True Dead

Jane Yellowrock #14

by Faith Hunter

Jane Yellowrock goes back to the city where it all began in the newest installment of this thrilling New York Timesbestselling series.

Jane used to hunt vampires, but now she’s their queen. She’s holed up in the mountains with the Yellowrock Clan, enjoying a little peace, when a surprise attack on her people proves that trouble is brewing. Someone is using very old magic to launch a bid for power, and it’s all tied to the place where Jane was first drawn into the world of Leo Pellissier—the city of New Orleans.

Jane is compelled to return to NOLA because someone is trying to destabilize the paranormal world order. And because she now sits near the top of the vampire world, the assault is her problem. She will do what she must to protect what’s hers. Her city. Her people. Her power. Her crown.

Genres: Urban Fantasy, Fantasy, Vampires, Paranormal, Magic, Witches, Shapeshifters

384 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 14, 2021

About the author

Faith Hunter's Junkyard Cats novella series is available in Audible, eBook, and "ridiculously expensive" (her words) trade paperback books at this time.

Faith's Jane Yellowrock series is a dark urban fantasy. Jane is a full blooded Cherokee skinwalker and hunter of rogue-vampires in a world of weres, witches, vampires, and other supernats. 15 books and several compilations of shorts

The Soulwood series is a dark-urban fantasy / paranormal police procedural /para-thriller series featuring Nell Nicholson Ingram, an earth magic user and Special gent of PsyLED. 6 books

Her Rogue Mage novels—Bloodring, Seraphs, Host, and the RPG Rogue Mage—feature Thorn St. Croix, a stone mage in a post-apocalyptic alternate reality.

Faith is a full time writer who finally hired a housekeeper when the dust bunnies multiplied, She bakes homemade bread and loves to cook.

Faith researches in great detail, and tries most everything her characters do. Research led to her life’s passions – jewelry making, orchids, Japanese maples, bones, travel, white-water kayaking, and writing.

Faith loves orchids. Her favorite time of year is when several are blooming. Pictures can be seen at her FaceBook page. And yes, she collects bones and skulls. She has a fox, cat, dog, cow skull, goat, a boar skull, a deer skull, (that is, unfortunately, falling apart) and the jawbone of an ass. Her prize skull is a mountain lion (legally purchased from a US tannery) hit by a car in the wild.

Her latest love is Japanese maples, and she has managed to collect over thirty.

She and her husband RV, traveling to whitewater rivers to kayak all over the Southeast. Whitewater Kayaking is her very favorite sport, discovered when she was researching her (Gwen Hunter) mystery book, Rapid Descent. She took a lesson and—after a bout of panic attacks from fear of being upside down trapped in a boat—discovered she loved the sport.

Under other pen names, notably, Gwen Hunter, she writes action adventure, mysteries, and thrillers. As Gwen, she is a winner of the WH Smith Literary Award for Fresh Talent in 1995 in the UK, and won a Romantic Times Reviewers Choice Award in 2008. As Faith, her books have been on the New York Times and USA Today Bestseller lists, been nominated for various awards and won an Audie Award with Khristine Hvam, among other awards. Under all her pen names, she has more than 40 books, anthologies, and complications in print in 30 countries.

For more, including a list of her books, see www.faithhunter.net , www.gwenhunter.com . To keep up with her daily, join her fan pages at Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/official.fait... and see her website blog at
www.faithhunter.net

Reviews

[Melissa ♥ Dog/Wolf Lover ♥ Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m going to miss this series. I love these characters so much. Everything in life I love is leaving me. My friend Stephen said there will be two more books. One is stories and the last novel. If they die, I think I’ll trade them all in 😕

Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾

And I don’t give a rats ass about the spin off books. Can’t get into them.

[mariemumble · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am really hoping this book is about Leo coming back. The power dynamic between Leo and Jane is a big part of the story for me so here is hoping that true dead is a clue to leo not being 'true dead' and is coming back to help Jane run things since he knows all of players, history and can really get into the heads of Jane's future foes. As much as Leo annoys me at times I think he would make one hell of an advisor to Jane. His constant scheming would definitely make things more interesting for us readers though it will probably drive Jane crazy. Overall, being a superfan of the series and Faith hunter I am really happy that the series is continuing and I am hoping that there will be many more Jane Yellowrock books to come in the future.

