Ever After

Written by Kim Harrison

Narrated by Marguerite Gavin

New York Times bestselling author Kim Harrison returns to the Hollows with the electrifying follow-up to her acclaimed Pale Demon!

The ever-after, the demonic realm that parallels our own, is shrinking, and if it disappears, so does all magic. It's up to witch-turned-daywalking-demon Rachel Morgan to fix the ever-after before the fragile balance between magic users and humans falls apart.

Of course, there's also the small fact that Rachel is the one who caused the ley line to rip in the first place, and her life is forfeit unless she can fix it. Not to mention the most powerful demon in the ever-after—the soul-eater Ku'Sox Sha-Ku'ru—has vowed to destroy her, and has kidnapped her friend and her goddaughter as leverage. If Rachel doesn't give herself up, they will die.

Forced by circumstance, Rachel teams up with elven tycoon Trent Kalamack—a partnership fraught with dangers of the heart as well as betrayal of the soul—to return to the ever-after and rescue those she loves. One world teeters on the brink of interspecies war, the other on the brink of its very demise—and it's up to Rachel to keep them both from being destroyed.

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Release date: Jan 30, 2014
• ISBN: 9780007493937

Kim Harrison

Kim Harrison is best known as the author of the #1 New York Times bestselling Hollows series, but she has written more than urban fantasy and has published more than two dozen books, spanning the gamut from young adult, accelerated-science thriller, and several anthologies and has scripted two original graphic novels set in the Hollows universe. She has also published traditional fantasy under the name Dawn Cook. Kim is currently working on a new Hollows book between other, nonrelated, urban fantasy projects.

Reviews for Ever After

[Jenny Taylor · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Absolutely loved this series of books, thanks muchly to Kim Harrison and Marguerite Gavin for making it totally worthwhile.

[kmartin802_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This breath-taking and heart-breaking adventure kept me up well after my bedtime since I couldn't go to sleep without knowing how it was going to end. The concentration in this one is Rachel and the demons. In an earlier book, Rachel created a line in order to save her life. Now the line is draining the Ever After causing it to shrink at an alarming rate. She must fix the line—on a very short timeline—or the demons will kill her. Rachel quickly learns that the problem has been amplified by her old enemy Ku'Sox which the demons know but they are all afraid of him and want Rachel to solve their problem for them. Ku'Sox is psychotic and wants to destroy the Ever After and the older demons. He begins kidnapping babies who are suffering from Rosewood syndrome to put more pressure on Rachel.When he kidnaps Ceri and Trent's daughter Lucy, the excitement ramps up even as the time ticks down. Trent and Rachel have to work together and finally begin to figure out their relationship. Rachel is finally overcoming her distrust of him that has been part of her life since she was a child. I love how much Rachel has changed through this series and how her views of demons have changed. I love the depth of world-building in this series as the world and characters have so much depth. I can't wait to see what happens next for Rachel and crew.

[carolesrandomlife · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This was terrific! I seem to be liking this book more and more with each book I read. I have grown to really appreciate Rachel, Jenks, Ivy, and the rest of the group and love seeing them work together to get out of some pretty impossible situations. This book started out with a bang and I was hooked until the end. I am so glad that I decided to get caught up with this series this year.When Rachel is visiting Trent, Quen, Ceri, and the babies when Ceri and one of the children are taken and Quen is left injured. That should be enough for Rachel to need to worry about but she also needs to fix the ley lines and is on a short timeline to do so. Rachel knows that Ku’Sox is responsible but has no way of proving that to anyone. It seems that one obstacle after another is thrown at her as she tries to save the day. This was a really exciting installment in the series with plenty of surprises to keep me guessing.Marguerite Gavin does an amazing job with this series. I love all of the voices that she uses for the key characters and I think that her range is amazing. I think that she adds just the right amount of emotion and excitement to her reading. I wanted to listen to this book for hours at a time. I believe that her narration added to my enjoyment of this story.I would definitely recommend this series to others. This is the eleventh book in the series so I wouldn’t jump in here but it is definitely a worthwhile series. I have loved seeing the characters evolve over the course of the series and cannot wait to see what might happen next.

