it was so well done and added to the story instead of sidetracking it.
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<h5>6.  How do you feel about the series ending?</h5>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><strong>Robin: </strong>Bittersweet for sure.  I'm so happy they ended it well and before  the series became stale.  I think this series is still at the top of its game and so it is ending at a high.  I'm just sad because I love this world and the characters in it, I don't want to say goodbye completely.  I'm really hoping *crosses fingers and bribes Ilona with yards of yarn*  Ilona and Gordon revisit the world and want to write more stories in it.  We get more Hugh/Elara stories and I'm really excited about that, for sure, but I really hope Julie and Derek get their own series eventually.   I'm holding out hope inspiration will hit after they've written some other things and Ilona Andrews will want to come back to the Kate Daniels world too.
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><strong>Anne: </strong>  I'm surprisingly not sad. I know I can go back and reread these amazing characters and stories any time, and I'll always learn and find new details. Because Ilona Andrews did it right and ended it perfectly. Plus we still have Hugh in the <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/series/230437-the-iron-covenant" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em><strong>Iron Covenant series,</strong></em></a> and probably Derek and Julie, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/series/168936-grey-wolf" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em><strong>Grey Wolf series</strong></em></a> stories. There might even be some novellas or Conlan stories!  I'm also excited to read other series and new ones by Ilona Andrews.
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<h4>Narration:</h4>
Renee Raudman is the voice of this excellent series. Her performance brings it all to life.  I can't even imagine any other narrator. I listened at my usual 1.25 speed and completely abandoned myself to the joy of listening to <strong>Magic Triumphs</strong>!
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<div class="hi"><strong>Listen to a clip <a href="https://www.audible.com/pd/Magic-Triumphs-Audiobook/1480540420?qid=1535404071&sr=sr_1_1&ref=a_search_c3_lProduct_1_1&pf_rd_p=e81b7c27-6880-467a-b5a7-13cef5d729fe&pf_rd_r=NMPSZ6C8QV0BKR25BYBE&" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>:</strong></div>
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TOP BOOK OF THE YEAR
5+ Heart, Recommended Read
SJ, Romance Junkies

MAGIC TRIUMPHS, the tenth and final book in the Kate Daniels series, is a tour de force triumph itself! A perfect ending to one of the best Urban Fantasy series ever written. The characters remain true to themselves; the action is nonstop; the pacing is superb, and the ending is complete without feeling forced. (This story is best read as a conclusion to the series. If new to the Kate Daniels’ world, I suggest starting with MAGIC BITES.)

Many series seem to tie up everything in a bow, wrapping everything up neatly for the reader in the final book. While this book does give a most satisfying conclusion, it’s written so well that nothing feels spelled out, rather it’s a natural progression of events the characters organically reach.

In this book, we see a (mostly) matured Kate with Curran, her husband and the former Beast Lord, and their adorable baby boy. The story has a brief prologue where we see the baby born, then cuts to two years later, which was very well done. Events have settled since the last book, with everyone falling into regular patterns.

Until, of course, a new villain emerges, one even scarier than Roland—Kate’s father. The mystery of who these murderous creatures are and why they’ve come to Atlanta unfold as the multifaceted world of Kate Daniels takes place. Familiar characters we’ve come to know and love throughout the series all play their parts. Julie, Derek, Barabas, Andrea, Roman, Saiman, Luther, Erra, even Nick and Hugh—HUGH—what a terrific part for him to play! And the family scenes, especially with Conlan, the baby, had me laughing out loud. Both heartwarming and funny, Kate’s family and friends are the cornerstone of this series.

The pacing is swift and steady, the build-up a delicious tension as Kate deals with the Witch Oracle’s prophecies of doom and the knowledge that to beat her father, she’ll have to kill him, and thus herself, for her friends and family to survive. There seems to be no way out, yet that doesn’t stop the humor from spilling from the pages, a wonderful mix of danger and laughter that’s organic to Kate and those around her.

Ilona Andrews is one the most gifted writers out there today. The writing duo know how to show emotion through action and dialogue and never dumb down their writing. The fighting scenes make you feel like you’re there, and their breadth of knowledge in both forensics and mythology (and even the made-up terms) is awe-inspiring.

This is my top book of the year, and I’m only sorry to see beloved characters go. But there are still two more Hugh stories for Andrews to write, as well as a teaser that perhaps some characters from the Kate Daniels’ world will continue in spin off series. Here’s hoping!

A TOTALLY RECOMMENDED READ!!!!

(Note: MAGIC TRIUMPHS takes place after IRON AND MAGIC, which is Hugh’s story. While you don’t have to read IRON AND MAGIC to understand this book, it’s most satisfying to have read Hugh’s story first.)

he series right after Magic Bleeds came out. I binged the series up to the point and after reading Magic Bleeds in its entirety, on a Sunday, I went to work the next day with the biggest book hangover ever! Ever since, I have been devoted to the writings of Ilona Andrews. They are one of my favorites, if not my ultimate favorite. They've never let me down in terms of story and characterization so I wasn't worried about what would occur along the way in Magic Triumphs, I was just sad to see the end.

