Audiobook Review - Blood Trade (Jane Yellowrock, Book 6) by Faith Hunter (5/5 stars)

Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Size: 368 pages
Publisher: Roc
Date: April 2, 2013
ISBN: 978-0451465061
Stand Alone or Series: 6th book in the Jane Yellowrock series
Source: Audiobook through Audible.com
Rating: 5/5 stars

This is the sixth book in the Jane Yellowrock series and I am just amazed out how this series keeps getting better and better. The seventh book in this series will be titled Black Arts and is scheduled to release in 2014. This was a fantastic read, action packed, and full of all the wonderful characters we’ve come to know and love.

I listened to this on audiobook and it was spectacular. This is one of those books that is actually better on audiobook than in paper format. The narrator sounds completely like I imagine Jane would sound and does an excellent job on other character voices as well. The narration is perfect, capturing tone and emotion wonderfully.

Jane Yellowrock receives a call from the Master of Natchez, Mississippi; he’s got some Naturaleza he needs taking care of and he thinks Jane is the one to do this. Of course when Jane arrives she finds things are much more complicated than that. These aren’t normal Naturaleza...they are something much harder to kill. To add to the complication a friend from Jane’s past, Misha, is in town and wants to talk to Jane about vamps. When Misha disappears Janes realizes that there may be some witchy things thrown into this Naturaleza mess.

These books just keep getting better and better. I absolutely love how fast-paced these books are. I love Jane as a character too; she is funny and heartfelt and tough. Jane continuously struggles with her need to protect humans by killing vamps and the morality behind taking the lives of living (or dead) things. She is battling some depression in this book and it was interesting to read about heroine dealing with that and trying to get on with what needs doing. Jane is trying to figure out how to find some happiness again but it is taking some time.

All of our other favorites are here too. Bruiser is in the story, Rick is back to cause some trouble, and of course the boys (Eli and the Kid) are watching Jane’s back. I love the dynamic between Eli, the Kid, and Jane. It’s like a little vampire killing family and they really provide the backup Jane needs (both emotionally and physically).

I am starting to get a bit sick of the whole love triangle between Rick, Bruiser, and Jane. The romance going on there was kind of at a standstill in this book. There is a ton of tension between Bruiser and Jane and Rick and Jane. It didn’t add a lot to the story and was more distracting than anything. I hope that this love triangle gets resolved soon so that Jane can either develop (or not develop) a relationship with one of those men.

Misha brings along another old friend of Jane’s, Bobby. Bobby is mentally challenged but has some special magic skills of his own. He added a lot to the story with his sunny disposition and gave us a glimpse into Jane’s past as well.

I loved all the witchy elements and vampiric transformation things that were going on in this story. A lot happens and the plot is fairly complex, but I found it all to be incredibly interesting and engaging. There are a lot of very well done action scenes in here and the spidey vamps add a whole new level of creepy to this story.

I also love that there is a contained story here but it ties into the larger story that’s been developing from book to book. It is amazing how Hunter ties all these books together and it really shows how much planning and work she’s put into this series right from the beginning. The book is very well written and I really enjoyed it.

Overall a spectacular addition to this series. I enjoyed it alot. We learn more about Jane’s background and are introduced to many new and interesting creatures and characters. I love how Jane is developing a family of sorts of her own and that she has a good support team at her back. The book in incredibly engaging and really pulls you in. This is definitely more urban fantasy than paranormal romance, which I enjoy. I can’t wait to read Blark Arts! This series is highly recommended to fans of action packed urban fantasy.

This book goes towards the following reading challenges:
- Audio Book Challenge
- 150+ Reading Challenge
- Paranormal Reading Challenge

Review - Have Stakes Will Travel (Jane Yellowrock Short Stories) by Faith Hunter (4/5 stars)

Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Size: 143 pages
Publisher: Roc
Release Date: September 4, 2012
ASIN: B008EXNMZA
Stand Alone or Series: Short stories from the Jane Yellowrock series
Source: Bought
Rating: 4/5 stars

This is a collection of short stories about Jane and her friends. I bought this for Kindle and really enjoyed most of the stories.

My favorite stories of the bunch were Haints and Cajun with Fangs. Both of these were new to me and very well done. Signatures of the Dead first appeared in the Strange Brew anthology and was the story I read that convinced me to start reading the Jane Yellowrock series.

