Into the Woods: Tales from the Hollows and Beyond

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Into the Woods: Tales from the Hollows and Beyond (The Hollows #10.1)

by Kim Harrison (Goodreads Author)

3.9 of 5 stars 3.90 · rating details · 1,931 ratings · 298 reviews

Enter the Woods...If You Dare

For centuries, the woods have been a pivotal part of the wonder and danger of fairy tales, for once you enter anything can happen. Elves, druids, fairies - who knows what you will find once you dare step into the forest?
And now, New York Times bestselling author Kim Harrison ventures into these mysterious, hidden lands of magic and mystery in h...more

Hardcover, 513 pages

Published October 12th 2012 by Harper Voyager (first published October 1st 2012)

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Sep 04, 2012 VampireNovelFan rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, edelweiss, demons, fantasy, urban-fantasy, vampires, witches

A little bit of old, a little bit of new

Even being the Hollows snob that I am, I admit a couple of stories have slipped through the cracks for me over the years. That's why I was quite pleased to hear that the stories would finally be included in an anthology! I'll be honest and say that when I opened it I immediately skipped to "Million Dollar Baby", the story centering on Trent and Jenks's elf quest in Pale Demon, and it didn't disappoint! Everything else for me was a bonus, but it was all w...more

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Oct 10, 2012 Jen (Red Hot Books) rated it 4 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed this collection of short stories by Kim Harrison. I had read more than half of them already in previously released books. But the anthology included one all new Hollows short story and four stories outside of the Hollows world.

“Undead in the Garden of Good & Evil” (originally released in Dates from Hell)
Ever wonder what Ivy was like before she met Rachel? We get a little peek in this short story. It’s set a couple of years before the events in Dead Witch Walking. Ivy has bee...more

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Dec 14, 2012 Cathy rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal, read-in-2012, fantasy, magic-users, urban, vampire, short-stories

2.5 stars. Overall the book was a mixed bag. A couple of the Hollows stories were pretty good, but I'm not sure if I enjoyed them because they were good short stories objectively or because they're or because they were about familiar characters that I already was prepared to enjoy. Would a new reader have enjoyed them as much? I can never tell. And a bunch of the stories were quite disappointing.

The Bespelled - first published in the mass market edition of The Outlaw Demon Wails, that's what I g...more

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Oct 09, 2012 AH rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc-edelweiss, banshee, demons, gargoyles, magic, read-oct-2012, sos-bookshelf-bingo, urban-fantasy, vamps, witches, anthology, babr-reviews

Into the Woods is a collection of short stories from Kim Harrison’s Hollows series. The author has included four new stories from outside this world as well. The first six stories have been published before, either in anthologies or as bonus material at the back of mass market paperbacks. The author adds a note at the beginning of each story providing background to the story and where it was originally published.

In rating these stories, I just couldn’t help myself. I am a hopeless fan girl of t...more

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Oct 23, 2012 Ferdy rated it 2 of 5 stars

Spoilers

I only read the short stories from the Hollows/Rachel Morgan series and most of them were boring, I don't think any of them really added anything to the series as a whole.

The short story I was looking forward to most was Trent's, unfortunately I wasn't impressed with it. When I didn't know Trent's POV, at least he came across as a somewhat enigmatic character, but getting inside his head has put me right off him. He's just an insecure, whiny, self pitying bitch with mummy, daddy and elf...more Spoilers

I only read the short stories from the Hollows/Rachel Morgan series and most of them were boring, I don't think any of them really added anything to the series as a whole.

The short story I was looking forward to most was Trent's, unfortunately I wasn't impressed with it. When I didn't know Trent's POV, at least he came across as a somewhat enigmatic character, but getting inside his head has put me right off him. He's just an insecure, whiny, self pitying bitch with mummy, daddy and elf issues. Not to mention his issues about having to kill people..ugh. His story was dull and unimaginative — he had to go on some dumb elf quest to prove his manliness or worth or some shit by stealing his baby but he didn't prove anything since Jenks did most of the work. Without Jenks, Trent would have failed — he didn't deserve any credit for getting Lucy. Oh and I was sick of him bitching about Ellasbeth when he was just as bad as her.
In the last couple of books, I was hoping that Trent and Rachel would get together but not anymore, since I've come to realise that 1. Even though Trent and Rachel have chemistry, that's all they have — they're not well suited 2. Trent already has his HEA with Lucy 3. Trent is too much of a self serving, selfish bastard for Rachel to wholly accept him 4. Rachel's a better character when she's not in a relationship 5. Trent's tried to kill and control Rachel too many times for them to suddenly have a healthy, loving relationship.
I don't mind if Trent and Rachel have a fling but I'll be pissed if they have an HEA.

