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Walker Papers #7.6
Easy Pickings
A Jane Yellowrock / Walker Papers CrossoverWelcome to the crossover event fans have been waiting Joanne Walker and Jane Yellowrock meet in a world not quite like either of their own, where they must find and defeat the magic that brought them there–or they just might find themselves . . . EASY PICKINGS!
103 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 5, 2012
142 people are currently reading
1589 people want to read
About the author
C.E. Murphy
97 books1,795 followersCE Murphy began writing around age six, when she submitted three poems to a school publication. The teacher producing the magazine selected (inevitably) the one she thought was by far the worst, but also told her–a six year old kid–to keep writing, which she has. She has also held the usual grab-bag of jobs usually seen in an authorial biography, including public library volunteer (at ages 9 and 10; it’s clear she was doomed to a career involving books), archival assistant, cannery worker, and web designer. Writing books is better.
She was born and raised in Alaska, and now lives with her family in her ancestral homeland of Ireland.
She also writes paranormal romance as Murphy Lawless and cozy mysteries as Catie Murphy.
She was born and raised in Alaska, and now lives with her family in her ancestral homeland of Ireland.
She also writes paranormal romance as Murphy Lawless and cozy mysteries as Catie Murphy.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 139 reviews
October 8, 2015
Easy Pickings is a crossover / fanfic written by the authors themselves. In the novella, skinwalker Jane Yellowrock and shaman Joanne Walker find themselves in an alternate universe that resembles Jane's New Orleans, but isn't quite the city she's grown to love. Together, the two ladies will have to figure out why they were drawn into an alternate reality and overcome the biggest, baddest vamp in town - and this time it's NOT Leo Pellissier... :-(
As a fan of Jane Yellowrock, but not of Joanne Walker, I still decided to give it a try.
Well... It was okay, but nothing more. Leo in a submissive role isn’t quite my thing, and Jane's and Joanne's male companion didn't do much for me either.
Another Audible related issue that bugged me was the lady that read Joanne's character. She really messed up Leo's French accent. In fact, she made this sexy, cultured Frenchman sound like a cringe-worthy, Eastern European Count Dracula from the early 20th century black and white movies. It was particularly noticeable because Khristine Hvam (the voice of Jane) also read some of Leo's lines and they were so much more believeable.
Not everything was bad, though. The story solved the mystery of how Jane acquired the coyote earring that suddenly appears one day in her own reality, a piece of jewelry she has no memory of. And now we know why... Kinda cool. But that's not enough to save this book from a low rating.
IMO, you can safely skip this story, even if you are a die-hard fan.
2.25 ☆
As a fan of Jane Yellowrock, but not of Joanne Walker, I still decided to give it a try.
Well... It was okay, but nothing more. Leo in a submissive role isn’t quite my thing, and Jane's and Joanne's male companion didn't do much for me either.
Another Audible related issue that bugged me was the lady that read Joanne's character. She really messed up Leo's French accent. In fact, she made this sexy, cultured Frenchman sound like a cringe-worthy, Eastern European Count Dracula from the early 20th century black and white movies. It was particularly noticeable because Khristine Hvam (the voice of Jane) also read some of Leo's lines and they were so much more believeable.
Not everything was bad, though. The story solved the mystery of how Jane acquired the coyote earring that suddenly appears one day in her own reality, a piece of jewelry she has no memory of. And now we know why... Kinda cool. But that's not enough to save this book from a low rating.
IMO, you can safely skip this story, even if you are a die-hard fan.
2.25 ☆
March 3, 2017
This was weird. It's the best I can say about it. Good enough to earn 3 stars and yet boring most of the time. A good fill in until it was time to start the 4th Yellowrock book.
August 20, 2014
C.E. Murphy and Faith Hunter have brought their two most popular characters together in what is described in the synopsis as fan-fiction. As fan-fiction it almost works. It actually makes me want to read C.E. Murphy's Walker Papers series which until this novella I had never even considered.
But in the end it feels like one of those cross-over episodes of popular sitcoms. The world of Jane Yellowrock doesn't quite fit with the world of Joanne Walker. Time is spent explaining away the incongruities which wouldn't have been necessary if, for example Faith Hunter and Patricia Briggs did a crossover novel.
It was fun but a long way from perfect.
But in the end it feels like one of those cross-over episodes of popular sitcoms. The world of Jane Yellowrock doesn't quite fit with the world of Joanne Walker. Time is spent explaining away the incongruities which wouldn't have been necessary if, for example Faith Hunter and Patricia Briggs did a crossover novel.
It was fun but a long way from perfect.
