The Hollows Insider-Kim Harrison

Class is in session. Time to read up folks!

“New York Times bestselling author Kim Harrison has won legions of fans with her sexy supernatural novels featuring bounty-hunting witch Rachel Morgan. And now comes a unique look inside her beloved Hollows series that no fan should miss.

The Hollows Insider 
In the Hollows, the supernatural Inderlanders rule, and humanity must abide by their conventions, or else. To survive among vampires, witches, Weres, gargoyles, trolls, fairies, and banshees - to say nothing of demons - humanity needs a guide. And now, written by Kim Harrison herself, here is an insider's look at the supernatural world of the Hollows, from an overarching new story to character profiles, maps, spell guides, charm recipes, secret correspondence from the elusive Trent Kalamack, and much more.
Enter the world of the Hollows like never before!
One misfired spell is all it took to sent investigative reporter Devin Crossman on a mission to uncover all the secrets of bounty-hunting witch Rachel Morgan and expose them to the world. Herewith are all of Devin's notebook entries, a treasure trove of evidence including maps, speces profiles, magic spells, documents from Inderland Security, Takata's song lyrics, Betty Bob's recipes, ley line charms, entries from the Were Registry, articles from the Hollows Gazette, Rynn Cormel's Vampire Dating Guide, demonic spells, and many more entries that cast light into regions of the Hollows that have never been revealed.
But Crossman's one-man war against Rachel Morgan has not gone unnoticed...”

This is a book I got for Christmas in 2011 from my mother-in-law and at that point decided she was the best mother-in-law in the history of all mother-in-laws. When I saw the gorgeous cover, I literally squealed like a little girl. Yeah, awesome mother-in-law.

This textbook sized companion guide to the world of Rachel Morgan is amazing. It is defiantly made for the fans for us to truly understand Harrison’s world she has created. And Harrison poured a lot of love into this book.

You can tell everything was carefully thought out. Though the layout of the book is that of an academic book,  it felt more like an additional story told from a different point of view. Devin Crossman’s journal entries were fun to read, giving a human point of view on a world of the Hallows. My favorite part of the book is the Inderland Security documents, describing the different species from witch to pixy, from banshee to vampire. It provided an awesome insight into what is Rachel Morgan’s Hallows.

This is of course, like I said before, a companion book to The Hallows series. And with companion books, you need to read the books. How many of these books should you read before delving into the Insider's Guide? I would at least the first four books (Dead Witch Walking; The Good, the Bad and the Undead; Every Which Way But Dead; A Fist Full Of Charms). And my dear friends, I know I have said it before, but really, you should read this series if you haven't yet.

I know this was a short review, but to really appreciate this book, you have to be a fan of the Hallows. And not just “yeah, these books are alright” but a dye in the wool “Rachel Morgan is one bad ass check who I cannot get enough of” type of fan. And Ms. Harrison, let me say to you thanks, for thinking of your fans and putting this book together.  It was a blast to read and I feel like I know so much more and appreciate your amazing story telling.