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The Hollows #2
The Good, the Bad, and the Undead
Rachel Morgan, sexy witch, independent bounty hunter, prowls the downtown Cincinnati for criminal creatures of the night. She can handle leather-clad vamps and a cunning demon or two. But a serial killer who feeds on the experts in the most dangerous kind of black magic is an ancient, implacable evil that threatens her very soul.
453 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 25, 2005
About the author
Kim Harrison
80 books17.3k followersKim Harrison is best known as the author of the New York Times #1 best selling Hollows series, but she has written more than urban fantasy and has published over two-dozen books spanning the gamut from young adult, thriller, several anthologies, and has scripted two original graphic novels. She has also published traditional fantasy under the name Dawn Cook. Kim is currently working on a new Hollows book between other, non related, urban fantasy projects.
Kim reaches out to her audience at Facebook https://www.facebook.com/KimHarrisons...
Instagram
https://instagram.com/kim_harrison_au...
and her blog http://kimharrison.wordpress.com/
other pseudonyms: Dawn Cook
Kim reaches out to her audience at Facebook https://www.facebook.com/KimHarrisons...
https://instagram.com/kim_harrison_au...
and her blog http://kimharrison.wordpress.com/
other pseudonyms: Dawn Cook
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,077 reviews
July 12, 2022
The Good, the Bad, and the Undead is the 2nd volume in the Hollows series. I liked it better than the 1st novel, enough to make me want to continue with the series. The writing was a bit better, the world building and the characters got a bit of an upgrade. However, the novel contains way too much filler and becomes repetitive.
I do not like the relationship dynamic between Rachel and Ivy. I get the vampire who cannot contain herself angle but it feels like they are having an abusive relationship, where the victim keeps returning to her aggressor because “he might beat me but he loves me”.
I still did not find the replacement for Kate Daniels but I am not giving up on the quest yet.
I do not like the relationship dynamic between Rachel and Ivy. I get the vampire who cannot contain herself angle but it feels like they are having an abusive relationship, where the victim keeps returning to her aggressor because “he might beat me but he loves me”.
I still did not find the replacement for Kate Daniels but I am not giving up on the quest yet.
February 9, 2020
Actual rating: 3.5 stars.
Well well well, would you look at that?! It seems the Freaking MacHalo TBR Cleaning Challenge of Doom and Destruction (FMTCCoDaD™) isn't ALL about reading crap, after all! Who would have thought?! Not only did I NOT feel like killing this book with fire, but I actually enjoyed reading it *gasps* Despite its Disaster Waiting to Happen Ingredients (DWtHI™)! Wow. Imagine that!
Flabbergastation is me I mean, I'm so used to reading UF rubbish these days, any Non-Crappy UF Object (NCUO™) I manage to get my hands on comes as a shock. Hence the dramatic fainting and stuff.
What? You want me to cut the crap and get right down do the DWtHI™? Why? You don't think what I've been saying so far is absolutely, totally and completely fascinating? Okay, you know what, don't answer that one, I have a feeling I won't like what you have to say. But anyway. So you want do get down and dirty with no foreplay, huh? Sigh. You bunch of silly arthropods don't know what you are missing, but hey, it's your lives, so suit your little selves. Express Crap Cutting (ECC™), here we go.
So. Had I been my normal, healthy, balanced, sensible self when I read this story, I probably would have either rated it 2 stars or DNFed the shrimp out of it. Oh yes. Why? What do you mean "why?" Because of the DWtHI™, of course! Please do try to follow, my Little Barnacles, it would make my life a whole lot easier. Especially on days like this one, when you expect me to cut the freaking crap. So please shut the shrimp up, and let me try and to do this as quickly and painlessly as possible.
There are two major DWtHI™ in this book :
① Rachel Morgan is quite the aspiring TSTL heroine sometimes.
② Rachel Morgan has the most boring boyfriend in the history of boring boyfriends.
That's it? Yep, that's it. What? You think these two little things alone are not reason enough to DNF the shrimp out of a book? Don't you know me at all? I've DNFed books with less than one freaking DWtHI™ in the past, so believe me, my Lovely Arthropods, nothing is impossible in Kill it with Fire Land (KiwFL™).
So YES, our dear Rachel has TSTL tendencies, but I like her anyway. And yes, she has a Supremely Uninteresting, Slightly Annoying Boyfriend (SUSAB™), but I'm fairly confident he will be appropriately disposed of in the next instalment, so all is well in the world. Or will be. Hopefully. Because if she Rachel doesn't ditch the guy soon, I shall gladly take care of it for her. Which loosely translates to mean: I'll chop him into tiny little pieces and feed him to the murderous crustaceans for the end of summer banquet. Ooooooh, I think my babies would definitely like that. Yum yum yum and stuff.
Anyway, the answer to the question you didn't ask is yes, by the way. YES, I will continue with this series. Because it's pretty cool and fun and entertaining, despite the DWtHI™. Because the story arc is pretty intriguing and stuff. And because Yummy Trent Kamalack is Yummy (YTKiY™). And because Jenks is the hottest pixy ever. And I usually hate these suckers. Because pixies make me think of fairies and Fairies are Silly Sissies (FaSS™). But Jenks is Jenks. So fatal attraction and all that crap. Oh, and one more reason why YES, I shall continue with this series: because demons are yummy. But you already knew that. And even if you didn't, just pretend you did. Good Little Barnacles. Daddy is so proud of you right now.
» And the moral of this Express Crap Cutting Non Review (ECCNR™) is: contrary to popular belief, I can be reasonable sometimes, and choose to overlook stuff I choose to overlook. Because if I didn't choose to overlook stuff I choose to overlook, I'd probably end up DNFing 99.99% of the books IDNF try to read. Ha.
· Book 1: Dead Witch Walking ★★
· Book 3: Every Which Way But Dead ★★
Well well well, would you look at that?! It seems the Freaking MacHalo TBR Cleaning Challenge of Doom and Destruction (FMTCCoDaD™) isn't ALL about reading crap, after all! Who would have thought?! Not only did I NOT feel like killing this book with fire, but I actually enjoyed reading it *gasps* Despite its Disaster Waiting to Happen Ingredients (DWtHI™)! Wow. Imagine that!
Flabbergastation is me I mean, I'm so used to reading UF rubbish these days, any Non-Crappy UF Object (NCUO™) I manage to get my hands on comes as a shock. Hence the dramatic fainting and stuff.
What? You want me to cut the crap and get right down do the DWtHI™? Why? You don't think what I've been saying so far is absolutely, totally and completely fascinating? Okay, you know what, don't answer that one, I have a feeling I won't like what you have to say. But anyway. So you want do get down and dirty with no foreplay, huh? Sigh. You bunch of silly arthropods don't know what you are missing, but hey, it's your lives, so suit your little selves. Express Crap Cutting (ECC™), here we go.
So. Had I been my normal, healthy, balanced, sensible self when I read this story, I probably would have either rated it 2 stars or DNFed the shrimp out of it. Oh yes. Why? What do you mean "why?" Because of the DWtHI™, of course! Please do try to follow, my Little Barnacles, it would make my life a whole lot easier. Especially on days like this one, when you expect me to cut the freaking crap. So please shut the shrimp up, and let me try and to do this as quickly and painlessly as possible.
There are two major DWtHI™ in this book :
① Rachel Morgan is quite the aspiring TSTL heroine sometimes.
② Rachel Morgan has the most boring boyfriend in the history of boring boyfriends.
That's it? Yep, that's it. What? You think these two little things alone are not reason enough to DNF the shrimp out of a book? Don't you know me at all? I've DNFed books with less than one freaking DWtHI™ in the past, so believe me, my Lovely Arthropods, nothing is impossible in Kill it with Fire Land (KiwFL™).
So YES, our dear Rachel has TSTL tendencies, but I like her anyway. And yes, she has a Supremely Uninteresting, Slightly Annoying Boyfriend (SUSAB™), but I'm fairly confident he will be appropriately disposed of in the next instalment, so all is well in the world. Or will be. Hopefully. Because if she Rachel doesn't ditch the guy soon, I shall gladly take care of it for her. Which loosely translates to mean: I'll chop him into tiny little pieces and feed him to the murderous crustaceans for the end of summer banquet. Ooooooh, I think my babies would definitely like that. Yum yum yum and stuff.
Anyway, the answer to the question you didn't ask is yes, by the way. YES, I will continue with this series. Because it's pretty cool and fun and entertaining, despite the DWtHI™. Because the story arc is pretty intriguing and stuff. And because Yummy Trent Kamalack is Yummy (YTKiY™). And because Jenks is the hottest pixy ever. And I usually hate these suckers. Because pixies make me think of fairies and Fairies are Silly Sissies (FaSS™). But Jenks is Jenks. So fatal attraction and all that crap. Oh, and one more reason why YES, I shall continue with this series: because demons are yummy. But you already knew that. And even if you didn't, just pretend you did. Good Little Barnacles. Daddy is so proud of you right now.
