What do you think?
Rate this book
The Black Sun's Daughter #5
Graveyard Child
It’s a homecoming, of sorts, for Jayné Heller—and she wants some long-awaited answers to her past, in this fifth book in the acclaimed Black Sun’s Daughter urban fantasy series.
After years on her own, Jayné Heller is going home to find some answers. How did the powerful spirit calling itself the Black Sun get into her body? Who was her uncle Eric, and what was the grand plan to which he devoted his life? Who did her mother have an affair with, and why? And the tattoo—seriously—what was that about?
Jayné arrives during the preparations for her older brother’s shotgun wedding, but she’s not the only unexpected guest. The Invisible College has also come to town, intent on stopping the ceremony. They claim an ancient evil is threatening the child that would be Jayné’s niece, and that the Heller family has been rotten at the core for generations.
The deeper Jayné looks, the more she thinks they might not be wrong. And behind them all, in the shadows of Jayné’s childhood home, a greater threat waits that calls itself the Graveyard Child...
After years on her own, Jayné Heller is going home to find some answers. How did the powerful spirit calling itself the Black Sun get into her body? Who was her uncle Eric, and what was the grand plan to which he devoted his life? Who did her mother have an affair with, and why? And the tattoo—seriously—what was that about?
Jayné arrives during the preparations for her older brother’s shotgun wedding, but she’s not the only unexpected guest. The Invisible College has also come to town, intent on stopping the ceremony. They claim an ancient evil is threatening the child that would be Jayné’s niece, and that the Heller family has been rotten at the core for generations.
The deeper Jayné looks, the more she thinks they might not be wrong. And behind them all, in the shadows of Jayné’s childhood home, a greater threat waits that calls itself the Graveyard Child...
320 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published April 30, 2013
17 people are currently reading
919 people want to read
About the author
M.L.N. Hanover
14 books405 followersMLN Hanover is a pseudonym for fantasy writer Daniel Abraham when he’s writing urban fantasy set in something very like our world. In addition to The Black Sun’s Daughter series, MLN Hanover has published several short stories.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 100 reviews
September 10, 2016
Well, that was a rousing wrap up to the series. Would perhaps like a little more on what's next for Jayne and crew, but loved the background we get.
February 25, 2018
So, I read book 1, was bored, read the reviews for books 2-5 and decided 5 might be interesting. It was much better than book 1. I'm also surprised this is the final book of the series as it left a lot of loose ends.
You finally learn all the dark family secrets in this book. There were a lot and in the end, all the bad things/choices made sense. The Invisible College was explained vs speculation. Jayné's origin & purpose are revealed. However, Jayné still never really wows me. It's still meh.
You finally learn all the dark family secrets in this book. There were a lot and in the end, all the bad things/choices made sense. The Invisible College was explained vs speculation. Jayné's origin & purpose are revealed. However, Jayné still never really wows me. It's still meh.
September 13, 2016
Just as good as the first time :)
February 25, 2016
Graveyard Child is the fifth (and final?) installment in The Black Sun's Daughter series. I rattled my way through the first four books last year and got swept up into the lives of Jayné Heller and her friends and fellow demon hunters. I have been eagerly awaiting this book after the ending of Killing Rites left off on such a pivotal cliffhanger.
This book picks up pretty much where the last one ended with Jayné, having made that all-important telephone call to her mother, travelling back to her hometown in Wichita to confront her parents (and possibly attend her older brother's wedding). Ex and Chogyi Jake are of course along for the ride, ready to back Jayné up if required.
As Jayné was expecting, things do not go too well with her parents - especially her dad. After the Invisible College turn up and ransack her family's house, her parents are even more aghast when her rider takes over and sends the goons packing.
Jayné is ready to chalk it up to a lesson learned and accept that she may never truly have the answers to what her Uncle Eric was really up to and why she has a rider (demon) inside of her. However, just as she and her friends are packing up to leave, Jayné is approached by her older brother Jay, distraught because his (pregnant) fiancé has been kidnapped by the Invisible College. Jay begs Jayné to help him get her back.
However, things are not as they seem and Jayné will have to face up to some troubling truths about her family. Not knowing who the real 'bad guys' are, she must rely on her friends to help her uncover the truth, before it is too late.
I really enjoyed Graveyard Child and felt it was a nice parallel to the first book Unclean Spirits. Jayné has really grown up a lot since then and it is made even more apparent in this book, now that she has to face her 'demons'. A lot of questions that have been building across the last four books finally get some answers. We learn the truth about Jayné's missing two days as a teenager and the meaning behind her tattoo. Her family is revealed to be even more messed up than we were led to believe and more is discovered about Jayné's Uncle Eric and what he was up to prior to being killed .
Graveyard Child was a solid entry in the series and works well if it is the finale as, although left somewhat open at the end, it does tie up most of the plot threads . I would still say that my favourite book in this series was Killing Rites (followed closely by Vicious Grace) but Graveyard Child was highly entertaining and the story kept me enthralled from the first page to the last (indeed I read it in one sitting).
