Shattered Bonds by Faith Hunter @HunterFaith ‏ @AceRocBooks @BerkleyPub @LetsTalkLTP

Posted October 15, 2019 by Anne - Books of My Heart in Blog Tour, Book Review, Giveaway / 35 Comments

Shattered Bonds by Faith Hunter

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


Shattered Bonds by Faith Hunter @HunterFaith ‏ @AceRocBooks @BerkleyPub @LetsTalkLTP Shattered Bonds by Faith Hunter
Series: Jane Yellowrock #13
Published by Ace on October 29, 2019
Genres: Urban Fantasy
Pages: 384
Format: eARC
Source: NetGalley
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Jane Yellowrock is a shapeshifting skinwalker, and vampire killer-for-hire, but her last battle with an ancient arcane enemy has brought her low. She seeks retreat in the Appalachian Mountains to grieve the loss of her friends, and to heal--or to die--from the disease brought on by her magic.

But malevolent elements in the paranormal community still seek to destroy Jane, and the younger Son of Darkness stalks her, even into the safety of the hills. With nowhere to run and her body failing, the rogue-vampire hunter and her inner Beast must discover a way to defeat this new threat, and find a form that gives her a chance to fight another day.

Holy crap!  The depth and richness of Shattered Bonds is amazing.  I’ve long been a fan of the  Jane Yellowrock series.  I loved this and was totally engrossed even when exhausted. I highly recommend this book and the series, which does need to be read in order (like most urban fantasy). I had some feelings about not liking how out of control things felt and was as unhappy as Eli with Jane striking out on her own to handle some things. BUT with some thought, I know how realistic it is the way it all happened.

I may want everything to be planned and smart but that’s not life, not magic. Plus that story would be a little too routine and boring.  Nothing here is boring – terrifying, horrifying and moving faster than a mind can grasp, but not boring.  So the characters have to be their imperfect, beloved selves, doing things which are not smart but must be done to save lives. Jane spends some time hibernating, taking a sort of time out from the world.  She takes herself out of the world to grieve and heal after the previous events.

But the world hasn’t stopped, and a new threat comes to hurt everyone and take everything dear to Jane. She is forced to pull herself together and fight for her people. Jane / Beast must take control, and worry about their future afterward. I was a little sad at how some of those who should be her allies didn’t trust her enough or help her. Jane, as always, risks everything to save those she loves, and even those who didn’t help her.

 

Excerpt:

Beast tightened crouch, pulling all body onto paws, shoulders high. Leaped. Shoved off with back legs. Stretched out front legs. Claws extending. Falling. Thick tail rotated for balance. Scent of buck rushed up. Heavy. Pungent.  

Deer flinched. Hooves left ground. Buck leaped high. Away from other deer. Beast snarled. Not expecting jump. Whipped tail, swiveling body. Reaching. 

Buck splashed into deep water. Beast missed. 

Buck leaped again. Splashed hard. Hooves driving up far bank. White tail held high. 

Beast fell. 

Landed half in water. 

Front paws missed rock just under surface. 

Paws, legs, shoulders, head slapped into water. And under it. Nose flaps closed, but not before water went up nose.

Front feet hit bottom, back feet hit bank. 

Wrenched body back. Rear paws and claws dug deep into half-frozen muddy bank. Body twisted. Out of water. Blew water out of nose in loud snort. Spat and shook. Loose coat slid around muscular body. Flinging water droplets into snow. Blowing. 

Beast whirled, searching for two smaller deer. They had vanished. Beast snarled at world. Screamed. Big deer must have heard or smelled Beast.

I hunger! Screamed again, sound echoing in hills. Chuffed in anger. Pounced up and down, paws sinking into half frozen mud.

Deer did not come back. Prey was smart.

Giveaways:

My giveaway is my new, unread ARC of Shattered Bonds. It is a print copy and since I read the digital ARC and am collecting the series on audio,  I am giving it away in a short number of days so you might still get it before the book releases.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

There’s a tour-wide giveaway! Prizes include a necklace made by Faith Hunter, Amazon gift cards, and copies of SHATTERED BONDS! Open to US residents only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About Faith Hunter

Faith Hunter, fantasy writer, was born in Louisiana and raised all over the south. She writes three Urban Fantasy series: the Skinwalker series, featuring Jane Yellowrock, a Cherokee skinwalker who hunts rogue vampires. The Soulwood series, featuring earth magic user Nell Ingram. And the Rogue Mage novels, a dark, urban, post-apocalyptic, fantasy series featuring Thorn St. Croix, a stone mage. (There is a role playing game based on the series, ROGUE MAGE.)

Under the pen name Gwen Hunter, she writes action-adventure, mysteries, and thrillers. As Faith and Gwen, she has 30+ books in print in 29 countries.

Hunter writes full-time, tries to keep house, and is a workaholic with a passion for travel, jewelry making, white-water kayaking, and writing. She and her husband love to RV, traveling with their rescued Pomeranians to whitewater rivers all over the Southeast.

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Reading this book contributed to these challenges:

  • 2019 Releases

Posted October 15, 2019 by Anne - Books of My Heart in Blog Tour, Book Review, Giveaway / 35 Comments


35 responses to “Shattered Bonds by Faith Hunter

    • Thank you. Like all UF and for me all series, it should be read in order. I think all the novellas really add nuances and more information on the world / characters. All the books are 4-5 heart reads. I am collecting them on audio although I read them first in ebook or eARC.

  1. Brenda Rezk

    I have read all of the Jane Yellowrock series and the spin-off Soulwood Series. The books just get better and better!

  2. Gena Alcock

    Have you read the entire series? Yep. Read them all, own them all (in multiple formats) and I’m currently listening to Broken Soul in prep for release day.

    Which book is your favorite so far? Of the early books, Blood Cross is my favorite. I’m hooked on the creation story of the mithrans. I can’t settle on a favorite from the later books. It’s probably Dark Queen — even though Things Happen in it that I don’t like.

  3. Christine Hale

    Fabulous review of book 13. I cant wait for Shatteres Bonds to come out. And super anxious because I didnt get my planned summer re-read. Thanks for helping get her word out there.

  4. ANNE RINDFLIESCH

    I love the Jane Yellowrock series in print and have just finished listening to them in audio – fabulous.

  5. Beth S

    I have been a Janey fan since book 1! My youngest son who is 11 loves to listen to the audiobook versions and we talk about the characters as if they’re old friends. He can even quote some of Eli’s lines and will no longer say SUV right!

  6. Laura Rogers

    I love the whole series, I’d be hard pressed to pick a favorite, since it’s the progression and character development that I like the most. The Jane from the first book is very different from the Jane in the most recent book. To me that progression makes the books more authentic and lifelike. People change and grow with their experiences. It’s nice to see Jane doing the same.

    • You are correct about what makes it authentic. It’s one of the things I enjoyed most about Shattered Bonds – the little flaws and sort of mistakes people made. I still have books in the series I enjoy more than others though I love the series as a whole. I love all the novellas and short stories and find they add background and character development as well.