Kim Harrison--A Series Review

In celebration of Kim Harrison's new book to be released 2-24-09 (tomorrow), I'm going to attempted a quick review of all of her books. Starting with the one that started it all:

Dead Witch Walking
Pubisher: EOS Books / Harper Collins Publisher
Pages: 432


From the cover: The air blurred before me, and I staggered as I realized the thing had changed again, now into a tall, sophisticated young man dressed in a formal frock and coat. Was it a vamp? A really old vampire? "Perhaps you're afraid of pain?"....

Rachel Morgan is a white witch, an earth witch....her father always told her to be good to the earth....She is a runner for the I.S., and her good friend and vamp, Ivy is one as well. They have tracked their own fair share of magical misuse...but now Rachael has had enough, she would like nothing better than to pay off her contract and be done with the agency. But, you just don't leave the agency, it can kill you. Denon, Rachael's boss, is willing to loose her, but Ivy, the I.S. best runner, Rachael is a dead witch walking.

With Ivy's help, Rachael is able to leave and start her own agency, Vampiric Charms. Another old friend and pixie, Jenks, has also agreed to help them in their new endeavor. His wife, Matlinda, and their numerous children keep the old church in the Hollows where Rachael and Ivy have set of shop, hopping and if that wasn't enough there is a witch's garden and a cemetery in the backyard that ley lines run through, as well as a demon of unknown strength. Now, if only she can survive leaving the I.S....

Dead Witch Walking, published in 2004, was Kim Harrison first book in the Rachael Morgan series. It creates a world of magical reality. Since the turn, when many humans died from eating 'tainted' tomatoes; witches, warlocks, pixies, fairies, shifters, and vamps have all come out of hiding to join the human world. For a really fun read that will fill your mind with magical mysteries, try Kim Harrison's DWW.


The Good, The Bad, and The Undead
Publisher: EOS Books / Harper Collin Publisher
Pages: 464


From the cover: Its a tough life for witch Rachael Morgan, sexy, independent bounty hunter, prowling the darkest shadows of Cincinnati for criminal creatures of the night. She can handle leather-clad vamp and even tangle with a cunning demon or two....

Rachael is a bounty hunter or as her old boss, Denon--a wannabee vamp--like to call them, runners. The FIB needs her help, but the I.S. is suppose to handle all magical crimes. Captain Edden needs an Inderlander specialist, someone who can help with the mysterious deaths that have been occurring. When Edden enters Rachael's world, along with his assistant, Glenn, her world begins to turn upside down and back around.

First, she changes herself into a mink to infiltrate Trent Kalamack's operation. Is he the one killing witches and warlocks? Second, Ivy's dear friend and mentor, Piscary is back in the picture. He would love nothing better that Ivy to accept her fate and become his scion. But, Ivy is hoping Rachael can find of cure for her vampirism before it's too late and she becomes one of the undead, like her mother, to live forever without a soul.

The Good, The Bad, and The Undead is the second book in the Rachael Morgan series, published in 2005. It continues the story of Rachael's world, where magic is real and witches can be good or bad, never mind about the demons and vamps. Try TGTBTU to see what happens next.

Every Which Way But Dead
Publisher: EOS Books / Harper Collins Publisher
Pages: 512


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

With Picary in prison, Ivy can breathe a little easier. Her childhood friend and ex-boyfriend, as well as Piscary former scion, Kisten, has taken over in Piscary's place not as a leader, but as a business manager. With Rachael having cursed herself into being Algalirept newest familiar to get his testimony that put Piscary away, she has to be careful using the ley lines that run through her cemetery in the backyard of their church.

Ivy has been forced into becoming Picsary's new scion, but she is refusing to have anything to do with her former mentor as he sits in prison. Ivy wants to become more than roommates, so Rachael has to do everything in her power not to entice Ivy. To make matters worse, since accidentally turning her boyfriend into her human familiar, Nick has left town. Can Ivy and Rachael live together, if not Ivy fears all hope is gone. Can Kisten and Rachael survive together or will destruction follow Rachael?

Every Which Way But Dead, the third in the series published in 2005, is an exciting read that continues the story of the Hollows and Rachael Morgan. EWWBD takes many twists and turns, but it is a must read in the series.

A Fistfull of Charms
Publisher: EOS Books / Harper Collins Publisher
Pages: 544


From the cover: The evil night things that prowl Cincinnati despise witch and bounty hunter Rachel Morgan. Her new reputation for the dark arts is turning human and undead heads alike with the intent to possess, bed, and kill her -- not necessarily in that order....

Life just keep getting better and better for Rachael Morgan. David, an alpha werewolf, has asked her to be his pack, and she has agreed, but with Big Al breathing down her neck; she has to be careful. To top it all off, her boyfriend and familiar, Nick has returned. He has been secretly contacting demons to use their knowledge for his own benefit. He has become as cursed as Rachael herself.

