(no subject)
White Witch, Black Curse by Kim Harrison
The Hollows #7
Rating: 8/10
Kim Harrison returns to the Hollows, a part of Cincinnati inhabited by the Inderlanders. About 40 years ago, much of humanity was killed off by a mutant strain of tomatoes, forcing the Inderlanders into the public eye due to their immunity. This event was called the Turn. The Inderlanders are the magical denizens of our world--witches, weres, vampires, elves, pixies and other creatures once thought mythical.
The three main characters are the owners of the runner firm Vampiric Charms. Runners are somewhat akin to bounty hunters, specializing in the magical criminals. The firm is owned by the living vampire Ivy Tamwood, the witch Rachel Morgan and the pixy Jenks.
The story is told from the point of view of witch Rachel. The least of Rachel's problems are the university refusing to deposit her tuition check and a ghost is haunting the church where she, Ivy, Jenks and Jenks' family live. Rachel ends up in the hospital after being attacked by a banshee, her aura in tatters.
This book wasn't as good as the previous volumes. Most of the interesting secondary characters were barely mentioned, such as Rachel's nemesis, the elf Trent Kalamack. The major storyline involving the banshee Mia, her sociopath husband and daughter Holly was not one of Harrison's most compelling. Kisten's killer was unmasked, which provided some closure but it seemed like the banshee storyline was used only to lead Rachel and Ivy to the killer.
The least satisfying part of the book involves Pierce, the ghost haunting the church. It's stated Rachel summons him accidentally when trying to summon her dead father when she was 18 and they had an adventure together. It feels like this was detailed somewhere, but I'm not sure where.
The first book of this seriess is Dead Witch Walking.