American Demon: Return to The Hollows (Hollows, #14)

by Kim Harrison

A thrilling return to the #1 New York Times bestselling urban fantasy series, continuing Rachel Morgan's story.

RACHEL MORGAN IS BACK--AND THE HOLLOWS WILL NEVER BE THE SAME.

What happens after you've saved the world? Well, if you're Rachel Mariana Morgan, witch-born demon, you quickly discover that something might have gone just a little bit wrong. That the very same acts you and your friends took to forge new powers may have released something bound by the old. With a rash of zombies, some strange new murders, and an exceedingly mysterious new demon in town, it will take everything Rachel has to counter this new threat to the world--and it may demand the sacrifice of what she holds most dear.

• ISBN10: 0593101413
• ISBN13: 9780593101414
• Publish Date: 16 June 2020
• Publish Status: Out of Stock
• Out of Print: 4 January 2022
• Publish Country: US
• Publisher: Random House USA Inc
• Imprint: Bantam Press
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 464
• Language: English
• URL: https://penguinrandomhouse.com/books/isbn/9780593101414

Reviews

[ibeforem]

Hooray for a return to the Hollows and Rachel Morgan!

This series has long been my favorite urban fantasy series, and I was excited to see that Harrison decided to continue it after a 6 year hiatus. Here, Rachel's life has become both simpler (because she no longer has to hide that she's a demon) and more complicated (because she is a witch/demon in a relationship with an elf). She is working to get her life back in order and her church repaired, while Trent is working to bring the elves together and establish a successful co-parenting relationship with Ellasbeth. And then a giant monkey wrench in the form of something making people attack their partners in their sleep gets thrown into the works. But who is it targeting? Rachel? Al? Trent?

This book has all of your favorite characters (though not quite enough Ivy for my tastes) as well as a few new ones. And Rachel is given many opportunities to show how much she's grown, even as she struggles a bit to find where her new place in the world will be. I've always appreciated how deep the friendships in this series run, and how realistic they are.

The story ends on a bit of a downer, but it is ripe for continuation (oh please oh please oh please)! I can't recommend this series enough, but you should definitely start at the beginning.

[Linda]

I can't even begin to explain the satisfaction of having another story with Rachel, Jenks, Ivy, Trent, Bis and the other characters I've come to know and love in The Hollows! I love this series so much, and not only are the characters truly multi faceted, the world building is amazing as always, too.

American Demon is about the aftermath of freeing the demons from the Ever After, and Rachel had a lot on her plate, that's for sure.

[Quirky Cat]

I received a copy of American Demon in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Can it be? Are my eyes deceiving me, or are The Hollows actually back with a new story! Okay, so I already know that this is the truth, but I'm still stupidly excited about that fact. Kim Harrison is back once again in her world of The Hollows with American Demon.

Rachel Morgan saved the world, and for a time it seemed like she was done. But now she's back, and her adventures are bigger and better than ever. Proof that even the greatest among us are sometimes not allowed to rest.

Rachel is a witch-born demon, and that brings about plenty of trouble on its own. Add in the fact that she's dating an elf, best friends with a pixie and a living vamp, and you can see just how complicated her daily life has become.

Then there is the rash of murders hitting the city. For the first time in years, domestic murders are on the rise, and naturally, the world is keen to assume that demons are behind it. Now it's up to Rachel to prove the truth, and then deal with the threat herself.

“'I'm sorry,' David said into the stretching silence. 'Everything ends.'”

Holy cow! I can't believe it! I was so insanely excited about the news of American Demon coming out. Naturally, I had fairly high expectations on the matter. Expectations that were more than met.

American Demon is a novel worth celebrating. Rachel is back after her mini-retirement, and Kim Harrison doesn't shy from the fact that the series has already ended once. Nor does she shy away from the political ramifications of Rachel's actions.

That's right, we're home, with all of the details that make The Hollows feel so fantastic and real. This novel was everything that I could have asked for, and then some. It was tense, it was emotional, it was dramatic.

Before I go on, I want to take a moment to talk about something real quick. We all remember the ending of The Witch With No Name. It was so sweet and serene, giving each character the ending they deserved.

Kim Harrison acknowledges this ending she gave the series, and wraps it into the plot quite nicely I think. It isn't what I expected, but it does prevent her from being trapped in the path created by that ending. It also adds the tension back in the series; after all, we can no longer safely assume the status of any single character.

Now, onto the rest of this beauty. It felt so amazingly good to dive back into a Rachel Morgan story. Here she is, throwing herself into the middle of a mess once again, and not once thinking about the impact it could have on her later.

Harrison really delivered here, this story felt right at home with the rest of the series. It was fascinating to see a world after the dramatic events in the previous novel, and all of the ramifications that came with it.

Likewise, the new character was a brilliant introduction. Through him, we were allowed to see a different side of Rachel, an intentional juxtaposition between her and the rest of the characters. I don't know where his plot will lead, but it will be fun to find out.

Maybe it's just because it's been a while (it hasn't- I've been re-reading the series in preparation for this), but it seemed like there was more politics in this novel. I absolutely loved that fact. It makes sense though, the demons are free, the elves lost their magic (sort of), and Rachel is the epicenter of all of it. Avoiding covering this element would be to deviate from the heart of the series, and we all know that Kim Harrison would never do that.

As always, there were several moments that truly shocked me. Okay, one of those moments did more than that. It sort of broke my heart. But that's The Hollows for you. It's a series that will get you invested in what is happening, that is for sure.

All things considered, I really enjoyed reading about this “itchy witch” once again. I can't wait for any news about the next novel, as there are so many questions left in the air. Until then, I think I'm going to finish my series re-read.

Check out more reviews over at Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks

[kimbacaffeinate]

The world has changed for our team. Ivy has Nina, the church is badly in need of repair, Jenks needs a new home, and Demons are enjoying coffee that doesn’t taste like burnt amber.

Things are tense between Trent and the elves, but a young elf seeking him may change things as Rachel embraces all sides. Ivy wasn’t present as much as I would have liked, but Jenks is his usually charming self. It was delightful to be back solving problems as the gang faces a deadly enemy with harmful intent.

Romance, new friends, powerful discoveries and magic await you in this addictive first installment. I am so happy to be back in the Hollows. I loved seeing Al and you won’t believe who is working as a barista in our favorite coffee shop! Trent has mellowed and seeing him with Rachel and the children is answer enough.

The trouble and conflict in American Demon was a scary one, and Rachel can’t rest until she stops them because, someone she cares for is at risk. Harrison delivered a fresh spin on a mythical lore.

A new “friend” Morgan encounters come to her aid but has others on high alert. I loved getting to know them, making all the connections and learning the unique histories. Watching things unfold was delightful, and of course Rachel never listens to advice and needs to find her own answers. It’s something I love about her, even if it also makes me crazy.