hgranger's review against another edition
2.0
Whiny Rachel and angsty Ivy are back in full force agonizing over every little necessary choice, while making ridiculously stupid choices at the same time, without no agonizing - or thought - whatsoever. A serious lack of Trent, an over-abundance of the forced and so unnecessary Ivy-Rachel relationship woes.
Jenks and Matalina are bright spots in the book, as is the fact that Rachel is a witch who is finally doing some actual powerful magic.
Jenks and Matalina are bright spots in the book, as is the fact that Rachel is a witch who is finally doing some actual powerful magic.
lindaunconventionalbookworms's review against another edition
4.0
This and all my other reviews are originally posted on my blog (un)Conventional Bookviews
A Fistful of Charms is filled with action, just as the prior books in the Hollows series are. Most of the action happens away from Cincy, though, and it was nice to have a change of scenery. When Jenks shows up in panic, because Jax is missing after leaving with Nick, Rachel puts things in motion to save both of them - even if Nick never called her back or truly broke up with her.
There are even more sub-plots in A Fistful of Charms than before! Rachel is challenged as David's alpha, she uses more magic to transform people, but this time she does it without her earth-charms to make things happen faster - and thus, she has to take the black for her soul that comes with it. Ceri helps her with her magic, and both Rachel and Ceri always has an excuse handy to feel better about using demon magic rather than completely white magic.
It is difficult to write a proper review about A Fistful of Charms without spoiling it, but I am dong my best! There are, however, spoilers from previous books in the series - if not, I wouldn't have much to say at all. The story is very fast-paced, a lot of things are going on, and all the side-characters become a little more important as the readers get to know them better.
The humor is ever-present, and I love how Rachel sees Jenks completely differently in A Fistful of Charms, how she realizes that he truly is a man, that he is strong, and that he sure has a mind of his own. Their adventures away from home, first finding Jax, then trying to find Nick, are very exciting. They don't have the usual suspects around, and they don't have all of their usual allies either. Rachel shows once again that she isn't afraid of a challenge that seems to be impossible to overcome, and she fights until the very end. The few people she decides to trust on her quest turn out to be very helpful, and her little banter with Marshal is really funny! Rachel needs his help to get to the island where she and Jenks think Nick is being held, and he comes through for her without too much trouble.
Rachel continues to be extremely inventive to make sure her run goes the way she wants it to go, and it's awesome to see her in a hostile environment, with her backup being different from usual, and actually saving Nick after all the heartache he put her through. Ivy shows up to help, and they set up an elaborate but very quick plan to make sure the were-packs from out of town will leave Nick alone after all is said and done. At the same time, Rachel knows there is not way she can trust him anymore, and it appears she is right in her assessment of him and the lengths he will go to make sure he, himself, is safe.
Kist and Rachel continue their romance, and I really enjoy Kist a lot! He is dangerous, is not shy about it, and still tries to play by Rachel's rules. He is so good for her, and she is very good for him as well. Ivy and Rachel take their own relationship to the next level, and it almost ends in disaster! They will have a lot of things to talk about for the future, though, but they are all OK when the book ends - even if there are several loose ends when it comes to the ting they are hiding from the were-pack, and what Rachel thinks is the best way to deal with it. Finally, it seems as if Rachel will have some quiet time, and that she will be happy for once.
- only one quote - I was too busy reading to highlight much in A Fistful of Charms
I lay curled up on the cot, my head on the clean smell of the borrowed hotel pillow, and my shoulders covered by the thin car blanket. I wasn't crying. I was not crying. Tears were leaking out as I waited for the ugly feelings to fade, but I wasn't crying, damn it!
A Fistful of Charms is filled with action, just as the prior books in the Hollows series are. Most of the action happens away from Cincy, though, and it was nice to have a change of scenery. When Jenks shows up in panic, because Jax is missing after leaving with Nick, Rachel puts things in motion to save both of them - even if Nick never called her back or truly broke up with her.
There are even more sub-plots in A Fistful of Charms than before! Rachel is challenged as David's alpha, she uses more magic to transform people, but this time she does it without her earth-charms to make things happen faster - and thus, she has to take the black for her soul that comes with it. Ceri helps her with her magic, and both Rachel and Ceri always has an excuse handy to feel better about using demon magic rather than completely white magic.
