A Slice of Trouble, Book Twelve (The White Witch Series, ()single book publication 12)

Children's literature

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Kim's heartrending saga—told from the perspectives of five characters— examines how difficult choices can test even our closest relationships. Kate Harris grew up itching for adventure but frustrated by how few untouched places were left in the world to explore. In her 20s, desperate to make a discovery, she set out with a friend to bike the former Silk Road— a journey that took her through Tibet, Uzbekistan, Turkey, and other countries. Her captivating memoir, Lands of Lost Borders , will inspire readers to question their self-imposed boundaries and map out new adventures.

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Gabel's rich characters and melodic prose fitting for a story about professional chamber musicians make the novel a satisfying read. Comparisons to Meg Wolitzer's The Interestings are apt. The build up has been coming along with scary powerful Vampires ready to take Leo and his coven down. The preparation has made it stressful for Jane and her team who have to protect Leo.

I thought this installment would be all doom and gloom. It would Eagerly anticipated book in this series, I am blown away. It would be fight after fight to see the winner take all. To my surprise, Jane's quirky rebel attitude influences Leo and how he handles the Europeans. The flippant way Leo treats the Europeans had me in stitches. Make no mistakes, the actual showdown is not an easy win for team Leo. There are unpleasant outcomes and losses for both sides. What also took me off guard is finding out about Jane's family.

We learn more about her past and it brings up old wounds that never healed. I feel sorry for Jane just as I feel anger towards the ones who bring up the old memories. It is interesting to see the story of her young life from a different perspective. It's also interesting to see how centuries have not change the competitiveness between family members. The climax of this story is shocking and I am devastated.

Hunter does the unthinkable and I am hoping that in the next book, there will be a revival. Because if not, my heart is broken by the ending of this story and I think Jane will never recover from it either. This story kept my attention from beginning to end. A page turner filled with action and and plot twists. This urban fantasy is highly recommended to all readers.

View all 4 comments. May 08, Ian rated it really liked it Shelves: I can't remember when the European Vampires first showed up on the scene but I guess it was 5 or 6 books ago. So this final battle with the EVs has been a long time coming and honestly I'm a little conflicted. I'm still trying to figure out if I love this book or if it's a disappointment. A lot of what I love changes in the pages of this book and I guess that's the issue.

Book 13 is going to look very different and calling a spade a spade, Dark Queen didn't leave me satisfied. Do I wanter to ven I can't remember when the European Vampires first showed up on the scene but I guess it was 5 or 6 books ago. Do I wanter to venture into the brave new world that's to come? I'm not sure, but I guess I have 12 months to decide. Apr 11, Linda rated it liked it.

The previous several books all have been leading up to this final face-off between Leo and the European vamps as well as their respective allies. I found the story satisfying and frustrating in not so equal measures. First the good stuff: Over the course of the series, Jane has grown from a loner to one who has built her own 3. Over the course of the series, Jane has grown from a loner to one who has built her own family and circle of friends. Her relationships with the Younger brothers, with Bruiser, and even with Edmund all are highlighted with some satisfying warm fuzzies.

Beast is best ambush hunter! Jane recalls more of her past, learns about a possible family connection, and ponders what she really values in her life. The Sangre Duello finally takes place and there is some resolution, even if some things are left uncertain at the end. Getting to that cliffhanger, the story meanders and at times makes little sense. Some events and new characters seem stuck in without making much impact on the plot, only to be forgotten view spoiler [like the rogue werewolf pack working with a local gang to attack Jane, with the jewelry shop owner introduced only to be killed later off page hide spoiler ].

Some major characters act in ways inconsistent with the books thus far view spoiler [like a more compassionate Leo or Jane being so lax with security as to allow enemies into HQ and to get to the SOD multiple times without taking new precautions hide spoiler ]. Some things were explained in ridiculous detail such as the construction and then room assignments at the Duello site while some crucial events view spoiler [like the aftermath of Jane killing the EV emperor then letting Beast take over hide spoiler ] are told about after the fact rather than shown.

While the one family-related plotline was intriguing, I had a hard time accepting some of the particulars about it. It would have been difficult for anyone reading news, and certainly for a law enforcement officer like Aya, Jane's brother, to have missed what should have been a giant arrow pointing to her. How could they not have noticed and wondered about her identity long before?

