While set in the Kate Daniels universe, this is not the Kate and Curran story the others have been. Instead, Ilona Andrews takes us into the life of Andrea as she struggles to redefine herself. Sure, she’s been a working member of Cutting Edge (Kate’s investigative firm) for a bit, but it’s something that was thrust on her when the Order of Knights of Merciful Aid discovered she was a closet shapeshifter.

Honestly, I’ve been waiting for this book for a while. Andrea caught my attention early on, not just because she’s Kate’s best friend, but also because she’s caught between worlds, belonging to none of them. In the Order, she had to lie about her very existence to become part of that community. In the Pack, they know exactly what she is, and are revolted by the concept. She’s beastkin, meaning her mother was a human shifter, but her father was a hyena, making her ties to the animal world stronger and her humanity in question.

All that comes up as side notes in the earlier Kate Daniels novels, whetting my appetite for more. Andrea is a ticking bomb, a situation not improved by her explosive relationship with the hyena pack crown prince, Raphael.

Gunmetal Magic tests Andrea to her limits and asks her to define who she is and how others are allowed to react to her. She has had a horrible distant past, the details of which are revealed in this novel, and a traumatic recent past. Add to that poor decisions in line with a history of hiding to protect herself (an odd trait in someone who charges out to save everyone else at the least excuse), and you have a wonderful novel of growth and exploration packed into a lively adventure and a tension filled relationship novel.

This one hit all my buttons, and in a very good way. It’s not a typical Kate novel–Andrea is a very different person than Kate–but it has the same in-your-face style with battling the forces of magic that attempt to wipe out all the good in humanity along with a complex personal journey that had me tied in knots, twisting between hope and despair. Well worth the read, and a beautiful realization of my desire to walk a mile in Andrea’s shoes.