Magic Dreams: Novella Review

Magic Dreams (Kate Daniels #4.5)

-          Ilona Andrews

Kindle Book

Alpha Pack leader Jim Shrapshire has always been the strong, silent type. But something has come over him--a magic force currently residing in one of the Pack's headquarters. Were-tigress Dali Harimau has always wished she could get Jim's attention--but now he needs her help. Stricken with a magic-sickness, Jim needs Dali's flair for magic. And to save him, she must challenge a powerful, dark being to a battle of wits.

This novella is set in Kate Daniel’s Atlanta but is focused on two side characters to the main story – Dali, the half blind, Vegetarian were-tiger and Jim, the former Mercenary, Alpha werecat. Dali has long had a crush on Jim and when he shows up at her house unexpectedly with a magical curse, Dali knows she will do anything, risk anything to save him.

I was always intrigued by Dali before and I really liked seeing events from her point of view – she is not a fighter, but she does have magical abilities and uses her brain to investigate what is happening to Jim. Her family are great – I loved her relationship with her mother which was full of care and exasperations of real families. I loved that most of the characters and events occur in the Asian area of Atlanta as it gives some great insight into that culture. Jim is a fighter – strong enough to hold a warrior form, but he is the one in trouble and I loved that the traditional stereotype of the damsel in distress  was reversed with the man needing to be rescued – and through the use of brains rather than force.

Overall, the story is a quick but thoroughly enjoyable – a little too quick for me and I hope Ilona and Gordon Andrews do decide to write another story about Dali and Jim!

Recommended for fans of Patricia Briggs and Kelley Armstrong. 8 out of 10