Killing Rites

The Black Sun's Daughter #4

by M.L.N. Hanover

Jayné Heller has discovered the source of her uncanny powers: something else is living inside her body. She's possessed. Of all her companions, she can only bring herself to confide in Ex, the former priest. They seek help from his old teacher and the circle of friends he left behind, hoping to cleanse Jayné before the parasite in her becomes too powerful.

Ex's history and a new enemy combine to leave Jayné alone and on the run. Her friends, thinking that the rider with her has taken the reins, try to hunt her down, unaware of the danger they're putting her in. Jayné must defeat the weight of the past and the murderous intent of another rider, and her only allies are a rogue vampire she once helped free and the nameless thing hiding inside her skin.

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

367 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published November 29, 2011

About the author

MLN Hanover is a pseudonym for fantasy writer Daniel Abraham when he’s writing urban fantasy set in something very like our world. In addition to The Black Sun’s Daughter series, MLN Hanover has published several short stories.

Reviews

[Robyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars that I am rounding up. The story really move forward with this book, and I enjoyed the return of a great character and the setting. I just wish it had been edited more thoroughly.

[Jen Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, we finally know for sure who the Black Sun's Daughter is --and Jayné has some really tough decisions to make. Now that she realizes she is carrying a rider within her, her first impulse is to get it out. But things are much more complicated than a simple possession. This entity has saved her bacon over and over again. Jayné must struggle with the true nature of the spirit and she questions the right course to take.

Ex is a big force in this story. Aubrey and Kim have been phased out. Chogyi Jake is still recovering and is absent through the first half of the book. Only Ex has been at Jayné's side as she comes to terms with the source of her strength. And he is the one who introduces her to the priests who set out to perform an exorcism. The priests are a big part of Ex's history and in spending time with them, Jayné learns alot about what has shaped Ex into the man he is today.

I've been waiting and waiting for Jayné and Ex to make the connection I've always thought was simmering beneath the surface. The guy is clearly in love with her, but just because his heart is in the right place, that doesn't mean he has all the right answers. This book is markedly different from the last in that the lion's share of it is an internal struggle, as opposed to an external one. Jayné has to figure out her true nature; who she can trust; and what she wants for her future. Not every question gets an answer and that's frustrating. So many things happened in the last book. This one is more about her realizations. Ex and Chogyi Jake have important roles and even the old vampire Midian shows up, but mostly it's just about Jayné --and the Black Sun's Daughter.

It was slower, but good. It was important for the series. But I wish I had the next book in my hands to read. I want to see what Jayné will do with what she's learned. And I want her to get with Ex, dammit. (My patience is not without limits.) 4 stars.


*ARC Provided by Pocket Books

[Brenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've read the first four books in the past couple of weeks, and I thought instead of reviewing each book separately, I'd review them all together. It really is just one long story, complete with cliffhangers at the end of each book. Normally I like my books to be a little more standalone, but since I had the first four in front of me, it was easy to read one right after another. But now I have to wait for the next book, and the waiting will be hard.

Jayné is a great lead character. She's smart and sarcastic, and best of all she's a strong woman that doesn't have to have a man do everything for her. And she's pretty funny. My favorite line of the series came from book 1:

"How do you lose a minivan?" Midian said as I walked into the living room.
"There we were running down the highway, and I said 'Holy shit, Kim, I think I know why we're getting so tired.' Look, if it's important, I'll buy us another one."

This line also serves as an example of the writing, and yes, there is quite a bit of language, so if you're bothered by that, you don't want to read this series. It's a fairly gritty series, and not what I'd call "clean reading" at all.

The nice thing about this series is that, on the surface, it's just a fast-paced, easy to read urban fantasy story. You can get through these books pretty quickly, and they're really enjoyable. But if you dig a little deeper, there's a lot to think about and some different themes to be found. Like what makes a family and how do you know you can trust the people in your life, good and evil and if there are shades of grey. There is even some religion here, since we have an ex-priest, and Jayné, whose parents were deeply religious evangelicals, who has become almost anti-religion. It's an interesting dynamic.

You don't come across many urban fantasy/paranormals that are written by men, and although this one is, it's really not that different from a lot of others in it's genre. I liked that there wasn't a whole lot of romance, and Jayné was there more to kick butt than to find a man. There is a lot to like here, and I highly enjoyed the whole series. I'm very much looking forward to reading more.

Killing Rites is out today, so be sure to get your copy, and if you haven't yet read the first three in the series, get those too. You'll want to read this series in order. Grade: B+

[Stacy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Answers we finally have answers. If you are anything like me you have been dying right along with Jayné from book one trying to figure out who and what she really is. The time has finally come that we have answers. KILLING RITES starts off a little bit after the events of VICIOUS GRACE. Jayné is beating herself up for the role she played in Chicago and is determined to find out who she really is and what exactly is sharing her body.


Ex ends up bringing Jayné to some old colleagues and things stack up to send Jayné on the run by herself to prove that she isn't being controlled by her rider. Although I love the whole cast of supporting characters, I actually ended up really enjoying seeing Jayné take care of things on her own. She really takes control of the situation she is in to take care of not only herself but her friends too. Ex plays a much bigger role in book 4 than anyone else. Aubrey and Kim are off trying to make their relationship work after they find out exactly what Jayné's uncle did to tear them apart. Chogyi Jake is off recovering as well as being pushed away by Jayné because she doesn't want to drag him into another possible place where he could get hurt. I missed having him around for the first half of the story but he did end up coming in towards the end and is back in the mix. Ex really is the only one there with Jayné and they end up getting pretty close. She starts seeing him through different eyes and starts thinking about possibilities. I think they could do great things together relationship wise so I'm hoping this develops more.

