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    Gunmetal Magic
    Gunmetal Magic
    Gunmetal Magic
    Audiobook12 hours

    Gunmetal Magic

    Written by Ilona Andrews

    Narrated by Renee Raudman

    4/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    After being kicked out of the Order of the Knights of Merciful Aid, Andrea's whole existence is in shambles. She tries to put herself back together by working for Cutting Edge, a small investigative firm owned by her best friend. When several shapeshifters working for Raphael Medrano-the male alpha of the Clan Bouda, and Andrea's former lover-die unexpectedly at a dig site, Andrea is assigned to investigate. Now she must work with Raphael as her search for the killer leads into the secret underbelly of supernatural Atlanta. And dealing with her feelings for him might have to take a back seat to saving the world . . .
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherTantor Media, Inc
    Release dateJul 31, 2012
    ISBN9781452675145
    Gunmetal Magic
    Author

    Ilona Andrews

    “Ilona Andrews” is the pseudonym for a husband-and-wife writing team. Ilona is a native-born Russian, and Gordon is a former communications sergeant in the U.S. Army. Contrary to popular belief, Gordon was never an intelligence officer with a license to kill, and Ilona was never the mysterious Russian spy who seduced him. They met in college, in English Composition 101, where Ilona got a better grade. (Gordon is still sore about that.) They have co-authored four New York Times and USA Today bestselling series: the urban fantasy of Kate Daniels, rustic fantasy of the Edge, paranormal romance of Hidden Legacy, and Innkeeper Chronicles. They live in Texas with their two children and many dogs and cats.

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    Reviews for Gunmetal Magic

    4/5

    537 ratings47 reviews

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    • 5/5
      This book fits right in with the fantastic world created by Ilona Andrews. Have read all but the last two and they just keep getting better.
    • 5/5
      Very good book. I almost hated for it to end.
    • 5/5
      Gunmetal magic was a book that I wanted to read only because I loved the Kate Daniels books so much. But now that I've read it, I'm sad there's not another Andrea book to read.

      It has all the same shapeshifters and vampires and crazy magic stuff as Kate Daniels, but not the frantic epic scale of having to kill your dad at the end. It feels more real. And Andrea is pretty much just as cool as Kate. She's a retired Knight. She can turn into a hyenawere, she is the best at distance weapons.

      The world of Kate Daniels has so much in it. It's sad that in the Kate books we are too concerned with the endgame to really explore. And that's what this book does. It let's us explore the parts of the world the Kate just cuts through. It fleshed out the "background characters" who are sometimes more interesting than Kate and Curran because they are not quite so noble.

      I hope Ilona Andrews gets around to writing another Andrea book someday! I really enjoyed it.
    • 3/5
      Not as well layered as the main books in the series, but still and enjoyable read. I do have to ask though, what was with all of the owl similes? In both the main story and the novella, everything was like an owl. I'm not alone in noticing that, am I?
    • 4/5
      Gunmetal Magic is a book in the Kate Daniels series, told from the prospect of Andrea Nash, former member of the Order and best friend to Kate. She's coming to terms with the loss of here beloved career and what that means for her. At the same time, she's nursing a broken heart, having split with boyfriend, Raphael. When four shifters are killed at a reclamation sight run by Raphael's company, she's brought in to investigate and track down the killers. This had all the flare and wit I expected of the author and the action scenes were amazing as usual. You just can't beat flying snakes, magic, and a Russian volhv with an angry staff fighting in the middle of dystopian Atlanta.

      I really liked getting the inside story on Andrea's childhood and parents. She certainly had a rough upbringing, which explains why she saw the Order as her family. Losing her job was like losing her family. Since she lost Raphael in the process, she's hesitant to join the pack, unsure if Aunt B's pack will be any better in the long run than the abusive pack she grew up in. Pack law requires a decisions within three days, so now Andrea is up against a wall.