You can see below for a brief description of each story and what I would rated it.

“WeSa” (3/5 stars)
This story is set very far back in Jane’s past. Her and Beast’s hunting grounds are falling prey to white men and they need to defend them. Very short story and much of it is from Beast’s perspective.

“Haints,” (5/5 stars)
Jane and Molly Trueblood investigate a haunted house. I really enjoyed this story a lot. It gives interesting insight into Molly’s past and was very engaging and well done.

“Signatures of the Dead” (4/5 stars)
Molly works with Jane to bring down some rogue vampires. The story moved quickly, was very engaging, and had lots of good action scenes.

“Cajun with Fangs” (5/5 stars)
Jane stumbles upon a war between witches and vampires when stopping off in a small town to fix her bike Bitsa. I like how this story ties in with Jane’s struggles about being the enforcer for Leo.

Overall a very solid collection of stories. Highly recommended if you are a fan of the Jane Yellowrock series. The whole Jane Yellowrock series is very well and I highly recommend it if you love action packed urban fantasy.

Audiobook Review - Death’s Rival (Jane Yellowrock, Book 5) by Faith Hunter (5/5 stars)

Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Size: 336 pages
Publisher: Roc
Release Date: October 2, 2012
ISBN: 978-0451464859
Stand Alone or Series: 5th book of the Jane Yellowrock series
Source: Audiobook through Audible.com
Rating: 5/5 stars

This is the fifth book in the Jane Yellorock series. It was a spectacular book. We learn a ton about Jane’s past. Things come to a head between Jane and Leo. Beast plays a large role in the story as well.

I listened to this on audiobook and it was absolutely amazing. The narrator captures Jane’s personality perfectly and does an excellent job distinguishing between voices. I actually enjoyed listening to this series more than I enjoyed reading it. So I highly recommend listening to this on audiobook if you enjoy audiobooks.

Vamps are breaking out in a horrible virus of sorts, the only cure is provided by a mysterious master who comes in and takes over their territory in exchange for the cure. Jane is asked to look into this virus and figure out who the mysterious master vamp is. Jane also hires in two guys to help with her home security; this adds a lot of fun to her house and to the story.

Excellent continuation of this series. We learn a lot more about Jane's past and Beast plays a large role in this story as well. There is a ton of action and an interesting mystery that ties in with Jane's past nicely. The book is also full of Jane’s sarcastic humor and wit.

A lot is revealed about Jane’s character in this book. Her bloody past is discussed and she is forced to confront some truths about the nature of skinwalkers in general. Things also come to a head between Jane and Leo and the result is a rather painful truth that Jane is forced to face.

Bruiser and Rick are in the story quite a bit as well. It was wonderful to see Rick, but watching him and Jane struggle with their relationship was painful at times. Bruiser is an interesting character and watching how he is torn between Jane and Leo says a lot about his character.

Beast comes to the forefront in this story. The balance between Beast and Jane is changing; Beast is becoming more intelligent and more prominent in Jane’s thoughts. It’s interesting to watch Jane and Beast come up with some sort of balance. It’s also fun to watch Beast interpret Jane’s human thoughts and actions.

The plot that drives the story about the vampire virus was an interesting one. I loved how it all tied into events that happened in previous books and also ties in with Jane’s origins.

This book was incredibly well written, very interesting, and very nicely tied in with the rest of the series. Some surprising things happen in the story that left me very curious to see what happens next. I thought this was the best book in the series yet.

Overall an absolutely wonderful continuation of this series. The plot is interesting and we learn a ton about Jane’s history and about the history of the Skinwalkers. Some of Jane’s struggles to balance Beast and the men in her life are painful to read about; but Jane’s witty sarcasm and Beast’s cat-like humor add a lot of fun to offset the darkness. The book is action-packed and just so interesting. I can’t wait to read what happens next. This whole series is highly recommended to fans of action packed urban fantasy.

This book goes towards the following reading challenges:
- Horror and Urban Fantasy Challenge
- 150+ Books Reading Challenge

Review - Raven Crossed (Jane Yellowrock, Book 4) by Faith Hunter (4/5 stars)

Reading level: Adult
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Size: 384 pages
Publisher: Roc
Release Date: January 3, 2012
ISBN: 978-0451464330
Stand Alone or Series: 4th book in the Jane Yellowrock series
Source: Bought
Rating: 4/5 stars


This is the 4th book in the Jane Yellowrock series by Hunter. The fifth book, Death's Rival, is due out later in 2012. I enjoyed this installment in the series, although there were a couple small points that I didn't enjoy in the story. You definitely want to read previous books in the series before reading this one, although Hunter does a pretty good job of providing enough background to jog your memory.