» And the moral of this Express Crap Cutting Non Review (ECCNR™) is: contrary to popular belief, I can be reasonable sometimes, and choose to overlook stuff I choose to overlook. Because if I didn't choose to overlook stuff I choose to overlook, I'd probably end up DNFing 99.99% of the books I
· Book 1: Dead Witch Walking ★★
· Book 3: Every Which Way But Dead ★★
September 10, 2009
I've read most of the majors in this genre: Stoker, Rice, Harrison, Harris, King, Hamilton, Meyer, Newman, and Kostova. I've seen Blade, Underworld, Buffy, Angel, Van Helsing, 30 Days of Night, Moonlight and Dark Shadows (not saying they are all good, mind you). So, I think I've consumed enough of the vampire genre to have some opinions.
My theory about Twilight. People with little to no experience with the vampire genre LOVE this series. Most readers who have consumed their fair amount of vampire genre - not so much. Somebody do a poll, quick, and prove me right.
So why is Harrison great?
Rachel Morgan is a sassy, sarcastic, kick-ass witch. Forget pointy hats, brooms and wands. Think leather pants, sexy boots and charms cooked up in a modern day kitchen. When charms don't work, a throat punch or round house kick will do. She's a bounty hunter who hunts down the bad guys - who are mostly non-human.
Because of a genetically engineered tomato gone bad - half the world population died of food poisoning (basically). That's when the witches, werewolves, and vampires came out of the closet. Laws were formed to accomodate the different populations. Our girl s with the police for non-humans against human crimes, then she leaves because things go terribly and horribly wrong.
It reads very Joss Whedon. Sarcastic banter. Kick ass fight scenes. The vampire "rules" are good - they make sense for modern day vamps in a modern society.
What's to love?
ACTION - great!
MAGIC - good, different, makes sense, solid (I liked Harry Potter, but I like non-wand magic alot more)
HUMOR - if you like Joss Whedon - you have to read this.
CREATURES - there's more species than the three I've named. 'Nuf said.
What's not so fun?
That you're not already reading it!
My theory about Twilight. People with little to no experience with the vampire genre LOVE this series. Most readers who have consumed their fair amount of vampire genre - not so much. Somebody do a poll, quick, and prove me right.
So why is Harrison great?
Rachel Morgan is a sassy, sarcastic, kick-ass witch. Forget pointy hats, brooms and wands. Think leather pants, sexy boots and charms cooked up in a modern day kitchen. When charms don't work, a throat punch or round house kick will do. She's a bounty hunter who hunts down the bad guys - who are mostly non-human.
Because of a genetically engineered tomato gone bad - half the world population died of food poisoning (basically). That's when the witches, werewolves, and vampires came out of the closet. Laws were formed to accomodate the different populations. Our girl s with the police for non-humans against human crimes, then she leaves because things go terribly and horribly wrong.
It reads very Joss Whedon. Sarcastic banter. Kick ass fight scenes. The vampire "rules" are good - they make sense for modern day vamps in a modern society.
What's to love?
ACTION - great!
MAGIC - good, different, makes sense, solid (I liked Harry Potter, but I like non-wand magic alot more)
HUMOR - if you like Joss Whedon - you have to read this.
CREATURES - there's more species than the three I've named. 'Nuf said.
What's not so fun?
That you're not already reading it!
February 7, 2018
2/7/18 - ON SALE for $3.99:
http://amzn.to/2E6K3VD
Reviewed by: Rabid Reads
If I still had any doubts about The Hollows when I finished the Dead Witch Walking, The Good, the Bad, and the Undead laid them to rest.
Book 2 begins with Rachel and Jenks in the middle of a run. Several months has passed since the first book ended, and without a death threat hanging over her head, Rachel is free to pursue her new career as an independent runner. Nick is now officially Rachel's boyfriend, and the roommate situation with Ivy seems to have calmed down now that Rachel knows what Ivy's triggers are and not to pull them.
And things just keep swimming merrily along. (<-----did you see what I did there? *snickers*)
Riiiiiight . . .
Even if (for some strange reason) you were hoping things would calm down for our new favorite witch, when Glenn shows up as Rachel and Jenks' ride after the run (instead of Ivy), and insists on taking a detour to the FIB (Federal Inderland Bureau---the human version of police enforcement), it seems HIGHLY unlikely.
Even MORE unlikely when you learn the reason for the detour is that Sarah Jane (Trent's new secretary) is there being questioned after reporting her missing boyfriend.
A serial killer is on the loose in Cincinnati, you see. And serial killers have VERY particular tastes. This one has been viciously murdering ley line witches . . . and guess what Sarah Jane's boyfriend happens to be . . .
SO many things happen in this book.
Rachel shows an uncommon aptitude for ley line witchcraft. This is distressing for her, b/c as she has stated (on numerous occasions) she is strictly an earth witch. Ley line magic isn't as black and white as earth magic, and Rachel has seen too many friends slide down that slippery slope from white, to gray, to black b/c POWER lurks in ley line magic. POWER that tempts and overwhelms, and Rachel wants no part of it.
We find out what Trent is. Not telling. READ IT. *poke*
Rachel discovers links between her father and the Kalamacks. Not telling that either. *pokes again*
And not lastly (not by a long shot, but if I were to list all of the Big Deal things that happened in this book, we'd be here all day, AND I'd probably get smacked from all the poking), Rachel makes a deal with a demon that sets up for book 3 rather nicely. And by "nicely" I mean "holycraphowisshegoingtogetoutofthatone?!"
In addition to SO many things happening in this book, SO many characters are further developed and/or introduced.
We meet Rachel's wacky mother (who accidentally alludes to a HUGE secret that gets revealed later on), and Piscary (hey, I just noticed "scary" is in his name . . . wonder if that was on purpose . . . hmmm . . . ), the scary master vamp. We also meet the several times mentioned, but never actually seen Quen (one of my favorite secondaries). Trent is shown in a less diabolical light that makes him a much more complicated individual, and Nick . . . well, Nick's moral code is revealed to be even more nebulous than previously suspected, but due to certain other events, I can't help but feel a bit sorry for him. That whole situation is just a MESS.
And again MORE. Too much to cover all of it, but believe me when I say that it was very well done.
There wasn't much on the world-building front, but then it wasn't really necessary. Pretty much everything you need to know was covered in the first book. I still find it slightly ridiculous every time Rachel goes out of her way to hide evidence of tomato consumption from the humans, but what are you going to do?
Tomato ridiculousness aside, The Good, the Bad, and the Undead brilliantly avoided the book 2 slump that so many series fall prey to. It was another artful combination of humor, action, danger, and flirtation, and BONUS all of this took place within a well-developed and identifiable plot! I know! It so rarely happens that I don't know what to do either!
That's not true, I know exactly what to do---read the next book. *wink*
My other reviews for this series:
Dead Witch Walking (The Hollows #1)
Every Which Way But Dead (The Hollows #3)
A Fistful of Charms (The Hollows #4)
For a Few Demons More (The Hollows #5)
The Outlaw Demon Wails (The Hollows #6)
White Witch, Black Curse (The Hollows #7)
Black Magic Sanction (The Hollows #8)
Pale Demon (The Hollows #9)
The Undead Pool (The Hollows #12)
Into the Woods: Tales from the Hollows and Beyond
http://amzn.to/2E6K3VD
Reviewed by: Rabid Reads
If I still had any doubts about The Hollows when I finished the Dead Witch Walking, The Good, the Bad, and the Undead laid them to rest.
Book 2 begins with Rachel and Jenks in the middle of a run. Several months has passed since the first book ended, and without a death threat hanging over her head, Rachel is free to pursue her new career as an independent runner. Nick is now officially Rachel's boyfriend, and the roommate situation with Ivy seems to have calmed down now that Rachel knows what Ivy's triggers are and not to pull them.
And things just keep swimming merrily along. (<-----did you see what I did there? *snickers*)
Riiiiiight . . .
Even if (for some strange reason) you were hoping things would calm down for our new favorite witch, when Glenn shows up as Rachel and Jenks' ride after the run (instead of Ivy), and insists on taking a detour to the FIB (Federal Inderland Bureau---the human version of police enforcement), it seems HIGHLY unlikely.
Even MORE unlikely when you learn the reason for the detour is that Sarah Jane (Trent's new secretary) is there being questioned after reporting her missing boyfriend.
A serial killer is on the loose in Cincinnati, you see. And serial killers have VERY particular tastes. This one has been viciously murdering ley line witches . . . and guess what Sarah Jane's boyfriend happens to be . . .
SO many things happen in this book.