A lot does happen, even if arrived at in a circuitous manner, with some long-running issues resolved and others raised or in limbo. I don't want to lose you now. Blood Queen is already her twelfth adventure and I do hope she has a couple more before Faith Hunter decides to stop. As Leo Pellisier's Enforcer, Jane Yellowrock has to prevent his death by any way she and her team can. The European Vampires are on the move and a confrontation in the Sangre Duello is coming. We have known those bastards are a problem for half of the series "I have searched for you all my life.

We have known those bastards are a problem for half of the series and Dark Queen is the culmination of all the tension.

When the fight finally happens, it's brutal. Both sides lose key people but obviously, the ones on Jane's side are the devastating ones. I was so scared for the characters I love. Jane cares deeply for the people she loves. She tries her hardest to keep them safe but sometimes bad things do happen. A new character, another skinwalker is added to the mix. Ayatas is his name and he'll bring with him some memories back for Jane. It's quite interesting that he shows up now.

I don't trust him yet. Only the future will reveal his true colors. So many things I liked about the Dark Queen. There's a cute scene with Angie baby and a funny one with the Truebloods and Leo. Brute chomping parts of the SoD had me laughing. Beast as always is a perfect predator and helps Jane just at the right time. Best part, ladies and gentleman, we have the creation of the Clan Yellowrock and who wouldn't like to be team Jane? I know I do. Both which I'm dying to know the outcome. The storyline drags the reader all over the place, and I skimmed through portions.

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The wordbuilding, however, is very good as always; and the ending was a game changer for the series. Faith Hunter really has a great UF world going on in this series. There was more Beast here…yeah!! Unfortunately for me, the magic woo woo is getting more prominent.

These latter books are quite different in tone from the early books, where it was Jane and Beast kicking the bad guys asses without the aid of so much magic and time bending. Now Jane is the Dark Queen, and pretty much as powerful as the title implies. Definitely not the Jane of old. The ending was really whoah , had some massive series repercussions…and ended on a cliffhanger. Hunter is either getting ready to wrap the series up, or sending it into a completely new direction.

View all 8 comments. May 07, Shari Kay rated it liked it Shelves: I hate to say I was disappointed. The war with the EV is days away and things aren't looking good for our side. As in previous books, Jane and her security team appear incompetent. Leo is still a manipulative bastard FH's vampires are pretty icky, even with the occasional 'nice' ones thrown in like Edmund.

Their lifestyle is just too far in my WTF zone to wonder how Jane remains in their orbit and I hate to say I was disappointed. Their lifestyle is just too far in my WTF zone to wonder how Jane remains in their orbit and isn't vomiting on a daily basis. There were large chunks of DQ that dragged for me. The council meeting for one; another situation where's Jane's supposedly topnotch security team dropped the ball in a big way. The whole scenario was strange, the reactions of the participants odd We have another skin walker that joins the story with a connection to Jane.

I didn't particularly like him or how easily Jane caved into his request. And on that note I'm kinda over how beta Rick is being portrayed.

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And in a succinct summary of their past Jane's convenient memory retrieval was even more dues ex machina than usual throughout DQ. And Beast taking over so completely and speaking through Jane didn't seem so much as organic growth as convenient world twisting. Beyond one badass scene with Leo Bruiser has been so tamed by Jane it's a bit embarrassing. I did enjoy DQ in places and the duels at the end were intense. Not everyone we've met in the past, or meet in the present will survive. Strangely, I wasn't upset as I should have been.

Most of the deaths were of minor characters And the one BIG death is written in a way that I felt was almost rushed. I didn't feel the emotions because I don't think I really believed it at first because it was over so fast. I know she's always been alone She has the love of her life now and a ton of people who love her-- Molly and her family, Eli and Alex etc. I don't keep up with author posts, so I have no idea if this is the last JY book???

If so, I will come back and deduct another star as this ending was incredibly unsatisfying. If there are more JY stories to come, and as much as I bellyache about this one I like the series overall and will be reading them. Apr 18, Bambi Unbridled rated it it was amazing Shelves: Sigh, I was so happy to be back with Jane and the gang that I really didn't want this book to end. Then as I was reading, with this being the end of a story arc the Sangre Duello , I was afraid it would be the end of the series. Jane and Beast have become one of my very favorite heroine pairs in urban fantasy, and I hope they stay around for the foreseeable future.

Jane's powerbase and clan is being solidified as she formalizes the Yellowrock Clan.

Then someone possibly connected to Jane's past arrives in town, stirring up old memories and pain. So Jane has a lot of stuff going on personally, diverting her attention from things happening around New Orleans.

