Blood in Her Veins: Nineteen Stories from the World of Jane Yellowrock

Jane Yellowrock #0.1-0.7, 1.5, 3.2-3.3, 4.1-4.2,

by Faith Hunter

New York Times bestselling author Faith Hunter presents a comprehensive collection of stories starring everyone’s favorite “smart, sexy, and ruthless”* shapeshifting skinwalker...
 
In this must-have collection of stories, experience nineteen thrilling adventures from the world of vampire-hunter Jane Yellowrock, including many fan favorites and two all-new novellas. Read about the first time Jane put the pedal to the metal in “The Early Years,” and the last thing a werewolf will ever see as Jane delivers justice in “Beneath a Bloody Moon.” Get a searing look into the pasts of some of the series’ best-loved Beast in “WeSa and the Lumber King,” Rick LaFleur in “Cat Tats,” and Molly Everhart Trueblood in “Haints.”
 
In the brand-new “Cat Fight,” the witches and vampires of Bayou, Oiseau, are at war over a magical talisman—and Jane must figure out how to keep the mysterious artifact out of the covetous hands of the Master of New Orleans. And in the never-before-published “Bound No More,” Jane welcomes a visit from Molly and her daughter, Angie, who is about to prove she’s the most powerful witch in Everhart history....
 
From the Big Easy to the bad bayou, from the open road to a vampire’s lair—with Jane Yellowrock, it’s always a have stakes, will travel.
 

* New York Times Bestselling Author Kim Harrison

Genres: Urban Fantasy, Fantasy, Vampires, Paranormal, Anthologies, Short Stories, Magic

542 pages, Paperback

First published February 2, 2016

About the author

Faith Hunter's Junkyard Cats novella series is available in Audible, eBook, and "ridiculously expensive" (her words) trade paperback books at this time.

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 bakes homemade bread 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, bones, travel, white-water kayaking, and writing.

Faith loves orchids. Her favorite time of year is when several are blooming. Pictures can be seen at her FaceBook page. And yes, she collects bones and skulls. She has a fox, cat, dog, cow skull, goat, a boar skull, a deer skull, (that is, unfortunately, falling apart) and the jawbone of an ass. Her prize skull is a mountain lion (legally purchased from a US tannery) hit by a car in the wild.

Her latest love is Japanese maples, and she has managed to collect over thirty.

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 40 books, anthologies, and complications in print in 30 countries.

For more, including a list of her books, see www.faithhunter.net , www.gwenhunter.com . 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

[Jessica ❁ ➳ Silverbow ➳ ❁ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reviewed by: Rabid Reads

Before we get into this:

1. If you're new to JANE YELLOWROCK, proceed with CAUTION. I will not intentionally spoil anything, but this collection includes NINETEEN stories about events that take place both before and throughout the main series.

If you're curious, check out my review of Skinwalker. It's safer. And enthusiastic (b/c LOVE Jane).

2. I've been slack on keeping up with Jane lately, b/c stubbornly waiting for the European vamps to get here, so I'm reading a lot of the recently written stories for the first time--the older stories from HAVE STAKES, WILL TRAVEL and CAT TALES I've read several times now, and I read BLACK WATER when it first came out.

So my opinions on Big Deal situations in the main series are evolving. *coughs* Bruiser *coughs*

3. I hate Rick with the fire of ONE THOUSAND suns. My reviews of his POVs reflect that. FYI.

We Sa and the Lumber King - 4.0 stars

FIRST, I'm not sure there's a more perfect example of Beast vs. Jane than this one:

Night vision came as sunlight left. Earth turned into silvers and greens and grays. Liked this time of day/ night. We sa called it beautiful. I called it safe.

Moving on.

If you're a longtime reader of Jane, you know there are periodic references to the Hunger Times. This is a (very) short story from Beast's POV as she tries to get rid of the humans destroying her natural habitat.

Beast is . . . Beast. *snickers*

We also get a peek at baby Jane, who hasn't yet found her way back to human form after melding with Beast.

The Early Years - 4.0 stars

An 18-year-old Jane follows an instinct she doesn't understand and finds her way back home. It gives me FEELS.

Snafu - 3.5 stars

Very short--probably less than 10 pages. Hmm . . . 18 y.o. Jane's first day on the security job training. First 10 min. really . . . But that's all you need to see all the reasons we love Jane. #kickass

Cat Tats - 4.0 stars

Oh, look. Ricky Bo got himself in trouble b/c chasing tail. SHOCKER.

This one's told from Rick's POV, and if you've been curious about how he got his mountain lion/bobcat tattoo:

Rick didn’t know what it meant to have the cats here on his body, beneath his skin, part of him.

IT MEANS NOTHING.

I like this one b/c lots and lots of PAIN for Rick (whom I HATE).

Kits - 5.0 stars

KITS hits me in ALL the FEELS, and it's probably my favorite Jane short to date.

1. Beast and kits always plays havoc with my emotions. She's so fierce and so pure and so . . . single-minded. Nothing is more important than kits. *rubs fist over heart*

2. The birth of Molly and Jane's friendship:

I pulled on my socks and carried my boots into what was left of Molly’s house. We had tea. We shared secrets. Weirdly, Molly held my hand while we talked, as if protecting something fragile or sealing something precious. Even more weirdly, I let her. I think that, for the first time in my life, I had a real friend.

I may have cried. A lot.

Haints - 4.0 stars

HAINTS is one more reason why vampires and witches shouldn't mix. o.O

This one is told from Molly's POV, which is awesome b/c we get to see Jane through her eyes (ALSO b/c Molly). Evan is on hand as well, and as he's not hating on Jane, that's fun, too.

Two word summary: WEIRD magic.

ALSO, there are several Easter eggs hidden for true Jane aficionados.

Signatures of Death - 4.0 stars

You know that job Jane had prior to hitting New Orleans? The one where she nearly got her throat ripped out? The one where some kid got her on video with her eyes glowing?

This is that story.

It's not pretty. But dealing with rogue vampires rarely is.

Good thing we have Jane.

First Sight - 4.0 stars

Jane's first meeting with Leo and Bruiser told from Bruiser's POV.

Kind of sexy . . . But I'm still not #teambruiser

#teamjane

Blood, Fangs, and Going Furry - 3.5 stars

Have I mentioned that I HATE Rick? B/c I do.

This one is from Rick's POV, and it details his first full moon as a were . . . A were unable to shift b/c witchy tattoos. It appears to be rather painful.

THIS PLEASES ME.

And I would've given it full marks if it hadn't been for his, "Woe is me, I really effed things up with Jane," and, "I really need to talk to her, I need to explain," crap and trash.

Stay the fuck away from Jane, you ASS. <------not a spoiler, just me cursing at Rick (spoiler tagged out of respect for Jane who hates potty mouths).

Fool me once . . .

Dance Master - 4.5 stars

Okay . . . That was HOT.

I'm still #teamjane but now I'm closer to #teambruiser than I've been since that limo ride in one of the first books . . . youknowwhatimtalkingabout *fans self*

Golden Delicious - 3.0 stars

Short story from Rick's perspective. Takes place during his training with PsyLED.

I hate Rick.

At least there's Pea. *glares daggers at Rick*

Cajun with Fangs - 3.5 stars

This one is a Hatfields and McCoys scenario played out by vampires and witches in the bayou. Jane gets tricked into helping moderate a dispute, and by "tricked" I mean clocked with a heavy object.

Pretty standard as far as these types of things go, BUT most of the involved parties have fantastic Cajun accents, and I do love me a good Cajun accent.

The Devil's Left Boot - 4.0 stars

This one was told from the POVs of two of the Everhart sisters, Elizabeth and Boadacia. It takes place after the big Evangelina showdown, and tensions are still running high.

