Pale Demon

By Kim Harrison

A stirring instalment of the urban fantasy-thriller series starring Rachel Morgan. A pacey and addictive novel of sexy bounty-hunting witches, cunning demons and vicious vampires.

Condemned and shunned for black magic, Rachel Morgan has three days to get to the annual witches’ conference and clear her name, or be trapped in the demonic ever-after . . . forever after.

But a witch, an elf, a living vampire, and a pixy in one car going across the country? Talk about a recipe for certain disaster, even without being the targets for assassination.

For after centuries of torment, a fearsome demon walks in the sunlight – freed at last to slay the innocent and devour their souls. But his ultimate goal is Rachel Morgan, and in the fight for survival that follows, even embracing her own demonic nature may not be enough to save her.

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins UK
• Release date: Aug 4, 2011
• ISBN: 9780007454341

Kim Harrison

Kim Harrison is best known as the author of the #1 New York Times bestselling Hollows series, but she has written more than urban fantasy and has published more than two dozen books, spanning the gamut from young adult, accelerated-science thriller, and several anthologies and has scripted two original graphic novels set in the Hollows universe. She has also published traditional fantasy under the name Dawn Cook. Kim is currently working on a new Hollows book between other, nonrelated, urban fantasy projects.

Reviews for Pale Demon

[belles007-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Great book from start to finish!

[bm2ng · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is a GREAT book! Non-stop action and suspense. I cried on at least three occasions but the ending was wonderful. Loved it!

[trueturquoise · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

All I can say is...awesome book, pretty much what you come to expect from this series!And I love how the author writes Trent...how you can dislike him just as much as you love him! Because he really is a terrible human being, but oh so yummy and totally worth it. LOL :)

[nnattie30 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Kim Harrison's Urban Fantasy series, The Hollows, had me totally hooked from the first page of book one, Dead Witch Walking. Complete with Vampires, Werewolves, Demons, Witches, Elves, and Pixies, The Hollows is sure to be a favorite of fans of this genre. The latest in the series, Pale Demon, is no exception. Rachel Morgan, a witch shunned for the use "Black" Magic, is due to appear before the Coven at the Annual Witch's Convention in an attempt to clear her name and have the shunning removed. In true Rachel Morgan fashion, things don't go as planned. Accompanied by a group of friends, trusted and otherwise, Rachel embarks on a cross-country road trip and finds herself faced with situations which force her to question alliances, test the limits of her strength (mental, magical, & physical), and come to some surprising realizations. Pale Demon is another fantastic addition to The Hollow's Series and it's conclusion leaves the reader with a promise of more to come!

[kc9333 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Great addition to this urban fantasy series.......

[yas4735-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

After reading this I have a new found respect for Rachel even though I don't know how I feel about Trent anymore. He and Rachel have a lot of history, so it's hard to imagine him being the altruistic type. This book changes a lot of things for Rachel - her relationships, opens her eyes a little, gives her a new understanding about Al. I love Al, his craziness, double dealings, and how he jumps in to rescue Rachel. Pierce I'm a little sad for, I don't want to give too much away so all I'm gonna say is the next book is going to be even more amazing, i can't wait!!

[saramllr · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I love this series. This book includes a lot of action and I particularly loved the scenes in Al's house. The ending leaves things open for Harrison to take a new path with Rachel Morgan and it will be interesting to see where she takes her in the next one.

