Cold Reign

Jane Yellowrock #11

by Faith Hunter

Jane Yellowrock is a shape-shifting skinwalker…and the woman rogue vampires fear most. Jane walks softly and carries a big stake to keep the peace in New Orleans, all part of her job as official enforcer to Leo Pellisier, Master of the City. But Leo’s reign is being threatened by a visit from a delegation of ancient European vampires seeking to expand their dominions.

But there’s another danger to the city. When she hears reports of revenant vampires, loose in NOLA and out for blood, Jane goes to put them down—and discovers there’s something unusual about these revenants. They never should have risen.

Jane must test her strength against a deadly, unnatural magic beyond human understanding, and a ruthless cadre of near-immortals whose thirst for power knows no bounds…

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

350 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published May 2, 2017

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

[Faith Hunter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Here's what happened and why my review of my own book changed. Mom is on my account for books. I bought CR for her to read on her e-reader. She loved the book! As she closed teh book , she accidentally hit a one star. With her permission, I fixed it. LOL

[Choko · Rating 5 out of 5]

*** 4.65 ***

A buddy read with the Wednesday UF group at BB&B!

Holy-Magical-Bloodsuckers Batman, this was something! We have been waiting for those European Suckheads to get to New Orleans for several books now and it was beginning to feel like a fake-out lately, but not anymore. Although the details of the diplomatic envoys were not decided on yet, the EU Vamps started invading the US lands without permission and in secret. It didn't take long for total anarchy and disruption of the basic structure of the city to follow in their wake. Revenant twice dead Vamps were arising from their graves, responding to the call of the Europeans. A magical storm pelted the city and thunder and lightning messed with all time and shifter magics. All the preparations, all the training and protection, everything seemed to be coming apart at the seams, fast spinning out of control...

This book was non-stop action, adrenaline overdosing, high-power infused battle after battle, skin, blood and bone cracking, life fluids sucking, unbelievably and beautifully savage, hipper protective and completely mind-blowingly satisfying read!!! I wanted more and more and more! It hit all my bloodthirsty buttons and satisfied most of them 😁! It also was completely angst free and if there were emotional moments, they were just the right type of emotion. Jane was finally able to find some closure with Ricky Bo and gave way for a better, more free of fear and hang-ups relationship with Bruiser.

"... “You touch my Bruiser and I’ll take your head so fast you’ll still be blinking as you fall in two. Anything happens to my Bruiser by an outside force or person, and I’ll take your head. My Bruiser disappears, and I’ll take your head. He stubs his toe and I’ll make you pay. Are we clear?”..."

The Yellowrock clan has taken a very appealing, more than acceptable shape and I expect for things to get even better there - Jane really needs to get a matress for the wolf, or he will keep on ruining her nice sheets with wet dog smells... Ghhhhrrrrrr! And Eddy needs to upgrade from the "Harry Potter room"...

So, there were many things that came to light, many sleeper cells working for the UVs and awaiting the moment of their visit so they can turn on Leo and his clan... I felt a bit sorry for the Suckhead, since it is very disturbing to find that people you love or count on are betraying you to those who seek to destroy you... I was also pleased to see the Dragons drop by for a bit - everything is always better with Dragons!!! The Younger brothers were cool as always and getting even better! I really need to adopt a Grindelo, just an FYI, in order to keep company with my collection of cute and unusual magical creatures like the Rose goblin and the Flitzby. ... And Gregoar, I feel your pain dude, you had the right idea with the 1000 cuts!!!

So, after feeling like Faith Hunter poured gallons upon gallons of blood and guts on top of us and collected enough severed heads to make Lady proud, I have to admit to a Savage intoxication seeing our guys kick some serious ass!!! Unapologetically​ so, and I feel wonderful about it! And I want to know more about that houttttt Angel dude and what is his angle. In the end, after bringing the adrenaline levels in my system to acceptable levels and being able to think rationally, I came to the conclusion that I can't wait for the next book, since it should deal with some of the things this book set up for the future. And if it continues in this way, this series is going to take a prominent spot on my favorites shelf! I recommend it to all who are not squeamish to violence and rivers of blood!!! It is a very fast and furious Adventure.

Now I want to wish you all Happy Reading and may you always find what you need in the pages of a Good book!!!

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

Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾

[Robin (Bridge Four) · Rating 5 out of 5]

It happened. It finally happened, I’m going to give a book in this series 5 stars FIVE of them. Are you amazed??? I’m a little amazed actually.

Why you might ask does this book finally rate 5 stars for me when all of the others clearly didn’t. Well there are a few reasons.

❶ - There was no love triangle.

And I know you are sitting there thinking well that has been solved for a little while now right Robin? And the thing is that yes a few books ago it seemed like we worked it all out and there was a definite winner. BUT, when a character showed back up I was really worried that our Jane would go all wishy washy again and be stupid. But our girl womaned up and got to say her piece and finally I think that chapter of Jane’s life is officially closed for good and there is no going back.

“You touch my Bruiser and I’ll take your head so fast you’ll still be blinking as you fall in two. Anything happens to my Bruiser by an outside force or person, and I’ll take your head. My Bruiser disappears, and I’ll take your head. He stubs his toe and I’ll make you pay. Are we clear?”

Finally you stand up for your man. It is about time Jane for you to lay a bit of a claim on him.


❷ - The EVs finally showed up and did something.

I don’t even know how many books it has been since the introduction of the European Vamps or EVs, it seems like 5 at least though so I was getting really bored with the impending doom they are supposed to be bringing when haven’t even shown up yet. But finally something happens on that front and it was full of all kinds of deceptions and masterful moves.

It was finally exciting and we got to see how someone other than Leo plays the long game. There were plans within plans and it seems like a lot of them had been in the works for centuries.

❸ - Jane got to be a little sneaky

Jane isn’t the same semi-trusting girl that she used to be and I loved how she maneuvered a few people in this book. She finally got one over of Gee and Leo too come to think of it. They didn’t even see it coming.

❹ - The Scooby-Doo Squad

Okay so Eli, Alex, Edmund, Brute and Bruiser aren’t really much like Scooby-Doo you guys get the gist of it. I live that Eli and Alex become more and more like brothers to Jane all the time. Jane is really starting to pick up some family ties when you add Bruiser into the mix. But the two characters that developed a little more in this were Edmund and Brute.

Edmund has fallen far from the clan head that he used to be. He used to run an entire clan and now he lives at Jane’s house and not even in a good room he is in the cupboard under the stairs.

“He’s living in a Harry Potter room. Long fall for a master of his own clan.”
The other twin said, “No windows. There is no room with no windows but this one.”
“Still. Long fall.”

I for one and desperate to know why Edmund gave up so much. I’m pretty sure he has some long term goals in mind and after this book I was a little clearer on part of the game he is playing. Still I really like Edmund and so I’m glad that he is in Jane’s life. As many times as she has been near death she needs a vampire in the house if just for the extra healing.

Brute on the other hand got to be part comic relief and part hero. For a werewolf stuck in wolf form he is really useful and seems to be making friend in all of the right places. I’m wondering if he will ever make it out of that form or if he is going to require some divine intervention to do so. Still he is racking up some points for team good so maybe he will get out of his furry prison eventually.

