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    A Fistful of Charms
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    A Fistful of Charms
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    A Fistful of Charms
    Ebook643 pages11 hours

    A Fistful of Charms

    By Kim Harrison

    4.5/5

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    Currently unavailable

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    About this ebook

    The author of the bestselling Dead Witch Walking makes her hardcover debut with this spellbinding new supernatural adventure featuring the highly original Rachel Morgan.

    Things are going well for Rachel Morgan, witch, independent runner, and one-third of the runner service Vampiric Charms. She’s got a business, friends, even a semi-regular—and always-sexy—boyfriend. So what if Kisten is a vampire? So’s her roommate Ivy....

    But an unexpected call for help sends her out of Cincinnati on a desperate trip to rescue the son of her business partner Jenks. It’s fun at first, even with dealing with a human-sized Jenks (you cannot believe how much trouble a 6-foot pixy can cause, especially when he looks like a supermodel...), but the road trip quickly turns dangerous when confronting an old love becomes a fight for survival. 

    For seeing Nick Sparagmos again is the least of Rachel’s problems--the ancient, mystical statue he has stolen holds the key to sinister, wild magic that can change humans into Weres. And for the first time in milennia, the Were packs are banding together to overthrow human and Inderlander alike. The fight that follows will shake Rachel’s very soul...and she will never be the same.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarperCollins
    Release dateOct 13, 2009
    ISBN9780061743672
    Author

    Kim Harrison

    Kim Harrison, author of the #1 New York Times bestselling Hollows series, was born in Detroit and, after gaining her bachelor’s degree in the sciences, she moved to South Carolina, where she remained until recently returning to Michigan because she missed the snow. When not at her desk, Kim is most likely to be found landscaping her new/old Victorian home, in the garden, or out on the links.

    Read more from Kim Harrison

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    Reviews for A Fistful of Charms

    4.5/5

    456 ratings65 reviews

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    • 3/5
      Rachel's obsession about the smut on her soul is starting to drive me crazy. I wish she'd just get over it and realize that dark magic is hardly the worst of the things she's done or may have to do.

      I'm also getting fed up with her teasing of Kisten. She knows how he reacts, she knows from him and from Ivy, but she never stops. Rachel can be very self-centered.

      Jenks and his family remain win.
    • 4/5
      The premise: ganked from BN.com: The evil night things that prowl Cincinnati despise witch and bounty hunter Rachel Morgan. Her new reputation for the dark arts is turning human and undead heads alike with the intent to possess, bed, and kill her — not necessarily in that order.Now a mortal lover who abandoned Rachel has returned, haunted by his secret past. And there are those who covet what Nick possesses — savage beasts willing to destroy the Hollows and everyone in it if necessary.Forced to keep a low profile or eternally suffer the wrath of a vengeful demon, Rachel must nevertheless act quickly. For the pack is gathering for the first time in millennia to ravage and to rule. And suddenly more than Rachel's soul is at stake.My Rating: Worth Reading, with ReservationsIt may have been me, but this book was a slower read. Part of it was, like I said, me: lots of stuff going on and not enough time to read. Yet certain sections felt like they were dragged out slightly longer than necessary, and when it comes to Rachel ruminated over the same facts or fears over and over and over, I could always use less of that. Still though, some pretty big things happen in this book, and I suspect Harrison's setting up for something much bigger. What, I'm not sure, but I know I'll be finding out soon enough.That being said, I'm taking a brief break from the series before moving on to book five, which is the last book in the series that I own. I think part of the slowness was the simple fact that I'm feeling overly familiar with the world and characters, so I wasn't as eager as I could've been to find out what happened next. Still, with the exception of book two, which really wore on my nerves, the series has been pretty enjoyable. Not perfect by any means, but interesting with an ever-expanding cast of characters who are increasingly enjoyable. I definitely look forward to continuing, but right now, I need a slight break. :)Spoilers, yay or nay?: Yay. Lots of spoilers actually, so if you're not caught up through this sucker (which is book four in the series), don't read the full review, which is located in my blog. For those of you caught up, feel free to check it out. The full review is linked to below, and as always, comments and discussion are most welcome.REVIEW: Kim Harrison's A FISTFUL OF CHARMSHappy Reading!
    • 4/5
      First, Ms. Harrison and / or EOS needs to get a better proofreader. There were several grammatical mistakes which slowed the flow of reading. Also disconcerting, in what I thought was a big mistake but isn’t, was the difference between Mackinac Island (pronounced Mackinaw) and Mackinaw City. As the characters moved between the two, the subtle difference was lost on me. I’ll put that down to ignorance on my part.Harrison characters continue to evolve in rich and complex ways. Rachel encounters her own pattern of emotionally destructive relationships when she confronts her ex-boyfriend. She also adds Were alpha to her roster of titles. She continues to learn new and interesting things about her powers and her friendships with Ivy and Jenks become deeper and more complex. Nothing’s easy in Rachel’s life but she handles them, if not with grace and aplomb, very well all the while admitting she often has no idea what she’s gotten herself into. Harrison’s Rachel Morgan is an all too human witch and that’s a bit part of her appeal. I enjoyed this one as much as the previous books in the series, although I teared up unexpectedly at several points on the story.
    • 5/5
      I love, love, love this series! It is easily in my top two that I’ve read in the last couple of years. There’s tons of action, a little bit of romance, and more witches, vamps, weres, and pixies than you can handle. Harrison has created some surprisingly complex characters that grow, change, and adapt in book after book. Especially Rachel, who continues to find out that some people aren’t what they seem, and that it’s hard to live your life in black and white — sometimes those shades of gray are necessary. Jenks takes a pretty (ahem) big part in this one as he searches for his wayward son, something that could have been really gimmicky but instead worked seamlessly. There’s so much packed into this book, it’s hard to believe it only takes place over the course of a week. I have a feeling I’ll be listening to the next book sooner rather than later.
    • 3/5
      In this book they go on the road to save Jenk's son, and leaving town should be a good thing for the series but it did not work that well for me. Rachel is a bit more broody and thoughtful. I really did not like that either. Overall the story is good and continues to build the mythology. I think I need a break from the series.
    • 1/5
      The Hollows series started off solidly, with the main character, Rachel, seeming like the kind of tough, feisty, smart character that I'd like to follow. By the end of this book I wanted to punch her in the face because she had become so amazingly stupid that I couldn't even understand what motivated any of her actions. It was as if every time there was some sort of conflict, the dumbest possible idea would pop into her head and she would insist that was the action that HAD to be taken without considering any other options or putting any thought into the matter.