[lisamaria_c · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I enjoy urban and dark fantasy, particularly those part of a series. I particularly like that they often feature strong female protagonists in the Buffy tradition. Recently I was jonesing for another good series of that kind--one cannot live on Kelley Armstrong alone, and for me LK Hamilton has long jumped the shark. I tried about a dozen in that vein, including reading books by Carrie Vaughan, Patricia Briggs, Sherrilyn Kenyon, LA Banks and JR Ward. Rachel Morgan in Harrison's Dead Witch Walking, the first in the Hollows series, stood out for me among that crowd. So when the ninth book in the series, Pale Demon became available in LibraryThing's Early Reviewer Giveaway, I was happy to snag a copy.In particular, I liked the theme of friendship in the first book. In so much of urban fantasy, it's the romantic relationships that are to the fore, but I don't see as often strong ties of friendship or family. I'd say the theme of friendship is all the more important in this ninth volume of the series, by which time Jenks the pixy and Ivy the "living vampire" have become more than friends to Rachel--they're family; I still find that among the most appealing element in this book.I'd say actually I find the romantic element among the weaker parts. Partly, that's because Rachel does come dangerously close to a Mary Sue in that area. I count two demons, an elf, a witch and a vampire in this book pressing a kiss on her and hints that four out of the five are in love with Rachel or close to getting there. Partly that's because I'm not sure what to make of bad boy Trent and the developments between him and Rachel.That Mary Sue aspect might have seemed more over the top because I've skipped a lot between that first and latest book. I haven't read the others, and maybe if I had the story would have more impact and I would have rated this novel more highly. It certainly isn't a standalone. There are a lot of references to past events that are spoilers for the past books and a very intricate world and magical system is already well-established by the time we reach Pale Demon, so if you haven't read the other books, I'd go back and read them first.I did enjoy the book. I liked the sense of humor coming through Rachel's first person voice and the non-stop action as Rachel, on a road trip from Cincinnati to San Francisco with the elf Trent, pixy Jenks, vampire Ivy dodge and battle elven assassins and demons. Enough to go back and fill the gaps with the other books? Maybe. Pale Demon didn't make that a priority for me, but did solidify this is among the strongest and most imaginative urban fantasy series still in progress.I should mention I saw quite a few typos in the edition I read--but this is a reviewer's copy--hopefully that will be corrected in the editions released for sale. (The copy also had pages falling out on one read despite careful handling.)

[keeneam · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book was about Rachel attempting to get to California to get her shunning as a witch removed. There are many obstacles as she travels from Ohio, from witches, elves and demons. She realizes some facts about herself and Trent along the way. She has to constantly defy what is expected of her. I found this book hard to get into at first. I am tired of Rachel being so annoying and indecisive consistently over the stories. She needs to except herself and then deal with the other intensities in her world. In the end the were some predictable moments, but it finished better than it started.

[bookaddictdiary · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Kim Harrison's witty, kick-butt action heroine returns for more epic awesome in the latest installment of the Rachel Morgan/The Hollows series. I've been a fan of Rachel Morgan since I read the first sentence all those years ago in Dead Witch Walking and I haven't stopped since. It's been so much fun to go along with Rachel, her pixy Jenks and vampire-friend Ivy on their fascinating (and sometimes hair-brained) adventures throughout the years. Each books seems to bring more interesting facets of the Hollows world to life as the characters continue to evolve and the witty humor on gets better.The end of Black Magic Sanction left our sexy, witty witch Rachel Morgan with the unwanted brand of being a black witch. Pale Demon picks up just about where Black Magic Sanction dropped off, where Rachel and co. (Jenks, Trent, Ivy) take a cross-country road trip (okay, really, what are they thinking??) to clear Rachel's name. Not only do they have to survive enemies in their way that would keep Rachel black-listed, but they have to survive each other.Packed with non-stop action, Pale Demon is a thrill ride from start to finish. Mixing together her trademark humor with a fascinating paranormal world, author Kim Harrison is at her writing peak. Without seemingly breaking a sweat, she's able to combine a well-paced, character-driven plot with realistic character development without letting one element drag the other down. Frankly, I was surprised at the fact that the same characters who have been around for eight plus books can still continue to amaze me and grow into deeper and more believable characters. I've read so much about them, especially Rachel, that I almost feel like I know them personally and may be able to predict their every more -but I still want to know what happens next.Everything in the Rachel Morgan universe has been leading up to the events in Pale Demon. And though some crucial events take place, there's still plenty of action and plenty of story left after Pale Demon to keep fans coming back for more.If you're already a Rachel Morgan fan, than Pale Demon doesn't disappoint. It's everything and more that fans have come to more. Of course, if you happen to be new to the Rachel Morgan world (really? have you been living under a rock?), then I'd suggest starting back at the beginning of the series, because Pale Demon has practically no exposition before launching into an adrenaline-filled roller coaster of epic awesome. A great installment in the series and can't wait for the next one!

