Tales from the Hollows and Beyond (A Hollows Novella)

Long time Kim Harrison & Rachel Morgan fan, so I really enjoyed this collection, especially the story of Jenks' adventure with Trent when they go to "elfnap"... well, shouldn't say more. Plus, her non-Hollows stories were good. I rarely bother with short stories anymore (read too fast, feel unsatisfied afterwards that I didn't buy a 600 pg. novel) BUT most of these stories were novellas, so the subjects were dealt with in enough depth to be gratifying and fun.
I can highly recommend this to any Harrison fan.

This whole book was new to me. This is the first time reading the short stories about the Hollows. My favorite was of Trent and Jenks.
The book was beautiful and many pages which is always good when you spend the money to buy a hardcover.
Kim is a great writer. I love reading all her stories she has to tell.
Sad to see the Hollows coming to an end. The Hollows will always be one of my favorite series.

SHE TRIES SO HARD FOR NORMAL IN A WORLD THAT IS SO FAR FROM NORMAL THAT CATSUP IS TO BE FEARED! ENJOYED READING THIS BOOK AND HAVE GIVEN THEM TO MY DAUGHTER FOR MY GRAND DAUGHTER TO READ SOMEDAY AND REMEMBER HER GRANDMA.

I found this to be a great book to handle my withdrawal while waiting for the next Hollows book. These stories include some with the characters you know and love from a perspective other than Rachel's other than the one. It also included several other non-related stories that had their own merit. Kim Harrison's a good writer who has mastered the paranormal genre. Now if we could just hurry up and get the next book off my wishlist and on my kindle!

Kim Harrison has been my favorite author and story teller since I picked up her first novel about Rachel and the Hollows! Into the Woods does not disappoint...although it's possible to read as a stand alone, having read the Hollows saga in time with the author's releases, it was almost magical to pick up with the story lines of all the characters. Of course I love Rachel...but the fact that Ms Harrison has written in such a way as to have one develop positive feelings for a Demon is just one more tip of the hat to her writing.
If you like mystical, supernatural stories...you really should start at book 1..."Dead Witch Walking"...and follow the tale. Great read!!!

You read books and always wonder about the sub-plots and supporting characters. Books like this really help me to better understand the author's intent. I especially enjoyed "Million-dollar Baby". I always wondered what happened between Trent and Jenks to make them buddies.

I recommend this book to everybody who has ever experienced the Hollows through Rachels eyes. These stories open up new vistas into the diversity of the Hollows as well as providing some intriguing story lines with potential for future development.

Kim Harrison is by far one of the most gifted and imaginative writers of our day.

Solely because of Million Dollar Baby. The best story in the book. Jenks had me laughing out loud. And I've always liked Trent, he's right up there now with Jericho Baron <Haven series> as the cool, calm, collected and unatainable <and oh so dreamy> male character I enjoy in these type books.

And who can resist Big Al? That was a good story too.

As there is a favorite there's the character I dislike most in the Hollows books and that's Ivy. At each new book I always hope she dissappears either into a series of her own or make 'guests' appearances in the Hollow books. I usually skip most of her pathos when reading the books. I literally tear my hair out if I keep reading about "vampire pheronomes" and the constant replay of her relationship with Rachel.

I'd say if you are a fan of the Hollows then this is an excellent buy. There are a couple of very good stories in it - I particularly liked the Jenks one as he is one of my favorite characters. It's not necessary for the overall series but if your waiting for the next to come out and figure you need a Hollows fix . . . well then this is not a bad idea

This book is a mix of different stories and characters. I really enjoyed the story of Trent and Jenks and how they kidnapped Lucy. This provided a lot of insight in Trent's character. Trent lovers will be pleased!

I have been reading 'Into the Woods' when I can - harder to find time when you have a toddler. But so far it is outstanding. I have never been disappointed with Kim Harrison's novels/writing style. My husband got it on audible and he too thought it was outstanding!

I must disclose at first ,that my stars given above are mostly due to the new stories. They were interesting and captivating. Spider silk was by far the best new story in here. The story of Penn, held some intriguing ideas and Harrison worked very well them.
As far as the Hollows shorts, they were okay. Revisiting past character as Kistin was a gift, but I felt disattached. Million dollar baby was the best, since we get a better look at Trent and his thoughts.
I recommend it to any hollow's fan.

Love this book. It gives great background and more detail about the books that came before this. It completes many of the stories. Kim Harrison has great depth to her characters and it is all worth reading.

Wonderful series and excellent author. I actually collect the paperbacks since i so totally enjoy the writing and reread them over and over again. decent price and shipping is frequently free so most happy.

this book is really good- gives you insight to some of the characters- answers questions you have been thinking in your head since you got to know the characters- i like some of the stories - they were interesting

These might be short stories but they're just as good as Kim's novels; complex characters are sensitively explored, ideas from the Hollows series are elaborated on and I've generally loved reading this.

3 stars because it also contains already published stories in it. Why has this become so popular with authors? Not only do we have to wait a year between books, that all happen to come in a series, but now republished in other books? greedy much?

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

The Hollows stories gave me a deeper, better understanding of characters I thought I knew pretty well. They do exactly what you most hope an ancillary short story or novella will - enrich and enhance your understanding of the books, take nothing away, spoil nothing. I finished these stories impressed by Kim Harrison's craft.

The Bespelled: the story of how Al takes Ceridwen as his familiar, from Al's POV. Mostly interesting for the hints of honest affection Al feels towards Ceri.

Two Ghosts for Sister Rachel: Novella-length story about Rachel summoning Pierce as a teenager. I was never a Pierce fan, so I could take or leave his presence in any story. But the insight into Rachel as a teenager was really fantastic. She's in the process of applying to work at the I.S., still struggling to overcome the effects of her childhood illness, and we get a really clear picture of how her character was formed, why she became the Rachel Morgan we all know and love. Neat.

Undead in the Garden of Good and Evil: Novella-length story with Ivy as the POV character.This one started out really, really slow for me. I love Ivy, but her intense angst can be exhausting (view spoiler). The story picked up for me with the arrival of a banshee subplot and finished strong, with a great explanation of how Ivy ended up as Rachel's partner at the beginning of DEAD WITCH WALKING. I ended up really enjoying this novella.

Dirty Magic: brief story about Mia, the banshee. Fun, short, with a great twist. Especially enjoyed Harrison's intro at the beginning, where she explains how she re-imagined banshees as "apex predators".

The Bridges of Eden Park: Short interlude with Rachel and Kisten and a little action to liven things up. In her intro, Kim Harrison describes this story as a farewell to Kisten and we really see him at his best - troubled but solid, sweet but strong. It's been a long time since I missed Kisten, but this story is wonderfully bittersweet.

Ley Line Drifter: longer short story/not-quite-novella about Jenks taking a case on his own. In so many ways, Jenks is the heart and soul of all the Hollows books and reading a story from his perspective is heartwarming and heartbreaking. He's such a family man, he takes pride in such little things - teaching his children to read, for example - and seeing his happiness with Matalina, and how badly he wants her to live, might bring a tear to your eye (it did to mine). I'd love it if Kim Harrison did a whole spinoff series from a pixy's perspective - maybe one of Jenks' kids?

Million Dollar Baby: Trent's elf-quest with Jenks. Story is made of awesome because Jenks' proximity to Trent naturally results in many hilarious expletives involving Tinkerbell's privates. But, in all seriousness, this story catches Trent at a turning point in his life. If we're only going to get one peek into Trent's mind, this is the one to have.

Reading the stories set outside of the Hollows world reminded me a lot of the first time I started Dead Witch Walking - I hated it. In fact, I set it aside unfinished for quite a while before, in a bored moment, I picked it up again, finished the novel, and became completely enthralled &, of course, now I pre-order every new Hollows book the second the store throws up the button.

Something about the way that Kim Harrison starts a story just doesn't capture me. In these non-Hollows stories, I found the initial chapters off-putting...but by the time the novellas were done, I was ready to keep reading, and I was disappointed that they couldn't continue. I especially enjoyed Pet Shop Boys and Grace. Temson Estates and Spider Web didn't quite capture me.

