Unpredictable Magic

Everhart Investigations #1

by Faith Hunter

Witches Angelina and Evan Everhart-Trueblood take a case that spirals out of control until the whole city is at risk in this exciting new novel from New York Times bestselling author Faith Hunter.

Angelina Everhart-Trueblood and her brother Evan run Everhart Investigations, a PI firm in Chattanooga that solves paranormal crimes committed by supernatural beings. When their new client wants help finding her friend, who supposedly disappeared during a reception at Angie’s aunt Jane’s winter residence, things get . . . complicated.

The client is not who she appears to be, and demons strike the city for the first time since the Witch War. On top of that, evidence is pointing toward the involvement of an overly ambitious vampire—who just happens to be Angie’s ex-husband.

As Angie and Evan team up with CPD, they will have to dig deep into their magical reserves—and rely on some friends in high places—to rid Chattanooga of the danger creeping into their city.

Genres: Urban Fantasy, Fantasy, Vampires, Magic, Paranormal, Witches, Fiction

Audible Audio

First published July 14, 2026

About the author

UNPREDICTABLE MAGIC -- out July 14, 2026

Faith Hunter's Junkyard Cats novella series is available in Audible, eBook, trade paperback books.

Faith's Jane Yellowrock series is a dark urban fantasy. Jane is a full blooded Cherokee skinwalker and hunter of rogue-vampires in a world of weres, witches, vampires, and other supernats. 15 books and several compilations of shorts

The Soulwood series is a dark-urban fantasy / paranormal police procedural /para-thriller series featuring Nell Nicholson Ingram, an earth magic user and Special gent of PsyLED. 6 books

Her Rogue Mage novels—Bloodring, Seraphs, Host, and the RPG Rogue Mage—feature Thorn St. Croix, a stone mage in a post-apocalyptic alternate reality.

Faith is a full time writer who finally hired a housekeeper when the dust bunnies multiplied, She loves tea, Japanese Maples, and loves to cook.

Faith researches in great detail, and tries most everything her characters do. Research led to her life’s passions – jewelry making, orchids, Japanese maples (she has managed to collect over thirty), white-water kayaking, and writing.

She and her husband RV, traveling to whitewater rivers to kayak all over the Southeast. Whitewater Kayaking is her very favorite sport, discovered when she was researching her (Gwen Hunter) mystery book, Rapid Descent. She took a lesson and—after a bout of panic attacks from fear of being upside down trapped in a boat—discovered she loved the sport.

Under other pen names, notably, Gwen Hunter, she writes action adventure, mysteries, and thrillers. As Gwen, she is a winner of the WH Smith Literary Award for Fresh Talent in 1995 in the UK, and won a Romantic Times Reviewers Choice Award in 2008. As Faith, her books have been on the New York Times and USA Today Bestseller lists, been nominated for various awards and won an Audie Award with Khristine Hvam, among other awards. Under all her pen names, she has more than 50 books, anthologies, and complications in print in 30 countries.

For more, including a list of her books, see www.faithhunter.net . To keep up with her daily, join her fan pages at Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/official.fait... and see her website blog at
www.faithhunter.net

Reviews

[Steven · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to Netgalley and Berkley for a pre-release copy of Faith Hunter's Unpredictable Magic. Below is my honest review.

YAY! More in the world of Jane Yellowrock! This time, we're checking in after a time jump. There's been a Witch War, unleashing demons on the world. We're following Angie Baby and little EJ, but they're all grown up now. Heck, the book starts with Angie Baby already having been married and divorced!

I am so glad we get more in this world, and I'm so happy that Faith decided to give us this story. I read in the acknowledgements that she had thought the final Soulwood book would be the end of her writing, but she was convinced (send that person a winning lottery ticket please!) to keep writing for fun instead of writing for deadlines, and this was the result. And supposedly we will get some more??? Celebration all around!

This one was tangly in true Jane/Nell fashion. Vampire plots, layer upon layer, are revealed, and the stakes are higher than they've ever been before with the EEBs being weaponized. We even get a few cameos! :)

I really loved this one. I can't wait for more!

Five stars, highly recommended, especially for fans of Jane Yellowrock and Nell Ingram.

[♥Rachel♥ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Angie and her brother, Evan, are witches with ties to Queen Jane Yellowrock, but they’re striking out on their own by launching Everhart Investigations, a detective agency specializing in paranormal crimes. When a woman hires them to look for her friend, a woman who went missing at a party hosted by the Queen, it’s immediately obvious that she’s leaving out important details. They discover the missing woman has ties to Angie’s ex-husband, a vampire and nasty piece of work, with his own diabolical agenda.

Unpredictable Magic was an engrossing, but complex first installment in a new urban fantasy series. As the opening book in a spin-off series, and my first experience with the connected Jane Yellowrock novels, it did take me a bit to navigate this magical world and its many players. Alongside witches Angie and Evan, who are still learning the full extent of their powers, the story features vampires, demons, and plenty of political maneuvering.

Despite the learning curve, I thoroughly enjoyed this introduction to the Everhart Investigations series. The world-building is unique, and the mystery kept me invested. With nonstop action and lots of danger along the way, I was hooked from start to finish.

I voluntarily read a copy courtesy of the publisher. These are my thoughts and opinions.

[Anne - Books of My Heart · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart
 

Review copy was received from the Publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

I was excited to be back in the world of the Soulwood and the Jane Yellowrock series. Like most urban fantasy I would read them in order, which I think helps one to understand more of the world and characters. Plus it is just great reading. The Soulwood series is a spin-off from Jane Yellowrock and I love it just as much or more. This Everhart Investigations series is about 20 years after the end of the Jane Yellowrock series.

