Dark Heir by Faith Hunter Series: Jane Yellowrock #9
Publisher: Roc on April 7, 2015
Genres: Adult, Urban Fantasy
Pages: 363
Format: ARC
Source: Blog Tour
Purchase: Amazon
Add to: Goodreads
Rating:
Shapeshifting skinwalker Jane Yellowrock is the best in the business when it comes to slaying vampires. But her latest fanged foe may be above her pay grade…
For centuries, the extremely powerful and ruthless vampire witches of the European Council have wandered the Earth, controlling governments, fostering war, creating political conflict, and often leaving absolute destruction in their wake. One of the strongest of them is set to create some havoc in the city of New Orleans, and it’s definitely personal.
Jane is tasked with tracking him down. With the help of a tech wiz and an ex-Army ranger, her partners in Yellowrock Securities, she’ll have to put everything on the line, and hope it’s enough. Things are about to get real hard in the Big Easy.
At A Glance
The character growth is off the charts.
The Good
The first words that come to mind when I think of this series: character growth. Each character has come a long way since the beginning. Jane is really coming into herself and her Beast. She embraces her culture and abilities without hesitation. She is even letting more people into her life. Eli and Alex, her employees and friends, are now becoming like her family and I couldn’t be happier. It feels right. Jane goes through some major shit in this book, but these two always have her back. As does Bruiser. He really is a changed man with Jane by his side.
Even Leo has become a bit softened (though I don’t know if you can call a deadly and a little bit insane vampire soft). I love his fascination and endearment towards Jane. He’s not a good guy, but he kinda is, you know? We are seeing more to him with each book.
The action and suspense were great. The bad guy is pretty horrific and Jane barely keeps her legs under her (and her skin non-burnty) while trying to defeat him. We get to learn more about the twisted web of vampires and their secrets. The dialogue had a good amount of humor to provide comic relief to otherwise dark circumstances. Really good overall.
The Bad
Self-loathing mode activate! Jane was in total “It’s all my fault” stage and I was so over it by the end. I like my main characters confident in their decisions, not blaming themselves for things they can’t change.
I found myself skipping some of the overabundance of detail. It dragged the book a bit. I don’t need a 3 page description of a room.
The Snuggly
Jane and Bruiser are getting even closer and I love it. They make an amazing couple and I can finally see Bruiser being on Jane’s side completely, no loyalty issues at all. We get one yummy sex scene that didn’t get super detailed but left my cheeks pink. I would still recommend it to an adult/new adult audience.
Final Thoughts
I am always honored to be a part of the Jane Yellowrock Blog Tour. This is one of the best urban fantasies out there. Dark Heir really delivered, I just hope Jane can get over her guilt. Very recommended.
Author Interview
Jennifer: What inspired you to write the Jane Yellowrock series?
Faith: The series, like the character, evolved over a long time, both before I started Skinwalker, the first book, (what I call my thinking phase) and while writing it. All that is still evolving, developing, growing. But the inspiration was tea with two friends. The first tea was with Kim Harrison, when we were both exhausted and bleary-eyed from finished deadlines and needed something new to spark the nearly-dead creative energies. She talked about a character called … Peri, I think. I said, “Katie’s Ladies, the longest running, continuously operating whore house in New Orleans.” Katie came first, a vampire who sold blood and flesh. But she was instantly too dark and needing. Out of Katie’s weaknesses came Jane Doe, who was strong where Katie was weak. And who killed vampires.
Then, later that same week, I had tea with Misty Massey and we had nearly the same conversation. That is where the Cherokee part of Jane Doe came from. Inspiration from friends. You can’t beat it!
Jennifer: What were the best and most challenging parts of writing Dark Heir?
Faith: Getting Beast right. Beast and Jane have come a long way in the last few books and the spirit merging that took place in Broken Soul meant big changes in Jane’s future, but not necessarily in her present. Letting enough hints through, foreshadowing future books, and mostly, showing who Jane/Beast might become—or might not—was really hard. It was a balance that was difficult to find and maintain.
Jennifer: Can you tell us three surprising facts about yourself?
Faith: I am pretty much an open book. (koff-koff) Little is really surprising. But… 1. I started turning gray in my mid-teens. I put up with it for a while, but I haven’t missed a bottle of dye in 20 years… I’m blond, and I’m worth it. 2. I am allergic to corn in any form. At home, I make most of my food from scratch. The allergy makes eating at Cons and eating out anywhere very difficult. When I can’t help that, I eat salads with oil and vinegar. I always get a room with a fridge and fill it with cottage cheese, fresh fruit, and veggies. 3. I hate to fly. Seriously hate to fly. I’m not scared of it, mind you, I just hate the seats, the inability to move around, and the lack of my stuff! My favorite method of transportation? Riding in the RV, which my Hubs calls “Faith’s Traveling Closet.” It can carry all my stuff!
About Faith Hunter
New York Times and USAToday bestselling fantasy author Faith Hunter was born in Louisiana and raised all over the south. Altogether she has 40+ books in print under the names Gary Hunter, Gwen Hunter, and Faith Hunter. As Faith, she writes two contemporary Urban Fantasy series: the Jane Yellowrock series, featuring a Cherokee skinwalker who hunts rogue vampires, and the Soulwood series, featuring earth magic user Nell Ingram. Her Rogue Mage novels are a dark, post-apocalyptic, fantasy series featuring Thorn St. Croix, a stone mage. The role playing game based on the series, is ROGUE MAGE, RPG.
Red Iza
My library has the beginning of the series ^^
Jennifer Bielman
Yay! You need to try it,.
kindlemom1
I am always all about the character growth, especially in series. I am so glad this has it. Jane sounds fantastic and I really think I need to check out the first book more.
Jennifer Bielman
If you love UF, you will love this series.
Braine Talk Supe
I’m on a fantasy slump. I’m doing another round of series intro, I got book 1 of this. I think it’s time I meet Jane
Jennifer Bielman
So excited for you. I think you will love it.
Michelle @ Book Briefs
This one is totally new to me and It looks good, even with the self loathing. Whcih I totally agree with you on. I love finding new books from blogs. 🙂
Great Review!
Michelle @ Book Briefs
Jennifer Bielman
🙂 Happy you enjoyed my review.
Jaclyn Canada
Character growth is so important in creating a great series. It doesn’t hurt to have an awesome bad guy as well! Excellent review!
Jennifer Bielman
🙂 I Love horrible but amazing bad guys.
Melliane
I’m sooo late. I really enjoyed the first book when it was translated in French but I really need to read the others now. Thanks for the review!
Jennifer Bielman
The series get better and better.
Benish
I liked the interview answers – “I’m blonde and I’m worth it” lol 🙂
Jennifer Bielman
hehe, happy you enjoyed it.
Hafsah
The inspiration came from tea with friends? That’s pretty awesome. Lovely interview, you two!
Jennifer Bielman
Such a cool inspiration.
Brenda R.
Nice interview! This is my favorite series. And, Faith Hunter is as nice as they come.
Jennifer Bielman
Faith is awesome!
Hilary Cook
Oh man! Now I have to add another book to my list to read and the Broken Soul too. I need more time in my day to read or just forget sleeping all together.
Jennifer Bielman
I know, there is never enough time to read.