Rachel shows an uncommon aptitude for ley line witchcraft. This is distressing for her, b/c as she has stated (on numerous occasions) she is strictly an earth witch. Ley line magic isn't as black and white as earth magic, and Rachel has seen too many friends slide down that slippery slope from white, to gray, to black b/c POWER lurks in ley line magic. POWER that tempts and overwhelms, and Rachel wants no part of it.
We find out what Trent is. Not telling. READ IT. *poke*
Rachel discovers links between her father and the Kalamacks. Not telling that either. *pokes again*
And not lastly (not by a long shot, but if I were to list all of the Big Deal things that happened in this book, we'd be here all day, AND I'd probably get smacked from all the poking), Rachel makes a deal with a demon that sets up for book 3 rather nicely. And by "nicely" I mean "holycraphowisshegoingtogetoutofthatone?!"
In addition to SO many things happening in this book, SO many characters are further developed and/or introduced.
We meet Rachel's wacky mother (who accidentally alludes to a HUGE secret that gets revealed later on), and Piscary (hey, I just noticed "scary" is in his name . . . wonder if that was on purpose . . . hmmm . . . ), the scary master vamp. We also meet the several times mentioned, but never actually seen Quen (one of my favorite secondaries). Trent is shown in a less diabolical light that makes him a much more complicated individual, and Nick . . . well, Nick's moral code is revealed to be even more nebulous than previously suspected, but due to certain other events, I can't help but feel a bit sorry for him. That whole situation is just a MESS.
And again MORE. Too much to cover all of it, but believe me when I say that it was very well done.
There wasn't much on the world-building front, but then it wasn't really necessary. Pretty much everything you need to know was covered in the first book. I still find it slightly ridiculous every time Rachel goes out of her way to hide evidence of tomato consumption from the humans, but what are you going to do?
Tomato ridiculousness aside, The Good, the Bad, and the Undead brilliantly avoided the book 2 slump that so many series fall prey to. It was another artful combination of humor, action, danger, and flirtation, and BONUS all of this took place within a well-developed and identifiable plot! I know! It so rarely happens that I don't know what to do either!
That's not true, I know exactly what to do---read the next book. *wink*
My other reviews for this series:
Dead Witch Walking (The Hollows #1)
Every Which Way But Dead (The Hollows #3)
A Fistful of Charms (The Hollows #4)
For a Few Demons More (The Hollows #5)
The Outlaw Demon Wails (The Hollows #6)
White Witch, Black Curse (The Hollows #7)
Black Magic Sanction (The Hollows #8)
Pale Demon (The Hollows #9)
The Undead Pool (The Hollows #12)
Into the Woods: Tales from the Hollows and Beyond
October 18, 2014
Rachel Mariana Morgan, you are the character in the movie that I yell at. That I scream at “Don’t go into that empty warehouse! Don’t practice spells you know nothing about! Never talk with Demons!!!” But does she listen NOOOO….No wonder she is always in some sort of crisis.
Rachel isn’t my favorite heroine and normally that would be enough to steer me away from a series but I really enjoy all the other parts of the series. There is enough humor, mystery and other interesting characters to keep me engaged even when I want to scream at Rachel.
A few things in this book I really enjoyed were her developing relationship with Nick, which let’s face it now is probably doomed and not just because he is a human and Rachel’s mom loves him…
But also because of a little/big thing Rtachel did in this book and a demon. Still I enjoyed their time on page together and their continueing relationship will be interesting if nothing else.
The backstory development was really good too. We find out what Trent is, what his connection to Rachel is and a little bit of what her father was into. And then there is Ivy and that whole situation. It seems that everyone seems to see Ivy’s motives aren’t entirely pure except Rachel.
I now have a little better understanding of Ivy’s plans for Rachel and while I’m not on board with them I could see the draw.
There are exactly 2 reasons I’m going to continue this series. Trent and Big Al
Finding out what Trent is and part of his connection to Rachel was just a taste. I’m sure and I really want to find out even more about this guy who seems to be a little bit good, a little bit bad and smoldering hot. Big Al on the other hand is probably all bad but in the best way, blame it on the Demon thing if you must. He is tricky and he has gotten the best of Rachel two times now, I have no idea how she will get out of this mess.
The storyline of the serial killer of Ley Line witches was interesting and wrapped up pretty well, but overall I’m more interesting in the overlapping plot arcs that will go on throughout the series, especially those centering on Rachel’s Dad and Big Al.
Rachel isn’t my favorite heroine and normally that would be enough to steer me away from a series but I really enjoy all the other parts of the series. There is enough humor, mystery and other interesting characters to keep me engaged even when I want to scream at Rachel.
A few things in this book I really enjoyed were her developing relationship with Nick, which let’s face it now is probably doomed and not just because he is a human and Rachel’s mom loves him…
“I like you. Marry Rachel and have lots of kids.”
“Mom!” I exclaimed. Nick grinned, enjoying it.
“But not right away,” she continued. “Enjoy your freedom together for a while. You don’t want children until you’re ready. You are practicing safe sex, yes?”
“Mother!” I shouted. “Shut up!” God, help me get through this night.
She turned, one hand on her hip, the other holding the dripping spoon. “Rachel, if you didn’t want me to bring it up, you should have spelled your hickey.”
But also because of a little/big thing Rtachel did in this book and a demon. Still I enjoyed their time on page together and their continueing relationship will be interesting if nothing else.
The backstory development was really good too. We find out what Trent is, what his connection to Rachel is and a little bit of what her father was into. And then there is Ivy and that whole situation. It seems that everyone seems to see Ivy’s motives aren’t entirely pure except Rachel.
“She wants something,” he said. “And every time she looks at you, I see guilt. Whether she means to or not, she’s going to hurt you, and she knows it.”
I now have a little better understanding of Ivy’s plans for Rachel and while I’m not on board with them I could see the draw.
There are exactly 2 reasons I’m going to continue this series. Trent and Big Al
Finding out what Trent is and part of his connection to Rachel was just a taste. I’m sure and I really want to find out even more about this guy who seems to be a little bit good, a little bit bad and smoldering hot. Big Al on the other hand is probably all bad but in the best way, blame it on the Demon thing if you must. He is tricky and he has gotten the best of Rachel two times now, I have no idea how she will get out of this mess.
The storyline of the serial killer of Ley Line witches was interesting and wrapped up pretty well, but overall I’m more interesting in the overlapping plot arcs that will go on throughout the series, especially those centering on Rachel’s Dad and Big Al.
June 30, 2012
The second book in the Hollows series is written much better than the haphazard style of Dead Witch Walking. I'm glad I stuck with the series because it's a really unique and interesting one. Firstly, it seems like the author has done with some good editing and slowly interweaves the world building with what is happening at the time, instead of having huge info dumps at random intervals.
Rachel Morgan slowly learns to stand on her own and develop her powers further in this book. As an FIB consultant, she's assisting in a murder investigation using her strong intuition and witchy powers. The host of side characters such as Ivy, Nick, and Jenks are developed further and they are complex characters so it's interesting to follow.
There's some interesting developments to follow in this book, and I especially find entertaining how tomatoes are feared by all humans due to them containing a virus that wiped out 1/4 of humanity. This book is multi-layered and has complex characters and developments, and it is easily enjoyable.
I recommend The Hollows series to anyone who hasn't started it yet, and keen to start on the next one.
Check out Happy Indulgence for more reviews!
Rachel Morgan slowly learns to stand on her own and develop her powers further in this book. As an FIB consultant, she's assisting in a murder investigation using her strong intuition and witchy powers. The host of side characters such as Ivy, Nick, and Jenks are developed further and they are complex characters so it's interesting to follow.
There's some interesting developments to follow in this book, and I especially find entertaining how tomatoes are feared by all humans due to them containing a virus that wiped out 1/4 of humanity. This book is multi-layered and has complex characters and developments, and it is easily enjoyable.
I recommend The Hollows series to anyone who hasn't started it yet, and keen to start on the next one.
Check out Happy Indulgence for more reviews!
September 17, 2022
3.5 Stars for The Good, The Bad, and the Undead: Hollows Series, Book 2 (audiobook) by Kim Harrison read by Marguerite Gavin.
I think I liked the first book better when everything was new. In this story I had trouble staying interested in it.
I think I liked the first book better when everything was new. In this story I had trouble staying interested in it.
July 3, 2021
i liked rachel in the first book but her being impulsive gets old real fast. Nick is also really annoying like i know he wants the best for Rachel but you’ve known her less than everyone else.. stfu plus i just don’t trust him in general.
March 13, 2019
This is still such a fun book but I definitely see some flaws given how old the novel is. There's the use of the term "exotic" about an Asian character and there's a vampire attack where it's equated to rape...which is accurate in this world but the word is thrown around a good bit. I still stand by this series and these characters, I just love them.
October 31, 2017
Hmmm. This is definitely better than the first. There’s something quite compelling about this series. This confuses me though as there are some annoyances too. I found the plot a little convoluted and I don’t like Nick much. Also the main character Rachel is pretty annoying a lot of the time. Still. I’ve given better books a lower rating on occasion. Go figure!
