Book 1), Skinwalker (Jane Yellowrock

There are good storytellers relaying great stories, and then there are great storytellers writing one heck of a book.

Welcome to a great storyteller's great heck of a book.

Even the down time in this novel was chock full of need-to-know for the reader. No wasted words or playing with the reader's time. From start to finish, I was hooked by complex characters, solid POV storytelling, twists and turns book one kept me on the edge of my seat the whole way. looking forward to more!

book one kept me on the edge of my seat the whole way. looking forward to more!

I've been putting off reading this series, worried that it would be too much like Anita Blakes' series but it definitely wasn't. I loved Jane and Beast. The plot kept me so engrossed I found it difficult to do anything but read. Damn work for getting in the way lol! I can't wait to read the next installment and would recommend this book.

First Jane Yellowrock novel I’ve read, and I enjoyed it. Faith Hunter has created her own set of “norms” and values for her fictional world. It will be interesting to see this alternative world develop.

If you enjoy Urban Fantasy you will love Jane Yellowrock. She has a mysterious past and a complicated day to day life involving feeding the beast that's part of her and she's a vampire hunter to boot. If you like well written strong female characters, Jane is your gal. There are some fun twists and turns along the way. A well crafted world worth immersing yourself in for a good read!

Jane Yellowrock is an interesting heroine to base a series around. She wasn’t exactly what I was expecting because she is a shapeshifter. Not a were, that is different she actually can take the form of almost anything given the correct genetic material. But she also shares one body with something she calls beast and I liked the way that this is explored in this book. When she is in Beast’s form those are the thoughts that are in the forefront and so we see the world very differently as an animal would and it is a cool way to spend some of the story. Plus it has this added benefit since the story is all from Jane’s PoV of giving her someone to talk to inside her head instead of only having an internal monologue.

Overall this is a good beginning to a series. We get a pretty good glimpse of the world with some hints to the strange backstory that will accompany the vampires. There are also hints that perhaps later in the series we will see some were-somethings and Fae. I liked Jane’s witch BFF and the cutest little girl, I really want some extra time with them in future installments.

I don’t know a lot about Native American culture so that was a good addition to Jane’s overall character depth and matched up with her skinwalker nature as well. She seems like she is a pretty badass chick most of the time.

The only thing that I’m not in love with was that for a while in the middle it turned more PNR than UF where everyone wants to sleep with Jane. I mean I get it she is new and interesting but still it was like she was the last woman on a dessert Island with a team of football players. Even the other women in the story mad passes at her. I also was not a fan of any of the potential love interests for various reasons. I know this is a character introduction but our serious choices in this book seemed to be power-hungry vampire sociopath, lead henchman to the power-hungry vampire sociopath and extreme douchebag A. I really didn’t like any of them and the thought of her hooking up any of the dudes from that selection is just EWE gross.

Still the story was action packed and gave me just enough to want to know more about Jane and her journey. I don’t think you’ll guess who the bad guy is since there weren’t a lot of clues to that but still the story is interesting and tense at times. I do hope we get some better love interest material as the series continues though since that area is in a sad state for me at least.

It's a great series, the main character is great, I love that you can see the fragility that lies beneath her harder exterior and I also love that she is kick ass by actions and not just words that make her special for no apparent reason like so many books do with female heros. The only thing that I can really critique is that the author recaps in to much detail and I often have had to skim over several pages so I can continue with current events.

This book helped fill the void while waiting for another Ilona Andrews novel to come out. I really enjoyed how long it was, actually. Lots of good story to go through. I enjoyed how strong the lead character was, but she seemed like a pretty mediocre investigator-not so good at putting two and two together.

Clever twist on the shape shifter genre. Jane is a skinwalker. She uses the bones of animals to shift into that animal. She is also a professional vampire hunter and a council of vampires has just hired her to hunt a dangerous rogue.
This is book one of a series and I will definitely be reading the next one.

Jane Yellowrock hunts vampires. She's a skinwalker, able to transform into any animal. She's been hired to kill a rogue vampire that's been killing humans in New Orleans.

I'm a fan of urban fantasy. I read the Dresden Files. It's good to find an urban fantasy that doesn't drench itself in sex, sex, sex.

The book is well-written.

Read this book after it was recommended by my avid reader daughter. The story was engaging, and was set in New Orleans. Of course the reader has to be comfortable with the idea of vampires and shapeshifters, but I found it entertaining - enough so that I have obtained the second book in the series.

