Showing posts with label Soulwood Series. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Soulwood Series. Show all posts

Tuesday, May 3, 2022

Of Claws and Fangs by Faith Hunter

Now Available. Stories from the World of Jane Yellowrock and Soulwood.

New York Times bestselling author Faith Hunter presents a stunning collection of stories from the world of shape-shifting vampire hunter Jane Yellowrock and beyond.

Collected together for the first time, this volume contains shorter works featuring heroines Jane Yellowrock and Nell Ingram, as well as a host of other characters from the Jane Yellowrock and Soulwood series. Faith Hunter is “an expert at creating worlds filled with intriguing supernatural elements and exciting scenarios”* and her skills are on full display in this collection. From a vampire-filled Halloween evening in New Orleans to the searing tale of how a certain were-leopard first got his spots, this collection has something for everyone, and each story is sure to put the super in supernatural.

With eighteen stories in all, Of Claws and Fangs will enrich and entertain—it’s a must-have for Faith Hunter’s readers and all lovers of fantasy.

For more information on the stories included, click HERE to read Faith Hunter’s blog post, Bits and Pieces.

*RT Book Reviews

 

Add to Goodreads.

 

Of Claws and Fangs by Faith Hunter

Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
Apple Books  ~  B&N  ~  Google Play  ~  Kobo
Audiobook (US)  ~  Paperback (US)
Ace (PRH)

 

 

Reviews


Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team


Erica☆☆☆☆☆
Of Claws and Fangs is a short-story compilation from Faith Hunter, featuring stories mostly set in the Jane Yellowrock universe, as well as the sister series, Soulwood.

While this is a collection of short stories, I would suggest being current on both series to avoid spoilers, as the stories span the timeframe from predating the debut novel to the most current release.

Since I'm not one to hunt down short stories in a massive series, these were all new-to-me, even though they were previously released in newsletters and websites, most of them taken down after a short period of time. Even if you've read some, you may have missed others.

The heading of each story explains its origin (where it was posted and how it fits into the overall series). Whether you've had the opportunity to read them or not, I appreciate them all being in one handy location, easily accessed to get a hit of my favorite characters in one of my all-time favorite series.

I thoroughly enjoyed picking up the collection, where I immersed myself in the point-of-view of Jane's cohorts, being inside their thoughts for the first time. Each story is of variable length, where if you have five to ten minutes to spare, it's an excellent way to de-stress and relax while being entertained.

Of all the stories, Of Cats and Cars was my favorite. It was also one of the longest stories. Nothing is as enjoyable as Beast, especially a trixsy Beast in love with Edmund. This is set in the timeframe when Jane is ill, where she was in beast-form more often than not, but Jane was deep healing in the background, allowing Beast free-reign.

Beast wanted to hunt cows with trees on their heads in a car with no head, and Jane allowed the bargain. Poor Edmund's Maserati. Watching Beast be flirty and manipulative with such a powerful man, a man she sees as her mate, even though Jane sees Edmund as her subordinate. Delightful, adorable, and laugh out loud hilarious, I will be rereading this short many times to come.

Leo, Master of the City of New Orleans (along with a good paragraph of other titles) was predominant is many of the stories, sure to please fans. We see things predating Jane, events which were mentioned or glossed over in previous installments. Being inside Leo's head was exciting and refreshing.

Other notable mentions were cameos from the Everhart witches, along with Leo, Beast, Edmund, and others. The connection Jane has fostered with her made family and friends is one of the highlights of the series, and these shorts showcase her nearest and dearest, filled with humor, emotion, and action & adventure, set to the backdrop of the Jane Yellowrock universe.

While I am sad that the Jane Yellowrock series will be coming to a close with the next novel, I cannot wait to see what other projects Faith Hunter has in store for us. This series is on my reread list, and I'm happy to add Of Claws and Fangs to the collection.

 

 

Author Bio

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.

Connect with Faith Hunter

Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Instagram  ~  Website  ~  Goodreads

 

 

Ace.


Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Of Claws and Fangs: Stories from the World of Jane Yellowrock and Soulwood by Faith Hunter to read and review.