When their high school nemesis shows up of the family restaurant, as much as Liz and Cia would like to send her packing, they end up agreeing to help her find her mother who's disappeared.

For a fee.

They find themselves over their heads and call in Jane who just happens to be in town, but in the process of working their magic, absorb another witch's blood magic . . . The same kind of magic that made Evangelina go CRAY . . . The effing end. *shakes fist*

Beneath a Bloody Moon - 3.0 stars

If Faith Hunter has a flaw, it's overusing concepts and/or revamping (HA!) ideas that have previously been treated as unique.

We know from MERCY BLADE that werewolves are cursed with both madness and an inability to create female werewolves. Which was why Magnolia Sweets was such a Big Deal.

Yet in this story, what are we dealing with?

Another female werewolf. *sighs* And the way the story plays out, we never get an explanation for HOW she exists or what the deal is with the inexplicably HUGE dire werewolf.

ALSO, there's Rick. Being Rick. Ugh.

Black Water - 4.0 stars

Feeling responsible for the kidnapping of two women (b/c the kidnapper busted out jail seeking revenge after someone on Jane's team killed his werewolf sister), Jane enlists the help of Sarge (from BENEATH A BLOODY MOON) and his monster dog in a rescue mission.

I want to know 3 things:

1. How is it exactly that Sarge is sane?
2. How are Sarge and Christabel able to communicate with monster dog?
3. WHAT THE BLOODY HECK IS CHRISTABEL??!

Off the Grid - 4.5 stars

At Dragon Con 2014 (and 2015), I went to a bunch of Faith's panels. In one of them she talked about a new series she's working on. I was excited about this for numerous reasons, the two biggest being:

1. New Faith Hunter series--YAY.
2. It takes place in Oak Ridge.

For those of you that don't know, Oak Ridge is in Tennessee, near Knoxville. It's also where the first atomic bomb was made.

One of my dads has lived in Andersonville, part of the same county that Oak Ridge is in, for about 20 years, and has been working at Y-12 for the last 6 or 8 years.

I am fascinated by this place.

I have been fascinated by this place since I was a teenager.

In this story we meet Nell Nicholson Ingram, who is the heroine in Hunter's new series. I'm not sure what she is exactly, but my money's on her having some kind of Fae in her ancestry, and the only thing I love more than Native American folklore is the Fae.

Fae in Oak Ridge.

GIVE IT TO ME NOW.

Not All Is as It Seems - 4.0 stars

This was a Molly POV, so I was already inclined to like it, but, man alive . . . Every time I think vampires are wholly unredeemable, every time I'm ready to write them off completely (b/c reprehensible, elitist, devious, hedonistic, disgusting creatures), something has to go an throw me for a loop.

This time it was Lincoln Shaddock.

I really like the Asheville vampires. Against my better judgement, but all the same . . . I like them.

Cat Fight - 4.5 stars

CAT FIGHT sends Jane back to bayou, b/c the vamp/witchy version of the Hatfields and the McCoys aren't playing nice any longer.

Our star-crossed lovers are behaving like children, Shauna stealing a valuable magical artifact from her father-in-law and running home to her Mama and Daddy . . . Then the Vatican gets involved, and basically it's a big 'ol mess.

Good thing Jane's excellent at making people shut up and listen.

We get some more insight into Edward (which makes me not-worried for Leo, the control-freaky jackhole), and Gee also makes an appearance (I LOVE Gee), so, yeah, it was great.

Bound No More - 4.0 stars

Boy howdy, Angie Baby is gonna be hell on wheels when she hits adolescence . . . o.O

In this final tale, Molly is in town with Angie for the Witch/Vampire parley, and that light dragon thingy is out for Molly's blood. If you want to know why, READ THE BOOK.

Point of interest: the thing that put me off so badly in DARK HEIR--Jane continuing to dothething when it had been established that if she didn't stop, it would KILL HER--was explained better, so I'm okay with it now . . . Either that or I've had enough distance to get over it. *shrugs*

SO. Should you read BLOOD IN HER VEINS for yourself? Only if you love Jane. And if you don't love Jane, GET OUT! what are you doing here? Highly recommended.

[Melissa ♥ Dog/Wolf Lover ♥ Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mel 🖤🐶🐺🖤

[Douglas Meeks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let me start this review with a big warning recomendation: DO NOT READ THIS BOOK UNLESS YOU ARE CAUGHT UP ON THE SERIES!

OK, while that might not be a great selling point it will keep you from reading some major spoilers unless you are one of those people that really like spoilers (yes Virginia, such people exist) and to be honest you might be OK to read it if the only novel you have missed was Dark Heir but then again since that is one of the best books in the series I think I will stick with my warning. This is a top shelf series and I would never recommend skipping any of them.

Alright, lets get to this book. It is a collection of 19 stories of which 2 are brand new BUT this whole book is laid out in a timeline fashion with just enough info in between stories to keep you straight as to where and when you are in the Jane Yellowrock world.

To be honest, I really thought I would just kind of scan over the previously published stories since I have read most if not all of them, give it 3-4 Stars and move on (since I really did not have time to read almost 600 pages) BUT, it seems I forget how addicting these stories can be and how much I enjoy them and since I don't have a photographic memory (or anything even remotely close) you start reading and realize there is a lot of the stories you forgot and before you know it you are drawn back in just like a new book. Needless to say I read every word between the covers.

The thing here is that these stories are following a timeline so they carry you along on the evolution of Jane Yellowrock as well as the evolution of several of the characters in the series. The new stories just kind of fall in and become part of the whole storytelling timeline and you never really acknowledge that the 2 new stories have any greater weight or entertainment value than the previously published stories. While I am a huge fan of Faith Hunter I suspect there are some other folks that deserve some serious kudos for selecting and laying out these stories in such a way that somebody like me that has pretty much read them all can enjoy them as much as any new book in the series. I have to admit that a couple of them did make me wish I could reread one or two of the novels but alas as a reviewer I don't have that kind of time.

Normally with a collection like this I break down each story and give it a rating to itself (as many of my fellow reviewers have) but this collection flows together so well and it really sets up not only the next novel in this series a bit but a new spin-off series forthcoming later this year (I can hardly wait) so I expect to be able to overdose on the world of Jane Yellowrock this year if such a thing is possible so, rating this as a collection with an actual movement in time and reminding all of us why we love this series so much I have to give it 5 Stars just for being an amazing entertainment accomplishment in what I was sure was going to be a boring money-grab. Well done indeed.

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had just finished a marathon re-read of the Jane Yellowrock series, so Blood In Her Veins: Nineteen Stories From the World of Jane Yellowrock could not have come at a better time.

There are some series you just can’t get enough of and for me Jane Yellowrock is one of them! Blood In Her Veins gives you the perfect opportunity to sate that need. If my re-reading didn’t give it away, I’m a BIG fan. So, it won’t come as a surprise to you that I gobbled up all these marvelous novella length stories that gave me just a little more from this world I love.

The absolute icing on the cake was the secondary character stories. Wonder no longer, you get to know these fabulous characters that have always taken a back seat to the main hero and heroine.

Bottom line, all Jane Yellowrock fans should not miss Blood In Her Veins. If you never have checked out the series this book is a great opportunity to get a feel for this world.

I received this ARC copy of Blood In Her Veins from Let’s Talk! Promotions via Berkley Publishing Group - Roc in exchange for a honest review. This book is set for publication Feb. 2, 2015.