I did enjoy The Bespelled which was about how Al acquired Ceri as his servant.
Al was as evil and entertaining as ever. There was a moment or two where I thought that Al was in love with Ceri and that he'd go all soft on her but thankfully he didn't. He totally played Ceri and I didn't feel sorry for her at all. She was a dumb bitch and she got what she deserved — the silly cow actually thought Al was in love with her and that they'd run away into the sunset together...ugh. I'm actually pissed that Ceri got an HEA in the novels, she was too dumb to deserve any kind of happy ending.

Rachel's story was disappointing. I thought an 18 year old Rachel would be crazy, fun and reckless but she wasn't — she was blah. All she did was whine about her dad, her illness, her brother and her dumb dream of working for the I.S. I couldn't stand young Rachel - she was rubbish.
Another thing that bugged me was how big a part Pierce had — he's the worst of Rachel's love interests. He's always been such a wanker. The constant mentions of how short and small he was, was a complete turn off and the way he talked was irritating - I didn't know what he was going on about half the time.
Rachel has some of the crappiest love interests ever - Nick, Pierce, that other bloke..ugh, she needs some action from real men. I seriously would have rather read about Rachel and Trent as kids, when they were in camp together — anything would have been better than that bloody Pierce.

The other Hollows stories were too boring to mention.
(less)

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Oct 09, 2012 Jess rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: urban-fantasy

Review posted: Happily Ever After - Reads

Into the Woods is a short story compilation made up of Hollows shorts that have been previously published, two shorts in a new world and the story that drew 100% of my attention, Million-Dollar Baby. My disclaimer is that this review is going to focus solely on Million-Dollar Baby, as is it the only one I read from this compilation. I’m a fan of the series, I’ve read them from book 1, I’ve laughed with Jenks, cried with Rachel many times but through it al...more Review posted: Happily Ever After - Reads

Into the Woods is a short story compilation made up of Hollows shorts that have been previously published, two shorts in a new world and the story that drew 100% of my attention, Million-Dollar Baby. My disclaimer is that this review is going to focus solely on Million-Dollar Baby, as is it the only one I read from this compilation. I’m a fan of the series, I’ve read them from book 1, I’ve laughed with Jenks, cried with Rachel many times but through it all, since the very beginning as a matter of fact, one character has intrigued me like no other – Trent Kalamack. I love this guy. There’s something about him that’s misunderstood and getting a glimpse of the real man through his point of view in this short story was so refreshing. I know that Rachel is the heart of this series, but for this Hollows fan, I live for the moments when Trent comes on page.

Million-Dollar Baby tells the story of what happened when Trent went to steal (some might say rescue) his daughter away from her mother. Ok, that sounds bad, but it’s really not. It’s an elf thing, to put it simply. If Trent is able to successfully steal away his daughter, avoiding death, since everyone in little Lucy’s mother’s house knows he’s coming, he’ll prove to his people that he’ll do anything to secure their future and help their race thrive. That’s what this one baby girl represents – a future for the elves. Trent’s determined to be a strong leader and that starts with raising his daughter. To do that, he must sneak in, grab her and get out without being caught. He has Jenks as his wingman and they end up needing each other to get through the whole ordeal.

I loved the combination of Trent and Jenks. This adventure allowed them both to see the other man in the different light, especially Trent. He finally sees how smart and loyal Jenks is and he starts to treat him differently, better than he ever has before. Jenks sees a man in Trent who’s terrified of turning into the parents he had, having things, but never knowing love. He’s desperate to do right by Lucy and Jenks provides some advice and insight that help Trent realize that he can do this.

There’s nothing like getting Trent’s point of view and I hope so hard that we get more of it. Jenks is just…Jenks. He has me laughing out loud on one page and then tearing up on the next. This Trent fan finished Million-Dollar Baby with a huge grin on my face and wishing that I had an entire book told from Trent’s point of view.

