Review: Blood Trade

Reviewed by Jen
 

Jane Yellowrock really is a well done urban fantasy series, and this latest installment delivers in almost every way.  It's well written, with a smart plot, and intricate story telling.  The world-building is good; the continuity is great; and the characters are fleshed out and sympathetic.

As the story begins, Jane's beast is still bound to master vamp Leo, and it's just one of many reasons she is depressed.  She's still sad about her break-up with Rick; she misses her lost friend Molly; and she is devastated by Bruiser's betrayal since he helped Leo forcibly bind her.  Basically, the only good things in her life are Eli and the Kid.  But things start to turn around when she decides to take an out-of-town job in Natchez with her new back-up crew.

There are still plague-infected vamps floating around Natchez as well as some Naturaleza vampires who like to suck their victims dry.  And more than 100 humans have gone missing. Jane agrees to work for Hieronymus to root out the errant vampires.  She quickly discovers it won't be a simple mission. Somehow, the vamps have mutated into monstrous hybrids that are very difficult to kill.  Not only that, she has a personal connection to the problem.

Shortly after she arrives in Natchez, Jane is greeted by Misha and Bobby, who both attended the group home where she grew up.  Bobby is mentally disabled and Jane always had a soft spot for him. Misha helps care for him as she raises a sick daughter and is trying to write a book on vampires.  She asks for Jane's help, presumably to help care for her child's medical bills. But once she goes missing, Jane feels like she owes it to Bobby and the little girl to bring her back home.

The plot is complicated, but it's not murky.  As Jane digs to uncover the mystery of the mutant vamps, we learn more about the vampire origin story; the witches get involved; and of course, Jane's skinwalker heritage plays a role.  And in the middle of all of this, Bruiser and Rick end up front and center, representing their own interests in cleaning up the Natchez mess.

This is the only part of the story that didn't work for me.  This is a love triangle that never really gets off the ground.  There's angst, angst, and more angst... with absolutely no payoff.  Jane wants both men at the same time that a relationship with either guy is impossible. She's hurt; she's jealous; she's depressed, angry, and miserable.  And... nothing.  No movement.  I feel like a hamster in a wheel with her love life.

Everything else rocked.  The action is great. The dynamic with Eli and the Kid is great.  I loved Bobby and the tender feelings he evoked in Jane.  I loved the resolution with Evan.  I loved the explanation on the mutant vampires.  I loved the holy water cannon. I loved Beast.  The book is really very good. But I am hitting critical mass on the romance angle.  Fish. Or. Cut. Bait.

Rating: B+

*ARC Provided by Roc

Click to purchase: Amazon

Blood Trade

by Faith Hunter

Release Date: April 2, 2013

Publisher: Roc

Review: Death's Rival

Reviewed by Jen
 

I have to say, I didn't love the last Jane Yellowrock book, but this one came back for me with a vengeance. I was absolutely enthralled in the story from the beginning to the unexpected ending --which left me gaping like a fish.

This latest installment follows Jane as she investigates a mysterious illness that is infecting some of the vampires. It seems an unnamed vamp is making a power-play, using the illness to force other vampires to swear fealty to him. Leo thinks it's the same person who attacked his people and he wants the threat identified and neutralized.  Even though Jane was planning to stop working for him, the money was too good to pass up one last job.

There's a lot going on here. One of my big complaints in the last book was how Jane's personal life felt ignored for much of the book. Not here.  Jane is mourning the loss of Rick (though to be honest, I hadn't realized they had broken up.)  She is still crazy-hot for Bruiser. And there is even a new guy in the mix (I'll get to that in a minute.)  The Rick issue didn't bother me -- I have never been a big fan of his and after the whole cheating thing, I was ready for him to get lost.  Bruiser, on the other hand... Well, I've always had a soft spot for Bruiser.  But every time I feel the slightest bit validated in these feelings, Faith Hunter pees in my Cheerios and reminds me that he will never put Jane first. And while the near-sexual encounters are hot, they're getting old.  Do it, don't do it, or move on.

Then, all of a sudden there is Eli. At this point, I started having Anita Blake flashbacks. No, wait, hear me out.  The writing here is much, much better here. There is no comparison on that front. And Jane is not having dirty monkey sex with 15 guys.  But... every time I open one of these books, I am hoping that we'll narrow down her pool of potential love interests.  And instead, it keeps growing.  Add to that, the very premise that Jane is a former vampire hunter who now uses her bad-ass killing skill to work for her one-time enemy.  Add to that, she is beginning to sympathize with the monsters.  She becomes part of their clan.  And she's got all kinds of really conflicted personal morality she is trying to work out. It is very reminiscent of pre-porn Anita in those ways.  (Though again, with much better writing.)