      The way the story came together was exciting and full of action. We get glimpses of our favorite characters along the way; Kate, Curran, Jim, Aunt B. and a few others. I also enjoyed the laugh out loud moments and will snicker every time I look at a toilet paper roll holder, at least for the near future. The resolution was an adrenaline rush and extremely well done. I really enjoyed Roman in this, too. He certainly got under Raphael's skin and I liked his "live-life-to-the-fullest" attitude. It was a fun book to read.
    • 4/5
      As I've written in previous reviews, I'm enchanted with the urban fantasy world of Kate Daniels. This story is not a part of the main series, but is a side novel that centers around Kate's best friend, Andrea Nash. The plot is situated between novels five and six in the main series, meaning that Andrea is in the middle of some tough times. She and Raphael broke up over her commitment to the Order, then was expelled from the Order after they found out she was a beastkin, and then she disappeared for a few months as she tried, unsuccessfully, to convince the Order that humans with magical powers could be a valued part of their team. When this story opens, she is back in Atlanta and trying to pick up the pieces of her life. Andrea has reconnected with Kate, who gave her hell for going completely MIA, but forgave her and hired her as part of Kate's new detective agency. As such, Jim gives Andrea a case about some murders in the Pack, which forces her to speak to Raphael again, and spend more time with him than may be healthy for her heart. And Andrea has to confront whether she is able to accept Aunt B's adamant invitations to join Clan Bouda. Of course, the case leads Andrea into battles of epic magic proportions, involving evil snake people, Egyptian mythological creatures, and narcissistic gods that want to destroy everything.It's a fun story, and hits a lot of the checkpoints I've grown accustomed to in Kate Daniels novels: exciting action, interesting new side characters, a kick-butt heroine, the perfect pacing of action to dialogue, sarcastic humor, and swoony romance. I was happy that we got to spend some extended time with Andrea, to see how she resolved big issues in her life, and especially how she worked things out with Raphael. I knew they would, but it was satisfying to read. Overall, this was an easy, fast read, and developed more of the Kate Daniels world. The only thing it was missing was more Kate. I realized, after finishing this, that as much as I like Andrea, I like Kate more. Fortunately, this ebook also includes a novella at the end called "Magic Gifts" that starts with a date between Kate and Curran, and turns into an adventure with vampires, necromancers, and a magical necklace that is trying to choke the life of a little boy. Definitely read this book if you are loving the Kate Daniels series, or if you just appreciate quality urban fantasy with well-drawn female characters. Andrea is a great character and deserves the spotlight she gets here. Plus, the book develops some plot points that pertain to the larger plot of the main series. The short story at the end is a must-read, as well. Even now that Kate and Curran are together, their banter and interactions are still sexy and sweet, and Kate fight scenes are the best. This was not quite as exciting for me as the main Kate Daniels books, but it was close.
    • 3/5
      Gods aren't what they used to be. This can annoy them and cause inconvenience or worse, to the shapeshifters and magical practitioners. Andrea is having enough difficulties with her relationship or lack of it with Raphael and then things get weirder.
    • 4/5
      Gunmetal Magic is a spinoff novel in the Kate Daniels series by Ilona Andrews. Timeline-wise events in this book occur at the same time as and crossover with the novella Magic Gifts. This is Andrea and Raphael's story as told from Andrea's point of view. Andrea Nash is having a hell of a time just making it day to day when Raphael decides to rub her face in the fact that she broke up with him in the worst way possible. Luckily there's a murder case to keep her busy while she works through the wreck her personal life has become.Boudas = drama! And lots of it. Turns out I enjoy Andrea in melodramatic beast mode. She's quite the badass, a strong leader who is a great tactician when she can put aside the drama and think logically. Also very handy with a gun. One of my favorite things about this series in general is how much mythology it coves and goes fairly deep on. Of the rare times I've read a book that leaned on Egyptian myth for the story it definitely wasn't Anubis and Apep. Learning more about their myths as part of the mystery was great.
    • 3/5
      Not QUITE as brilliant as the rest of the Kate Daniels books, but pretty damn close. (Like 3.5/5 stars. Would read again, definitely.) The acknowledgements say they had trouble with this story, and it shows in a few small areas. But! I still recommend this to ANYONE who has enjoyed the Kate Daniels world. It was very enjoyable.
    • 4/5
      I adore this series/world. I love Andrea. Tough and independent. Raphael hurts her and there is angst. Kind of my favorite stuff when it comes to romance. But a solid Urban Fantasy book.
    • 4/5
      Very enjoyable Andrea Nash story in the Kate Daniels world. I very much like the way Ilona Andrews writes strong women. They very strong but they are layered and their weaknesses and backstory. In this one, Andrea and Raphael get back togethher and it makes senses. But there is a lot action and suspense, this is more than a romance.
    • 4/5
      Gunmetal Magic
      4 Stars

      Series Note: This book cannot be read as a standalone. It is necessary to read the first 5 Kate Daniels books in order to get a feel for the world Andrews has created as well as important background detail on the characters.

