Killing Rites (The Black Sun's Daughter, #4) by M.L.N. Hanover

Nov 14, 2011 Jen (Red Hot Books) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arcs, black-suns-daughter, urban-fantasy

Well, we finally know for sure who the Black Sun's Daughter is --and Jayné has some really tough decisions to make. Now that she realizes she is carrying a rider within her, her first impulse is to get it out. But things are much more complicated than a simple possession. This entity has saved her bacon over and over again. Jayné must struggle with the true nature of the spirit and she questions the right course to take.

Ex is a big force in this story. Aubrey and Kim have been phased out. Chogyi...more

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Nov 29, 2011 All Things Urban Fantasy added it

Shelves: reviewed-by-julia

Dealing with unknown powers and conflicting agendas is the bread and butter of the Urban Fantasy genre, and Jayné Heller is a master among masters. Heir to dual a legacy of magic and fantastic wealth, I have enjoyed watching Jayné with all of the changes in her life, both magical and mundane. Almost all of her financial and worldly needs can be met through a simple phone call to the “ask no questions, anything you need” attorney that Jayné inherited along with her uncle’s money, but when it come...more

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Jan 25, 2012 Shelley aka Gizmo's Reviews rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011-releases, urban-fantasy, borrowed-library

*Rating* 3.5
*Genre* Urban Fantasy

*Review*

At the end of Vicious Grace, Jayné discovered or felt that she may have a rider that keeps her from harm and is actually making her stronger rather than fading away like magic normally does.

In Killing Rites, the fourth novel in the Black Sun’s Daughter series by MLN Hanover, Jayné discovers that yes; she does in fact have a rider attached to her and needs to understand when or how it happened to her. Thanks to her Uncle Eric who has now been dead for 18 m...more

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Jul 01, 2012 Ruth rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: spec-fic

C2011. FWFTB: priest, rider, well-meaning, teacher, powerful. I felt I had to continue with the series as although I did not think much of the preceding book, it ended on such a cliff hanger that it was beyond me not to find out more. This is the best book in the series. The pace is excellent and the main character is not so whiney and self absorbed as in the previous books.A lot of “holes” get filled in and takes the story to a different and unexpected ending. “But you know me,’ I said. ‘If an...more

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May 03, 2012 Vanessa rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-you-should-read, urban-fantasy

Over a year ago when Jayné Heller's uncle died, he left her as his heir. Little did she know at the time that she'd be inheriting the equivalent of a small nation in money and property. Then she spent the next year learning what Uncle Eric really did for a living: he hunted riders, the demons or malevolent spirits that take over human bodies and minds. As a result, not only does she take over his fortune, she takes over his job. She has no idea what she's really getting into.

After three complete...more

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Apr 22, 2012 Dark Faerie Tales rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed-by-sheila

Review Courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales

Quick & Dirty: Our heroine discovers the differences between good and evil, and all the grey areas in between the two. This book has lots of theological and philosophical debates followed by good ole-fashion demon fighting.

Opening Sentence: “So Miss Jayné,” Father Chapin said, pronouncing my name correctly: Zha-nay.

The Review:

When I started this series, I had no clue why it was called the Black Sun’s Daughter. After the three prior books, this is the one t...more

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Apr 14, 2012 Ami rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: urban-fantasy-paranormal-futuristic, 4-and-half-stars_rating

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Jan 09, 2012 Siew Ee rated it 5 of 5 stars

It’s finally revealed in the fourth book why MLN Hanover named this series “The Black Sun’s daughter”. This goes to show that the author had the series planned out nicely before embarking on his writing project. It’s really gratifying to read something that you know is not a waste of your time because the author has put in effort and thought into the writing process. I hope that the fifth book and other sequels, if any, keep to the high standard shown so far.

In “Killing Rites”, we get to know ab...more It’s finally revealed in the fourth book why MLN Hanover named this series “The Black Sun’s daughter”. This goes to show that the author had the series planned out nicely before embarking on his writing project. It’s really gratifying to read something that you know is not a waste of your time because the author has put in effort and thought into the writing process. I hope that the fifth book and other sequels, if any, keep to the high standard shown so far.

In “Killing Rites”, we get to know about the rider in Jayne, her attempts to exorcise it and her sudden turnabout in that particular decision and why. We see Ex take centre stage in this book and we learn about his history and the reasons he renounced priesthood. I had expected a fierce battle between Jayne and her rider for domination of her body but that’s not the case. A minor dissatisfaction with the ending though - it was a little too simple, and lacked the chilling, nerve-racking excitement found in Book 3 (which incidentally, is the best book in the series for me).

