I received this book for free from the publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Demon's Bluff by Kim Harrison Narrator: Marguerite Gavin
Series: Hollows #18
Published by Ace, Penguin Random House Audio on October 22, 2024
Genres: Fiction / Fantasy / Urban
Length: 16 hours 30 minutes
Pages: 448
Format: ARC, Audiobook
Source: Publisher
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Rachel Morgan must go on a deadly journey—into the past—in the next thrilling Hollows novel in the #1 New York Times bestselling series.
What’s a witch to do when the coven of moral and ethical standards demands she untwist a curse—but an essential spell component no longer exists? There’s only one choice: go back in time.
Caught between self-exile and an Alcatraz cell, Rachel must find an Atlantean mirror to reverse the curse and prove to Cincinnati’s brand-new witch coven that, no, she does not practice illicit magic. Unfortunately, the only mirror of its kind in existence belonged to the insane demon Newt, forcing Rachel to go to the past to bargain with her for it.
But the time-travel spell goes awry, dragging Elyse, the young leader of the coven, into the past with Rachel. They expect to land five years in the past but instead arrive two days before Rachel’s long-lost love, Kisten, dies. Heartbroken and torn, Rachel knows she can't change the past.
Even with no allies, Rachel still has one thing going for her: Cincinnati is her city, now and forever. If she can find a way to work with Newt and prevent Elyse from becoming the demon’s next familiar, they might all get home.
This was fantastic! If you have been following my reviews for any time, you probably already know that I am a big fan of Kim Harrison’s writing and have a particular soft spot for the Hollows series. This is book 18 in the series, so I feel like I know Rachel, Trent, and the rest of the crew, as well as some of my family, and I am invested in their lives. I was hooked by this story right away and couldn’t wait to see how things would work out.
I love it when a book can surprise me, and this book went in a direction I never saw coming. This book sends Rachel back in time, along with the new leader of the coven, Elyse. They didn’t go too far back so it was a time that readers of the series will quickly recognize. Rachel has her hands full with the impossible task of dealing with Newt, plus Elyse tends to make everything more difficult than it needs to be. My heart went out to Rachel as she worked to complete her mission while being forced to face a difficult time in her past.
Marguerite Gavin is the voice of this series. I couldn’t imagine listening to anyone else even attempt to bring this colorful cast of characters to life. She does such a great job with all of these characters and I love how consistent her voices have been throughout the series. She can add just enough emotion to her reading to make these characters feel read. I am positive that her narration added to my overall enjoyment.
I would highly recommend this book to fans of the series! This is the eighteenth book in the Hollows series which I would recommend reading in order since the character relationships grow and change throughout the series. I had a great time with this book and cannot wait to read more of Kim Harrison’s work.
I received a review copy of this book from Ace and Penguin Random House Audio.
I have to come back and read in a couple days. This was supposed to be my review today but I have about 20% left to read.
I’m putting this one in my wishlist. This sounds good.
Wow, 18, so many books
OK I’ve finished reading now and I loved it. I was sad Rachel was on her own with just the horrible Elyse for most of the time without her usual friends and allies. I never think she gets enough time with Trent, Jenks and Bis and even Al.
It’s impressive when book 18 in a series is a good one! So often series start going off the rails long before then. I’m looking forward to reading something by this author.