First Bites: Tidbits of American History for the Young and Young at Heart

By Dixie Moss

As young people begin studying Americas history, they often find themselves needing to learn and remember many facts. First Bites: Tidbits of American History for the Young and Young at Heart introduces an easy, fun way for them to learn about the important events of their countrys past.

Using playful rhymes, author Dixie Moss shares her lifelong love of history with young readers. Each poem is accompanied by comments about important events to help expand childrens knowledge. Dixie covers everything from the Mayflower to Paul Revere and from George Washington to wagons heading west.

First Bites offers just a small taste of all the information available about American history, but it is a start. The stories inside may fan a small flame into a fire of curiosity. The poems are accessible and entertaining, and their words humanize the great men and women of the past and teach children that they, too, can do great things.

• Language: English
• Publisher: LifeRich Publishing
• Release date: Jun 19, 2014
• ISBN: 9781489702074

Dixie Moss

Dixie Moss received her bachelor of arts degree from the University of Oregon in Eugene, where she studied writing and speech. She has worked as an elementary school librarian and homemaker. She is mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother to many, and lives in Sparks, Nevada.

Book preview

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Reviews for First Bites

[roses7184_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Let me, right here right now, profess my total adoration of Ms. Kate Daniels. Actually, scratch the Ms. title. She'd probably kick me in the chest for even considering titling her that. Kate is a kick-ass heroine of the highest caliber! She doesn't take crap from anyone, she has a wit to be contended with, but she has a huge heart too. Bleeding, hungry and exhausted, Kate will still kick your behind into next week if you mess with one of her friends. That's the type of person she is, and I completely love her for it!

Although she's not the greatest sleuth in the world (and she'll admit that to you outright if you ask), it's up to Kate to figure out who killed her guardian. Unfortunately for her, a lot of crazy things happen to make things even hard. Ilona Andrews builds a world that is both familiar and surreal at the same time. Atlanta has succumbed to waves of intense magic. Buildings crumble, otherworldly creatures appear often, and Kate is lucky enough to be right in the center of it all. Following her through her rather bumbling investigation was hilarious, intriguing, and amazing! I enjoyed every minute of it, even after I had already figured out what was going on.

Best part about our violent heroine? She's independent. Sure, men come and go in her life. They think they can woo her, because after all she is a woman. Right? Wrong. Kate Daniels knows what she deserves and she hasn't found it just yet. I'm not going to spoil anything, but let's just say that there are some delicious options for her! A lesser woman would have had quite a time staving off the affections of two gorgeous men. Hell, I did and I'm not even in the story!

At the end of the day I totally loved Magic Bites! I was a little confused initially because of all the info that is packed into this first installment, but I can easily tell you that I'll be back for more. Everything that Ilona Andrews gave me I ate up and I want so much more! Book two, here I come. More Kate, more sarcasm, more awesome. Bring it on.

[starknits_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I enjoyed this book and look forward to the next in the series, I hope we get more info into Kate's background and what she's running from and hiding

9/18- new read through! I enjoy how tough and smart ass Kate is.

[ladypembroke · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Interesting premise for a universe. I like that vampires are undead and awful. I like that dealing with the magical creatures is messy and complicated. I like that life for the rest of the world still goes on around the magic, and everyone keeps working to adapt. I had trouble connecting with Kate as a character, though, and I felt that some of the side characters were better fleshed out. I know some of that was due to maintaining a certain level of mystery around Kate, but at the same time, that mystery made her incomplete. Still, I enjoyed the writing in general, so I'll give the series a second chance.

[vonini_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I loved the world building in this book. It was very original and fresh. Having said that, I just couldn't get into the story. There were a few good parts, but for the most part, I found this to be pretty boring. A bit messy here and there too.

[anaelleg-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

4 stars (and a half?)

I'm not done with the Kate Daniels' series just yet, only halfway there actually, but I love it. I love the world they built and the relationships they developed between the different characters. Characters' growth is also a big part of it, although sometimes I'm a bit taken aback by Kate changing so much. She's still hands down one of my favourites main characters.
I also absolutely love all of the mythology surrounding and incorporated in each book, changing in every book but the whole still makes sense.
Last but not least, urban fantasy. The mixture of magic and tech and all that comes from both waves is entertaining and mind-blowing at the same time, although it took me a while to get the hang of it. Hence the lacking star for that first book. The world they've built is huge and full of so many kinds of characters that I got lost more than a handful of times reading it, while the following books always have short descriptions as reminders of specifics of the world we're in.