“Killing Rite” also explores the relationship between Ex and Jayne, something which I have been waiting for since Book 1. Not that I had something against Aubrey, but somehow I feel that Ex is the better guy! He is not perfect, a bit of a drama king even, but his solicitude and protectiveness towards Jayne in this book will make readers root for him. However, those looking primarily for romance will be disappointed – the relationship between Ex and Jayne is tentative and fragile at best, but at this stage, taking it further would not have been right. There are a lot of issues our female protagonist has to iron out first, especially the part concerning her rider.

This is my current favourite urban fastasy series, and a small part of me am very glad that it does not involve vampires (there are many good vampire series out there, notably Charlaine Harris' Sookie Stackhouse series, but we need something else too!). I have always loved horror, especially in my younger days and in this series, I get a balance of fantasy, horror, romance and mystery. Seldom do I read a book where I get disappointed when I reach the last page, not because it’s not good, but because I wished it would just go on and on. It’s sad that Hanover’s series does not get the exposure and attention it deserves. Some improvement in the area of marketing, please!
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Dec 29, 2011 Teresa rated it 5 of 5 stars

Killing Rites is book four in Hanover’s Black Sun’s Daughters series. I do love this series and I’m glad that it seems that it won’t come to an end. I can’t wait until next November to see if there will be a new book and to find out what Jayné Heller and her friends do next.

In every Black Sun’s Daughter book we see Jayné and the crew in a different city, in book one Unclean Spirits they are in Denver, book two Darker Angels has them in New Orleans, and book three Vicious Grace takes them to Chic...more Killing Rites is book four in Hanover’s Black Sun’s Daughters series. I do love this series and I’m glad that it seems that it won’t come to an end. I can’t wait until next November to see if there will be a new book and to find out what Jayné Heller and her friends do next.

In every Black Sun’s Daughter book we see Jayné and the crew in a different city, in book one Unclean Spirits they are in Denver, book two Darker Angels has them in New Orleans, and book three Vicious Grace takes them to Chicago. Which brings us to book four Killing Rites where Jayné and Ex, one of her friends, go to New Mexico, to San Esteban to be exact. Killing Rites is darker than the first three to me. We see Jayné leaving friends behind in Chicago and trying unsuccessfully to deal with the aftermath of what she had to do in Chicago. Kill an innocent to save the world from madness. Not only is Jayné dealing with murdering someone but she has decided/figured out that there is a rider inside her. A rider is a demon who hides in a human’s body that sooner or later takes control of the human. We learn about riders in book one Unclean Spirits. When Jayné and Ex, Ex is a former priest, decide to remove her rider they try to Santa Fe and stay at one of the properties that Jayné inherited from her, bastard of an Uncle, Eric. Calling Eric a bastard is being polite as you’ll find out if you read the Series. If you’ve read it then you know.

In Killing Rites Jayné and Ex, come home to Ex’s former life. They left Chogyi Jake, Aubrey and Kim back in Chicago. Aubrey and Kim are working on getting back together after Eric split them apart. Chogyi Jake is/ was recuperating from the battle at Grace Memorial Hospital. With their friends out of sight they become intimate but not in a sexual way. Ex as we know has feelings for Jayné hasn’t figured out if she has the same feelings for Ex. However their feelings are just a subplot in this book, and it’s far from romantic because before Chogyi Jake arrives Ex puts Jayné through hell, literally. Ex was a priest who was in a group sanctioned by the Vatican to preform exorcisms. Ex as we learn was one of the best but something happened and he left the group. Yes we learn what happened within the pages, but it’s a biggie so I can’t give you that detail. Now he’s bringing Jayné to them too remove her rider. This doesn’t go the way they were hoping and hell pretty much breaks lose.

Before the shit really hits the fan Jayné meets up with an old friend Midian Clark, a vampire, and they have along conversation about everything that’s been going on. He gives Jayné some advice, but at that time it’s not, really taken as such. When Jayné returns to the church, Ex and the priests preform part of an exorcism trying to remove her rider unsuccessfully. This is when things get hairy and shit hits the fan. Here Jayné must turn away from her last remaining friend to save her life and others. She goes back to where she found Midian and finds that he has disappeared. Now she’s truly alone and has to make a plan when she doesn’t have money, id, a cell phone or a car, thankfully she’s able to get a hold of her lawyer for help. Jayné makes a plan, not a very good one, but at least she mat one and heads out to make Ex and his friends believe her even with a rider inside her. She does get a little luck when she learns that Chogyi Jake has arrived, even though he’s with Ex. Chogyi, however doesn’t tell Ex when he talks to Jayné and he sticks to Jayné’s side when he can. This is where things get interesting and while the book is full of action. At this part of the story we get the most kick ass action.

