Black Arts ( Jane Yellowrock 7 ) by Faith Hunter

Hello to all,

                  Already February.. time is litteraly flying while i'm trying to remodel  the house to make it easier for my mother so the January wrap up will be up but another day ( i do plan not to forget those in 2016^^;;).

Today i'm sharing my opinion on another sequel i had in my pile from a favourite series of mine: Jane Yellowrock series focusing on her witch friend ( which make this oen perfect for not only one but 3 challenges^^)

Happy reading!

Publisher: Roc

Publication: 2014

ISBN:  0451465245

Genre: urban fantasy
Violence: strong
Language: mild
sex: mild
Public: 18+

Source: gifted

Short description from goodreads :

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.

My opinion:

          Faith hunter really created a engaging world that you take pleasure to visit again and again....that being said  it also get more complicated with each installment so i do recommend to read this series in order.... i did and simply because  of the time i took between the book i was a little lost  a time or two during this story.

The plot was good and i really enjoying but there were a few things that got me disappointment with this installment.... first: the repetition... So far it has never been that repetitive and if the character Jane herself think it’s getting old i let you imagien what it is for the reader.... i can admit it was an important element but too much is too much. Speaking of “too much”.... i couldn’t stand Jane’s reaction to Rick anymore... after everything that happened  precedently i don’t see how she could be reacting like she is. I wanted to shake her until she found her mind again... and Beast wasn’t that efficient on that part^^. She can’t stay naïve like that it’s really too stupid!

That being said here were part i loved as well, Beast is as always funny and we want more of her remarks. I also really apreciated all teh allusion about jean Lafitte as you know i’ve learned a lot about him thanksto the series by Suzanne Johnson so having him cited here was a pure treat even if i’m not sure i would like to discover he is a vampire in Jane ‘s World... i don’t know why. Still the fact it played well with the New Orleans history was more than enjoyable ...and lastly...Angie...this littel girl isa real light in Jane’s universe but she is also giving her a lot of worries and it sound like it will only get worse as she master her powers more and more.

There were touching moments, some angsty one, some funnier so, when eveything is put together, it was a good read even if not my favourite and i definitively plan to continue the series.

Score:  3,5/5

Disclaimer: All opinions are my own and no compensation was received in exchange for this review

Challenges:

Dirty magic (The Prospero’s War 1) by Jaye Wells

Hello to all!

 It's not that often that i can read a recent release so when i win one i'm really delighted....Dirty Magic's blurb really caught my interest so when i finally could hold it i was jumping everywhere.  I should learn to be more patient but the Ides of March read-a-thon was the perfect excuse to start reading it  without more wait.

Another reason i didn't wait any longer to satify my curiosity is that this book fit perfectly the witches and witchcrafts challenge so it was simply fitting even if it wasn't the expected result i hoped for.

Happy Reading

Publisher: Orbit

Publication: 2014

ISBN:  316228435

Genre: urban fantasy, paranormal, magic
Violence: strong
Language: strong
sex: mild
Public: 18+

Source: won

Short description from goodreads :

The first in an all-new urban fantasy series by USA Today bestseller Jaye Wells.

The last thing patrol cop Kate Prospero expected to find on her nightly rounds was a werewolf covered in the blood of his latest victim. But then, she also didn't expect that shooting him would land her in the crosshairs of a Magic Enforcement Agency task force, who wants to know why she killed their lead snitch.

The more Prospero learns about the dangerous new potion the MEA is investigating, the more she's convinced that earning a spot on their task force is the career break she's been wanting. But getting the assignment proves much easier than solving the case. Especially once the investigation reveals their lead suspect is the man she walked away from ten years earlier—on the same day she swore she'd never use dirty magic again.


Kate Prospero's about to learn the hard way that crossing a wizard will always get you burned, and that when it comes to magic, you should be never say never.

My opinion:

          This book has some potential but it wasn’t as good as I hoped it could be. The beginning is quite slow and really confusing, at first I really couldn’t imagine the setting and thus it was hard to get immersed in the story. Same, Kate Prospero is a cop taking care of her brother and she has magic (so she is what is called an Adept in that universe) but because of her past she is quite against everything magical…said like that is seems simple but for the first chapters you don’t understand well her reluctance to magic use as you don’t really understand the difference between the different “brand” of magic…. All you can grasp is that magic is a really important element in that world and found everywhere… I admit I felt lost and thus rapidly bored.