May 16, 2016
I really enjoyed this book, despite the fact that I don't think I've ever read any of the Walker Papers series books with Joanne Walker. But she lives in Seattle?! I don't know how I missed reading any of her books. I'm going to have to check them out soon. :-)
It was rather strange to read this story, since it was told in alternating first-person points-of-view from first Joanne Walker, and then Jane Yellowrock, and then alternating back and forth through to the end (which was again Jo's POV). But it worked, once I adapted. And I enjoyed seeing inside both women's heads as they're very different, and from very different worlds.
How different are their worlds? Joanne's doesn't have vampires or weres; Jane's doesn't have gods interacting in daily life. . .and both have witches and sorcerers, but they’re different in each. When they introduced themselves to each other, Joanne said right up front that she's a shaman; and Jane replied that she's a skinwalker. (!!!)
Incidentially, I'm pretty sure that that one line is why this book is placed between Raven Cursed and Death's Rival. Why? Because it was in Raven Cursed that Jane finally opened up to more people about what she is. So it wasn't as much of a surprise to hear her be so forthcoming with Joanne as it would have been had I read it before reading Raven Cursed, as the current series page has it.
In her Author's Note at the beginning -- the one where she said that this novella fits after Raven Cursed and before Death's Rival -- Faith Hunter also promised no spoilers in this story. However, that's not entirely true. Here's why: So you definitely ought to read Skinwalker, book one, before reading this story. And then there was That took place in book three, Mercy Blade. So maybe FH's promise of "no spoilers" was for books taking place after Raven Cursed? When was this written? (I don't know and it doesn't matter, since I read it in the proper series order.)
EDIT/UPDATE: I've now finished Death's Rival (a few days ago) and "Easy Pickings" definitely fits after Raven Cursed and before Death's Rival. :-) Why? In Raven Cursed, And in Death's Rival, :-)
And. . . that’s enough on where this story fits within the Jane Yellowrock series-universe. Now for more on the story itself:
I liked how the two authors meshed their worlds together into a new one. The new one - set in New Orleans - was similar to Jane's (same people, same types of beings, different buildings/businesses, different power structure, with some additional people/beings, some of whom were presumably from Joanne's world).
Why did Joanne and Jane meet? Well, they were :-)
In the end, Jane (and Beast) and Joanne :-)
And then there was the final line: So will they meet again? I hope so. :-)
One note on my rating. I would have rated this story higher (maybe 4.5 stars) but Jane didn't really feel like Jane. There were certain lines she had, certain scenes, where it felt like some other author was writing for her. But since C.E. Murphy presumably wrote Joanne's POV-sections, and Faith Hunter wrote Jane's. . .Well, it didn't make sense to me why Jane "sounded" different. She wasn't "off" enough to make me not enjoy the story - I still really enjoyed it - but it was enough that the story is *only* getting four "very good; I really liked it" stars.
It was rather strange to read this story, since it was told in alternating first-person points-of-view from first Joanne Walker, and then Jane Yellowrock, and then alternating back and forth through to the end (which was again Jo's POV). But it worked, once I adapted. And I enjoyed seeing inside both women's heads as they're very different, and from very different worlds.
How different are their worlds? Joanne's doesn't have vampires or weres; Jane's doesn't have gods interacting in daily life. . .and both have witches and sorcerers, but they’re different in each. When they introduced themselves to each other, Joanne said right up front that she's a shaman; and Jane replied that she's a skinwalker. (!!!)
Incidentially, I'm pretty sure that that one line is why this book is placed between Raven Cursed and Death's Rival. Why? Because it was in Raven Cursed that Jane finally opened up to more people about what she is. So it wasn't as much of a surprise to hear her be so forthcoming with Joanne as it would have been had I read it before reading Raven Cursed, as the current series page has it.
In her Author's Note at the beginning -- the one where she said that this novella fits after Raven Cursed and before Death's Rival -- Faith Hunter also promised no spoilers in this story. However, that's not entirely true. Here's why: So you definitely ought to read Skinwalker, book one, before reading this story. And then there was That took place in book three, Mercy Blade. So maybe FH's promise of "no spoilers" was for books taking place after Raven Cursed? When was this written? (I don't know and it doesn't matter, since I read it in the proper series order.)
EDIT/UPDATE: I've now finished Death's Rival (a few days ago) and "Easy Pickings" definitely fits after Raven Cursed and before Death's Rival. :-) Why? In Raven Cursed, And in Death's Rival, :-)
And. . . that’s enough on where this story fits within the Jane Yellowrock series-universe. Now for more on the story itself:
I liked how the two authors meshed their worlds together into a new one. The new one - set in New Orleans - was similar to Jane's (same people, same types of beings, different buildings/businesses, different power structure, with some additional people/beings, some of whom were presumably from Joanne's world).
