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The Hollows #4
A Fistful of Charms
It would be wise for witch and bounty hunter. Rachel Morgan, to keep a low profile right now. Her new reputation for the dark arts has piqued the interest of Cincinnati's night-prowlers, who despise her. Nevertheless, Rachel must risk exposure.
510 pages, Paperback
First published June 27, 2006
1489 people are currently reading
9944 people want to read
About the author
Kim Harrison
83 books18.8k followersKim Harrison is best known as the author of the New York Times #1 best selling Hollows series, but she has written more than urban fantasy and has published over two-dozen books spanning the gamut from young adult, thriller, several anthologies, and has scripted two original graphic novels. She has also published traditional fantasy under the name Dawn Cook. Kim is currently working on a new Hollows book between other, non related, urban fantasy projects.
Kim reaches out to her audience at Facebook https://www.facebook.com/KimHarrisons...
Instagram
https://instagram.com/kim_harrison_au...
and her blog http://kimharrison.wordpress.com/
other pseudonyms: Dawn Cook
Kim reaches out to her audience at Facebook https://www.facebook.com/KimHarrisons...
https://instagram.com/kim_harrison_au...
and her blog http://kimharrison.wordpress.com/
other pseudonyms: Dawn Cook
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,554 reviews
July 5, 2017
For some reason Ivy, one of the vampires in the book, says, I mean exclaims "Shut up!" very often. I wondered from what old horror movie or literature has the author taken this tic and made it her own.
But as you see, I've given the book 3 stars, which is not to be sneered at. I think that the book lacked fiber. It lacked fresh ideas. Yes, the heroine, Rachel, does not travel to the ever after , nor does she invoke a demon. Like Hercule Poirot would say, she has other cats to whip.
The adventures seem episodic. The encounters seem rehashed. I'm thankful that Rachel didn't sleep with every hot man she meets. But there is enough here to keep me puttering to the next book. I didn't empathize much with the vampires. I think no one in history has. Oh wait.
But as you see, I've given the book 3 stars, which is not to be sneered at. I think that the book lacked fiber. It lacked fresh ideas. Yes, the heroine, Rachel, does not travel to the ever after , nor does she invoke a demon. Like Hercule Poirot would say, she has other cats to whip.
The adventures seem episodic. The encounters seem rehashed. I'm thankful that Rachel didn't sleep with every hot man she meets. But there is enough here to keep me puttering to the next book. I didn't empathize much with the vampires. I think no one in history has. Oh wait.
April 16, 2009
Where the hell is Trent Kalamack???
He is probably off getting his elf butt married to that cold-hearted lady of the previous installment, but still... Where the heck is he? I am only a few chapters away from finishing the book and still fondly waiting for him to make an appearance. He is by far one of the most interesting characters of this series, along with Jenks, Ivy and of course Rachel herself. (Have to admit I am not precisely too great a fan of Ivy either...)
Nick... Nick can climb up the highest tree for all I care! I didn't like him when he made his appearance in the first book, I grew to dislike him even more in the second book, I barely tolerated him in the third one, but now I downright HATE him! Geez, every time he makes an appearance he makes me feel ashamed of my being a simple human.
Not that Kisten is any better. I don't exactly hate him, but I am not too fond of him either. I don't think I'd care if something (anything) happened to him.
But Trent... His elfish butt better be in the 5th book!
He is probably off getting his elf butt married to that cold-hearted lady of the previous installment, but still... Where the heck is he? I am only a few chapters away from finishing the book and still fondly waiting for him to make an appearance. He is by far one of the most interesting characters of this series, along with Jenks, Ivy and of course Rachel herself. (Have to admit I am not precisely too great a fan of Ivy either...)
Nick... Nick can climb up the highest tree for all I care! I didn't like him when he made his appearance in the first book, I grew to dislike him even more in the second book, I barely tolerated him in the third one, but now I downright HATE him! Geez, every time he makes an appearance he makes me feel ashamed of my being a simple human.
Not that Kisten is any better. I don't exactly hate him, but I am not too fond of him either. I don't think I'd care if something (anything) happened to him.
But Trent... His elfish butt better be in the 5th book!
April 23, 2015
Reviewed by: Rabid Reads
3.5 stars
Where to begin . . .
I've come to expect a certain kind of action-fueled, intricate, and well-crafted plot from Kim Harrison, and in A Fistful of Charms, the fourth installment of her The Hollows series, the breakneck pace and interconnectedness upheld all of my expectations.
But . . . yes, there's a but . . . the Rachel and Ivy nonsense came to a head, and as we all know, things that come to a head are wont to EXPLODE.
And explode it did. But I'll get to that later.
At the end of book 3, Rachel signs on as David (the lone Were)'s female alpha for insurance purposes (b/c as an independent runner, Rachel is practically uninsurable), and as a quick fix for David who is getting hassled at work for being a lone wolf, and not contributing to the Were population.
SO. He forms a pack with Rachel, who won't hold him to the standard expectations that another Were would---relationships, babies, etc.---and problem solved. Right? Right.
WRONG.
The local alphas don't think much of David's loophole maneuver and decide to make an example of him. And by "him" I mean Rachel, b/c she's the one who gets challenged by the alpha leader-backed female who wants to be David's alpha in truth *waggles eyebrows* (as opposed to on paper, like Rachel). These early shenanigans with the Weres lay the groundwork for the upcoming interactions (shenanigans) with the Weres, who play a HUGE role in this book.
There's also a lot of Nick. I don't like Nick.
Nick aside, the premise for this book was awesome---an artifact that can unite the Weres and return them to a position of power among the Inderlanders has been "discovered" (*cough* stolen *cough*), and Rachel and Co. must find it, hide it, and prevent an Inderlander war.
If this idea sounds familiar, and you happened to have read the first book from Jess Haines' H&W Investigations series, let me assure you that Harrison's book predates Haines' by four years, and if there was any theft of ideas, it wasn't on Harrison's part. That's all I'm going to say about that.
So yeah, very cool, very easily identified plot. More character development across the board---for the first time, I actually like Ivy instead of merely acknowledging her presence. Aaaannndddddd . . . Jenks gets BIG.
Seriously, what could be cooler than BIG Jenks? Not much.
So why did I only rate this 3.5 stars when up to this point the other books have been a solid 4 stars?
Well . . . there's a thing that Rachel likes to do that really bugs me (No, not the tomatoes thing *snickers* but good guess), and I haven't mentioned it before now b/c up to this point it's been a minor thing, and I ultimately love her, BUT Rachel likes to take responsibility for things that aren't her fault. And the way she does this rationalizes other problems (or other people's responsibility in the problems) until she is solely to blame.
I hate it.
I'm all for taking ownership of your actions. In fact, I probably hate blame-shifting more than Rachel's convoluted rationalizations that manage to hold her accountable for things that are only marginally her fault (if at all). But what Rachel does is so far beyond ownership . . . it's almost like when a leader sacrifices herself for the safety of her people. It's this big, dramatic sense of responsibility, and by usurping that responsibility, she also belittles the choices of others.
I. Hate. It.
So what is this big, awful thing that Rachel tries to take responsibility for? Well, I could tell you, but then I'd have to kill you. If you've read the book, then you know. If you haven't read the book, READ THE BOOK.<------if you haven't figured it out yet, all roads lead to the same place. *orbit gum smile*
I also don't like the suggestion that Rachel had been harboring a secret desire for the Awful Thing to happen all along. I'll buy that she needs to be in a relationship that's dangerous and/or risky to stay interested, but the other thing . . . NOPE. Sorry, don't buy it.
So again, GREAT premise, action-packed plot, BIG Jenks (*swoons* *drools*), lots-o-good stuff here, but also again, REALLY over the Rachel and Ivy drama. HOWEVER, I happen to know for a FACT, that it does end. So keep on swimmin', little fishes . . . keep on swimmin'.
My other reviews for this series:
Dead Witch Walking (The Hollows #1)
The Good, the Bad, and the Undead (The Hollows #2)
Every Which Way But Dead (The Hollows #3)
For a Few Demons More (The Hollows #5)
The Outlaw Demon Wails (The Hollows #6)
White Witch, Black Curse (The Hollows #7)
Black Magic Sanction (The Hollows #8)
Pale Demon (The Hollows #9)
The Undead Pool (The Hollows #12)
Into the Woods: Tales from the Hollows and Beyond
3.5 stars
Where to begin . . .
