Gwen’s review of Black Magic Sanction (Rachel Morgan and The Hollows, Book 8 ) by Kim Harrison
Urban fantasy hardcover released by Eos 23 Feb 10, mass market paperback release 28 Dec 10

The Hollows series is a guilty pleasure for me.  Rachel Morgan’s life is such a hot mess, it never fails to make me feel better about mine. Plus, it’s entertaining as hell to read about Rachel pissing everyone off and still managing to make them like her. 

In this entry, Rachel is fighting the war for her life on so many fronts it’s a little difficult to keep track of all the players.  The coven is trying to kill her for what she knows. Trent Kalamack is trying to kill her for what she’s done to him. Her almost boyfriend Pierce appears to not be on her side. And Al, the demon, is just having fun with Rachel by threatening her and all the people she loves, while at the same time, teaching her about demon magic.  It’s a trip reading about Rachel’s world and wondering how embattled one witch can be and still survive.

This entry in the Rachel Morgan world is a very entertaining one. In earlier novels, the story would drag  at times – like when Rachel would have the never ending navel lint inspection regarding her relationship with Ivy (I always say “Get over it already!” – nobody listened). We’re carried along as Rachel is gutted emotionally by her own paranormal community and then finds out they weren’t really serious about it after all.

If you’re a fan of this series, I highly recommend reading this book.  It sets up some fun action in the next entry and is really very entertaining.  If you haven’t read the previous books, you may not want to start with this one – the story is pretty involved and understanding Rachel is not a simple thing.

But for you fans out there? Read it.  The mass market paperback of this hardcover is releasing in a few days.

Grade: A

Read other information on this series by following its tag here.

Summary:

In New York Times bestselling author Kim Harrison’s most complex and nuanced adventure yet, bounty hunter and witch Rachel Morgan fights a deadly battle—mind, body, and soul

Rachel Morgan has fought and hunted vampires, werewolves, banshees, demons, and other supernatural dangers as both witch and bounty hunter—and lived to tell the tale. But she’s never faced off against her own kind . . . until now.

Denounced and shunned for dealing with demons and black magic, her best hope is life imprisonment—at worst, a forced lobotomy and genetic slavery. Only her enemies are strong enough to help her win her freedom, but trust comes hard when it hinges on the unscrupulous tycoon Trent Kalamack, the demon Algaliarept, and an ex-boyfriend turned thief.

It takes a witch to catch a witch, but survival bears a heavy price.

Read an excerpt here.

Other books in the series, in reading order (all links for mass market paperback where available):

C2 started it off, but I’ve got a list as well!  (And my choices are way better than hers.)  2008 was a great year for books, but here’s my top 10:

The Outlaw Demon Wails (The Hollows, Book Six) by Kim Harrison
Urban fantasy released by EOS 26 Feb 2008

Kim Harrison keeps this series going storng with an entry that solves a lot of ongoing questions and to open new ones. The paperback is now available with a bonus story just in time to reread for the release of White Witch, Black Curse.

Dark Needs at Night’s Edge (The Immortals After Dark, Book Four) by Kresley Cole
Paranormal romance released by Pocket 1 Apr 08

It was a toss-up between this and Dark Desires After Dusk. With this year’s releases, Cole set the bar high for Kiss of a Demon King. Seriously, any paranormal romance fan needs these two on their shelves.

Lament: The Faerie Queen’s Deception by Maggie Stiefvater
Young adult fantasy released by Flux 1 Oct 08

This debut has faeries, violence, music, and romance. What more can one ask for?

Dreaming Again edited by Jack Dann
Speculative fiction anthology released by EOS 30 Sept 08

Australia’s literary scene rocks hardcore. Here some of its best authors serve up 35 excellent stories. This anthology contains no misses.

Generation Dead by Daniel Waters
Paranormal young adult released by Hyperion 6 May 08

Zombies, high school, and sociology come together for a humorous novel that will stay with you for awhile after you finish.

Madhouse (Cal Leandros, Book Three) by Rob Thurman
Urban fantasy released by ROC 26 Feb 08

Just read this series. Please.

Delicious by Sherry Thomas
Historical romance released by Bantam 29 July 08

Another author with two brilliant releases to choose between -this and her debut Private Arrangements. Both are terrific, but only this one makes me hungry. Food porn and romance is a winning combination.

Embrace the Night (Cassandra Palmer series, Book Three) by Karen Chance
Urban fantasy released by ROC 1 Apr 08

This series really hit its stride with this book. Chance also debuted anther series with the excellent Midnight’s Daughter.