February 7, 2020
Enjoyed it just as much the second time. Have I mentioned that I adore Jenks?
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Nice second entry into the series. Definitely intrigued me even more, and I can't wait to continue with the series.
---
Nice second entry into the series. Definitely intrigued me even more, and I can't wait to continue with the series.
July 25, 2015
I'll say it again. If you're fan of a good read with amazing characters with snarky retorts and sassy attitudes and you love yourself some action-packed urban fantasy then don't hesitate, do read this. I am most pleased by how this book turned out. It was a nice surprise that it kept getting better than the first novel and I actually liked it even more. Since I gave the first book 5 stars it's only fair that I give this 5 stars as well.
There is a little bit more romance in this one. If you remember Nick from the first book, well, he's Rachel's boyfriend and their relationship is kind of cute to read and I kind of like them together but to be honest I wouldn't mind if they seperated.
There is a witch hunter on the loose. More like a ley-witch hunter and Rachel, Jenks & Ivy (from time to time) help the FIB, along with Glenn (Edden's son) to find out and apprehend the killer. Not surprisingly all eyes turn to Trent and Rachel tries to incriminate him for the killings and watch him going down.
There are twists, many of them. There is tention between our characters & lots of unpredictability, which I liked a lot. Our characters aren't simple, they're complicated and they have problems and they're trying to work through them. I'm glad that this book changed my opinion about Rachel, which I grew to love in this one. In the first book I liked her but didn't quite find her as fascinating as I thought she would be. Ivy is still one hell of a vamp and I adore her and I hate how she's struggling and faces everything on her own. I want her friends to stand up for her, finally!
This book was so fun, fun, fun. There is drama but all the fun drowns out the drama and I had a great time reading it, laughing and snorting. There is so much action, there's always action and it'll come right when you didn't expect it.
Can't wait to dive into the next book and devour it like I did this one.
There is a little bit more romance in this one. If you remember Nick from the first book, well, he's Rachel's boyfriend and their relationship is kind of cute to read and I kind of like them together but to be honest I wouldn't mind if they seperated.
There is a witch hunter on the loose. More like a ley-witch hunter and Rachel, Jenks & Ivy (from time to time) help the FIB, along with Glenn (Edden's son) to find out and apprehend the killer. Not surprisingly all eyes turn to Trent and Rachel tries to incriminate him for the killings and watch him going down.
There are twists, many of them. There is tention between our characters & lots of unpredictability, which I liked a lot. Our characters aren't simple, they're complicated and they have problems and they're trying to work through them. I'm glad that this book changed my opinion about Rachel, which I grew to love in this one. In the first book I liked her but didn't quite find her as fascinating as I thought she would be. Ivy is still one hell of a vamp and I adore her and I hate how she's struggling and faces everything on her own. I want her friends to stand up for her, finally!
This book was so fun, fun, fun. There is drama but all the fun drowns out the drama and I had a great time reading it, laughing and snorting. There is so much action, there's always action and it'll come right when you didn't expect it.
Can't wait to dive into the next book and devour it like I did this one.
January 18, 2015
I got so bogged down by the world building of the first book I put the series on hiatus. This time I switched to the audio format and it turned out to be a brilliant move as the narrator, Marguerite Gavin, gives an inspired performance.
There are many lingering questions from Dead Witch Walking that are resolved in this story (what is Trent, who unleashed the demon on Rachel, who is Ivy really, etc.). And, some I had that are still outstanding but we get more info on, enough to whet the appetite.
Ivy bugged me, a lot, in the first story and she got under my skin again in this one. However, by the end, I understand her more fully and why Rachel is so committed to the relationship. And, Nick...don't get me started on him. Still don't trust him and think there's quite a bit more to him than he lets on. Trent, well, he's the enigma that keeps on giving.
There's a lot that works about this story, enough that I've dusted off the series and restored it to front row status. I'm grateful to friends who strongly urged me to keep going. It's a complex world with interesting characters and enough political intrigue to keep you completely off balance.
There are many lingering questions from Dead Witch Walking that are resolved in this story (what is Trent, who unleashed the demon on Rachel, who is Ivy really, etc.). And, some I had that are still outstanding but we get more info on, enough to whet the appetite.
Ivy bugged me, a lot, in the first story and she got under my skin again in this one. However, by the end, I understand her more fully and why Rachel is so committed to the relationship. And, Nick...don't get me started on him. Still don't trust him and think there's quite a bit more to him than he lets on. Trent, well, he's the enigma that keeps on giving.
There's a lot that works about this story, enough that I've dusted off the series and restored it to front row status. I'm grateful to friends who strongly urged me to keep going. It's a complex world with interesting characters and enough political intrigue to keep you completely off balance.
August 29, 2016
This review can also be found at Carole's Random Life.
This was such a fun audiobook! Years ago, I read the first several books in this series but never went any further for some reason. I meant to but I guess I got distracted by other shiny books or something. Since I knew I need a refresher before moving on with the series, I thought that a re-read would be a perfect choice. I am almost positive that I liked it even better this time around.
This book starts with a bang. Rachel and Jenks are in the middle of a run....and things don't go as smoothly as they would have hoped. One thing leads to another and before you know it Rachel is in the middle of a much bigger case and has a new human sidekick to go with the gig. This book really has a lot packed into it with a pretty compelling mystery at the heart of the story. There are a lot of side plots that also keep the story moving.
I love the characters. Rachel is just all kinds of awesome. I like she handles herself in really difficult situations. She keeps an even head and can think about things from different points of view. She also tries hard to do what is right. Jenks is nearly perfect. He is tough and always seems to add a lot to every scene he is a part of. Ivy is still a bit of a mystery but I like the tension she adds to story.
Marguerite Gavin is the perfect choice for narrator with this series. She is somehow able to capture each of the different characters in this book flawlessly. Each character's voice was unique and fit their personality. I was able to stay completely focused on the story and had a hard time setting it aside to do anything else. I think that her narration really made the story come alive.
I would highly recommend this series to fans of urban fiction. I do think that this is a series that really should be read in order since some of the story builds on previous books. I can't wait to move on to the next book in the series.
This was such a fun audiobook! Years ago, I read the first several books in this series but never went any further for some reason. I meant to but I guess I got distracted by other shiny books or something. Since I knew I need a refresher before moving on with the series, I thought that a re-read would be a perfect choice. I am almost positive that I liked it even better this time around.
This book starts with a bang. Rachel and Jenks are in the middle of a run....and things don't go as smoothly as they would have hoped. One thing leads to another and before you know it Rachel is in the middle of a much bigger case and has a new human sidekick to go with the gig. This book really has a lot packed into it with a pretty compelling mystery at the heart of the story. There are a lot of side plots that also keep the story moving.
I love the characters. Rachel is just all kinds of awesome. I like she handles herself in really difficult situations. She keeps an even head and can think about things from different points of view. She also tries hard to do what is right. Jenks is nearly perfect. He is tough and always seems to add a lot to every scene he is a part of. Ivy is still a bit of a mystery but I like the tension she adds to story.
Marguerite Gavin is the perfect choice for narrator with this series. She is somehow able to capture each of the different characters in this book flawlessly. Each character's voice was unique and fit their personality. I was able to stay completely focused on the story and had a hard time setting it aside to do anything else. I think that her narration really made the story come alive.
I would highly recommend this series to fans of urban fiction. I do think that this is a series that really should be read in order since some of the story builds on previous books. I can't wait to move on to the next book in the series.
November 5, 2022
I had a lot of pauses during the reading of this novel. Mostly, that's on me, because I'm struggling to maintain my focus on anything these days. But I found myself setting the book down whenever Rachel got in a snit, trying to use assumptions as proof. I couldn't yell at her, but I could go do something else and ignore her for a while. For someone with her skills, she is very impulsive and difficult to reason with.
Poor Ivy gets kicked around in this installment and Rachel is both brave and compassionate in her care of her friend. Ivy gets the best of her attention. Her putative boyfriend, Nick, gets unintentionally abused when Rachel performs a new spell with unexpected consequences and when she draws power through their link. Needless to say, their relationship is strained by this, as well as by their joint association with a demon (whom they refer to as Big Al). My prediction is that Nick won't remain her boyfriend for long. Rachel and her arch-enemy, Trent Kalamack, talk smack, admire each other, and flirt altogether too much for this to remain an adversarial situation. I'd say they are on their way to a torrid affair of some kind.
Meanwhile, Rachel is building her base. If Ivy isn't an even better friend after this, she's an ungrateful vampire. The pixie, Jenks, is still firmly on Rachel's team, along with his family. Nick is still linked to her by magic, but may be on his way out, if they can find a way to reverse the binding. Now, however, the FIB, in the persons of Edden and Glenn, are pleased to be associated with her. Even Trent seems to want to spend time with her.