As you can see by the book’s blurb above, the majority of the stories in this collection have already been released and I’d consider this book as more of a Collector’s Edition for the Hollows series. If you’re a fan of the Hollows and want a complete series collection on your bookshelf or e-reader, then pick this newest short story compilation up. Personally, I’m not a huge fan of short story books, but Trent’s story is well worth a read. I loved it and if you pick up Into the Woods, turn immediately to Million-Dollar Baby and enjoy.(less)

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Sep 22, 2012 Madame X rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: demons, fairies-or-fae, ghosts, heroine-can-kick-ass, heroine-to-hang-out-with, novella, paranormal-urban-fantasy, superior-worldbuilding, vampires, witchcraft-sorcery

The Hollows

The first seventy percent or so of Into the Woods collects a number of stories set in Kim Harrison's Hollows world. One of them, Million Dollar Baby, the story of Trent's elf-quest told from his point of view, is new to this collection. The others are reprints, collected from other sources.

The Hollows stories gave me a deeper, better understanding of characters I thought I knew pretty well. They do exactly what you most hope an ancillary short story or novella will - enrich and enhan...more

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Nov 11, 2012 Amy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: demons, goodreads-first-reads

Just received my copy, thanks GR and Harper!

Seven shorts from The Hollows, including the highly anticipated Million Dollar Baby that gives us hardcore Trent fans a glimpse of his innermost thoughts, and four brand spanking new non-Hollows shorts from Ms. Harrison's magic drawer.

Million Dollar Baby 4 stars
This novella is a must read for all Hollows fans whether you're for or against Rachel and Trent because so much of Trent's ruthless behavior is explained. I find myself liking him even more, i...more

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Nov 01, 2012 Kat added it

Shelves: 2012-must-have-now, 2012-release, alltime-fave-author, format-hardback, where-shelf

So far only have read 'Temson Estates' which was a non-Hollows short story in the HarperVoyager sampler from Comic-con. Now waiting for 'Pet Shop Boys' which is also a non-Hollows story from the anthology that will be released early as an ebook on September 4th (Almost 2 months early yay!). 'Tempson Estates' was entertaining but not super special. It's about dryads and her explanation for their existence is kinda cool (in a I'm pretending really hard that I am not actually a biologist sorta way...more

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Oct 24, 2012 Debbie is currently reading it · review of another edition

Shelves: paranormal, urban-fantasy

Will be adding to this review as I read each story (big fan of The Hollows, not generally fond of short stories).

Section:The Hollows

★★★☆☆
"The Bespelling" tells how the demon Al made Ceridwen his familiar on her wedding day. Of course this is one backstory the diehard Hollows fan would want. I liked; but, a bit creepy and even for a short story was way too short. Author notes: "Al is one of my more favorite characters in the Hollows. I never expected him to be anything other than the Big-Bad-U...more Will be adding to this review as I read each story (big fan of The Hollows, not generally fond of short stories).

Section:The Hollows

★★★☆☆
"The Bespelling" tells how the demon Al made Ceridwen his familiar on her wedding day. Of course this is one backstory the diehard Hollows fan would want. I liked; but, a bit creepy and even for a short story was way too short. Author notes: "Al is one of my more favorite characters in the Hollows. I never expected him to be anything other than the Big-Bad-Ugly—fun to hate, but nothing more. It was a surprise when Rachel began to understand him, and even more of a shock when Al responded not just by showing a softer side, but by lifting the veil on his past as well. “The Bespelled” was first published at the end of the mass market edition of The Outlaw Demon Wails, and it shows Al in his earlier mind-set of use and abuse. But the appearance of the blue butterflies gives evidence that even before Al met Rachel, he was beginning to find himself lacking and was looking for more."

★★★★☆
"Two Ghosts for Sister Rachel" - Rachel's teenage first meeting with Pierce, at crossroads deciding on I.S. or more college out west with Robbie. Very good story, good action, and good job portraying a teenage Rachel while showing the Rachel we know. Bit sappy about it. Author notes: "first appeared in the anthology Holidays Are Hell. Family was becoming more important to Rachel at about this time in the series, and dropping back to when she was still living at home and working for her hard-won independence gave me a chance to show where Rachel developed not only her stamina but also her refusal to give up hope in the face of low odds. I thought it was important for the reader to see the Rachel beyond the tough, capable, and get-back-up kind of girl I usually focused on, the one who came from the fragile, weak, and death-row childhood. It makes her choices easier to understand."