Undone by Brooke Taylor
Young adult released by Walker Books for Young Readers 22 July 08

Taylor’s debut is emotionally strong, which any romance reader can appreciate.

Paper Towns by John Green
Young adult released by Dutton Juvenile 16 Oct 08

Green understands the nerd lifestyle, strong females, and what makes a good story. I don’t know if the man is capable of writing a book that isn’t made of win.

Honorable Mentions

Wicked Game by Jeri Smith-Ready
Urban fantasy released by Pocket 13 May 08

Smith-Ready makes her urban fantasy debut with a series that takes an inventive approach towards vampires and adds to the genre.

Tarnished Beauty by Cecilia Samartin
Literary fiction released by Atria 18 Mar 08

This is not self-important literary fiction. It’s simply a beautifully written story.

Liviania’s review of Hotter Than Hell by Tanya Huff, Marjorie M. Liu, Cheyenne McCray, L.A. Banks, Susan Krinard, Keri Arthur, Heidi Betts, Lilith Saintcrow, Susan Sizemore, Denise Little, Carrie Vaughn, Linda Winstead Jones, and Kim Harrison
Urban fantasy/paranormal romance anthology released by Harper 24 June 08

With Hotter than Hell, HarperCollins goes in a somewhat different direction from their previous Hell anthologies. These are erotic short stories rather than novellas. It’s worth picking up if you’re very fond of one of the authors or wish to experience several of the authors’ work before buying their series. While all of the stories are well-written and none are truly awful, many of the stories are forgettable or unsatisfying.

Music Hath Charms by Tanya Huff

Bedford Entertainment music executive Ali wants to sign the band NoMan before her longtime, more corporate rivals from Vital Records. But there’s more at stake than money, because NoMan’s frontmen possess a power that manifests in their music. This urban fantasy story is one of the best in the anthology, but some readers may be uncomfortable with the content. There are orgies, menage, and gay and bisexual characters.

Grade: B+

Minotaur in Stone by Marjorie M. Liu

Liu is an author that constantly almost wows me. She explores various intriguing themes in Minotaur in Stone and describes everything with beautiful imagery. However, the tantalizing short story is hampered by a sketchy heroine. Too little is known about her to really fall into her mind – her past is hinted at but never partially explained (which could explain, in turn, some of the story elements) and the description of her is so thin she doesn’t even have a name. It’s a sharp contrast to the detail given to the Minotaur’s story, especially given that this is her story.

Grade: C+

Demon Lover by Cheyenne McCray

Aedan the incubus comes to women at night, leaving them unsatisfied until they offer their souls to him. Now he has fallen in love with his latest victim Ericka. McCray is competent, but the story lacks originality.

Grade: C

Equinox by L. A. Banks

I’ve tried many times to enjoy Banks’ Vampire Hunter series, but never could. I didn’t expect to like this story, especially because it uses one of my least favorite set-ups. (Woman remains virgin for a long time and decides to give it up almost instantly upon meeting the right man.) Therefore I was very surprised to discover that this is my favorite story of the anthology. Greek goddess Artemis returns to present-day Earth, horrified by what humans are doing to the environment. As she and her nymphs teach various CEOs a lesson, the government dispatches a group of soldiers to stop the ecoterrorists. But Vincent and his men are about to discover something very strange. It’s slightly trippy but oh-so-good.

Grade: A-

Ride A Dark Horse by Susan Krinard

While recovering from her divorce on a ranch, Catalina literally meets the man from her dreams. But why is Andrés so interested? Ride A Dark Horse has a good atmosphere, slightly spooky and very Western. The heroine is a bit too willing to wander about unfamiliar woods at night, but it’s a decent story.

Grade: C

To Die For by Keri Arthur

Grace Rioli and Ethan Garrison, a wolf shifter and a werewolf, are dispatched to a small town to solve the murder of a couple of adolescent boys. It’s a good mystery until the author suddenly points out a flaw in the logic used to reach the solution at the end. It weakens the story and might not have if considered earlier by the characters.

Grade: B-

Curse of the Dragon’s Tears by Heidi Betts

Laura Tomescu dreams of the man her grandmother cursed. Now she has gone to Dougal McKay’s castle to free him. The story draws some of its inspiration from the Beauty and the Beast tale. Another enjoyable but largely forgettable entry.

Grade: C-

Brother’s Keeper by Lilith Saintcrow

Selene receives a call from Danny, her brother, that sends her running to his side only to find him murdered. Saintcrow quickly develops interesting characters and background, but then she drops the ball. There’s no resolution to the romance or to the mystery. Brother’s Keeper reads like the first chapters of a novel, not like a short story. Where’s the rest?