The demon is a lingering problem, but we need a hook to encourage us to read the next book, don't we? Will Ivy recover? Can Nick and Rachel sever their binding? Will Trent supersede Nick in Rachel's affections? Once I punch through a bunch of library books, I'll grab volume three to find out. Wish me better luck with my attention span!
Book number 476 of my Science Fiction and Fantasy Reading Project
Poor Ivy gets kicked around in this installment and Rachel is both brave and compassionate in her care of her friend. Ivy gets the best of her attention. Her putative boyfriend, Nick, gets unintentionally abused when Rachel performs a new spell with unexpected consequences and when she draws power through their link. Needless to say, their relationship is strained by this, as well as by their joint association with a demon (whom they refer to as Big Al). My prediction is that Nick won't remain her boyfriend for long. Rachel and her arch-enemy, Trent Kalamack, talk smack, admire each other, and flirt altogether too much for this to remain an adversarial situation. I'd say they are on their way to a torrid affair of some kind.
Meanwhile, Rachel is building her base. If Ivy isn't an even better friend after this, she's an ungrateful vampire. The pixie, Jenks, is still firmly on Rachel's team, along with his family. Nick is still linked to her by magic, but may be on his way out, if they can find a way to reverse the binding. Now, however, the FIB, in the persons of Edden and Glenn, are pleased to be associated with her. Even Trent seems to want to spend time with her.
The demon is a lingering problem, but we need a hook to encourage us to read the next book, don't we? Will Ivy recover? Can Nick and Rachel sever their binding? Will Trent supersede Nick in Rachel's affections? Once I punch through a bunch of library books, I'll grab volume three to find out. Wish me better luck with my attention span!
Book number 476 of my Science Fiction and Fantasy Reading Project
March 3, 2010
WOW! Just WOW.
This book was so different from the first one. I loved it, I would have given 5 stars to it if it wasn't for that very, VERY slow beginning. I mean, the first half of the book I wanted to burn up the book because nothing really happened. It took me 4 days to read the first half and 1 to read the next.
About that second half, I enjoyed it so much I couldn't stop reading it, even though I was full with work for college.
What I loved the most about this book was that you see Rachel turn into a more powerful witch and a more grown up person. I really didn't like to see her bitten and so badly hurt in the first book. But in this one she totally kicked asses, LOL.
About Nick, I really wish he just get killed or something, I seriously can't stand him.He's not good for Rachel at all. I adore Trent! He's my top fave for her, but Kilt isn't bad either. I wish she ends up with one of them. What about Glenn? What is he supposed to be to Rachel, I mean she just sees him as a friend but at one moment it looked like he wanted much more. So many boys to choose from. (Please let something bad happened to Nick,LOL, I'm sorry for those who like him, but I really, really don't)
Now I can't wait to read the next, not after such an ending. If it keeps as good it could end as a new fave. Now I have really high expectations for the next, I hope it does not disappoint.
This book was so different from the first one. I loved it, I would have given 5 stars to it if it wasn't for that very, VERY slow beginning. I mean, the first half of the book I wanted to burn up the book because nothing really happened. It took me 4 days to read the first half and 1 to read the next.
About that second half, I enjoyed it so much I couldn't stop reading it, even though I was full with work for college.
What I loved the most about this book was that you see Rachel turn into a more powerful witch and a more grown up person. I really didn't like to see her bitten and so badly hurt in the first book. But in this one she totally kicked asses, LOL.
About Nick, I really wish he just get killed or something, I seriously can't stand him.He's not good for Rachel at all. I adore Trent! He's my top fave for her, but Kilt isn't bad either. I wish she ends up with one of them. What about Glenn? What is he supposed to be to Rachel, I mean she just sees him as a friend but at one moment it looked like he wanted much more. So many boys to choose from. (Please let something bad happened to Nick,LOL, I'm sorry for those who like him, but I really, really don't)
Now I can't wait to read the next, not after such an ending. If it keeps as good it could end as a new fave. Now I have really high expectations for the next, I hope it does not disappoint.
January 8, 2016
ACLARACIÓN: Aunque esta reseña tiene marcado 'spoilers' después de cada ítem, no suelo spoilear nada. Es decir, no escribo nada que arruine la trama principal. (En caso de hacerlo, lo advierto previamente con una nueva marca de spoiler>!! O sea, te encajo un spoiler adentro del spoiler, porque estoy muy jugada, y soy re heavy y re jodida.)
TÍTULO: The Good, The Bad and the Undead (libro N°2 en la serie "The Hollows")
Género: Fantasía Urbana.
¿De qué trata? : Rachel Morgan (the good?) , se mete en problemas... una vez más. Esta vez investigando crímenes de un posible asesino serial.
La historia en cuestión, ¿se adapta correctamente a su género?
Punto de vista :
¿Es parte de una serie?
En caso de serlo, ¿es necesario leer los libros que lo preceden?
¿Hay romance?
En caso de haberlo, ¿entorpece la trama?:
Personajes: ¿Están bien desarrollados? ¿Son creíbles?
Personalidades:
Personaje favorito:
Personaje a jubilar:
Narración: ¿Está mal escrito?
¿Presenta situaciones realistas?
¿Clichés? :
Nivel de Originalidad
Puede causar gracia (sin intención del autor/a)
Urban Fantasy
¿Qué podemos esperar?
¿Escenas hot?
Posibles bajones (puede variar según el lector)
Credibilidad del world-building: Del 1 al 10
¿Ofensas? (Discriminación de cualquier tipo) ( Ya sea el autor, quien narra la historia, o desde comentarios de personajes secundarios…)
¿Me gustó?:
¿Hay cosas peores?
¿Libros peores
¿Libros mejores?
Lo recomendaría a quienes les gusto.. .. A cualquier fan de Buffy, de Kelley Armstrong, Stacia Kane, Charlaine Harris, Patricia Briggs, etc. O sino a quienes prefieren leer urban fantasy que no tenga mucho romance de por medio.
Puntaje final: 4.5
-----------------------------------------------
Pre-reseña:
4.5
Me like this series mucho mucho mucho.
Yesterday estar the whole night (casi noche entera) leyending y like very mucho.
No sé why I´m escribiending así. Ahora estar very stooopid. Sleep poco. Again.
July 17, 2015
This is my buddy read of the Hollows series with Moonlight Reader.
As it stands I only like two characters at this point, and one of them is a murderer. The other characters are not smart, keep doing increasing dumb things, and are just awful. Besides the characters, the world building at this point makes no sense. We have another mythical creature coming out to play, and it makes no sense in the larger context of the world that Rachel lives in right now. Maybe if I cared enough I would have re-read some passages. However, there comes a point when you just want to be done with a book. I hit that point around 12:30 a.m.
Told in the first person by Rachel Morgan, The Good, the Bad, and the Undead, still has Rachel reeling from the events in the first book. Now working alongside vampire Ivy as an independent agency, she is still focused on bringing down businessman Trent Kalamack. When some witch murders start popping up in Cincinnati, Rachel thinks this is her chance to tie the murders to Trent, and bring him to justice.
The plot should have been fairly simple, but there were all these other plots (B, C, and I think a D in there as well) that were supposed to be part of the larger plot, but ended up making everything hang together badly. We have Rachel investigating a missing case, that then ties into some witch murders, which leads to a revelation about a demon, which is kind of linked to why Ivy keeps hulking out on Rachel, which turns to Rachel finding out about a friendship her father had with someone she hates, which is the house that jack built. I am being facetious here, but seriously, it was a long winding road to the end.
It always sucks when you don't like the main character in the book you're reading. I really don't like Rachel at this point. Maybe it's because she's not that smart, and keeps apologizing to the wrong people when situations arise either of her own making or the other persons. And I can't stand to keep reading these books if every time Rachel gets out of sorts, it sets off Ivy, and then Ivy tries to feed on her by force and Rachel manages to save herself or someone else comes along and saves her. Long story short we have Rachel once again apologizing to Ivy once she vamps out and tries to force/kill Rachel. If it wasn't for Rachel's boyfriend Nick riding to the rescue, Rachel would be toast. And how does Rachel repay him?
If Rachel was a real life person and I knew her, I would probably be arrested for shaking the life out of her. Seriously? You don't have a problem that for the third time in three months your roommate has tried to force you to accept her enough so she can bite you? Bah to you.
And I honestly don't know what Ms. Harrison was going for her in the longer context of this novel. Rachel is like a 2 year old that can be distracted by a bright shiny thing. Every few seconds I felt like she was feeling drawn to someone else and she was in a relationship. The ending with her having some sort of revelation about what happened to some mythical creatures just made me roll my eyes. Even broken clocks are right twice a day. I am sure that is going to be followed up in some subsequent book.