      In all fairness, she has acted stupid before- (spoiler if you haven't read #2) breaking into Trent's office, getting caught, then trying the exact same thing again, getting caught, then trying the exact same thing again. Because if at first you don't succeed, keep doing the same thing over and over again.

      However, this time, her stupidity knows no bounds. What would you do if your ex had been kidnapped by hundreds of psycho werewolves? Knowing that last time you were attacked by just ONE werewolf, the only reason you didn't get killed was because you had a chance to shoot it with your gun that contains about 5 shots of spells, of course the rational response would be to go over the island yourself and rescue him, with one mere pixy and said gun capable of putting a few of the wolves to sleep for backup. Great plan Rachel!

      I can't even begin to reflect upon the plan at the end, her romantic choices, her living arrangements and her complete ignorance of magic despite being a witch, for fear that my head will explode from the non-sense of it all!

    • 4/5
      I love the whole hollows series. Rachel, Ivy and Jenks pull it off time and time again. Magic, mystery and danger follow them where ever they go.Harrison just keepings getting better. This is my least favorite book in the series, mostly because it lack a certain character in the story line. Fantastic series for people who like urban fantasy but find the sexual overload necessary. I look forward to each and every book.
    • 4/5
      These books are exactly what the seem- fun, well written, with a great cast of characters. The story is good - Rachel's ex involves her partner's son, and gets him in trouble. The setting is fun, the group dynamics are well written.
    • 3/5
      Instead of growing to like Rachel Morgan more and more as this series progresses, I like her less and less. As plenty of others have said, and as even Rachel herself has said, she really is too stupid to live. Not only is she stupid, but she is also careless and reckless, and she seems to have lost whatever moral compass she started out with. She is a merciless tease and can't make up her mind what she wants. She doesn't want Ivy to bite her. She does want Ivy to bite her. Which is it? The situations that Rachel gets involved in and survives are becoming more and more implausible as the series progresses as well. Not only did the characters and story line disappoint me in this one, but the editing was also a mess. The highlight of this book was Jenks (as always), and for that alone I gave 3 stars. I'm not sure at this point if I'm going to continue reading the rest of the series, but if I do, it will be just to see what happens to Jenks and his family.
    • 4/5
      This is a series that I've been savoring slowly. I love the mix of magic with vampires, witches, pixies and demons. Harrison weaves together a believable story that I'm glad that I started reading.This time, Rachel is off to save Jax and Nick, only to find out Nick has been selling her to the demon, Al. I enjoyed the story so much that I dove directly into the next book.
    • 4/5
      Read/Listened for Fun (Library/Audible)Overall Rating: 3.75Story Rating: 3.50Character Rating: 4.00Audio Rating: 4.50 (Not part of the overall rating)First Thought when Finished:A Fistful of Charms by Kim Harrison won't go down as one of my favorites in the series mostly because of Nick!Overall Thoughts:1: Have never been a fan of Nick (though I honestly don't want her with Kist either) and so I am hoping the end marked their relationship from this point forward.2: I still love the troubled threesome but the foreshadowing is making me pre-sad!3: Big Jenks = Awesome!4: Hoping this is a turn for Ivy and she will be more open!5: No Trent so I felt like the overall story didn't move forward.6: Need more Ceri--she is super interesting.7: Less Kisten (and he wasn't even in this one much)Audio Thoughts: Narrated By Marguerite Gavin / Length: 17 hrs and 10 mins She really nails all of these characters. I am just a fan of Marguerite's narration. Awesome is just awesome :)Part of my Read It, Rate It, File It, DONE! ReviewsMy Status Updates:20%: #Listening Yeah Jenks is back in the mix!51%: I am reading and listening. The library had the book so I can switch up Yeah!56%: Listening while working today: I HATE NICK! Seriously I doubt he dies (cause really I wouldn't miss him so that means he lives) but the Ray Ray thing is going to make me fall into the world with some duct tape :)"60%: Listening is that really about to happen? OMG really Ivy/Rachel--this is a really intense scene!Favorite Quote:“If you do it once, it’s a mistake. If you do it twice, it’s not a mistake anymore.”He grinned. “That’s because pixies are ever-after. We’re magic, baby. Just ask Matalina.”“Damn it all to Disneyland! Where’s crap for brains?”
    • 4/5
      One of Harrison's better novels in the series. The action is non stop and the main characters are brought to the forefront in ways they've never been before.
    • 5/5
      I really really liked this book. I would have to say it's the strongest so far in the series - the recurrent characters are fully fleshed, their behaviors are complex and believable and there was TONS of angst in this story! I love angst in stories, as long as it's not juvenile, and this certainly was not.It is really cool how Harrison has depicted Weres and Vamps as the distinct species they are - complete with characteristics that cause them to behave in ways that normally would not be acceptable if they were human. The Vamps and Weres are more than simply humans with special powers, they are completely different species from humans, and have weaknesses based on natural instincts (Weres have their drive to follow Aphas, Vamps have their blood-lust, etc.) And that's not even mentioning Pixies and how cool they are!I couldn't put the book down until I finished it, and now that I've finished it I need to start the next one because I wonder if Nick will slime his way back, or if Rachel will complete her relationship with Ivy, or Kisten, or maybe David? I can't wait to find out.