Grade: C-

(Like A) Virgin of the Spring by Susan Sizemore and Denise Little

Time travel, psychics, and the Matter of Britain all in one short story. Psychic Ginger’s team got lost in the past, but Bern’s team has come to the rescue. (Like A) Virgin of the Spring starts slow, but has some neat ideas and it’s fun to play spot-the-Arthurian-reference. Might not be for those who don’t have at least a cursory knowledge of the Matter of Britain.

Grade: C

Life is the Teacher by Carrie Vaughn

This story is the only one I completely forgot. The second time I read it I had to get several pages in before I remembered anything about it. Emma is a new vampire adjusting to her way of life as she encounters old boyfriend Chris. Vaughn’s writing is fine but the story is too slight, even for a short. I’m already forgetting Emma and her world again.

Grade: C-

Dirty Magic by Kim Harrison

I love Kim Harrison’s novels, but her novellas and short stories are far weaker. Dirty Magic follows Mia, a banshee (similar to a psychic vampire in the story), as she visits old lover Tom and seeks energy for her daughter. The ending has a nice twist that makes me like the story, but it could fit much better tonally.

Grade: B-

Overall grade: C

The Summary:

Beyond the boundaries of the everyday is an unseen realm where anything you imagine is possible. Your demon lover is waiting for you in the shadows, ready to fulfill your secret wishes and most dangerous fantasies. Here passion has a face and form both titillating and terrifying—and love has teeth and claws. Get ready to give in to your craving for something exquisitely dark . . . and different.

Hotter Than Hell gathers together a baker’s dozen of today’s boldest and best authors of supernatural fiction and paranormal romance in a breathtaking anthology that blends black magic with red-hot desire. From the tantalizing tale of a conflicted psychic vampire driven by a powerful, savage love to the strange saga of a Greek warrior woman battling to save the world, these are stories outside the limits, as hypnotic as the full moon . . . and hotter than the sun.

Gwen’s review of The Outlaw Demon Wails (Rachel Morgan, Book 6) by Kim Harrison
Urban fantasy hardcover released by Eos on 26 Feb 08

I know I’m not alone here.  I know there are other Rachel Morgan fans out there.  I know there are some former Rachel Morgan fans out there who wrote her off as being TSTL.  I’m here to tell all of you, current and former, that RACHEL GETS A CLUE in this sixth entry in the series!!  Yes!!  Really!  No seriously! I’m not kidding!

In this latest episode of the Saga of Rachel, she discovers some home truths about herself and her family.  These revelations open whole new doors and exciting possibilities to our heroine.  She is still battling Algaliarept, Minias, Newt, Trent, Quen, and the FIB.  She has made an uneasy truce of sorts with the vampire and werewolf communities.  Her fellow white witches generally don’t want to have anything to do with her, believing she is a black witch who deals in demons (they deal in her, she insists).

This is also the Kisten-less Rachel.  I’m actually kind of glad that loser is out of her life.  He always struck me as vain and not very into what was good for Rachel.  Rachel begins a relationship in this book that has promise for something good in her life, with a guy who can deal with her, shall we say, eccentricities.  I won’t spoil the details, not that there are many to spoil, but this is a nice note in the book.

Rachel finally grows up in this book.  She realizes some things about her relationship with Ivy, and vampires in general, that she should have realized YONKS ago.  I’m glad she reached this point – at long last.  It makes her previous stupidity about Ivy (and Kisten) somewhat tolerable.  She kept putting herself, and her friends, in all these idiotic situations because she was such a bonehead.  Well, she finally twigged that perhaps that wasn’t such a good idea.

What I like the most about Harrison’s writing is that we’re not so much reading a book, as we are a diary of what happens in this witch’s crazy life.  Harrison really does a nice job of moving us from one story arc to the next and still moving her overall plot along.  Yes.  This book has a plot.  It isn’t just one interesting story after another, strung together loosely by some details.  We actually, almost, have an HEA at the end of the book, even if Rachel isn’t exactly riding off into the sunset with the love of her life at the end.

This was a VERY satisfying entry into The Hollows and Rachel Morgan world.  I learned a lot about our intrepid, sometimes stupid, little heroine.  And enjoyed the hell out of the story along the way.  I didn’t see anything on Harrison’s site, but I’m hoping we get a few more entries into the Rachel Morgan world.

I recommend this book to anyone reading the Rachel Morgan series.  If you’ve walked away from it, this might be a good entry to rejoin the fun.  If you’re new to the series, I recommend reading the extra materials on Harrison’s site before you attempt the book – it’s a complex world.