❺ - The Plot, The Surprises, The Long Deceptions

Finally we find out what/who the EVs really want and who is on team EV. There were some surprises in this for me. A few people I thought were playing for one team ended up being in the pocket of the other. There were a few betrayals that I didn’t really see coming that made for some extremely interesting opportunities for those who stayed loyal. Are you thinking that is really vague….well it is and for good reason We got our first taste of the EVs and the type of high stakes games they will be playing. I believe this is just the first move of many and I look forward to some more

Overall:

While not perfect (there is still excessive descriptions of mundane stuff and clothing throughout) there is better overall pacing and cohesion of this story. I’ve complained in the past that sometimes the transition of scenes from regular conversation to fighting comes out of nowhere for no reason. But at least I felt like this was written better overall. Also I didn’t feel like this book was just filler material had some major progression on the overall arc of what I assume will be the final story. That said I am starting to wonder how long FH is going to drag out Jane Yellowrock. I like her but I’m actually growing to be more interested in where Angie’s future storyline could go. I’m almost ready for the Next Generation so to speak.

[Faith Hunter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sooo ... I didn't actually give myself any stars. And I am laughing my butt off over this! Mom is on my account and I bought CR for her. She read it and loved it and somehow it ended up with one star as she closed the book on her reader. With her permission I changed it to 5 stars, which is the best. Not one star. LOL

[Denisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Next book, 2018


This is still one of my favourite all-time series.

Jane is a badass, you can't not love her! If you've stuck to this series this far, it's definitely worth continuing. If you haven't, well... you should!

[Wanda Pedersen · Rating 4 out of 5]

2022 Re-Read

Once again, Jane Yellowrock is a bit of chocolate, indulged in before the vegetables. When I need a bit of fun, before getting on with my reading list, Jane is a go-to girl. She certainly earns her pay from the Master of the City in this one, and yet Leo is still trying to manipulate her. Not a swift learner, Leo. Not wise, either, since Jane and her team saved his bacon on several occasions in this novel.

The European vampires have snuck into North America under the cover of magic and storms. It becomes apparent that most of Leo's plans for dealing with them is “Let Jane do it.” (Yes, he's a shitweasel.) To her credit, Jane & Co. dealt with two out of three of the leading Euro vamps. It won't be long before I grab the next volume, which is the last book in the series that I have read before. Then it will be necessary to interlibrary loan the next two volumes and to be ready for the newest book, coming out in September 2022. Perhaps part of my birthday book haul. Yes, that sounds likely.


Original Review

I read this book to fill the Southern Gothic square of my 2018 Halloween Bingo card.

I’m ever so glad that I met Faith Hunter at a writers’ conference several years ago. I can hear her sassy tone when I’m reading the Jane Yellowrock novels. I might never have picked up the first one if I hadn’t heard her give a reading.

I was supposed to be reading other things—but you know how it is on a Friday night when you’d rather indulge yourself a bit rather than read from the *should* list. You know, like saying, “I won’t eat the chocolate until the Brussel sprouts are finished.” Now I like Brussel sprouts, but sometimes I just feel like eating dessert first.

This book was exactly what I have come to expect from Hunter—Jane leaps into action, sometimes without thinking things through right to the end, but she has Eli and Alex Younger to back her up. Not to mention Angie Baby, Edmund, Bruiser, Gee DeMercy and numerous others that she has helped along the way. Jane has come a long way—she has learned more about her culture and her history, learned to accept and receive friendship & love, learned to trust.

There’s always plenty of blood & guts and I can enjoy the ride, knowing there’s at least one more book ahead of me, so the good guys will survive for at least another few hundred pages!

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Europeans are coming, the Europeans are coming, or they might already be here. Once again, Leo’s tight-lipped policy causes all kinds of head aches, heart aches and just general mayhem for Jane, everyone she holds dear and the NOLA in general.

Revenants are running wild.

A bunch of key New Orleans vamps have gone missing.

And a ghost ship has docked off shore.

It is what manages to make it ashore that puts everyone at risk.

I flat out love this series. Faith Hunter never fails to bring a high octane adventure that keeps you sitting on the edge of your seat and reading into the wee-hours of the morning.

I love watching the dynamics between Jane and her family by choice grow and evolve. COLD REIGN is packed full of this character growth and new and exciting developments that I've come to expect and love from Hunter.

I knew before I even clicked on this ebook, I was going to be hooked…it of course, is another Jane Yellowrock adventure…what’s not to LOVE! With every installment, I am amazed by the fresh, new and exciting twists Hunter manages to throw our way and of course, new perils Jane and the gang must face.

I do admit, I’m a little concerned about the possible complications in Jane’s love life and hope that directions might be taken to just make more heart ache for Jane.

In the end, I found myself completely immersed in Cold Reign. Faith Hunter had me hook, line and sinker…and I didn’t want this experience to end. And that is just what this was, an experience in another world, the amazing imagings of Faith Hunter.

Sure to delight any urban fantasy fan, check out COLD REIGN.

I received this copy of COLD REIGN from Berkley Publishing Group - Ace. This is my honest and voluntary review.

[Sheyla ✎ · Rating 5 out of 5]

"You have my heart."

Cold Reign is Jane Yellowrock at it's best. This was another fantastic addition to this series.

If you want a definition of Urban Fantasy, you have it in Faith Hunter's work. After eleven books she has not lost her touch if anything I want to read more about her characters and their evolution.

Jane Yellowrock started as a solo heroine. Now, she is part of a family which includes the two Younger brothers, Ed, Bruiser, Molly and Co, and now Brute. It seems some home renovations are in order. She might consider a bigger home too since she keeps on adding more people to her "clan".

So what evil is Jane fighting this time? Well, it seems like the Revenant Vamps are back. They are popping up in different places in New Orleans and killing humans without a care. The European Vamps might be behind their attack. Jane as Leo Pellisier's enforcer is responsible for cleaning the area of the nasty revenant vamps. She's also Leo's security team and of course, Leo never makes things easy by hiding so much from Jane. I do agree with her, she must show him some manners. He pissed me off big time here. Or maybe, she should let Beast do the talking. He's really asking for it.

In regards to the romance, If you had read my prior reviews you know I'm a huge Bruiser lover. He's still perfect for Jane in my eyes. I'm very happy Mrs. Hunter makes it extremely clear who deserves Jane in this book.

"I love you more than bacon."

Cold Reign is an unstoppable action-packed book. From the moment it begins, poor Jane and her friends don't get enough sleep or good food. I was devouring the pages in a desperate attempt to find out what Janie was going to encounter. I feared for everyone's lives in this one. No one seems to be safe. My heart was in my throat too many times.

I can honestly recommend this book 100% to any UF lover.

Cliffhanger: No

5/5 Fangs

A complimentary copy was provided by Ace/Penguin via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Shelley · Rating 4 out of 5]

*Source* Publisher - Blog Tour
*Genre* Urban Fantasy
*Rating* 4.0

*My Thoughts*

In the Eleventh installment of author Faith Hunter's Jane Yellowrock series, Cold Reign, Jane and her Clan Yellowrock family have their hands full right out of the gate. Revenants walk New Orleans, and as the official Enforcer for Leo Pelissier, the Master of the City of New Orleans, it is her job to put these rogues down. But, as the European Mithrans are making noises on their way to a parley with Leo, it becomes very clear that something even more dangerous is in play. After all, Mithrans love to play the long game, and if Jane and her allies aren't ready, it might mean the end to everything that Jane holds dear.

*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews May 1, 2017 as part of the Cold Reign Blog Tour*

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

[Mitticus · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are few, very few, books that let me at 'squeeee level'. Well, cough, this is one of them.