[kevn57-163679 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

It's been quite a long time since I read the tenth book in the series and worried that I'd forget what had happened previously but I needn't have worried, after the first chapter I felt like I was back visiting an old friend I hadn't seen in a while and we were catching up. I won't wait so long before reading the next book, but with only two more in the finished series I don't want to rush it.

[bm2ng · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I would give it more stars if I could. I love this series and the last 3 books have been phenominal! There were a couple of books in the middle that I didn't like as much but this series by far is my favorite (second is Dresden files). Once the series is finished after the next two books, I'm looking forward to going back and reading them all again. It's that good!
In this book, I laughed, I cried a lot but I also felt the characters grow into themselves and most of them seemed to be making big strides in who they want to become. Anyway, without giving any spoilers, I loved it!!!

[montzaleew · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Ever After (The Hollows #11) by Kim Harrison is another Hollows book and that means a great novel for sure! Again Rachel is in trouble, this is a given. If it is her fault or not, she will be blamed. Lots of action, suspense, our wonderful characters of Ivy, Jenks, and Al are in it. The elves, gargoyles and demons all play a big role together in this book. There is a major loss in here too ....sob...you just have to read it to find out who. If you have been following the books it will be a big surprise. This one is very suspense-filled. I was glad to see more of the gargoyles in here. I love everyone of the Hollow books! I got this from the library on audio so I could listen to it while I did things around the house. Awesome.

[drled_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Synopsis: There is definitely something wrong with the ley lines: even the gargoyles are having issues with the whines of the lines. As it turns out, one of the demons is stealing babies to turn into demons and is also causing the noise on the lines. Rachel's job is to clean up the lines, save the babies, the demons and the ever-after so that the magic doesn't die.Review: There is a lot going on in the story and it does get tangled. There is a budding romance between Rachel and Trent that may or may not continue - the tension is good.

[theyodamom · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Loved it. Loved it. Loved it. The dynamic trio has been born. This one tipped the scales with action, intrigue and heart thumping moments. The last chapter left me with a smile so large it made my cheeks hurt.

[chrystina.williams · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Loved this one! Kim Harrison has a way of tying up all the loose ends and still leave you wanting more!

[schlyne · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Excellent as always. Be prepared for a bit of heartbreak in this one.