Pet Shop Boys: shortish novella set in a world featuring a vampire/fairy hybrid species. Starts off a little slow, with a hapless guy who gets caught up in events he doesn't understand, but by the end I was wishing I had a whole novel to read instead of just a short.

Temson Estates: Another short, only a few chapters long. This one's about a young man who inherits a forest. He plans on having the trees cut to finance his graduate studies, until he discovers there are dryads in the trees. The mythology is interesting but the story itself is very rushed, the characters thinly drawn, and there's a fair bit of infodumping. Could be interesting if it were worked into a proper story, but it's not.

Spider Web: A novella about three generations of women - grandmother, mother, two young girls - who live on a property inhabited by a dangerous forest spirit. Intergenerational squabbling leaves the women vulnerable to the spirit's manipulations. The story just didn't work for me; Harrison's descriptions of the farm and woods were incredible, and while the trials and strained relationships among the characters felt real to me, the characters themselves didn't stand out as interesting or unique.

Grace: Urban fantasy novella about a special subset of the population who can "throw" electricity, for purposes as varied as blowing out lights to re-starting hearts. The throws themselves are either drafted into a government organization or "deadheaded", stripped of their abilities. The heroine, Grace, has stalled in her career because she's so good at what she does that nobody wants to promote her up the line. Her job is to collect unregistered throws; in this case, the target is older, with a fair amount of control over his ability, and absolutely does not want to be forced to tow the party line. There's a subplot involving an ex who moved up in the ranks faster than Grace, and another about her aging partner.

I received a free copy of Into the Woods from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review

I was disappointed in this book. I liked the fact that she wrote why she included that particular story in her anthology, but I didn't particularly like any of the stories well-enough to want to read any more about them. I thought the characters were boring and sort of a waste of my time to read about them. I've read all of her books, I think, at least the ones dealing with Rachel and jenks. I thoroughly enjoy them. But I wouldn't bother with this one.

I am not a fan of short stories especially those written about characters in a series. It feels as if the author is just cashing in on their past success and cheating their readers of an entertaining, "I stayed up all night reading" book.

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

If you like having all novellas from a series in one book, this is definitely the one you want. The addition of a new Hollows novella as well as the non-related four other novellas, well for me it would have been worth the price. It was on my To Buy list until I was able to get an ARC. Of course if you haven't read any of these novellas these stories will be a special treat since they offer you a different look or insight into the secondary characters as well as Rachel's experience as a teen that helped shape who she is today.

The Bespelled is a very short story that tells us how Al got Ceridwen. And it's nothing like you would have expected. It was published at the end of the paperback version of The Outlaw Demon Wails.

Two Ghosts For Sister Rachel was first published in Holidays are Hell and is a pre-Hollows story about Rachel as a teen and how she accidentally summoned Pierce when trying to get her father. You'll have a new appreciation for Rachel's determination from this story.

Undead in the Garden of Good and Evil was seen in the Dates From Hell anthology is also a pre-Hollows story about Ivy and Kisten. With this one we see the struggle they face both with Piscary's machinations as well as Art, Ivy's boss at the IS.

Dirty Magic had been published in the Hotter Than Hell anthology and is about the banshee, Mia and her child, and loving a human to death.

The Bridges of Eden Park was included in For a Few Demons More. It's about Kisten and Rachel meeting for breakfast on the bridge and a fight that breaks out to save his nephew. It also showcases how difficult it is for Rachel to stay out of the news.

Key Line Drifter (I'm reading an unproofed ARC and know the story as Ley Line Drifter) was in the Unbound anthology. Jenks is approached by another pixy asking for his help. Pixies NEVER ask an outsider for help. Both Jenks and Bis investigate how the pixy's children are being killed by two statues sitting on a ley line. You might have noticed numerous mentions of one of Rachel's spell bowls being dented. The bowl is dented in this story.

Million Dollar Baby is new to us, and tells the story we didn't get to see in Pale Demon about Trent and Jenks working together to kidnap Trent's daughter. I especially enjoyed this story because it was both new, and we finally learn more about Trent.

The non-Hollows novellas were written a while ago and it's possible we could see a series develop from any of them. The stories are all decent, but the first 3 didn't immediately grab me. They start off kind of slow.

Pet Shop Boys has vampires and the fey in it, but not like ones we've seen before. It's about a guy who works for a pet shop and is invited to a fancy place he's always wanted to see, by a customer. But he immediately starts noticing that things are really weird.

Temson Estates is a story about a man who just inherited the woods around an estate that went to his great-aunt. Only she needs to show him just why he can't sell and cut down the woods.

Spider Silk is a different take on dryads than Temson Estates showed us and is about a woman with two young daughters who are hearing stories from their grandmother about how they need to fear Penn, a dryad. The woman prefers to be in denial until her children are at risk. The ending was a surprise.

Grace is probably the non-Hollows story that I enjoyed the most. Some humans are born with the ability to manipulate energy, although they need to find and train them from an early age to keep something bad from happening. Grace and her partner have this ability and are collectors, going after ones that detected notice until they were older, stronger and more dangerous without having learned balance.

Read as an ARC from Edelweiss/Above The Treeline

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales

Quick & Dirty: Wonderful collection of short stories, some action-packed adventurous fun to some dark and depressing.

The Review:

Into the Woods is a collection of old and new stories by Kim Harrison. As a huge fan of the Hollows series, I’m surprised it took me this long to read this. Although, I had read most of the Hollows stories already but I was really looking forward to reading “Million Dollar Baby” and “Grace.” I’ve reviewed each story individually, but as a whole I really loved this collection.

“The Bespelled” – 5/5 – Originally appeared in paperback editions of The Outlaw Demon Wails

This short story is an excellent look into the devious demon Al and his thought processes as he trapped Ceri as his familiar, one thousand years before Rachel was born. Al is feverishly trying to figure out how to overcome Ceri as his emotions go from panic to love to ecstatic happiness as he gets what he wants. I really enjoyed being in Al’s head and learning how he justified love and being a demon to himself.

“Two Ghosts for Sister Rachel” – 5/5 – Originally appeared in the anthology Holidays Are Hell

A deep and insightful story about Rachel at eighteen. Rachel is very much a strong willed girl and she knows what she wants to do with her life and is very much on the right path to make it happen. This is the second time reading this story for me so I really enjoyed seeing Pierce again when he was all cute and awkward with his 18th century ways. I definitely recommend reading this novella about Rachel’s early life and learning about her family and the struggles that she has gone through. The Hollows would be an entirely different place if Rachel had chosen the “safe life” that her brother was trying to talk her into.

“Undead in the Garden of Good and Evil” – 4/5 – Originally appeared in the anthology Dates From Hell

This novella focuses on Ivy, a living vampire, before she met Rachel. This Ivy is certainly not the Ivy from the beginning of the Hollows series. She drinks blood and because of that she is much more blood thirsty and temperamental (although that can be argued). My only complaint about Ivy is about how much she complains about having to fight her emotions so much. I really like Ivy but sometimes I have a hard time with her vampiric emotions. I think she comes off quite a bit self-absorbed and bitchy. Overall, I really enjoyed reading about Ivy’s time in the homicide division with the terrible vampire Art as her boss. Also, Kisten appears in this story, which is always a plus.

“Dirty Magic” – 4/5 – Originally appeared in the anthology Hotter Than Hell

Life as a banshee is not easy. After many years of loneliness Mia has finally found love but when you can soak up their life energy that love cannot last long. This is a dark and emotionally rich story fit for a banshee who lives off powerful emotions.

“The Bridges of Eden Park” – 4/5 – Originally appeared in paperback editions of For A Few Demons More

The last short story featuring Kisten before his tragic demise. The Bridges of Eden Park is an exciting but ominous side adventure that sadly foreshadows Kisten’s impending doom. Rachel even gets to learn more about Kisten and his family. This was a wonderful story, but like all things Hollows, I would have loved this to be a little longer.

“Ley Line Drifter” – 5/5 – Originally appeared in the anthology Unbound

A fun and action packed adventure featuring Jenks, the pixy, and Bis, the gargoyle. Jenks is hired to help a fellow pixy take care of a spirit that has been possessing his children, even burning one child from the inside out. This story was a fun, inquisitive look into Pixy family life and structure while still showing the dark side of the Hollows world.

“Million Dollar Baby” – 4/5

Exciting adventure with Trent and Jenks. I really loved having an inside look into Trent’s thoughts, although, I would have loved to have more insight into Trent’s thoughts on Rachel. I did think the story dragged a little during the beginning of Trent’s biking scenes, it seems to focus too much on “how he biked” than on the story, but other than that it was a wonderful story. Overall, I really enjoyed reading this story, but after reading the rest of the series, I felt there was a bigger secret hidden in this story (a secret between Trent and Jenks) but I think I missed it.

Non-Hollows Stories:

“Pet Shop Boys” – 3/5

The first of the non-Hollows stories features a boy named, Cooper, who helps run a pet shop. Cooper is very easily distracted by the pretty women around him. Pet Shop Boys is an eerie and slightly confusing story until the very end when everything is brought to light. Both main characters were a little too childish as the story played out. This story offers a strange twist to vampires and fey worlds/dimensions.

“Temson Estates” – 4/5

Kim Harrison certainly likes her dryads. This is the 3rd story in this collection featuring these rare creatures. Will has inherited land from his grandfather. The land contains a huge forest that Will wants to sell for a lot of money. One reason he needs the money, is so he can pay for his expensive schooling. Will’s great aunt tries to talk him out of selling the forest and to prove it she needs him to spend some time in the woods. The dryads in this story are pretty cute and lend to the sweetness of the story.

“Spider Silk” – 4/5

The 4th and final story in this collection that features dryads and unlike the previous story, this one is much more dark and depressing. This novella goes between two points of view between a mother and her daughter. The mother knows some dangerous secrets and the daughter who believes her mother is crazy and should be locked up in an old folk’s home. Trust could go a long way, especially after seeing something that you never thought possible. The ending wasn’t entirely surprising but it definitely kept up the dark feel of the storyline.

“Grace” – 4/5

An action packed story about Grace, a woman with a strong sense of duty and a strange power. Grace was a different and unique story that at first I had a hard time understanding, but by the end of the story I think I had a grasp of what was going on. I really enjoyed this story and how Grace really cared for those around her and she even stood for what was right even in the face of blackmail. Out of all the stories from the second half of this collection of stories, I think this is the world I would like to see expanded upon.

FTC Advisory: Harper Voyager / Harper Collins provided me with a copy of Into the Woods. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.

Into the Woods is a collection of short stories by Kim Harrison set in the world of the Hallows and beyond. I was a little disappointed going into this novel because I expected more than one new Hallows story. I had read the others previously in other anthologies, though I did reread them to give an accurate review. The non-Hallows stories were interesting, but they didn't feel fleshed-out enough or finished. Though I appreciate Ms. Harrison sharing new and different ideas with us, I think this novel would have benefitted from a few more new Hallows shorts. I do have to say that I really enjoyed the author's notes at the beginning of each story. They were insightful and showed just how much Ms. Harrison loves what she does. it is also nice to have all the stories collected in one place.

The Hallows stories are as follows:

1. The Bespelled explains just how Al was able to trick Ceri into becoming his familiar. I really enjoyed this one and liked that we got to experience both Al and Ceri from a different perspective. I feel like it gave Al more depth and showed how Ceri's background shaped her personality in the Hallows novels. 3.5 stars

2. Two Ghosts for Sister Rachel is the story of a much younger and inexperienced Rachel. It is also the first appearance of Pierce. He was never my favorite character, but he was tolerable here. I like the familial insight we received about Rachel's life and her illness. Her relationships with her mother and brother were both funny and touching. 4 stars

3. Undead in the Garden of Good and Evil was my very first introduction to the Hallows series and was what drove me to pick up the first book. This is Ivy's story, personally my favorite, and it still held up under a reread. Ivy is in the IS and trying to work her way up without sacrificing her blood or her body. The is a revenge story on her boss Art and he got what he deserved. Her interactions with Kisten were gut-wrenching (I still miss Kisten) and her terror of herself so palpable. 5 stars

4. Dirty Magic is a background story for Mia, the banshee. She's a pretty ruthless character and this story shows the lengths she will go to protect her family. 3 stars

5. The Bridges of Eden Park is a Rachel and Kisten short. I loved seeing them work together and experiencing Rachel's motherly instincts. 3.5 stars

6. Ley Line Drifter focuses on Jenks and Bis and introduces the character of Daryl, who had a minor part in A Perfect Blood . It was nice to see Jenks interact with more of his children and to learn a little more about each of them. 4 stars

7. Million Dollar Baby is the long-awaited Trent and Jenks novella. Trent hatches a plan to take his daughter Lucy away from Ellasbeth, her not so nice mother. Jenks is along for the ride to provide backup. I really enjoyed this story and hearing things from Trent's perspective. He and Jenks worked really well together and had a hilarious back-and-forth going. This one was worth the wait. 5 stars

The second section of the book is called Beyond the Hallows and includes the following stories:

8. Pet Shop Boys had a confusing world that was inhabited by hybrid vamp/fae type creatures. I was a little confused throughout and very disappointed with the way it ended. 3 stars

9. Temson Estates is one of two stories about dryads in this novel. Here, the dryads are presented as shy and mischievous. It is implied that they should be protected and their forests saved. It was a very short story and the characters fell pretty flat for me. This was probably my least favorite of the stories. 2.5 stars

10. Spider Silk is the other dryad story, but this time the spirit is pretty evil and wants to entrance a little girl. I liked the build up and the different characters, but the ending just fell apart. There was no real closure or explanation for what happened. 3 stars

11. Grace was my favorite of the non-Hallows stories and one that I could see becoming a series. Grace was a strong heroine who stood up for what she believed in no matter the cost. The magic usage was unique and the enforcement system interesting. We even got a little taste of romance and a cute sidekick, Grace's dog Hoc. I could definitely see this turning into a full-length novel. 4 stars

Thank you to Edelweiss and Harper Voyager for a review copy of this book.

Most of these eleven short stories and novellas were originally published in multi-author anthologies, though a couple are excerpts from novels in the "Hollows" series. (The Hollows is the section of Kentucky hills directly across the Ohio River from Cincinnati.) Several of them fill the function of what in the comic book trade would be called an "origin," story, providing the back story for several of the major characters in the novels. "The Bespelled" shows Algaliarept (a/k/a Al), the demon who eventually becomes Rachel Morgan's mentor, at an earlier point in his life -- the point, in fact, when he first acquires Ceridwen as a familiar. And it's all because Ceri doesn't grasp the essential untrustworthy nature of demons. That's just who they are. "Two Ghosts for Sister Rachel" fills two functions, providing much information on the 18-year-old Rachel's family relationships and also bringing her into contact for the first time with Pierce, the 150-years-dead ghost of a vampire-hunter, who plays a major role in several of the novels. "Undead in the Garden of Good and Evil" (Harrison loves tacky titles) is quite a good character study of Ivy Tamwood, Rachel's living-vampire partner and . . . almost-partner. We see Ivy in her pre-Rachel period as ambitious up-and-comer in Inderland Security, the sort-of nonhuman counterpart of the FBI, as she struggles to deal with and then to overcome the destiny the vampire power structure has already mapped out for her. Humans would call it abuse but that's just the way vampires are.

"Dirty Magic" goes deeper into the character of Mia, a banshee (think "psychic vampire") who is trying to be good and law-abiding and is more or less succeeding -- but at the cost someone she possibly loves. Assuming she's capable of such feelings. This one has a rather confusing ending that seems to contradict everything that came before. "The Bridges of Eden Park" is sort of a tribute to Kisten, a living vampire who is also the scion of the undead master who basically runs Cincinnati, and who went from being Ivy's closest companion to being Rachel's boyfriend. His heroic death halfway through the series came as a shock to Harrison's fans. "Ley Line Drifter" focuses on Jenks, a very macho four-inch-high pixie, and Rachel and Ivy's other partner (in fact, he actually owns the church they live in). Jenks gets the chance to take on a case by himself, aiding another pixie, instead of being backup to the other two, and he grabs the chance, even though he's not always quite sure what he's doing. This also gives up a chance to get deeper into how pixie psychology and society work.¬ Awhile back in the Hollows series, Trent Kallamack, a billionaire elf who is also in a long-running, sexually tense relationship with Rachel, become a father. The baby is of extreme political importance among the elves but the mother blew that off and took their daughter back to Seattle. By tradition, Trent was required to kidnap her back and, with Jenks's help, he did. "Million Dollar Baby" recounts that excursion, combining an adventurous romp with a detailed look at Trent's rather anguished psychology.

The last four stories in the book are independent of the Hollows and also written in a somewhat different style. "Pet Shop Boys" is about the once-a-year intersection between some very dangerous fey folk and our own world and how a young pet shop clerk manages to survive the encounter -- with a little help. A very spooky story, which could easily be the basis for its own series. "Temson Estates" takes a different approach to the dryad legend and how it affects a young forester and his unexpected inheritance. "Spider Silk" is yet another dryad story, but this take on the myth is much more bloodthirsty. It's also an examination of how a dysfunctional family comes to be. I can't say it appealed to me much but the writing is pretty good. "Grace" is the closest thing to straight science fiction I've seen from this author. Grace Evans is a soldier for the Strand, a "collector" who seeks out and apprehends those with ungovernable electro-psychic power (or something; it has to do with the magnetic poles reversing). Young, unregistered "throws" (short for throwback) are dangerous and have to be either controlled and trained by the Strand or have their special talent burned out of them, after which they can go band live an ordinary, unremarkable life. It's a story about the tension about Grace's ambition -- she's one of the very best at what she does -- and her uncompromising honesty, and it's quite well done. Again, the style is nothing at all like the Harrison's Hollows books.

An anthology of eleven stories: the first seven are Hollows short stories that have already been published, and it doesn't include the latest one, "Trouble on Reserve". The remaining four are "Beyond the Hollows".

A very worthwhile book to buy as it holds all the shorts. And mostly in reading order!

Series:
"Bespelled", The Hollows, 0.1 (Also at the end of The Outlaw Demon Wails)
"Two Ghosts for Sister Rachel", The Hollows, 0.2 (Also in Holidays are Hell)
"Undead in the Garden of Good and Evil", The Hollows, 0.5 (Also in Dates from Hell)
"Dirty Magic", The Hollows, pre #8 (Also in Hotter than Hell)
"Bridges of Eden Park", The Hollows, 4.5 (Also in the mass market edition of For a Few Demons More)
"Ley Line Drifter", The Hollows, 7.5 (Also in Unbound)
"Million Dollar Baby", The Hollows, 9.5 (An e-release)

SEVEN HOLLOWS SHORTS
The Stories
"Bespelled" is a prequel and tells of Algaliarept's seduction and capture of Ceridwen Merriam Dulciate. Whew...I found myself hoping she'd escape his seductive words even as I knew she didn't.

"Two Ghosts for Sister Rachel" is still living at home with her mom and building up her strength from a lifetime of weakness due to the Rosewood syndrome. Robbie has come home and she's trying to get him to support her decision to apply to the I.S. He makes a bet that if she can perform a certain spell, he'll help. Only it goes a bit cockeyed when she summons Gordian Nathaniel Pierce.

This one really brings it home on what a toll the syndrome has been for Rachel and her family.

"Undead in the Garden of Good and Evil" introduces us to Ivy Tamwood's issues with blood and sex as she struggles to figure out how to keep her honor and still get promoted from under her scum sucking boss, Art. It's a nice of bit of turnabout as Ivy and Kisten use the trap? test? Piscary had set for Kisten to end Art's machinations.

This one takes place just before Ivy partners up with Rachel.

"Dirty Magic" is Mia the banshee's story of her need for emotion and the lengths to which she will go to get it. I so don't like this one. The writing is excellent as always, but just too sad for me.

This one is before Black Magic Sanction (The Hollows, #8), and it doesn't involve any of the regular cast of characters from The Hollows.

"Bridges of Eden Park" features Rachel and Kisten as they thwart a kidnap attempt of Kisten's sister's child, Audric.

I hate what Harrison has to say in her commentary before this story...I want Kisten alive!!

"Ley Line Drifter" finds Jenks taking on his first solo job when he helps a pixy whose family is being killed off one by one and they'll have to fight Daryl, a guardian dryad, who does not care who dies as long as Sylvan stays imprisoned.

Jenks also learns the value of a partner with Bis and Ivy's help. Daryl enters the cast of characters.

"Million Dollar Baby" is the tale of Jenks and Trent's sub rosa adventure after Rachel escorts Trent cross country in Pale Demon (The Hollows, #9) . It's a challenge Trent really cannot resist. Not if he wants a voice in the future of the elves.

Another pip of a story!

FOUR NON-HOLLOWS
"Pet Shop Boys" is a prequel for a possible new series involving vampire types, an elf, and a post-graduate pet shop man. Harrison builds up a back history and sets Cooper up for a more vigilant future, which he will be better prepared for after his almost disastrous adventures in this story.

Interesting, if a little confusing as to how the veil works.

"Temson Estates" is a curious short about a special woods that an old lady and her protégé are desperate to keep in the family. A bit difficult when Will Temson's grandfather died and left the woods to Will in his will instead of to his sister.

It's an interesting story, but full of holes and someone messed up at the end. It is incredibly confusing to make that jump from one paragraph to the next and find you're in a completely different country.

"Spider Silk" is well done and so very deceptive. It also left on a confusing note. I find myself hoping that Harrison will write a sequel as I have this desperate need to know! It's a evil and deceptive dryad in this one, holding out the promise of youth, forever, and faithfulness in return for everything.

Harrison has combined love and family with all the good and the bad of it. I hated Lily's refusal to even attempt to understand, let alone work with her mother. Things may have been different if she had accepted the truth.

"Grace" is, oh, wow, just amazing. She has such character and a morality she abides by even when the going is really tough. Harrison was truly tricky with this one and such a delight. Part of me would love to see this as a series, and I can also see where this could be all there ever is.

The Cover
The cover is spookily inviting with Rachel in a cropped, sleeveless, form-fitting top and jeans, standing with one hand on a cocked hip, waiting for us to take a step Into the Woods where the trees are ancient, spreading, roots waiting to pull you in. Bwah-hah-hah...

Okay, flight of fancy on my part, it makes me think of a coppice for readers. One in which short stories are sent out to stimulate growth and interest in the Hollows and future possibilities.

It's working...

I got an ecopy of this book to review from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This books includes all of the Hallows short stories as well as a couple novellas/short stories from new urban fantasy worlds.

I had read most of the Hallows short stories previously in other anthologies. The Bespelled was one I had missed and was an excellent story about how Al and Ceri meet.

Million Dollar Baby is original to this book and is a story about how Trent rescued his daughter; this was a good read as well. There are four novellas/short stories that are not set in the Hallows world. Of these the one that really stood out for me was Grace; this was a wonderful world were certain types of people can manipulate energy. It had lots of action and some great new characters.

You can read summaries of all of the stories included in this anthology below.

Overall this was a decent read and something you should definitely pick up is you are a fan of the Hallows series.

- The Bespelled
This is story about Al and Ceri and how they originally met. More of a fantasy read, it provides some interesting background information on the two.

-Two Ghosts for Sister Rachel
I had previously read this story. This was a great prequel to the Hallows series. It was fun to read about a younger Rachel who is still struggling to recover from Rosewood syndrome and trying to decide if she should join the IS or not. It was nice to read about a time in her life that helped get her to where she is at the start of the series. This is the story where Rachel and Pierce first meet.

- Undead in the Garden of Good and Evil
I had previously read this story. This story is about Ivy when she was dating Kisten; Mia (the banshee from "White Witch, Black Curse" is involved as well). This story helped explain some of the back story between Ivy and Mia, as well as gave nice insight into Kisten and Ivy's history. It was an engaging story and I enjoyed it; overall

- Dirty Magic
I had previously read this story. This story is about Mia the Banshee and how she ended up in the situation she was in in White Witch, Black Curse. It is well written and engaging.

