Every Which Way But Dead (The Hollows, #3)

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Every Which Way But Dead (The Hollows #3)

by Kim Harrison (Goodreads Author)

4.27 of 5 stars 4.27 · rating details · 33,761 ratings · 726 reviews

Rachel Morgan's back! Bestselling author Kim Harrison returns with a new supernatural adventure that fans of Laurell K. Hamilton and Charlaine Harris won't want to miss.

Some days, you just can't win. Witch and former bounty hunter Rachel Morgan's managed to escape her corrupt company, survive living with a vampire, start her own runner service, and face down a vampire mast...more

ebook, 401 pages

Published October 13th 2009 by HarperCollins e-books (first published June 28th 2005)

more details... edit details

Get a copy:

More…

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Lists with This Book

This book is not yet featured on Listopia. Add this book to your favorite list »

Community Reviews

(showing 1-30 of 3,000)

filter | sort: default (?) | rating details

Dec 06, 2010 Lady Danielle aka The Book Huntress rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: fans of female lead urban fantasy

Shelves: kickbutt-heroine, occult-detective, owned-copy, part-of-a-series, witch-sorcereress-healer, urban-fantasy, uf-summer-challenge, favorite-or-autobuy-author, demon, vampire, werewolf, heroine-i-liked

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. It's been a while since I last read a Hollows book, but it was good to be back. I like this world that Kim Harrison created. I like the mix of different species, and how complex their relationships are. I really like Rachel. She's down to earth, and flawed enough to be relatable. I like that she's self-conscious about her appearance, freckles and frizzy hair, and boyish figure. She seems like she'd be a nice person to know in real life. Although Rachel slips up in her inter-personal relationship...more

like 24 likes · see review

May 23, 2008 John rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Fans of supernatural adventure, anyone who likes the Rachel Morgan series.

Shelves: horror, fantasy

This, third, book of Kim Harrison's Rachel Morgan series has the weakest plot so far. On the other hand, the character driven scenes kept me reading, and when the plot finally got rolling in the last 30% of the book, I was frothing.

The book starts out with two problems presented to Rachel: A demon that she owes favors to has come to collect, and a new crime boss in town is making life difficult for everyone. After that, we get a lot of character development and the plot fades away, showing up n...more

like 8 likes · see review

Jan 18, 2012 Elphaba J rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Não vos vou mentir, este é o meu livro favorito da série até agora e qualquer reticencia que poderia ter foi completamente sublimada, estou absolutamente rendida á minha heroína do momento, Rachel Morgan.

"Antes Bruxa Que Morta" é um título poderosíssimo atendendo ao desenrolar da história e se há alguém que conhece de perto a morte é esta protagonista. Neste terceiro livro o romance ganha corpo, a acção é passada a outro nível e os momentos de tensão são desenrolados em cenas lentas e com um hum...more

like 3 likes · see review

Dec 11, 2010 Kat Kennedy rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: kat-s-book-reviews, the-great-shelf-of-meh

I have to deduct stars from this for several reasons. All three books so far have suffered from a shit-poor editing job and my inner editor constantly screams while reading them.

Then there's the fact that Rachel Morgan is just unbelievably stupid. Painfully stupid. So stupid that she shouldn't be allowed to live. So stupid that I don't understand why she IS alive.

I WILL read the next book because there're a number of things that intrigue me. However, if the next book isn't markedly better then...more

like 6 likes · see review

Feb 22, 2013 Susie rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Better than the first 2 but it still annoys me that she doesnt look into anything in more detail... Like... oh look, I am so good at ley line magic, I wonder why that is because I am an earth witch? & my Dad tried to hide this from me, I wonder why???

I also find it strange that Kisten has turned from a right dick to this really lovely guy who treats her soooo well??? Having said that I like that she is with Kisten... better than Nick I found that relationship really annoying because I just...more

like 1 like · see review

Mar 15, 2010 Lady Valee rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: urban-fantasy

I loved this one!
So much better than the first 2 books. I enjoyed every page of this book, although it took me much more time to read it.

Rachel is becoming stronger, which I love, I really want her to become even more powerful than she already is.
Nick didn't make an appearance after the first half of the book, which IMHO was the reason for why I adored this book much more than the first 2. He is a boring and irrelevant character and (even if I know it is a terrible thing to say) I wish he could...more

like 1 like · see review

Jan 19, 2010 Mel rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

3,5 stars
I must say this book was the best in the Hollows series I've read so far (4 more to go).

I like the Hollows series. It's funny, entertaining and exciting. I like Rachel, even though she likes to make things much harder for herself than they need to be. But still... in a strange way I can't fully connect with the books.
Where with Kelley Armstrong's Women of the Otherwold series I was really drawn to the characters and with Karen Chance's Cassie series I literally had to force myself to...more

like 1 like · see review

May 08, 2011 Debora rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fisicamente_posseduto, preferiti

Questo nuovo capitolo della saga “The Hollows” non delude minimamente le mie aspettative. Anzi. La trama, come sempre, è adrenalitica e intricata abbastanza da non permettere al lettore di allontanarsi. Impossibile staccarsi dalle pagine di “Le creature della notte” prima di aver letto l’ultima, proprio impossibile. C’è maggiore azione, rispetto al precedente e i personaggi abbandonano definitivamente la lieve rigidità che li aveva caratterizzati fino a quel momento.

Ormai il “team” collaudato ne...more Questo nuovo capitolo della saga “The Hollows” non delude minimamente le mie aspettative. Anzi. La trama, come sempre, è adrenalitica e intricata abbastanza da non permettere al lettore di allontanarsi. Impossibile staccarsi dalle pagine di “Le creature della notte” prima di aver letto l’ultima, proprio impossibile. C’è maggiore azione, rispetto al precedente e i personaggi abbandonano definitivamente la lieve rigidità che li aveva caratterizzati fino a quel momento.

Ormai il “team” collaudato nei primi due libri interagisce senza il minimo problema e con assoluta facilità. Gli intrecci dei rapporti fra le diverse razze è assolutamente intrigante e sensuale. Come il trio Rachel, Ivy e Kisten che nulla a che vedere con un “normale” triangolo. Se siete stanchi anche voi di trovare il solito schema lei, lui e l’altra/altro questo è il libro adatto per divertirvi ed affascinarvi. Il rapporto fra i vari personaggi è straordinario e la capacità dell’autrice di trovare sfumature diverse per ogni rapporto è assolutamente magistrale. L’introduzione di nuovi personaggi, come David il licantropo, non appesantisce minimamente la trama ma, anzi, rende il tutto ancor più interessante.

La capacità di Rachel di ficcarsi nei guai con i demoni è ormai appurata e stupisce sempre il lettore come, ogni volta, riesce a trovare un scappatoia grazie alla logica (dell’autrice) in situazioni apparentemente senza fuga.

Trent, da dispotico e sì, ammettiamolo, stronzo sta diventando sempre affascinante. Affascinante come trovi, intrigante, Rachel ma continui a dispetto di tutto e tutti a non fidarsi e a sfidarla continuamente. Sarebbero una coppia esplosiva… chissà.

Nick, per fortuna, pare che si sia tolto definitivamente dalle scatole. Non che fosse un “brutto” personaggio ma, semplicemente, non riuscendo a inquadrarlo neanche approssimativamente riusciva a scatenare semplicemente diffidenza e astio.

A questo punto non possiamo che attendere con ansia il quarto libro della saga con la speranza che, oltre a presente, l’autrice decida di svelarci qualcosa di più anche sul passato “comune” di Rachel e Trent.
(less)

like · see review

Apr 17, 2013 Karen Burch rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Spoiler alert

Every Which Way But Dead is the third book in the Kim Harrison Hollows series. The main character is an Earth Witch with a strong ability in ley line magic. In the previous book, Rachel promised to be Big Al's (demon from the Ever After) familiar while keeping her soul, in order for him to testify against Piscary, the Undead Vampire who is trying to have her killed. In Every Which Way But Dead, Rachel is trying to find a way to keep her soul and stay out of the Ever After, while st...more

like · see review

Apr 12, 2013 Miraphora rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: urban-fantasy

Se c'è una cosa che Fanucci dovrebbe fare è pubblicare questa serie più velocemente. Non dico di molto, ma almeno 7/10 mesi tra un titolo e l'altro mi sembrano onesti. Di questi tempi bisogna leggere le serie in sequenza con una certa regolarità, altrimenti si rischia di dimenticare i personaggi e il filo conduttore in mezzo a questa invasione editoriale di titoli paranormali. Aimé la Harrison, che mi piace moltissimo, scrive titoli che richiedono almeno 1 settimana di lettura perché sono lunghi...more Se c'è una cosa che Fanucci dovrebbe fare è pubblicare questa serie più velocemente. Non dico di molto, ma almeno 7/10 mesi tra un titolo e l'altro mi sembrano onesti. Di questi tempi bisogna leggere le serie in sequenza con una certa regolarità, altrimenti si rischia di dimenticare i personaggi e il filo conduttore in mezzo a questa invasione editoriale di titoli paranormali. Aimé la Harrison, che mi piace moltissimo, scrive titoli che richiedono almeno 1 settimana di lettura perché sono lunghi, corposi e coinvolgenti; aspettare più di un anno tra un libro e l'altro è deleterio. Io, poi, ho una memoria a lungo termine molto lacunosa e quindi mi appropinquo a questa serie sempre un pò disorientata. Mi ricordo perfettamente i personaggi e l'ambientazione - e questa la dice lunga sulla bravura dell'autrice - ma ho bisogno di qualche capitolo per racapezzarmi con la storia.
Una volta che ho superato lo scoglio 'remember remember' sono partita in quarta e non ho più mollato il romanzo. Rachel è un personaggio di quelli a cui ci si affeziona, simpatica e pasticciona quanto basta, umana e reale nei limiti e strega. Insomma, ha in sé un pò di tutto e riesce ad adattarsi alla perfezione ad ogni situazione creata dall'autrice. Anche in questo caso Rachel mantiene il suo carattere (la coerenza è uno degli aspetti che preferisco nella serie) e riesce ad assumere degli atteggiamenti meno da action woman e più da donna comune. Cosa succede in questo libro: Rachel si trova in una situazione difficile, il vampiro Piscary, pur essendo in prigione è una minaccia per la sua vita. Ivy, infatti, come suo vice sta perdendo sempre più la concentrazione e diventa sempre più una vampira fuori controllo. Rachel si trova a rischiare la vita sia in casa, sia fuori. Kisten, il vampiro discepolo di Piscary, la invischia in una questione di malavita: un nuovo soggetto sta mettendo sul mercato una droga per vampiri tagliata male, mandando a remengo gli affari di Piscary e quelli di Trent. In più Rachel rischia ogni giorno l'anima perché il demone Algalriept la vuole portare nell'Altromondo come suo famiglio. Ad ogni pagina succede qualcosa, se non è il demone è Piscary; se non è Ivy è Kisten - posso dire finalmente che Nick è una palla? - se non è Saladan è Trent e se non è Rachel è Jenks.
Se questo romanzo ha una pecca è, forse, la mancanza di una trama portante più elaborata. Sembra quasi che in questo caso ci siano tanti episodi uniti che vanno a formare una storia, ma purtroppo l'assenza di un filo comune di uno certo spessore di sente. Per questo non gli ho dato un voto altissimo, perché pur essendo piacevole a volte sembra quasi che non abbia uno scopo. D'altronde ora ci sono molte più questioni da risolvere e quindi la curiosità è aumentata a dei livelli mai raggiunti per questa serie. Spero che Fanucci non mi faccia aspettare un altro anno perché altrimenti mi viene la depressione.
Voglio sapere cosa succede e soprattutto lo voglio entro breve!(less)

like · see review

Feb 10, 2013 Eugene Gorodinsky rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

So. Up until Book #3 Ivy is the last of the Tamwood living line. In book #3 it turns out she has a sister. Still alive. Also a vamp. All common knowledge to everyone. And Ivy still is the last of the Tamwood living line? It appears the created setting is too complex even for the author to keep up. Apart from that though, the book gets a solid 9/10 from me. Rachel experimenting with magic kinda makes me excited. Maybe if there was more description on how she and Ivy prepared for the complex run (...more

like · see review

Nov 19, 2012 Matt Schiariti rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This series has a full head of steam and it just isn't letting up. I'm a little late to the party in that there's a bunch left to read yet, but I'm officially addicted to the universe Kim Harrison has crafted.

As far as the plot is concerned. That's difficult to nail down. It's not that there's so much of a main plot as there's many plots and side stories going on all at once but each and every one is fun and promises interesting things to come. So rather than call it a 'plot', I find it more of...more This series has a full head of steam and it just isn't letting up. I'm a little late to the party in that there's a bunch left to read yet, but I'm officially addicted to the universe Kim Harrison has crafted.

As far as the plot is concerned. That's difficult to nail down. It's not that there's so much of a main plot as there's many plots and side stories going on all at once but each and every one is fun and promises interesting things to come. So rather than call it a 'plot', I find it more of 'a few days in the life of Rachael Morgan'

In the absence of Piscary's presence, there's a shifting of power in the Hollows' underworld. There's a new player in town and he wants to take over the territory. How does this lead to Rachael? Ivy, her friend and roommate is Piscary's scion. She doesn't want the power or the responsibility so Kisten is back, acting as Piscary's stand in. At this point anything involving Ivy involves Rachael so she's smack dab in the middle of it.

Trent Kalamack rears his manipulative head once again as he's also embroiled in the turmoil of Hollows criminal underworld. Once again, how does this involve Rachael? Who better to run security for Trent during his meet with the new power in town than one of the best runners Cincinnati has to offer?

In the midst of all those goings on, Big Al is (pardon the pun) hellbent on dragging Rachael down into the ever after with him.

And during the course of all of THAT, Rachael's love life is thrown a curve ball so she has her own personal issues to deal with. Rachael is a busy little witch to be sure.

Old faces return, some are absent and some new and interesting characters take their places. What I really enjoy about these books (and I've said it before) is even the 'normal' day to day things are fun to read. In fact, they're as fun to read as any of the major or minor plot lines. I also love the way Harrison handles adult themes. She can write sexy material without being blatantly sexual. She can write interesting love scenes with a purpose that aren't there just to shock a reader or keep them titillated or being blatantly pornographic. That's something a long standing series in the same genre could take a few pointers from. Of course I won't name any names ;)

Overall, Rachael is just a great character to read. I see some reviews and critique blurbs state that it's similar to the Anita Blake series, and in some ways it is. I guess it's unavoidable being an urban fantasy dealing with some of the same themes and iconic fantasy characters (weres, vamps, witches, etc). So I see some similarities while reading this but I honestly find that this is much more enjoyable in my opinion. It remains fun yet serious and Rachael is a flawed yet well meaning character who's strong, funny, sexy and vulnerable and through it all she remains completely LIKABLE. It's funny when a witch comes off more human than some human characters I've read over the years.

A++ on this book and the series as a whole! (less)

like · see review

Sep 07, 2012 La La rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I'm currently on book three and I really don't know what to say. This series doesn't really do it for me but I feel deeply compelled to continue on hoping that it gets better. So far I find Rachel to be judgemental, a bit of a victim, and too stupid to live, yet she's suppose to be the baddest b^%$!. I don't see it. She's constantly getting her butt kicked and getting lucky in the end with the help of others. She can't stand Trent for his business dealings, drugs and biomedical research, which i...more

like 2 likes · see review

Aug 01, 2012 Heather rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: kindle, 2012

Book 3. Read 3/4 listened to last 1/4 on audio. Narrator Marguerite Gavin is pretty good but not great.

Library Description:
There's no witch in Cincinnati tougher, sexier, or more screwed up than bounty hunter Rachel Morgan, who's already put her love life and her soul in dire jeopardy through her determined efforts to bring criminal night creatures to justice.

Between "runs," she has her hands full fending off the attentions of her blood-drinking partner, keeping a deadly secret from her backup,...more

like · see review

Jul 15, 2012 Erics rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I read the first two books a long time ago so when I finally decided to read this third book it was like starting all over again. I thought it would be hard to get back into the series again as my interest had waned. Despite that, I got into it pretty fast and it was hard to put down. The male characters are all intriguing and their interactions with the main heroine, Rachel Morgan, are interesting. The book would have gotten 5 stars but I found myself getting irritated at the main characters. M...more

like · see review

Jun 13, 2012 Mary Davis rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Paranormal, Urban fantasy

Shelves: books-read-2012

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. B&N Synopsis:

"Some days, you just can't win. Witch and former bounty hunter Rachel Morgan's managed to escape her corrupt company, survive living with a vampire, start her own runner service, and face down a vampire master.

But her vampire roommate Ivy is off the wagon, her human boyfriend Nick is out of town indefinitely and doesn't sound like he's coming back while the far-too-seductive vampire Kisten is looking way too tempting, and there's a turf war erupting in Cincinnati's underworld.

An...more

like · see review

Jun 07, 2012 Susie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: urban-fantasy

I enjoyed the third more than the first two. Although Ivy still had creeptastic moments, she grew on me a bit more in this one. I guess it's because it's always awkward and uncomfortable when someone you see as your best friend is interested in more. I think this is where her feelings are, and I can't help but feel bad and uncomfortable about it. :/ I really liked and am curious about Ceri's role in future books and what her presence will mean to others of her kind.

Rachel irritated me less, but...more

like · see review

Mar 30, 2012 OpenBookSociety.com rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Reviewed by OBS Staffer Heidi.

This book is the third installment of The Hollows Series; that follows a bounty hunter witch, Rachel Morgan, and her two business partners, jovial pixie Jenks and tough as nails vampire, Ivy.

In this book; Master Vampire and leader of the underworld, Piscary, has been sent to prison thanks to Rachel and the testimony she convinces the demon, Algaliarept, to give. But with demons everything they give has a price and the price for this one’s testimony is for Rachel to...more Reviewed by OBS Staffer Heidi.

This book is the third installment of The Hollows Series; that follows a bounty hunter witch, Rachel Morgan, and her two business partners, jovial pixie Jenks and tough as nails vampire, Ivy.

In this book; Master Vampire and leader of the underworld, Piscary, has been sent to prison thanks to Rachel and the testimony she convinces the demon, Algaliarept, to give. But with demons everything they give has a price and the price for this one’s testimony is for Rachel to be his familiar, aka the being that he channels all his magic through to keep himself safe from harm. But in order for him to use her properly he must bring her into the ever after with him. There’s just one problem…Rachel negotiated to keep her soul, which means she has free will and refuses to go to the ever after with him. So if she won’t go willingly, then he’ll just have to bring her by force, if he can.

Meanwhile, Rachel’s relationship with her boyfriend, Nick, is going downhill fast and he leaves town. He says he’ll be back, but Rachel knows a brush-off when she sees one. So she does the only thing she can do…goes on a “platonic” date with her roommate’s very sexy and very deadly vampire friend, Kisten. Only to find out that he had an ulterior motive. He uses her as back-up, unbeknownst to her, while dealing with the guy, Saladan, who is vying to take Pascary’s place as leader of all things inderlander. When Saladan sends a coven of witches after them, Kisten is forced to fight, giving Rachel a glimpse of just how dangerous he can be. But she will always be grateful for him protecting her and keeping her alive during the whole ordeal.
And if all that wasn’t enough to keep her busy…she’s also been keeping a secret from Jenks. She knows what Trent Kalamack is, when nobody else in town can figure it out. When she lets it slip in front of Jenks that she knows, he quits and moves him and his family out of the church they all share. He is devastated that she didn’t trust him with the secret. Will she ever be able to convince him to forgive her?

After Saladan leaves Trent and Rachel, trapped on his casino boat to die, Rachel devises a plan to bring Saladan to justice. But she never expected him to take her into the ever after to finish their duel. It’s up to her to outsmart him and claw her way back to the other side and the ones she loves, before Algaliarept can sink his claws into her.

For the most part, I thought this book was pretty good. It has a much faster pace and more action than the two previous installments had. If you gave up on this series after reading books one and/or two….you should definitely give this series one more chance and try this one on for size…you won’t be disappointed!! It has a better plot, more action, and even a little romance thrown in for good measure.

I was hooked early on in this story…and this book made me fall in love with Kisten. You see a more tender side of him, and he brings in some more humor that I greatly enjoyed. I loved their date, even if he wasn’t being completely honest with his motives. I really hope that we see more of Kisten and Rachel’s budding relationship in the following books.

I did find the confrontation at the end of the story to drag on a bit…and that is the only thing that kept this from being great in my eyes…but it still is very good and is worth the time to read it. This is a book I could see myself reading over and over again.

http://openbooksociety.com/article/ob...(less)

like · see review

Mar 10, 2012 Vickie rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I was intrigued by the first Hollows book, but the second book took me forever to read. Granted, it was bedtime book fare, only there to ease my body into relaxation in short snippets, but it tended to bore me into sleep rather than me having to tear my tired eyes away.

I gave this 3rd book a try, and I did not find it boring. On the contrary, I found it infuriating. I found it crazy to think that the events of this book occurred in such a short time, Rachel being a witch or not. I think it's al...more

like 1 like · see review

Feb 29, 2012 zcb257 rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review contains some general spoilers.

I’m getting sucked into this little world of Kim Harrison’s. As with the last book, this one focuses more on the relationships rather than plot. It isn’t until almost the last third of the book that the plot comes in to play. That’s not to say that there’s no action, there’s tons throughout.

In this third book we find Rachel trying to avoid Alagiarept at all cost, and with the help of Ceri, the familiar she save from the demon, mostly succeeding. She ru...more This review contains some general spoilers.

I’m getting sucked into this little world of Kim Harrison’s. As with the last book, this one focuses more on the relationships rather than plot. It isn’t until almost the last third of the book that the plot comes in to play. That’s not to say that there’s no action, there’s tons throughout.

In this third book we find Rachel trying to avoid Alagiarept at all cost, and with the help of Ceri, the familiar she save from the demon, mostly succeeding. She runs until Big Al, figures out how to use Rachel, even with her soul. That is until Al’s plans for Rachel backfire, big time. So much fun to read!

As for Nick, in the words of Harry Dresden, I so called that one! In the last book, Rachel had accidentally made her boyfriend Nick into her familiar. While Nick did his best to ignore what was happening, his fear finally gets the better of him, after a particularly harsh pull of energy that Rachel pulled through him. At the beginning of this book we find that Nick has pulled away, and it’s been three months since they’ve had any real closeness. Rachel is doing her best to give him the space he needs, but apparently it isn’t enough, and Nick decides that he needs more physical room away from her. He leaves promising that he will be back as soon as he’s able, however Rachel, with the help of her friends, realizes that he’s just letting her down easy and she’ll never see him again. Enter Kisten, stage right.

In book 2, Rachel and Kisten had a very brief interlude, and damn was it hot! I like the two of them together, they make more sense then her and Nick. Nick kinda bored me, Kisten doesn’t. I’ve kept myself pretty much spoiler free for this series, and I really didn’t see anything further happening between the two of them though. Rachel’s convictions, and previous thoughts on vamps just didn’t make it seem possible, however, living with Ivy for almost a year has proven to her that not all vamps are blood thirsty monsters. Kisten comes into Rachel’s life with the full intent to seduce her, and makes no appologies for it. I think that straight up approach makes him the guy for her. If I thought their previous scene was hot, the one’s in this book are molten. I have no doubt though that now that Rachel has found happiness, Nick will be back to stir up some angst.

The plot slowly takes shape in this chapter of The Hollows. With Piscary gone, and Kisten only pretending to be his scion, other powers are trying to weasel into the void. Rachel is tasked not only by Trent, but Takata to take care of this up and comer. So between dodging Al, insulting Jenks, and taking care of an insurance claim, Rachel’s got a lot to juggle. If you haven’t dived into The Hollows yet, I’m getting to where I highly recommend it!