[RachelW (BamaGal) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Why do so many authors (especially in pnr/uf it seems), get about 6 or so books into a series and then completely change everything about it?

The first 1/4 or so of the book wasn’t particularly interesting to me, I skimmed a lot. After Jane got back to New Orleans the plotline picked up…for most of the rest of book. There was less of the woo woo magic I do not care for, but that left room for more bloody, drawn out battles. Jane spent way too much time in her head. If I was playing a drinking game with how many times she thought about how she didn’t want to be Dark Queen, I’d never have gotten this written.

The book was uneven, overly wordy, and not a particularly absorbing read (for me). Lots of time spent harking back to events of previous books, many of which I barely remembered. Even the ‘big twist’ in this book failed to perk up my interest. Not to say there weren’t a lot of good parts of the book, there were; just not enough to balance the things and parts I didn’t enjoy.

I really miss the Jane and stories of the early books. The plots/investigations were interesting and streamlined. I haven’t liked the latter books of this series nearly as much. This series has just gotten too bloated and weird for me.

At least there is Hunter’s ‘Soulwood’ series, I’m still enjoying that one…

[Wanda Pedersen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jane, Jane, Jane. You aren't alone anymore. It is a difficult transition for our Dark Queen. It takes a brush with death to make her realize that the well being of all New Orleans depends on her continued existence. She must remove herself from the frontlines and let others protect her and her dependents. Like most ultra-independent people, she resists this arrangement until she gets that dose of reality. Plus she is still struggling with transformation between forms, not having much control and not being able to maintain human form for very long.

And it seems that her Beast form has inspired some xenophobic and bigoted reactions in a certain segment of vampire society. They don't know the real Jane. But those that get to know her, like Thema and Kojo, end up pledging themselves to her service. Everyone who knows her realizes her feelings of loyalty to her people, her desire to protect those who are under her care, her lack of ego, and her fairness.

Jane tortures herself a lot with guilt. I was pleased when she stops in at a church and has a little chat with the preacher there, who tells her, “You also did great things for this city. Reined in the feral vampires that once preyed on the homeless. Forced them to do better by their own blood servants. Forbade the creation of new blood slaves. Don't think, Jane Yellowrock, that your contributions have gone unnoticed by the Almighty. They haven't gone unnoticed by us either.” Being responsible is a heavy load. It's not easy being the one in charge, at least if you care about those in your organization. If you don't care, it's no big deal.

There are some startling developments in this installment. Jane acquires an ultra-competent personal secretary/dresser/bodyguard, a character that I quite like. Koun has become her champion and executioner, one of her most devoted scions. She has finally bonded with Ayatas Firewind, her Cherokee brother. Some significant people disappear (Sabina, Derek) and others reappear. By the end, Jane and her circle finally figure out who is pulling the strings of the enemy forces.

The next book comes out in September and I can hardly wait.

[Robin (Bridge Four) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Have you ever started a book and wondered if you accidentally missed a book in-between? It has only happened to me a few times and one time I had forgotten to read the prior book. When we start True Dead Jane is the Dark Queen, has time walked to heal herself and is now back with her Yellowrock clan plus a few new Vamps.

Jane is having some trouble with shapeshifting and because of that it seems that her Consort, Alex and Eli are being a little overprotective of Janie and she is tired of it. There is a new vamp player who is coming to challenge Jane for the crown and a bunch of players from the start of the series will become important again. Bruiser will be there to support Jane through this all in all of his Onoreo glory.

I have struggled a bit with the last two books in this series specifically just because so much of it is in Jane’s head and soul home as she tries to work out who the players are and the magic really at work. Sometimes it is just hard for me to get into that and I didn’t remember Ka or the Firestarter at all so I felt a little disconnected. There is still a lot of action and a lot of stuff to love but sometimes I struggle with Jane as she struggles to get used to her knew roll. She will get there but at the same time I have questions I want answered and so I’d like to get there sooner.

Some fans of the series are going to be excited that a character finds a way back to the forefront of the story in an unexpected way. There is a wedding on the books too and Jane needs to find a way not to mess this up for Jody and Wrassler, which is hard since trouble just follows Jane.

Overall, there are some great things for the fans of the series in this book. Jane and Beast are always a great duo. I love the give and take of their relationship and how each of them brings something to the story. Beast that ‘dang cat’ can be hilarious, I do wonder what secrets she is keeping from Jane since there seem to be a few. Not my favorite book of the series but still a decent story.

