Doug's Review of Black Arts by Faith Hunter

Title: Black Arts: A Jane Yellowrock Novel
Author: Faith Hunter
Author's Website: Faith Hunter's Website
Publisher: Penguin Group (USA) LLC
Genre: Epic Urban Fantasy with Romantic Interests
Length: approx 336 pgs
Buy Link: Black Arts: A Jane Yellowrock Novel

Summary:

Jane Yellowrock is a shape-shifting skinwalker who always takes care of her own—no matter the cost....

When Evan Trueblood blows into town looking for his wife, Molly, he’s convinced that she came to see her best friend, Jane. But it seems like the witch made it to New Orleans and then disappeared without a trace.

Jane is ready to do whatever it takes to find her friend. Her desperate search leads her deep into a web of black magic and betrayal and into the dark history between vampires and witches. But the closer she draws to Molly, the closer she draws to a new enemy—one who is stranger and more powerful than any she has ever faced.

Doug's Review:

When I got this I was already sure that I was going to like it (since I have loved every installment in this series) but this was a major step up in not just the story but the look inside to see exactly who Jane Yellowrock is under the hard exterior.

Don’t get me wrong, Jane is STILL Jane but she does a lot of self introspection during this novel and comes out better for it. I must admit I still spent most of the novel wishing for or waiting for her to kill someone that richly deserved it (and there are a plethora of candidates).

The main thing here is that Molly is missing and she has to find her since Evan is a loose cannon without Molly but nobody seems to know what happened to her but Jane will be piecing things together all through the book and concurrent plotlines that all converge with deadly results as always.

The book comes to an explosive conclusion with most things settled but some things are left for the next book so it is not a cliffhanger but everything is not settled …. yet. Ms. Hunter tried to give us a bit of payback for the acts of betrayal of Leo/Katie/Bruiser back in previous story but maybe I am a hard case since I was not really satisfied yet, but it was not overlooked completely which would have been completely out of character, there may still be some payback. We shall see……

Bottom Line: This is 5 Stars with no real reservations other than maybe I am such a revenge junkie I might want more payback but that was not the real story in this novel. Jane is her deadly best and she handles things better than anyone could and her love life still sucks but what else is new. You don’t want to miss this so get your order in now and read it the first chance you get.