A Fistful of Charms (The Hollows, Book 4) [Mass Market Paperback]

Kim Harrison (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 27, 2006

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.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

This strong entry in Harrison's intricate Hollows series (after Every Which Way but Dead) plunges headlong into the action as Rachel Morgan, a sexy Cincinnati witch, finishes up her latest bounty hunting mission by taking down an alpha Were (werewolf). The book swings into gear when she returns home to find that her ne'er-do-well ex, Nick, has recruited her partner Jenks's son in a criminal enterprise—and gotten them both imprisoned by Weres in Michigan, apparently for stealing a priceless Were artifact. With the help of some borderline black magic, Jenks—a pixie—is given human proportions in order to accompany Rachel on a mission to rescue his son. Finding the jailed pixie ends up the easiest task in an operation that quickly spirals out of control after Rachel decides she must also rescue the errant Nick. Harrison provides conflict aplenty as Rachel debates how far into the black arts she'll venture to accomplish a good end; past and present boyfriends vie for her attention; and Weres battle vampires for supremacy. (July)
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Review

'action packed ! chick-lit with a supernatural twist.' The Times 'A spellbinding blend of sharp wit and vivid imagination. A wonderfully fun romp through the supernatural world.' Kelly Armstrong 'Discovering a new series like this is like finding buried treasure.' Diana Gabaldon

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 544 pages
• Publisher: HarperTorch (June 27, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060788194
• ISBN-13: 978-0060788193
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 4.2 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (174 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #8,082 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #27 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Fantasy > General
  • #66 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Literature & Fiction > General > Contemporary

More About the Author

New York Times bestselling Kim Harrison was born and raised in the upper Midwest, but has since fled south to better avoid snow. After gaining her bachelors in the sciences, she moved to South Carolina, where she has remained since. When not at work in the Hollows series, she spends her time tending orchids, cooking with some guy in leather, and training her new dog. Her current vices include good chocolate, and exquisite sushi. She is a member of both the Romance Writers of America and The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America. Her bestselling novels include Dead Witch Walking; The Good, The Bad, and The Undead; Every Which Way But Dead; A Fistful of Charms; and For a Few Demons More.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

69 of 77 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I Want the Next Book Now!, July 5, 2006

By 

K. Montgomery (Columbus, GA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: A Fistful of Charms (The Hollows, Book 4) (Mass Market Paperback)

I love this series. No, I mean I REALLY love this series! A quick rundown of its finer points: It's got action, though not over the top. It has a smidgeon of romance that lends a slight sensitive air to an often dangerous and suspenseful atmosphere. It has amazingly strong characters, from villain to heroine, that make you feel and know who they really are. And finally, though never least, it has a solid plot that advances satisfactorily with each progressive installment.

Rachel Morgan has had some tough issues to deal with in less than one year. She's been marked for death by the organization that she once worked for and survived. She's been marked and almost claimed by a rather nasty demon, yet managed to best even that complex being. And so achingly close to home, she's still coming to terms with her scattered love life, confusingly twisted around her roommate Ivy, her lover Kisten and former boyfriend Nick. It's not a love triangle, but it comes durn close! When her estranged partner, Jenks, comes on board for one last run, they're off to Michigan to pull Nick and one of Jenks' sons out of trouble. As always with our dear, flawed Rachel, she gets way more than she bargained for and soon they're fending off the unwanted attentions of some disturbingly unified Were packs. Why are the Weres uniting and what will it bring as the normally submissive species climbs its way towards top of the supernatural food chain? Nothing good for the vamps, which have much to lose if the packs do unite. With ultra aggressive Weres sniping from every direction, and more undead looking on her with not so subtle lust, what's a poor earth witch to do? With Rachel, it's an open book and fans may be surprised at the lengths she's willing to go to in this one.

If Harrison's new book is on the shelves, every other book I've got waiting to be read will just have to wait longer. Harrison pulls readers right in once again with this excruciatingly enticing installment, which I am completely convinced is the best of the series to date. Told in the first person, we're allowed a depth of Rachel's character that seems so much more personal than with books told in third person. Readers will feel every punch, every wound and recovery effort Rachel takes on throughout the story, as well as every emotion. This is an emotional wringer, with Rachel, Jenks and Ivy's problems laid barer than they've ever been before. There are two levels of betrayal that raised the bar in this one, one towards Rachel, the other towards Jenks that helped set this one apart from the previous books. And of course, the ever suspenseful situation of Rachel and Ivy... Kim Harrison is an amazing author, one I am so happy to see continuing with this thrilling rollercoaster ride we're on with her. Waiting with not much patience here for the next one!

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Evolving, but interesting, June 29, 2006

By 

Allie D - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Fistful of Charms (The Hollows, Book 4) (Mass Market Paperback)

The fourth in this series does mark somewhat of a change from the previous three. Rachel is still caring and daring and in-over-her-head. BUT the plot is focused almost entirely on a single story/problem - saving Nick because of an object he acquired - rather than the complex multiple problems in the previous books. There are complications - Rachel and Ivy explore their relationship, Rachel and Jenks have to deal with their break, and we get more insight into Nick, some of which is only hinted at in the second and third books. Also, we see Rachel continue to struggle between her abilities and her morals. Overall, the book is interesting, a good read, and a good progression of the characters, but it wasn't quite as compelling as the first three. With those, once I finished, I turned right back to the first page for a re-read. Three days later, and I'm still waiting for that craving for this one.

16 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars more introspective than the previous books, June 29, 2006

By 

Deborah Wiley (Winter Haven, FL) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: A Fistful of Charms (The Hollows, Book 4) (Mass Market Paperback)

Rachel Morgan is a witch with a flair for getting into trouble. She is forced to use a demonic curse in order to Were so she can maintain her status as Alpha of David's pack and keep her insurance rates affordable. After crossing this line once, it is an easy slide to continue using demonic curses.

Rachel finds out that her former pixy partner, Jenks, has a son, Jax, who is lost somewhere up north. Jax has teamed up with Rachel's ex-boyfriend and ex-familiar, Nick Sparagmos, to steal an artifact that now has the Weres ready to kill him. Rachel once again resorts to a demonic curse and transforms Jenks into a human sized pixy for their rescue of Jax and Nick. The situation quickly gets complicated when it turns out that the stolen artifact is one that could tip the balance of power between the Inderlanders. Rachel, Jenks, and Ivy will have to quickly develop a plan that keeps everyone safe while maintaining the balance of power.

A FISTFUL OF CHARMS shows a more introspective side of Rachel. Rachel uses quite a few demonic curses in this novel and the resulting stain on her soul makes her re-examine her entire life. She is also struggling with her relationship with Ivy. Ivy is obviously attracted to Rachel whereas Rachel is only interested in friendship. However, Rachel recognizes that Ivy needs blood as a living vampire and therefore is hoping to find some sort of blood balance with Ivy. This dilemma results in quite a bit of introspection from both Ivy and Rachel.

A FISTFUL OF CHARMS can be read as a stand alone novel but will probably rate lower to readers new to the series. Fans of the series will enjoy the new depth of the characters and the twists that are occurring within the various relationships. However, the novel may appear to drag a bit with Rachel's angst if one isn't aware of the undercurrents in Rachel's history with Jenks, Ivy, and Nick.

Kim Harrison continues to explore new realms with this fantastic series. Jenks as a human sized pixy is both entertaining and intriguing and it was wonderful to see him working with Rachel again. A FISTFUL OF CHARMS takes the series in a new direction that will only leave readers hungering for more.

COURTESY OF CK2S KWIPS AND KRITIQUES