The Kinsmen Universe by Ilona Andrews is an anthology featuring the first two books from the Kinsmen series as well as a new short story. I eagerly devoured each of the stories included and look forward to the next adventure in this unique world.
Family is everything. Talent is power. And revenge is sweet. This post contains affiliate links you can use to purchase the book. If you buy the book using that link, I will receive a small commission from the sale.
Title: The Kinsmen Universe
Author(s): Ilona Andrews
Series: Kinsmen #1 #2
Also in this series: Fated Blades
Published by NYLA on December 31, 2018
Pages: 235
Genre(s): Romance, Sci-Fi
Source: Scribd
Format: eBook 
Purchase: Amazon|Audible
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In a distant, future world Kinsmen-small powerful groups of genetically and technologically advanced families-control vast financial empires. They are their own country, their own rulers, and their only limits are other Kinsmen. The struggle for power is a bloody, full-contact sport: in business, on the battlefield...and sometimes in the bedroom.
Silent Blade Old hatreds die hard. Old love dies harder.
On the planet Rada, Meli Galdes' family is of minor rank, and were relying on her marriage to Celino, the razor-smart, ruthless leader of the powerful Carvanna empire. When he abruptly breaks their engagement, he ruins her family and guarantees that Meli will never marry, as no suitor will oppose the rich and influential Carvannas.
But Meli has a rare, secret, lethal-and valuable-talent. As a melder of energy, she's capable of severing anything in her path. So she 'leaves' her family and trains to become one of the best and most lethal of assassins, all the while covertly guarding her family's interests. Now she's ready to quit; but she has one more assignment.
To kill the man who ruined her life.
Silver Shark Claire Shannon is a killer...and her weapon is her mind.
Born on a planet torn by war for over 300 years, Claire is a soldier: a psycher, with the ability to read, control, and destroy the minds of enemy psychers and to infiltrate the biological network where they battle to death.
When Claire's faction loses the war, she barely escapes extermination from both sides, as her talent brands her as too dangerous to society. By so-deeply burying her ability that she avoids detection, Claire is instead deported to Rada as a refugee, where she must find work to remain. She finds a job as personal assistant to Venturo Escana, a premiere kinsman; one of Rada's most wealthy entrepreneurs—and most powerful psychers.
She thought she had left war behind, but now she must hide her skills and her growing feelings from Venturo...and this battle might just cost her everything...
A Mere Formality The leader of the fierce Reigh people expires during an intergalactic summit, putting 30 million colonists' lives and livelihoods in jeopardy. When the new heir to the Reigh throne, Lord Nagrad, demands restitution, the phrase "'a life for a life" turns the intergalactic calamity into an arranged marriage contract between Lord Nagrad and sharply intelligent diplomatic analyst Deirdre Lebed... and the negotiation of terms becomes anything but formal! 
Silent Blade
Silent Blade is the first book in the Kinsmen Universe. I had a good time with this short, but interesting tale. It sure packed a punch, despite its brevity. This installment delivered an enemies to lovers romance set in a unique world with interesting and unexpected turn of events.
Silent Blade introduces Meli and Celino. Meli possesses a unique gift, one which makes her lethal and the perfect assassin. After what she considered being her final assignment, she went into retirement. However, two months into her retirement, her family dangled a carrot, which proved hard to resist. Kill Celino Carvanna, the powerful leader of Carvanna Kinsmen and the man who ruined her.
The story hooked me from the first page and from that moment; I knew it was a winner. Silent Blade was a sweet, fun and sexy read. It featured relatable characters, whom I enjoyed meeting and learning what made them both tick. The author is known for creating unique and interesting worlds, and Silent Blade was no different. This world was fun and I definitely would love to revisit it.
To conclude, Silent Blade was a great start to the Kinsmen Universe. The story wrapped up with a satisfying finish. Fans of the author will want to add this to their reading list.
Silver Shark
Silver Shark is the second book in the Kinsmen series. This installment focuses on Kinsmen called psychers. The things they can do with their minds will astound you.
The story introduces Claire Shannon, a Kinsman and a psycher. Taken from her mother at fourteen and forced to train and fight in the war between rival corporations. Then the war ends abruptly with her faction on the losing end and now she faces imminent death. To avoid this outcome, she assumed her mother’s identity and masked her abilities. This act resulted in her deportation to a planet named RADA. She suppressed her abilities despite all the probes, but then she was hired as the personal assistant to Venturo Escana, a Kinsman leader and powerful psycher.
This was such a fun read. Excitement, suspense, secrets and sexual tension permeated the pages. The characters from Silent Blade made a brief appearance. It was good catching up with them. It was interesting seeing how the events unfolded. Venturo’s reaction to his discovery of Claire’s secret was priceless. The story wrapped up nicely and left me wanting more of this intriguing world.
A Mere Formality
A Mere Formality, although included in the Kinsmen Universe Anthology, is available to read for free on the author’s website. A short and quirky read, which was written as a joke based on a dare.
This story is based on strategies without the battles. The strategies are based on sexual positions without the action. The details of which were rather funny. An interesting tale with a satisfying outcome.
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About Ilona Andrews
Gordon and Ilona currently reside in Oregon with their two children, three dogs and a cat. They have co-authored two series, the bestselling urban fantasy of Kate Daniels and romantic urban fantasy of The Edge.
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At some point I’ll have to read more books by this author. As of now I’ve only read one but I liked it.
Yes, I think you should. I too need to read more of their books.
This is definitely a series that I have been meaning to try. Looks like a decent addition to their library that I need to pick up and soon.
Great review.
Yes, it is amd I am sure you would enjoy it. Short and packs a punch.
I still need to read this writing team Nadene, one day LOL Thanks for sharing
Ah, I do hope you get the chance.
I still need to read Silver Shark, but I recently read the latest one, Fated Blades. I love the Kinsmen Universe, too. I’ll have to check out the ‘Dare’ story.
I am looking forward to reading Fated Blades.
Glad you enjoyed them, there are times that zipping through shorter tales can be just the ticket and quite satisfying