Reading in Progress
"Undead in the Garden of Good and Evil" - Author's note: When I first began writing the Hollows, there were very few strong female vampire characters making it into print, and when I realized how large a role Ivy was going to play, I decided I needed to develop the social structure of the Hollows vampires from the female point of view. The novella Undead in the Garden of Good and Evil was the perfect chance for me to try out a few of my ideas. I learned a lot, not only about the Hollows vampires—both living and dead—but also about Ivy. The depth of her mental abuse is touched upon here, and it is also here that it’s easiest to see why she stays with Rachel, who is both her crutch and her saving grace. Undead in the Garden of Good and Evil was first published in the anthology Dates From Hell. (less)

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Apr 17, 2013 Jen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed-books

This is a book of short stories. The first seven are Hollows stories, some of which have appeared in other anthologies; the last four are not.

HOLLOWS STORIES
The Bespelled is an Al-point-of-view story, and explains both how Al and Ceri met, and the significance of the blue butterflies.

Two Ghosts for Sister Rachel is a story from Rachel's girlhood. An advanced spell doesn't go quite the way she was expecting.

Undead in the Garden of Good and Evil is from the point of view of a younger Ivy - murder...more

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Mar 19, 2013 Laurla2 added it

Shelves: scifi-fantasy

Undead in the Garden of Good & Evil (originally released in Dates from Hell)
Ever wonder what Ivy was like before she met Rachel? We get a little peek in this short story. It’s set a couple of years before the events in Dead Witch Walking. Ivy has been a Homicide Investigator at the I.S. for about 6 months. She is living with Kisten and they are in a relationship. This is before her blood-fast… she is still giving and taking blood. But she is very confused about what it means to her. She trie...more

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Feb 04, 2013 OpenBookSociety.com rated it 2 of 5 stars

Brought to you by OBS reviewer Heidi

Into the Woods is a compilation of short stories by Kim Harrison put together into one convenient volume. I went into this book thinking they were all new stories, but quickly discovered that I have read several of them in other publications. But for the Hollows fan, this book may be a perfect addition to their collection, especially if they like the short stories and want to have quick easy access to the majority of Hollows shorts.

The Hollows Shorts:

There wer...more

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Dec 25, 2012 Heidi Tieman mclennan rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: kim-harrison

I am a huge fan of the Rachel Morgan-Hollows series. It is definitely my favorite one out there right now. I liked most of the stories in this book. Really enjoyed Million Dollar Baby. That really gave you more insight into Trent. Pet Shop Boys was interesting too even though it ventured outside of the Hollows. Wouldn't mind seeing more of that one. All in all, an enjoyable read

Kim Harrison ventures into these mysterious, hidden lands of magic and mystery in her first short-story collection. Int...more

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Dec 11, 2012 Nikki rated it 5 of 5 stars

Enter the Woods...If You Dare

For centuries, the woods have been a pivotal part of the wonder and danger of fairy tales, for once you enter anything can happen. Elves, druids, fairies - who knows what you will find once you dare step into the forest?
And now, New York Times bestselling author Kim Harrison ventures into these mysterious, hidden lands of magic and mystery in her first short-story collection. Into the Woods brings together an enchanting mix of brand-new, never-before-published storie...more

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Oct 11, 2012 Julia rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, urban, fantasy

I came late to the party with short stories, and Kim Harrison is one of the authors that turned my reluctance into eager anticipation. As someone with a hardback copy of each of the Rachel Morgan books, INTO THE WOODS offers me the opportunity to collect some old favorites as well as add some new ones. Harrison's shorts are windows into a world so rich the characters and stories spill out of the full length narratives, though reading them always makes me long for a re-read. Above and beyond my u...more

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Oct 06, 2012 Fangs for the Fantasy rated it 3 of 5 stars

The first half of this book contains a series of short stories set in the Hollows world. And I think they do some excellent jobs as short stories – filling in the gaps of the character’s development. They tell the story of things we know happened in their past that we’ve heard about, that has often been mentioned, but which we haven’t actually seen. Because we’ve read the Hollow’s series we know that they are pivotal moments in the character’s past and really add to what makes them the characte...more The first half of this book contains a series of short stories set in the Hollows world. And I think they do some excellent jobs as short stories – filling in the gaps of the character’s development. They tell the story of things we know happened in their past that we’ve heard about, that has often been mentioned, but which we haven’t actually seen. Because we’ve read the Hollow’s series we know that they are pivotal moments in the character’s past and really add to what makes them the characters they are and what motivates them.