I've come to expect a certain kind of action-fueled, intricate, and well-crafted plot from Kim Harrison, and in A Fistful of Charms, the fourth installment of her The Hollows series, the breakneck pace and interconnectedness upheld all of my expectations.
But . . . yes, there's a but . . . the Rachel and Ivy nonsense came to a head, and as we all know, things that come to a head are wont to EXPLODE.
And explode it did. But I'll get to that later.
At the end of book 3, Rachel signs on as David (the lone Were)'s female alpha for insurance purposes (b/c as an independent runner, Rachel is practically uninsurable), and as a quick fix for David who is getting hassled at work for being a lone wolf, and not contributing to the Were population.
SO. He forms a pack with Rachel, who won't hold him to the standard expectations that another Were would---relationships, babies, etc.---and problem solved. Right? Right.
WRONG.
The local alphas don't think much of David's loophole maneuver and decide to make an example of him. And by "him" I mean Rachel, b/c she's the one who gets challenged by the alpha leader-backed female who wants to be David's alpha in truth *waggles eyebrows* (as opposed to on paper, like Rachel). These early shenanigans with the Weres lay the groundwork for the upcoming interactions (shenanigans) with the Weres, who play a HUGE role in this book.
There's also a lot of Nick. I don't like Nick.
Nick aside, the premise for this book was awesome---an artifact that can unite the Weres and return them to a position of power among the Inderlanders has been "discovered" (*cough* stolen *cough*), and Rachel and Co. must find it, hide it, and prevent an Inderlander war.
If this idea sounds familiar, and you happened to have read the first book from Jess Haines' H&W Investigations series, let me assure you that Harrison's book predates Haines' by four years, and if there was any theft of ideas, it wasn't on Harrison's part. That's all I'm going to say about that.
So yeah, very cool, very easily identified plot. More character development across the board---for the first time, I actually like Ivy instead of merely acknowledging her presence. Aaaannndddddd . . . Jenks gets BIG.
Seriously, what could be cooler than BIG Jenks? Not much.
So why did I only rate this 3.5 stars when up to this point the other books have been a solid 4 stars?
Well . . . there's a thing that Rachel likes to do that really bugs me (No, not the tomatoes thing *snickers* but good guess), and I haven't mentioned it before now b/c up to this point it's been a minor thing, and I ultimately love her, BUT Rachel likes to take responsibility for things that aren't her fault. And the way she does this rationalizes other problems (or other people's responsibility in the problems) until she is solely to blame.
I hate it.
I'm all for taking ownership of your actions. In fact, I probably hate blame-shifting more than Rachel's convoluted rationalizations that manage to hold her accountable for things that are only marginally her fault (if at all). But what Rachel does is so far beyond ownership . . . it's almost like when a leader sacrifices herself for the safety of her people. It's this big, dramatic sense of responsibility, and by usurping that responsibility, she also belittles the choices of others.
I. Hate. It.
So what is this big, awful thing that Rachel tries to take responsibility for? Well, I could tell you, but then I'd have to kill you. If you've read the book, then you know. If you haven't read the book, READ THE BOOK.<------if you haven't figured it out yet, all roads lead to the same place. *orbit gum smile*
I also don't like the suggestion that Rachel had been harboring a secret desire for the Awful Thing to happen all along. I'll buy that she needs to be in a relationship that's dangerous and/or risky to stay interested, but the other thing . . . NOPE. Sorry, don't buy it.
So again, GREAT premise, action-packed plot, BIG Jenks (*swoons* *drools*), lots-o-good stuff here, but also again, REALLY over the Rachel and Ivy drama. HOWEVER, I happen to know for a FACT, that it does end. So keep on swimmin', little fishes . . . keep on swimmin'.
My other reviews for this series:
Dead Witch Walking (The Hollows #1)
The Good, the Bad, and the Undead (The Hollows #2)
Every Which Way But Dead (The Hollows #3)
For a Few Demons More (The Hollows #5)
The Outlaw Demon Wails (The Hollows #6)
White Witch, Black Curse (The Hollows #7)
Black Magic Sanction (The Hollows #8)
Pale Demon (The Hollows #9)
The Undead Pool (The Hollows #12)
Into the Woods: Tales from the Hollows and Beyond
July 25, 2015
“As the joke goes, you don’t have to be faster than the wolf chasing you, just faster than everyone else running away.”
Undoubtedly the best book in the series, and by far the most action-packed one too. Mrs. Harrison has set the bar too high for me and unless the next book is just as good I will be a tad bit disappointed. This did the trick for me. If I didn't love the series before now I definitely do. The more this series progresses and I get to see and know more of the characters, the more I bond with the characters and feel for them.
The key word in this novel is the world 'Weres' because that's who's after Rachel and her friends. Nick is back and he is worse than ever and we see an aspect of him that we had never seen before. Jenks is back, and I must admit, I missed him dearly.
Someone took something from the Weres, or rather, someone didn't deliver something to them, something powerful, something that could easily ignite a war between the kinds.
This book is so action-packed. The kind of action that has a point. I don't mean running around doing nothing. It's the sort of action that makes your blood run high and that's exhilarating.
There were plot twists, things you didn't see coming. Things involving certain characters, that will blow your mind. Maybe one of those things is something that many of you wanted to happen for quite some time now. Or things you wished that never happened because from now on shit will be going down.
This book has cemented another storyline and I love how this series just keeps getting more and more complicated without buffling you but it takes one problem at a time and solves it slowly. I love how Mrs. Harrison has built this world, she's an incredible world-builder and a much nicer character-developer.
January 15, 2009
Kim Harrison is a writer with a lot of imagination and a lot of personality. Her world and her characters are very original. Where she stumbles is in her actual writing.
Not only are there tons of typos in this book - spelling errors, grammar errors, etc ("it was a mute point"?! "she had to access the situation"?) - but her actual writing leaves a little something to be desired.
I have struggled with this series, finding it boring at times and hard to follow. I finally came to the conclusion that the problem is that I don't understand the world that Harrison has created. She is so imaginative and has built a universe really rich in fantasy, but she has failed to make the rules of that universe clear. I do not understand her vampire society, I don't understand her werewolf hierarchy; it's all very confusing. Which makes the interactions and relationships between Rachel and the other characters (particularly Ivy) really hard to understand.
*Potential spoilers ahead* - I will try to keep them very mild so you'll probably be okay, but added a warning just in case.
Basic plot of A Fistful of Charms: Rachel discovers that her old boyfriend Nick, who disappeared at the end of the second book (I think; I don't remember exactly) has taken off to Michigan and gotten into a lot of trouble after stealing a priceless werewolf artifact, taking Jenks's son Jax with him. Rachel and and a human sized Jenks go to Michigan on a rescue mission; but is Rachel going to help Jenks save his son, or is this about her unresolved feelings for her ex-boyfriend? (Hint: it's B.)
What's good: The book is at its most honest and heartfelt when it deals with the unresolved issues between Rachel and Nick. Unfortunately this gets "resolved" pretty quickly, and it was a little convenient.
About halfway through, Ivy shows up for some unexplained reason (or maybe it was explained, but was pretty flimsy), and there are some really great scenes between her and Rachel. (I think this is probably what the book is actually about.)
The magic. This is where Harrison's imagination really shines through; when Rachel is performing spells, it's always fun to read.
Also, full sized Jenks is a lot of fun - though another reviewer complained about Rachel's constant ogling, and I have to agree.
What's bad: Some of the action in the book, particularly at the end, is pretty good. But there are several chapters where Rachel has to scuba dive to this island full of werewolves to rescue Nick, and that whole thing is BORING. It actually put me to sleep a couple times, and I don't think I'm the only one who struggled with it. I finally had to just skim until they got off or I never would have made it through.
My confusion about the structure of the vampire and werewolf societies made a lot of the plot of this book hard to follow. There are three werewolf packs on this island but they're all united under one alpha but only sort of and they're more aggressive because they want this statue... it was confusing. And what was the big deal about the statue? It might start a war? I'm a pretty smart girl, but I didn't get it. I basically came away with "it's valuable and dangerous". And they're willing to kill Rachel over it. I guess that's all I really needed to know, but it was all screwy and confusing.