    • 3/5
      A very good series, but I'm finding it harder to get through than Harrison's previous books. The development of Rachel and Ivy's relationship (always a thorny mess) feels contrived, as if it's something the author wanted to write about originally but has danced around it for so long, that she doesn't know how to handle it gracefully and naturally now that it's being discussed. Or, perhaps that's the point. Rachel always rubbed me the wrong way before, and it's worse in this book, I must say. I only hope Harrison takes this opportunity to develop her as a character, unlike certain other authors we know.
    • 3/5
      This series drives me effing crazy... but I keep coming back. This installment sees some forward motion with some of the more interesting character development/relationships (read Rachel and Ivy) but the pace is so slow and repetitive at times it becomes frustrating. Other than that I love the kind of campy humor (I had some lol moments that were surprising and unexpected) and will prob read the next one despite wanting to throw the book (my phone) across the room every other page.
    • 5/5
      This book is both better and worse than any/all of it's predecessors. It is worse, because the main part of the story takes place nowhere near the church and any known places so far written about. That means that there is less interaction with old characters and a bunch of sparkly brand new ones. Better, due to the breath of fresh air the series was missing, and the events that take place between Rachel and Ivy. This is the wildest book in the series...excluding those that come after. It changes many things, tries many new things...and shows that witches could be just as tough as any other supernatural being from the Hollows.
    • 3/5
      Kim Harrison always produces reliable escapist literature, so that didn't let me down. I had a few complaints with this book, the most central being that Harrison is playing the lesbian erotica card, even while denying she is denying her main character's potential bisexuality. Rachel is SO sure that she is exclusively straight, but, reading her reactions to Ivy, I am not. Here's the thing, I know Harrison wants me to be unsure. I get it, wavering sexuality is exciting. This is maybe true for the first few books, but by now I am sort of fed up with it. Also, I have a little bit of an issue with the "forbidden" nature of Rachel's relationship with Ivy. The hesitancy is entirely due to gender, not at all to having sex with a vampire, as Rachel has no qualms (well, comparatively) with Kisten. So, I am wondering, is Harrison just having a hard time making the jump to lesbian erotic scenes because she thinks her audience can't handle it? Is she hesitating because she doesn't want to compromise the old-school sexuality of her main character? Or, maybe worse, is she exploiting the sexual pull of lesbianism without following through and showing us a healthy, working lesbian relationship (which isn't nearly as sexy as some vaguely lesbian scenes and may, in fact, be disgusting to some readers, even those who lap up Rachel's brief interactions with Ivy, accepting them because of their transience)? In other words, is she devaluing a relationship between Ivy and Rachel by refusing to develop it as she did Rachel's heterosexual relationship with Kisten? Harrison has built some pretty deep contradictions into Rachel's sexuality, and I am not sure that she is prepared to write about their natural conclusions.
    • 5/5
      I have to say... I love this series. In this book you see Rachel come to terms with some of her faults and well... it's just an amazing book that keeps you on your seat. Jenks becomes the size of human and is a hunky piece of meet. There's some serious issues in this one, most of which that aren't solved... can't wait to start the next book!
    • 2/5
      I was disappointed with A Fistful of Charms and it was an effort for me to finish it. It was slow, boring, and I just didn't care at all what was happening. Rachel was on my nerves the entire time. She was so wishy-washy with all of the decisions she made. It was annoying because she didn't seem to learn from her mistakes and continued to make them. The plot wasn't that great to begin with and the solution to the problem got so convoluted. There didn't seem to be very much progress to the relationships and I wondered what was the point of this book. I have the next two in the series in my TBR, but I doubt I'll read them. It's sad because I really enjoyed books two and three.
    • 4/5
      A good outing for witch Rachel Morgan and her partners Ivy (vampire) and Jenks (pixie). Rachel heads to Mackinaw Island, MI along with a human size (due to a demon charm) Jenks to rescue Jenks' son Jax and Rachel's former human boyfriend Nick. They end up embroiled in a werewolf plan to take over the world.Harrison's books are reminiscent of early Anita Blake novels. Very action packed, with a touch of romance and sex.
    • 3/5
      By this point, Rachel is really starting to grate on my nerves and I don't know if I can continue to put up with her. The only interesting person in these books by now is Jenks and a few of the side characters.
    • 4/5
      I spent a lot of this novel wanting to slap the main character. I wondered, often aloud, "What the Turn is wrong with you?!" By the end of the novel, I actually had a pretty good idea of the answer, and so did she. The ending was definitely worth the being frustrated with her.