I don't understand Jane's choices, especially in the second half. Something Very Disturbing happens to her and it utterly baffles me why she does not cut her losses and get the hell out of dodge  Why she would want to do anything for Person-X after what happens makes no sense to me. She should hate that person! And then, in the end, she's really screwed. (*sigh*)

Though I didn't love everything that happened, I most assuredly did not want to put this book down. And I am scared eager to see what happens next.

Rating: B+

*ARC Provided by Roc 

Click to purchase: Amazon

Death's Rival

by Faith Hunter

Release Date: October 2, 2012

Publisher: Roc

Chat & Giveaway with Faith Hunter

The newest installment in the Jane Yellowrock series is just a week away! And Faith Hunter is joining us today to answer the questions fans want to know and to share a copy of Death's Rival. Please help me welcome her to the blog.

Q. Why hasn’t Jane gotten with Bruiser?

A. Rick and Bruiser and Leo. What a conundrum. Jane is a healthy, unrepressed female, who respects her body and her souls, so she will eventually pick at least one guy, but even I don’t know which guy(s) yet.

All the men are a big part of her life. Jane likes one guy (Rick) but she can’t have him. Her Beast likes another guy or two (Bruiser and Leo) so it’s hard to pick. And Beast assures Jane that, “Big-cats do not mate for life.” However, at this stage in her life, Jane doesn’t sleep around. She’s a little too uptight and reserved for that. But she is a sexual being. And men like her.

Q. What about Rick LaFleur is attractive to Jane?

A. Rick is free (or was until recently) and he is human (or was until recently) and he could have given his all to Jane, in a relationship where she would not have been used (as she surely would be with Leo) and will be first in his life (unlike with Bruiser who would be loyal to Leo). She wants to be first in a man’s life. Rick fights crime and understands the fact that Jane does so, as well, even if she is going about it via different route. They have a lot in common. 

Q. You have graphic violence, but avoid graphic sex and cursing, an unusual choice that makes the books widely accessible. Why?

A. Oy. Lots of reasons. In no particular order: Emotional, but also physical violence, were part of my young home life. Dad taught me to shoot guns at age 12 in an outbreak of rabies in our rural county. As eldest I had to be ready to protect my brothers from rabid animals as well as human predators. Also, I was bullied in school because I was a Christian and had to stand up, without violence, to the bullies. In my heart-of-hearts, I wanted to bash the bullies, but I couldn’t, so I do on the pages I write. I have internal demons (my own spiritual but evil Beast) that I want to kill, and I kill it over and over on the page. 

As to sex? LKH writes great sex. Never ever boring. And she never uses crass or popular names for body parts, making her sex read like poetry. Most written sex is boring after a while, IMHO, and hers is never boring! When I write sex it makes me laugh. Not what I wanted. I do however write good sexual tension, so I write to my strengths. 

As to language: Language is a tool. If it brings in more readers then it is a good tool. If it pushes away even one reader then it is a bad tool. I can just as easily say, she cursed, or she swore. As long as I don’t overdo, no one misses the actual cuss words. And readers who would be offended by the words themselves are not offended and buy my books. It’s good business. And yes, I do cuss myself. But I am sparing with the use. It’s a tool to be wielded, not a crutch.

Q. Vampires, New Orleans. It’s been done before. How do you keep it fresh?

A. New Orleans is amazing. Every time I drive through I see something new that has been there all along. I literally ride with my head hanging out the window to capture the sights and smells, camera in hand. How can anyone not love NOLA? It is amazing! And it reinvents itself yearly, so fresh is easy.

Q. Will there be more books in this series?

A. After DEATH’S RIVAL, I have two more books under contract. After that, well, it all depends on the readers and how faithful they are to the series. Fans make or break books, and writers live on their joy and love of books. If fans buy books and tell their friends to buy books, then a writer gets contracts. So far, Jane Yellowrock is selling, If I do my job well and the fans like it well enough to do theirs, then yes. I can only hope!

So here are the deets on the new book:

Jane Yellowrock is a shapeshifting skinwalker you don’t want to cross—especially if you’re one of the undead…

For a vampire killer like Jane, having Leo Pellisier as a boss took some getting used to. But now, someone is out to take his place as Master Vampire of the city of New Orleans, and is not afraid to go through Jane to do it. After an attack that’s tantamount to …a war declaration, Leo knows his rival is both powerful and vicious, but Leo’s not about to run scared. After all, he has Jane.

