Pale Demon

The Hollows #9

by Kim Harrison

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.

Genres: Urban Fantasy, Fantasy, Paranormal, Vampires, Demons, Witches, Magic

432 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 22, 2011

About the author

Kim Harrison is best known as the author of the New York Times #1 best selling Hollows series, but she has written more than urban fantasy and has published over two-dozen books spanning the gamut from young adult, thriller, several anthologies, and has scripted two original graphic novels. She has also published traditional fantasy under the name Dawn Cook. Kim is currently working on a new Hollows book between other, non related, urban fantasy projects.
Kim reaches out to her audience at Facebook https://www.facebook.com/KimHarrisons...
Instagram
https://instagram.com/kim_harrison_au...
and her blog http://kimharrison.wordpress.com/

other pseudonyms: Dawn Cook

Reviews

[Jessica ❁ ➳ Silverbow ➳ ❁ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reviewed by: Rabid Reads

So I'm pretty sure that I've said this several times already, but just in case you missed it---Pale Demon is my FAVORITE book in this series.

Things have been building, and Rachel's life has been getting more complicated, but by the end of the last book, it looks like she's finally going to catch a break.

Oliver, the new head of the coven of moral and ethical standards, has verbally agreed to remove Rachel's shunning at the upcoming Witch Convention, as long as she shows up to said convention and apologizes publicly for her use of black magic.

So that's the plan . . . BUT . . .

As much as I needed to do this, I was so-o-o-o not looking forward to it. I mean, I'd been accused of being a black witch--of doing black magic and consorting with demons, both of which I did. Do. Whatever

So yeah . . . life is still complicated, and Rachel (being Rachel) is going to have a hard time apologizing for something that she, 1. is still doing, and 2. is seeing as less and less of a problem. She doesn't deliberately try to make things as difficult for herself as she can, but she does have a certain knack for it, doesn't she?

And that's not all, b/c we soon find out that the coven of moral and ethical standards (CoMaES) is a bit more slippery than anticipated. Rachel actually has to get to the convention for the shunning to be removed, you see, and it's evident that the CoMaES is going to try to prevent that when Rachel is kept from boarding her flight to CA where the convention is being held.<------NOT nice.

But not entirely unexpected as Ivy and Jenks took the liberty of packing Rachel's suitcases with old magazines, and repacking her things in different bags, so that when the airport "lost" her luggage, it wouldn't be a problem.

Did I mention that Trent is trying to catch a ride with Rachel to the West Coast?

I didn't? Hmmm . . . that's odd.

TRENT is trying to CATCH A RIDE with RACHEL to the WEST COAST.

That's like . . . DAYS in a car with Trent. Trent the sexy elf. Trent whom I love to hate. DAYS. With TRENT.

And, of course, she says, "NO," b/c Rachel, but, of course, she changes her mind . . . b/c Rachel.

"Why does Trent need to catch a ride with Rachel to the West Coast?" you ask, and that is an excellent question. It is, perhaps, the most excellent question I have goaded you into asking thus far. And when I tell you to READ THE BOOK, I mean it more in this situation than any other time I've told you to READ THE BOOK.

Trust me. You NEED to know. N-E-E-D.

I can tell you that the Withons (Ellasbeth's parents, and presumably Ellasbeth, herself) are doing everything in their power to prevent Trent from getting to the West Coast, including, but not limited to, sending ASSASSINS.

So that's fun.

I'm reluctant to say much about the biggest problem they encounter on the road, b/c it first appears well after the 10% point, which is where my cut-off is for mentioning specifics, but suffice it to say, that there is a BIG problem. A problem so BIG that it's probably not possible to resolve it entirely in a single installment.

And then there's the Big Deal. The thing that makes Pale Demon my favorite book in the series. The thing that makes me go back and read an entire passage over and over (and over) again. Yes, the plot is awesome, and yes, there is awesome character development---especially where Al, Rachel, and Trent are concerned---but those things alone are not what push this installment into the 5 star zone.

If you're even remotely interested in this series . . . if you've let yourself fall behind, and tell yourself that you'll finish the series eventually, if you are either of those things, this is the book that makes it all worthwhile, and you are doing yourself a MAJOR disservice by not catching up and reading it. It's frickin' awesome. It's on the same level as Kate Daniels #3 in its epic amazingness.

Hopefully, you're convinced, but if you're not . . . well, you can lead a horse to water, blah blah, and all that. That is all. *runs off to read that entire passage one more time*



My other reviews for this series:

Dead Witch Walking (The Hollows #1)
The Good, the Bad, and the Undead (The Hollows #2)
Every Which Way But Dead (The Hollows #3)
A Fistful of Charms (The Hollows #4)
For a Few Demons More (The Hollows #5)
The Outlaw Demon Wails (The Hollows #6)
White Witch, Black Curse (The Hollows #7)
Black Magic Sanction (The Hollows #8)
The Undead Pool (The Hollows #12)
Into the Woods: Tales from the Hollows and Beyond

[Lazaros · Rating 5 out of 5]

As only Jenks would say: "Sweet mother of Tink." That book is the epitome of superawesomesaucy. The last book had left me somewhat disappointed but this one totally revived all the trill and excitement most of the other books had managed to instill in me.

This was unlike any other book. The entire vibe it gave off. The rich plot. Ugh, absolutely amazing. In case you didn't know, in this one they go on a road trip, Jenks, Ivy, Rachel and and and and Trent. Man, I love Trent, he's incredible and after this book he became my favorite.

There's no need to say that during the road trip lots of things go awry but that doesn't stop them from reaching their destination, going to hell and back, losing some fingers and more, more and more.

So let me think what else was new. Hmm, witches, lots of witches, demons, some new and some old, Vegas, burning down a place, an unexpected kiss. Should I spoil it further for you? No kidding though, if you think that these are spoilers, go ahead and cuss at me but you know nothing.

This series even after so many books, never stops surprising me in a very good way. Endless action, combined with lots of snarky comments from sassy, amazing characters. And also the fact that Harrison has taken character development to a whole new level. The change in every character, even secondary ones, it is palpable.

Tink's red thong, that was awesome. I can only just keep expecting to be surprised and keep loving this series until it's very end. It just 4 more books. *sigh*

[Marissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Come on Rachel/Trent Lovin'! *fingersXtoesXcrossed*

4.5 stars
So now that I have read the book I will say I am super excited about any future books to come. This was one of the best books in the series by far. The beginning car trip was a bit of a snore but quickly progressed in to an action packed, emotionally charged story rife with reveals that were (hopefully) meant to stir up the future of this series!
So many things happened that could change the direction of almost all the characters...its making me crazy right now just thinking about it. Rachel, Ivy, Jenks, Trent, Bis, Al, Newt, Pierce...even Vivian and Belle, my opinion feels, have a nicely hinted at storyline as well.
I hate giving spoiler reviews so I cannot really say much else, but I will admit I was determined to drop this series like a hot potato if it didn’t improve. However, my love for this series has been renewed, like a fully charged battery. I want more. Preferably with more Rachel/Trent, but I won’t be too greedy just yet.
One quick personal opinion that has spoilery bits about a certain love life...
I truly hope the author has been misleading us in blogs and in answering questions about the future of Rachel’s love life. Her and Trent really bonded in such a way that if they don’t progress past trusting friends, it will feel as though it was all for nothing. I mean, that kiss alone! Whew! :fans self with industrial sized fan:

[is mee... kissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

wow. oh wow.
i finished it. And it Blew. My. Mind!
Harrison's been saying that this is her favourite one so far and I so get why.

Pale Demon pretty much starts out with a road trip. At this point, there's not much going on, but it quickly turns into action-packed fun. The trip goes on for about half of the book. Who knew a long drive could be so fun? definitely not me. They get attacked and find a day walking demon. A day walking demon. You don't think it's enough? Fine! There's heaaaaaaaps more. Plus there was Las Vegas. Yes, they went to Las Vegas.

I luuuuuuuuuuurved this book. Al was in it. Trent was in it. Enough said. =D
There was Jenks, Ivy, of course Rachel, Pierce, Newt, Belle, Vivian, Bis and the list goes on.

Pale Demon hits the magic, romance, humour, action and the fun that is a given in Harrison's Hollows series. For those such as moi who like their Trent and Al scenes, never fear! There's lots of them. There's heaps of character development when it comes to those two. I knew it was in them but Rachel was definitely surprised. I guess i paid more attention to them than she did.

Anywho's I am definitely gunning for the next book. I want my hands on it now. Alas, i must wait, just as I had to wait for Pale Demon and was driven to near insanity for it!...
Totally worth it.