Five stars *****
This book picks up pretty much where the last one ended with Jayné, having made that all-important telephone call to her mother, travelling back to her hometown in Wichita to confront her parents (and possibly attend her older brother's wedding). Ex and Chogyi Jake are of course along for the ride, ready to back Jayné up if required.
As Jayné was expecting, things do not go too well with her parents - especially her dad. After the Invisible College turn up and ransack her family's house, her parents are even more aghast when her rider takes over and sends the goons packing.
Jayné is ready to chalk it up to a lesson learned and accept that she may never truly have the answers to what her Uncle Eric was really up to and why she has a rider (demon) inside of her. However, just as she and her friends are packing up to leave, Jayné is approached by her older brother Jay, distraught because his (pregnant) fiancé has been kidnapped by the Invisible College. Jay begs Jayné to help him get her back.
However, things are not as they seem and Jayné will have to face up to some troubling truths about her family. Not knowing who the real 'bad guys' are, she must rely on her friends to help her uncover the truth, before it is too late.
I really enjoyed Graveyard Child and felt it was a nice parallel to the first book Unclean Spirits. Jayné has really grown up a lot since then and it is made even more apparent in this book, now that she has to face her 'demons'. A lot of questions that have been building across the last four books finally get some answers. We learn the truth about Jayné's missing two days as a teenager and the meaning behind her tattoo. Her family is revealed to be even more messed up than we were led to believe and more is discovered about Jayné's Uncle Eric and what he was up to prior to being killed .
Graveyard Child was a solid entry in the series and works well if it is the finale as, although left somewhat open at the end, it does tie up most of the plot threads . I would still say that my favourite book in this series was Killing Rites (followed closely by Vicious Grace) but Graveyard Child was highly entertaining and the story kept me enthralled from the first page to the last (indeed I read it in one sitting).
Five stars *****
August 29, 2013
Probably about 3.5 stars but definitely not a 4 star so I'm leaving it at 3.
By the end of this book you wonder if this is it for the series. It ends in a manner that feels as if most (but definitely not all) things have been nicely tidied up to give a level of completion. So as I finished the final pages of this one, I felt a little weird, wondering what - if anything - was next for Jayne and company.
You learn a lot more about Jayne, her family, Eric and all in this book. There are quite a few "ah ha!" moments in the sordid tale that brought them all to this point. Someone also FINALLY thinks to even slightly ask about THAT DAMNED TATTOO on her back which has been the freakin' elephant in the room as far as I'm concerned this entire series. (Seriously, it'd annoyed the ever-loving crap out of me that no one thought a thing of it despite the fact it's on every cover and mentioned multiple times every book!)
The other thing is I'm not sure I understand exactly how
I have liked how Jayne and the Black Sun's Daughter have come to a nice balance with each other and that's a topic that definitely didn't fully resolve. So I hope if there are more books to come, we get more story and completion of that very important part of the series.
Decent but left me a little confused due to to the ambiguous ending.
By the end of this book you wonder if this is it for the series. It ends in a manner that feels as if most (but definitely not all) things have been nicely tidied up to give a level of completion. So as I finished the final pages of this one, I felt a little weird, wondering what - if anything - was next for Jayne and company.
You learn a lot more about Jayne, her family, Eric and all in this book. There are quite a few "ah ha!" moments in the sordid tale that brought them all to this point. Someone also FINALLY thinks to even slightly ask about THAT DAMNED TATTOO on her back which has been the freakin' elephant in the room as far as I'm concerned this entire series. (Seriously, it'd annoyed the ever-loving crap out of me that no one thought a thing of it despite the fact it's on every cover and mentioned multiple times every book!)
The other thing is I'm not sure I understand exactly how
I have liked how Jayne and the Black Sun's Daughter have come to a nice balance with each other and that's a topic that definitely didn't fully resolve. So I hope if there are more books to come, we get more story and completion of that very important part of the series.
Decent but left me a little confused due to to the ambiguous ending.
August 4, 2015
Had some extra earbud time today so I finished this one up. This was a great series. I guess this is the last book although it is definitely open for more. I thought it was a pretty satisfying ending. I like the way it all tied back to Jayne's family. This book was probably my least favorite of the 5 but it is still good. I have a bad habit of starting series and getting bored part way though and never finishing them so the fact that I tore though these as fast as I did is a good indication of how much I enjoyed them!
May 5, 2013
The latest installment of "The Black Sun's Daughter" series brings Jayne home. After giving a call to her mother at the end of Killing Rites after she finds out that she has a rider living inside of her, Jayne is ready to learn more about the rider. The truth might change everything she knows about herself, Eric, and the rest of her family
--------------------
Despite my terrible memory of remembering the details from the previous book, I have no problem at all getting into this one. The story has a quick pace; as quickly as she returns home, Jayne has to fight the Invisible College members who attack her family and then kidnap her brother's pregnant fiancée.
