The Outlaw Demon Wails

Rachel Morgan is a witch but seems to be able to call demons. The demon Algaliarept is trying to kill her for sending him to prison. She has a vampire friend who wants to sleep with her. Pixies in her garden who guard her house. But she still gets in trouble with trying to save people. Especially her mom. She just wants to figure out how to keep everyone alive including herself.

This review is also featured on Behind the Pages: The Outlaw Demon Wails

Someone is summoning Al out of prison. And once they are done with him for the night, they release him to hunt down Rachel. After an explosive reunion in a charm shop where Al nearly kills her, Rachel is stuck hiding on holy ground when the sun goes down. Unless she figures out who is summoning Al, she will either be stuck hiding on holy ground or dead. To protect herself and those she cares about, Rachel is going to have to make a trip to the ever after. And knowing Rachel, her plan is not going to go the way it should.

The sixth book in The Hollows series shows a marked difference in the way Rachel handles herself. She's realized her faults, both personal and professional, and she is trying to make positive changes. Unfortunately, life likes to kick her while she is down, in the most messed up and magical way possible. Watching Rachel try to overcome her boundaries and forge herself into a more confident and mature person is both rewarding and frightening. The amount of heartbreak and deception she has had to experience to reach this point is beyond what a normal person would be able to endure. But this is Rachel, the fiery redhead that kicks first and asks questions later. She will fight with all she has and then some.

The Outlaw Demon Wails also tackles the subject of loss and how to recover from it. Rachel struggles to come to terms with her loss, and the guilt that accompanies wanting to move on. As her heart struggles to understand what it wants and needs, readers, can connect with the conflicting emotions that rifle through Rachel's mind. Readers will also see the parallel with Rachel's mother as she realizes what her mother went through losing her father years ago, and how it broke her.

This is my second read of The Hollows, so while I know what is going to happen, but I still love the setup Kim Harrison has done. The flashbacks that tantalize fans into trying to figure out the puzzle before Rachel can. And the utter desperation I remember feeling, wanting Rachel and Ivy to exact their revenge as soon as possible. And the slow burn as we realized that once again, we have to wait for a resolution.

Seriously, if you haven't started The Hollows and you love urban fantasy, pick up this series. Rachel may start off as a bit of an airhead, but it just makes her character development all the more satisfying as the series continues. Hands down this will always remain my favorite urban fantasy series.

Started with the audiobook but scrapped that quickly when I discovered that Marguerite Gavin, reader of the previous books, had been replaced. Not being able to take a different voice for the characters, I read this one in print. Thank goodness Marguerite returns to reading the remainder of the series!

Excellent!