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hirvimaki's review against another edition
4.0
My favourite in The Hallows series so far. The plot keeps twisting and the characters get deeper and more interesting.
kathydavie's review against another edition
5.0
Sixth in The Hollows paranormal fantasy series set in an alternate Cincinnati and revolving around Rachel Morgan, Jenks, and Ivy Tamwood. An earth witch who works with ley line magic, a pixy, and a high-blood living vampire.
My Take
It's a fast pace in this installment told from Rachel's perspective in the present. Oh man, remember that black witch from For a Few Dollars More? Yup. Seems if they can't have Rachel and her demon-summoning talents, no one else can either. So as Rachel searches for this group, she also discovers a number of other very unpleasant facts: how her father died, her true origin, her mother's mishaps, and the terrifying aspects of playing with vampires.
Just when Trent does something nice…yeah, the guy is consistent…he turns out to be an asshole. Again. I don't know why I keep buying into him! He really doesn't deserve someone as nice as Rachel to help him.
I do love Jenks' store of curses. Colorful, clever, and so very pixy-ish:
The Story
Big Al is on the loose gunning for Rachel Morgan, and the other demons don't care what happens to her — despite the deal, it's simply that Al's escaping every night makes them look bad.
So it's up to Rachel to find out how Al is getting out and shut it down, all while staying safe on sanctified ground every night and getting around the demon legal system.
The Characters
Rachel Morgan is a witch scrambling to stay ahead of the demons who are after her. Rachel and Ivy Tamwood have an intricate relationship. They love and respect each other, it's just that Ivy wants more. She wants a more intimate relationship that includes a blood exchange with Rachel. Rachel is not sure how intimate she can handle. Although, some conditions that Rynn lays out seem to make a difference until a memory is triggered. Jenks is a pixy who has moved up in the world, having purchased the church from Piscary's estate, but he sure gets jerked back and forth in this story.
Ceridwen "Ceri" Merriam Dulciate plays an important role that inspires Rachel and Trent into danger. Quen plays an very important role when he is dying and begs for Rachel to see him. Rachel learns a very disturbing fact about Keasley, their across-the-street neighbor and Ceri's roommate.
Trent Kalamack is Cincinnati's golden boy. On the surface. In truth, he's a drug-dealing, illegal biodrugs manufacturer who kills to obtain what he wants. If he can't buy it.
There has been a change in some of the core characters: Kisten and Piscary are dead, Skimmer is in jail under a wrongful-death charge, and Cincinnati has a new master vampire, Rynn Cormel. The vampire who served as President of the United States while the world coped with the Turn.
Minias, was Newt's keeper but the demon escaped him once too often and Minias got demoted to watching Algaliarept — a demon who is still escaping him.
Takata is a famous rock'n roller who pops up once in awhile. After Trent's pissy comments, seems Takata will be showing up more often. Alice Morgan, Rachel's mom, plays a larger role and we learn how very skilled she is in her magic as well as the truth about Rachel and Robert.
David Hue very briefly appears, and we get reassurance about the changes in his life that occurred in For a Few Demons More, 5. Detective Glenn of the FIB is mostly in the background helping out here and there. Another new character is Bis with some unexpected powers. A gargoyle who got thrown off the basilica roof and chose the church belfry as his new home. Marshal turns up interviewing for a job as the swim coach at the university (A Fistful of Charms, 4); he "claims" he's not looking for a girlfriend. That bitch, Dr. Anders, reappears — from the dead and has a lot of gall — I loved how Rache slapped her down!
The Cover and Title
I suspect the cover represents the ever-after, but it seems a bit too cheery to me with its bright red atmosphere misting through the bare tree branches, as Rachel stalks toward us on the stone-paved ground in her leather hip huggers and a form-fitting, midriff-baring leather tank top with her hair tangling to her shoulders and a splat gun in her hand.