The truth about Jayne and also about Eric makes my jaw drop; but it gives answers to who the Black Sun's Daughter actually is. In fact, this book does answer several questions that have been built over the previous four books. We know about The Black Sun, the Black Sun's Daughter, The Graveyard Child, the real purpose of the Invisible College, why Eric left everything to Jayne, how Eric got all those money and property, and what actually happened to Jayne and the days worth missing from her memory when she was 16 years old.
For those looking for resolution about the hints relationship between Jayne and Ex we've seen in book #4, will be disappointed, though. There is none. At first, I'm a bit disappointed but then I think that this series is more of urban fantasy and not paranormal romance ... and it's actually quite refreshing to read about a heroine and her two best male friends without romance muddling it. It's more about Jayne, Ex, and Choygi Jake and their adventure (along with the dog, Ozzie) and getting answers about riders.
If I am not mistaken, the series will still continue although I don't know when book #6 will be released. For now, I am quite satisfied with the end of thiso ne.
--------------------
Despite my terrible memory of remembering the details from the previous book, I have no problem at all getting into this one. The story has a quick pace; as quickly as she returns home, Jayne has to fight the Invisible College members who attack her family and then kidnap her brother's pregnant fiancée.
The truth about Jayne and also about Eric makes my jaw drop; but it gives answers to who the Black Sun's Daughter actually is. In fact, this book does answer several questions that have been built over the previous four books. We know about The Black Sun, the Black Sun's Daughter, The Graveyard Child, the real purpose of the Invisible College, why Eric left everything to Jayne, how Eric got all those money and property, and what actually happened to Jayne and the days worth missing from her memory when she was 16 years old.
For those looking for resolution about the hints relationship between Jayne and Ex we've seen in book #4, will be disappointed, though. There is none. At first, I'm a bit disappointed but then I think that this series is more of urban fantasy and not paranormal romance ... and it's actually quite refreshing to read about a heroine and her two best male friends without romance muddling it. It's more about Jayne, Ex, and Choygi Jake and their adventure (along with the dog, Ozzie) and getting answers about riders.
If I am not mistaken, the series will still continue although I don't know when book #6 will be released. For now, I am quite satisfied with the end of thiso ne.
August 10, 2013
This series just gets better and better. More of the questions from previous books get answered in “Graveyard Child” and the suspense, mystery and horror elements of this series continues unabated in this latest instalment.
The romance is almost non-existent as the situation involving Ex and Jayne is still in limbo. Seems ok at this stage as it wouldn’t make sense for Ex to get himself involved with Jayne when she has a rider within her, but I hope the author doesn’t keep up this neither-here-nor-there scenario for too long! Even so, the “Black Sun’s Daughter” is definitely the at the top of my list of urban fantasy series at the moment!
The romance is almost non-existent as the situation involving Ex and Jayne is still in limbo. Seems ok at this stage as it wouldn’t make sense for Ex to get himself involved with Jayne when she has a rider within her, but I hope the author doesn’t keep up this neither-here-nor-there scenario for too long! Even so, the “Black Sun’s Daughter” is definitely the at the top of my list of urban fantasy series at the moment!
September 19, 2015
Wow. What an amazing emotional buildup (5 books) and set of events. I love this series for always assuming the reader is intelligent. (At times more intelligent than the main characters, who were making me cringe through a lot of book 2 until they figured their stuff out.)
I am also very glad this isn't going to be the end, because there's some definite foreshadowing in the dream conversations Jayné and the Black Sun's daughter have with each other that hasn't broken out to reality yet.
I am looking forward to more.
I am also very glad this isn't going to be the end, because there's some definite foreshadowing in the dream conversations Jayné and the Black Sun's daughter have with each other that hasn't broken out to reality yet.
I am looking forward to more.
August 25, 2019
Graveyard Child is the fifth and final book in The Black Sun's Daughter series written by M.L.N. Hanover and centered on Jayné Heller, a young college student who inherits a string of houses across the world, several bank accounts, and a very unconventional business from her murdered uncle.
At the end of the last installment (Killing Rites), Jayné Heller has finally come to the conclusion that she has to turn back to the place where she never wanted to go again – home. She had made up her mind to attend a secular college, a decision that her family, in particular her father, considered an abomination. The occasion for Jayné's return to the nest is the marriage of her brother to his pregnant girlfriend, but she intends to use the visit to find out more about her Uncle Eric, the man who left her his fortune when he died.
Since then, she's discovered a lot about spirits and possession, including that she herself has a rider – a spirit, or a god, or at least something that protects her from danger. Most riders are not beneficent, and Jayné and her companions spend much of their time battling them. Jayné has also discovered that her uncle was not the exorcist she thought he was, but rather in league with the demons and unclean spirits she now fights. She hopes to figure out exactly what he was up to with new information from her family.
Graveyard Child is written rather well. Hanover's descriptive writing makes very real characters – they are flawed and in many ways, there are failures, and he portrays them and their concerns and worries and heartache in a very direct and sympathetic way. Hanover has a talent of conveying a large amount of information with as few words as possible.