Grade: A

Summary:

     To save the lives of her friends, Rachel did the unthinkable: she willingly trafficked in forbidden demon magic. And now her sins are coming home to haunt her.

     As Rachel searches for the truth behind a terrifying murder, an even greater menace threatens, for the demon Algaliarept will stop at nothing to claim her, and the discovery of a shocking family secret throws Rachel’s entire life into question. If she is ever to live free, Rachel must first walk willingly into the demonic ever-after in search of long-lost ancient knowledge.

     But when you dance with demons, you lay your soul on the line . . . and there are some lines that should never be crossed.

     Read an excerpt.

Hey Bev – Unabridged Audio is released! 

Other books in this series:

	Book 1, Dead Witch Walking,  mmppb (mass market paperback) (Eos, Apr 04), coming in hardcover (EOS, Apr 08)
	Book 2, The Good, the Bad, and the Undead, mmppb (Harper Torch, Jan 05), coming in hardcover (Eos, Jun 08)
	Book 3, Every Which Way But Dead, mmppb (Eos, Jun 05), coming in hardcover (Eos, Sep 08)
	Book 4, A Fistful of Charms, mmppb (Harper Torch, Jun 06), coming in hardcover (Eos, Oct 08)
	Book 5, For A Few Demons More, mmppb (Eos, Nov 07), hardcover (Eos, Mar 07)

Gwen’s review of For A Few Demons More (Rachel Morgan & The Hollows, Book 5) by Kim Harrison
Paranormal fantasy published 20 Mar & 27 Nov 07 by Eos

My relationship with the Rachel Morgan books is complicated.  I both love and hate them.  I care about the characters, enjoy the action and predicaments, but I want to throw the book at the wall regularly when a character (usually Rachel) does something stupid.  There are many TSTL moments in a Rachel Morgan book.  Despite this, Harrison manages to work the characters thru these moments and the plot actually ends up moving along because of them, not in spite of them.  That’s the one thing I really like about these books – the plot moves.  It rolls unpredictably, jarringly, inexorably along.  And that is what makes these such page-turners, despite the flaws.  The reader just has to know what happens next.

This book was released in hardcover (the author’s HC debut) 20 Mar 07 and in mass-market paperback 27 Nov 07.  There have been some people decrying the fact that one of the main characters is killed off in this book; they felt cheated that an expensive hardcover rattled their Rachel-world.  There are others new to the series who were irritated that this book didn’t stand-alone; they felt cheated that an expensive hardcover wasn’t readable on its own.  None of those things bothered me. To begin with, brave authors take plots and characters to unpredictable and sometimes undesirable places and I think they’re allowed to do that, applaud it, in fact.   Lastly, buying an expensive hardcover of a book in the middle of a series you’ve never read may not be the smartest thing to do; but to then be irritated that you don’t understand all of the plot points or the characters is a bit simple-minded.

Rachel Morgan books are not a typical romances - they are paranormal fantasies set in an alternate reality.  None of the books have had an HEA, strictly speaking, though they all end on a somewhat upbeat note, even if the characters are all very changed by the events.  This one is no different, even with the tragedy.  I won’t give any spoilers other than what I have already, so forgive the vague wording.

I really liked all of the secondary characters in this book.  We get to know quite a bit more about the elf, Trent, and his second, Quen.  We get some tantalizing glimpses into the politics of the whole demon ever-after.  We get a glimpse of a new, sexy demon named Minias and let me just say that I’ll never quite look at my sneezing attacks in the same way again.  All of this serves to give us a very fun story and is setting the stage for Book 6, The Outlaw Demon Wails, coming in hardcover 26 Feb 08 (terrific excerpt up on Harrison’s site, just click on the title). I am really looking forward to it – can’t wait to see what new trouble Rachel gets into.

This was a good book for fans of the Rachel Morgan series and I highly recommend to to you fans out there.  Needless to say, it does not standalone so it would be a poor choice for readers new to the series.

Grade: B+

     Blurb: Despite dating one vampire and living with another, Rachel Morgan has always managed to stay just ahead of trouble . . . until now.

     A fiendish serial killer stalks the Hollows, and no one living in or around Cincinnati—human, inhuman, or undead—is safe. An ancient artifact may be the key to stopping the murderer—a mysterious relic that is now in the hands of Rachel Morgan, fearless independent bounty hunter and reckless witch. But revealing it could ignite a battle to the death among the vast and varied local supernatural races.

     Rachel’s been lucky so far. But even she can’t hide from catastrophe forever.

     Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series: