Oh. My. God.

[fembuck]

I enjoyed the first seven of Black Magic Sanction.  Well, I enjoyed chapters 2-7 of Black Magic Sanction.


(Click here to read)

Rachel ... and I can't believe I'm typing this ... Rachel Morgan has gotten smarter.  Seriously, like chicha has actually matured and is on occassion displaying good judgement in this book.  I mean she's still kind of dick at inopportune times, but compared to her previous dickishness she's a fucking wallflower this book (and when she is a dick it's often actually amusing instead of aggravating, ex. her busted, can't even walk ass being all like, "that's Ms. Morgan to you").

I think ... no, I do sympathize with her so far. 

I ... I ... I think I like her again.



You guys, I don't know what to do with myself.  I honestly can't work up a rant.  I haven't felt this way in like books and books you guys.  I ... I ... I ... want to read more!

Like, the story is actually focused on the plot.  PLOT!  Not Rachel's dumbass romantic woes.  Not the beautiful and wonderful and amazing Ivy Tamwood getting screwed over in new and heart-breaking ways.  But on actual honest to god plot! 

And ... and ... and Rachel and Ivy are acting like honest to god fucking friends! 

WHAT IS HAPPENING?!?!?! 

I mean, Rachel is still all like, "Look at Ivy's ass in those jeans!  Dayum.  No homo" but I like don't even care because they finally listened to the great philospher Mary J. Blige and there's like no more drama.  TBH, even though I wish they were all:



by now, I am enjoying their interactions. 

Like, you guys ... Rachel Morgan has wanted and asked for other people's help numerous times.  Rachel Morgan.  Asking for help.  Especially from Ivy.  Ivy Tamwood.  Rachel Morgan.  You guys.  I don't think my brain can handle this.  Asking for help ... from Ivy *brain explodes*

Seriously, even though the gay is less obvious (though by no means unexistant), that means that there is less angst ... and I kind of ship more because they seem like they actually like each other and add something positive to the others life. 

I'm still feel rather fun-spongey



about Ivy/Glenn, but it's not that bad.  And Ivy got a couple good little digs in there about Rachel being a notrustnik, pansy-ass who's afraid of her fangs. 

Honestly, my problem with the Ivy/Glenn thing is more that I wish she was with a girl.  After how Kim trashed Skimmer in the last book, I want to see Ivy with a sane woman who has a positive influence on her, instead of the F/F relationships in the series being different versions of Ivy getting mind-fucked, emotion-fucked and fucked over. 

In my mind I had decided that the hot foresenics vampire chick from that one book would be Ivy's rebound/time killer until Rachel smartens up, so me is ambivelent to Glenn (who btw, did we know his name was Matthew before this?  I just saw that and I was like O_o.  I mean I know he had to have a first name, I was just like ... really?). 

Also, just from a pure numbers point of view, Ivy has gotten/chased far more cock than she has pussy so I wanted the playing field to be evened out.  She's becoming one of those sweeps week bi-sexuals on network tv that are usually played by Olivia Wilde (Mm, Olivia Wilde).

Also, Rachel still is able to smell Ivy on shit, which never ceases to amuse me.  She's like a fucking bloodhound when it comes to Ivy's scent.  I dig it.

Wow. 

Before reading this I honestly couldn't imagine genuinely being excited for the continuation of this series and I put off reading these chapters cause I was sure they were going to piss me off ... but I am very pleasantly surprised.

Warning:  To  ye who do not read through all of the comments.  My enthusiasm for the book has been thwarted.  I am back in RANT mode.  The first seven chapters are a smoke screen and rant inducing shenanigans follow. 

Buy/Read this novel at your own risk!

Comments

[rainydaygirl11.livejournal.com]

I'm glad you liked it! The first 7 chapters got me excited too! I'm still holding on the the hope for some femslash action, but I'll take an improved Rachel in the mean time!

When I read that Ivy is dating/fooling around with Glenn I immediately thought of "Burning" (which I LOVE LOVE LOVE). There was a moment in the car where Rachel sounded a liiitle jealous--or maybe that's just wishful thinking?

FYI, you can download the audio version using via torrents if you use them. http://isohunt.com/torrent_details/156005013/?tab=summary

[fembuck.livejournal.com]

I'm still holding on the the hope for some femslash action, but I'll take an improved Rachel in the mean time!


I know it's not gonna happen this book, but I'm still holding out for a Rachel/Ivy ending. I am grateful for an end to the continuous angst that was there relatinoship for most of the series though. I would rather see them acting like real friends and supporting each other and being in the same room as each other than that consistant bullshit sexual tension that just ended up with Ivy hurting all the time. At least this way I can just ship them without fucking hating Rachel.