- The Bridges of Eden Park
Rachel and Kisten rescue Kisten's sister's son from an attempted kidnapping. Good story, gives a bit more background on Kisten's character.

- Ley Line Drifter
I had previously read this story. This is an excellent story about Jenks helping a fellow pixie. You learn more about pixie culture and there is a ton of action.

- Million Dollar Baby
This is a previously unpublished story all about Trent's journey to save his daughter. Adds a lot to Trent and Jenk's relationship and let's you look into Trent's thoughts and how he feels about fatherhood.

- Pet Shop Boys
Previously unpublished story about a man who encounters a lady and her daughter in the pet shop he works in. He finds out that there are more evil things in the world than he ever dreamed. Okay story, but my least favorite of the bunch.

- Temson Estates
Previously unpublished story about a man who finds out he has inherited a forest full of dryads. This was a fun little story.

- Spider Silk
Previously unpublished story about a grandmother, her daughter and her granddaughters and the danger they face from a forest spirit. The grandmother trapped the evil forest guardian in a tree but when the tree dies he tries to claim one of her granddaughters. The mother does what she must to save her daughter. Full of irony and very well written.

- Grace
This was my favorite story of the bunch. It introduces readers to an excellent new world and characters. Grace has special powers; she can manipulate energy. She has chosen a career where she hunts down other undiscovered energy manipulators like herself before they do serious harm to society. When her current target (a 17 year old boy) hurts her dog and her friend, Grace has no choice to to hunt him down with a vengeance. An interesting new world and wonderfully done characters. I really enjoyed this story a lot. It would be great to see some books to follow-up this novella. The story is part urban fantasy, part science fiction.

Review courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy.

I'm not a huge fan of short stories, I usually preferred full length stories to their shorter brethren. Kim Harrison is one of the authors that can turn my reluctance into eager anticipation, as her shorts always spark possibilities in new worlds or provide insights into beloved, familiar characters. Harrison's writing, no matter the length, offers a window into worlds so rich the characters and stories spill off the page.

As an inveterate Harrison fan, most of the Hollows stories that had been published prior to INTO THE WOODS were familiar to me, but not all (and a few are published here for the first time). Even readers more diligent than I will find more than enough here to keep them happy. I really enjoyed Harrison's introductions to each story as well, a few sentences that gave me a sense of place and purpose before diving in. With each new short story I felt like I was getting a glimpse into Harrison's writing process, seeing the seedlings that didn't grow into full series... yet.

Though I have all of the Rachel Morgan books on my shelf, I've been more haphazard about collecting Harrison's short fiction. INTO THE WOODS offered me the opportunity to own some old favorites as well as add some new ones. Above and beyond prompting an urge to go back and reread WHITE WITCH, BLACK CURSE or A FISTFUL OF CHARMS, getting precious glimpses of Al's inner thoughts or Rachel's early days or Kisten so heartbreakingly alive makes INTO THE WOODS a treasure in it's own right. Seeing the start of Al's and Ceri's relationship, in particular, was very powerful. Even knowing the pain and abuse that would follow, and knowing how far away and uncertain any redemption was, I hated to have their story end.

Much like Patricia Briggs and Ilona Andrews, Harrison's short fiction provides character growth, action, and often romance. I liked how this collection balances Hollows stories with new fiction. INTO THE WOODS left me itching to get my hands on EVER AFTER, and the last few stories in the anthology piqued my interest in Harrison's potential offshoots. Spider Silk, one of the several variations exploring dryads and forest dwellers in this book, offers three generations of strong women and both magic and dangerous uncertainty. Grace established an interesting world mythology, strong main character, and potential love interest, all of which have me panting for more. A slam-dunk for Hollows fans with enticing new fiction hinting at Harrison's future projects, INTO THE WOODS is a great read.

Sexual Content: Sex scenes.

Into the Woods: Tales from the Hollows and Beyond (The Hollows #10.1) by Kim Harrison is not just
another great book in the series but it has special insights. This book has answers to questions fans have been wanting to know throughout the series. These are short to long stories about events that happened on the side that the author is kind enough to fill us in on now. Awesome is the best way to say it! I love hearing these side stories that bring a fullness to the whole world she has created. Loved it. Got this from the library and listened to it on audio. It was wonderful.

I am a big fan of The Hollows Series by Kim Harrison, but I know I am not up to date on all the novellas and short stories so I was thrilled to see them all bundled into one book. At last, I could piece together all the missing story lines and have a better understanding of my favorite characters. Best of all, this book has a double dose of Jenks and I loved both of his stories. Of course, it is always hard to review an anthology as there are always stories you like better than others, but I can say that I was entertained by all the tales. I love that I got more back story on Ivy and Trent and I finally learned how Rachel met Pierce. I think my favorite story was Million Dollar Baby that tells how Jenks and Trent managed to steal his baby. I admit in the beginning I was not a fan of Trent, but as the series progressed, I found myself liking him more and more, and now dare I say I hope that he and Rachel will get together? It was nice to get into his head and see how he felt about Rachel. Sure, he is still a bit pompous and he certainly has a thing or two to learn about pixies, as he didn't fully realize what an asset Jenks was at first, but by the end of his adventure he knows that Jenks is a valuable and indispensable partner. Besides, without Jenks what would a Hollows book be without all of the pixie curses? Needless to say, I love Jenks and Trent more than ever after reading this. It was nice to get more on Kisten as well, even though it made me miss him all the more. I also liked the stories featuring the deadly banshee. What can I say? They were all fun and unique and I was so happy to be immersed back into The Hollows with all of my old friends.
Ms. Harrison also includes several stories outside of The Hollows that were all completely divergent from her beloved series. I particularly liked the last story, Grace. These additional tales gave me some insight into what we might see from Ms. Harrison once she finishes The Hollows...(no)! These stories showed me what a talented and diverse writer Ms. Harrison is.
My only complaints for this book was that I found myself missing Rachel. She is only in two of the stories and for some reason, I just felt like the stories without her presence were lacking. I also wished that there was more of Al. He is always fascinating and I would love to know more about him.
If you have not delved into Ms. Harrison's series, you need to check it out. She presents a fascinating paranormal world with all kinds of supernatural entities from witches, vampires, pixies, elves, demons, banshees, gargoyles and more. I love this series and I cannot wait for the next release. This anthology was a nice way to tide me over until Ever After releases in January 2013.
Favorite Quotations:
"He was an artist, and destroying her as he made her into what he wanted, would be his finest masterpiece."
"They say when you're ten, you think your parents know everything. At sixteen, you're convinced they know nothing at all. By thirty, if you haven't figured out they really did know what they were doing, then you're still sixteen."
"You can live above your fate," she mocked. "You can be who you want to be."
"I'm all right," she said, squinting from the morning sun. "I like who I am today."
"She shouldn't be here this soon, but the memory of his love was like the scent of flowers, begging to be inhaled and irresistible."
"You look like a sorority sister in hell week with that discount sheet around you! What is that, a one-fifty thread count? My three-year-old can weave better than that."

A huge thanks to Harper Voyager for the ARC copy of this book. I received a copy in exchange for an honest review and all opinions are my own.
Posted@ Rainy Day Ramblings.

This book is a collection of already published short stories together with a few new ones. As a big fan of Kim Harrison, I couldn't resist. I hadn't read any of the already published stories yet (I don't read many anthologies), so everything was new to me.

Most of my favorites were, of course, the Hollows-related stories. I liked seeing things from other characters' perspectives, because normally we see everything through Rachel's eyes. But the other star of the show was "Grace", which was a completely new world including a different sort of ability -- electricity manipulation. This is the sort of story that I would love to see her turn into an entire series, because it's unlike anything else I've read in urban fantasy. Much preferable to yet another fae story, which is what "Pet Shop Boys" boils down to. I didn't dislike the story, but it really didn't excite me like "Grace" did.

