Black Magic Sanction (Rachel Morgan, Book 8)

Rachel, Ivy, Jenks and crew are up against some powerful medicine in Black Magic Sanction. Shunned by the witches’ coven and being hunted by same, everything Rachel tries to do is coming unraveled. The coven has sent some of their best witches after Rachel and some did succeed only to have her

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broken out by Lee, Trent’s ex-witch.

Spending some time in old Alcatraz is not Rachel’s idea of peace and quiet. Especially when threatened with a lobotomy and sterilization. Yes, she can do black magic (and does), yes, she has a demon teacher (Al) and yes, when pissed she can do things she shouldn’t but…..a black witch? Maybe not.

Black Magic Sanction is filled with spells, sadness (we lose someone in this book) and happiness all at once. Does Rachel win out? Will Trent ever stop trying to kill her? What’s with Pierce, anyhow? Black witch, white witch, or….? Kim Harrison has us in her grasp again and it’s a good place to be.

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I love this series of books. I giggle, I gasp, and I can't wait to see what is going to happen next! I feel that even though we are on book 8 of this collection, the story is new each time, and I love the characters more and more. I always scamper off to the book store the day of release for a

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Hollows novel!

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This is such a great series, but so complicated. I highly recommend reading the first seven before you pick this one up, or else, you will not be able to follow this book at all. I have read the first seven and was a little lost at times. The characters are so tied by their past actions and the

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past is referenced continously in this series. The relationships are such a tangled mess (but in a realistic way, I mean, life is messy) that without the past books, confusion is imminent.

Overall, an excellent showing. These books read like one REALLY long novel. A very believable world that twines fantasy and reality. Can't wait for the next one.

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This is a series I find very uneven. Some of the volumes I can't put down, some I have trouble finishing, and sometimes, as in this volume, the two reactions are about the same book.

I think part of my reaction is to her universe, wherein some of the laws of magic just don't make sense. It is

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possible to kill someone with magic and still be considered a practitioner of white magic. Rachel, the main character, on the other hand, although she does the best she can to help people, has been accruing more black magic "smut" on her soul. Now the law enforcement arm of the witches wants to imprison her, give her a lobotomy, and/or sterilize her, as her children would be demons.

Another problem is that some of the characters, and Rachel's reaction to them, are wildly inconsistent. She trusts Nick at times though he has betrayed her before, even has feelings for him, but at other times wants to kill him. Similar reactions to Pierce.

So I'm not always sure why I keep reading the series.... but I do, and will probably keep doing so.

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Rachel has to find a way to escape the coven, get her summoning name back, and get her shunning removed. Nick is back as is Trent. Pierce is still around. Exciting addition to the series.

Another episode in the series...the author writes well enough in these quick reads, but the story really isn't going anywhere. I had fun, but they're all starting to blur together. Harrison needs to stop writing "and now Rachel Morgan has a fight with " stories and move the larger plot line

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along.

Recommended for those already reading the series; mildly recommended for fans of supernatural fantasy; there are better choices for those looking to try the genre.

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Kim Harrison is one of my favorite authors so my anticipation and expectations for a Hallows novel always have me eagerly awaiting the release date with the certainty that I will be in for an entertaining reading experience. I love Urban Fantasy novels and Kim Harrison does an excellent job of

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weaving a vast array of supernatural elements into the known world but what she does even better is create dynamic, fierce, lovable and sometimes detestable characters. In the Hollows series Kim Harrison has created characters that I have become attached to and depending on the direction the plot is going you can find me laughing so hard the tears stream down my face, gripping the book with white knuckled anxiety, holding my breath in anticipation, or biting my bottom lip while softly crying. Over the course of reading Black Magic Sanction I experienced the full array of the aforementioned emotions and at one point I was so fearful for the direction she was taking a beloved character I was ready to chuck the book across the room. With each addition to the series I feel as though the protagonist, Rachel Morgan is continuing to discover more of herself and in the process she is truly finding her voice. The plot of this novel really helped to re-solidify the bond Rachel has created between herself and her chosen family as well as question her personal morals and values. I think lovers of this series will immensely enjoy the plot of the novel, the further development into why Rachel is able to twist demon curses, the new romantic interest, the lovable connection to Bis, Rachel's Gargoyle, and the always entertaining, lovable, laughable Jenks. As you can tell I have attempted to write this review spoiler free and I hope I have succeeded in gaining your interest in this series without giving anything away. I hope that if you have not read a Kim Harrison novel you will take the chance on picking one up because I would be very surprised if you didn't like it if you are a lover of the Urban Fantasy genre. I eagerly await the next novel in the Hollows series which I have heard rumor will be released in Spring 2011. With possibly a year to wait until the next novel is out I hope to find a new series or two with characters and plots that grip me as much as this one does.