This review is also posted to my blog at: http://adventuresinmiscellany.wordpre... Check us out!
(less)

like · see review

Dec 19, 2011 Holly rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Nick has not been present much the past few months, really hurting Rachel and just having her feel a little lost. He has not been dealing well with his accidentally becoming her familiar but not communicating with her about it and becoming a little suspicious secretive about other things as well. With Nick gone and Rachel reading between the lines and seeing that he isnt coming back decides to go on a date with Ivy's vampire friend Kisten. They all think its a bad idea but she wants to feel want...more

like · see review

Jul 06, 2011 Meagan rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Once again I was charmed by Rachel Morgan's wit, imperfections, and (let's face it) luck. I was happy to return to the universe crawling with inlanders and to learn more about them, politics included. I liked the two new character editions and what they brought to the plot. I was a little disappointed in the more Romance Novel feel for the first two thirds of the book, even though the steamer bits were tastefully done. In fact most of the book felt more homey than what I was expecting from this...more

like · see review

May 28, 2011 Books-treasureortrash rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: contemporary-fantasy, reviewed

Book Review: 3 Treasure Box Rating

This book really grabs your interest from the first page. It jumps right in with Rachel summoning the demon Algaliarept to fulfil the deal she made with him in the last book, where she agreed to become his familiar. We are introduced to a new character, Ceri, who was the demon's familiar for 1,000 years, but has been freed by Rachel. We learn that Ceri is also an Elf like Trent. In this book Rachel goes on another run and as usual gets in and out of trouble.

Ever...more Book Review: 3 Treasure Box Rating

This book really grabs your interest from the first page. It jumps right in with Rachel summoning the demon Algaliarept to fulfil the deal she made with him in the last book, where she agreed to become his familiar. We are introduced to a new character, Ceri, who was the demon's familiar for 1,000 years, but has been freed by Rachel. We learn that Ceri is also an Elf like Trent. In this book Rachel goes on another run and as usual gets in and out of trouble.

Every Witch Way but Dead is the third book in The Rachel Morgan/The Hollows Series. Currently there are nine books in the series, with another three or four expected to be released in the future. This series is a modern day story that centers around inderlanders: witches, weres, vampires and others including the occasional demon, so it falls into the Contemporary Fantasy or Urban Fantasy genre. It is told in the first person narrative from Rachel Morgan’s point of view, she is the main protagonist.

The book was fun to read and I enjoyed it much more than The Good, The Bad and The Undead. Rachel is continuing to deal with the problems of living with Ivy an undead vampire. Problems arise because Ivy is also the Scion for Piscary, the dead vampire who Rachel put into jail. The relationship between Rachel and Kisten really gets going and there is some pretty steamy stuff in the book between these two. Another new character is introduced, David a lone were who is also an insurance adjuster.

We learn more about Trent and what motivates him. We also learn more about Rachel and her background, plus, her abilities continue to grow in strength and capability. The only part of the book that I found a bit annoying was Jenks reaction to Rachel keeping a secret from him, but the author explained the reasons and I felt it made sense. There is lots of action and plenty of suspense.

I like how the story unfolds and the ending is great. This is a stand alone book which is always satisifying to me, but it is also part of a larger story. I looking forward to reading A Fistful of Charms. I recommend this book, but you should read the books in order as the story builds.

For more of my reviews go to: www.books-treasureortrash.com (less)

like 1 like · see review

Feb 04, 2011 Jen (Red Hot Books) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: hollows, urban-fantasy

Nothing is ever boring for witch and bounty hunter Rachel Morgan. Which is a good thing, because that means nothing is ever boring in one of the Hollows books. As always, the characters and their relationships with Rachel are the real story here. But there is always conflict. In this installment, Rachel is dealing with the repercussions of her deal with the demon Al. She agreed to be his familiar, though she gets to retain her soul. She outsmarts him at the outset, even gaining a new ally in his...more Nothing is ever boring for witch and bounty hunter Rachel Morgan. Which is a good thing, because that means nothing is ever boring in one of the Hollows books. As always, the characters and their relationships with Rachel are the real story here. But there is always conflict. In this installment, Rachel is dealing with the repercussions of her deal with the demon Al. She agreed to be his familiar, though she gets to retain her soul. She outsmarts him at the outset, even gaining a new ally in his old familiar Ceri. But Al's not giving up; he is determined to drag Rachel to his world and make her his slave. In the meantime, there is a new big bad in town, named Saladin. He is interfering with the current crime structure, which in turn, effects some of Rachel's shadier friends, like Kisten and Trent. They need her help to fight Saladin... And Rachel wouldn't be Rachel if she didn't end up right in the middle of all the mess.