      Kate and Curran are a hard act to follow. It is difficult to become as immersed and involved in Andrea and Raphael's relationship following Kate and Curran's romance in the first 5 books.

      Andrea has made some questionable choices in the past and as such, it is difficult to completely take her side in her clash of wills with Raphael. That said, this installment provides some much needed background on her childhood and succeeds in making her decisions more tenable.

      Raphael is no saint and his actions at the beginning of the book made me want to strangle him. Thankfully, he and Andrea come to their senses without too much angst and their make-up scenes are really cute. It also helps that Ilona and Gordon are so skilled in the witty banter and snappy, snarky comebacks department.

      As in the Kate Daniels books, the plot once again centers on a particular mythology and this time it is Egypt's turn. The details are well-researched and the action scenes exciting. However, the storyline is quite convoluted and there are times when it is difficult to determine who the actual villains are and precisely what they want.

      The best aspect of the book is the family dynamic established by the secondary characters. Ascanio, Roman, Aunt B, Doolittle, and of course, Kate and Curran, all come together to bully, pester, tease, encourage and support Andrea thereby making Gunmetal Magic a worthy addition to the series.

      While all threads are neatly tied up by the end, some unanswered questions remain Is the Witch Oracle's prophecy related to the events in this book or not? What exactly is a First and how did Curran become one? and I can't wait for Magic Rises to come out.
    • 4/5
      I enjoyed this book. This was a re-read for me and I had a lot of fun re-visiting this book since I know what will happen to these wonderful characters as the series moves forward. I do remember being slightly disappointed when this book was first published simply because I wanted another book featuring Kate and Curran and I got Andrea instead. I ended up loving the book though. Andrea and Kate are best friends so their lives overlap in a lot of areas but Andrea does have her own story to tell and I am glad that Ilona Andrews made the decision to let her do just that in this book. Andrea is not in a great place as this book opens. Her relationship with Raphael is over and she has lost her job with the Order. Both of these things meant the world to her and helped shaped her identity. Andrea is working with Kate at their new agency, Cutting Edge, when she gets a call about a new case. This new case just happens to be tied to Raphael which only proves to make things more interesting. Throw in some strange snake people and a complex mystery and you have plenty of excitement. All the action is nicely balanced with a bit of humor and romance.I really enjoyed seeing Kate, Curran, and all of the other characters from a different perspective. I think that Andrea is in a unique position to give that perspective because she is close to a lot of the key characters but she still feels and acts like an outsider. Andrea grows a lot as a character over the course of this book and the insight into her background really helps with understanding some of the ways that she looks at the world.Renee Raudman does a fabulous job with this series. It is funny that I didn't really care for her narration for the first couple of books in the series but now I couldn't imagine anyone else. She really is able to perform a wide range of characters very well and with a lot of emotion. She has a very pleasant voice that is easy to listen to for hours at a time.I highly recommend this series to others. This is a series that you do need to read in order since each book builds on the last. This is a very important book in the overall story arc and should not be missed. I can't wait to continue with my re-read of this wonderful series.
    • 5/5
      Gunmetal magic was a book that I wanted to read only because I loved the Kate Daniels books so much. But now that I've read it, I'm sad there's not another Andrea book to read.

      It has all the same shapeshifters and vampires and crazy magic stuff as Kate Daniels, but not the frantic epic scale of having to kill your dad at the end. It feels more real. And Andrea is pretty much just as cool as Kate. She's a retired Knight. She can turn into a hyenawere, she is the best at distance weapons.

      The world of Kate Daniels has so much in it. It's sad that in the Kate books we are too concerned with the endgame to really explore. And that's what this book does. It let's us explore the parts of the world the Kate just cuts through. It fleshed out the "background characters" who are sometimes more interesting than Kate and Curran because they are not quite so noble.