In Jane Yellowrock's New Orleans, the European Vamps have finally arrived. (well, funny factor here - Anita Blake old times nostalgia aside- they really arrived). As you can expect, bad-bad things occur almost simultaneously. There is a ton of action-packed scenes.

I'm really impresed when authors can show they thought their books way ahead; and the argumental arcs converged to leave you impressed.

1) Cherokee rituals.
2) Magiks, and angels, and scheming vampires, onorios, primos, emperors, and witches, and dragons, and Beast, and storms and rain.
3) And Alex and Eli:
-------------------
I looked out into the living room. “I was thinking you could find and replace the fireplaces with gas ones.”
“No. Wood,” Alex said. “That way, when the zombie apocalypse comes we can have wood fire for heating and cooking.”
“When the apocalypse comes,” Eli corrected, “we’ll grab gobags and head for the hills. Some little holler Janie tells us about.”
-----------------

Also

3) Jane hit RickyBo.

4) Jane defends her love.

----------------------
I dropped my voice, so low even a wereleopard had to tilt his head to hear. “Understand this, you foul piece of scum. You and I are done. I’m with George Dumas,” I said, using his real name to make sure there could be no confusion. “You touch my Bruiser and I’ll take your head so fast you’ll still be blinking as you fall in two. Anything happens to my Bruiser by an outside force or person, and I’ll take your head. My Bruiser disappears, and I’ll take your head. He stubs his toe and I’ll make you pay. Are we clear?”
--------------------


Yeah, our Jane is a big softie.


---------------
I slid my arms over his shoulders and pulled myself into him. The kiss deepened and I sighed into his mouth. When he pulled away, we were both breathing harder, and Bruiser was still smiling, a strange light in his eyes. He said, “If your bed weren’t bloody I would have peeled your clothes away and taken you right now.”
“If the floor wasn’t bloody I’d have taken you on the floor.”
Bruiser spluttered with laughter and the moment was broken, though the sweetness remained as he dropped his head and laughed into my shoulder. His hold around me eased. “And that, my darling War Woman, is why you have my heart.”
----------------------

-->But Still, some serious issues to worry about it: all the Beast doing it seems ...meaning, all that DNA that Beast had incorporated into Jane, as vamps, and weres, and arcenciel? and other beasties that worry me b/c it changes more and more our Jane. And b/c what ha ppen with Immanuel... and think to much changes can't be good

The good thing : the healings and that she can forgive helself -a tough decition for many.


The not-good: ¿Hasta cuándo, Rick?? He is worst that the annoying gum in your shoe. Mrs. Hunter, was the song necesary???? UGH_ Let go. /to Africa or someplace far away.

------------
Time doesn’t heal all emotional wounds. Often they scar over, leaving abnormal psychic tissue, faulty emotional patterns, sometimes with an absence of sensation at all. That was how I felt about Rick. Scarred and empty.
----------

But, above all, happy with this book :)

[Marta Cox · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another top notch instalment of this urban fantasy series with its unusual heroine of Cherokee skin walking Jane Yellowrock. Jane may be an enforcer for Master of the City Leo but she hasn't forgotten her human roots no matter how many Vampires she walks amongst. It's her job to put down those who cannot be controlled but that's not always easy as Leo believes he can utilise all his resources be they his Vampires or not! So when rogue Vampires start killing its up to Jane to dive in but these are no ordinary Vampires no these are revenant the most feral of all and someone is deliberately raising them to undermine Leo's authority!
The author has been leading up to this book for quite some time now as we've been expecting a delegation of European Vampires ( Mithrans) to visit the city. Well perhaps all that preparation won't be going as planned because you just know there's something very fishy going on and yep it's all pointing to those from across the ocean. Problem is perhaps not all Leo's enemies are far away!
Vampire politics aside it was fabulous seeing how the dynamics within Janes own 'happy family' are changing. The two brothers that work with her are shown to be pretty awesome in this story with Eli being his usual bad ass although his personal life is going through changes. The Kid aka Alex is really growing up and pretty much proving invaluable plus there's quality time for Jane and Bruiser. Best of all though is Beast making her presence felt numerous times which adds so much humour to this story. Oh and there's someone back and there's no way Jane will let him walk all over her again! Yes a fabulous edition to this series with twists , magic and of course bloodthirsty action. Enjoy!
This voluntary review is of a copy I requested from Netgalley and my thoughts are my own honest opinion

[Giulia Leila · Rating 5 out of 5]

I finally got round to reading it! Publication in May? Worst timing ever!
I think this is one of the best books in the series so far. My favorite type of Jane's book is set exclusively in New Orleans (how much I love this city!), is very choral, and requires many visits to suckheads HQ. So this book was definitely in line with my tastes. There are pretty much all the characters in it, like readers' favorites (Gee, Edmund, etc.), not as in Dark Heir, where many were MIA. Cold Reign is more vampire-centered than witch-centered, which I appreciated, since vampires are my favorite supernatural creatures in this series (mainly because they're the most unpredictable), while I'm not very fond of evil witch magics. Plus, this book isn't as much a detective story as the previous books. I hate detective stories, I can stand them only if they're packed in a well-done paranormal plot. So, only chapter 1 was a bit boring, in my opinion.

Alex has finally made some friends in NOLA and does something other than working or, anyway, staying at home. I really liked the scene at the RMBC...it's about time they all had some off-duty time outside home! Here Jane chats and jokes amiably with Leo's vamps. If you add this to the new relationship she has with Edmund, you are amazed at how her attitude towards vamps has changed since Skinwalker. Beast, on her part, has started to eat vamp flesh, which has rightly disgusted Jane...if only she knew Beast ate a lousy, stinky demon in a certain short story. LOL.

Jane is getting more and more powerful with each book, which I totally like. The Glob can practically absorb ANY magic. I'm wondering...could it be that Jane is the most powerful creature in New Orleans? The mere fact that she has been able, at only 5, to steal another living being's soul, without knowing how or even that she could do that, speaks HUGE power. Massive superpower.

I have to say that I don't dislike arcenciels anymore. How cute was the cerulean dragon while inside the geode? Almost as cute as Pea or Bean. Plus, I adored Soul when she blatantly ignored Grégoire's question right after he treated Jane with superiority.

I have a strong feeling that Bruiser is Him, the ultimate mate for Jane (con buona pace dei fan di Leo, nel mio caso, cattiva pace). I wanna cry at the injustice! However, while I don't feel a rush of adrenaline when he comes up (like, “Oh my God there's Bruiser!”, as I say about Occam in Soulwood series), you gotta love Bruiser and Jane's moments/dialogues/jokes. They really love each other, apparently.
All the while, Leo doesn't stop his “courtship”, subtly comparing a red wine to Jane (funny). After all, he's a predator and is very very patient. He doesn't realize (luckily) that Jane would never touch a vampire in a sexual manner, not even with a stick. Unless you're Blondie and you're healing a badly-injured Jane, and she has less control over her sexual drives due to the full moon (Raven Cursed, anyone?). Grégoire, lucky bast***.

Random thoughts:
- I loved Edmund's “pink tears” towards the end. LOVE his character.
- I can't wait to know more about Ka Nvista!
- We finally get to know why Leo didn't want to put an end to Adrianna-pain-in-the-butt's useless unlife...apparently not that useless. I think I'll miss her after all. Not.
- Will we readers ever know Brute's real name? I don't think it's ever mentioned.
- Will we ever get to see Leo's real scion lair? Who knows.

