Skinwalker

This book has the feel of a Mercy Thompson novel, and it gets many things right. The things it get right are not exceptional, but they are entertaining nonetheless, since the PNR genre is sorely lacking in good writing.

The heroine is a typical badass vampire hunter, stronger and faster then vampires even. She is not entirely human, and even among her kind, which there seems to be none, she is special. She has the spirit of a mystical being residing inside her, which makes her extraordinarily good at her job.

The narrative has a sobering feel. The author develops each character just enough to make them feel a little more then pieces of writing in a paper. The protagonist is intelligent, for instance, the scenes where she managed to keep some of her weapons even after close inspection. Also, she immediately looked for hidden cameras when she arrived at her employer given residency.

Jane goes right into business, first scoping the local area, then trying to establish contacts who could her her in her investigation.

BUT, all of this falls flat by the incredibly overly descriptive writing. Jane's introspective narration even when she shapeshifts, takes pages and pages away from a good plot or character development. It adds nothing to the book. Empathy can be established with a few words.

This felt more like the author was in a writing challenge, trying to hone in her scene description skills. And they aren't very good either.

Add to that very quickly her love interest was introduced in the plot, and he is the typical alpha male, good looking, scoundrel, no woman has ever rejected, cowboy style bad boy.

At leats up until I read, nothing was indicating that this is just a cheap excuse for smutty romance.

read 2:06 / 14:00 15%

This book has been on my to be read list for quite a while. I loved it! It worked out that I waited so long to read it, because now there are quite a few more in the series for me to read. Yay! Jane Yellowrock was hired by the vampire council in New Orleans to kill a rogue vampire terrorizing the city. It feeds on humans AND vampires, so is it a rogue? Or something else?

Hired to hunt a killer of vampires, Jane Yellowrock hopes to kill it before it kills her.

Jane Yellowrock pulls into New Orleans looking for a killer. Hired by the local vampire clan to kill whomever or whatever is killing vampires, she begins the hunt. Jane can turn into any animal she wants to. Before long she is on the trail of the killer and it leads right back to her door.

Jane is staying at one of the local vampire brothels. She has a shadow who wants to “help” with the case. The head of the vampire clan is keeping close tabs on her. Someone keeps putting cameras everywhere. Oh and the killer just paid a visit to the brothel and sliced and diced some people.

Jane is looking for answers and she is not liking the responses.

I have to thank Karen for hooking me on to Faith Hunter and the “Jane Yellowrock” series. Karen got me the first book in the series Skinwalker (Ace Books, 9780451462800, 2009) and I am hooked. If you like Laurell K. Hamilton's Anita Blake, then you will like Jane Yellowrock. Yellowrock does not have all of the sex that Blake has (she has none), but the attitude and conundrums are the same.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I enjoyed the interaction between Jane and her Beast. The mystery of who Jane is, and her path of self-discovery. Her chemistry with Leo, Bruiser, and Rick is tantalizing. I think Jodi and Jane could make good friends if Jane allows it. I also think that it will be fun to see what happens down the road with the lady vampire. (giggle)

I cannot wait to read the next one. Thanks again to Karen for introducing me to Faith Hunter and Jane Yellowrock. I now have another strong heroine to add to my collection. ✶✶✶✶