On the other side of the coin, dryads don't ring my bell like they obviously do Harrison's. I found her dryad stories rather boring, and skipped most of "Temson Woods" and "Spider Silk" entirely.

Overall, this did a great job of filling in the time gap between one Hollows novel and the next for me. And my ARC of Ever After arrived shortly after I finished, so the timing couldn't have been better!

A lot of the short stories are related to the Hollows series by Kim Harrison and they add to it by filling in information we didn't have before. Example is 'Million dollar baby' where Trent gets his daughter!

If you haven't read any of the books from this series you might not enjoy this. My advise is to GO READ THE HOLLOWS FIRST and then come back and pick this up! Trust me - that series is awesome and it's worth it!

On that note: if you HAVE read the Hollows you should love this book! It's great!

NOT ALL of the stories from 'into the woods' are related to the Hollows though and I found them to be fun, interesting, and leaving me in many cases wanting more! One of these stories may very well be a clue to Kim's next series! Who knows?!

I HATE the idea of the Hollows ending BUT the unrelated stories in this book gives me hope that at least I may have a new series to look forward to! :-)

Thank you Kim Harrison!

If you have not read The Hollows or also known as Rachel Morgan series, I would suggest that before reading this book. The first book is Dead Witch Walking. The stories about The Hollows, are more enjoyable and make more sense if you are already familiar with that world. But if, not, they wouldn't make a bad read and Harrison has introductions to all the tales, so you get the background information on the story. The tales focus on Rachel, Ivy, Jenks, and Trent.
The other tales cover two versions of Dryads, or tree spirits, fairy's who are bit more bloodthirsty, and people who can gather and manipulate energy.
This is one of the best short story anthology's I have read. Definitely worth checking out.

Brought to you by OBS reviewer Heidi

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

The Hollows Shorts:

There were several Hollows shorts that I had previously read in Harrison's other anthologies, such as Ley Line Drifter and the Undead in the Garden of Good and Evil. But there were several that I had missed, reading editions of the full-length novels that didn't include them (but were included in other editions of the same book), such as The Bespelled and The Bridges of Eden Park, which were actually a couple of my favorites in this book.

I really enjoyed getting closer looks at some of the Hollows characters. I really enjoyed The Bespelled which let us into Al's world a little more and showed us how Ceri came about being his familiar. It also clued us in about the blue butterflies and were his crushed green velvet ensemble originated from and why. This was a pretty short story being about 16 pages long, but it was definitely worth the time to read!

Another one that really struck me was The Bridges of Eden Park. I was a huge Kisten fan and was devastated with his death, so I was elated to get to read one last story with him in it. It was also nice to see that Harrison misses him just as much as me!

When I was reading Two Ghosts for Sister Rachel, I had this nagging sensation of déjà vu. I kept thinking I had read it before, but couldn't find it listed in any of the anthologies I had read. So I continued reading it to discover that I hadn't read it previously, but that the events within the story had been broached so much in the full-length novels that I felt like I had read this story before. But Two Ghosts for Sister Rachel delves deeper than what the books did and I'm glad I continued reading it. I enjoy Pierce so it was fun seeing exactly what the two of them did the night Rachel brought him back from purgatory.

"I'd give anything if you'd kiss me." I said. "I mean," I said when he tilted his head to look at me, his eyes wide in shock, "I've kissed guys before. It's like a handshake these days," I lied, just wanting to know what his lips on mind would feel like. "Almost required if you're leaving."

I was excited to see Million Dollar Baby included in this book, as I wanted to see a story from Trent's point of view and we all wanted to know more about the events during his elf quest! But sadly I was a little disappointed in it. It felt weird for Jenks to be Trent's backup and it just felt like they just didn't belong together. And, Trent's bike ride and getting through the tunnels to get to Lucy got a little boring.

Beyond the Hollows:

The only story in the non-Hollows shorts that I read previously was Pet Shop Boys. I really liked the main character, Cooper, but found the story as a whole to be a little too out there for me.

In this collection of short stories I realized that Harrison obviously has a thing for dryads (I would be shocked if she didn't include them in her next series) as three of the stories in this book included them, Ley Line Drifter (from the Hollows section), Temson Estates, and my favorite of the dryads stories and the one I most hope she continues as a series, Spider Silk.

I can see there being a very interesting series to come out of Spider Silk. There is a lot of material to make a questionable romance between Penn and Meg. Could she be the one he truly loves or is she just another victim?

Grace was also interesting although it took me awhile to truly get into and understand what was going on. I could also see this as a series, if done properly. There is definitely a spark between former lovers Grace and Jason that you know are inching their way back to each other. And, there is a lot of potential to add more supernatural aspects as time goes on, with their Men In Black kind of jobs.

Overall, I did like getting a glimpse at Harrison's non-Hollows shorts, it gives us a glimpse of what we can expect once Rachel's life is all wrapped up and the series is put to bed, so to speak. I look forward to seeing which route Kim ends up choosing to go next!

This review and more at openbooksociety dot com

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

My favorite story was "Ley Line Drifter," mainly because I love Jenks so much. I really enjoyed getting to see Jenks and Matalina interact. It added a whole new level to the series for me. I also enjoyed "Million Dollar Baby," even though it also crushed my hopes a bit. I enjoyed seeing things from Trent's perspective, and I adored his interactions with Jenks. As far as the non-Hollows stories, I think I liked "Pet Shop Boys" the best, and not just because it reminds me of the band. I really liked learning about new vampires. These guys were extremely interesting, and I'd love to see her write at least one full-length novel about them.

Overall, I'd recommend this to all Kim Harrison fans. I really believe there is something for everybody in this collection. I enjoyed each of the stories, and I hope to see Harrison branch out further into some of these new worlds in the future.

I love the Rachel Morgan (Hollows) series, and have read most of the shorts in this book previously. If you haven't, then this is a great addition to your library. It fills in a few gaps of the series, especially about Pierce. A new story that made the whole book worth buying, was 'Million Dollar Baby', in which we get a better understanding about Trent. It also gives us a speculative answer about Trent and Rachel's relationship, and why he is, the way he is toward her. There's a couple new stories(not about Rachel), one having a very disturbing ending. But, that's what I like about Kim Harrison, she can surprise you at times, like it or not.

Into the Woods (2012) is a collection of short Fantasy works in the Hollows series and elsewhere. It contains eleven stories.

The Hollows:

"The Bespelled" (Demon Outlaw Wails, 2008) tells of the taking of Ceri.

"Two Ghosts For Sister Rachel" (Holidays Are Hell, 2007) recalls the first meeting of Rachel and Pierce.

"Undead in the Garden of Good and Evil" (Dates from Hell, 2006) explains why Ivy was ready to leave Inderland Security.

"Dirty Magic" (Hotter Than Hell, 2008) shows an incident from the long life of Mia Harbor.

"The Bridges of Eden Park" (For a Few Demons More, 2007) takes Kristan and Rachel to the park for lunch.

"Ley Line Drifters" (Unbound. 2009) brings his first independent case to Jenks.

"Million Dollar Baby" (first publication) puts Trent together with Jenks to rescue baby Lucy.

Beyond the Hollows:

"Pet Shop Boys" (e-book 2012) changes the way Cooper sees things.

"Temson Estates" (first publication) confronts Will with dryads.

"Spider Silk" (first publication) teaches Lilly that her mother really knows best.

"Grace" (first publication} tests a woman's balance.

These tales are mostly not within the Hollows per se, but the first set involves Rachel and her friends. The second set goes beyond the series, introducing new characters. All are worth reading.

Highly recommended for Harrison fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of magic, action and determination. Read and enjoy!

-Arthur W. Jordin

Anthologies, they can be very fun to read but often times they are tough to review. Into the Woods is a compilation of short stories and novellas from Kim Harrison, author of one of my favorite Urban Fantasy series, The Hollows (aka the Rachel Morgan series). Most of the stories in Into the Woods were from the world of the Hollows and involved many of the characters from the series. I fully enjoyed the 11 stories, but for this review I am just going to touch on some of my favorites.

The first story, The Bespelled, tells how Ceri became Al's familiar (Al is a demon and plays a pretty key role in the series). Bespelled gave more background on Ceri, insight into how she was lured in by a demon, and it gave her character (and Al's) more depth.

One of my favorite characters from the Hollows series was Kisten. I was not always a Kisten fan, especially in the early books, but he grew on me as Kim Harrison developed his character and readers got to see more sides to him. In the last few books, I have really missed him. So, I loved reading The Bridges of Eden Park, which showed another side to the living vampire, even if it did make me miss him all that much more...

My favorite story of the entire anthology was Million Dollar Baby, featuring Trent and Jenks. After Pale Demon (book 9 in the series) I was super curious about the outing/run/Trent's mysterious mission. Million Dollar Baby is the story of how Trent and Jenks team up and bond on Trent's elven mission. On the mission, Trent had to re-evaluate his priorities and decisions, and Jenks helped him out, lightened the mood, and gave him good perspective. Plus, I love Jenks, the pixie has proved that a small character can play a huge roll in a series. After reading this story, I understand Trent a lot better, and I have really high hopes for him in future books.

As to the "Beyond the Hollows" stories, I enjoyed them as well. There were some intriguing characters and concepts. Pet Shop Boys really stood out to me, it is a vampire/fae story, but wholly different from the Hollows. It had an intriguing concept, it was disturbing at times, but the characters were interesting and I was left contemplating the story.

All the stories in the book are varied with characters and species, from vampires and witches, to dryads, pixies, and banshees. There is a little something in this book for every fan of Urban Fantasy. Kim Harrison knows how to deliver stories with interesting characters, humor, and the right amount of action. For you Hollows series fans, you will really enjoy the Hollows stories and getting to know the characters a better. For those of you unfamiliar with the series, you may want to give some of these stories a try, you might meet some new favorite characters.

*I received this book in exchange for an honest review*

What a wonderful collection of short stories from Kim Harrison! Not only do we get to revisit the world of The Hollows, but there are also four stories set outside The Hollows.

With the exception of Million Dollar Baby, all of The Hollows stories have been previously released and I was pleased to find that there were a couple of the stories that I hadn't read yet. But the main draw was Million Dollar Baby. This story focuses on the elf quest to steal baby Lucy that Trent and Jenks take during Pale Demon. I was never really a Trent fan during the majority of The Hollows books, but he started to change my mind during Pale Demon and I really enjoyed his POV in Million Dollar Baby. We see more of his motiviations and how much he really does value Rachel, although I did miss the interaction between the two of them. I also enjoyed seeing Trent learn to work with Jenks and come to value the skill set that the pixie provides.

While Million Dollar Baby makes Into the Woods a must-buy, I enjoyed the Beyond the Hollows stories as well. Pet Shop Boys is a cross between vampires and fae, Temson Estates and Spider Silk both focus on dryads, and finally Grace focuses on a portion of the population who can harness the electrical currents in their bodies to affect the physical world around them. They are all a definite departure from The Hollows world, and I would be happy to read more for any and all of them.

What it's about: Into the Woods is a collection of short stories set in the Hollows world and a new novella. There are about seven Hollows stories and three shorts that go beyond the Hollows. Kim has always been magical when it comes to her writings, and this is definitely a must-have anthology for any Hollows fans.

Why you should read it: Have you ever become curious about a character in a book who wasn't the focus? Ever wondered what happened to them once the main characters left? Into the Woods is a great way for some minor characters and secondary characters to get more life breathed into them. We get a story about Mia the Banshee (book seven) and Ivy while she was still in I.S. We get to see Rachel when she was 18, and Al and Ceri 1,000 years ago when he first "bespelled" her. It's highly enjoyable, and I definitely recommend!

Check out USA Today's HEA blog to read about why Kim loved writing Into the Woods!

Kim Harrison has brought to her fans a collection of short stories from her Hollows series along with a few that are from outside the Hollow. Many of the stories have been published before in anthologies but now Kim has brought them all together just for us fans. I love that Kim gives us a background before each story. My favorite short was Million Dollar Baby which takes us on Trent and Jenks and their Elf Quest to save Trent's daughter. It provided some good insight into Trent and his insecurities. Many of the other stories I have read before but it was fun to revisit the Hollows. Her stories from outside the Hollows, though not my favorite, I still enjoyed the creative aspect of them. Kim takes us into the world of dryads and other paranormal creatures and also provides the reader to a little insight of the direction she might take in the future.

I loved that Kim has brought all these stories together for the super fan. I am not a huge fan of short stories but I did enjoy Into the Woods for the fact that it provides the back story to her popular Hollow characters. This is definitely worth adding to the collection.

(DRC was provided by publisher via Edelweiss for an honest review)

I admit, I am always drawn to getting anthologies because I love the idea of being able to read short little experts from loved authors and series but, admittedly, they aren't always that great and can be hard to rate since there are so many stories in one book.

Thankfully I didn't have a problem with this one at all.

Not only was this a great set of anthologies but they (mostly) were all from the same series, a series I already love and have fun reading.

And yes, holy moly this was a long book, but oh, was it worth it to read.

To be able to get small glimpses into old character and beloved character (Jenks!!) all while eagerly awaiting the next book in the series is always a treat.

And even though these weren't all new stories (a lot of them have been featured somewhere else over the course of the series) it was still really nice to have them all in one place to read and reread.

I really enjoy this series and if you are a fan of the series, this really is a most get book.

You won't be disappointed with the stories or the characters or even the writing. It will just remind you all the reason you already love Kim Harrison and the world that she has created in the Hollows.

I really enjoyed this anthology of short stories by Kim Harrison about her Hollows series. I have read the entire series and loved it so much that I had to get Into the Woods despite already having read one of the short stories already. The author also gives us all her thoughts on the stories such as how they came about. My favorite definitely has to be the one about Ivy (Undead in the Garden of Good and Evil) as it really gave a deeper insight into why Ivy acts the way she does in regards to blood/sex/love. But the story about Trent's quest with Jenks (Million Dollar Baby) has been a story I had been dying to read ever since finishing Pale Demon. Jenks' solo mission with Bis in Ley Line Drifter was also really cool. Also included at the end of this book are 4 shorts that happen outside of the Hollows world. While I will be sad to see the Hollows end in the near future; hopefully one of these "worlds" will be next for exploration as a series. As for which I would like to see as a series: Pet Shop Boys and Grace.

After reading this book I'm even more disappointed in The Witch With No Name book. The story The Million Dollar Baby was a good story but after reading this story it makes absolutely no sense as to why Trent would forgive Ellasbeth and allow her anywhere near the children. She ordered her men to shoot at him not caring that she could hurt even kill her own child. How could any parent forgive actions like that?

I normally don't read short stories. I always feel like I want more from each one. That wasn't truly the case here. Except for pet shop boys. I so much wanted to see more of that world. Another world I wanted to see more of was the Strand. What an interesting world. It was also such a terrific explanation for those kinds of kinetic powers. I am not so sure I appreciated the story of Penn. Altogether, it was a very good read. It is what I always expect of Kim Harrison and why I buy pretty much all her creations.

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

"Million Dollar Baby"- this was easily the premiere story for this publication. It was essentially priceless getting into Trent's head and learning quite a few things that we never knew before. It makes him so much more "human" this way. Trent and Rachel fans eager for anything to support development of these two may be disappointed a smidgen (though not entirely), but I think it's important to remember when this story took place and what it's about. While I loved reading about Trent, I admit that I missed Rachel. I'm really attached to the itchy witch and they play off one another so well. No worries though because the bromance that blooms between Trent and Jenks is plenty entertaining. We see why pixies and elves get along so well. Overall, I thought this was a well done story and I wish we could get more stories from Trent, though I know that won't be happening much.

As for the reprinted Hollows short stories:

"The Bespelled" - a short story focusing on Al and how he ensnared Ceri of 1,000 years ago. I always enjoyed this read. But it has Al so that makes it pretty easy...

"Two Ghosts for Sister Rachel"- a Robbie/Rachel/Pierce novella going back in time to when Rachel was 18 and struggling with her decision to join the I.S. This story was new to me. I was not the biggest fan of Pierce in the main novels, but I must admit that he is a little better here.