Also still confused about the whole Ivy/Rachel/Kisten dynamic. And Kisten was missing from a lot of the book. He was at the beginning and the very end, but through the meat of the book he was just mentioned a lot because they seemed to be using all his stuff. Most of the time, though, Rachel didn't even think about him which was disappointing. Kisten is the best part of the seres, IMO!
I will doggedly continue to read this series. It somehow is able to keep me just barely interested enough to carry on, but there are a lot of things that confuse me and bother me about this series and try as I might, I don't think I'll ever understand why so many people love this series so much. Which is nothing against the fans; I'm kind of jealous, in fact. I want to love these books. They're just not really for me, I guess.
Not only are there tons of typos in this book - spelling errors, grammar errors, etc ("it was a mute point"?! "she had to access the situation"?) - but her actual writing leaves a little something to be desired.
I have struggled with this series, finding it boring at times and hard to follow. I finally came to the conclusion that the problem is that I don't understand the world that Harrison has created. She is so imaginative and has built a universe really rich in fantasy, but she has failed to make the rules of that universe clear. I do not understand her vampire society, I don't understand her werewolf hierarchy; it's all very confusing. Which makes the interactions and relationships between Rachel and the other characters (particularly Ivy) really hard to understand.
*Potential spoilers ahead* - I will try to keep them very mild so you'll probably be okay, but added a warning just in case.
Basic plot of A Fistful of Charms: Rachel discovers that her old boyfriend Nick, who disappeared at the end of the second book (I think; I don't remember exactly) has taken off to Michigan and gotten into a lot of trouble after stealing a priceless werewolf artifact, taking Jenks's son Jax with him. Rachel and and a human sized Jenks go to Michigan on a rescue mission; but is Rachel going to help Jenks save his son, or is this about her unresolved feelings for her ex-boyfriend? (Hint: it's B.)
What's good: The book is at its most honest and heartfelt when it deals with the unresolved issues between Rachel and Nick. Unfortunately this gets "resolved" pretty quickly, and it was a little convenient.
About halfway through, Ivy shows up for some unexplained reason (or maybe it was explained, but was pretty flimsy), and there are some really great scenes between her and Rachel. (I think this is probably what the book is actually about.)
The magic. This is where Harrison's imagination really shines through; when Rachel is performing spells, it's always fun to read.
Also, full sized Jenks is a lot of fun - though another reviewer complained about Rachel's constant ogling, and I have to agree.
What's bad: Some of the action in the book, particularly at the end, is pretty good. But there are several chapters where Rachel has to scuba dive to this island full of werewolves to rescue Nick, and that whole thing is BORING. It actually put me to sleep a couple times, and I don't think I'm the only one who struggled with it. I finally had to just skim until they got off or I never would have made it through.
My confusion about the structure of the vampire and werewolf societies made a lot of the plot of this book hard to follow. There are three werewolf packs on this island but they're all united under one alpha but only sort of and they're more aggressive because they want this statue... it was confusing. And what was the big deal about the statue? It might start a war? I'm a pretty smart girl, but I didn't get it. I basically came away with "it's valuable and dangerous". And they're willing to kill Rachel over it. I guess that's all I really needed to know, but it was all screwy and confusing.
Also still confused about the whole Ivy/Rachel/Kisten dynamic. And Kisten was missing from a lot of the book. He was at the beginning and the very end, but through the meat of the book he was just mentioned a lot because they seemed to be using all his stuff. Most of the time, though, Rachel didn't even think about him which was disappointing. Kisten is the best part of the seres, IMO!
I will doggedly continue to read this series. It somehow is able to keep me just barely interested enough to carry on, but there are a lot of things that confuse me and bother me about this series and try as I might, I don't think I'll ever understand why so many people love this series so much. Which is nothing against the fans; I'm kind of jealous, in fact. I want to love these books. They're just not really for me, I guess.
March 30, 2016
3.5 stars
I don't know how to rate this..
Rachel is getting on my nerves big time and that's never a good thing for the main character of a series. It also feels like it's heading down a very weird path with Ivy that I seriously don't like. I also don't like what's coming for Jenks. And I didn't even get some sexy times to distract me from all that in this book.
What I did like is the writing, the world K.H. built and the overall plot. I will probably keep reading the series as I'm too curious and I need to find out what she's going to do with all the marks and the black she's acquired but I'll take a break for the moment.
I don't know how to rate this..
Rachel is getting on my nerves big time and that's never a good thing for the main character of a series. It also feels like it's heading down a very weird path with Ivy that I seriously don't like. I also don't like what's coming for Jenks. And I didn't even get some sexy times to distract me from all that in this book.
What I did like is the writing, the world K.H. built and the overall plot. I will probably keep reading the series as I'm too curious and I need to find out what she's going to do with all the marks and the black she's acquired but I'll take a break for the moment.
March 23, 2008
I found this book really hard to read compared to the previous three. Whilst there was all the usual excitement and twists and turns i was starting to feel like i had read this all before. Rachel is starting to get on my nerves a bit, i really can't understand how one person can keep making such bad mistakes and never learning from them, and she seems to have the biggest libido in the world. Can she survive five minutes without falling in love with someone? And is she ever going to stop toying with Ivy's emotions.
Whilst everyone else's characters seem to be developing, Rachel, the main character doesn't seem to be. This book has left me feeling that i'm not sure if i want to read any more of the series.
Whilst everyone else's characters seem to be developing, Rachel, the main character doesn't seem to be. This book has left me feeling that i'm not sure if i want to read any more of the series.
March 25, 2020
This review can also be found at Carole's Random Life in Books.
I had such a good time with this book. I read the first few books in this series years ago and didn't continue for one reason or another. Most of the series probably hadn't been written at that point. A couple of years ago, I decided to start working my way through the series again by listening to the audiobooks. I think that this might have been the first time that I read this book and I really enjoyed it.
This book picks up shortly after the events of the previous book. Rachel learns that Jenks's son Jax might be in trouble along with her ex-boyfriend, Nick, and she feels compelled to help. Rachel enlists the help of Jenks as backup and with the aid of a couple of demon curses, they head off to rescue the pair and things get interesting very quickly.
I really enjoyed the way that Rachel and Jenks worked together in this book. Jenks is such a great character and I tend to enjoy the scenes that he appears in and he was in the bulk of this book. I really appreciated the changes that Jenks went through in this story and I think that we really got to know him a lot better. I also found the developments in Rachel's relationship with Ivy to be intriguing and look forward to seeing how things play out later in the series.
This story was really exciting. There were some pretty intense scenes where I was a bit worried about the fate of Rachel, Jenks, Ivy, and the rest of the group. I wasn't sure how they would get themselves out of some of the situations in this book. I also felt like there were some pretty pivotal moments in the characters' personal lives and there were a few rather surprising revelations.
Marguerite Gavin did a fantastic job with the narration of this book. I think that she is the perfect narrator for this series. She handled all of the different character voices wonderfully and added a lot of life to each of the characters. I love how much emotion and excitement she is able to express with her reading. I feel like her narration added to my overall enjoyment of the story.
I would recommend this series to others. This series is full of wonderful characters facing some pretty exciting situations. This is a series that you will want to read in order but that shouldn't be a hardship since all of the earlier books are just as good as this one.
Initial Thoughts
I really enjoyed this book! I was in the mood to get back to this series and I am glad I did. The narration did feel a little fast to me so I slowed it down just a bit so that it sounded more natural. I know, everyone else is speeding up their audiobooks and I am over here slowing mine down! I stalled after the third book the first time I tried the series and when I started again with the audiobooks a few years ago. This book worked well for me. I liked Jenks a lot in this story and I liked some of the changes in relationships. The premise was well done with plenty of excitement. I cannot wait to read the next book in this series!
Book source: purchased
I had such a good time with this book. I read the first few books in this series years ago and didn't continue for one reason or another. Most of the series probably hadn't been written at that point. A couple of years ago, I decided to start working my way through the series again by listening to the audiobooks. I think that this might have been the first time that I read this book and I really enjoyed it.
This book picks up shortly after the events of the previous book. Rachel learns that Jenks's son Jax might be in trouble along with her ex-boyfriend, Nick, and she feels compelled to help. Rachel enlists the help of Jenks as backup and with the aid of a couple of demon curses, they head off to rescue the pair and things get interesting very quickly.