Why did Joanne and Jane meet? Well, they were :-)
In the end, Jane (and Beast) and Joanne :-)
And then there was the final line: So will they meet again? I hope so. :-)
One note on my rating. I would have rated this story higher (maybe 4.5 stars) but Jane didn't really feel like Jane. There were certain lines she had, certain scenes, where it felt like some other author was writing for her. But since C.E. Murphy presumably wrote Joanne's POV-sections, and Faith Hunter wrote Jane's. . .Well, it didn't make sense to me why Jane "sounded" different. She wasn't "off" enough to make me not enjoy the story - I still really enjoyed it - but it was enough that the story is *only* getting four "very good; I really liked it" stars.
June 30, 2017
Oh this was fun! I loved the humor and snark. Jane and Joanne work well together and I was entranced with Lazarus although the hints to his identity were fairly obvious if you know about N'awlins. Better than boudain balls and crayfish, I tell you! I would REALLY appreciate either Murphy or Hunter following up on his adventures and his New Orleans. I think it would be a lovely read!
March 11, 2014
This would be a great story even if I'd never read either series, but to have two of my favorite authors, who each enjoy the other's work, combine their two characters in one story - so cool! Knowing both series, it was fun to see how Joanne and Jane are similar, and where they are different. I would love to more in this crossover world!
March 1, 2025
Fun Crossover
I'm a big fan of Faith Hunter's Jane Yellowrock series, but I've never ready anything by C.E. Murphy. I'll have to change that, now. I really enjoyed this collaboration.
I'm a big fan of Faith Hunter's Jane Yellowrock series, but I've never ready anything by C.E. Murphy. I'll have to change that, now. I really enjoyed this collaboration.
August 27, 2021
"Easy Pickings" is a crossover novella from Faith Hunter and C.E. Murphy set in New Orleans and revolving around Jane Yellowrock from the Jane Yellowrock series, 4.3, and Joanne Walker from the Walker Papers, 8.5. If you're interested, there is a chronological listing of the Jane Yellowrock books on my website.
My Take
"Easy Pickings" takes place after Murphy's Mountain Echoes , 8, and between Hunter's Raven Cursed , 4, and Death's Rival , 5.
Hunter/Murphy use a first person dual protagonist point-of-view alternating between Jane's and Joanne's perspectives with plenty of action and quite the mashup of characters from both Jane Yellowrock and the Walker Papers. We get more about Jane's series while the references to Joanne's story are surface only.
The whole idea of Katrina and power is rather scary.
It's quite the wild ride with a lot packed into so few pages.
The Story
Drawn into a world not their own, Jane Yellowrock and Joanne Walker team up to battle a greedy vampire.
The Characters
Joanne Walker is half-Cherokee, half-Irish, a shaman raised in North Carolina, and a former cop in Seattle. She "carries" a god's rapier. Gary Muldoon is her seventy-four-year-old best friend. Captain Michael Morrison is Jo's former boss. Melinda is married to Billy Holliday, Seattle’s only cross-dressing detective who also sees dead people.
Jane Yellowrock is a skinwalker of Cherokee descent and employed as a vampire killer in New Orleans. Beast is the soul of a panther who lives within Jane. Evangelina Everhart is a witch and the head of the Everhart coven. Jane's friends.
New Orleans
The Royal Mojo Blues company has suddenly become the Vamp Mojo and reeks of blood and vampire. Leo Pellisier, Katie Fonteneau of Katie's Ladies, and Grégoire are vampires ruled by Master Amaury Pellisier, who is sucking power in the city.
Antoine, an African witch, is alive and still cooking. Serena is a voodooine, a witch. Lissa is the baby girl who's being held hostage. Maggie Sweets had been the alpha of the Lupus Pack in Jane's world.
John Henry, a.k.a. Lazarus "Laz", appears in the Lower World and claims he's a gateway.
The Cover and Title
The cover is purple! Jane in her leathers and a slew of weapons and Joanne in her white wifebeater, jeans, belt, and rapier are standing in front of a corner entrance with a balcony above it. I'm suspecting that Hunter and Murphy are standing in for Jane and Joanne. At the very top are the authors' names in pink neon lighting. Beneath is the title in a distressed playbill-style font, mostly in white with the "a" and "n" in a swooping red. At the bottom in a slightly transparent black border is a deep lilac info blurb.
I have no idea where the title, "Easy Pickings", came from.
My Take
"Easy Pickings" takes place after Murphy's Mountain Echoes , 8, and between Hunter's Raven Cursed , 4, and Death's Rival , 5.
Hunter/Murphy use a first person dual protagonist point-of-view alternating between Jane's and Joanne's perspectives with plenty of action and quite the mashup of characters from both Jane Yellowrock and the Walker Papers. We get more about Jane's series while the references to Joanne's story are surface only.
The whole idea of Katrina and power is rather scary.
It's quite the wild ride with a lot packed into so few pages.
The Story
Drawn into a world not their own, Jane Yellowrock and Joanne Walker team up to battle a greedy vampire.
The Characters
Joanne Walker is half-Cherokee, half-Irish, a shaman raised in North Carolina, and a former cop in Seattle. She "carries" a god's rapier. Gary Muldoon is her seventy-four-year-old best friend. Captain Michael Morrison is Jo's former boss. Melinda is married to Billy Holliday, Seattle’s only cross-dressing detective who also sees dead people.
Jane Yellowrock is a skinwalker of Cherokee descent and employed as a vampire killer in New Orleans. Beast is the soul of a panther who lives within Jane. Evangelina Everhart is a witch and the head of the Everhart coven. Jane's friends.
New Orleans
The Royal Mojo Blues company has suddenly become the Vamp Mojo and reeks of blood and vampire. Leo Pellisier, Katie Fonteneau of Katie's Ladies, and Grégoire are vampires ruled by Master Amaury Pellisier, who is sucking power in the city.
Antoine, an African witch, is alive and still cooking. Serena is a voodooine, a witch. Lissa is the baby girl who's being held hostage. Maggie Sweets had been the alpha of the Lupus Pack in Jane's world.
John Henry, a.k.a. Lazarus "Laz", appears in the Lower World and claims he's a gateway.
The Cover and Title
The cover is purple! Jane in her leathers and a slew of weapons and Joanne in her white wifebeater, jeans, belt, and rapier are standing in front of a corner entrance with a balcony above it. I'm suspecting that Hunter and Murphy are standing in for Jane and Joanne. At the very top are the authors' names in pink neon lighting. Beneath is the title in a distressed playbill-style font, mostly in white with the "a" and "n" in a swooping red. At the bottom in a slightly transparent black border is a deep lilac info blurb.
I have no idea where the title, "Easy Pickings", came from.
August 27, 2021
"Easy Pickings" is a crossover novella from Faith Hunter and C.E. Murphy set in New Orleans and revolving around Jane Yellowrock from the Jane Yellowrock series, 4.3, and Joanne Walker from the Walker Papers, 8.5. If you're interested, there is a chronological listing of the Jane Yellowrock books on my website.
My Take
"Easy Pickings" takes place after Murphy's Mountain Echoes , 8, and between Hunter's Raven Cursed , 4, and Death's Rival , 5.
Hunter/Murphy use a first person dual protagonist point-of-view alternating between Jane's and Joanne's perspectives with plenty of action and quite the mashup of characters from both Jane Yellowrock and the Walker Papers. We get more about Jane's series while the references to Joanne's story are surface only.
The whole idea of Katrina and power is rather scary.
It's quite the wild ride with a lot packed into so few pages.
The Story
Drawn into a world not their own, Jane Yellowrock and Joanne Walker team up to battle a greedy vampire.
The Characters
Joanne Walker is half-Cherokee, half-Irish, a shaman raised in North Carolina, and a former cop in Seattle. She "carries" a god's rapier. Gary Muldoon is her seventy-four-year-old best friend. Captain Michael Morrison is Jo's former boss. Melinda is married to Billy Holliday, Seattle’s only cross-dressing detective who also sees dead people.
Jane Yellowrock is a skinwalker of Cherokee descent and employed as a vampire killer in New Orleans. Beast is the soul of a panther who lives within Jane. Evangelina Everhart is a witch and the head of the Everhart coven. Jane's friends.
New Orleans
The Royal Mojo Blues company has suddenly become the Vamp Mojo and reeks of blood and vampire. Leo Pellisier, Katie Fonteneau of Katie's Ladies, and Grégoire are vampires ruled by Master Amaury Pellisier, who is sucking power in the city.
Antoine, an African witch, is alive and still cooking. Serena is a voodooine, a witch. Lissa is the baby girl who's being held hostage. Maggie Sweets had been the alpha of the Lupus Pack in Jane's world.
John Henry, a.k.a. Lazarus "Laz", appears in the Lower World and claims he's a gateway.