It is difficult to write a proper review about A Fistful of Charms without spoiling it, but I am dong my best! There are, however, spoilers from previous books in the series - if not, I wouldn't have much to say at all. The story is very fast-paced, a lot of things are going on, and all the side-characters become a little more important as the readers get to know them better.
The humor is ever-present, and I love how Rachel sees Jenks completely differently in A Fistful of Charms, how she realizes that he truly is a man, that he is strong, and that he sure has a mind of his own. Their adventures away from home, first finding Jax, then trying to find Nick, are very exciting. They don't have the usual suspects around, and they don't have all of their usual allies either. Rachel shows once again that she isn't afraid of a challenge that seems to be impossible to overcome, and she fights until the very end. The few people she decides to trust on her quest turn out to be very helpful, and her little banter with Marshal is really funny! Rachel needs his help to get to the island where she and Jenks think Nick is being held, and he comes through for her without too much trouble.
Rachel continues to be extremely inventive to make sure her run goes the way she wants it to go, and it's awesome to see her in a hostile environment, with her backup being different from usual, and actually saving Nick after all the heartache he put her through. Ivy shows up to help, and they set up an elaborate but very quick plan to make sure the were-packs from out of town will leave Nick alone after all is said and done. At the same time, Rachel knows there is not way she can trust him anymore, and it appears she is right in her assessment of him and the lengths he will go to make sure he, himself, is safe.
Kist and Rachel continue their romance, and I really enjoy Kist a lot! He is dangerous, is not shy about it, and still tries to play by Rachel's rules. He is so good for her, and she is very good for him as well. Ivy and Rachel take their own relationship to the next level, and it almost ends in disaster! They will have a lot of things to talk about for the future, though, but they are all OK when the book ends - even if there are several loose ends when it comes to the ting they are hiding from the were-pack, and what Rachel thinks is the best way to deal with it. Finally, it seems as if Rachel will have some quiet time, and that she will be happy for once.
- only one quote - I was too busy reading to highlight much in A Fistful of Charms
I lay curled up on the cot, my head on the clean smell of the borrowed hotel pillow, and my shoulders covered by the thin car blanket. I wasn't crying. I was not crying. Tears were leaking out as I waited for the ugly feelings to fade, but I wasn't crying, damn it!
laurenjodi's review against another edition
3.0
A Fistful of Charms
3 Stars
White witch Rachel Morgan is trying to keep a low profile when she learns that her ex-boyfriend has not only lured her partner Jenk's son into a life of crime, but the two have run afoul of a werewolf pack after stealing a rare were artifact. Now Rachel and Jenks must travel to Michigan to rescue the pair before the wolves tear them apart.
The weakest installment in the series so far. The writing is drawn out with excessive descriptions of inconsequential settings, characters and objects. The action scenes are exciting, but these are too few and far between the boring sections.
There are some interesting insights into the conflict between the Weres and the Vampires. However, neither species is particularly appealing. The Werewolves are manipulative and dishonest, and the vampires make my skin crawl.
The character development, what little there is, also leaves much to be desired. Rachel's relationship with Ivy is as disturbing as ever and Nick remains an untrustworthy miscreant. The only saving grace here is that Rachel has finally realized just what a self-serving and egotistical rat he really is.
In the romance department, Rachel and Kisten are hot and heavy, but it doesn't seem to have much of a future considering the blood drinking issue as well as the fact that the true undead vampires lose what little humanity they possess.
All in all, not a success but the world building and the continuing mystery surrounding Rachel and Trent is maintaining my interest in the series.
3 Stars
White witch Rachel Morgan is trying to keep a low profile when she learns that her ex-boyfriend has not only lured her partner Jenk's son into a life of crime, but the two have run afoul of a werewolf pack after stealing a rare were artifact. Now Rachel and Jenks must travel to Michigan to rescue the pair before the wolves tear them apart.
The weakest installment in the series so far. The writing is drawn out with excessive descriptions of inconsequential settings, characters and objects. The action scenes are exciting, but these are too few and far between the boring sections.
There are some interesting insights into the conflict between the Weres and the Vampires. However, neither species is particularly appealing. The Werewolves are manipulative and dishonest, and the vampires make my skin crawl.
