fajrdrako | The Sword, the Shapechanger and a Dysfunctional Family...

I just read the fourth Kate Daniels novel, Magic Bleeds. Enjoyed it as much as the other four stories - counting "A Questionable Client" in the list. A few specific comments:

I wish I liked the covers more. The woman just doesn't look like my mental image of Kate Daniels. Not a problem: it's the insides of the book that count
So she's left the Order of the Knights of Merciful Aid because they don't think the not-quiet-human are 'people'. I love the idea of the Order, but I applaud this move. Bigots!
As sexy men go, Curran is, like so many romantic heroes, too good to be true. Still. Am I complaining? He's fun to read about.
Not much of Saiman in this one. No doubt Curran totally scared him off, and he does want to be on the good side of Kate. I like the way she refused his offer to be a business partner in the beginning, and accepts Curran's offer of a new job at the end. Nice symmetry.
I like the way her relationship with Saiman was rendered moot by his inability to love. I rather like Saiman, personally. Me with a penchant for men who are beautiful, glamourous and bad.
It was fun to see Kate all dressed up in her party gown for her 'date' with Saiman. And her prickly attitude. I felt quite sorry for Saiman. Still, he deserved it.
Nice sex scenes with Curran.
It was good to see Julie again, even if briefly. I would have liked to see Julie with Grendel. Family stuff, you know?
The situation with Andrea was pretty much left hanging. Something to look forward to in the next book. How long is this series going to be, anyway?
She actually got together with Curran. Amazing. And about time, too.
Loved the scene where Curran woke up, giving her advice on the legalities of a case.
Loved it that the villain was her Aunt Erra. Megalomaniac female villains are often very shallow in fantasy fiction, but I thought Erra was rather effective.
Why can't Kate shape blood like her aunt can? Is it that she hasn't tried?
I assume we are gearing up for a battle royale between Kate and Roland. Surely she has attracted his attention by this time. Or do he and Erra not communicate?
I loved Grendel, but he sort of disappeared from the story at some point. I'd have liked him to be there in the last few chapters.
I liked the way Erra used her minions/sons as puppets, like the People do. Nice plotting there.
I'd like to see Kate with her own blood armour. That was cool. So visual.