The Cover and Title
The cover is purple! Jane in her leathers and a slew of weapons and Joanne in her white wifebeater, jeans, belt, and rapier are standing in front of a corner entrance with a balcony above it. I'm suspecting that Hunter and Murphy are standing in for Jane and Joanne. At the very top are the authors' names in pink neon lighting. Beneath is the title in a distressed playbill-style font, mostly in white with the "a" and "n" in a swooping red. At the bottom in a slightly transparent black border is a deep lilac info blurb.
I have no idea where the title, "Easy Pickings", came from.
My Take
"Easy Pickings" takes place after Murphy's Mountain Echoes , 8, and between Hunter's Raven Cursed , 4, and Death's Rival , 5.
Hunter/Murphy use a first person dual protagonist point-of-view alternating between Jane's and Joanne's perspectives with plenty of action and quite the mashup of characters from both Jane Yellowrock and the Walker Papers. We get more about Jane's series while the references to Joanne's story are surface only.
The whole idea of Katrina and power is rather scary.
It's quite the wild ride with a lot packed into so few pages.
The Story
Drawn into a world not their own, Jane Yellowrock and Joanne Walker team up to battle a greedy vampire.
The Characters
Joanne Walker is half-Cherokee, half-Irish, a shaman raised in North Carolina, and a former cop in Seattle. She "carries" a god's rapier. Gary Muldoon is her seventy-four-year-old best friend. Captain Michael Morrison is Jo's former boss. Melinda is married to Billy Holliday, Seattle’s only cross-dressing detective who also sees dead people.
Jane Yellowrock is a skinwalker of Cherokee descent and employed as a vampire killer in New Orleans. Beast is the soul of a panther who lives within Jane. Evangelina Everhart is a witch and the head of the Everhart coven. Jane's friends.
New Orleans
The Royal Mojo Blues company has suddenly become the Vamp Mojo and reeks of blood and vampire. Leo Pellisier, Katie Fonteneau of Katie's Ladies, and Grégoire are vampires ruled by Master Amaury Pellisier, who is sucking power in the city.
Antoine, an African witch, is alive and still cooking. Serena is a voodooine, a witch. Lissa is the baby girl who's being held hostage. Maggie Sweets had been the alpha of the Lupus Pack in Jane's world.
John Henry, a.k.a. Lazarus "Laz", appears in the Lower World and claims he's a gateway.
The Cover and Title
The cover is purple! Jane in her leathers and a slew of weapons and Joanne in her white wifebeater, jeans, belt, and rapier are standing in front of a corner entrance with a balcony above it. I'm suspecting that Hunter and Murphy are standing in for Jane and Joanne. At the very top are the authors' names in pink neon lighting. Beneath is the title in a distressed playbill-style font, mostly in white with the "a" and "n" in a swooping red. At the bottom in a slightly transparent black border is a deep lilac info blurb.
I have no idea where the title, "Easy Pickings", came from.
March 14, 2017
A fun, albeit odd "fanfiction" of CE Murphy and Faith Hunter (their word, not mine). I have never read any of the series by Murphy, but the similarities between the two characters is noticeable. I listened to the audiobook, and I liked that they used both of the readers for the two series. My only criticism is that the narrator for Murphy's series' voice is way too soft, I kept having to turn up and down the volume so I could hear both voices. Hunter's narrator did great as always. She has such a dynamic and expressive voice that Murphy's seemed a little stiff. But then that could be because I'm binging the Hunter series, lol. Recommended!
November 16, 2020
So I enjoyed this as an additional Jane Yellowrock story but I wasn’t familiar with the other character and probably would have liked it more if I had.
May 29, 2024
A great mash up of JoAnne Walker (Walker Papers/Urban Shaman) and Jane Yellowrock. I would be very interested in more collaborations between these two!!
May 19, 2012
This was fun. Pure, action-filled fun. If you are a fan of Jane Yellowrock or Joanne Walker then this is a must read – a fun novella to tide you over until the release of the next book in the Yellowrock and Walker series.
Weighing in at 81 pages, this is a quick read. It opens with Jane and Joanne suddenly finding themselves in an alternate reality – a New Orleans that exists in another world. They immediately recognize the magic each of them have and team up to figure out where they are and how the hell to get back to their respective worlds. Immediately, they battle a big, bad demon, size each other up and share some mutual respect for one another. Moving from one battle to the next, they are fighting to save New Orleans and themselves.
Murphy and Hunter alternate chapters, shifting perspectives between Jane and Joanne. There are some great moments between these two alpha-females:
Joanne:
There wasn’t any good news. We were utterly and completely boned. I said, “Try not to kill anybody,” to Jane, and then we met the onslaught.
