Black Magic Sanction

I remember the earlier books as being more fun, but this one certainly was better written and it felt like it mattered more. Rachel has grown up, as have her friends. The stakes are higher now than they were in the first books, she's grown in power, and now she's going up against a coven of powerful white witches who are determined to see her stripped of her powers and permanently confined in a solitary prison for life - or some of them are.

Seeing Rachel try to figure out who she could trust and what her mistakes might cost the people she loves was touching. In earlier books she felt very young and fairly callow, and I really didn't care much for her. She's much more likable now, which surprised me. That speaks well for Harrison.

Best of the series so far.

Rachel is bearable in small doses. One book every few months, no more. She can come with a clever idea, but why, for instance, would she ask Al to get her summoning name back, and then question everything he did to do as she asked? I do wonder sometimes that Al did not strangle her, no matter how valuable she is :->.