Thursday, July 30, 2020

Spells for the Dead by Faith Hunter


Nell Ingram faces a dark craft known as death magic in the newest pulse-pounding paranormal procedural in the New York Times bestselling Soulwood series.

Nell Ingram is a rookie PsyLed agent, using the powers she can channel from deep within the earth to solve paranormal crimes. Together with her team, she's taken on the darkest magic and the direst foes. But she'll need to tap into every ounce of power she has for her newest case.

Nell is called to the Tennessee mansion of a country music star and finds a disturbing scene—dead bodies rapidly decaying before everyone's eyes. The witch on her team, T. Laine, knows this can only be one thing: death magic, a rare type of craft used to steal life forces. PsyLed needs to find this lethal killer fast. But when a paranormal-hating FBI agent tries to derail the investigation, they find themselves under attack from all sides.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/48705774-spells-for-the-dead


Book 5
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
B&N  ~  Google Play  ~  iTunes  ~  Kobo



Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Erica☆☆☆☆
Spells for the Dead is the fifth installment in the Soulwood series, and it absolutely cannot be read out of series order or as a standalone. Start with Blood of the Earth. But honestly, I'd suggest you start at Skinwalker (Jane Yellowrock #1), because this is a sister-series to Jane Yellowrock. This would avoid any confusion, as well as organically explain the world-building in an easy to digest fashion as the reader learns along with the heroine.

Faith Hunter creates the most original heroines I've ever read, and Nell Ingram takes top honors. Nell's background, the 'cult' culture in which she was raised, her family, her widowed status, and even her home, I have never read anything so unique. Then add in the fact that her magic is quite literally communing with earth...

Nell is no longer a probie. She's a full-blown PsyLed agent. While everyone treats her with respect as a major part of their team, Nell still feels the insecurities of being the rookie. She's still finding her footing, after the conditioning of her past. Especially now that her boss's boss is looking over her shoulder.

More police procedural than the last installment, I won't go into detail over the crime PsyLed is investigating. I will admit, while I love a good who-done-it, this portion dragged the novel down. I appreciated the crime-solving, threading the pieces together, but it was slow as molasses and not holding my attention as the more personal issues did. I was more curious about Nell, more so than what PsyLed was up to.

The crime-solving is a major focus of the novel, with a minor focus on Nell's personal life. With her sisters moving into her home, the reader sees more of the impact their past has on the women. Nell is still navigating her budding relationship with Occam, which I enjoyed their interactions and the slower pace involved, befitting Nell's personality and background.

Nell is still developing her magic, learning what all she can do, flexing her abilities. I think this is the perfect vehicle to allow the reader to discover it with her, without being bombarded with too much information. Masterfully done, as the reader's curiosity spikes.

I highly recommend this novel to Urban Fantasy fans. Faith Hunter is always at the top of my recommendation list. Nell with her intriguing background and unique magic abilities, and Jane with her inner Beast, Native American ancestry, and vampire political connections. Two unique heroines, one highly recommended author.


Also Available in the Soulwood Series

Book 1
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca

For reviews & more info, check out our Blood of the Earth post.


Book 2
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca

For reviews & more info, check out our Curse on the Land post.


Book 3
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca

For reviews & more info, check out our Flame in the Dark post.


Book 4
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
B&N  ~  Google Play  ~  iTunes  ~  Kobo

For reviews & more info, check out our Circle of the Moon 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.

Connect with Faith

Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Instagram  ~  Website  ~  Goodreads


https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/


Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Spells for the Dead (Soulwood #5) by Faith Hunter to read and review.

Saturday, March 2, 2019

Circle of the Moon by Faith Hunter


Set in the same world as Faith Hunter's New York Times bestselling Jane Yellowrock novels, the fourth Soulwood novel stars Nell Ingram, who channels her power from the earth.

Nell can draw magic from the land around her, and lately she's been using it to help the Psy-Law Enforcement Division, which solves paranormal crimes. Joining the team at PsyLED has allowed her to learn more about her powers and the world she always shunned—and to find true friends.

