Pale Demon by Kim Harrison

The Hollows series has never let me down and I am happy to say it is still going strong and is still surprising me after 9 books.

In this ninth book of the series Rachel needs to get to the west coast to have her shunning rescinded and go to her brothers wedding. Trent also has to make it to the west coast on a tight lipped mission that he says he needs Rachels help with. What do you get when a witch, an elf and a pixy all get into a car with each other? A pixy swearin, elf anxsting, witch ass kickin, rip roarin hell of a good read!

Everyone grew in this book. Some together, others apart, but all well done. Rachel has come a long way since Dead Witch Walking. She is coming into her own and realizing who she wants to be.

I absolutely love Trent. We get to drool over him in this book and we get to see more than one side of him. All I can say is...Yum!

Al as always is one of the best characters in the series. I don't know how the series will end for him but I hope he gets a HEA.

It is always a pleasure to have Rachels mom in the series. And even though her part was small in this book, it's memorable.

And of course Rachel can't be without her business partners/friends/roommates Ivy and Jenks. Rachel and Ivy's relationship comes to an understanding in this book that I think is good for the both of them. And Jenks of course is always dependable for comic relief, although I wish just this once he had kept his mouth shut!

We are coming into the home stretch of this series with only a few more books to go. I am looking forward to the ride!

Visit the authors webpage @ www.kimharrison.net

Geist by Philippa Ballantine

Between the living and the dead is the Order of the Deacons, protectors of the Empire, guardians against possession, sentinels enlisted to ward off the malevolent haunting of the geists...

Among the most powerful of the Order is Sorcha, now thrust into partnership with the novice Deacon, Merrick Chambers. They have been dispatched to the isolated village of Ulrich to aide the Priory with a surge of violent geist activity. With them is Raed Rossin, Pretender to the throne that Sorcha is sworn to protect, and bearer of a terrible curse.

But what greets them in the strange settlement is something far more predatory and more horrifying than any mere haunting. And as she uncovers a tradition of twisted rituals passed down through the dark reaches of history, Sorcha will be forced to reconsider everything she thinks she knows.

And if she makes it out of Ulrich alive, what in Hell is she returning to?

Right off the bat this book is full of action and adventure. We barely get a chance to meet Sorcha and we are thrown into a battle. And the action doesn't stop until the book is over.

Sorcha is a wonderful lead character. She is independent, opinionated and used to getting her way. She is one of the most powerful Deacons, but what she has in power she lacks in control.

Her new partner, not her first or even second, is Merrick Chambers. Fresh out of the academy and eager to prove himself, for he is by no means lacking in power either.

Together they set out on a mission to a tiny village on the northern border. Along the way they meet some interesting characters, my favorite being the Pirate Raed Rossin, the Pretender to the Thrown. He is sarcastic, loyal and not afraid to make his opinion known.

Between all the action, plot and character development there is something for everyone in this book. I am looking forward to the second in the series, Spectyr, a book of the Order.

Visit the authors web page here.