I can’t finish telling you what happens in the book, but there are more riders in this book than any other. We do find out who the rider in Jayné is finally and now things make a little more sense. The hider is who protects Jayné when trouble comes and they come to an understanding to save those who need saving. In the end not all conflicts are settled but that’s okay because we know what Jayné, Ex and Chogyi Jake are trying to do, and we have an idea on where they will most likely be traveling next. Since we know where they will go next, it seems like next November will be a good month. Hopefully book five will be released so we can find out what happens next for Jayné. Maybe she’ll find the answers that have plagued her or at least better answers. This truly is an Urban Fantasy you don’t want to miss.
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Dec 25, 2011 drey rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011-reads, urban-fantasy

I flew through Vicious Grace, the third book in M.L.N. Hanover’s Black Sun’s Daughter series, and couldnd’t wait to continue Jayné’s story…

drey’s thoughts:
Oh Jayné. After the events in Vicious Grace, she goes off with Ex to lick her wounds and heal. The physical hurts are so much easier to recover from than the guilt, and the resulting nightmares gives her plenty of sleepless nights to ponder everything that happened – to David, to Chogyi Jake, and to Aubrey and Kim…

Try as she might, Jayné can’t...more I flew through Vicious Grace, the third book in M.L.N. Hanover’s Black Sun’s Daughter series, and couldnd’t wait to continue Jayné’s story…

drey’s thoughts:
Oh Jayné. After the events in Vicious Grace, she goes off with Ex to lick her wounds and heal. The physical hurts are so much easier to recover from than the guilt, and the resulting nightmares gives her plenty of sleepless nights to ponder everything that happened – to David, to Chogyi Jake, and to Aubrey and Kim…

Try as she might, Jayné can’t get over the fact that her uncle wasn’t all goody-two-shoes after all. And when she realizes that she might be carrying a rider, she confides in the only friend still around, who then takes her to his old companions – a group of priests who perform exorcisms. Which is where things get dicey.

Because Jayné isn’t the only one carrying around a load of baggage.

Killing Rites gives us a lot more background into Ex’s past and introduces us to Sonnenrad, the Black Sun’s Daughter. Yes, of the series title. It’s about time, isn’t it? What follows is more complicated than a mere exorcism, and the storytelling excels and the cast of characters shine. Jayné herself starts off in a whiny mess, and grows up quite a bit. Ex has demons to get rid of – both physical and emotional. And the priests all have their strengths and weaknesses. But the star of the story has to be the eight-year-old girl we meet. I know it’s not going to happen, but I’d love to see more of her.

If you know my reading taste, you’ll know that I like my heroes and heroines to grow with each installment. In that respect, I think this is the best book in the series so far. Nothing like some bad news coupled with some major bad-ass mojo to make a girl sit up and take stock. Determining the lesser evil is hard enough to do when there aren’t lives on the line. When there are, well, do as Jayné does and get on with it already.

Killing Rites satisfies with its plot and its characters. What else could you ask for?

drey’s rating: Excellent!(less)

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Dec 17, 2011 Jennifer Estep rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: urban-fantasy

Killing Rites by M.L.N. Hanover is the fourth book in The Black Sun's Daughter urban fantasy series.

Jayné Heller has realized that her body is not her own and that there is a rider, or demon, living inside her. Despite the powers that the rider gives her, Jayné wants it out of her body. With her friend Ex, who is a former priest, Jayné goes to New Mexico in hopes that an exorcism will help her. But during the exorcism, Jayné discovers that there is something worse than her rider, something that...more

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Dec 14, 2011 Bookaholics rated it 4 of 5 stars

Killing Rites by M.L.N. Hanover
Urban Fantasy –Nov. 29th, 2011
4 stars

As the fourth in the Black Sun Daughter’s series, this is the most exciting and intense installment! Jayne finally learns secrets behind her powers and the author reveals the enigmatic past of the ex-priest, Ex.