[silentq_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I squee'd when I saw I'd won an early copy of this - I've read all theother books in the series and own a few of them and was lookingforward to seeing the next installation in the story of witch RachelMorgan, vampire Ivy Tamwood, elf Trent Kalamack and pixieJenks. This time they're rushing to the west coast where Rachel hopes to survive a trial by the coven so that she canget her life back to somewhat normal. I like that we got to see more of America, including the wild open spaces between cities. There's a lot going on in this book, but it all weaves together well. It's the family road trip for the supernatural set, with assassins on their tail. :) Very enjoyable and we get to see relationships growing and changing.

[hjjugovic · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I've always felt this series is a bit uneven, but when it's good, it's really great. This book is the best in the series so far. HUGE plot, that never stops, TONS of character moments, and great style. I'm not sure why Rachel has to kiss, well, pretty much everyone, in the book, but that was fun too. I love the direction this is going. I rarely feel like re-reading a book right after I've read it, but this one fits the bill! Highly recommended.

[hcross9820_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

An elf, a witch, avamp, and a pixie walk into a restaurant. No this isn’t a joke, it’s Pale Damon, the ninth book in Kim Harrison’s Hollows’ Series. Rachel Morgan, shunned witch and paranormal bounty hunter, is on the road-trip from hell with her business partners Jenks and Ivy along with everyone’s favorite sexy elf Trent Kalamack.Rachel had so much to overcome in this book. She’s a shunned witch with very little chance of making it through this road-trip alive. She’s making smarter choices, and finally tapping more into her demonic sidee. I was happy to see that she is starting to see that her demonic nature isn’t always a bad thing, as long as she used her powers for good purposes.As in every Hollows book, Rachel love life is in shambles! It seems like the only person Rachel didn’t kiss/make-out with was Jenks, and I’m pretty sure that if he had been big enough she might have tried. All of these possible love matches, and she can’t find love again (R.I.P Kisten). My heart breaks for her! However, I was a little unsettled by Rachel’s lack of feelings towards Pierce in the first half of this book. It was almost like he didn’t exist. I love Rachel and Ivy’s bittersweet ‘good-bye’ scene. It was so heart wrenching and full of tightly held emotions. It brought me to tears. I have to admit, that at times in this series I have wanted Ivy and Rachel to be together.As much as have fantasized about Rachel and Trent together, I shocked at how I loved their dream/reality make-out scene. I never thought I’d see the day that Trent cared about someone other then himself. He was the real stand-out character in this book for me. His character grew by leaps and bounds. He was not only able to work his way into Rachel’s life, but I believe he has gained Jenks’ trust. Plus, who would have guessed that Trent would be a father!!! I’m not going to lie, but for a minute I may have pictured Trent, Rachel and the baby as a happy little family.I had two minor problems with this book. First, I felt that Pierce was ignored for the most part of the beginning of this book. I really loved the relationship blossoming between Pierce and Rachel in the previous book, and I was let down by his absence. Once he was brought back into the story, I felt that he was overlooked. Second, I was also annoyed at the way Rachel reacted to him. She had already taken herself out of the relationship mentally before it really even had a chance. Very sad!I absolutely adore Marguerite Gavin’s narrations of The Hollow’s series. Hearing her narration Pale Demon felt like going home again. She is The Hollows to me. Even when I read this series, I can almost her reading the story to me. She does such an amazing job narrating the many Hollows characters that span different cultural backgrounds and eras. Her voice really draws you into the story with her emotional narration.I believe that Kim Harrison stated on her blog, that this book is her favorite of the series so far, and I whole-heartedly agree. This book was not just a road trip, but story filled with personal growth, friendships forged, and trust cemented. If you are a fan of this genre and haven’t yet picked up The Hollow’s series, run right out and pick it up now!

