A Perfect Blood audiobook

A Perfect Blood - A Near Perfect Blend of Old School and New School Hollows Can this girl ever catch a break? Even cutting herself off from the demon collective and having a new bodyguard can't save our favorite itchy witch from problems. Rachel tries to adjust to being a borderline civilian (as she still works to solve cases after all) but her secret is out and that has made her the perfect target for a pretty serious hate group, HAPA, led by a group of sadistic humans. Their public enemy #1 is the Inderlander community and they will stop at nothing to be rid of them all, even if they must use Inderlander powers to do so. Of course we would have no story if Rachel wasn't exactly what they needed. She tries her damnedest to take them on the good old-fashioned demonless way, but she soon finds that it may not be enough.She can't do it alone which results in the unlikely but very anticipated partnership with none other than Trent. And this partnership certainly doesn't disappoint. It's a new day for the new dad as we see a completely new but believable side to our favorite elf (well, he's my favorite at least). Their teamwork really is the heart of this book though other familiar faces, Ivy and Jenks, are still around.Since Book 3 Rachel has liked to drive home that she and Trent look so good together, yet they're apart. But by the end of this book, you start to wonder why. Though she denies it, to me Rachel's actions clearly indicate growing affections towards him. As Trent embraces his magic, they seems a lot more compatible than one would initially think. If I spilled the beans about some of the revelations for his character, it would seem as if Harrison pulled it out of thin air. But she backs it up with several references from past novels, making one wonder if she was thinking about these threads all along. A lot of scenes are stark contrasts to what we've seen before, most notably her interactions with Trent in his home and office. Key moments throughout the series (though few and far in between) have taken place in those locations, so the evolution is meaningful.While there wasn't a lot of Al, he certainly makes it count for the scenes he's in, managing to be his usual hilarious, yet terrifying self. I'm sure he will be a large presence in the next novel, so I'm looking forward to that. Jenks is funny as always, saying the most inappropriate things at the most awkward times. Ivy is stable and more of a presence than I was expecting based on Harrison's comments about her going away and then coming back in the last book. We're introduced to a few new supporting characters as well. Wayde is a Were bodyguard hired to look out for Rachel. Nina is a living vampire often being controlled by a master-vamp, making her really vulnerable. Both of those characters were okay---I could take them or leave them---but I really took a liking to Winona, a Witch prisoner that Rachel befriends as she takes on HAPA. She's a sympathetic character, just a normal person wanting to live her life. But the events of this book make her shine for her adaptability and practicality. I thought she and Rachel worked really well together.I'm not sure if it's because it's fresh, but I LOVED this book...dare I say better than Pale Demon in a lot of ways. I liked Rachel's self discovery that she can hide but she can't run. She truly accepts who she is as a demon and the animosity between her and Trent is over too so now it's just the building process that you really hope pays off.If I don't like a Hollows book, I will say so. I've been with this series since 2005, so I've been through all of the ups and downs. While I read many urban fantasy novels, I pick up The Hollows and feel like I'm saying hello to an old friend. It still manages to be really exciting, so knowing that there are only two books left (with a thirteenth as a possible continuation) makes me a bit sad. But for some reason, I didn't get the same vibe like I did from Pale Demon where it was really obvious how much the story was winding down. I guess that's a signal for filler, but at least it's good filler. The mystery aspect made me flash back to book 2 and the times when Rachel had gruesome mysteries to solve, so it gave me a feeling of nostalgia. This book isn't perfect but all in all I found it to be a satisfying entry to The Hollows series, so I gave it 4.5 stars.Needless to say, I recommend this!*Review also posted to Amazon -------------------------------------------------------------------------Original post: Thank you everyone for participating in my A Perfect Blood ARC Giveaway and Hardcover/ebook GiveawayCome hang out with tons of Hollows fans in my Hollows Corner - Everything Rachel Morgan