[darkfaerietales_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie TalesQuick & Dirty: A deeply emotional and action packed book that once again finds Rachel fighting for her life.Opening Sentence: “This is close enough.”The Review:I want to start this review by saying that I am a huge fan of this series and I am seriously disappointed that it took me this long to read Ever After. Although I will say this novel didn’t speak to me like some of the past Hollows books did in the past but I still thoroughly enjoyed Ever After. I especially enjoyed the new dynamics of Rachel and Trent’s relationship.Ever After continues Rachel’s struggles with the terrible demon Ku’Sox. He sabotages a ley line which in effect becomes like a black hole. The line is slowly shrinking the Ever After with the ultimate goal of destroying the Ever After and the demons with it. For the demons the only way to stop their ultimate destruction is by killing Rachel or so they believe. Since demon politics is so weird, Rachel cannot blame Ku’Sox without proof and even that proof would make it look like she was working with Ku’Sox. There are some really powerful demons that believe Rachel but they won’t take her side because Ku’Sox is even more powerful than they are. They won’t risk their lives in case Rachel can’t fix the line.Meanwhile, Quen wants Rachel to take over is place and become Trent’s protector but Rachel’s conflicting feelings have her turning down the job. She doesn’t believe she can protect like he needs plus she really enjoys being her own boss.As one of the last remaining elves, Trent is trying to ensure the continued survival of his species. The elves and demons have a nasty shared history and much of that is revealed in Ever After. Rachel has to team up with Trent in order for her to have any kind of hope of saving the Ever After and ultimately her life.I love Rachel. She cares so much for other people often to the detriment of her life. She does whatever she can to help others. Ultimately it is her life above all others because she does whatever it takes to ensure her survival even if the outcome for someone else is detrimental. Although, I’m not sure that is entirely a bad trait. She is brash but she doesn’t answer to anybody and I enjoy so much how she is strong yet very much vulnerable.I really found myself anticipating the parts of the book with Trent and Rachel. Rachel has so many doubts and frustrations, some of which are understandable but it does help amp up the sexual tension. I still have my doubts about Trent’s loyalties but I secretly hope they get together in the end. **As of right now, I have avoided any spoilers to the last book.**Several years have passed since I read A Perfect Blood so I did have some confusion to events and characters for the beginning of the novel. I definitely wouldn’t recommend this as a standalone or a starting point to a series that is ending in two more books. Too much has gone on in this series.There was only one thing I really didn’t like about Ever After. There was some tragedy off the “page”. It didn’t really need to be showcased but I had a hard time believing it was true. I was expecting said person to come back at any time, however, a certain characters reaction to the tragedy made me believe that it had to be true.Overall, I really loved this book! I went through so many emotions. I love the dark atmosphere and setting. I can just feel myself sinking into this world. I can’t wait to finish this series.Notable Scene:“Nicely done, Rachel.” Smiling up at Trent, I accepted his hand and stood. Our pinkie rings glinted together in the light, and I didn’t know how to feel about it. My hands were shaking, but I was ready to put another imbalance back if Bis was.Pulling my hand from Trent’s, I looked for Bis. “Another one?” I asked, my intentions obvious, and he nodded from the retaining wall, his red eyes glowing in the lamplight.Jenk’s wings clattered as he dropped down, shrilling something so fast I couldn’t understand him.“You surprise me, Rachel,” came an oily voice from the dark, and I spun, heart pounding as I turned to the river. Ku’Sox? Crap on toast!“It’s Ku’Sox!” Jenks shouted, dripping an angry, frightened red dust. His sword was out, and his wings by my ear, harsh.“Not in that you figured it out,” Ku’Sox said, a small sphere of light blossoming in his hand to show his presence beside my screaming, damaged line, “but that you’re stupid enough to be out here alone.”Bis landed on my other side, puffing up as much he could by sucking in the moisture from the air. The size of a large dog, he crouched beside me with his tail thrashing.“She’s not alone,” Jenks spat, hovering at head height and brandishing his sword. “Back off, Cute Socks. I cut your nose off before, I’ll do it again.”FTC Advisory: Harper Voyager / Harper Collins provided me with a copy of Ever After. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.

[glennis.leblanc · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Rachel is once again the only one that can mostly save the day in this book. Ivy is off screen for the most part of the story. You do get a reminder that Rachel and Ivy on on a deadline with the vampires about actions from the previous books. Rachel and Trent are trying get the babies back that the demons have kidnapped in order to produce more demons since they suffer from the same illness that Trent's father cured Rachel of and made her in a daylight demon. The story once again pulls no punches and in a way I'll be sad that the series is wrapping up but I think it will be good instead of dragging it all out.

[lorune · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Nice addition to the series but nothing shocking :)

[camibrite · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Eleven books later, I am still completely addicted to this world and these characters. I zipped through this book too quickly and now must wait again for book 12. Sigh.

[theibookemporium · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Wow! I thought Pale Demon and Perfect Blood were the culmination of what a best selling series should be. I must now revise that to include Ever After. This book will pull at your heartstrings, make you cheer in delight and have you sobbing in tears. Ms. Harrison does not disappoint!

More to come....