"Undead in The Garden of Good and Evil"- a novella focusing on Ivy in her earlier I.S. days. Another entertaining novel with excellent doses of Kisten. If you thought he and Rachel were hott together, you should read this to see vamp on vamp action. I read this some time ago, but I forgot how hott he and Ivy can be together.

"Dirty Magic"- short story about Mia, the banshee from Book 7. While not my favorite I found it interesting to read about her and her complex thought processes.

"The Bridges of Eden Park"- a Kisten and Rachel short that no doubt makes you miss him all over again.

"Ley Line Drifter" - a novella focusing on Bis and Jenks. It introduces the character Daryl who we meet again in the later Hollows novels. I will say it's sort of weird to read A Perfect Blood and then go back to reading this. My favorite parts were the moments between Jenks and Matalina since we never get to see that first hand.

Stories beyond The Hollows:

"Pet Shop Boys" - I admit that every time I see this title I just want to sing "West End Girls". Though I promise that the story is completely unrelated. It's actually about vampires, but they are completely different from our Hollows vamps. I think she could have had something going, but The Hollows vamps are better and more developed, not surprisingly. They have an unfair advantage of having novel after novel of development. I would like to see this become a full novel or two to even the playing field. This was my favorite entry of the non-Hollows stories.

"Temson Estates" and "Spider Web"-a short story and novella focusing on dryads. I don't think they are my favorite supernatural creature, but I would have liked to have seen a little more regarding the Spider Web story.

"Grace" - novella introducing new powers relating to people who hold special energy capable of destroying electronics. Their powers can be intense enough that, if left unharnessed, they can be a danger to society. This one is more borderline Urban Fantasy to me. It could be categorized as something else.

Overall, I enjoyed this book but normally I don't enjoy anthologies very much simply because I prefer to read a whole novel as opposed to several novellas (just a personal preference). I found myself putting the book down more often for this reason, but I was definitely engaged enough to read the old stuff all over again along with the new stuff.

I follow Kim Harrison's work more closely under the Rachel Morgan series than anything else, but the non-Hollows stories give the reader a taste of her skills as an author. It's a good way to test yourself as a fan, determining whether you plan to follow Rachel Morgan or Kim Harrison in general. The beginnings of the stories were sometimes a little hard to get into because I didn't always want to switch gears from story to story, especially going from Rachel Morgan to something totally different. But if you stay the course, each read is quite rewarding and interesting, even with such a short window of opportunity to tell the story. I see myself following Harrison throughout The Hollows and beyond.

The Hollows series featuring Rachel Morgan is one of my favourite urban fantasy series so I couldn't resist picking up Into the Woods. This anthology includes a combination of reprinted Hollows short stories, and a new novella featuring Trent and Jinks, as well as a handful of tales unrelated to the Hollows.

All of the stories were new to me, though those related to the Hollows simply flesh out events and characters a reader of the series would already be familiar with. I don't want to share too much of each story except to say I really enjoyed the entire collection, though I did have my favourites.

'Two Ghosts for Sister Rachel' was first published in the Holidays Are Hell anthology and is the story of the first time Rachel met Pierce. I loved this look at the genesis of their relationship as I've always had a soft spot for Pierce. The story also adds to Rachel's character, giving a glimpse of her early power and strength.

Most Hollows fan's would have paged straight to 'Million Dollar Baby', this is an original novella that provides insight into the quest undertaken by Trent and Jenks during Pale Demon. Trent is such a complicated character and in this story, Harrison explores his motivations more fully. Of course I love Jenks, and I really enjoyed the back and forth of their reluctant partnership here.

Of the unrelated stories, it was 'Grace' that captured my imagination and one I can see being developed into a new series though I also liked Spider's Silk as a capsule story.

Into The Woods: Tales from the Hollows and Beyond is a satisfying collection for fans of the Hollows, and proof, I think, that Harrison will be able to develop a new series after it's demise. But it's not over yet, Hollows #11, Ever After, is due out in January 2013 - I can't wait!

This excellent anthology provides readers a strong glimpse at the full Harrison realm to include inside and outside the Hollows. Part one focuses on The Hollows with three short stories and four novelettes; six previously published and a new tale of Rachel and Trent ("Million Dollar Baby"). The second section contains four "Beyond The Hollows" fantasy short stories that apparently were never published before ("Pet Shop Boys", "Temson Estate", Spider Silk" and "Grace"). In "Undead in the Garden of Good and Evil" Inderland Security Homicide Division cop and living vampire Ivy seeks a killer who knows her every move even as she evades the moves of her boss Art an undead vampire. Teenager Rachel recuperates from I.S. disease that killed her father and nearly killed her, but left her new powers as a witch in training; however, she missuses her new skills with a resurrection that may prove lethal in "Two Ghosts for Sister Rachel." Jenks the pixy and Bis the gargoyle investigate a case involving pixy children in Ley Line Drifter." In "Million-Dollar Baby," Trent and Jenks go on an elf-quest. Will Temson inherits much more than he bargained for when he gained "Temson Estates." In "Spider Silk" the angry tree spirit rages at three generations of females (Emily the grandmother, Meg the mom and Lilly the child). The collection is quite good providing more insight into the Hollows and into the rest of the Harrison mythos.

Harriet Klausner

Absolutely wonderful. Great little short stories that give a bit more insight into some of the characters in the Hollows series and in to the wonderful and creative mind of Kim Harrison.

I loved the story of Al and his snatching of Ceri. All the stories are great but that's one of my favourites in this book.

And now we wait for the next in the series.

This was a compilation of short stories written by one of my favorite writers, Kim Harrison.

Most of the shorties written about The Hollows I had already read - they were all great, and nice/interesting addition to the series - except the Billion Dollar Baby. It was such a trill to read from Trent's POV especially what he thought about Rachel.

My favorite - and the ones I want to read more about - it's Grace and Spider Silk - I want to know what happened to Kevin!!!!

Pep Shop Boys is also a nice story, it's sold separately and I did not know and bought both books :P

I am thrilled that all the Hollows short stories are in one volume. I prefer hardback books and the short stories are only in the paperback books. So I have doubles of several books.

Now I can trade those in for more books....

Kim Harrison is one of my favorite writers, and I adore the Hollows series. I really enjoyed the side stories that filled in some of the back stories. I also loved hearing the story from other beloved characters point of view, Ivy, Jenks, Trent.

I also really enjoyed the stories beyond the Hollows and want more, esp Pet Shop Boy and with the Strand.

Thank you again Ms. Harrison!!

I had read a couple of the stories as shorts elsewhere, but not everyone has, so I'm okay with that. I liked finding out how that baby got "kidnapped". I like the Pet Shop Boys, would like to see some more of those. It's nice to have a few side shorts about some of the supporting characters.

This is the first Kim Harrison book I've read. If it is really representative of her style, then she is too dark for me to try to follow. I'll leave her to her fans and not add her to my already overly long To-Read list.

I had read much of this before, but refreshing the memory when writing is this good is never bad. The new content was good and I hope to meet Grace again. Rachel remains one of my all time favourites though!

as the amber burns
will trent finally buy into tje sexy demand. action packer and ready to rumble rache is a fast moving fightee wih major reationship ossus. one thing tja always prebails is tha she always survives by the skin of her teeth.

A must read for Kim Harrison fans. I really enjoyed reading some of the background to the hollows events, however in some ways I almost felt disappointed that they weren't IN the series itself. I would love to see some expansions on her other writing, however the stories themselves were brilliant.

This in not a bad collection of stories. It expands on the characters we have come to know so well in the other books. I am going through withdrawal right now. I have read everything I can find and these poor authors just aren't able to write fast enough. That was not a criticism of anyone by the way, I just love to read. This is a pleasant diversion, not as compelling as the novels, but I think most fans of Kim's would enjoy it.

very nice love it amaizon is a god sent we buy stuff all the time and there pricedf great with everything in stock or we can pre order will continue to buy more and keep up the great prices and keep in stock thanks gene and mary hulsey