*Gizmos Book Reviews* The Witch With No Name (The Hollows #13) by Kim Harrison

**I received this book free from Harper Voyager in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.**

*Synopsis*

Rachel Morgan's come a long way from the clutzy runner of Dead Witch Walking. She's faced vampires and werewolves, banshees, witches, and soul-eating demons. She's crossed worlds, channeled gods, and accepted her place as a day-walking demon. She's lost friends and lovers and family, and an old enemy has become something much more.

But power demands responsibility, and world-changers must always pay a price. That time is now.

To save Ivy's soul and the rest of the living vampires, to keep the demonic ever after and our own world from destruction, Rachel Morgan will risk everything.

*My Thoughts*

One last mission forced on her by the devious master vampire Rynn Cormel who has been patiently waiting for Rachel, and goes to extremes to force her hand in order to save her best friend from losing her soul. One last time for Rachel and friends to save the world from going to hell in a hand basket thanks to a centuries long, and painful hatred between two supernatural races. One more time for past and present friends, allies, and enemies to make an appearance and walk off stage to the applause of adoring fans. 

You have to respect Kim Harrison a whole lot for knowing when to walk away from The Hollows series when it is still at the top of its game. She could have kept going, and going until fans left in masses like another series and author who I will never mention again. She could have dragged out Rachel's reluctance at being a powerful day walking demon and world savior for several more books before saying, THE END, or leaving an open ended finale that challenges the readers to think about what happens next. 

Instead, she wraps up her series in the most spectacular fashion possible with an ending that will leave even the most critical readers/reviewers happy. *Yes, folks, my copy does include the ending, and epilogue thanks to Harper Voyager sending me a finished copy.* The epilogue will surprise and please fans I think. I won't spoil it but I will say that Rachel deserves her just reward and retirement from the spotlight.

The Witch With No Name completes the Hollows circle. We now know where vampires go when they die and it's an interesting twist to the whole vampires live forever myth. We also learn what happens when a vampires and their souls are reunited. Also, Harrison reveals what really happened between the demons and elves to cause so much animosity and hatred that they've gone to great lengths to destroy each other. When you get right down to it, it makes a whole lot of sense, and kind of reflects on our current state of world affairs, especially in the Middle East. 

I loved that Ivy is a center piece to this story since she's been one of my favorites from the very beginning along with Tink obsessed Jenks. It's been a long time coming and I'm happy with the way things turned out. Ivy has been a solid in Rachel's life for 3 years, and it's about time to see her find a way into the light. Even though at one point, I had high hopes for a Rachel/Ivy interlude, I'm totally over it. I still have my claws out towards Nina and my teeth hurt from grinding them so much at Nina's secrecy, but I can abide by Harrison's final choices. 

No story would ever be the same without a whole lot of Al to wrap up the series. I really loved Al and am glad that his Rachel issues didn't remain unresolved. He's snarky. He's straight forward and in your face. At times, he's also charming and loves his itchy witch Rachel, and nobody can say otherwise. After everything that he and Rachel have been through, I would say it's a perfect way to wrap things up. 

No worries all you team Trent fanatics. You will get enough of Trent to keep you happy for years to come. The fact is that Trent is everywhere. He doesn't leave Rachel's side for more than a few brief moments and the romance kicks up a notch, or two. Rachel and Trent's journey has been a rocky road right from the start. It has been filled with hatred, despicable and antagonistic moves by Trent, along with Rachel's hesitancy to allow herself a moment to find true love, and not a just a fleeting moment of joy. Right up until the end, you don't know what choice Rachel will finally make. Will she stay and find happiness with Trent, or will she walk away? 

My final words on Rachel. What can I say that hasn't been said before? Rachel is a complicated character to get your thoughts around. She's got plenty of talent, and abilities, but lacks acceptance that she has been put on this earth to do great things. While she falls down, makes plenty of mistakes, and faces deadly challenges, she somehow manages to escape without completely changing who she is in the process. Her love for her friends never once waivers, or falters. She knows that her time with Ivy and Jenks is coming to an end, as do most logical readers, but does all she can to ensure that they find happiness.

In the end, Harrison brought a new twist on the Urban Fantasy genre that was set against the backdrop of the Turn. Mixed with demons, witches, elves, vampires, pixies, gargoyles, and set mostly in Cincinnati, this series stands on its own merits, and doesn't need to be propped up by a whole lot of romantic scenes, or screaming fanatics.

If you are new to this series, please do not read this story alone. Go back to the beginning and see how Rachel, Ivy, Jenks, Bis, Al, Newt, Dali, Trent, and David each brought their own stories to a series that lasted 10 years, and goes out on top.

Author - Kim Harrison   Title - The Witch With No Name   Series - The Hollows # 13   Published by Harper Voyager   Released Date: September 9, 2014   Genre - Urban Fantasy   Format - Finished Hardcopy 512 pages