I must say though that I cannot believe it ended like that! Damn! I didn't even notice that i'd almost finished it... and then i turn the page. Grrr. I'm sure it's not that bad. Ends pretty much exactly how Harrison ends all her other Hollows series books, but this one just got to me. Not a cliffhanger or anything so although not all the loose ends have been tied up yet, there's no strand just blowing in the wind. Good for me. If she had ended this in a cliffhanger...

Trent baby! Al my lovely! You both made out with Rachel. I knew it would happen eventually but both in the same book? whew! And i liked... so yum! Harrison really did kill me when she ended it the way she did. The sad thing is, I'm not even talking about the whole silver bracelet thing, decide your fate. I'm talking about letting Trent leave. I wanted to hear what he had to say. Rachel dammit! Why did you let him leave! And i didn't get to see Al again *pout*. I want her to go back to the Ever-After and see Al again. I liked that he started beating everyone when he thought she was dead. How weird is that? mmmmm.... they need to be in the next book or i am going to go mad!

-----------------

Previous Thoughts

yay more trent... hehe...
i hope there's some Algaliarept!!! he is so awesome...

heya people!!! we now have our first chapter of Pale Demon! yay!
http://www.kimharrison.net/BookPages/...

...how the heck did some people get their hands on it already?

noooooooooooooooo!! i read it! why would i do such a thing. Check that. i didn't read it, i went to the end and read the last sentence! why!!! no way am i reading the whole thing. Forget chapter 1. We have chapter 12.
Anyone want to read it. yes? no? maybe?
here:
http://io9.com/#!5755270/two-witches-...

okay... i read the whole thing...
soooooo gooooooooooooood! it actually wasn't that spoilerish. didn't leave me that hungry for more... you know, until the last paragraph

[VampireNovelFan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, I’ve Got a New Favorite! Harrison’s better than ever!

About two years ago, Ms. Harrison teased her blog followers about an upcoming book involving Rachel, Trent, and Jenks on a road trip out west. Fast forward to now, as Book 9 has finally been released. If you follow Ms. Harrison, you know that she touts this particular book as her favorite of the series. As a fan since 2005, I can say it's without a doubt my new favorite as well. It took six books, but Book 3 has finally been overtaken.

We have Rachel and Jenks heading out west for what she tries to convince herself will be a pardon with the Coven of Moral and Ethical Standards for using black magic. Oh yeah, and she has her brother’s wedding to attend too. Trent Kalamack also needs to get to the west coast, though it's for personal reasons. He's keeping mum on the details; however, he will accompany Rachel to her pardon (more like her trial as far as he is concerned) in an attempt to vouch for her. Rachel is banned from flying commercially and Trent is limited to travelling by land. Neither can get out west without the other. If Trent doesn't make his deadline, he’ll miss out on the most important opportunity to help his race. If Rachel loses, she says hello to Big Al and the Ever-After FORever-after.

Joined later by Ivy, Pierce, a surprise Coven member, and a few assassins trying to stop either Trent or Rachel in their tracks, we end up with an American Inderlander Road Trip...from Hell. Aside from the banter amongst themselves, they later run into a new demon, a Pale Demon, who can walk in the sun and must eat living souls to sustain himself. He’s so dangerous that even the demons sealed him away, but upon his unexpected release, he causes plenty of ruckus on both sides of the lines in more ways than one, proving to be a bit too much to handle for our favorite witch/demoness.

Character development, magic, action, comedy, drama, romance--these elements have been what keeps the storyline going and makes it so special for fans of this series. Harrison hits all of that in her writing. She addresses several particular issues when it comes to Rachel's relationships, as well as the relationships between the people around her.

While not trying to spoil much here (feel free to skip this paragraph if you’re worried), you're certainly strapped in for a roller coaster ride in terms of Rachel's love life. If you thought it was crazy before, you’re in for it now. While I’ve been a card-carrying Trent and Rachel supporter since Book 1, there’s attention given to her relationships with him, Pierce, Ivy, and Al too. I doubt that’s too surprising for those who have read the previous books though. It's just all quite complicated and I have a hard time imagining how Kim plans to iron out everything. Like any fan, of course I have certain hopes.

Relationship dynamics evolve as much as the characters, and I think it is for the better. Everyone in one way or another is growing in this book, even the demons. New and important characters are introduced as well. You find yourself surprised as you sympathize and even start to like particular characters that you may not have cared for in the beginning. Harrison does well with fleshing out their personalities, revealing them to be more complex than they seem. Throughout this book the lines of black and white aren't so clear anymore, though certain characters do *finally* pay some consequences for their actions. People--and I mean species in general--are who they are, but the issue of nature vs. nurture is still there.

Acceptance is a major theme this this time around, along with trust and vulnerability. We see Rachel making smarter choices and tapping more into her demonic nature. She and Trent have to learn to work together and trust one another. If you’re a Trent fan, he’s here in spades and you’ll never tire of him. You can see a mile away any opportunity when Rachel will ogle him, which is all in good fun of course. New questions arise for the demons and the Ever-After. Jenks evolves too, and he’s still some of the best comic relief throughout the book. You’ll love him per usual, if not a little more. We get more Ivy focus with the good old-fashioned teamwork that we loved from the beginning of the series, and more light is shone on her relationship with Rachel. Al fans should really enjoy this book as well because we learn a few new things about him as he helps Rachel harness her demonic powers. Even Newt’s character improves immensely. You can read it yourself to learn why. I am not the biggest fan of Pierce, but he is slightly more bearable this time around too, and that’s saying something. I found his presence in Black Magic Sanction absolutely smothering, almost ruining my enjoyment of that book.

Overall, I thought the book was pretty solid, but some instances were a little too convenient.


******MINOR SPOILERS*************************
Like in terms of Trent’s quest. Realistically, why what he was after wasn’t being monitored 24/7 until his deadline passed was beyond me. That needed more explanation.

I also wonder why Harrison doesn’t exploit elven super-speed a little more considering they can travel really fast from one spot to another.
******END MINOR SPOILERS*******************


I read it in 2 evenings. However, I was breezing along until the last third, where all of a sudden it came to a screeching halt. It couldn’t have been helped, but gears switched a little too suddenly and I had a hard time wanting to follow it. It wasn’t that I was uninterested in the subject matter. I just wasn’t interested right then. Black Magic Sanction in comparison was all over the place, but that was easier for me because that was the established pace. My annoyance with Pierce was the only thing slowing me down there. However, after I finished Pale Demon, I went back to re-read the last third and I found it *very* engaging after all, so if this happens to you while reading it, see if that works. For other fans who read the book, it may be the opposite and the last third will be the easiest to read. Regardless, I have to say that I found the last 30-40 pages nothing short of epic. Harrison is full of surprises alright!

I have to admit, I was a little sad when I finished reading it. Loose ends are starting to tie up and this is the first time where I felt the series slightly begin to wind down. There are new obstacles and challenges and arguably a new direction for the story to take, but you definitely reflect a bit about how far things have come since Dead Witch Walking. I look forward to Book 10, but I’m not quite sure it can top Pale Demon, so I’m anticipating it slightly less. Even still, The Hollows is my favorite series, and there’s something or another that I enjoy in each book, so I expect nothing less in that aspect. In the meantime, the fan in me is actually pretty sated right now. It was worth the wait, Kim!


*Review also posted to Amazon

[Literary Ames · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[Belinda Boring · Rating 5 out of 5]

I let out an almighty squeal of excitement when I got my hands on this book. I have been hopelessly addicted to this series from page one of Dead Witch Walking. There’s always the worry in the back of readers minds that the more books there are in a series, the harder the author has to work for it to still pack a powerful punch. Pale Demon is book nine in the series and BY FAR is THE MOST incredible of them all. Please excuse the GUSHFEST you are about to witness. I’d suggest maybe sitting back a little from the screen just in case I get a little of my excitement on you LOL

Where to even begin? So much has happened to Rachel throughout the series and seriously the poor girl has to be tired from the trouble she attracts. Just wanting to be left alone to live her life free from being hunted and attacked, Rachel finds herself heading to San Francisco with the hopes of having her shunning revoked. The witches coven have labeled her a black witch (because she had performed demon magic) and through a series of events, a bargain was struck – her shunning removed or she would tell the world the startling truth she discovered (haha read the books because it’s a HUGE “shake the world” kind of truth) Going in good faith, she makes the epic journey with her friends and Trent *insert swoon here*, picking up a coven spy along the way. What follows is an amazingly fast paced, action packed, “OMGSH I can’t believe it” story that far surpassed my expectations. This story BLEW. ME. AWAY. This is the kind of book that I wish went on forever because there was just so much to see and soak in. The author did an incredible job of giving her readers a closer look at all the beloved characters and had them involved with things I never would have seen coming. I’m impressed with her imagination and ability to write a story that even after eight books, STILL had the ability to suck me in. *insert a HUGE gush*

It never ceases to amaze me just how much I like Rachel. She is such a fly by the seat of her pants heroine who is completely flawed and you can’t help but love her. This is the girl who REPEATEDLY finds herself knee deep in trouble when all she wants to do is live her life and be a good witch. You name it, it’s hunted her down and tried to kill her and still she keeps fighting. Even in the most desperate of moments, when it would be so easy for her to give up, Rachel stands up, dusts herself, digs deep and fights. In Pale Demon, Rachel is knocked hard. So much happens to her that even I was crying “Please just leave her alone” before turning to her and whispering “It’s ok if you want to disappear for a while, you need a break from all this.” She learns a lot about herself and accepts some things that are difficult to swallow but instead of wallowing, whether by bravery or sheer stubbornness, she works through it. This is all great but when you add in her flaws and the emotion/thoughts that flow through her, she makes for an incredible character in my mind. I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of her because there seems she still surprises me and I can’t help but wonder if we know all there is to know yet. Being in a place now where she can fully embrace who she is, what will she choose? My heart goes out to her and all I can do is cheer!