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I know some people love this book, and others are like me. The series has gone downhill, and I am rather tired of Rachel and her next big problem. I was frustrated with every character and ready to put the book down, but stuck it out. The story ended up absorbing me well enough to finish, but I am

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neither satisfied nor sure I will pick up another book in this series again.

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Two Minute Review for "Black Magic Sanction" by Kim Harrison

I think this series gets better as it goes along. Rachel is battling the coven of moral and ethical standards. The white coven leadership needs to gag Rachel one way or another. This means an all out war, because Rachel never gives up.

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All the characters are wonderfully complex. They are loyal, passionate, bigoted, unreasonable and forgiving in turn in otherwords, human. Al is interesting as the demon, sometimes his behavior is very alien and yet you see glimmers of something else. Rachel is accepting her gifts, but it is at a cost. What will she do to protect her family and friends?

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One of the prevailing themes in Kim Harrison’s “The Hollows” series is prejudice. The main character, Rachel Morgan faces off against it in every book, often realizing that she is just as prejudiced as those she judges for being prejudiced. Always, Rachel faces the prejudice against her based

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on her abilities which don’t fit neatly into anyone’s categorized world. Is she witch? Is she demon? If she’s witch, why can she cast demon magic? If she’s a demon, how can she use ley line magic and “white” spells? How is it she can live with a vampire and a pixie? That Rachel Morgan is just plain dangerous with her friends of all different species and her weird skill set.

More than anything, this is what drives the coven to shun her and try to put her in prison (nice re-purposing of Alcatraz) or give her a lobotomy so she can never use her skills again. As if escaping from that wasn’t enough, her ex-boyfriend scum Nick makes a return and demon Algaliarept tries to keep her on a short leash while she works off her mark with him. And she fights falling in love, again, as always.

While I enjoyed reading this one, I thought it was the weakest of the lot. That does not mean, however, that I don’t recommend it. Even at her weakest, Kim Harrison still knows how to write a good adventure story.

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Where do I begin? Kim Harrison is an amazing writer. Her books pull you in before the end of the first chapter and this book is no different.

I can not say enough good this about this book. I waited so long for it and I was not disappointed. I love every single character. Rachel is still the tough,

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bad ass she has always been. Ivy is still unbelievably sexy (my fictional girlfriend lol). Jenks and Al are hilarious as always. Pierce is unforgettable and Nick is back.

The plot was brilliant and had a lot of action. This book had me laughing out loud, crying like a baby and I just could not put it down or read it fast enough.

If you haven't read it yet, you MUST! This is the eighth book in the Rachel Morgan/Hollows series so you should probably start with Dead Witch Walking.

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I enjoyed this book much more than I have the last several in the series, especially 5 through 7. I really like the implications of the last quarter of the book, and where things seem to be going, which is very unusual for a series of such length. They usually seem to lose strength and get pretty

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weak, plot-wise at this point. This one seems to have turned a corner and I'm looking forward to what comes next.

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An unexpected whirlwind. I love a book that throws me. I loved the surprising actions and motivations of some unexpected characters. I think more time could have been spent in/on Alcatraz. Love the flowing development of Rachel, which always leaves you proud of her, and waiting for the next

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advancement.

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Next in the Hallows series. Starts off with a bang, and keeps the momentum going. Rachel is a student of the demon Al, and Al's familiar is the witch-ghost Pierce, embodied in a previous book. But when we left her at the end of the last book, the white coven had shunned her. We now find, in this

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book, that they are interested in locking her up in Alcatraz and perhaps lobotomizing her. Rachel is understandably not enthusiastic about that plan for her future, and so the rest of the book is her escaping, the coven trying to capture her or kill her, her escape, and that again, over and over. There is a lot of action, more character development, well written, but it feels like not much actually happened.

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Paranormal treat that continues the Rachel Morgan story. Enjoyable.

I can't resist a new Rachel Morgan book. I'm so addicted and so completely sucked into this series that I even pre-ordered the book online so it that it showed up on my doorstep on the day of release. I'm honestly even a little embarrassed that it took me this long to finish it! It's a combination

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of being busy and not being quiet as engaged as I hoped...

In the eighth installment of Rachel Morgan's adventures the local white magic coven, after discovering Rachel's demonic nature, are shunning her and accusing her of black magic (which she comments far too many times throughout the novel that she is not a practitioner of) and offer her two terrible alternatives. Rachel must rely on an odd bunch of people including demons, pixies, elves and leprechauns to help clear her name, leading to an enjoyable and fun (at times, giggle-worthy) thrill ride with action, adventure, fun and even romance.

