The latest installment in Kim Harrison’s Rachel Morgan/Hollows series, White Witch, Black Curse was just as fabulous as all the previous ones.
Some wounds take time to heal . . . and some scars never fade.
Rachel Morgan, kick-ass witch and bounty hunter, has taken her fair share of hits, and has broken lines she swore she would never cross. But when her lover was murdered, it left a deeper wound than Rachel ever imagined, and now she won’t rest until his death is solved . . . and avenged. Whatever the cost.
Yet the road to hell is paved with good intentions, and when a new predator moves to the apex of the Inderlander food chain, Rachel’s past comes back to haunt her.
Literally.
I loved this book. While we were still giving a lot of chances for Rachel to kick butt, it really wasn’t the driving force behind the story. It gave them something to do while they figured out the one thing everyone wanted to know – who killed Kisten. I’m excited to say that we finally get that answer and I won’t tell you who it is (although, if you do want to know, read the spoilers below). However, I will admit to a little disappointment in the whole revenge seeking process. I really wanted to see Ivy and Rachel go all vengeful, but they never really had that opportunity. But that’s all I’m going to say on that.
A few characters from the past show up and walk out as well. I’ll tell you that Robbie shows up and sticks around for a bit and totally shakes up Rachels world. If you’ve read Harrison’s stories in the Hotter than Hell and Holidays are Hell anthologies, then you’ll already know two individuals who show up. We really don’t see much from Trent this time around, but I went to the Dayton, OH appearance that Harrison did and she leaked out that Rachel will be going on another road trip soon. Plus, she said that Trent will be having a role in a future book, so maybe he’ll be going with her and we’ll get to see more of the two of them together. I really want to see the two of them hook up. Even if it is a one night stand.
But I digress. Harrison really knocks it in with White Witch, Black Curse and I so can’t wait to find out what we’re in store for next. Fans of Rachel Morgan are going to love this novel. I laughed, I cried, I ranted, I went through the emotional roller coaster that is Rachel’s life right along with her. As normal, I was totally sucked into her world. The entire time, I wanted to know what was happening and I had a hard time putting it down.
Overall, you really need to get your hands on White Witch, Black Curse if you’re looking for a good book to read right now. Even if you’ve already read it, it’s a great novel that can be read over and over again and it wouldn’t surprise me if I find even more things about Rachel the next time I read it. If you haven’t started reading the Hollows series by Kim Harrison, you really need to go out and get Dead Witch Walking now.
Now, as usually with a Harrison novel, there are a few things I need to say, so if you’ve read it or want to see some spoilers, continue below. Otherwise, I would stop at the spoiler warning.
Read Order:
Dead Witch Walking
The Good, the Bad, and the Undead
Every Which Way But Dead
A Fistful of Charms
For a Few Demons More
The Outlaw Demon Wails
White Witch, Black Curse
Also Reviewed By:
Amberkatze Reviews
Darque Reviews
SciFiGuy
Bitten by Books
SPOILER ALERT — SPOILER ALERT — SPOILER ALERT
We finally get to find out who killed Kisten! It’s about freaking time and seriously, I would so not have guessed that it was someone from one of the anthologies. Let’s just say I never thought I would see Art again, Ivy’s old boss from the IS that she had jailed, but I will say that he wasn’t what I was expecting. Seriously, for all the grief that Ivy and Rachel went through, why in the hell wasn’t there a little revenge? Don’t get me wrong, Rachel did get to take out her frustration a little, but I was hoping for more and I know Ivy was. Although, I did love seeing Kisten turned undead and how he reacted towards Rachel. It was so sweet and poignant, it made me want him to really be alive so they could try and get their relationship working again.
Although, seriously, is anyone else getting the idea that Al is crushing on Morgan and that’s the reason he goes after Pierce so much? And what is with Pierce? I’m not sure I like having him in the story as potential Rachel-candy as Jenks calls him. And if you think I’m crazy about the Al crushing part, think of what he’s saying on page 409:
“This is for your own good,” the demon said, eyeing me from over his glasses, Pierce still hanging in his grip. “He’ll kill you, Rachel.”
“I don’t freaking care! Knock it off and pay attention to me!”
Pierce gurgled, and Al’s focus became distant. Nervous, I let go of his arm and backed up into Jenk’s dust. “You didn’t rescue him to be your boyfriend?” Al asked, shifting his blood-smeared, white gloved fingers around Pierce’s throat.
“No!” I exclaimed, glancing at Jenks. “Why does everyone think he’s my boyfriend?”
…
Al was looking at me in disbelief. “Not your lover?”
“No.”
“But he is Rachel candy,” Al said, his confusion too honest to be faked…
Why in the hell would Al care if Rachel was to get another boyfriend or lover if he wasn’t gunning for her himself? Please tell me someone else is seeing this? Maybe I’m over thinking this, but it just seems like Al is too interested in Rachel in White Witch, Black Curse and I’m curious to see where this goes.
OMG…Rachel is shunned and is a black witch?! How in the hell did she end up here? I get it, I really do and I can so totally see her ending up this way in a revenge matchup against the undead who killed Kisten, but that isn’t how she was turned. Granted, the fact that she was consorting with demons was going to hit her eventually, but I thought it would have been more than just her being in the presence of one too many times. I mean, seriously, how many times has Al been sent after her? She shouldn’t be blamed for that. And no one knows that she is voluntarily consorting, well, except for Trent and I don’t think he’s saying anything. Maybe I’m missing something there. I can’t wait for the next book to see what happens. While I wasn’t crazy about Marshall as a potential boyfriend for Rachel, the brief interlude they did have was good and I’m glad he didn’t have the balls to stick around and stand by her until she gets the shunning revoked (which I’m assuming she will).
On the spoilers: Absolutely with you on the Al-crushing thing. My theory is that eventually, demon-magic will be partially redeemed, ie discovered to be not-all-evil and that maybe Al and Rachel end up together.
I really feel like the underlying theme of all the books is about shades of gray, and why good people do evil things, and making you doubt that what you think is evil is *really* evil (exhibit 1: Trent’s bio research)
I love this series!!
Rachel tends to find herself stuck between a rock and a hard place – and sometimes to get out she has to do things that others refuse to understand.
I agree with what you said in the ‘spoiler’ section – but I won’t comment on it in case someone reads this who didn’t read the book or the ‘spoiler’. LOL
I can’t wait for the next installment.
M
WARNING : Contains Spoilers – the whole way through.
I’m completely with you on the Al crushing over Rachel thing. Personally, I would love to see the two of them get together (more than Trent and Rachel – he has Ceri now) And I got the vibe that he was into her too.
Like when he hit her? He held her and PLACED her on the floor. If it were anyone else, he’d probably just punch them. AND he said sorry for doing it.
This book annoyed me a little as I’ve only read two of the anthologies (out of 3), so I kept feeling like I was missing things. I didn’t know who Pierce was, and what that backstory was and I knew nothing about Robbie and his Fiancee. I don’t know what I would’ve done if I hadn’t read any of them.
The Kisten thing was anti-climatictic, but I think, in a weird way, it worked. Instead of having revenge and calling it a day, they both have to sort through their feelings, like everyone else who loses a loved one. It makes them more emotionally healthy and in a better mental/emotional state than avenging Kisten.
-GB