But then, a plague strikes, one that takes down vampires and makes their masters easy prey. Now, to uncover the identity of the vamp who wants Leo’s territory, and to find the cause of the vamp-plague, Jane will have to go to extremes…and maybe even to war.

Want to give it a try?  Just fill out the Rafflecopter form below. US only please. In the meantime, you can find Faith online and on social media:


Website:  http://www.faithhunter.net
Twitter:   http://twitter.com/HunterFaith
Facebook page for Faith:    http://www.facebook.com/official.faith.hunter

And if you haven't tried the Jane Yellowrock series before, check out my review of book one: Skinwalker.
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Review: Raven Cursed

Reviewed by Jen
 

I know there is more to the Jane Yellowrock series than just her love life. I really do. But going into this book, all I could think about was whether Jane was going to end up with Rick now that he's "big-cat" or if she'll kick his big honking cheating ass to the curb. Will Bruiser be there to stake his claim? Will those two finally cross the finish line? So in deference to these burning questions, I'll say right off the bat that after reading this book, I am wholly dissatisfied with this entire element of the plot. Rick's actions in the last book are explained away far too easily. Even more frustrating, is the fact that Jane is unwilling or unable to assess her feelings for the two men in question. There. Is. No. Resolution. Not even a clear destination. But before I start gritting my teeth too loudly, let me talk about the rest of the book.

As the story begins, Jane is back in her hometown of Ashville, SC, where she is tasked to handle security for some important vampire-talks. But just as things get started, bodies start popping up. The culprits are the last two surviving werewolves from Mercy Blade. They've followed Jane, it seems, to get revenge for her killing the rest of their pack. Rick is in the area, learning how to be a big cat from Ken-whatshisname... the African panther, whose wife was responsible for infecting Rick in the first place.

The first third of the book just didn't jump out and grab me. Maybe because we were removed from the New Orleans gang and it took me a while to care about what was happening in South Carolina. Maybe it was because I was distracted, waiting for something to happen in Jane's love life. Regardless, things began to improve once we get into the meat of Evie's storyline. Yes, the wicked witch is back. We finally find out what her deal is --and it's a whopper. Evie also spices things up because she brings Molly and her family into the mix. And who doesn't love Angie Baby?

There is also some good stuff happening between Jane and her Beast. A lot less attention is paid to the mechanics of the shifts, which is cool. Jane and Beast come to really appreciate the strength they have as one unit... but without getting into details, I was a bit confused by a problem between them at the end of the book.

The plot and the action were really good in the second half... and it reminded my why I like this series. Jane is tough as nails; she's fierce and loyal; and it's so sad to see how truly fragile her connections are to others. I'm really curious to see what will happen for her next. (And hopefully, we'll gain a little ground in the relationship department. Please.) Almost 4 stars.

*ARC provided by Ace

Click to purchase: Amazon

Raven Cursed

by Faith Hunter

Release Date: January 3, 2012

Publisher: Ace

Review: Mercy Blade

Reviewed by Jen
 

Faith Hunter has done it again: kept me at the edge of my seat, sending me on a journey of twists and turns through the latest installment in her Jane Yellowrock series, Mercy Blade.

Our story picks up shortly after Blood Cross ended. Jane is now in a relationship with NOPD cop Rick LeFleur.  And she has decided to move to New Orleans, for at least the next six months, to work as a security consultant for Master Vampire of the City, Leo.  Jane is crazy about Rick, but things aren’t perfect between them. He doesn’t know she is a shapeshifter and they don’t get to spend much time together because of some secret assignment he is working for the police.

The big news here is that the were-creatures of the world have decided to come out of the closet.  And Leo is staging talks with the were-cats. Jane is to handle security for the big event.  Leo has a long history of bad blood with the were-wolves, however.  He sends Jane to meet with a mysterious man at a bar –to give him the message to leave town. When she gets there, though, it’s full of werewolves and she mistakenly delivers the message to them.  They would have killed her if Gee (the true mystery man) hadn’t stepped in and saved her.

Like with every book in this series so far, there is so much going on. Rick goes missing… leaving Jane to question if he’s in danger, if he’s undercover, and/or if he is blowing her off. There is layer upon layer of intrigue surrounding vamp politics and where the weres fit in. And let’s not forget Bruiser, Leo’s human servant.  There is something very, very hot going on between him and Jane.  There is still no on-page sex to speak of, but these two absolutely sizzle when they are together.  Just one dance scene between them generates enough heat to make you melt.