I really enjoyed the way that Rachel and Jenks worked together in this book. Jenks is such a great character and I tend to enjoy the scenes that he appears in and he was in the bulk of this book. I really appreciated the changes that Jenks went through in this story and I think that we really got to know him a lot better. I also found the developments in Rachel's relationship with Ivy to be intriguing and look forward to seeing how things play out later in the series.
This story was really exciting. There were some pretty intense scenes where I was a bit worried about the fate of Rachel, Jenks, Ivy, and the rest of the group. I wasn't sure how they would get themselves out of some of the situations in this book. I also felt like there were some pretty pivotal moments in the characters' personal lives and there were a few rather surprising revelations.
Marguerite Gavin did a fantastic job with the narration of this book. I think that she is the perfect narrator for this series. She handled all of the different character voices wonderfully and added a lot of life to each of the characters. I love how much emotion and excitement she is able to express with her reading. I feel like her narration added to my overall enjoyment of the story.
I would recommend this series to others. This series is full of wonderful characters facing some pretty exciting situations. This is a series that you will want to read in order but that shouldn't be a hardship since all of the earlier books are just as good as this one.
Initial Thoughts
I really enjoyed this book! I was in the mood to get back to this series and I am glad I did. The narration did feel a little fast to me so I slowed it down just a bit so that it sounded more natural. I know, everyone else is speeding up their audiobooks and I am over here slowing mine down! I stalled after the third book the first time I tried the series and when I started again with the audiobooks a few years ago. This book worked well for me. I liked Jenks a lot in this story and I liked some of the changes in relationships. The premise was well done with plenty of excitement. I cannot wait to read the next book in this series!
Book source: purchased
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August 31, 2015
Shortest review ever:
While reading this book I couldn't stop my self from thinking a saying that we have here in Greece "even more stupid than chicory". Rachel is so dumb that my hand is twitching.
I hope that I won't end up rooting for a demon to take her out of her misery.
While reading this book I couldn't stop my self from thinking a saying that we have here in Greece "even more stupid than chicory". Rachel is so dumb that my hand is twitching.
I hope that I won't end up rooting for a demon to take her out of her misery.
December 13, 2010
The last couple of lines of this book were the best of this whole series.
I still don't LOVE this series but I'll give the next book a read now just because I want to know what bloody happens. Though it's edging eerily close to an Anita Blake theme here.
I think the reason why I liked this story better was because it was blessedly free of demons. When there's a demon around, you can almost bet that Rachel is twice as dumb as usual. Unfortunately, the title of the next book is A Few Demons More.
Fuck my life. I'm prepared for some serious dumbassery.
I still don't LOVE this series but I'll give the next book a read now just because I want to know what bloody happens. Though it's edging eerily close to an Anita Blake theme here.
I think the reason why I liked this story better was because it was blessedly free of demons. When there's a demon around, you can almost bet that Rachel is twice as dumb as usual. Unfortunately, the title of the next book is A Few Demons More.
Fuck my life. I'm prepared for some serious dumbassery.
April 7, 2021
For the love of Tink(erbell, the Disney whore *lol*), I feel … ambivalent … about his 4th volume of the series.
Rachel’s ex, Nick, cleaned out his apartment secretly (surprise!) and left town (another surprise) - and took Jenks’ oldest son with him! Have I mentioned that I seriously hate the human fucker?!
Jenks and his family are still living in David’s basement but amends are made between Jenks and Rachel so there is hope for the trio getting back together right from the start of the book.
In fact, Rachel helps Jenks getting his son back - that plus an encounter with some asshole weres resulting in both Rachel and Jenks using a spell (demon magic) to transform themselves. BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
Assholes everywhere and to make matters worse, there is this constant guilt trip. Be it Rachel being dumb enough to want to save Nick despite all the shit he’s done (that she knows about, what she finds out here is actually worse even), or Rachel letting herself being talked into feeling guilty over leaving Ivy behind for a few days (she’s right, she’s not Ivy’s keeper and the vamp needs to grow strong enough to be able to handle that for a little while), or the residual guilt over what forced Jenks out of the church. Oh and then there is all their panic about using demon magic.
Most of the guilt was completely ridiculous and I agree with Ceri that they need to get a grip on things.
And then there was the whole tragedy of , which was seriously heartbreaking.
Counter-balancing that, however, was the hilarity of Rachel and human-sized Jenks being on the run to get Jenks’ son (the small-town idiots at the hotel and supermarkets were handled in a delicious way for example). Then there was Jenks’ seriously impressive way of handling himself even in a human-sized body and how the weres jumped when he said „boo“. Not to mention Rex, Jax’s pet cat. *lol*
In addition to the jailbreak organized for shit-for-brains (Jenks’ apt name for Nick - god, I’ve missed Jenks so much), we also get a few wonderfully exciting fights with some werewolves (alphas in one-on-one fights as well as encounters with entire packs) and they were exhilarating.
The best thing to come out of this book, though, was that we are FINALLY rid of that bastard Nick. Do NOT get me started on what he said and did right up until the end of the book, I’m still VERY frustrated that he wasn’t ripped to shreds ().
So it was quite the mix. However, the dark places this went about addiction and abusive relationships (again, the author is great at almost casually addressing profound psychological / socio-political problems) were hard to handle at times, leading to me liking this a little less than the previous books. Still, the volume was fast-paced and rather wonderful and I’m thoroughly hooked.* Plus, as you can see from this review, I was VERY invested, emotionally, and not every book can pull that off.
*When I say „thoroughly hooked“, I mean I just bought the entire series in its paperback version and some shelves to put them on as well. *grins*
Rachel’s ex, Nick, cleaned out his apartment secretly (surprise!) and left town (another surprise) - and took Jenks’ oldest son with him! Have I mentioned that I seriously hate the human fucker?!
Jenks and his family are still living in David’s basement but amends are made between Jenks and Rachel so there is hope for the trio getting back together right from the start of the book.
In fact, Rachel helps Jenks getting his son back - that plus an encounter with some asshole weres resulting in both Rachel and Jenks using a spell (demon magic) to transform themselves. BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
Assholes everywhere and to make matters worse, there is this constant guilt trip. Be it Rachel being dumb enough to want to save Nick despite all the shit he’s done (that she knows about, what she finds out here is actually worse even), or Rachel letting herself being talked into feeling guilty over leaving Ivy behind for a few days (she’s right, she’s not Ivy’s keeper and the vamp needs to grow strong enough to be able to handle that for a little while), or the residual guilt over what forced Jenks out of the church. Oh and then there is all their panic about using demon magic.
Most of the guilt was completely ridiculous and I agree with Ceri that they need to get a grip on things.
And then there was the whole tragedy of , which was seriously heartbreaking.
Counter-balancing that, however, was the hilarity of Rachel and human-sized Jenks being on the run to get Jenks’ son (the small-town idiots at the hotel and supermarkets were handled in a delicious way for example). Then there was Jenks’ seriously impressive way of handling himself even in a human-sized body and how the weres jumped when he said „boo“. Not to mention Rex, Jax’s pet cat. *lol*
In addition to the jailbreak organized for shit-for-brains (Jenks’ apt name for Nick - god, I’ve missed Jenks so much), we also get a few wonderfully exciting fights with some werewolves (alphas in one-on-one fights as well as encounters with entire packs) and they were exhilarating.
The best thing to come out of this book, though, was that we are FINALLY rid of that bastard Nick. Do NOT get me started on what he said and did right up until the end of the book, I’m still VERY frustrated that he wasn’t ripped to shreds ().
So it was quite the mix. However, the dark places this went about addiction and abusive relationships (again, the author is great at almost casually addressing profound psychological / socio-political problems) were hard to handle at times, leading to me liking this a little less than the previous books. Still, the volume was fast-paced and rather wonderful and I’m thoroughly hooked.* Plus, as you can see from this review, I was VERY invested, emotionally, and not every book can pull that off.
*When I say „thoroughly hooked“, I mean I just bought the entire series in its paperback version and some shelves to put them on as well. *grins*
June 30, 2016
The story begins with Rachel in the middle of a Were challenge. They don't like her being David's alpha, which she and David orchestrated so she could be insured and allow him to essentially remain as a lone wolf. Things happen during that challenge that are harbingers of what's to come. If that wasn't enough action, Rachel gets drawn into some Nick drama that includes Jenks' son, Jax. Apparently, he's acquired a powerful artifact that will threaten the Inderland world, giving Weres a dangerous advantage, and he's now missing along with Jax.