KILLING RITES was filled with inner struggles, hard choices and answers. It ended up being a tad bit slower then previous books but I think that it was pretty important information wise. There was still plenty of action and rider drama. The answers wont stop here though there is still plenty to learn and it looks like Jayné will be going home to look for them.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Still loving this series. These books have really long situations that lead to the climax. I'm edge-of-my-seat for at least the last 20% of every book. This one was slower for me during the first half and then I couldn't bear to put it down later on. And OMG! There was an Akkadian wind demon in this! Akkadian! That part was seriously cool. I did not like Chapin though, and I don't like Ex, so I'm not crazy about the possibility of a relationship between him and Jayne. And now I feel like I'm gossiping.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I still got really enthusiastic about the Akkadian Wind Demon! I enjoyed this one more the second time around.

[Shelley · Rating 3 out of 5]

*Rating* 3.5
*Genre* Urban Fantasy

*Review*

At the end of Vicious Grace, Jayné discovered or felt that she may have a rider that keeps her from harm and is actually making her stronger rather than fading away like magic normally does.

In Killing Rites, the fourth novel in the Black Sun’s Daughter series by MLN Hanover, Jayné discovers that yes; she does in fact have a rider attached to her and needs to understand when or how it happened to her. Thanks to her Uncle Eric who has now been dead for 18 months, the answers are not easily accessible.

Jayné, as we have learned from the beginning of the series, inherited Eric’s entire estate and wealth as well as a sort of invisible shield to magic and the ability to hide from anyone trying to locate her with a spell. She also inherited his so called friends in Ex (Xavier) Chogyi Jake, Aubrey and Kim in their quest to eliminating the so called Riders or demons from the world.

It seems now that Eric used his own judgment in putting a Rider within Jayné, without telling anyone, so that it would protect her and lead her into fighting the battle that he lost his life to. Still doesn’t quite make up for all the secrets he hid away from her in several thousand locations around the world or the fact that he didn’t find a way to come out and say that she was protected.

Jayné and Ex (Xavier) left the rest of the group of misfits behind and headed for New Mexico for a break and to discover the truth behind the rider within. Jayné needs to know how the rider got in her in the first place, and whether or not it can be removed without harming her. It’s also a way to get away from all that happened in Chicago, where she killed an innocent man, as well as Jayne’s so called broken heart after leaving Aubrey behind with his ex.

Killing Rites gives readers a lot more information into Ex’s past as a priest, demon fighter, and exorcist specialist before having a falling out of faith due to his relationship with Isabel.
Hanover introduces readers to Jayne’s rider who he calls Sonnenrad, or the Black Sun’s Daughter and the voice of the Desert while attempting to help a possessed little girl escape her demon. It’s almost a fitting match between rider, and Jayne.

Things we do know after reading this book.

1. Jayné rider is extremely intelligent and strong and often reluctant to show her hand.
2. The rider only manages to take over her body when she is in extreme danger.
3. Lastly, the rider is young in age, as is Jayné and has a few enemies of her own that would love to stop her.

Jayne’s own self-discovery and self-awareness about how she feels about having a rider within her is still in the initial stages of enlightenment and exploration. She seems reluctant yet agreeable with the rider that they need each other in order to survive.
Still not answered after four books:

1. Why did Eric feel it necessary to expose her to demons/riders and put a magical protection around her in the first place?

Jayne’s own internal struggles when it comes to feelings she has for Ex haven’t resolved themselves either and are left hanging like the infamous hanging Chad in Florida.

Am I the only one that ends up rolling my eyes or putting head to table each and every time we have the displeasure of someone calling Jayne by the wrong name?

[Pauline Ross · Rating 5 out of 5]

The fourth in the Black Sun's Daughter series, written under a pseudonym by Daniel Abraham, and at last things are coming to the boil. Jayne has finally stopped shopping and randomly cataloguing dear Uncle Eric's many houses, and started to think more carefully, both about herself and what she's doing, but also about the people who surround her. People who give her (mostly) unconditional love and support, but are also individuals with their own hopes and dreams and murky past histories. And Jayne now knows for sure that she has a rider - a demon residing inside her, who helps her in moments of extreme stress, but who is generally regarded as a Very Bad Thing.

This book leaves behind former lover Aubrey, now trying to reconcile with his ex-wife, and, for most of the time, philosophy-man Chogyi Jake, leaving Jayne with one-time priest Ex, a man she now knows desires her. It's a sign of how far Jayne has come that she doesn't fall into bed with Ex, despite the two of them being thrown together in a pretty intense way for some time. But Ex's intentions are not towards Jayne's body, but her immortal soul; he wants to exorcise her, to rid her of the rider inside her, and at the same time lay to rest his own ghosts.

This book has a very different tone from the previous horror-fest. There are some dark moments and dramatic confrontations, it's true, but the heart of the story is Jayne confronting (literally) her inner demon, finding out something about who or what she carries inside her. Jayne also has to come to terms with what she as an individual truly wants. In many ways this is more of a coming of age story than most that call themselves that. Jayne finally grows up.

It's typical of the author that when he writes urban fantasy, he isn't content to wheel on the evil beasties and leave it at that. Nothing in this book falls neatly into good and bad. Sometimes the best of intentions lead to terrible outcomes. Sometimes all you can hope for is a least worst option. Sometimes you have to hurt the people you love to do the right thing. Sometimes good things are destroyed along the way. And sometimes you need to join forces with a lesser evil to defeat a greater one.

This book is about trust and faith and doing the best you can and being able to bend when the wind blows. And love. That too. A fine book, and much deeper than urban fantasy has any right to be. Five stars.