How is Rachael going to keep him alive and on the good side of the ley lines? Nick certainly won't make it any easier. How does she feel about Kisten, who is an important part of Ivy's, and now, her life. And how is she going to stay out of the clutches of Big Al?

A Fistfull of Charms, published in 2006, is the fourth book in the Rachael Morgan series. It shows us more of Rachael's world and those of the vampires that she has come to hold dear, Ivy and Kisten. AFC is the continuing story that keeps you turning pages, hoping for more.


For a Few Demons More
Publisher: EOS Books / Harper Collins Publisher
Pages: 560


From the cover: Despite dating one vampire and living with another, Rachel Morgan has always managed to stay just ahead of trouble . . . until now. A fiendish serial killer stalks the Hollows, and no one living in or around Cincinnati—human, inhuman, or undead—is safe....

Rachael is in love with a vamp of all people, Kisten, Piscary's former scion wants to find a blood balance. He warns Ivy that she too should find her own way to a blood balance with Rachael. Ivy wants more, she wants everything, but Rachael can't or won't. Ivy's old roommate has come to help facilitate Piscary release from prison. Ivy is frightened of loose Rachael, but she is terrified of Picary's return.

Nick has been kidnapped, sending Jax,Jenks' son, to Rachaal, looking for help. He has been selling information about Rachael to demons, demons that would like nothing better than to capture her (Big Al) or kill her. He has also found what the vamps want to keep hidden and the werewolves desire above all else, kidnapping, torturing him until he gives up his hidden treasure, the ancient artifact that holds the balance between werewolves and vampire.

For a Few Demons More is the fifth installment in the Rachael Morgan series, published in 2007. It weaves a more intricate world between vamps and werewolves who are trying to even out the balance where vamps seem to have the upper hand. How will Piscary handle Kisten's way of managing, what will happen if he is released? To have these questions answered and more, try FFDM.

The Outlaw Demon Wails
Publisher: EOS Books / Harper Collins Publisher
Pages: 544


From the cover: When you dance with demons, you lay your soul on the line . . .
In the Hollows, where the natural and the supernatural co-exist—not always peacefully—desperate times often call for unorthodox measures. But bounty hunter-witch Rachel Morgan did the absolutely unthinkable to save the lives of her friends: she willingly trafficked in forbidden demon magic. And now her sins have come home to haunt her....

Rachael Morgan has lost one that she held most dear, Kisten has suffered the real death. Who caused his death haunts Rachael heartbroken days. Jenks and Ivy don't want to look any deeper, why is that? She keeps having flashbacks, it's driving her insane with grief. Her mother holds a deeper secret that is going to change Rachael's life, if she only knew what the past will bring to the future.

As Rachael struggles to hold ley line magic in her mind, spindling magic to use later, and she has also found the blood balance that Ivy needs and desires, if only Ivy doesn't kill her first. Big Al is relentless in his pursuit and now two other demons desire Rachael's company, Newt and her guardian. Newt is dangerous and has forgotten more than she knows, but her knowledge is creeping up on her.

The Outlaw Demon Wails is the sixth book in the Rachael Morgan series, published in 2008. The grief that Rachael feels for the loss of Kisten continues, and with Piscary's death, a new leader has come to town. As Rachael learns to twist curses, only Cerie can help her survive. Will Ivy survive, and more importantly, will Rachael. TODW is a page turner from start to finish, to find out more come by and give it a try.

White Witch, Black Curse
Publisher: EOS Books / Harper Collins Publisher
Pages: 504


From the cover: Some wounds take time to heal . . . and some scars never fade.
Rachel Morgan, kick-ass witch and bounty hunter, has taken her fair share of hits, and has broken lines she swore she would never cross. But when her lover was murdered, it left a deeper wound than Rachel ever imagined, and now she won't rest until his death is solved . . . and avenged.... Whatever the cost....

White Witch, Black Curse is the seventh book in the Rachael Morgan series and is due to be released February 24, 2009. To take a peek inside see sidebar gadget.

Well, follow bloggers and book reviewers, I think I've completed the impossible. Quick little reviews to just give you a taste of Rachael Morgan's world. I can't wait for the release of Kim Harrison's new book and I hope these reviews will help everyone decide to give them a try. To find out more information on all Ms. Harrison books, visit her website @ http://www.kimharrison.net/ or you can visit Harper Collins to peek inside or buy @ http://www.harpercollins.com/ . Ms. Harrison also has several anthologies including Dates for Hell, Holidays are Hell, Hotter than Hell, Prom Nights from Hell, and Unbound (due to be released August 2009). She also has a new young adult series with Once Dead, Twice Shy to be released May 2009.

Thanks for reading and keep on blogging,

Dottie :)))