[duende-11 · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

I've been a devoted Rachel Marianna Morgan fan for a long time, eagerly awaiting the retelling of each step in her adventures. So, I was excited when Ever After became available, and couldn't wait to read it...until I got started. I can't quite articulate what it is, but this is the most boring and annoying thing I've read in awhile. I'm tired of the incessant summonings to demon court. I'm tired of Rachel's refrain of, "I know I should have done such-and-such, but I was too stupid and lazy to get it done." I'm tired of Rachel not growing up. Yeah, in her world, it's only been two years since the series started, but I know how much I can grow and learn in two years, and I don't have nearly the impetus to change that she has had. After yawning through the opening chapters, when I got the the part where Rachel is yanked, once again, into demon court, and rather than trying to find out what's going on, starts acting like mad kitten and spluttering, "but, Kusox is Up To Something!!!1!", I just couldn't go on. I think I'm just tired of protagonists who blunder their way through dangerous circumstances, overcoming all problems simply *because* they're the protagonist, and not because they think ahead, act effectively, and don't take stupid risks.

Sorry, Rachel, but we're through.

[heartlessone42 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Every Kim Harrison book I read gets better and better. Just when you think you know what's going to happen, she throws a little curve ball in there, and still manages to keep her readers happy. Loved it!!

[bitchie-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I loved this one. The action was great, the angst was great.

I can't believe after all this time, I actually like, no, love, Trent! He was such an ass at the beginning of the series, and I love how Harrison has added layer upon layer to show that even then, he wasn't really a bad man, just a man who had to make the hard choices to save his people.

I also loved the parts with Al. Another bastard beastie who I've come to love.

My only real complaint is that we experienced a couple of losses in this one, and they left me rather cold. Didn't bother me much at all, more in who the losses hurt than in an "aww I loved them!" kind fo way.

There was a lot less Ivy in this book, which I really appreciated. I just think her part in this story has pretty much run it's course. As Rachel said, Ivy needs to be needed, and Rachel doesn't really *need* Ivy anymore. I'm just tired of Ivy's constant emo angst over what she is and what she might become, and the guilt she feels over the things she wants. I also can't keep her relationships straight, when did she start up with Nina?

All in all, a wonderful addition to this series, and I am not so patiently waiting to read the next one. I want to know what happens in the Ever After, and what happens when Rachel and Trent finally come together for real.

[mlsimmons-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is one of my favorites in this series. It will make you laugh and almost made me cry. There is lots of Trent, Al and Bis. There is a fair amount of Jenks. There isn't much of Ivy, though she made me LOL not long after she arrives. Normally, Jenks is the one that is hysterically funny, and he had his moments, but this was not his best book. I can't wait to see where Rachel goes next. I know that series is coming to an end and it seems the Ms. Harrison knows what she's doing.

[lemurkat · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The next instalment in this wonderfully addictive and rather creative series. This one offers a few rather shocking moments (no spoilers from me though!) and a few rather sweet ones. Not going to say too much, because if you've read the previous books you'll be reading this one - and if you haven't read them yet, you should probably start at #1, okay?

I must confess, I am rather fond of Al.

[chymekeeper · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I laughed, cried ,got angry . I can't wait for the next book ! :)

[hoosgracie · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Overall, I quite enjoyed the plot with Rachel trying to save herself, the demons, the ever after, and her friends. The only reason I didn't rate it higher is that it could have used some editing. It was simply too long for the story, IMO.

[deweyever · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Need to have read series. Not stand alone.

[2wondery_1 · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

I do like modern fantasy, but this is a clear miss. Two discs into the audio book, and there is no pleasurable connection to characters, plot, or writing. I don't have the time to waste on mediocre pulp fiction.

[mlleehreen · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Oh, dear readers. Fellow fans. You've made it this far - you're not going to stop now. And why would you? Kim Harrison doesn't disappoint. EVER AFTER isn't just a great book - it makes the whole Hollows series stronger, more complete, more satisfying.

EVER AFTER's overarching plot is taking us closer to the endgame - which, at this point, seems to be the reintroduction of demons to earth, along with the reemergence of the elves. The primary obstacle in in the way of happily ever after in the book is the demon Ku'Sox, artificially engineered to be unbeatable. He kicks off the plot with a bang by kidnapping Ceri and Lucy.