Jane's story is a more traditional skinwalker. A lot different than the other story about a native American woman that can turn to a coyote. It's a bit more violent and I really like it!!! 5 out of 5 stars

Jane is something a little different. As far as she knows she's the only skinwalker alive; someone who can change into any animal she has a piece of. But she also shares her body with the soul of a mountain cat and she's pretty sure that's not normal. No one but her best friend's family knows her secret and she has no one to get answers from.

She makes her living killing rogue vampires. When New Orleans needs someone to hunt down and take out a rogue that is killing not only vampires but humans, Jane takes the case.

This is a fairly unique mystery with a very complex, twisted story. The characters are interesting and the world building in the form of vampires and their politics is done fairly well. I have to admit, though, I started skimming description of Jane's shapeshifting. There is a whole lot of ink given to how/where her mind has to focus to achieve a shift.

I experienced an odd combination of finding the book easy to set aside, yet compelled to pick it up again. I just had to find out what happens next. The story could use some tightening up.

The story does contain humor and there are a couple of guys I wouldn't mind getting to know a little better. And Jane makes a really great kick-butt heroine.

I did like the story enough to purchase the next book.

So enjoyed this story. Loved spending time with Jane and her beast. Especially enjoyed the cat and being allowed to live in her pelt. Having grown up in Louisiana, the descriptions of New Orleans were accurate. You made me homesick, well done! I can't wait to get into the rest of the series.

This isn't my new favorite series or anything, but I thought it was an enjoyable start to the series. I am glad that I read the short story in Strange Brew first, as it is referred to many times throughout the novel.

When I picked up this book, I was worried that Jane Yellowrock would be a copy of Mercy Thompson. Thankfully, this wasn't the case and Jane has a very unique voice. She is a tea-drinking, motorcycle-riding, vampire-killing, shape-shifting badass. She is fairly dry, but can whip out the occassional zinger with the best of them. I felt that her voice was uneven at the beginning of the book, almost kind of annoying. Towards of the middle of the book, Ms. Hunter really found her stride and turned Jane into a heroine to believe in.

Jane also has a twisty, forgotten past that she is just starting to scratch the surface of. Part of this has to do with the entity she shares her body and consciousness with, Beast. The Beast-mode POVs were not favorite. She speaks in short, choppy sentences and thoughts befitting an animal, but less successful in propelling the story along. As the book moves along, I think Ms. Hunter became more comfortable writing in Beast-mode and it became easier to read. The discussions that Jane has with her Beast self provided very interesting insight to her background.

The plot of this book was a bit convulted and the bad guy pretty ambiguous. Nothing really memorable happened and even now I am having trouble recalling specific details. The story itself was a bit bland. The side characters Ms. Hunter introduced were vividly described and characterized, but none that I really fell in love with. My favorite supporting players were two that are never physically part of the story, Molly and her daughter (we only get glimpses of them via phone calls). The men in the story (and there were a lot of them) kind of blended together and I do not buy Rick as a love interest in the least. If I had to pick one, I think I would go with Bruiser.

Having complained quite a bit, I do have to say that I enjoyed this novel enough to pick up the next one. I want to see what happens to Jane and how her relationship with the vampire council develops. I think with a little fine-tuning, the Jane Yellowrock series could definitely hold its own with the likes of Mercy Thompson.

I absolutely love Faith Hunter's writing and characterization. I am re-reading this one and plan to re-read the entire series. I have followed her faithly (no pun intended) since I first discovered her works and have never been disappointed. She brings her characters to life and makes you like them and want to know more about them.

I loved discovering this new series (to me). I recommend this book to everyone I talk to who likes urban fiction and/or vampires and shape shifting fiction. Great dialogue, the plot comes together great and you are left wanting to know more about the characters at the end. And. You can't find out more because there are more books!

When I first saw this book on my the store Recomended list, it didn't sound to thrilling. I usually read the negative reviews before the positive ones to avoid the "OMG...It's the BEST book EVER!" reviews. This was definately a situation where I should not have let the negative reviews (especially the one about the level of gore) influence my buying decision.

Skinwalker (Jane Yellowrock, Book 1), by Faith Hunter, is the first novel in an exciting new Urban Fantasy series. Faith Hunter, an established author in both the Fantasy and Thriller genres, combines magic and the supernatural with social, familial, and political tensions. Add a resourceful heroine and pit her against more-powerful, cunning opponents and you have the Jane Yellowrock series. A unique recipe for successful and hopefully long-running series. Skinwalker's fast pace, frequent action, and suspense make this a great addition for Urban Fantasy lovers.