[Steven · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to Netgalley and Berkley Publishing Group for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for nothing more than an honest review.

FAITH YOU ARE A GENIUS. You've given new life to an already amazing series. You've sent some surprising shockwaves through Jane's world that are sure to massive consequences and reverberations throughout the rest of the Jane series and into Nell's series as well. And you've just blown me away.

I loved the heck out of this one. More big bad setup. Some storylines tied up, but in a way that means they were really threads of a bigger story. Progress on some already setup plotlines. Huge shocks. More Jane-family. More Beast.

Needless to say, I am even more excited about the next (and final *sad face*) Jane book now, and I know that while it's a longer wait, it'll be worth it.

Gosh, I can't rave about the Jane-verse enough!!!!

GO READ THIS! But if you've not read the rest of the series and it's Nell spinoffs, please read those too. You'll be glad you did, both because they're awesome books and because there's so much history that you'd miss out on!

[Lisazj1 · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars. The only problem with reviewing such a long-running, much beloved series is that you can't really say anything about anything that will make any sense to anyone who isn't reading the series. Probably that sentence doesn't make much sense either but I'm sure you get the point. Especially with this series, as so many different side plots, betrayals past and present, tangled relationships and motivations are finally beginning to draw to a conclusion, per Faith Hunter, as we have one more book left. 😭😭 *sigh* I've said it before, no one in fiction deserves an HEA more than Jane and Beast but I'll miss them so much. They aren't even done and I miss them already. 🥺

Jane is having real trouble adjusting to this Dark Queen business, as it means she can't go charging into danger anymore *though she keeps doing it* because her death would mean the death of more than just her. When she finally, truly realizes this, it's an awful moment for her. It makes her feel helpless to protect those she loves, and that's what Jane does. Beast however, does what Beast thinks best. As she does, LOL. 🥰

Jane is still in the mountains recovering from her last battles when attacks begin on her people, and a power grab that is apparently a much longer game than anyone even knew was going on comes to light. Some of the players in this game bring some personal shockers to Jane, on top of the issues she's having with her shift since being healed. Despite it being the last thing she wants to do, Jane and Clan have to head back to New Orleans.

The plot for this one was exciting, and everything moved fast. I had a horribly busy week that ate up my reading time but whenever I managed to pick my book up I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. Developments and issues happened one after another, and it was all the violence, blood, and genuinely badass fighting that mark this world. That Jane/Beast is the most badass of a world full of them has never been in doubt for me, but there is a point in this book where she is the DARK QUEEN and it was so utterly, completely savage it made me shiver, and I loved it.

And now my one gripe, and the reason this is 4.5 stars instead of 5. 😕 When Eli has to save Jane and is injured so badly he almost dies. I don't object to that. Everybody has to be saved at one point or another in this world, and considering the violence they all live with, Eli has been very, very lucky to this point. And for this to have been so very almost lethal for Eli, and the extreme *coughvampirebloodcough* measures to prevent his death, I'll even guess that his being more than human now is going to play a part in the next book. But for Eli to have so very nearly died because Jane couldn't get her weapon out fast enough because it got hung up on her new armor because she didn't check her weapons placement, I STG, that yanked me right out of the moment and I had to force myself not to stop in the middle of the action and get mad. I'm sure there's not another reader in the whole fandom that will pay attention to this but I was insulted on Jane's behalf. LOL. 🤷🏼‍♀️

Although I had a little mini-rant there 😂, that really was a momentary niggle and to balance that, I got the one thing I really wanted from this book. 🖤 Leo is back, not true dead! 😍 Though I was a little thrown by the fact that he's now an outclan priest? 😲 How's that going to work? I can't wait to find out Grégoire and Katie's reaction to that.

Though I'm sad the series is drawing to a close, like every book, I can't wait for the next one. I expect a LOT from it and have no doubt it will deliver. Besides being sad, I'm also greedy. We already got one fabulous spin-off *sort of* series from this in Soulwood but even though FH says she has no plans for this, I'm still crossing everything I have that at some point we get something with grownup Angie-baby. 🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻

If you're an urban fantasy/paranormal fan and you haven't read this series, do yourself the biggest favor ever, and do that.