Jenks and family were the only bright spots in this book. Can we get a spin-off with them? Maybe there is one. I will investigate. Jenks has more heart, more intelligence, than either Rachel or Ivy. And I love hearing about how pixies and fairies have been warring for centuries. I am way more interested in them, then the witches, vampires, and demons running around in this book.
Nick who I was rooting for initially, is just as dumb as Rachel. (Spoilers for book one) In the last book Rachel found out that brainiac was summoning a demon. Because of this they both have demon marks on them due to Nick using the demon to save Rachel and the marks are seen as debts until repaid. Well we find out that Nick is still trying to learn from the demon and get it to do what he wants.
And Rachel who has the common sense God gave a gnat knows this is a bad idea but you know, just kind of sits back and let's Nick do what he wants. Because of a mess-up because neither of these two are intelligent, there is a change to Nick and Rachel's relationship. The book leaves things up in the air, however, I don't care enough to see if they work it out.
Trent from the last book is the only other character besides Jenks that I liked. Readers know (spoilers for book one) that Trent was behind a death in the last book. However, he's not an idiot and we find out what has actually been going on and it links back to the goings on in book one.
The world building got a bit clunkier in this book. I think the problem was there were too many creatures to keep track of and what their triggers were. We had weres, vampires, pixies, demons, witches, etc. We also had some explanations of ley lines, and familiars. After a while I felt like I was being force fed an instruction book on witchcraft and got bored.
The flow from chapter to chapter was a bit off in places too, and I think that things would have been better if there had only been that one plot that may have led to some revelations, but not everything that was thrown at us in this book.
I have no further urge to read what happens in the Hollows. I am sure that somehow Rachel will get bitten by Ivy. Rachel will apologize for it. Rachel is probably going to end up with someone totally unsuited for her. And she will almost die like a million times.
As it stands I only like two characters at this point, and one of them is a murderer. The other characters are not smart, keep doing increasing dumb things, and are just awful. Besides the characters, the world building at this point makes no sense. We have another mythical creature coming out to play, and it makes no sense in the larger context of the world that Rachel lives in right now. Maybe if I cared enough I would have re-read some passages. However, there comes a point when you just want to be done with a book. I hit that point around 12:30 a.m.
Told in the first person by Rachel Morgan, The Good, the Bad, and the Undead, still has Rachel reeling from the events in the first book. Now working alongside vampire Ivy as an independent agency, she is still focused on bringing down businessman Trent Kalamack. When some witch murders start popping up in Cincinnati, Rachel thinks this is her chance to tie the murders to Trent, and bring him to justice.
The plot should have been fairly simple, but there were all these other plots (B, C, and I think a D in there as well) that were supposed to be part of the larger plot, but ended up making everything hang together badly. We have Rachel investigating a missing case, that then ties into some witch murders, which leads to a revelation about a demon, which is kind of linked to why Ivy keeps hulking out on Rachel, which turns to Rachel finding out about a friendship her father had with someone she hates, which is the house that jack built. I am being facetious here, but seriously, it was a long winding road to the end.
It always sucks when you don't like the main character in the book you're reading. I really don't like Rachel at this point. Maybe it's because she's not that smart, and keeps apologizing to the wrong people when situations arise either of her own making or the other persons. And I can't stand to keep reading these books if every time Rachel gets out of sorts, it sets off Ivy, and then Ivy tries to feed on her by force and Rachel manages to save herself or someone else comes along and saves her. Long story short we have Rachel once again apologizing to Ivy once she vamps out and tries to force/kill Rachel. If it wasn't for Rachel's boyfriend Nick riding to the rescue, Rachel would be toast. And how does Rachel repay him?
Are you sure you're all right? he asked, his hand buried deep in my hair as he held me.
I pulled away to look at him.
Yes. Thanks. Where's Ivy?
He didn't say anything, and my face went slack in alarm.
She didn't hurt you, did she?
His hand dropped from my hair.
She's on the floor where I left her.
Nick! I protested, pushing myself away from him so I could sit straight.
How could you just leave her there?
If Rachel was a real life person and I knew her, I would probably be arrested for shaking the life out of her. Seriously? You don't have a problem that for the third time in three months your roommate has tried to force you to accept her enough so she can bite you? Bah to you.
And I honestly don't know what Ms. Harrison was going for her in the longer context of this novel. Rachel is like a 2 year old that can be distracted by a bright shiny thing. Every few seconds I felt like she was feeling drawn to someone else and she was in a relationship. The ending with her having some sort of revelation about what happened to some mythical creatures just made me roll my eyes. Even broken clocks are right twice a day. I am sure that is going to be followed up in some subsequent book.
Jenks and family were the only bright spots in this book. Can we get a spin-off with them? Maybe there is one. I will investigate. Jenks has more heart, more intelligence, than either Rachel or Ivy. And I love hearing about how pixies and fairies have been warring for centuries. I am way more interested in them, then the witches, vampires, and demons running around in this book.
Nick who I was rooting for initially, is just as dumb as Rachel. (Spoilers for book one) In the last book Rachel found out that brainiac was summoning a demon. Because of this they both have demon marks on them due to Nick using the demon to save Rachel and the marks are seen as debts until repaid. Well we find out that Nick is still trying to learn from the demon and get it to do what he wants.
And Rachel who has the common sense God gave a gnat knows this is a bad idea but you know, just kind of sits back and let's Nick do what he wants. Because of a mess-up because neither of these two are intelligent, there is a change to Nick and Rachel's relationship. The book leaves things up in the air, however, I don't care enough to see if they work it out.
Trent from the last book is the only other character besides Jenks that I liked. Readers know (spoilers for book one) that Trent was behind a death in the last book. However, he's not an idiot and we find out what has actually been going on and it links back to the goings on in book one.
The world building got a bit clunkier in this book. I think the problem was there were too many creatures to keep track of and what their triggers were. We had weres, vampires, pixies, demons, witches, etc. We also had some explanations of ley lines, and familiars. After a while I felt like I was being force fed an instruction book on witchcraft and got bored.
The flow from chapter to chapter was a bit off in places too, and I think that things would have been better if there had only been that one plot that may have led to some revelations, but not everything that was thrown at us in this book.
I have no further urge to read what happens in the Hollows. I am sure that somehow Rachel will get bitten by Ivy. Rachel will apologize for it. Rachel is probably going to end up with someone totally unsuited for her. And she will almost die like a million times.
March 27, 2021
Series re-read!
While the first book is good, the second is fantastic. We've got the trio settling in, pulling runs, making mistakes, and sometimes those mistakes are on the job, and sometimes it's just with each other.
It's almost painful to see how awkward certain things can be: Ivy's living undead pheromones, unsaid promises, Rachel's little weakness thanks to having encountered vampire mind-**ckery in the previous book.
But then, there's also the thorough theme of power dynamics running all through this book. It's not all delicious tomato-based humor or practical jokes in the garden or a little sexy-time with Rachel's boy-toy Nick (literally, thanks to another little mistake). Indeed, the book gets downright DARK. I can't rightly fault Rachel's decision to do what she does after taking care of Ivy.
I'm also feeling the echoes of things to come as I read this, and I nearly broke into tears.
I honestly forgot just how much I loved these. It's truly like coming home.
While the first book is good, the second is fantastic. We've got the trio settling in, pulling runs, making mistakes, and sometimes those mistakes are on the job, and sometimes it's just with each other.
It's almost painful to see how awkward certain things can be: Ivy's living undead pheromones, unsaid promises, Rachel's little weakness thanks to having encountered vampire mind-**ckery in the previous book.
But then, there's also the thorough theme of power dynamics running all through this book. It's not all delicious tomato-based humor or practical jokes in the garden or a little sexy-time with Rachel's boy-toy Nick (literally, thanks to another little mistake). Indeed, the book gets downright DARK. I can't rightly fault Rachel's decision to do what she does after taking care of Ivy.
I'm also feeling the echoes of things to come as I read this, and I nearly broke into tears.
I honestly forgot just how much I loved these. It's truly like coming home.
Read
September 10, 2018DNF at 20%
No rating for now, I'll try it again later. Maybe I just not in the mood.
No rating for now, I'll try it again later. Maybe I just not in the mood.
June 2, 2021
1st read - 2009
2nd read - July 2017
3rd read - June 2020
4th read - June 2021
I read the first few books in this series years ago but it was only when I started my reread recently that I remembered how much I enjoyed this world. Rachel isn't perfect but she's a great character because she's so flawed. She makes stupid mistakes and she's far too trusting but she's learning and I'm hoping she won't keep repeating the same errors over and over again. I'm enjoying seeing her learn more about the magic she is capable of, she came across as a fairly mediocre witch in the beginning but it looks like she has more power than she realised. We learn a bit more about her background and a connection between her family and Trent's which I think is extremely interesting. Trent's character definitely has me intrigued, he has a bad side but I'm starting to wonder if he's not quite as evil as first suspected.