Our main characters are Angie Baby and LIttle Evan who are now adults.  We learn Angie was married and divorced. Evan has remained unattached with only casual dating.  Their relationships are tangled up in the story.  Things go haywire when Evan doesn't go to dinner with his current fling, London, and she comes to the house and tries to kill them.   I turns out she is connected in with Angie's ex, Asshat.

Angie and Evan have wanted to be independent from the Queen to live their own lives but they do have a bodyguard, Walter.  Walter has his own issues from the past when he was a slave and then branded and turned, with his owner taking his love.  His owner has avoided him for years but he pops up here to try to control him again.

The Queen, Jane Yellowrock, faces a challenge, along with Edmund from a Ravenhart who has figurred out since Edmud was also in Clan Yellowrock she could face less challenges to take over.

In between the last series and now, there has been a war between witches and vampires and demons were used.  Unpredictable Magic is long and detailed. Angie and Evan spend a lot of time learning about their own magic and "politics" they have avoided. Here we get the battles and dangers of their growth process with the setup for their lives going forward with some independence but still connected to their Aunt Jane. It was fun seeing some of the characters from previous series, and the grown versions of Angie and Evan.

Narration:
The narrator Khristine Hvam also narrates the Soulwood series. Her voice has a southern tinge for Angie and seems appropriate for the characters, as well as distinct for the main ones.  I enjoyed her performance at my usual 1.5x speed.

Listen to a clip: HERE

[Darcy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was so excited when I saw this book was going to be with Angie baby and little EJ, but all grown up! And they are, 28 and 23, but I kinda miss that we didn't get the in between of their adventures. Both of them have secrets they think about and how they keep it from the other, despite being super close. Maybe at some point we will get to see things, even if only in flashbacks during the present.

This book is full of what you have come to love with the Jane Yellowrock series, great characters, lots of political intrigue, vamps and witches and crazy magical things happening. If would be hard to really "get" some of what is going on if you haven't read the other series, past characters show up, things that were important in those books are touched upon in this one and moves being made in this book often go back to things that happened in the Yellowrock series, especially the later books.

It's interesting the way that Angie and Evan want some independence and freedom from their own famous witch family and Jane. It feels like they often walk a think line, sometimes dealing with Aunt Jane, sometimes with the Queen. More so as the book goes on and things happen and you see the machinations of the Dark Queen, while you can also see Aunt Jane protecting her kits.

Walter was an interesting side kick. More interesting was what Evan realized, how they liked him, but held him at arms length and how he thought that should change. The other side kick that showed up in the later half of the book, Cousin Whacko, had me laughing, because only Shiloh would embrace that name and make it fit. It was fun to see the cousin's interact with each other.

Angie as a grown up is just as great as she was when she was a precious girl, just more aware. Aware of what her magic is and isn't, aware of pieces being played around her and aware of her place in what is going on. She can see where mistakes were made, where she was manipulated in the past.

It will be interesting to see where things go from here, how much independence they retain and how many changes there will be due to the events of this book.

[Beth]

Thank you to Berkley Publishing for this free finished copy.

I'm not going to rate this, I only read about 75 pages. But I just could not get into it, it is really difficult to follow and I just cant see myself investing the almost 600 pages of time to this where I am not getting absorbed into it.

Berkley was so kind to send this to me, and this is a genre I would normally love, I love fantasy and especially urban fantasy. I think if I had the background from the main series that this is a spin off from I would have an easier time.

It was just a miss this time for me, on to the next hopefully great read!

*This finished copy was gifted by Berkley Publishing, all opinions are my own.*

[Shelley · Rating 4 out of 5]

*Source* Publisher
*Genre* Urban Fantasy
*Rating* 4.0

*Thoughts*

Unpredictable Magic is the first installment in author Faith Hunter's Everhart Investigation series. This is a direct spin-off of the author's Jane Yellowrock series, set 20 years in the future. The novel follows witch siblings Angelina (“Angie”) and Evan (“EJ”) Everhart-Trueblood as they run their own paranormal private investigation firm in Chattanooga, Tennessee, focusing on paranormal issues. Angie and Evan take on a seemingly straightforward missing-person case tied to a reception at their aunt Jane Yellowrock’s (the Dark Queen) winter residence.

*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*

https://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/20...

[TSN ☮ · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars

[Tessa Talks Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

Witches running a paranormal PI firm? A missing woman who may not be what she seems? Demons pouring into Chattanooga while a possibly power-hungry vampire ex-husband lurks around the investigation?

Yes. This was absolutely my kind of magical chaos.

Angelina and Evan Everhart-Trueblood are siblings who investigate crimes involving supernatural beings, and I loved them as a team. There’s something about a witchy brother-and-sister PI duo that just works. Their relationship gives the story a solid center, even when the case expands far beyond one missing person and suddenly the entire city is in danger. Things escalate. Then they intensify again. And eventually everyone seems to be throwing magic, secrets, demons, and questionable motives into the same cauldron.

The world itself is wonderfully developed. Faith Hunter doesn’t just add vampires, witches, and demons to an ordinary city and call it done. The different magical groups have histories, rules, grudges, alliances, and their own ways of interacting with law enforcement. It made Chattanooga feel like a place that had really been formed by supernatural events. I loved that complexity, although I’ll admit that keeping track of all the characters occasionally seemed like trying to memorize the guest list at a very dangerous magical wedding.