There was a moment in the car where Rachel sounded a liiitle jealous--or maybe that's just wishful thinking?

heh, I loved that Ivy called her on it too. Rachel definitely wasn't as okay with it as she was pretending to be. And I think she was definitely chagrined by the idea that Glenn could handle a blood balance and she couldn't. Despite her saying she doesn't want one any more she still totally does (as we saw in the supermarket when she got all hot and bothered thinking about Ivy at her neck)

[angharad_gov.livejournal.com]

you're gonna make me pick this series up again, aren't you? argh! i stopped reading it after outlaw demon wails. interlibrary loans it is then...

[fembuck.livejournal.com]

Heh. Maybe. If anything I would just say skip WWBC and go straight to this one. Bascially nothing interesting happened in WWBC and it was aggravating as hell for the first 2/3rds of the book.

Kim does a good job recapping the major info you need to know in BMS, and it has been fun to read (the first chapter dragged a bit for me because I don't like Pierce or Al that much, but the other chapters I read were good).

White Witch Black Curse (http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?nyom5zlkylm) (if you want to torture yourself, lol)

[trancer21.livejournal.com]

Lol, okay, I'll say something negative - I HATE that cover!! Much prefer the one on Harrison's site.

I haven't read the chapters yet but I was kinda amazed that they offered *seven* chapters to read!! Heh, I'm assuming it's to lure back readers who went all flouncy-flouncy over the Dawn Cook reveal.

Anyway, after reading your mini-review I'm like 'oooh, it's so nice to get excited over a new Hollows book again!'. Rachel acting smart? And like an actual FRIEND? HOT DAYUM!! That's almost as good as revealing her gay feelings for Ivy!

Heh, and I will NEVER get tired of that Trixie/Hel .gif. NEVER!!

[fembuck.livejournal.com]

Lol, okay, I'll say something negative - I HATE that cover!! Much prefer the one on Harrison's site.

lol, if that's the most I have to complain about I'll be a happy camper. Also, you're right, that cover sucks. I got tired of looking at it as well and changed it to the one on Harrison's website.

but I was kinda amazed that they offered *seven* chapters to read!! Heh, I'm assuming it's to lure back readers who went all flouncy-flouncy over the Dawn Cook reveal.

I was really surprised by it too, and I think you're right about the motivation. I know I was all flouncy (though not over the Dawn Cook thing). My problem was the last two books sucked, so I think this really was a way to show people that the series was back on track and worth spending money on. Cause truly, I wasn't gonna buy it until I read this.

Rachel acting smart? And like an actual FRIEND? HOT DAYUM!!

I know. Miraculous. I remember why I liked her now.

Heh, and I will NEVER get tired of that Trixie/Hel .gif. NEVER!!

heh. me either. It truly is a gift that keeps on giving (much like Trixie, lol)

[madndizzee.livejournal.com]

Wow, that's amazing. And I'm excited that you're excited. It's contagious. And the gifs are used very aptly. I shall go read those chapters now...

[fembuck.livejournal.com]

I am amazed that I am excited as well, but this book is good so far. I can recommend you go read them without any guilt. I've felt like an asshole telling people about the series for a while given how much I loathed the last two books, but this one is actually enjoyable.

Happy reading!

Also, mmmm, Cara.

[sav8801.livejournal.com]

I'm a third of the book in, and all I can say is, if you're annoyed at Pierce's manner of speech, you will be VERY annoyed at BMS. Way, way, wayyyyyyyy too much of the guy. And Trent. And Al (though Al I don't mind as much. He's a right bastard, but he doesn't hide from that fact.). Ivy also takes a hike pretty early on(typical), but so far she got a nice amount of screen time.

I was dreading this too. So far, it's better than I'd feared and worse than I'd hoped (in spite of myself).

[fembuck.livejournal.com]

all I can say is, if you're annoyed at Pierce's manner of speech, you will be VERY annoyed at BMS.

I was pissed at the beginning of BMS because of Pierce's bullshit, but then he disappeared and I felt better. Are you saying that Pierce and his irritating speech habits show up prominently after chapter 7? Cause if so *epic sigh*

Way, way, wayyyyyyyy too much of the guy. And Trent. And Al (though Al I don't mind as much. He's a right bastard, but he doesn't hide from that fact.)

Trent doesn't bother me that much. As long as Rachel doesn't fall head over heels in love with him and want to have his elf babies I can deal with his smarmy ass. And Al I can deal with in small chunks, I just doesn't need to read chapters and chapters about the guy.

I am getting worried that Rachel's return back to Cincy from the West Coast is going to lead to lots of those guys now and less Ivy and Jenks *bites nails nervously*

Oh why Kim, we were just getting along again. I was actually feeling hopeful. *sob*

and worse than I'd hoped (in spite of myself).

I feel ya on this. It's like, I bitch and complain and rant, but there is always a part of me that really hopes the new book is gonna be awesome and that my doubting ways were wrong. And then I read it. I though, I have to say there's no way this book could be as disappointing and aggravating to me as the last two, so that's something at least.

[karatam.livejournal.com]

I'm waiting for the second book from the library and I'm 7th in line (and have been 7th for fucking ages) and this is just making me antsy.