*insert the BIGGEST gush here* Being the hopeless romantic I am, I can’t help it when I read a book that I try to partner the heroine off with a sexy man. Rachel has been involved with a few hunks – Kirsten (sob he is so missed), Nick (no comment) and Pierce (sigh). Each relationship has had its challenges and I’ve always held my breath to see whether it’d last. So going into this book, I took a look around at the leading men and I could help but hope with my wishful heart that Rachel and Trent would hook up. I don’t think I’m the only one who isn’t a little lustful after the sexy bad boy elf (ok you can add in murderer and drug lord but I think bad boy sounds better) He has always made my heart beat a little faster and right from the beginning I’ve wanted sparks to fly. There’s some sexual tension there amongst all the hostility and so I went into Pale Demon crossing my fingers. Like the naughty reviewer I am – I’M NOT TELLING YOU ANYTHING (mwahahaha) but this I will. There is A LOT of Trent in here and he is extremely delicious! The author gives the reader such a deeper look at him and we get to see him totally out of his element. We get a glimpse behind the façade and it is BEAUTIFUL!! Oh he’s still as sarcastic and “Trent” as ever but there is more depth and meaning to him and GUSH GUSH GUSH. I’ve waited eight books for this kind of look at him so for all you Trent lovers… be prepared to lose your heart all over again to him.

I really loved the feel of the book and how there seemed to be a more emotional approach to it. Amongst all the excitement, I appreciated seeing some of the characters reveal more of themselves to the reader. It helped make a deeper connection to them and the storyline and you became invested in the story. I’ve already shared about Rachel and Trent but another surprise for me was Al. Yes, this was the book where I saw him as more than a demon and I felt myself falling in love with him. There’s always been this image presented of him throughout the series and it honestly felt as if suddenly Al was stripped of everything and we could see a more “human” side of him. I loved being able to look at him differently, to appreciate him better and as much as in freaked Rachel out at times when she saw different sides to him, I thought it was about time and fantastic. This book really gave the spotlight to some of the characters we’ve been intrigued in and all I can say is a big THAN K YOU to the author.

There is nothing I would change about this book because in my mind it was perfect. It was a thrilling experience, one that I couldn’t get enough of and had me emotionally absorbed into the characters. It’s an amazing urban fantasy series, one that I’ll cherish and reread over and over again. This is definitely a book I’ll be talking about for months to come and feel anyone who loves the paranormal would absolutely enjoy and devour this book/series. Here’s hoping I can last until the next installment. Happy reading! * this ends the GUSHfest*

[Mrs. Badass · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick review:
Grade: B

Rachel finally grows up. Her and Trent finally have a "moment". I actually like Al. The demon world is pretty darn cool, so was Dali's restaurant and making a new selection for the Juke Box. Newt made me laugh, Ivy finally realizes her and Rachel are a No Go. Jenks gets put out to STUD, BIS is the most awesome little gargoyle EVER {I want a gargoyle!} The coven sucks, I don't really care about Pierce, and where he might be right now at the end of Pale Demon. Speaking of the end.... What the frack and OMG TRENT {what he did and what he endured--deserved mind you--blew my mind {I think he really loves Rachel just hasn't figured that out yet...)! I can't wait for the next book!

In Review:

Rachel grew a pair and almost stopped being a total doormat
Trent is still an asshat, but for some reason I'm drawn to him just like Rachel
Ivy said goodbye and is finally happy without Rachel
Jenks is OK after Matalina
BIS rocks
Pierce is a moron
Al is totally cool, in a devious demon sort of way

[Forrest · Rating 1 out of 5]

SPOILER ALERT: Before I dive into my review, please be advised that this review is going to be almost all spoilers. If you have not read the book, it might be a good idea to stop here.

Alright, then. So, this book. I think it's fair to note that I got Kim Harrison's entire Hollows series in soft-copy on my Nook, so I basically read the entire series (up to the latest book) back to back to back.

I wish I hadn't. Because doing so, really brought how terrible this book was into sharp focus. Most reviews spend a lot of time fleshing out the plot of this book. Instead of doing so, I will focus on its issues, which I'll break down for you in a serious of bullet-points.

- Most glaringly, this book reads as some sort of fan-fiction tribute to the Rachel character, where they took everything that was good about the first five or six books, and then just did as fanfic trash does: skewed everything and then added sex. Rachel has a sexual encounter/gets turned on by absolutely every guy she sees (oh, and Ivy). Trent, Pierce, and Al all have moments with her. Of course, Al's moment...nah, I'll get into that in another bullet point.

- There's a rape scene with Rachel's pet demon Al. Let me say that again. There's a rape scene with Rachel's pet demon Al!!! (remember what I said about fanfic?) AFTER which, Newt shows up (because she seems to have a personal need to butt into Al's personal affairs), and during the scene, Rachel isn't screaming bloody murder, or in a corner shivering, she's standing there in a pissy, irritated mood. ....what? Now, I'm a guy. I've never been raped. I know women who have, however, and not a single one of them ever told me that they were merely annoyed by an attempted rape. They weren't irritated. They were VIOLATED (even worse when the rapist was someone they had known and considered an acquaintance). They wouldn't have sat there next to the would-be rapist directly afterwards, and stared at the guy's unit under his robe and made comments on it(as Rachel does in this scene). It was entirely unrealistic, unbelievable, and was incredibly poor writing. I got the distinct impression that Harrison hasn't ever even spoken to a rape victim. Period. It was the beginning of the end of being a fan of Harrison's Hollows books for me.

- Ivy is just background noise at this point (except of course, for the steamy kiss I guess the female fans of this series have been clamoring for). She exists solely as an emotional blanket for Rachel. This is most apparent by the fact that Ivy (the archetypical one-note hot, sexy female vampire) could be replaced by anyone, and nothing about the story would change. At all.

- Al has gone from being a menacing, evil demon earlier in the series, to a regular guy with muscular shoulders and goat-slitted eyes. Rachel can say whatever she wants, and he just goes with it, where three books ago it would have earned her a backhand. My issue here is that he went from an inhuman demon totally without morals or scruples to just a regular guy who cares about Rachel, which really is par for the course in the continuing fanfic comparison where the lead character has to become the absolute center of the universe for the entire cast of a series. Speaking of which...

- Everyone else's needs, desires, or wants become absolutely transparent or disappear entirely in the face of Rachel's needs. Everyone becomes a backdrop, a blank tapestry, which is a shame because some of these characters had really had a lot of development in earlier books, only now to be relegated to scene dressing. A shame. Let's run through them. As I said, Ivy, emotional blanket. Al, the worried friend who wishes they were dating. Pierce (himself an absolutely pulled-out-of-Harrison's ass fabrication in WWBC) had a bit of backstory which culminated in a sexual encounter in a dirty little hole in the ground covered by a grimy blanket (again, something that would happen in trashy fanfic garbage, nowhere else) a book or two ago, is now just the hat-wearing black-magic-ball shooting sidekick. Jenks, always good for a one-liner as he chastises Rachel for something trivial. And then there's Trent...