Love Rachel. Love her team. Love these books. Already counting down to the next. That said, this isn't my favorite in the series, but that's okay. Harrison creates a high standard for herself. And the very reasons I didn't like this one as much may be the very reason others think it's the BEST. My bias is this: I love Ivy and Jenks. Any side characters that infringe on their solidarity get the big ol' hairy eyeball from me. I'm also one of those rarer-than-a-dodo-bird readers who has no interest in seeing Rachel together with Trent. Do I want them to be close? Yes. Do I want them to have an up and down, slightly uncertain relationship? Totally. But the "chemistry" between them just feels so forced.Is it wrong that I want Trent to stay somewhat shady and mysterious, and not watch him morph into Rachel's lapdog and personal bodyguard? Is it wrong that I want him to be a person who helps Rachel grow by openly using her weakness against her and her strengths for him (to her utter frustration)? That's the Trent I like. For the two of them to become a couple, they both have to give up too much of themselves and become two washed-out hybrids of each other. No thanks.My secret wish *braces self for incoming projectiles* is that Trent will hook up with another elf have unabashedly elf-alicious kids... I mean, he is basically part of an endangered species, It's like asking a Tazmanian Tiger to mate with a Siberian Tiger just because they have frisky play sessions.Yes, you may cast stones at me. I understand that Team Trent is large and powerful, but seeing Rachel start to consider him in "that way" makes me panic a bit. I don't see it ending well or being a good roller coaster for either party... What I can tell you, though, is that the book in this series that will undoubtedly be my favorite and have the biggest sigh of satisfaction from me is not the book where Rachel finds a man to love and the big ol' HEA, but it will be the book where Rachel actually learns how to be a best friend. We know from a banshee what Rachel fears most, and Ivy is the person who can definitively show Rachel that her deepest fear is smoke and mirrors. Instead, the two of them always seem to be trying to prove that they don't need each other, when the fact is that they are a kick butt team. They're both deeply flawed, but when they stand together they can take on anything. I LOVE THIS! And no matter how many men Rachel falls for, Ivy is "her person" (Grey's Anatomy reference). Rachel can marry and love someone else, but that other relationship will be directly impacted by how she deals with Ivy. Rachel needs to get over her excuses for pushing Ivy away until it's a life-or-death situation, and just get right with "her person." As long as Rachel locks Ivy out, Rachel locks the world out and no relationship--with Trent, or otherwise--is ever going to a serious, non-self-sabotaging place. And I will stop my preaching there.Can you tell I love this series? Love. It.So when *that* book comes out, that will be my favorite book in the series with a gazillion stars: The book where Rachel decides, "**** it!", becomes a true, fearless friend, and goes out and fulfills her destiny standing back-to-back with her team--not with them scattered and in different spots trying to prove they can stand on their own. Just imagine: Rachel, Jenks, Ivy, Trent, David, and maybe even Ceri, Quen, or the new bodyguard back-to-back in a circle, facing off against the baddies... working together without second-guessing each other.I get chills just thinking about it. Sooo hope it happens!! *sigh*

«Oh, I'm sorry. Did I interrupt some sort of dominance foreplay?» 10th book in the series and still going strong. I wonder what Harrison's secret to success is. Her books are absolutely amazing and never cease to amaze me. A Perfect Blood is a stressful book, I think HAPA is one of the biggest threats our characters have ever had to face and I'm sure we'll see more of them in future books and they'll play a big part too. Ugh.Trent, what an elf. I'll start with him because he's amazing and I've always known, ever since he first appeared on the books, that eventually he and Rachel would have little something going on. I'm not entirely sure what it is but that flirt, and how it's working up really slow, I just love it. The tension is there and so is the passion.Rachel has finally come to the realization of what she is and she's embraced it but that's just the beginning, she can be really powerful and partially her accepting what she is, is because of Trent. Another reason to love him and I'm certain he'll give me more reasons to do so.HAPA, hmm, are a hate group, they are humans fighting against the Inderlanders and yes that's just as frustrating as it sounds. They think of Inderlanders as cockroaches that have to be eradicated from the face of earth. The entire book was focused on them and how they'd use Rachel's blood to exterminate every "monster" walking on earth.This book was a such a nice follow-up to the previous one, despite being stressful (like every book in this series)this was a little bit more laid back than its predecessor, and we went back to the entire "homie feeling". There is also a new character. No, two new characters actually. I'm sure you'll like them. Especially Wayde. So this surely is the longest series I've ever attempted to read and I'm actually through with the 10th book, which means that there are only a handful left before I finish this series. Ugh, just the thought makes me shiver.

