The Snarkology: Kim Harrison's EVER AFTER || The Hollows #11 || Excerpt

Sunday, November 24, 2013

Kim Harrison's EVER AFTER || The Hollows #11 || Excerpt

EVER AFTER

The Hollows, #11

Publisher: Harper Voyager

Publication Date: October 29, 2013

Formats: eBook, Mass Market paperback

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Witch-turned-daywalking-demon Rachel Morgan needs to save the demonic realm of the Ever After in the eleventh entry in the New York Times bestselling Hollows series from supernatural adventure master Kim Harrison.

When Rachel sets off a chain of events that could lead to the end of the world—demonic and human—she must use her gifts to save those closest to her while preventing an apocalypse.

Satisfying and sexy, a visit to the Hollows will take readers on a wild journey that will capture their imagination. Fans of Charlaine Harris and Stephenie Meyer won't be able to resist Kim Harrison's alternative universe—urban fantasy Cincinnati complete with vampires, witches, and other enchanting creatures—where spine-tingling adventures and fast-paced action are the norm.

BOOK DESCRIPTION:

The ever after, the demonic realm that parallels our own, is shrinking, and if it disappears, so does all magic in our own. It’s up to witch-turned-daywalking-demon Rachel Morgan to fix this, before life utterly changes for the worse.

Of course, there’s also the small fact that she caused the ley line to rip in the first place, and her life is forfeit unless she can fix it. And that the most powerful demon in the ever after--one who eats souls--has vowed to destroy Rachel, and kidnapped her friend and goddaughter as leverage. If Rachel doesn’t give herself up, they will die.

Rachel must team up with elven tycoon Trent Kalamack--a prospect both thrilling and dismaying--to return to the ever after and rescue the hostages, then keep both worlds from being destroyed.

Excerpt:

“Mind games?” I breathed, and Trent looked up as if hearing me across the distance. His eyes met mine briefly in acknowledgment, then went back to the manager. “No, I want her across from Managed Detail, not out of his sight,” he was saying, gesturing to a stable hand. “Where he goes, she goes three steps behind. We made progress, but it will mean nothing if she thinks the rules only apply on the track.”

The stable hand lugged a bucket of water out, and Tulpa nosed him before dropping his head and sucking it in.

“I want Red right across from Managed Detail in a box stall,” Trent said, his eyes again flicking to me. “He is to be lavished with attention for at least an hour starting now, and then special treats on the hour until sunset. I want her so frustrated and jealous that she does exactly what Ben tells her next time.”

Mind games . . .

“Yes, sir,” the manager said, squinting up at him, and we all looked at a fiery-tempered horse only now coming into the paddock. She was high stepping and beautiful, her jockey needing every ounce of his attention to keep her in bounds. Frustrated? I’d say she was that already. It was obvious to me she was pissed she’d been held back when everyone else got to go back to the stables.

The wailing of an ambulance drew my attention to the nearby service road, and everything became more serious. Squinting at it, the manager sighed. “She’s not a bad horse, sir.”

“She’s magnificent.” Trent frowned as Red squealed and snapped at the horse next to her. “But if she doesn’t learn that playing with others is more fun than playing alone, we will be the only two to know it.”

“Trenton . . .” Ceri cajoled, a hand to her eyes. “The sun is getting hot, and the girls will be napping before we get to the woods.”

Trent raised his hand acknowledging her, then turned back to his manager. “We’re done with practice. Tomorrow take her and Managed Detail on a ride and let them go. He has more endurance and can bring her to exhaustion. She’ll gate next time.” Pulling Tulpa together, he angled to the gate between the two paddocks. A stable hand ran to open it. Turning, Trent looked over his shoulder. “Treats every hour!” he reminded him. “Don’t forget. And I want a call as soon as you know how Ben’s collarbone is.”

The manager jotted a note on his clipboard. “Yes, sir.”

“And keep her away from everyone else. I want Managed Detail her best frenemy.”

The older man smiled. “Yes, sir. Enjoy your ride.”

Molly barely moved an ear as Trent rode up, but my heart gave a thump. Blinking, I looked away, pretending to fix my boot but taking sideways glances at him. Damn, he looked good, his trim physique usually only hinted at behind a suit defined and definite in the jeans and button shirt he had on. I think normally he would be in full English garb but he had dressed down either for gate practice or me. I didn’t mind. I rather liked seeing that wisp of chest hair and his muscles moving behind his shirtsleeves. Ray looked sweet beyond description in her sturdy pale green riding dress complete with white leggings, soft boots, and matching hat, happily playing with the bells woven into Tulpa’s mane. Seeing her there only layered “paternal” over everything and hit just about every button I had. No. Working for Trent would be a mistake. A big mistake.

Buy Links:

HarperCollins Publishers

Amazon
Barnes & Noble

Books A Million

Indie Bound

Author Bio:

New York Times bestselling author Kim Harrison was born and raised in the upper Midwest. Her bestselling Hollows novels include Dead Witch Walking, The Good, The Bad, and The Undead, Every Which Way But Dead, A Fistful of Charms, For a Few Demons More, The Outlaw Demon Wails, White Witch, Black Curse, Black Magic Sanction, Pale Demon, A Perfect Blood, plus the short story collection Into the Woods and The Hollows Insider. She also writes the bestselling Madison Avery YA series.

Contact Links:

Twitter: @BurningBunnies

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KimHarrisonsHollows?fref=ts

Website: http://www.kimharrison.net/

Blog: http://kimharrison.wordpress.com/

TOUR GIVEAWAY DETAILS:

Kim's publisher is giving away FIVE paperbacks of EVER AFTER (US RESIDENTS ONLY)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Kim Harrison's EVER AFTER Book Blast 10/29 - 11/30

10/29 Bibliophile Mystery

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