The vampires of Asheville, North Carolina want to establish their own clan...as such they need to set up an agreement with Leo. Leo sends Gregoire as his ambassador to open negotiations and Jane is sent along to serve as Leo's head of security. While there Jane stumbles across a rash of murders that look like they may be caused by werewolves. Things are already strained enough as it is and the random deaths are making things worse. Jane needs to figure out these death's and there cause, but all of that may point back to Jane's past. Imagine's Jane surprised when she finds that witches might be wrapped up in the whole mess as well.

This book had a complex plot with a lot of things going on that at first didn't seem to be all that connected. Jane was run ragged pretty much the whole book between her job as head of security for Leo and then her days running around trying to figure out the werewolf murders.

We get to meet some new interesting types of creatures; grindylow's and demons enter into the story. Rick is back in the story a lot in this book; it was great to have him around but him and Jane definitely have some issues to work out.

I love Jane as a character: she is tough, self-sufficient, and takes action. She is not perfect though; she runs into periods of self doubt both with her religion and her past. I love that she finally gets to talk about her past with some of the other characters. I also loved some of the interesting stuff that happened between Jane and her Beast.

The one thing I didn't love in this story was Jane's multitude of suitors. Jane's got her boyfriend Rick, then there's Gregoire who Leo has chosen for Jane, and of course Bruiser. Add to the mix a couple of vamp twins who run security with Jane and there is a multitude of suitors here. Things never really got into late Anita Blake terroritory and I hope they don't. But the story was getting uncomfortably close to that region. Especially with Beast constantly telling Jane that she should have many strong mates at once. I'll keep my fingers crossed that things don't get too crazy in the future; but I am nervous for Jane and her awesomeness up to this point.

This story wraps up very completely. It didn't really start another story line for the next book. There are a couple small things that were left unresolved but for the most part it was a very complete story.

Overall I enjoyed this story. The plot gets very complex and at first it is tough to tell how everything is connected; but it ties together well in the end and wraps up very completely. We learn more about Jane's past and Rick is in the story again which is nice. The number of suitors Jane has was a bit disturbing to me and I hope that this series isn't going the way of Anita Blake. This was an excellent installment in this series and I hope that Death's Rival is just as good or better!

This book goes towards the following reading challenges:
- Horror and Urban Fantasy Challenge
- 150+ Books Reading Challenge

Review - Mercy Blade (Jane Yellowrock, Book 3) by Faith Hunter (5/5 stars)

Reading level: Adult
Genre: Urban Fantasy 
Size: 320 pages 
Publisher:  Roc
Release Date: January 4, 2011
ISBN-13: 978-0451463722
Stand Alone or Series: 3rd in Jane Yellowrock series
Source: Free Kindle Pre-Order
Rating: 5/5 stars

I have been absolutely loving the Jane Yellowrock series.  This is the third book in the series and it was just as fabulous as the rest, if not more so.  The fourth book will be called Raven Cursed, I am not sure on the release date.

In this book the were-animals have come out to the rest of society.  Jane is unsure where she stands since she isn't exactly a were-animal but is something...different.  She gets drawn into the mess when Leo, the vampire she works for, is framed for murder by the local werewolf pack.  Now she has werewolves out to get her, Leo on her case, and a mysterious man who calls himself Leo's Mercy Blade either trying to save her or kill her.  Jane has to get all of this sorted out before she gets killed.

The plot of this book is a bit convoluted and twisted but it all works out nicely in the end.  Jane discovers more about her past and more about how the vampires and weres work as societies.  There is a ton of action, things move at a good clip, and there are some deliciously tense scenes between Jane and Bruiser.

Rick is absent most of the book, which was kind of a bummer, since I'd like to get to know him a bit better as a character.  Bruiser is present in a big way though and Jane is finding it tough stay true to the absent Rick.  The addition of the Mercy Blade is awesome, he is a wonderful character who introduced some wonderful fight scenes; I hope we see even more of him in future books.

The book wraps up the current events nicely and then throws the readers a crazy cliffhanger that will really have you wondering what will happen next. 