Despite the fun, I had just a few little nit-picky issues with this book. First, the action seemed even uneven at several parts, almost like the book should have been edited down more to help the pacing. Also, some of the plot points just felt too convenient and (probably the biggest problem to me) Rachel's insistent need to whine about something drove me nuts. She really just needs to get back to butt-kicking (the whining seems to mostly be post-Kisten's death in book five and forward). The ending, to me anyway, was a tiny bit unsatisfying, because it was just a bridge into the next book. I'm starting to think that this series may be getting stuck in some kind of drawn-out state that can happen to authors with popular series.

On to the good -it was great to see all of my favorite supporting characters, particularly Jinks. Rachel also did some really unique things in Black Magic Sanction, such as shrinking down to go into Jinks' home to be sure that he is alive. The fun was still there, and there were several lines that brought a giggle to my lips. I wouldn't say that reading this book (or even pre-ordering it) was a waste at all, but just not up to the very high standard of previous novels in the series.

Better than the last two books, for sure, and definitely fun, but I hope the next one is better!

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I have loved the Hallows series for a very long time; its always been a favorite. But this book really annoyed me. As the series has progressed, many reviewers have complained that Rachel is whiny but I haven't seen. Until now.

Positives: I really like how the Jenks/Matalina thing was handled. The

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entire sequence was painfully said but fitting. We knew this was coming but it didn't make it easier to bear. (Except Pierce going with Rachel to comfort Jenks...he had no business being there. Jenks doesn't even like him). I also really enjoyed the first several scenes of the witches's coven trying to capture Rachel. These were well written and fun. Unfortunately, there were too many of them. Seriously how many times in one book could Rachel and company pull out of these situations? I also want to stress how much I admire Rachel's affection and support of both Jenks and Ivy. They are a great trio...I hope they continue to be for a long time to come. I also thought the climactic scene at the end, during Trent's speech rocked. Very good stuff. Also the look back at Trent and Rachel when they were younger was nice and offered some new insight.

Negatives: Pierce is completely unlikeable. He is a horrible match for Rachel and he isn't hero or even anti-hero material. She called him out for it in the book (yes!) but he drops the ball far too often. Plus he just comes off kinda greasy like a shady used car salesman. The fight with the fairies in the garden was really entertaining however, I hate that Ceri was used as an obvious plot device. She appeared out of nowhere only to do her thing and leave and not be heard of for the rest of the book. I hated Nick being brought back and Rachel trusting him only to end the way it did. Stupid and pointless. We've been there, done that. The trips down the ley lines don't seem as interesting as the did in the past either. I like Al, but something really needs to get moving with his plotline. And now my biggest pet peeve: Rachel all of a sudden has this horrible conscience where she can't kill or injury someone because she is a 'white' witch. She falters time and again. Her indecisive action has some pretty awful consequences in this book. She needs to realize sometimes to take care of the people you love (especially in sci-fi world :) you have to make sacrifices to protect the ones you love. Wishy-washy Rachel doesn't cut it for me.

Still this book was the first one I really didn't care for and I am hopeful that things will pick back up and be exciting again in the future. Harrison has loads of talent and a lot of good characters to work with. This is an amazing world she has created

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There are few series that have captured me the way this one has. I’ve been thinking about this review for over a week, and I’m afraid the only way I can explain is in fractured points.

I love that Harrison throws us directly into the action. We’re mere pages into the book when things start to

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go south for Rachel. This isn’t one of those series you can just jump into at any point and understand. And that’s perfectly alright.

If you *do* jump in without reading the books before, Harrison is adept at weaving in the relevant back story without it feeling ham-fisted, forced, or completely out of place. It’s also a nice reminder for when there’s a year or more between the reading of volumes.

I love that Rachel is far from perfect. She repeats her mistakes. She has questionable taste in men (though I happen to like Pierce). She’s protective of others to a fault. She has irrational attachments. She’ll push forward with plans she should know won’t work. She sometimes trusts in the wrong people. And she has an infuriating stubborn streak, not to mention her inability to see in shades of gray instead of black and white. Even though she sees that white magic can be just as dangerous as black, she still treats black magic (and those that practice it) as the scum on the bottom of her shoe. But a lot of the enjoyment of this series is watching what she does and then yelling at her for it. I wouldn’t have her any other way.

I love Trent Kalamack. Yes, the ruthless, conniving elf is one of my favorite characters, even more than Ivy. His relationship with Rachel has many levels, and I’m not sure either of them really understand it. But he won’t rest easy until she’s under his thumb.

I’ve even developed a certain amount of respect for the demon Al.

Most of all, I love Rachel’s fight. Even when she’s misguided and wrong, tired and hungry, hurt and lost, she never stops fighting.

A bonus is Marguerite Gavin’s incredible narration on the audiobook. She will always be the voice of Rachel for me.