Overall, The Black Sun's Daughter is written rather well. It started rather weak and mediocre, but it quickly gotten better with each successful book. Hanover has a real talent in descriptive writing, in background and character growth. However, it seems that Jayné Heller has reached the midpoint of her story and that there is so much more story to tell. Hopefully, there would be additional books in this series in the near future.
All in all, Graveyard Child is written rather well and is a good conclusion to a well written series. Hopefully, there would be more adventures in this series as the ending suggests a continuation.
At the end of the last installment (Killing Rites), Jayné Heller has finally come to the conclusion that she has to turn back to the place where she never wanted to go again – home. She had made up her mind to attend a secular college, a decision that her family, in particular her father, considered an abomination. The occasion for Jayné's return to the nest is the marriage of her brother to his pregnant girlfriend, but she intends to use the visit to find out more about her Uncle Eric, the man who left her his fortune when he died.
Since then, she's discovered a lot about spirits and possession, including that she herself has a rider – a spirit, or a god, or at least something that protects her from danger. Most riders are not beneficent, and Jayné and her companions spend much of their time battling them. Jayné has also discovered that her uncle was not the exorcist she thought he was, but rather in league with the demons and unclean spirits she now fights. She hopes to figure out exactly what he was up to with new information from her family.
Graveyard Child is written rather well. Hanover's descriptive writing makes very real characters – they are flawed and in many ways, there are failures, and he portrays them and their concerns and worries and heartache in a very direct and sympathetic way. Hanover has a talent of conveying a large amount of information with as few words as possible.
Overall, The Black Sun's Daughter is written rather well. It started rather weak and mediocre, but it quickly gotten better with each successful book. Hanover has a real talent in descriptive writing, in background and character growth. However, it seems that Jayné Heller has reached the midpoint of her story and that there is so much more story to tell. Hopefully, there would be additional books in this series in the near future.
All in all, Graveyard Child is written rather well and is a good conclusion to a well written series. Hopefully, there would be more adventures in this series as the ending suggests a continuation.
June 5, 2013
I feel like this book was a big game changer for Jayne. She is finally going back home, to her estranged family, not a good thing. I knew Jayne's dad was a bastard, but boy, I didn't think that he was that big of a bastard. I found myself hating him and not feeling sorry for him one bit. Jayne's mother, I am still on the fence with her. It seems like she got the raw end of the stick, but she made choices along the way and stuck with them even when they seemed bad. Jayne's brothers, well, they seemed to fit in either category. I do wonder how they will be affected by what happened in this book.
Jayne finally learns all in this book, part of it is bad, part is worse. I do think that Jayne can finally be ok in her skin. She knows and that knowledge helps her understand the past and gives her hope for her future.
It seems like this could be the last book in the series as most things are wrapped up. I sure hope it isn't, I like Jayne and would love to see more adventures especially with what she knows now.
Jayne finally learns all in this book, part of it is bad, part is worse. I do think that Jayne can finally be ok in her skin. She knows and that knowledge helps her understand the past and gives her hope for her future.
It seems like this could be the last book in the series as most things are wrapped up. I sure hope it isn't, I like Jayne and would love to see more adventures especially with what she knows now.
May 11, 2013
Graveyard Child is a welcome return to form in The Black Sun's Daughter Series, following the slightly disappointing Killing Rites. In fact, Child ranks up there with Vicious Grace as the best of the series. Everything you like about the series is here, from action to tension to horror. Everything is ratcheted up by Jayne's confrontation with her family, long built up and finally here. All the outstanding questions in the series are answered here. In fact, that's one of the few small gripes to be had with the book -- it seems like there's little left in the tank for future books. That, plus a very quick, too tidy ending leave the reader wondering if this will be the last Black Sun's Daughter book (hopefully not).
As this is the fifth book and builds heavily (if not entirely) on what's come before, it's not the place to begin the series. But if you're looking for urban fantasy/horror, and easy reading that's still well done, I recommend the series and this fifth installment of it.
As this is the fifth book and builds heavily (if not entirely) on what's come before, it's not the place to begin the series. But if you're looking for urban fantasy/horror, and easy reading that's still well done, I recommend the series and this fifth installment of it.
August 6, 2021
I read book 1, and truthfully the plot was about demon possession and exorcism, what's not to love. But, the story made no real reference to the Black Sun's Daughter, which is the title of the series, that's what hooked me. So, I went through every book description until I found where she was.
The last 2 books answered most of my questions, but they were so convoluted it made my brain hurt. And, when I was finished reading I still really didn't understand what the Invisible College was, or if they were good or evil.
There was very little romance in these stories. They were more of a paranormal mystery genre. If you like stories that are super complex with very little romance you'll love this series. Me, I'm returning to female authors. Happy Reading!
The last 2 books answered most of my questions, but they were so convoluted it made my brain hurt. And, when I was finished reading I still really didn't understand what the Invisible College was, or if they were good or evil.
There was very little romance in these stories. They were more of a paranormal mystery genre. If you like stories that are super complex with very little romance you'll love this series. Me, I'm returning to female authors. Happy Reading!
