3.5 stars. I decided to revisit this series even though I wasn't that impressed with book 1. I saw that the ratings for each book in the series improve and in my experience that is always a good sign.I definitely enjoyed this more than book 1. I like the mystery plot and the mythology behind Jane's and the other supernaturals existence. What I don't enjoy so much are the interchangeable, shallow relationships Jane has with the 3 men in her life. I'm more of a one man/one woman type of reader so my dislike is based on personal preference. But skimming the intimate scenes works for me to be able to enjoy the rest. Book Two is still going strong with a 5 star rating!Faith Hunter picks up right on the heels of the end of Skinwalker with the next installment in Jane Yellowrock's series. Still in New Orleans to wrap up the loose ends of her previous contract, Jane is joined by her best friend Molly. Molly is an earth witch with 2 young witch children, Angie and Evan. Since everything seems safe after hunting down the unknown rogue vampire that was hunting humans in the first book, Jane agrees to host her friend's visit while home repairs are being done and Molly's husband is away on business. Unfortunately, the loose ends uncover a slew of cold cases involving vampire politics, ancient secrets of their species origins, and more chillingly - several hundred witch children stolen throughout the years whose disappearances were never resolved. When all of this seems to lead back to a vampire witch collaboration, Jane is left even more confused since the two species have been in a cold war status for as long as she can remember. This confusion turns into pure rage, however, when Molly is viciously attacked in Jane's current home and both children are kidnapped. Add to this a dissension in the ranks of the "rich and fangy" (a Faith Hunter vampire saying that has become my new favorite next to Kim Harrison's "kiss kiss")to change political power factions, and Jane and Beast have way more loose ends to deal with than they thought. Faith Hunter once again has the perfect mix of set up and action. Her scenes are always brimming with detail to the point you can imagine watching it on a screen. She takes the time to set up rules and character personality outside of these situations so that when the action hits, you can focus purely on the good stuff and feel completely in the know as to what's going on. Several more things are explored in this book in regard to her take on vampire lore. Jane gets many questions answered (and discovers brand new ones in turn) about the origins of the vampire curse. She also gets to take some time for herself in regards to her OWN mysterious origins by finally seeking out the Cherokee shaman Beast urges her to. The details Hunter puts into her vampire lore are excellent, I thought. The way she worked in the questions about religious symbolism were clearly thought out for awhile and integrated in just the right ways in the plot. I could go on for about 20 more pages about how well thought out Hunter has been in every character decision she's made thus far, but then nobody would finish my review.Nobody is one sided in this book and everyone is portrayed as a person. There are no stereotypical villains here. Even the head vamp, Leo, as cold, calculating, and sometimes brutal, as he can be is thrust into a very human light in regards to his overwhelming grief over the loss he sustains in the first book. This is a pain that has not had any time to subside so its still very raw between them. His blood-servent, George, or Bruiser as Jane lovingly refers to him, has some intense sexual chemistry with Jane, but even that doesn't distract her from her purpose in staying loyal to herself. Jane is an admirable and intelligent female heroine who while totally acknowledging sexual desires does not let it artificially compromise her. Men do not conveniently become anything they're not in these books, so far. Dangerous men stay dangerous, despite any soft sides she uncovers. This isn't to say Jane doesn't finally get some love - that's another thing addressed, but not until far later in the story. (This is not a romance novel, despite some very confused one or two star reviews I've seen. Romance has such a tiny part of this book, I have no idea what people are talking about in that regard.) Speaking of soft sides - we get to see more of Jane's in this book. While I feared this might weaken her as a character who is so strong (and quite honestly a rarity in a sea of wannabe tough female MC's), it had the opposite effect. Jane's strengths have been so well cultivated (both her AND Beast) that when you see her cry, the seriousness of tone comes oozing out of the pages. When this woman cries, you know something terrible has happened, and be very worried if she feels out of her depth. This book ends perfectly set up for the next installment, Mercy Blade (which I have already started) so I look forward to the non stop adventure that is SO well planned out. I am seriously in awe of Faith Hunter's work and ability. This is swiftly becoming the best piece urban fantasy I've ever read.
What do You think about La Croix De Sang (2011)?
Excellent further adventures of Jane. Her story is unfolding and I am a fan!
—henry
Enjoying the series more as I roll along and I keep rolling on.
—bebeti
