Black Magic Sanction by Kim Harrison

In New York Times bestselling author Kim Harrison's most complex and nuanced adventure yet, bounty hunter and witch Rachel Morgan fights a deadly battle—mind, body, and soulBlack Magic SanctionRachel Morgan has fought and hunted vampires, werewolves, banshees, demons, and other supernatural dangers as both witch and bounty hunter—and lived to tell the tale. But she's never faced off against her own kind . . . until now. Denounced and shunned for dealing with demons and black magic, her best hope is life imprisonment—at worst, a forced lobotomy and genetic slavery. Only her enemies are strong enough to help her win her freedom, but trust comes hard when it hinges on the unscrupulous tycoon Trent Kalamack, the demon Algaliarept, and an ex-boyfriend turned thief.It takes a witch to catch a witch, but survival bears a heavy price.

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 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.

Best of the series so far.

Rachel is bearable in small doses. One book every few months, no more. She can come with a clever idea, but why, for instance, would she ask Al to get her summoning name back, and then question everything he did to do as she asked? I do wonder sometimes that Al did not strangle her, no matter how valuable she is :->.

This review is also featured on Behind the Pages: Black Magic Sanction

Rachel is trying to keep her life as normal as she can despite being shunned. But every time she turns around, another person is gunning for her. She's come to terms with the paths she's chosen, but most don't believe a witch can walk the line between white and black magic and not be evil. To the coven of moral and ethical standards, shunning isn't enough. They would prefer Rachel to be tucked away in their prison and magically neutered. While they don't expect her to go quietly, they have no idea what they are in for when Rachel's team fights back. She's gained quite a few allies, and she won't go down without a fight.

Each book in The Hollows series continues to escalate the situations Rachel must face. Kim Harrison isn't afraid to put her in tough situations, and Rachel is going to have some heartbreaking and eye-opening experiences this time around. Black Magic Sanction is one of those books that makes you step back and realize just how much Rachel has progressed throughout the series. Having been through so much, the long term toll on her is reflected in her behavior and actions. But even with all the experience under her belt, nothing ever goes according to plan and Rachel might be in over her head this time.

There is never a dull moment in Black Magic Sanction. Some of the better known members of Rachel's team will take a back step, but this allows for a fresh mix of conflict and tension. Past and present characters will collide to force Rachel to make decisions on who to trust in the blink of an eye. I will never tire of The Hollows series. It has the perfect blend of action, romance, and humor to keep me reading as long as Kim Harrison keeps writing books in the series.