The only problem with the book is Jane's inner angst about her relationship with Rick; there is a bit too much of it.  I didn't think it detracted from the story a ton though, and it was nice to read about a vampire hunter that has morals.  Although given that Jane kills stuff for a living, it is a bit weird that she is so hung up on having sex out of wedlock.  Hopefully there won't be so much emphasis on this in future books.

Overall I was pleased with this installment in the Jane Yellowrock series.  It was hard to put the book down, the characters are deepened, and the story is broadened.  There are great action scenes throughout and an intricate plot that comes together nicely in the end.  I am eager to see what happens next.

This book goes towards the following reading challenges:
- Horror and Urban Fantasy Challenge
- 100+ Reading Challenge
- E-book Reading Challenge
- Show Me the Free Challenge

 

Blood Cross (Jane Yellowrock, Book 2) by Faith Hunter (5/5 stars)

This is the second book in the Jane Yellowrock series by Faith Hunter and it was just as awesome as the first book.  It is a fast-paced book with wonderful action scenes and wonderful characters.  I would definitely recommend reading the first book first, if you liked the first book you should like this one.

This book picks up where the last left off.  Jane is still in New Orleans and is still on contract to hunt down the maker of the rogue vampires.  She is joined by the witch Molly and her children.  As Jane tries desperately to track down the rogue maker, she finds out that somehow the witches of New Orleans are involved.  Can Jane track down the rogue maker before Molly and her children are forced into the witchy problems of New Orleans?

Like the first book this book is very densely written and full of action.  Jane very rarely stops to catch her breath, yet despite of all the action the characters are intriguing, are well-developed and have a lot of depth to them.  In this book we finally learn more about Jane's personal history and we also learn a lot more about the Vampires' Curse and their origins. 

Also as in the first book there is a little chemistry going on between some of the characters.  Jane/Beast continue to find Bruiser intriguing, and undercover cop Rick is also after Jane for at least one date.  Jane and Leo, the Master Vampire, of New Orleans have very strained relations as Leo deals with his depression over the death of his son.  Molly and her kids bring a nice element to the story and force Jane to show her soft side some of the time too.  This helps to make Jane a very believable character.

The world Hunter has created is very interesting and different from many of the paranormal worlds out there.  She really broadens the world in this book and gives us insight into how the Vampires tick.  She does a great job at writing a tight plot without a lot of excess fluff.  Jane knows what she wants to do and gets there, most of the time, dealing with the unexpected in unique and interesting ways.

If I have one gripe about this story it would be that Jane almost dies a number of times, sometimes I was left wondering if Jane was such a fabulous vampire slayer how did she get herself almost killed a number of times in less than a couple days?  That being said Jane has the wonderful ability to survive the impossible and it makes for a heroine that is interesting, yet believable.

I am eagerly awaiting the next Jane Yellowstone book.  Originally Hunter was contracted for three Jane Yellowstone book and I hope that she writes a couple more after that (not sixteen more mind you, but a few more would be nice)!

This book goes towards the following reading challenges:
- 100+ Book Reading Challenge
- Thriller and Suspense Reading Challenge

Skinwalker (Jane Yellowrock, Book 1) by Faith Hunter (5/5 stars)

This is the first book in the Jane Yellowrock series by Faith Hunter. Currently Hunter has three books sold in this series. The second book "Blood Cross" is due out on Jan 5 of 2010. I really, really loved this book. It was fast-paced action with a great world, great characters, and an interesting mythos behind Jane's character.

Jane Yellowrock is a Skinwalker, at least she thinks she is. She doesn't remember anything before her twelfth birthday and was raised in an Orphanage from that point on. She carries the Beast inside her and they dwell in harmony in one body. Her specific talents have lead her to hunting rogue vampires as a way to make a living. Her current assignment leads her to New Orleans to hunt a rogue that is taking out both humans and vampries alike. This time though, she may be in over her head, this vampire rogue is more than it seems. During the chase things get strange as she begins to regain memories from her past.

This is one fast paced novel. Jane is always on the go and there is a ton of action. The action scenes are very well done and, paired with Jane's humourous and sarcastic tone of voice, this book is a very fun read. All of the characters are very well-developed. There is a hint of sexual tension between both Jane and Leo (head vampire) as well as between Jane and Rick (a bad-boy who wanted the job that Jane got). Jane's a good girl at heart though and never lets things get out of hand with the boys. Really the things that made this book shine were Jane's unflappable personality and the tightly written action scenes; then there were the guns, the bikes, the dancing...all of those things made the book a fun and exciting read.