- Trent. This is the worst part of the entire series. Ok, all I can say is: WHAAAATTT? Trent Kalamack is a murderer, druglord who runs Brimstone, and has dealings in illegal bio-technology. We know this because it's mentioned verbatim many, many times throughout the first what, six or seven books? This same guy has tried to kill, not hurt, injure, or even annoy in a minor way, but KILL Rachel multiple times. MULTIPLE times. She HATES him for (and because of) this. He is a scumbag. This was established canon. Or at least it was until the author decided to listen to her fans (who apparently demanded that Rachel be physically attracted to every single other male character in the series) and completely and totally downplay Trent the murdering millionaire into some garbage that culminates with him telling her "I've trusted you since camp." WHAT? WHAAAAAT? I almost threw my Nook into the trash at that point because I was so disgusted. You've always trusted her? Dude, you told her point blank "If you don't remove my familiar mark, I will try to kill you (again)." This, after you smashed her head into a tombstone. This, after you caged her and entered her into illegal rat-fights where she could have been killed. This...I could go on, but I think the point is made. This has just become poor, sloppy writing. The author could have introduced a new character to become Rachel's "interest", choosing instead to undo several books worth of characterization with one poorly written book that completely does not reflect the character she created. Trent is a condescending rich jerk who sees Rachel is a foolish chimp who can be bought for an envelope full of money, to be sent off to do whatever dirty-handed errand he wants her to do, and who can be manipulated into doing so relatively easily. All of a sudden, by the end of this book, he's suddenly infatuated with her and they made out (albeit in Rachel's hallucination caused by her soul re-entering her body).

- Last but not least: BLACK MAGIC. In the first several books, Rachel was an earth witch, who accidentally learned she could do ley line magic. In the last few books however, the earth witch thing has fallen completely by the wayside (along with a lot of the previously established characterization as I've mentioned already). Now, she spindles ley line energy into her head and walks right into whatever, and she's fine because she can (and will) use black magic at the drop of a hat now. In fact, it doesn't even bother her anymore. In the first few books, she twisted a few demon curses, and took the smut, and it was this world-ending "OMG DEMON SMUT ON MY AURA, I'M FOREVER TAINTED!" moment each time. Now, using black magic is a regular occurrence. And she's completely fine with it. I'm aware that some of it is this scrabbled together sub-sub-subplot about how maybe black magic users aren't all bad, but seriously? She's no longer an earth witch, which is contrary to how she used to see herself. And it wasn't even an evolution, which is the problem. Somewhere around book five or six, she went from being an earth witch who could spindle ley line energy into a ley line witch who feels naked if she doesn't have a headful of ever-after saved up, ready to throw at someone. And worse, it was a plot point in book three or four where she felt she was a novice, and not good enough at ley line magic, but of course, all that fell by the wayside, and now she's a master ley line witch who can pull lines through people, and hold more energy than anyone else in history, and blast people, and, and, and, and basically whatever other ability Harrison comes up with on the fly to explain why Rachel doesn't get killed at that point by whatever she's facing. It's just sloppy. Case in point: that ridiculous scene where she creates a "virtual reality" memory for the demons to enjoy in that restaurant scene in the Ever-after with Al. What kind of contrived BS was that? Gah.

In conclusion, there are several more plot points that were totally rushed, that came out of nowhere, or that didn't match up with previous characterization or laid out groundwork of this book's universe. Let me be honest, I hate to put up an in-depth slam of this book because I HAVE enjoyed most of this series. But really, that's the problem. How can Kim Harrison go from writing some heart-wrenching scenes like the death of Matalina and Rachel twisting the curse to shrink down so she can be there to comfort Jenks, or the discovery of Kisten's death and the slow reconstruction of her memory...to total slammed together garbage like this book? I was disappointed, frankly. I am hoping that the next book somehow realigns what I enjoy about the series, and that Ms. Harrison goes back and rereads her own earlier books so she remembers what it is about these characters that drew so many fans in the first place. This book effectively ends with Rachel having a clean slate, with all of her current, major issues solved. The next book will make or break my continued interest in this series, as I do not have an issue with dropping a series cold, I've done it before.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story was exciting and full of suspense, which is what I like in a book. This usually warrants a 4 or 5 star from me but not this one. I think the real intent of this book was to get Racheal and Trent in a situation where they have to stay in close quarters with each other, ultimately starting their romance ball rolling.

I am a Racheal/Trent fan and have been since book 1. I think they have great chemisty together, specifically, they balance each other out (temperament wise). But I have also been waiting for Trent to start to show some redeeming qualities. In previous books, he has had some charming moments, albeit only a few. So I was looking forward to this book. I was sure that this story would bring out the best in Trent and have a budding romance in the end...or at least friendship and I was right. What I wasn't prepare for was a secretive/ manipulative Trent that gets Racheal hurt numerous times and keeps himself safe through 98% of the book. By the time I got to the ending I thought, how could a romance or friendship start from this? He has not proven himself worthy of her. Just because he saved her life, one time, at the end (which was the least he could do...because how many times has she saved his?), took a beating (about time), and has been covering lawsuits for her behind her back, does not justify Rachael softening her thoughts about who he is and his morals. Come on...how can a reader feel good about a character when he ruins so many lives. I know we, as readers, aren't suppose to think about more than what is on the page, but I do. How many peripheral people died in this book? What about the misery of all their families? Racheal can't just set aside her morals and values because someone saved her life once and she enjoyed a kiss!

The second thing I don't understand is this 'Elf Quest' that Trent is on. Yes, I didn't like his ex and I am glad he didn't marry her. But hind sight being 20/20..if I was pregnant and a naked woman showed up in my room, then implied over breakfast that there had been a relationship between the two, I might be a little bitchy and posessive too. Getting back to the point...Baby snaching?? I don't understand how, as readers, we are to find a parent kidnapping a 3 month old child out of her crib acceptable? If Ms. Harrison is keeping with the notion of elves and changelings (that is usually done with human children and not with fellow elvan children)...(sigh) I will go with this idea and thought process for the sake of the story. *heavy sigh* But are we to respect a culture and society that kidnaps children and make them our hero/champion in a story? Are we to respect Trent more for doing this? I have to wonder what Elsbeth thinks of this time honored tradition as the recipient and mother? Is she just going to sit back and let him take and raise their daughter without her? That doesn't make sense. AND...her family just wrote Racheal a check for all the damages and assassins she had to fight off? Was that part of the challenge...if you win, then all expense will be reimbursed *insert sarcasm* Hum??

This book was exciting and full of adventure. Unfortunately, the ending felt unjustified and wrong for the story...absolutely no logical ending according to the actions in the story. I simply can not read about a character that I want to throttle throughout the book and then have warm fuzzy feelings about him because he has a baby in his arms and is using a cane due to injuries he righteously deserves (with interest). Racheal needs someone who shares her values about people and life. I don't think a beating and a baby make up for all the mayhem in the end. As much as I disliked Elsbeth's attitude (I am starting to sympathise with her) she's a scientist, not a drug dealer and murdering thug. I MIGHT read the next book from the library just out of couriosity, but I'm beginning to really dislike Trent...Rach, go find someone who thinks you make the world a better and brighter place. Here's hoping the next book(s) make more sense due to a character's actions THROUGHOUT a book than on a target ending.

[Carole (Carole's Random Life) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review can also be found at https://carolesrandomlife.com/

I loved this book! I have been having a great time working my way through this series. I am only mad that I waited so long to read these books. This book takes Rachel and the rest of the crew on a road trip. Road trip books in a series can really be hit or miss for me but this one was a definite hit. I was glued to my headphones once I started reading.

Rachel needs to get to the west coast and it turns out Trent does as well. So Trent, Rachel, Ivy, and Jenks pile into Rachel’s mom’s car and head out. Of course, they run into more than a few problems along the way. I was especially thrilled to see them visit my hometown of St. Louis and they definitely made their mark during their stay. Once they get to their destination, things become even more intense and I was quite surprised by some of the turns that the book eventually took.

Marguerite Gavin does a fabulous job with the narration once again. She does such a great job with all of the various character voices and flawlessly brings the story to life. I love how she is able to add just the right amount of emotion to her voice to really help the story have the biggest impact possible. I do believe that her narration added to my enjoyment of the story.

I would highly recommend this series to others. This is the ninth book in the series which I would highly recommend reading in order. This book was a ton of fun and there were a lot of big developments that should have some major impacts on future books. I cannot wait to read more of this fantastic series.

Book Source: Library/Purchased

[Trish · Rating 5 out of 5]

Aw, I think I’m gonna fart fairy dust, this was a road trip book! BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

As per the epilogue of the previous volume, Rachel only has one possibility to get the shunning rescinded and the assassins to back off: ask for forgiveness in front of the witch council during their next meeting.
Well, the time is now but the council is doing its damnedest to ensure Rachel can’t make it to the West coast where the meeting is held.
And then Trent needs to get to the West coast as well (though he’s very „shy“ about why) and since Quen won’t leave Ceri since she’ll give birth soon, he’ll only let Trent go if Rachel accompanies him.
So it’s ROAD TRIP TIME! FUN! *lol*

If you thought (like me) that Brooke was the worst witch on the council, you (and I) were seriously mistaken. *sighs*
But the elven assassins sent after Trent aren’t much better. Or are things not exactly as they appear at first glance? Might some demon(s) be behind this?