Footnote: and that's it for me. I won't be reading any more about Jayne Heller and friends. Not because this is the end of the series - it isn't, there's a fifth book out. The series was projected to be ten books long, but I believe it was terminated after five. No, the reason why I won't be reading on is because book five, 'Graveyard Child', isn't out in ebook form. Can you believe, in this day and age, that it's not possible to get an ebook version of any book still in print? But I don't read dead tree books any more, so I'll never know how the series ends. Which makes me sad.

[Ben Truong · Rating 4 out of 5]

Killing Rites is the fourth and penultimate book in The Black Sun's Daughter series written by M.L.N. Hanover and centered on Jayné Heller, a young college student who inherits a string of houses across the world, several bank accounts, and a very unconventional business from her murdered uncle.

Ever since Jayné Heller learned that her rich uncle was involved with the occult, she has wielded strange powers and won many fights she shouldn't have, which leads her to believe that she’s possessed by a rider, or demon. Jayné seeks out a priest who might be able to get the hidden rider out of her body, but when an exorcism goes wrong, Jayné realizes there is another rider lurking around and that the demon inside her is the only one she can count on.

Killing Rites is written rather well. Hanover's descriptive writing vividly captures the beauty of New Mexico and gives the ambiance of a creepy environment. It is a significantly slower narrative with more introspection, which the gradual buildup of the plot will leave some readers wishing for more action.

All in all, Killing Rites is written rather well and is a good continuation to what would hopefully be a wonderful series, which I plan to continue in the very near future.

[Vanessa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Over a year ago when Jayné Heller's uncle died, he left her as his heir. Little did she know at the time that she'd be inheriting the equivalent of a small nation in money and property. Then she spent the next year learning what Uncle Eric really did for a living: he hunted riders, the demons or malevolent spirits that take over human bodies and minds. As a result, not only does she take over his fortune, she takes over his job. She has no idea what she's really getting into.

After three completely amazing books detailing her adventures (see the list at the end of this post), we now come to KILLING RITES by M.L.N. Hanover (aka Daniel Abraham), and Jayné must now deal with the horrible fallout resulting from the evil defeated in book three--at great sacrifice to her relationships and her own self worth. The bummer is that I can't tell you much more than that because it would spoil the first three books in the series. The bonus is that you can read these books for yourself and experience your own joy at finding a gem in an over-populated Urban Fantasy genre.

What makes it a gem?

Well, let's start with the main PoV character herself, Jayné, who's a great female lead. In her early twenties, she still hasn't lived a "real life", but despite her big learning curve she isn't written with the overbearing emo-chatter some authors think is required when writing about women experiencing difficult circumstances. She feels a responsibility to fulfill the void left by Uncle Eric's death, and does her best to learn. She's admirable in that even though she's in over her head, she still wants to do the right thing. But she realizes she can't do it alone and finds old compatriots of Eric's to build herself a cadre to help fight the bad guys. There's parasitologist Aubrey and his ex-wife Kim, and their messed up past; there's Chogyi Jake, the guy with a zen-like attitude, who centers Jayné and gives the group focus; there's Ex, the former priest and talented exorcist; there's Midian Clark, vampire-like former rider and chef. Then there's Eric himself, who's absent, but definitely influences the stories. It's easy to love these characters in spite of (maybe because of?) their foibles, and focusing on the smaller cast gives us a better view into what makes them tick.

Hanover also develops a well-conceived world of riders. It's easy to wonder: is everything that black and white? But Jayné thinks that perhaps not all the riders are evil. Fortunately, as the rider hunter she seems more open-minded than most, including Ex, who's seen first-hand the damage that riders are capable of. All the main characters use magic to an extent (as qi from within themselves) for wards, protections, and as rites to rip rider from human. But a single human's magic isn't enough to fight the magical strength of a human with a rider. Readers will enjoy watching the team work around the problems associated with hunting and defeating a rider.

The prose hums with energy. Told from Jayné's first-person PoV, the books show how she sees the people she works with and comes to love and consider her family, how she deals with the difficulty of the situations--and all of it is realistic and easy to read. Sure she's got a sarcastic streak, but her personality isn't overdone. Even better is Hanover's superior attention to detail, which really helps readers feel in the moment, as we travel from city to city, but also the things you notice just sitting in a restaurant or talking to someone.

But best of all are the stories themselves--even the little sub-plots. KILLING RITES is the natural progression of the series, and Hanover isn't afraid to take the story in a difficult direction, and he does it with style and subtlety. The fight scenes are easy to visualize and unpredictable and fun. Each book has consistent pacing and well developed plots with mind-blowing endings.

The only thing I'm worried about? How in the world is Hanover going to keep up the rest of the series (anticipated to be a total of ten books) with more amazing novels like these? He's kept this series consistent and forward moving, building on each book, even when each would do fine as a standalone. That is some serious writing talent (can't really be surprised with the likes of Abraham). And considering the last page teaser of KILLING RITES, I can't wait to find out what's in store.

Recommended Age: 16+
Language: Strong in some places, otherwise scattered; not for the easily offended
Violence: Fighting riders is never pretty, there's details and pain, but not excessively gory
Sex: Detailed references and innuendo; previous books have a few detailed scenes, but they don't distract from the story

Check out this awesome series so far:
UNCLEAN SPIRITS
DARKER ANGELS
VICIOUS GRACE
KILLING RITES

[Lisarenee · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Spells are magic," I said, "And Magic fades. You told me that. Magic fades, and I'm getting stronger."
"All right," Ex said.
There should have been a flash of lightning, a crack of thunder. The rain just kept dripping. The TV show went to commercial. I felt Ex's gaze on me like I was a puzzle he couldn't quite fathom. I took a deep breath, sighing it out slowly. When I spoke my voice sounded weirdly calm and matter-of-fact. You know. All things considered.
"I think I have a rider." (from Vicious Grace)

At the end of 'Vicious Grace', Jayné reached the conclusion she had a rider in her. In 'Killing Rites', Ex and Jayné attempt to get rid of the rider with the help of Ex's former mentor, Father Chapin. He and his fellow priests perform exorcisms regularly. While it takes some convincing, after seeing her in action they understand why she's sure she's possessed. But during the exorcism something goes very wrong...