The implications at the end of the book thrilled me a lot. I'd have really liked (like, really REALLY liked) to read back-to-back this book and the next. But whatever.

On a side note, "la corona" is not Latin, it's Italian or Spanish. In Latin articles don't exist. So if you want to say it in Latin, you just say "corona".


PRE-REVIEW:

Cold Reign...can a title be cooler (no pun intended)?
Things I'd like to see in this book (among a billion other things):
- a kissing scene between Jane and Leo (yeah, as if). But I'm already thinking about their future daughter's name, so don't mind me.
- Grégoire. I love him, even if he's a spoiled and touchy coxcomb.
- Jane and Bruiser having a fight, or Bruiser getting jealous. Their relationship is too smooth, even if God knows how much they sweated to actually start one.
- Brute, Beast's new playmate. The critter's really come a long way since he was Firetruck, assessing Bitsa during his first encounter with Jane. I really hope the Everhart Truebloods' won't be his new home, since he's got better things to do, like fighting bad guys in NOLA, than being Angie's new pet.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cold Reign
4 Stars

Preparations for the arrival of the European vampires are in full swing when Jane Yellowrock, enforcer to Leo Pellisier, Master of the city of New Orleans, is called in to deal with several rampaging revenants with stranger than usual physical traits and abilities. It soon becomes clear that these long undead should never have risen, and Jane will have to muster all of her powers and resources to battle a ruthless and merciless foe whose lust for domination knows no bounds.

Series note: While not completely necessary, it is recommended that this book be read after the first two installments in Hunter's spin-off series, Soulwood as some character development occurs therein.

Faith Hunter's skill at weaving complex and interwoven plotlines is beginning to rival Rowling's. In this installment, the narrative threads from earlier books come into play and merge seamlessly into the newer ongoing story arc.

In addition to the continued inclusion of various religious mythos (Native American, Judeo-Christian) that enhance both the character and plot development, Hunter also incorporates alternative historical events that enrich the world building even more.

Jane is an incredibly strong, empowered and resilient heroine yet she has also learned the valuable lesson that no one can go it alone, and that she will need the help of allies, friends and family if she is to overcome all of the obstacles that she faces.

In the romance department, it is good to see that Jane has relegated Rick to the past where he belongs, and her continuing romance with Bruiser is going from strength to strength. While the two can be a bit saccharine sweet at times, their connection has been so long in coming that the intimate moments are even more satisfying.

When it comes to the events of the book, all I can say is WOW! This is an absolute rollercoaster of action with several excellent twists that are impossible to see coming.

In sum, another fantastic addition to the series and its going to be a long wait for the next one.

[Lila]

One of things I love about this series: consistency of cover art.



So, revenants. Last time Jane dealt with revenants was in Blood Trade and as I recall, they are nasty little critters. Nothing Jane/Beast and Younger brothers can't handle. :)
As for European delegation- seriously, let's set a Kickstarter campaign for these fellows to buy them a car, because they are arriving since forever.

Very excited about this one.

[Cate · Rating 5 out of 5]

The action just doesn't STOP!

Jane and her ever-increasing circle of family must circumvent the centuries-in-the-planning coup being attempted by the EVs in order to save her loved ones and keep their way of life. During the process Jane's inherent magics and her acquired ones cause her many issues... and may just be what save the day.

Things to love about this installment of Jane's story:
- the puns: Starting with the title...
- the action: It's fast, almost constant, and bloody.
- the verbiage: Faith's writing is descriptive, imaginative, and engaging... and STILL manages to use "big words"! ;)
- the characters: They are well-developed, charismatic, and intriguing. Sometimes Faith even makes you route for the bad guys... but not often.

Things to hate about this book:
- ummmmmm... that I finished it? lol

This series is definitely not for underage or immature audiences, but for those of us who enjoy strong female protagonists who become more complex as the series progresses and use sarcasm like a dollop of whipped cream (on top of her tea), Jane RAWKS!

**I received a complimentary copy of this book from Berkley Publishing as part of a book blog tour in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts/comments are my own.**

[Douglas Meeks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well here we are on book 11, took us awhile to get here but this is not a series stumbling along on past glories, it is still vibrant, full of surprises, and secondary characters that have not only become part of Jane's "family" but have become integral parts of the enjoyment of this series.

Missing from this installment is the overdone introspection of some of the recent books, we have some but it does play a part and the mystical part of Jane's nature is part of why we read this series since Jane Yellowrock is one of a very few totally original characters in urban fantasy.

The plots and subplots are so many and so involved it made my head hurt to try to keep up with things but Faith Hunter weaved them all together by the end (and gave us a couple more to ponder for the next book). Make no mistake, the long awaited arrival of the European vampires is here and it is not a friendly visit.

Clan Yellowrock is gaining members, there are some surprises and some long sought after justice. The whole book is a plot we never saw coming (or at least I never did) and leaves you in a good place (another thing I love, no cliffhangers) but after 11 books I still cannot figure Leo out and what motivates his actions.

Bottom Line: A GREAT book, full of action, full of surprises, characters that grow a little in each book (as opposed to series I have read where the characters never seem to get any smarter or mature). Overall I think this may be one of the better books out of the last 4-5 because of the balance of action, multiple characters involvement, just a small bit of introspection and the sign of a really good book, you hated to see it end. this is NOT the same Jane Yellowrock we discovered 11 books ago, this is a improved version who is not only stronger, she is also becoming a power in her own right in this world. 5 Stars and can't wait to see more.

[Ian · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was a dark and stormy night...

...and the European Vamps have arrive.

As the Enforcer for Leo Pellisier, New Orleans' master vampire, it's left to Jane to plug every supernatural hole in the dike. She and her team find themselves running all over New Orleans as revenants rise up from their graves and go hunting, humans begin rioting and once loyal vampires change sides.

The European Vampires always seem one step ahead of them and if they manage to take over New Orleans it will be disastrous for humanity.

This book is like a runaway train. It crashes along at a frenetic pace. It's brash and in your face. Urban Fantasy at it's best.

[Hobart · Rating 5 out of 5]

★ ★ ★ ★ 1/2 (rounded up)
This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
---
Lee Child (and others, I'm sure) has said something along the lines of the key to writing a long-running series is that in each book you give the readers exactly the same thing, only different. Here in book 11 of the Jane Yellowrock series, that's exactly what Faith Hunter has delivered -- Jane Yellowrock up to her neck in revenant vampires, schemes within schemes within schemes, and dealing with the Big Cat that shares her body -- but in a new way, with different (yet the same) schemers, a different kind of revenant, and new challenges and revelations about her Beast.

The tricky part of this is coming up with something to say . . . I mean really, the fact that I'm still reading the series 11 books in pretty much demonstrates that I'm a fan and that I'm predisposed to like this -- both in its sameness and differentness. I like spending time with Jane and the rest (particularly Eli, Alex and Bruiser), seeing her navigate through this wold, and beating people up/taking out vampires. The "same" stuff is as good as always (maybe even a little better), so what about the "different" stuff?