There are a lot of people here. A lot.

I also struggled a little with the shifting tenses between the different points of view. Once I understood what was happening, it became easier to follow, but every switch still made my brain stumble for a second. It kept pulling me out of the story just enough to be noticeable.

My biggest issue, though, was the pacing. The plot features demons attacking the city, paranormal investigations, magical confrontations, and an ex-husband who is a vampire, so I expected the story to move faster than it did. There were stretches where the amount of explanation and discussion slowed everything down right when I wanted the danger to take over. I wasn’t bored exactly. I was just impatient. There was a demon crisis happening, after all. Let’s get moving.

Still, I stayed invested because the mystery kept becoming more complicated, and I really wanted to see how Angie and Evan would solve it. I loved the magical investigation. I loved the sibling partnership. And, yes, I especially loved the added complication of Angie having to investigate something that may involve her ambitious vampire ex-husband. Nothing spices up a paranormal case quite like undead relationship baggage.

Floral Verdict: 🌸 A Peony

Unpredictable Magic offers a complex urban-fantasy world, a fun witchy PI duo, and enough demons, vampires, and magical chaos to keep paranormal-fiction readers entertained. The slower pacing, shifting tenses, and sheer number of characters may make it less approachable for some readers, though. I enjoyed it, but this is definitely one for readers who already love getting lost in a detailed supernatural world.

[Dotti · Rating 2 out of 5]

Rating: 2.5 stars

Unpredictable Magic is an urban fantasy novel following two Royal witches and their bodyguard as they uncover a mystery that turns deadly. This was my first novel by Faith Hunter, and I didn’t know what to expect based on the blurb. I love urban fantasy, and fantasy mysteries, so I was excited about the story as it was presented.

Upon doing further research, this is the first in a new series that continues in a previous world, and honestly, that’s how the book felt. The magic system felt deep but unexplained, the characters were carelessly introduced but never contextualized, and the political elements were casual but complex. I found most of the world building felt like you needed to have read previous works in order to understand it, and I understood more when discovering that the book is not a new series but a continuation of a legacy series. I do think that it was a disservice to this series not to explain things. Our characters have magic that is sometimes explained but often not; side characters are casually introduced in early chapters and then given more context in the third act; one specific character is dropped into the story with little to no context in the third act and becomes instrumental to saving the day; and the politics of the world is rich but given little explanation. I think I would have enjoyed this book more if the author had explained things in more detail, especially since this is being marketed as a new series.

This book was also very battle-heavy, which was not what I was expecting based on the description. I was excited about the urban fantasy mystery elements, but the investigation turned violent quickly and stayed there. A large chunk of the book happens over the course of 36 hours, and in this 36 hours, our characters engage in three separate significant fight scenes. There are six total, each given extensive detail both in preparations and a play by play of the actual battle. The pacing for this book was very off-putting, spending extensive time preparing to fight and then fighting and then almost no time resting and regrouping. The story spends most of its energy on detailed conflict and not enough on building the world or the relationships in the story.

One detail that did give me joy: Angie receives a concussion early into the book and needs to wear a magical medicinal tiara during all of her various battle scenes. Excellent job. It’s just ridiculous enough (and the character is annoyed about it) for it to work.

Altogether, if you like the Yellowlegs clan series by Faith Hunter, this is probably worth a read. But this book does not function well as the first in a brand-new series, and I cannot recommend it from that perspective.

This advanced reader copy was provided to me by Berkley in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Kristine · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 Stars ⭐️

Okay. I actually took an entire day after finishing this ARC to try to figure out how I could put my feelings into words. The first, and I think the most important thing was that this book was MUCH too long. Seriously too long. I do not usually even know how many pages books have unless it gets to the point where I am reading and start to think, "How many more pages are left? " In my experience, that is NEVER a good sign. At almost 600 pages, this became a continual thought for me as I was desperately trying to finish this book.

But, to be fair, I do also need to mention that I am a huge fan of Ms. Hunter and I think that I have read every single book that she has put out. So yes, I had read the entire Jane Yellowrock series prior to this, and I was THRILLED to discover that there was going to be a spinoff with the Everheart siblings - a grown up Angie baby and her also grown up baby brother E.J. YES!

Where I began to have issues was with the fact that this entire storyline was EXTREMELY complicated. The magic system, the world building with the siblings, and the entire plot with the EEB's (demons) just got more and more confusing as the storyline unfolded. Honestly, as someone who has read at least 30 books in this already established world, it was really frustrating.

There were so many times that I had to reread entire paragraphs because I had no clue what I had just read. The storyline. The events happening over and over with these demon containers, branded vampires, elixirs, and crazy plots that seemed over the top and not really realistic in the way that people just “figure out” these crazy plots through no actual logical basis. I mean, I get it if that happens every so often in a new series, but this happened A LOT. Much more than I wanted to admit. I was LOST most of the time it I just decided to run with it.

Then there were the additions of the crazy amount of secondary characters. Oh. My. goodness. I had to severely concentrate to try to figure out who was who and when things did hit the fan, that became quite a big deal.

Okay, now the good. Ms. Hunter has created this well established world with characters that we have come to know and love over so many books, and it was so wonderful to have these characters drop back into this new series. While they were not at the forefront of the story, I loved getting snippets of Jane and Molly, the Consort and Alex and Eli. That made everything worth it.

At almost 600 pages, this needed to be edited down quite a bit but even with the length, I am still excited and eager to continue on with this series and see what is in store next for the Everheart siblings :)

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group | Ace for the opportunity to read and review this ARC. This book will be out for publication on July 14, 2026.