At the end of Pale Demon, Trent sagely outlines to Rachel the danger of rendering herself helpless in the midst of so many enemies. Brought back from the brink of death after kicking Ku'Sox's butt, and nearly losing her aura by unwittingly carving out a new ley line that has devastating effects in the everafter, Rachel has some tough choices to make. Will she try to live her life without her demon enhanced abilities? Can she? Can she even go back to being an earth witch?Harrison smartly leads with this thought in A Perfect Blood where Rachel will reap the consequences of her all decisions...good and bad, to finally realize that with great power, comes great responsibility. With one charmed Elven bracelet, Rachel chooses to effectively cut herself off from the scrutiny of the demon collective, ley lines...even Al thinks she's dead. After the fracas in San Francisco, even the Inderlander government has her declared dead. But has she chosen wisely?When a deep-seated cell of HAPA (Humans Against Paranormals Association) embarks on a sinister quest to tinker with witch blood carrying the Rosewood syndrome and develop an unearthly weapon against all Inderlander species, Rachel and the gang are up against a foe that will stop at nothing to bring humans back on top of the food chain. While Rachel's past incursions have mostly been personal, HAPA's threat spells doom for all Inderlanders and if they succeed it would make the Elf/Demon war look like a walk in the park compared to the death and destruction that would reign down in the Hollows and everywhere else.This pronounced intensity rages throughout A Perfect Blood, honing the point home that everything is at risk, and Rachel's final decision about her destiny will be the ultimate game changer. Even the schisms between the I.S. and F.I.B. have to be put to rights-inter-agency cooperation is absolutely essential in combating HAPA.In order to make this happen, Harrison has introduced a few peripheral characters and situations that makes the mix more interesting, the mysterious vamp Felix (head of the IS) who creatively "borrows" Nina's body (reminiscent of Ghastek in Ilona Andrews' Kate Daniels series) and Wayde, Rachel's new were bodyguard makes an appearance, bringing the were contingent into battle by proxy. Even Glenn has a hidden agenda but is playing nice. And there is also the suspicion that HAPA might already be entrenched in either the I.S. or F.I.B...or both.A Perfect Blood is also about integrating normality into Rachel's rather abnormal life. Harrison sets a few homey scenes in between battles that relieve some of the tension, and we get a few appearances of Ceri, her new daughter Ray, and Trent's daughter Lucy, a billiard scene with Wayde. Ivy and Jenks have even seemed to move out of their transitional phase...Ivy now in a relationship, and Jenks interestingly enough could be enamored by Belle (Sidereal's daughter, the fairy, from Black Magic Sanction). This only puts the focus more on Rachel as she tries to suss out her romantic life and its uncertain future.Though fans might have been expecting a love connection with one particular character (Trent), instead we find a true burgeoning friendship developing between them that doesn't disappoint. To what end...we shall see. Rather, it more than whetted my appetite. Harrison is smokingly seductive, as she taunts us page after page with their interactions.First Trent and Rachel must learn to be friends, learn to trust before anything else can happen and that means that Rachel has to forgive Trent and drop the animosity she has for him.The newfound playfulness between Rachel and Trent is refreshing and intensely appealing. Rachel finds herself musing more and more about Trent (and his hair!), unable (or unwilling) to recognize what those feelings really mean. He continues to prove himself yet again as he protects her from Al, HAPA, and even herself. He is instrumental-absolutely key in helping Rachel grow into who she is (he admits it to her and Al). He even alludes that he is her S'han. Come on...he made her a ley line pinky ring...there is obviously more there than meets the eye, but Harrison is playing it close to the vest.Besides Trent being absolutely fantastic in A Perfect Blood...sexy...single-minded, and just plain delicious-I honestly don't think Harrison is going to abandon this yummy loose end. There's too much invested in it and it seems pretty clear that Harrison is building a foundation...will Rachel end up taking the plunge? I would have definitely liked to have seen a repeat of that smoldering kiss in Pale Demon, but still readers will raise eyebrows over and over again at the delicious hints that Harrison scatters throughout the book. It's simply tantalizing, but looks like we'll have to wait to see what happens in Book #11.Once again, Kim Harrison stole my sleep because I simply could not put it down. Was it worth it? Hell yeah. Harrison never disappoints and the quality of A Perfect Blood was consistent with all her previous novels, energetic and romantically charged. Hands down...I loved it.A Fiendishly Bookish Review

