Another knock out from Faith Hunter

The series storms on at a rocketing pace. It opens with a bang as Evan comes looking for his wife Molly. As is normal, it never rains but it pours so Jane also gets summoned to Katie's to search for 2 of her girls who have gone missing plus Leo summons her to run the security for a gathering... what could possibly go wrong??

There is a lot more of Leo in this book as Jane stays firmly on New Orleans turf and it gives an opportunity to develop Jane's reactions to the events of a couple of books back and to seek a solution to the bind she found herself in.

It is also interesting to see how Jane is coping now that the cat is out of the bag about her secret skinwalker abilities. Strangely, Jane seems to be shifting less as the series develops but Beast is as ever a distinct and memorable voice.

So good story, good pacing, good to see the reintroduction of some old familiar characters. Good to see Jane both finding a level of acceptance about herself (the moral crisis had been drawn out a lot over the series) while still allowing Jane to be vulnerable, and boy are there some vulnerable moments shown.

Bad things revolve mainly around the number of questions still left open at the end and the time it's going to take to get the next book released,

The narration as ever was first class.

Like reviewers on other sites, I did have an odd occurrence of a male voice seeming to overlay but it was only a few times for a word or two so didn't detract from my enjoyment.

One tip for this book, there is a crucial fight scene and it is worth checking out the song Dust Bowl by Joe Bonamassa to get the atmosphere

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

Brilliant as always

What other book might you compare Black Arts to, and why?

This book fits in well with the series Faith Hunter maintains her high standard

Which character – as performed by Khristine Hvam – was your favourite?

Jane Yellowrock of course but Bruiser comes a close second with Leo surprisingly come up behind - I had always dislike him in the earlier books but Faith has managed to give the Vampire a bit of a heart or perhaps he is working some form of strategy

Any additional comments?

Complex story with the correct end - leaving lots for the next few books - I really can't wait and will pre-order as soon as I hear even a whisper of publication.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

The name black arts didn't suit the book.

Where does Black Arts rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

I've listened to all of the Jane Yellowrocks series and i did like this one, but got a little lost with what's happened with Rick and the title i don't think suited it maybe more Death Witch, but that's my opinion.

What did you like best about this story?

Well the main character Jane seemed take a kinda step back, learned more how beast became so, and more play on the boys meaning Alex and Elia had big parts to play in this story.

Which character – as performed by Khristine Hvam – was your favourite?

Jane of cause they would be no series without her, beast a very close second, but the one that stays in mind afterwards is Elia the big brooding ranger

Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Quite a lot of both the full series has from book 1 had me hooked, so if you like your dose of fantasy with added shapeshifters, wolves, vampires and occasionally witches. Its a must.

Any additional comments?

Please hurry up and bring book 8 out need my daily dose

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

Lots of action

As always in a Jane book we have lots of action plenty of double crosses which all in all made for a very enjoyable book.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

Why this series stands out for me.

In my opinion, there is a serious lack of well written fantasy books for women with the kind of narration that really draws you in, without it basically being Mills and Boon. So when you find a series like this it's like gold dust. It's impossible for me to review just this one book as I loved the series so much I read the books back to back, including the excellent book of short stories and there wasn't a weak one amongst them.

At the start of first book it looked like just another plucky in your face heroine surrounded by a harem of beautiful men, which alone really doesn't interest me, but there is so much more to it than that. The lead character Jane has amnesia from the time before she emerged form the wilderness, at the approximate physical age of twelve. While her initial character is relatively two dimensional she develops through the books as she gains ties and her fascinating back story unfolds. Right from the start she is an interesting paradox as she convincingly merges her Christian children's home beliefs with Cherokee heritage and current profession as a vampire hunter. Added to this Jane is a skinwalker and has two soles in her body, her own and that of the beast she absorbed as a child, so the story is told form two distinct points of view; this really gives it a kick that other stories of this nature lack.

The plots are engrossing, the world beautifully described from both characters points of view, giving you a very different landscape when described with Beasts perspective of smells and sounds. The characters are well written. No one is perfect and few are black and white. The vampires are not wholly good or evil, on rare occasions the victims fight back rather than just being sacrificed as plot devices, the evil is defeated and instead of rejoicing Jane is left behind to face their grieving family and friends. Good people slip or act in a self serving manor without automatically being demonised or seen as unredeemable. Jane faces terrible tasks but even when one part of her life is falling apart, she is forming some of the most important relationships and discoveries of her life in others. There is a much better sense of the wider world, than you would usually find in this type of literature.

Black Arts brings together all my favorite characters in the Jane Yellowrock universe. You do need to read the books in order partly to avoid spoilers but also to understand the complicated relationships and series of events that lead up to the plot of this book. Jane has to deal with the complicated world of vampire politics while coming to terms with her own choices and history, mending fences with friends she has neglected and searching for one who has forsworn her.

Lastly Khristine Hvam has become one of my favorite narrators. I know not everyone likes an American accent but hers really grows on you and anything else would be inappropriate to the setting of this book. Her accent when voicing an English character is a bit suspect but charming all the same. She really brings the story to life in a way few narrators can hope to achieve.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

3 people found this helpful

Excellent both story and narrator

Would you listen to Black Arts again? Why?

So far since purchase I have listened to it several times already.
The story has little bits you can miss when you are busy listening as well as doing other things. Also Ms Hunters work is so good it draws you in I enjoy listening to her books and Ms Hvams` narration over and over again.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Black Arts?

Not telling it will ruin it for others.

Which scene did you most enjoy?

When Jane scratches Beasts head ahhhh.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Oh yes.

Any additional comments?

I wait to see where the story goes next there are so many new avenues to explore.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

Brilliant

Captivating story, fantastically narrated. Took just over one day to finish it. Fast moving, a lot of suspence. Great characters, especially the main one.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

Not quite human at all.

I like the narrators voice and all the descriptions as seen by Jane Yellowrock.
I would recommend it to all her fans and also new listeners who want a slightly ‘out of our real world’ experience grounded in day to day reality.
Off to order the next book...love them.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

I love Jane and Beast

Jane Yellowrock was born before the start of the 1830 trail of tears. Her grand mother and father were also Cherokee skinwalkers. This us the start of her' s and Beasts story.

Loved it, started reading this series back in 2014 when I first found it, have read multiple times since then. For me Khristine Hvam is the voice of Jane and Beast.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

Fantastic

All of Faith Hunter's storys, are marvellous. The narrator Krystine Hvan is possibly the best narrator working today!

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!