A Perfect Blood

This one was very good. I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 because with so little Algaliarept, it just doesn't quite make the 5-star level in my rating system. I liked the traditional bad-guy hunting/mystery this novel contained & I like the directions the main characters seem to be going in. Ready for 2013 & the next!

This review is also featured on Behind the Pages: A Perfect Blood

Someone is leaving the bodies of witches around the city. But these aren't simple murders. Each one has died halfway through a transformation, their bodies unable to handle being turned into a beast. When Rachel is called to the latest scene, she discovers that a human hate group is to blame. And if a group that is against all magic and the creatures of The Hollows, is starting to twist curses to kill them, they're in trouble. But Rachel may be in over her head. She's still wearing her charmed silver and refusing to use her power.

I'm back to continue my Hollows reread, and I can honestly say I remembered nothing from A Perfect Blood! It was great revisiting the characters and diving into the book as if it were my first time reading. There are quite a few key points of realization for Rachel in this one.

Kim Harrison never fails to come up with a new way to introduce her characters to the world of readers. Instead of Rachel, Ivy and Jenks constantly going on the same kind of runs and battling the same kind of adversaries, she jazzes it up every single time. Picking up a book from The Hollows, you won't know what you're getting yourself into, but I guarantee it will be fun. Dealing with a human hate group while Rachel is experiencing the aftereffects of the world realizing what she is, and still struggling to define herself, was the perfect set up.

Some readers have issues with Rachel's attitude in this book. She's questioning herself a lot more, and she is handicapped due to her charmed silver. But while she isn't slinging magic at people, she is still fighting for what she believes in. Yes, she is hiding from making a decision, but if you had the moment to be free of something that kept dragging you down, wouldn't you want a break too? If anything, this book brings readers back into focus and realizing that Rachel isn't just a powerhouse character. She is realistic in considering her options and attempting to accept the new responsibility that is resting on her shoulders.

A Perfect Blood is still just as action-packed as the previous novels, but it requires Rachel to think more outside of the box. The tension and conflict within these pages keep the pages turning, and readers will be amazed at the turn of events. I love every moment of this series.