Trouble with the Cursed by Kim Harrison

Rachel Morgan must keep her friends close—and her enemies closer—in the next Hollows novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Kim Harrison. Rachel Morgan, witch-born demon, has one unspoken rule: take chances, but pay for them yourself. With it, she has turned enemies into allies, found her place with her demon kin, and stepped up as the subrosa of Cincinnati—responsible for keeping the paranormal community at peace and in line. Life is . . . good? Even better, her best friend, Ivy Tamwood, is returning home. Nothing’s simple, though, and Ivy’s not coming alone. The vampires’ ruling council insists she escort one of the long undead, hell-bent on proving that Rachel killed Cincy’s master vampire to take over the city. Which, of course, Rachel totally did not do. She only transformed her a little. With Rachel’s friends distracted by their own lives and problems, she reaches out to a new ally for help—the demon Hodin. But this trickster has his own agenda. In the end, the only way for Rachel to save herself and the city may be to forge a new understanding with her estranged demon teacher, Al. There’s just one problem: Al would sell his own soul to be rid of her. . . .

Embracing her role as the Subrosa for the city, Rachel is giving her all to maintain order. And despite the larger challenges looming over her head, she does not back down on her morals to keep the supernaturals in line. She may be a demon, but she refuses to twist dark curses and behave as the others do. Rachel’s humanity and steadfast beliefs are such an anchor point for her as a character. And while it may cause her more heartache in the end by not taking the easy way out, Rachel provides readers with an entertaining ride.

Trouble with the Cursed also explores coming to terms with the new appearance of demons and learning to embrace them as fellow citizens. This forces people to walk the fine line of trying not to judge before knowing them. But even if the demons appear to be on good behavior, Rachel knows what they are fully capable of. It’s only a matter of time before they push their boundaries and force Rachel’s hand. But Rachel won’t realize until it’s too late just how manipulative and crafty some can be.

Yet demons aren’t the only ones Rachel has to worry about. She’ll have to balance between keeping them in line and dealing with a visiting undead vampire. The dance of vampire politics is always a thrilling addition to the story. Especially when it allows Ivy to return. The love between Ivy and Rachel is so beautiful. Knowing each other’s boundaries and caring deeply for one another as friends is heartwarming.

Kim Harrison has created yet another wonderful addition to The Hollows series. With each new story, there's a fresh new take on the challenges facing Rachel and her loved ones. There is never a dull moment and the emotional depth of Rachel as a character is profound. Urban fantasy readers will love The Hollows.