Jayne Heller suddenly inherited power and wealth with the death of her mysterious uncle. She is violently and quickly introduced into the deadly and seedy world of riders who take possession of people. Jayne and her hired...more Killing Rites by M.L.N. Hanover
Urban Fantasy –Nov. 29th, 2011
4 stars

As the fourth in the Black Sun Daughter’s series, this is the most exciting and intense installment! Jayne finally learns secrets behind her powers and the author reveals the enigmatic past of the ex-priest, Ex.

Jayne Heller suddenly inherited power and wealth with the death of her mysterious uncle. She is violently and quickly introduced into the deadly and seedy world of riders who take possession of people. Jayne and her hired crew have gone to help innocents to rid them of malevolent riders who take over humans and use them for their own purposes. But their last battle left them disbanded, and Jayne finds that she may have more trouble than she can handle. She and her friend Ex strike out on their own to discover if her powers are actually the result of her being possessed by a rider herself! Since all she has known are evil riders who cause damage and terror, Jayne is apprehensive. Ex takes her to his old mentors - priests who specialize in finding devious riders and removing them. But Jayne finds herself troubled and wondering if a rider can be good. Plus Ex’s attraction to Jayne complicates matters. Is Jayne possessed and if so by what?
This was a rousing good read. The finest in the series by far. I loved the secrets behind if Jayne is possessed or not and by whom. The tentative relationship between Ex and Jayne is also fascinating since Jayne broke up with her previous boyfriend and is vulnerable. Plus Ex has a white knight syndrome that comes from failing another woman who looks very similar to Jayne. This book also seemed more exploratory and less dark than the author’s previous books, which I found a bit gory at times. I also liked that Jayne has to really strike out on her own and becomes more independent. But the best part is the intriguing question, can a rider be good?
Fast paced, darkly thrilling and featuring a snarky heroine who grows on you, this is my favorite in the author’s series.

Reviewed by Steph from the Bookaholics Romance Club
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Dec 11, 2011 JenniferJ rated it 4 of 5 stars

I am getting frustrated but a good kind of frustrated. I want Ex and Jayne to hurry up and get together but maybe it's better this way letting them take their time because she is still kinda on the rebound with Aubrey and Ex is well he's Ex.... but to get on with my review; this was a very happening book! Jayne realized that she did in fact have a rider and worked with Ex and some of his old comrades to try to disperse it but during the ceremony something goes wrong and she tries to let them kno...more

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Nov 30, 2011 Lisarenee rated it 5 of 5 stars

"Spells are magic," I said, "And Magic fades. You told me that. Magic fades, and I'm getting stronger."
"All right," Ex said.
There should have been a flash of lightning, a crack of thunder. The rain just kept dripping. The TV show went to commercial. I felt Ex's gaze on me like I was a puzzle he couldn't quite fathom. I took a deep breath, sighing it out slowly. When I spoke my voice sounded weirdly calm and matter-of-fact. You know. All things considered.
"I think I have a rider." (from Vici...more

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Nov 28, 2011 Myvampfiction rated it 4 of 5 stars

Reviewed by SarahBella

*Warning: possible spoilers ahead.*

Killing Rites is the fourth book in the Black Sun’s Daughter series by M. L. N. Hanover.

“Jayné Heller has discovered the source of her uncanny powers; something else is living inside her body. She’s possessed. Of all her companions, she can only bring herself to confide in Ex, the former priest. They seek help from his old teacher and the circle of friends he left behind, hoping to cleanse Jayné before the parasite in her becomes too power...more

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Nov 29, 2011 Brenda rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal

I've read the first four books in the past couple of weeks, and I thought instead of reviewing each book separately, I'd review them all together. It really is just one long story, complete with cliffhangers at the end of each book. Normally I like my books to be a little more standalone, but since I had the first four in front of me, it was easy to read one right after another. But now I have to wait for the next book, and the waiting will be hard.

Jayné is a great lead character. She's smart an...more I've read the first four books in the past couple of weeks, and I thought instead of reviewing each book separately, I'd review them all together. It really is just one long story, complete with cliffhangers at the end of each book. Normally I like my books to be a little more standalone, but since I had the first four in front of me, it was easy to read one right after another. But now I have to wait for the next book, and the waiting will be hard.

Jayné is a great lead character. She's smart and sarcastic, and best of all she's a strong woman that doesn't have to have a man do everything for her. And she's pretty funny. My favorite line of the series came from book 1:

"How do you lose a minivan?" Midian said as I walked into the living room.
"There we were running down the highway, and I said 'Holy shit, Kim, I think I know why we're getting so tired.' Look, if it's important, I'll buy us another one."