      I hope Ilona Andrews gets around to writing another Andrea book someday! I really enjoyed it.
    • 5/5
      I did not want it to be over. I was so disappointed when I had no more pages to read, I was enjoying it so much. What a ride with some crazy Boudas, sexy evil warlock and one sexy too young Bouda boy, and some nasty wicked ancient 'problems'.
      I loved Andreas story. She is a feisty, whirling gun toting take no gruff kind of girl. She does not want to be controlled, not even for her chance to have her mate. It's her terms or no terms. Her relationship with Raphael is not happening. Her joining the pack, not happening. Her acceptance of her Beastskin.... ? Perhaps it's time to face the demons both internal and external.
      Everything flowed, there was never a dull moment. Well, I did get a bit cross-eyed with all the fractals and chaos explanations. Honestly it was the only blip that I skimmed through. TMI for my wee brain. So, I loved the romantic banter, the carpet, the table art, the joint tearing of flesh..ah, it was all so sweet. LOL
      I can't wait to re-read it.
    • 3/5
      Not as good as the previous novels in the series, but worth a look. The mythology this time around is Egyptian with a touch of Russian. And we get an in-depth exploration of Andrea Nash, Kate Daniels best friend - along with a bit more information on Raphael, the head of the bouda clan and Andrea's romantic interest...and as a bonus, information on Curran, Kate's romantic love interest and what he is exactly.

      The writing style is suitably snarky and provides interesting information on Egyptian mythology, including a rather cool explanation of fractal mathematics and how that relates to religion, gods, and mythology.

    • 5/5
      Listened for Fun (Audible)Overall Rating: 4.75Story Rating: 4.75Character Rating: 4.75Audio Rating: 5.00First Thought when Finished: I absolutely freaking loved Gunmetal Magic by Ilona Andrews.Quick Thoughts:Andrea was freaking kick-ass, resolved some of her issues, and basically owned everyone. I like her more than Kate. Raphael is still growing on me though. I still think he is an ass but he is an ass Andrea loves so I will root for them! This made me laugh, cheer, and fist pump a couple of times.Audio Thoughts: Narrated By Renée Raudman / Length: 12 hrs and 43 mins Renee did a fantastic job doing the whole book as Andrea! So, as if, I needed another reason to just say listen to these already, here it is. She can pull off a lot of different voices beautifully!Part of my Read It, Rate It, File It, DONE! Reviews
    • 4/5

      "It says here Jamar bought a toilet seat for fifty thousand dollars," Ascanio said.
      I looked at the screen. "It says it's from Amarna, from the eighteenth dynasty of ancient Egypt."
      "It's a toilet seat," Ascanio said.
      "It's four thousand years old."
      He looked at me incredulous. "Some ancient Egyptians sat on it and took a dump."
      "I assume so."
      "He paid fifty thousand dollars for a used toilet seat."
      [...]
      "You could buy a car for fifty thousand dollars. A really nice car." Ascanio's eyes lit up. "A Hummer. You could buy a converted Hummer."
      "You don't need a Hummer," I said.
      "Chicks dig the Hummer."
      "You don't need any chicks either."
      "He gave me an injured look. "I have needs."
    • 3/5
      This is set in an established universe but with a new main viewpoint character. Kate is still in the story but is not not in the spotlight much. What I found interesting there is a novella after the story that features what Kate is doing before the main story starts and ends when you first see Kate in the main story. Andrea is trying to get over being dumped by the Order of Knights and then because she retreated into herself she alienated her boyfriend so of course the story has a b plot of dealing with that while she is trying to solve a murder at her ex boyfriends work site. Of course everything works out in the end and the mystery gets solved as well. I'm just glad the romance is fixed by the end of the book and not dragged out over several books.
    • 5/5
      Super, as usual! This world is always addictive, and the characters never disappoint. Andrea has different problems and perspective than Kate, but she's entertaining and loveable. Former minor characters like Ascanio and Roman jumped off the page, and Raphael was charming as usual. Loved it.
    • 5/5
      Gunmetal Magic is a spin off from Ilona Andrews Kate Daniels series featuring Andrea Nash. It begins a few weeks after Andrea was summarily dismissed from the Order of the Knights of Merciful Aid, her shape shifter status having been revealed in Magic Slays. Having spent some time metaphorically licking her wounds, mourning not only the loss of her career but also the messy demise of her relationship with Raphael, she is working for Kate at Cutting Edge when she is assigned to investigate the deaths of four Pack members. The murders uncover the theft of a priceless artifact that leads Andrea to an Egyptian God determined to rise again, and suddenly Andrea is fighting for her life and the lives of those she loves.The world building is phenomenal as always, of course I am familiar with most of it having read the Kate Daniels series but Andrea’s character offers a slightly different perspective. The action is frantic, and often violent given the nature of the were’s. Andrea is kick ass and doesn’t shy away from any physical confrontation.Much of the character angle of the novel involves Andrea coming to terms with her werehyena (bouda) nature. As a beastkin she endured a horrific childhood and has avoided the Pack as much as possible, but now she is outed she has to find a way to make peace with who she is and the Clan that claims rights to her.There is romance too of course with Andrea and Raphael’s relationship in a mess to begin with. It takes some sorting for these two stubborn characters to work out their differences, providing both some hilarious and achingly tender moments.Many of the Kate Daniels series characters make appearances including Kate, Curran and Ghastek. Though Gunmetal Magic is technically the start of a new series, familiarity with the Kate Daniels series would definitely enhance the reading experience of this debut.I loved Gunmetal Magic and I am impressed that Andrews has been able to continue the momentum of her well established world into Gunmetal Magic. I can’t wait for the next installment.
    • 2/5
      You know what? I get why I was supposed to like this book. The heroine is smart and occasionally funny. It's urban fantasy. The romance isn't overdone--although I'm getting super tired of the ultra-alpha protective jealous tall dark type. I really love Kelley Armstrong. But I struggled to like this book even as a guilty pleasure. It was okay, I guess
    • 4/5
      I really liked Andrea while reading the Kate books. I liked her strength of character. I liked her attitude.