Nick. Can you hear me groan? Will Rachel ever learn? Despite some great action scenes, a BIG Jenks (who knew he was so appealing?) and a fantastic Were shift, for me, this story couldn't rise above the weight of the tiresome Ivy and Nick dramas. Don't get me wrong, the great moments and action scenes were spectacular. However, the Nick and Ivy soap operas dominated too much page time.
The narration continues to be outstanding and helped me stay in the story when it bogged down in the Ivy and Nick stuff. And Jenks! I loved every scene he was a part of and he was much more critical to the team than I'd imagined. It ends on a high note with the suggestion that maybe Rachel has turned a corner in her relationships with Nick and Ivy. Fingers crossed.
Nick. Can you hear me groan? Will Rachel ever learn? Despite some great action scenes, a BIG Jenks (who knew he was so appealing?) and a fantastic Were shift, for me, this story couldn't rise above the weight of the tiresome Ivy and Nick dramas. Don't get me wrong, the great moments and action scenes were spectacular. However, the Nick and Ivy soap operas dominated too much page time.
The narration continues to be outstanding and helped me stay in the story when it bogged down in the Ivy and Nick stuff. And Jenks! I loved every scene he was a part of and he was much more critical to the team than I'd imagined. It ends on a high note with the suggestion that maybe Rachel has turned a corner in her relationships with Nick and Ivy. Fingers crossed.
November 12, 2017
I think I may have overdosed on this series. Usually I like to leave a space between books in a series, but I enjoyed the first in this one so much that I read 4 in a row! I checked reviews and most people think this one was just as good or better than the preceding books. So I think I need a break.
Specifically though, I didn’t like the fact that Rachel was rescuing Nick who didn’t deserve her help. I don’t like Nick and I absolutely HATE him calling her ‘Ray Ray’. I also wasn’t much taken with the bigger werewolf story. Plus not enough Kisten. Oh and Rachel seems to be getting more and more annoying as she makes stupid decision after stupid decision....
Specifically though, I didn’t like the fact that Rachel was rescuing Nick who didn’t deserve her help. I don’t like Nick and I absolutely HATE him calling her ‘Ray Ray’. I also wasn’t much taken with the bigger werewolf story. Plus not enough Kisten. Oh and Rachel seems to be getting more and more annoying as she makes stupid decision after stupid decision....
January 11, 2014
The charm was lost on me. Maybe I need to remove the stake from the nape of my neck, devour a clove of garlic in less than 12 seconds, follow it up with some red Kool-Aid, douse myself in holy water, and then shoot a silver bullet up my bum. Or maybe I should tell all the werewolves, witches, pixies, and vampires to suck it, and that I’ll handle the trials and tribulations of dangling from a rope myself. Instead of plunging a few of my fantasies into ecstasy, I was left with a look of horror on my face, and a belief that I somehow showed up to the wrong party on the wrong day and with the wrong date. I’d equate it to watching a chicken with boxing gloves beat the crap out of a coyote.
The Hollows kept me firmly in the shadows. Flipping the pages was like dragging my knuckles through glass and battery acid, reading the dialogue caused multiple convulsions, and listening to Ivy whine in time would have instigated trips to multiple psychiatric specialists and probably more than one straightjacket stint. At the Turn I wanted to burn a stake through my heart, roughly somewhere in the middle of Inderland where black spells and hexes and disguise charms and demon curses forced me to question the limits of my own sanity. To use an expression presented in A FISTFUL OF CHARMS: shit on crap.
I suppose vampires might inhabit Cincinnati, but I can think of plenty of other places I’d rather reside were I to wake up one morning and enter the land of the undead. Even within Ohio, I’d rank other major C cities Cleveland and Columbus higher up the residential map. But, hey, that’s just me.
Sure, there was a plot, but I have no idea what the hell happened. If I were to get shot in the foot, whacked over the head (and knocked unconscious), strapped to the front of a wooden roller coaster at Cedar Point, and then shoved against a brick wall at over ninety miles an hour, I’d probably have an easier time describing what happened to the authorities (assuming I miraculously survived).
Cross-posted at Robert's Reads
The Hollows kept me firmly in the shadows. Flipping the pages was like dragging my knuckles through glass and battery acid, reading the dialogue caused multiple convulsions, and listening to Ivy whine in time would have instigated trips to multiple psychiatric specialists and probably more than one straightjacket stint. At the Turn I wanted to burn a stake through my heart, roughly somewhere in the middle of Inderland where black spells and hexes and disguise charms and demon curses forced me to question the limits of my own sanity. To use an expression presented in A FISTFUL OF CHARMS: shit on crap.
I suppose vampires might inhabit Cincinnati, but I can think of plenty of other places I’d rather reside were I to wake up one morning and enter the land of the undead. Even within Ohio, I’d rank other major C cities Cleveland and Columbus higher up the residential map. But, hey, that’s just me.
Sure, there was a plot, but I have no idea what the hell happened. If I were to get shot in the foot, whacked over the head (and knocked unconscious), strapped to the front of a wooden roller coaster at Cedar Point, and then shoved against a brick wall at over ninety miles an hour, I’d probably have an easier time describing what happened to the authorities (assuming I miraculously survived).
Cross-posted at Robert's Reads
August 2, 2018
3.5 stars
This book was entertaining but had some seriously annoying moments - basically the same things that have bugged me every book so far. Overall, the good outweighs the bad and I'm looking forward to the next book.
Jenks
Nick
Ivy
Kisten
Rachel
This book was entertaining but had some seriously annoying moments - basically the same things that have bugged me every book so far. Overall, the good outweighs the bad and I'm looking forward to the next book.
Jenks
Nick
Ivy
Kisten
Rachel
January 8, 2012
Many people loved this book, but this was actually among my least favorite.
Nick, Rachel's ex-boyfriend is a conniving little snot. He adds nothing to this series, except my hate for him. He ends up partnering with Jax (Jenks' son) and they get themselves in trouble with the weres after their attempt to steal the Focus.
The gang take a road trip to save him and Jax, but Jenks needs to be a bit more powerful. Soooo Rachel makes him big! While this particular book wasn't my favorite, that one scene is probably one of my favorites of all of the series.
Rache's starting to tap into darker powers to get the job done. Can she still save her soul? How will the battle of vamps vs. weres turn out?
I am not that big on werewolves, so that probably contributed to this not being my favorite series. There was also too little (as in NO) Trent Kalamack. The bastard elf has become a character that I really look forward to seeing, so with him missing, it just wasn't quite the same for me. Big Jenks makes up for that a lot, but it still didn't completely fill the void for me. Even still, there's no way I'd miss a Hollows installment and I am eager as ever to see what Book 5 has in store.
*Review also posted to Amazon
Nick, Rachel's ex-boyfriend is a conniving little snot. He adds nothing to this series, except my hate for him. He ends up partnering with Jax (Jenks' son) and they get themselves in trouble with the weres after their attempt to steal the Focus.
The gang take a road trip to save him and Jax, but Jenks needs to be a bit more powerful. Soooo Rachel makes him big! While this particular book wasn't my favorite, that one scene is probably one of my favorites of all of the series.
Rache's starting to tap into darker powers to get the job done. Can she still save her soul? How will the battle of vamps vs. weres turn out?
I am not that big on werewolves, so that probably contributed to this not being my favorite series. There was also too little (as in NO) Trent Kalamack. The bastard elf has become a character that I really look forward to seeing, so with him missing, it just wasn't quite the same for me. Big Jenks makes up for that a lot, but it still didn't completely fill the void for me. Even still, there's no way I'd miss a Hollows installment and I am eager as ever to see what Book 5 has in store.
*Review also posted to Amazon
January 8, 2016
ACLARACIÓN: Aunque esta reseña tiene marcado 'spoilers' después de cada ítem, no suelo spoilear nada. Es decir, no escribo nada que arruine la trama principal. (En caso de hacerlo, lo advierto previamente con una nueva marca de spoiler>!! O sea, te encajo un spoiler adentro del spoiler, porque estoy muy jugada, y soy re heavy y re jodida.)