Jayné is truly a fun character. In Vicious Grace, she believed she'd lost her innocence when she lost her "rose colored" view of her uncle, but I don't think she has. Yes, she's wiser than she was before, but she seems to always try to find the good in things (riders and people alike) unless it's obvious there is none. She's stronger than she thinks, but still emotionally vulnerable.

In this book, we learn more about Ex's background and why he gave up his profession as a priest. The tension created by Ex's and Jayné's seemingly growing attraction was fun to watch. I liked how Jayné realized she was vulnerable because she was no longer with Aubrey and didn't want to start something unless she was sure about her feelings. I also liked how Ex handled things when he said nothing could be started without things being resolved such as her possessing a rider. He'd already been involved with someone who had one, and he wasn't about to take a chance it was the rider in her doing the driving and not Jayné. Talk about complicated.

The internal conflict Jayné develops in regards to her feeling for her inner rider is a nice touch. It's saved her life more than once, but she can't fathom how having one inside herself can be a good thing. Jayné still doesn't know what the rider capable of or how long its been riding her. Speaking of Jayné's inner demon, we finally find out why the series is called The Black Sun's Daughter. I believe it was taken from the part of the story where Jayné's rider admits: "I am Sonnenrad, The Voice of the Desert," the rider said. "I am the Black Sun and the Black Sun's daughter."

Midian, the vampire from Unclean Spirits, makes a brief appearance in this book. He disappeared at the end of book one and this is the first time Jayné has crossed paths with him since. It's meeting like these that make me sympathize with Jayné's conflicted feelings toward riders. One of my favorite passages in the book is a conversations which takes place between Midian and Jayné, where Midian imparts some words of wisdom to her. This is from the tail end of the conversation:
"And--this is me talking now--no more stroking your inner victim. Bad for your skin."
"Yes, Oprah," I said, but I smiled when I said it.
"Hey. F@ck you too," he said grinning. His teeth were black where they weren't yellow.

I am loving the series and really loved the book. I gave this one 4 1/2 out of 5 roses. I look forward to seeing where this series goes next.

Notes to keep you in the know:
According to wikipedia, "The term Black Sun (German Schwarze Sonne), also referred to as the Sonnenrad (the German for "Sun Wheel"), is a symbol of esoteric oroccult significance. Its design bases on a sun wheel incorporated in a floor of Wewelsburg Castle during the Nazi era. Today, it may also be used in occult currents of Germanic neopaganism, and in Irminenschaft or Armanenschaft-inspired esotericism - but not necessarily in a racial or neo-Nazi context."

To learn more about the Black Sun, here is a link to wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Su...

To see more of my reviews please visit my blog at www.seducedbyabook.com

[Rea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full review can be found here.

In the previous books in the series, the prologue has served to introduce the concept of whatever form the big bad will take in that book. In Killing Rites, I immediately recognised Midian. I was so happy to see him back again as none of the new characters introduced since his departure has managed to fill his shoes. Unfortunately, the synopsis is misleading and he doesn’t really figure in the story quite so much as I’d been hoping for. He does appear, though, and for that short while that he was there, he was wonderful! Plus, through him, Jayné acquires a lovely old pooch called Ozzie who became a fast favourite for me!

This is the first book in the series that has been really introspective. Before now, Jayné and gang have always been chasing down the rider threatening to terrorise whatever city they’re in. Now, however, Jayné has left most of her crew behind as she tries to figure out what is going on in her own body. She knows that she has a rider and she wants it out.

Ex takes her to a group of religious zealots and they plan to exorcise the unclean spirit from her. Soon, though, she realises that her rider may not be the real enemy here but of course no one will believe her. Jayné finds herself on her own as she tries to unravel all these mysteries.

I found this a refreshing change and I really enjoyed the ride that I was taken on as I observed Jayné’s internal struggles. We now know why the series is called the Black Sun’s Daughter but we still have absolutely no clue what the Black Sun is. It goes to show how well the author planned this series before he embarked on the adventure of writing it.

With Aubrey now out of the picture, there is now room for growth for whatever is simmering between Jayné and Ex. As of the very first book, I found myself more drawn to Ex than I was Aubrey. I couldn’t say what it is about him but I’ve always considered him the better match of the two. Certainly, Jayné entertains thoughts in that direction in this book but events keep her from acting upon them. I just hope that they get acted upon in book five!

Another big theme in this book is coming to terms with the emotional aftermath of events in the previous book. There’s a lot of emotional scarring that Jayné still needs to work through and these things are often referred to. As such, I don’t think that it would be possible to read and really enjoy this particular book without having read at least the third book, though I’d recommend reading them all.

Killing Rites bring religion to the forefront of things. Jayné was raised by deeply religious parents in a deeply religious community but lost her faith along the way. Now she’s dealing with religious zealots who do not see a difference between the various types of rider the way that she does. For example, Jayné feels a certain link to Midian but the zealots would consider him the same as any of the big bads faced in any of the previous books – to be destroyed.

As far as I can tell, their faith in the Christian God is just a conduit for channelling their will, which omits the necessity to accept His existence. It gave an interesting view into how these religious ideals can become warped, though. It also gave an eye-opening peek into Ex’s past and how it shapes his relationship with Jayné in this book.

“He needed a damsel in distress and I needed a knight in shining armor.”

As always, the last line of this book is just a tantalising promise of what is yet to come in the next one. I can’t wait!