Fascinating about this part of the story was not only Rachel’s further discovery of her powers, but also what Trent seems capable of (and the knowledge he has which also gave him some weird ways to „fight“).
To be perfectly honest: I was squealing in delight and grinning like a loon about Rachel and Trent. Good scenes coming in future books, I’m sure!

Then there was the trial, summarizing perfectly what Rachel has done in the series and why. It was sad to see how the witches thought about Rachel, swallowing the propaganda hook, line and sinker. Not surprising, but still sad. No good deed goes unpunished - maybe Rachel should have given the secret away after all. If they want a demon … But then, Trent’s plan was actually not too bad (and, once again, very important for future events) and led to us becoming privy to a wonderful time in the Ever After learning some really cool bit of demon magic.

I seriously LOVED Rachel, Ivy, Jenks, Trent and Vivien going on the road together (for very different reasons) and how they fought their way through several US towns that, while still being recognizable, had an interesting magical twist to them.
And then there was the story of the daywalking demon the team found in the badlands of Arizona.
But the mystery of just what Rachel is supposed to help Trent retrieve definitely knocked it out of the park! I did NOT see THAT coming.
So there was more than enough opportunity for hilarity as well as action and the author delivered on both as she always does. I really loved the mix of danger and hilarity (and „d’aw“ moments). It’s generally a light(er) volume and yet one knows that the events here will have serious impact on the rest of the series.

The bonds forged in this one are seriously cool and I once again leaned back and enjoyed the ride (literally, in this case). On to the next!



P.S.: One bond I wouldn't mind getting snapped is that to Robbie. I can't belive that he is most concerned with his wedding having had to be postponed since his mother had been in a prison in SF and is blaming Rachel so isn't inviting her to the replacement date.

[εllε · Rating 5 out of 5]

*Spoilers ahead*

Wow, what a ride! Exceptional! The best of the series...

I don't remember when I last cried so much over a book. There were so many heart-breaking moments and so many goodbyes...and so many kisses!!

I think the whole Rachel-Ivy drama can be described in Rachel's saying: "That's what I love about her. If she bends, I walk away. If I bend, she gets nothing but a shell."

Ivy was the first person Rachel let go. Just when I had started to like her...but anyway, life goes on.

AND the most heart-breaking moment for me, in this book and in the last one: "AND I WILL CRY WHEN I GO BECAUSE I COULD LOVE YOU FOREVER."

Omg Pierce, why did you have to be such a dick? I liked you, then I hated you, then I loved you!! Your self-sacrifice and going against your beliefs to save Rachel for one last time, was so much for me, I can't even...My heart breaks and I can't stop crying every time I read the above declaration! I wished things could work between them, but the heart wants what the heart wants.

And then Trent. I don't know how things between Trent and Rachel are going to be, but I don't like them together. I hope they have just something small and be over with it. I'm trying to like Trent, but I can't make myself to. I think he doesn't deserve Rachel. She is too much for him. He is a politician and I know he helped Rachel and saved her, but she wouldn't need being saved if it wasn't for him! He put her in that situation in the first place. I just don't trust him. Rachel deserves a lot more, she has had enough of weak men!...but it's just my opinion :(

And finally AL!! I love Al, although he is a demon. I want him to be the one for Rachel, but I don't think that is going to happen. He has more balls than Trent will ever have...LITERALLY xD. I think he loves Rachel but doesn't force it. He lets her decide and take her own chances. I'm so curios to know what will happen when he finds out she's still alive. At least I hope they have some more Hot Time together :)

Overall you must know by now that I just loved this book. I can't wait to read the others. In the end it looks like everything was the same but it wasn't. As Rachel says: "It was what I wanted. What I had always wanted. So why did it feel so empty?"

Because you said so many goodbyes dearest Rachel...

"We were home, and though everything had changed, we were still solid. Better, even."

I don't know how long this will last, but I can't wait to find out.

5 million stars!!

[Steven · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy cow. What a book. Up, down, left, right, inside out. I feel pulled in a million different directions, beat up, put back together, and ripped apart again.

Poor Rachel. She goes through more and more hell!!!

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

In defense of Rachel Morgan/The Hollows:

Why write a decent review for Pale Demon? By book nine of Kim Harrison’s The Hollows series critics have left if far behind, while fans will appreciate the solid story which delivers a lot of action, and even a little character development from Rachel. What can I say? Despite her flaws, Rachel is my favorite UF heroine. I also love the supporting characters ~ vampire Ivy, pixie Jenks, demon Al and so many others. Kim Harrison has created an amazing and complex world and I always end her books wanting more. Pale Demon is one of the stronger books in this series and my only regret is that it ended way too soon ~ book ten can not be published soon enough =)

[Natasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best installment yet!

"Pale Demon" is the ninth installment in the Hollows series by the amazing, Kim Harrison.
If your a fan of The Hollows series already, then this was a must read for you. If your like me, then you were begging for this installment since you finished "BMS" and ofcourse after reading this I can happily say, it's my favorite of the series. Yes, there were more emotionally written intstallments in this series, but this was just too good to be true. Only bad thing is, the next one won't be out for another year. *Pulls hair out waiting!*

I don't want to give any major spoilers, but I have to say, I loved the interaction between Rachel and Trent.
Trent was always a favorite of mine, but not as much as he is now. Trent opens up, yeah, I know..sounds too good to be true, right? But he honeslty does grow as a character and we see a whole new side of him. It's definitely exciting.

Al is my favorite as always. Although he's the "bad guy", he's my favorite for Rachel. He's right for her, in a weird, sick kind of way. If your also a fan of Al, then this novel is a slam dunk for you. He isn't in the beggining as much as I'd like, but he comes through from the middle to end strong.

Jenks. Jenks. Jenks. Am I ever glad he's still going strong. I don't know what I'd do without him in this series. He's what makes this series what it is. "Pale Demon" shows him trying to grow withouth Malida. He's ajusting, although it isn't easy for him. He misses his wife, but he's trying to move on with his life. But Jenks is Jenks and he still makes you laugh with his quirky sayings. His loyalty is amirable, he truly is a great character. One of the best.

Ivy has grown imendesly in this instalemment. I never thought I'd see the day of how much Ivy has matured as a vampire. Her happiness is something we've never seen, and I like seening it.
Rachel is the same old Rachel. Yes, she's grown, but she still makes Rachel mistakes. Though, that's why we love her -lol. I love Rachel, she's one of my favorite female characters. She's smart, pretty, funny and can kick major butt. There's no lack of butt kicking in this novel, that's for sure.

Over all I'd rate this novel a 10 out of 5! (Yes, I know impossible, but it really was that good!) It was non-stop action and was full of twists. I had a hard time putting it down to eat. It was one for the shelves, and worth every penny.

[Bradley · Rating 5 out of 5]

The great Hollows Re-Read continues!

Honestly, I've just rediscovered my all-out inner fanboy and I honestly can't find a single fault in this book at all. Not only is it emotional and fun -- ROAD TRIP, YA'LL! -- but it gives us hardcore family time and discovered family time with Trent and the crew. ELF QUEST, YA'LL.

All the quest, even, from Rachel having to go to Witch Court and Trent's mysterious quest, to all the assassination attempts, the day-walking demon attacks, the dire consequences for failing any of it, OR the inevitable failure and the real consequences of Rachel's new path --

Well. There's enough going on in this book to fill two lesser books by other novelists. Loved the time in the Ever After, too. A lot of new questions to a slew of grand reveals.

I would say this is my favorite book of the bunch if I hadn't already said that about books 5 and 6 and 7 and 8. Or, wait, now that this is a re-read, I could start bringing up books 10, 11, 12, 13, and 14? lol

SUFFICE TO SAY, I love this stuff. Like, completely head over heels for it. This re-read is going EXTREMELY well.

[KatieR · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this was the best one in the series so far. At least in my opinion.

[Belen (f.k.a. La Mala ✌) · Rating 4 out of 5]

ACLARACIÓN: Aunque esta reseña tiene marcado 'spoilers' después de cada ítem, no suelo spoilear nada. Es decir, no escribo nada que arruine la trama principal. (En caso de hacerlo, lo advierto previamente con una nueva marca de spoiler!! O sea, te encajo un spoiler adentro del spoiler, porque estoy muy jugada, y soy re heavy y re jodida.)

¿De qué trata? Ray-Ray Morgan, flamante "novia" de un Edward Cullen del siglo XVIII, pero brujo y fantasma ahora se tira de cabeza en una misión on the road sin la dupla Kerouac/Cassady (ni drogas), pero con sus dos mejores amigos y bajo las órdenes de un tercer compañero de viaje: uno de sus peores enemigos (bah, no tanto en realidad) , ahora devenido en posible nuevo amigo.

