A Fistful Of Charms by Kim Harrison
I’ve become a fan of the Rachel Morgan series, though I’ve been spacing out the books rather than devouring them all at once. I did that with the Dresden Files and, in the end, those books all began to bleed together. That’s not a criticism of the series, but rather a positive commentary on the ability to thread powerful narratives between multiple books. Kim Harrison has this same ability with her Hollows series, and I find that digesting the narrative in smaller chunks is extending my enjoyment of her characters. To draw you a simple picture, instead of wolfing down my dinner, I’m savoring each course. This is a good thing as her characters are worth lingering over.
What I Liked
I like strong, kick ass, tough-as-nails-yet-lovingly-vulnerable female lead characters, and Rachel Morgan succinctly fills that role with a style and flair all her own. She can take down a bad guy in one chapter and be a puddle of confused emotions in the next. It makes her a lovable character, and I have to admit a very strong connection to her voice. She’s just fun at all levels, and I wish I could meet a real life version of her just for a beer or two.
The action in A Fistful of Charms is some of the best that Harrison has written to date in the series. Moving the series away from Cincinnati and onto a wooded island adds a new environment for the various magical elements of the series to shine. Particularly, I liked how Harrison uses werewolves and the tribal aspect of their packs. It’s a commonly used idea in paranormal contemporary urban fantasy, but Harrison uses it as a powerful force rather than as the third leg in an annoying love triangle. Sincerely, I’m tired of the entire genre of pitting weres against vamps with some emo goth teenager in between. Harrison avoids this by making the weres powerful and dangerous and decidedly off the leash. It’s a breath of fresh air and I enjoyed it immensely.
Lastly, I’d like to mention that I liked the return of Jenks and the ways in which Harrison repairs the relationship between him and Rachel. The series seemed askew without him as a supporting character who is always on Rachel’s side. I’m very happy to see him back where he belongs while I also worry about the real reasons why he admits to leaving in the first place. There are some sad days ahead, I’m afraid to say, but it’s a great hook to keep me coming back.
What I Didn’t Like
I know that the central relationship between Ivy and Rachel is a major plot line for the series, but I’m getting tired of the constant push and tug of their back and forth. I know it’s necessary, but considering it seems to pop up ever other chapter….well, I’ll just say that it becomes far too repetitive. This is the only thing that slows down this series for me, and it’s not enough to make me walk away, but I have to admit that the human vs vamp sex and love thing has been done to death. It’s tiresome and over done. If I could remove one thing from the series, it would be this one thing. The added tension and conflict are no longer needed as Rachel has moved onto bigger and more nefarious bad guys. Was the tension good in the first book while Harrison was world building? Sure. Do we still need it now? For me, the answer is simple. Not at all.
Why You Should Read This Book
If you enjoy contemporary urban fantasy, paranormal fantasy, or any other type of fiction that could fall under the moniker of modern-day wizarding and witchcraft, then you should most certainly spend some time with Kim Harrison’s A Fistful of Charms. This is a very fun read which is easily the best in the series thus far. Harrison progresses both as a writer and storyteller, which pays off in one kick ass book filled with action, magic, and mayhem. If you like fast paced books with outstanding characters, get into the Hollows series. It’s what you should be reading.
Book Information
Description: 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.
Author: New York Times bestselling author Kim Harrison was born and raised in Michigan, and has recently returned there to escape the South Carolina heat. Her bestselling Hollows novels include Dead Witch Walking; The Good, the Bad, and the Undead; Every Which Way But Dead; A Fistful of Charms; For a Few Demons More; The Outlaw Demon Wails; White Witch, Black Curse; Black Magic Sanction; and Pale Demon, plus the graphic novel Blood Work. She also writes the bestselling Madison Avery series for young adults, including Once Dead, Twice Shy and Early to Death, Early to Rise. [Official Homepage]
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