All in all, I would still recommend the whole series of Kate Daniels. If you're thinking it's a bit tiring not to get all the references, hold in there. The second book already gives you reminders and helps you understand the still-mysterious bits. I'm sure you'll love it.

[rabidreads · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Reviewed by: Rabid ReadsBetween Ilona Andrews’ killer writing style and Renée Raudman’s outstanding performance I never stood a chance at standing up against the awesomeness that is Magic Bites. I wasted no time in writing my review for this one because Magic Burns is already calling my name and I didn’t want to get the books mixed up. First-rate world building, unique spins on the usual paranormal suspects (i.e. vamps and shapeshifters) and a heroine who’s as skilled with a sword as she is with her smart mouth are only a few of the things that this novel has going for it. I don’t really need a new series to obsess over but I think I found one all the same!From the moment I first set foot inside Kate Daniels’ universe I knew that I was a goner. Andrews blends paranormal and fantasy elements together to create a world that’s all her own. It’s clear that before she started writing this series, Ilona put a lot of thought into the mechanics of her fictional reality by establishing set rules that govern the tech and magic waves. The learning curve was pretty steep in the beginning and I have to admit that I did struggle with the large number of terms that are introduced early on. Having listened to the audio version of this story I can’t help but wonder if I missed out on the hardcopy’s glossary. That being said, her world building alone makes this book a 5 star read.I can’t come up with enough glowing adjectives to do Renée Raudman’s performance justice as the narrator of this story. She stepped into Kate Daniels’ shoes as though they were her own and seamlessly adopted the heroine’s personality quirks. All of her character voices are distinctive yet consistent and she even goes that extra mile by playing with her pitch whenever someone is mumbling or shouting. Raudman does an impressive job of conveying the darkness of this story and succeeds in being truly creepy when the plot demands it.After reading this first installment I can now understand why Kate is at the top of many readers’ favourite heroine lists. Her problems with authority, sarcastic inner monologues and motto of “stab first, ask questions later” make her my ideal female protagonist. When I wasn’t laughing at her snarky one-liners I was marveling at her impressive fighting skills.Magic Bites was everything that my fellow book reviewers told me that it would be. Once again I find myself stuck eating a piece of humble pie for having doubted them. Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to start Magic Burns.

[devilwrites · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The premise: plucked from the authors' website: Atlanta would be a nice place to live, if it weren’t for magic . . .One moment magic dominates, and cars stall and guns fail. The next, technology takes over and the defensive spells no longer protect your house from monsters. Here skyscrapers topple under onslaught of magic; werebears and werehyenas prowl through the ruined streets; and the Masters of the Dead, necromancers driven by their thirst of knowledge and wealth, pilot blood-crazed vampires with their minds.In this world lives Kate Daniels. Kate likes her sword a little too much and has a hard time controlling her mouth. The magic in her blood makes her a target, and she spent most of her life hiding in plain sight. But when Kate’s guardian is murdered, she must choose to do nothing and remain safe or to pursue his preternatural killer. Hiding is easy, but the right choice is rarely easy . . .My RatingGive It Away: close to worth the cash, but I've been told the second book is better, so maybe I was predisposed to read with caution. And don't worry, I'm reading the second book whenever I get my hands on it. Despite some of the odd plot problems and some confusion on my part regarding the world-building (and a heroine who needs lessons from Miss Manners), I was entertained by the story, which moved at such a fast pace that I pretty much finished the book in 24 hours. One note of warning to potential readers is that this urban fantasy is more dark fantasy than not, and if you're more in the paranormal romance camp, you'll probably want to stay away from this one, because it is NOT paranormal romance, and has more horror than you may care for. It didn't bother me, but after reading some reviews on Amazon, I learned it bothered others. The world-building is pretty solid and original, and I hope later books get into it more. There's a lot of promise here, so I'll be happy to read the second. Review style: As far as plot goes, it's a rather simple story and for that matter, a short book. Spoilers are inevitable for this one, so if those bother you, then there's no need to click the link to my LJ below. But if you've already read it and/or spoilers don't bother you, then swing on by! As always, comments and discussion are most welcome. :)REVIEW: Ilona Andrews's MAGIC BITESHappy Reading! :)