And then, later, Jane:
I liked Jo. She didn’t get all girlie, despite her feelings about not killing things. People. Whatever.
I would say this novella was really about putting two characters, cut from the same cloth, together in a different world and standing back and watching them kick some butt, exchange some great dialogue, and observe one another. There is non-stop action and, if you are a Skinwalker fan, the emergence of some familiar characters makes it even more fun. I would not recommend this as an intro. I think you need to have read at least one of these series in order to really enjoy it. This is definitely one for the fans who want to see their favorite characters do what they do best.
Please visit She-Wolf Reads for more.
Weighing in at 81 pages, this is a quick read. It opens with Jane and Joanne suddenly finding themselves in an alternate reality – a New Orleans that exists in another world. They immediately recognize the magic each of them have and team up to figure out where they are and how the hell to get back to their respective worlds. Immediately, they battle a big, bad demon, size each other up and share some mutual respect for one another. Moving from one battle to the next, they are fighting to save New Orleans and themselves.
Murphy and Hunter alternate chapters, shifting perspectives between Jane and Joanne. There are some great moments between these two alpha-females:
Joanne:
There wasn’t any good news. We were utterly and completely boned. I said, “Try not to kill anybody,” to Jane, and then we met the onslaught.
And then, later, Jane:
I liked Jo. She didn’t get all girlie, despite her feelings about not killing things. People. Whatever.
I would say this novella was really about putting two characters, cut from the same cloth, together in a different world and standing back and watching them kick some butt, exchange some great dialogue, and observe one another. There is non-stop action and, if you are a Skinwalker fan, the emergence of some familiar characters makes it even more fun. I would not recommend this as an intro. I think you need to have read at least one of these series in order to really enjoy it. This is definitely one for the fans who want to see their favorite characters do what they do best.
Please visit She-Wolf Reads for more.
February 19, 2012
Two different women. Totally different women, both with the ability to shape shift, meet in New Orleans. A vastly different New Orleans than we know. One where Hurricane Katrina hasn't hit and businesses that were there yesterday are gone today. One in which the cities top Vamp is now alive instead of permanently dead at the hand of Jane Yellowrock. But it is not Joannes world either. Through a portal they walked the two of them and out of the portal came three and as three they must face an evil power mad Vamp and his minions. Including a stinky Velociraptor type creature. Hopefully they will find there way to their prospective homes and soon!
A unique novella employing both C.E. Murphy's - Joanne Walker(Walkingstick) and Faith Hunter's - Jane Yellowrock characters from their respective series. With both women characters having the ability to shape shift, but only Joanne having Shamanic powers, it makes for an interesting creative collaboration both for the characters and for the authors. You can see which chapters were written by which author quite clearly. While both Joanne and Jane are totally kick-butt characters, each woman is different enough personality wise to please almost any reader.
This is a great book to read if you like either author, both authors or just want to try someone new. As a stand alone I don't think a new reader will have a problem getting into it and then grasping what is going on and hopefully the new reader will come out of the experience with two new author to add to their libraries!
A unique novella employing both C.E. Murphy's - Joanne Walker(Walkingstick) and Faith Hunter's - Jane Yellowrock characters from their respective series. With both women characters having the ability to shape shift, but only Joanne having Shamanic powers, it makes for an interesting creative collaboration both for the characters and for the authors. You can see which chapters were written by which author quite clearly. While both Joanne and Jane are totally kick-butt characters, each woman is different enough personality wise to please almost any reader.
This is a great book to read if you like either author, both authors or just want to try someone new. As a stand alone I don't think a new reader will have a problem getting into it and then grasping what is going on and hopefully the new reader will come out of the experience with two new author to add to their libraries!
January 13, 2012
I finished Easy Pickings which is a crossover novel of Jane Yellowrock series and Joann Walker series (which I have never read but will add to my list) and it was GREAT, you don't have to be a fan of both series to enjoy it, but seems that you might find it a small bit more enjoyable if you were but I loved it. The basic premise is that they are both pulled into an alternate universe where New Orleans is NOT the one either of them know and they have to save it (no you don't get the details from me) and the usual mayhem occurs. Good read after Raven Cursed: A Jane Yellowrock Novel and that probably added to my enjoyment since I got to read them back to back. For its length and originality I would say it was a 4+ Star (rounded to 5 for this review) read for what amounts to a short novella or a long "short" story . The ending was a nice touch .