Rachel's interpersonal relationships are changing. Her boyfriend Nick is edging out of her life. It's just too hard for him to be her familiar (whether she made him that way by accident or not.) His absence is hard on her. She finally opened herself to someone and was abandoned. But then, there is Kisten offering to fill the void and then some. This is the book where I fell in love with him. (Damn you, Kim Harrison for that. --We won't talk about why I wish I never had.)

Ivy is still around. Her presence weighs heavy as she continues pining for Rachel. I believe they really care for each other, but having it all mixed up with blood and sexuality is a tough pill for Rachel to swallow --and frankly, for me too. Trent is back; and here we finally see a ray of "humanity" in him. We learn what drives him and it's nice to see that he is not totally a monster. The undercurrent between him and Rachel is tangible and it's easy to see why so many fans want them together. New characters Ceri & David are also wonderful additions to Rachel's circle.

Even with everything going on, we're also getting backstory on Rachel, Trent, and their families. We're learning about the history of the elves and witches, and hints and what could be ahead for each race. This is a rich, complicated and wonderful book. And one any Hollows fan shouldn't miss. 4 1/2 stars.
(less)

like · see review

Nov 05, 2010 Patrick D'Orazio rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is the third installment of the Hollows series and a very strong addition to the storyline of Rachel Morgan, Witch and Independent Runner. If you have enjoyed the first two books than this is a must read.

The plot is more complex than I can easily go into in a brief review but I feel that this book serves more as a way to continue the development of the myriad characters that Kim Harrison has put into Rachel's world rather than one specific plotline that we get to follow from beginning to e...more

like · see review

Aug 06, 2010 Nicole Roberts rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

In this book Rachel (main character) gets a giant bunch of problems thrown at her all at the same time. She deals with a distant boyfriend, a half-crazed vampire roommate, a pissed off pixy, a 1000 year old elf/demon familiar, and loads more. While reading this book I am happy about my common nothing overwhelming kind of life because if I had Rachel’s life I’d die of exhaustion.

The author definitely has a key for keeping things interesting the whole way through the book but at the same time ea...more

like · see review

Jul 16, 2010 Amanda rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: series, bought-copy, urban-fantasy

Okaaay.... I sped from book two (which I gave an excellent rating to and thoroughly enjoyed) straight into book 3 - and was a little disappointed. I genuinely loved book two in the Hollows series - it had a tight plot, a spicing of sex, plenty of danger and I just could not stop turning pages.

Book 3 was a little different. Many of the good qualities of book two remained. I loved the characters - including a few new characters introduced, such as Ceri and David the Were. The action was gripping,...more Okaaay.... I sped from book two (which I gave an excellent rating to and thoroughly enjoyed) straight into book 3 - and was a little disappointed. I genuinely loved book two in the Hollows series - it had a tight plot, a spicing of sex, plenty of danger and I just could not stop turning pages.

Book 3 was a little different. Many of the good qualities of book two remained. I loved the characters - including a few new characters introduced, such as Ceri and David the Were. The action was gripping, and I loved learning more and more about the history of Harrison's alternate reality to ours. We also finally learn about Trent's links to Rachel's family, and some of the reasons why she is so important to the demon Big Al.

We are plunged straight into the action here, when Big Al comes to make good on Rachel's agreement of becoming his familiar in exchange for his testimony in the trial of Piscary. From there the events of the book take place over the course of about a week, and the encounters never let up. I have the same issue with pacing though as I did with the first book - at times Rachel is catapulted into each new incident with breathless intensity, while at other times we have some very random incidences, such as the meeting between Rachel and Takata early on (which, ultimately, doesn't add anything extra particularly to the story) and the introduction to Erica, Ivy's younger sister.

I also have the feeling that Harrison jotted down some ideas and was determined to shoehorn them into the story, no matter how tacked on they felt. All I can say here is vampire line-dancing....

I also missed Jenks. For reasons that I shall not go into for fear of spoilers, Jenks ends up leaving the story part way through and his absence leaves a big hole. The mouthy pixy is an integral part of the success of the first two books, I think, and I cannot wait to get him back!

One thing I felt relieved about - along with Rachel, no doubt! - was Ivy's decision to become a practising vampire again. We get less of the uncomfortable episodes where Rachel does something that causes Ivy to "vamp out" and attack her.

All in all, there were some wonderful moments and some very strong parts of the book - Kisten was a highlight, as were Rachel's encounters with Algaliarept. I also enjoyed the overall theme of the book - that of Rachel stretching her comfort zone and "being lured into places that I once vowed I'd never go" (in her own words). By the end of the story she has worked for Trent, used leyline magic and dated a vampire. Rachel is continually growing and changing as a character, and I still very much want to go on the journey with her. (less)

like 1 like · see review

Jan 11, 2013 Shannon rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

What I liked: The secondary characters, especially Ceri and David. Each book seems to add a few more semi-permanent characters to the mix, and Harrison does a great job developing and maintaining their personalities, as well as establishing them as individuals. They all have interesting interactions with Rachel as well. Anything involving the demons or the ever-after is very cool, and there is a lot of potential there as far as storyline and world mythology goes.