[letora · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Kate Daniels is a mercenary with a mouth as sharp as her sword. She lives in a world where magic and technology cannot co-exist. When magic is running rampant, almost all technology shuts down until it draws back. The city of Atlanta is falling apart. Buildings have collapsed from the constant struggle between magic and technology. And something is stalking the streets killing shapechangers and vampires, bringing the city close to an all-out war between the two groups of supernatural creatures. That same something killed Kate's guardian, and now she is on the hunt for whoever, or whatever killed him.Kate might be small, but don't mistake her for being weak. She will challenge anyone who gets in her way to finding the truth. Of course, she doesn't always think before she speaks, and it can put her in some precarious situations. Especially with Curran, Lord of the shapeshifters. Being the alpha means no challenge can go without being met, and Kate doesn't hesitate to mouth off to him.While Kate tries to navigate pack politics, she'll have to also deal with The People. Necromancers who pilot vampires. In this series, vampires are not walking around talking and charming the pants off unsuspecting mortals. They are nothing more than blood-sucking shells that must be controlled by a necromancer, or else be reduced to a blood-lusting rage. I enjoyed the creep factor brought in by the vampires, almost the polar opposite to any other urban fantasy series.I read this series when it first came out, and never got around to finishing it. This time, I'm committed to the end. I can't wait to see how the series develops and what else this world holds.

[chaoticbooklover · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I picked this book up on a recommendation. At first I was really into the book and couldn't walk away from it, then things started to get a little slow for me. To me there was a lot of repeating and useless info.

Kate is a great main character and while I wasn't too clear on the whole issue with her blood, I did connect with her. I loved that she knew to be afraid of things, but that she never let on just how afraid she was. The magic in the book confused me and I couldn't really grasp onto it.
I wasn't sure about the vampires, and really after reading so many vampire books this one threw me a little. Mindless creatures controlled by the People were a big stretch for me, though I can see the appeal and know that at least the vampires won't be love interests in this book!!
The shapechangers ( love that name by the way) were a great surprise, and who wouldn't want to kiss and kill the Lord of the Free Beasts? Curran was a great addition to the book and I would have loved to see a little more tension between him and Kate, but that kiss was a good one!!
All in all, I did enjoy the book and would recommend it for a quick read!

[rabidgummibear-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I loved this book. It was the perfect blend of paranormal future and detective work. My love for it may be partial to being from GA and it taking place there. It's based in a world where magic and technology exist but there are fluxes in the magic where technology doesn't work. Includes a super sexy shapeshifter male and a stubborn strong female lead. It's a wonderful book I stayed up all night to finish it and bought the next in the series immediately.

[bettesbooks · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I am new to fantasy-magic-shapechanger-etc. I found it slow to start and had to force myself to continue reading I was glad I did when I reached the blockbuster end! Suspense, adventure, mystery entwined in a world made real by gifted authors.

[jlharmon · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Woah. This was way grittier than I expected. And I kinda liked it. People looking into my car during a particularly gory scene probably thought I was crazy though. So much cringing. So basically, the premise is that magic comes to the world in waves creating a post apocalyptic society. Technology doesn't work when magic does. So people can drive cars when there's no magic, but have to ride horses or special magic cars during a magic wave. There are were-creatures, vampires, sorcerers, zombies, and love triangles. Basically it hits all the buzzwords. Maybe because I listened to the audiobook, but I found the action scenes hard to follow at times. And actions scenes were like 1/3 of the book. But the world building was excellent and the story exciting.

[pnrlist · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I already love this series. Diving straight into the next.

[blodeuedd_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I finally got to meet Curran, it seems that everywhere I look there is always talk about Curran, and what a man he is. And he wasn't that shabby.For a quick summary. Kate Daniels hunts down out of control magical beasts and so on. She can kick some serious ass, and she has magic. But then her guardian is killed and she heads to Atlanta to find the murderer. Here she meets Curran and his shifters, yay, and the vampires.I must say that I would have liked some more info about how things came to pass. It seems that magic came back to the world with a bang, and that meant shifters and vampires too. Magic prevents cars from running when there is a big flow coming through the city, electricity is not what is used to be. Now one has to rely on magic, until the day is goes away again. So a story set in a near future, but a future that is totally different. I liked this even if I wanted more. She explained at one time why phones works sometimes and that is because people can't understand how they work, it's just like magic, so they work when magic prevents other things from working. That gave me a pretty good idea about the world. And what a world, riding a horse through a crumbling city, people trying to work magic, and evil things coming through the cracks.The romance is there but not that much, there is this other guy first. And then there is Curran, those two sure has a lot of chemistry, or they really dislike each other. The bantering is hilarious and she is punching some great lines there.Magic is everywhere, society is really different, and that means that this is a book has created something really interesting in concern to what if worlds. Because what if magic came back after being gone for millennia? The heroine is kickass, the action is good, and soon there is a mystery with her origin that I am dying to find out more about. Still not the best first book, but I have been told the rest are so much better. For that they are worth it.Final thoughts: Not in love with Curran, sorry all, I am more in love with the fascinating world