      I really like to dream that happily ever after really means happily ever after. And, I really like to think that when one has found his/her soulmate, it is really his/her soulmate. Which means forever. Not that there are not hazards along the way - but that you get through them together. Of, at least fight your way back to together.

      I know this is a dream. And, it rarely happens except in a dream world. But, the sure way to ruin fiction for me is to have me root for a couple and break them up just so you can sell more media while you put them back together. (Don't think this is this case here. This was more of a journey.)

      The plot of this book was totally immaterial to me. All I cared about was the soulmates remembering they were soulmates. I was completely satisfied.

      I enjoyed the fact that Raphael would not let Andrea kill Michelle. For her own sake. I liked that he devised a plan to keep her from Anapa. I did not like the 'non' fiance . . . but I understood it. Neither Andrea nor Raphael was blameless here - they both screwed up. I *loved* the purple carpet. And, I *loved* Curran's arrival.

      Relationships are work. Always. There are good times and there are bad times. Some times it seems there are more of the latter than the former. We have the good times so that we can remember them during the bad times. But, we have to be willing to remember and not look for the next best thing. I think this book teaches us a lot about what to do and what not to do to keep our relationships strong.
    • 5/5
      Gunmetal Magic is the novel set right around Magic Dreams and is one of the spin-off from Kate Daniels series about her Cutting Edge's partner, Andrea Nash who is an ex-knight who got forcibly retired after the order found out that she's in fact a bouda (werehyena). Andrea carried a horrible past where she spent 11 years being abused by a bouda clan and after she and her mother ran away, she became highly efficient gunfighter who hid her identity until she was forced to reveal her true self. Her abuse were mostly centered on the fact that she's a beastkin, her father is actually a hyena who was infected by Lyc-v which changed it into a male human and Andrea's abusive clan forced him to rape her mother and hence she was born out of it.

      Now, she's working as a highly trained private investigator for the Cutting Edge along with Kate Daniels, the skilled mercenary who is secretly a powerful mage and a consort for the Beast Lord, Curran. In the couple novels before this, Andrea was involved with the Atlanta pack's bouda clan's Raphael Medrano, who is her mate but after being faced to choose between the pack and her life-long career in the order, Raphael left her when she decided wrongly and neither of them parted their ways peacefully.

      The novel started directly from Magic Dreams with Jim calling Andrea for help about the murder in one of the pack's establishment which is unfortunately owned by Raphael. Still hurt from their separation, she decided to take on the case even knowing that she will be facing her former beau and soulmate. The establishment is actually a ruin from a skyscraper after being felled by the magic waves and Raphael's team was working to excavate the area looking for precious metals like copper. The team found a vault in the underground with its items intact but all the shapeshifters guarding the site were killed by a multiple snake bites. Since venoms are biological matter, the Lyc-V were unable to differentiate the poison until its too late, hence a powerful snake venom would kill any shapeshifter. Andrea decided to investigate the motives surrounding the buyout of the properties and found out more than what she had bargain for.