I want that book NOW please! :D

[fembuck.livejournal.com]

I don't know whether I'm actually doing you a favor by doing this since the series gets really, really irritating at a certain point, but ...

The Hollows - Books 1-7 (http://www.mediafire.com/?sharekey=601ac5b89fdeef368066db0503cf4f2c475785b49467e5d0)

[(Anonymous)]

I cannot get over that Bitch Slap gif.

[fembuck.livejournal.com]

Nor should you.

If I ever get tired of seeing that .gif I'll know the world is nearing it's end.

[leavethesky.livejournal.com]

You know I have to admit that I don't care about the newest book at all EXCEPT THAT IT MAY BRING MORE JANINE IVY/RACHEL FIC! Srsly. I'm so, so shallow. I just want more of your(!) ass-kicking, hot as hell vampire and the witch who cannot help but love her. And have sex with her. Often. I couldn't care less about this Kim person's version of the story. *g*

[fembuck.livejournal.com]

Aw, thanks :D I have to say, while reading these chapters I actually thought that I would enjoy writing Ravy some more, and because my irritation with the characters (well, Rachel) had lessened considerable I thought I might be able to do it without wanting to consistently punish her and make her suffer, lol.

I think I better do it now while I'm full of love for Rachel and the book, because apparently Kim pulls a Kim and everything gets annoying again *sigh*

So I think I'm going to step away from BMS for a while and hope that I can write some Ravy goodness.

I couldn't care less about this Kim person's version of the story. *g*

God, you are so lucky. This is really the sane way to enjoy the series, through recaps and fic. But the devil woman has sucked me in for worse (for better isn't even an option at this point).

[lostingeekdom.livejournal.com]

How long have these chapters been available? BTW ... I've pre-ordered the kindle edition of this .. maybe some magic might make it available to interested folks *g*.

[fembuck.livejournal.com]

I think the chapters have been up for a couple of weeks.

I've pre-ordered the kindle edition of this .. maybe some magic might make it available to interested folks *g*.

OMG, I would love you forever for this. After what sav8801 just wrote in the comments above about the rest of the book I really don't think I can force myself to buy it. But because I am sick and masochistic I do want to know what happens.

[dollfleshdecay.livejournal.com]

I just got the book, I will start it tonight. Glad to hear that at least the first few chapters are promising! I'm encouraged!

omg that bitchslap gif. Guh. *I'll be in my bunk*

In my mind I had decided that the hot foresenics vampire chick from that one book would be Ivy's rebound/time killer until Rachel smartens up

YES.

She's becoming one of those sweeps week bi-sexuals on network tv

This. It's why Ivy/Glenn annoy me so much.

[fembuck.livejournal.com]

I just got the book, I will start it tonight. Glad to hear that at least the first few chapters are promising! I'm encouraged!

I'm hearing spoilers that the book gets irritating about a third of the way through due to excesses of Pierce (which is what made me not like the first chapter), but I can say that at least chapters 2-7 are entertaining and not rage inducing at all. Still I was genuinely hoping that Kim had written a fun, entertaining book again. I didn't even need Rachel and Ivy to fall into bed together, I just wanted to make it through one of these books without wanting to kill someone (except you know the bad guys who I'm supposed to dislike).

YES.

If only.

This. It's why Ivy/Glenn annoy me so much.

Yeah. It's just the principle not really the characters who are not irritating when they interact. I think Kim's refusal to give Ivy a girlfriend bugs me cause it makes me think that there really might not be a Rachel/Ivy end. It's like she's scared of writing a non-fucked up F/F relationship.

I mean I'm glad for a happier Ivy, but I'm pissed at Kim for being such a scaredy cat whose like afraid of lesbian cooties or something.

[domino2kk.livejournal.com]

OT: I was watching the unrated version of Bitch Slap, and the scene with Hel and Trixie goes on and on and on and on...specifically that .gif get's another 20 seconds added to it.

JUST SAYING.

[fembuck.livejournal.com]

Unrated version with more sexing? WHERE???? Has the DVD come out already where you live? If not where on the internet is gem hiding. I swears I'mma gonna buy the DVD any way so a covert message will not harm bitch slap sales at all. Cause dayum! I wants me some of that.

[dartxni.livejournal.com]

I figure you aught to know, it was your fanfic that introduced me to the Hollows and your fault I just spent the last 7 days feverously devouring every book up to and including White Witch, Black Curse.


I am glad to hear that in the next book it looks like Rachel is actually having character growth.

What I fear most is that Ivy will have her moment with Rachel, and then there will be some sort of Kill the Lesbian/bisexual moment and Ivy will sacrifice herself for Rachel. (pleads no)

[dartxni.livejournal.com]

I figured out what I do like about the series though.

Rachel has the best Crowning Moments of Awesome in each book. Arresting Trent at his Wedding was by far my favorite.