[lll808 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I've read various reviews that this Urban Fantasy tale is on the dark side and I agree but again I love it. For the romance addicts (like myself) there is promise of it to come and it is good enough for me. The character development is ace. I am a sucker for strong heroines who can clean up nice but also doesn't care about clothes, makeup and all that jazz. A tough female mercenary? What's not to love. Bring it on!The action is well paced and exciting- exciting much that I continued to forget that Kate has a secret that all through Book one has not been revealed. What normally would nag at me didn't seem to because of everything going on. Who is Kate's real father? and what is he that her blood needs to be destroyed before placed in the wrong hands? Gosh, I am intrigued to no end!

[gilroy_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I picked this book up on a recommendation. Someone told me if I liked Dresden, I'd like this series. While both series are dark, this one offers less details than Dresden, the humor definitely lacks on many levels, and I just didn't feel as drawn to the world as I do with Dresden. IF I had read this book first, I doubt I'd have continued reading in the urban fantasy genre at all.For a first book in a series, its not bad, but the world doesn't get fleshed out very well. Too many of the plot lines contain holes that I could step through, remain unresolved. It leaves a lot to be desired.As a writer, it offers ideas on how to better engage your reader, as I didn't feel drawn to any of these characters. It also encourages one to make sure that all plot holes remain tied, unless that plot hole remains for the next novel. These holes that this writer left didn't feel like they'd extend past that first book.I label this as meh.

[altheaann · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Read because it was a book club selection. I'd heard good things about the author, so I was happy to check out the first in this popular series.

Well... it wasn't bad. What I said in my book club: "Kate Daniels" is like "Anita Blake" for people who don't like reading about explicit sex. It seems like these days, there is a virtual glut of these heroines... it's not a genre I always go out of my way to seek out, but I thought this Ilona Andrews book was also comparable to (although also superior to) books I've read by Patricia Briggs, Kelley Armstrong and Chloe Neill.

"Magic Bites" introduces us to an intriguing near-future which is subject to 'waves' of magic. The emergence of this magic has wreaked a certain degree of chaos on society, as it is unpredictable as to whether supernatural energies or technology will be ascendant at any given time. Along with magic, supernatural beings are now part of the new normal - and some of them are highly dangerous. I very much appreciated how the world was handled, without too much 'telling.' What's taken for granted by our protagonist, Kate, is taken for granted by the narrative, and the reader just has to catch on. It's done well.

Kate is a strong, independent, smart-ass young mercenary. She wields a sword as well as having magical powers. She's previously been offered a good job working with an organized magical agency, but has turned it down due to her (proudly-held) attitudes regarding authority. But now, her guardian, who worked at said agency, has been murdered. Kate must team up with his former colleagues in order to unravel the mystery and solve the crime.

If you're a fan of the genre (urban, paranormal/supernatural fantasy investigation with a hint of romance) this checks off all the boxes that you probably want ticked, and is done quite competently. However, for me, it didn't really transcend the genre. It was a good piece of entertainment, but I didn't fall in love with the characters enough to rush out and find the sequels.

