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The Hollows #15
Million Dollar Demon
To save the city, Rachel Morgan will need to show some teeth in the next Hollows novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Kim Harrison.
The new master vampire of Cincinnati has arrived . . . and she wants Rachel Morgan out. No matter where Rachel goes, Constance is there—threatening Rachel's allies, causing city-wide chaos, and, to add insult to injury, even forcing Rachel out of her current quarters. Ever since Rachel found a way to save the souls of vampires, the old undead's longtime ascendancy has been broken. Now Constance sees eliminating Rachel as the key to consolidating her own power.
Rachel has no desire to be enthralled or killed—and she's terrified of what may become of the city if Constance forces a return to the ancient ways. But even a witch-born demon can't stand against the old undead—at least, not alone. And if Rachel refuses to claim the role of Cincinnati's master demon, the city will tear itself apart, taking her and all those who stand beside her with it.
The new master vampire of Cincinnati has arrived . . . and she wants Rachel Morgan out. No matter where Rachel goes, Constance is there—threatening Rachel's allies, causing city-wide chaos, and, to add insult to injury, even forcing Rachel out of her current quarters. Ever since Rachel found a way to save the souls of vampires, the old undead's longtime ascendancy has been broken. Now Constance sees eliminating Rachel as the key to consolidating her own power.
Rachel has no desire to be enthralled or killed—and she's terrified of what may become of the city if Constance forces a return to the ancient ways. But even a witch-born demon can't stand against the old undead—at least, not alone. And if Rachel refuses to claim the role of Cincinnati's master demon, the city will tear itself apart, taking her and all those who stand beside her with it.
459 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 12, 2012
790 people are currently reading
8091 people want to read
About the author
Kim Harrison
83 books18.8k followersKim 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
Kim reaches out to her audience at Facebook https://www.facebook.com/KimHarrisons...
https://instagram.com/kim_harrison_au...
and her blog http://kimharrison.wordpress.com/
other pseudonyms: Dawn Cook
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 674 reviews
June 4, 2022
Rachel is back and ready to take on the new master vampire of Cincinnati, who is clearly insane. Ruling by fear, the new master vampire is throwing her fangs and strength around. It is up to Rachel and her friends to save the city from itself again. Okay, this is the Rachel I know and love. I don't know what was going on in the last book, but glad it is not crossing over. Still, the lack of Ivy and Al was a downer. Still a great addition to the series.
September 4, 2021
Rachel Morgan is every bit as enjoyable now as she was 10 years ago. Only now there’s an element of nostalgia that makes any new Hollows book that much more special. The quality has not diminished one iota and the plot is, if anything, only getting more interesting.
There are a few UF series on the market that might be continuing well past their prime (ahem), but Harrison’s work is definitely not among them. I’ve said this before, but my favorite thing about this author is how well she slows down the happenings in the story to really focus on nuances of character and internal development. There’s plenty of action to spice it up, but for the most part she allows you to feel truly connected to the characters and involved in the scenes. Her writing is quite differentiated from the rest of urban fantasy, having more of that high fantasy quality and writing style (she also writes fantasy under the name “Dawn Cook.” I love her Truth series). She carried a lot of that slow burn development over to this series, making it one of the strongest in the genre. While it’s not quite my all-time favorite, she immerses you so well into the story that it’s responsible for my single favorite moments in an UF work (Black Magic Sanction wrecked me).
I love how the demons’ story progressed in this book. There are a lot of things building and developing that I’m betting are going to have a great payoff later. I also appreciated the nice balance of old beloved characters and new additions to keep it spicy. One thing I liked in particular is how Harrison used situations and other characters to solidify what a likable character Rachel is. It’s a cool writing technique that really captured my interest the whole way through. And at this point in the series Rachel is still experiencing growth, which is awesome. The only thing that might have made it better is a more momentous ending. But other than that, it satisfied on every account and I can’t wait to get my hands on the next one.
Recommendations: I consider the Hollows a staple in the urban fantasy genre. It’s a slow-burn, character-focused series with gradually snowballing plots that eventually knock your socks off. Even after ending the series at book 13 then revamping (pun), it hasn’t lost any of the amazing quality. If you like any of my recs below but haven’t given this a try, you’re in for a treat!
Via The Obsessive Bookseller at www.NikiHawkes.com
I'd like to thank Berkley Publishing Group, Kim Harrison, and Netgalley for the chance to read and review an early copy of Million Dollar Demon. :D
Other books you might like:
There are a few UF series on the market that might be continuing well past their prime (ahem), but Harrison’s work is definitely not among them. I’ve said this before, but my favorite thing about this author is how well she slows down the happenings in the story to really focus on nuances of character and internal development. There’s plenty of action to spice it up, but for the most part she allows you to feel truly connected to the characters and involved in the scenes. Her writing is quite differentiated from the rest of urban fantasy, having more of that high fantasy quality and writing style (she also writes fantasy under the name “Dawn Cook.” I love her Truth series). She carried a lot of that slow burn development over to this series, making it one of the strongest in the genre. While it’s not quite my all-time favorite, she immerses you so well into the story that it’s responsible for my single favorite moments in an UF work (Black Magic Sanction wrecked me).
I love how the demons’ story progressed in this book. There are a lot of things building and developing that I’m betting are going to have a great payoff later. I also appreciated the nice balance of old beloved characters and new additions to keep it spicy. One thing I liked in particular is how Harrison used situations and other characters to solidify what a likable character Rachel is. It’s a cool writing technique that really captured my interest the whole way through. And at this point in the series Rachel is still experiencing growth, which is awesome. The only thing that might have made it better is a more momentous ending. But other than that, it satisfied on every account and I can’t wait to get my hands on the next one.
Recommendations: I consider the Hollows a staple in the urban fantasy genre. It’s a slow-burn, character-focused series with gradually snowballing plots that eventually knock your socks off. Even after ending the series at book 13 then revamping (pun), it hasn’t lost any of the amazing quality. If you like any of my recs below but haven’t given this a try, you’re in for a treat!
Via The Obsessive Bookseller at www.NikiHawkes.com
I'd like to thank Berkley Publishing Group, Kim Harrison, and Netgalley for the chance to read and review an early copy of Million Dollar Demon. :D
Other books you might like:
July 8, 2021
Re-Read 7/8/21:
Yes, I just read this in April and here I went ahead and re-read it in July. Why? Because I got the audio version and I always loved them AND returning to Ms. Morgan is always like coming home.
I needed candy and this was it.
Original review:
The Great Hollows Re-read is done and NOW I get to read the ARC for the new book!
Yay!
And let me just come right out and squee for ya'll.
The setup in book 14 got us prepped nicely for a big newcomer vampire showdown, and like all good westerns, we have our reluctant Hero, Rachel, Demon with a Splat Gun, suffering along with her friends and allies as a crazy son-of-a-gun from out of town has come into Cincinnati to make life a living hell. Or an Un-living Hell. Undead hell? She's crazy, anyway, and refugees are pouring in from everywhere.
Where do they turn? To the OTHER crazy woman. The one who just happens to do the right thing even if she scares the living crap out of everyone else.
And our story succeeds on all levels. :) No more spoilers. It is a FUN, wild ride, pardner.
Yes, I just read this in April and here I went ahead and re-read it in July. Why? Because I got the audio version and I always loved them AND returning to Ms. Morgan is always like coming home.
I needed candy and this was it.
Original review:
The Great Hollows Re-read is done and NOW I get to read the ARC for the new book!
Yay!
And let me just come right out and squee for ya'll.
The setup in book 14 got us prepped nicely for a big newcomer vampire showdown, and like all good westerns, we have our reluctant Hero, Rachel, Demon with a Splat Gun, suffering along with her friends and allies as a crazy son-of-a-gun from out of town has come into Cincinnati to make life a living hell. Or an Un-living Hell. Undead hell? She's crazy, anyway, and refugees are pouring in from everywhere.
Where do they turn? To the OTHER crazy woman. The one who just happens to do the right thing even if she scares the living crap out of everyone else.
And our story succeeds on all levels. :) No more spoilers. It is a FUN, wild ride, pardner.
July 7, 2021
Despite the series technically ending with book #13, the author keeps publishing one kick-ass installment after another!
In this 15th volume, Constance, the new master vampire is coming to Cincinnati and she is not only old, undead and dangerous, she's downright crazy. Moreover, not only is she evicting people left and right to make room for her goons, her own people are scared shitless of her. Naturally, Rachel can't just bend the knee to someone like that and take the abuse.
So what is a witch-born demon to do other than to let the city's refugees crash in the church that is no longer hers and find a way to get rid of the bloodsucker?!
Along the way, she has to try and get Al to talk to her, thwart his brother's attempts at becoming a permanent resident, teach the other demons that she is no push-over, and find a place to live.
Oh, and there is a political abduction she has to resolve, too.