But Ayatas proves to be an interesting addition to the series going forward. And I liked learning more about Jane's past, and seeing more of her vulnerability. I liked having a kickass heroine, but its also nice to see that she has some soft spots. Though with everyone focused on the Sangre Duello , its the perfect time for old enemies and power-grabbing vamps to take advantage of the distraction to exact revenge and further their evil plans.

With strange things happening at Vamp HQ and Jane's own house, she is even more distracted from the upcoming duel. But these sneaky petes give the story a nice added element of mystery and suspense, that helped build going into the big duel. It was also more opportunities for us to see some action and fighting before the big shebang.

Speaking of the big shebang, the Sangre Duello was all that I expected, and then some. We won some, we lost some. I cheered, I cried, and I was utterly captivated. I definitely could not have predicted the outcome or exactly how the duels played out. But the story isn't over with the duel and there are some heavy things that follow. I can't wait for the next installment. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book that I received from the publisher, Berkley.

This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. I've read every bit of the Jane Yellowrock series , including all the novellas. I love the rich tableau of the world and its characters. I enjoy sinking into the characters and the story. I let myself go and become the main character to a certain degree. In Dark Queen , this was terrifying because Jane was different.

Normally, Jane is smart and organized. She researches, plans her strategies and prepares her defenses and backups. She is the one directing and coordinating the team. Except for Leo, who always has his own ideas. The last few books, she and her team have been gathering information and preparing for the coming of the European Mithrans. As Jane, I felt out of it or that things are just out of control. The team makes plans and figures things out without her direction. There's a magic issue they all know about but don't seem to be able to plan anything to defend against it.

Jane does set up a last ditch plan for if everything goes badly. There are many distractions for Jane. The African werecats continue to be a complete pain in the ass cause issues. Soul feels like a problem rather than a friend and ally. I don't like him. In fact, there are plenty of characters to dislike.

Luckily, Eli, Alex, Beast and Edmund continue to be amazing. I yanked open the door. The air swept his scent in. It was vaguely floral. A scent that teased at the back of my mind. Beast surged into the forefront of my brain, landing crouched on silent paws. He had yellow eyes. I said to her. I knew those last words: Make peace with me.

The air swirled inside and back out. Taking in my scent. His face changed—fear, horror, revulsion, dread. Faster than I could follow, he drew a weapon, centered it on my chest. Inside me Beast tore through, doing … something. In a single instant, the man fired. The round exiting the weapon was stopped an inch from the barrel. The killer was frozen. Everything was frozen except me. She had saved my life. It was like a tiny bomb going off behind my left eye combined with a case of the flu, and if the two most recent time-bubbling experiences were an indication, it would only get worse.

For now, I was okay-ish. But able to function. The stranger was firing one of the new Glock GDPs, a military-issue police service weapon. I looked closely to see a hollow-point round.

Somehow, being shot at calmed my anger. Using my vamp-killer and muscle power, Beast knocked the round down, changing its trajectory to impact the floor molding. The sound of silver-plated vamp-killer blade hitting lead was a dull tang in the Gray Between. The wood stood the best chance of stopping the round and the hole could be filled with wood filler and painted over. Eli was good at that kinda stuff. Without touching his body, I pulled out the case and opened it to reveal a badge.

In the middle of the day. With tourists walking across the street. Maybe the badge was a fake? I looked at the guy. There was nothing forgettable about him and most assassins worked to be average and unmemorable. His eyes were wide. And he was firing one-handed, his left still rising for a standard two-hand grip. Series overview for those who haven't Doesn't work, and there is so much that has happened that you will be utterly confused and disappointed.

Second, this is an urban fantasy series featuring shapeshifting skinwalker Jane Yellowrock, who both works for vampires and hunts them in the city of New Orleans. Apr 12, Jen Davis rated it it was amazing. I was completely and utterly blown away by this book. Each installment in the Jane Yellowrock series has been good, but this one took it to an entirely new level. So much is happening here. I was completely on the edge of my seat. And it was a gamechanger, guys. I had so many feels. A huge event like that—I totally expected to take up an entire book on its own, but I was completely and utterly blown away by this book.

In fact, there were so many other things happening in the first half of the story that I was sure Faith Hunter was saving it for the next book. And that family is in full force as Jane moves forward with her plan to form Clan Yellowrock. We see now more than ever how many people she has collected over the past few years.

Their relationship makes me so happy, I was sure he was going to die at any moment. As always with this series, there are a ton a players and enough backstory to sink a ship, but unlike in some previous books, I never got lost. I was too wrapped up in what was happening now. There is so much planning for the death match and so many opportunities for sabotage and betrayal.