[ankhet_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

In this, Ilona Andrews' first novel, there is magic in the world, and it does not like technology. Set in Atlanta in the not-too-distant future, Magic Bites tells of a world where magic comes in waves, alternating with "tech" (times when technology works). Because of this influx of magic, there are certain agencies which have been created to deal with new magical problems such as harpies, dragons, and the occasional salamander-wielding arsonist. One such agency is the Order of Knights of Merciful Aid, a highly-structured system which "helps" citizens who cannot afford any other aid. Another magical clean-up agency is the Mercenary Guild, to which Kate Daniels belongs.When Kate's oldest friend and sometime-protector Greg is murdered, Kate takes on a mission to figure out why and how he died, and to avenge his murder. Kate's investigations bring her to the Order - which she left several years beforehand due to "authority issues". They put her in league with the Pack (shapeshifters who have conquered their beasts and retain their humanity), and have her facing off against the city's Masters of the Dead (necromancers and their vampire drones) in a battle for the city - and her life.The story contained within Magic Bites is interesting, and I love Andrews' conceptualization of magic colliding with our technology-laden world. However, it all could have used slightly more editing, or more writing, or...well, something. There were a few parts where I was unclear as to how the characters got to a certain conclusion, and the narrator is constantly hinting at things which we are never told. Perhaps these hints will be further explained in forthcoming books, and I hope they are. This is an interesting series: I have already started on the next book, and hope that Andrews publishes more volumes of Kate's story.

[les121 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A great start to a promising urban fantasy series. It's well written with a creative setting, fast paced plot, and intriguing characters. I liked that the heroine is no Mary Sue and I can't wait to find out more about her mysterious heritage. The story's central focus is on action and detective-ing with just a hint of romance, a style that reminds me of a cross between the Dresden Files and the Mercy Thompson books. I greatly enjoyed it and I hope the other books in this series will be as good as the first.

[stephxsu · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

25-year-old Kate Daniels works the occasonal odd job as a mercenary, tracking down magical creatures gone awry near Atlanta, Georgia, which is constantly switching between magic and tech states. When her powerful mentor turns up dead, Kate gets into a case that has her fraternizing with the two powerful magic "clans" that rule the city: the People, necromancers with the ability to control vampires and zombies, and the Pack, enormous and powerful shapeshifters. Just who--or what--is taking vampires and shapeshifters from both sides, and can Kate track down the killer before an all-out war erupts and tears Atlanta apart?ReviewI think if I could only read one urban fantasy series for the rest of my life, it would be this one. And that's probably not even a legitimate claim I should make, since my experience with UF has been limited so far (changing this summer though). But Magic Bites is smooth, witty, and even--dare I say it?--sweet at appropriate moments. It is truly a respectable accomplishment in UF.Kate's world is an easy one to get lost in. Ilona Andrews does a fantastic job of world-building so that you never doubt even for a second that this could exist. Kate herself is an excellent protagonist, with just the right touch of strength, snark, sexy kick-butt abilities, and vulnerability. Indeed, both the world-building and the characterization in this book are so good that it's hard to decide which one is better, which one made this book for me. Supporting characters are highly memorable, branding themselves in my mind even a week after I finished the book. I can't wait to delve into the future books in the series and catch up with them all again, as I'm sure they'll give me no end to the entertainment, suspense, and envy that [[Ilona Andrews]] can write so well.Aside from occasionally over-written passages (lush descriptions and UF don't mix too well) and a plot that sometimes meandered (though I could barely detect, what with the terrific narration going on), I can't really think of anything else wrong with this novel. When I reluctantly finished this book, I immediately began to look about acquiring the other books in the series. I have no doubt that I will finish this series by the end of summer, and then I'll join the legion of fans breathlessly waiting for the next book in the series.

[lavinient · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Great start to an urban fantasy series. The heroine, Kate, is strong and sarcastic without being annoying. The mythology is presented at a nice pace and without me going "huh?" The mystery she is working on is interesting, and I was actually surprised at the bad guy reveal. And the potential love interest is very crush-worthy.

[cherrymischievous · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is the first book of the Kate Daniels story which I recently realized that I haven't reviewed yet! So this is a retrospective review hence I've read this book ages ago and it just keeps getting better! Click here is my review of the most recent release of this series, Magic Bleeds. This review applies to all the books in the series. ;)Masterpiece. The story telling quality is very compelling and I would give it a 5 out of 5. The author weaves a magical world of Atlanta and make it seem all too possible. I would give the world building a 5 out of 5. The story leaves you with characters which walks around a readers' head long after you've read the book that you can't wait for the next installment to get published! I would give the character building another 5 out of 5.

[cmwilson101 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Magic Bites by Ilona Andrews is a captivating book about Kate Daniels, a mercenary (merc) who helps to clean up messes caused by magic in a post-apocalyptic Atlanta. Kate is tough as nails with a sarcastic streak, but vulnerable as well. The world is described in beautiful detail. It is facinating, gorgeous, and full of supernatural creatures of all sorts. If you are thinking Twilight, think again -- Ilona Andrew's world is dark and dangerous, her vampires are ugly, vicious half-animals, and the magic is terrible and powerful. I have only read the first book, but I am already dreading the end of the series.