September 28, 2014
This series almost always zigs when you expected a zag. Yet the groundwork was always there for the new direction.
This episode sees Jayne return to the family she fled to find that everything is the same but none of it was what she thought.
Jayne's personal and emotional journey is the stand out element of a series that also boasts interesting, consistent, world building and some intense action.
(Planned as a 10 book arc, but it's not all under contract yet - so go out and buy them!)
This episode sees Jayne return to the family she fled to find that everything is the same but none of it was what she thought.
Jayne's personal and emotional journey is the stand out element of a series that also boasts interesting, consistent, world building and some intense action.
(Planned as a 10 book arc, but it's not all under contract yet - so go out and buy them!)
May 2, 2015
This story brings together various plots and threads and ties them up; presumably this is the last book in the series. We learn more about riders, uncle Alex, and Jayne's family. This was a fascinating world with characters I enjoyed spending time with.
May 6, 2013
This one really brings the story together. If you are looking for a new series, read this one from book 1 through 5.
March 20, 2015
Not sure if I just liked this less than books one to three or if I just waited to long to read books four and five?
August 16, 2025
Great book, very slightly unsatisfactory ending. Nothing super irritating but just a few loose ends and questions.
Other than that it was very well written, lots of morally grey characters and a more subtle approach to magic: No fireballs
P.S. Sorry but I don't like Ex, he doesn't even try to understand
Other than that it was very well written, lots of morally grey characters and a more subtle approach to magic: No fireballs
P.S. Sorry but I don't like Ex, he doesn't even try to understand
June 15, 2018
To be determined
This was a very strong book. Few open questions left. I can't yet tell how i feel about that. Well written though. And not as predictable as i had first thought. Nicely done.
This was a very strong book. Few open questions left. I can't yet tell how i feel about that. Well written though. And not as predictable as i had first thought. Nicely done.
April 30, 2024
4 stars for a satisfying ending. This was a great ending to the series. I'm glad that the questions and assumptions that have been with me from the first book have finally been satisfied. I am a little curious about what is next for the gang, but I can survive not knowing.
January 23, 2019
The worst of the bunch.
August 10, 2021
A forceful and not entirely expected ending. Reports of appearance of Mary Sue have been exaggerated. Overall, not the author's best work, but still solid entertainment.
January 29, 2022
A pleasant finish to the series. One wonders if Hanover had started the series with this book if the character would have had greater longevity. Still, the series is enjoyable and worth reading.
May 4, 2023
Finished the series. Yes this is pulp but it's fun. The author moved on to better things.
November 20, 2015
I actually liked Graveyard Child a lot more than the others.
Hangover finally took out most of the romance part of this series. And that was like the best part about this book, no more vanilla romance that's like some leftover microwave dinner that's been rotting around for days.
Hangover recap is still there but lessen to some degree, just brief mentions of things in Book 1, 2, 3, and 4. Pink Martini is still there but not in the form of a t-shirt but music. And that's a lot better. Pizza is still there but McDonald finally joined. Coffee took some time off too.
In short, this book had a lot more things going on than the previous ones. Jayné is a bit better now. She'll still "naively" think that after the Graveyard Child kills her, her family can escape when the Graveyard Child clearly said that he'll need to kill her whole family, so her money will return back to him through legal papers.
Book 1 is jumping into things aiming for revenge.
Book 2 is jumping into things trying to be the heroine.
Book 3 is jumping into things trying to be the heroine and settle her "love" affairs.
Book 4 is jumping into conclusions thinking all riders are evil/bad even though clearly in Book 2, she witness "good" riders.
Book 5 is less of jumping into anything as things just popped up and came to her.
Book 1-4 starts off with jumping and making stupid mistakes and also fucking up. Book 5 didn't really have that and the only part where she fucked up wasn't because she was stupid but lacking information. Somehow, those 2 years instead of 1 year made Hangover turned Jayné from a chump to someone competent. She makes more decisions and thinks more. Then she also makes her own hypothesis and stuff instead of jumping in and hoping for the best.
And it's actually not just her but her whole gang jumping into things and hoping for the best. So don't claim that she was just new. The others weren't so new.
Although I liked it more, it, in a way, strayed away from Book 1-4. The way Hangover wrote it was slightly different. The pacing is also different. Many loose ends are tied up but not in the best way though.
One of the biggest question is whether this is the end of the series and I do believe it is yet I can see as it's possible for a continuation too.
Hangover finally took out most of the romance part of this series. And that was like the best part about this book, no more vanilla romance that's like some leftover microwave dinner that's been rotting around for days.
Hangover recap is still there but lessen to some degree, just brief mentions of things in Book 1, 2, 3, and 4. Pink Martini is still there but not in the form of a t-shirt but music. And that's a lot better. Pizza is still there but McDonald finally joined. Coffee took some time off too.
In short, this book had a lot more things going on than the previous ones. Jayné is a bit better now. She'll still "naively" think that after the Graveyard Child kills her, her family can escape when the Graveyard Child clearly said that he'll need to kill her whole family, so her money will return back to him through legal papers.