The title is way too appropriate as it's Big Al who has turned into The Outlaw Demon Wails. Sigh…do wish I could feel more sorry…snicker…
My Take
It's a fast pace in this installment told from Rachel's perspective in the present. Oh man, remember that black witch from For a Few Dollars More? Yup. Seems if they can't have Rachel and her demon-summoning talents, no one else can either. So as Rachel searches for this group, she also discovers a number of other very unpleasant facts: how her father died, her true origin, her mother's mishaps, and the terrifying aspects of playing with vampires.
Just when Trent does something nice…yeah, the guy is consistent…he turns out to be an asshole. Again. I don't know why I keep buying into him! He really doesn't deserve someone as nice as Rachel to help him.
I do love Jenks' store of curses. Colorful, clever, and so very pixy-ish:
"You sorry-ass hunk of putrid fairy crap!"I would like to know why Minias could renege on the part of the deal he made with Trent about leaving Rachel and Trent alone while they're in the ever-after. Oh yeah, a bit more of Rachel's memory shakes loose on what happened when Kist was murdered.
"Tink's titties!",
"No fairy-ass way!",
"…dragonfly's little green turds…"
"No fairy-lovin' way",
"sweet daisies",
"go suck a slug egg",
"smelly green grass farts",
"Tink's contractual hell",
"green fairy crap"
The Story
Big Al is on the loose gunning for Rachel Morgan, and the other demons don't care what happens to her — despite the deal, it's simply that Al's escaping every night makes them look bad.
So it's up to Rachel to find out how Al is getting out and shut it down, all while staying safe on sanctified ground every night and getting around the demon legal system.
The Characters
Rachel Morgan is a witch scrambling to stay ahead of the demons who are after her. Rachel and Ivy Tamwood have an intricate relationship. They love and respect each other, it's just that Ivy wants more. She wants a more intimate relationship that includes a blood exchange with Rachel. Rachel is not sure how intimate she can handle. Although, some conditions that Rynn lays out seem to make a difference until a memory is triggered. Jenks is a pixy who has moved up in the world, having purchased the church from Piscary's estate, but he sure gets jerked back and forth in this story.
Ceridwen "Ceri" Merriam Dulciate plays an important role that inspires Rachel and Trent into danger. Quen plays an very important role when he is dying and begs for Rachel to see him. Rachel learns a very disturbing fact about Keasley, their across-the-street neighbor and Ceri's roommate.
Trent Kalamack is Cincinnati's golden boy. On the surface. In truth, he's a drug-dealing, illegal biodrugs manufacturer who kills to obtain what he wants. If he can't buy it.
There has been a change in some of the core characters: Kisten and Piscary are dead, Skimmer is in jail under a wrongful-death charge, and Cincinnati has a new master vampire, Rynn Cormel. The vampire who served as President of the United States while the world coped with the Turn.
Minias, was Newt's keeper but the demon escaped him once too often and Minias got demoted to watching Algaliarept — a demon who is still escaping him.
Takata is a famous rock'n roller who pops up once in awhile. After Trent's pissy comments, seems Takata will be showing up more often. Alice Morgan, Rachel's mom, plays a larger role and we learn how very skilled she is in her magic as well as the truth about Rachel and Robert.
David Hue very briefly appears, and we get reassurance about the changes in his life that occurred in For a Few Demons More, 5. Detective Glenn of the FIB is mostly in the background helping out here and there. Another new character is Bis with some unexpected powers. A gargoyle who got thrown off the basilica roof and chose the church belfry as his new home. Marshal turns up interviewing for a job as the swim coach at the university (A Fistful of Charms, 4); he "claims" he's not looking for a girlfriend. That bitch, Dr. Anders, reappears — from the dead and has a lot of gall — I loved how Rache slapped her down!
The Cover and Title
I suspect the cover represents the ever-after, but it seems a bit too cheery to me with its bright red atmosphere misting through the bare tree branches, as Rachel stalks toward us on the stone-paved ground in her leather hip huggers and a form-fitting, midriff-baring leather tank top with her hair tangling to her shoulders and a splat gun in her hand.