[Sarah Metcalf · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 rounded up
15 years after the events in the Jane Yellowrock series, we get a book about a grown-up Angie Baby and little Evan (EJ). After the Witch Wars, they have managed to make a home for themselves in Chattanooga. They are semi-independent from Jane/the Dark Queen. They live in an apartment building they bought and manage with a vampire bodyguard, Walter. It is also the offices of their investigative firm, aptly named The Firm. When a potential client walks in with a missing persons case with too many ties to the Everhart-Trueblood siblings, things get more complicated than they've seen in a long time. Now with demons on the loose again, Angie and EJ must swallow their pride and accept the help of the Dark Queen in order to save Chattanooga.
I was so excited to be able to read about the adorable and powerful witch children from the Jane Yellowrock series. Both Angie and EJ have come a long way since they were little. Angie has been married and divorced from a vampire with high aspirations and EJ has seen unthinkable things in the war. Angie has also lost a lot of the powers she had as a child and no longer has her angel. She is still a little bitter about that but has moved on for the most part. They are both keeping secrets from each other, but throughout the book, these secrets will come to light. We also get to see the return of Shiloh and she is definitely a unique character. She has been through quite a bit and is definitely a colorful character. Her new nickname translates the Savage Vampire, so it's probably everything you are imagining!
I made it to book 14 in the J.Y. series before I started this. I was trying to get all the way through, but didn't. I don't think that affected or spoiled too much in the way of that series since I was so far along. But if you haven't read a good portion of the series, you may be a little confused. I also noticed there is a collection of J.Y. books that are book 0.5 which I didn't read and maybe would have had more insight into the years between books, not sure. Overall, I really enjoyed this book. There was the action you expect from Faith Hunter, as well as the intricate "long game" plans by the vampires. Everything was written so you felt like you were there, whether it was Angie or EJ's POV. I didn't know the page count until after I finished but it's just under 600 pages. My one small complaint which took off the .5 star was that the book felt long. Sometimes you read a longer book and you can't tell but you could with this book. I feel like it could have been 2 books easily, esp with all the plot intricacies. But if you're a fan of Faith Hunter you will love this book, just be ready to set aside some time for it!

[Anne - Books of My Heart · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart
 

Review copy was received from Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

I was excited to be back in the world of the Soulwood and the Jane Yellowrock series. Like most urban fantasy I would read them in order, which I think helps one to understand more of the world and characters. Plus it is just great reading. The Soulwood series is a spin-off from Jane Yellowrock and I love it just as much or more. This Everhart Investigations series is about 20 years after the end of the Jane Yellowrock series.

Our main characters are Angie Baby and LIttle Evan who are now adults.  We learn Angie was married and divorced. Evan has remained unattached with only casual dating.  Their relationships are tangled up in the story.  Things go haywire when Evan doesn't go to dinner with his current fling, London, and she comes to the house and tries to kill them.   I turns out she is connected in with Angie's ex, Asshat.

Angie and Evan have wanted to be independent from the Queen to live their own lives but they do have a bodyguard, Walter.  Walter has his own issues from the past when he was a slave and then branded and turned, with his owner taking his love.  His owner has avoided him for years but he pops up here to try to control him again.

The Queen, Jane Yellowrock, faces a challenge, along with Edmund from a Ravenhart who has figurred out since Edmud was also in Clan Yellowrock she could face less challenges to take over.

In between the last series and now, there has been a war between witches and vampires and demons were used.  Unpredictable Magic is long and detailed. Angie and Evan spend a lot of time learning about their own magic and "politics" they have avoided. Here we get the battles and dangers of their growth process with the setup for their lives going forward with some independence but still connected to their Aunt Jane. It was fun seeing some of the characters from previous series, and the grown versions of Angie and Evan.

[Melanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

a great wild ride

Rating: 4.5⭐️

Unpredictable Magic by Faith Hunter brings us back into the lives of witches Angelina and Evan Everhart-Trueblood, characters who were children in Faith Hunter’s fantastic Jane Yellowrock series.

Aunt Jane, the Dark Queen, is a solid character and continuing presence in their lives now that both Angie and Evan are adults with pasts that haunt each of them.

For Angie, it’s an abusive marriage and a ex-vampire husband that has ramifications throughout this story. For Evan, it’s his past black ops service in the Vampire/Demon wars that’s giving him unrelenting nightmares of his battles then. For both of them, Everhart Investigations, a PI firm in Chattanooga, has been a way to reunite as siblings and to try to find a new path separate from their families and the Royal family.

A case puts everything they’ve struggled for into jeopardy, including those they love.

This story is just fabulous. Highly suspenseful, full of twists, and great storytelling. Some crossover characters from the Jane Yellowrock series occur as these two are tied tightly together with that other series. That’s just another great reason to read this.

But the characters, Angie and Evan, as well as those who they gather around them, exhibit their own growth and development here.

It was interesting to see them as adults because my memories are of them as children. And they have gone through some traumatic experiences and events that we hear about through memories or scenes that past history is brought up.

If I had a wish? It’s that Angie was more realistic about their “freedom “ from her family and the Dark Queen. She goes on about losing her freedom while not mentioning once that her ties with her family and aunt are the ones that have saved her repeatedly. Over and over. And over.

Were there times I wanted to say grow TFU? Why yes there was. Maybe future stories will see that happen. I do look forward to those.

I’ve seen elsewhere that this is the first book in a Everhart Investigations series and I really hope that it’s true.