My Rating: 5 Stars

Written by: Faith Hunter
Series: Jane Yellowrock
Paperback: 560 pages
Publisher: Roc
Publication Date: February 2, 2016
ISBN-10: 0451475755
ISBN-13: 978-0451475756
Genre: Urban Fantasy

[Yodamom · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adore Jane Yellowrock, and Beast. The books never fail to entertain me. I laugh, cry, sneer, and scream with them as she/they struggle to be vampire hunter, investigators, human and animal. I am addicted to her, strong, independent and can do kick arse attitude when needed.
Here is a collection of short stories from her world that bind her growth and record her history. Perfect for a quick Jane and Co. fix. You do not want to miss the juicy tidbits, trust me there is some good stuff. Some of the stories are from her view point some from other characters, all very interesting. There is even a sneak peek into a new series she is working on. I am generally not a fan of shorts but these all work to enhance the Jane Yellowrock experience.
After reading this I am feeling the need to do a re-read of the series. I want to relive some of these times again now that I have these extra bits to fill in.

[Marta Cox · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jane Yellowrock and urban fantasy just go together. Yes I've had the deep joy of dipping into this world the last few days and it's been truly eye opening. No gushing because although I've enjoyed previous books in this series I would never say every story is five star but this collection? Just fabulous. So why am I such a happy reader? Well firstly there are nineteen short novella length stories here so plenty of goodness to read at leisure. Ok some readers might have already read some ( I'd previously read just two) but there are two brand spanking new additions to this authors world that revolves around Jane but not every story is Janes! Yes we get to see through the eyes of her friends which truly advances the world building and then of course there is the introduction of Nell! Yes a spin off series is scheduled for summer 2016 and the main character begins her journey in this anthology.
So if you love Jane and her Beast you will want to get your hands on this book. If it's more information about Molly, Rick, Angie or dare I say Ed then this anthology is a must read. I thoroughly enjoyed being sucked in and getting to know even more about this motley assortment of characters and happily recommend this book to both old and indeed new readers
I was gifted a copy in exchange for an honest review

[Jen Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

This 500+ page collection finally gives Jane Yellowrock fans all of the series' short stories in one place. Almost all of them have been previously released, though many were only in digital form. There are two new offerings, though, if you've already read the other shorts, and together, make up about 20% of the book.

The following take place prior to book 1:

We Sa and the Lumber King – I have to question what the point of this story was, unless it’s just to please fans who enjoy the voice of Beast. There is very little to this, just a couple of pages from Beast’s POV while Jane was a little girl who lived in her mind. We get Beast’s perspective on the white men who are cutting down the trees and destroying her home. And then Beast kills the leader. The end. I didn’t get much out of it.

The Early Years – I’ll admit, I have wondered what it was like for Jane to consciously shift into her Beast for the first time. After all, from the time she was 12 until she was 18, she had no idea what she was. She suppressed the voice of Beast in her head. She had no memory of her life Before.

This story follows Jane as she leaves the orphanage in search of her history. And we go with her on the journey during her first shift. Sadly, this one was not great for me. It’s too much inside of Jane/ Beast’s head. Very little actually happens. Probably my least favorite of the short stories I have read in this series.

Snafu – This story is very short. It is just a glimpse of Jane as she begins her PI internship. It’s interesting to see her as a young woman. She is excited about starting a new chapter of her life. But she is still tough as nails and sharp as a tack.

Cat Tats – As much as I loathe Rick LeFleur, I actually enjoyed this short story from his POV. (Maybe it was because he was tortured, LOL.) It’s set long before he ever met Jane and gives us some more of his backstory. Primarily, it takes us through the chain of events that left him with his cat tattoos. It’s a difficult trial for him and could have ended very differently. But it was a good enough story, it almost made me forget that I hate him. Almost.

Kits – What a great story! This is the genesis of Jane’s friendship with Molly. As it begins, they are casual acquaintances. But when one day, Molly doesn’t show up for work, Jane gets concerned and sets out to find out what has gone wrong. In the end, she helps save Angie Baby from herself and makes an unbreakable bond with the child’s mother. The end made me get a bit misty — no small feat for a story this short.

Haints – This is an action oriented tale told from Molly’s POV. Molly has been tasked to get to the bottom of a haunted house and she drafts Jane to help her. I don’t want to give too much away, but it’s a pretty cool story involving magic, a vampire, a witch, and a pocket universe. We also get some quality time with Evan and a visit with Angie Baby. I liked this one.

Signatures of the Dead – The events of this story are referenced often in the series. It’s the vampire case that made Jane Yellowrock a well known vamp-killer. A rouge group of vampires is on a killing spree and Molly and Jane are on the case. No one is safe from the vampires’ blood hunger and gleeful violence. Even one of Molly’s sisters becomes a victim. When Jane, Molly, and a police officer friend named Brax go into an abandoned mine to confront them, the results are bloody and the lives of the survivors will never be the same.

This story kicked ass. We get to see Jane and Molly both doing what they do best. And we know it’s pivotal to where Jane’s life will go. You don’t want to miss this one.

Read after Skinwalker:

First Sight – This is a Bruiser story, but it was WAY too short. This is actually his POV on the first time he and Jane meet in Skinwalker. I love how drawn he is to her right away and I enjoyed seeing her through his eyes. But it was only a scant few pages. Less a story and more a vignette.

Read after Mercy Blade:

Blood Fangs and Going Furry – And so we are back to Rick again. This is an excellent story to read immediately after Mercy Blade. That book had such a great ending line. This story picks up immediately at that point and tells the story from Rick’s perspective. Mercy Blade is the book that left Rick dead to me, so it’s hard to muster too much sympathy for him here. His suffering is real, though, and I enjoyed getting a little of his perspective. Douchebag that he is.

Dance Master – Another Bruiser story, but this one switches from 1st person to 3rd. This story confirmed for me that Bruiser is the guy who Jane should be with. I haven’t been without my concerns surrounding him, but his inner dialogue proves that he likes and respects Jane for who she is –and has no desire to diminish her. He also sees Rick for what he is, ruminating, “(Rick’s) history suggested that he was incapable of maintaining a romantic relationship with only one woman for any length of time. And it was even more unlikely that he would survive his next full moon, though George wouldn’t wish such pain and madness on anyone, even a faithless, charismatic rival. ” True dat.

This is also sadly short, but it’s satisfying and sexy, and if I wasn’t Team Bruiser before, I am now.

Golden Delicious - (This was the first time I'd read this one, though it was previously published in the anthology An Apple for the Creature.) This is a look inside Rick's training for PsyLED. It's interesting how I don't mind Rick so much when he is far away from Jane. Here, he is trying to find a balance working with Brute and Pea, while working a training mission. I enjoyed it and liked getting a little more insight into his partner and mysterious mentor, Soul.

Read after Raven Cursed:

Cajun With Fangs – Eh, this one was ok. It’s set just after Raven Cursed, though it doesn’t really draw much from that book. Jane is on her way back to New Orleans when she has bike trouble and has to stop in a small bayou town. She discovers quickly that there is a war going on between the vampires and witches there and she gets drawn in, despite her best efforts. It ends up something like a supernatural Cajun Romeo and Juliet. Being from New Orleans, the coon-ass accents kind of grated on me. The story itself was fair. I could take it or leave it.

The Devil's Left Boot - (This one was also new to me, though previously released in the anthology Kicking It.) This one features Molly's twin sisters Cia and Liz. The witches are hired to find the mother of a mean girl they knew in high school. But it's no simple case. It involves blood magic and a rouge vampire --and ultimately, they have to call in Jane for help. I enjoyed this even though it focused on characters outside of Jane's inner circle. Faith Hunter does a really good job making her characters feel real and making me invest, even for a short time.

Plus, there is a goat. In a diaper.

Read after Blood Trade:

Beneath a Bloody Moon – Rick the Dick calls Jane to the bayou town of Chauvin to track a werewolf problem. She has to put herself in grave danger to make it through the case, and Rick was there, being called her sorta-boyfriend, and setting my teeth on edge. (I hate how his inability to be faithful is just an aside, no big deal, like the color of his eyes.)