The plot was very well executed and very gripping. Definitely a page turner. I like the world that Hunter has created and hope that it is clarified better in the next novel. The writing style itself is very dense. If you miss a word you could miss something important; despite this it was a very quick read and hard to put down. If I have any complaints with this book it is a small gripe; I didn't like the writing style that Hunter used for the parts where Jane is Beast. I understood that she was trying to give Beast a distinct voice, but well, Beast sounded a bit like a savage or Barbarian and the halting writing style was tough to read at first. By the end of the book I got used to it, so I can't complain too much.

Will I read the next book? You betcha' I will. I am eager to learn the mystery behind Jane's past and to watch her further interactions with the residents of New Orleans. I think if you liked the early Anita Blake books, Jaz Parks, or Kate Daniels series you will get into this series. It focuses on the action and the mystery, not the romance, and was my type of book!

Strange Brew edited by P. N. Elrod (4/5 stars)

Overall this is a decent set of stories. The highlights for me were Karen Chance's super action packed "Vegas Odds" and Jenna Maclaine's beautifully written, action packed, and intricate "Dark Sins". I found Cin from "Dark Sins" to be a very interesting heroine and I would definitely like to read more about her. I also really liked meeting Jane Yellowrock in Faith Hunter's "Signatures of the Dead." Jane is a character I would also like to read more about.

My least favorites were Elrod's story (not surprising because I have read a couple of the books with Jack and don't enjoy her writing style all that much) and Harris's "Bacon". See a summary of each below. I liked the book in general and really liked that is gave me a look at some of the new authors and characters coming out in series.

Seeing Eye by Patricia Briggs
A witch named Moira and a werewolf named Tom go to save Tom's brother from an evil coven. Pretty good, I enjoyed it. 4/5

Last Call by Jim Butcher
Entertaining story about Murphy and Harry tracking down the source of some tainted beer that Mac accidentally served in his bar. Tons of action, very entertaining! 4/5

Death Warmed Over by Rachel Caine
About witch named Holly who resurrects an old witch, Andy, to help the police find a witch killer. Unfortunately Holly and the resurrected witch have a history. Fast-paced and engaging story although I didn't like the main character all that much. 4/5

Vegas Odds by Karen Chance
Lia is a War Mage stuck in the middle of a war between good and evil. When her house comes under attack she is left to figure out who the attackers are and hunt down their master. I really liked this story; it was packed with action and set in an interesting world that I want to learn more about. 5/5

Hecate's Golden Eye by P. N. Elrod
Jack and Charles are hired to recover a stolen piece of jewelry. The crime turns out to be more than it first seems. This was a fast paced story featuring Elrod's well known Jack Flemming. Overall a decent story. 3/5

Bacon by Charlaine Harris
This story is about a vampire, Dahlia, who hires a witch to help avenge her werewolf husband that has been murdered. Overall I thought this story was boring and the plot a bit hard to folllow at points. I didn't really like any of the characters much either. 2/5

Signatures of the Dead by Faith Hunter
About a witch named Molly who works with a Skinwalker named Jane Yellowrock to bring down some rogue vampires. I really didn't find Molly to be all that fascinating of a character. I did really like Jane Yellowrock though. The story moved quickly, was very engaging, and had lots of good action scenes. I am eager to read more stories involving Jane Yellowrock. I know that Hunter's book "Skinwalker" featuring Jane came out earlier this summer and this short story really makes me want to check it out. 4/5

Ginger: A Nocturne City Story by Caitlin Kittredge
A witch named "Sunny" gets kidnapped as part of a larger plot onvolving a witch coven. This was an okay story, although I didn't think it was great and didn't like any of the characters much. 3/5

Dark Sins by Jenna Maclaine
I really liked this story. Cin Craven is a vampire who attained her witch powers. Her and her S.O. Michael are attacked and captured; and need to escape to save their lives and the lives of their friends. This story was set in the Victorian era. I really liked both Cin and Michael as characters. Just the glimpse this story give hints at a very interesting and intricate world with a lush history. Lots of action and a tad of romance. The entrance of the goddess Morrgan made things very interesting. One of my favorite stories of the bunch. 5/5