[tempest819.livejournal.com]

Thank goodness. Maybe this will motivate me to finally bulldoze through the rest of book 7 that I have been reading at glacial pace. I've been inching away at it because it sucks donkey balls and frankly I am not a fan of jawbreakers. (well, maybe that's a bit harsh, but'choo know what I mean. I remember reading through the first 3 or 4 books like a jack rabbit on coke. Not so much with this one)

[fembuck.livejournal.com]

Dood, I feel your pain. I BLAZED through the beginning of the series as well. Book 6 slowed me down a little, but I still ploughed my way through it. Then I got WWBC and I just couldn't handle it any more. I stopped reading it for a long time, then finally was like "I paid for a hard cover version of this shit so I'mma finish reading it". The end was less painful, but as a whole the book was pretty godawful and I had to really talk myself into finishing it.

I sometimes really wish "I could quit" this series, but as of right now I still don't loathe it enough to give up completely. *sigh*

The beginning of BMS is enjoyable but I can't say much about the book past chapter 7, so I'm just keeping my fingers crossed at this point.

finished it last night...

[gochateau.livejournal.com]

*shakes head* there's $30 I'll never get back. Honestly? Don't buy it. Do yourself a hugeee favor...

And here I thought this was supposed to be the book about Rachel "growing up and making smart decisions". I had high hopes like you did, especially after reading the first seven chapters online, but Cock Block really does just pull the same shit again.

Some interesting things happen as far as magic is concerned, and Ivy was her usual sexy, bad-ass self in the very few scenes where she's mentioned (maybe it's just me but it seems like this book had the least amount of Ivy-scenes since the beginning of the series, which is probably reason enough not to read it.)... but you pretty much hit the nail on the head in your last hollows post: TOO. MUCH. PIERCE.

I'm sorry. I'm not trying to scare anyone away from the series or anything. I really, really wished the new book would give us all something to work with, maybe even nice little scenes to write new fanfiction material with, but no. This is me retreating back into the place in my head where Rachel isn't (too much of) a dumbass and has an established relationship with Ivy. What new book? Who is this Pierce character you speak of? Lalalalala...

Re: finished it last night...

[sav8801.livejournal.com]

I'm almost done, and all I can say is A-fucking-MEN. Personally, I'm done with the Hollows. Don't feel sorry about scaring people off. I think KH screwed up bad enough with this one to deserve losing a few sales to a disgruntled (read: Righteously angry) reader.

[exposedwords.livejournal.com]

First of all, no fair, that Bitch Slap gif stopped me from reading fro 10 minutes straight *tsktsk*

But yay smart!Rachel. You have no idea how happy this makes me, because while Ivy is the epic love of my virtual life, I love Rachel like woah. She's the one I'd actually probably fall for in real life (which is sad, I know).
The problem with this is that it probably means that that the rest of the book will be a disaster. That's how much i trust KH *sigh*

The chapters didn't happen to inspire your writing, no? :P

[fembuck.livejournal.com]

The problem with this is that it probably means that that the rest of the book will be a disaster. That's how much i trust KH *sigh*

lol, omg you must be a prophet! I didn't want to have to be a Debbie Downer, but I may have posted too soon.

People who have finished the book are saying that what you predicted comes true and the rest of the book is an irritating mess. Rachel starts off alright but it seems that right after the free stuff ended she starts being dumb again and that the book gets seriously aggravating.

I haven't finished it, but I thought that I'd warn you.

The chapters didn't happen to inspire your writing, no? :P

Hopefully, I haven't had time yet but the desire is there. I think I'm going to hold off on reading the book for a while if not forever so that I can hold onto this fondness I have for the characters at the moment for a while longer.

[lost-dreamer23.livejournal.com]

*gasp* .... *GASP* ........ *GAAAAAAAAAASP*
...
*dead*


Yeah. Uh, this. This. Uh, whaaaaaaat?! YAY. YES. YES. YES. YAY.
Now I have to go buy it, and legitimately read WWBC. >_>"
Thank you, oh Goddess Janine.

[fembuck.livejournal.com]

Don't rush out just yet. Apparently I stopped reading just before cock-block struck again. Some people who've finished the book commented with reviews that were a lot less favorable than mine.

I'm actually scared to keep reading now.

Check out the comments above ... if you dare!

and legitimately read WWBC. >_>"

There's really NO reason to do this EVER. That book is shit, and from what I read of BMS you don't even really need to know what happened in it cause Kim recaps the important plot points. *shudder* WWBC *shudder*

[(Anonymous)]

Oh lord, I love reading your posts about this series, lol. It cracks me up. I've never read any of them, but hearing you get pissed about cock- block Kim and rage about these books makes my day :)

[fembuck.livejournal.com]

Well, at least someone is still getting something out of this books ;)

Honestly, it's like a sickness. I don't know how so many of us are still reading when we HATE it so much.

*sigh*

DOWN WITH COCK-BLOCK!!!

save your mind, stop reading right now.