Despite my hate for Rick, it’s a fairly good story, action wise, and we get time with Eli and the Kid. Plus, "Black Water" makes way more sense if you’ve read this one.

Black Water – Jane is on her way back home after her job is done hunting the werewolf pack in the last story, when she learns that the job is not quite done. It seems a werewolf has broken out of prison and he is looking for payback for Jane’s role in the death of his sister. Jane returns to the small town she had just left behind to deal with the aftermath. You see, the man has kidnapped two young women –and he has targeted Rick’s family members in his search for Jane.

Jane teams up with Serge, an off the grid werewolf and sets out to give the man the confrontation he’s been searching for. It was an all-action story. And it faithfully maintained the tone of the full length books, from Jane’s internal dialogue with Beast, to her growing familial ties with Eli and the Kid, to her annoying and self-destructive pseudo-relationship with Ricky Bo. The man was only a voice on the phone and I was still able to hate him.

There is never much doubt that Jane will save the day, but that makes it no less fun watching her do it.

Read after Black Arts:

Off the Grid – Set after the events of Black Arts, here Jane is in North Carolina, to help a vampire clan at Leo’s behest. A perverted religious cult has kidnapped one of their Mithrans and Jane is tasked to get her back. During her mission, she meets a special woman who escaped from the cult and may be able to help. The story is pretty good, but I felt like it was more of a vehicle to introduce us to Nell, who will be the main character in Faith Hunter’s next series. Maybe Rick will move permanently to those books. One can only hope.

Read after Broken Soul:

Not All Is As It Seems - (New to me. Previously published in the anthology Temporally Out of Order.) A Molly story. Big Evan is out of town when two vamps show up looking for a lost teakettle that has made its way to Angie Baby. But this is no ordinary teapot. It has some sort of spirit inside, but it's not clear who or what it is. Molly and her sister must work together to solve the mystery before handing the item over to the local MOC . This was really quite sweet. A lot of heart in a short number of pages.

Read after Dark Heir:

Cat Fight - This is one of the two brand new stories. It piggybacks off the plot of "Cajun With Fangs." Leo sends Jane back to Bayou Oiseau, where our Romeo and Juliet couple are having some marital problems. After having a baby, Shauna walks in on her man Gabe at another woman's vein. She flips out and steals an artifact from the vampires and brings it home to the witches. Now the entire town is fighting over it. Jane, the Youngers, and Edmund the vamp have to sort it all out and bring peace to the town.

I'm still not a fan of the accents, but the story is pretty good, and it's long enough to sink your teeth into. Plus, any time we get a visit from the Mercy Blade, it's a win.

Bound No More - The second new story. This one centers on a threat from one of those rainbow dragons, just as Molly and Angie Baby visit Jane. This story actually has some interesting developments that will ripple into the novels. Like a secret Molly is keeping. And how much freaking scary power Angie has. A really good offering that leaves me excited for the next book.

Overall, this is a sweeping collection, enough content for two books, easily. And if you haven't read most of these shorts already, it's definitely worth your time. Some of the stories are kind of meh, but most of them are really good and will be a treat for fans of the series.

Rating: B/B+

*ARC provided by publisher

[Meigan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rather than write a long, blathering, rambling review of all the stories contained in this anthology, I'll just keep it condensed and therefore, more coherent :)

To date, I've read one Jane Yellowrock novel. Just one. Skinwalker, to be exact. The very first. In this collection of shorts from the world of Jane Yellowrock, there are 19 stories spanning the time period of the series and with knowing that prior to reading, I was set. Set to both be lost because I've only read the first, and set to spoil myself for future events in the later books because, again, I'm not far into the series. I can happily say that I wasn't lost or spoiled and with the later stories, the only thing that happened was my excitement ratcheted up a few notches to finally get around to catching up with this series.

Fans of this series have most likely read the majority of the novellas in this collection, as I believe there are only two new ones. With that being said, I love that most of the previous novellas are contained here in this one volume. I'm not a huge fan of novellas and short stories tied to a series, but I'm a huge fan of anthologies. The stories contained are both varied and interesting, spanning Jane's past and present, and while some were ones I wouldn't call required reading for fans of the series, others certainly were. And while some would have merited a low star-rating from me, others would have rated quite high.

For newcomers to this series, much like myself, there are many characters that are introduced early in the series books that are familiar enough. On the other hand, there are some characters that I'm guessing appear in the later books. Either way, Blood in Her Veins was easy enough to follow, despite not "knowing" some of the characters and events. I would certainly recommend this for both established fans and newcomers alike, there's enough to give new readers a taste of what the series is all about.

**eARC received via NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

[Bea · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really like the Jane Yellowrock stories. They have werewolves and vampires like so many other urban fantasies but Hunter gives them a fresh spin. Over the course of the series Jane has grown and evolved and become more and more interesting. While I'm not sure this anthology is a good place start for a new reader since it contains spoilers for books as well as references to events and people in those books, it's a wonderful treat for fans of the series.

The short stories take place over several years, allowing us to see not only Jane's changes but those of the people important in her life. I loved seeing the relationships between Jane and her lovers, Jane and her friend Molly and Molly's daughter Angie Baby, and Jane and her partners. We see some pockets of Hunter’s universe that we've only glimpsed in the books, especially how vamps and witches live and interact outside of New Orleans. I loved seeing Jane's early days and her early times with Beast and also the stories that focused on Angie Baby, Molly's daughter and Jane's goddaughter; that little girl is powerful and scary!

Not all of the stories are from Jane's POV; we get other characters which allow us to see how other people see Jane. It was interesting to get their perspectives. The stories provide a nice mix, ranging from dark and thrilling to sweet and funny and a few that both dark and thrilling and sweet and funny. There's even humor, including a couple of laugh out loud moments. The stories were a wonderful way to see more of Jane's world, full of insights, and providing additional depth. Unlike many anthologies, there were no duds; all of the stories were good. I recommend this book.

[Steven · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not a huge fan of short story anthologies in general, but over the past few years, I've really delved deep into the world of the Urban Fantasy genre. In UF, short stories are prevalent, and sometimes it can be hard to get your hands on all the short stories needed to completely read an entire series, which can be very important as sometimes key events or vital canon details can be found in these tales.

Thankfully, Faith Hunter leaps to the rescue in this companion to her AMAZING (yes, AMAZING) Jane Yellowrock series. All of the short stories available at the time of publication are in this compilation -- which makes it easy as pie to catch up. Some of them are really short, just a few pages, but there are also a few small novellas in here that really allow some of the secondary characters in this series to shine, particularly Molly, Angie Baby, and Rick La Fleur. They're not the only treats you're in for, though, as this is NINETEEN stories knitted together like the muscles in Beast's lithe mountain lion body, and they'll get that blood in your veins pumping for more Jane & Friends before you can say "catnip."

If you've not read the Jane Yellowrock series, I'd suggest finding yourself a nice quiet corner and grabbing the series - because once you finish book one, you're going to want to shift right into book two. And pick this anthology up while you're at it. Fill in some gaps, get excited about book ten Shadow Rites, and meet Nell, the upcoming star of Hunter's Jane Yellowrock spinoff series Soulwood, starting with Blood of the Earth.

It's a good year for Faith Hunter fans! Blood in Her Veins, Shadow Rites (April), Blood of the Earth (August), and Soulwood #2 Curse on the Land (November) are all scheduled for release this year.

So do yourself (and your inner Beast) a favor. BUY THIS SERIES AND DEVOUR THEM ALL!

[Eva Millien · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nineteen fabulous tales that fans of Jane Yellowrock must read.

