Cat Johnson Braves Doll Lil’s Word Association Challenge!

Author: Kim Harrison
Title: Ever After
Release: January 22, 2013
Reviewer: Teresa
Series: The Hollows #11
Source: Library
Purchase: | Book Depository

The ever after, the demonic realm that parallels the human world, is shrinking. If it disappears completely, so does all magic. It’s up to witch-turned-daywalking-demon Rachel Morgan to avert catastrophe and keep life from changing… for the worse.

While saving the world is important, it isn’t Rachel’s only motivation. There’s also the small fact that she caused the ley line to rip in the first place, setting off a chain reaction of unfortunate events. That little mistake has made her life forfeit unless she can fix it. It’s also made her more than a few enemies, including the most powerful demon in the ever after—a terrifying entity who eats souls and now has an insatiable appetite for her. He’s already kidnapped her friend and goddaughter to lure her out, and if Rachel doesn’t give herself up soon, they’ll die.

But Rachel has more than a few impressive and frightening skills of her own, and she isn’t going to hand over her soul and her life without one hell of a fight. She’s also got a surprise: elven tycoon Trent Kalamack. With this unlikely ally beside her—a prospect both thrilling and unnerving—she’s going to return to the ever after, kick some demon butt, rescue her loved ones… and prevent an apocalypse before it’s too late. Or, at least that’s the plan…

Holy smokes batman, how can there only be two books left. I don’t know where to start, with this installment. I love this book, and I must say I think it’s the best one yet. The question is how to write this review without putting spoilers in it – I think I’m up for the challenge.

In Ever After we see the character dynamics change. At the end of A Perfect Blood we saw the dynamics start to change and now we see the fruits of KH’s labors. The character dynamics are changing because KH’s characters are growing up. Now just because our favorite characters are growing up doesn’t mean they have lost their quirks. On the contrary their quirks are alive and well and still causing issues.

As we know from A Perfect Blood Rachel has gotten over her issues she had with Trent but she still thinks about the reasons that had her hating him before. It’s refreshing seeing Rachel and Trent becoming friends, learning they can trust each other and not completely close themselves off like they’ve done with others. We can really see that as Ivy doesn’t have that big of a role in this book. As I said character dynamics are changing.

Ever After is a transition book but not like most. Most transitions are slow and kind of boring, this one is anything but. For the most part there is a lot of action, and don’t let the title confused you, we’re not talking about an ever after we’re talking about the Ever After. It’s time for Rachel to fix that which she broke – and then some. Rachel is put to the test and while the test is trying and emotional Rachel learns what she’s made of. Now I said her test was trying and emotional, its going to be trying and emotional for the reader as well. Once KH said no ones safe and she wasn’t lying. While this might be a transition book we will love and hate characters, events and the suffering Rachel goes through. Be prepared to cry.

Fixing the Ever After is going to take strength, faith, love, trust and patients some of which Rachel has every little of. Don’t be surprised when/if Rachel blows off some steam. Some people just deserve what they have coming. I say that because a few distasteful characters show their evil ugly heads in this book. Characters that I’d really like to see get killed off. Now I say that and some of the best scenes have them in it.

As I said above be prepared to cry but also be prepared to laugh – and always route for the underdog. In this case the underdog is Rachel, and she’s going to bring a smile to your face, I’m sure.

KH really out did herself in Ever After, and don’t get me wrong she’s always had great one-liners or Jenks and his antics. This time however has more than usual. There are one-liners and whole scenes that will keep you laughing. I even had to go back and read a few to make sure I read the whole passage correctly and didn’t miss anything. There are characters who’ve never really had a one-liner and its adding to their development, in a great way.

With all this growth and development however there is one thing that is certain and would be even if KH hadn’t said the series was coming to an end. You can really see the end getting close in this book and as I stated before we have two books remaining. No one but KH knows what the future holds for Rachel and the gang, but I can tell you this – its going to be a wild ride if Ever After proves anything. So sit back relax and enjoy the ride, book 11 has to offer. Its going to seem like a short one but I promise it isn’t. And remember I’ll be with you through the next two books. Thirteen will be our lucky number, or a sad one. Until next time dream big and read often.

Paperback Dolls is made up of women from different parts of the world, with different backgrounds, different tastes and beliefs that were brought together through a love of reading. We like to think of ourselves as a cyber version of "The View" that focuses on books, authors, and reading. We are proof positive that one common love can unite the most opposite of people and form lasting friendships that introduce other ways of life and perspectives to each other.

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