Title: Magic Mourns
Author: Ilona Andrews
In: Must Love Hellhounds (Charlaine Harris)
Series: Kate Daniels #3.5
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Dystopia, Paranormal fantasy, Shapeshifters
Pace: Fast
Format: Novella
Publisher: Berkley
Year: 2009
5th sentence, 74th page: The mass grew larger and larger, bigger than a house, bigger than Cerberus.
Andrea Nash of the Order of Knights of Merciful Aid – with an assist from her friend, Kate Daniels – tries to figure out why the giant three-headed dog who guards the gates of Hades is sniffing around Atlanta.
I loved, loved, loved this novella in the Kate Daniels universe. Andrea is an amazing character, and finding out more about her past and thoughts was a wonderfully fulfilling journey. She’s starkly different from Kate, not only in her weapons choice, but also in the ways in which she approaches the world and her task as a knight.
The last few stories have toyed with the idea of Raphael and Andrea. This novella further investigates this flirtation – not only their feelings for one another, but also for their own personal issues. Through this relationship, more of Andrea’s past (and her resulting reluctance to claim her beast kin heritage) is brought to light. I love that both Kate and Andrea, two of the phenomenal key characters in this series have had rough childhoods and experienced abuse. It is a great reminder that whilst abuse can scar and shape us, it can be overcome and a stronger and better future can be embraced.
Magic Strikes touches upon ideas from Celtic mythology, and this novella brings to life some aspects of Greek mythology. I love the personification of Thantos (the Greek God of Death). As a mythology buff, I love adaptations of ancient beliefs to the modern times. Andrews does this brilliantly, and this introduction of a Greek God beautifully sets up Magic Bleeds whilst also highlighting the presence of a range of mythological characters throughout the series.
Earth and Skye 
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