If you are like me, then you can’t get enough of Jane Yellowrock, the tough, take no nonsense skinwalker that shifts into Beast, the cat with attitude. In every story she plows through obstacles to achieve whatever job she is on, to save whichever person needs saving or just taking care of business and in the case of Blood in Her Veins readers get a compilation of stories in Jane’s world where some are from her perspective and some are from others’ perspectives which gives readers a bit of insight on how other characters see our beloved heroine. All of the characters in the series are strong, captivating and demand reader’s attention, not as much as Jane of course but hey she is the main focus of the series and the stories in this book are all fast paced and flow smoothly ensuring that readers get all the thrills and chills along with the suspense, excitement and touches of romance.

Lots of spine tingling tension builds throughout the stories, ensnaring the readers and refusing to let go with lots of dangerous excitement as Jane faces some serious foes and cheerful excitement as she meets new people and makes new friends and allies. The stories are well written with vivid details that capture the imagination and bring the stories to life and are a well-rounded overall look at the series that really gives the readers insight into the various characters and nuances of Jane’s life and her abilities. And of course the readers don’t want to miss the two never before published stories “Cat Fight” and “Bound No More” which are thrilling additions to the series.

Some stories are shorter than others but I had so much fun jumping around Jane’s world as I read the stories that I couldn’t quit reading until I had them all.

[Marianne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Blood in Her Veins is a collection of previously released novellas that I, for the most part, have enjoyed tremendously - as well as two brand new stories. Of the two, Cat Fight is the best by far. Coming from me, that's to be expected, since I generally don't care much for the neither the Trueblood-Everharts nor the juvenile arcenciel that keeps trying to off both Jane and the young Everhart children. Turns out, there is a good reason for the arcenciel's actions, but since that reason is just a future theoretical possibility, I can't say I care much.
Rating: 2 stars

What made this book worthwhile for me, was Cat Fight. Jane must once again return to Bayou Oiseau to patch up a witch/vampire marriage gone sour, find a way to keep a mysterious wreath out of the hands of witches, vampires, clerics representing the Holy See, a swamp demon and a greedy honor blade. Interestingly, Edmund, the unobtrusive former clan leader stole center stage in this novella. That guy has got some interesting secrets and I for one, can't wait to learn more about. Actually, I hope there will be a novella from his POV later on, the suckheads are an intriguing bunch, and Edmund just might be the most interesting of them all.
Rating 4.5 stars

Overall, I would say this book is a 4 star read.

~2016 A-Z book challenge: Letter B~

[Krissys Bookshelf Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Blood In Her Veins: Nineteen Stories From the World of Jane Yellowrock (Jane Yellowrock)
by Faith Hunter





In this must-have collection of stories, experience nineteen thrilling adventures from the world of vampire-hunter Jane Yellowrock, including many fan favorites and two all-new novellas. Read about the first time Jane put the pedal to the metal in “The Early Years,” and the last thing a werewolf will ever see as Jane delivers justice in “Beneath a Bloody Moon.” Get a searing look into the pasts of some of the series’ best-loved characters: Beast in “WeSa and the Lumber King,” Rick LaFleur in “Cat Tats,” and Molly Everhart Trueblood in “Haints.”

In the brand-new “Cat Fight,” the witches and vampires of Bayou, Oiseau, are at war over a magical talisman—and Jane must figure out how to keep the mysterious artifact out of the covetous hands of the Master of New Orleans. And in the never-before-published “Bound No More,” Jane welcomes a visit from Molly and her daughter, Angie, who is about to prove she’s the most powerful witch in Everhart history....

From the Big Easy to the bad bayou, from the open road to a vampire’s lair—with Jane Yellowrock, it’s always a given: have stakes, will travel.









My Review:

For some reason I've jumped around a lot in Faith's books instead of reading them in order. I really need to get all the books and read through the full series in order soon but that's another reason why I loved this book so much because you get all the small between stories and stories related to books I have yet to read. It gives you more incentive to invest in all of them. I love Faith's writing and her characters they're fantastic.





My Rating:
5 Stars


Reviewed By:
Krissy's Bookshelf Reviews
http://kkmalott.booklikes.com/



Note: I received a print copy in exchange for an honest review from Berkley

[Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

AMAZING! 19 Jane Yellowrock (and associates) stories! This was such a great collection of stories that included Jane, of course, but also her best friend Molly and her family, the Youngers, Ricky Bo, Bruiser, Leo, and some new characters.
While I had read a few of these stories before it was so much fun to remind myself of all of Jane's adventures and why I believe she is the best, kick-ass heroine in any series I've read. I was particularly happy that Ms. Hunter included stories from others' points-of-view. It is always an amazing adventure to see the world through a different perspective. I like that we got two stories from Bayou Oiseau- how can redneck vampires and witches not be entertaining? I believe my favorite story was FIRST SIGHT which is a very short, but very significant, telling of the first encounter between Jane and Bruiser. There were a couple of Rick stories which spanned a significant amount of his story. I also enjoyed Molly's sisters , Liz and Cia, getting the spotlight in THE DEVIL'S LEFT BOOT.
This book is a must read for lovers of the Jane Yellowrock universe and a few of the stories would be good for those contemplating entering Jane's world. There are definitely spoilers in some of these short stories so they should be avoided by those who are reading the novels and are not up to date. The great part is that the author notes where the short stories fall in the Jane Yellowrock timeline.

[Mindy Mymudes · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I am committed to a series I expect certain things. I expect the main character to stay in character while still maturing. I expect a strong character who has some faults and weaknesses. I expect the secondary characters to be interesting without taking away from the main character. Finally, interesting, not-the-same storylines.

What makes the Jane Yellowrock series so unique in the Urban Fantasy genre is that not only do we learn about Jane's backstory as she does, but we also fall in love with her friends. In this collection we find out more about her best friend Molly and her family. It raises more questions about how powerful the Everhart's daughter Angie will be and how she'll be contained until she grows up. It gives us a glimpse of Beast without Jane. We discover the story behind bad-boy Rick's lion and bobcat tattoos. And of course, what would a collection of Jane stories be without Jane and vampires. Well, Jane, vampires and witches. The only thing that would make this collection better would be a full story on Pea, the neon green kitty grindy.

While most of these stories appeared previously (most on Audible), most have never been in print. Two are brand new. 560 pages of Jane and her friends to read during cold winter nights and savor as we wait for the next full length book in Jane's world.

[E. · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.75 stars

“Blood in Her Veins: Nineteen Stories from the World of Jane Yellowrock” by Faith Hunter is a collection of paranormal urban fantasy short stories and novellas. Ranging from the early 19th century to more modern times, these tales give an overview of the progression of Jane the skinwalker’s life and development of her powers in snapshots that tie together the stories portrayed in the books of this series. There are glimpses of the beings that have had profound influences on her journey, including her ups and downs at forming connections with others who are acceptable to both her and Beast, particularly the Everhart family. Some of the folks who have ostensibly been secondary characters get their own time in the spotlight, particularly one very precocious witch-child who threatens to turn the world on its ear, just the way she upsets all of the plans of the adults around her. There is a plethora of details about vampires, the problem of were-taint, the struggle to form a useful council to deal with vampire-witch relations, and the ever-evolving details about the mysterious Anzu. Also introduced is a character (Nell) who is about to star in her own series who has indeed been “Off the Grid”.

One of the joys of reading stories by this author is the sheer immensity of details that she provides, with lots of unexpected twists and turns. I’m always hungry after reading about the delicious meals they are consuming (although I draw the line at cold oatmeal and probably at the fried gator, lol) which add such realism to the stories. I was grateful that there were little pockets of peace described while the various characters consumed their edibles, because the stories provide an experience that is like a strobe-lit picture of Jane’s evolution over the years, jampacked with pivotal struggles.

