Final Heir
Author: Faith Hunter
Reviewer: B.
Rating: B+
What I’m Talking About:
Final Heir is the 15th and last novel in the Jane Yellowrock series, and I believe it’s as fitting an ending as any longtime followers of the series might hope for. All the familiar characters are here (either alive/undead/etc. or in memories), the loose ends are tied, and there’s plenty of happy to go around—after all the blood and destruction is over, anyway. Regardless, I’d have been almost disappointed if I wasn’t able to say that, as well-acquainted as I’ve become with these stories through the years, I’m still not entirely sure what’s going on sometimes.
Although Jane’s personal story goes back nearly two centuries, in many ways readers of these stories have gotten to watch her grow up on the page. She has evolved from an isolated, angry, sometimes arrogant loner to a battle-hardened leader who will not only put her own life on the line for others, but has learned to accept their willingness and determination to do the same for her. It’s a lot of power, enormous responsibility, and not something she’d have been capable of earlier in the series.
In some ways, Final Heir was a mixed bag for me. The Jane Yellowrock stories are not romances, and never pretended to be, which is one of my favorite things about them. Yet, I found the last couple of novels somewhat difficult to get through because the balance between Jane’s evolution and the seemingly limitless supply of end-of-the-world conflicts that were always right around the next bend had nearly slipped into a place I wasn’t sure I could go. Were this just another book in the series, I think it would have been too much for me to continue. But, as Final Heir is the grand finale, the bombardment was both apt and welcome.
The Jane Yellowrock series has been a pleasure to read and review for a long time now, and I feel especially gratified with the author’s farewell. In addition to the full-length novels, there are also quite a few short stories in various compilations, etc., that add to the cohesiveness and understanding of the series as a whole. Though it’s probably unnecessary to say at this point, I strongly recommend that new readers start at the very beginning. Sometime soon, I’ll go through the entire series again, back-to-back (maybe in audiobook!) to see how things slot themselves together the second time around. But for now, I’m happy for Jane and all the rest as they are.
My Rating: B+ Liked It A Lot
B.
About the Book:
The stakes couldn’t be higher in the newest novel in the New York Times bestselling, pulse-pounding Jane Yellowrock series.
Jane Yellowrock is the queen of the vampires, and that makes her a target as she fights to maintain control and keep peace in the city of New Orleans. She has enemies at every turn, because vampires live forever, and they keep their grudges alive with them. That includes the Heir, the vampire sire of the Pellissier bloodline, which gave rise to Leo Pellissier himself—Jane’s old boss and the former master of the city.
With the Heir and all the forces of darkness he can muster arrayed against her, Jane will need all the help she can get. She’ll find it in her city, her friends, her found family, and, of course, the Beast inside of her.
Release Date: September 6, 2022
Publisher: Ace
Series: Jane Yellowrock #15
Genre: Paranormal Urban Fantasy
Format(s): paperback (460 pages), e-book
Book Source: NetGalley/Publisher
Purchase Info:
Amazon (affiliate link)
Reviews in the Series:
Skinwalker by Faith Hunter (Jane Yellowrock #1) – Audiobook Review
Blood Cross by Faith Hunter (Jane Yellowrock #2) – Audiobook Review
Mercy Blade by Faith Hunter (Jane Yellowrock #3) – Audiobook Review
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)
Shattered Bonds by Faith Hunter (Jane Yellowrock #13)
True Dead by Faith Hunter (Jane Yellowrock #14)