Publisher: Roc FantasySeries: Jane Yellowrock #5
Format Read: Paperback
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: October 2, 2012
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | Barnes & Noble
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Blurb from goodreads:
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.
Bea's Thoughts:
Oy, Jane just can't catch a break. Set a few months after the events of "Raven Cursed", Jane is dealing with the loss of a friendship and the loss of a boyfriend. Then, the events of "Raven Cursed" come back to bite her in the butt and all heck breaks loose.
The story is full of action, twists, betrayal, changes, new characters, and revelations. Jane and the readers learn more about her childhood and I loved the glimpses we got, though some were heart-breaking. We learn more about skinwalkers and what happened to them. In other fiction books I've read about skinwalkers, they are typically evil but Hunter went a different route and I like it. Jane's secret that she's a skinwalker is progressively becoming less of a secret which creates its own set of problems. Jane spends much of the book in the role of detective, tracking down the unknown vamp and the origins of the mysterious disease. I liked seeing her as a detective and appreciated that she had no problem delegating the work she wasn't good at. She partners up with former Army Ranger Eli and his hacker brother Alex. They make a good team and add lots of possibilities both to Jane's personal life and her professional life. There are even hints of attraction between Jane and Eli. Although, I'm getting impatient with Jane's apparent desirability to so many males; Leo, Bruiser, Rick, and now, Eli. It's getting ridiculous that so many men want her and she wants them in return. Make a decision already! It's not adding depth or tension, it's just getting absurd. I like them all, except for Leo, and they all have pros and cons as love interests, even Leo. (DIE Leo, DIE!) I wish Hunter would cull some of the love interests and make this part of the story more realistic.
Jane and Leo are at odds for much of the story even though she's working for him and saves his life. He actively goes after her which leads to a shocking event, although in hindsight it was predictable, and results in Jane doing some serious soul-searching. I like Aggie One Feather, the Cherokee wise woman who mentors Jane; she's good for, and to, Jane. She helps Jane to understand her choices and actions and those of Leo too but leaves Jane responsible for making decisions.
Jane and Beast's relationship changes in this book, partly the result of events in the last book and partly as the result of what happens in this book. Jane and Beast often don't get along and Beast frequently denigrates Jane but in this book Beast is more distant and more dominating. We still get their typical snark but I'm worried about their future as a team. The book has a nasty ending and I'm anxious to see what happens now. Jane is in a seriously dangerous situation when the story ends and I am so glad to have the next book, ready to read.
On one side, the book is on my list and I can't wait to get to it, on the other side, the more are published, the less I'll have to wait for the end of the story :)
ReplyDeleteBook seven is out in a few weeks. :) I'm not sure if its the last one though.
ReplyDelete