This was a fabulous wild ride. The side characters are just incredible. Cousin Wacko? Love her. And their vampire bodyguard with his own complicated past. Amazing stuff!

Highly recommended!

Jane Yellowrock (15 book series)
Also related:
Soulwood (6 book series)

[Brenda Rezk · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's fantastic to be back in the world of Jane Yellowrock! While she and other familiar characters do make occasional appearances, the main characters of this book are Jane's godchildren - Angelina and EJ Everhart-Trueblood. These are Molly and Evan's children who were known as Angie Baby and Little Evan when they were children. They are now 26 and 24, I think. Twenty years have passed since the events at end of the Jane Yellowrock series. Witch Wars took place in the intervening years. All of our familiar characters have scars from those wars. Angelina and EJ are now working together running a paranormal investigation agency. They were named Princess and Prince and grew up under the safety, but lack of personal freedoms, that accompanied those royal titles. But the new case they've taken seems it might be connected to a threat against the Dark Queen and they might lose their freedom from the Royal Court or from their family's coven.

This book has a lot of action and intrigue! It also has romance.

If you have read the Jane Yellowrock series, you'll be able to jump right in and understand more about who the Dark Queen, Lincoln Shaddock, Edward, and others are and how vampire society works in this world. You'll understand the vocabulary better and also know how vampires got their souls back. You'll be knowledgeable of how witch magic works, who the main characters were as children, the power that Angie Baby was able to wield at a young age, who Hayyel was, what event led Angie to unbind EJ's magic and twine their magic with that of an angel to protect them and help their parents, how Molly ended up with death magic, etc. PsyLed Unit 18 is the one that Nell Ingram is in in the spin-off Soulwood series.

There are references to Jane and Bruiser's wedding and the relationship of Lincoln Shaddock to the Everhart family. If this doesn't ring a bell, you probably missed a couple of short stories that were included in the anthology Tales In The Midst. If you don't remember Molly's niece, vampire-witch Shiloh being so unhinged or having been bitten by a werewolf, you probably missed the Faith Hunter story in Paranormal Payback.

I think someone could probably read this book without having read the Jane Yellowrock series, but they are going to have a harder time and be more confused than those who have.

[Blake · Rating 3 out of 5]

(FYI I tend to only review one book per series, unless I want to change my scoring by 0.50 or more of a star. -- I tend not to read reviews until after I read a book, so I go in with an open mind.)

2.75*

Spin off, you do need to have read the Jane Yellowrock series, but not the other spin off.

This series follows the adventures of two characters who were children in the Jane Yellowrock series, who are now adults.

I like the FMC and MMC, siblings, the story is told from their POVs.

Not too keen on the FMC's love interest I really don't like that he treats the FMC like she's the Dark Queen's possession or that Jane also treats both FMC and MMC that way and gave the FMC's love interest permission to court her.
I also don't like that he came back after getting permission and was a jerk to FMC for years and she ignores that and just quickly took him back, because he 'loves her'. She did that with her jerk ex husband too, so its clearly a character flaw of FMCs. :( -- Hence the score.

I do not like Jane Yellowrock in this spin off.

The only reason FMC / MMC are in trouble is because of their bodyguard, he's the target and they're being used to get to him. If the Queen hadn't insisted that he must be their bodyguard they would not have been in peril.


First time read the author's work?: No -- I prefer her other books.

Will you be reading more?: Probably

Would you recommend?: Maybe


------------
How I rate Stars: 5* = I loved (must read all I can find by the author)
4* = I really enjoyed (got to read all the series and try other books by the author).
3* = I enjoyed (I will continue to read the series)
or
3* = Good book just not my thing (I realised I don't like the genre or picked up a kids book to review in error.)

All of the above scores means I would recommend them!
-
2* = it was okay (I might give the next book in the series a try, to see if that was better IMHO.)
1* = Disliked

Note: adding these basic 'reviews' after finding out that some people see the stars differently than I do - hoping this clarifies how I feel about the book. :-)

[boogleloo · Rating 5 out of 5]

5/5 stars: This is Hunter's first entry in the Everhart Investigations series which is a Urban Fantasy set in Tennessee. Featuring sister and brother witches and paranormal private detectives as they find themselves digging into their magical reserves and relying on friends in high places to rid their city of the dangers creeping into it. Their new client wants help finding her friend who supposedly disappeared during a reception at the Dark Queen of the vampires', who's their skinwalker godmother and “aunt”, winter residence. It becomes clear their new client isn't who she appears to be and things get complicated when demons strike the city for the first time since the Demon War. On top of that, evidence points toward an overly ambitious vampire, who just happens to be the sister's ex-husband. As the siblings team up with the police, they'll have to work fast to stop this ever growing deadly conspiracy before it's too late for everyone.

With plenty of plot twists, Hunter has masterfully crafted a non-stop action packed yet heartfelt story with excellent and fascinating world-building. Written in dual POV, Hunter's whip smart and humorous writing and character work are masterful; the characters are well-rounded and complex while remaining incredibly likable with a secondary cast that are well crafted and uniquely voiced.

Hunter touches on some sensitive topics; so take care and CWs. If you'd like to learn more about this world, this is a spin-off of Hunter's Jane Yellowrock series but it's not essential to have read them to enjoy this new series just something that you won't regret. Love to see the world continue; highly recommend!

I received this eARC thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group | Ace in exchange for an honest review. Publishing dates are subject to change.

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Magic, witches, vampires, and non-stop action!

