I received this book for free from the author as a free story in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Source: the author as a free story
"Trouble on Reserve"
by
Kim Harrison
It is part of the The Hollows #10.5 series and is a paranormal fantasy in eBook edition that was published by Voyager on January 1, 2012 and has 20 pages.
Explore it on Goodreads or Amazon
Other books by this author which I have reviewed include Dates from Hell, Pale Demon, Unbound, Something Deadly This Way Comes, 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, A Perfect Blood, "Pet Shop Boys", Into the Woods, Holidays are Hell, Ever After, The Drafter, "Waylaid", The Operator, The Turn: The Hollows Begins with Death, "Sudden Backtrack"
This is a very short story in The Hollows urban fantasy series that Harrison claims takes place between A Perfect Blood and the upcoming publication, Ever After. However, a number of people, including Harrison, seem to think it actually takes place during/after Ever After which isn’t due for release until January 2013. Don’cha just love certainty…!
NOTE: This is a free e-short only available as per my post on the sixth.
My copy was provided by Erika, a.k.a., VampireNovelFan. If you sign up to follow her blog…you too might be able to download a copy!
My Take
A really, really short story with only twenty pages! It’s just enough to raise questions and give Rachel plenty of time to whine to herself about how she’ll never work for Trent again. The same old story we hear in every story. Only this time, she’s added agonizing over the physical attraction she feels for Trent.
There’s a bit about Ellasbeth and her motives as well as Cormel’s.
I wouldn’t fuss too much over getting a copy. It’s only about 14 or so pages of actual story; some of that 20 is taken up with title page, credit page, etc. Nor do I think reading it ahead of Ever After will really make a difference. The slight bit of action in this is offset by dialog that has occurred to some extent in the earlier stories.
The Story
Life happens and Rachel’s irritation stems from Trent’s simply treating her like one of his horses.
Then there’s the electrical charge at the gate that Rachel realizes too late is a tag, making them an even easier target.
Only, who is the true target of the assassin’s bullet?
The Characters
Trent Kalamack is a billionaire elf, a drug lord, and a manipulator of illegal genetic medicine.
Rachel Morgan is a private runner providing investigative skills and, in this story, security for Trent.
The Cover and Title
The cover is pretty with its bright blue sky and twin flashes of lightning revealing the harbor and an overhead view of Cincinnati at night.
The title may well be a precursor of what is to come in Ever After as things heat up between Rachel and Trent or perhaps it will be Cormel losing patience with Trouble on Reserve.
