Salute Your Shorts is a weekly (ish) feature hosted by Heidi at Bunbury in the Stacks. It highlights and reviews short stories and novellas, both of which don't receive too much attention in the blogosphere.
Author: Ilona Andrews
Rating: 5 Stars
I'll admit it: I was not a huge fan of Jim or Dali before Magic Dreams. I thought they were both interesting and endearing characters in their own right and while I sensed chemistry between them, I wasn't too bothered with them as a couple. After all, with Kate and Curran taking center stage, how could your thoughts stray to anyone who wasn't the Beast Lord and his Consort? ;) With Magic Dreams, however, Ilona Andrews gives us an opportunity to see a couple that is completely different to both Kate and Curran or Andrea and Raphael and I loved Dali and Jim all the more for their unique-ness.
While both Kate and Andrea tend to be kick-ass heroines, fighting their way out of tough situations and only complementing the supreme prowess of their partners, Dali's strength lies in her intelligence. After all, she is a half-blind white tiger. Thus, her vulnerability is instantly palpable, making her an endearing character that simply continues to grow on you as the novella wears on. With Magic Dreams, it is up to Dali and her strong magical abilities to save the day - or more accurately, Jim, the jaguar alpha of her pack who she's in love with.
Magic Dreams had its fair share of action, along with a healthy dose of Indonesian mythology thrown in, but what made it the best of all the Kate Daniels novellas for me was simply Dali and Jim. Firstly, their relationship is so different from that of anyother Ilona Andrews romance, which I adored, and their conversations kept me grinning like a fool. Plus, it's always fun when mothers decide to butt into their daughter's love lives and I loved seeing Dali's mother play such an amusing role in this one. Jim, too, is such a different type of hero; equally as attractive as Curran and Raphael, but perhaps less obvious about his feelings.
It was this unlikely romance that utterly won me over, as well as the manner in which Jim tried to convince Dali that she was perfect, exactly the way she was, with or without beauty and fighting prowess. It's nice to know that nerdy girls can get the crazy hot guys too! ;) If nothing else, Magic Dreams has made me want the untitled, unplanned, and oh-so-far-away novel all about Jim and Dali - why can't it just release now? I'm convinced I'll never get tired of Ilona Andrews and I can only hope that they never get tired of making money, because their books to me are like chocolate for desert; rare, deserved, and incredibly worth the wait.
While both Kate and Andrea tend to be kick-ass heroines, fighting their way out of tough situations and only complementing the supreme prowess of their partners, Dali's strength lies in her intelligence. After all, she is a half-blind white tiger. Thus, her vulnerability is instantly palpable, making her an endearing character that simply continues to grow on you as the novella wears on. With Magic Dreams, it is up to Dali and her strong magical abilities to save the day - or more accurately, Jim, the jaguar alpha of her pack who she's in love with.
Magic Dreams had its fair share of action, along with a healthy dose of Indonesian mythology thrown in, but what made it the best of all the Kate Daniels novellas for me was simply Dali and Jim. Firstly, their relationship is so different from that of anyother Ilona Andrews romance, which I adored, and their conversations kept me grinning like a fool. Plus, it's always fun when mothers decide to butt into their daughter's love lives and I loved seeing Dali's mother play such an amusing role in this one. Jim, too, is such a different type of hero; equally as attractive as Curran and Raphael, but perhaps less obvious about his feelings.
It was this unlikely romance that utterly won me over, as well as the manner in which Jim tried to convince Dali that she was perfect, exactly the way she was, with or without beauty and fighting prowess. It's nice to know that nerdy girls can get the crazy hot guys too! ;) If nothing else, Magic Dreams has made me want the untitled, unplanned, and oh-so-far-away novel all about Jim and Dali - why can't it just release now? I'm convinced I'll never get tired of Ilona Andrews and I can only hope that they never get tired of making money, because their books to me are like chocolate for desert; rare, deserved, and incredibly worth the wait.
I didn't know about this feature!! It seems great. I know about this series and I'm planing to read it. I know you like this series :) Great review! :D
ReplyDeleteI decided to try this series and started book one but I didn't give it much time or attention! I think I need to re-try it because I KNOW you love it! I'm glad there a bunch of stories to get to eventually!
ReplyDeleteAhhhh! I need to read this Keertana! I love Jim and Dali, and I'm BEYOND excited that they're getting their own book, I had no idea! I knew about this short, but didn't know a full length novel was planned for down the line. WIN. So glad you love this writing team as much as I do, we shall never tire of them together:)
ReplyDeleteI haven't read this series yet, but it's on my wishlist. Oh this sounds like there is going to be a novella added to that list! So need to meet these characters.
ReplyDeleteOh I love slightly unexpected and unconventional romances. And mothers are getting involved here, too? Sounds very entertaining! ;) I'm glad you had such a great time with Dali and Jim. Lovely review, Keertana!
ReplyDeleteOh, yes, these two are one of the most unlikely couples in genre literature, and yet they somehow fit perfectly. It says a lot about Ilona and Gordon that they make it work like they do.
ReplyDeleteThere was some talk about a full Jim and Dali novel, but once they signed for another 3 Kate books, that kind of went down the drain. Ah, well.
Also, missed you!
It's nice to know that nerdy girls can get the crazy hot guys too! <--Right?!
ReplyDeleteOMG I LOVED this one. Seriously. This was my favorite of all the novellas set in this world, and it made me just hold my breath for those rare glimpses of these characters in recent Kate books.
NEW KATE THIS MONTH!!