I can't even tell you how excited I am at the direction this series has finally (finally, FINALLY, FINALLY) taken with regards to the romantic elements. Not that there is really any down and dirty here...more of the goofy questioning oneself pre-romance jitters, if I'm reading this right. We got a lot of face time with Trent in the last book on the road trip. We get a lot more Trent here, and while I'll warn you not to expect the stars, I can say that I was left completely stoked to read the next one. Please, PLEASE tell me Rachel will eventually get it on with this damned elf! PLEASE! “You are pathetic, Rache," Jenks said, and my eyes darted to the top of the rack and I saw him standing there, hands on his hips and frowning at me, his wings a silver blur. "Rachel and Trent, sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G. No wait, it was a hospital room, and he had his hands on your ass and you had your tongue down his throat. I can see why you might be confused.” I know I focus on the romance too much. Sue me...it's my nature. The story here is ongoing crazy with regards to Rachel's identity...she's now officially a demon, not a witch. And boy, does that cause a ruckus. Everyone wants the demon blood. Powerful magic there. Also, Al is unaware that Rachel is alive still, and since she's wearing Trent's charmed bracelet, Rachel remains hidden from the demon world. That also means that she's completely cut off from magic, which poses a major problem for her. Magic has always been such a huge part of her life.So many, many different species coming together and befriending Rachel, I can't help but anticipate a major show down eventually. Pixies, fairies, elves, witches, vampires, weres, demons, gargoyles...I know I'm missing some. But boy, don't you just FEEL it coming? One more thing that has finally (finally, FINALLY, FINALLY) happened: Ivy and Rachel no longer have that weird sexual attraction for each other...gah, that went on for way too long...nearly the entire series, and it skeeved me out. Like...either do it or don't, but get on with it, already! They noved on, and I'm ever so thankful.I listened to the audiobooks...this series is amazing on audio...the narrator flat out rules.This series is so multi-layered and well done...any fans of Urban Fantasy should absolutely read it. It's funny at times, with characters that end up feeling like family. By the way, does anyone know where all of these Trent Kalamack quotes are coming from? Am I missing some extras or some teasers or something? I want inside Trent's head!!!!!

The 10th volume of the series is somewhat different, more "mundane".After the events in the 9th volume, Rachel is back in Cincinnati and lets the demons think she’s dead. How? Well, Trent made her a special charmed bracelet that blocks most of her magic. And if this sounds like the neutering the council had threatened Rachel with, it’s because it more or less is. At least it’s voluntary and can be undone.After some recuperation, the IS is moving in to get Rachel’s help with a string of gruesome murders that turn out to have been the work of an old, radical group of magic-hating humans. They are trying to find a way to eradicate all Interlanders and they want to use demon magic to do it - which means they need demon blood. Which Rachel has.What could possibly go wrong, right?!Despite the mystery itself not being all that mysterious (on purpose), there was a twist to it in the end, which I very much appreciated.I wasn’t too worried about Rachel enjoying mundane life, to be honest. She needed some downtime and, more importantly, needed to find peace within herself. She especially needed to find out that she actually LIKES and NEEDS her particular kind of magic instead of being all sad about not being like everybody else. Nothing better to make you crave something than to take it away for some time.The scenes where Rachel, Jenks and Ivy (and Wade and Glenn) worked together, trying to solve the murder mystery, were quite cozy. Just like when we visited Ceri and the elven children. So maybe we readers needed a little palette cleanser as well.Moreover, not just knocking it out of the proverbial park with magic nobody else has also ensured we got another look at the kind of powers the other Interlanders have and I really enjoyed that. Oh, and Rachel’s and Wynona’s ingenuity when they were taken hostage by the human terrorists.But the most satisfaction came when (view spoiler)[Rachel finally took the damned bracelet off and thus stopped putting herself on a leash and practically changing who she is (hide spoiler)]. It didn’t hurt that (view spoiler)[she did it together with Trent and them working together was … entertaining (hide spoiler)]. Besides, we finally needed to make some headway with the demon situation. My best bet still is that the big conflict in the end, what this has all been about, is (view spoiler)[genetics (hide spoiler)] and how (view spoiler)[Rachel will be the key to curing vampires and "healing" what the different species have done to each other throughout history (hide spoiler)].Therefore, while not as perfect as most of the previous volumes, this was still very satisfying and wonderful.