Book 1 is jumping into things aiming for revenge.
Book 2 is jumping into things trying to be the heroine.
Book 3 is jumping into things trying to be the heroine and settle her "love" affairs.
Book 4 is jumping into conclusions thinking all riders are evil/bad even though clearly in Book 2, she witness "good" riders.
Book 5 is less of jumping into anything as things just popped up and came to her.
Book 1-4 starts off with jumping and making stupid mistakes and also fucking up. Book 5 didn't really have that and the only part where she fucked up wasn't because she was stupid but lacking information. Somehow, those 2 years instead of 1 year made Hangover turned Jayné from a chump to someone competent. She makes more decisions and thinks more. Then she also makes her own hypothesis and stuff instead of jumping in and hoping for the best.
And it's actually not just her but her whole gang jumping into things and hoping for the best. So don't claim that she was just new. The others weren't so new.
Although I liked it more, it, in a way, strayed away from Book 1-4. The way Hangover wrote it was slightly different. The pacing is also different. Many loose ends are tied up but not in the best way though.
One of the biggest question is whether this is the end of the series and I do believe it is yet I can see as it's possible for a continuation too.
June 20, 2013
*Genre* Urban Fantasy
*Rating* 3-3.5
*Thoughts/Series Summary*
If you've read any of the previous novels in The Black Sun's Daughter series, you know that Jayné (Zayne) Heller is something of a unusual heroine. She just happens to be a demon hunter who travels the country hunting riders while being possessed by one (Black Sun's Daughter). She's been left a wealth of money, information, and a lawyer at the tip of her fingers by an Uncle (Eric) that was as secretive and dangerous as they come and may have done some fairly repugnant things that have never been fully explained nor revealed until now.
She's discovered a group known as the Invisible College, a group that was thought to have been evil, and responsible for Eric's death, and later disbanded after Jayné killed their leader in Unclean Spirits. They make a not so surprising return engagement in Graveyard Child with some startling truths about Jayné and her past and a previous unknown uber demon known as The Graveyard Child and its connection to Jayné's own mother.
You also know that she and her friends Chogyi Jake and Xavier (Ex) have been searching through Uncle Eric's records all over the world for answers to her abilities and her own missing 2 days when she turned Sixteen, including the mysterious tattoo that she wears. Aubrey & Kim, the other members of Jayné's research team, don't necessarily add anything to the overall storyline, but nonetheless, I would be remiss in not mentioning them. I would also be remiss by mentioning that Chogyi and Ex have become Jayné inner circle and family as it were. There's a hint of a romance but nothing that stands out and shouts AHA! They're together!
In Graveyard Child, MLN Hanover finally exposes a bunch of truths about Jayné that will leave you wondering if this is actually the last book in the series. If so, it would not surprise me since everything from Jayné family secrets, to her own reason(s) for being, to Uncle Eric's actions and who he really was, are revealed. The only real question remains whether or not Jayné remains connected with the Black Sun's Daughter or not and how that will affect her further exploits and reasons for being.
The surprising thing that comes from this release is that her parents, including her father, weren't necessarily as difficult or harsh as Jayné had previous indicated. Yes, they are uber religious and live in a community that fully embraces religion as a way of life and demanded full compliance from their children which Jayné avoided by leaving and going to college. But, whose parent's don't sometimes step over the line in going a bit too far in protecting them from the outside world? We get to see a reunion of sorts between Jayné and her brothers Jason, and Curtis whom has stayed in contact with Jayné against their fathers wishes since she picked up Eric's legacy.
In the end, I'm nothing but feeble in my desire for this series not to end with this book. I know I bitch and moan when series drags on, but, there is a ton of ways for this series to continue, and I need to know is about the fate of The Black Sun's Daughter and whether or not Jayné survives its exorcism.
Published: April 30th 2013 by Pocket Books
*Rating* 3-3.5
*Thoughts/Series Summary*
If you've read any of the previous novels in The Black Sun's Daughter series, you know that Jayné (Zayne) Heller is something of a unusual heroine. She just happens to be a demon hunter who travels the country hunting riders while being possessed by one (Black Sun's Daughter). She's been left a wealth of money, information, and a lawyer at the tip of her fingers by an Uncle (Eric) that was as secretive and dangerous as they come and may have done some fairly repugnant things that have never been fully explained nor revealed until now.
She's discovered a group known as the Invisible College, a group that was thought to have been evil, and responsible for Eric's death, and later disbanded after Jayné killed their leader in Unclean Spirits. They make a not so surprising return engagement in Graveyard Child with some startling truths about Jayné and her past and a previous unknown uber demon known as The Graveyard Child and its connection to Jayné's own mother.