[(Anonymous)]

I'm sad to say that Black Sanction is even worst than WWBC. (and I did't think it would be possible ). I'm finished with K.H ... but I'll continued with the fan fiction.

Re: save your mind, stop reading right now.

[fembuck.livejournal.com]

and I did't think it would be possible

Oh dear god. I don't want to live in a world where something is worse that WWBC. Though I think the true evil of BMS lies in the fact that it started out promising and then turned to complete shit, whereas I knew from the time I started reading WWBC that I wasn't gon' like dat shit.

I'm finished with K.H

I think that a lot of people are finished with KH. I think she's done well and truly pissed off a LOT of people and not just Ravy fans. I honestly like hope sales are so bad the whole series is canceled so that the madness can end.

[sav8801.livejournal.com]

My final verdict, if you're interested...

All in all, the end wasn't horrible. What a dreg to get there though.

Out of 480 pages, about 100 are passable, 50 of which are genuinely enjoyable.

Rachel whines. She might be in a tough spot, but she whines a lot. It takes her forever to get off her ass and do stuff. She just sits there and takes punches for the first half of the book and only does fuck-all about it in the last hundred or so pages. Mostly, I just thought "where did her spark go, for God's sake? She's more dull than flat 7up..."

What ruins it is Pierce. Pierce gets more screen time than Jenks, which is un-fucking-believable. There's no chemistry there, no spark, nothing, and yet he's constantly being shoved down the reader's throat. As you can probably expect, the intimate moments are just *shivers* god-awful.

Ivy is an afterthought. She's often there but mostly she only watches, she does very little, and she has only the briefest cute moments. She sorta kicks a little ass towards the end, but mostly, she's criminally underused, as usual. There's nary a bone to be found for Ravy shippers in the whole book, but, *********SPOILERS********* Rachel does finally admit attraction and feelings "more than sisterly that she can't pursue". I'm not getting my hopes up. The burns from the last time(s) still hurt.

Jenks rocks in this one, though. Gotta give KH her due, she knows her four inches tall blabber mouths.

Al is fairly entertaining, but fuck it, I don't want Rachel to cozy up to him, he's not in a fucking grey moral area, he's at the black end of the spectrum.

Trent is being a bad guy in this one, which is how I like him the most. Of course, in the end, it's not his fault, as usual. Huge whatever.

The bad guys, even if they're supposed to be these nasty badass boogey men, come off as annoying wimps bordering on incompetence after the first few encounters. Their nasty evil master plot is just... urgh. Let's just say you'll be tired of hearing the words "lobotomy" and "ovaries" by the time you hit page 50.

All in all, it's bad. Real bad. I can't recommend it in good faith. All I can say is stay away.

[fembuck.livejournal.com]

I have to thank you again for managing to get through this and warning us. This review does it, I am officially not finishing this book.

Mostly, I just thought "where did her spark go, for God's sake? She's more dull than flat 7up..."

*sigh* That kind of insane energy and spirit were really the only things Rachel had going for her. God knows smarts and introspection weren't her strong suits. Nice to know that the last decent thing about the character is shat on in this.

As you can probably expect, the intimate moments are just *shivers* god-awful.

And this sentence more than any other has convinced me to avoid this book like the plague. After Rachel's detest for him at the beginning I was hoping that she was finally going to make a smart romantic decision and STAY AWAY. Hearing that it's the same old bullshit doesn't surprise me, but it does disgust me enough to leave well enough alone. I didn't even make it through the 'pulling' scene with Marshall, and I didn't mind Marshall (he was boring, but whatever). The INTENSE FIERY LOATHING I feel for Pierce would make this unbearable.

Ivy is an afterthought.

As usual. I've never before seen a 'best friend' character so marginalized and underused. Ever. Ever. It boggles my mind, truly.

Rachel does finally admit attraction and feelings "more than sisterly that she can't pursue".

This just honestly pisses me off. I want to boot Kim in the box, I really do. It's like just make up your fucking mind already. Either kill Ravy dead for good and have them be honest to god friends so that I can just ship them in my head/fic. Or just fucking go there. Rachel must be the stupidest person on the planet not to be able to tell how she fucking feels about a person she goddamn lives with after like five fucking years of knowing her. Jesus Christ, it's too much for a sane person to handle. GROW SOME BALLS COCK-BLOCK! MAKE A CERTAIN SEGMENT THE READERSHIP UNHAPPY (hets or homos) AND JUST MOVE ON!

Al is fairly entertaining, but fuck it, I don't want Rachel to cozy up to him, he's not in a fucking grey moral area, he's at the black end of the spectrum.


Word. I'm tired of Al and the psuedo redemption arc. I don't understand why I'm supposed to like him at all. Cause he can fake a british accent? It's like, how a character like Skimmer gets written off of pure, irredeemable fucking evil yet Al gets all of this 'he's not such a bad guy'/necessary evil bullshit pisses me off beyond belief.