[Kathy Davie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fourteenth in the Jane Yellowrock paranormal fantasy series and revolving around Jane, the Dark Queen. And today, Jane goes back to New Orleans.

If you're interested, there is a chronological listing of the Jane Yellowrock books on my website.

My Take
This is the most confusing tale, and I really wish I had re-read Shattered Bonds , 13.

Nor does it help that Hunter is all over the place and leaves bits out or unresolved. I wish Jane had taken the time to explore Monique's soul home. I suspect I do need to re-read Shattered Bonds and then True Dead to better understand. And even then I may need #15 to make things clearer. Hmmm . . . it appears that #15 is a collection of short stories, so that plan may not work . . .

The point-of-view, is mostly first person protagonist from Jane's perspective. Okay, I suppose you could say it was dual first person, since we do hear quite a bit from Beast, lol. It's always interesting to read Beast's dialogue versus Jane's. The rivalry they have going. It's also becoming more obvious that Beast has more control over their shifting than Jane suspected.

Jane has her usual character arc, struggling to come to terms with her powers and influence and the need for her to stand back. There is a lot of back history, way back history, Jane considers, trying to determine what happened to affect her throughout the series, so far. It's not just her own back story either. Interesting tidbits in here that explain quite a bit. As well as some revealing facts about DNA and tracking genetic lines. Wow! Beast expresses her own interests, and I'm suspecting what her character arc might be.

Bruiser's character arc, in this story, is his struggle with binding vampires to him. He does have a positive that Jane notes, all that nestmaking he's doing.

With the Mithrans their own people and still not citizens of the US, they must still deal with the State Department as an independent "country", which always makes things interesting.

As queen, Jane is passing some radical laws including taxation for making blood slaves, *he-he, snicker*.

We finally learn what causes the devoveo! It's a biggie and quite interesting, which leads to more questions and confusion by Jane about the Old Testament God and the New.

The wedding was certainly an action scene, and the arcenciels have some weird demands about Jodi and Wrassler's honeymoon! It's an event that reveals more weaknesses about the vamp HQ.

It's mostly character-driven and with lots and lots and lots of action. Omigod. There's action. And moodiness, guilt running free, death. Oh, boy.

The Story
It's a wedding!

And it's war when Jane is compelled to return to New Orleans because someone is trying to destabilize the paranormal world order. As the Dark Queen of all Mithrans, the assault is her problem.

She will do what she must to protect what’s hers. Her city. Her people. Her power. Her crown.

The Characters
Jane Yellowrock, a.k.a. "Legs", Her Majesty, is a vampire hunter, Cherokee skinwalker — war woman, and Dark Queen of all Mithrans. The Glob is a magical thingamabob that protected Jane while le breloque , a.k.a. la corona, is the all-important crown. Beast is the mountain lion whose soul Jane accidentally tied to her when she was five. Bitsa is her bastard Harley.

Bruiser, a.k.a. George Dumas, is Jane's Consort and an Onorio, who seeks sanctuary in the winery. Bruiser has brought his own Indian out of storage. Eli and Alex Younger, brothers, are Jane's partners in Yellowrock Security as well as Jane's "brothers". Eli is amazing in his battle skills yet gentle. Alex is a genius hacker. Dave Hines is the new pilot for Jane's new PC-24, Pilatus charter jet.

Yellowrock Clan has . . .
. . . a home base in the Appalachian Mountains near Asheville, Jane's winter court. Koun, a Master vampire who had been one of Leo's, is a powerful Celtic-tattooed vampire and older than Leo. He's Jane's chief strategist and the Dark Queen's Executioner. Brute is a white werewolf cursed to remain in his animal shape. Longfellow is a large flying striped lizard with red wings ( Shattered Bonds ). We're not sure which of the grindylows are with them. Martha and Jangles are Tex's dogs. “Tex” Cooper is also part of Jane's security. Josue Gagne is a French winemaker Bruiser hired to run the winery.

Grégoire, a.k.a. Blondie, is Jane's warlord in Europe, the Blood Master of all France. Edmund, a.k.a. Eddie the Great, is Jane's primo and the emperor of Europe.

Asheville, Tennessee, is . . .
. . . where Lincoln Shaddock is the Master of the City and Jane's ally. Thema and Kojo are mates and vampires, unsworn guests of Lincoln's. Amy Lynn Brown is a vampire whose blood pulls new vampires through their transition very fast.

