Magic Stars (Grey Wolf)

before I get into my actual review of this story I need to explain some things :) I actually already finished the whole series and I may have binge read them, so all of the installments may or may not got blurred together in my mind… ;) but hey, I will do my best to separate them at least a little bit :) it happened, because I read this series during a two month long period of time when I struggled with a lot of changes in my personal and professional life, so I read a lot, cause I needed something to relax, but at the same time I was in no mood to write any reviews… so here we are today, when I am doing my best to catch up on those :)Before we get into my thoughts and feelings about this particular installment, here are a few things that are true about all of them and that you can read without any fear of spoilers :)#1 this series is absolutely phenomenal and you all need to read it if you haven’t yet :) I blew through all of the stories in it in record time, cause I was unable to put them down and read something else :)#2 the whole series follow Kate, the main character, and tells one big story… so even though each installment revolves around a smaller event / issue, I highly encourage you to read them all in order, including the novellas and side books that happen along the way, because they all bring something extra to your overall experience :) the reading order of all those stories can be easily found on Goodreads if you look for the series Kate Daniels :) I read them all in that order, as it was recommended to me by my good friend who already finished it, and I am very happy I did that :) of course I can’t force you to listen to me, I’m no #BookPolice ;) it’s just a friendly suggestion ;)#3 a few more words about the series in general :) it’s a paranormal / urban fantasy story, set in an alternate version of our world… in it, there are magic waves that crash over the world, making basically all technology useless for some time… because it’s impossible to predict when exactly they will come and go, it alters the way people live… of course, with magic came all sort of gifts and talents… not to mention magical creatures :) we definitely have vampires and necromancers of some sort who control them, shapeshifters who can change into all sorts of animals, not to mention the fact that we get to see magical influences and practitioners from very different belief systems… it’s a lot to explain and we don’t have that much time to get into all the details right now :) just know it’s phenomenal :) each book is action packed, fast paced and full of surprising twists and turns… I can’t even begin to count the number of times when I gasped in shock because the plot went in a completely different way than I anticipated :) once you get to know this world and these characters, you will be completely hooked… and speaking of characters… ;)#4 diverse and interesting characters are one of the main reasons why I love this series so much :) not only the main one, Kate, goes through a pretty spectacular character development arch throughout the whole series, but along the way we keep meeting new ones… and before you know what happened, you have a whole bunch of people you love and with each book you are quietly chanting “don’t kill any of them, don’t kill any of them” as if that might change some outcomes :) obviously I won’t name anyone right here, because a lot of them might come as a surprise to you… what I will say is that it will be a pleasure to re-read those books again soon, knowing how certain characters end up… that’s all I’m gonna say ;)#5 DO NOT READ THE REST OF THIS REVIEW if you are not caught up on the previous stories… I will be mentioning people and events from previous books next, because I cannot possibly write more about my feelings without them, and you will be spoiled about some major surprising turns… I won’t spoil anything when it comes to the book I am currently reviewing, but everything that happened before is fair game :) you’ve been warned ;)This little novella revolves around Julie and Derek… not in a sense you might think, because she’s still pretty young, but you can definitely see glimpses of something more from both of them and I certainly hope that we will revisit this duo in some future books :)

This was such a tease for several reasons. First we get a look into the extra power Julie has due to Kate sharing her blood with her. I can't wait to read her book after she has some years and fighting under her belt. Second was seeing how well her and Derek work fighting together. It just hints to what they can be like when Julie gets older and the possibilities there will be for the two of them.

Loved reading this short story of Kate Daniels world. The interaction between Derek and Julie was adorable. I hope she writes more of their story.

