Cover Reveal: Black Arts by Faith Hunter

Black Arts

by Faith Hunter

Jane Yellowrock # 7

Release Date: January 7, 2014

Jane Yellowrock is a shape-shifting skinwalker who always takes care of her own—no matter the cost....

When Evan Trueblood blows into town looking for his wife, Molly, he’s convinced that she came to see her best friend, Jane. But it seems like the witch made it to New Orleans and then disappeared without a trace.

Jane is ready to do whatever it takes to find her friend. Her desperate search leads her deep into a web of black magic and betrayal and into the dark history between vampires and witches. But the closer she draws to Molly, the closer she draws to a new enemy—one who is stranger and more powerful than any she has ever faced.

About Faith Hunter:

Faith Hunter, fantasy writer, was born in Louisiana and raised all over the south. Her Jane Yellowrock urban fantasy series features a Harley-riding, leather-wearing, Cherokee-Skinwalker vampire killing machine. The series begins with SKINWALKER, and continues with BLOOD CROSS, MERCY BLADE, RAVEN CURSED, DEATH’S RIVAL, BLOOD TRADE, and the upcoming BLACK ARTS.

Faith's Rogue Mage novels - BLOODRING, SERAPHS, and HOST - feature Thorn St. Croix, a stone mage in a post-apocalyptic, alternate reality, urban fantasy world, and is the basis for the Rogue Mage roleplaying game. And under the pen name Gwen Hunter, she writes action-adventure, mysteries, and thrillers. Altogether, Faith/Gwen has 20+ books in print in 28 countries.

Find Faith Hunter online at her website www.FaithHunter.net, on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.





While Black Arts is not my favorite cover I'm so excited that we finally get Beast on the cover. YAY! 

What do you guys think about the cover? 

Which is your favorite cover in the series?

Mine favorite is Blood Trade

  

  

Audio Review: Raven Cursed by Faith Hunter

Raven Cursed

by Faith Hunter

Jane Yellowrock #4

Narrated by Khristine Hvam Kies

Source: Purchased at Audible.com

The vampires of Asheville, North Carolina, want to establish their own clan, but since they owe loyalty to the Master Vampire of New Orleans they must work out the terms with him. To come up with an equitable solution, he sends an envoy with the best bodyguard blood money can buy: Jane Yellowrock.

But when a group of local campers are attacked by something fanged, Jane goes from escort to investigator. Unless she wants to face a very angry master vampire, she will have to work overtime to find the killer. It's a good thing she's worth every penny.

The Heroine(s): Jane's a kick ass rouge vampire hunter. She's a skinwalker which means she more than just a were. She can change into almost any animal but her beast prefers the form of a mountain lion. I find the inner monologue between Jane and Beast every interesting and well written. So instead of one heroine you get two.

The Plot: Jane is back at home in North Caroline but she can't get away from events that took place in New Orleans during Mercy Blade and she definitely can't get away from the people from New Orleans.  Leo the head vamp of the South has hired Jane as the head of security for the vampire meeting. Jane hires Derek Lee and his group of good ol' boys. Then there's Ricky Bo. Jane brought him near Ashland, NC to get help with his issue. So Jane may have left New Orleans but she brought the major players with her.

Before the vamps can have their important conference about making peace with the witches, Jane is faced with dead bodies all over town. Humans are blaming vampires but then it starts looking like werewolves might be the ones ripping the humans apart.

Since Jane is back in NC we get to see more of Molly and her family. I love Angie Baby, Molly's young daughter so I'm glad we get to see her again. We also get to see more of Big Evan, Molly's husband. In fact Molly's whole family (sisters included) into the action this time around.

The Big Bad(s): This time around we get two bad guys that Jane has to fight. Neither is easy. One is a friend that tries to harm loved ones of Jane. Another is a bad ass that happens to be a shapeshifting witch that happens to be a demon.