NOTE: The timeline for this story would be after Raven Cursed: A Jane Yellowrock Novel and is FAR in the future of The Walker Papers (like after book 8) according to the authors
NOTE: The timeline for this story would be after Raven Cursed: A Jane Yellowrock Novel and is FAR in the future of The Walker Papers (like after book 8) according to the authors
March 7, 2021
REREAD 2021
Not much more to say than I had with the original review. Maybe I thought the book a little slower this time around, but part of that might just have been because of my health issues, so I'm changing the rating.
----------------
I've been avoiding this story for a while now. I don't know why, but I was afraid it would ruin Jane for me.
I've followed the Yellowrock-series for years, and I tried to read the Walker-series a little while back, but the first book just didn't work for me. Now, after reading this short, I'm considering giving the Walker-series another chance. Maybe just skip book 1, as I've already read that.
Easy Pickings is described as a fan-fiction written by the actual authors, and I think that fits. Although, unlike what one would expect from fan-fiction, this book had the actual characters and doesn't throw in some random surprise power/evolution.
I liked how it mixed the two worlds, and how the two characters worked together. I actually wouldn't mind another story with the two of them together.
Well written and entertaining!
Not much more to say than I had with the original review. Maybe I thought the book a little slower this time around, but part of that might just have been because of my health issues, so I'm changing the rating.
----------------
I've been avoiding this story for a while now. I don't know why, but I was afraid it would ruin Jane for me.
I've followed the Yellowrock-series for years, and I tried to read the Walker-series a little while back, but the first book just didn't work for me. Now, after reading this short, I'm considering giving the Walker-series another chance. Maybe just skip book 1, as I've already read that.
Easy Pickings is described as a fan-fiction written by the actual authors, and I think that fits. Although, unlike what one would expect from fan-fiction, this book had the actual characters and doesn't throw in some random surprise power/evolution.
I liked how it mixed the two worlds, and how the two characters worked together. I actually wouldn't mind another story with the two of them together.
Well written and entertaining!
July 21, 2015
Somehow, when I read this, I forgot to review it. I don't know how I did that because this novella was like a dream come true, the coming together of two of my favorite kick-ass heroines in the same story. Of course the authors take advantage of the magic of writing in the paranormal and this story is set in a New Orleans with which neither is familiar (a real challenge for Jane, since she lives there). They must solve the how and why of their being there together before they are destroyed by the magic wielder who brought them there. Using alternating points of view of Jane and Joanne, the reader is taken quickly into a new world and the thinking of each character. I won't give away the ending, but if you are a fan of either or both of these series, this is a must read. Even if you only follow one of the characters, this is still a great read, and it may just get you reading whatever series with which you were hitherto unfamiliar. Either way, great read!
October 19, 2015
Because I have read 4 Jane Yellowrock novels and 0 Walker Papers novels my experience with "Easy Pickings" was a bit one-sided. I understood Jane because I had been reading about her but Joanne was a mystery that I just couldn't solve. And the are from 2 COMPLETELY different universes! So for me, the cross-over was a big hot mess of "What, how and why is happening?"
But what I absolutely LOVED was the concept of a novella like "Easy Pickings". Writing for the fans and doing something fun is just so sweet and for that I'd like to say a big Thank You for Mrs Murphy and Mrs Hunter.
Yes, the finished result wasn't that polished and it required to be well-read in both series. And I would've liked if it had bit more explanations so that I'd like to start reading a new series that I know nothing about.
But sometimes it's the thought that matters.
But what I absolutely LOVED was the concept of a novella like "Easy Pickings". Writing for the fans and doing something fun is just so sweet and for that I'd like to say a big Thank You for Mrs Murphy and Mrs Hunter.
Yes, the finished result wasn't that polished and it required to be well-read in both series. And I would've liked if it had bit more explanations so that I'd like to start reading a new series that I know nothing about.
But sometimes it's the thought that matters.
February 1, 2012
An alternate reality in an alternate reality novel :) A nice game of mirrors both in worldbuilding and heroines.
If you love Yellorock or Walker, you'll probably love this romp of a story in which 2 UF lead women are (literally) suck to save New Orleans.
The authors meant the novella as a thank you to fans and I believe that fans are going to appreciate it more. I have read only one Murphy's Walker novels. So I liked this Joanna but as a counterpoint to Jane/Beast. I guess Ms Murphy's fans will love her more.
As a side note, it was somewhat satisfying to see Leo Pelissier in a completely different position of power .
If you love Yellorock or Walker, you'll probably love this romp of a story in which 2 UF lead women are (literally) suck to save New Orleans.
The authors meant the novella as a thank you to fans and I believe that fans are going to appreciate it more. I have read only one Murphy's Walker novels. So I liked this Joanna but as a counterpoint to Jane/Beast. I guess Ms Murphy's fans will love her more.
