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jimbowen0306's review against another edition
3.0
"A Fistful of Charms," is about about a witch, her vampire room mate, a vampire friend, and an attempt to retrieve the son of her pixie sidekick.
It was a strange book, which was a mess at the start. The start's written in a way that you'll be immediately thinking that you've stumbled into a story that have been going on a while, and you're late picking up the threads of the story. In addition, the author dumps a whole bunch of old information on you, without any explanation of what is going on. She just seemed to assume that the reader would roll with it, or knows the backstory.
This is where the weirdness comes in. Part of me was thinking that I should stop reading the book. That it was just too much of a mess. Too chaotic for me. In short it was driving me nuts. At the same time, there was a strange quality about the book that made me think "Well I'll just read a few more pages to see if it gets any better."
I read a little on the plane to Omaha, and because it was the only book I had on me I started reading it when I got into the hotel I was staying at there. And I just kept on reading and reading and reading till I finished the book at about 4 in the morning.
My first urge when I woke up this morning was to go and buy another, even though I was telling myself the book was a bad book at the same time (which I did, I'm now almost 150pgs into that book too). So all in all a strange experience that I'm never had before with an author.
There a bunch of other reason the book irked me (mostly about ley-lines which aren't knocking about all over the place and the fact that intellectually I know the story is daft), but I don't want to babble on for ever and bore people to death.
It was a strange book, which was a mess at the start. The start's written in a way that you'll be immediately thinking that you've stumbled into a story that have been going on a while, and you're late picking up the threads of the story. In addition, the author dumps a whole bunch of old information on you, without any explanation of what is going on. She just seemed to assume that the reader would roll with it, or knows the backstory.
This is where the weirdness comes in. Part of me was thinking that I should stop reading the book. That it was just too much of a mess. Too chaotic for me. In short it was driving me nuts. At the same time, there was a strange quality about the book that made me think "Well I'll just read a few more pages to see if it gets any better."
I read a little on the plane to Omaha, and because it was the only book I had on me I started reading it when I got into the hotel I was staying at there. And I just kept on reading and reading and reading till I finished the book at about 4 in the morning.
My first urge when I woke up this morning was to go and buy another, even though I was telling myself the book was a bad book at the same time (which I did, I'm now almost 150pgs into that book too). So all in all a strange experience that I'm never had before with an author.
There a bunch of other reason the book irked me (mostly about ley-lines which aren't knocking about all over the place and the fact that intellectually I know the story is daft), but I don't want to babble on for ever and bore people to death.
xcaity's review against another edition
4.0
The best of the series so far. I just love the characters, namely Jenks, Rachel, and Ivy.
hirvimaki's review against another edition
3.0
A very good addition to the Hollows series. Harrison really has a talent for mixing the fantasy and detective genres.
As an aside, I starting reading Harrison's The Hollows series in the summer of 2013. I quickly devoured the first three books and put A Fist Full of Charms on hold at the library. And waited. And waited. And finally forgot all about it. Fast forward to the summer of 2015. I got an email from the library that the book I put on hold was now available. As I have shifted to borrowing all my library books on the Kindle I had no idea why I was getting a notice that a book was available. And then I saw it was A Fist Full of Charms. Two years! It took TWO YEARS!
As an aside, I starting reading Harrison's The Hollows series in the summer of 2013. I quickly devoured the first three books and put A Fist Full of Charms on hold at the library. And waited. And waited. And finally forgot all about it. Fast forward to the summer of 2015. I got an email from the library that the book I put on hold was now available. As I have shifted to borrowing all my library books on the Kindle I had no idea why I was getting a notice that a book was available. And then I saw it was A Fist Full of Charms. Two years! It took TWO YEARS!
kimmyannschultz's review against another edition
4.0
This is a very loved series for me, but I would have to say this book is my least favorite so far. I miss Trent deeply for starters, as well as Al. It was very much a pull on the threads and see where they go book, which is fine. I plowed through it and I know that the books coming after it are fantastic. The elements that were explored in this book that I didn’t love take a backseat as the series moves forward. I’m so happy that she made that choice. Ironically, I had completely forgotten this book and it almost felt like a new story to me instead of a reread.
kathydavie's review against another edition
5.0
Fourth in The Hollows (a.k.a., Rachel Morgan) paranormal fantasy series revolving around the Vampiric Charms agency of Rachel Morgan, Jenks, and Ivy Tamwood — a witch, a pixy, and a living vampire.
