THE MORTAL BONE (Hunter Kiss #4) by Marjorie Liu

THE MORTAL BONE (Hunter Kiss #4) by Marjorie M. Liu

THE MORTAL BONE is 7th storyline and the 4th novel in Marjorie M Liu’s Urban Fantasy Hunters Kiss series.

FROM THE WEBSITE: The Hunter Kiss series is about the last living demon hunter on earth — a woman covered in living tattoos that peel off her body at night to form her own personal demonic army — an army that is her only family, dedicated to saving her life — and destined to end it.

Maxine Kiss is a demon hunter, a warrior and according to the 5 Reaper Kings-she is their Queen. But Zee and the boys (the Reaper Kings) have literally been torn from her body by an unknown force that left her injured and filled will pain and heartbreak. With their bond broken, Max is once again mortal in a world of demons and monsters. And the longer the boys are separated from Max, the more violent and vicious they become. The one saving grace, should Maxine get pregnant her daughter will not have to bear the demon burden that has been passed down for 10,000 years.

Grant Cooperon is Max’s soul-mate and her husband. As the last Lightbringer, his power to heal will be tested many times with each encounter against the demon hordes that attack his wife. But when a demon searches for Max, the gift that is presented represents more than a piece of glass stone-The Crystal Skull is one of 13, each with a power of its’ own, and the Skull looks very familiar to Max.

Throughout the storyline, Max and the boys continue to cross the void hoping to find a clue as to what happened between their bonds. And finding someone who knows the whole truth is harder than they think. Each demon Clan has a different story to tell, about the Reaper Kings and the death and destruction they have caused throughout the millenia, and now that they have been ‘released’ from bondage, their reputation has put fear and loathing into every demon they have crossed. The separation from Max has opened the veil between the worlds, allowing the prison walls to crumble. But it is the new Vessel that will truly put fear into the demons, when she fully comes into her powers. The sharing of their souls will make a prisoner out of Max just as the Kings were held prisoner by a 10,000 year old curse.

Zee and boys were keeping Maxine in the dark. Revealing the true nature of their bonding, Max and Grant are stunned to learn that the Reaper Kings were once the Vessel of power that controlled the demon kings, and now that the power has been transferred to another, the demon clans are refusing to follow their new Queen. The boys will continue to take Max on a journey of discovery but meeting with Old Wolf and the Messenger will reveal more to Max and Grant than they could have imagined. Not only is Max destined to save the world, but Grant has some new found abilities as well. With power comes responsibility, and to abuse that power could put everyone as risk. Choices must be made.

THE MORTAL BONE is a fast paced story that reveals Maxine’s history through a retrospective look at the demon history and the ramifications throughout the demon worlds. Knowing that your destiny has already been chosen is never easy, but to learn the fate of mankind is now in the hands of a mortal woman, is something no one would ever have suspected.

Although I strongly urge everyone to read the series in order, I am eternally grateful for authors like Marjorie Liu when they include plenty of the major background information from previous storylines. New readers to the series are less likely to find the storyline confusing, if they happen to read out of order. Another great storyline from Marjorie Liu.

Reading Order
1. Wild Thing (Anthology)
2. The Iron Hunt (Book #1)
3. Darkness Calls (Book #2)
4. Armor of Roses and the Silver Voice (enovella)
5. Inked (Anthology)
6. A Wild Light (Book #3)
7. The Mortal Bone (Book #4)

LINKS TO ORDER:
Amazon Kindle
Amazon Books
KOBO
The Book Depository
B&N Nook and Paper Books

Reviewed by Sandy