✭✭✭✭✭ - 4.75 Bacony StarsThere are novellas in series you can skip and I’d say you aren’t missing much. I have enjoyed all of the Novella’s in the KD world, but besides a few little insights into how Kate is seen by others I didn’t take much out of them to go into main story line. Then there is Magic Stars and all that changed Boom, pow, KA-Bam in under 100 pages two characters from the KD world are fleshed out and the foundations are beautifully laid and I feel like I understand so much more in the underlying arcs of the KD books and what is going on between the lines with a few of the side characters. The entire book was awesome from start to finish.***He was the Grey Wolf in the city; the one who came and found you if you messed up and hurt the wrong people. He helped those who needed it. He stood between those who were hurt and those who did the hurting.****swoons*Derek is the main PoV of this which is only one of many reasons to read it. He is darker than the other IA main characters. We all know his past and I have loved him from the very beginning but I’ve been a little worried about The Boy Wonder for a few books now as he seems to be going to a place that I wasn’t sure Kate could save him from. I didn’t realize just how close he walks that line between human man and animal until now and I was completely riveted by it. I’m still not sure that Kate could keep him on the human side of that line but maybe….just maybe Julie might stand a chance.THAT’S RIGHT this is a story of an adventure Derek and Julie go on together. Be still my shippy heart because I have shipped them from the moment that Derek made that metal rose for Julie in Magic Burns. I’m not saying this is a love story because it really isn’t but there are hints…and moments that lead me to think there is something there, I might have even *squeed* a bit at the end and done a happy dance. However there is no time for silly ‘letting go of a breath I didn’t know I was holding or eye color becoming darker blah blah blah. No there is no time for that because there is kicking-ass, witty banter and MAGIC.Julie is a bad-ass.***Julie pried the tomahawk free and chopped at the woman’s bulging stomach. It split like a water skin, and a half-decomposed human head rolled out. The sour stench drenched him and he nearly gagged.***There were some hints of her awesomeness that in the last little bit of the story lines. But I didn’t realize how much of a powerhouse she was becoming until this book….and I was amazed. I was both excited and horrified to learn what Julie does with her time when Kate isn’t around. She is playing a very dangerous game and she could very well be the lynch pin in the final upcoming battles.I totally loved every second I got to spend with Julie and Derek. The way they interact and work together, they made a fantastic team. Julie accepts Derek for exactly who he is and she seems to get him better than anyone else and vice versa. Watching them play off each other was so much fun. There were some revelations made that have been hinted towards in the main series but this novella totally clarified a few things and I was the most interested in some of the things I learned about Roland, Hugh and especially Julie.The main plot had some of the elements I always expect from the Andrews. They seem to find a way to incorporate unusual lore into their stories and this is no exception with the addition of The Hunter, Evil Mermaids and others. This also has plenty of action with a dose of IA’s trademark humor. I don’t want to say more about the main plot other than I think it was the best of all the novellas. This is by far my favorite novella in the seriesTHIS IS NOT A NOVELLA YOU CAN SKIP I’m not sure why you’d want to skip any of the novellas in this series but I especially think that this novella is really a Kate Daniels fans dream story with everything it offers. And that ending KILLED ME!!!! I’m so glad this is The Grey Wolf #1 because I really can’t wait to see more of Derek and hopefully Julie as they take on the city.