[jjbooklvr · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is a tough book to review for me. First off this is book 9 in the Hollows series. The only previous book in this series I have read was the graphic novel prequel where Rachel and Ivy first meet. Normally I would not jump in this late in a series on purpose. Rachel is a tough character to love. She does a lot of things that just irritate me. There was a point in the middle of the book where I was ready to give up and actually put the book down for a few days and read a different one. The story did pick up though and I am glad I finished. The author has created an interesting world with some cool twists on magic, witches, demons, etc.. The supporting characters are strong and the story is going to new places. All of which are important in a long running series. I wonder how much more or less I would have enjoyed the book if I had read all of the previous ones?

[krumbs_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

A solid new installment in the The Hollows series. While I would not recommend this as a place to start (new readers should really begin with the first book, Dead Witch Walking, or they will be hopelessly lost), author Kim Harrison has managed to show us new sides to some of her characters through the trials and tribulations of a cross-country road trip, complete with Milk Duds, pixies, questionable motels, and Las Vegas. This is all, of course, only part of the story. Can't forget the soul-eating demon unleashed when a landmark is destroyed, or the looming witch trial. Good times.

Main character Rachel Morgan doesn't really grow or change herself, but the glimpses we get into Trent, Al, Newt, and even Jenks when they are dropped into new situations are surprising and interesting. While this series lagged a bit near the middle, it has been picking up lately and book #9 makes me want to find out what happens in book #10!

[jeremypreacher · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The road trip book. I still kind of can't stand Rachel - she's a complete idiot 98% of the time - but the worldbuilding is really paying off at this point and it was fascinating to see the big-picture stuff really come to a head. The demons are now fascinating, somewhat sympathetic characters, Trent is just as much of an idiot as Rachel but at least he's a real character now (and those two deserve each other, if that's not the relationship the whole series has been building to I will eat the first three books with lemon frosting) and it seems like the will-they-or-won't-they relationship with Ivy has finally, at long last, been really and truly put out of its misery.

I will gripe for a moment that it is painfully obvious that Harrison did not have the series plotted out anywhere near the beginning. "I trusted you since camp" is a retcon of the first quality. But the last three books have showed signs of being based around a coherent, if somewhat late, plan.