Género: Fantasía Urbana.

La historia en cuestión, ¿Se adapta correctamente a su género ? Yup. Incluso ha profundizado en las cuestiones políticas del universo de los Inderlanders así como también se ha ocupado de poner un poco más de luz sobre la historia del ever-after. En especial, la trama que gira en torno al juicio del coven vs Rachel me ha parecido bastante típico del género en cuestión.

Punto de vista : Rachel sigue igual de Rachel que siempre, lo que significa: innumerables he is so hot!... oh, no! why do I notice this right in the middle of the worst situation ever! , wow, IVY is so beautiful, so perfect! Oh, no! She's looking right at me! She knows that I want her but I won't ever admit it... gosh, why can't we find some balance in our lives?? , un poco de I will protect my friends no matter what, that's all I've ever cared about (diez minutos más tarde) Oh, crap! Jenks and Ivy are dying!!! How the hell did I manage to screw everything up so badly!! , y no nos olvidemos de He thinks he loves but I'm so messed up. I'm not worth it. I won't ever love again." CINCO MINUTOS DESPUÉS Man, he is so hot!!! I have to resist him no matter what happens! dos minutos más tarde y muchos Don't fall for him, Rachel, he will betray you!! por parte de sus amigos : I'm so freaking happy we're finally together. This is IT. I love him, he loves me. We will make it, I'm willing to give this a chance pasado UN MINUTO MÁS NOOO He betrayed me!! I knew he was going to do it!! How could I have been so stupid?!....

En fin, un poco de todo eso...y admito que exagero en algunas cosas pero, así y todo, ciertas repeticiones a lo largo de estos nueve libros que pasaron se sienten así de exageradas...¡y ya cansan!



¿Es parte de una serie? *salta en una pata, choca los cinco, da una voltereta y grita* SISISISISISI.

En caso de serlo, ¿es necesario leer los libros que lo preceden? *después de la voltereta, se cae, se rompe el cuello y con el último respiro, responde SIII* Mientras China Zorrilla le grita a mamá Cora: QUE DUDA CABE!!!.

¿Hay romance? Pienso que sí. Es más, la autora ha dado un giro bastante arriesgado (pero bienvenido!!) en la vida romántica de Rachel, girando los intereses de la protagonista hacia un lugar donde, aunque a veces parecía que sí, la mayoría de las veces era un NO rotundo, no me esperaba que se atreviera a ha girarlo. Sin embargo, le ha puesto un cierre definitivo a cierta relación que yo, personalmente, vengo siguiendo y apoyando desde el primer libro,.Un poco decpecionante, pero me la veía venir desde el quinto libro.

En caso de haberlo, ¿entorpece la trama?: Sólo en el caso de las escenas con Pierce No entiendo ni por qué se sigue insistiendo en esa relación. Está muerta desde el vamos *chiste privado para los seguidores de la serie*.

Personajes: ¿Están bien desarrollados? ¿Son creíbles? Hay cosas que no me cierran sobre la decisión de Ivy. Tampoco sobre Rachel siempre pasando de largo lo crímenes de la gente que le cae bien pero no aquellos de la gente que le cae mal (o sea, en cierto sentido, son todos iguales), pero ya me acostumbré a que lo haga...

Personaje favorito:
-IVY, Jenks.
-TRENT.
-Me encantó la Rachel demonio
-El grupo que forman los cuatro en el camino fue adorable. (?)
-Por primera vez, me caen un poco bien AL y NEWT

Personaje a jubilar: PIERCEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE Matenlo! Matenlo otra vez!!

Narración: ¿Cómo está escrito? Todo el viaje, la acción constante y los diálogos entre los cuatro protagonistas (cinco contando a Vivian) fue excelente. Sobre todo esas escenas entre Rachel y Trent congeniando, así como también Trent y JENKS! haciendose "amigos"...imperdible.
-Otra escena a destacar: NEWT y Rachel en el ever-after, creando el construct fue muy fuerte, muy bien descrita, casi emotiva.

Clichés : Figuritas repetidas VOL ...
- Heroína asegura ser inteligente, toma decisiones pelotudas.
-Heroína no confía en quien tiene que confiar, confía en quien no tiene que confiar, luego se queja de haber confiado.
-Heroína es especial.
-El "Malo" no es tan "malo"

Nivel de Originalidad 10/10
Puede causar gracia (sin intención del autor/a) Sin intención, ninguna.



Urban Fantasy

¿Qué podemos esperar? Juicios a brujas, muertos vivos, amores que no son amores, demonios, burocracia mágica, burocracia demónica, un villano que da miedo

¿Escenas hot? ....

Posibles bajones (puede variar según el lector) Creo que llegué a leer algo ofensivo, pero ahora no puedo acordarme que fue! En cuanto me acuerde, lo escribo.

Credibilidad del world-building: Del 1 al 10 10

¿Ofensas? ( Ya sea el autor, quien narra la historia, o desde comentarios de personajes secundarios…)
-slut-shaming
-Y algo más, repito, sé que leí algo que me molesto, pero no lo marqué y ahora no me puedo acordar que carajo era!



¿Me gustó? Mucho bueno! diría alguien que no sabe español.

¿Hay cosas peores? que tu hijo sea fan de los superhéroes y, por ende, tener que haber "visto" (si se le puede decir así a poner la película y agarrar un libro XD) The Avengers más de quince veces, y todavía no saber de qué se trata...salvo que Loki es el malo ... ?

¿Libros peores? A gusto del consumidor

¿Libros mejores? A gusto de quien lee.

Lo recomendaría a quienes les gusta.. A cualquiera que le guste la fantasía urbana y lea a Ilona Andrews, Kelley Armstrong, Stacia Kane, etc.

Puntaje final: 4.4

[Katyana · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW!!

This is a complicated book to review. Not because it wasn't well-done - I think it was an extremely well-written book, and will rank way up there as my favorite in the series.

No, this is complicated because my feelings regarding the character arcs are complicated.

Let's start with Rachel.

I was thrilled - THRILLLED - to see her develop a spine in this book. Let me clarify what I mean. Rachel is a good guy. She has helped bad people on more than one occasion, simply because she feels firmly that no one deserves to be hurt / killed by monsters. That sentiment is extraordinarily noble, but it leaves her wide open to be severely hurt herself. It also lets a lot of horrible people take complete advantage of her, and frankly, it was getting tough to keep cheering for a doormat.

Happily, our Rachel took huge strides towards not being a doormat any longer in the end of this book. The douchebags were expecting her to bail them out, and while IMO she could have pushed even further (frankly, I wouldn't have helped until Oliver was dead, period), she at least drew a line. We'll see how that plays out in the next book.

Moving on to Trent...

This is a tough one for me. Firstly, I think that the end was more forgiving towards him than was appropriate, to me. Trent does a lot of bad stuff, and he was responsible for some jaw-droppingly horrific shit in this book. I still don't understand why he needed to summon Ku'Sox. Was it ONLY to help Rachel? Or did he need him for Seattle, and Rachel was just a side-benefit? I do NOT buy that Rachel was the point of the whole thing. I wish we got more info on what happened in Seattle. That would help me clarify my feelings on Trent, I think.

We got more insight into Trent's character in this book that we got in any other. I don't know that I agree, though, that he is changing. Because he still said and did all the same asinine stuff that he always says and does. And frankly, I am furious with him for cursing Rachel. It was his mess and he can fucking clean it up himself. I personally believe that Ku'Sox was something Trent needed for Trent's plan, and that Rachel only factored in because he believed he could use her situation with the coven to take advantage of her, and make her clean up the Ku'Sox mess. Like always, Trent was only ever thinking about Trent. People overall seem to have softened towards him in this book, and I don't understand why. Does the baby make him that more accessible to you guys? He's the same selfish, ruthless bastard he always was. In this book, he is responsible for the slaughter of probably hundreds of people, if not more. Yes, I get that he's lonely. But let's not forget who Trent is: he's a villain. I frankly have much more sympathy towards Al.


So let's discuss Al.

I honestly thought the time spent in the ever-after was the best part of this book. The depth that was added to Al and Newt as characters was fantastic. I'd also like to say: Rachel better take that goddamn bracelet off. I don't even understand why she's wearing it. Al deserves better. RACHEL HERSELF deserves better. I don't care about Pierce though. He can fuck off and die. I never liked that guy.