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Kim Harrison you get me again! This series is the perfect one to grab your attention and keep you hungry for more. This book was a bit slower than others in the series, but still keep you aching to read. I would recommend this book to those loving fantasy, wit, and a strong female lead.

Looks like The Hallows has drawn to a close... or has it? Hard to say with Rachel Morgan. The reported last installment in the series ties up a lot of loose ends, but leaves just as many open. Sorrow, hearache, betrayal, backstabbing, and plot twists galore decorate Harrison's last work of the

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series, and once you start it, forget trying to put it down. Rachel is faced with a dilema, hunted down by the coven of ethical and moral standards (yep even the name of it rings with utter bullsh!t - just like most government agencies), trying to be controlled by Trent, and harassed by Al, all whle trying to NOT be a black witch, rachel has to finally come to terms with what she really is. One of a kind, and different, which makes her VERY dangerous. But with a good set of friends, and a good head and heart, she searches for the right path, and her freedom.

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Rachel is beginning to come to terms with who and what she is. Although she's being forced by various forces to grow she is beginning to gain the confidence in her abilities she needs. I really appreciate this series and find it an excellent and engrossing read. Kim Harrison is a very compelling

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writer.

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This is the eighth book in The Hollows series by Harrison. Last I head she was contracted for twelve books in this series. This book was better than the last book in the series but still a bit scattered, with Rachel making a lot of questionable decisions.

In this book Rachel finds out that the Coven

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has not only shunned her but is out to incapacitate her for good. Now Rachel has to try and dodge the Coven, while saving her butt she gets increasingly drawn into Black Magic. She has a lot of help; her old flame Nick is back in the picture and the former ghost Pierce is a constant presence. Of course she will have Ivy and Jenks to back her up too. But, the biggest places where she gets help may be the places she least expects it, as her problems become tightly intertwined with two of her biggest enemies, Al (her demon teacher) and Trent (the business-tycoon elf).

This book was better than the last book in the series; I was pretty disappointed in the last book (White Witch, Black Curse). This book is better. Rachel is finally getting herself back together, she doesn't whine as much, she is accepting what she is, and she doesn't make as many really stupid decisions. That being said, she still does quite a few stupid things and she is still a little bit confused about what she wants to do. This is a long book, and if Rachel had had it more together and been more decisive about certain actions it wouldn't have been as long. It also seemed like every single character from the previous books had to at least make a cameo appearance, and I think this was the other thing that drew the book out.

The action scenes were excellent, but the plot was kind of all over the place again. Rachel wasn't really on a mission or trying to solve a mystery in this book. The whole book is dedicated to Rachel trying to escape the Coven. Along the way Rachel does begin to accept that she is not quite a witch and not quite a demon. Mostly to me this felt like another transitional novel; it ties up some loose ends that needed tying (Harrison had too many loose ends to make a coherent story in book 7). I am hoping that Rachel making some decent decisions and some decent life changes will continue in the next book. After White Witch, Black Curse I was seriously considering dropping this series, and while this book is an improvement...it still wasn't a joy to read, things were just too muddled and there is just too much going on.

By far the most interesting characters in this book are Trent, Pierce, and Al. You learn a lot more about all of them and a lot more about what made Rachel's world the way it is. Jenks, Ivy, and Rachel aren't as tired and irritating as in the last book, but they still aren't all that interesting to read about in this book either. I am really hoping book 9 will have a more cohesive plot and show Ivy and Rachel *finally* settling their relationship. Yep, Ivy and Rachel still don't figure anything out in this book and, even though their blood-balance isn't visited as much in this book as it was in book 7, the issue still rears its head more than once.

Overall, the book is okay. It is better than book 7, but the plot is still fragmented and nothing much is addressed outside of Rachel's issues with the Coven. It feels a bit like another transitional novel. Hopefully book 9 will get us back to the wonderful writing I am used to from Harrison. I have to say though this book didn't make me super excited to read the next one in the series.

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Another good, fun read. I'm glad some threads were tied up as there were too many hanging out there. The suspense was almost too much for a while, but it finally came together. She would have lost me if she'd dragged some of it out much longer.

I remember the earlier books as being more fun, but this one certainly was better written and it felt like it mattered more. Rachel has grown up, as have her friends. The stakes are higher now than they were in the first books, she's grown in power, and now she's going up against a coven of

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powerful white witches who are determined to see her stripped of her powers and permanently confined in a solitary prison for life - or some of them are.Seeing Rachel try to figure out who she could trust and what her mistakes might cost the people she loves was touching. In earlier books she felt very young and fairly callow, and I really didn't care much for her. She's much more likable now, which surprised me. That speaks well for Harrison.

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