What I thought was okay: Kisten...more What I liked: The secondary characters, especially Ceri and David. Each book seems to add a few more semi-permanent characters to the mix, and Harrison does a great job developing and maintaining their personalities, as well as establishing them as individuals. They all have interesting interactions with Rachel as well. Anything involving the demons or the ever-after is very cool, and there is a lot of potential there as far as storyline and world mythology goes.

What I thought was okay: Kisten is pretty decent, and not a bad boyfriend character. I get somewhat tired of the descriptions of his flawless looks, but that's pretty much an accepted vampire thing at this point. His personality is beyond one-dimensional, and he has realistic flaws, so he's not bad overall. The backstory for Ivy, especially regarding her family was helpful for explaining some of the more rigid and slightly creepy facets of her persona.

What I didn't like: Rachel is pretty judgemental for a person who regularly consorts with demons and continually makes less than flawlessly moral decisions. She still tends to view the world in binary, where there is only good and evil and very little in between, though that hardly stops her from consorting with people that she considers scum for a reasonable payment. There are signs that she's starting to give a bit on this world view, which I sincerely hope that I am not making up. I still like the character overall, but it gets grating reading her value judgements of people that she barely knows every few pages. Additionally, I really hope that this Ivy thing is going somewhere interesting because it gets a bit old. I like Ivy just fine as a character, but her obsession with Rachel and her "hunting" sometimes read as if they were put into the book purely to act as some type of screwed up lesbian titillation. I am not opposed to lesbians in any way, shape or form, but Rachel is constantly assuring us that she is "not wired that way" and it just goes on and on endlessly. Either share blood and have sex, or just share blood, or don't. Stop going on and on about it.(less)

like · see review

Jul 15, 2012 Lasairfiona Smith rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: guilty-pleasure, chris-likes, haveread2012, iown

I was nervous when I started this book - the front has a recommendation by Diana Gabaldon: "Great sex, and an even better plot!" This is not a good recommendation to me. I like plot before sex, and this series hasn't had a whole lot of sex until this book (yes, the previous one had a bit but it was pretty low key). And yes, there is more sex in this book but it feels a bit shoehorned in. The various plot threads are moving even faster than before which is compelling but for such a short book (no...more

like 2 likes · see review

Oct 09, 2012 Chris rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

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

like · see review

« previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 … 99 100 next »

new topic
Discuss This Book

topics	posts	views	last activity
SOS: Serious Over...: July Buddy Read: Every Which Way But Dead	13	43	Jul 28, 2012 08:59pm
Goodreads Librari...: Every Which Way But fixed	6	66	Feb 01, 2012 02:05pm

combine
Other Editions (28)

More editions...

Genres

Fantasy > Urban Fantasy

983 users

Fantasy

508 users

Fantasy > Paranormal

477 users

Paranormal > Vampires

329 users

Paranormal > Witches

174 users

Paranormal > Demons

128 users

Fantasy > Magic

119 users

Fantasy > Supernatural

112 users

Romance

106 users

Romance > Paranormal Romance

104 users

See top shelves...

Readers also enjoyed similar books

Embrace the Night
by Karen Chance
Magic Burns
by Ilona Andrews
Kitty and the Silver Bullet
by Carrie Vaughn
The Taste of Night
by Vicki Pettersson
Bone Crossed
by Patricia Briggs

About Kim Harrison

Kim Harrison, dark urban fantasy author of the New York Times bestselling The Outlaw Demon Wails, was born and raised in the upper Midwest. After gaining her bachelors in the sciences, she moved to South Carolina, where she has remained since. She is currently developing a new young adult series between working on the Hollows books, and is a member of The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of Ame...more

More about Kim Harrison...

Books by Kim Harrison

The Good, the Bad, and the Undead (The Hollows, #2)

The Outlaw Demon Wails (The Hollows, #6)

More…

Share This Book

Facebook Twitter Your website

Trivia About Every Which Way B...

4 trivia questions
1 quiz

More quizzes & trivia...

Quotes from Every Which Way But Dead

“And then there are the rare ones who know love, who understand it. Who freely give of themselves, demanding only a return of that love,that trust.” — 365 people liked it

“Hey, ah, does anyone want a cookie or something? Oh yeah. A cookie. That would make everything better. Dunked in a shot of tequila , maybe? Or better yet, just the bottle? Yeah, that ought to do it.” — 308 people liked it

More quotes…

title link	preview: Every Which Way But Dead
avg rating	preview: Every Which Way But Dead Goodreads rating: 4.27 (33761 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10141185-every-which-way-but-dead?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1302210481l/10141185.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10141185-every-which-way-but-dead?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]Every Which Way But Dead by Kim Harrison[/url]

Every Which Way But Dead (The Hollows #3)

Friend Reviews

Community Reviews

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website