Skinwalker

This is the first book in the Jane Yellowrock series. If you enjoy other urban fantasy series such as Patricia Briggs' Mercy Thompson novels or Kim Harrison's Rachael Morgan/Hollows novels, you will probably love this series, as well. Good luck putting the book down once you start!

Welcome to Jane's world. Jane lives in a version of the modern world, where vampires and witches have been out-of-the-closet, more-or-less, for several decades. Jane herself is a bit unusual, and not just for being a six-foot tall, Harley-riding, leather-clad, weapons-toting, vampire-killing badass! If that's not enough, Jane is also a Cherokee skinwalker, who is capable of changing her body into animal forms. As far as she knows, she may be the last of her kind. And, on top of that, she has the sentient soul of a mountain lion sharing space in her body along with her own soul! She believes this to be unusual, even for a skinwalker, but she doesn't know how it happened. But, she does know that she and Beast are stronger and better together than a human or a mountain lion would be separately. Needless to say, when Jane takes an animal form, it is usually the form of a cougar. (By the way, fans of this series really grow to love Beast's way of thinking and her sense of humor. You might say, she really gets her claws in you and doesn't let go.)

So who is Jane and what is this book about? Well, Jane walked out of the woods when she was approximately 12, grew up in a children's home, apprenticed in security work, and started hunting rogue, out-of-control vampires for a living. Rogues are unstable, very young or very old vampires who go on murderous killing sprees. Her business cards state: "Have Stakes, Will Travel". Older vampires like the humor. Who would have thought it? Actually, Jane's sense of humor might get her in trouble some day, but you'll love it!

At the beginning of this book, Jane has just arrived in New Orleans to interview for the position of rogue-hunter for the local vampire council. No. Jane hasn't worked with or for vampires before, so we learn more about them, their laws, social structure, human blood servants, and so forth right along with her.

Similarly, Jane doesn't remember much of her past prior to the children's home, but over the course of this book, Jane starts to recover some of her early memories, so we learn more about her, and Beast, right along with her.

Also, while I wouldn't call this book a "romance" - no one is finding his or her soul mate and living happily-ever-after by the end of the book -, I would note that Jane does find herself with a few potential suitors and there are some lovely, flirting, teasing, and steaming sexy scenes with some hot men. Will Jane end up with one of them? You'll have to wait and see, but you'll have fun wondering! Faith Hunter is a good literary tease.

After you finish Skinwalker, I recommend that you read Faith Hunter's short story in the Strange Brew anthology. That story and two of the short stories in Cat Tales explain who Jane's friend Molly is, how Molly came to learn about Jane's secret skinwalker abilities, and how Jane saved Molly's daughter and, later, her sister. These events are alluded to in Skinwalker. Another short story partially addresses the mystery of Rick's uncanny tattoos. However, you'll want to save that one for later, as the events take place between the second and third books in the series. Don't peek! It will spoil the plot of Blood Cross! If you can't do that, then wait to pick up this book until after you finish Blood Cross. LOL

Happy reading!