Review: The Outlaw Demon Wails (The Hollows #6) – Kim Harrison

The Outlaw Demon Wails by Kim Harrison
Series: The Hollows #6
Published by Harper Collins on 13 October 2009
Genres: Adult, Paranormal, Urban Fantasy
Pages: 544
Format: eBook
Source: Kindle Purchase
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Rachel's problems are somehow even worse than before. Several demons are interested in her, and Trent is not backing up saying he really needs her help. Trying to solve several mysteries at the same time, Rachel seems to bite off something bigger than she can chew, and the mix between ley-line magic, earth magic, curses and her dark aura makes for some extremely interesting twists and turns, and following Rachel in her new adventures is pure bliss.

The Outlaw Demon Wails completely blew my socks off! So many incredible twists and turns, so many new secrets unveiled, so much new information about Rachel and her family. I am almost reeling after finishing this read.

My review of The Outlaw Demon Wails is spoiler-free, but since it is about the sixth book in the series, there will  be spoilers from the prior books, so if you haven’t read the five first books, please proceed reading knowing that!

I love how much Rachel grew in The Outlaw Demon Wails, finally, she is starting to think a little before she acts – even if that is still a little difficult for her. Dealing with the aftermath of Kist’s death is truly difficult both for Rachel and Ivy. I also loved that Rachel and her mom are finally mending their relationship, and I feel that I can really, really love Mrs. Morgan – I hope I will get to know her a lot better! She is a little strange, but I enjoy how straight-forward she is, even if her filter is faulty. Honesty is good, but it seems as if she is quite good at secrecy as well.

Finally, Rachel and Ivy are being more honest and open with each other as well, and even if they still have a lot of things they need to work on, they are clearer on where they stand. Jenks being the middle-man is hilarious, and his screw-ups are both cute and frustrating. He is always doing his best to keep both of his girls safe, though, and will do whatever it takes to make sure their firm will be able to stay the way it is.

Halloween is coming in The Outlaw Demon Wails, and the preparations for the big inderlander fest is well done. Of course, something happens to make sure Rachel won’t be able to partake in the festivities as planned, even if she ends up leaving the church anyway. Trent also has a more prominent role in this installment, and with all his bad and negative sides, I have to admit I have a kind of reluctant admiration for him, and have had that since the first book. He uses brute force, and will do anything necessary to keep himself and his interests safe. At the same time, I can so completely understand where he comes from, so I can’t help but like him. A lot.

There are a lot of new twists and turns, a lot of them extremely surprising, all of the exciting and fulfilling for me as a reader. I won’t get into it all, but the fat that Rachel can still be upright during it all says a lot about her strength. She deals with things a lot better than in prior books, thinking things through, letting herself feel and cry, and even turns to her mother when the going gets really tough. I am really happy about her growth, because I had almost started to think she was acting too much in the same way and not learning from her errors, but she did in The Outlaw Demon Wails! I hope she will continue on the same path in the future.

The writing is, as usual, excellent. Kim Harrison knows how to spin a tale, paint a landscape and show her readers why her characters do the things they do. I love that I can see Cincy in my mind, and that I could probably walk through the church with my eyes closed (you know – if it existed for real). There were no wardrobe incidents in The Outlaw Demon Wails, and I took this as another sign that Rachel is growing up.

The plot is extremely fast-paced, with lots of sub-plots, an some longer that have spanned over several books already, and will probably continue as well. The fact that there are some things that were mentioned in Dead Witch Walking that were only resolved in The Outlaw Demon Wails is a big plus in my mind, because it shows that a lot of plots were not simply thrown out there for shock-value, and to see some things being mentioned again with more knowledge just makes me very happy.

Heartache swelled as I shut the door and leaned back against it to stare into the sanctuary. I had to start living again, even if it killed me.

And while seeing Trent in his tightly-whities would make my decade, I’d found out long ago that I couldn’t stay mad at a man wearing nothing but his underwear. They looked so charmingly vulnerable.

My eyebrows rose. It’s in the eaves? “What’s in the eaves?” “A gargoyle,” Jenks said angrily, and my alarm vanished.

“Big lots,” I said, seeing the eighty-year-old oaks and shady lawns. The houses were set way back and had iron fences and stone drives. “The harder to hear your neighbors scream, my dear,” was David’s answer, and I sent my head up and down in agreement.

 

 

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