Shattered Bonds
Author: Faith Hunter
Reviewer: B.
Rating: B+
What I’m Talking About:
After acquiring a couple of new titles (and their accompanying responsibilities) in the previous story in the series, Dark Queen, Jane has retreated to the Appalachian mountains, abdicating her positions in the hope of not succumbing to the magical cancer that is killing her. Unfortunately for everyone close to Jane, the resulting power vacuum causes problems on two continents, and the trouble follows her straight to her sanctuary.
Opening with an initially humorous scene from Beast’s perspective, Shattered Bonds quickly shifts into the more familiar chaos of the other Jane Yellowrock stories. As usual, the break that Jane desperately needs is cut short by another battle on the horizon. This time, there are two different factions bent on her destruction, not to mention a tumor that no one has been able to cure, along with her own guilt—which has also accumulated throughout the series.
Jane has been trying to figure out her place in the “long game” for a while now, but in Shattered Bonds that scenario has expanded even further. A lot of this story involves Jane finding clarity about the past and redefining her own purpose, which is ultimately good for her, I think. But, even as Jane had her epiphanies, I still couldn’t quite see how everything fit together sometimes, and had to rely on the characters to jump in and connect the dots. That’s not uncommon for me with this series, but it was the first time it felt a little tiring to have to have things spelled out so much.
One of my favorite things about this series has always been the characters closest to Jane, and I was very happy that so many returned in Shattered Bonds. Much to her own amazement, Jane’s chosen family continues to grow, and I think her reactions to the fact are some of the strongest parts of the story. I was especially glad for the evolution of her relationship with Beast, which was occasionally downright hostile in the past. Their mutual acceptance and care for each other was undeniable here, and was a real pleasure to read.
As stated several times in earlier reviews, I strongly recommend reading the entire Jane Yellowrock series from the beginning. There are entirely too many characters and too much that’s happened for Shattered Bonds to make sense as an introduction. Whereas most of the previous stories ended with the impression of a lull before the next storm, the last chapter of Shattered Bonds seemed more like a new start. And although I felt a bit of a strain from this story, I still love the series as a whole, and will gladly stick around until its conclusion.
My Rating: B+ Liked It A Lot
B.
About the Book:
Jane Yellowrock is a shapeshifting skinwalker, and vampire killer-for-hire, but her last battle with an ancient arcane enemy has brought her low. She seeks retreat in the Appalachian Mountains to grieve the loss of her friends, and to heal–or to die–from the disease brought on by her magic.
But malevolent elements in the paranormal community still seek to destroy Jane, and the younger Son of Darkness stalks her, even into the safety of the hills. With nowhere to run and her body failing, the rogue-vampire hunter and her inner Beast must discover a way to defeat this new threat, and find a form that gives her a chance to fight another day.
Release Date: October 29, 2019
Publisher: Ace
Series: Jane Yellowrock #13
Genre: Paranormal Urban Fantasy
Format(s): paperback (384 pages), e-book
Book Source: NetGalley
Purchase Info:
Amazon (affiliate link)
Reviews in the Series:
Skinwalker by Faith Hunter (Jane Yellowrock #1) – Audiobook Review
Mercy Blade by Faith Hunter (Jane Yellowrock #3)
Raven Cursed by Faith Hunter (Jane Yellowrock #4)
Death’s Rival by Faith Hunter (Jane Yellowrock #5)
Blood Trade by Faith Hunter (Jane Yellowrock #6)
Black Water by Faith Hunter (Jane Yellowrock #6.5)
Black Arts by Faith Hunter (Jane Yellowrock #7)
Broken Soul by Faith Hunter (Jane Yellowrock #8)
Dark Heir by Faith Hunter (Jane Yellowrock #9)
Kicking It Anthology edited by Faith Hunter and Kalayna Price
Blood In Her Veins: Nineteen Stories From the World of Jane Yellowrock by Faith Hunter
Shadow Rites by Faith Hunter (Jane Yellowrock #10)
Cold Reign by Faith Hunter (Jane Yellowrock #11)
Dark Queen by Faith Hunter (Jane Yellowrock #12)