I fear that this book has plenty of spoilers for those who haven’t been keeping up with the series, but it is a great overview. Those who are squeamish should be forewarned that there is plenty of violence and death depicted (and ew, leaving a piece of one’s liver on a branch!), and it is awe-inspiring to watch the way the author provides such depth and texture to change the one views the paranormal creatures populating this series. There are moments of levity to give one a quick respite from the occasionally very heart-wrenching struggles, but one never forgets what a kickass combination this motorcycle-riding female is, nor how unique and powerful a relationship she and Beast have. This is an enthralling and exciting collection of tales that is sure to delight fans of the series and seduce plenty of new readers into falling under the spell of this fantastic author.


A copy of this collection was provided to me for review.

[Brenda Rezk · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is a fantastic collection of short stories and novellas set in the world of Jane Yellowrock. The print copy is a whopping 542 pages! Most star Jane, but there are also stories where Beast, Molly, Bruiser, or Rick are the main characters. The author has provided a timeline at the front of the book showing the relative order of when each story and novel takes place. And, the stories include relevant background information about The Hunger Times that Beast has spoken of, how Molly and Jane became best friends, how Rick got the tattoos that later kept him from transforming when he became infected by a were, when and where Jane first met an arcenciel, the extent of Angie Baby's powers, etc. One novella also introduces us to Nell, who will be the star of a new series set in the Jane Yellowrock world. The first two books of the Soulwood series are due out later in 2016!

There are nineteen stories and novellas in this anthology. I believe that The Jane Yellowrock Companion contained all but four of these, but that that book was only available in electronic format. This book is available in both electronic and paperback formats. (When I bought mine, the paperback was marked down to about a dollar more than the e-format.) The two previously unpublished novellas are about 130 pages, if I remember correctly. And, they are really good!

[Shelley · Rating 4 out of 5]

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

*My Thoughts*

Blood In Her Veins is an amazing collection of 19 new and not so new stories from Faith Hunter which takes place in the Jane Yellowrock universe. I dare say that this book took me longer to read than usual for a book filled with short, and not so short stories. But, it is totally worth the time it takes to sift through all 19 stories. I absolutely loved seeing Jane through the eyes of certain secondary characters that have been there from the very beginning with Jane and Beast. SEVEN stories take place before Skinwalker, and each should be read in order so that you can follow along with Jane's growth as a character, and her decision to add Eli and Alex Younger to her family core.

*Full Review Posted @ Gizmos Reviews 01/30/2016*

http://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/201...

Expected publication: February 2nd 2016 by Roc

[Ron · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are a fan of the Jane Yellowrock series, you will be thrilled to get hold of Blood in Her Veins. The nineteen stories are arranged chronologically with short notes placing the story in relation to the novels. A couple of the short stories I had read before, but most were new to me. Two stories ("Cat Fight" and "Bound No More") are new to this volume. I read the tales, enjoying the adventures of Jane and company. These tales remind me that I need to catch up on the main series since a new book is coming out this year!

[Iris Hunter (InstagramREADS) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow I love Faith Hunter's Yellowrock series.. Cant wait to read more...
Full review to come!

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

Review on the blog tour at The Book Nympho:

http://thebooknympho.com/2016/02/bloo...

I love the concept of having a book of all the short stories in the series. All together in chronological order! I read the Jane Yellowrock series initially last year (early in 2015) for the first time after Jessica from Rabid Reads recommended it to me. I loved it. Being OCD, I read everything in order and the short stories were in different books and not in order at all. So I applaud this book of shorts.

However, is this all the short stories or will there need to be an additional volume or updated volume with future stories? Perhaps there could be a new edition when the series is complete?

Short stories are VERY important to series. They allow the author to further develop some concepts or characters which the engaged reader (ME) really appreciates, while not boring the casual reader who only reads the main books, with more details. In this case, though, there are not only nuances that would be missed, but there are a couple of more major things, which really bothers me conceptually. I’ll read everything so it won’t affect me.

The two new tales are long, taking up a good 25% of the material. That just sweetens the pot. I really loved this. I thought I could just skim the stories I had already read and couldn’t because I got so engrossed in them. I did a few sorta reviews below but these are shorts so much more would be spoilers. If you are a fan of the series, and reading this whole series, you MUST read Blood in Her Veins and its stories interwoven with the main books. Highly recommended.



Stories in order chronology and in Blood in her Veins:

(I wanted and couldn’t find this table of contents anywhere except in the actual arc, so I wrote it down for myself and for you)



WeSa and the Lumber King (also in Have Stakes Will Travel)

The Early Years (also in Cat Tales)

Snafu (Audible short with Black Water)

Cat Tats (also in Cat Tales)

Kits (also in Cat Tales)

Haints (also in Have Stakes Will Travel)

Signatures of the Dead (also in Have Stakes Will Travel and anthology Strange Brew))

First Sight (Jane Yellowrock Companion)

Blood, Fangs and Going Furry (also in Cat Tales)

Dance Master (Jane Yellowrock Companion)

Golden Delicious (anthology An Apple for the Creature)

Cajon with Fangs (also in Have Stakes Will Travel)

The Devil’s Left Boot (anthology Kicking It)

Beneath a Bloody Moon (Jane Yellowrock Companion Guide)

Black Water (Audible short)

Off the Grid (Audible short with Black Water)

Not All Is as It Seems

Cat Fight

Bound No More



Cat Tales ( 3.5) 4 stars

Early Years, Cat Tats, Kits, Blood Fangs and Going Furry

For the most part, I liked these stories. I especially enjoyed Cat Tats and Blood, Fangs and Going Furry because they gave me more about Rick. At the time I first read these, I was team Rick, so to speak, altho he has some work to do on himself. Hopefully, the fact he chose Cat Tats WILL impact his future. It seems like that’s true so far as I have read.

Upon reading them recently I further appreciated Early Years and the very beginnings of Jane. I still enjoyed reading about Rick but …#$*#$.



Have Stakes, Will Travel (4.5) 4 stars

WeSa and the Lumber King, Haints, Signatures of the Dead, Cajuns with Fangs

The first story here is a Beast story, and I can’t say it did much for me. I love Beast but perhaps it was much of her in one fell swoop. Intermixed with Jane is more interesting.

The next two are history of working with Molly and the vampire take-down which set Jane up in business. I love the dimensions of the characters in these two stories and the relationship building of Jane and Molly. This is important to the overall character development and storyline with such strong secondary characters. Haints and Signatures of the Dead meant even more to me on my recent reading and I would rate them at 4.5 stars.

The final story, Cajun with Fangs, is set between Raven’s Curse and Death’s Rival. Jane is getting into a centuries old fight between vamps and witches in a small bayou town. At this point, she is still a rogue-hunter but she is definitely working with the “suckheads.” LOL.



The Devil’s Left Boot (6.1) 4 stars

This is the story of two of the Everhart sisters, twins and witches. It follows book 6 Blood Trade where they lose their sister. This is one of the reasons I love novellas. They allow the author to give us more about side characters, more depth and it builds the connections I have to the world and the relationships between characters. It’s like the weave in cloth going from a coarser weave to finer weave, less holes. Jane comes in at the end of the story to do her thing – hunt vampires. The collaboration with the Everhart sisters and Jane feels good.



Jane Yellowrock Companion 4 stars

I barely looked at some of the beginning stuff focusing on the short stories. There were two stories, First Sight with a Bruiser point of view, which was interesting, he does like and respect Jane. But he is under Leo’s control.