Head agent Rick LaFleur shifts into a panther when the moon calls him, but this time, something has gone wrong. Rick calls Nell from a riverbank—he's naked, with no memory of how he came to be there, and there's a dead black cat, sacrificed in a witch circle and killed by black magic, lying next to him.

Then more animals turn up dead, and team rushes to investigate. A blood-witch is out to kill. But when it seems as if their leader is involved in the crime, the bonds that hold the team together could shatter at any moment.

Add to Goodreads –


Book 4
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
B&N  ~  Google Play  ~  iTunes  ~  Kobo



Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Erica☆☆☆☆☆
Circle of the Moon is the fourth installment of the Soulwood series, and I strongly suggest against reading it out of order or independently as a standalone. As this is a spin-off of Jane Yellowrock – where I don't believe it necessary to read that series first to grasp anything without confusion – it would be beneficial to the reader to read Jane Yellowrock followed by Soulwood. They share the same urban fantasy universe, the worldbuilding, and a set of characters. While this is an offshoot of the Jane Yellowrock series, Rick's continuing thread is connected to Jane Yellowrock, and the readers would have a more fulfilling emotional connection if the reader has read both Jane Yellowrock and Soulwood in series order.

The main thought scrolling on repeat in my mind as I read Circle of the Moon in one sitting... I cannot wait to carve out a large portion of time, where I go back all the way to the beginning, to spend time with Jane and Beast, working my way in order to experience Nell and company, catching all the things that tie it all together.

For me, this series isn't so much about the world building or the sleuthing for clues, but more so the character building and development over time. This obviously makes this a spoiler-free review.

Nell is coming into her own. She's no longer that widow woman from a cult, who was selfless and wouldn't speak up for herself. Nell now knows her worth. It's been empowering to hitch a ride alongside Nell as she grew as a strong, independent woman over the past four books. The fear and feeling of worthlessness from book one have slowly built into the woman Nell is today. Those experiences color Nell's actions and reactions, creating a 3D heroine with a unique voice.

Another favorite of mine in this series – as I said, it's not so much the original world-building or the mystery solving – it's the connection Nell and her team has forged. Nell doesn't bow down to Rick anymore. She offers her input and expects to be listened to, and I believe this is something Rick needs right now in his life (I won't spoil Rick's trials and tribulations for those who haven't read the book, as it all ties to events that have taken place in Jane Yellowrock).

Rickie Boo. Rickie Boo. Rickie Boo, I'll read anything featuring you. Ha!

Then there is Occam, who is beyond patient and understanding of Nell's cult past. I'm a sucker for a bad boy, so while this is sweet and beautiful, the romance portion hasn't quite hooked me. Occam at times comes off as too perfect, flawless in how he handles Nell. While there is some angst surrounding it, I like a few flaws in my characters.

The cult family, yet another facet where Faith Hunter concentrates on rebuilding relationships that were toxic to begin with, creating something that is realistic yet healthy. Salvaging the best out of a bad situation is the best way to put this.

Even as I write this review, I have such a strong desire to revisit Jane and Beast, weaving Nell in the lineup where these books best fit, to get the most emotional bang for my buck.


Also Available in the Soulwood Series

Book 1
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca

For reviews & more info, check out our Blood of the Earth post.


Book 2
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca

For reviews & more info, check out our Curse on the Land post.


Book 3
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca

For reviews & more info, check out our Flame in the Dark 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.

Connect with Faith

Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Instagram  ~  Website  ~  Goodreads


https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com


Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Circle of the Moon (Soulwood #4) by Faith Hunter to read and review.

Friday, February 15, 2019

Flame in the Dark by Faith Hunter


Set in the same world as Faith Hunter’s New York Times bestselling Jane Yellowrock novels, the third, thrilling Soulwood novel stars Nell Ingram, who draws her powers from deep within the earth.

Nell Ingram has always known she was different. Since she was a child, she’s been able to feel and channel ancient powers from deep within the earth. When she met Jane Yellowrock, her entire life changed, and she was recruited into PsyLED—the Homeland Security division that polices paranormals. But now her newly formed unit is about to take on its toughest case yet.