The coven has recognized that Rachel Morgan is a demon. Al and those in the ever-after believe she's dead and she's wearing a spelled bracelet made by Trent that prevents her from doing ley line magic and keeps her out of the demon collective. But all is not well. As far as the government is concerned Rachel is dead, so she can't even get a driver's license or her car registered in her name. And it turns out that since demons don't live in this reality, there aren't any laws protecting their rights. Both David and Trent are working on that for her.When leaving the DMV office after a great deal of aggravation, she's called into a back office where Nina, a live vampire, channels an unnamed dead vampire Rachel encountered once before; the head of the I.S. They'll make sure she gets her driver's license if she'll go to a murder scene with them. It turns out someone had twisted a demon curse to transform a witch into a very malformed demon that died a horrible death and the I.S. thought perhaps it had been Rachel's doing. It turns out this is the third body found. Against their wishes, Rachel responds to their blackmail attempts by calling in the FIB since this falls under their jurisdiction. It's the first time the two agencies work together.HAPA is a group that hates anything not human and a sub group has escalated into doing magic themselves to more effectively combat their enemies; and they need Rachel's blood to create their own demons to fight the battles for them.Rachel is so worried about protecting her friends that she fears having the bracelet removed, even though Trent is trying to talk her into it. Al believes she's dead; he's going to be rather angry and Rachel fears being made to live full time in the ever-after. But what she finally realizes is that her fear of being whom and what she is is crippling her.Trent and Rachel's relationship is slowly building. Very slowly. Don't expect a lot of progress to be made on that front, although considering how she's always felt about the "drug lord/murderer," it really wouldn't make sense for her to suddenly open her heart to him. I assume that will eventually happen. In the meantime it's somewhat fun to see the one step forward and two steps back dance she's taking, and we're still learning about Trent.She still makes some stupid choices, but more often than not she's actually thinking before she leaps. We do see some growth on her part. And she's realizing that Jenks and Ivy are moving on with their lives and she needs to as well.What I really love about this series is that Rachel is constantly growing and the direction in the series gets adjusted every few books to match Rachel's growth and what's important to her. It keeps the series fresh. We also get issues that appear to be either black or white until you begin to see the other side. This also adds to Rachel's growth while she balances new understanding with her own rigid morals.After reading the first two chapters I realized I didn't remember enough of the last book, especially that last 20% or so. I couldn't recall that she'd died, why Al thinks she's dead, or getting the silver bracelet which most think was put on her by the coven. Since this is so important to the story I went back and reread A Pale Demon before going further in this book.Reviewed for Amazon Vine Voice

Ever since I finished the amazing and phenomenal Pale Demon, I have been counting the days until I could get my hands on this book. Pale Demon was epic: huge action, major personal developments, and a sweeping array of the major characters in the Hollows universe. A Perfect Blood went in a decidedly different direction.The first half of the book was hard for me to connect with. Rachel is being very introspective about the events of the last book and attempting to live her life without the benefits of ley line magic. She has been staying away from Trent and trying to find her footing in society now that she is "out" as a demon. As the story begins, she is called in by the IS to consult on a horrific serial killer case, with overtones of demonic magic. It turns out the bad guys are actually trying to turn witches into demons, hoping to use their blood to twist curses. Rachel jumps into the case with both feet. This is partly to avenge the victims, but also partly because she knows she could be an ultimate target. She already has the perfect blood they need.In the meantime, Rachel is sporting a new were-bodyguard --and having angst over the fact that Ivy and Jenks seem to be moving on in their lives without her. And all I could think to myself is: this would be so much better if Trent or Al were around. Trent made an innocuous appearance or two early on, but I kept wanting to skip ahead to get to the part where the spark comes back. The book just wasn't doing it for me --until Rachel gets put in big danger around the half-way point. That's when the sun came out from behind the clouds.And from then on out, the book rocked. I became more invested in the storyline involving the killers. Al finally made an appearance. And we see more of the "real Trent" beyond his businessman facade. Is there romance? Well, it's complicated. And sometimes ambiguous. And riveting and exciting and frustrating. Rachel is at her best when she embraces who she really is and what she really wants. That's true when she's kicking ass and when she's navigating through her personal relationships. It just took her awhile to get to that point in this book. 4 stars.*ARC Provided by Harper Collins

Great Hollows Re-Read!While I didn't like this one as much as the ones right before it or the ones after it, the Hollows as a whole is a truly fantastic series. So what didn't I like so much, if I liked just about everything else about it? A certain bespelled silver charm. The whole decision to wear it or have to deal with all the BS in the less powerful human or interlander world really stuck in my craw. So much of what happened in this book might have been slightly less horrific and internally conflict-laden or ... just WRONG ... had Rachel just CONTINUED to own up to what she is. You know, like she had owned to it in the previous book. This backsliding was just painful to watch.Of course, then we wouldn't have met a few great characters along the way and enjoy (I use the term lightly) a bit of incarceration, but that's beside the point. It just feels wrong to the character and everything she had gone through.I know, I sound rather hard on the book, but that doesn't change the fact that I had a great time with the rest of it and the quality didn't decrease. I'm particularly enjoying Trent's developments. The investigation and the bad guys were pretty great, too. If it wasn't for the neutering bit, I probably would have raved about this book with all the others.