The last one, Beneath a Bloody Moon, which in time follows Black Water, really helped flesh out that book. It also gave us more Rick and Jane. Rick certainly is feeling some woe is me. He feels as though he has lost everything and going with Psyled is his only possible usefulness right now. He certainly doesn’t bother to treat Jane well.



Off the Grid 4 stars

This takes place after Broken Soul and is particularly important as it introduces us to Nell. Nell will have her own series beginning in August 2016.



Not All Is As It Seems 4 stars

This is also after Broken Soul and I had not read it previously. These short stories bring Jane back to spend time with Molly and her family. Angie Baby is getting more of a part of things over time too.



Cat Fight 4 stars

This is one of the new stories and it has all the comfort of well-loved characters with an interesting new mystery. It gives us further insight into the characters. The location and secondary characters are introduced in a previous short, Cajun With Fangs . And we learn more about Edmund.



Bound No More 4.5 stars

The second new story and it has Angie Baby! As a meeting with the witches and vampires in New Orleans draws near, Molly and Angie Baby are staying at Jane’s home. They have a chance to spend time with each other and work together again. I hope they are repairing their issues but I am still kind of mad at Molly. Molly has had some bad things happen but she has a husband and family to comfort her and help her. Jane had no one until the Youngers other than Molly. I am so glad the Youngers are part of Yellowrock Security.

[Lynn Latimer · Rating 5 out of 5]

The short stories and novellas in BLOOD IN HER VEINS form a compendium of the Jane Yellowrock world. We are given background and insight into her early formative years as an investigator then vampire hunter and some other new material such as when Jane first shifted as an adult. Plus with this book, it’s handy having the previously published stories in order and one place which makes for a more unified reading experience. The new stories fill in the blanks for Jane in periods between the novels and expand her world. Besides tales about Jane, this anthology also has Molly, Ricky Bo, and George featured. My favorite ones involve Jane as the main character not surprisingly, but seeing Jane through the eyes of other characters adds an interesting dimension to her world.

In Off The Grid, Nell Ingram, an earth magic user, and the main character in the new Soulwood series, meets Jane Yellowrock who in of her typical Jane fashion, becomes the catalyst for Nell’s life to take a new direction. Nell’s background and early life were very harsh, and now, it seems quite lonely so I think she and Jane some things in common. As always, Jane blasts in like a hurricane changing people’s lives whether they want it or not; she connects Nell with PsyLED and gives her an interesting warning.

In Bound No More, Molly and Angie visit Jane in preparation for the Witch Conclave. This is an important addition to the Jane Yellowrock series because much is revealed about Angie’s power both for now and the future. Molly has a secret she’s been keeping from Jane that may have major consequences for the future. I am glad to see Jane and Molly restoring their friendship for that loss has been a big heartache for Jane. The people she loves are precious to her (and Beast); she would do just about anything for them.

My only caveat in rereading some of these stories from an emotional standpoint relates to Ricky Bo. I find it hard to read about him knowing where his relationship with Jane has gone. On the plus side though, hearing George AKA Bruiser’s thoughts and feelings about Jane enhances their relationship. Anyone who enjoys the series will be glad to have these stories which give more in depth background about Jane as well as the wide range of characters who make up her world in the South and the cities, bayous, and byways of Louisiana.

[Jaymie · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's pretty simple. If you've ever read and enjoyed a Jane Yellowrock story, get this book. If you like preternatural fiction, things that go bump in the night, and a fast pace get this book. If you enjoy complex characters and well developed storylines get this book. Are you intrigued by a tough, vampire hunting, Cherokee skinwalker who shares her life and adventures with Beast, the soul of a mountain lion? Bottom line...get this book!

I love that with the popularity of anthologies and crossover novellas that so many of my favorite authors are writing more short stories. The downside is that it can get pretty hard to keep the timelines straight when you inevitably end up reading them out of sequence. This collection of stories from the Yellowrock world, all in chronological order in one place, will keep you entertained and on the edge of your seat for hours. If you haven't read the entire series yet, yes... there may be potential spoilers, but because the books and characters draw you in so thoroughly I don't think that it would detract from the enjoyment of any of the regular length novels in the series when you read them at a later date. And believe me...you will *want* to read them.

The two new novellas in this collection (especially "Bound No More" featuring Molly and Angie Baby, two of my favorite witches) are alone well worth the price of admission, but as I thumbed through the book, I realized that it had been quite some time since I had read a lot of these tales. I ended up being quite engrossed in them again and not at all displeased that I had taken time to revisit them. I also love that in Off The Grid we get a sneak peek at Hunter's new book, Blood of the Earth (to be published later this year) by being introduced to Nell, who will be the main character in the new Soulwood series.

Still loving the Jane and Beast and as usual, they leave me wanting more. I'll just have to hope that this collection will tide me over until the next installment in the Yellowrock series, Shadow Rites, comes out this spring.

[Jennifer (Bad Bird Reads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

http://badbirdreads.com/early-review-...

At A Glance

One of the best anthologies I have read.

The Good

I totally took this book to Jury Duty. It was awesome.

[Joelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am doing a larger piece in this book Friday on my blog. But worth mentioning here that if you love the characters in Jane's world you will enjoy the insights into the world around her. Doesn't disappoint.

[Sctechsorceress · Rating 5 out of 5]

Even though I had already read most of these stories, they were all very good to read. They are arranged chronologically, so all together, they give a good overview of the lives of Jane Yellowrock, her friends, employers and enemies. Some of the stories refer back to events that happened in the novels, so I would say that this book would be better for those already familiar with the series. I wouldn't go so far as to say it's necessary to have read the novels, but if this is your introduction to Jane, just accept that every once in while, there will be something you don't quite understand. I did not think this was worse than some stand alone short works, so don't ignore this book just because the series is new to you.

For long time readers, I'd say don't miss this one. Some of the older stories are more powerful now that we know what was being foreshadowed. Not all the stories are from Jane's POV. I particularly liked the view into Bruiser's thoughts.

[Tammy Mabire · Rating 5 out of 5]

First, I love having all the shorts and back stories in one place! Second, the two new novellas left me speechless! In Cat Fight, Jane heads back to take care of some Cajun vamps and witches. Jane learns something new about one of the Nolo vamps that raises some interesting questions. In Bound No More, Jane has company. Molly and Angie Baby are in town. Some things Angie Baby has kept secret come out, and we see another side to the Kid. You won't be disappointed!

If you are looking for a new series with a strong female who fights evil while dealing with everyday situations, and isn't full of sex......I highly recommend the Jane Yellowrock series!

[Kathy Davie · Rating 5 out of 5]

An omnibus of nineteen short stories in the Jane Yellowrock urban fantasy series revolving around a Cherokee skinwalker who slays vampires. While based in New Orleans, Jane does travel between Louisiana and North Carolina.

If you're interested, there is a chronological listing of the Jane Yellowrock books on my website.

Series Chronology
"Wesa and the Lumber King", 0.1
"The Early Years", 0.2
"Snafu", 0.3
"Cat Tats", 0.5
"Kits", 0.5
"Haint(s)", 0.6
"Signatures of the Dead", 0.7
"First Sight", 1.5
"Blood, Fangs, and Going Furry", 3.2
"Dance Master", 3.3
"Golden Delicious", 4.2
"Cajun with Fangs", 4.1
"The Devil's Left Boot", 6.25
"Beneath a Bloody Moon", 6.5
"Black Water", 6.3
"Off the Grid", 7.5
"Not All Is as It Seems", 8.5
"Cat Fight", 9.5
"Bound No More", 9.75

The Stories
"Wesa and the Lumber King" takes place in the Hunger Times of the late 1800s to early 1900s and is a brief peek in at Beast, before she becomes "Beast". And she's not very happy about the trees being felled for lumber harvesting. Excellent story from Beast's point-of-view.