I think my main pet peeve in this book was her boyfriend Nick who, lets face it, is a bit of a wet blanket and I have absolutely zero idea what Rachel sees in him - especially considering all the lies and secrets he's keeping. The other thing that gets on my last nerve is her relationship with vampire Ivy. The two are supposed to be friends and business partners but their relationship presses all my buttons in the completely wrong way. I get that the author is trying to show that vampires are dangerous but Ivy crosses so many lines that it's just not funny. Their relationship feels abusive to me, there are many times Ivy either can't or won't take no for an answer and Rachel is constantly making excuses for her. What's even worse is that Rachel then blames herself for doing things that triggered Ivy's "vampire instincts" and that really rubs me up the wrong way. If you had a male character who acted the way Ivy does then I think a lot of people would be really angry about the way the situation was handled and it's probably the main thing that makes me reticent to continue the series.
Having said that there is a lot to love about these books so I'm going to push through and hope Ivy either has a serious attitude adjustment or that someone stakes her and puts me out of my misery! Jenks and his family are brilliant, I already mentioned my love for Rachel and curiosity about Trent and I'm also kind of curious about Big Al too. He's got the better of Rachel every time they've met so far and she's in a whole heap of trouble because of that but I can't help wanting to see how she gets herself out of it.
2nd read - July 2017
3rd read - June 2020
4th read - June 2021
I read the first few books in this series years ago but it was only when I started my reread recently that I remembered how much I enjoyed this world. Rachel isn't perfect but she's a great character because she's so flawed. She makes stupid mistakes and she's far too trusting but she's learning and I'm hoping she won't keep repeating the same errors over and over again. I'm enjoying seeing her learn more about the magic she is capable of, she came across as a fairly mediocre witch in the beginning but it looks like she has more power than she realised. We learn a bit more about her background and a connection between her family and Trent's which I think is extremely interesting. Trent's character definitely has me intrigued, he has a bad side but I'm starting to wonder if he's not quite as evil as first suspected.
I think my main pet peeve in this book was her boyfriend Nick who, lets face it, is a bit of a wet blanket and I have absolutely zero idea what Rachel sees in him - especially considering all the lies and secrets he's keeping. The other thing that gets on my last nerve is her relationship with vampire Ivy. The two are supposed to be friends and business partners but their relationship presses all my buttons in the completely wrong way. I get that the author is trying to show that vampires are dangerous but Ivy crosses so many lines that it's just not funny. Their relationship feels abusive to me, there are many times Ivy either can't or won't take no for an answer and Rachel is constantly making excuses for her. What's even worse is that Rachel then blames herself for doing things that triggered Ivy's "vampire instincts" and that really rubs me up the wrong way. If you had a male character who acted the way Ivy does then I think a lot of people would be really angry about the way the situation was handled and it's probably the main thing that makes me reticent to continue the series.
Having said that there is a lot to love about these books so I'm going to push through and hope Ivy either has a serious attitude adjustment or that someone stakes her and puts me out of my misery! Jenks and his family are brilliant, I already mentioned my love for Rachel and curiosity about Trent and I'm also kind of curious about Big Al too. He's got the better of Rachel every time they've met so far and she's in a whole heap of trouble because of that but I can't help wanting to see how she gets herself out of it.
January 14, 2009
Okay this book was a better than the first but it really took me a lot longer than is typical for me to get through the first half of the book. I don't know what Kim Harrison is trying to do in her writing but the first half of her books are really tedious and boring. You make it through it and the second half is interesting, exciting, full of suspence. I wish she'd put as much effort in the first half of her books as she does in the second.
Rachel seems to be a more rounded character in this book although she can still be annoying at times. Her supporting characters are taking shape better and I'm enjoying having some mysteries solved. There is no point in not having at least one or two problems solved in a book series. I always feel led on like a soap opera if there isn't some closure in a book.
I'm interested enough in picking up a couple more books to see how this story goes. I have a feeling I'll be wading through the first half of the next book to get to the real story again but I guess I'll just have to wait and see.
Rachel seems to be a more rounded character in this book although she can still be annoying at times. Her supporting characters are taking shape better and I'm enjoying having some mysteries solved. There is no point in not having at least one or two problems solved in a book series. I always feel led on like a soap opera if there isn't some closure in a book.
I'm interested enough in picking up a couple more books to see how this story goes. I have a feeling I'll be wading through the first half of the next book to get to the real story again but I guess I'll just have to wait and see.
September 29, 2017
This one was super satisfying - so many mysteries solved AND opened. Kinda wanted to go immediately to the next one....
February 5, 2013
Heroine’s recklessness and mistakes get her into trouble which is too close to stupidity for me.
If you like to lose yourself in an urban fantasy world, this is a good one. But I want stories where character and plot are the main draws. Here not much happens to support the plot. The setting has a wide variety of paranormals: witches, vampires, pixies, elves, werewolves, and demons. I like the way they live, work, and interact with each other and humans in current day.
My biggest problem is that I don’t enjoy Rachel. She is reckless, impulsive, jumps to wrong conclusions, and makes mistakes. Those character traits are the source of her troubles and conflicts throughout the book. Some of it is stupid. In one scene she tells Trent she doesn’t like him because he is a thief (and other things). Well, Rachel is a thief in this book which bothered me. A thinks B stole a fish. Rachel is hired to steal it back which she does. Then she finds out A was mistaken and B did not steal the fish. So I think Rachel should return the fish to B. She does not. She keeps the fish for herself. Yes ornery characters can be fun. In fact I love some of them in other books, but this didn’t work for me. I couldn’t like her, and therefore I could not enjoy her escapades.
Other Rachel examples:
A wants to take one of Rachel’s books. Rachel says “Let him have it.” After A leaves, B tells Rachel now she cannot do the spell she needs because it was in that book. Rachel says “Oh.”
Rachel is in a dangerous situation and needs to do a chant. She gets distracted in the middle of the chant and says “Oh my God,” then she forgets the last word of the chant, but she has already interrupted the chant, then several moments later she remembers the last word.
Another problem:
In every crisis, someone else comes along to save Rachel - at least in the first two books. She may do something weird trying to save herself, but it doesn’t finish the scene. It reminds me of “deus ex machina” (a god comes in to move the story forward when the writer can’t think of another way out).
The narrator Marguerite Gavin was ok.
THE HOLLOWS (RACHEL MORGAN) SERIES:
As of 2013 there are 11 books in the series. Sadly it’s not for me, but I gave it a try. The three I read are:
3 stars. Dead Witch Walking, Book 1
2 stars. The Good, the Bad, and the Undead, Book 2
1 star. Pale Demon, Book 9
DATA:
Narrative mode: 1st person Rachel. Unabridged audiobook length: 14 hrs and 22 mins. Swearing language: moderate but rarely used. Sexual language: none. Number of sex scenes: one briefly referred to. Setting: time similar to current day Cincinnati, Ohio. Book copyright: 2005. Genre: urban fantasy.
If you like to lose yourself in an urban fantasy world, this is a good one. But I want stories where character and plot are the main draws. Here not much happens to support the plot. The setting has a wide variety of paranormals: witches, vampires, pixies, elves, werewolves, and demons. I like the way they live, work, and interact with each other and humans in current day.
My biggest problem is that I don’t enjoy Rachel. She is reckless, impulsive, jumps to wrong conclusions, and makes mistakes. Those character traits are the source of her troubles and conflicts throughout the book. Some of it is stupid. In one scene she tells Trent she doesn’t like him because he is a thief (and other things). Well, Rachel is a thief in this book which bothered me. A thinks B stole a fish. Rachel is hired to steal it back which she does. Then she finds out A was mistaken and B did not steal the fish. So I think Rachel should return the fish to B. She does not. She keeps the fish for herself. Yes ornery characters can be fun. In fact I love some of them in other books, but this didn’t work for me. I couldn’t like her, and therefore I could not enjoy her escapades.
Other Rachel examples:
A wants to take one of Rachel’s books. Rachel says “Let him have it.” After A leaves, B tells Rachel now she cannot do the spell she needs because it was in that book. Rachel says “Oh.”
Rachel is in a dangerous situation and needs to do a chant. She gets distracted in the middle of the chant and says “Oh my God,” then she forgets the last word of the chant, but she has already interrupted the chant, then several moments later she remembers the last word.
Another problem:
In every crisis, someone else comes along to save Rachel - at least in the first two books. She may do something weird trying to save herself, but it doesn’t finish the scene. It reminds me of “deus ex machina” (a god comes in to move the story forward when the writer can’t think of another way out).
The narrator Marguerite Gavin was ok.