There's a lot to cover on that front, actually -- I can't cover it all, that's Hunter's job (and she's so much better at it). But I can do a little. This book takes place sometime after Curse on the Land (yay, multi-series continuity!), and long enough after Shadow Rites that Jane's started to come to terms with her expanded household and all that it entails (please note the use of the word, "started" -- I'm not sure she's quite finished even at the end of this one). But that's just the beginning. There are a handful of revenants popping up -- but they're not the kind that Jane is used to dealing with. And their presence might be signalling something significant.

The Youngers have evolved somewhat -- Alex is maturing, and even getting out of the house a little -- but he's still the same dude. Eli -- wow, we see so many sides of him here that we hadn't before (maybe saw hints of, but not like this), I loved every bit of the Eli material here -- and man, did he make me laugh. He also made me get a little bleary eyed at one point -- something I couldn't ever imagine that I'd say.

Beast does something that I don't think we've seen before -- she has something going on that she's keeping from Jane. There's something she knows, maybe something she did, that she's blocked Jane's knowledge of . That's scary -- kinda cool -- but mostly scary. The repercussions of Beast doing things without the human part of her knowing, there's a couple of books right there.

Naturally, the biggest differences come from growth and changes to Jane herself -- at one point, she says

My life was so weird I scarcely recognized it.

The only reason readers can recognize it is that we've followed the series -- if someone made the strange decision to read Skinwalker and then jump to Cold Reign, I bet they'd barely recognize the protagonist. The changes in her abilities, her shifting (but not totally shifted) feelings towards vampires and their practices, her love life, her friends, her understanding of her past, etc., etc. -- she's come a long way, mostly for the good, I think. There's even a sentence I identified in my notes as "possibly the sweetest, sappiest thing to come out of Jane's narration." I decided not to include it here, but fans will gush over it. I just know it.

None of that means that when it comes time for bringing the pain that Jane's not up to it -- in fact, thanks to recent events, she's better at it than ever. Her use of the Gray Between (which is bordering on being over-used), is improved here -- she's able to handle it better and uses it to her great advantage. Yeah, she might be not be that recognizable, but she's a better character for it.

The core of this book -- plotwise, anyway -- comes back to the looming summit with the European Vampires, while Leo continues preparing for it, some things start happening that make he and his Enforcers begin to think that maybe the EVs are already in New Orleans and doing what they can to undermine him before anything official happens. Hunter, like many authors, has really taken advantage of the long-lived nature of vampires and how they'll use that for long-range planning. In Cold Reign we see that used very well -- as I mentioned before, there's a new kind of revenant running around New Orleans -- and there's no good explanation for how that's happening (there's a pretty diabolical explanation, however). This brings us back to the first time Jane stuck her toe in the water of Leo Pellisier's plans, and the early defenses against insurgents that Jane mounted on his behalf. Plots and schemes that we thought we were done with (if only because the plotters and schemers were no more), are brought back up and put into a new light in a very convincing manner. If Hunter said that she'd been planning these moves since book 2 or so, I'd believe her -- I'd also believe her if she said that she needed something for this book and took advantage of some of material from her early books. Either way, she does a very clever job of it.

There's a little bit of Soulwood in Cold Reign. We get a mention or two of Nell Ingram. Rick LaFleur is around doing PsyLED stuff -- without the rest of his team, sadly. Soul is seen a few times, but doesn't do much (but what she does is pretty cool).

I've long enjoyed Jane's calorie-rich dietary needs and the abandon with which she dives into her food -- and I think I've noted with both books, how fun it is to watch Nell Ingram sample junk food. But I think in Cold Reign, Best trumps them both -- she eats her first taco. And I found it delightful, really, literally laughing out loud. I've decided that what Hunter's fans need is a Food Network-style show featuring Jane, Nell and Beast trying various foods -- I'd just love it.

The ending came a little quicker than I expected (possibly was confused thanks to the Soulwood preview at the end tweaking the percentage -- but even without that, it seemed sudden). Which isn't a bad thing, and probably says more about me than anything about the book -- maybe I just wasn't ready to say "see ya later" to Clan Yellowrock yet. Without spoiling much, there wasn't a lot of resolution here -- there was enough -- but not as much as you might expect. The threat to Leo is still out there, and Jane et al. have their work cut out for them to prevent a European Vampire takeover.

Another winning tale of Vampire Politics, New Orleans weather, Magic, Big Cats and blood -- lots and lots of blood. At this point, I'm not sure Hunter can do anything wrong with this series -- and I hope she doesn't prove me wrong anytime soon. Get your orders in now folks so you can dive on it on May 2.

Disclaimer: I received this eARC from Berkley Publishing Group via NetGalley in exchange for this post -- thanks to both for this.
N.B.: As this was an ARC, any quotations above may be changed in the published work -- I will endeavor to verify them as soon as possible.

[Terri ♥ (aka Mrs. Christian Grey) · Rating 3 out of 5]

So much to say. I found the inner monologue for near the first half of the book annoying.

I have to say Jane and I couldn't be friends. I find her a bit too self righteous, yet her actions are anything but.

For someone with a belief in God, she shows no forgiveness. Oh wait... only against Ricky-Bo. Who's actions of flirting with other women was because of his job. Later he was spelled and she knows this yet she can't forgive him. What? I'm not saying she should date him again, but her hatred of him is for no good reason.

But she'll forgive Bruiser, who held her down while Leo violated her. I don't know. But Bruiser could have said no and walked away, but he didn't until much later. Somehow Jane can find it in her heart to forgive him, and call him her mate. Yet Ricky-bo who didn't willingly break her heart is some kind of asshole who deserves to be treated like shit.

Jane sucks. She's lucky I enjoy her world. But frankly, I hope Bruiser ends up screwing her over with his new found sian. Jane needs to be a better heroine. Right now she's not worthy any man with her "choice" morals. Ugh!

Another problem, I listen to this series and have over the years with many books in between. But I must say that Eli's and Alex's descriptions have changed over the course of the series if memory serves.

As I remember Eli was described not in words but basically of mixed race in the beginning. Alex was described as having floppy hair. I took it as he was not mixed race. Then Eli became black but with brown skin and Alex was described as more mixed race. Now after several more books, they both have ebony skin. I don't care what race they are, but it's confusing when characters change for no reason. Because I listen and don't have books, it would be hard to find the references. But again, I could be wrong.

[Beanbag Love · Rating 1 out of 5]

I've got some real problems with some of this story. Basically, I kind of hate Jane now. Not sure I want to continue the series.

I'll add more later after I gather my thoughts.

WARNING RANT FOLLOWING
MAY BE OFFENSIVE TO SOME, ESPECIALLY HARD CORE FANS OF THIS SERIES

Just gonna put this in spoiler tags because it's a rant and I wasn't careful about spoilers at all. It's also long. I've written college essays that were shorter.

And also in defense of some of those of whom I might come off critical, I did binge JY and Soulwood up to this point, so all these plot points were very fresh in my mind. It's possible that some people might have forgotten some of these things and were differently focused.

And now for the rant. I’m not even sure why I gave this one 2 stars when it’s been bugging me in a very unpleasant way for a couple of weeks now. Pretty sure I’m changing it to 1 star after thinking about it further. (have since changed it to 1 star)

After reading this book, I’m going to have to be convinced going forward that Jane Yellowrock isn’t a total garbage being. She’s so far down for me right now the only reason I’m going to read on is because I want to continue Soulwood and Hunter has a habit of putting important information for one series in another series or short story, so you’ve got to read all her stuff to understand any one of them. (Like Bean. Where the eff did he/she come from? Well, if you don’t know, I’ll tell you. A short in an anthology called Monster Hunter Files. I had read it, but I hadn’t remembered Bean. Or much of anything. Pain in the ass to try to find that character’s intro, I’ll tell ya.) But that’s pretty smart because, if she’s going to turn her lead character into a raging, abusive ass-hag, readers are going to need some reason to continue to buy the books.

