White Witch, Black Curse (The Hollows 7) by Kim Harrison

Hello to all,

                    First day in the Weekend and i'm still to sick to really do something except reading ( which is great because at least i progress in my TBR pile and they are books i want to read so YES!), the weather is colder, rainy and thus i needed some motivation.

 To tell you everything this book has been on my pile for at least 2years if no more..... oh it's not i wasn't interested quite the opposite. You see i started this series in french and i loved it so much that when i saw only 3 books were translated at the time (4?) and in english there was already 7/8 i couldn't wait i managed to order them in a shop in the capital paying an exhorbitant price ( i didn't know the bookdepository then). I started rereading the series in english starting with book 1 and i enjoyed them so much that i read them back to back ( no review because it was before the existence of the blog) ...and i came to book 7....i was devouring these books so it didn't take me long to reach it but then the disaster happened.... White Witch, Black Curse, book7 in the Hollows series was ill printed.... oh i don't mean just a word cut or a stain ... of course i wouldn't have liked that but  it was so much worse you see i had more than 100 pages in double and thus the same amount missing...- i don't remember exactly the number but an example while arriving at page 149 i jump to page 266 ( then 267 etc) and after page 304 i start again at page 266...but pages 150-265 were simply not there... -in such a series it complety impossible and i found myself unable to continue reading.. after a lot of tears, a letter to the editor ( Harper voyager) i managed to get a new perfect copy but the wait and perhaps this error yes had stopped my interest for a moment... i wanted to continue teh series but i was afraid to be interrupted again perhaps and the books started pilling up in my pile.

Until this month... i decided, like i told you earlier this month, to simply read books i wanted to or at least give them priority to help my motivation and since i fell sick it also helped the mood ...i couln't let this series wait any longer and i devoured this book once again from page one to the last and even with the time aside i still remembered the series perfectly and got immersed immediately!

So now you can hope to get several reviews for this series this october to make it up for the wait ^^starting with White Witch, Black Curse!

Publisher: Harper Voyager

Publication: 2009

ISBN:  0007311273

Genre: urban fantasy
Violence: strong
Language: normal
sex: mild
Public: 18+

Source: bought
 

Short description from the publisher Harper and Collins:

 Kick-ass bounty hunter and witch Rachel Morgan has crossed forbidden lines, taken demonic hits, and still stands. But the death of her lover struck her harder than she ever thought possible. She won't rest until his murder is solved . . . and avenged.

But a new predator is moving to the apex of the Inderlander food chain—and now Rachel's past is coming back to haunt her.


Literally.

My opinion:

          After such a long time after having read the precedent books, I greatly enjoyed the fact I could easily immersed myself again in The Hollows series. I’m not saying this book could be read out of order… I don’t think it would be possible because Kim Harrison adds more information in each book and the story is going to an upper level nearly each time but logically if you must make a break in the series for a reason or another it would be great before this one. White Witch, Black Curse has enough past references in the story to make you remember what happened before and to put you back on track without being a transitional story far from it in fact.

This book is full of action but also high on emotions, Rachel and Ivy are working on finding who killed Kisten and I was on the verge of crying several times even if I wasn’t a real fan of the couple Kisten- Rachel. On the emotional part, we also have some action with Marshall who I liked yes but if I do understand him part of me pities him too, I guess he would have gained more points if he fought for her instead of letting things happen and see.  We have some family drama too and it was interesting to see the dynamic of the Morgan Family

I was both happy and anxious to see was Pierce, the ghost. I read the novella about the first encounter between him and Rachel and I wanted more. He is quite enigmatic though and Al seems to think he could endanger our favourite witch but I love how chivalrous he is. He loves Rachel but to which level and is it without ulterior motives I can’t say. I’m learned with this author that I can’t really have a strict idea, the character can be good but do evil things ( like Trent he does want to help his people but for that he kills etc but deep inside I’m sure he isn’t bad and he stays my favourite potential suitor for Rachel^^)

Al is still there too but mostly he is busy with Pierce so nothing really special to say about him this time, he is still the same he is motivated by selfish reasons but he is attracted to Rachel so he protect her in a way while still using her….double standards for sure…but I was smiling at the butterflies and the chrysalis…I can’t wait to learn more.

Trent also appears but not a lot, still angry at Rachel for what happened before, afraid to be discovered and not knowing where to stand with Ceri he was really subdued and i guess it will mean we will have more of him later and that’s something I want!

Now to go back on the central team: Jenks is anti Pierce from the start and very loud about it but his main concern is his dying wife…I really felt for him like Rachel and Ivy who have to watch and can’t do anything about it. Useful as always, I can’t imagine a book without him. Ivy is ready to explode; she is feeling guilty over Kisten death and didn’t dare to look for the culprit immediately and then she add that to her guilt. She is helping our witch as always and works a lot with Edden the chief of the FIB (human police force).

Our witch is greatly in needs of help because she is now facing a real force in a banshee mother, and banshee are not easy to take care of. Nearly killed several time, she wants to help but for that she must accept who she is completely and she doubts her ability to make spells now. Worse she is shunned, witches consider her black so evil and wants nothing to do with her meaning she can’t buy anything nor sell things, is not allowed everywhere anymore and sadly that extend to her family. Jenks, ivy but also Edden and Glenn don’t care but will it be enough in the long run, we will have to see.

Rynn Cormel , master vampire, did explain to her so far her allies are few because she is unbalancing the power statut quo to which the Inderlanders are used. The witches fear her and edict a shunning, the vampires could go against her if she is a danger and can’t do anything for her,elven just want her destroyed,  the humans are a worst danger if they get panicked…only the weres could be on her side and still on condition. But for Rachel politics are out of question, she is doing what she does only to help others…yes she does some black magic but she is a white witch …not a demon even if she can speak to them and even is the student to Al it was to save Trent. It’s true she is suffering a long and not for her but she is slowly adjusting I think, not fully yet but she improves.

This story was really captivating with the perfect balance action/emotion, a great rhythm not to fast but not slow either simply perfect; I can only regret to have waited so long before continuing this series. So if you want a great, one of my favourite even, series of urban fantasy: the Hollows is for you and you should get addicted quickly!

Score:  4/5

Disclaimer: All opinions are my own and no compensation was received in exchange for this review

Challenges:

Have you already had to put a series on hold for a reason other than the wait for a new release?