Magic Triumphs is the culmination of Kate's storyline, specifically the storyline involving the twisted relationship between Kate and her father Roland. The tension between these two powerful beings finally comes to a head, but like when Ilona Andrews finally introduced Roland himself in Magic Breaks, the "final showdown" is full of unexpected surprises.

First off, we see Kate becoming a mother. I know there are a few authors who hesitate to introduce children (especially young babies) into a series / storyline. For good reason, I get it. How are our heroes and heroines supposed to continue throwing themselves into dangerous situations while their little one is left at home? I think Ilona Andrews handled Conlan, and all the connotations surrounding his birth really well, and I think they introduced him at a good time in the series as well. Ushering in the fact that Kate is ready to move away from said dangerous situations, and focus on living her life and her family.

Then, there's something that is causing mass groups of people to disappear. This is where I'm noting that I think it's essential to read Iron and Magic before diving into Magic Triumphs, not only is it a wonderful spinoff, but if you have read that book your ears will immediately perk up when Kate encounters a whole community of people that have seemingly disappeared.

Kate figuring out what has taken these people, and the purpose, takes the main focus of the book, surprisingly enough. Of course looming in the background is the ever-complicated Roland.

As the series progressed I grew to appreciate the fact that Roland isn't a cookie-cutter evil villain. The relationship with Kate is complicated and twisted. Sometimes there's affection and sometimes there's a maniacal tendency to take control of everything. Suffice it to say, there have been plenty of unexpected moments, and I think it's safe to say the story arc between Kate and Roland continues in this same vein.

Probably what I loved the most about Magic Triumphs was that, despite being the last book in the series, I still felt like things are moving forward while still recognizing where the series has been. I've found in many finales that I've read (or watched even) the end consists of many a trip down memory lane no matter if these trips are necessary for the final story. Ilona Andrews does this but in a completely subtle way that ties together well with what Kate needs to accomplish. We revisit with characters and settings old and new but it fit together well. They weren't afraid to introduce new possible story threads because when all is said and done, I feel like we're not finished with this world yet. Kate's arc is complete (at least for now), but there are a myriad of characters who have the opportunity to continue to grow and change and have their own adventures, and if nothing else, Magic Triumphs makes it quite clear that these are possibilities that may come to fruition.

I would be remiss if I didn't mention Kate and Curran. I love that (past the first few books) their relationship has continued to be strong, even with a few bumps in the road along the way. Their storyline within Magic Triumphs speaks a lot about the idea of Ilona Andrews not being afraid to introduce a little mystery as Kate is working on figuring out what magical being has been taking people, Curran has been off doing....something else. Curran's motivations remain cloaked in mystery for a bit, but by the end it all boils down to what everyone has known since that seemingly random kiss in Magic Bites, Curran loves Kate above all else. They are a unit, a team, and he's not idly sitting by while Kate takes all the risk.

So if you make it through the diatribe that is my review of Magic Triumphs just know this: it's one of the best ends to a series I've read in a long time. While there's a little bit of sadness involved (being the end and all), I don't think there's anything I would change about this book.

Let me start by saying two things:

1)I *hate* last book in a series installments – because I’ve been disappointed in the past and more times than I can count

and

2)Kate Daniels is my all-time favorite series.

So, combining the two? Is nerve racking and exciting and I was both scared to death and curious to read it. Because let’s face it, no matter how much I don’t want it to end… I also need to see both Curran and Kate having their HEA ride to the sunset.

Every single book in the series, every event, every time I've screamed at Curran for not being supportive, or was mad at Jim for being a self-centered egoistic erm…. person.. set the foundation to this book. It doesn't felt rushed, or forced. There were not “where the hell did that came from?” moments here.

It all made sense.

It even made me a bit mad at the authors because how can we complain about a series ending, when the ending is done THAT way?

It is done.

Done.

And it was glorious.

The only question that reminds is: my favorite series just ended… how… how do we move on? How can I continue on living when there is not Kate #11 on the horizon?

There’s a few stages:

You refuse to let it go. You set up a series read in preparation for it and a book of the month discussion. You refuse to let it go. You reread your favorite parts over and over. You cry again when you are supposed to, and laugh when you’re supposed to, and feel the pain and fear over and over again.

You tell yourself it isn't over yet. After all, there are Hugh's books and maybe Julie's

You stalk reach for the beta readers and start talking non-stop about the book, the theories, the correlation to Iron and Magic, mix up the two stories and so on.

You check the author's blog for news and be completely giddy with excitement with them. If you haven't checked their Hey, Don't Be Sad  post, here are the highlights:
-Is not a permanent goodbye
-They want to do a Roman's series
-There will be 2 more Hugh books
-More stuff is coming

So... that's how I go on. How about you?