Okay, let me get this out of the way. I am not shipping this series. IDGAF if Jane is with Bruiser or who-the-eff-ever. Shipping makes people stupid and, often, cruel. Something I’ve seen a lot in the BDB fandom, hugely in the Dresden Files fandom, and now in this one.

What the actual fuck, guys? Seriously? Are we really so Bruuuuuuuuuiser that we can’t see that Rick is – yet again – a victim of rape and torture AND kidnapping and – yet again – being abused in the aftermath? Does anyone see this? Clearly Faith Hunter doesn’t, but it’s pretty obvious to me.

I have zero problem with Rick and Jane not being together. I wish he’d never cross paths with her again. It’s bad for his health.

Let’s break this down, shall we?

First, in Mercy Blade, she blew off his disappearance when he was kidnapped, tortured and raped by werewolves. I let that go because she did spare him a thought now and again and she was busy, but there was something else in that book that I’ll point out later that makes her behavior in Cold Reign even more offensive.

Second, when he can't shift and it's agony, she pawns him off on Kemnebi. Someone she knows hates Rick’s guts. Someone who has reason to believe Rick is the reason for his mate’s death. She thinks her cocky little show, getting Kemnebi to call her his alpha on video, will have some effect. (If you are unclear what I'm referring to, it's probably because this scene was in a short) Anyone with a brain would at least make a few surprise visits to see if things were going the way they should after the two cat dudes went off into the woods, but she doesn’t. She just sends Rick off with a powerful werecat who hates his guts and assumes it’ll all be hunky dorey.

Third, she completely ignores the magic she says she feels in the room when Paca enters and Rick goes blank faced and follows her. Even I, a lowly reader, saw what was happening was beyond Rick’s control. But no, it’s all about Jane. Not him being under a powerful spell. He says nothing to anyone and he leaves the HQ with Paca and it’s all about him breaking Jane’s heart, not about him maybe, once again, being in danger and under control of someone who seeks to hurt him.

Fourth, in this installment, she treats Rick like shit. Threatens him. Humiliates and emasculates him in front of her crew who laugh like hyenas at him. I assumed when she first confronted him in this book, that she had somehow missed Nell’s email telling her what Paca had done to Rick, but then Jane cuts him off when he tries to tell her, saying she knows. And we know that Nell has been emailing her regularly. Jane knows that he was magically roofied and she calls it cheating. They all call it cheating. Appalling.

But Bruuuuuuuuuuuiser! Hearts, hearts, smilies, squees!

She can’t forgive Rick for being magically drugged and basically taken away against his will. Sex, abuse (if you’ve read Soulwood you know Paca would put deep gashes into him during sex), and loss of all power and health (if you’ve read Soulwood, you’ve read that he had given up and was wasting away) are no match for Jane’s hurt feelings. How dare he?!

Rick didn’t cheat on Jane when he was kidnapped by the wolves. He was raped. He didn’t sleep with Safia (the werecat), she bit him. He didn’t go off with Paca of his own free will, he was magicked into it and knew he didn’t want it, but he couldn’t get away. That is all violation. It’s all rape.

Now here’s the thing I said I’d get into later. Remember Jane and Bruiser in the shower while Rick was being tortured and raped by the werewolves? Oh! But that’s forgivable because she was under a spell! Remember Bruiser holding Jane down while Leo and Katie violated her with a forced feeding and attempt at forcing a bond? Oh! But that’s forgivable because he was being controlled by Leo! All forgivable, except one of the most violated character in this series is blamed and even shamed for the violations he’s suffered. That’s just gross.

I remember having a debate on the Amazon discussion boards way back in the days before Goodreads about whether or not a man can be raped by a woman. Some of the women commenting actually believed it was impossible. That a man who has an erection has interest and therefore there is no violation and there is no rape. Bull and shit. But after this book, it almost seems like Faith Hunter believes this too. She didn’t seem to early on in Raven Cursed when Jane made Rick understand that he hadn’t cheated on her with the were bitch, but in this book she sure seems to think that if someone is the equivalent of drugged, they are still responsible for the sexual activity that happens to them. Even when it’s clear they’re unhappy about it while also powerless to stop it.

I’m just so disgusted. Tell ya what – all you who think it’s just wunnerful that Rick is finally out of the picture so it’s only Bruuuuuuuuuiser – put a woman in Rick’s place in this series. All the things that have happened to him happening to a woman. Switch all the sexes. Then have her former lover blaming her, humiliating her, shaming her about it. See where I’m coming from?

And furthermore, WTF with all the Bruiser goo goo crap in this book? I actually thought he was going to die or something was going to come up that was going to split them apart it was so over the top. Maybe it was just to soothe the savage shipper fans who wanted to cement Bruuuuuuiser as the mate for life. But it was poorly done. The romance in this thing was ripe.

Now, it may sound like I’m a shipper. I’m not. I never thought the Rick romance was well-developed. I didn’t really get the chemistry there. But then I don’t much get the chemistry between Bruiser and Jane either. Maybe because he’s Leo’s bitch, even now that he’s not bound. It’s just not very attractive to me.

Hunter should just leave the romance out. Jane has more chem with Eli than anyone else, but I prefer the brother/sister dynamic and maybe that’s what FH is more talented at pulling off. Romance does not seem to be her thing. Especially if she’s among the contingent that believes that a man can’t be raped by a woman and should be abused relentlessly by everyone he works with in the aftermath. That’s just not a standard I want to sink to.

I’m sorry if this rant offends Bruiser fans, but if you are one and you thought Jane (and Bruiser’s) behavior was okay in this story simply because you finally got your assurance that Bruiser/Jane is the real deal and Rick won’t be a love interest for her going forward then … I just ask that you think again about what happened in this story. It’s not okay. It has seriously tainted the Jane/Bruiser relationship (a couple of assholes finding true love together just isn’t all that appealing to this reader) and harmed the Jane Yellowrock series.

As I said, if it weren’t for Soulwood and FH’s clever habit of dropping info in a variety of places, I might put this series aside forever. But one thing’s for sure, unless she’s writing in Larry Correia’s Monster Hunter world (the aforementioned Monster Hunter Files where Bean first appeared) or she figures out that rendering someone powerless (even if they’re a man) and having sex with them that they don’t want is rape, FH isn’t getting another dime from me.

Library, here I come!

[Bambi Unbridled · Rating 5 out of 5]

After delivering two fantastic books in her new series, Soulwood, Faith Hunter is back with a dynamic offering in the long-standing Jane Yellowrock series. I was a late-comer to this series, discovering it after I read the Soulwood books, but Jane and Beast quickly became one of my favorite heroine/duos in urban fantasy. This is a series that you must read in order as its a continuing storyline, but I also recommend that you read it in publication order in conjunction w/ the Soulwood series, as there is some character crossover.