By now, being back in the Hollows is like coming home. I might not know too much about the actual city, but the book-version feels very familiar and comfy. So do the different races inhabiting it. Not to mention how great it always is to see Jenks, Trent and the others again.
Sadly, there is still no solution for Biss' soul being in a bottle, entwined with the Baku. But I didn't expect that to be over and done with willy-nilly anyway. That would have lessened the impact after all. Still, reading about him and how Rachel feels ever since he sacrificed himself for her was hard.
Surprisingly, I also found myself caring for new characters (). But that is one of the great strengths of this author: to make you care. Like Rachel herself does. In that reagrd, she's a lot like Kate Daniels.
Thankfully, it wasn't all politics and being reactionary. Rather, that was the prelude to a shitton of problems and conflicts that had me on the edge of my seat until we had reached the boiling point and got to the final confrontation. Sure, there were some smaller ones before that, all equally delicious and sometimes even more violent, but there was something ultimately satisfying about how Rachel dealt with Constance. Muhahahahahahaha!
So yeah, the series is still going strong and I always enjoy every second of what's happening (in this case, I especially loved that ). :D
In this 15th volume, Constance, the new master vampire is coming to Cincinnati and she is not only old, undead and dangerous, she's downright crazy. Moreover, not only is she evicting people left and right to make room for her goons, her own people are scared shitless of her. Naturally, Rachel can't just bend the knee to someone like that and take the abuse.
So what is a witch-born demon to do other than to let the city's refugees crash in the church that is no longer hers and find a way to get rid of the bloodsucker?!
Along the way, she has to try and get Al to talk to her, thwart his brother's attempts at becoming a permanent resident, teach the other demons that she is no push-over, and find a place to live.
Oh, and there is a political abduction she has to resolve, too.
By now, being back in the Hollows is like coming home. I might not know too much about the actual city, but the book-version feels very familiar and comfy. So do the different races inhabiting it. Not to mention how great it always is to see Jenks, Trent and the others again.
Sadly, there is still no solution for Biss' soul being in a bottle, entwined with the Baku. But I didn't expect that to be over and done with willy-nilly anyway. That would have lessened the impact after all. Still, reading about him and how Rachel feels ever since he sacrificed himself for her was hard.
Surprisingly, I also found myself caring for new characters (). But that is one of the great strengths of this author: to make you care. Like Rachel herself does. In that reagrd, she's a lot like Kate Daniels.
Thankfully, it wasn't all politics and being reactionary. Rather, that was the prelude to a shitton of problems and conflicts that had me on the edge of my seat until we had reached the boiling point and got to the final confrontation. Sure, there were some smaller ones before that, all equally delicious and sometimes even more violent, but there was something ultimately satisfying about how Rachel dealt with Constance. Muhahahahahahaha!
So yeah, the series is still going strong and I always enjoy every second of what's happening (in this case, I especially loved that ). :D
June 15, 2021
Thanks to Netgalley and Berkley for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
Absolutely fantastic entry into the Hollows series! Vampire leadership in the US is sending Constance to fill the power vacuum, and boy is she a nutter! She's evil and vile and an all around awful character, and a great antagonist. She's the perfect foil to Rachel, as they're both really powerful and have people around them supporting them, but both use their power differently and keep that support around through wildly different means.
But it all boils down to one important detail - they can't both live in Cincinnati. That would just be impossible. And Rachel won't leave without a fight.
One thing I've said since the beginning of this series is that Jenks is one of my absolute favorite literary characters of all time. That still remains true. He's only a few inches tall, but he's a giant of a hero. He's brave, loyal, honest, and strong, and I adore him!
There are a few threads left dangling, as with any good series, but I'm really excited to see where the new paths take us - as long as some of those threads are woven back in soon, because I need some answers on two of the big ones.
Highly recommended, but start at the beginning of the series. Not a good entry to start the series.
Absolutely fantastic entry into the Hollows series! Vampire leadership in the US is sending Constance to fill the power vacuum, and boy is she a nutter! She's evil and vile and an all around awful character, and a great antagonist. She's the perfect foil to Rachel, as they're both really powerful and have people around them supporting them, but both use their power differently and keep that support around through wildly different means.
But it all boils down to one important detail - they can't both live in Cincinnati. That would just be impossible. And Rachel won't leave without a fight.
One thing I've said since the beginning of this series is that Jenks is one of my absolute favorite literary characters of all time. That still remains true. He's only a few inches tall, but he's a giant of a hero. He's brave, loyal, honest, and strong, and I adore him!
There are a few threads left dangling, as with any good series, but I'm really excited to see where the new paths take us - as long as some of those threads are woven back in soon, because I need some answers on two of the big ones.
Highly recommended, but start at the beginning of the series. Not a good entry to start the series.
February 17, 2021
Whelp. I'm going against the grain on this one and suggesting that Harrison should really have left this where it was. Also? Is it just me or are we, culturally, getting over sexy vampire lust scenarios? I will say: This would have been a fine installment had the series not literally ended, and basically satisfactorily, some time ago.
June 19, 2021
Pretty stereotypical of a Hollows story. Rachel exceeds by letting everyone walk all over her while she dodges and weaves to avoid being the bad guy. All while taking on the mantle of the ultimate city bad guy, which is pretty typical of Rachel.
I am tired of hearing about vampire pheromones but I don't agree with the folks who say there has been no growth in this regard for Rachel. She admitted feeling those feelings but she didn't really ever give into them in this book and that's a vast improvement. I'm still of the opinion that the vampire pheromone story is tired in this series, and that Rachel should figure out a curse that makes people immune to vamp pheromones and then make her bank on selling that curse so that she never has to worry about money again. It would also afford Harrison the opportunity to write a lot of "vamps are pissed at Rachel" stories without us having to wade through any more vamp pheromones, which honestly should be retired.
Obviously I was totally immersed in the story, as I usually am with a Hollows story, and I'm happy to wait patiently for Harrison to write the next.
I am tired of hearing about vampire pheromones but I don't agree with the folks who say there has been no growth in this regard for Rachel. She admitted feeling those feelings but she didn't really ever give into them in this book and that's a vast improvement. I'm still of the opinion that the vampire pheromone story is tired in this series, and that Rachel should figure out a curse that makes people immune to vamp pheromones and then make her bank on selling that curse so that she never has to worry about money again. It would also afford Harrison the opportunity to write a lot of "vamps are pissed at Rachel" stories without us having to wade through any more vamp pheromones, which honestly should be retired.
Obviously I was totally immersed in the story, as I usually am with a Hollows story, and I'm happy to wait patiently for Harrison to write the next.
June 14, 2021
Why can’t we all just get along? Poor Rachel. She just wants to find a home, save Bis and snuggle with Trent. Constance, the new master vampire of Cincinnati has arrived early, evicted large parts of the city and is demanding all paranormal submit to her control. As for Rachel, Constance wants her out of the city and the Hollows. The IS is refusing to help displaced folks, and the city is divided. Oddly enough, that divide can be grouped into those who like Rachel and those who want her dead. Can an agreement be made or are things about to get ugly?
It’s no secret that I love The Hollows series from the characters to the city. I am so glad that Harrison is revisiting this series and loved Million Dollar Demon.
Harrison hooked me from the very first pages. Rachel and Jenks are looking for a new home and soon find themselves caught up as Constance’s thugs take over the city. Rachel tries to help and grows frustrated when the IS and FIB aren’t any help.
It was a blast seeing beloved characters and Rachel’s allies. Ms. Morgan has come along way and has really come into her own as a Demon-Witch. While she still places herself in danger, she isn’t as impulsive and is more trusting of those around her. Sure, she’ll die protecting them, but she’s let them in.
The threat to Cincinnati has everyone from the Elves to the free vampires in an uproar as Constance rules by fear and it proved to be an interesting storyline. Constance makes Piscary look like a veritable saint. Yikes.
We had some adventures to as Rachel and Pike go on an unexpected trip and find some common ground. Trent has really changed and has helped to anchor Rachel. It was perfect from the burgers to the hiccups.
The tension between Al, Hodin and Rachel continues. Poor Rachel finds herself in the middle and it hurts her. The tensions between the Elves and Demons, particularly with magic, but Rachel has other ideas. We get to spend a little time in the Ever-After, which is always fun!
Clever plans, alliances, loss, spells and deals made for an addictive read. The banter, camaraderie, and moments between lovers and friends balanced out the action and made me feel right at home in the Hollows.
A well-balanced tale with all the elements readers expect from Ms. Harrison. Fans of the series won’t be disappointed. I am hoping we get to visit again soon. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer
It’s no secret that I love The Hollows series from the characters to the city. I am so glad that Harrison is revisiting this series and loved Million Dollar Demon.
Harrison hooked me from the very first pages. Rachel and Jenks are looking for a new home and soon find themselves caught up as Constance’s thugs take over the city. Rachel tries to help and grows frustrated when the IS and FIB aren’t any help.