Jane's Love Life: Jane and Beast are still not seeing eye to eye on the mate front. If Beast has her way Jane would be sleeping with Ricky, Bruiser and Leo. After all big cats don't mate for life. Jane may have lusty thoughts about more than one man but she is a one man gal. I've never really been a fan of Ricky as the love interest. I just didn't feel the connection between him and Jane. Then he cheats on her while working a case in Mercy Blade. But I starting liking him a little in Raven Cursed.

Quotes: Evan stood at bottom of stairs with hands on hips, studying room. Saying things low under breath. More sex talk about mothers. Humans think of sex at strange times. Jane laughed. I did not understand. - Beast

"Your cat did this?"
"Yeah, she was hungry and Molly wouldn't let her eat Evangeline"
When Rick arched an eyebrow at me, I shook my head and said, "For dinner, Ricky Bo."
"Of course."

Will I Continue Series? Hell yes! Even though I'm a little frustrated with Jane's love life I'm still on board for more Beast and Jane action.

Narration: Khristine Hvam Kies continues to make this series a real enjoy to listen to. I love her voices for Beast, Angie Baby, and many others. She does an amazing job with the timing and I feel like she is acting the story out instead of just reading a book.

Audio Review: Mercy Blade by Faith Hunter

Mecry Blade

by Faith Hunter

(Jane Yellowrock #3)

Khristine Hvam (Narrator) 

Jane Yellowrock is a shape-shifting skinwalker and vampire hunter for hire. But lately instead of just slaying vampires, she’s been working for them.

Jane crosses paths with a stranger who has arrived in New Orleans, enlisted to hunt vampires who have gone insane-or so he says…

The Heroine: At first look Jane is a tough as nails herione. She sees a job that needs to be done and she does it. But on the inside she is like everyone else, looking for a place to belong and someone to love. And she does all of this while figuring out how to balance her needs/wants with her beast's needs/wants. It's not always easy.

The Love Interest(s): I've not been on tean Rick from the begining. Sure he's sexy and tough but I feel like he is the safe guy that Jane decides to spend time with. I don't really feel any real connection between the two. Jane's secret and Rick's job keeps them from reaching the next level.

Now George, aka Brusier is the one that really tempts Jane but his the blood servant of the Master Vamp of New Orleans and Jane feels that she would come last in his life. But in Mercy Blade Jane starts to see that she's not 1st on Rick's list either.

I'm still holding out for Jane and Brusier to get together. I feel like he showed us he can take care of Jane in ways that she needs. But Jane is not one to easy fall into bed with someone. So it may take sometime for her and Brusier to finally seal the deal, if they do. (Fingers crossed)

The Plot: Like the other two books in the series, Mercy Blade is full of action, mystery and a touch of romance. There's humor, horror, blood and tearful moments.

The Series: I'm now 3 books into the Jane Yellowrock series and I'm still in love with the herione and the world. I can see me enjoying this series to it's end, which is not anytime soon. Faith Hunter stated in an interview that she is contracted for at least 3 more books which would bring us to a total of 9 with possibly more. I say bring them on! Fans of UF series with strong heriones that need some love in their life need to check out Faith Hunter's Jane Yellowrock series.

Narration: Khristine Hvam IS JANE YELLOWROCK! She just knocks the narration out of the park from the timing to characters' accents. I won the next two books in paperback but I'm fighting the urge to get them in audio because I love this world on audio. I lost that battle. I now have them on audio. 

  

Click on covers to see my other reviews

Audio Review: Blood Cross by Faith Hunter

Blood Cross

by Faith Hunter

(Jane Yellowrock #2) 

Khristine Hvam (Narrator) 

Jane Yellowrock is back on the prowl against the children of the night. The vampire council has hired skinwalker Yellowrock to hunt and kill one of their own who has broken sacred ancient rules - but Jane quickly realizes that in a community that is thousands of years old, loyalties run deep.

I've found another great Urban Fantasy series and narrator. I gave book one, Skinwalker 5 Mac Halos and marked it as a favorite but Blood Cross only gets 4 Mac Halos. It was just a little slower than Skinwalker but still a great book.