A wonderful new urban fantasy from the writer of the Jane Yellowrock series. Siblings Angie and EJ Everhart-Trueblood are all grown up and have started a PI firm in Chattanooga. Everhart Investigations, run by the two young witches, specializes in paranormal crimes. Both Angie and Evan are walking a fine line of independence, trying to avoid being back under the control of their Aunt Jane’s royal vampire court. Their newest case is making it difficult to fly under the Queen’s radar, as it has attracted a demonic attack that threatens to destroy the city. EJ, Angie, and their vampire guard, Walter, will need a little help battling the demons and whoever is behind the attack.

I absolutely loved this story; magic, witches, vampires and non-stop action! Ange retains the indomitable will and quick thinking she had in childhood, even if her magic is unpredictable. Evan Jr. was just a toddler in the Yellowrock series, and now he is 23 and a very gifted air witch with an aptitude for electronics and security. Some familiar people from Clan Yellowrock are involved, but there is also a whole new cast of exciting characters. The story is fast-paced, and the action is top-notch. The writing is so good, I wanted to savour being back in this magical world, but I couldn’t help but gobble it up.

For fans of the Jane Yellowrock series, this is a must-read. If you haven’t read the previous series, don’t worry, this book will suck you into it in no time!

Thank you to the Berkley Publishing Group, Ace and NetGalley for access to an advanced reader copy.

[Monty · Rating 3 out of 5]

Several nonsense reviews on here from people that got review copies... and who just wrote reviews based on that they hadn't read the prior books in the extended story'verse within which this new book is set. Very ill conceived imho.

This book was okay it does though suffer from an excess of overall contrivance. Characters often don't make sense from a broader background perspective (makes them seem unbelievable). Same goes for plot its so weak at times to move it along. Pretty much too many things that started to give me a headache.. Like nonsensical actions taken just to make the characters seem more fallible and supposedly relatable but which just makes it all glaringly fake/forced/contrived.

There is also the authors attempt to bake in real life social issues, to do with relationships, that made me as the reader just shake my head due to how wrong it came across for me due to having read nearly all the prior books in this story'verse to date. The puzzle pieces did not fit.

This book returns us to Faith Hunter's 'Yellowrock Universe' with a 15-20 year time skip.
The author is setting out to lay the foundations for an Everhart focused supernatural PI series it seems. Combine time-skip with foundation building and it makes for a properly hefty book, 18hours in audio format.

On the whole I thought the author skated the line too much resulting in often ending up offside entirely because of it. Yellow card to use a football term.

Rating still a 3+ mostly due to the fact that the quality of books in the genre and the greater Fantasy-SciFi category in general has been awful for a long time now.

[SW · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advance reader copy (ARC) in exchange for an honest review.
I went into Unpredictable Magic almost completely blind—honestly, all I needed to know was that it was written by Faith Hunter. What I wasn't expecting was a spin-off featuring Angie "Angie Baby" Everhart-Trueblood and Little EJ as the main characters, and I couldn't have been happier!
While I loved Jane Yellowrock, I felt like the later books became increasingly sprawling as the world and cast of characters continued to expand. I also never quite connected with the Soulwood series. Maybe I just never completely forgave Ricky Bo. But the Everharts were always characters I wanted to spend more time with, so this book felt like coming home.
It was so much fun catching up with familiar faces and seeing where life has taken Angie, Evan, and the rest of the crew. Since it had been a while since I'd read anything in this universe, there were a few references and past events that went over my head. Thankfully, Faith Hunter has a talent for weaving enough context into the story that I never felt lost, and it never got in the way of enjoying the mystery or the action.
The paranormal investigation, magical mayhem, demons, vampires, and family dynamics all came together in an entertaining, fast-paced story that reminded me why I fell in love with this world in the first place.
Most importantly, Unpredictable Magic pulled me out of a serious reading slump after a string of DNF books, and that's probably the highest compliment I can give it. I'm excited to see where Angie and Evan's adventures go next and would happily follow this new series.

[Marsha · Rating 4 out of 5]

(3.5 Stars)
The Jane Yellowrock series has always been a long time favorite of mine; so, when I discovered that "Unpredictable Magic" was a spinoff series of sorts featuring her now grown up godchildren, Angie and E.J. that was all I needed to decide to read this book.

Initially, the world building, and characterizations were great but then I began to feel a disconnect because Ms. Hunter wrote in too many convoluted worlds including aliens etc. Why not just make it clean with one alternative universe/ world where demons resided? Then, I found that I could easily relate to EJ and some of the auxiliary characters like Walter, Boots, Pretty Thing etc. but had trouble relating to Angie and her budding relationship with Detective Valetti. I just wasn't feeling it.
Also, I grew tired of all the time Angie destroyed and began healing her hands. It left me scratching my head and asking why on earth didn't she devise a spell, amulet or something to ward off the effects of using the staff before damage occured.

Now, I will say this..... I truly enjoyed the storyline and the battles between good and evil. I wanted to join in on the butt whipping but had to settle for cheering the gang from the reading sidelines. In the end, I was wanting more and cannot wait to see where this series if headed. I understand that Ms. Hunter has contracted initially for a total of three books.

Any reservations or hesitations that I have initially had will hopefully be ironed out in the next book. However, at any rate, I just hope that Ms. Hunter keeps the reads coming!

However, after reading through the

[Barbara Moreda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ahhh, it’s so nice to visit the kids all grown up! Angie and EJ are now young adults yet they have already lived through much pain and heartache. Angie has been married and divorced after being betrayed by her vampire husband. EJ left school and home at 16 to join the Witch War.