      The story moves very fast, but stays coherent. Admittedly, I had to stop and do a mental review to keep up at times, but that's okay :)

      I wasn't sure I'd like where the author went with this one, but I enjoyed it quite a bit. I've already reserved a copy of the next book. I'm trying not to think about the fact that there entire series isn't out yet!
    • 3/5
      This book (the fourth in the Rachel Morgan series) was payoff for me for reading the earlier books, which I didn’t enjoy quite so much. In earlier books, I had liked the characters and the world, but found the plots a bit too convoluted for my taste. Struggling through some of these earlier convolutions, however, meant that I had gotten to know the characters and the world in which they lived. And knowing and caring about the characters, I was able to enjoy the rich relationship dynamics in this instalment – which hinged around trust, betrayal, risks and redemption. I felt engaged with the story throughout. Probably still a bit fluffy, but for me, this was enjoyable fluff.
    • 3/5
      Not the best of her books, but it was ok. It was nice to see Nick again...but it wasn't cool to find out that he is a total jerk.
    • 4/5
      My favorite book in the series.

      Rachel finally decided Nick belongs to past, which I'd say is best thing she's ever done (I wasn't really fond of their relationship) and Jenks - my favorite character after Rachel ofc. gets much more space in this one. Though, Kisten not so much.

      Also Rachel/Ivy relationship nicely progresses (just shame Kim kills this later as the series progresses - marketing I suppose).