"The Early Years" tells of Jane leaving the Bethel Nondenominational Christian Children's Home at age 18 and heading off to seek her future. Nice peek in at Jane's start at life as an adult with a few words on how she wandered out of the forest and back into human life. Ah, and it explains how Jane got her name.

"Snafu" takes up from "The Early Years" and introduces us to the security firm which is willing to take on an intern, Jane. It was fun, as Beast would put it, to watch Jane confront a couple of gangbangers and pass the test Charles "Nomad" Davidson sets for her.

"Cat Tats" is about Rick and how he got the tats that cause such problems later on. It provides background on Rick and how he was chosen for undercover work, the purpose of his undercover activities, and who all he's working for.

"Kits" mentions how Jane first met Molly and the event that kickstarts their friendship.

"Haint(s)" is from Molly Everheart's point-of-view when she takes on a job with a haunted house that is attacking workmen. It also introduces that New York cop who thought he would retire, Paul Braxton.

It takes place a few months after "Kits".

"Signatures of the Dead" provides insight into the witches and their reproductive abilities with Molly providing a first-person point-of-view. The actual conflict is Detective Braxton needing help from Molly on a crime scene.

For some reason, Molly gets angry with Braxton finding witches on the FBI's database. Hullo? Of course all witches aren't good, just as all humans aren't.

"First Sight" is from Bruiser's point-of-view when he first meets Jane in Skinwalker .

"Blood, Fangs, and Going Furry" is from Rick LeFleur's perspective of his first change as a black panther.

"Dance Master" is from Bruiser's perspective when he meets Jane for breakfast. It's also an indication of both Bruiser and Leo wanting Jane, with Bruiser being a bit too chauvinistic about his motorcycle collection and Jane. And, oh, boy, is it ever a tease for Bruiser, lol!

"Golden Delicious" is about Rick and his life at Spook School. Both the classes and the bullying. The sabotage. And the test.

It's been two months since Rick was bitten.

"Cajun with Fangs" is Jane's introduction to and adventure in Bayou Oiseau dealing with the Romeo and Juliet scenario between witches and vampires. It's both tasty (Boudreaux's fried everything sounds delicious) and fun with Jane taking Derek and his team into the bayou.

"The Devil's Left Boot" is an adventure with Liz and Cia Everheart when they investigate their arch-enemy's mother's disappearance. And come to some unhappy conclusions about their reaction to Jane doing their job.

"Beneath a Bloody Moon" finds Jane and the Youngers out in the home county of Rick's family, tracking killer werewolves. Be sure to read this one if only to find out about the bright pink bag with the big flowers, lol. There's an interesting bit about higher civilizations and canals as well as a definition of liminal thresholds, sites and places where the fabric of reality is thin and one can bleed into the other.

"Black Water" takes us back to Chauvin, where Rick's family lives. There's an escaped con who is after Jane for revenge. It also opens up a tidbit more on Jane's past as well as the possibilities of more magical creatures.

"Off the Grid" is a pip and introduces a new character who is getting her own series in August, Blood of the Earth . I do like Nell, and I'm looking forward to reading her story, especially after our introduction to her in "Off the Grid". Nell and her husband managed to escape the cult that is causing all the problems in this short story, and now she's living a self-sustaining lifestyle. Jane has her own theories about the magic Nell has.

I do love what Jane and the vampires do to that frickin' colonel. There were 138 children set free that night.

"Not All Is as It Seems" finds Big Evan's lighting business taking off, and Molly is receiving vampire visitors about a teapot. A teapot named George who likes to be petted. There's a lovely moral in this, and I can understand how it hurts Angie to have to conform. But it does come right in the end for everyone.

I love that Big Evan and Molly aren't fussing about girl and/or boy toys!

"Cat Fight" finds Clan Blood-Master Clermont Doucette needing Jane's help back in Bayou Oiseau. It's amazing how much Hunter can cram into one short story! Lots of info about current and past events…and none of it is in an info dump. A good story for writers to pore over to see how it can be done.

I surely did love it when Jane laid down the law to Lucky Landry, lol. Eli knows one heck of a lot about the Church.

"Bound No More" is terrifying for what Jane realizes about Angie and the arcenciels. The battle all around the house kept me tense and on edge while the ending was a beautiful assessment of family as well as one of the best ways to scold a child and get them to see reason. Tough work, but effective.

It takes place a week after Dark Heir .

"Sometimes … with family, the attention all goes one way for a while. Then sometimes it reverses and goes back the other way. … Life is like that."

The Cover and Title
The cover is burnt orange flames and Jane in her black leather, her signature braid twirling behind her, as she races forward, knife in hand.

To be honest, I have no clue about the title. Obviously, Jane has Blood in Her Veins. Maybe it's intended to refer to the attraction she is to vampires.

[Karissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got this to review through NetGalley. This is a collection of nineteen Jane Yellowrock stories/novellas. Many of these stories have appeared in other places (for example there are a lot of stories from Have Stake Will Travel in here). However, there are a couple new and original stories as well.

I considered listing all the stories and commenting on them all, but let’s face it nineteen stories is a lot to provide a story by story summary for. That being said this was an awesome addition to the Jane Yellowrock series. This is a very long running series and the stories in here are in chronological order. Hunter also comments before each story letting you know exactly where in Jane’s timeline the story takes place.

I have read a lot of these stories in previous anthologies, so I was planning on skipping over those stories because this is a vveeerryy long book; however, I ended up reading them all again because they are just so enjoyable and so addictive. It was also incredibly fun to see how far Jane Yellowrock has come over the course of the series. This was just such a fun look at Jane’s journey and did a great job of reminding me of all the things that have happened throughout this series. It was great to read this before the next book in the series, Shadow Rites, which comes out in April.

There are some new stories in here as well. I especially enjoyed Off the Grid which introduces us to Nell Ingram who will feature in Hunter’s new urban fantasy series. There is also a story called Cat Fight in which Jane has to return to the Bayou and deal with some witch vs. vamp trauma. There is a fantastic story that wraps up the book called Bound No More in which we see how powerful Angie Baby is becoming...this was just spectacular.

Additionally there are a lot of stories from other characters’ POVs. There are a few from Ricky Bo’s POV; this gave more insight into what Ricky Bo’s been through...although they were kind of tough to read knowing where things went for Ricky Bo and Jane. There are a couple of very good stories from Bruiser’s POV as well; I especially enjoyed the one where he first meets Jane.

The only complaint I have (and it’s a small one) is that some of the early and mid stories get a bit repetitive if you read them one after another. Ideally I think this would be a book best read a few stories at a time...not devoured over a couple days like I did (I got it for review and was trying to get it read quickly).

Overall this is a fantastic, and complete, collection of stories from the Jane Yellowrock universe. It was an entertaining and nostalgic trip through Jane’s journey and I thoroughly enjoyed it. This book reminded me how entertaining and addictive this series is. I would definitely recommend this book to fans of the Jane Yellowrock universe and fans of urban fantasy in general.

[Hilary · Rating 4 out of 5]

The life of Jane Yellowrock, in short stories, some filling in the gaps between novels and others giving background or origin stories. Most, as you'd expect, are told from Jane's perspective, but we get a few from other angles too - Beast, Molly, even Rick - giving us a very holistic view of this world. We learn about Jane's childhood, see her friendships develop and change, even the family that unexpectly becomes her own, and there are even a few moral dilemmas and philosophical issues thrown in.

There were a couple of instances of very repetitive phrasing in the earlier stories, but it only annoyed me for a second. I enjoyed seeing Jane, Angie Baby, Molly, Eli and Alex too much to quibble, and as I'd only read one of these stories before, the collection held my interest to the last page!

Disclaimer: I received a free copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.