They have a firm in Chattanooga and are trying to make it on their own, without the mantle of being royals hanging over their heads (the Dark Queen is their godmother and “aunt” and she has made them all apart of her royal family). They have duties and responsibilities as such and are not always free to act on their own. For instance, when things start to go south, Walter (their vampiric bodyguard employed by the Queen (Aunt Jane) flies the royal standard on the building they own and live in, meaning any attack on them after that moment is an attack on the Queen herself.

During one battle, Angle wears her own armor, with her colors on it instead of the Queen’s to give the royals plausible deniability from her actions.

As this conflict unfolds, they learn just how much freedom they do (or do not) actually have from the watchful eyes of the Queen’s security force. EJ is frequently frustrated when he realizes his security measures have been overruled.

If you haven’t read Jane Yellowrock, it might take you a bit to understand a few of the players and the magic system Faith has built over her previous series. I don’t think it’s a required read to start this series but I would encourage you to read it, though you’ll learn a few things in this book (like who becomes her consort, Jane’s true age, and a bit about the Youngers).

[Kathy Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This traditional urban fantasy stars siblings Angelina Everhart-Trueblood and her brother Evan. They are godchildren of the Dark Queen and royalty by decree who have managed to escape court formality and court politics by opening their own investigation agency in Chattanooga. Their next case which was supposed to be a simple missing person case drops them right back into the center of court politics again.

When their missing person is found to have been at a reception at the Queen's residence that they attended and that their vampire bodyguard Walter should have attended, they find themselves in a conspiracy to overthrow the queen and restart the demon wars. Angie's ex-husband is a vampire player in that conspiracy as is Evan's human girlfriend. Even an old companion of Walter's has a role in the conspiracy.

It soon becomes clear that finding their client's missing friend is the very least of their concerns with stopping the conspiracy against the queen taking priority as well as dealing with their own personal issues regarding their various exes.

This was an engaging urban fantasy title in the same world as the author's Jane Yellowrock world. A number of characters also made appearances in that series of fifteen books and multiple short stories.

I really enjoyed the worldbuilding and enjoyed the complex and intriguing main characters who exchanged viewpoints throughout the story. Now, I want to go and read the Jane Yellowrock series and, because of a preview at the end of this book, the Soulwood series.

[Amanda Grace · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unpredictable Magic is a stunning spinoff that gave me exactly what I wanted from Angie and EJ, two of my favorite characters from the Jane Yellowrock series.

What I loved most is watching Angie and EJ build their own power structure in Chattanooga, completely separate from the Dark Queen and their family coven. It felt like exactly the right next step for two characters who have spent so long defined by their family's legacy. They have both been through so much and are still finding their footing. I loved how the gap between the last Jane book and this one is revealed piece by piece, and there is clearly more still to uncover about their power.

Faith Hunter is a master of battle scenes and this book proves it once again. The Sangre Duello appears in multiple forms throughout, and between the fight choreography, the weapons, and the interdimensional demons, the stakes felt genuinely high. Walter's story is central to everything unfolding here, and his arc added a layer of complexity I was not expecting. Angie and EJ are trying to save the city while protecting their own autonomy, and that tension drives the plot beautifully.

The new supporting characters are fantastic. Walter, Shiloh, and Leandro all left me wanting more, and the cameos from other series made my heart happy. The slight hint of romance was handled perfectly, adding just enough without overshadowing the central story.

I cannot wait for the next book in this series.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Release Date: July 14, 2026

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unpredictable Magic by Faith Hunter is the first book in her Everhart Investigations spinoff series and features Angie Baby and Little Evan all grown up. Twenty years have passed since we last looked in on Angie and E.J. Everhart-Trueblood and a war that threatened survival of the entire world has changed everyone. Jane Yellowrock is still the Dark Queen, Edmund is Emperor of Europe and Angie and E.J. are trying to distance themselves from vampire and witch politics and live their lives as autonomous people. Then in walks a client into their private investigation firm and the world is once again turned upside down. There is someone using demons out there and it takes everything their magic possess to figure out the endgame of their enemies. Their bodyguard, Walter, assigned by the Dark Queen is somehow mixed up in the mystery and as with most vampire plots, the threads are tangled and many.
I really enjoyed stepping back into Jane Yellowrock's world. It took me a minute to get used to the witch side of things. Jane had magic, but witch magic is different. We knew Angie was a magic savant when she was a small child. Now we get to see her come into her own. E.J. was a baby when we last saw him. Now he has trauma and secrets galore. The book was long, but it did not seem so because the story was so effortless. Faith Hunter fans should go buy this one right now.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Ace for the eARC in return for an honest review.

[Anastey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you Faith Hunter for sending me this advance review copy for free. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I had no idea that this was a spin off series, and it wasn't in the blurb or marketing that I saw at all. I haven't read any of Jane Yellowrock books, so it was a lot harder to follow since I wasn't familiar with the world or it's history.

This book was much longer than it needed to be, and really convoluted and confusing. I struggled to keep track of everything going on. It was so chaotic. It felt like there were so many characters. I had to keep track what they were doing all at the same time and it was difficult not to mix them up. It was not the best reading experience for me. I feel like either some of the stuff could have been cut out, or split into 2 shorter books.

The battles were fun and there was plenty of action to go around. The pacing was very fast, and there weren't too many parts where I felt like it turned into a slog. Even though there were so many characters, they were all fairly interesting overall.

