From the Bookshelf of My Vampire Book Obsession…

Dead Witch Walking (The Hollows, #1)

Kim Harrison

Start date: February 1, 2021

Finish date: February 28, 2021

Discussion: 2021 Crypt

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What Members Thought

Jun 08, 2011 Erin *Proud Book Hoarder* rated it it was amazing

Shelves: reviewed, urban-fantasy, 5-star, part-of-series, favorite-series, demons, first-in-series, a-own-book-form, read-more-than-once, vampires

I'm an Urban Fantasy addict and this book hit all my fan-girl buttons.

It does have it's slower parts compared to some other books in the series, and the first part is harder to get through than the rest. I had no problem with it holding my interest as I loved the characters and the small humor scenes, but there wasn't much action-wise hitting until later, so some readers may grow slightly impatient. Hang in there and rest assured the wait is worth it.

The humor in this first book is high and cau I'm an Urban Fantasy addict and this book hit all my fan-girl buttons.

It does have it's slower parts compared to some other books in the series, and the first part is harder to get through than the rest. I had no problem with it holding my interest as I loved the characters and the small humor scenes, but there wasn't much action-wise hitting until later, so some readers may grow slightly impatient. Hang in there and rest assured the wait is worth it.

The humor in this first book is high and causes frequent chuckles, and that's without being forced, false, or cheesy. Rachel is a fun character - intelligent and driven but also a bit awkward and prone to mistakes and misunderstandings. Sometimes her mistrust of Ivy grew tiresome and ridiculous, but overall I really dig her as a main heroine. She has reasonable fears and isn't unrealistic, and her being a witch trying to leave the IS and make her way in the world amongst so much turmoil, death threats, changes, and hangups makes an interesting read.

Great introduction for Ivy as a sensual, intriguing character, leaving you wondering what's going to happen with Rachel and Ivy in the next book and what she really holds up her sleeve. Jenks? How could you not love the pixie with his foul, unique language, honor system, humor, and grumpiness.

The villains frighten - Trent Kalamack is ruthless here, cold and cruel, luring the reader into almost liking him before turning a 180 and showing brutality. Algaliarept the demon popped in to make a grand entrance with an eerie, creepy, and almost strangely erotic section. Nick comes across a bit in this one as actually likeable and not as dull as he later will. Jonathan as Trent's main man comes across as the biggest villain of the story because of the tormenting scenes with pencils ~ bastard.

Harrison's world is complex and awesome. The vampires come in a few forms - the undead, the living vampires, and ghouls (those aspiring to become vamps one day and serve as tools for the manipulative undead.)

The undead vamps are without soul or conscience, following guidelines of other vamp stories - no churches, sunlight, and they can bespell you. They're not nice but have learned to adapt through politics and putting on a fake front/face to trick people and have an easier life for themselves. Living vampires are those not yet dead, so there soul is still there. They have less power but less vulnerabilities as well. You have weres in the book but they're not shown much in this one other than a few scenes and they are considered an Inderlander race but not much is gone into yet about their structure.

The witches are broken into sections of magic too - earth witch, ley line witch, black magic and white magic. The small bit seen with demons is awesome, creepy, and exciting.

Great introduction to the series - well-written heroine, an interesting blend of characters, small dabs of humor that's genuinely funny, an underlying dark, gritty feel and theme, unique blend of circumstances that make the book stand out. Hard to put down and I went in hunt of the rest of the series the next day,already obsessed.
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Jan 10, 2012 Carrie rated it really liked it

Shelves: witches, 1st-in-a-series, demons, parnormal, magic, re-read, vampire, urban-fantasy, part-of-a-series, paranormal-romance

Re-read: April 2018, I have the same questions has I did the last time.

Great read, but felt like I'm missing something, things get mentioned but nothing comes of it.

(view spoiler)

The second of the two things I'm guessing will come up in within the next few books. I just hope the first thing get's explaine ...more

7 likes · Like · see review

May 10, 2017 Shan ~A~ rated it liked it

Shelves: audio, paranormal, series-trilogies-i-started, 1st-in-series, vampires

I'm not sure how I really feel about this book.

I like RM and I can tell she is going to find herself in a lot of crazy situations in books to come. I also like Jenks alot.
Not sure about Ivy, because I think she is hiding something, and not to sure about Nick either.

Still, there are some things I may come back to this series for: What is Trent? What is the human aversion to tomatoes about (if it was explained I missed it)? Who actually sent the Demon? Can Nick be trusted? What is Ivy hiding?

My ...more

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Dec 26, 2010 Marla rated it liked it

Shelves: recommended-to-me, adult, magic, witches, fantasy, series, vampires, paranormal, demons, shape-shifters

3 stars for the slow start, but 4 stars for the ending. Reminds me of Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series, except paranormal and better, not as silly.

Likes:
* Jenks is very helpful
(view spoiler) ...more

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Sep 12, 2014 Pat aka Tygyr rated it it was amazing

Shelves: own, 2014-books, kindle, reread, paranormal, mystery, romance, 2015-books, 2019

Rachel Morgan is a White Earth Witch working for the I.S. (Inderland Security), the paranormal police of sorts. Rachel is getting all the crap jobs and she is getting pretty angry about it. But those who quit the I.S. end up dead. Her former partner on the force is Ivy, a live vampire who will become the undead when she dies. She has more powers than a human, but also has the blood thirst which she is trying hard not to give into. Rachel finally hits her limit and quits, Ivy does so as well. But Rachel Morgan is a White Earth Witch working for the I.S. (Inderland Security), the paranormal police of sorts. Rachel is getting all the crap jobs and she is getting pretty angry about it. But those who quit the I.S. end up dead. Her former partner on the force is Ivy, a live vampire who will become the undead when she dies. She has more powers than a human, but also has the blood thirst which she is trying hard not to give into. Rachel finally hits her limit and quits, Ivy does so as well. But unlike Rachel, Ivy has money and buys out her contract. With no money or job to earn any, she is open to the idea of opening their own business - Rachel, Ivy and Jenks (a pixie). Ivy has purchased an old church. The kitchen was remodeled before it went on sale and it has 2 stoves, every witch's dream. The garden already has many of the flowers and leaves she needs for her spells, and in the tower are some very advanced spell books. Jenks and his huge family are given the garden to live in. Pixie's love gardens and caring for them. Ivy and Rachel each have their own bedrooms (former offices) and remodeled bathrooms to include a tub for Ivy and a shower in Rachel's. I.S. is sending hit men against Rachel. She realizes that she needs to figure out some spells to not only keep her safe, but to be offensive as well. Rachel spells herself into a mink to spy on Councilman Trent. He captures her, torments her, and enters her into a rat fight. The rat writes in the dirt and she knows he's another human spelled. Together they get out of the pit and with Jenks help they escape the building. When the spells are broken with salt water, the rat is a fairly good looking Nick who is human. But he dabbles in black magic. Nick takes her to a special area of the library where he used to work to help her find spell books. While there her next assassin - a demon - arrives. He had been ordered to have her die in terror, so he keeps changing his shape looking for something or someone she is afraid of. Meanwhile Nick is breaking into a cabinet to find a binding a demon spell and Jenks is flying home to Ivy for help. The demon turns into Ivy and bites her neck, now that is what she fears and he can drain her this way and finish out his contract. She is weakening when Nick gets the book and reads the spell that binds the demon. But Rachel is near death and Nick and Rachel both know that only Ivy has the knowledge to possibly save her. They make a deal with the demon and he uses ley lines to transport the 2 of them to the church and to Ivy. Now Nick and Rachel each have a demon's mark that they will have to pay off at some time. ...more

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