The Hallows by Kim Harrison (Or, the Series I Never Talk About)

Kim Harrison's Rachel Morgan series is one of my all-time favorites. No, really. If you're wondering why I haven't mentioned it (much) here's why: by the time I started this blog in 2008, I had read up to book six, The Outlaw Demon Wails, and was so distraught by the death of a character that I found I couldn't talk about it, couldn't think about it. I still get choked up over it and last night, when I finished White Witch, Black Curse, I got weepy again.

And again...but also got some closure too. Tink's tampons, finally! (You need to read these books to understand that one so, no, I haven't flipped my wig.)

In December of 2008, I listed the Rachel Morgan series as one of my top ten favorite things for '08 as it was the year I first read them. In 2009, I learned (along with anyone else who cares about her books) that Kim Harrison is just a psuedonym for Dawn Cook, a fantasy writer. I was shocked! A whole persona was created in the guise of Kim Harrison, I guess to go along with her kick-ass character Rachel Morgan, and I was sorry to hear it. On the other hand, Dawn Cook has other books in which I look forward to reading and that's a good thing.

Kim Harrison's books are on my autobuy list along with Jim Butcher, Patricia Briggs, Ilona Andrews, and let's be honest, a few dozen others. I will never buy this series in ebook format; I want to read them while having my nose stuck in a real, hands-on, made with paper and ink  book. They are part of my permanent collection and as long as I have the means, I will always have the shelf space for them. I also love the titles and the Clint Eastwood connection.

I've been collecting Dawn Cook's Truth series ever since I inadvertently bought the second book, Hidden Truth, while at the bookstore. They don't sound anywhere near as edgy or dark as The Hallows but I'm optimistic that the high standard of writing will still be there.

Harrison also has a YA series about a dead girl named Madison Avery. I also have the first book in that series, Once Dead, Twice Shy, but surprise, surprise - I haven't read it yet.

I've finally started catching up with Rachel, Ivy, and Jenks. I hadn't realized just how much I had missed them. These characters (along with all the others) make me laugh and cry. I've requested Pale Demon from netgalley.com but I'm not expecting to get it. HarperCollins hasn't granted me any of my requests so far and that is disappointing and frustrating to me because I read many, many, many of their authors and buy many, many, many of their books. (End whining.) I will still be buying Pale Demon when it comes out, irregardless. I'll be starting Black Magic Sanction later today, after I do some hopefully injury-free Christmas light hanging outside.

Kim Harrison writes one of the premier UF series of today. If you like witches, vampires, weres, demons, pixies, and are afraid of tomatoes then this is the series for you.