The City of New Orleans is…
. . . home base for the Mithran Council Chambers where "Wrassler", a.k.a. Homer Perkins, is holding the fort. Amaury Pellisier had been the former MOC of New Orleans. Brandon and Brian Robere are twins and Onorios; Brandon is Jane's lawyer. Ernestine "Raisin" Frida Bisset is the very elderly accountant. Dr Northern tests DNA. Deon, Katie's former cook, is now a chef for the Council Chambers. Larry is Leo's former valet. Quesnel had been Leo's wine steward and sommelier. The Yellowrock Clan Home in New Orleans is the old Rousseau Clan Home. Drs Pierre and Solange Paquet have taken over the vampire funeral home. Shemmy is Jane's driver.

Katie's Ladies Bordello is still there but no longer used as a bordello — Katie is now the Master of the City of Atlanta. Katie's former ladies are now part of Jane's clan and include Christy, Tia (she's learning about computers from Alex), Ipsita, Rachel (she's Shiloh's primo), Indigo, Najla, and Bliss, a.k.a. Ailis Rogan, who is learning how to be a witch. Gee DiMercy is a glamoured Anzu who is Jane's Enforcer. Quint is Quesnel's niece, a sociopath, and about to be Jane's instructor in etiquette and royal conduct, a maid, a personal assistant, and security. Signy is a recent import, a Scandinavian Mithran.

Shiloh Everhart Stone is a vampire witch and Molly's niece. Sabina is an outclan priestess, a neutral judge in vampire matters. Bettina had been. Tau, a very dangerous senza onore, is being held in the NOLA witch null prison.

The NOLA clans who answer to Jane include Bettina Laurent of Clan Laurent; Innara and Jenna, the anamchara Blood Masters with their heir, Roland; and, Ming Zhane, who is another clan master. Cai is Ming's blood-servant in security. Long-Knife is second to Cai. Florence is the Infermieri who will be assigned to Jane. Florence had served under the outclan priestess Susanna to become outclan herself. Melita Del Omo had written a journal back in the day. She and Soledad Martinez had practiced black magic and now live together near New Orleans. Rosebud is one of their blood-servants. Edith is supposed to be an outclan priestess. Or an Onorio?

Derek Lee runs security for . . .
. . . the New Orleans vampires using his recruits: the Tequila and Vodka Boys. The Tequila Boys include Antifreeze, Sweaty Bollock, Blue Voodoo, and Sarah Spieth. The Vodka Boys include Angel Tit and Chi-Chi.

New Orleans PD
Jodi Richoux and Sloan Rosen (he's Jodi's second-in-command) are police detectives. Jodi gets promoted to official liaison to the NOLA fangheads. The police chief is Walker who owes his life to Jane.

Father Juan Ramirez will perform the wedding ceremony.

Psychometric Law Enforcement Division Of Homeland Security (Psy-LED)…
. . . polices paranormals. Soul, She Who Claims the Rift, a.k.a. She Who Seeks Peace, is assistant director and an arcenciel. Agent Rick LaFleur, a wolf shifter, is the head of a Psy-LED unit in Knoxville and a former boyfriend of Jane's. Kemnebi, an African were-leopard, had been forced to babysit Rick by Jane.

Special Agent-in-Charge (and regional director) Ayatas FireWind, a.k.a. Tsu Tsu, Nvdayeli Tlivdatsi, is another skinwalker, Jane’s younger brother, and an Elder of the People. It seems there are three other skinwalkers who are family. Einisi, a.k.a. Hayalasti Sixmankiller, is Jane's many times grandmother.

Arcenciels are . . .
. . . the rainbow dragons whose bite is poison. Storm is appointed emissary to the Dark Queen’s court. Pearl and Opal accompany her to the wedding.

The Everheart coven
Molly Everheart Trueblood is married to Evan, a sorcerer still in the closet. Angie, Little Evan, and baby Cassie are their powerful kids. Liz Everheart is dating Eli.

The enemies
Ka N'vsita had been purchased back in 1803. Adan Bouvier, a weather-witch-vampire, had also become a prisoner forced to do things. Immanuel had been Leo's son whom Jane had killed. Lucas Vazquez de Allyon had been a Spanish conquistador vampire who killed hundreds of Cherokee skinwalkers.Amelie had been meant to be Immanuel's fiancée. Fernand had been her brother. Both were turned by Leo. The Heir of the Sons of Darkness is the vampire pulling all these strings, the master of Leo Pellisier.

