Book Review: A Fistful of Charms

Reviewed By: Harriet Klausner

A Fistful of Charms     Amazon US PB Amazon Canada PB
Kim Harrison
Class/Genre:   Fantasy   Mystery   Woman Main Character   Supernatural
Series: Rachel Morgan # 4
Harper, Jul 2006, $7.99, 544 pp.

When half of the human population of the world was decimated by a genetically engineered virus, the Inderlanders, those creatures of myth and legend such as vampires, werewolves, shifters, pixies and witches came out of the closet. Rachel Morgan a witch, Ivy a powerful living vampire and Jenks a pixie are partners in a runner (similar to Bow Street) agency Vampiric Charms. When Jenk’s son Jax disappears and then calls for help Jenks and Rachel rush to Michigan to pick him up.

He tells them that Rachel’s ex-boyfriend Nick the thief is being held on an island populated by Weres because he double crossed them after finding an artifact that has gone missing for centuries. After using a spell to shift into a wolf form so she can fight an alpha were for their freedom, she wins the battle and they manage to escape. However Nick has the artifact in his possession and the Weres will do anything to retrieve it. Somehow, Jenks, Rachel and Ivy who joins them later must find a way to elude the Weres and stop Nick from stealing the artifact otherwise a vampire/Were power struggle will break out with many people injured in what eventually will become a war.

Fans of Laurell K. Hamilton, Charlaine Harris and Kelly Armstrong are going to love A Fistful of Charms. There is plenty of action, a bit of romance and enough death defying escapades to the please fans of many genres. Rachel is a conflicted individual who isn’t always sure of her own feelings and actions and sometimes strays into the dark areas of magic to do the right thing. Kim Harrison is a great world builder, who creates fascinating characters and puts them in a realm where humans and Inderlanders live together, not always in harmony.

Harriet Klausner

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Harriet Klausner

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