So we see Rachel when she first summoned Pierce. Her struggle in still recovering from her illness and the constant battles against fatigue which, in turn, drive her to prove she is as strong and physically capable of those around her. Her resistance to a quiet “academic” life as, in some way, giving in to that weakness. It also really characterises and adds depth to her relationship with her brother.

We see Ivy first framing Arthur, her supervisor which certainly becomes a major element in later books as well as her interviewing Mia the Banshee for the first time. I think this story is excellent not just for showing us two iconic events in the Hollows series, but also for displaying vampire culture at its most blatant. I don’t think we learn over much about Ivy, certainly not beyond what we already do – the broken, damaged person that Piscary abused and the problems that left her with – but it did really show how much such abuse fits into the vampire world and how it is an expected part of vampire politics and, through that, the IS. The expectation that a rising living vampire has an obligation to give up their blood and their bodies, and how harmful this exploitation and abuse can be to their psyches.

The stories I thought were most revealing were both looking through Jenks’s eyes – just seeing things from the point of view of the Pixie, their culture, their size, their power and seeing through Trent’s eyes as he claims his daughter back. After so long with him being the cold hard manipulator, the almost antagonist, it’s such a change to actually see who he is, his motivations, his beliefs, his worries – and through them to gain an insight into Elven culture, perhaps the Inderlander species we’ve seen the least of. The same applies to seeing Ceri first becoming Al’s familiar – these were the 3 stories that shed more light into corners of Inderland we hadn’t seen very much.

At the same time, if you have read the Hollow’s series, this book won’t add anything. Everything in these books has been referred to or inferred to some degree in the main plot line. The extra information added does nicely flesh things out and let us see their pasts rather than merely hear it reported or remembered; but it adds nothing new, nor, particularly, does it develop the characters since we know this about them. It is still nice to see these moments we know defined their lives, nice to hear it from their own mindsets and especially nice to step outside of Rachel’s POV and see what the characters around her think – gaining gems like Ivy’s respect for witch magic or Rachel’s determination to overcome her physical weakness and definitely Jenk’s pixy-eye view.

It’s also worth noting for people who have bought anthologies that these short stories appear in different anthologies Kim Harrison has contributed to. Double check if you don’t want to buy the same story twice.

As these stories did occur in anthologies for readers unfamiliar with the series, there are moments when the lore has to be explained. Unlike some, I think this is really well done in most of the stories with minimal unnecessary exposition or clumsy info dumping. But Ivy’s story is still full of not just a lot of personal angst, but also a fair amount of info-dump to fill in the world.

This book also contains a section “Beyond the Hollows” which are stories not set in the Hollows universe. And I, honestly, didn’t enjoy them very much.

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Sep 29, 2012 Miss Amby rated it 4 of 5 stars

I'm usually not one for short stories, yet I keep requesting the collections of them. However, Into the Woods was a pleasant surprise. I really enjoyed each story, and this collection is a must-have for the millions of Kim Harrison fans out there! These stories will grab you and not let you go! There are some new and some old stories in here, and while you may have read some of them, you haven't read them all. Also, not all of these are Hollows stories, and it's nice to see Harrison branch out a...more

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Sep 27, 2012 Jessi rated it 5 of 5 stars

I was lucky enough to get an advanced copy of “Into the Woods”( which will be release Oct 9th) and I must say it was fun getting a look at all the Hollows characters again. Especially Kisten whom I still miss (even though I know he’s off hanging with Matalina in the literary afterlife). It was bittersweet reading about him alive again but the big draw for a lot of readers will be “Million Dollar Baby” which is a breath of fresh air for Hollows fans. We finally get some of Trent’s inner thoughts...more

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Sep 02, 2012 Bookmom rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book is filled with seven novellas from the Hollows—all but one has already been published in anthologies or an extra in an earlier book—as well as four new to us that have nothing to do with the world the Hollows exist in. All of the stories are good, although whether or not this would be worth it for you to purchase will depend a lot on your likes and desires.