This line also serves as an example of the writing, and yes, there is quite a bit of language, so if you're bothered by that, you don't want to read this series. It's a fairly gritty series, and not what I'd call "clean reading" at all.

The nice thing about this series is that, on the surface, it's just a fast-paced, easy to read urban fantasy story. You can get through these books pretty quickly, and they're really enjoyable. But if you dig a little deeper, there's a lot to think about and some different themes to be found. Like what makes a family and how do you know you can trust the people in your life, good and evil and if there are shades of grey. There is even some religion here, since we have an ex-priest, and Jayné, whose parents were deeply religious evangelicals, who has become almost anti-religion. It's an interesting dynamic.

You don't come across many urban fantasy/paranormals that are written by men, and although this one is, it's really not that different from a lot of others in it's genre. I liked that there wasn't a whole lot of romance, and Jayné was there more to kick butt than to find a man. There is a lot to like here, and I highly enjoyed the whole series. I'm very much looking forward to reading more.

Killing Rites is out today, so be sure to get your copy, and if you haven't yet read the first three in the series, get those too. You'll want to read this series in order. Grade: B+ (less)

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Nov 27, 2011 Cheryl rated it 4 of 5 stars

Jayne is possessed with a demon. Her and Ex are in search of some priests to help perform an exorcism on Jayne. While, Jayne does not want the demon or likes the thought of if the demon was to completely take over, Jayne does have some mixed feelings about the exorcism. Jayne’s friends want to help but she pushes them away for their safety.

To fully appreciate this series, you really need to read these books in chorological order starting with book one, Unclean Spirits. There is not a lot of pri...more

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Nov 26, 2011 Kristin (MyBookishWays Reviews) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: urban-fantasy

You may also read my review here: http://www.mybookishways.com/2011/11/...

I love this series. I mean, I really, really love it. Killing Rites is the fourth book in the Black Sun’s Daughter series by M.L.N. Hanover, and if you haven’t read the first three, you may find yourself a bit lost with this one, only because quite a few of the demon terms will not be familiar, and Jayne’s journey up to this point is very important to the events of this book. After the events in Vicious Grace left one of h...more You may also read my review here: http://www.mybookishways.com/2011/11/...

I love this series. I mean, I really, really love it. Killing Rites is the fourth book in the Black Sun’s Daughter series by M.L.N. Hanover, and if you haven’t read the first three, you may find yourself a bit lost with this one, only because quite a few of the demon terms will not be familiar, and Jayne’s journey up to this point is very important to the events of this book. After the events in Vicious Grace left one of her team injured and Jayne’s heart broken, she sets of with Ex (ex-priest and all kinds of sexy), to hopefully get rid of the little something extra she seems to be carrying with her. This extra would be a “rider” or demon. Usually riders are not something you want, but Jayne’s seems to be a bit unique in that it has saved her life on numerous occasions (which makes sense, since it’s a parasite, and a parasite wouldn’t want to kill its host), it seems to have been with her a LONG time, and eventually, it saves the life of another. Nice side effects of the rider are super human strength and agility, but is it worth the trade-off of possibly losing herself? Ex takes her to his former mentor, in the mountains of Taos, where they hope to get a handle on Jayne’s demon and possibly rid her of it for good. Only, what they discover in the group of priests could change the game permanently.

The Black Sun’s Daughter series is one of the best UF series out there right now, and it’s unfortunate that it hasn’t gotten more attention. M.L.N. Hanover is a pro (he also writes under other names), and he never has a problem taking the books to the next level. Killing Rites focuses on Jayne learning more about her rider, and herself. Make no mistake, though, there’s plenty of action, and there are some particularly awesome scenes involving a demon possessed eight year old girl (she’s got a rider called a Filth Licker, which is exactly what it sounds like *shudder*) who eventually becomes a key part of their mission. There’s also tons of unresolved sexual tension between Ex and Jayne. It’s no secret Ex has a thing for her, and Jayne seems to be coming around to him as well (fingers crossed), especially since she broke up with wet noodle Aubrey in the previous novel. I’m sorry, Aubrey was a nice guy, but he was no Ex. We also get some time with Midian, vampire and one of my favorite characters, and his dog Ozzie, who tends to sort of steal the scene a bit. Killing Rites is told from Jayne’s unique viewpoint, and I felt myself sympathizing with her rider, who rises to the occasion more than once. It also doesn’t hurt that Jayne has her dead Uncle Eric’s vast fortune at her fingertips, especially when she has to go on the run from Ex and the priests and prove that a more malevolent presence than her rider is at work. I read this one in one sitting, seriously, I couldn’t put it down, and if you haven’t discovered it yet, run to your bookstore or download for instant gratification and read them all the way through. You won’t regret it!(less)

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Nov 22, 2011 Krystal rated it 5 of 5 stars

Jayne once again faces a difficult decision. She has learned that she is harboring a parasite; however, that parasite has saved her life on more than one occasion. In fact, the parasite aka a rider may even be the source of her unusual powers. Jayne turns to her friends and deep thought before she makes a move concerning her new found problem.