You also know that she and her friends Chogyi Jake and Xavier (Ex) have been searching through Uncle Eric's records all over the world for answers to her abilities and her own missing 2 days when she turned Sixteen, including the mysterious tattoo that she wears. Aubrey & Kim, the other members of Jayné's research team, don't necessarily add anything to the overall storyline, but nonetheless, I would be remiss in not mentioning them. I would also be remiss by mentioning that Chogyi and Ex have become Jayné inner circle and family as it were. There's a hint of a romance but nothing that stands out and shouts AHA! They're together!
In Graveyard Child, MLN Hanover finally exposes a bunch of truths about Jayné that will leave you wondering if this is actually the last book in the series. If so, it would not surprise me since everything from Jayné family secrets, to her own reason(s) for being, to Uncle Eric's actions and who he really was, are revealed. The only real question remains whether or not Jayné remains connected with the Black Sun's Daughter or not and how that will affect her further exploits and reasons for being.
The surprising thing that comes from this release is that her parents, including her father, weren't necessarily as difficult or harsh as Jayné had previous indicated. Yes, they are uber religious and live in a community that fully embraces religion as a way of life and demanded full compliance from their children which Jayné avoided by leaving and going to college. But, whose parent's don't sometimes step over the line in going a bit too far in protecting them from the outside world? We get to see a reunion of sorts between Jayné and her brothers Jason, and Curtis whom has stayed in contact with Jayné against their fathers wishes since she picked up Eric's legacy.
In the end, I'm nothing but feeble in my desire for this series not to end with this book. I know I bitch and moan when series drags on, but, there is a ton of ways for this series to continue, and I need to know is about the fate of The Black Sun's Daughter and whether or not Jayné survives its exorcism.
Published: April 30th 2013 by Pocket Books
March 13, 2014
After a good deal of time away chasing demons and dealing with vampires, Jayné Heller is returning to Witchita. Jayné is going to attend her older brother's wedding and the process hopefully get the answers from her parents that has wanted for a long time. As with all family gathering things go awry quickly but because nothing has ever really been normal in Jayné's world, it's not as simple as a drunken relative passing out in the mashed potatoes. The deeper Jayné digs she risks unearthing an evil which has been haunting her family for generations. There is a price to truth and now Jayné has to decide whether she willing to pay it and in the process save the family which has long rejected her.
From the ending of Graveyard Child, it's not immediately clear if this is the last book in the series. Hanover did leave himself a little bit of room to continue with Jayné and her cohorts and in the process managed to tied up a lot of loose ends in the series. We discover the purpose of the tattoo which Jayné desperately sought to hide from her father, as well as what happened during Jayné's lost two days when she was 16.
The most important revelations had to do with Jayné's family. From the onset we were told that her father was an authoritarian parent with strong religious beliefs. These facts did indeed turn out to be true; however, Hanover took great care to imbue a sense of complexity to not only his character but those of the other members of Jayné's family. This allowed the reader to have a greater understanding of Jayné and to fully appreciate her growth as a protagonist. It's worth mentioning that I still don't find Jayné to be particularly likeable, even if she is no longer naive.
One of my issues with this series is that women really have taken on the role of victim status with exception of course of the extremely irritating chosen one, Jayné. We learn that Jayné's mother is docile because she is a survivor of the most violent abuse and in almost complete denial of what happened to her. With the exception of Jayné and her lawyer there, have been no female characters in this series who at some point where not victim of violence. In each instance, Hanover made it clear that said abuse wasn't acceptable but that doesn't justify his constant framing of woman as victim
Read More
From the ending of Graveyard Child, it's not immediately clear if this is the last book in the series. Hanover did leave himself a little bit of room to continue with Jayné and her cohorts and in the process managed to tied up a lot of loose ends in the series. We discover the purpose of the tattoo which Jayné desperately sought to hide from her father, as well as what happened during Jayné's lost two days when she was 16.
The most important revelations had to do with Jayné's family. From the onset we were told that her father was an authoritarian parent with strong religious beliefs. These facts did indeed turn out to be true; however, Hanover took great care to imbue a sense of complexity to not only his character but those of the other members of Jayné's family. This allowed the reader to have a greater understanding of Jayné and to fully appreciate her growth as a protagonist. It's worth mentioning that I still don't find Jayné to be particularly likeable, even if she is no longer naive.