As much as I enjoyed it… and I really did… I have to point out that I need a little help getting excited about Rick. For two books in a row, we’ve been treated to close-call encounters between Jane and Bruiser. But we haven’t seen that betwen Jane and Rick. We’ve had narrative saying more has happened, but it’s all off page. I’m not saying Bruiser is right for Jane. All of her reservations about him are warranted, but I do wish the author would help me out in rooting for Rick as a HEA. The closest we’ve had to a love scene with him was with the mayor’s wife in book one.

There are many revelations –especially in the second half of the book. All of them make perfect sense, but I didn’t see any of them coming.(I won’t spoil you, though.)  And the very last line opens the door to huge possibilities in the next book.  If you are a Jane Yellowrock fan, you won’t want to miss this one. 5 stars.

Review: Blood Cross

Reviewed by Jen
 

Jane Yellowrock seems to be making herself indispensable to the vampire community. Which is a little ironic considering she is a vampire hunter.  She is fresh off the heels of killing a shapeshifter, masquerading as the son of the Master Vampire of the City of New Orleans, Leo. Now, she has been tasked by the vampire council with figuring out who has been creating new vampires and letting them run wild in the city. Oh, and did I mention that Leo has gone ’round-the-bend crazy since he found out his son is dead? And he blames Jane.

But despite Leo’s crazy-factor, Jane has a job to do. And Leo’s human servant Bruiser is there to help her do it.  (There is a very, very hot limo scene between the two of them which may have been the high point of the book for me. But I digress.) 

Jane’s best friend (and witch) Molly is staying with Jane, along with Molly’s two kids.  Witches are a big focus of the book in general… as several witch kids go missing –which may or may not have something to do with the rogue vamp-maker.  Oh, and rounding out our cast of characters is Rick LaFleur, who we found out at the end of Skinwalker is a cop.  There’s still a spark between him and Jane. And unlike Bruiser, he doesn’t have a vampire (or anyone else) in his life that he’ll put before her. (*Spoiler*) I have say, I’m not terribly disappointed that Jane chooses Rick in the end. But I am VERY disappointed that their loving takes place entirely off page. Our author gave us a very sexy scene in the book with Bruiser and I was sweating even though he didn’t get past second base. Now finally Jane gets some action, and we don’t get to be there… not even for the warm-up? I feel robbed.

I enjoyed this sequel as much as I liked the original. Jane has a unique voice, made even more distinct by the voice of her Beast.  It was great to see her expand her humanity with Molly and the kids. And I hope we continue to learn more about her roots.  5 stars.

Review: Skinwalker

Reviewed by Jen
 

There is much more to Jane Yellowrock than meets the eye. She makes no secret that she is a rogue vampire killer and her appearance makes her Cherokee heritage obvious. But no one but her best friend Molly knows that Jane is also a shapeshifter.  Jane knows very little of her past. She was found wandering the woods, naked, at age 12. She did not know language. And she lived out the rest of her teen years in a Christian girls’ school.

She’s been out school about 10 years and she is in New Orleans to hunt a vampire who is killing humans and ravaging their bodies. She has been contracted by the vampire council there; specifically by Katie the vamp, who runs a brothel.  During the course of her investigation, Jane encounters many new faces. Rick is a sexy Cajun who has taken an interest in Jane. He is nephew to Katie’s human servant, Tom. But Rick is a man with a lot of secrets and turning women’s heads comes too easily to him. –Leo is the master vampire of New Orleans.  He is 700 years old and is very curious about Jane. She is attracted to him; but doesn’t want to be. After all, he’s dead. –And then there’s “Bruiser,” Leo’s human servant, who is sexy in his own right. And he, too, wants a ride on the Jane train.  All three guys are sexy and interesting and it’s easy to see the “why’s” and “why not’s” Jane has to consider when dealing with her attraction to each.

Now, don’t get me wrong. This is definitely an Urban Fantasy and not a Paranormal Romance. Sadly, there is no sex in this book. But there is plenty of sex-y. And there is a lot of action and character development. It is interesting that the story is written with Jane’s inner beast as an entirely different entity. The different writing style for its perspective took me a little while to get used to.  Now Beast is just like any other character to me.

I thought the ending was a great surprise and opens up a whole new storyline for Blood Cross.   This is a great new series that I hope will have many future installments. 5 stars.

Click to purchase: Amazon

Skinwalker

by Faith Hunter

Release Date: July 7, 2009

Publisher:Roc

Series Reading Order: Jane Yellowrock

Here is the reading order for the Jane Yellowrock series by Faith Hunter:

• *Kits
• *Signatures of the Dead (Strange Brew)
• Skinwalker
• Blood Cross
• Mercy Blade
• Raven Cursed
• Death's Rival 
• Blood Trade

*Denotes short story/novella