A powerful senator barely survives an assassination attempt that leaves many others dead—and the house he was visiting burns to the ground. Invisible to security cameras, the assassin literally disappears, and Nell’s team is called in. As they track a killer they know is more—or less—than human, they unravel a web of dark intrigue and malevolent motives that tests them to their limits and beyond.

Add to Goodreads –


Book 3
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca



Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Erica☆☆☆☆
Flame in the Dark is the third installment of the Soulwood series and cannot be read as a standalone. I strongly suggest reading in series order. While this is a sister series to Jane Yellowrock, it can be easily read independently while sharing the same urban fantasy universe and a few major side characters.

I had a slight problem with the last installment, simply because it felt more inundated with details in a police procedural than Urban Fantasy or Paranormal, all at the expense of character building. There is more of a balance during Flame in the Dark, Nell's personality and her growth taking on a larger role, which made reading more enjoyable and less tedious for me this go around.

There is more of a laid-back, living her life feel, which I appreciated because it meant I could fall into the story and find something that would resonate within me, instead of a laundry list of details, description, and jargon tossed about. Nell is still dealing with the affects growing up in a religious cult, how it affected her mentality and changed how she views herself and the world around her. These facets are what makes Nell fascinating to me.

This supernatural whodunit, where Nell and her PsyLED team are sleuthing out the clues, involves a murdered senator. Sometimes I'm curious about the police work in books, other times I'm not. I'm not necessarily a reader who reads to figure out the clues, nor am I one who is exclusively drawn to the romance of it all, but I do like a little of each. It's the character building and growth of all the characters that is my driving force. Without spoilers, I did enjoy this crime-solving better than the previous installment.

Highly recommend to fans of Faith Hunter and the Jane Yellowrock series, and those who enjoy a different take on Urban Fantasy, featuring a woman who communes and commands the earth beneath her feet. Luckily, I have the newest in the series to look forward to in the very near future.


Also Available in the Soulwood Series

Book 1
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca

For reviews & more info, check out our Blood of the Earth post.


Book 2
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca

For reviews & more info, check out our Curse on the Land 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.

Connect with Faith

Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Instagram  ~  Website  ~  Goodreads


Brought to you by


Erica reviewed her personal copy of Flame in the Dark (Soulwood #3) by Faith Hunter for this post.

Friday, February 1, 2019

Curse on the Land by Faith Hunter


Set in the same world as Faith Hunter’s New York Times bestselling Jane Yellowrock novels, the second Soulwood novel tells the story of a woman whose power comes from deep within the earth...

Before Nell Ingram met skinwalker Jane Yellowrock, she had no one to rely on, finding strength only in in her arcane connection to the dark woods around her. But now she has friends in the newly-formed PsyLED team to keep her grounded—even if being part of the agency responsible for policing paranormals presents dangers of its own...

After training at the PsyLED academy, Nell returns home to her woods to find the land feeling sick and restless. And that sickness is spreading. With the help of her team, under the leadership of agent Rick LaFleur, Nell tries to determine the cause. But nothing can prepare them for the evil that awaits: an entity that feeds on death itself. And it wants more...

Add to Goodreads –


Book 2
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca



Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Erica☆☆☆
3 Tediously Boring stars.

I need to preface this review by stating I devoured the first in this series, Faith Hunter is the Urban Fantasy author I'm most likely to recommend to fellow readers, and Jane Yellowrock series is an all-time favorite of mine. The first in this series was fresh, unique, with one of the most intriguing main characters I've read to-date. Nell.

Something happened. Sophomore curse, maybe. Where the first book was killer, the second book is usually a bit rocky. This is the second installment in the Soulwood series and it cannot be read independently as a standalone, as it directly ties to the first installment.

At the start, Nell graduated Spook School, joining the team to work preternatural cases. The Nell we all came to know and love was not on the pages. She was an ex-cult-member, a young widow, and unsure what her talents where or whether or not she was even human. She communed with her land, putting it above all else. She was slightly cold after her upbringing and socially inept by today's standards, as she lived off the grid in a lifestyle more befitting the early twentieth century than today's world. She modernized so quickly, after a quarter of a century of living one way, and only four months of another, that Nell felt like an entirely different character who had no personality whatsoever.