Cold Reign picks up not long after the end of Shadow Rites, and we are getting our first look at those pesky European Vamps who believe La Nouvelle Orleans is their rightful territory as that no-good Napoleon had no right to sell it to the American government! But we knew the Euro-Vamps weren't going to come easy. No, they are bringing big problems to New Orleans in the form of revenants* and wonky weather. As usual, it will be left up to Jane and the Yellowrock clan to solve the city's problems, and this time they got a lot more bloody and battered while trying to do so. I like that Jane has surrounded herself with a family of her own making, and they are becoming a more cohesive unit, even with the new additions.

Beast didn't get to come out to play very often, and I'm missing her. I love Beast's personality and cattiness. But Jane seems to becoming more magical with every story, and we are seeing her and Beast become more symbiotic as the series progresses.

This series has an abundance of secondary characters, and I love them all. Even the seemingly ineffectual master of the city, Leo Pelissier. I can't tell if Leo is really that bad at underestimating a situation, or if its all part of his game plan to use Jane to solve his problems. Rick Lafleur shows back up in this installment, which is why I suggested you read the Soulwood books before this one - so you will know what happened with old Ricky-Bo while he has been missing from Jane's life. I can't say I felt bad for him, I'm on Team Bruiser all the way.

The action was good, and the history of the Euro-Vamps was interesting to me. They definitely offer some villains that everyone will love to hate, particularly Gregoire's sire, Le Bâtard, an illegitimate son of François d'Angoulême. I think we can expect to see this story arc over another book or two, and I am looking forward to it.

So this is actually the first book of the series that I have "read" - as I did the earlier books in an audio binge earlier in the month. I have to say that I missed the audio! The narrator, Khristine Hvam, does a fabulous job if you are inclined to listen to audiobooks. I missed her affectation of Beast's character and found myself trying to copy the voice/mannerisms in my head. This one may be worth a re-read in audio format on my next road trip!

I voluntarily reviewed an advanced copy of this book that I received from the publisher, Ace.

*Okay so one thing bothered me about the revenants. It was mentioned that they were "in the ground" in St. Louis Cemetery No. 1. But as everyone in New Orleans knows, especially for that most famous cemetery of Marie Laveau, no one is put in the ground there. If you are entombed in St. Louis No. 1, you are either in a vault or a mausoleum that is designed to cook a dead body in one year's time. Seriously - it gets like 500 degrees in those things. So how in the world was there anything left of those revenants to rise? They should have been nothing but bones, man.

[All Things Urban Fantasy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy.

Action layered upon politics upon history, COLD REIGN is a procedural that doesn't slow down. Long time fans will enjoy Jane's ever developing relationships and magic, but even those new to the series will find lots to enjoy in this installment.

The Jane Yellowrock series has always been a mix of continuity and "I can't remember where I am in the series but damn this is fun". COLD REIGN is even more "jump on board" enjoyable than most, as the risks facing Jane unfold with plenty of backstory and development. Bruiser has never felt like much of his own character, but that is immaterial in the face of how he makes Jane feel. Their happy domesticity is the reminder, again and again, of why Jane is happy with him (though I agree more with Beast, who is game to continue collecting mates). There is also some intensely satisfying "look how great I'm doing" when Ricky-bo and PsyLED show up, and I'm not above taking petty pleasure in his pain.

COLD REIGN is vamp politics to the nth degree, but the main focus is on how all of these dangers could impact Jane and the people she loves. It is this very human touch that makes the intrigue so satisfying, and ensures I'll be back for book twelve.

Sexual content: References to sex and rape.

[Vleigh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love being back in Jane's world. Team Bruiser! <3

[RachelW (BamaGal) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full review...

The European Vamps have finally arrived, sort of. They are sneaking in in small numbers and wreaking havoc on New Orleans, partly by way of the revenants who have been rising and killing both human and supernatural citizens of the city. The vain and egotistical Master of the City Leo Pellisier is, as usual, apparently oblivious to the impending threat to his vampire clan until his Enforcer Jane carefully explains the danger.

The setup to the main story was a bit slow. After the initial excitement of the revenant risings the story segued into the very long and unnatural storm and strange occurrences in the city; and yet another purification visit to Aggie One Feather. It was fully one-third of the book before the storyline got back on track; but when it finally did, the plotline moved along very nicely. The Eurovamps are finally here, having sneaked in right under everyone's nose.

There is more of the magical woo-woo, of which I'm not the hugest fan of. I miss the kickass Jane of the early books who didn't rely on magic tricks so much. It is, however, good to see the solidification of Jane's 'clan', especially Eli and Alex. I absolutely adore both the Younger brothers, and they are pretty prominent here. Eli's character is evolving nicely, and Alex is growing up and maturing. Also, some more stuff in Jane's personal life gets tossed into the air.

Oh, and Beast wasn't shoved into the background as she has been in a couple of recent books. She has some changes going on herself; and has been quite secretive lately. There is a lot of twisted vamp politics happening, as well as the beginnings of vampire fighting. On a side note, Leo has to be the single most ineffectual master vampire I've ever read...and if I never hear the term honeybunches or sweetcheeks again, I will die happy.

Overall, it is a worthy entry to the series, if not quite as great as some of the early books. As much as I love Jane and her world, I'm wondering if it's not time for Hunter to think about wrapping this series up to concentrate on "Soulwood".

For those who are interested, Rick LaFleur and PsyLED (no Nell) play a role in this book; especially towards the end. There is a bit of drama with Rick; but nothing too dreadfully angsty...

[Matilde Damkier · Rating 5 out of 5]

There's nothing worse than waiting a year for a book, then having it turn out to be a disappointment.
Fortunately, that never happens with Faith Hunter's Jane Yellowrock series.
There might be some Urban Fantasy series that has books I like more than any of the Jane Yellowrock one's, but regardless of that, the Jane Yellowrock series is starting to become my favorite, simply because it is rock solid. I mean, every. single. book delivers.
This one was fantastic!!!

A few complaints:
1. Not enough Leo. He was mostly absent in this book.
2. I like the series, I have read all 11 books now, but in this one and the tenth, I felt like I was missing something. Mainly, having read the shortstories. I've read almost all of them, besides Bound No More and Off the Grid. But the last two books have, unfortunately, begun relying heavily on events that transpired in those stories.
- In books 10 and 11 a lot of time is spent on the fact that Jane was struck by lightning and how it has affected her. This is an event I know nothing about, since it took place in one of the aforementioned shortstories.
- In book 11, Ricky-Bo returns. But there's a lot of things I'm missing, since I haven't read the other of the aforementioned shortstories - and perhaps you'd need to read the first book in Faith Hunter's new series as well, to get the full scope of what has happened to his character.
I'm a fan of her universe, and I like her shortstories and have read most of them, but I don't like that, since the last few books, it seems like they have become required reading.

Well, that's just my bit of pet peeve. Anyway, where was I? Oh, yes. Despite all of the above, I absolutely loved this book. The Yellowrock clan rocks! And we finally (after being teased for like 3 books straight) got to meet the EuroVamps.
Soooooooo, I'm so happyyyyy. Can't wait for next book!

And this bomb at the end of the book? WOWWOWOWOW! Amiright? amiright?????
“Katie is no longer my heir. I could not allow her that position without great loss of face.”
“And your heir?” Bruiser asked, his voice going hard. “You will not saddle one of us with that.”
Leo looked at me wryly. “That gift belongs to Edmund Hartley.”

[Marianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ah, Leo; you scheming bastard...