Shaun MacLaughlin had been the mind-bound anamchara of Dominique, Grégoire's heir. Now he is the representative for the Heir. The highest-ranking member of his entourage is a Russian Naturaleza, Zariyah.

The Damours had been a vamp blood-family with a witch family lineage, practicing black magic. Renee Damours had married her brother.

"Legolas" is . . .
. . . Melker and also known as "Lego". Monique Giovanni is a senza onore, a dark form of Onorio, more powerful than Jane or Bruiser suspects. The Firestarter, Aurelia Flamma Scintilla, is also a senza onore, a former nun, and now an outclan priestess. Dovic is a master swordsman.

Hayyel is the angel who protects Beast, and the angel who rescued Jane/Beast in Raven Cursed , 4. Arcenciels are rainbow dragons from another plane of existence whose bite allow you to see parts of the future. Coreen is the oldest living blood servant in the West.

There are two conflicting methods of feeding for vampires: the Naturaleza represent the old ways and want to drain and kill humans while the Fame Vexatum, Mithrans, believe in sipping and not killing.

Anamchara is a term for soul-bonded, an eternal mating. The devoveo is the years it takes for a newly made vampire to control themselves. Blood-slaves are blood-junkies without a permanent master and no security; blood-servants are paid employees who offer work and blood meals and who develop a relationship with their master, one that might turn into being adopted into the family. Infermieri are vampire healers. An SOD is a Son of Darkness, the original vampires. A gather is a vamp ritual in which energy is shared. La Destreza is the "cage of death", revamped by vampires from its original form.

My Lady Mother had been Bruiser's human mother. Reach had been a majorly good hacker and researcher who betrayed Jane. Ernest J Bellocq had figured out how to photograph vampires back in the mid-1800s.

An U’tlun’ta is a liver-eater, spear finger, and an evil skinwalker who does black magic and takes the life and flesh of a living human. A gigadanegisgi is a vampire. Aggie OneFeather had been Jane's first Tsalagi Elder. Tsu Tsu Inoli, a.k.a. Mark Black Fox, was Grandmother's son.

The Cover and Title
The cover is primarily browns and golds as Jane, in her red armor, races through a brown-toned cemetery, her head turned to the left with her braid flying to the right. In her right hand, she carries a dagger, in her left the Glob is shining brightly. On the left is a narrow gold border with brown stylized bats. At the top is the author's name in yellow. Below that is an info blurb, also in yellow. Below that and above Jane's head is the title in a distressed white. At the very bottom on the left is a testimonial in white. On the right is the series info in yellow.

The title is what both sides are aiming for: True Dead.

[Anne - Books of My Heart · Rating 5 out of 5]

This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart
 

Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

4.5 hearts

True Dead was exciting and had a story I needed and wanted. It has been almost two years since Shattered Bonds and that time gap hurt me.  I didn't remember some of the newer characters introduced there who were also key here. I had forgotten how much happened besides Jane being healed. She also started learning her role as Dark Queen.

Jane continues to figure things out about her newer abilities, the etiquette and politics of her position. She needs the history behind the making of her newest enemies.  She has some excellent tools to help her in Alex's computer skills, her own ability to scent magics, and various elders and diaries she can consult for more historical information.  They help her form her theories and confirm some things.

Beast is both a help and a problem.  She is making some of her own choices which leave Jane weak or in trouble.  I love Beast but almost felt she was dangerous to Jane sometimes. Beast is bigger on fighting and sex than she is smart strategy.  I hope they make  a better understanding at some point to go forward.

It was great to see some favorite characters and learn more about what others have been doing. On the other hand, some characters are not around at all (the witches, Edmund).  Of course,  some characters die, not all of them the enemies.  There are some characters who should die, but have yet to be brought to justice.  The ending is a pause,  before the next big battle they know will come.

I've long been a fan of the  Jane Yellowrock series.   I highly recommend this series, which does need to be read in order (like most urban fantasy).  The fast paced action and complexity of the world and its magic systems is exceptional. The strategy along with both the planned and spontaneous attacks is thrilling!

 
TRUE DEAD Q&A with Faith Hunter:
 

Can you help me understand Jane and Gee's Goddess blood more?