Harrison's got an amazing ability to toss her characters into the frying pan, from the frying pan into the fire, and from there...straight into the fiery pits of hell. Rachel has grown and matured a lot, but so have the challenges she faces. In EVER AFTER, every time Rachel comes within reach of a solution - and our Rachel is pretty badass; she gets stuff done - Ku'Sox steps in to deliver a great big kick in the teeth.

But it's not all about Ku'Sox, or the future of the demons. EVER AFTER opens on a private meeting between Quen and Rachel. Quen wants Rachel to help with Trent's security. Rachel starts to give her stock answer: she doesn't trust Trent, she doesn't want to be on his payroll, he won't listen to her. And then she stops and realizes that those answers just aren't true anymore. Their relationship has evolved, her understanding of Trent has evolved. Her answer to Quen - and the conversation she has immediately thereafter with Trent himself - make sure that the first thing we're aware of, as readers, is how much these characters have grown and changed since the series started.

And not just Trent and Rachel - though their mutual, fumbling attempts to respect one another and cooperate just about broke my heart. There's a moment when Ivy has to step back and acknowledge that Rachel is more powerful, more capable than she is - an epic reversal of the relationship that defined the early Hollows books. And capers that would once have taken Rachel, Ivy, and Jenks half a book to execute now take them a chapter.

This series rises in my estimation with every new book. The overarching story is excellent, the way the fate of the world intertwines with the fate of one woman, our heroine, is so perfectly done. The worldbuilding can't be beat; The Hollows is so concrete, so firmly and thoroughly imagined. And yet for all that the joys and struggles of friendship and family always remain front and center.

Loved it.

[daiseyb-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I have read the entire Hollows series and I really love the world that Kim Harrison has built. I will say that the last couple of books while very good have had a different feel than the earlier books. Not in a bad way - just not as quirky and fun as the first few.

I had a bit of a struggle with the start of Ever After. It dragged a bit for me in the first few chapters, then it picked up, dragged again and the the last third of the book was really good.

This in not a book you can pick up and jump into if you have not read the prior ten books but, for fans of the series it is very satisfying. Looks like Kim is setting up the framework for the final books in this series.

[tadad_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The usual fun. The series was getting a trifle bit dry but this one perked it back up for me, not completely sure why. It may be that Rachel is much more on her own in this book. It may be that Harrison is finally getting off the pot and dealing with the Trent/Rachel situation. It may simply be that deaths make this more poignant. Whatever the reason, I like it better than the middle books of this series.

[weaselofdoom · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

As the Hollows series moves to its conclusion (only two books left to write, according to the author), Rachel Morgan has to figure out how to seal the leak in the ever-after that her jumping the ley lines created, and to find out who is stealing babies with Rosewood syndrome. Then Ceri and her baby are kidnapped, and now Rachel has to work with Trent again, and deal with her growing attraction to him. The plot thickens. Rachel Morgan has grown on me over the course of the series. She was insufferable in the first book, so much so that it took me four tries to finish it. Now, by book 11, Rachel has finally got her shit more or less together. She does what needs to be done. There are also some very poignant moments with Al and Jenks. The book is not without its problems (in places, it has a very definite "wrapping up the lose ends" and "bringing all the plotlines together" feel, and the way a death and its aftermath was handled left me wishing it was done differently), but overall it was a thrilling and enjoyable read.

[chkara0 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Another fabulous book by Kim Harrison. I love the way she weaves together the lives of Rachel, Ivy and Jenks, showing the deep friendship of the trio. Although in this book, Ivy does not appear until much later. It focuses on Rachel and Trent trying to repair the lines and foil Ku’ Sox attempt to take over the world and destroy the demons. It also focuses on the complex relationship between Trent and Rachel and the hint of romance.As always, it is action packed and full of exciting twists and turns.Kim Harrison is one the authors that I will put aside everything else on my list when her books come out.

[dswaddell · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Rach's hole punch through the ever after is being used by Ku'sux to destroy the demons forever. On top of that her normal group of allies is unable to help. Only by saving the demons can she save herself, Trent, and a bunch of kidnapped babies.An excellent continuation of a very enjoyable story.