If you like having all novellas from a series in one book, this is definitely the one you want. The addition of a new Hollows nove...more

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Aug 07, 2012 Teresa rated it 5 of 5 stars

Into the Woods is a collection of short stories created by Kim Harrison. The book is broken into two sections The Hallows and non Hallows. The majority of Hallows stories can be found in anthologies Kim Harrison has participated in over the years. Each story has an opening explanation, telling the reader where Kim Harrison was coming from when she sat down to write. Some of the stories came about because she was asked to write a story for an anthology while others she wanted to delve deeper into...more Into the Woods is a collection of short stories created by Kim Harrison. The book is broken into two sections The Hallows and non Hallows. The majority of Hallows stories can be found in anthologies Kim Harrison has participated in over the years. Each story has an opening explanation, telling the reader where Kim Harrison was coming from when she sat down to write. Some of the stories came about because she was asked to write a story for an anthology while others she wanted to delve deeper into a characters psyche. There are others when she wanted something new to wrap her head around.

As an avid reader of KH I had read all but two of the short stories from the Hallows. Why? Because Into the Woods is the first book where they’ve been showcased, that’s right three new stories. “The Bespelled,” is a story about Al and Ceri, and how they came to be. This is the story that tells us about the blue “butterflies” from WWBC (White Witch Black Curse), the ones Al creates while he’s downtown with Rachel, Pierce and Green when they’re trying to capture Mia, the banshee. Not only do we find out what those are all about but we see a possible heart in Al. Remember I said “possible”. The short story “The Bespelled” will be featured in Demons a new anthology. One of the other new stories is “Million Dollar Baby,” Trent and Jenks’s adventure. The one they took in Pale Demon, when Trent steals his daughter. It makes me wish we could’ve seen Jenks and Quinn’s adventure back in AFOC (A Fistful of Charms), and AFDM (A Few Demons More). Having a story from Trent’s POV was enlightening, so was seeing how Jenks and Trent start bonding. We’ve always known Trent was a “cookie maker” and we go through the trials of Trent learning to let go of whom he is and whom he wants to be. We also see how Rachel influences his change, so many years after their fathers’ deaths. Trent shows how vulnerable he is and we truly see his change, growing up, in this story. “The Bridges of Eden Park” this is the last new story and it’s the last look into our favorite vampire before he dies. Here we meet Kisten’s family and we see what he’s willing to do for them and Rachel. Kisten’s love, strength and wit are shown within this story, and it makes you miss Kisten all the more. Kisten’s hero side comes to the fore front, as we’ve seen a few times when the people Kisten loves are endanger.

The other Hallows short stories are:

“Leyline Drifter” this is a dryad story where Jenks and Bizz’s work a case. It’s one of the first cases Jenks takes without Rachel or Ivy. It takes place after Matalina dies. The first time we see “Leyline Drifter” is in the anthology Unbound. In this story we meet Daryl, the nymph that lives in Glen’s house.

“Two Ghosts for Sister Rachel” this story comes from the anthology Holidays are Hell. In this story Rachel is young and still living at home with her mom. Here is where Rachel first meets Pierce.

“Undead in the Garden of Good and Evil” comes from the Dates from Hell anthology. Here is where Ivy frames her first boss in the IS to take the fall for something Piscary did. By the end of the story Ivy is saddled up with Rachel as punishment.

“Dirty Magic” is the story of Mia the banshee from White Witch Black Curse, this story can be found in the anthology Hotter than Hell. In this story Mia is “dating” Glen’s friend. We see inside Mia and that she could love someone but that she’d taken the wrong husband from the wish Ivy had given her.

Non Hallows short stories

“Pet Shop Boys” is a type of vampire short story, but one different than KH’s Hallows vamps. These vamps don’t live in the human world all the time. They live in what seems to be a different plane of existence and the two worlds cross for a few days around Halloween. During this time the vamps come thru a gateway so they can obtain food. In this story one of the vamps is looking for a husband and tries to persuade a human to cross over with them. It was an interesting story and idea. I’d love to read more about the characters, the different species and how this world works. It’s a great escape from the Hallows.