¿De qué trata? : Rachel Morgan, físicamente incapaz de tomar la mitad de una decisión sin meter la pata, mete la pata el triple cuando decide ayudar a uno de sus mejores amigos (o único, en realidad) en una misión cuyo único desenlace posible es malir sal, malir sal para el ort*.
Género: Fantasía Urbana (a.k.a Fantasía influenciada por Anne Rice y/o Joss Whedon...en este caso, más Whedon que otra cosa)
La historia en cuestión, ¿Se adapta correctamente a su género ?
Punto de vista :
¿Es parte de una serie?
En caso de serlo, ¿es necesario leer los libros que lo preceden?
¿Hay romance?
En caso de haberlo, ¿entorpece la trama?:
Personajes: ¿Están bien desarrollados? ¿Son creíbles?
Personaje favorito:
Personaje a jubilar:
Narración: ¿Está mal escrito?
¿Presenta situaciones realistas?
Clichés :
Nivel de Originalidad
Puede causar gracia (sin intención del autor/a)
Urban Fantasy
¿Qué podemos esperar?
¿Escenas hot?
Posibles bajones (puede variar según el lector)
Credibilidad del world-building: Del 1 al 10
¿Ofensas? ( Ya sea el autor, quien narra la historia, o desde comentarios de personajes secundarios…)
¿Me gustó? Si. Dejando de lado las equivocaciones de Ray-Ray y cía, me encantó el trabajo en equipo entre y ella. Esa idea de héroe colectivo le sienta bien a cualquier trama, y en este caso, esa amistad está bien narrada...a pesar de que a veces se portan como nenes caprichosos.
¿Hay cosas peores?
¿Libros peores?
¿Libros mejores? Kate Daniels sigue teniendo personajes mucho más queribles que éstos.
Lo recomendaría a quienes les gusta.. A cualquiera que le guste la fantasía urbana y lea a Ilona Andrews, Kelley Armstrong, etc.
TL;DR: Mucho menos tiempo perdido en , más en aventuras a todo trapo, carga emotiva fuerte en temas relacionados a la amistad y una protagonista que se equivoca varias veces pero cumple con lo pedido en una novela de fantasía urbana: ser una heroína medio egoísta pero sabelotodo que salva a la gente que quiere de los peligros en los que ella misma los metió.
Puntaje final: 4
_____________________________________________________________________________
Pre-Reseña: Estoy enojada con todos los personajes.
June 17, 2021
I didn’t enjoy this one as much - probably because it had one of my most hated characters in it - but also because of some deeply personal stuff.
Look, I never liked or trusted Nick, but he can go die in a pool of lava.
Look, I never liked or trusted Nick, but he can go die in a pool of lava.
April 12, 2020
I made it through this awful book! I deserve a medal for finishing it. It’s taken me weeks to trudge through it. I couldn’t read more than 30 pages at a time. The world is crazy right now, and this book did not do anything to help me escape. All it did was increase my frustration.
I didn’t think it was possible, but I liked it even less the second time around. Considerably less. Every single thing about it is awful. On top of it all, Trent is not even in it.
Nick steals a werewolf relic, and he could be killed for taking it. Rachel, convinced that Nick is a good guy, goes to help. Also she wants to keep the relic out of the wrong hands. So there is a bunch of drama with werewolves. For no pertinent reason, Ivy shows up, and then their relationship goes from weird to wrong. I absolutely hate the direction things are going with them. More crazy shit I don’t care about happens, and they all go home.
Nick is a worthless piece of shit. I wish Rachel had left him to die. I do understand why she saved his life. I don't understand how she could defend him knowing how he had used her. All that matters to him is himself. The best thing about the book was when Jenks repeatedly called him shit for brains.
Ivy is a desperate, pathetic fool. She’s too dependent on others to be functional on her own, which really makes me question why Piscary chose her to be his scion. Kisten begs Rachel not to leave town for a few days because he doesn’t think Ivy will cope without her. WTF is that!? Ivy is a grown woman. She should be fine on her own for a few days. Later in the book she truly shows that she can’t control herself and does not understand that Rachel is not into her. I did gain some respect for her after .
Rachel desperately needs a therapist. She’s got some serious mental issues. Being desperate for love and attention causes her to make many really bad relationship choices. Her relationship with Jenks is the only healthy one she has. Kisten is at heart a good guy but that doesn’t make him good for her. It’s just another relationship where she doesn’t really know the other person but gets invested in them quickly. Also considering the close ties with him and Ivy, it’s weird AF.
Rachel made the worst decision ever and .
Once again, like a true victim of abuse, she places all of the blame on herself and is convinced Ivy truly has her best intentions at heart. Ivy does genuinely care for Rachel, but she cares more about what she wants from Rachel than for what is right for her. Rachel doesn’t even consider that it was a mistake. That pisses me off more than anything! It’s one thing to do something epically stupid, but it’s so much worse to not even recognize that it was a mistake. She’s her own worst enemy. She’s not a likable heroine. It annoys me even more that most people she meets are drawn to her because I don’t understand why.
When I first read this book, I had decided not to continue reading the series. A few people swore that the series gets better. Finally someone sent me the next couple of books. Then I felt like I had to give it a shot after that. Good thing I did because it gets awesome quickly.
2011: 2 stars
2020: 1 star
November 26, 2009
Relief & Irritation.
That is what I am feeling right now. I just now finished book 4 in the Hollows series and I am relieved the book is finished I can now return it to the library! I am glad I didn't buy this or swap this. It was the weakest book in the series so far. And though I may continue on with the series, I will have to give it some time to let the irritation pass.
The whole Ivy/Rachel thing is on my nerves. I like Rachel with Kisten, at least I did until the end of this book. What the hell? Kisten sticks up for Ivy ? Umm i don't think so... that just didn't feel right, even if they are friends and have a history. I am tired of Ivy being portrayed as this bad-ass yet she is so totally in love with Rachel that Rachel is dominant... crap. Come on. There was a good thing going here before it got all muttled up with that storyline. Creepers, and come on PLEASE tell me why the author is portraying Rachel like a dog in heat over Jenks... her married pixy partner... Umm that just totally irritated me how every OTHER sentence Rachel was drooling over his tight butt. Umm Hello ? Are you that desperate Rachel? It just takes away from her character... Matalina is her friend and Jenks, and Jenks supposedly is dying soon... so you are going to mess with that. Total crap. The reader is suppposed to LIKE the main character the author is not supposed make the reader HATE & despise the main character for being trashy & dumb.
I thought Rachel thought Kisten was her 'man'...
So he gets out of sight and all of a sudden she is in heat over Jenks?
That totally did NOT do the book any good. It pissed me off, between that and her stupid boots clicking on the floor, Thank god she got sneakers for the run or every other page she wasn't LUSTING after Jenks would have been the clicking of her boots... oh i forgot she got flip flops for Jenks so he flip flopped flip flopped rather than boot click clacking... come on did you get a bonus for extra words in this book ?
Oh and bare feet he turned and walked soundlessly into the church ? I mean i can understand describing the scene ... but i don't care about what shoes the character has on in EVERY SCENE. Irritating .... just irritating, so yeah... now that i have vented why would I read on in this series ?
Well, the first three books were entertaining and funny, and i have read other reviews that say the next book goes back to being good, so i am just going to give it a shot and press on... after i let some time pass. If the next book doesn't pick up, then i will be done. There are too many other books that are out there that are 'entertaining'.
And yeah, if the books are so popular then you would think that decent proof readers would be on the job... there were so may typos in this book is was sad... just sad.
I apologize for being sooo critical of this book but it really ticks me off when i see a series nose dive into fillers proof reading errors and trashy storylines. Entertain the reader don't try to run them off, for pete sake, have some integrity for your lead characters. Make them likable, sure they can be flawed, but at least make them likeable and stop with the boots clacking for crying out loud.
Phew (sigh) I feel better.
That is what I am feeling right now. I just now finished book 4 in the Hollows series and I am relieved the book is finished I can now return it to the library! I am glad I didn't buy this or swap this. It was the weakest book in the series so far. And though I may continue on with the series, I will have to give it some time to let the irritation pass.
