Book Review: True Dead by Faith Hunter

 

From the publisher:

Jane Yellowrock goes back to the city where it all began in the newest installment of this thrilling New York Times bestselling series.

Jane used to hunt vampires, but now she’s their queen. She’s holed up in the mountains with the Yellowrock Clan, enjoying a little peace, when a surprise attack on her people proves that trouble is brewing. Someone is using very old magic to launch a bid for power, and it’s all tied to the place where Jane was first drawn into the world of Leo Pellissier—the city of New Orleans.

Jane is compelled to return to NOLA because someone is trying to destabilize the paranormal world order. And because she now sits near the top of the vampire world, the assault is her problem. She will do what she must to protect what’s hers. Her city. Her people. Her power. Her crown.

True Dead by Faith Hunter was published September 14th, 2021 by Ace.

My thoughts:

This is the fourteenth book in the Jane Yellowrock series and the second to last novel in the series. That it's been so long running shows that there are readers who enjoy it as well as a talented author.

The world building is detailed and complex. There are many cultures and magic systems. For Jane, the center of it all is New Orleans. It's where things started and where things may end. As the Dark Queen, Jane is responsible for many different people and beings. And because she is the Dark Queen she will be challenged. It's hard to keep the many cultures straight. Lucky for her she has people to help with that.

Jane herself is not just Jane. Beast also resides within her. The relationship between the two has changed over the years and is complex. Both of them continue to grow as more responsibility is thrust upon them. It's interesting to watch how they view the same situations differently.

There's plenty of action in the book. It seems a little slow at first, but it picks up soon enough. With each action scene, the stakes seem to get higher. 

This book should not be read as a standalone. There are plot points that refer to previous occurrences in the series. While some explanation is given, there's so much more richness to be gotten from reading other books in the series first.

Overall I gave this book 5 out of 5 stars. It's a well written, complex piece of urban fantasy. If you have read other books in the series, this is a must -read. If you like urban fantasy, you will probably enjoy this series.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.