“Temson Estates” is another dryad story, it’s the first dryad story KH wrote. I wanted more from this story, or at least the next chapter. We are left with a great end but still it seemed like there needed to be more. Where were the characters going? This story is about family and the history that goes with it. It’s pretty up beat and light hearted than what we’re used to from KH.

“Spider Silk” is a dark dryad story. It reminded me of Puck from A Midsummer’s Night’s Dream, but scarier. I’m honestly not sure what to think. The ending is slightly terrifying, even with that said I want to know more. Yes I know I’m morbid. Just when I was really getting into the story and didn’t want to strangle Lilly, the story ended. Now I’m left with questions, and I can’t tell you what those are since this is a short story. I’d love to see KH do three stories from this, one go back from Emily’s POV, finish Lilly’s POV i.e. answer the cliffhanger questions, and last Meg’s POV. There is so much that could come from “Spider Silk” and while I don’t mind being left speechless. I can’t stop thinking about this ending.

“Grace” when I saw the name Grace, I was hoping to find a story about Grace the limerick guardian from Madison Avery. Grace always makes me smile with her mischievous exploits. But this short story is about a different Grace. Coming off of “Spider Silk” this story didn’t capture me for the first chapter. I was thinking about “Spider Silk’s” ending. Also while I like the characters I didn’t ready get what the characters were, at first. I think for this story we need a little more history about the powers some humans possess. My best guess would be tele-electric or telekinetic because they throw energy. I liked the ending it was really solid and while I did want to see where the ending would lead, it didn’t leave me with too many questions. But like I said the beginning needed more.(less)

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Mar 07, 2013 Roxanne Rebusit rated it 4 of 5 stars

There are a number of short stories in this volume that caught my attention - some were reprintings of short stories previously included in the paperbacks of some of the Hollows novels, and others were completely new to me. It was a nice opportunity to revisit some of my favorites and to find a few more; I particularly enjoyed both "Pet Shop Boys" and "Grace," while "Spider Silk" actually freaked me out a bit. I found it a little creepy... I would, however, dearly love to see an expansion of Gra...more

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Jan 27, 2013 Hollie rated it 5 of 5 stars

I loved all the stories in this book. I have been reading about the Hollows for years but after reading this I will definitely look into some of her other series. Some of the stories in this book I don't believe would be good to a new reader because there isn't enough depth but after reading the hollows stories it adds to it perfectly. I'm going to try to write this without spoilers because I haven't figured out how to hide just the spoilers. I bought this book and Ever After and have had a mara...more

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May 01, 2013 Lynda Tatad rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: series-r-us

Into the Woods is an anthology featuring 7 stories that take place in The Hollows, and 4 other stories that are supernatural, but unrelated to the Hollows stories.
"Million Dollar Baby" was one of the 3 Hollows stories that hadn't shown up in other anthologies. Actually, i hadnt readI like that the author's forwards relate to where each story takes place in the Hollows series, and I love that we get to finally find out how Trent, with Jenks' help, managed to get his baby girl away from her mothe...more Into the Woods is an anthology featuring 7 stories that take place in The Hollows, and 4 other stories that are supernatural, but unrelated to the Hollows stories.
"Million Dollar Baby" was one of the 3 Hollows stories that hadn't shown up in other anthologies. Actually, i hadnt readI like that the author's forwards relate to where each story takes place in the Hollows series, and I love that we get to finally find out how Trent, with Jenks' help, managed to get his baby girl away from her mother! "The Bespelled" was the other, which features Rachel's demon teacher Al many years before he met Rachel, and features a young elf names Ceri.
"The Bridges of Eden Park" features a story of Kisten and Rachel, helping out a young mother and her child.

The others feature Rachel and her brother trying to raise their father's ghost as a test on wether she should be in the I.S., or continue on in school; Ivy's early days at the I.S., and how she deals with her boss, whom she has no respect for; a Banshee's wish for love, though it could be deadly for her lover without some magical intervention; and a Jenks and Bis adventure with their own case.