Aubrey is completely gone from this novel, to be expected, of course, as Jayne had broken up with him in the third novel. Ex is a driving force in this no...more

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Dec 31, 2011 Alexia Chantel rated it 4 of 5 stars

“...When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. “ Romans 7:21

Jayné is a person who has been working for the greater good, but hidden deep inside her is evil. As with so many things, evil is in the eye of the beholder. For Jayné and Ex their definitions are not the same.

The fourth book of The Black Sun’s Daughter is a great fast paced read that will have you feeling a little like your watching The Exorcism of Emily Rose or any other exorcist movie. But unlike any of those movies Hanover...more

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Nov 29, 2011 Hazel G. (I ♥ Mr. Grey) *Craves the Angst Reviews* . rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: urban-fantasy, favorites

Killing Rites is the fourth book in the Black Sun's Daughter series by M.L.N. Hanover. I wish I could give half stars as well as whole ones because this would easily be a 4.5 star. I really enjoyed this book. I read it in one day, in one sitting, because I just couldn't put it down. This series started out a little slow, but had quickly picked up speed with books two and three, to be set on fire with book four!

This story picks up two months after Vicious Grace (book 3), in which Jayné Heller has...more Killing Rites is the fourth book in the Black Sun's Daughter series by M.L.N. Hanover. I wish I could give half stars as well as whole ones because this would easily be a 4.5 star. I really enjoyed this book. I read it in one day, in one sitting, because I just couldn't put it down. This series started out a little slow, but had quickly picked up speed with books two and three, to be set on fire with book four!

This story picks up two months after Vicious Grace (book 3), in which Jayné Heller has to try and move forward after the horrible events that happened in Chicago's Grace Memorial. Emotionally strung out from those events, her psyche torn, and deep in shame from thinking she has a rider inside her, she sets off with Ex, unwisely leaving the one person who centers her, Chogyi Jake, behind to heal from his wounds in which she feels responsible. Aubrey and Kim are no longer in the picture as they are trying to pick up the pieces of their broken life. Decidedly, Ex and Jayné head out on their two person mission to expel the rider she believes is living inside her, calling on Ex's past "family" of demon fighting priests to help. We get a lot of great back story into Ex's history and why he left the priesthood. We eventually get Chogyi Jake back into the story and we even get a few pages with our favorite vampire, Midian as he returns just in time to give Jayné some sage advise.

Hanover really takes us deep into Jayné mind and we get a closer look at who she really is as well as getting a deeper understanding of whats inside her. We meet the Black Sun's Daughter and we find a little about the riders moral character. Ex is very prominent in this book and becomes somewhat of a love interest. I loved that! In the first two books, his character wasn't really developed and he seemed a bit annoying at times as well as sullen as he sulked over his unrequited crush on Jayné. So seeing his character "man up" and diverge from that was great! Up until book three, Aubrey was Jayné's love interest but he always seemed way to fragile for the life they were trying to lead. Ex quickly became my hero in this story as he took care of Jayné and tried to protect her. My only real complaint is Hanover kept bringing Ex into a romantic light, or tried to, and then failed to actual progress that part of the story. I was disappointed there wasn't more to this aspect since it kept being brought up in the pages. It just seemed lacking and I kept expecting something, anything, to happen.. it just fell flat. Maybe in the next book....

My only other complaint is the ending and the "final showdown" was just.... anticlimactic. I was expecting something bigger. Without giving to much away, the odds were huge, but the events were small.