THE HOLLOWS (RACHEL MORGAN) SERIES:
As of 2013 there are 11 books in the series. Sadly it’s not for me, but I gave it a try. The three I read are:
3 stars. Dead Witch Walking, Book 1
2 stars. The Good, the Bad, and the Undead, Book 2
1 star. Pale Demon, Book 9
DATA:
Narrative mode: 1st person Rachel. Unabridged audiobook length: 14 hrs and 22 mins. Swearing language: moderate but rarely used. Sexual language: none. Number of sex scenes: one briefly referred to. Setting: time similar to current day Cincinnati, Ohio. Book copyright: 2005. Genre: urban fantasy.
August 18, 2018
This book was fantastic i really didn't want it to end.
All the characters are so fantastic and multi dimensional, the plot line is brilliant and i love the speed of the progression.
The story starts off with Rachel who while trying to start up her, Ivy and Jenks's new buisness is falling on hard times, trying to meet ends meet with rent while being stitched up by her last job.
She teams up as a underland consultant with the FIB to investigate the murdered Leyline witches, all while delving deeper into Vampire society, her past and her magic.
This book introduces us to some great new characters along with some oldies, Rachel and Nick are in the early stages of a new relationship as they try and weave the hurdles thrown at them. Jenks and his Pixie family ,Ivy and her vamp one, Along with the mysterious Trent and allies at the FIB.
Brillant!!!!
All the characters are so fantastic and multi dimensional, the plot line is brilliant and i love the speed of the progression.
The story starts off with Rachel who while trying to start up her, Ivy and Jenks's new buisness is falling on hard times, trying to meet ends meet with rent while being stitched up by her last job.
She teams up as a underland consultant with the FIB to investigate the murdered Leyline witches, all while delving deeper into Vampire society, her past and her magic.
This book introduces us to some great new characters along with some oldies, Rachel and Nick are in the early stages of a new relationship as they try and weave the hurdles thrown at them. Jenks and his Pixie family ,Ivy and her vamp one, Along with the mysterious Trent and allies at the FIB.
Brillant!!!!
November 12, 2017
I didn't enjoy this one as much as the first. In the first book, I was impressed that Rachel was not too perfect. She made some stupid decisions and was way too impulsive, but it made her relatable. In this book it just went too far. Seriously?! How many stupid decisions can you make in one chapter? Why can't she listen to one thing someone says?
Anyway, it is still interesting and I love Jenks. I am surprised that the author was able to create a pixie character that was fun and interesting without being cheesy.
I've read spoilers, so I know where the romantic interests lead. He is not as bad in this book, but still not seeing how he is redeemable. Then again it seems like Rachel's karma isn't going to be all that squeaky clean either.
Anyway, it is still interesting and I love Jenks. I am surprised that the author was able to create a pixie character that was fun and interesting without being cheesy.
I've read spoilers, so I know where the romantic interests lead. He is not as bad in this book, but still not seeing how he is redeemable. Then again it seems like Rachel's karma isn't going to be all that squeaky clean either.
April 5, 2021
The second adventure of Rachel Morgan and her associates, Ivy (the vamp) an Jenks (the pixie). And yes, this is tied into some events from the first book - but it takes a while for us and Rachel to find that out.
Witches of a certain talent can tap into laylines. For a while now, a lot of them have been killed and the FIB is asking Rachel for help with finding the witch hunter. She's following a couple of leads, which ends her back at university and trying to bind a familiar to herself.
Then there is the lethal pizza joint run by Ivy's vampiric uncle, Rachel getting stiffed by numerous clients and us finally finding out what Trent actually is. The latter also results in us finding out a little more about Rachel's father.
I gotta say, the humans in this world aren't endearing themselves to me. At all. And I still can't believe Rachel is with Nick - I seriously dislike him and he's setting off several alarm bells. I also can't find a lick of good in Kisten and in my opinion there is NO excuse for what he did here. Though all of that pales compared to ! That was really hard to read about. However, I DID appreciate how the author nicely illustrated how .
The further examination of the characters and the relationships amongst them was really nice. And just the fact that they all make me feel something so deeply (be it appreciation or disgust) is proof how great a job the author did. I was regularly laughing my ass off (for example ) but also almost ripping a pillow in two with my bare hands ().
Nevertheless, the world is and probably will always be the most important part for me: the best UFs are the ones where I can picture myself living in that world and therefore like returning again and again (except I couldn't be a human, here, since I love tomatoes). *lol*
So yeah, I'm definitely continuing the series and can't wait to see what else is gonna happen - as long as Jenks is there, I'm game. :)
Witches of a certain talent can tap into laylines. For a while now, a lot of them have been killed and the FIB is asking Rachel for help with finding the witch hunter. She's following a couple of leads, which ends her back at university and trying to bind a familiar to herself.
Then there is the lethal pizza joint run by Ivy's vampiric uncle, Rachel getting stiffed by numerous clients and us finally finding out what Trent actually is. The latter also results in us finding out a little more about Rachel's father.
I gotta say, the humans in this world aren't endearing themselves to me. At all. And I still can't believe Rachel is with Nick - I seriously dislike him and he's setting off several alarm bells. I also can't find a lick of good in Kisten and in my opinion there is NO excuse for what he did here. Though all of that pales compared to ! That was really hard to read about. However, I DID appreciate how the author nicely illustrated how .
The further examination of the characters and the relationships amongst them was really nice. And just the fact that they all make me feel something so deeply (be it appreciation or disgust) is proof how great a job the author did. I was regularly laughing my ass off (for example ) but also almost ripping a pillow in two with my bare hands ().
Nevertheless, the world is and probably will always be the most important part for me: the best UFs are the ones where I can picture myself living in that world and therefore like returning again and again (except I couldn't be a human, here, since I love tomatoes). *lol*
So yeah, I'm definitely continuing the series and can't wait to see what else is gonna happen - as long as Jenks is there, I'm game. :)
March 17, 2020
Witches are being murdered. The FIB asks Rachel to help with the case. Rachel is convinced Trent is behind the murders. But things get complicated along the way, and Rachel has some run ins with vampires and demons.
I think this book is an improvement over the first one, but it’s not significantly better. I don’t like the way vampires are depicted in this series. There isn’t much good in them. They are depicted as dangerous and easily unhinged. But the danger comes with strong sexual vibes that don’t sit right with me. With Ivy it never feels like it’s just about the blood; she wants sex too or at least that’s how it seems to me. Ivy is a much better person than Piscary, but the good she does for Rachel doesn’t outweigh the harm she causes especially after Ivy’s secrets are revealed. Rachel is in denial when it comes to Ivy. She only sees what she wants to, which is admirable in some ways because she overlooks Ivy’s many faults. However she is the victim but doesn’t view herself as one and blames herself for what happens with Ivy because of her familiarity with her. The whole situation is very frustrating.
More hints were dropped about Rachel being more powerful than normal. Some interesting things were learned about her family history. As much as I like Rachel, she is immature. The way she acted while working on an important FIB case proved it. Trent was much more palatable although nothing he did made up for the bad things he did in the last book. He’s still one of my favorite characters though. Al is a great gray character because his motives are completely unknown at this point. Piscary was everything I thought he’d be. Nick is someone I find hard to like. He gives Rachel good advice but I don’t trust him.
I think this book is an improvement over the first one, but it’s not significantly better. I don’t like the way vampires are depicted in this series. There isn’t much good in them. They are depicted as dangerous and easily unhinged. But the danger comes with strong sexual vibes that don’t sit right with me. With Ivy it never feels like it’s just about the blood; she wants sex too or at least that’s how it seems to me. Ivy is a much better person than Piscary, but the good she does for Rachel doesn’t outweigh the harm she causes especially after Ivy’s secrets are revealed. Rachel is in denial when it comes to Ivy. She only sees what she wants to, which is admirable in some ways because she overlooks Ivy’s many faults. However she is the victim but doesn’t view herself as one and blames herself for what happens with Ivy because of her familiarity with her. The whole situation is very frustrating.
More hints were dropped about Rachel being more powerful than normal. Some interesting things were learned about her family history. As much as I like Rachel, she is immature. The way she acted while working on an important FIB case proved it. Trent was much more palatable although nothing he did made up for the bad things he did in the last book. He’s still one of my favorite characters though. Al is a great gray character because his motives are completely unknown at this point. Piscary was everything I thought he’d be. Nick is someone I find hard to like. He gives Rachel good advice but I don’t trust him.
June 2, 2021
I'm just having so much fun with these. Rachel can definitely occasionally stray into TSTL territory, or really just BAD DECISION territory - like, honestly, how did you not realize this was bad? You were told, over and over...but you just had to go on thinking you were right - anyway. I still enjoy the books and still enjoy seeing Rachel grow. I think there is development there and I always appreciate that most of all.
I'm really looking forward to seeing what Rachel learns going forward
19 August 2014: $1.99 on Kindle
I'm really looking forward to seeing what Rachel learns going forward
19 August 2014: $1.99 on Kindle
August 28, 2016
Jenks is still my boy!! I can't get enough of him <3
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