[capnrandm · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

In anticipation of the release of PALE DEMON, I re-read BLACK MAGIC SANCTION to tide me over. My strategy more or less backfired, as the passion, grief, and action had me even more anxious to read the next Hollows novel, but luckily, PALE DEMON did not disappoint. Despite the drama at the end of BLACK MAGIC SANCTION, PALE DEMON begins in an innocuous calm before the storm. It took the series in a direction I would not have anticipated, and, predictably, ends with me out of my mind excited for the next book in the series.One of Kim Harrison’s strengths is creating fascinating characters, and even her supporting characters have a depth that is unique in any genre. While this is one aspect of her books I adore, I’m sure this can also be a trial as she has to manage an ever-growing list of complex relationships and individuals (Lee went from being Rachel’s nemesis to Al’s familiar to being married and rescuing Rachel from rogue coven members, who can keep track of this stuff?!). This cast of thousands, in combination with Harrison’s organic interweaving of plot lines, means I can never guess what to expect in one of her novels, or who will show up. PALE DEMON deepened my appreciation for existing characters while introducing a few new ones that I will be excited to see again in the future.Of the old, familiar characters, Trent Kalamack took center stage and really blew me out of the water. My appreciation for Trent has always been shallow at best. Despite Rachel’s attraction to him, and the hints of chemistry between them, he had never clicked for me. Too controlled, too removed, too devious and untrustworthy. PALE DEMON forces Rachel and Trent to break down many of the barriers between themselves, and build a partnership in ways I wouldn’t have thought possible. As a part of this process, for the first time in the series, Trent really began to develop as a potential love interest. Still, I’m never sure if he’ll be Rachel’s worst enemy, friend, or grade-school crush, and the tension is worse than ever now that I like him more as a person.In addition to changes in Rachel’s relationship with Trent, Ivy also has a few pivotal scenes. I know of several people who have drifted away from this series due to Rachel and Ivy’s relationship, though I myself have never understood the issue (Perhaps the tension between them was so reflexively predatory it never set off my radar as something to worry about or work through. Who can reason with a vampire?). Either way, while the state of their union didn’t bother me prior to this book, I think that those readers who did struggle with it will be pleased to find some resolution (and I’m interested to hear your reactions). Of Rachel’s two partners, I have been almost entirely focused on Jenks over the last several books, and I really enjoyed his portion of this book. There is a tenderness between him and Rachel as they both mourn loved ones that is a pleasure to read, and I enjoyed getting hints of what the next twenty years of Jenks’s life may look like.The hardest part about reviewing this book is dancing around spoilers when I really can’t wait to dish the nitty gritty details with fellow Hollows fans. While PALE DEMON hasn’t supplanted WHITE WITCH, BLACK CURSE and BLACK MAGIC SANCTION as my latest favorites of the series, I’m looking forward to rereading it over and over in the days and months it takes for Book #10 to make an appearance.Sexual Content: Attempted rape, allusions to rape, and some sexual scenes.

[eyes92c · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Get ready for the ‘Great American Family Road Trip … full of unhappy people heading west’ across the searing landscape from Cincinnati via Las Vegas to San Francisco. Rachael and the gang are off to the annual witches’ convention to have her reinstated, and to attend her brother’s wedding. Trent has his own mysterious reasons to urgently get to the West Coast. Of course before they even leave Rachael and company are attacked by assassins. En route they battle demons (naturally), more assassins and wild pixies. Rachael’s battered and bruised and I’m battered and bruised following her story. There were moments when I cried for her and moments when everything was going to ‘hell in a hand basket’ (literally) and I wished the story would just hurry up and come to any conclusion that I could be happy with. There are moments of clarity when this is the ass kicking, feisty, foolish, demon brushed, itchy witch is doing her thing, intermittently offset by the vulnerable, forlorn, and broken hearted person that inhabits her heart and head. The real Rachel emerges, battling with those who love her, use her, and fighting her own inner turmoil. Pale Demon has moments of frustration and confusion, of despair and hope—all reflecting the impossible characters of Rachel and her strange family. As Jenks says to Trent, ‘You’ve seen what it’s like to be in a family, with all the touchy tempers and irritation that goes on. Now you get to see the other side, where we do stupid stuff for each other just because we like you.’ NetGalley ARC

[auntieclio · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This was a roller coaster ride and I enjoyed every word! Because Rachel can’t get on an airplane to fly to the coven meeting held in San Francisco, she takes a road trip in her mom’s car. With Jenks, a coven member (caught trying to assassinate Rachel), and Trent, who insists on going to Seattle for some secret elven quest. Oh, and promising to meet Ivy in St. Louis, where all hell breaks loose in the form of a demon summoned by Trent who thinks he’s helping.As always with Rachel Morgan, confusion reigns supreme as she tries to follow her heart and do the right thing, but the lines keeping getting blurred. The coven wants to ban her to Alcatraz (still), even though it’s proven that her skills are used for the good of “all” and that she was forced into using demon spells to protect those she loves.I’m just sorry I have to wait so long for the next book to be written and published.