Overall, this book was great and a terrific next step in the series. I would definitely recommend reading it. Its got loads of action, a lot of character development, drama, some very cute moments with a dog named Ozzie and there were some scary parts as well. Possessed kids always freak me out! I do recommend reading these books in order though or you might get a little lost in the events and back story. Go get you're copy! You wont regret it!(less)

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Nov 27, 2011 Julia rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, fiction, arcs, urban

While this series still remains a bit weak in the romance department, stellar world building and other relationships more than make up for that fact. I don't think I would even think of the romance angle as a weakness if the author didn't keep trying to play that card. I skipped straight from book one to KILLING RITES and had no difficulty picking up plot. Hanover is unparalleled in moving both plot and mythology forward simultaneously, and the friendships started in UNCLEAN SPIRITS look like th...more

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Jan 03, 2012 Holly rated it 4 of 5 stars

Jayne and Ex are on the road after the horrible events in Chicago leading them to think she has a rider. They are hiding it from the rest of the group while they travel the world looking for someone to confirm that she is possessed and can have someone remove it. They end up in new Mexico where Ex's old priest family who perform exorcisms reside. While they are there jayne helps them and discovers stuff the priests missed. She also learns more about ex's past and about her rider.
so we learnedly...more

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Jan 23, 2012 Shara rated it 4 of 5 stars

The premise: ganked from BN.com: Jayné Heller has discovered the source of her uncanny powers: something else is living inside her body. She’s possessed. Of all her companions, she can only bring herself to confide in Ex, the former priest. They seek help from his old teacher, hoping to cleanse Jayné before the parasite in her becomes too powerful. Ex’s history and a new enemy combine to leave Jayné alone and on the run. Her friends try to hunt her down, unaware of the danger they’re putting her...more

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Mar 20, 2012 Sherri rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: update-2012, demons, favorite-series, part-of-a-series, read_2012, urban-fantasy, vampires

4.5 Stars
Killing Rites by M.L.N. Hanover is the fourth book in The Black Sun's Daughter urban fantasy series. For those of us that have been reading this series, Killing Rites is a goldmine; of information that is. Finally we get some answers that are much deserved!

Jayné Heller realized at the end of Book 3, Vicious Grace, that her body is not her own and that there is a rider, or demon, living inside her. Jayné wants to get of the rider and recruits her friend Ex, a former priest, to help her b...more 4.5 Stars
Killing Rites by M.L.N. Hanover is the fourth book in The Black Sun's Daughter urban fantasy series. For those of us that have been reading this series, Killing Rites is a goldmine; of information that is. Finally we get some answers that are much deserved!

Jayné Heller realized at the end of Book 3, Vicious Grace, that her body is not her own and that there is a rider, or demon, living inside her. Jayné wants to get of the rider and recruits her friend Ex, a former priest, to help her banish it. Jayné and Ex head to New Mexico to meet a secret sect of demon fighting priests that should be able to drive the rider out of Jayné’s body. Ex used to be a member of this priesthood before he left under mysterious conditions.

I have to say that I enjoyed the world building and location of this book. Hanover’s descriptions of the environment are often breathtaking and I often felt that I was on the mountain with Jayné or in the adobe church. As far as the characters, Jayné is a likable character who's dealt with a whole lot of crap loaded onto her since the series’ inception. She has been a solid and central character, however; the supporting cast is where I think the series creates its greatest interest.

Killing Rites narrows down that great supporting cast, and in my opinion suffers from their missing presence. However, if Hanover’s goal was to deepen the relationship between Ex and Jayné, that does happen. In the previous books, their relationship has never been one of the stronger ones; but there has been sexual tension and that attraction is only more intense by the end of the book. I can’t wait to see what happens next for Ex and Jayné.

The pacing of the book was a bit slow for about the first half of the book. There are a lot of discussions between Ex and Jayné and the priests, while they search out information on the rider. The second half of the book picks up, as the action to banish the rider heats up. Since I don’t want to give away any spoilers, I can only tell you that if you have wanted answers in this series, then read quickly because this is where the good part begins.

Killing Rites is a true urban fantasy; if you are looking for romance that this is not a series for you. For you UF junkies, if The Black Sun’s Daughter has not been on your reading list, I suggest you add it to the pile.(less)

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Nov 24, 2011 Laura the Highland Hussy rated it 3 of 5 stars

http://www.demonloversbooksandmore.co...

This is a darker, grittier series than I normally would go for, but I really got into it. Jayné realized that she’s been winning fights that she shouldn’t have been the victor in. Her demon hunting skills are way off the charts. This can’t be normal, right?