It was a blast seeing beloved characters and Rachel’s allies. Ms. Morgan has come along way and has really come into her own as a Demon-Witch. While she still places herself in danger, she isn’t as impulsive and is more trusting of those around her. Sure, she’ll die protecting them, but she’s let them in.
The threat to Cincinnati has everyone from the Elves to the free vampires in an uproar as Constance rules by fear and it proved to be an interesting storyline. Constance makes Piscary look like a veritable saint. Yikes.
We had some adventures to as Rachel and Pike go on an unexpected trip and find some common ground. Trent has really changed and has helped to anchor Rachel. It was perfect from the burgers to the hiccups.
The tension between Al, Hodin and Rachel continues. Poor Rachel finds herself in the middle and it hurts her. The tensions between the Elves and Demons, particularly with magic, but Rachel has other ideas. We get to spend a little time in the Ever-After, which is always fun!
Clever plans, alliances, loss, spells and deals made for an addictive read. The banter, camaraderie, and moments between lovers and friends balanced out the action and made me feel right at home in the Hollows.
A well-balanced tale with all the elements readers expect from Ms. Harrison. Fans of the series won’t be disappointed. I am hoping we get to visit again soon. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer
May 16, 2021
This series never disappoints. It's so rich in characters I care about, fantastic world building, and plotlines that never get old. That Kim Harrison decided to return to this world after the series "ended" is the gift that keeps on giving.
I love these books. And I love Rachel.
Alas, a lot of folks in the Hollows don't. Including the incoming new master vampire, Constance. She is even crazier and more brutal than Piscary, and that creates quite a problem for Rachel. Because more and more people are turning to her to fix things. And let's face it, Rachel wouldn't be Rachel if she didn't try.
The cast is a mix of familiar faces and new ones. Like the last book, Ivy is largely absent, but Jenks is as prominent as ever. Trent is still firmly in the HEA zone, but the lingering elf-take on their relationship and the existence of Ellsbeth keep it from being too easy. Al and Dali are around, but the estrangement set up by Hodin really bums me out. I like Hodin. But Al is... Al. Rachel needs him and I want him back, dammit.
Pike, scion to the big bad, is an interesting character. I think there is more good story with him on the horizon.
It was all just so good. I love all the shout outs to old characters and past events. They all helped shape Rachel and her reality and Kim Harrison never leaves the past in the past. It's like a living, breathing part of the story.
I'm going to stop gushing now... until next time.
*ARC provided by publisher
I love these books. And I love Rachel.
Alas, a lot of folks in the Hollows don't. Including the incoming new master vampire, Constance. She is even crazier and more brutal than Piscary, and that creates quite a problem for Rachel. Because more and more people are turning to her to fix things. And let's face it, Rachel wouldn't be Rachel if she didn't try.
The cast is a mix of familiar faces and new ones. Like the last book, Ivy is largely absent, but Jenks is as prominent as ever. Trent is still firmly in the HEA zone, but the lingering elf-take on their relationship and the existence of Ellsbeth keep it from being too easy. Al and Dali are around, but the estrangement set up by Hodin really bums me out. I like Hodin. But Al is... Al. Rachel needs him and I want him back, dammit.
Pike, scion to the big bad, is an interesting character. I think there is more good story with him on the horizon.
It was all just so good. I love all the shout outs to old characters and past events. They all helped shape Rachel and her reality and Kim Harrison never leaves the past in the past. It's like a living, breathing part of the story.
I'm going to stop gushing now... until next time.
*ARC provided by publisher
June 16, 2021
No growth, a frustrating read
Any character growth is minimal, I made it 50% before I skimmed the rest. The plot is dragged forward with Rachel woeing and angsting behind. There were very few road blocks that the character actually had to think through and overcome and any “growth” didn’t feel hard won just so blatantly obvious it was annoying when it kind of sorta almost happened.
Any character growth is minimal, I made it 50% before I skimmed the rest. The plot is dragged forward with Rachel woeing and angsting behind. There were very few road blocks that the character actually had to think through and overcome and any “growth” didn’t feel hard won just so blatantly obvious it was annoying when it kind of sorta almost happened.
November 30, 2022
This review can also be found at https://carolesrandomlife.com/
I really enjoyed this one! I am so glad that I finally decided to tackle this series and I have to say that the series seems to get better and better with each book. I am even a little sad that I am now almost caught up because I am pretty sure that I am going to miss spending a little bit of time with Rachel, Jenks, and the gang every month. I found this to be an incredibly entertaining book that was almost impossible to set aside once I started listening.
Everyone in town is looking to Rachel to save the day once again. Trent is out of town so Rachel often found herself working with David and Jenks in this installment and I must say that I really liked the way they were able to operate as a team. I hope that we continue to see David play a more prominent role in the series. A new master vampire has made it to town and she is nothing short of a nightmare. She has taken Zach and is causing chaos all over town. It is up to Rachel to figure out a way to stop her before she is able to completely destroy the city. The story had all of the excitement that I have come to expect from the series along with a few surprises.
I listened to the audiobook and thought that Marguerite Gavin did an amazing job with this story. She really is the voice of this series for me at this point and I couldn’t imagine experiencing it in any other way. I love how distinctive the voices are for each character in the series and I think that she does a great job of adding some emotion and excitement to her reading. I do believe that her narration added to my enjoyment of this book.
I would definitely recommend this series to fans of urban fantasy. This is the fifteenth book in The Hollows series so I wouldn’t recommend jumping in with this book but fans of the series will enjoy this installment. I cannot wait to read more of this series very soon.
Book Source: Library/Purchased
I really enjoyed this one! I am so glad that I finally decided to tackle this series and I have to say that the series seems to get better and better with each book. I am even a little sad that I am now almost caught up because I am pretty sure that I am going to miss spending a little bit of time with Rachel, Jenks, and the gang every month. I found this to be an incredibly entertaining book that was almost impossible to set aside once I started listening.
Everyone in town is looking to Rachel to save the day once again. Trent is out of town so Rachel often found herself working with David and Jenks in this installment and I must say that I really liked the way they were able to operate as a team. I hope that we continue to see David play a more prominent role in the series. A new master vampire has made it to town and she is nothing short of a nightmare. She has taken Zach and is causing chaos all over town. It is up to Rachel to figure out a way to stop her before she is able to completely destroy the city. The story had all of the excitement that I have come to expect from the series along with a few surprises.
I listened to the audiobook and thought that Marguerite Gavin did an amazing job with this story. She really is the voice of this series for me at this point and I couldn’t imagine experiencing it in any other way. I love how distinctive the voices are for each character in the series and I think that she does a great job of adding some emotion and excitement to her reading. I do believe that her narration added to my enjoyment of this book.
I would definitely recommend this series to fans of urban fantasy. This is the fifteenth book in The Hollows series so I wouldn’t recommend jumping in with this book but fans of the series will enjoy this installment. I cannot wait to read more of this series very soon.
Book Source: Library/Purchased
June 18, 2021
I loved watching Trent and Rachel be together, how effortlessly they supported and understood each other. Jenks was great as usual and it was wonderful seeing the tides shift for Rachel. I.S. excluded, the world didn’t hate her. It gets tiring to read the character who is always on the side of good yet seemingly no one but her team is rooting for/helping her. It’s always nice to have balance, having Vivian to counter Mrs. Sarong or Zack to Landon.
What keeps this book from getting a higher rating was the new master vampire. Urban fantasy, despite being set in cities, is remarkably white-washed. And I noticed, immediately, that the crazy, unstable vampire was described as dark-skinned. Stuff like that stands out when the other characters get ONLY their hair, eyes and body type described leaving you to assume that they’re white. Something else I didn’t realize until writing this review is that the only established characters of color—Glenn, Ivy and, I think, Nina—were MIA in this book and the last. To be clear, I don’t care what color your villain is, but it’s problematic when they’re one of few nonwhite characters.
Another aspect that sometimes got annoying, even though this is characteristic of both Rachel and other UF heroines that I’ve read: Rachel’s protests and seeming ignorance of how vampires work grew frustrating. She’s dealt with them before, and after seeing how unstable—I’m blanking on the vampire’s name—was, it felt a little unbelievably naive that she thought things could die down peaceably.
With all of that said, I’m definitely curious about what comes next. I want to read the other adventures and events that lead to the epilogue in The Witch With No Name. I want to know what happens with Al (he was definitely checking up on her in disguise). Marguerite Gavin’s narration was also good, as usual. (As I listened to this book, I remembered, years ago, listening to a sample and thinking that the narrator’s voice was not right for Rachel... but somewhere along the lines she really grew on me. I think it’s because I hadn’t heard any of her other character voices in that sample.)
What keeps this book from getting a higher rating was the new master vampire. Urban fantasy, despite being set in cities, is remarkably white-washed. And I noticed, immediately, that the crazy, unstable vampire was described as dark-skinned. Stuff like that stands out when the other characters get ONLY their hair, eyes and body type described leaving you to assume that they’re white. Something else I didn’t realize until writing this review is that the only established characters of color—Glenn, Ivy and, I think, Nina—were MIA in this book and the last. To be clear, I don’t care what color your villain is, but it’s problematic when they’re one of few nonwhite characters.
Another aspect that sometimes got annoying, even though this is characteristic of both Rachel and other UF heroines that I’ve read: Rachel’s protests and seeming ignorance of how vampires work grew frustrating. She’s dealt with them before, and after seeing how unstable—I’m blanking on the vampire’s name—was, it felt a little unbelievably naive that she thought things could die down peaceably.
With all of that said, I’m definitely curious about what comes next. I want to read the other adventures and events that lead to the epilogue in The Witch With No Name. I want to know what happens with Al (he was definitely checking up on her in disguise). Marguerite Gavin’s narration was also good, as usual. (As I listened to this book, I remembered, years ago, listening to a sample and thinking that the narrator’s voice was not right for Rachel... but somewhere along the lines she really grew on me. I think it’s because I hadn’t heard any of her other character voices in that sample.)
June 7, 2021
Read this review on
Fresh Fiction
Kim Harrison has returned to the Hollows world and has presented readers with another adventure with Rachel and her gang. Fans of this series will have much to look forward to as many familiar faces return, creating a wonderful reunion.
Similar to her style in previous books, Harrison stays true to Rachel’s character, giving her snark and style as she battles the bad guys. If you want to read about a heroine who doesn’t just kick ass, but also has a fun personality then I think you’ll find Rachel Morgan to be a good fit for you.
I enjoyed the vampire emphasis on this book because it opened up a lot more of the world that we haven’t seen much of in the Hollows. Rachel has taken on the large task of saving the city, so you can expect a lot of magic and mayhem in MILLION DOLLAR DEMON.
I am definitely looking forward to reading more in the Hollows world. Harrison manages to keep her long-standing series going with this installment without making it feel dry or repetitive. Hopefully, we’ll get to see more sides to the characters or the world in future books as well.
Kim Harrison has returned to the Hollows world and has presented readers with another adventure with Rachel and her gang. Fans of this series will have much to look forward to as many familiar faces return, creating a wonderful reunion.
Similar to her style in previous books, Harrison stays true to Rachel’s character, giving her snark and style as she battles the bad guys. If you want to read about a heroine who doesn’t just kick ass, but also has a fun personality then I think you’ll find Rachel Morgan to be a good fit for you.
I enjoyed the vampire emphasis on this book because it opened up a lot more of the world that we haven’t seen much of in the Hollows. Rachel has taken on the large task of saving the city, so you can expect a lot of magic and mayhem in MILLION DOLLAR DEMON.
I am definitely looking forward to reading more in the Hollows world. Harrison manages to keep her long-standing series going with this installment without making it feel dry or repetitive. Hopefully, we’ll get to see more sides to the characters or the world in future books as well.
June 22, 2021
(I just created my first account to write this review because I just wanted to express my disappointment)
I was thrilled when I saw the announcement for the new book.
However, MILLION DOLLAR DEMON did not meet my expectations. What bothers me the most is Rachel's ongoing pacifism. I appreciate Rachel’s humanism and that she questions her ethics throughout the series. It is a very strong character development and one of the reasons why the series is so outstanding.
But, this book represents the epitome of what started to annoy me in the last few books. It is about Rachel clinging to being good while people die because of her indecisiveness. It is about her saying “ I am giving Constance one last chance to leave the city” while Rachel almost gets killed by Constance for the second or third time in the book. Also, to the reader it was clear from the beginning the Rachel has to take on the role of the subrosa. It was tough reading through all her struggles to accept that.
I had the impression that the really powerful witch-born demon Rachel Morgan is, in fact, weak. One of my favourite moments of the series is when she invokes the Fountain Square circle all on her own. Previously, it had been explicitly stated that it takes several witches to do so, and no one knew that Rachel was more than a regular witch. Or when she is summoned on behalf of Al and uses that everyone mistakes her for him to her advantage and then saves the day without the use of magic.
In this book however, she almost never uses ley line or dangerous demon magic and walks into buildings without having traveling through the lines as an escape route. But, she thinks she has the power of reasoning with a crazy master vampire, so it’s fine.
I am probably biased when it comes to the demons etc., as it is the most intriguing part of the series to me, but I truly want to see Rachel stop arguing and embrace her demon heritage fully. Of course, she does not have to start kidnapping familiars, and it is exciting to have obstacles like having Biss be in a coma. But, in the book it was mentioned that she desires to have a cleaning spell. Yea, so do I. She cannot even do that and look cool.
Then, she and Pike travel to the ever-after, and Rachel uses it to demonstrate to Pike that she has to be taken seriously only by ignoring the threat he poses, offering help and showing how well she knows the ever-after. That is clever and great.
Still, for the rest of the book I can say that Pike is the protagonist and it bores me. There are so many pointless attacks of assassins, and I must say that, even though it is very interesting that Pike is quite ambivalent, I don't feel connected to the character.
Another point to mention is Rachel and Trent’s relationship. Do I understand it correctly that they cannot be separated for a single day? Trent and the girls plan to be gone for just a week. That is not a long time. That is just annoying to read. Also, I skimmed through the sex scene because it felt pointless and I had to think about Jenks in the other room.
Constance is just crazy and evil. All the action scenes surrounding her are about violence, but it is not thrilling. The cleverly planned heist takes place while the reader experiences Zack’s rescue. Rachel is almost defenceless if not for Zack because she does not plan. What was the point of having the Brimstone at Piscary’s anyway?
I have to admit my favourite lines are when Zack squeaks. That caught me off guard and made me audibly laugh. Also, it is a good development that the church turns into a shelter and that half the city openly stands behind Rachel.
All in all, mediocre to good book, great series. Hopefully, I see demoness Rachel next time.
I was thrilled when I saw the announcement for the new book.
However, MILLION DOLLAR DEMON did not meet my expectations. What bothers me the most is Rachel's ongoing pacifism. I appreciate Rachel’s humanism and that she questions her ethics throughout the series. It is a very strong character development and one of the reasons why the series is so outstanding.
But, this book represents the epitome of what started to annoy me in the last few books. It is about Rachel clinging to being good while people die because of her indecisiveness. It is about her saying “ I am giving Constance one last chance to leave the city” while Rachel almost gets killed by Constance for the second or third time in the book. Also, to the reader it was clear from the beginning the Rachel has to take on the role of the subrosa. It was tough reading through all her struggles to accept that.
I had the impression that the really powerful witch-born demon Rachel Morgan is, in fact, weak. One of my favourite moments of the series is when she invokes the Fountain Square circle all on her own. Previously, it had been explicitly stated that it takes several witches to do so, and no one knew that Rachel was more than a regular witch. Or when she is summoned on behalf of Al and uses that everyone mistakes her for him to her advantage and then saves the day without the use of magic.
In this book however, she almost never uses ley line or dangerous demon magic and walks into buildings without having traveling through the lines as an escape route. But, she thinks she has the power of reasoning with a crazy master vampire, so it’s fine.
I am probably biased when it comes to the demons etc., as it is the most intriguing part of the series to me, but I truly want to see Rachel stop arguing and embrace her demon heritage fully. Of course, she does not have to start kidnapping familiars, and it is exciting to have obstacles like having Biss be in a coma. But, in the book it was mentioned that she desires to have a cleaning spell. Yea, so do I. She cannot even do that and look cool.
Then, she and Pike travel to the ever-after, and Rachel uses it to demonstrate to Pike that she has to be taken seriously only by ignoring the threat he poses, offering help and showing how well she knows the ever-after. That is clever and great.
Still, for the rest of the book I can say that Pike is the protagonist and it bores me. There are so many pointless attacks of assassins, and I must say that, even though it is very interesting that Pike is quite ambivalent, I don't feel connected to the character.
Another point to mention is Rachel and Trent’s relationship. Do I understand it correctly that they cannot be separated for a single day? Trent and the girls plan to be gone for just a week. That is not a long time. That is just annoying to read. Also, I skimmed through the sex scene because it felt pointless and I had to think about Jenks in the other room.
Constance is just crazy and evil. All the action scenes surrounding her are about violence, but it is not thrilling. The cleverly planned heist takes place while the reader experiences Zack’s rescue. Rachel is almost defenceless if not for Zack because she does not plan. What was the point of having the Brimstone at Piscary’s anyway?
I have to admit my favourite lines are when Zack squeaks. That caught me off guard and made me audibly laugh. Also, it is a good development that the church turns into a shelter and that half the city openly stands behind Rachel.
All in all, mediocre to good book, great series. Hopefully, I see demoness Rachel next time.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 14, 2023
this world is just so fun but the plot here wasn’t as interesting as the first one is
June 24, 2021
This was just an okay read , frustrating most of the time. Not much happens throughout the middle of the book except Rachel lusting over the scion of the new wacko vamp in town. With the GALL of constantly comparing him Kisten! Speaking of the lust can we just stop with the stupid vamp pheromones? Rachel had the pheromones under control and had plenty of practice with Ivy. Now she can't and is ready to drop her pants with the vamps? If I were Trent I'd be worried about my GF's lust for vamps and thinking about it during their sexy times. The book for more than the first half was the scion and Rachel running around.
Absent were a lot of the interesting characters that make this series shine.
Al had a tiny part
Ivy had a phone call - KH can't ever seem to decide what to do with Ivy. She was an awesome character in the beginning and then got lost and tossed.
Hodin hung around
Biss
Trent was in and out
Quen was mentioned
Dolly was around
Yet, other characters who haven't been seen much in the series are given a lot of page time. I like David, but I'd trade Al, or even Ivy for that space. Thank goodness Jenks was there throughout the book. I don't think Rachel is interesting enough a character and makes horrible decisions without her friends holding her hand.
I was hoping KH was going to continue Rachel's growth we saw at the end of the series., but we are back to Rachel wringing her hands, standing around getting beat up waiting for help or a ley line *Sigh*. There's only so much "I'm going to do the right thing" that can be done when you're faced with crazy evil and bodies are piling up around you.
Absent were a lot of the interesting characters that make this series shine.
Al had a tiny part
Ivy had a phone call - KH can't ever seem to decide what to do with Ivy. She was an awesome character in the beginning and then got lost and tossed.
Hodin hung around
Biss
Trent was in and out
Quen was mentioned
Dolly was around
Yet, other characters who haven't been seen much in the series are given a lot of page time. I like David, but I'd trade Al, or even Ivy for that space. Thank goodness Jenks was there throughout the book. I don't think Rachel is interesting enough a character and makes horrible decisions without her friends holding her hand.
I was hoping KH was going to continue Rachel's growth we saw at the end of the series., but we are back to Rachel wringing her hands, standing around getting beat up waiting for help or a ley line *Sigh*. There's only so much "I'm going to do the right thing" that can be done when you're faced with crazy evil and bodies are piling up around you.
January 24, 2021
I was lucky enough to receive an ARC copy of this book in return for an honest review.
I can never get enough of the Hollows crew. I was so excited when Kim Harrison revived this series last year. She’s a master world-builder and storyteller. This author never fails to put me through the full range of emotions, from angry outbursts to laugh-out-loud moments. Her characters are unique and consistent. And how she juggles such a huge supporting cast is mind-boggling.
There’s never a dull moment in the lives of Rachel Morgan and her friends, and this book is no exception. Jenks is the ultimate sidekick and comic relief. Rachel and Trent’s romance continues to be swoon-worthy. Though I’m still waiting for a little hiccup that will bring back some of the strife that sparked such chemistry in the earlier books.
Million Dollar Demon follows ANOTHER new master vampire. And, as usual, Rachel is butting heads. I find the vampires the most annoying aspect of the series. Everyone tip-toes around them and they continue to act like entitled psychopaths, steam-rolling over all the other species. Why the other Inderlanders don’t band together against vampires instead of wasting time bashing Rachel (who actually does some good in their world) I will never understand. But of course, instead of blasting them to cinders (as she is clearly capable of) Rachel opts for the high road.
I give Kim Harrison’s new book five stars because, despite my bouts of frustration, few series can prompt me to write such impassioned reviews. Kudos, Kim!
I can never get enough of the Hollows crew. I was so excited when Kim Harrison revived this series last year. She’s a master world-builder and storyteller. This author never fails to put me through the full range of emotions, from angry outbursts to laugh-out-loud moments. Her characters are unique and consistent. And how she juggles such a huge supporting cast is mind-boggling.
There’s never a dull moment in the lives of Rachel Morgan and her friends, and this book is no exception. Jenks is the ultimate sidekick and comic relief. Rachel and Trent’s romance continues to be swoon-worthy. Though I’m still waiting for a little hiccup that will bring back some of the strife that sparked such chemistry in the earlier books.
Million Dollar Demon follows ANOTHER new master vampire. And, as usual, Rachel is butting heads. I find the vampires the most annoying aspect of the series. Everyone tip-toes around them and they continue to act like entitled psychopaths, steam-rolling over all the other species. Why the other Inderlanders don’t band together against vampires instead of wasting time bashing Rachel (who actually does some good in their world) I will never understand. But of course, instead of blasting them to cinders (as she is clearly capable of) Rachel opts for the high road.
I give Kim Harrison’s new book five stars because, despite my bouts of frustration, few series can prompt me to write such impassioned reviews. Kudos, Kim!
January 25, 2021
I could not wait to get my hands on this book! Thank you to NetGalley, for the chance to read this ARC! I adore Rachel Morgan, the Hollows, and all of the characters in this series, I cannot tell you how happy I was when I found out, last year, that we would be getting more of Rachel's story.
In Million Dollar Demon Rachel is facing off against another master vampire, and this one is crazier than the ones she has dealt with in the past. Some of our series favorites take a back seat for this story, but we get to know some new characters better. I am really liking Pike! I hate that Rachel is on the outs with Al, but I am enjoying her interactions with Hodin. We see a bit more of Zach (and the power he wields).
The wrap up to this book felt like an ending, which a really hope isn't true! There are still a couple story lines that need to be finished, and I really don't want to be left without closer!
In Million Dollar Demon Rachel is facing off against another master vampire, and this one is crazier than the ones she has dealt with in the past. Some of our series favorites take a back seat for this story, but we get to know some new characters better. I am really liking Pike! I hate that Rachel is on the outs with Al, but I am enjoying her interactions with Hodin. We see a bit more of Zach (and the power he wields).
The wrap up to this book felt like an ending, which a really hope isn't true! There are still a couple story lines that need to be finished, and I really don't want to be left without closer!
August 30, 2021
I loved the idea of these new Hollows books. As happy and sweet as the dream epilogue of Book 13 was, it was kinda silly that the Elves and Demons would get over a 5k year war so easily or that the undead would sit back and take the new power dynamic without a fight, or that society would just accept Demons so easily, or that the Demons wouldn't have culture shock and difficultly adapting.
So there is a lot of great ideas and story areas to explore, but the execution has been painfully disappointing. I'm sorry, but this has been one of the hardest books to finish reading outside of school reading lists.
Rachel is now utterly incompetent & needs Trent & his money to save her every other Chapter, and for no good reason other than Kim refuses to let Rachel evolve or grow beyond the aesthetic of Book 1's "sassy tough girl runner with a pain amulet and a splat gun", which ceased to be useful after book 3 when she came across any remotely competent Ley Line practitioner who just pops the sleep potion balls right in her face, which she repeatedly acknowledges in her inner monologues and routinely tosses the air pistol immediately when a fight starts, yet still puts more effort and text time reloading & preparing, than something useful,.. like learning & preparing the Stun Curse, or Healing Curses?!!?!
*Skip to Spoiler Criticism For More:
Conclusion:
I get that Kim wants to keep Rachel "grounded" & "vulnerable" for tension in storytelling, but the execution is just obvious Dais Ex-Machina contrivances that don't make sense after 13books of character growth. Especially when her foes are scaling up, but her competence is degrading, for no rational reason. It's not 'more exciting',. It's frustrating.
Spoilers:
The narrative excuse keeping Rachel from being able to teleport (Ley Line Jump) like the rest of the demons, made sense at the beginning of American Demon when the only demon who knew how to shift aura shells was gone (Newt). But once Hodin showed her how (as a valid tool to fight the Baku), why didn't she immediately suggest they use that exact same spell on Bis. Just shift his outer shells to match Rachels, problem solved.
No one explains why this isn't an option or won't work on a Gargoyle, she doesn't even think of this as an option in her inner monologue to even ask the question?!!
And if for some silly contrived reason it's wouldn't work, then go bond to another Gargoyle. Bis is a good friend and would understand. Rachel's entire career is a combat specialized 'runner', aka Bounty Hunter, who is actively endangering herself by not being able to travel or have a familiar so she can still use magic (her only viable weapon) anytime she walks into a basement or on a foot bridge over running water.
On that note: She made a very specific comment several books ago to point out that the main thing that makes Demon's so powerful and dangerous is not their physical power like vamps or were's, it's their vast repertoire of premade, prepared spells "curses", stored in their magic Curse Cloud that can be invoked in an instant with a thought (such as a Healing Curse, that Al showed several books ago). Which is an awesome concept! One that Rachel baffling refuses to utilize in favor of remaking pain amulets and useless sleepy time potions to revisit Book 1 aesthetics. This is negative character growth.
(I already mentioned the lack of preparing Healing Curses. She's in a combat profession. Literally should have been the first thing she demanded Al teach her, and the first thing she premade a dozen of in her Curse Cloud. And her foes are scaling up, where one-shot instant kills are normal, so a Healing Curses isn't even OP. They just replace "pain amulets" narratively. You can even make Healing Curses expensive, so there is an incentive to use them sparingly. "I only have one left"... etc)
Pike: The Daius Ex-Machina. Previous book, and for the first third of this book, is walking around Cincy, ALONE, confident and sure of his safety and power, for months before Constance arrives. And then suddenly, AFTER his big powerful undead benefactor is literally in town and taking control, is then suddenly attacked by assassins, who then spend the rest of the book literally around every corner, and on call on the other side of the country, able to field undercover assassins within a couple hours notice. (The only way they would even have known this was a window of opportunity, is if vamps in Constance's inner circle are betrayers. Pike only called Constance's camerilla, who didn't previously use the many months he was alone, away from his benefactor to strike?)
And now Pike can't go 10feet away from Rachel and is wholly dependent on HER protection. The big tough demon who nearly died on the bridge from a random knife thrown by the magic stealth assassin. Who also has no familiar, and can't walk into a basement without being utterly useless.... Uh huh.
And none of this is necessary to keep Rachel "grounded" and "vulnerable". Just have the Elves pull up a 5thousand year old spell that locally neutralizes Ley Line transitions of matter. The Elves can't ley line jump and were able fighting off the Demons, to the point of almost winning. Someone figured out how to neutralize demon teleportation, otherwise the Elves would have lost over a weekend.
Just have Landon give that spell to everyone, and now the IS has installed these 'dampening fields' enchantments in their facility. Neutralizes the power spike of Rachel getting teleportation in a way that makes perfect sense, gives Landon a reason to still be a political adversary with legitimate clout, even provides society a minor defense against all Demons, without cheap "but Bisssss" "reasons".
You can even go a step further. The suppressing field doesn't stop incoming line jumps, but it prevents leaving via that method. Meaning it can be used as a trap, adding danger and vulnerability to Rachel's endeavors, while keeping her evolution and character growth intact.
So there is a lot of great ideas and story areas to explore, but the execution has been painfully disappointing. I'm sorry, but this has been one of the hardest books to finish reading outside of school reading lists.
Rachel is now utterly incompetent & needs Trent & his money to save her every other Chapter, and for no good reason other than Kim refuses to let Rachel evolve or grow beyond the aesthetic of Book 1's "sassy tough girl runner with a pain amulet and a splat gun", which ceased to be useful after book 3 when she came across any remotely competent Ley Line practitioner who just pops the sleep potion balls right in her face, which she repeatedly acknowledges in her inner monologues and routinely tosses the air pistol immediately when a fight starts, yet still puts more effort and text time reloading & preparing, than something useful,.. like learning & preparing the Stun Curse, or Healing Curses?!!?!
*Skip to Spoiler Criticism For More:
Conclusion:
I get that Kim wants to keep Rachel "grounded" & "vulnerable" for tension in storytelling, but the execution is just obvious Dais Ex-Machina contrivances that don't make sense after 13books of character growth. Especially when her foes are scaling up, but her competence is degrading, for no rational reason. It's not 'more exciting',. It's frustrating.
Spoilers:
The narrative excuse keeping Rachel from being able to teleport (Ley Line Jump) like the rest of the demons, made sense at the beginning of American Demon when the only demon who knew how to shift aura shells was gone (Newt). But once Hodin showed her how (as a valid tool to fight the Baku), why didn't she immediately suggest they use that exact same spell on Bis. Just shift his outer shells to match Rachels, problem solved.
No one explains why this isn't an option or won't work on a Gargoyle, she doesn't even think of this as an option in her inner monologue to even ask the question?!!
And if for some silly contrived reason it's wouldn't work, then go bond to another Gargoyle. Bis is a good friend and would understand. Rachel's entire career is a combat specialized 'runner', aka Bounty Hunter, who is actively endangering herself by not being able to travel or have a familiar so she can still use magic (her only viable weapon) anytime she walks into a basement or on a foot bridge over running water.
On that note: She made a very specific comment several books ago to point out that the main thing that makes Demon's so powerful and dangerous is not their physical power like vamps or were's, it's their vast repertoire of premade, prepared spells "curses", stored in their magic Curse Cloud that can be invoked in an instant with a thought (such as a Healing Curse, that Al showed several books ago). Which is an awesome concept! One that Rachel baffling refuses to utilize in favor of remaking pain amulets and useless sleepy time potions to revisit Book 1 aesthetics. This is negative character growth.
(I already mentioned the lack of preparing Healing Curses. She's in a combat profession. Literally should have been the first thing she demanded Al teach her, and the first thing she premade a dozen of in her Curse Cloud. And her foes are scaling up, where one-shot instant kills are normal, so a Healing Curses isn't even OP. They just replace "pain amulets" narratively. You can even make Healing Curses expensive, so there is an incentive to use them sparingly. "I only have one left"... etc)
Pike: The Daius Ex-Machina. Previous book, and for the first third of this book, is walking around Cincy, ALONE, confident and sure of his safety and power, for months before Constance arrives. And then suddenly, AFTER his big powerful undead benefactor is literally in town and taking control, is then suddenly attacked by assassins, who then spend the rest of the book literally around every corner, and on call on the other side of the country, able to field undercover assassins within a couple hours notice. (The only way they would even have known this was a window of opportunity, is if vamps in Constance's inner circle are betrayers. Pike only called Constance's camerilla, who didn't previously use the many months he was alone, away from his benefactor to strike?)
And now Pike can't go 10feet away from Rachel and is wholly dependent on HER protection. The big tough demon who nearly died on the bridge from a random knife thrown by the magic stealth assassin. Who also has no familiar, and can't walk into a basement without being utterly useless.... Uh huh.
And none of this is necessary to keep Rachel "grounded" and "vulnerable". Just have the Elves pull up a 5thousand year old spell that locally neutralizes Ley Line transitions of matter. The Elves can't ley line jump and were able fighting off the Demons, to the point of almost winning. Someone figured out how to neutralize demon teleportation, otherwise the Elves would have lost over a weekend.
Just have Landon give that spell to everyone, and now the IS has installed these 'dampening fields' enchantments in their facility. Neutralizes the power spike of Rachel getting teleportation in a way that makes perfect sense, gives Landon a reason to still be a political adversary with legitimate clout, even provides society a minor defense against all Demons, without cheap "but Bisssss" "reasons".
You can even go a step further. The suppressing field doesn't stop incoming line jumps, but it prevents leaving via that method. Meaning it can be used as a trap, adding danger and vulnerability to Rachel's endeavors, while keeping her evolution and character growth intact.
June 24, 2021
I am baffled by this book's high rating.
Okay, I have mostly been hate-reading this series for the last few years. But after you get a few books in, you just feel obligated to keep going, you know? And this series introduced a lot of ideas that appealed to me. Witches, vampires, and werewolves living openly in a modern setting? Genetic experimentation and particular focus upon the possibility of hybrids? All some of my favorite things.
But Rachel Morgan is a problematic protagonist. She is often too stupid to live. I have complained about her many times, mostly referring to the early books.
She has a habit of repeating some of her obsessive statements over and over. The idea that she wears leather pants because she doesn't want to get a scrape. She also tried to defend leather pants and silk tops as appropriate work outfits. Or, the idea that it was her dad's job to defend her against horny boys in high school, so that is why she is upset that her dad is dead. Or, the fact she regrets buying pasteboard furniture and is jealous of Ivy's better furniture. Etc.
This particular installment didn't include those particular obsessive statements, but so much of that is because this is book 15, after the series was supposed to have concluded somewhere around book 13. The series has been going on for years, and is now putting out sequels after the series was supposed to have been over. The author has probably heard about how Rachel is TSTL many times now.
I am curious if we are ever going to find out the origins of all the OTHER magical species in this universe. Because over the course of 15 books we were given a partial explanation (or even just a mythical explanation) for the origins of witches, demons, werewolves, elves, and possibly also for banshees and pixies. But we have received no explanation for where leprechauns, trolls, dryads, nymphs, and "wish-fish" come from. Two of those species, the leprechauns and wish-fish, are capable of granting wishes with no particular limits; so each individual leprechaun or wish-fish is godlike, and the author just accepts this. It really begs the question on why witches bother to go to college to study their forms of magic (which still don't entirely make sense to me anyway), when presumably any of them could just wish for omnipotence from a pet fish.
This particular book focused upon a pretty straight-forward problem over the course of far too many pages. Rachel had to deal with a new female master vampire trying to kick people out of the Hollows, and Rachel had to step up as the new boss of the town to tell this bitch to step off.
There. That was pretty much the whole book. It was repetitive, to the point that I sometimes lost my train of thought while listening to the audiobook, and then found I hadn't really missed much.
Okay, I have mostly been hate-reading this series for the last few years. But after you get a few books in, you just feel obligated to keep going, you know? And this series introduced a lot of ideas that appealed to me. Witches, vampires, and werewolves living openly in a modern setting? Genetic experimentation and particular focus upon the possibility of hybrids? All some of my favorite things.
But Rachel Morgan is a problematic protagonist. She is often too stupid to live. I have complained about her many times, mostly referring to the early books.
She has a habit of repeating some of her obsessive statements over and over. The idea that she wears leather pants because she doesn't want to get a scrape. She also tried to defend leather pants and silk tops as appropriate work outfits. Or, the idea that it was her dad's job to defend her against horny boys in high school, so that is why she is upset that her dad is dead. Or, the fact she regrets buying pasteboard furniture and is jealous of Ivy's better furniture. Etc.
This particular installment didn't include those particular obsessive statements, but so much of that is because this is book 15, after the series was supposed to have concluded somewhere around book 13. The series has been going on for years, and is now putting out sequels after the series was supposed to have been over. The author has probably heard about how Rachel is TSTL many times now.
I am curious if we are ever going to find out the origins of all the OTHER magical species in this universe. Because over the course of 15 books we were given a partial explanation (or even just a mythical explanation) for the origins of witches, demons, werewolves, elves, and possibly also for banshees and pixies. But we have received no explanation for where leprechauns, trolls, dryads, nymphs, and "wish-fish" come from. Two of those species, the leprechauns and wish-fish, are capable of granting wishes with no particular limits; so each individual leprechaun or wish-fish is godlike, and the author just accepts this. It really begs the question on why witches bother to go to college to study their forms of magic (which still don't entirely make sense to me anyway), when presumably any of them could just wish for omnipotence from a pet fish.
This particular book focused upon a pretty straight-forward problem over the course of far too many pages. Rachel had to deal with a new female master vampire trying to kick people out of the Hollows, and Rachel had to step up as the new boss of the town to tell this bitch to step off.
There. That was pretty much the whole book. It was repetitive, to the point that I sometimes lost my train of thought while listening to the audiobook, and then found I hadn't really missed much.
April 3, 2025
chyba z sentymentu te 5 ⭐️
naprawdę lubię ten świat. i już nikt nie jest irytujący jakos się uspokoili 😂
za każdym razem jak jem pomidory zastanawiam się czy mają w sobie wirusa 😅
naprawdę lubię ten świat. i już nikt nie jest irytujący jakos się uspokoili 😂
za każdym razem jak jem pomidory zastanawiam się czy mają w sobie wirusa 😅
June 17, 2021
Just have so many issues with how she is approaching things as more of a witch than a demon....
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 24, 2021
Once again, I find myself so thankful for Kim Harrison and her publishers for bringing back Rachel's story with more action, adventure, magic, and casual intimacy that I ever thought possible. Each installment makes me fall deeper in love with the world of the Hollows. Million Dollar Demon was a wild ride with so many twists and turns, I'm amazed we made it out alive!
With longer series, sometimes the large number of characters limits the depth of the story, but that's not the case here. Harrison has seamlessly woven new and multi-dimensional people like Pike and Zack into a complicated story line and made it WORK! Some of the major players took a back seat in Million Dollar Demon, but the new faces more than made up for it! Rachel simultaneously makes me want to cheer her on and rip my hair out, a feeling I probably share with most of her allies in Cincinnati. Likewise with the demons, who manage to be absolutely useless despite their awesome levels of power. Luckily, Rachel has made friends all over, and finally it seems that most of them are starting to appreciate all that she's sacrificed for the good of the city. Trent and Rachel's mutual love for each other just gets me every time, and I savor the quiet moments they manage to carve out of the chaos their lives have become. Found family is a big part of Rachel's life, and seeing the strength of her bonds with Jenks, Trent, David, and even the city was so satisfying! Harrison has once again given me everything I didn't know I wanted, and still left me desperate for more!
Overall, Million Dollar Demon was an extremely satisfying read (10/10 would recommend!). Character growth, complicated new characters, joke spells gone so right, what more could you ask for? Any Hollows fan is going to love the latest of Rachel's escapades, but I wouldn't recommend starting the series with this book. Start from the beginning, and you won't be disappointed! Rachel has overcome so much to get here, and I can't wait to see where she goes on her next joyride!
Special thanks to Berkley and Netgalley for providing me an advanced copy in exchange for an honest and unbiased review!
With longer series, sometimes the large number of characters limits the depth of the story, but that's not the case here. Harrison has seamlessly woven new and multi-dimensional people like Pike and Zack into a complicated story line and made it WORK! Some of the major players took a back seat in Million Dollar Demon, but the new faces more than made up for it! Rachel simultaneously makes me want to cheer her on and rip my hair out, a feeling I probably share with most of her allies in Cincinnati. Likewise with the demons, who manage to be absolutely useless despite their awesome levels of power. Luckily, Rachel has made friends all over, and finally it seems that most of them are starting to appreciate all that she's sacrificed for the good of the city. Trent and Rachel's mutual love for each other just gets me every time, and I savor the quiet moments they manage to carve out of the chaos their lives have become. Found family is a big part of Rachel's life, and seeing the strength of her bonds with Jenks, Trent, David, and even the city was so satisfying! Harrison has once again given me everything I didn't know I wanted, and still left me desperate for more!
Overall, Million Dollar Demon was an extremely satisfying read (10/10 would recommend!). Character growth, complicated new characters, joke spells gone so right, what more could you ask for? Any Hollows fan is going to love the latest of Rachel's escapades, but I wouldn't recommend starting the series with this book. Start from the beginning, and you won't be disappointed! Rachel has overcome so much to get here, and I can't wait to see where she goes on her next joyride!
Special thanks to Berkley and Netgalley for providing me an advanced copy in exchange for an honest and unbiased review!
June 23, 2021
For the first time ever, I'm giving a Hollows book a 3-star rating. Let me start off by saying that I've been ACHING for this book from the moment I finished #14. I was devastatingly heart-broken over Bis, and couldn't wait for the next book to come out to see how things would get resolved. Couldn't wait, as in, as soon as the release date was announced, I requested that it be purchased through four different library systems that I have access to. I started Million Dollar Demon eagerly waiting to hear about Bis and all my other "friends."
What I got was a disappointing, slow-paced, seemingly puffed book that not only didn't resolve what happened in book #14, but also didn't have more than a brief mention of all my favorite characters. I felt like the book could have been half as long without any change to the storyline at all, especially because so much of it was SO REPETITIVE. YES, Rachael's doing her best to be a good person and failing. YES, she does stupid things and doesn't learn from them. YES, she's attracted to vampires (get OVER it already) and somehow still can't remember how not to act around them. And still, 15 books in, she remains a demon who can't travel the ley lines?? I expected that her new persona would be fleshed out so much more by now, but it seems like it's just become a minor sidenote ("Oh, yeah, and I'm a demon, whatever").
When book #13 wrapped up, I was sad, but content about how everything came together in the epilogue. When book #14 was announced, I was both surprised and excited that I could read more about how "my friends" were doing. But Million Dollar Demon killed any excitement that I had over the continuation of the series. I know I'm in the minority here, but I feel like so much of what I fell in love with in the series was dropped for lesser, somewhat boring and predictable characters and storylines. I guess I'll just wait for the next one to come out and hope that it redeems itself.
What I got was a disappointing, slow-paced, seemingly puffed book that not only didn't resolve what happened in book #14, but also didn't have more than a brief mention of all my favorite characters. I felt like the book could have been half as long without any change to the storyline at all, especially because so much of it was SO REPETITIVE. YES, Rachael's doing her best to be a good person and failing. YES, she does stupid things and doesn't learn from them. YES, she's attracted to vampires (get OVER it already) and somehow still can't remember how not to act around them. And still, 15 books in, she remains a demon who can't travel the ley lines?? I expected that her new persona would be fleshed out so much more by now, but it seems like it's just become a minor sidenote ("Oh, yeah, and I'm a demon, whatever").
When book #13 wrapped up, I was sad, but content about how everything came together in the epilogue. When book #14 was announced, I was both surprised and excited that I could read more about how "my friends" were doing. But Million Dollar Demon killed any excitement that I had over the continuation of the series. I know I'm in the minority here, but I feel like so much of what I fell in love with in the series was dropped for lesser, somewhat boring and predictable characters and storylines. I guess I'll just wait for the next one to come out and hope that it redeems itself.
December 21, 2021
"I didn't say you could sit down," he added when I went to do just that. I hesitated.
Then, made a point of sitting my ass on the cardboard box, shifting to find the most comfortable spot until he grimaced.
Seriously, what is it about sentient mice that just gets me every time? And didn't Rache learn her lesson about turning people into things in book 1?? I love this world! So, the last book was like a welcome-back hug and this was more like "Oh, hey, you came back for more? Well, get ready because adventure awaits!!" -the Hollows equivalent of "Hold my beer."
The cast is back and the city is divided. New master vamp (Constance) plopped down in the city and started abusing her vampires and evicting everyone else. Everyone keeps asking when Rache is gonna do something about it because she's somehow de facto demoness overlord (aka Subrosa?) of Cincinnati. Ask and you shall receive!
My favorite part was how all of the disenfranchised Inderlanders kept showing up to crash at Rachel's place throughout the whole book! Next favorite had to be Dali's demon bar/strip club. That was a HOOT. I missed Ivy in this one, but I get it. We got more character growth, a bit of backsliding (learn from your mistakes, Rache!!), and the best bait-and-switch since book 1.
I would live there if I could.
Then, made a point of sitting my ass on the cardboard box, shifting to find the most comfortable spot until he grimaced.
Seriously, what is it about sentient mice that just gets me every time? And didn't Rache learn her lesson about turning people into things in book 1?? I love this world! So, the last book was like a welcome-back hug and this was more like "Oh, hey, you came back for more? Well, get ready because adventure awaits!!" -the Hollows equivalent of "Hold my beer."
The cast is back and the city is divided. New master vamp (Constance) plopped down in the city and started abusing her vampires and evicting everyone else. Everyone keeps asking when Rache is gonna do something about it because she's somehow de facto demoness overlord (aka Subrosa?) of Cincinnati. Ask and you shall receive!
My favorite part was how all of the disenfranchised Inderlanders kept showing up to crash at Rachel's place throughout the whole book! Next favorite had to be Dali's demon bar/strip club. That was a HOOT. I missed Ivy in this one, but I get it. We got more character growth, a bit of backsliding (learn from your mistakes, Rache!!), and the best bait-and-switch since book 1.
I would live there if I could.
December 28, 2022
No pude parar.
No me lo esperaba después del fiasco del número anterior y la mala opinión que tengo de las sagas oficialmente terminadas, revividas posteriormente como zombies torpes.
He disfrutado enormemente, para mi gran sorpresa.
No me lo esperaba después del fiasco del número anterior y la mala opinión que tengo de las sagas oficialmente terminadas, revividas posteriormente como zombies torpes.
He disfrutado enormemente, para mi gran sorpresa.
March 16, 2023
I accidentally read this one after #16, so it wasn't as enjoyable as it could have been.
June 1, 2021
I’ve been along for the ride with Kim Harrison and The Hollows since the beginning… over 13 years now, so I could talk your ear off about the series. But you’re here to read about the latest, Million Dollar Demon, so here we go.
My husband who has read the series from the beginning couldn’t finish the previous book, American Demon, saying he just couldn’t get into it. Well, I did and enjoyed the starting up of the series after years away. I was excited to read Million Dollar Demon, hoping to see Bis back in action and to finish up some story lines from the previous book. And while book 15 was good, I was a bit disappointed.
First for the great… I’m liking the direction Harrison is going with Rachel’s housing situation and am interested to see how it progresses. And Harrison really is an excellent writer with great character development and wonderful descriptions of the Hollows. Some main characters were lacking in this book, but I am willing to wait another book or two… as long as they come back! And I do enjoy one of the newer characters that seems to be getting a stronger role in the books.
Now for the big thing that was disappointing and the main reason I stopped reading the Anita Blake series by Laurell K. Hamilton, the main character's attraction to a vampire. It felt like a fourth of the book was Rachel trying to resist Pike’s vampire incense… and I don’t know why but incense just bothered me (totally a weird thing on my part and really won’t matter to most people…). Every time I read it, and there were a lot of instances, I would change it to vampire pheromones in my mind and it would take me out of the story.
And I understand why their attraction was part of the story and it made sense, it was just mentioned sooo many times.
I will keep reading and recommending the series, but am really hoping Rachel can control her desire for Pike’s incense in future books. And I’m mainly doing so to see what happens with one of the main characters that wasn’t in the book much.
My husband who has read the series from the beginning couldn’t finish the previous book, American Demon, saying he just couldn’t get into it. Well, I did and enjoyed the starting up of the series after years away. I was excited to read Million Dollar Demon, hoping to see Bis back in action and to finish up some story lines from the previous book. And while book 15 was good, I was a bit disappointed.
First for the great… I’m liking the direction Harrison is going with Rachel’s housing situation and am interested to see how it progresses. And Harrison really is an excellent writer with great character development and wonderful descriptions of the Hollows. Some main characters were lacking in this book, but I am willing to wait another book or two… as long as they come back! And I do enjoy one of the newer characters that seems to be getting a stronger role in the books.
Now for the big thing that was disappointing and the main reason I stopped reading the Anita Blake series by Laurell K. Hamilton, the main character's attraction to a vampire. It felt like a fourth of the book was Rachel trying to resist Pike’s vampire incense… and I don’t know why but incense just bothered me (totally a weird thing on my part and really won’t matter to most people…). Every time I read it, and there were a lot of instances, I would change it to vampire pheromones in my mind and it would take me out of the story.
And I understand why their attraction was part of the story and it made sense, it was just mentioned sooo many times.
I will keep reading and recommending the series, but am really hoping Rachel can control her desire for Pike’s incense in future books. And I’m mainly doing so to see what happens with one of the main characters that wasn’t in the book much.
Read
June 7, 2024dnf 10% weil die Fortsetzungen der Reihe wohl nicht mehr auf deutsch erscheinen werden, laut Verlag. Das hat mich so enttäuscht, dass ich gerade keine Lust habe das Buch zu beenden. Obwohl ich die Reihe unheimlich gern gelesen habe…
June 15, 2021
How is it that we're fifteen novels into The Hollows series? It's hard to believe that there have been so many, and yet I'm already looking forward to whatever comes next! Million Dollar Demon, by Kim Harrison, is not a novel to miss for fans of Rachel Morgan and all of the chaos she brings with her.
The powers that be have decided that Cincinnati needs to new master vampire, and we all know how well that is going to go. Rachel Morgan has a habit of getting in the way of master vampires, and this time the new master is gunning for her.
That would be fine, except this master is willing to tear through the city to get to Rachel. Meaning it is officially time for Rachel to step up and protect the city. Again. She'll just have to find a way to win this fight without compromising her ideals.
“Tradition-entrenched, frightened old farts blind to reality.”
Have I mentioned how thrilled I am that we're getting new Hollows series? Every new announcement has successfully made my day, as I hadn't realized how much I would miss Rachel and her antics.
Moving onto the actual review now, Million Dollar Demon is absolute perfection. This is the sequel that fans and characters alike deserved. It's tense and thrilling and showcases some of the best (and worst) that Rachel has to offer.
Frankly, there is so much to enjoy about this novel. I think my favorite bits involved the politics (what a shock, I know) and the clever lengths that Rachel went to find a way out of her current predicament.
That being said, it is by no means the only exciting element in Million Dollar Demon. Trent, Jenks (I adore that little dude), and all the rest make an appearance, as well as a few surprises. Combined with all of the subplots surrounding them, it made for one very full novel – one that I couldn't get enough of.
It's fascinating to see how the previous novels and their plots still play a role in what is happening now. Rachel is still reeling from all of the demon and elf business, and I, for one, cannot wait to see how that all will ultimately play out (unfortunately, I do actually have to wait...it'll be worth it!).
I adored Million Dollar Demon and the thousands of details that worked their way into the plot. Honestly, reading the latest installment has made me crave all of the other books, so I think that a re-read is in order. And that is how you know the sequel is a success. Until next time!
Thanks to Ace Books and #NetGalley for making this book available for review. All opinions expressed are my own.
Check out more reviews over at Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks
The powers that be have decided that Cincinnati needs to new master vampire, and we all know how well that is going to go. Rachel Morgan has a habit of getting in the way of master vampires, and this time the new master is gunning for her.
That would be fine, except this master is willing to tear through the city to get to Rachel. Meaning it is officially time for Rachel to step up and protect the city. Again. She'll just have to find a way to win this fight without compromising her ideals.
“Tradition-entrenched, frightened old farts blind to reality.”
Have I mentioned how thrilled I am that we're getting new Hollows series? Every new announcement has successfully made my day, as I hadn't realized how much I would miss Rachel and her antics.
Moving onto the actual review now, Million Dollar Demon is absolute perfection. This is the sequel that fans and characters alike deserved. It's tense and thrilling and showcases some of the best (and worst) that Rachel has to offer.
Frankly, there is so much to enjoy about this novel. I think my favorite bits involved the politics (what a shock, I know) and the clever lengths that Rachel went to find a way out of her current predicament.
That being said, it is by no means the only exciting element in Million Dollar Demon. Trent, Jenks (I adore that little dude), and all the rest make an appearance, as well as a few surprises. Combined with all of the subplots surrounding them, it made for one very full novel – one that I couldn't get enough of.
It's fascinating to see how the previous novels and their plots still play a role in what is happening now. Rachel is still reeling from all of the demon and elf business, and I, for one, cannot wait to see how that all will ultimately play out (unfortunately, I do actually have to wait...it'll be worth it!).
I adored Million Dollar Demon and the thousands of details that worked their way into the plot. Honestly, reading the latest installment has made me crave all of the other books, so I think that a re-read is in order. And that is how you know the sequel is a success. Until next time!
Thanks to Ace Books and #NetGalley for making this book available for review. All opinions expressed are my own.
Check out more reviews over at Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks
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