Trent is being a bad guy in this one, which is how I like him the most. Of course, in the end, it's not his fault, as usual. Huge whatever.

Same thing goes for Trent as for Al. It's like, I don't mind Trent when he's being a bad guy/dickhead. Just don't try to schmoopify him like he's Draco Malfoy is fanfiction written by a 13 year old. I don't understand why characters like this get the benefit of the doubt and chance after chance when others are treated like sin pissed all over them for doing morally less repugnant things. Actually that's not true, it's because Kim thinks her morally ambiguous MALE characters are hot shit and wants to have her stand in Rachel get is sexish situations with them. Cause no woman can resist a tight ass and a british accent, even if they are ghosts, and demons and elf nazis.

All I can say is stay away.

I shall thanks to you. I shall.

[sav8801.livejournal.com]

Okay, last post, I promise. I saw you ask a couple of questions about the book and what few developments there are, so here's the gist of it.

******SPOILER********

Biggest magical development: Rachel can now jump the lines. It is apparently done by "tuning" your aura to the ley lines and then ridding them. That particular ability can only be learned from a gargoyle (I love plot devices).

Ivy's girl crush: I actually read the short story in which Daryl is introduced (yes, she's the one Ivy seems to like); Daryl is a nymph, a pretty badass species that combines enough physical abilities to go toe to toe with a living vamp and magical powers similar to a demon's. They also suffer a lot from polution and are almost extinct.

Daryl herself is a blond, fierce, kinda unbalanced, sword-wielding, spell-slinging powerhouse with a sense of honour. She made it her sworn duty to guard the imprisoned murderer of her sisters for all eternity, a murderer that Jenks and Bis unwittingly freed.

Daryl and Ivy had a bit of a moment when she fought the Vamp Charm team who where trying to free the murderer, and she basically told Ivy, once she was defeated, that Ivy might as well kill her because she didn't want to live in a world where such a dreamy girl as Ivy sided with the monster who killed her sisters.

After she got Daryl patched up, Ivy apparently decided to entrust her to no other than Glenn. That's all we know so far.

Another bit of knowledge about witch anatomy (no bullshit, I swear this is true): Apparently, female witches have a certain physiological quirk in their lady part. Their inner muscles are quite a bit more powerful than those of a human woman, and they apprently clench quite tightly after climaxing. Tight enough to... hold someone. I'll let you imagine the scene (sorry if I scarred you for life). I think it was supposed to be hot somehow, but dear God, as a bearer of a Y chromosome... no, just no. I like the normal human version, in fact I love it, but this is just... I'll be far away from any female witches, if anyone's looking for me.

[fembuck.livejournal.com]

Biggest magical development: Rachel can now jump the lines. It is apparently done by "tuning" your aura to the ley lines and then ridding them. That particular ability can only be learned from a gargoyle (I love plot devices).

*rolls eyes out of head* But good to know.

Ivy's girl crush: I actually read the short story in which Daryl is introduced (yes, she's the one Ivy seems to like); Daryl is a nymph, a pretty badass species that combines enough physical abilities to go toe to toe with a living vamp and magical powers similar to a demon's. They also suffer a lot from polution and are almost extinct.

Ohh, a nymph. I was wondering when one of those was going to show up. Tha's cool.

is a blond, fierce, kinda unbalanced,

*rolls eyes out of head* Nice. Another dark, emotional wreck for Ivy. Surprise, surprise. Honestly, the description of Daryl sounds like of hot, but I just wish she could have been .... not unbalanced. Isn't it possible for Ivy to meet a woman who is badass and yet has their shit together? I mean ...

powerhouse with a sense of honour. She made it her sworn duty to guard the imprisoned murderer of her sisters for all eternity, a murderer that Jenks and Bis unwittingly freed.

she sounds like an unholy alliance of Ivy, Skimmer and Juliet Capulet. I just don't see it ending well, if Kim even bothers to give it her usual 2 pages out of 500 for Ivy's romantic relationships.

Apparently, female witches have a certain physiological quirk in their lady part. Their inner muscles are quite a bit more powerful than those of a human woman, and they apprently clench quite tightly after climaxing. Tight enough to... hold someone.

Oh dear god in heaven! I just ... don't even ... *claps* Brava Kim, brava. So she's like a dog? That's great. That's just ... wow. I think this series just became so ridiculous it's kind of funny.

Honestly, I could see Ivy finding this to be the hottest thing ever if they get together. You know she likes a little pain while getting her swerve on.

Still, thinking about it with Rachel and Pierce makes me want to vomit, profusely, like that chick when she got hit with Oliver's puking charm. Seriously ...



Wow (and not in a good way). Just wow. This series ... *shakes head*

Thanks for answering my questions. I really appreciate you saving me the trouble of having to read this. You are a gentleman and a prince. *bows*

[trancer21.livejournal.com]

Okay, I'm about 3/4's of the way through the book and.. it's not as bad as I thought it would be. It's probably due to the lowered expectations and having been forewarned about the excessive use of Pierce. But, I really didn't think it was *that* bad...