I think it you have read through the Jane Yellowrock series, you will really enjoy this book. I think it would be way less confusing and I'm sure the references sprinkled in here and there would make a lot more sense to you than it did me. This book did make me want to go pick up the other series and give them a try, so maybe I'll give this one a re-read again in the future to see if I like it better.

[Kathy Presley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Complicated Plot with Masterful Writing

I have eagerly read all of the Jane Yellowrock novels along with related stories but this novel is my favorite.

With another writer the plot would be frustrating and confusing but Faith Hunter and her editing team do such a great job that the story flies along and you cant put the book down.

The reader gets to revisit beloved characters now 20 or more years in the future and meet a new group of characters, some likable and some evil. The novel takes place in Chattanooga TN during an epic ice and snow storm that paralyzes the city and isolates the intended targets. Angelina Everhart-Trueblood and her brother Evan Jr. are now full grown, talented witches running their own paranormal investigation business. Evan has returned from fighting in a witch war that occurred in Europe, involving witches turned into vampires that were using death magic and releasing multidimensional demons into the world to possess and kill their enemies. All of the demons were thought to be safely locked into containment vessels with the end of the war.

Angie and Evan meet a puzzling new client who is hiding her true identity and not long after their apartment building and place of business is attacked with a demon-releasing bomb. They are in a race against time to figure out who is doing it and why, and how many bombs are missing.

Worthy of multiple reads!

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley and Ace for the chance to read this ARC!

I have mixed feelings about this book. There are things I liked: the characters, the setting and elements of the plot. There were also things I didn’t like: too long, too many characters and a complicated world.

So, first things first, I haven’t read any of the Jane Yellowrock books in a while. According to my Goodreads, I read 1-8, but that was years ago. I recall liking them, but I don’t remember much of the world. But since I did like them and I love Urban Fantasy, I figured I’d give this one a try. I finished it and once I got about 75% into the book, I did get into it. I think the author is a great writer and the world is so well thought out. I find it easy to love the characters.

This book was just so long. So, so long. And parts were repetitive. Also, I didn’t love the switching from 1st person for Angie and 3rd person for EJ. Very confusing. There were also so many characters to keep track of, I kept forgetting who was who. I think the main characters: Angie, EJ and Walter were great though. There is potential here for a great series. I just think the story needs to be trimmed down.

I’m giving it a 3.5 rounded up to a 4. Although I didn’t love it, I do think avid readers of Faith Hunter and Jane Yellowcard books will enjoy it.

[Abbi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I suspect I'm one of the few who have read this ARC from Netgalley without reading all of the Jane Yellowrock series (I read the first book in 2017, apparently, and didn't read any of the rest of the series).

I liked Unpredictable Magic a lot, though! The sibling bond between Angie and EJ was great. EJ's magic in particular was really cool, being based on music. Never thought I'd see the phrase "attack flute" in a book, but here we are. I liked most of the secondary characters (except Shiloh) and hopefully we'll see more of them in future books.

Also, Hunter did a great job of giving enough information about the world throughout that I didn't feel like I had missed out by not reading the Jane Yellowrock series. Sometimes when authors do spinoffs, you get lost because you haven't read the prior series, and that wasn't the case here.

I do think this book was too long. There were SO MANY BATTLES and a ton of moving parts. I get that it was a convoluted plot - maybe too convoluted. It could have used some editing down. And while I liked switching points of view between Angie and EJ, I wasn't clear on why Angie was written in first person, and EJ was written in third person.

Overall, though, I really enjoyed the ride, and I'm looking forward to seeing more in this series! And maybe I'll go back and try Jane Yellowrock again...

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ready for magic, vampires, witches, demons, supernatural beings, battles, unbelievable weapons and more, the urban fantasy Unpredictable Magic by Faith Hunter has it all. The story is built around Angelina (Angie) and Evan (EJ) Everhart-Trueblood who appeared as children in an earlier series. They are the godchildren of the Dark Queen. As witches their magical skills are out of sight, as you will discover as you dive into the story and now, on their own and hoping to stay that way, starting a PI firm to solve paranormal crimes. This becomes a big job as they find themselves at war when demons and crooked supernaturals attack their city of Chattanooga. The story holds many plots, many characters, and oh so many unique magical tools and weapons. You’ll marvel how the author develops how their abilities allow them to use these tools. Yes, as some say, so many characters and unbelievable plots might be confusing but the author really brings it well together and you’re invested in the success of the characters and the final event. It’s a great introduction to the planned series. Give it a try, you won’t be disappointed. Thank you NetGalley and Berkley for the ARC and the introduction to the author.

[Alisha Henri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Predictably Fabulous!
I was so excited to learn that Faith Hunter was writing another book in the Jane Yellowrock world, especially involving Angie and EJ Everhart-Trueblood, who are now grown and operating their own PI business. The character progressions are perfect, and the plotlines are fascinating, heart-wrenching, and sometimes downright terrifying. As so often in this world, I have to remember to breathe, because, true to her character, Angie walks on the edge of disaster with her "unpredictable magic." It's quite delightful to see how she and her "little" brother, EJ, interact and practice their craft separately and together. And then, there are the vampires, always manipulating and dangerous. Having their "crazy cousin," Shiloh Everhart-Trueblood appear makes all of the possibility of disaster even more entertaining. The complexities are entrancing, and the resolutions to everything, well, I can't say since I don't want any "spoilers" here. Do read or listen to this book; the narrator, Khristine Hvam, is superb, as always, and it's been delightful listening to her again. Thank you, Faith, for adding another amazing adventure to my library. I do hope there will be more stories about Angie and EJ.