I read a lot of Urban Fantasy. Usually a hundred or more a year. I’m always looking for my next favorite read. If you’ve got a top-notch series for me to check out, feel free to kick it my way, and I’ll do the same.
Today’s book review is for:
The Other Realm series by Heather G. Harris
First off, a word of caution. Don’t pick this series up if you’re short on time. It’s a good-sized series, and it’s only one of three series that Heather has interwoven like an absolute master. The Other Realm, The Other Wolf, and The Other Witch combines for an immersive reading experience that spans 20+ books. You’ve been warned!
Since the story kicks off with the Other Realm, I’ll focus my review there. The main character, Jinx, is easy to get to know and easy to love. She’s a detective whose parents died tragically when she was younger, which comes into play in a fantastic way as the books progress.
One thing that drew me to these books (besides them being mentioned in Urban Fantasy fan groups…a LOT), was the dog on the cover. Obviously, I’m a sucker for dogs. I was really hoping the dog would be more than just a regular pet sidekick because this IS fantasy, after all. If you can do amazing things with your dog sidekick, by all means do so! The books did not disappoint in that regard.
The dog is pretty awesome, not gonna lie. Just reading the book’s blurb told me it’s secretly a hellhound, so I was thinking it would be some kind of demonic dog, but he’s actually a total sweetie and fantastic protector. I loved Gato from the moment I met him. I was even MORE surprised as the series unravelled, because Gato has a lot more to him than “just” being a hellhound. I’m not going to spoil that for you, but know that if you’re interested in how to do a sidekick right, you should definitely read these books!
The entire cast is fun and diverse, with dragons, gargoyles, and a host of other mythical beings. I love the entire concept of the “Other Realm,” which is a sort of magical reality that exists alongside the normal world. It’s unique in part because it’s not a standard portal dimension where you leave the real world and go to a completely separate world. It’s a little hard (for me) to explain how it works, but Heather does a masterful job of leading the reader into it without losing them. There’s murder-mysteries and skydiving and amazing plot twists in this series. It was one of my top reads of the year so far. If you haven’t checked it out, I highly recommend it. You can even listen to the ENTIRE SERIES for free on Youtube. How cool is that?
It’s also available on Kindle Unlimited, as well as all other formats (including Audible). The narrator (Alyse Gibbs) has a fantastic British accent that’s easy to listen to and fits the character so well (these adventures are set in England, after all). This series was utterly delightful. If it sounds like your cup of tea, check out the comments section. I’ll post the link to Amazon and Youtube.
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