This novel had it all, European vamps wreaking havoc, vampires playing the long game, angels, healing, declarations of love (finally!) In fact; the only thing I'd have preferred was for my favorite suckhead; Edmund to have more page time. His parts were quite memorable, though. I sputtered with laughter when he declared just how much he hated energy drinks. But not as much as I guffawed when Jane threatened to turn poor Ed's $3 mill. car into Beast's personal hunting playground;-)


~Cliterary Genius Reading Challenge. May: Read a book authored by a minority -or- with a minority as its protagonist~

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

Read this review in its entirety at The Book Nympho

         

I'll start by admitting I LOVE, LOVE the Jane Yellowrock series and the author, Faith Hunter.  I didn't read until there were maybe 8 books. I think it actually helps when you can read them all in a short time together to keep the information and details fresh. I was careful to read everything, including the novellas, in order. It's important to me in general, but especially with urban fantasy.

Let's get right to it. Ricky Bo is here, more than I expected. And I didn't hate him. I didn't like him either. I also didn't crush on Leo. At all. I was furious with Leo. He always has his secrets from Jane and it sucks. He also tries to manipulate her. I didn't feel the intelligence or maybe vulnerability, which attracted me to him anymore. Bruiser is really good to Jane but I am not feeling him. Ugh.

FINALLY. We meet some European vampires. Everything is not what it seems. Jane and her team have been preparing. She has grown and developed her skills tremendously. It serves her well. The family, with the Youngers, continues to congeal in its awesome way. I'm happy to have Edmund and Brute with them, surprisingly. Cold Reign has plenty of intrigue, action, subtle humor, and suckhead politics.  Highly recommended.

We learn somewhat more of Leo's plan for the EV visit. (#@&$(@!)  I've always had a strong attachment to Gregoire and he has more of a role here. Katie is a key factor, although she is only mentioned. So I'm excited to have her profile on the blog today.

 
Character Profile: Katie Fonteneau

AKA: Katherine Louisa Dupris, Katherine Pearl Duplantis, Katherine Vuillemont, Regina Katarina Fonteneau 

 

Became heir of Clan Pellissier after the death of Leo’s son, Immanuel. 

 

She is the proprietress and namesake of Katie’s Ladies – oldest continuing operating whorehouse in the French Quarter (since 1845). She owned two local hotels, at least three restaurants, and several bars.  Numerous off-shore accounts in different names. Her working girls also have excellent financial portfolios.

 

Katie was ‘put to earth’  after nearly being killed and receiving the blood of 8 clans (which no longer exist when she rises). After Mercy Blade, she is no longer sane but very, scary, powerful.

 

Katie appears 20 but has old, old grayish hazel eyes when not vamped out. Long, straight, thick, dark ash blond hair. She is five feet and a smidge tall, and has a fleur-de-lis brand on her upper arm, small brown and uniform. When vamped out, her fangs are 3 inches long and her claws are bone white, 2 inches long.

 

Katie’s laugh can be caramel-liqueur sex-on-a-stick, or delicate and soft and feminine.

 

She loves tea, based on teapot collection and her scent left in the tea cabinet.

 

**Compiled by Melissa M. Gilbert of Clicking Keys, for the Character History of the Jane Yellowrock world**

[Jen Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this 11th installments, the Jane Yellowrock series shows no sign of slowing down. If anything, the story just seems to keep getting deeper and more complex with each book. Don’t get me wrong, these books have never been light reading. But now it is more complicated than ever.

The story comes out swinging with plenty of action. Something or someone is raising twice dead vampires back from the grave. These revenants are mindless, powerful killers. Jane’s initial mission is to take them down. After that though, she needs to figure out how they are being reanimated in the first place.

It all boils down to those pesky European vampires Faith Hunter has been teasing us with for several books now. That’s right, the EVs are finally here. It’s not with the great pomp and circumstance that we were expecting, however.

I’ve said before that these books are dense, but I will admit that sometimes I simply cannot keep up with what the hell is happening. I’m not talking about the great fight scenes or the good relationship stuff. I’m totally down with all that. But when we start delving into the long game of vampires and alliances that span back centuries, I’m more than a little lost. At a certain point, I just have to accept that we are just talking about a bunch of old European dudes who want to rule everything and are generally sadistic… and hope that the author makes it all obvious enough who is who when the climax happens. Thankfully, she does just that and it partially made sense when all was said and done. There are just so many names to keep track of!

Jane has evolved so much, especially in the past several books. Her magic has changed significantly, but underneath it all is still the great dynamic she has with her Beast. It is one of the best things about this series and it is as awesome as ever. And while just a second ago I was complaining about there being too many names and too many characters, it will sound like I’m contradicting myself when I say I love how her family base is expanding. For a woman who only had one real friend in her life when this series started, Jane now has a huge family that helps make her stronger and better. I love Eli and Alex. I love Edmund. I want Brute to turn back into a person who I could meet.

And then there is Jane’s romantic love life. I know that everybody has their own opinions about who she should be with. It wasn’t totally clear at the start of these books to her HEA would be. I am a big fan of her with Bruiser so I really loved watching this relationship continue to progress here. And as much as I grew to hate Ricky Bo in earlier books, I think I have finally made my peace with him. I never want him with Jane, of course, but I don’t think I hate him anymore. Kudos to the author for getting me to a place I never thought I would go.

Overall, this was a smart, entertaining, and action-packed read. There are such great fight scenes and fabulous violence. And still so much awesome story too. I am already excited to see what will happen in book 12.

Rating: B+

*ARC provided by publisher

[Steph · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cold Reign opens with Jane and her partner, Eli trying to take down a revenant ("... vamps who died a second time and came back again [...] They were endless, hungry killing machines and hard as heck to put down"). This isn't something she's unfamiliar with, but this one is back after two hundred years unground and seems to be resistant to silver - both of which are unusual.

Long time fans of the series will be thrilled to hear that a long game thread that's been running for many installments is closer to winding down. We've been reading about the European Vampires headed to NOLA and a delegation has arrived. Their goal is to take over the U.S. hunting territories and eliminate Leo. {Side note: Personally, the creeping closure of this thread is scaring me ... is the series close to ending? Say No! Please.}

New Orleans had changed me. Being around vamps had changed me. Having things, possessions, friends, family had changed me. I now had people in my life worth killing over.

Jane's life has changed greatly since we first met her and her circle of friends continues to grow in Cold Reign . Where she once was a loner, she now has others she can count on as well as others who count on her. This has put a slight, very slight, pause on her automatic reaction to jump into a situation without a plan. It has brought pain, but also love into her life.

"You're a stone-cold killer, Janie. But you got morals. If this city survives, it'll be because you turned the tide."

Now, for the issue some fans of the series will have with this installment ... a person from Jane's past reappears. Yep, that someone , Rick. Wonder why? Well, my guess is that this person is one of the characters in Faith Hunter's spin-off/same world series Soulwood and their past relationship/issues has come up more than once in its first two books. So, my guess is that Ms. Hunter may have wanted to resolve that storyline for Jane fans, in case they're not also reading Soulwood, which I highly recommend. While I wasn't thrilled over the reappearance or subsequent plea, I was very happy to see that it didn't derail the progress of Jane's current relationship in any way.

Leo has been planning and scheming for centuries, he's revealed a part of his plans for Jane, but what's his end game? Will she be able to continue to live her life on her own terms while protecting those she's come to love? I'm already impatiently waiting for book 12, Dark Queen, which has no release date at this time.

"... if you ever try to crown me again, I'll cut off your head and shove it up your royal ass."