She is pretty certain she has a “rider” in her body (she’s possessed by a demon). But a lot of this book is internal. She isn’t able to have the rider exorcised from her body, at least not immediately, s...more

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Dec 09, 2011 Melissa rated it 5 of 5 stars

Oh this one was hard to put down. This was Jayné's journey into herself. She finds out things about herself and what she is willing to do by becoming her own advocate instead of a victim. She gets the big answer she asked herself in the cliffie and now it's time to decide what to do about it. Hard choices and zealotry combine into impossible choices. Is she willing to believe in herself when no one else will? How will she prove her innocence... and is she truly innocent? In fact, as many questio...more

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Mar 08, 2013 Michelle Cummings rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: urban-fantasy

I think this series keeps getting stronger, but I have a couple of nits to pick. The first is that Jayne can get anything she wants, at anytime, because she is richer than some nations, and has a lawyer on retainer who can get it for her - car, clothes, condo, shoes, you name it, she can have it pronto. I can suspend my disbelief about this, because the storytelling is so good, but it doesn't sit well with me. However, I had a huge problem at the end. (view spoiler)...more

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Jan 04, 2012 Jessica rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: adult, favorite, urban-fantasy

If you are a fairly constant reader of my reviews you know that Vicious Grace, the previous book in this series, was fairly hit or miss for me. I ended my last review hoping for something new to come in and sweep me off my feet in the next installment. Well my friends, I got my wish. Hanover didn't just sweep me off my feet in Killing Rites, he full body carried me into the story and I went willingly.

What do I say about Jayné that I haven't said yet? She's a mix of a lost youthful woman and a ki...more If you are a fairly constant reader of my reviews you know that Vicious Grace, the previous book in this series, was fairly hit or miss for me. I ended my last review hoping for something new to come in and sweep me off my feet in the next installment. Well my friends, I got my wish. Hanover didn't just sweep me off my feet in Killing Rites, he full body carried me into the story and I went willingly.

What do I say about Jayné that I haven't said yet? She's a mix of a lost youthful woman and a kick ass, quick thinking heroine who will take you down in a heartbeat. How could you go wrong? Jayné's character comes back with a vengeance in this installment in the series, and everything I loved about her before is back full force. She isn't perfect, but she's come to terms with it. She doesn't always make the best decisions, but she's learned how to work with that. Her little family is falling apart, but she's understanding how to cope. Now she has a rider and that is one thing she can't make heads or tails of at all. Watching Jayné work her way through this new, much more personal, problem, really brought my love back in a strong way.

One thing that really struck me about Killing Rites in contrast to the other books, is how strong religion plays into the story. In all the other books Jayné talks about her religious past, and how she had made a personal decision not continue it into her adulthood. Hanover never takes one side or the other, but just makes sure that the reader knows that Jayné isn't the religious type. In this book though, it's there in vivid color. Jayné finds her way into the center of a group of priests, and the ideas of God, demons and salvation are all over the place. For me personally this wasn't a problem. I have an open mind and know my stance. For others, this might hit a nerve. Just fair warning.

The backdrop for this book is New Mexico, and the barren desert really fits perfectly into the story. It's even used as a metaphor multiple times for Jayné's feelings, which I thought was perfection. In terms of plot, this story takes off running and doesn't look back. So many tiny puzzle pieces, the things that kept me wondering before, are put into place in this book. The reader finally finds out why this series is called The Black Sun's Daughter. (No, I won't tell you, go read the series.) Also, for the first time in a long time, Jayné is able to confidently stand on her own two feet. Hanover has been slowly taking her allies away and I've wondered why. Now I see it. In Killing Rites Jayné has to rely on her own cunning and resolve, and I must say she does a pretty amazing job of it.

All in all? The Black Sun's daughter is a solid series. This is the last book, for now. The fifth book isn't slated until May 2013, and I can honestly say it's going to take a lot out of me to wait that long. I'm happy to have met Jayné and her companions and I wait eagerly for more of their story. Until then, a huge thank you to M.L.N. Hanover for bringing me into the world of Urban Fantasy, however unwilling I originally was. If you haven't dipped your feet into the UF genre yet, this is a great place to start. Go pick up Hanover's first book and dive right in!(less)

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Dec 24, 2011 Lorri rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This was my first time reading any of this author's books and I have to say, it won't be the last! I was hooked from the very first chapter. It doesn't matter if you haven't read the previous three books, it won't leave you lost and wondering what is going on. Jayne is an interesting kick butt character. She finally realizes why she has powers--she is possessed, and the only person she trusts to help her is a former priest. They work together to try to get rid of what is possessing her, but when...more

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Killing Rites (The Black Sun's Daughter #4)

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