Review: Black Howl by Christina Henry

Title: Black Howl
Author: Christina Henry
Series: Madeline Black #3
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Release Date: 02/28/12
Reviewed by: Sara
But the Book:

Summary:

Something is wrong with the souls of Chicago's dead. Ghosts are walking the streets, and Agent of Death Madeline Black's exasperating boss wants her to figure out why. And while work is bad enough, Maddy has a plethora of personal problems too. Now that Gabriel has been assigned as her thrall, their relationship has hit an impasse. At least her sleazy ex-fiance Nathaniel is out of the picture -- or so she thinks...

Plot: 5 Stars
This series just keeps getting better and better. The storyline that involved the wandering ghosts was very unique, and of course, Maddy ended up in the middle of it without even trying. The plot was an emotional rollercoaster with all of its twists and turns, and was heartbreaking at times. I really enjoyed how the different plotlines twisted together more and more as the story progressed. I wouldn't describe the ending as a cliffhanger, but there was definitely a detail that has left me anxious for the next installment.

Pace: 5 Stars
There was never a dull moment during this novel. Maddy had more than enough on her plate. Between tracking down the missing werewolves, trying to figure out what was making certain ghosts act so strangely, trips to both Amarantha's and Lucifer's court, and hopping through numerous portals, there was barely time to breathe. And get Beezle more junk food.

Characters: 5 Stars
Maddy has gained a bit of confidence as this novel progressed and started commanding a bit more attention from those who had previous waved her off. This novel had even more Beezle. He went everywhere with Maddy, instead of staying home to guard the place. He complained for junk food and warned against falling into horror movie tropes constantly, and I loved it. Gabriel and Maddy's relationship continued down its complicated, hot and cold path. JB grew on me a little more, even if he was still a bit insufferable when it came to paperwork.

Cover: 4.5 Stars
The covers for this series have also gotten better and better. I like that there's still a vague reference to Maddy's wings, but it's not as noticable. Instead, your attention is drawn to the abstract shapes in the background, which are very intriguing. They blend into the background enough not to draw too much attention from the background, but stand out enough to catch the eye. The cover is a bit more purple than blue, when compared to the previous installments, but the blue titles draws the three together. The cover model is standing with more and more confidence with each cover, and she really looks like she could kick your ass on this cover. The sword comes across as more of an extension of her arm, which is reminiscent with the novel.

Overall: 5 Stars

Disclosure: I received a copy of this novel for review.