Now? I'm almost pissed enough to write Harrison an angry/crazed fangirl letter. I'm not sure how spoiled you want to be but something really 'bad' happens and, honestly imo, contains one of the best written scenes of the series. After which, the very bad thing happens, which involves making Ivy look like a wimp so fucking Peirce can be 'special'. And.. argh!!

I really like Harrison's writing. I don't think I would have burned through 354 pages in two days if I didn't. But this is my biggest criticism of hers, she gets *way* too enamored of her male characters.. especially when she shouldn't, especially when it comes at the expense of other characters, like Ivy and Jenks.

The biggest problem with Peirce is that he's NOTHING WE HAVEN'T SEEN BEFORE! It's all 'been there, done that' especially with Rachel and her 'ooh, he's a bad boy with secrets.. *whine* but I don't *want* him.. ooh, yes I do'. He's neither exotic nor mysterious, the only thing that sets him apart is the stupid way he speaks. Which only gets more aggravating when it's revealed he speaks that way BY CHOICE!!

Do I think it's worse than 'White Witch, Black Curse'? At this point, I'm going to have to say 'yes' because it's more about showing how Pierce 'isn't such a bad guy' so Rachel can bone him. And, shit, we got less characterization with Marshall.. and Rachel boned him too!! Peirce should get a job as a pornstar with all the 'fluffing' he gets in this book!

The only thing I want to know before I keep reading is whether or not Peirce fucking dies. Because I don't think I can keep reading this series if he does. Okay, that's a total lie.. I'm just not gonna plunk down the cash for the hardcover!

[trancer21.livejournal.com]

ETA: Something else that pissed me off...

One of the things that I really like about the series is that Rachel is a sexually active woman who's not punished for a) liking sex and b) wanting to get laid and/or thinking about getting laid. Heh, all those repercussions are for Ivy!

And then comes along 'Black Magic Sanction'. Rachel gets saved by Nick.. yes, that fucker's back too (I said Harrison gets *way* too enamored of her male characters). While sitting in Nick's apartment, they get into an argument and Nick throws Rachel's sexual history in her face. Instead of telling him to fuck off, Rachel feels all guilty and tells Peirce, I shit you not, here's the exact quote from page 171:

"I'm not a particularly chaste woman. Compared to the women of your time, I'm probably a whore."

I just.. I just don't have the words!! Rachel thinks she's a whore because Peirce is so chaste and morally upstanding and.. GAH!! It's just more fucking fluffing over a character that's JUST NOT THAT FUCKING INTERESTING!!

[karatam.livejournal.com]

Hey, it's me again. I was hoping you could give me some Rachel/Ivy fic recs. I've read all of yours and LOVED them and want to read some more good ones.
Thanks!

[fembuck.livejournal.com]

The community ivy_rachel (http://community.livejournal.com/ivy_rachel/) has a lot of good Hollows fics.

Off the top of my head, anything written by Jaina, seriousfic, trancer21, or dollfleshdecay are golden. You can't go wrong with these ones.
sav8801 series "Entre l'Amour et la Mort" is also amazing. I think it's probably the closest story out there to canon in terms of how the relationship develops.

Really, I would go to the first entries in that comm and then work your way towards the recent stuff. Almost everything posted in that comm is at least decent.

The Hollows fandom is pretty small, but it has attracted some very good writers.

The last one.. I swear!!

[trancer21.livejournal.com]

Okay, I'm almost finished and I just had one more rant before I did a review on my LJ. Honestly, if you do decide to read this DO NOT READ chapter 32. Seriously, DO NOT READ IT. It is the 'Rachel screws Pierce' chapter and, quite frankly, I don't think one can be prepared for the horror that follows.. or the hoops Harrison jumps through to make Pierce sympathetic/romantic enough to justify Rachel having sex with him.

I could handle the contrivance that has Rachel without Ivy and/or Jenks.. again. I could handle Pierce's woobie speech. I could even handle Pierce manhandling Rachel when she has a panic attack that could get them killed. What drove me over the edge was the bodice-ripping moment where Pierce basically forcing himself on Rachel so they can share warmth. And he wins. Rachel, the runner, who kicks ass for a living. It's like - dude, when a woman says she doesn't want you touching her, REPEATEDLY, doing it until she submits is not hot or romantic. It's creepy and revolting. Especially when it's done to a character like Rachel.. for the sake of making PIERCE LOOK HOT!!

GAH!! I swear, if I wasn't on the booze already, this series would drive me to drink!!

Re: The last one.. I swear!!

[fembuck.livejournal.com]

Honestly, if you do decide to read this DO NOT READ chapter 32. Seriously, DO NOT READ IT. It is the 'Rachel screws Pierce' chapter and, quite frankly, I don't think one can be prepared for the horror that follows..