And then when the big moment came, it was every bit as exiting and epic as I could have hoped for. All I can say is that the author really blew me away with this one. I was yelling at the book as I turned the pages of the last chapter, torn between shock, fear, and disbelief. By the way, for those who love Beast, she felt more real to me here than ever before. Maybe because she is evolving. Or maybe because she is becoming known to more characters than just Jane, but her role and her insights were so valuable… and her dynamic with Jane was just amazing.

May 04, Imogene rated it liked it. I keep having to try and remember all the stuff that happened, that was still a bit too complicated at the time, plus keep straight all the stuff that is being set up for future books.

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Better than a 3 because a whole bunch of things finally happen after being built up for the last few books. View all 5 comments. May 02, TJ rated it really liked it Shelves: It is everything an urban fantasy lover could dream of! Jane Yellowrock is a uniquely creative character with abilities and powers far and beyond even her own comprehension.

She loves deeply, worries about those under her care and does her very best - amidst her own flaws and failures - to do what is honorable. This installment is the perfect example of the strength 4. This installment is the perfect example of the strength of the series and of the character. I understand it was originally set to be the finale for the series so all the juxtapositioning of characters, clans etc.

The one area that still shined bright was between Eli, Alex and Jane. Here, their relationship was not only just as rich but also grew in depth I need to know that everything is okay with the main characters - even if the rest of the world is hangin on by a thread - in order to close the book happy. This is especially true when a reader must wait an entire year to see the resolution.

Loved every single minute of the journey!! Jul 08, boogenhagen rated it liked it Shelves: This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. So we finally get the big showdown and some closure, but now there are two more books to follow and srsly, I am ready to hang this up and have been for a few books now. Finally that ultimate asshat Leo is dead and I am only sorry he did not suffer longer.

Of course FH leaves a possibility that that slime sludge crawler supreme might come back, Jane should really go burn his grave to ash to prevent that. As for Jane, well she has more drama as usual and I am still pissed she ended up with Bruise So we finally get the big showdown and some closure, but now there are two more books to follow and srsly, I am ready to hang this up and have been for a few books now.

As for Jane, well she has more drama as usual and I am still pissed she ended up with Bruiser - it is the modern day equivalent of marrying your rapist and I don't care how much he supposedly loves her, his prior betrayals and his probable future betrayals aren't enough to make me want to root for them.

The big cliffhanger Jane is dying of cancer but has a shot to fix herself if she can do it. Honestly, I think the big glorious death like the end of that old western Shane would be a great way to draw a line under this one. Apr 04, Pam Blome rated it it was amazing. This book left me stunned and amazed. This was written as a finale of sorts and tied up the story lines. Jane has a long, complicated history and a man, skinwalker shows up on her doorstep claiming t This book left me stunned and amazed. Jane has a long, complicated history and a man, skinwalker shows up on her doorstep claiming to be her long lost brother, and that's just one of the many plot twists that starts this thrill ride.

Jane has been a loner, but has now acquired a "family" around her, which she feels compelled to protect however she can. All of this leads up to this final thrilling duel. Some long known characters get killed, others rise to new heights. Highly recommended, but start at the beginning of the series!

Christian Grey rated it really liked it Shelves: Well, it was a good story. The author tried to take unpredictable twist, but the avid reader in me saw them coming especially the end. So that I don't spoil it, if you've read, if it's true, I may end my journey with Jane Yellowrock. Let me just say I don't like Jane much. Tell me how poor Rick is the villain in most readers eyes. He flirted with women in the name of duty for his job.

How is that different than Bruiser holding Jane down as Leo took her blood without her permission those many book Well, it was a good story. How is that different than Bruiser holding Jane down as Leo took her blood without her permission those many book ago. Both had a choice. Both acted dishonorable towards her.

But everyone forgives Bruiser for helping in what can be termed "rape" though not sexual. He help force her to have something taken from her against her will. Somehow that is less evil than Rick flirting with woman for information in the line of duty. Sorry, I don't forgive Bruiser. I would prefer Jane not date anyone or find someone else.

It claws my through every time she speaks of sweet things about Bruiser and thinks bad things about Rick. What does this say about our society. And Jane, Miss Holy-er than Thou, can forgive one man and not the other is so hypocritical. She's almost as bad as Anita Blake with her self righteousness wrapped in sin. I love the Anita books btw, but a spade is a spade. So I listen and wish good things for Rick in the future.

Maybe in the other series. I don't want him to be that other girl's person. And funny enough, I don't want Rick to be in love with anyone else but Jane.

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