Magic Burns by Ilona Andrews

 This book was a little easier to follow as an audiobook than the first one. Kate is trying to retrieve some maps for the Pack when her colleague is killed. That leads her into an investigation of trying to find the mother of a 13-year-old girl who has a rare power and the coven of witches that disappeared with her mother. She'll have to face the Oracles, deal with The Shepherd, and defeat Morrigan herself in order to survive. Also involved, Ghastek, the man who controls vampires, Derek, Kate's blood-bound werewolf friend, and Curran, the leader of the Pack. All while the magic seems to be heading for a flare...
Favorite line? "Asshole innocent bystanders" Ha!

Three and a half stars

Follows Magic Bites

Followed by Magic Strikes

This book came out April 1st, 2008

Borrowed as a hard copy from the library

Opinions are my own

Magic Bites by Ilona Andrews

The Smart Bitches podcast recommended this book as being better than the Dresden Files.
Kate Daniels doesn't belong to the Order but when her guardian is killed, she's pulled into the investigation. She's not official but at least she's involved. She'll encounter vampires, shifters, and an "Unpire" (maybe, not sure on spelling since I was listening) before the book is over.
This was a little hard to keep up with on audio but I enjoyed it as much the second time I listened.

Kate Daniels #1

Three stars
This book came out March 29th, 2009
Followed by Magic Burns
Borrowed as an audiobook from Libby
Opinions are my own

Reread March 2024

White Hot by Ilona Andrews

In the first book of this series, we learned that first-person narrator Nevada Baylor is keeping a secret. She has the type of magic that lets her know when people are lying. When this book opens, she is helping to solve the mystery of a missing girl by putting her own identity in danger. Also putting her in danger? Helping an animal mage she met in book 1 revenge the death of his wife. Nevada will be pulled back into the vicinity of Connor "Mad" Rogan who she was trying desperately hard to avoid. The man makes her burn but he just doesn't seem human.
A nice addition to the series but I find I really like the audiobook narrator. Will try to find book three that way.

Four stars
This book came out May 30, 2017
Follows Burn for Me
Followed by Wildfire
Audiobook from Overdrive
Opinions are my own

Reread July 2022, September 2023

Burn for Me by Ilona Andrews

As a detective, Nevada Baylor usually goes after divorce cases or insurance fraud. But she's now being forced to go after a rogue fire starter. A very, powerful fire starter. Who's also sort of hot. But is an egomaniac. 
Also after Adam Pierce? Connor "Mad" Rogan. He is known for killing. A lot of people. He also has a lot of magic, one that can be used sort of like telekinesis. Nevada doesn't feel like she has a chance; her magic is just the ability to tell lies. What can she do against two such powerful men?
With so much world building (people have magic, there are different types of magic, how the families with magic work, etc.), there isn't a ton of room for building characters. We learn more about both in later books but I wish there had been just a little bit more to connect to.

Four stars
This book came out October 28, 2014

Followed by White Hot
Audiobook from Overdrive
Opinions are my own

Reread as Audible book I own July 31, 2022, September 2023

Emerald Blaze by Ilona Andrews

Catalina and Alessandro are thrown together again when, once again, powerful Primes threaten to destroy the city. Her new job as a Warden of Texas earns her (and her family) some protection as a new house but that also means that she is being thrown into situations that would endanger the lives of anyone less powerful than herself. That also means that she sometimes needs to rely on others that she'd rather not, including Alessandro.
The Big Bad in this one just isn't as well developed as it has been in other stories. And the revelation of the power behind the big bad was sort of a deflation. I really hope that we get to learn more about Alessandro soon. He is still a little too much of a mystery to really care about. But you still have an amazing family and their stories do let them grow more and the epilogue definitely made me immediately want to jump right into the next book.

Four stars
This book came out August 25, 2020
Follows Sapphire Flames

Followed by Ruby Fever
ARC kindly provided by HarperCollins Publishers and NetGalley
Opinions are my own

Reread July 2022 as an Audible book I own

Sapphire Flames by Ilona Andrews

When the Baylor family became a house, they all quickly realized that Nevada, the oldest, was not going to be a good head of house. So, Catalina stepped up. She's only 21 and her entire family is about to lose their three year stay of execution, the time when no other houses can come at them. So it's a very awkward time for her to take on the case of Runa Etterson whose mother and sister have been murdered. But Runa is a friend, of sorts, and Catalina wants to help both her and Runa's brother discover who would want to murder their mother and take out anyone else in the vicinity.
One big wrinkle, her teenage crush, Alessandro Sagredo is trying to stop her from investigating. He is more than the social media star that he seems and rushing Catalina and Runa out of the morgue where they went to test the DNA of the corpses found in the fire that destroyed the Etterson family mansion.
A wild ride, this book has some soft spots but was a fast read and will be enjoyed by regular Andrews readers.

Four stars

This book comes out August 27, 2019
Follows novella Diamond Fire

Followed by Emerald Blaze
ARC kindly provided by HarperCollins Publishers and NetGalley
Opinions are my own

Reread July 2022

Diamond Fire by Ilona Andrews

Catalina just wants her sister's wedding to go smoothly. So when her soon-to-be-brother-in-law's mother summons her, Catalina goes. It turns out a family heirloom has been stolen and the only person who could have taken it has to be a family member.
This means that Catalina will have to unleash the power that she's kept under wraps since she was a child. It is a power that she hates to use but she'll do anything for Nevada.
A nice novella and quick read.

Four stars

This novella came out November 6, 2018

Follows Wildfire

Followed by Sapphire Flames
ARC kindly provided by NetGalley

Reread July 2022, September 2023