In this installment, the tedious details murdered the story, dragging the pacing down, until there was nothing of any interest on most of the pages. See my disclaimer on how much of a fan I am of the author and understand how I do not make that judgment lightly.

Not only would Nell explain every single article of clothing, every time she dressed, she would also have on the pages a list of which belongings were on her person, right down to pens and paper, laptop and cellphone, and all the devices and gadgets that came along with the job. Once was enough, maybe two or three times during the novel as a reminder when those items became of use, but this occurred several times per chapter.

When Nell spoke, long gone was that backwoods, backward widow who grew up in a cult, but was someone who spoke more technical than Ricky Bo, who was her boss. Was I proud she was so intelligent? Sure. But I wanted Nell back.

Clinical. Cold. Redundant. Unemotional. A seasoned investigator of one of the most boring paranormal mysteries I've ever encountered, dead geese and oddly behaving deer around a pound. Missing was the connection to Soulwood, her family, the disturbing culture of the cult, the bond she was forming with her new colleagues, and the budding tension with Occam.

While beyond professional in the sleuthing, the reader needs something personal to draw them in, have the story resonate, so it doesn't feel as if we're reading a textbook. The first book had so much to offer...

Nell would draw the reader into experiencing the events, then would rehash it with Ricky Bo, and then would yet again with any colleague not present, ad nauseam, repeat it all again and again, making one event seem like ten in the scope of the pages. Only to do another event in the next chapter in the same manner. It wasn't interesting the first time around, riddled with tech-speak, clinical terms, and all matter of things that will go over most readers' heads. Most of which will get skim-read after the first part of the novel, as they are repeated nonstop thereafter with no need to read it YET AGAIN.

Never would I have guessed this book would be a struggle to even read a chapter at a time. Not after I thoroughly looked forward to it after such a promising debut in this series, which I felt shined so brightly, instead of being cast in Jane Yellowrock's shadow, which was a fear of mine. Only now, during book two, the voice of the story, the characterization, and the 'feel' weren't there.

I'm going to be honest. If you can skip 20% of a novel and not be confused when you pick up reading, not missing anything, even in an investigation, there's no substance and all filler, with unnecessary details, devoid of character development.

I do feel badly giving a critical review, and I hope the next in the series is given new life – a spark of something worth holding onto for the reader. That spark that makes us anticipate what's to come next. The debut was so promising, amazing, with characters who were beyond intriguing. Had I read the second book first, or read this series prior to Jane Yellowrock, I would have missed out on so much entertainment, because I would have cut my losses and passed other books by. It's that promise of what I know could come in other books that will have me read the third installment.


Also Available in the Soulwood Series

Book 1
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca

For reviews & more info, check out our Blood of the Earth 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.

Connect with Faith

Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Instagram  ~  Website  ~  Goodreads


Brought to you by


Erica reviewed her personal copy of Curse on the Land (Soulwood #2) by Faith Hunter for this post.

Friday, January 18, 2019

Blood of the Earth by Faith Hunter


Set in the same world as the New York Times bestselling Jane Yellowrock novels, an all-new series starring Nell Ingram, who wields powers as old as the earth.

When Nell Ingram met skinwalker Jane Yellowrock, she was almost alone in the world, exiled by both choice and fear from the cult she was raised in, defending herself with the magic she drew from her deep connection to the forest that surrounds her.

Now, Jane has referred Nell to PsyLED, a Homeland Security agency policing paranormals, and agent Rick LaFleur has shown up at Nell’s doorstep. His appearance forces her out of her isolated life into an investigation that leads to the vampire Blood Master of Nashville.

Nell has a team—and a mission. But to find the Master’s kidnapped vassal, Nell and the PsyLED team will be forced to go deep into the heart of the very cult Nell fears, infiltrating the cult and a humans-only terrorist group before time runs out…

Add to Goodreads –


Book 1
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca



Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Erica☆☆☆☆☆
5 Surprised Stars.