When I say slower I mean the action/blood shield was a little slower. But the trade off is that we get some sexy times. Jane gets hot and heavy with not just one guy but two guys in Blood Cross. George aka Bruiser, Leon's human servant is the first to get kissy with Jane. And damn was he hot. I was rooting for him but as time went by Jane (and I) realize that it's not meant to be with George.... at least not for now.

I was a little surprised by how hot and heavy the two got. Sure she said a few times that she thought he was sexy but I never thought anything would happen between the two. I keep waiting for something to happen with Rick, the human detective that flirted with Jane from the very beginning.  But when something did finally happen with the two I felt like he was the guy she went to because he was a little more available and agreeable than George. I don't think there was as much heat to them.

With all the sexual build up with Jane and her beast during the whole book I thought if she ever got down and dirty someone it was going to be a steamy scene....but when she finally goes all the way with someone it's not even on stage. I felt ripped off. I get that most UF books don't go into great details and I'm fine with that but we got more action from her make out scenes with one guy that she didn't even sleep with.

I realize that I'm focusing more on the smexy times than the plot but those are the times that got to me the most while listening to Blood Cross. Yes the plot was good and the mystery elements was satisfying. I guess I just needed to get the relationship thing off my chest in this review.

It will be interesting to listen to Mercy Blade, since we will get to see Jane out of New Orleans. I have high hopes that I will enjoy it.

To sum up Blood Cross - Another great UF book by Faith Hunter. Lighter on the blood this time around but still full of near death action for Jane. I like where Jane is heading in her career and her learning more about her beast and getting her lost memories back. As far as the romantic parts, I'm not satisfied yet.


Narration Note: Khristine Hvam does a damn fine narration job and has become one of my favorite narrators.

Audio Review: Skinwalker by Faith Hunter

Skinwalker 

by Faith Hunter 

(Jane Yellowrock #1) 

Narrated by Khristine Hvam 

Jane Yellowrock is the last of her kind—a skinwalker of Cherokee descent who can turn into any creature she desires and hunts vampires for a living. But now she’s been hired by Katherine Fontaneau, one of the oldest vampires in New Orleans and the madam of Katie’s Ladies, to hunt a powerful rogue vampire who’s killing other vamps..

“I figured even the most jaded and cynical inhabitant might report a bloody girl in a party dress carrying a severed head by its hair.”  ~ Jane


I've read few shifter/were books where the person has a inner monologue with their beast and I love it when it happens. Faith Hunter does an fantastic job at showing the two different being that share the same skin. Skinwalker doesn't have one heroine but two, Jane the woman and her big cat.

Jane is a shifter which means she can shift into any animal but her true beast is a large cat and when Jane picks a different animal, to add her in hunt for a rouge vampire, her big cat is not happy. Jane's not sure how she and her beast became one because she doesn't remember her childhood before age 12 where she was found wandering out of the woods. There are jokes through the book that she was raised by wolves.

Skinwalker takes place in New Orleans where Jane has taken a job to hunt down and terminate a rouge vampire. The only vamps that Jane has really interacted with are the ones she kills as part of her job. So when she is hired by and has to work with the local vampire council she has to change some of her thinking about vamps. Like not calling them vamps, it's a racial slur. She also starts seeing that they are not all monsters. Some of them can even be kind of sexy....

Jane also find her self working a with a local "Joe", a human by the name of Rick and like the vampires he is more than meets the eye.

In true UF fashion there's no hot sweaty monkey sex but there is a potential for a love triangle set up. Jane is attracted to both the human and the vampire. Her cat is also interest in both men for different reasons. I'll keep reading to see which guy wins the attention of both woman and cat.

If you're looking for a well written story about an Über kick ass heroine that can land on her feet as her out look on the "enemy" is changing you will love Skinwalker.


Narration Note:
Khristine Hvam does an amazing good with the narration of Skinwalker. Only after a couple of chapters I could not picture anyone else bring Jane to life. She also does a great job with the male voices.