The whole Ivy/Rachel thing is on my nerves. I like Rachel with Kisten, at least I did until the end of this book. What the hell? Kisten sticks up for Ivy ? Umm i don't think so... that just didn't feel right, even if they are friends and have a history. I am tired of Ivy being portrayed as this bad-ass yet she is so totally in love with Rachel that Rachel is dominant... crap. Come on. There was a good thing going here before it got all muttled up with that storyline. Creepers, and come on PLEASE tell me why the author is portraying Rachel like a dog in heat over Jenks... her married pixy partner... Umm that just totally irritated me how every OTHER sentence Rachel was drooling over his tight butt. Umm Hello ? Are you that desperate Rachel? It just takes away from her character... Matalina is her friend and Jenks, and Jenks supposedly is dying soon... so you are going to mess with that. Total crap. The reader is suppposed to LIKE the main character the author is not supposed make the reader HATE & despise the main character for being trashy & dumb.
I thought Rachel thought Kisten was her 'man'...
So he gets out of sight and all of a sudden she is in heat over Jenks?
That totally did NOT do the book any good. It pissed me off, between that and her stupid boots clicking on the floor, Thank god she got sneakers for the run or every other page she wasn't LUSTING after Jenks would have been the clicking of her boots... oh i forgot she got flip flops for Jenks so he flip flopped flip flopped rather than boot click clacking... come on did you get a bonus for extra words in this book ?
Oh and bare feet he turned and walked soundlessly into the church ? I mean i can understand describing the scene ... but i don't care about what shoes the character has on in EVERY SCENE. Irritating .... just irritating, so yeah... now that i have vented why would I read on in this series ?
Well, the first three books were entertaining and funny, and i have read other reviews that say the next book goes back to being good, so i am just going to give it a shot and press on... after i let some time pass. If the next book doesn't pick up, then i will be done. There are too many other books that are out there that are 'entertaining'.
And yeah, if the books are so popular then you would think that decent proof readers would be on the job... there were so may typos in this book is was sad... just sad.
I apologize for being sooo critical of this book but it really ticks me off when i see a series nose dive into fillers proof reading errors and trashy storylines. Entertain the reader don't try to run them off, for pete sake, have some integrity for your lead characters. Make them likable, sure they can be flawed, but at least make them likeable and stop with the boots clacking for crying out loud.
Phew (sigh) I feel better.
January 11, 2021
DNFed at 50%.
This series had already started going downhill in the previous book but in this one we took a nosedive down a cliff without a parachute. I really tried to stick with this book and see it through, but it was transforming into a hate read and I really don't need that kind of negativity in my life right now.
Rachel Morgan is an idiot that never learns from her mistakes. She has a book about what to do and not to do in order not to trigger a vamp... yet she repeats the same mistakes with Kristen then she did with Ivy. Really? Selective amnesia or death wish?
She is so afraid of black magic, but yet thinks somehow that stirring a spell from a demon spell book is okay? Then acts are surprised and outraged when she learns that it will still leave a stain on her soul. Really? Which part of demon spell book didn't make that abundantly clear?
And cherry on top of this s&%t cake - what part of going alone, with just Jenks as backup to an island full of Weres sounds like remotely a good idea? Sure, let's just barge into enemy territory and demand that they release your ex-boyfriend. And we care about him why anyway? But even if he was the best person on Earth, maybe doing some research on the pack that held him would have helped? Maybe calling for backup? Maybe having a brain?
And I absolutely hated the fact that they transformed Ivy from a strong and independent woman to this mentally damaged wreck that can't keep herself together without Saint Rachel to keep her in check. This is sad and demeaning to her character, not to mention a sick message to send about abuse relationships and somehow justifying them.
I wanted to slap Kristen when he told Rachel that she was responsible for Ivy because she stayed. It's like telling a victim of domestic abuse that she is responsible for the well-being of her abuser "because she stayed" when he abused her. Really? Blame the victim much?
I am disgusted and disgruntled and I will not be continuing with this toxic series.
This series had already started going downhill in the previous book but in this one we took a nosedive down a cliff without a parachute. I really tried to stick with this book and see it through, but it was transforming into a hate read and I really don't need that kind of negativity in my life right now.
Rachel Morgan is an idiot that never learns from her mistakes. She has a book about what to do and not to do in order not to trigger a vamp... yet she repeats the same mistakes with Kristen then she did with Ivy. Really? Selective amnesia or death wish?
She is so afraid of black magic, but yet thinks somehow that stirring a spell from a demon spell book is okay? Then acts are surprised and outraged when she learns that it will still leave a stain on her soul. Really? Which part of demon spell book didn't make that abundantly clear?
And cherry on top of this s&%t cake - what part of going alone, with just Jenks as backup to an island full of Weres sounds like remotely a good idea? Sure, let's just barge into enemy territory and demand that they release your ex-boyfriend. And we care about him why anyway? But even if he was the best person on Earth, maybe doing some research on the pack that held him would have helped? Maybe calling for backup? Maybe having a brain?
And I absolutely hated the fact that they transformed Ivy from a strong and independent woman to this mentally damaged wreck that can't keep herself together without Saint Rachel to keep her in check. This is sad and demeaning to her character, not to mention a sick message to send about abuse relationships and somehow justifying them.
I wanted to slap Kristen when he told Rachel that she was responsible for Ivy because she stayed. It's like telling a victim of domestic abuse that she is responsible for the well-being of her abuser "because she stayed" when he abused her. Really? Blame the victim much?
I am disgusted and disgruntled and I will not be continuing with this toxic series.
November 12, 2009
Kim Harrison always produces reliable escapist literature, so that didn't let me down. I had a few complaints with this book, the most central being that Harrison is playing the lesbian erotica card, even while denying she is denying her main character's potential bisexuality. Rachel is SO sure that she is exclusively straight, but, reading her reactions to Ivy, I am not. Here's the thing, I know Harrison wants me to be unsure. I get it, wavering sexuality is exciting. This is maybe true for the first few books, but by now I am sort of fed up with it. Also, I have a little bit of an issue with the "forbidden" nature of Rachel's relationship with Ivy. The hesitancy is entirely due to gender, not at all to having sex with a vampire, as Rachel has no qualms (well, comparatively) with Kisten. So, I am wondering, is Harrison just having a hard time making the jump to lesbian erotic scenes because she thinks her audience can't handle it? Is she hesitating because she doesn't want to compromise the old-school sexuality of her main character? Or, maybe worse, is she exploiting the sexual pull of lesbianism without following through and showing us a healthy, working lesbian relationship (which isn't nearly as sexy as some vaguely lesbian scenes and may, in fact, be disgusting to some readers, even those who lap up Rachel's brief interactions with Ivy, accepting them because of their transience)? In other words, is she devaluing a relationship between Ivy and Rachel by refusing to develop it as she did Rachel's heterosexual relationship with Kisten? Harrison has built some pretty deep contradictions into Rachel's sexuality, and I am not sure that she is prepared to write about their natural conclusions.
August 31, 2015
4.5 Stars!
It's funny how a series can sneak up on you and take you by surprise. How it can worm it's way into your thoughts and you find yourself thinking about it at odd times throughout the day until you can get back to where you left off last and devour it some more.
I think this series has done that to me, wormed it's way into my thoughts and made me completely addicted to it.
I just love all the characters and even though Rachel can be trying at times with all the danger she knowingly puts herself into, I still can't resist the heart of gold she has that makes her do it. She really is like a moth to a flame. If there is danger, she will be there starring it in the face and trying to figure out how she can piss it off more.
But again, it just works for this series and makes it all the more appealing. And umm, hello hot big Jenks! The very fact that Rachel had to keep reminding herself that he was a married man with fifty-four kids seriously made me smile every single time. I have always loved Jenks but he really stood out and shined in this and it was so fun to let him have his bold brave moments and really “see” him for maybe the first time.
This is such a fun series. It has so many elements that make a series great and really make it stand out. From lovable characters that you can't get enough of (even the ones that are suppose to be bad), to the sometimes non stop action, danger, mystery, and a hot romance that doesn't overwhelm the story to the humor that fills the pages and adds that lighter touch when needed,this really is a series that is worth the time to read and enjoy.
It's funny how a series can sneak up on you and take you by surprise. How it can worm it's way into your thoughts and you find yourself thinking about it at odd times throughout the day until you can get back to where you left off last and devour it some more.
I think this series has done that to me, wormed it's way into my thoughts and made me completely addicted to it.