As a huge fan of Faith Hunter's Jane Yellowrock series, I was hesitant to begin this sister series for reasons I cannot fathom. Blood of the Earth is the first in the Soulwood series and can be read independently of the Jane Yellowrock series without any confusion. There are mentions of events, which happened in the Jane Yellowrock series, but enough information was given to clear up the whole of the events, without info-dumpage.

Ricky. Ricky. Ricky. The reader gets the absent from the Jane Yellowrock ex-boyfriend Ricky in the Soulwood series, and that makes it completely worth it.

I want to applaud Faith Hunter for creating two completely unique, independent, original heroines in Jane and Nell. One of my fears was simply that they would sound similar, the writer's voice, but other than an independent streak and a need to protect, Jane and Nell have nothing in common.

Nell is an ex-member of a cult-like church that engages in polygamy, with its core tenet as women being a helpmate to the men in their lives, with zero autonomy. Nell legally married an older man (which is not done in the church, as the church legally owns all assets upon death), who also defected from the church with a wife he married via the church. After his first wife died, Nell then nursed her husband through his own bout of illness, which left her as a widow.

Years later, still a young woman in her early twenties, Nell is now a widow, with the mentality of a middle-aged woman. She isn't one quick to laugh, nor does she crave any frivolities. As for romance, what's that? The concept is foreign, feeling more like a lie or fantasy written on the pages of a romance novel. It was simply a wife's duty, one in which she was taught not to enjoy, when she was only fifteen to an ailing, older husband by decades.

While legally hers, Nell still calls the house her husband's, with the belongings that of her sister-wife. She still sleeps on a cot in a cubby, where she has slept since she was a fourteen-year-old child nursing her sister-wife. Not taking either bedroom in the house, as if she doesn't deserve it. She doesn't allow herself to feel pride and ownership, the mindset the church instilled in her.

Owning a large piece of property and a farmhouse, butted up against Church lands, the church wants to control Nell through another marriage, to where the husband would now have control of the property, giving it to the church.

Large portions of the novel, particularly the beginning, Nell is fighting the males of the church, who think they can take her and her property by force. She fights this, not because it's her property, but because she knows her passed husband wouldn't want the Church to have control of his property. Those males believe if they touch her, she's theirs, and they don't care if they have to kidnap and do bodily harm to Nell to get what they want, as women are far beneath them.

No man stands up for the women in their families, allowing them to be punished by higher ups in the church who simply wish to have them, which I found a bitter pill to swallow, many times having a difficult time reading because of this. Women who had a brain cell in their head, they would be taken from their husband and family to be 'used' and abused by other males, to teach them to act as a woman should. I found this accurate, difficult to read, but confusing as to why their husbands/fathers took no issue to this practice, as purity was the only thing women had to offer. Why didn't the fathers care when their child-aged daughters were taken as bed warmers, not wives? In their way of thinking, this would be disrespectful to the father/husband, an insult given, as these women were their possessions. This, I know happens in cults, but that mindset is so contradictory to their teachings.

Townie girls go missing, and associates of Jane Yellowrock appear on Nell's property, much like they did previously (these previous events tying everyone together happened in a Jane Yellowrock book, but it's told in a non-confusing way for new readers).

Nell becomes a consultant, trying to help solve the kidnappings, while struggling to maintain the life she has been living.

Heavily influenced by the Church, the off-the-grid living conditions, and the rural mentality, Nell is an original character, one of the most unique I've read to-date. She has an affinity to earth, the land beneath her feet feeding from her while simultaneously feeding her. It was beyond intriguing to see how Hunter connected this affinity to the sleuthing and paranormal aspects.

It was a joy to watch Nell blossom into who she should be, alongside seeing the changes in her family, with the added bonus of Rick and his team.

I've already started the second in the series, and so far find it just as intriguing and original as the first.



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.

Connect with Faith

Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Instagram  ~  Website  ~  Goodreads


Brought to you by


Erica reviewed her personal copy of Blood of the Earth (Soulwood #1) by Faith Hunter for this post.