Review & Giveaways: Shadow Rites by Faith Hunter

Series: Jane Yellowrock #10
Publisher: Roc
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: April 5, 2016
Challenges: Finishing the Series Reading Challenge | NetGalley & Edelweiss Reading Challenge
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | OmniLit* | iTunes* | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound | BAM |
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

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.

Bea's Thoughts:

The story starts off running fast and barely slows down. There's enough action to suit any action lovers but there's story and character development too. Hunter has a written a nearly perfect urban fantasy novel; there's a world full of paranormal beings, some original and some familiar; characters who are fleshed out and interesting; topics that are relevant; and a wonderful mix of action, mystery, humor, family, and romance.

I know I've said it before but it's still true: Jane keeps growing and evolving, she's not stale or stagnant. I love the changes in her while also loving the core traits that remain. Hunter doesn't forget about the other characters; they're complex and multi-faceted too. Additionally, we get different perspectives on characters. As Jane evolves, as events happen and ripple throughout her world, Jane's perspective, and thus ours, changes. Characters I was sure I could never like now look forward to seeing again while ones I delighted in I'm now leary of. As much as I enjoy the action, it's really the characters that keep me coming back; they're original, fresh, and fascinating.

A couple of notes:

1. If you happen to be new to the series, don't start with this book. "Shadow Rites" takes loose threads and assorted events from earlier books and short stories and brings them together, providing us with answers and moving the series along. Things I'd forgotten about suddenly crop up again or have a significance I never realized. 
2. Related to that, there are references to events that occurred in some of the short stories set in this world. You don't need to have read them to follow the story but you may find that this story contains references you don't understand. The story will still work I think, just be prepared for things you don't know.

So much happens that at times I needed a cheat sheet to keep up, but it was worth the ride. "Shadow Rites" kept me up late several nights in a row, needing to see what happened next and what snarkiness Jane would whip out. Grab your own copy and make yourself comfortable; "Shadow Rites" is almost 400 pages of entertainment and pleasure that will keep you glued..

About Faith Hunter

Faith Hunter, fantasy writer, was born in Louisiana and raised all over the south. She writes three Urban Fantasy series: the Skinwalker series, featuring Jane Yellowrock, a Cherokee skinwalker who hunts rogue vampires. The Soulwood series, featuring earth magic user Nell Ingram. And the Rogue Mage novels, a dark, urban, post-apocalyptic, fantasy series featuring Thorn St. Croix, a stone mage. (There is a role playing game based on the series, ROGUE MAGE.)

Under the pen name Gwen Hunter, she writes action-adventure, mysteries, and thrillers. As Faith and Gwen, she has 30+ books in print in 29 countries.

Hunter writes full-time, tries to keep house, and is a workaholic with a passion for travel, jewelry making, white-water kayaking, and writing. She and her husband love to RV, traveling with their rescued Pomeranians to whitewater rivers all over the Southeast.

  

Giveaway #1

The publisher is giving away one print copy, US only, no PO Boxes please. Please read our Giveaway and Privacy Policies. Giveaway ends Saturday April 16th at 11:59PM EST. Enter using the widget below.

Giveaway # 2

There is a tour-wide giveaway for 1 complete set of the Jane Yellowrock series (all 10 novels!), plus one $100 Amazon or Barnes & Noble gift card. Enter here - http://www.ltpromos.com/2016/03/13/faith-hunters-shadow-rites-blog-tour/ (scroll down to find the rafflecopter widget)

a Rafflecopter giveaway