So that's it in a nutshell. I am concerned about where we are going in the future, because I feel the series is in a precarious position. There are a lot of things that could go the "wrong way" for me and likely kill my love for The Hollows. I'd say the 2 big ones are: bracelet. Get it the fuck off. And Rachel/Ivy/Jenks dynamic. I want to know where that conversation with Ivy is going, and if Jenks leaves, I am jumping ship, because I love him. Oh, and Trent. Though his soft and squishy center is interesting, and makes him a fascinating, complicated character, if he becomes a love interest, I may throw up. I don't think he's capable of the kind of change that would require to be palatable to me.

[Jane Stewart · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was bored. I wanted it to be over.

This is book 9. I feel like the author has nothing left to write about. It’s lots of conversation about very little. When bad guys appear, Rachel solves the problem by pulling on a ley line and using magic.

My biggest problem is I don’t like Rachel. She doesn’t show humility. She acts like a bratty snotty teenager. Most of the time she argues, gets angry, and threatens. There is a lot of “You did this? Well I’m going to do that to you.”

Trent enthrals two assassins so he can ask them who sent them. The enthral only lasts a couple of minutes. Rachel is furious and argues with Trent because his enthral used “black magic.” She wasted time instead of asking the assassins who sent them. Finally Jenks and Ivy interrupted Rachel’s rant and asked the assassins who sent them. I was not interested in watching Rachel do this.

The author used contrivances to create suspense which annoyed me. For example, someone tells Rachel to plead guilty, go to jail, don’t worry, I have a plan. But he doesn’t tell her the plan. So for a long time Rachel is worried and there is a lot of angst. I would rather just see how the trial and things worked out instead of someone saying “I have a plan, but I’m not going to tell you.”

More contrivance examples. Rachel rushes in yelling “they took him...they took him.” After a minute Trent gets out of the shower and says “took who?”

Rachel makes statements like “It didn’t work.” A minute later the reader hears that it did work.

The word clench was over used. I felt like it was used on every other page. There is teeth clenched, jaw clenched, gut clenched, fingers clenched, hands clenched, my heart seemed to clench, worry clenched my chest, we both clenched in pain, stomach clenched, clenched my eyes, my gut unclenched as it grew quiet.

I listened to the first 15 hours and couldn’t take any more. So I jumped to the last chapter and was glad to be out.

THE HOLLOWS (RACHEL MORGAN) SERIES:
As of 2013 there are 11 books in the series. Sadly it’s not for me, but I gave it a try. The three I read are:
3 stars. Dead Witch Walking, Book 1
2 stars. The Good, the Bad, and the Undead, Book 2
1 star. Pale Demon, Book 9

DATA:
Narrative mode: 1st person Rachel. Unabridged audiobook length: 17 hrs and 54 mins. Swearing language: strong but rarely used. Sexual content: none in the first 15 hours. Setting: time similar to current day various U.S. locations. Book copyright: 2011. Genre: urban fantasy.

[Duchess Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

MY FIRST FIVE STAR RATING FOR THE HOLLOWS SERIES...
WHAT AN AWESOME BOOK!!!!!!!!!

Now, I've never really disliked any of this series, or I'd never have continued reading. But I've never been truly gaga over it like some either. Until this book. What a multifaceted, much anticipated story that takes place in Pale Demon!!

Rachel is on her way across the country to attend her brother's wedding. But her fellow road trippers not only include Jenks and Ivy (always trouble with those three) but also.....Trenton Kalamack!!!! Oh, yes...Trent and Rachel in a car for hours on end. Too bad they weren't alone.

Thing is, Harrison still doesn't ever write an overtly romantic scene. But if you're a fan of the series, or if, like me, it's juuuust interesting enough, you know there's more to him. I could never put my finger on it. He's one of those characters that you can't force into revealing his secrets. But during the last couple of books, I feel like Harrison has really been leading us to this book. Trent and Rachel's antagonistic relationship has always been so volatile. It's no different here, but rest assured that their odd sort of understanding takes huge steps forward during the course of this story.

Rachel and Al also have an odd sort of relationship, and though Al has truly pulled off some evil doings, I still kind of like the crazy demon. He obviously has a thing for Rachel. And it's not just attraction. There are feelings involved, so he can't be all bad, right? Ah, whatever...I'm such a romance reader, I see romance everywhere.

Suffice it to say that this book is almost nonstop action, nonstop revelations, and...do I FINALLY see an end to the weird, uncomfortable thing going on between Ivy and Rachel? God, I hope so. What an awkward, guilt-riddled friendship. It's always annoyed me.

I'm so glad to have read this book. The series needed this. It moved forward by leaps and bounds within the pages of Pale Demon, and renewed my fascination with the Hollows.

[Sheyla ✎ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best book in the series. The road trip had some funny parts. This book also brought tears to my eyes. It reminded me about how much it hurt when Kisten died.
Trent stole this book. There is no one else I will like Rachel to end up with. Wonderful writing.

[Mlpmom (Book Reviewer) · Rating 5 out of 5]

RTC!

[Francesca the Fierce (Under the Covers Book Blog) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whew! I'm so excited about this book, there are no words to express it! It is my new favorite in the series!!!!! I did struggle just a bit with the last book, and this one took all the loose ends and made sense of everything!

It was action packed, so much happened, so much changed, and then changed again, and again! We got to see a new side to some of our favorite characters, were able to really understand others.

It also has plenty of romance, considering Rachel's love life is such a complicated mess. As a Trent/Rachel fan from book 1, I'll admit this book has something in store for you no what who you want Rachel to end up with: Al, Trent, Pierce or Ivy.

Rachel is really growing into her powers, and as things changed many times as far as where the story can go from here, at the end, I hope she chooses to continue on and explore her powers!!!!

The actual trip across to the West Coast was a riot! However, I did hit a slump in the reading excitement once we were stuck in the Ever After. Don't really know why, because everything that happened there was interesting, I may have to go back and re-read that part again! Maybe among other parts I'd like to re-read ;) hehe The kiss!!!!!! I almost fainted when Rachel got into it and pushed him against the refrigerator!!!! Of course, Trent naked coming out of the shower! And then when he was getting dressed to go on his elf quest, with Rachel lusting after him, and he notices her looking and teases her!!! OMG

I don't want to give too much away from the story, so I'll address the characters individually.

Rachel: I was happy to find her back to her usual self, without the constant complaining about whether she's a white witch, or a black witch, and she took care of her own destiny! She was confident, she stood her ground with all the characters and situations.

Trent: We get to see a completely new side of him, or is it just that there's a playful elf underneath all that serious businessman, drug-lord façade? I've always said that he had some growing up to do, and that he slowly had to come to terms with some things, and he's showing us he can def do it! I'm so excited about next books can bring us. And he gives us a surprise that was completely out of left field for me, it just left me with my mouth hanging open!!! What?!?!? Enough said! It was too sweet!!!!!

Jenks: I LOVE Jenks. Every moment, every comment! He's the funniest little pixie around. I mean, he gets kidnapped because they want to mate with him!?!?!? And I think it's really cute how there's a moment to express his crush for TinkerBell and he actually goes to her exhibit at Disneyland.... LMAO He has gone through so much after loosing Madelina and I feel that he's adapting well in this book.

Ivy: I was happy to find a little bit of closure to the constant Ivy/Rachel thing, although I've heard it may not be a permanent thing. Don't get me wrong, I think she's cool, and we got to see an emotional side to her, I agree she has to move on!

Bis: I wish we would've seen more of him!!!!

Pierce: I wanted to kill him most of the book. I don't know why I just don't like him, never have, prob never will.

Newt: She's actually really funny!

And last but not least, AL!: He is as funny as always, a liked him a little better in this book. I wish we knew what he really looks like! We also see another side of him in this book and I enjoyed that!

In conclusion, it was awesome, it reignited the spark of this series for me, and CANNOT wait for the next book. Does it really have to take a whole year?!?!?!?!

Ivy's Song: Cake - Short Skirt, Long Jacket
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X5KmB8Laemg

[Deea (Andreea) · Rating 5 out of 5]

*Re-read July 2015*

Just as spectacular as the first time - and second time, or however many times - I read it! Or maybe even more so, now that I could just sit back and read at a slower pace, enjoying the ride and reading through the lines, looking for the hidden clues and subtle messages. And being closer to the end of the series now, I could see certain things in a different light and what a game changer this book was for the entire story. Like I said in my initial review, I loved how all my favorite characters had a role to play and how much their relationship, dynamics and overall personalities developed. As always, I'm in awe of Kim Harrison's talent and ways of crafting, building and spinning everything, to every little detail and word said.