[nicolefromcarmel · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I love the whole hollows series. Rachel, Ivy and Jenks pull it off time and time again. Magic, mystery and danger follow them where ever they go.Harrison just keepings getting better. Fantastic series for people who like urban fantasy but find the sexual overload necessary. I look forward to each and every book.Rachel has to really learn trust and acceptance in this book. As her power grows her sense of responsibility grows. Fantastic addition to the series.

[sandyg210 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I won an early reviewer copy of this book. I may be in the minority but I didn't love this book. I liked the idea of Kim Harrison having her characters go on a supernatural road trip but somehow I just couldn't ever really get that into the book.

[camibrite · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I get serious satisfaction from reading these books about Rachel Morgan. She is always getting into ridiculously difficult situations and there's a lot of creativity involved in resolving all the conflict. This is book...9?...and the series is still fresh and wonderful to read. The characters actually change and grow as the series progresses, and already I'm looking forward to book 10. What will Rachel do next?! Awesome!

[amanderson_2 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Kim Harrison is on the top of her urban fantasy game with this action packed volume of the Hollows series. Rachel, our feisty witch protagonist, needs to get to San Francisco to attend the annual witches convention in order to clear her name of black magic evil-doing. Trent, an enigmatic and long standing elven character in the Hollows series, has turned up to request that Rachel accompany him as a guard on his way to Seattle for some mysterious purpose, despite their mutual antipathy and mistrust. When Rachel finds herself on the airlines' no-fly list, she takes him up on the offer and Rachel, Trent, Jenks, and Ivy find themselves on a road trip to the west coast. It's a total romp of a road trip, filled with bickering and magical mayhem as several different players are trying to kill Trent and Rachel, an ancient, fearsome and amoral demon creates new danger, and even Jenks finds himself targeted by attackers. It's a roller coaster of a ride, and the relationship between Trent and Rachel develops further in interesting ways, as does the relationship between Al the demon and Rachel, who experiences the demon world on a new level. Readers of the series will surely enjoy, but newcomers will be rather lost and confused. Two thumbs up for an escapist read that's rather like eating excellent dark chocolate. Delicious and irresistible.I read an e-ARC of this courtesy of the publisher and Netgalley.

[morphidae_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The Hollows is one of my favorite series and Pale Demon didn’t disappoint. There was a lot of action, we learned more about the various characters and the world they live in, and in general, it was a good story. My only real beef is the growing tone of despair and bleakness. I know Harrison isn’t a happily-ever-after author, but she is reminding me of Butcher’s Dresden who never gets a break. I really liked the look into the demon culture. It filled out the world more as well as the cross-country trip that emphasized that this is not our world with paranormal creatures, but an alternate Earth that has been devastated. This is a point that wasn’t clear in previous books.A minor quibble - Ivy acted a little out of character and the situation resolved itself with no effort on Rachel’s part. I think the whole thing could have been deleted. It felt like Harrison stuck it in to get some “Ivy-relationship-time.”This was a stronger entry into the series than her previous, Black Magic Sanction, which got only 6 out of 10 stars.

[aoifet_4 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

One of the best road trip books written. It has the usual suspects (Rachel, Ivy, Jenks and Trent) plus a coven member in a car going west. Kim Harrison, combines character development with mayhem and magic. Since this is the ninth book in the series, I recommend this for a fan but I will recommend the whole series.

[cynical_ames · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I'm going to preface this review by saying that if I hadn't read interviews and blog posts about this and future books then I would've awarded more stars. Perhaps I'll calm down later and see the light but for now, I'm a bull pawing the sand with my head lowered snorting in anger and frustration despite the fact that I quite enjoyed this book. It's where we go from now that troubles me.

The first half was slow with only a couple of blood-pumping action scenes. The road trip itself, although giving the characters time to bond with Trent was a bit tedious. I was beginning to believe the book had been misrepresented to me and was tempted to abandon it. And although it got better, I was kind of right. It's not what I expected at all.