[emblue-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I enjoyed the characters and was interested in the story, but didn't completely care for the author's writing style. Not sure what it was exactly, but it just wasn't smooth -- I struggled to get through it at times. I'll probably still read others in the series, but I won't be rushing to do so right now. I'd give it a 2.5 if I could.

[irrhapsodi · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Mmm, liked female protagonist's characterization. Initially, it seemed like an overdone 'hard-boiled, down-on-their-luck' detective. But that was saved by her shows of encyclopedic knowledge, absolutely appropriate wariness in her seriously fucked up post-apocalyptic world, and knowing when to cut the wise-cracking and level with people. And she just kicked ass and got her ass kicked because she was never afraid to get dirty or hurt.

I also loved the completely unromantic, monstrous descriptions of vampires and werepeople. The narrator has no love for, attraction to, or secret identity as one of these waaaay too over-represented fantasy/paranormal denizens. Speaking of, liked the meld of history and mythology, and the motley collection of fantastical creatures and beings.

[reading_fox · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Fun, fairly standard urban fantasy (not quite paranormal romance but I'm sure we'll get there). Somewhat marred by a little bit of inattention from the author/editor. Which subtracts from the fun of the final third. Very fast set-up this reads very much like a mid-series book, with a lot of backstory unexplained, there could easily have been five or six prior books setting up the opening. Instead we're dumped straight inot Kate's world and just have to figure it out as we go along.Kate is however completely grounded and used to living in what is quite an odd set-up surrounding Atlanta.. Sometime the Magic came, and life as we knew it changed. However the Magic didn't stay, and now it pulses in waves of a day or so. She's on her own, all her family including a power father have died. She doesn't make friends easily, and lives on occasional contracts from a mercenary guild, sorting out problems people have with the magic - mostly monsters of some form. But the opening scene already gets the reader thinking about the world building, and sadly contains some of the consistency flaws, that mar the ending. Kate receives news that Greg, The/A/Her Knight Protector is dead. It's the confusion between her having a specific knight that she knows and is specially involved with, versus the plot which seems he's just a functionary with the Order. The story fairly randomly switches between the two. Equally Kate's been involved with the order before and thrown out on her ear, but has no problems rushing off to see them, where she's welcomed with open arms. She inherits a lot Greg's belongings but does little with them, including a flat in the city, although it had seemed she lived in the city anyway. A little investigation and it's clear both Vampires and Werewolves are involved.I liked the world. And most of the writing. The possibilities opened up by having magic fairly randomly present or not-accessible worked well and have a lot more to be explored, the consequences were well thought through, especially cars and phones. Just a little bit more editorial proof-reading and checking for consistency and clarity of sub-plot lines and this would have been excellent. It was fun and might try the next to see if it improves.

[becky_mckenna-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Urban fantasy is new to me, but I enjoyed this story. Kate Daniels is a mercenary in a dystopian/post-apocalyptic world affected by "flares" that disrupt modern day technology and destroy buildings not reinforced with magic. Shifters of all kinds, vampires and necromancers roam side by side with humans. Kate's investigating the violent death of her guardian when she meets the Curran, Lord of the Free Beasts. Together they learn her guardian's death is not the first of its kind.

I like how the author gives her creatures unique characteristics. These aren't your "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" vampires. My hair stood on end more than once. It's awesome when a book can do that. I liked Kate and I loved the paranormal elements of this book.

What I didn't like: I had a little trouble keeping up with all the details. There was a lot of world building and info dumping, which is why I took away a star, but I'm hooked on continuing the series.

If you like urban fantasy with lots of suspense, you'll love this!

[csmith0406-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

What starts as a book filled with painful and obvious urban fantasy cliches evolves into a fun read with a like able heroine and an interesting dystopian future world. I did not like the stereotypical alpha male romantic interest though.

