Review: Dark Queen by Faith Hunter

Dark Queen by Faith Hunter is the 12th book in the Jane Yellowrock series. This is not a standalone type novel. It's definitely a part of a series and is a culmination of some plot points. It would seem this was originally to be the last book in the series, but part way through they decided to add two more books to it. It is still a very good book.

Leo, the master of the city of New Orleans, has been challenged to a blood challenge called the Sangre Duello by the leader of the European vampires. This is serious. If Leo and his people lose, then New Orleans will come under the European vamps control and people will suffer - humans, witches, vampires, everyone.

Jane, as Leo's enforcer, is very much involved in the preparations for the challenge. She is having to learn to accept that she can't control everything and must delegate.

The action is virtually nonstop. It starts early on with Jane answering the door and being shot at. It doesn't seem to let up much until after the challenge has been met. It's a fast-paced read.

I liked it all. Jane's flippancy infects Leo's handling of things but in a calculated way.  I also liked the conversations she has with Beast who is "good ambush hunter" among other things. The touch of romance is nice and gives a brief respite from the action. There is also a subplot involving a possible blood relation of Jane's.

Is the ending a cliffhanger? In many ways, yes. It's still very readable as it is. I do look forward to the next book to see how the issues are resolved.

Overall, I give this book 4 out of 5 stars. It's a class act, well-written with good characterization. It kept my attention and piqued my interest as to where the series will go from here. Do not read this as your first Jane Yellowrock book ever.

Dark Queen by Faith Hunter was released May 1st, 2018 by Ace.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. This in no way influences my opinions. This is my honest review.

Waiting on Wednesday #117: Shadow Rites by Faith Hunter

"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly event hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine where we spotlight upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating.

This week the title I am waiting on is another urban fantasy title: Shadow Rites by Faith Hunter. This is book #10 in the Jane Yellowrock series. It's due out April 5, 2016 from Roc.

Synopsis from Goodreads.com:
Slaying vampires is child’s play for skinwalker Jane Yellowrock. But handling the complicated politics of New Orleans’ supernatural players is another story...

Jane is keeping the peace between visiting groups of witches and vamps in the city, but then trouble comes knocking on her doorstep. When her house is magically attacked, the wild chase to find her assailants unearths a mystery that has literally been buried deep.

A missing master vampire, presumed long deceased, is found chained in a pit...undead, raving mad, and in the company of two human bodies. Now it’s up to Jane to find out who kept the vampire hidden for so long and why, because the incident could tip already high supernatural tensions to an all-out arcane war.

Why am I waiting on this book? Well, it's book #10 in another series that I've grown to like. I still haven't read all of the novels from the beginning. I picked up the series with book #9, Dark Heir. Dark Heir was action packed, never a dull moment.

Faith Hunter also has a collection of short stories coming out in February 2016 called Blood in Her Veins where all the stories take place in the world of Jane Yellowrock. There are 19 stories in the collection.

What book are you waiting on this week? Share it or a link in the comments so we can check it out and maybe add it to our ever-growing TBR lists. Happy Reading!

Review: Dark Heir by Faith Hunter

In Dark Heir by Faith Hunter, the action starts pretty much from the moment you start the book. There is a brief respite from time to time, but basically it’s a quick moving, action filled book. This is book 9 in the Jane Yellowrock series.

Jane Yellowrock, owner and active manager of Yellowrock Securities provides security for the Master of the City, that is to say, the head vampire of the city. She and her officers are called to headquarters because of an altercation on a lower level. Things go from bad to worse and next thing they know, the team is hunting the Son of Darkness, one of the biggest, baddest vampires ever.

Synopsis from Publisher:

Shapeshifting skinwalker Jane Yellowrock is the best in the business when it comes to slaying vampires. But her latest fanged foe may be above her pay grade…

For centuries, the extremely powerful and ruthless vampire witches of the European Council have wandered the Earth, controlling governments, fostering war, creating political conflict, and often leaving absolute destruction in their wake. One of the strongest of them is set to create some havoc in the city of New Orleans, and it’s definitely personal.

Jane is tasked with tracking him down. With the help of a tech wiz and an ex-Army ranger, her partners in Yellowrock Securities, she’ll have to put everything on the line, and hope it’s enough. Things are about to get real hard in the Big Easy.

Review: The book is well written. The pace is quick. The characters are well rounded. Alex is her go to tech man and his brother Eli is her partner in action. Bruiser is her “something,” her romantic interest. There isn’t much of what you would consider gooey romance here, but there is definitely a developing relationship between the two. And for those of you who prefer your books sex free, keep looking. There aren’t many sex scenes, but when those that are in the book are pretty hot.

Jane is a tough woman. A Cherokee shapeshifting skinwalker, Jane has an alternate shape of a mountain lion. This gives her an advantage over regular people in regards to senses, strength, and healing. She can be one of the guys. But in the end, she is also still a woman who will cry when it’s appropriate, and hang with her besties.

I give this book 4 stars for the action, the characters, and the writing. There is humor in the mix. The way she and others call the vampires suckheads is just one example. This was the first Jane Yellowrock book that I’ve read and I really enjoyed it. It can function as a stand-alone novel. I can only imagine that if you’ve been following the series it would be even better. The book was released April 7, 2015 by Roc. More about the author and her books can be found at Faithhunter.net

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book in exchange for my unbiased opinion.