Of the non Hollows stories, the last one, "Grace", was my favorite! Grace and her partner have the job of picking up young people who are considered "Throws", people whose own electrical currents in their bodies are different from a normal person's. it can cause problems without the proper training. They themselves are Throws, but have gone through the training. This story is action packed, and kept my attention gripped to the pages more than any of the stories in this collection! A good way to finish the book!
"Pet Shop Boys" has an interesting take on the Fay, and a young man who works at a pet store, "Temson Estates" is about a young American who inherits the woodland area of his ancestors in the English countryside, and meets his first dryad. "Spider Silk" is about a vengeful spirit targeting the family of the woman who had trapped him in a tree many decades before. Her daughter and granddaughters are at the biggest risk.

As most anthologies, it is an uneven mix of stories. Fans of the Hollows will definitely pick this book up, and the "Grace" and "Million Dollar Baby" are the main reasons I gave this anthology 4 stars, otherwise I might have only given it 3. (less)

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Nov 11, 2012 Kristal rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2012, urban-fantasy

th novel.Although I am a huge fan of The Hollows series, this was my first anthology by Kim Harrison. I did enjoy the vignettes of the characters that I have come to love and I was especially delighted with the stories that involved characters outside the world of The Hollows. I believe that a few of these have the potential of becoming excellent material for future series.

The Bespelled: Explores some of the background of Alagaliarept and how Ceri became his familiar.

Two Ghost for Sister Rache...more

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Mar 13, 2013 Leah rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal

The book as a whole just makes me love The Hollows series even more. It's more the Beyond the Hollows stories that have me dropping it to 4 stars.

The Bespelled - I loved his little insight into Al and Ceri and how their "relationship" came to be. It was great to see both of them in a more innocent light. It definitely shed some light on his obsession with blue butterflies.

Two Ghosts for Sister Rachel - I'm so glad I read this story! If I hadn't read this one I think I would have been very conf...more

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Nov 07, 2012 Caro rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal-fantasy

The Bespelled was pretty good. Grabbed me and turned pages. Would she...wouldn't she. Sneaky Bastard. The author's intro note really had me going too. Ah well, On to the Next...
Two Ghosts for Sister Rachel was really good. I loved the characters. It was sweet, exciting, page-turning and gripping. I couldn't wait to see what happened next. The ending was great, although it had me teared up a little. I would definitely read this one again. Pierce was great and it was sad at the end but a good way...more

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

Shelves: urban-paranormal-fantasy

I really enjoyed this anthology of short stories by Kim Harrison about her Hollows series. I have read the entire series and loved it so much that I had to get Into the Woods despite already having read one of the short stories already. The author also gives us all her thoughts on the stories such as how they came about. My favorite definitely has to be the one about Ivy (Undead in the Garden of Good and Evil) as it really gave a deeper insight into why Ivy acts the way she does in regards to bl...more

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Oct 10, 2012 Francesca the Fierce ~Eyelet Ecstasy~ rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-read-2012, anthologies-novellas, genre-urban-fantasy, series-the-hollows

This review was posted at Under the Covers

If you are a Kim Harrison fan, you'll love this. If you are a Hollows fan, you'll love this. If you are a true Hollows fan, you've probably read a lot of these stories previously. But don't despair there is a little something extra that will make this all worth it. In my opinion, this might not be the best book if you haven't read the Hollows series, however. I think because the short stories cover a wide span of time and books, you'll be getting some sp...more

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Oct 21, 2012 Melanie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Tales from the Hollows and beyond is an anthology that incorporates some of the short stories already published in other places but also brings us new insights into some of the stories that never were. Kim Harrison shares some of her ideas that started, and stayed as short stories including a character Grace that was obviously originally the idea behind the whole I.S. set up which Rachel and Ivy originally worked for.

I loved the look into some of her other thoughts and the little notes giving th...more

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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

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Books by Kim Harrison

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

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

The Outlaw Demon Wails (The Hollows, #6)

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Quotes from Into the Woods: Tales ...

“Rachel knew what she was doing. And when she didn't, she could improvise on the fly, coming up with options that left a lot of collateral damage but usually only hurt herself, not the people around her. It was one of the things he would never admit that he admired about her.” — 15 people liked it

“She just threatened to throw the next man who shoots at you out the window. Megan is awake. She offered to help. God, Trent, what is it with you and women?” — 8 people liked it

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Into the Woods: Tales from the Hollows and Beyond (The Hollows #10.1)

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