The title is way too appropriate as it's Big Al who has turned into The Outlaw Demon Wails. Sigh…do wish I could feel more sorry…snicker…
novelette's review against another edition
3.0
Series is getting better, but it will be nice if she gets some moxy
darienjade's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
laurensustaire's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
informative
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
4.25
amandalyn's review against another edition
5.0
Reading this series again has been so good. I had forgotten like 98% of this book. Especially the big reveal at the end. I’m starting to think that Rachel and Trent are going to get together... next book soon! Oh and I’ve been listening to them on audiobook and this is the only one not by Marguerite Gavin and it was not well done. It’s why it took me so long to listen to. Thank god it’s back to normal with White Witch Black Curse!
linzthebookworm's review against another edition
4.0
I felt this book was a somewhat predictable segue for the next book in the series. There was a lot less action, but a lot more information in it. Family secrets are revealed, Demon deals are made, and Rachel becomes more accepting of what she is. I feel that the deal made with Al was some what predictable, but I don't mind. I was sort of hoping that would happen. I was a little thrown off by the family secret, but I think that's more a lack of reading comprehension on my part. I may have to go read through some other books to make sense of that one. I feel that there's going to be some weird dysfunctional romantic relationship between Trent and Rachel. They hate each other, but they keep coming back to work with each other in some way. Over all I enjoyed it and it got me eager to read the 7th book.
threesixnine's review against another edition
5.0
I can read book after book in this series and it only gets better. Love it.
medea_jade's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
This reader was terrible. I do not understand when readers don’t consult with authors about the pronunciation of characters names. She messed up so many names but by far the worst was Takata. I cringed every time she said his name.
The story itself was good. Not as good as when I read it when it first came out. There’s a vein of patriarchy in these books that really rubs me the wrong way these days. Also Rachel is a little too boy crazy. When I first read these books that appealed to me but these days not so much.
The story itself was good. Not as good as when I read it when it first came out. There’s a vein of patriarchy in these books that really rubs me the wrong way these days. Also Rachel is a little too boy crazy. When I first read these books that appealed to me but these days not so much.
trudyd's review
4.0
I have read The Hollows series numerous times. I really enjoy this story because we get a lot on insight into Trenton and Rachel. Oh My Word!!!!! This book screams --Hold onto your hat, it is going to be a rough ride in future books.
02/19/20 finished the audiobook. wonderful nail biter. The only problem I had was they used a different narrator. Different pronunciations get annoying. Thankfully they go back to the original narrator in future books.
7/22/20--I am definitely on a Hollows binge. The new narrator still annoys me a lot. I am tempted to skip the next book, but I won't because I would miss out on so many great details. At least in this book tensions with Trenton fly off the charts and Ceri is around to put them in their place. Thanks to Quinn, Rachel has a better understanding on how her father died. It won't bring him back, but he died trying to live for his family.
05/17/22 Doing my early Hollows binge and loving it.
05/10/23 binge listening to the series. This is the only one that disappoints me. They have a different narrator. she pronounces important words differently and her Jenks voice just isn't right. Now on to the next story.
02/19/20 finished the audiobook. wonderful nail biter. The only problem I had was they used a different narrator. Different pronunciations get annoying. Thankfully they go back to the original narrator in future books.
7/22/20--I am definitely on a Hollows binge. The new narrator still annoys me a lot. I am tempted to skip the next book, but I won't because I would miss out on so many great details. At least in this book tensions with Trenton fly off the charts and Ceri is around to put them in their place. Thanks to Quinn, Rachel has a better understanding on how her father died. It won't bring him back, but he died trying to live for his family.
05/17/22 Doing my early Hollows binge and loving it.
05/10/23 binge listening to the series. This is the only one that disappoints me. They have a different narrator. she pronounces important words differently and her Jenks voice just isn't right. Now on to the next story.