Wow! What a fantastic read! A PERFECT BLOOD has absolutely everything you have come to expect from a Hollows novel: humour, mystery, magic, romantic elements, danger, adventure, friendships and so much more.A lot of series would be losing steam and momentum by their tenth book. Not so for The Hollows. Instead, it feels more like Kim is finally getting to have a bit of fun by letting some of the seeds she's been sewing come into fruition and it marks some exciting changes on the horizon, as well as some potentially sad and poignant ones.The characters in this series are some of the most diverse and interesting I have ever come across. And any writer that can make me go from hating a character in one book, to having me jumping up and down in fangirl excitement every time he steps on the page in recent books, has my utmost respect. Yes, of course I am talking about the delectable, incorrigible, part-time businessman, part-time badass, all the time pain in the ass, Trenton Aloysius Kalamack. There is yet more development of his character in this book, as if the huge steps he made in the previous one, Pale Demon, weren't epic enough. This time we get to see Trent when he's relaxed, Trent when he's having fun, Trent when he's furious and many other Trent's that we haven't ever seen before because they were hidden underneath his professional façade of political bullshit. I loved every single one of his scenes in this book and I'm so excited to see what else Ms. Harrison has up her sleeve for the elf you love to hate and hate to love.The rest of the supporting characters were excellent too, of course. We saw all the usual faces and returned to many familiar settings which was nice after the departure we took in Pale Demon. Rachel is back in her church trying to lay low and take some much needed me time after the hell she went through four months ago. She's also got a new bodyguard- a Were named Wayde, whom I though was an okay addition to the cast, and who now lives in her belfry. We also saw quite a bit from David and, if anything, this is probably the character and relationship I understand the least. I think from what I've read on Kim Harrison's website, the werewolf angle was something she would have liked to have addressed in more detail, but decided against it when she plotted out the Demon/Elf/Witch story arc for the remaining books. So now David feels a bit surplus to requirements within the series. I was glad to see she got her werewolf tattoo sorted out, but it had a definite "tying up loose ends" feel to it.Jenks has some great moments and one-liners as always. Still worshipping the almighty Tinkerbell in all of her red-thonged glory. There wasn't a great deal of Ivy and it's made clear that Rachel feels they might be drifting apart. I wish I could say that really, really bothers me, but to be brutally honest, their relationship has always seemed to have an unhealthy balance to me, so I'm glad Ivy is moving on a bit and isn't quite so focused on Rachel. That doesn't mean Rachel is happy about it, though. It's more like something that she has accepted as inevitable, but still finds very sad. There were a few more new characters introduced as well but I shall leave them for you to discover yourself. They were very intriguing, though. As was the mystery plot. There was truly not a dull moment throughout.There may be a slight upset for Al fans as he has very little screen time in comparison to others, but for me, again, this wasn't so much of a problem because I'm all about the elf.All together, a wonderful addition to the series. Easily Pale Demon's equal and one I look forward to re-reading again next year while I wait impatiently for "Ever after" to come out in early 2013.

This review can also be found at https://carolesrandomlife.com/This was another great installment in a series that is quickly becoming a favorite. Rachel can’t seem to catch a break. She can’t get her car registered with her new demon status and she is being asked to help figure out who is behind a string of ritualistic murders. To keep Al from pulling her into the ever after, she is wearing a cuff that has essentially cut her off from her powers which isn’t going to make the job any easier.After the events in the last book, Rachel’s father has sent a bodyguard to help keep her safe but she isn’t always cooperative with the endeavor. The group that is committing the murders needs some of Rachel’s blood so she is in more danger once again. There is a master vampire attached to the case that isn’t making things easier for anybody. It was great seeing everyone work together to solve the case. All of the key characters play some kind of role in this story, even Al makes an appearance before the book draws to a close.Marguerite Gavin does such a great job with this series. I love the voices that she uses for all of the characters and how she is able to bring this whole world to life. Her voice really is perfect for the series and I have had no trouble listening to her narration for hours at a time. I can definitely say that her narration added a lot to my overall enjoyment of this story.I would recommend this series to others. I would recommend reading this series in order since each book picks up shortly after the events in the previous installment. This was another exciting story and I cannot wait to see what Rachel must face next in this series.