LOL! I'm sorry you had to go through that bb. I'll definitely avoid it like the plague. Just the idea of Rachel and Pierce going at it makes me sick, I definately couldn't handle reading it. I didn't even make it through the Rachel/Marshall almost sex in WWBC.

What drove me over the edge was the bodice-ripping moment where Pierce basically forcing himself on Rachel so they can share warmth. And he wins. Rachel, the runner, who kicks ass for a living. It's like - dude, when a woman says she doesn't want you touching her, REPEATEDLY, doing it until she submits is not hot or romantic. It's creepy and revolting.

UGH! Really, that's how it happened? UGH *vomit* After hearing about Rachel's super-vag I didn't think that anything could make me more scared of this scene, but hearing this just makes me never even want to hold the book in my hands in case I drop it and it accidentally opens up to this scene.

I don't understand how Kim has made me loathe this character so much. Heck, I even used to like the love scenes. I thought the Rachel/Nick one in the second book was pretty hot, and even the Rachel/Kisten ones were easy to get through, but now I'm just disgusted to the point that I want to bathe simply hearing about a love scene.

*sigh*

I swear, if I wasn't on the booze already, this series would drive me to drink!!


I understand bb, I understand.

[fanaticreader.livejournal.com]

Seems like all the action is here lol I mean no other forum/community seems to be discussing the series so erm honestly lol

Just thought I'd drop my two cents in though its a bit belated... Spoilers from here.

The first seven chapters are the most interesting. That is without question. Problem is it doesnt go further. It's like KH lost her spine after that point. I thought the prison would have made for a very interesting plot on its own. Im not angry at the book (helped that I spoiled myself by reading everything here and generally having little faith in KH whatsoever lol)

The bad guys are inept and bland. The only thing that made them particularly dangerous was that they were (the first?) to use human chemical/medical warfare against her (tranquilizer darts...).

Ivy... my beloved Ivy lol I think this book had a lot of subtextual stuff going on between them. Rachel went head first into fighting a dangerous (meh - as dangerous as the coven can be) white witch because she realised Ivy was unconscious and outside of her protective circle. She was fixated on how sultry Ivy was becoming, very touchy feely for the two of them, and I loved how pouty she got when Ivy wanted Glenn to drive her to the hospital, leaving Rachel alone. They were enjoyable moments. I dont know if KH is shying away from them or that Ivy is supposed to be pulling away (future angst when Ivy might try and pull away even more? Doubtful but interesting to day dream about lol). She was definitely underused - however.

The book was a testosterone fest. For the first time in my life I want to know what "masculine" smells like. It seems suspiciously like BO and dirt. Peirce is annoying as f--k all. But here's the curious thing... I dont think even KH knows what to do with him. If you read carefully you realise that there's a lot of love/hate for the character. Oh he's saving her and masculine and makes her twitch/shiver/blah, but at the same time she acknowledges that he's brash, domineering and too trigger happy with the black magic. I have no idea where she's taking this charri. I hate him because of his terrible accent, mysoginistic mentality (he keeps calling her woman when she does something he thinks is stupid... lot of woman put downs. Which is technically accurate for a man from his time period). If I thought KH was smart, I would suggest that she was creating a caricature of the romantic hero from romance novels. He's in the book A LOT. Way too much, Im totally in agreement. Its partly because he's so damn macho and controlling.

I dont understand their relationship except that they are kind of similar (hell doesnt Rachel control and domineer over Ivy?). But KH seems to be hinting that he's only there for a little while.

I didnt care about Mattie dying. It was very rushed and pointless. I also think the way everything was solved was ridiculous. She's really running thin on the methods she can use to get people to stop threatening her life without killing them. Absolutely ridiculous.

Over all, not worth the money. I'm glad I only ever got it from the library. But Im not particularly emotional about the series as a whole so I can read the next book for curiosities sake.

Also, I read the Pierce/Rachel scene carefully (because it incensed so many people lol). It was a fairly mundane sex scene actually lol He forced himself on her only to get her to share a blanket with her. He tells her he's not such a bad guy by giving up some history about himself (he killed about 400 people by accidentally screwing things up and unleashing a demon some people were trying to control - *yawn*). They have sex that more magical than it is actual touching.

Also we find out Rachel gets really turned on now with her near death experiences. So I have no idea if she grew or not.

I am confused. I think its because KH is confused lol

[(Anonymous)]

I just wanted to thank you guys for giving your honest opinions of BMS.

I *WILL NOT* be purchasing this drek.

I will go and read the first seven chapters online though.

I have no idea what happened to KH. Books 1 to 5 very pretty good. I got the feeling that Kim was working toward a goal. I was disappointed in book 6 and 7.

Pierce does nothing for me at all. WHY KH, why?

I recently checked on the ebook price. Over at fictionwise.com they are offering a 100% rebate on the ebook.

I didn't think that they did that with popular new releases.

Does anyone know how the sales of this novel compare with her previous works? I'm extremely curious to know how it is doing.

....I have never wished this, but I hope BMS tanks.

*sigh*