I just love all the characters and even though Rachel can be trying at times with all the danger she knowingly puts herself into, I still can't resist the heart of gold she has that makes her do it. She really is like a moth to a flame. If there is danger, she will be there starring it in the face and trying to figure out how she can piss it off more.
But again, it just works for this series and makes it all the more appealing. And umm, hello hot big Jenks! The very fact that Rachel had to keep reminding herself that he was a married man with fifty-four kids seriously made me smile every single time. I have always loved Jenks but he really stood out and shined in this and it was so fun to let him have his bold brave moments and really “see” him for maybe the first time.
This is such a fun series. It has so many elements that make a series great and really make it stand out. From lovable characters that you can't get enough of (even the ones that are suppose to be bad), to the sometimes non stop action, danger, mystery, and a hot romance that doesn't overwhelm the story to the humor that fills the pages and adds that lighter touch when needed,this really is a series that is worth the time to read and enjoy.
March 29, 2021
Hollows Re-read time!
Getting through number 4 had its good moments and bad moments.
Good first: Really funny and strained character progressions with Ivy and Jenks. David the loner insurance adjusting werewolf is a welcome, if cringey, influence on the series. I had to grin at all the werewolf nonsense and how Rachel dealt with it.
Bad: GAAAH NICK.
Of course, that's not the fault of the writing or the writer. That's just a thing that I want to scream at Rachel about.
This book is perhaps the worst of the series if I'm to be perfectly honest. It's not that it's not entertaining, however. I really grinned my face off at certain points and I got emotional over the trust issues bits. But as a novel to progress the over-plot for the rest of the series, its only truly memorable and necessary bits are all in the curse-crafting sequences and the nice little side-effects. I can't wait to see THAT bear fruit later.
Getting through number 4 had its good moments and bad moments.
Good first: Really funny and strained character progressions with Ivy and Jenks. David the loner insurance adjusting werewolf is a welcome, if cringey, influence on the series. I had to grin at all the werewolf nonsense and how Rachel dealt with it.
Bad: GAAAH NICK.
Of course, that's not the fault of the writing or the writer. That's just a thing that I want to scream at Rachel about.
This book is perhaps the worst of the series if I'm to be perfectly honest. It's not that it's not entertaining, however. I really grinned my face off at certain points and I got emotional over the trust issues bits. But as a novel to progress the over-plot for the rest of the series, its only truly memorable and necessary bits are all in the curse-crafting sequences and the nice little side-effects. I can't wait to see THAT bear fruit later.
April 5, 2025
*** 4.25 ***
March 30, 2010
Damn, how can I say this? This is a too good to be true series. I love it. I know it had a slow beginning with the first 2 books, but terrific from then on.
This book was amazing. I had never seen so much action and events going on in a same book. Really. So many things happened in this book that I felt like I was reading more than one book in a same series. And I mean this in a good way. Everything just developed smoothly.
UF lovers, you'll love this series, it is so different from all the ones that are out there. Maybe that's what I liked the most about it. I have read a lot of series but not ever one like this and as good. It's still not my top fave, the fever series is still better, of course, and maybe some others like the night huntress series. But don't have any doubt that it is as good as the shifters series and the Georgina Kincaid series. And it really is UF to the core. Believe me you won't disappoint with this series, just have in mind that it takes a couple of books to get to like it this much, at least it did for me.And everything about this series is amazing. I adore all the characters, really, they are unique and really interesting in their own way.
**For the ones that have already read 'till book 4**
I must say that I missed Al and Kalamack, the series isn't the same without them, it's hard to understand how the book was this good without them, but I hope we'll get a lot more of them in the next.
This book was amazing. I had never seen so much action and events going on in a same book. Really. So many things happened in this book that I felt like I was reading more than one book in a same series. And I mean this in a good way. Everything just developed smoothly.
UF lovers, you'll love this series, it is so different from all the ones that are out there. Maybe that's what I liked the most about it. I have read a lot of series but not ever one like this and as good. It's still not my top fave, the fever series is still better, of course, and maybe some others like the night huntress series. But don't have any doubt that it is as good as the shifters series and the Georgina Kincaid series. And it really is UF to the core. Believe me you won't disappoint with this series, just have in mind that it takes a couple of books to get to like it this much, at least it did for me.And everything about this series is amazing. I adore all the characters, really, they are unique and really interesting in their own way.
**For the ones that have already read 'till book 4**
I must say that I missed Al and Kalamack, the series isn't the same without them, it's hard to understand how the book was this good without them, but I hope we'll get a lot more of them in the next.
February 7, 2018
Sometimes I think Jenks is the only character in this series with any sense.
Rachel is screwed up and a bundle of overactive hormones. Ivy is SCREWED up. Nick has shown his true colors. Kisten seems ok, but I'm sure he'll show his ass soon.
It took me a while to listen. The magical parts are gripping, but the interpersonal dwama is something I have to take in small doses. Sometimes I wonder if these characters ever got out of high school. Lets not even start on all the yelling. Maybe it's because of the audio, but these people yell and scream at one another a lot. Then again, there are clear dialogue tags that say 'she/he yelled' so the narrator isn't just pulling that out of thin air. SERENITY NOW!!
I'm sure I'll keep on (for a while). I really want to see what happens next, but I get so annoyed by all the yelling and whinging and multiple, multiple threads. In some ways it reminds me more of a tv show than a novel with all the 'episodes' that happen throughout one book. Maybe I'm getting old and cranky?
Rachel is screwed up and a bundle of overactive hormones. Ivy is SCREWED up. Nick has shown his true colors. Kisten seems ok, but I'm sure he'll show his ass soon.
It took me a while to listen. The magical parts are gripping, but the interpersonal dwama is something I have to take in small doses. Sometimes I wonder if these characters ever got out of high school. Lets not even start on all the yelling. Maybe it's because of the audio, but these people yell and scream at one another a lot. Then again, there are clear dialogue tags that say 'she/he yelled' so the narrator isn't just pulling that out of thin air. SERENITY NOW!!
I'm sure I'll keep on (for a while). I really want to see what happens next, but I get so annoyed by all the yelling and whinging and multiple, multiple threads. In some ways it reminds me more of a tv show than a novel with all the 'episodes' that happen throughout one book. Maybe I'm getting old and cranky?
November 3, 2020
This one lost a star for missed potential. It had a lot of well placed opportunities, but just kind of missed them. For instance, Some things were set up and then became basically a shrug.
I really didn't love how Rachel kept sex-gazing every male that crossed her path, especially Jenks. There was something very smarmy about it. I was also bored/annoyed by more Ivy/Rachel drama. I really find the whole thing tedious. It just doesn't really feel like it's going anywhere.
It was an interesting surprise to see Nick is actually bad rather than just hapless. That's a development. I actually missed Trent though. Something must be wrong with me. :)
I really didn't love how Rachel kept sex-gazing every male that crossed her path, especially Jenks. There was something very smarmy about it. I was also bored/annoyed by more Ivy/Rachel drama. I really find the whole thing tedious. It just doesn't really feel like it's going anywhere.
It was an interesting surprise to see Nick is actually bad rather than just hapless. That's a development. I actually missed Trent though. Something must be wrong with me. :)
August 3, 2025
Decent enough that I will continue to book #5 - but not amazing!
March 17, 2011
Ok let me just say that I actually really like these books, but man am I really starting to get sick of Rachel. I mean COME ON! Why is it that she almost never uses her powers. I know that she's worried about going black when she'd rather stay white, but if your in deep shit somethings got to give. She has all these powers and when she's in trouble she doesn't use them. She waits awhile to see how bad it get's first and I dont think that's because she likes to live on the wild side a bit too much. I'm starting to think she's stupid or at least slow. Then there's the fact that even though Algaliarept makes it seem she's not afraid of much just herself I feel like she's afraid of nearly everything. If you've got a master vamp in front of you use what you've got; make a cirle or use that cool hand blast she did in the third book. How hard can it be. And why is it that in every book she gets caught. It's starting to get on my nerves. For once can't she get away. Oh and let's not forget the guilt tripping everone else loves to do. Just because she didn't tell Jenks one stinking secret in the last book doesn't mean it's the end of the world. Grow up. It wasn't her secret to tell anyway and even if it was I think your allowed to keep somethings to yourself. Grr.
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