      I was highly entertained by this book. The reactions and relationships between the side characters in Kate Daniels were further enhanced in these spin offs. Raphael is initially a cocky jerk in the beginning of this novel and reacted childishly as one would expect from someone being hurt until he came back to her in full vengeance. I hate him and love him in this book and the banter between Andrea and him was unexpected but it does bring back pre-Consort Kate Daniels vs Curran motion that I enjoyed in the last several books of series. The dynamic between the characters are fascinating as with the action packed drama surrounding more death and near death experiences by the main character.

      Surprisingly, although there was an overwhelming heat between Andrea and Raphael in this book, it doesn't shake the fact that this book was exclusively an urban fantasy since it was without the unnecessary ten pages of smut. The action are unpredictable, the mystery are intriguing, the suffering and the torture within the psychology of these characters are the things that made the series fantastically a class of its own.

      If you are new to this series, I would recommend reading the whole series because nothing is better than guns and supernatural violence in this detective-like drama series. So far, its still one of the guy-friendly novel I've ever read and all the hype surrounded this series are true, and its a fine book at its start but it definitely does get a lot better (read: guns and gore and mythological lore) as you go through the books.
    • 4/5
      41/2 stars. I really enjoyed the book and think it was super cool to have a full length novel for Andrea. Her passion for guns cracks me up. I guess one thing I did miss was the trademark humor of the last few books. Although there were a few laugh out loud moments, it was a little more grim. Not that this stopped me from devouring the book in two evenings.

      There were two other characters that I sincerely hope get books, short stories or whatever. Barabas(I LOVED his character) and a chap called Ethan is mentioned. I really have my fingers crossed this will be explored more. That weremongoose is feisty and he bites snake heads off. Rawr. And Roman? What is not to like. He made me laugh, snarky and sexy.

      Cool book.

      Re read March 2013.
    • 5/5
      The Andrews never fail to write a great story and this is no exception. I've always liked Andrea and it was great to see things from her point of view. I felt really bad for her with her history (which we learn a lot about in this book) and everything going on between her a Raphael. We get to see several of our old favorite characters, Beast Lord and Kate (nice to see them from a different perspective), Jim, Derek, Doolittle. We also get to see some minor characters take on a larger roll with Asciano and Roman. I really loved both of these two and hope to continue to see them in the Kate Daniels books.
    • 4/5
      Four stars only because Ilona Andrews remains on auto-buy; if I read this book in isolation it might have been a three. On the other hand, part of what bothered me about GUNMETAL MAGIC is that I could see the patented Ilona Andrews formula at work - huge monsters that regularly pop out of the woodwork to keep the pace high; a villain who has the exact same sense of humor as Andrea and Kate - and wasn't as charmed as I usually am.

      For me the real problem was Andrea and Raphael. The novel takes place in the wake of a bitter break-up. Both Raphael and Andrea want to get back together. But, after a brief bout of maturity right at the beginning of the book, both Andrea and Raphael spend most of the novel teasing one another spitefully and hurting one another. It's totally in character for both of them, and realizing this made me like Andrea less. She'd always seemed so strong and capable to me but her POV was brittle, high strung, and a little insecure.

      Raphael on the other hand...I don't remember him that well from the Kate Daniels books, but he was a spoiled playboy right? Crazy and charming but unreliable? Because in GUNMETAL MAGIC he's transformed into this hardworking CEO who owns his own company and makes a lot of money, works long hours and never shows up to a meeting late. And I never felt like I understood him because on the one hand, he's apparently an upstanding, responsible businessman, but on the other hand, he mostly pulls spoiled playboy stunts like introducing Andrea to his airhead fiancée or scratching the word "MINE" into her furniture.

      But really, this is one of those "not for me" things. I'm just not a fan of people who break up and get back together dramatically. It's one of my least favorite things to witness in life, so not surprisingly, I don't enjoy the trope in fiction, either.

      As one last quibble...I think I'd hoped for something a little more different. I expect Kate Daniels books to feature villains culled from mythology, because that's Kate's battle. That's her world and her stand. I thought Andrea might face a different type of challenge, something more suited to her. And I thought that some of the subplots - the early, investigation-centric parts of the novel and her stress about joining the bouda pack - really fit the bill; I felt like I was seeing this world I'd come to know in a new light, from a new perspective.