One of my issues with this series is that women really have taken on the role of victim status with exception of course of the extremely irritating chosen one, Jayné. We learn that Jayné's mother is docile because she is a survivor of the most violent abuse and in almost complete denial of what happened to her. With the exception of Jayné and her lawyer there, have been no female characters in this series who at some point where not victim of violence. In each instance, Hanover made it clear that said abuse wasn't acceptable but that doesn't justify his constant framing of woman as victim
Read More
April 9, 2016
Considering that this was a bit of a rush job, that Abraham had to wrap up the series that he'd hoped would be ten books suddenly in this last fifth book, it was quite good. All of the information that I was frustrated not to get in any of the first four books was revealed here, one exciting, shocking reveal after another. All of it made sense, hung together, and made me and the characters look back at everything that had happened in the first four books with new eyes, it was all very interesting and "revealing.' Because much of the action had to do with Jayné's family, emotions ran high, and they also rang true, the good ones, the bad ones, and especially the complicated ones. Abraham finally got it right when it came to characters in this one, especially when it came to the Hellers. I could see the history, the layers when it came to their reactions to each other. The way that everything they said to each other had more than one meaning and resonated deeply. The way families are never simple, even in the best of times and definitely in the worst of times. The depth and truth of their love, angst, fear, anger, confusion, and other completely real thoughts and emotions anchored the wild, violent, desperate, thrilling fantasy story in a deeply rooted reality. In my opinion, getting that right is what made this the most successful book in the series, more than all of the exciting reveals. But they were good too, and boy were there some whammies. Big, big reveals, many of them. Many things in these people's lives were not what they'd seemed. It was a good book, a good wrap to the series, if wrap it had to be. It's frustrating, because after this, I actually do wish there were more. Too bad it took until the fourth and fifth book in the series for Abraham to hit his stride. Too bad it took being force by his publisher to wrap things up for him to move the series along enough to make it more interesting. I think if he'd had in mind all along that it was a five book series, the pace of the long story arc would have been spread out better over the five books and it would have been more exciting earlier on. Oh well, live and learn.
August 12, 2016
This book read like the final book in a series. I can’t find out anywhere if it truly is the end for Jayné and the guys, but if it is, it was definitely a great way to go out. If not, I like that they can start with a brand new clean slate when they come back. There is a lot explained and revealed in this book, so much so that it could have easily felt like a huge info dump, but it didn’t…at least not for the majority of the book. There were a couple parts that felt a little heavy handed, but they were necessary.
From the very beginning, I like this series. It was different and interesting and I liked Jayné and how she was thrown into this world. There were a few hiccups along the way, but this was always a must read series. I needed to know how things would work out for them. I loved the way Jayné grew throughout the series and I love the way that the changes in her were mentioned in this book by Ex.
I really think this book was the perfect way to end this series. Everything was explained and there were no questions left in the end except where to go next. Wait…actually there was one thing was missed and that really makes me wish we had one more chapter left at least. I would have liked to have some resolution to the Jayné/Ex situation. It is obvious there was more there than what they both tried to brush off. Hopefully, if there is more to the series, we’ll get something good there. If not, I guess I’ll just have to live with what we did get and it was enough.
From the very beginning, I like this series. It was different and interesting and I liked Jayné and how she was thrown into this world. There were a few hiccups along the way, but this was always a must read series. I needed to know how things would work out for them. I loved the way Jayné grew throughout the series and I love the way that the changes in her were mentioned in this book by Ex.
I really think this book was the perfect way to end this series. Everything was explained and there were no questions left in the end except where to go next. Wait…actually there was one thing was missed and that really makes me wish we had one more chapter left at least. I would have liked to have some resolution to the Jayné/Ex situation. It is obvious there was more there than what they both tried to brush off. Hopefully, if there is more to the series, we’ll get something good there. If not, I guess I’ll just have to live with what we did get and it was enough.
December 30, 2013
Reading this book, I got the distinct impression that this (book 5 of the Black Sun's Daughter series) was the last of this dark urban fantasy series, so I looked it up, and it might be if the author's contract is not extended, but that's not the author's intention.
From: http://dotfiveone.com/2013/05/a-talk-...
"DANIEL ABRAHAM [a.k.a. M.L.N. Hanover]: I planned the series out for a 10-book arc, and we are all at the mercy of the market to know how long it actually gets to go. But even if I only get to do the ones I already have on the contract, I think I get to get where I wanted to go, or make the points I wanted to make"..."What I really wanted was, at the end of the series, when you read the last book, whichever the last book is – I don’t even know. I don’t know that yet. Whatever the last book is, when you get to the end of the last book, I want you to be able to go back to the first book and have it read completely differently."
If you haven't read this series, and you are into dark and twisted, this is a good one to pick up.
In this book, Jayne goes home to Kansas to get some answers about the skeletons in her family closet and attend her brother's wedding. Those skeletons turn out to be doozies. Tons of violent action and paradigm-shifting revelations in this story that gives you the complete "why" and "how" for Jayne's powers.
From: http://dotfiveone.com/2013/05/a-talk-...
"DANIEL ABRAHAM [a.k.a. M.L.N. Hanover]: I planned the series out for a 10-book arc, and we are all at the mercy of the market to know how long it actually gets to go. But even if I only get to do the ones I already have on the contract, I think I get to get where I wanted to go, or make the points I wanted to make"..."What I really wanted was, at the end of the series, when you read the last book, whichever the last book is – I don’t even know. I don’t know that yet. Whatever the last book is, when you get to the end of the last book, I want you to be able to go back to the first book and have it read completely differently."
If you haven't read this series, and you are into dark and twisted, this is a good one to pick up.
In this book, Jayne goes home to Kansas to get some answers about the skeletons in her family closet and attend her brother's wedding. Those skeletons turn out to be doozies. Tons of violent action and paradigm-shifting revelations in this story that gives you the complete "why" and "how" for Jayne's powers.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 100 reviews