*Re-Read July 2015*Okay, I think I got over my melancholy. These books are going by so damn fast! *sniff* I'm still not ready to finish the entire series. Maybe if I drag out the remaining three books for, say, yet another year? *sigh* Yeah... Maybe I didn't get over my melancholy after all. Anyway. I think I loved this book more now than the first time I read it. Maybe I got older and wiser too and I could see it in a different light, or whatever. :)) Despite the scary action Rachel and the gang is confronting here, this one is more focused on personality, growth, acceptance, moving on, rediscovery, that sort of thing. It's a lot of looking back, accepting things for what they are and the impact they have, and moving forward. Everything and everyone is evolving (which is a good thing of course, but I still feel nostalgic, knowing that things will never be the same again). I felt good, and I began to smile, feeling the fear of the last month finally start to dissolve. I’d been hiding from myself for a long time, thinking that by ignoring the parts I didn’t like and couldn’t change, I could deny them. Even when I’d admitted they were there, I hadn’t accepted them. Only now, when I understood who I was and took responsibility for my mistakes, did it all feel balanced, and as I looked at the faces around me, I felt a kinship that I’d never felt before—even if I didn’t trust Al.Looking back, it feels like things have changed sooo much and they kinda came back full circle. Rachel has to investigate and solve crimes that remind me of the cases the gang worked on at the beginning of the series, but much more horrific this time and with a more personal effect. The same key people - Jenks, Trent, Al, Ceri, Ivy, though not as present - are going along for the ride, and we can see the change and evolution in all of them too. There's also some new characters introduced here, to give the story more dimension I suppose, but the overall idea is clear. We're moving on to a new beginning, some relationships become stronger and others move back to the background, which makes me feel relieved, happy and depressed at the same time. And I may have been on Team Trent from day one, and I may or may not have developed a slight obsession for him over the years LOL, but seeing these new sides of him and this weird relationship/dance/will they, will they not thing with Rachel still throws me. My instincts always told me we'd get here eventually, but seeing them interact, animosity aside, working together, kicking ass, then being all flustered and not knowing what to do with themselves, but obviously being pulled to each other, is surreal and extremely funny to be honest. I love them! Crap, he looked even sexier now, more relaxed, more accessible—more off-limits.***His energies mixed with mine, gathered in my chi until there was enough for him to ease me back into alignment with the rest of the universe. It was colored from his soul, both light and dark, mixing without mixing, swirling with my natural energies until the two were one. And finally it reached the tipping point. With a wrench, I felt a tug, and like two drops of water, my soul was realigned with reality. Trent’s eyes flashed open, wide and wondering as his chanting stopped. “My God,” he whispered, suddenly tense and shocked. The heat of the charm lay in his eyes, the promise of what could be—what might be if I could trust another with my heart again. And it hurt me knowing it wasn’t mine. ***I need to do something with my hands, I thought, forcing my arms down from around my middle. “Well, I want some coffee,” I said as I reached for the coffeepot. “I, ah, haven’t had time to wash the sweats yet. Do you need them back right away?”Oh my God, what am I doing? He doesn’t care about a pair of sweats! *giggles****We’d always looked good together, though clearly apart even when standing next to each other. That I was in a nasty pair of sweats and he was in a casual suit didn’t dispel the feeling of alone-apartness I again felt. Always alone. Both of us. :'(

Pretty solid book. Entertaining, still funny and I love Rachel's interactions with the other characters.In, A Perfect Blood, Rachel, Ivy and Jenks must work with the FIB and the I.S to find a human hate group who were conducting magical crimes against witches in order to make Demon blood. This book is filled with interactions and adventures with Trent, which is becoming the cornerstone of the books, replacing Ivy and Jenks as Rachel's main partners, which is interesting.My only problem with the Hallow's series is that we are in book 10 and Rachel and Trent are STILL not together. It's obvious that they are endgame and that their feelings have evolved, but how much longer must we wait? Rachel has literally lived through hell for 10 books. The only time she was remotely happy was when she was with Kistin and Kim Harrison killed him off quickly, so that Rachel can never have a moment of happiness. It's time. It's time for Rachel and Trent to be a team in every way that matters.