      A few cons, as usually there is rather a lot of typos, some things are badly explained and Rachel is as much naive as usually. Also her moral dilemas are getting little tiresome.
    • 4/5
      I love this series, it is the best of the Anita Blake Wanna-Bes. I enjoy the writing, the setting and the characters. There is a good mix of the personal and professional in the books so there is not only action/adventure and thrills and mystery, but we get to learn more about the personal details of all the characters. A good meaty read.That said I am not really all that thrilled about the developments between Rachel and Ivy. In fact I am getting a bit sick of the brooding Ivy. I didn't give the book 5 stars because I am not happy with the new relationship she and Rachel are sharing. I am also not sure I buy that Rachel's ex-boyfriend is a manipulative, lying loser. I am glad Jenks has returned to the fold, and I do like Kisten and those developments. Can't wait for the next one, though I am not happy about it being in Hardcover. I only buy Paperbacks.
    • 3/5
      A Fistful of Charms is the fourth book in The Hollows series by Kim Harrison. While I love this series, this particular novel was not my favorite. This one features werewolves, but I didn't like Harrison's take on how they function together. They are all after something Nick stole, so Rachel has to help him. The whole idea of this item and what it does is just strange to me. I can't be more explicit because I don't want to spoil the book for anyone.The main characters are here, Rachel, Al, Jenks, and Ivy; who gets more involved than usual, which was interesting. I really enjoy how Harrison grows each character throughout the books. As in real life, they change their personalities and views on issues as things happen. The story slowed down in places, like when they hung out at the hotel trying to figure out what to do. The whole big scene on the bridge was sad and a little weird. It didn't leave me completely satisfied. I still love the series. In my opinion, they need to be read in order to get the full benefit of the stories and the characters. So read this one, but maybe don't expect as much. They do get a lot better!
    • 5/5
      Harrison has delivered again and from this latest installment has clearly honed her craft to firmly and defiantly carve out "the" preeminent position of being "the vampire and werewolf" chronicler. With a genre that has been lapped up seemingly by independent and conglomerate publishing companies alike, the alternate-verse reality novels have become big business as well as succor for the hosfrau masses who delight in those tales that cross-over into "vampire romance" ultimately manifested by the perpetual cha-ching of the cash register. But with the steady influx of both interest in the genre and hikes in sales, so comes lackluster authors such as Christine Feehan, Laurell Hamilton, and Amanda Ashley, whose unsteady craft, poorly developed characters, and grade school dialogue is slowly diluting a genre that was once vibrant and exciting to read. It seems that you can barely shake a cat in a roomful of authors who are penning the latest substandard "vampire" or "lycanthrope" novel. Not so with Kim Harrison. Harrison has taken the best elements of the lore and melded it with an ingenuity and imagination that is all her own. The suburbs of the Hollows have a sense of "realness" to readers, with little or no additional back-story that is so played out and prevalent with lesser novelists. It is a rare skill and economy of words to carefully hone the complex characters of Rachel Morgan, Ivy Tamwood, and Jenks the fearless pixy that readers can identify with: their humanness wrapped up tidily in their otherworldly-ness as well as the frail balance that exists between the Inderland population from that of humans. In Fistful of Charms, new readers and devotees alike will clamor to absorb the rough and tumble world once again with a supreme payoff. There is not a hint of Trent, Piscary, Big Al or any other of the regular baddies in this 3rd book of the series but is solely a tale of the intricacies that are woven between the partners of Vampiric Charms. What will make them fall apart? What will hold them together as they struggle once again to save Nick from himself? This time. Nick has in hand an artifact that could unravel the Vampire and Were balance completely...and Rachel must plunge directly into demon majick to save him. Can she escape the stains on her soul to save the others? While on this complicated journey, Ivy and Rachel's relationship takes a dramatic and frightening turn. Fans please hold in those gasps...it will be stunning....and I simply cannot spoil it for you. Brilliantly written and great fun, Fistful of Charms is highly recommended, and has established Kim Harrison as the reigning diva of supernatural thrillers (sorry Laurell!) Bravo! (c)Nicola Mattos 2006
    • 5/5
      More Clint titles... more sassy writing, more high paced action, plus a couple of thoughts about why and some indications that Rachel just might be growing up a bit. Some big, big issues, use and abuse of power and killing people who want to die because they're in constant pain and have a terminal condition... not necessarily the easiest read on these topics, but wonderfully handledMore long term stuff resolved, more potential long term stuff thrown up. And almost no Trent, in fact he's mentioned by name and that's about it.This is the first one not set in Cincinatti and the Hollows (although it starts and ends there) and I have to say I miss it. I'm guessing Ms. Harrison lives there... she writes it almost alive, a character or perhaps two in the books. The out of town location makes a lot of sense to the plot, but like Rachel it feels like we're tourists to the place which leaves me feeling a little bit like missing an old friend. If I ever go there it will be interesting to see my reaction to the place.
    • 5/5
      Harrison's fourth book was just as engaging and exciting as the previous three. It left me frustrated that I did not have the fifth book to move on to. Harrison's ability to tell a story continues to improve, and delving into Rachel's world continued to be just as much fun as before. Even upon a second reading. The twists and turns of the plot continue to keep me fixed in place, and reading the entire book in one sitting is bound to happen sooner or later. I found that I had trouble putting it down...hence the second reading.