This book was supposed to be about two things: Trent and Rachel becoming closer and Rachel's fight to get the shunning removed. I was in it for the former but couldn't see it happening with Trent becoming criminally dangerous with his arrogance.

I assumed, as I'm guessing many others will, that Rachel and Trent would have a fling, Trent would ruin things and they both would move on. Not so. Something more serious transpired. They learned to trust each other. Trent rightfully earned everyone's trust. He sacrificed much for Rachel and instead of imposing his will, he gave her a choice. A very important choice. Trent changed in this book partly due to a rather surprising development he'd been keeping secret which now has him tied to Rachel in a way that would have me believing Rachel and Trent will become an item in the next book, the last scene backing me up on this.

However, and this is where I get annoyed, Harrison has stated that Rachel and Trent will not become long term romantic partners. She has even been dropping hints about Rachel's future love interests (all current ones except Trent are no longer possible) in blog posts. This made me angry. I feel like I've been manipulated despite knowing all of this going in. The writing was so good regarding this that I believed they would become an item. Everything points to it becoming a done deal. I don't understand why she would do this, other than to make Trent Rachel's protector, which she now desperately needs to survive.

All of this makes me wonder what Harrison's long-term plan with this series is. I'm concerned about repetitiveness at this point. Rachel's predicament by the end of PD is a return to one she had at the beginning, just replace "black witch" with "demon". This is the 9th book. It almost read like the last. I could happily not read another and not just because I'm disgruntled. I can imagine what could come next but it probably doesn't match what Harrison has in store for us.

I've been questioning my commitment to this series. Kisten's demise led to a break away from it and since then I've missed him. Trent is/was someone I could see Rachel settling with because even though he has, as she puts it: a 'disrespect of innocent lives' and the law, they have great chemistry and now they care and perhaps even love (at least a little) one another. Trent has proven he'll do anything, and I mean anything, to protect what and whom he cares about so I'm failing to understand why...Oh, never mind. This is embarrassing. I'm an action fan, not a romance queen. I'm whining so it's time to shut up now.

[jacobsbeloved · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

One of the things I have grown to love about Rachel Morgan through all of these nine books is her constant positive and hopeful perspective with others, despite how contrary their behavior. Though her friends and partners are telling her in so many ways that the rulers of her kind, the witches' council, will never let her make it to the coast and are more interested in killing her than anything else, she won't believe it until she sees for herself. And then there is her odds-defying ability to always find a way to survive against all attacks - she truly has become one of a kind, as is revealed in several ways in this book, with her match-up against the just-released demon creation that is her genetic match, as well as the sad speech that Ivy gives her about how Rachel is leaving her and Jenks behind with the way she can create change across all species.
And if that is not enough to keep her busy, Rachel's love life only becomes more complicated, since Pierce has professed his love for her in the previous book, and Rachel feels a certain obligation to him. Of course, Al continues to pursue Rachel despite her refusals, and one violent-turned-steamy moment showed the kind of lust-filled potential that exists between them. Towards the end of the book, Rachel also makes a rather interesting observation about demons in general that could put Al in the potential category for future books. If two men is not enough to keep her busy, a very obvious growing attraction between her and Trent seems to show the most promise, and is ironically the one I found myself most rooting for, especially with some of the scenes in the book.
Trent's part in the book is an elf quest of sorts that he is particularly silent about, but gets him in all kinds of trouble and just creates more work for Rachel and crew. Of course, the outcome of this quest makes Trent more likable in the end, but he has to do much to prove himself to Rachel. The newest element to the series in this book was the use of wild magic by the elves, which has an untamed, old world quality that Rachel dislikes immensely. Trent wields it well, though often secretly and against Rachel's wishes.
In the end, the revelations that Rachel undergoes regarding herself and the people around her mark a major turning point for her and the series. I only wish I knew when the next book was due for release!