      Ugh. This has turned into one of those reviews where I complain a lot even though I really did like the book. And I did, but in a comfort-read way rather than an edge-of-my-seat, blown-away way. I really loved seeing Kate and Curran through Andrea's eyes; I loved getting a full, vivid description of what Kate looks like, I loved seeing Julie from Andrea's point of view, and Ascanio. Having read MAGIC GIFTS before starting GUNMETAL MAGIC, I loved they way they intersected. That was very fun. I loved the humor and the one-liners.

      Certainly I recommend this to fans of the Kate series. There's no Kate novel this year, so we need our fix.
    • 5/5
      Set in the dystopian future of Atlanta, where magic comes and goes with tech taking over during down times. This is the story of Kate Daniels' best friend Andrea, told in her point of view. She is no longer connected to the order and is working as a P.I. for Kate and the pack. She is hired to investigate a break in and the deaths of shape shifter guards working for her ex-boyfriend. It leads to the big bad trying to get power and Andrea and her group of friends working to thwart this from happening. Very Kate Daniel like.

      Still the background story of her trying to come to terms with who she is and where she fits in, gives this a special flair. It is not just her ex-boyfriend, Rafael and her figuring out where they stand, but her figuring out where she stands with the pack. And now the she is not defined by the Order, how she can define herself.

      Different than Kate yet many of the same elements. This definitely was a romance whereas I don't consider Kate Daniels a romance though a romance happens in one of her books. Still the story holds the major part of the story at least 1/2 of the time. The romance part was a bit silly but also a bit fun. Her figuring out where she belongs, very good story there. And the story of the Big bad trying to get power, as always, exciting, engaging, and well told.

      Great read. Don't know if I like it better than a Kate story or not, excellent. I really liked Roman and want more of him, perhaps and novella or book?
    • 4/5
      Reviewed by: Rabid ReadsI’ve always enjoyed Andrea’s character in the Kate Daniels series but other than her gun fetish she comes across as being a little too tame to be able to be a bona fide Urban Fantasy heroine. In Gunmetal Magic, we see an entirely different side to her because now she’s free from The Order’s rules and trying to embrace her beastkin blood. I loved watching Andrea come to terms with her new life while in the midst of an impossible battle against a God and a hilariously crazy hyena courtship with Raphael. Ilona Andrews’ remarkable storytelling and trademark sense of humour are out in full force which pretty much guarantees that readers are going to enjoy the Kate Daniels World spin-off series just as much, if not more, than the original.Even though I’ve been following Andrea’s story for quite a while now in the Kate Daniels books I still felt like I was meeting her for the very first time. Her new found freedom from The Order definitely agrees with her and the fact that she’s also finally accepting her Bouda half helped too. I loved everything about this new and improved Andrea, from her Texan drawl right down to her f#@k it attitude about sporting fur in public. I was also happy to see that in spite of her willingness to now use her claws in a fight; her weapons of choice were still her guns. Andrea undergoes a remarkable amount of personal growth in this first installment and I enjoyed watching her work through her issues with The Pack, Raphael and her past.I won’t even bother trying to attempt to explain the explosive, action-y side to this novel’s plot line; for those of you who are familiar with Andrews’ writing, you know that us mere mortals can’t possibly do it justice with words. Just know that it was epic. Amidst all of the bloodshed, creative insults and one-liners fly, which makes this book as comical as it is entertaining. I loved Roman, the supposedly evil yet hysterically funny volhv who has a crush on Andrea. Raphael’s mating frenzy definitely doesn’t help matters either but the best by far was the purple shag carpet incident. Payback is a b*tch but payback hyena-style is something else entirely!I’d recommend reading the Kate Daniels books before diving into this one in order to get the full experience but rest assured that once you visit Ilona Andrews’ Atlanta you’ll never want to leave. In Gunmetal Magic Andrea makes her debut as a full blown Urban Fantasy heroine in and it is something truly awesome to behold.
    • 5/5
      Another really great one, this one first person POV Andrea Nash. Great story, great characters, humor, love, drama, fights. At the end there was a short story with Kate & Curran, which I also enjoyed very much.
      The only bad thing: Now it will be hard to wait for the next one...