This was a pretty solid 3 1/2 stars. It was excessively difficult for me to decide which way to go with it, as I was just a little disappointed I didn't like it more. But please allow me to explain my menagerie of mixed feelings... 
 Magic Bites is a medium-intensity Urban Fantasy taking place in some alternate version of Atlanta, in a world where the magical and the modern overlap and everyone is at least somewhat aware of it. Magic comes and goes, screwing with technology and generally making everyone's lives that much more potentially dangerous. The story is told entirely in first-person through the eyes of Kate Daniels--a Slayer-sword wielding mercenary who, for the purposes of this book, functions more as a fumbling supernatural investigator than her preferred job description: dispatcher of the more horrible things that go bump in the night. 
 "It's a reflex. Hear a bell, get food. See an undead, throw a knife. Same thing, really." Great quote. Sets us up nicely for Kate's mentality and branded sarcasm. I kind of liked Kate, but I never fully connected to or cared about her the way I normally prefer. She has mad skills, an arsenal of witty retorts, an utter disregard for fashion sense and feminine awareness...and an emotional range that left me longing for a Kristen Stewart movie. >.< Her motives and desires never really formed a cohesive layer of believability for me beyond the 'uber-special magical tough-girl' thing. I had similar issues with some of the side characters...it was difficult to decide if I liked anyone enough to actually root for their success/survival. 
 I do understand that this is the first book in the series, and to that end, it's purpose seems to lean largely toward world-building. There's no shortage of fantasy element intricacies and politics, for those who like that sort of thing. And I WAS impressed it didn't fall into the trap of sex-for-the-sake-of-sex, but I would have liked to see a little more base chemistry between some of the characters. I'd also have liked to have come away with a better grasp on the fantasy 'rules' of this particular world. 
 But to be clear, I thought there were more than enough good points to interest me in continuing into the series. The writing itself is a cut above. The dialogue is natural, the pacing well crafted, and the prose is smooth--even poetic at times. Plenty of potential!