If you’ve never read an Ilona Andrews book, or anything relating to the Kate Daniels world, then this book is not for you. Not because you won’t enjoy it, but because of spoilers and the fact that this is not the best moment to meet Derek and Julie for the first time. As someone who loves this series/world, I heartily recommend going back to the beginning and starting with Magic Bites, because the Andrews team have done an amazing job throughout building up one of my favourite Urban Fantasy series combing strong characters, incredible world-building, clever use of world (and I mean world not just north western European or Classical Greek) mythology and excellent story telling. I love this series for a reason, and to understand that fully you’re better off starting at the beginning.Okay, so with that public service announcement out of the way – Derek has a book! Not just any book, but one told from inside his head! Derek has always been fascinating to me. From the foolishly cocky wolf in book one, to the warrior he became and all the bad stuff that followed, Derek is compelling. It’s easy to forget how young he still is, so one thing I really enjoyed in this novella is how he also struggles with his relative youth compared to all he’s been through. Like all Team Andrews’ first person characters, Derek has a strong voice throughout and I loved how his wolf side is very clear. Not to mention how he differs from other shifters because of his childhood.Then there’s Julie. Even though in more recent Kate books it seemed to me as though Julie might have given up on Derek a little to threat-flirt with Ascanio a lot, there’s still a bond there, so I wasn’t surprised to find them teaming up in this novella. And what a team they make. Julie is definitely taking after Kate in the all-knowing, kick-ass, magic-wielding brigade, but even though she’s had it rough growing up she’s more vulnerable than Kate and, while cynical, she isn’t as hard. Yet. She’s a bit cockier too, confident she knows what’s she doing and can cope with everything – when clearly trouble is definitely brewing in a big way.I loved how she and Derek worked together, how she grounds him, while he provides her with someone trustworthy to talk to. They’re both still pretty young, but they have clear strengths and a desire to protect those they love. And aren’t afraid of a little violence when it heads there way, as it always will in this post-apocalyptic Atlanta.The plot itself is as clever as I always expect from this world, starting out so simply and gradually winding deeper. There’s a lot of fighting and running around, because Derek is a wolf on the edge and violence is what he’s used to, while Julie’s no slouch when it comes to making use of her tomahawks. It kept me hooked from the first line to the last and even though it was short I didn’t feel cheated.Fans will likely read it anyway because it’s Derek, and newcomers are best off saving it for later when they know a little more about this world – although technically you can read this straight out, since the important pieces are recapped (except Julie’s particular reaction to mermaids), but you’ll enjoy it more if you’re more familiar with everything. Whenever you read it expect strong characters, a fast-paced plot that unwinds in occasionally unexpected ways, with a wolf who truly feels the call of the wild and a teenage girl tackling some pretty powerful magic. If that sounds like your kind of read, then welcome to the Kate Daniels world. This was only the first of the Grey Wolf books, which leads me to hope that there will be more coming from Derek in the future. I can’t wait.

I've been complaining for the past two Kate Daniels books that there was a distinct lack of Derek Gaunt, and that he almost appeared to have become a non-entity in his characterisation, and was, apparently, being usurped by Ascanio. I was really disappointed by this fact. So, this is exactly what I needed from the Gordons!I love this look inside of Derek's head, at the effects of everything that has happened to him. At how much he struggles with the wild inside of him despite the fact he is so straight and regimented to the outside world - he was always my favourite character, and this book has just compounded that fact.More than that, I loved getting that insight into what Julie has been up to - her meetings with Roland! And that end scene in the epilogue has me slightly worried for where she's going to end up.But most of all, the most exciting thing, is what this book hinted at for both their futures and I am overjoyed.A quick, action packed, must read for all Kate Daniels fans!

Squee!I love anything in the Kate Daniels world, but add in Derek and Julie and my heart might just explode.Derek is investigating the deaths of a human family, murdered by shifters, not just any human family but the blacksmith who makes Derek's knives. When he finds out why they were murdered he needs Julie's special gifts to help him track down the person behind it which involves them encountering all sorts of creatures that go bump in the night.The only thing that stopped this novella getting a fifth star is that I sooo want Derek and Julie to get together - no fifth star until they do. In the meantime, loved, love, loved it, wish it was ten times as long.

This is a Kate Daniels world book but is focused on Julie and Derek. A brilliant additional tangent, to an already strong series. There are mythical creatures, razor wit and blood violence with a soft gooey undercurrent. What's not to love!If you enjoy Kate then this story has some insights whcih are relevant to the main story and is a solid set up for future insights into this intriguing, if embryonic, relationship.If you want a stand alone story then this has enough action, humour and fantasy to keep transient readers entertained.

I could never give Ilona Andrews less than five stars. Let's be honest people her work is amazing. I came late to the Kate Daniels series so read the first seven books back to back. The only complaint I have on this book is the price for the quantity. The book is thin and a one hour read. Good story though and looks like another series to run as left me wanting more. Just reading Magic Shifts and cannot wait for the sequel to Burn for Me. The writing duo that are Ilona Andrews are just pure awesome