My Take
This installment is absolutely fraught. I hardly know where to start. Rachel gives in to Ivy's desire for blood; she succumbs to using more black magic — for good reasons, really — after all, someone has to protect the Inderland world from a bloodbath; and, oh yeah, performing a mercy killing.
All this while enjoying the amenities on offer on Mackinaw Island from its fudge to its scuba tours with the very witchy Captain Marshall.
The action will keep you reading deep into the night, so hold on and take a deep breath!
The Story
Frustrated over Jenks' refusing to accept her apology, Rachel is almost happy when she finds out that Jax is in trouble and that Jenks intends to fly up to Michigan to help him. When Rachel learns the kind of trouble Jax is in along with Nick, she's determined to help rescue both of them.
The Characters
Rachel Morgan is a bounty hunter and witch in partnership with Ivy Tamwood, a living vampire with emotional issues, and Jenks, a loving father and husband to Matalina and their 54 kids, is a pixy. Kisten is a vampire who used to date Ivy and has his eye on Rachel.
David, an insurance agent, is in trouble with his boss for being an alpha loner.
Nick is a major jerk who always looks out for himself and is an off-again, on-again, betraying boyfriend. Jax is Jenks' oldest boy who has gone off to make his own way…with Nick.
Captain Marshall owns a dive shop in Mackinac.
Brett is a Were with plans for world domination.
The Cover and Title
The cover with that short black leather mini dress with the cut-out back that looks more Ivy than Rachel shows the woman's back to us, hands clasped behind her as she looks across the water at a pine-shrouded island rising up through the mist.
A Fistful of Charms should be more like Six Fistfuls for all the trouble Rachel gets into with her soft heart.
My Take
This installment is absolutely fraught. I hardly know where to start. Rachel gives in to Ivy's desire for blood; she succumbs to using more black magic — for good reasons, really — after all, someone has to protect the Inderland world from a bloodbath; and, oh yeah, performing a mercy killing.
All this while enjoying the amenities on offer on Mackinaw Island from its fudge to its scuba tours with the very witchy Captain Marshall.
The action will keep you reading deep into the night, so hold on and take a deep breath!
The Story
Frustrated over Jenks' refusing to accept her apology, Rachel is almost happy when she finds out that Jax is in trouble and that Jenks intends to fly up to Michigan to help him. When Rachel learns the kind of trouble Jax is in along with Nick, she's determined to help rescue both of them.
The Characters
Rachel Morgan is a bounty hunter and witch in partnership with Ivy Tamwood, a living vampire with emotional issues, and Jenks, a loving father and husband to Matalina and their 54 kids, is a pixy. Kisten is a vampire who used to date Ivy and has his eye on Rachel.
David, an insurance agent, is in trouble with his boss for being an alpha loner.
Nick is a major jerk who always looks out for himself and is an off-again, on-again, betraying boyfriend. Jax is Jenks' oldest boy who has gone off to make his own way…with Nick.
Captain Marshall owns a dive shop in Mackinac.
Brett is a Were with plans for world domination.
The Cover and Title
The cover with that short black leather mini dress with the cut-out back that looks more Ivy than Rachel shows the woman's back to us, hands clasped behind her as she looks across the water at a pine-shrouded island rising up through the mist.
A Fistful of Charms should be more like Six Fistfuls for all the trouble Rachel gets into with her soft heart.
laurensustaire's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
darienjade's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
alexan007's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
devilstoy's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0