[krau0098 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is the 9th book in the Hollows series by Harrison. Last I heard Harrison is contracted for twelve books in this series. I got an advanced copy of this book both from Librarything's Early Reviewer program and an e-book copy from netgalley(dot)com. I have to admit I wasn't big on the previous two books in this series so I was a bit worried about where this book would take the series. Well, I shouldn't have worried! This was an absolutely excellent book in the series. Rachel has cut a deal with the Coven, if she comes before them and apologizes for using black magic then her shunning will be revoked. Only Trent has other ideas. Trent is going on an elf quest of sorts and wants Rachel to help get him to the west coast since she is already going there for her trial. Rachel is reluctant to agree but after the Coven prevents her from flying it looks like a road trip with Trent might be her only option. So...it's time for a crazy road trip. What happens when you get Ivy, Jenks, Rachel, and Trent in a car together...well lots of crazy stuff of course! Will Rachel's shunning be revoked? Exactly what is Trent up to? Will the fact that all witches are just stunted demons finally be revealed?This was an absolutely wonderful book. We finally have our old Rachel back. I was not impressed with the 7th (White Witch, Black Curse) and 8th (Black Magic Sanction) books in this series and was worried that the series was going to get worse. Well it didn't it got better. There was a lot of the things I love about this series in this book and none of the stuff that was annoying me.Finally we are back to the main plot (no strange side stories about banshees) and Rachel is dealing with her shunning and with the realization that all witches are demons. We get to learn a lot more about Trent in this book and that is a wonderful thing. He has always been a mysterious character and you learn more about him and his past than ever before. You also get to learn a lot more about Rachel's demon tutor Al; some awesome things are revealed about the Everafter and the demons who dwell there.Gone is the whiny, indecisive Rachel that plagued the previous two books. The Rachel in this book is the Rachel of old, but smarter. She can kick-butt (and does quite often in this book), she is focused, smart, and not ashamed of who she is. It was great to see Rachel finally find her feet in this book and get back to the things that mattered.I was also relieved that Ivy and Rachel don't dwell on their relationship (I feel like that has been hashed and re-hashed in this series). They work great as a team and have learned how to keep things in balance. This book feels like the series is on the edge of some major changes for all of the characters. Things are changing with how the characters interact and what we know about them.The ending wraps up the main storyline well, but still leaves you yearning to read more...just like the earlier books did. This book was full of all of my favorite characters and lots of action; it was very hard to put down and very well written.Overall an absolutely stellar addition to this series. If you thought the previous couple books in the series were lackluster, fear not, this book redeems the series. All of our favorite characters are back, Rachel is ready to deal with her life again like a big girl, and we get to learn a lot more about Trent and Al. Loved it and cannot wait to read the next book in the series.

[aromagik · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Funny how by the ninth book in a series, the characters really start to feel like old friends. Fans of The Hollows/Rachel Morgan series will enjoy this latest installment, as Rachel's wit is as sharp as ever. If you've ever had a long car trip (Are we there yet? Are we there yet?) you'll appreciate Rachel's frustration as she copes with a mixed bag of not-so-compatible personalities, not to mention the assassins that are chasing them. There's some interesting chemistry between Rachel and her old nemesis, Trent Kalamack. I still haven't decided how I feel about that possible pairing, but it sure makes for good reading. This is one series that really should be read in order if you want it to make any sense, and if you truly want to enjoy all the cool nuances and character development.

[liz_s_24 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I have been a fan of Ms Harrisons since the very first Hallows book! While I am totaly in love with the characters (namely Trent!) I have watched this series spiral down and down and down...... But with this new installment I think she is going up up up!!! One of my favorites since Kisten.....Mmmmm Kisten! I truley hope that her next book A Perfect Blood is as good as Pale Demon ( since I will be running to the nearest bookstore to snatch up a copy as soon as it's released! Definitely would recommend this book!