The Undead Pool

This review is also featured on Behind the Pages: The Undead Pool

Rachel never seems to catch a break. As if saving the Ever After wasn't enough, now pandemonium is breaking out across Cincinnati. Living vampires are inciting riots, their undead masters nowhere to be found, and spells are backfiring. The death toll is rising and the precarious peace between humans and inderlanders is about to break. War is brewing in the distance if things don't settle down. Rachel must rely on elven magic and a possibly insane Goddess to solve her latest slew of problems. Just another day in the life of Rachel Morgan right?

Every Hollows book is a fast-paced ride. This time around Rachel is dealing in elven magic, and drawing closer to the world Trent has been politically maneuvering around all his life. The elves have no hesitation in showing their contempt for Rachel now that she has been labeled a demon. While she knew they were arrogant people, she won't understand the depth of their hatred until she faces it head on.

Kim Harrison has a talent for taking characters you loathe and transforming them into characters you love. And she does it in a subtle way across books, so you feel the full effect of their transformation. Each little act takes them a step farther towards becoming a favorite. I think back to the actions they took originally and can't believe I am now rooting for them to succeed.

This book was a bit steamier than the previous novels, though I can't say it entirely bothered me this time. The relationship was slow to build, taking the space of several novels, so it just felt right to finally see Rachel be with someone again. I'm one of those readers who enjoy the slow burn because it feels more realistic. Instant romances are not my cup of tea.

As always, the characters were a delight to read about and the magic slinging action kept me engaged. I love seeing the creative ways Rachel has to puzzle out her newest problem, and all the pitfalls she has to avoid as she works towards a solution. The Hollows is Urban Fantasy at its finest!