A Fistful of Charms by Kim Harrison

Title: A Fistful of Charms

Author: Kim Harrison

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Series: The Hollows # 4

Publication: June 27, 2006, 510 pages

Source: Personal Library

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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 THOUGHTS

A Fistful of Charms throws us straight into the action, with Rachel, a newly recognized pack member is already facing a challenge from another Alpha. Luckily, she wins her first fight thanks to her spells. In this fourth installment, Rachel’s business takes her out of Cincinnati and deeper into the world of werewolf hierarchy and mayhem.

If you've read my previous Hollows book review, you know I’m continuing this series in the hopes of seeing more of David and Trent. To my disappointment, neither of them gets any real page time and we don’t even see Trent at all. Instead, Rachel’s out-of-town adventure consists of the characters I loathe most: Jenks, Nick, and Ivy. Literally the three I dislike the most.

Nick, being the spineless S.O.B. that he is, lands himself in trouble, and of course, the only person who can save him is Rachel. Jenks tags along because Nick has his son, Jackson. Ivy shows up later, either to help or just to be her usual possessive self. In my last review, I mentioned how much I dislike Ivy’s possessiveness over Rachel, and it gets even worse in this book. The first three books hinted at Ivy biting Rachel, and now she finally does, which only makes things more complicated. It blurs the line between friendship and lovers, even though Rachel isn’t interested in her that way. I still don’t like it and think it's disturbing.

The plot was more engaging this time around, as we got to explore werewolf hierarchy and territory. I appreciated the change of pace and scenery because I was getting tired of all the demon and vampire politics. Overall, this was another solid installment in the messy life of Rachel Morgan. I really hope Harrison brings Trent back soon. And is it too much to ask to get rid of Ivy and Jenks? I mean, at least Nick is finally gone gone.

Every Which Way but Dead by Kim Harrison

Title: Every Which Way but Dead

Author: Kim Harrison

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Series: The Hollows # 3

Publication: 501 pages, June 28, 2005

Source: Personal Library

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There's no witch in Cincinnati tougher, sexier, or more screwed up than bounty hunter Rachel Morgan, who's already put her love life and soul in dire jeopardy through her determined efforts to bring criminal night creatures to justice.

Between "runs," she has her hands full fending off the attentions of her blood-drinking partner, keeping a deadly secret from her backup, and resisting a hot new vamp suitor.

Rachel must also take a stand in the war that's raging in the city's underworld, since she helped put away its former vampire kingpin - and made a deal with a powerful demon to do so that could cost her an eternity of pain, torment, and degradation.

And now her dark "master" is coming to collect his due.

MY THOUGHTS

Three books into The Hollows, and there hasn't been much improvement for our heroine, Rachel Morgan. Many of the problems she faced were entirely her own doing. Which would've been preventable if she stopped to think before rushing in. The demon Al continues to cause havoc, as always, trying to drag Rachel into the Ever After. Oddly enough, Rachel manages to outsmart Al toward the end, and I sincerely hope this is the last we see of him because his storyline has become repetitive and stale.

Nick, Rachel’s boyfriend, or rather, ex-boyfriend has finally left. I must say, I’m relieved. I never liked him, and his presence in the group added nothing to the story. As for Ivy, Rachel’s vampire friend and roommate, I’m tired of her as well. She’s overly possessive of Rachel in a way that comes off as borderline romantic, and honestly, it’s just creepy. The author tries to excuse it as a vampire trait, but… no. Just no. Even Rachel is growing frustrated with it! The codependency is pathetic, especially considering Ivy is supposedly next in line to be the most powerful vampire in Cincinnati. Powerful, how?

The only part of the book that truly piqued my interest was Rachel’s interactions with Trent. I enjoyed learning more about their connection and Rachel’s past. The more I read about Trent, the more I realize he’s not so bad. Compared to everyone else in Rachel’s life, he might actually be the most normal and sane one. We’re also introduced to a new character, David, whom I really liked. I hope to see more of him, especially after everything that happened at the end.

Every Which Way but Dead was a decent addition to the series, better than the first two. While Rachel remains frustrating, I’ll keep reading for now, if only to see more of Trent and David.