Now if you manage to read past those first chapters, things improve, we finally get more information, not  on everything for example I’m still hesitant about the “covens” since I really don’t know how they works but since it‘s not a major part in this story it can be put aside. Kate is showing more nerves and we finally can understand her stand and view on magic and on the city. I loved how protective of her sibling she was it should how responsible she is. I did regret she only had Pen as a friend and that she couldn’t even tell her everything.

The MEA team is really funny and I really liked Morales and Mez both are really attentive to their team mates and Kate needs this feeling of belonging more than she admit it…. It’s also one of the reason I’m disappointed….Kate can’t fully trust them and I really regret that, romance between Morales and her aside (would be great and only sparks of it so far), I believe in trust and honesty… fort the team to be at it best they need to trust each other and it’s not the case..; could happen because it takes time but I would have liked if at least one had her back. She has some talents but can’t use them worse she is forbidden too even if it could save life that part I don’t understand and I hope it will change.

I wasn’t fond of her brother Danny and to be honest all that part with him was far too predictable in my opinion … I guess I can understand him a little but I find him way too ungrateful. Next we have the ex lover…  John Volos… I don’t trust him at all…during a few pages I thought that could change that I would perhaps like him at least a little but what he did at the end destroyed that completely. He is too arrogant and loves using others as puppet, threatening and Kate fell for it once again like she never grew up ….

So lot of negative elements but some positive as well and the universe could really become one really interesting and intriguing thus I’m definitively planning to try the second book when it release later this year and I hope it will only get better. For an urban fantasy series it’s promising but can be improved.

Score:   Between 2,5 and 3/5

Disclaimer: All opinions are my own and no compensation was received in exchange for this review

Challenges:

Raven Cursed ( Jane Yellowrock 4) by Faith Hunter

Hello!

           The weather is spoiling us right now with 7 degrees above the normal ( nearly 17°c) and a bright sun so i won't be long because i want to enjoy it as long as i can ^^, it way to early so we know it won't last but it's really good for the moral to savour it when we can.

Today i decided to pick a book from my pile that fitted several challenges and i opted for the fourth book in the Jane Yellowrock series since it got shifters and witches and is an older book too... i've enjoyed the book but strangely i had a little more difficulties to express my opinion on it so i can only hope i will be clear enough^^

 happy reading and i hope spring will come to enlight your days no matter where you live.

Publisher: ROC

Publication: 2012

ISBN:  0451464338

Genre: urban fantasy, paranormal, shifter, witches
Violence: strong
Language: mild
sex: mild
Public: 18+

Source: bought

Short description from goodreads :

 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 mast vampire, she will have to work overtime to find the killer. It's a good thing she's worth every penny.

My opinion:

          I have mixed feeling this time… oh I do have loved this book and it’s still as well written as the precedent and a great addition to the series. However I had some trouble to understand Jane this time or agree with her decisions….as a result I was quite angry at some moment even if I couldn’t put the book aside.

Jane finally reveals what she is at more people but that was what I felt wrong….she could have say the truth to her shaman Angie that I would have understood….Derek Lee too (until now he was my favourite) but she tells it to Ricky.. the unfaithful, lying, deceiving man of her life…. In my opinion It could have been the worse choice, not that I would have loved to see her tell all her secrets to the vampire but Ricky! Arg I don’t trust him for a second and he is tempted to go back to the enemy once again , with a special agency that is dangerous for all supernatural.. arg Jane think with something else than your body! Beast is perhaps thinking Ricky could be a great bed partner… but she doesn’t see herself bound to him for eternity so secret should be kept!

It’s true that I always preferred Derek the more responsible and one that’ seemed to understand Jane better….now it’s not exactly what happen in this story but I guess all friendship needs to be refreshed at a time or another, especially since they were more partner, colleague than friend to start with.Derek at least stay reliable in my opinion. We don’t see too much of Leo this time, even if we do hear a lot from him, since it’s Gregoire that Jane is tasked to protect and  that  outside New Orleans….I didn’t remembered Gregoire well I admit but I was delighted to see more of the B-Twins and they are working well with Jane all the while being more than simply colleague….when she needs understanding she didn’t think it would come from them nor did she think she would need it but they were there and I want more of them.

