Last year Jane nearly lost her life taking down a deadly family of vampires who preyed on the helpless local populace. Now, after months of recuperation, she's back and ready to fight again. Except this time, she's been hired by those she's trained to kill--vampires.
Jane Yellowrock is the last of her kind--a skinwalker of Cherokee descent who can turn into any creature she desires--and hunts the undead for a living. But now she's been hired by Katherine Fonteneau, one of the oldest vampires in New Orleans and the madam of Katie's Ladies, to hunt a powerful rogue vampires who's killing other vamps.
Amidst a bordello full of real "ladies of the night", and a hot Cajun biker with a panther tattoo who stirs her carnal desire, Jane must stay focused and complete her mission...or else the next skin she'll need to save may be her own.
Obtained: Bought
Genre: Fantasy/Mystery/Romance
Series: Jane Yellowrock
1. Skinwalker
2. Blood Cross (book review)
3. Mercy Blade (book review)
My Rating:
An amazing start to a hopefully spectacular series! There were a few things that I personally wish were included/different, which is why it's not A+, but Skinwalker is wonderfully written and so enjoyable that I ordered the second book in the series as soon as I possibly could. Definitely a must read for everyone--especially for those who loved the Mercy Thompson series!Story:
Jane's a skinwalker who is also a vamp killer for a living. Ironically, a vampire named Katie is her new employer in this tale, and Jane finds herself traveling on her beloved motorcycle to New Orleans to hunt down a vampire gone rogue. There she meets a plethora of intriguing side characters ranging from the lackeys (Bruiser and Troll) to the head of the vamps himself, Leo.
In this intricate modern world, vampires and witches have exposed themselves to humanity. There are specific laws that have been imposed, and special agencies have been developed to monitor and learn more about these mystical creatures. We don't see as much about witches in this novel due to the fact that Hunter dives straight into the vampire world, and Jane seems to be learning alongside her readers about this society of bloodsuckers.
With the help of Beast, her mountain lion counter-part, the duo must hunt down a rogue vampire for the council. Not only that, but Jane soon begins to confront a hazy past, including coping with how she and Beast really became one.
What I think:
I feel Hunter weaves such an interesting world that is easy to grasp. You aren't bombarded with a bunch of names that star in this novel for a total of three lines, only to be forgotten by the next page, which makes me appreciate each and every character's role that much more.
Beast, for example, plays an integral role in this book. There are a few sections dedicated to her transformation and thought processes during the hunts that she partakes in. Initially I didn't like the way Beast's scenes were written. I felt the writing was choppy, which I understood was to further separate Jane and Beast. I think Hunter succeeded in doing so, but it was strange to get used to. Once I did get a feel for both Jane and Beast, however, I loved the scenes where we saw through this mountain lion's eyes.
One thing in particular that I enjoyed was the separation between Jane and Beast later in the book. Initially Jane is simply a badass, but as the story progresses and we learn more about her life, a more vulnerable side to Jane's character is revealed. This vulnerability is most prominent when Beast is in control.
Even in a book that's packed with action, Hunter makes time for Jane's love life. There isn't sex. There is no set "mate" for Jane, which makes her story/character that much more believable. While I didn't particularly enjoy Bruiser's little flirtations with Jane (primarily because I like Jane/Rick and Jane/Leo) I must say that what I appreciate the most in the romance department is that Hunter teases her readers. Jane isn't the type of character to fall head over heels over a guy, letting him consume her every action, and it shows in this book. Perhaps in later books (since this will be a series) we'll see more interaction between the love interests.
- Paperback: Mass Market - 336 pages
- Price: $7.99
- ISBN-10: 0451462807
- ISBN-13: 978-0451462800
- Released: July 7 2009
- Faith Hunter's Website
- Buy it at Penguin.com
- Buy it at Amazon.com
About the Author
This really sounds awesome :) I read the Mercy Thompson series the other day, and LOVED it ... now I need a new fix, hehe. I remember now that what put me off buying this series was reading on Amazon that quite a few people weren't into the Beast's dialogue either, and said it took some getting used to. Thanks for the insightful review, think I'll give this one a try!
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