Jane Yellowrock used to hunt vampires, but now she must
fight–and win–beside them.
As Enforcer to the vampire Master of the City of New Orleans, Jane Yellowrock stakes her reputation and her life on keeping her territory safe. But Leo has been issued a blood challenge by the emperor of the European vampires, who seeks to usurp all of his power and possessions. If Leo loses the match to the death, the city will be forfeit, and the people of New Orleans will suffer the consequences. Jane can't let that happen.
Preparing for the duel requires all of Jane's focus, but with so much supernatural power in play, nothing goes according to plan. She has to rely on herself and the very few people she knows she can trust to stand and fight. Only two things are guaranteed: nothing is sacred, and no one is safe.
Book 12
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Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team
As Enforcer to the vampire Master of the City of New Orleans, Jane Yellowrock stakes her reputation and her life on keeping her territory safe. But Leo has been issued a blood challenge by the emperor of the European vampires, who seeks to usurp all of his power and possessions. If Leo loses the match to the death, the city will be forfeit, and the people of New Orleans will suffer the consequences. Jane can't let that happen.
Preparing for the duel requires all of Jane's focus, but with so much supernatural power in play, nothing goes according to plan. She has to rely on herself and the very few people she knows she can trust to stand and fight. Only two things are guaranteed: nothing is sacred, and no one is safe.
Buy Links
Amazon US ~ Amazon UK ~ Amazon Au ~ Amazon Ca
B&N ~ Google Play ~ iTunes ~ Kobo
Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team
Erica – ☆☆☆☆
First and foremost, Dark Queen is not a standalone – don't even attempt to read it out of series order. As a fan of the series, I've read the beginning books three times over, and even I was confused for a large portion of Dark Queen – there's no way to read it out of order and get heads or tails.
Knowing there will be a long wait until the next release, I went into reading with the mindset to savor, reading a few chapters a day for the past week or so. I will say, this may have contributed to the slower-paced feel that I experienced.
Dark Queen is a long book, but it reads even longer. I'm not sure I could have binged on the book from start to finish in a single sitting. There is so much going on, yet so little, as Jane hurried up only to wait for the duel. The entire novel, hundreds of pages, are inane details as the setup to the duel in the last quarter.
This will sound conflicted, but I felt as if there was too much yet not enough going on. Too much, as in there were hundreds of characters name-dropped from page to page, their histories given, that it didn't flow fluidly, yet nothing was truly going on story-wise. This set a molasses slow pace, only for it to go into warp-speed once the duel started. It was jarring in the extreme.
So quick, that I have no idea how the duel even started early, with the weapons being drawn and blood spilled during their reception. I reread that portion four times, and it never was explained. From one sentence to the next, the book changed, and I was beyond confused.
I won't give any spoilers, but there was a dark, depressive feel for the entire novel. After its completion, I can say it had depressed me personally. The author put the DARK in Dark Queen, and it's a mark of good writing how it affected my mood.
I was excited to see a new thread for Jane, of a family member coming in who was previously unknown. This gave a plethora of emotions for the reader to experience via Jane. As always, I appreciated the Native American customs, something that is nearly impossible to find in books.
Jane's connection to everyone in the series is the highlight, especially her familial connection forged with Eli. It's sweet, endearing, and feels beyond realistic, showcasing how empathetic and compassionate Jane truly is.
Rick is back!
I was so excited to see Rick pop back up on the pages, only for him to do a small cameo, while still in NOLA. The reader gets to see very little of Rick. This isn't my odd way of wishing Jane and Rick would get back together, as I love how romance takes a backseat to the vampire politics, butt kicking, and paranormal elements. I just enjoy watching both Jane and Rick squirm when around one another.
As always, Beast's voice is by far the most entertaining thing I've ever read. I'd love more of her, with the innovated way she views the world. I always applaud the author for creating such a unique voice for Jane's other half.
Request: Give Beast and Jane some kits and a mate.
Highly recommend to fans of Faith Hunter and the Jane Yellowrock series. For Urban Fantasy fans, this series is one of the top ones I recommend, but start at the beginning.
I'll be holding my breath for the next book, trusting the author to do the character's justice – I can't get the book fast enough, as the series is balancing on a knife's blade, everything up in the air, with a new story arc created.
Also Available in the Jane Yellowrock Series
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For reviews & more info, check out our Cold Reign post.
New York Times Bestselling author Faith Hunter writes three series: the Jane Yellowrock series, dark urban fantasy novels featuring Jane, a Cherokee Skinwalker; the Rogue Mage novels, a dark, urban fantasy/post-apocalyptic series and role playing game featuring Thorn St. Croix; and the Soulwood Series featuring Nell Nicholson Ingram.
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Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Dark Queen (Jane Yellowrock #12) by Faith Hunter to read and review.
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