About a month ago, I received an advance review copy of Kim Harrison’s upcoming release in the Hollows series, Black Magic Sanction.  This is the eighth installment from one of my favorite urban fantasy series on the market.  The writing is intelligent and well-styled.  The plots feature more paranormal fantasy, action and mystery than gratuitous sex and romance, but the relationship scenarios that are developed are believable and tastefully done.  The characters (which include witches, vampires, pixies, demons, gargoyles, werewolves, and elves) practically burst forth from the page, full of life.

I’ve been deliberately waiting until closer to the February release date to read and review it.  Every time I sit down at my desk though, I see it on top of my priority review pile, and I’m tempted to just grab it and stay up all night reading it straight through.  When my three-year-old daughter noticed it on my desk just now, she picked it up and asked if that was a picture of me on the cover.  (Clearly, she already knows how to flatter.)

It’ll be in bookstores on Feb. 23, 2010.  Keep an eye out for my review within the next few weeks.