This has to be one of my all time favorite series.  It has a group of diverse characters coming together to form a PI firm called Vampiric Charms (not be be mistaken with an escort service). Rachel is a witch, her Partner Ivy is a living vampire and their backup is a pixe named Jenx. Along with werewolves, vampire mobsters, elves and demons these characters slither their way out of many tight situations. So far there are 5 books.

• Dead Witch Walking
• The Good, The Bad, and the Undead
• Every Witch Way But Dead
• A Fistful Of Charms
• For A Few Demons More

You can check out excerpts at www.kimharrison.net

If you have read her stuff, let's discuss!

• Favorite Characters
• Favorite pairings
• Favorite scenes
• Favorite book
• Predictions for the next books
• Ms. Kim herself
• Why you LOVE the books
• Anything else you want to say ^__^

If you havn't read the books. . .WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?!?!?!?!?!

I've only read books 1 and 2 so far. Book 3 is on my TBR mountain. I actually like the bad guy, Trent Kalamack. I'm just very curious about his motives for everything and about his past.  

Trent becomes a very cool character. He isn't mentioned very much in book 4 though. I am finishing book 4 now and waiting for 5 to come out in paperback.

I feel a little left out.  I think I must be one of the few people on this forum that actually don't like this series.  :-)  I guess this means I won't be participating in your discussion....

However I REALLY like this idea and maybe I'll steal it for a series I DO like!

Good luck and have fun discussing it!  I love talking about books and sharing thoughts and feelings.  It's just a great thing to do.

Sarah, you can discuss too! What do you NOT like about it? Why not? What annoys you about the book?

You can play devil's advocate :-P.

This is one of those series I have on my "definitely gotta try those soon" list but haven't gotten to yet.  Looks like I might be getting pretty behind on this one -- better pick up the pace!

And yes -- Sarah, you should definitely jump in with your thoughts too!  What good is a discussion if everyone just repeats the same thing over and over?  I love looking through the reader reviews of books when everyone has something different to say -- those are the best ones!

Wow!  I feel very invited.  Thanks guys.

The only book I've read is Dead Witch Walking.  Please note that my review is definitely negative.  Please don't read it if that will bother you, I don't want to offend anyone.  I get very opiniated about books.  Can't help it, I love them so. :-)

For me it was pretty basic.  I didn't like Rachel.  I thought she was whiny, self-absorbed and fairly TSTL.  I started getting annoyed at the fact that she would talk like she was this big, tough super-human witch and then get her a_ _ kicked all the time.  I also found it a little predictible.

I know that all that sounds very generalized and clearly a judgement call that's extreme.  However, for me, if a book is in first person, I'd better darn well like the character.  It doesn't matter how brilliant the plot or earth-shaking the new magic or clever and cute the supporting cast is.  If I don't like the teller, I don't like the book.  For instance, I love Harry Dresden and I'm totally over Anita Blake.  Harry Dresden's character changes and grows and evolves.  Anita's didn't.

However, after I read it, I thought, "Maybe Rachel will change a little and not be so TSTL and yet arrogant at the same time..."  After all, I think Jenks is totally awesome and I'm very intrigued by her neighbor.  I also liked the idea that she would have a relationship with Nick the human ex-rat.  So, I thought I'd check out the reviews of future books on amazon.

SPOILER

First of all, I have a negative gut-reaction to overwhelmingly glowing reviews of a book or series I'm ambivalent about.  No one else was bothered by what had annoyed me.  So I searched for a few negative reveiws.  :-)  To be fair, I found one that explained what they thought and didn't rant.

So, I found out that Rachel is still getting into trouble that her powerful friends have to get her out of, she's clearly dumped or been dumped by Nick, the human ex-rat, she's taken up with an icky vampire from the first book (who nobly sacrificed himself for her, or something) and she's still having wierd (I can't help myself) push/pull moments with Ivy the Vampire.  This is all just what I remember from the review.

END OF SPOILER

Since I didn't get a strong sense that Rachel's character had changed in any way I would like, I decided NOT to continue on with the series.

Thanks for sharing Sarah. Yeah Rachel can get a littly whiny at times, but personally I like her. :-P. I guess maybe she kinda reminds me of me or something, haha. She does tend to get herself into some icky situations later on in books 2, 3, and 4 where a bale is needed from Ivy, Kist or David. You really have to like the speaker though if you wanna go with her through her tight spots when she does land flat on her back end.

Kisten (the icky vampire as you put it, haha!) is actually pretty cool later on. I think he becomes likable. . .but I suppose I am pretty biased. Then there is also the mysterious Trent Kalamack. . .who's secrets are revealed in book 3...or 2...not quite sure =(

Nick and Rache get themselves into a little trouble involving the demon named Al, which causes him to run away from his problems. . .coward >_0. Right now where I am at he has returned and Rache is having mixed feelings. Personally I think Nick has been more trouble then he is worth in book 4.

