Review copy was received from NetGalley, Publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Unpredictable Magic by Faith Hunter Series: Everhart Investigations #1
Published by Ace, Penguin Audio on July 14, 2026
Genres: Urban Fantasy
Pages: 560
Length: hours, minutes
Format: Audiobook, eARC
Source: NetGalley, Publisher
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Angelina Everhart-Trueblood and her brother Evan run Everhart Investigations Inc., a PI firm in Chattanooga that solves paranormal crimes committed by supernatural beings. When their new client wants help finding her friend who supposedly disappeared during a reception at Angie’s aunt Jane’s winter residence, things get . . . complicated.
The client is not who she appears to be, and demons strike the city for the first time since the Demon War. On top of that, evidence is pointing toward the involvement of an overly ambitious vampire—who just happens to be Angie’s ex-husband.
I was excited to be back in the world of the Soulwood and the Jane Yellowrock series. Like most urban fantasy I would read them in order, which I think helps one to understand more of the world and characters. Plus it is just great reading. The Soulwood series is a spin-off from Jane Yellowrock and I love it just as much or more. This Everhart Investigations series is about 20 years after the end of the Jane Yellowrock series.
Our main characters are Angie Baby and LIttle Evan who are now adults. We learn Angie was married and divorced. Evan has remained unattached with only casual dating. Their relationships are tangled up in the story. Things go haywire when Evan doesn’t go to dinner with his current fling, London, and she comes to the house and tries to kill them. I turns out she is connected in with Angie’s ex, Asshat.
Angie and Evan have wanted to be independent from the Queen to live their own lives but they do have a bodyguard, Walter. Walter has his own issues from the past when he was a slave and then branded and turned, with his owner taking his love. His owner has avoided him for years but he pops up here to try to control him again.
The Queen, Jane Yellowrock, faces a challenge, along with Edmund from a Ravenhart who has figurred out since Edmud was also in Clan Yellowrock she could face less challenges to take over.
In between the last series and now, there has been a war between witches and vampires and demons were used. Unpredictable Magic is long and detailed. Angie and Evan spend a lot of time learning about their own magic and “politics” they have avoided. Here we get the battles and dangers of their growth process with the setup for their lives going forward with some independence but still connected to their Aunt Jane. It was fun seeing some of the characters from previous series, and the grown versions of Angie and Evan.
Narration:
The narrator Khristine Hvam also narrates the Soulwood series. Her voice has a southern tinge for Angie and seems appropriate for the characters, as well as distinct for the main ones. I enjoyed her performance at my usual 1.5x speed.
Listen to a clip: HERE
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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I read all types of books but my favorites are urban fantasy and romantic suspense.I like some romance and some action / adventure / mystery in everything.I like sex in my books but please, only between TWO people.Intimate conversation is equally important to the sex in a book.It lets me see the characters.The other thing I enjoy is humor.
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Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
- 26-Audio
- 26-COYER
Another author I have yet to read but want to do so. Excellent review, Anne💜
Thank you. This is very urban fantasy, all 3 of her series. She does also have a scifi series which I own bu haven’t read.
Review twins. I loved this one on audio and read along. Great review Anne.
Thanks. I have yet to go read today’s blog posts. It was strange jumping in years later.
Yay for being back into a world you enjoy! Glad this was a good read for you!
Thanks Lisa.
I’ve read a couple Jane Yellowrock novellas when they are in anthologies I was reading, but have still to read the full series. Neat that you’re getting a next generation series.
yes it’s fun to get a new generation series. I’ve debated about doing the original series as a Read-along but I’m not sure about its universal appeal.
I haven’t read any of Faith Hunter’s books yet. I was eyeing this book as a possible intro to her works, but it sounds like I could really use the background from the previous series, at least the Jane Yellowrock series. Thank you for including that information in your review!
yes I would definitely start with the base series. It’s somewhat gritty and has plenty of magical aspects.
Glad you’re enjoying these books. I haven’t read urban fantasy in many years and alot of them sound good.
Uf is my favorite genre, along with romantic suspense and mysteries.
I didn’t read the previous series and so it took me a bit of time to navigate this world. I still enjoyed the story, though and plan on continuing the series. I’d like to read the previous books as well.
I’m glad to hear yo liked it. It is one long book. I enjoyed he previous series. It can be dark and there’s a ton of shorts which are part of the main story so I felt the need to read them also.
I was just discussing with my daughter, series that jump ahead in time and focus on the kids of main characters. I find in general it’s hard for me to adjust, but it can be a good way to stay in the world without getting repetitive. I hope this one works for you!
I can’t tell yet. This was pretty good and I liked the updates on characters I already know. A lot happened in those middle years and I’m not sure how I feel about not getting that story.
I’ve been itching for some good Paranormal lately.
It’s a great series but really I would start with Jane Yellowrock first.