This story focus largely on the magical part since Evangelina, head of molly’s coven is practising illegal magic and… black magic too. I hated her and that feeling just grew stronger that woman is pure evil and completely out of her mind this time she even goes against her coven, yes we don’t know all her past but still….i don’t approve her at all. So magic is predominant this time even if the shifter part is still well built with the werewolves who escaped last time, the lack leopard who still need to be taught a lesson and Ricky which we still don’t exactly know the future..

I really appreciated to get a little more of the Cherokee legends since Evangelina called one demon from them but Angie baby knows more than it seems and it was really wonderful to learn and it let so many possibilities open, I do want more .

However another part disappointed me a little: Molly…..we don’t often see strong female friendship so I was really happy to see Jane and Molly….despite her husband not liking her friend Molly stayed true to their friendship… until now. We discover that she doesn’t trust Jane near her children as before since she doesn’t go again Big Evan. Sadly it just got even worse….it’s something I regret, I do hope we will see the situation improving but I’m not sure. Jane has another friend prospect, on the vampire side but friendship needs time to grow so it’s too early to tell.

The story was fast passed and the humour vastly presents despites the violence and heartbreak so it’s really an excellent instalment in the series, I can’t wait to start on the next one either. I would recommend to read this series in order but at the same time, if one book could be read without having read the precedent ones it should be this one, the author gives the necessarily information and the story is focusing so well that you are immersed directly. 

If you love, magic, shifters, vampires, native American legends, history, humour and fast paced action, this series is right for you

Score:  4/5

Disclaimer: All opinions are my own and no compensation was received in exchange for this review

Challenges:

2014 Challenge sign up post part 2

Hi!,
         
oki after thinking a lot about it i decided to join some new challenges hosted by bloggers i trust, i think i will have a part 3 if not a 4th one because i tend to join many challenge but i decided this year to take it easy so i start at the lowest level possible and move up if necessary and i do select some where  a review can be used in different challenge  it will help my motivation without adding too much pressure( and if i do win something it would be a great bonus).

Here are those i join today, both are all year long to avoid the stress of a short time limitation

First :the 2014 Fur & Fangs reading Challenge

 For this one you set your own goals which is fabulous, so many book with a vampires or a werewolves ( or fur shifters) do i plan to read....at least a global of 15 books but how many vampires ones and how many werewolves ones i really can't said. They are often included in my main favourites genre so it should be possible and if i do read more, even better

you can suscribe Here  on Phantasmic Reads and here is a small part of the rules to motivate you to join too

• This challenge will run from January 1st, 2014, until December 31st, 2014.
• Books must be started on or after January 1st, 2014 to count.
• Books can be any publication date and any genre, as long as at least the subject or one of the main characters is a vampire or werewolf.
• Any other shifter with fur can also count. (i.e. cats, tigers, bears).
• Sign ups will be open until December 1st, 2014

Next, because after vampires and werevolves i could need to change my mind a little let see about... the witches!

2014 Witches & Witchcrafts reading Challenge

The level to start is also low which is great so i will try for  the level 1: initiate that means reading at least 1 book ( and up to 5) however i really can't tell which one as of yet.

You can sign up Here on Melissa's Eclectic Bookshelf

As for  the rules here there are.

Challenge Rules:

• This challenge will run from Jan 1, 2014 – Dec 31, 2014. I will be posting a place to link up a sign-up post (below), reviews and a wrap-up post. (Note: You do not have to review the books to participate, but only those who link up reviews will be entered for the prize)
• Grab the reading challenge button (code & button below) and post this reading challenge on your blog to track your progress. Please include a link back to this sign-up post so others can join the reading challenge too. You do not have to be a book blogger to participate- you could track your progress and post reviews on Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Smashwords, etc.
• Any full length book that includes a witch as a main character or includes major witchcraft elements counts. They may be fiction or non-fiction. However, they should not be reference books which are not read cover to cover-I will leave this to your discretion.
• Books can be any format (bound, eBook, audio).
• Re-reads and crossovers from other reading challenges are allowed.
• You can list your books in advance or just put them in a wrap-up post. If you list them, feel free to change them as the mood takes you.
• When you sign up in the linky put the direct link to your post about joining the 2014 Witches & Witchcraft Reading Challenge, not just a link to your blog.
• You can move up levels, but no moving down.
• Sign-ups will be open until Dec 15, 2014, so feel free to join at any time throughout the year.
• Have some Witchy Good Fun !!!

 So, quite easy for these ones don't you think? interested to join?

 I will keep my progress updated on the special page for 2014 Challenges so don't hesitate to have a look from time to time or to give recommendations if you have any.