Jenks it the most awesome character, whitty and blunt, ready to kick your arse. . .even if he is only 4 inches tall.

Harry Dres books are great though, I must agree with you ^_^ (off topic, haha, but who cares :-P)

I haven't read this series yet.  I found one of the later books at my local dollar store, but I want to start from the beginning. 

You know, I'd forgotten all about Trent Kalamack.  He was very cool.  Did you get the feeling that he might be some Herne the Hunter type?  I kept being thrown off because Rachel always emphasized his callousness.  Nick running away from his problems does sound like coward material to me. 

This thread may work against my dislike of Rachel and swing me into the light! :-)

P.S. Sometimes character traits just rub me the wrong way because I don't want to admit that I have my whiny and self-absorbed moments. :-)

Edited for P.S.

Haha, I think we all have out whiny moments...even if we don't always admit to it.

Trent Kalamack becomes a real keystone to the past before the turn. . .he is one of few survivors of a thought dead race. . .I won't say any more due to spoilers. . .hehe and perhaps the intrique will get you to read book 2. He is more then callous. . .he is deep. . .he as alterior motives and a lot of mystery around him.

SLIGHT SPOILER. . .

Nick ends up running away because Rache uses him to channel ley line powers as a familiar. . .it was an accidental bonding that really scared the poop out of him. So he wanted to put a lot of distance. . .he didn't return after all was said and done because he thought Rache was done for. . .dead >_<. . .but in book 4 he makes a return and boy has he opened a can of problems for the Vampiric Charms gang.

END OF SPOILER

If this discussion picks up, I'll have to see what I think.  I definitely wanted to like it, but like I said, Rachel just didn't appeal to me.

It does. . .in my opnion. . .the adventures are mushc better in books 2 and 3. Book one was an intro. I would suggest looking into book 2.

I am halfway through 4 and. . .spoiler. . .Rachel finally let Ivy bite her. . .intersting since they have been dancing around each other through the last 3 books. . .

I agree.  I read the first book because it was one of our discussion books on Kelly Armstrongs reading group.  i wasn't that fond of it.  I liked the idea of the book just not Rachel.  then i picked up the second one from somewhere and started reading it and couldn't put it down.  i've been hooked ever since.  They get better and better as you go along.

Here is a link to Kim's website:

http://www.kimharrison.net/

I'm about to start reading For a Few Demons More (after Grave Peril 3rd book in the Dresden series!).  I like the series overall but a few things kind of iritate me.

1.  Rachel whines too much!  I still like the character but she whines to much and she doesn't seem to learn her lesson.

2.  I read some spoilers about the last book and I'm irritated about:

SPOILERS:

Kisten dying!  I was coming around to liking him and he gets the ax!  Which, to me,  the reason he gets killed off rolls into my #3 point.

3.  I think he gets killed so it paves a way for the Rachel/Ivy relationship.  I'll say it.  I'm not a fan of the couple.  Too much abuse on both sides.  And it felt to me that they got rid of a good character just so the two could get together.  Now, it's not because it's girl/girl relationship.  I could care less about that and more about the abusive relationship. 

Just my .02 worth.  I may change my mind after reading the latest book.  We'll see!

I  haven't read the last one yet but I have the first three and they are Keepers. Rachel can be a bit whiney but all the characters are interesting but you have to read the stories just for the parts about Jenks-he so darn funny!

I'm in the middle of Dead Witch Walking.  As I posted in the paranormal forum, it's taking me forever to get through this book.  There are parts when I really like it, and want to read on to find out what's happening.  But most of the time I can put the book down, and am not in a huge hurry to pick it up.  I'm just wondering if I should continue on with the series.

I've read some of Dead Witch Walking online and it's fantastic!

I've been wanting to get those books to finish reading the series.

I like Rachel, and I agree about Trent being intriguing,

BUT:

Ivy just annoys me! 

It's like she has only two speeds: psycho and about-to-go-psycho!  Way more high maintenance than anyone would really put up with, even if she does have some money.  You can only play that "I was soooooooo abused" card for so long before it gets worn out.

Personally, I feel like she detracts more from the books than she adds.

I'm reading book 2 right now.  After reading some spoilers here, I'm having mixed thoughts on whether I'll want to continue after this or not.  As the poster above me said, Ivy is annoying.  I'm kind of getting sick of her attacking (or almost attacking) Rachel again and again, and then Rachel saying it's not Ivy's fault.  And then continuing to live with her!  I just can't see the appeal in this storyline at all.  And if it continues throughout all the books, well, this series just might not be for me.

I so love this series. I had read books 3 first. Then found out it was a series later on and bought all the books through Every Witch Way But Dead. I do have a hard time finding the books. I just really love the whole concept of this series. Jenx is my fave.

If you check out Kim's site you can get a toe tag with a sase. ( I think it was a toe tag)

 Wait till you get to Fist Full of Charms. The whole Ivy/Rachel thing changes big time. And I feel for the better.