[All Things Urban Fantasy]

Dealing with unknown powers and conflicting agendas is the bread and butter of the Urban Fantasy genre, and Jayné Heller is a master among masters. Heir to dual a legacy of magic and fantastic wealth, I have enjoyed watching Jayné with all of the changes in her life, both magical and mundane. Almost all of her financial and worldly needs can be met through a simple phone call to the “ask no questions, anything you need” attorney that Jayné inherited along with her uncle’s money, but when it comes to the demons and dangers she’s faced with, Jayné turns to a blend of magical mentors and her own instincts.

KILLING RITES has dangers aplenty as Jayne explores her mysterious powers. While I could see the risks she takes (trusting a vampire, remaining vulnerable to the rider who can control her body) I was still rooting for Jayné all the same. Hanover does a masterful job with world building, making it easy to slip into Jayné’s shoes and understand the feelings that drive her choices. I’m also a sucker for “buddy” relationships, and Jayné’s band of brothers goes right to my heart. I loved Jayné’s friendships with Choygi Joe and Midian, but her conflicted relationship with Ex was less interesting to me. While I’d recommend starting with UNCLEAN SPIRITS to get a strong introduction to the cast of characters, Hanover skillfully orients the reader in KILLING RITES, making it easy to jump into the series.

Great mythology, smooth action, and a number of relationships that I was invested in, the only piece missing from the total package was an emotional reaction to the romance. Not that the friendships weren’t compelling enough to carry the story, but it was disappointing to see a key relationship fall short of the others around it. Don’t mistake KILLING RITES for the end of the series, though, The Black Sun’s Daughter is just heating up.

Sexual Content: Kissing.

[Alexia Chantel · Rating 4 out of 5]

“...When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. “ Romans 7:21

Jayné is a person who has been working for the greater good, but hidden deep inside her is evil. As with so many things, evil is in the eye of the beholder. For Jayné and Ex their definitions are not the same.

The fourth book of The Black Sun’s Daughter is a great fast paced read that will have you feeling a little like your watching The Exorcism of Emily Rose or any other exorcist movie. But unlike any of those movies Hanover places you on the other side of the exorcism making you wonder if every rider deserves or needs to be sent back to Hell.

When you are dedicated to something and then find out you fit the criteria to hunt yourself it will mess with your head. Doubting every decision you have ever made, needing to know if there is a real you or just a puppet, and even wishing for proof to absolve you of past misdeeds. The rider that has Jayné may be growing but it also may have its own agenda, can’t wait to find out.

Jayné and Ex have a lot of things to work through, their attraction to each other being one of them. It is insightful to see where Ex came from and how his past is coloring how he views his current situation with Jayné. Can an ex-priest come to accept someone carrying a rider of her own free will? Like he tells Jayné, it isn’t over.

At least we can hope that is the case and we will get a book number five.


Review posted at Reading Between the Wines blog:
http://readingbetweenthewinesbookclub...

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

http://www.demonloversbooksandmore.co...

This is a darker, grittier series than I normally would go for, but I really got into it. Jayné realized that she’s been winning fights that she shouldn’t have been the victor in. Her demon hunting skills are way off the charts. This can’t be normal, right?

She is pretty certain she has a “rider” in her body (she’s possessed by a demon). But a lot of this book is internal. She isn’t able to have the rider exorcised from her body, at least not immediately, so she and Ex, who’s so obviously in love with Jayné, try different routes.

One thing though, is that Jayné begins to realize that she may not want to get rid of her rider. So a big part of her internal debate is in dealing with the nature of her demon.

For me, this book was a bit on the slow side, although that may be due in part to the amount of introspect on Jayné’s part. It was hard for me to relate to her, though, and if I don’t relate to a character when it’s told in first person (as most of this is), I have a hard time really liking the book.

One thing, though, is that if you like more of a dark and intense Urban Fantasy with a thriller vibe, you will love this series.

**Thank you to Pocket books for the review copy

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jayne is possessed with a demon. Her and Ex are in search of some priests to help perform an exorcism on Jayne. While, Jayne does not want the demon or likes the thought of if the demon was to completely take over, Jayne does have some mixed feelings about the exorcism. Jayne’s friends want to help but she pushes them away for their safety.

To fully appreciate this series, you really need to read these books in chorological order starting with book one, Unclean Spirits. There is not a lot of prior information to catch you up on what has been happening in the series if you were to jump into the middle. Though, I am sure you would figure out what events took place fairly quickly.

While, I have enjoyed this series, this book for me started out slowly. The first half of the book was more about Jayne and Ex trying to find a way to rid Jayne of the demon inside of her. There was a lot of conversing and not a lot of action. Though, I did like learning more about Ex’s past and who he was before he became a vampire. The romance between Jayne and Ex is on the lighter side.

The second half was where the book picked up. This is also when Jayne and Ex were joined by one of Jayne’s friend’s. Overall, a pretty good book.

[Ken · Rating 2 out of 5]

Maybe it's because I liked the third book in the series so much or because I had built my expectations up so much for this one or because I had some bad guacamole that night, but I felt the fourth Black Sun's Daughter book was a bit disappointing. It's still worth reading but I found it so far to be the weakest of the series. Paradoxically, I think this was mostly due to the fact that most of the novel focused so much directly on the protagonist herself. Much of the fun of previous books in the series were her interactions with her companions, most of whom are missing for large parts of this one. Maybe it's the fact that without her actually being on a case for other people that the first-person narrative of her own struggles seems to plod or drag. Or maybe it's because despite the fact that both the reader and protagonist know that something is up with her and she needs to find out what, at the end of the book we know precious little more than we did at the beginning. There was nothing bad about this book but whereas I had wanted a bang as big as we got in the third book, the fourth was disappointing by comparison.

[Eliza Brand · Rating 4 out of 5]

With each new book, I like this series more and more. Jayne Heller is reeling from the events of the last book. She knows she has a Rider and in an attempt to ease her conscience, she is looking for an exorcist. Ex brings her to the priests he used to work with before he turned away from the priesthood. This is an exciting emotional roller coaster of a book. Things I had guessed at during the first book turn out to be true. We still don't know the whole story, but we get another piece of the puzzle. Jayne really grew up in this book. I can't wait for the next book. My only complaint is that I wanted more, and now I will have to wait another year to get it. Oh well. 4 1/2 stars.

[Annette Dahl "Old Vicarious Reader" · Rating 3 out of 5]

I skipped books 2-4 because I thought book 5 would give the details of The Black Sun. No such luck. Hopefully, the details will be in book 5.

[Dark Faerie Tales · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review Courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales

Quick & Dirty: Our heroine discovers the differences between good and evil, and all the grey areas in between the two. This book has lots of theological and philosophical debates followed by good ole-fashion demon fighting.

Opening Sentence: “So Miss Jayné,” Father Chapin said, pronouncing my name correctly: Zha-nay.

The Review:

When I started this series, I had no clue why it was called the Black Sun’s Daughter. After the three prior books, this is the one that finally answers my question. So you may ask yourself, who is the Black Sun’s Daughter? Why, it’s Jayné’s demon, of course. Yes! So many questions have been posed throughout the series and now we get some of our long-awaited answers.

Jayné has always known that there was something different about her. She can fight, without really knowing how. She heals faster. She has powers that no one else does, and that has been giving her an edge in the war she and her team are waging on the demons. Up until now, Jayné thought that these “gifts” were wards placed on her by her deceased Uncle Eric. After the last big fight at Grace Memorial Hospital, she has another hypothesis: she is demon-possessed. Jayné and Ex go to Ex’s former mentor, Father Chapin, for conformation. He offers to exorcise Jayné’s demon and save her eternal soul. But while at the Father’s place of operation, Jayné notices that there is something not quite right going on there. She senses another demon attacking her during the demon banishing ritual, but no one believes her. Jayné must decide whether to trust her fate to Ex and his former colleagues or come to an agreement with her own demon, Black Sun’s Daughter, and fight the unknown one terrorizing the priests and the people they have helped.

Jayné’s past experiences have led her to be cautious around true believers. Her faith in God has been tainted by her family. Now, she is forced to rely on these priests and their ideals to save her. But this doubt she has for religion lets her view the entire situation with more than just blind faith. She recognizes that there are shades of grey in good and evil, and is willing to accept that her demon may not be as bad as she once thought. Father Chapin disagrees. When Jayné starts to have second thoughts about being exorcised, the priests believe that the demon within her has taken over. They are not willing to listen to anything that Jayné has to say, including her hunch about another demon hanging around. Will Jayné be able to get the priests to realize the true danger around them before it is all too late?

Ex is a former Jesuit priest that trained in exorcisms for years before he left. Now that he has returned to the same men that he trained under and fought alongside so long ago, Ex falls into his old patterns of obedience. He truly believes that Jayné must get rid of her demon but he fails to take into account her change of heart. Ex’s past and the reasons he is no longer a priest are revealed. He sees his chance for redemption for past failures in helping Jayné. He gets caught between his loyalty to the men that taught him everything he knows and the woman he has grown to love. Can Ex let go of his past? Or will the failures that have haunted him for years be doomed to repeat themselves?

Jayné knows that she will fight for what she feels is right, but is she willing to do it alone? In going off with Ex, she left everyone else on her team behind. Now that Ex is siding against her, she must find proof of the extra demon alone. Oddly, the only one she can rely on is another demon; the one inside her. Black Sun’s Daughter is child-like in her interactions with Jayné. Even though she can do some serious damage in a fight, she is still young for a demon. But the demon has never given any reason to want to hurt anyone; she just wants to live. Jayné must decide whether to give Black Sun’s Daughter a chance, or to kill her.

The arguments for the definitions of good and evil really do it for me in this book. Debating whether or not to base the right to life on if that creature has the capacity for evil; Jayné and the priests go back and forth on this point alone. Absolute is not a term that Jayné is comfortable with anymore, and it is a term that Father Chapin lives by. For most people, the philosophical topics discussed throughout the book are volatile. We all have opinions on good vs. evil and Faith vs. Atheism. Killing Rites explores these topics within Jayné and her particular situation. Can Jayné and the priests find a compromise, or will their feelings and ideals get in the way of an alliance against a common enemy?

Overall, this has been the best book of the series for me. Not only has the author answered long awaited questions about Jayné’s powers, he has presented her in a very realistic light. Jayné cannot remain unaffected by all that she has experienced so far and not question the pros and cons of being demon-possessed by something as unique as Black Sun’s Daughter. Jayné is a very strong and relatable character and I am eager to see what is in store for her future. Perhaps there is a future involving more of personal relationship with Ex? I can only hope.

Notable Scene:

“I thought you came here to get rid of it.”

I thought about that.

“You’re right. I did.”

“But that changed,” Alexander said, and let his lead fall back against the pillow.

“I guess so.”

“Chapin shouldn’t have accepted you,” Alexander said with a sigh. “No offense meant, but this was a bad idea from the start. The old man screwed up.”

Ozzie whined, her leg twitching as she chased dream rabbits. The television next door switched to the deep, authoritative voice of a news announcer. On the bed, Alexander folded his hands over his chest. The urge to defend myself was like an itch. What was wrong with me? Why shouldn’t Chapin have taken me on? But I knew. I’d come out of fear and desperation, but I didn’t believe the things Chapin and Alexander-and Ex-did. I had once, or almost did, anyway. But I’d come looking for a cure to a disease. What they had to offer was redemption from evil. The two looked the same if you squinted, but I was starting to think they were really pretty different.

“What do you think he took the case, then?” I asked. “My keen fashion sense?”

The Black Sun’s Daughter Series:

1. Unclean Spirits

2. Darker Angels

3. Vicious Grace

4. Killing Rites

FTC Advisory: Simon & Schuster/Pocket Books provided me with a copy of Killing Rites. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review. The only payment received came in the form of hugs and kisses from my little boys.

[Asmaa · Rating 5 out of 5]

*Spoilers*

Janye is starting to get on my nerves. Now all of a sudden she's interested in Ex? If she don't leave that man alone before she breaks his heart and ends up losing what few friends she has left smh. I feel like her character has shown little to no growth in the maturity department.

Update
I liked Janye a lot better once she got away from Ex and really started thinking things through better. The ending really got me excited. why did we have to wait 4 books for this?

I will say that Hanover definitely has a way of describing a scene. Love the imagery. Can be a little long winded with it at times like Dean Koontz lol, but overall I love reading all the different descriptions. Just order the next book.

[Bookworm With a B · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.8 stars for character growth and story progression. This was a good addition to the series. The zealotry did make it a little annoying and hard to finish. I am glad that I stuck it out because some good questions got answered. I can't wait to see what the final book has in store for us!

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

It dragged a little bit for me in the beginning but the second half of the book was great.

[John Debardino · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like the story art for each character in these books. Regional idea without being pretentious. And the overall story is easily understood without undermining the value of it.

[Yisroel Markov · Rating 3 out of 5]

The arc develops nicely. Still quite entertaining despite (what looks like) a couple of plot holes.

[Ryan · Rating 3 out of 5]

The strongest of the series yet. This strength comes from the focus being on the protagonist and her growth rather than an awkward love triangle.

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

(Reminder: I started this series because it's really written by Daniel Abraham.) Much better than the first 3. I'm going to finish the series starting tonight instead of waiting for a while.

[Teresa Crumpton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Killing Rites is book four in Hanover’s Black Sun’s Daughters series. I do love this series and I’m glad that it seems that it won’t come to an end. I can’t wait until next November to see if there will be a new book and to find out what Jayné Heller and her friends do next.

In every Black Sun’s Daughter book we see Jayné and the crew in a different city, in book one Unclean Spirits they are in Denver, book two Darker Angels has them in New Orleans, and book three Vicious Grace takes them to Chicago. Which brings us to book four Killing Rites where Jayné and Ex, one of her friends, go to New Mexico, to San Esteban to be exact. Killing Rites is darker than the first three to me. We see Jayné leaving friends behind in Chicago and trying unsuccessfully to deal with the aftermath of what she had to do in Chicago. Kill an innocent to save the world from madness. Not only is Jayné dealing with murdering someone but she has decided/figured out that there is a rider inside her. A rider is a demon who hides in a human’s body that sooner or later takes control of the human. We learn about riders in book one Unclean Spirits. When Jayné and Ex, Ex is a former priest, decide to remove her rider they try to Santa Fe and stay at one of the properties that Jayné inherited from her, bastard of an Uncle, Eric. Calling Eric a bastard is being polite as you’ll find out if you read the Series. If you’ve read it then you know.

In Killing Rites Jayné and Ex, come home to Ex’s former life. They left Chogyi Jake, Aubrey and Kim back in Chicago. Aubrey and Kim are working on getting back together after Eric split them apart. Chogyi Jake is/ was recuperating from the battle at Grace Memorial Hospital. With their friends out of sight they become intimate but not in a sexual way. Ex as we know has feelings for Jayné hasn’t figured out if she has the same feelings for Ex. However their feelings are just a subplot in this book, and it’s far from romantic because before Chogyi Jake arrives Ex puts Jayné through hell, literally. Ex was a priest who was in a group sanctioned by the Vatican to preform exorcisms. Ex as we learn was one of the best but something happened and he left the group. Yes we learn what happened within the pages, but it’s a biggie so I can’t give you that detail. Now he’s bringing Jayné to them too remove her rider. This doesn’t go the way they were hoping and hell pretty much breaks lose.

Before the shit really hits the fan Jayné meets up with an old friend Midian Clark, a vampire, and they have along conversation about everything that’s been going on. He gives Jayné some advice, but at that time it’s not, really taken as such. When Jayné returns to the church, Ex and the priests preform part of an exorcism trying to remove her rider unsuccessfully. This is when things get hairy and shit hits the fan. Here Jayné must turn away from her last remaining friend to save her life and others. She goes back to where she found Midian and finds that he has disappeared. Now she’s truly alone and has to make a plan when she doesn’t have money, id, a cell phone or a car, thankfully she’s able to get a hold of her lawyer for help. Jayné makes a plan, not a very good one, but at least she mat one and heads out to make Ex and his friends believe her even with a rider inside her. She does get a little luck when she learns that Chogyi Jake has arrived, even though he’s with Ex. Chogyi, however doesn’t tell Ex when he talks to Jayné and he sticks to Jayné’s side when he can. This is where things get interesting and while the book is full of action. At this part of the story we get the most kick ass action.

I can’t finish telling you what happens in the book, but there are more riders in this book than any other. We do find out who the rider in Jayné is finally and now things make a little more sense. The hider is who protects Jayné when trouble comes and they come to an understanding to save those who need saving. In the end not all conflicts are settled but that’s okay because we know what Jayné, Ex and Chogyi Jake are trying to do, and we have an idea on where they will most likely be traveling next. Since we know where they will go next, it seems like next November will be a good month. Hopefully book five will be released so we can find out what happens next for Jayné. Maybe she’ll find the answers that have plagued her or at least better answers. This truly is an Urban Fantasy you don’t want to miss.

[Nikki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jayné is seriously on her own this time. With Chyogi Jake out of commission and Aubrey in Chicago with Kim that leaves only Ex. With the realization of what is behind Jaynés supernatural powers, Ex takes her to the only people who may be able to help. His mentor and his band of exorcist priests.
When her friends think she has been taken over they intensify the search to track her down. Doing so may lead the one thing directly to her doorstep that she has been trying to avoid more then herself. A powerful demon has her in its sights, and it won’t rest until it has her.


Killing Rites is the fourth book in M.L.N. Hanovers The Black Sun’s Daughter series and we finally…FINALLY get a few answers! Jayné finds herself left with only Ex after the ending of the last book, Vicious Grace. Jake has been hospitalized after nearly getting beat to death and suffering massive internal injuries. Aubrey left behind in Chicago to work things out with his ex wife Kim. The cliffhanger of Vicious Grace set up the beginning of Killing Rites in which the discovery of what makes Jayné “special” is revealed. Though I still think that her mysterious tattoo is involved somehow and I was bummed we didn’t get to find out more about that.
As the series has progressed we have learned what kind of person Eric was in life and how he manipulated everyone around him. I’ve really enjoyed the roller coaster of emotions that Jayné has gone through while having to deal with trying to take over his empire. Esentially she has had to grow up over the course of a few years and in the process discover who she is and what she is capable of. With Aubrey out of the picture I was hoping that she might explore her complex feelings involving Ex and while she hedges at the actual assertion of any feelings she does think about it…several times. Ex is a hard guy to get to know. He’s complicated, guilt ridden over his past, not to mention an ex priest. Killing Rites gives the reader a TON more insight into why he is the way he is.
A main theme is this book is religion and Jaynés relationship with God. I feel a lot like her actually so I really connected with her rejection of many of the beliefs. This was a very spiritual book and how Jayné coped with herself in the face of enlightenment. How she decides to proceed against the wants of nearly everyone around her. When she is left with only herself to save and the hard choices she makes to preserve the version of herself that she has grown accustom to.
Ex seemed to be completely different once he gets around his priest friends. Wow, I guess it doesn’t matter what kinds of friends a man has, seems they are always different around them. He spends a great deal of effort trying to please his mentor and doing what he believes is right without actually consulting Jayné .
While I appreciated the difference in this book with most of Jayné s friends being gone, I think in the end it kinda hurt this novel. I understand the point of this one was to get Jayné to see herself in a new light but without everyone else it had a tendency to drag in spots. Without Jake around to keep her calm Jayné has a lot more internal dialogue. We all know my severe hate for internal diatribes. There are new characters though that I hope we get to see again. The continuation of the world building was excellent and while some questions did get answers we got even more problems thrown at us that will have to be delved into later.
Jayné is simply one of the best heroines I’ve have read. She’s human and she reacts as such. She has conflicting emotions constantly and shes all over the map with her emotions. M.L.N. Hanover has created a jewel in the urban fantasy genre and is not to be missed! You will be so involved with the story that you won’t even notice how long you’ve been sitting there reading. I absolutely adore this series!

I give Killing Rites by M.L.N. Hanover 4 stars!

[Hazel *Craves the Angst Reviews* · Rating 4 out of 5]

Killing Rites is the fourth book in the Black Sun's Daughter series by M.L.N. Hanover. I wish I could give half stars as well as whole ones because this would easily be a 4.5 star. I really enjoyed this book. I read it in one day, in one sitting, because I just couldn't put it down. This series started out a little slow, but had quickly picked up speed with books two and three, to be set on fire with book four!

This story picks up two months after Vicious Grace (book 3), in which Jayné Heller has to try and move forward after the horrible events that happened in Chicago's Grace Memorial. Emotionally strung out from those events, her psyche torn, and deep in shame from thinking she has a rider inside her, she sets off with Ex, unwisely leaving the one person who centers her, Chogyi Jake, behind to heal from his wounds in which she feels responsible. Aubrey and Kim are no longer in the picture as they are trying to pick up the pieces of their broken life. Decidedly, Ex and Jayné head out on their two person mission to expel the rider she believes is living inside her, calling on Ex's past "family" of demon fighting priests to help. We get a lot of great back story into Ex's history and why he left the priesthood. We eventually get Chogyi Jake back into the story and we even get a few pages with our favorite vampire, Midian as he returns just in time to give Jayné some sage advise.

Hanover really takes us deep into Jayné mind and we get a closer look at who she really is as well as getting a deeper understanding of whats inside her. We meet the Black Sun's Daughter and we find a little about the riders moral character. Ex is very prominent in this book and becomes somewhat of a love interest. I loved that! In the first two books, his character wasn't really developed and he seemed a bit annoying at times as well as sullen as he sulked over his unrequited crush on Jayné. So seeing his character "man up" and diverge from that was great! Up until book three, Aubrey was Jayné's love interest but he always seemed way to fragile for the life they were trying to lead. Ex quickly became my hero in this story as he took care of Jayné and tried to protect her. My only real complaint is Hanover kept bringing Ex into a romantic light, or tried to, and then failed to actual progress that part of the story. I was disappointed there wasn't more to this aspect since it kept being brought up in the pages. It just seemed lacking and I kept expecting something, anything, to happen.. it just fell flat. Maybe in the next book....

My only other complaint is the ending and the "final showdown" was just.... anticlimactic. I was expecting something bigger. Without giving to much away, the odds were huge, but the events were small.

Overall, this book was great and a terrific next step in the series. I would definitely recommend reading it. Its got loads of action, a lot of character development, drama, some very cute moments with a dog named Ozzie and there were some scary parts as well. Possessed kids always freak me out! I do recommend reading these books in order though or you might get a little lost in the events and back story. Go get you're copy! You wont regret it!