As a side note, it was somewhat satisfying to see Leo Pelissier in a completely different position of power .
February 5, 2012
AWESOME, AWESOME, AWESOME!
I love these two series and having a cross over novella is this fan girl's dream. It's always fun to hear that two talented, wonderful authors are fans of each others and when they come together and write "fan fic", it's a dream come true.
I think that this would be a great start for anyone interested in trying the two series. It reveals just enough to interest and introduce a new reader. For current readers, this is a bonus :)
I don't want to say too much b/c the story was fantastic. Let's just say that I really hope Ms. Murphy and Hunter collaborate again!
I love these two series and having a cross over novella is this fan girl's dream. It's always fun to hear that two talented, wonderful authors are fans of each others and when they come together and write "fan fic", it's a dream come true.
I think that this would be a great start for anyone interested in trying the two series. It reveals just enough to interest and introduce a new reader. For current readers, this is a bonus :)
I don't want to say too much b/c the story was fantastic. Let's just say that I really hope Ms. Murphy and Hunter collaborate again!
December 22, 2015
Although I haven't read any of the Walker Papers series, I have a few of these books on my kindle that I will definitely be reading now I have read this crossover novella. Jane Yellowrock and Joanne Walker are both transported to a very different version of New Orleans to the ones they are both used. Something is not quite right and they have to work out what is wrong and solve the problem. Along with a guy called Lazarus, who wields a great amount of power, the three have a bit of a fight on their hands.
Great short story and a great introduction to a new character and series for me.
Great short story and a great introduction to a new character and series for me.
December 28, 2012
If it were a book book, I'd probably give this 3.5, but since it's a short story it gets 4 stars. It's hard to make a short story good and I really enjoyed this. I love that the two characters got together. I wish more authors would do this. Cat and Bones meets Kate and Curran. =)
Although, these two work better because there are enough commonalities despite the different worlds. Jane has magic users so it fits with the way it was tweaked. I hope there are more of these to come.
Although, these two work better because there are enough commonalities despite the different worlds. Jane has magic users so it fits with the way it was tweaked. I hope there are more of these to come.
December 14, 2011
What do you call it when two authors go all fan girl on each other’s work and write a story together starring characters that don’t exist in each other’s world? I call it the best kind of fan-fic.
Take C.E. Murphy’s Joanne Walker and Faith Hunter’s Jane Yellowrock pull them through a dimensional portal and have them work together to fight the bad guys. The best of both worlds. I loved it.
Take C.E. Murphy’s Joanne Walker and Faith Hunter’s Jane Yellowrock pull them through a dimensional portal and have them work together to fight the bad guys. The best of both worlds. I loved it.
March 15, 2015
Woooow!!! For me this novel is a must read if you are reading the jane yellowrock seris like i am. This short novel was amazing. It clears up a lot of questions such as where the earring jane has came from. A definite must read
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 23, 2016
Okay these are two of my favorite series and authors and they hook up to write a crossover? I loved it. I want more! The problem is when you finish such a good book then you go into withdrawal. I need to find something just as good..................
May 3, 2014
Best crossover read ever!!
I love both characters and authors and when I first heard about the crossover I couldn't wait to read it. just wish they will do it again.
I love both characters and authors and when I first heard about the crossover I couldn't wait to read it. just wish they will do it again.
April 20, 2013
i just can't get into Jane Yellowrock, but as always i love Joanne Walker
November 29, 2018
This was kind of entertaining but being unfamiliar with C. E. Murphy’s series, I had no investment in Joanne Walker while Jane Yellowrock is one of my favorite characters. While the story happens in an alternate reality New Orleans, Jane’s stomping grounds with appearances by a handful of familiar characters from Jane’s world though quite different in the directions their lives have taken, the ending is all Joanne Walker. Throughout most of the story the alternating narrative from each woman’s point of view kept it a fairly even partnership till that point. But the final scenario where Leo’s uncle Aubrey must be defeated, Jane, the expert in all things vampire (in Joanne’s reality they don’t exist) is relegated to babysitting . . . literally. I with Jane bristled, and found no enjoyment with the ending or how Leo and company got dismissed as an inconvenient loose end to tie up. It certainly didn’t make me want to run out to read a Joanne Walker book.
September 7, 2020
I didn't find this as fulfilling as I hoped to. It was a fun enough time, but I hadn't read enough of the Walker Papers books to appreciate some of what happened here. And only understanding things from one side of what was happening in the story didn't feel great. But I imagine that's more my fault for read-order done by me than a failing of the authors for this. I would recommend being more than passingly familiar with both series before reading this.
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