Skinwalker follows the adventures of Jane Yellowrock, a bounty-hunter who specializes in slaying rogue vampires. Set in current day New Orleans, Vampires and Witches have come out of the closet, but are often treated as second class citizens. Vampires and Witches are the only types of supernatural creatures that exist in this world, but who knows what might be revealed in the future. Having seen how Witches and Vampires are treated, Jane definitely wants to keep her non-human status a secret.

Skinwalker is told from 2 points of view, Jane and Beast. At some point in Jane's past, something happened that caused the soul of a mountain lion to be trapped within Jane's body. As result, Jane's character contains two distinct entities. When Jane shifts into Beast's body, Beast takes over the narration of the story. We discover that parts of Jane's past are lost to her memory, but are part of Beast's memory. The details of how Jane merged with Beast is discovered during the story, there are definitely many more secrets to be uncovered.

Faith Hunter does a great job creating a strong yet realistic heroine. She isn't too arrogant about her strengths and remains somewhat of a mystery throughout the book, even to herself.

The story is fast paced and there is a lot of action. You definitely won't want to put this one down until you've read the last page. Blood Cross (Jane Yellowrock, Book 2) is coming Jan 5, 2010. I can't wait to read more!

Want more Jane Yellowrock now?
Jane was first introduced in "Signatures of The Dead", a short story in the Strange Brew anthology. "Signatures of the Dead" is narrated by Molly, Jane's witch friend. You can also find a short-story named "Kits" at [...]

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Content Rating = V,S
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* V for violence - There are some graphic and gory details of murder scenes equivalent to the scenes in the early Anita Blake or Dresden Files books.
* S for sexual references - Since part of the story takes place in a bordello, there is obviously some sexual content; however, there is no actual sex scenes in the book.

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Urban Fantasy or Paranormal Romance?
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I personally don't like to pick up an Urban Fantasy and have it turn out to be a Paranormal Romance. Skinwalker is definitely on the Urban Fantasy side of the scale. There are some romantic interests and the stage is set for future potential romantic developments.
* Very little focus on romantic subplots.
* Contains more graphic, grittier violence than generally found in PNR
* Has some strong horrific elements balanced with humor.

Alongside Patricia Briggs' Mercy Thompson series, THE BEST urban fantasy heroine. I cannot get enough of this world and its inhabitants. Thankfully, the author writes VERY fast. Hopefully, one day ROC will FINALLY release in hardcover so I can collect instead of flimsy paperbacks.

I love Kate Daniels, Mercy Thompson, Rylee Adamson, Rachel Morgan and this series was recommended based on the other books I had read. It was a good start, yet somewhat slow.paced...perhaps to provide context on this world and the author's version of vampires and skinwalkers which I found fascinating. I've committed to reading one more book before I decide on the series.

I enjoyed this book and loved the second even better. The main character is interesting and I like the way the author chose to give Jane's Beast a voice and a personality of her own.
There's not much I can say that hasn't already been more eloquently put, but I will add that if you are the type that doesn't like sex in your books, then this would be a good choice for you.
I recommended this series to my neice for that reason, because she doesn't like sex scenes as much as her pervy aunt does. :)

Jen

"Skinwalker" is a wonderful beginning to a unique view of paranormal life. The rules for vamps and witches are different. The sexual tension was amazing and yet not graphic. Jane Yellowrock is a wonderful character that you cheer for throughout the story. She struggles with a second personality, "the beast" that you want to know more of. Hunter describes the setting so well that you feel as though you are with Jane in the hot humid New Orleans city. I have read all of the series and hope there is more.

I love a good story with legends/mythology tied in to modern day people in a believable fashion. This writer's style harkens to the novels about Mercy Thompson by Patricia Briggs. If you loved THAT series you will love THIS one just as well. Don't hesitate, buy it, and you will not only keep it on your shelves but you will buy the next one in the series without delay. An awesome tale.

Looks like Kim Harrison nailed it with the recommendation she posted on FB about this series. The story is solid, the backstory is intelligent (if incomplete - no complaints about it though. Who wants every questioned answered in the first book of a series anyway?) and the heroine is tough but relatable. Off the d/l the second book now.

Enjoyed the book. Interesting hearing animal thoughts. I was a little worried that Jane was somewhat dense. I would have followed Annie a lot sooner. I kept thinking, why isn't she following Annie. Anyway, good first book in a new series. I'm looking forward to reading next in series.