[krau0098 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is the first book in the Kate Daniels series by Ilona Andrews. So far there are three books in this series; on her website Andrews says that she is under contract for 4 books right now. I listened to this as an audio book and the audio book quality was wonderful; the lady who reads it really captures Kate's personality. It was a fast-paced great book.Kate receives a message from one of The People asking her how her Guardian is. When she calls her Guardian she finds out he's been murdered. Kate is bent on vengeance and decides to join forces with the Order to investigate her Guardian, Greg's, death. She finds out that a number of shapechangers and vampires have also been killed and ends up on the track of a horrid legendary creature. Will the assistance of a crazy Crusader and the Beast Lord be enough for Kate to stop the evil threatening to rip Atlanta apart?This was a very well done book and a great debut novel. The characters are creative and engaging; and you can't help but like Kate's down to earth attitude, toughness, and dark sense of humor. There are some unexpected twists and turns in the plot that keep you on your toes; and the fight scenes are numerous and well-done. The world is also very creative; it's a world where tech and magic ebb and flow like the tides of the ocean. Magic is gaining hold and whenever magic is up; all tech stops working. This interesting alternative version of Earth makes things interesting and forces Kate to come up with creative solutions sometimes as she never knows what weapons and accessories will work at a given time.The descriptions in this book are not for the faint of heart; Andrews pull no punches when it comes to descriptions of gore, glistening intestines ooze and people are rended into pieces of meat. So if you don't like that type of thing I would stay clear. This book is also by no means a paranormal romance. Kate does go on some dates but that is about the little of the romance of the book; Kate just isn't that kind of girl. The biting humor in this book had me laughing out loud a number of times.Overall Andrews has created a very interesting world with a lot of depth. Her strong points are her creative characters, her awesome fight scenes, and the fast clip of the plot. The world she creates, while intriguing, is never really explained all that well. The plot could benefit from some more explanation about why the tech and magic wax and wane. Also there is a feeling of dread hanging over Kate as Kate takes so much care to keep her blood from her enemies; Kate's over-protection of her own blood is never explained very well and it was a bit frustrating to try and figure this out as well...I imagine we will get more information about this in the next book.A great series, I really enjoyed it. I am greatly looking forward to reading the next book. I liked it a lot better than some other paranormal series out there. For example I thought it was better than The Becoming (The Anna Strong Chronicles, Book 1) and Moon Called (Mercy Thompson, Book 1). For me it was about on par with Working for the Devil (Dante Valentine, Book 1) or Once Bitten, Twice Shy (Jaz Parks, Book 1); although both of those series have more romance in them than this book did.

[narilka · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Kate Daniels is a member of the Mercenary Guild, a sword for hire. She makes her living cleaning up paranormal problems that are always left over in the wake of a magic wave. When Kate's guardian is murdered her quest for justice draws her into the middle of a power struggle between two groups: the People and the Pack. In addition to her guardian there has been a series of other bizarre killings, each group blaming the other. With her guardian's murder somehow connected to it all Kate is feeling the pressure to solve the mystery before she becomes a target for asking to many questions.Magic Bites is the first book in the Kate Daniels series by Ilona Andrews. The setting is an alternate version of Atlanta. Magic has come to the world. It comes in waves and when it does, tech stops working. Lights go out, cars no longer run and many large buildings have fallen into ruin. Then magic ebbs and technology reigns again. Vampires exist, though vastly different that the typical irresistibly sexy bloodsuckers. While they still crave blood, vampires have devolved down to an almost insectoid intelligence level and are used as tools by the People, necromancers who can control them with magic as spies or as guards among other things. Then there is the Pack, a group of shapeshifters that go way beyond your average werewolf into almost any were-beast imaginable. Were-rats, bears, lynxes, hyenas and more. It is great to see a different twist on two common Urban Fantasy themes.Kate Daniels is a fun character. She's brash, makes wise cracks and can kick some serious ass. Kate also has magic in her blood, so much so that she goes to great lengths to keep it a secret and keep it out of the wrong hands. It takes a while for her magic abilities to show and they don't disappoint when they finally do. Her interactions with both the People and the Pack are alternately funny, bad ass and eye roll worthy. Her smart mouth gets her in trouble more often than not and she doesn't really learn from it. Even being outclassed Kate absolutely refuses to run away and does what it takes to get the job done. The other character that was quite fun is Curran, the Beast Lord. He is a great foil for Kate and they get under eachother's skin often. The mystery plot line is decent. Kate has to navigate through the two factions to determine who is friend and foe while following the evidence wherever it may lead. There is a bit of gore, a couple fast paced action scenes and a minor romance sub plot. It was a fun read and shows promise for future books.