Magic Triumphs by Ilona Andrews

(After rereading this post, I decided a warning was in order because I didn't want to rewrite it, lol.

WARNINGl

You probably will be confused reading this post unless you are familiar with the Kate Daniels world. I'm so fearful of spoilers that I usually end up saying nothing at all ...)

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.

This is the last book of the Kate Daniels story arc and it's action packed with a lot of feels. There were surprises (for me), especially with how Roland was handled - that was not how I thought it would be - and although some characters had resolution, others didn't, which is totally real life and makes me hopeful for many more stories in this world. 

I don't think I've read an Ilona Andrews book that I haven't enjoyed and this book was no exception. With one caveat.

I'm not sure how to say this properly: the book was full of epic material and could conceivably have had 700 pages. However, the story had to be told in 336 pages, according to my Kindle. I thought at the time I was reading it that there was a lot of jumping around. Months were covered in this book (and it's already a year after the last book) but it was like the authors were skipping a stone across a lake and we, the readers, got to see the the very tip of the iceberg(s). (Talk about mixing your metaphors!) Some plot lines were just dropped, others hinted at further books, but they all left me vaguely dissatisfied.

Whether skipping ahead and numerous plot lines detract or adds to the story depends on the reader, I suppose. Either way, it doesn't change the fact that these authors can WRITE and they are storytellers supreme. I read Iron and Magic before Magic Triumphs, as they suggested, and that is why I had supposed a different ending for Roland.

This perception of mine regarding stone skipping does not negate the fact that I love the book, love the characters and can't wait for book 2 of the Iron Covenant series and/or any other book about this world the authors might want to give birth to.

Magic Triumphs is not the book I consider their best in this series; that would be Magic Breaks because ... omg, the feels! The trust. The love. the courage and committment.

I have to admit the solution to the Roland problem disappointed me (and the stone skipping). Therefore if I were grading (because y'all know I don't, right?) I would give this book 4 stars and/or a B rather than the five everyone else is gifting it.

Oh, and Dali - WTF???