The character development, what little there is, also leaves much to be desired. Rachel's relationship with Ivy is as disturbing as ever and Nick remains an untrustworthy miscreant. The only saving grace here is that Rachel has finally realized just what a self-serving and egotistical rat he really is.
In the romance department, Rachel and Kisten are hot and heavy, but it doesn't seem to have much of a future considering the blood drinking issue as well as the fact that the true undead vampires lose what little humanity they possess.
All in all, not a success but the world building and the continuing mystery surrounding Rachel and Trent is maintaining my interest in the series.
carebear11's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
langlaisj6's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
finalgirlreads's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
tense
fast-paced
4.0
Another great installment. This one was very action packed and still emotional. I just love seeing Rachel evolve through these books. In this one, Jenks(absolutely a favorite) is brought to human sized and still kicks butt. Ivy and Rachel move one step forward and 2 steps back lol. I love the cast of characters and truly enjoyed this book!
thegeekyblogger's review against another edition
3.0
Read/Listened for Fun (Library/Audible)
Overall Rating: 3.75
Story Rating: 3.50
Character Rating: 4.00
Audio 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:
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! Reviews
My 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?”
Overall Rating: 3.75
Story Rating: 3.50
Character Rating: 4.00
Audio 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! Reviews
My 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?”
hoosgracie's review against another edition
3.0
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.[return][return]Harrison's books are reminiscent of early Anita Blake novels. Very action packed, with a touch of romance and sex.
beakarnstein's review against another edition
5.0
SPOILERS.
Como decirlo? "Por un puñado de hechizos" me tuvo al borde de la desesperación todo el tiempo. Desde el rescate de Nick hasta el accidente fingido (en el cual lloré cuando Peter dijo «Dile que la amo, aunque no recuerde por qué» (Estuve llorando como una semana y recordando la frase todo el tiempo).
Otra vez, detesté el Rivy. Y odié aún más que Kisten apoyara esa relación, siendo que él ama a Rachel.
Como decirlo? "Por un puñado de hechizos" me tuvo al borde de la desesperación todo el tiempo. Desde el rescate de Nick hasta el accidente fingido (en el cual lloré cuando Peter dijo «Dile que la amo, aunque no recuerde por qué» (Estuve llorando como una semana y recordando la frase todo el tiempo).
Otra vez, detesté el Rivy. Y odié aún más que Kisten apoyara esa relación, siendo que él ama a Rachel.
fictionalkate's review against another edition
2.0
I liked the beginning and I liked the ending but I wasn’t overly fond of the rest of it. This is a book which I felt was setting the scene for the next instalments of the series. It was heavy on talking and showing how Rache’s relationships have evolved since we met her. It was a transition book and it did offer a bit more of a glimpse to her life now and how she felt about various characters. The only problem is I found myself wanting a little less conversation and a little more action please. Also Rachel was so thirsty in this book! I didn’t really love her constant comments about
I did enjoy the Jenks/Jax interactions. And it was cool to see the Were’s being more of a focus than in the previous books of the series. But overall I wasn’t as hooked by this story as I had been the previous ones.
Reading a few other reviews it seems I’m alone with my thoughts on this one. But I will still continue with the series. I like the world building and for the most part I do enjoy the characters and Rachel’s antics. But this book in particular just left me a bit distracted and flicking through hoping to get to more action and less talking.
Spoiler
how attractive 18 year old 6 foot tall Jenks was. Once or twice would have been fine but it seemed she commented on how hot she found him once a chapter. And it wasn’t just Jenks. Rachel seemed to have ALL the man drama in this book. Between her boyfriend, her ex, the guy with the scuba gear… oh and her ongoing sexual tension going on with Ivy. I just thought Rachel was too distracted.I did enjoy the Jenks/Jax interactions. And it was cool to see the Were’s being more of a focus than in the previous books of the series. But overall I wasn’t as hooked by this story as I had been the previous ones.
Reading a few other reviews it seems I’m alone with my thoughts on this one. But I will still continue with the series. I like the world building and for the most part I do enjoy the characters and Rachel’s antics. But this book in particular just left me a bit distracted and flicking through hoping to get to more action and less talking.