Whatever, I'm fangirling, but I'm happy I can still enjoy this series so much years later! That shit is rare nowadays, my friends! :D



_________________________________________

***January 2011***
Pale Demon review on my blog
First off, I need to say that I finally understand why people say this book is THE BOOK of the series and why it is everyone's favorite - it's mine too. It has it all: great humor, non-stop action, nail-bitting suspense, strong, like-able characters, and just a touch of romance, enough to make your heart beat loudly in your chest. I love, love, love it!

It could be because all my favorite characters are brought together on a hell of a road-trip and they all showed the best in them. I was smiling throughout the whole book - if I wasn’ t laughing out loud or staring open-mouthed at the page, that is. If in other books of the series sometimes I felt like slapping Rachel because of her decisions, in this one she has me completely on her side. She proves just how strong she is, how much she cares about her friends and she even starts to accept her past actions and who she really is. It's like she finally grows up.

Ivy was there in the right place in the right time, as always, but I would have liked to see more of her character. I think Jenks had some better moments in the previous books, but he’ s still the most adorable and fun character and a reliable addition to the team. Oh, and I still don’ t like Pierce – actually, at some point I was wondering why didn’ t someone just kill him right then, right there. And Trent… well…*inserts dreamy sigh here* he is quite a piece of work! I was glad because I could finally get him better, he was a constant (infuriating and delicious) presence in this book. As I was reading, I even wanted to hug him or to slap him silly or just to jump him!:)) I don't want to spoil the book for you, but there are some pretty nice teasing moments that will make any Trent fan swoon.

There were also some touchy moments that I really liked, because they gave me the chance to feel more connected to the characters and to understand them better. I missed this kind of scenes in the last couple of books.

All in all, it was a very enjoyable read and the ending was very satisfying – it wasn’ t a cliff hanger to make me pull my hair out in frustration until the next book came out, but it was still open, with a lot of unanswered questions and possibilities, so I can't wait to see what happens next!
Fun, fast-paced and with a lot of twists and turns to keep you entertained, Pale Demon is indeed the book of the series. Kim Harrison is a fabulous writer and a great storyteller, who made me close the door to reality completely and devour every page of her book - and always eager to read more of her work!

[Melliane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mon avis en Français

My English review

Ah there it is, I can not stop myself from reading the whole series and I finally ordered all the remaining volumes which will allow me to read them the ones after the others. By cons it is true that I am very anxious to see the end coming as it means that I’ll have to leave Rachel behind soon. Yes I know I still have a few volumes, but it will arrive anyway.

The conclusion of my reading? I loved this volume! It was just awesome and I had a great time with the whole story. Well I’m going to start with the beginning of the story. The end of the previous volume had left her only with one choice, but to go to the witches annual conference to apologize for using black magic. This is a very important event because it would allow her to take off her shunned situation hanging over her and so return to her life. Alas, nothing is or will be simple.

I was very surprised by reading the summary to see that Trent would accompany our heroine on the way for the witches’ meeting and it is true that I was curious to see why. But fortunately for him, Rachel has a heart of gold and eventually capitulates and takes him on the road to assist him in his own quest. But this way will be far without pitfalls! Oh yes, between a powerful entity who is determined to attack our heroine, Jenks disappearing, elf assassins, Pierce and Vivian present during a part of the trip or the time limit imputed to them, our heroine will have to manage a lot of things at once.

I was completely caught up by the story from the beginning of the novel! I must say that a lot of things happen over the chapters. It was also very interesting to see Trent throughout the history, it’s been a long time since we had seen him that much. By cons it is true that his actions make us want to shake him more than once. He does not realize what he is doing and at the same time he has a plan predetermined all along. As a reader, we are also curious to know what he wants to steal from his ex-fiancé’s family and I confess that I had already read the novella avout that so it’s true that I wasn’t really surprised. But in all cases he will be present for our heroine as much as possible in his own way. Rachel will have to manage her friends, the consequences of her actions and this elf who makes her life a living hell. I was very anxious for her after some choices and some events and I was not necessarily sure she would manage to escape. Treasons, conspiracies and broken promises will be present throughout the story. We will also have the chance to see what Rachel can do and we’ll learn a little more about what she is, something that will not be easy. But do not doubt as Kim Harrison is full of surprises and you will be dazzled by her ideas.

So yes it was a beautiful volume that takes us through several states. The conversation at the end of the novel with Ivy made ​​me terribly sick at heart and it’s true that it’s something that I did not expect that at all, and what Trent did shortly after also surprised me and touched me. I can not wait to see how everything will eventually evolve and to attend all the changes in Rachel’s life, as her life is just going to change completely.

A huge surprise again and I can tell you that I love to follow our beloved heroine.

[Jen Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I might as well just say it. I loved this book. Loved. Loved. Loved this book. I read somewhere that this has been Kim Harrison's favorite book in the Hollows series so far and I can see why. I left feeling exhilarated --like absolutely anything could happen next. That is no small feat for the 9th book in a series; it would be so easy to let things to get stale.

Where do I begin? Well, begrudgingly, I can say I wasn't in love with the beginning of the book. As advertised, Rachel is taking a road trip from Cincinnati to San Francisco. She is going to the annual witches council meeting to get her shunning removed. Instead of her planned flight with Jenks... She ends up driving, in a car that's getting increasingly crowded... with an elf, a pixy, a vampire and two other witches. Rachel is struggling to stay alive as the council tries to get her before she reaches her destination. To complicate matters more, she is babysitting Trent, who is on a mysterious elf quest. And along the way, we meet a genetically engineered day-walking demon, who likes to eat souls and wreak havoc. Nothing Rachel can't handle, right?

For me, the story hit its stride once Rachel faced off with the coven in San Francisco. And frankly, that was sooner than I expected. (I thought the road trip would last the whole book, but it was really more like 1/3 of it.) Her time in the ever-after is captivating. I loved having a peek inside the demon culture. I was enthralled getting to really know Al and Newt. And holy-freaking-cow, there was one scene at Al's place that blew me away. I think I read it four times before I could move on. I won't spoil it, but if you've read the book, you know the part I'm talking about.

We have huge, huge developments surrounding what Rachel is and how she sees herself. We have (yet another) major shift in the relationship between Ivy and Rachel... one that leaves me wondering about their future. We see possibilities and (what appears to be) resolution surrounding Rachel's relationship with Pierce. And there are colossal changes in Rachel's feelings for Al and Trent.

So much happens over the course of this book, when I look back to the beginning it's hard to believe it was all part of the same story. And even though we've "known" some of these characters since Dead Witch Walking, I feel like we're really getting to see inside a few of them for the first time. And I love it. And I absolutely can not wait to see what happens next. I'd give it more than 5 stars if I could.


*ARC provided by NetGalley

[Susana · Rating 4 out of 5]

A strong instalment to the series: Rachel "only" has a reasonable amount of tstl moments in it. Understandable, due to what she goes through in this..."episode" _ a lot, as usual .

This is the most chaotic series that I've ever read: There's a witch, that may turn out to be an actual demon..but she doesn't want to be a demon.
She wants what she's had her entire life...if only people would leave her alone!

But now in her life there's a living vampire, a family of noisy pixies _ with the occasional fairy _, a demon who once was the big threat to her life, and now is more like a comforting presence? Yes, I am talking about Al.
It's complicated.

An ex-coven witch who was killed and buried alive _ *shiver* _ on what is now Rachel's and Ivy's _ officially more like Jenks _ church grounds, and may now be a sort of significant other to Rachel...if only he didn't insist on killing demons.
____

Now, imagine all this people, together, in one car.....

________

___________

Yes, it's a mess. An insane _full of non stop adventure _ mess.

As always in the end, Rachel ends up, in even dire straits that the ones she started in, to begin with.
You know? Basic, Rachel Morgan's insanity all around.

Oh, and a secret about Trent is revealed, lol, and I am not going to say which one. ;)

But it was nice to see Rachel and Ivy finally _ Oh, God, I hope it lasts! _ come to an understanding. I was getting sick and tired of their back and forth dance.

[Kira · Rating 5 out of 5]

Easily the best book in the series so far! Rachel has to get to the west coast for the witch counsel to decide her fate. Trent has a mysterious mission he has to head out west for, so road trip time! I’ve gotta admit it got off to a rocky start. Trent was being a complete and utter asshat, and Rachel was whiny and irritating. Then it got wicked good once the demons got involved.

Al was awesome! He was my favorite character in the book. Spending some time with him in the ever after made some of his past despicable actions make more sense. I love it that he and Rachel are getting along. Once and for all it’s finally been proven that Rachel is a demon.

It was great that Ivy only had a minor role. I never liked Pierce. He really pissed me off with what he tried to do. The results of Trent’s elf quest were surprising. Trent’s arrogance could have gotten them killed. There was a method to his madness. It was not the best plan although the events in St. Louis were entertaining. This book got better and better as it went along. I’m really looking forward to the next one.