Plot is well designed. Some of the characters are well developed but could use more. Suspense and a little drama, hardly any romance no sex but imaginative gore and violence. Hoping there r more books where the characters get better. Like the idea of a girl with hair long enough to hold weapons an agile enough to climb rocks and shift.

This book. I am excited about reading this series. If you like urban fantasy books and are fans of the Kate Daniels series or the Mercy Thompson series you're sure to enjoy this almost as much if not just as much.

This was quite an enjoyable read although the changes in POV is a bit jarring at first. Jane is a strong lead and I like the use of Native American tradition throughout. I am definitely interested in reading more

Skinwalker is a strong start to a series that gets better with each book, I'm now on her fourth in the series and resent having to put the book down to do things like eat, sleep, go to work, etc. Through the series, the cast of characters grows, in number and complexity, as well as different settings. Get this book and the second one as well--you'll want to have book 2 ready to roll.

I have read many fantasy series with the same elements - tough female hero, love triangle, forced to fight to protect friends and family, super powers that are not completely understood, and a past that is slowly reviled. The writing in this one is excellent. Even the minor characters are well developed. She does a great job of portraying the characters and scenes where you can picture them in your mind. I stayed up much later than I should have because I couldn't put it down.

Jane Yellowrock, a supernatural "skinwalker" herself, is drawn into the steamy New Orleans vampire society where she has been hired to hunt down a rogue vampire. As she learns more about her own Cherokee heritage and about the ins-and-outs of the "sane" vampire culture, we are drawn along in a rousing mystery. I liked Jane's attitude and the complex history that slowly unfolds. Definitely worth a read if you like urban fantasy and vampire stories.

Typical vampire story improved by an interesting main character. I like stories with mysterious back stories that are revealed in a manner like a detective story. Hunter does a very nice job and Jane Yellowrock is a very interesting character. Hope to see more of her mysterious Indian Past in future books.

Good first book, lots of room to grow the characters and plot lines. Tough to give an intro ductory book much more than 3 stars given the amount of time that has to be spent on introducing the characters, I expect the later books will be worthy of higher marks.

Giving the legend of shape shifters a twist and modern setting, Skinwalker is a fascinating tale of supernatural beings set in New Orleans. Big Cat and Jane share a body, and they are hunting a rogue believed to be a vampire, but this rogue is something more.

When I was reading the first few pages, I thought "Trying too hard. The heroine is uber cool, uber awesome, uber everything." I like Mercedes Thompson's character because she is just an average kind of person, with a few extra talents, who keeps falling into trouble. Then I found I couldn't stop reading Skinwalker. I just found the characters too interesting. The book has a dark, gritty feel but I am really enjoying it.

The main characters are amazing. I really like Jane and Beast.. First book I've read, which makes the inner beast smarter than the human on the outside. Strong female characters who have a sense of humor. I can't put the series down, After reading the Skinwalker, I just kept going, I am on the third book of the series. I love this book.

I discovered this series thanks to the recommendations by the store and I read all seven books within a week which should tell you something :) . Yes I only gave this book three stars because I felt that it is a great introduction into the series and I enjoyed it. While reading this story I felt like Jane was a mix of Mercy Thompson (by Patricia Briggs), Anita Blake (by Laurell K Hamilton), and something all her own. Jane is a vampire hunter and if you do read the Anita Blake series these vampires are not citizens of these United States but rather a law unto themselves because Congress does not know what to do with them. Jane is a legal vampire hunter, as such she discovers a vamps lair and stakes him or her when they start killing humans. But in this book Jane meets the Master Vampire of New Orleans and works for him to kill a being that is slaying vampires and humans alike. We get to watch Jane navigate the world of vampires, and the humans who love, feed, and protect them all while trying to keep a lid on the fact that she is not so human herself. The story is intriguing, has great action, a little sexual tension that does not detract from the main story line, and leaves you wanting for more. I absolutely recommend this series.

I have read everything in this series that has been published to date. I'm not going to review every one of the books but I find the writing to be remarkable for the genre. The character development, both Jane and Beast, through these books is extraordinary, again for the genre. This is one tough lady whose adventures I enjoy.

Thoroughly enjoyed this suspenseful ride. It's very rare that I can't figure out the ending before I get there but this book kept me in suspense right up to the end. Characters are complex and storyline was fast paced and entertaining

If you enjoy supernatural fiction then this book is for you. Jane Yellowrock is a breath of fresh air in a genre that I thought I was done with. Ready to start book 2 as soon as I finish this review :)