Answer: This is the first time I’ve been asked this in just this way. Short answer—Le breloque will only accept a few beings as its own. A very few humans throughout history, the arcenciels, and Jane. Gee DiMercy knew that the crown would take Jane. His blood and arcenciels’ blood is similar, as in they come from the same world and neither really belongs on Earth. Jane was an outlier, the only skinwalker with two souls who had not been driven insane. And … Beast knew an arcenciel back in the hunger times, so there was a connection. A sharing of meals. Perhaps … a sharing of blood.

I'm listening to Shadow Rites (again) and it has made me wonder. Is there any chance that you will do a series or follow-up novel in the future to let us know what happens with Angie Baby and Edmond once she is grown?

Answer: Not planning at this time. Not thinking that far ahead. I have contracts through 2022, and after that I’ll decide what to do series wise. I think about spinoffs all the time, but finding the character voices isn’t always easy. I try not to promise books I may not have in me to write.

When fighting the EV’s how did you decide who would win and who died and why? (A few of my favorites were gone.)

Answer: A few of my favorites were gone too. I had no idea when I started who would live or die, except for the chicky who got burned up in the rising sun. She had to go, and it had to be bad. Why? TRUE DEAD holds the answers. 

Your books rollercoaster readers’ emotions, but what was the personally most emotional scene for you to write?

Answer: I’ve been writing for over 30 years. After all this time, the most emotionally difficult to write was the scene in BETRAYAL (by Gwen Hunter, first pub’ed in 1994) where my character waits for her husband to come after her to kill her. He was abusive, dangerous, violent, and she knew with a certainty that he was going to kill her. So she let him come. That set-up scene, where she prepares herself emotional and physically and spiritually for what was to come, was powerful and empowering for me. And still one of my best.

It has already been established that Jane can travel to alternate universes if that's what we can call it when she met Joann and Papa Legba. Could it be that she did again and the Sangre Duello actually took place not her time but in the other one?

Answer: Nope. That alternate universe was a special situation, part of what is called a crossover story. However, CE Murphy (author of the Walker Papers) and I might be talking into doing a second crossover story… Maybe. 😊 

 
Excerpt:

(Beast)

Beast growled low, showed killing teeth again, eyes still on Koun. Sat with cow meat between claws. Ripped cover off meat and spat to floor. Tore meat off. Ate. Swallowed. Ate chunks. Water-blood ran across floor.

“You are angry. So, the messy kitchen is a lesson for Eli. What are you going to do to George? Hack up a hairball onto his pillow?”

Beast chuffed. Ate more meat. Belly was full. Dead cow meat was gone.

“Tell me, Vengeful Cat. Would you like to join the vampire hunters? The Chief strategist of Clan Yellowrock would be happy to follow you into battle.”

Beast ear tabs perked high. Venge-ful Cat. Was good name. Beast nodded as human does.

“Do you go in cat form, or do you shift into Jane?”

Most vampires and humans in Winter Court of Dark Queen did not know the I/we of Beast was not always Jane. Most did not know how to talk to not-human-forms. Koun knew how to talk but did not always act with knowledge. Koun asked two questions at one time. Could only ask one. Beast waited. Stared at Koun.

Koun pursed lips, thinking. “Do you hunt vampires in cat form?”

Beast licked paws and muzzle free of blood, rough tongue getting all blood and meat-bits from paws and toes and off pelt. Shook head no.

“Shift then. I’ll weapon up.” Koun turned and left kitchen, closing door softly.

Beast looked at office area. Met Brute eyes, blue as sun on ice. Brute shook head and went back to big mattress in office corner. Turned three times and curled into ball with lizard. Beast raced up stairs and into sleeping room. Went to place where Bruiser kept clothes. Nosed open door. Found Bruiser best shoes for dancing. Carried one to empty room and hid in empty closet. Could bite holes in dead-cow-skin-shoes with killing teeth, but did not want to make Bruiser sigh. Hiding shoe was enough. Chuffed. Padded back to bedroom, to bathroom, and leaped into place where humans lay in hot water. Was cold on Beast belly. Took claws off of Jane.

What the heck are you doing? Jane shouted at Beast.

Beast reached into Jane skinwalker magics and thought about Jane half form. Did not know what would happen when shifted. Did not know what form I/we would be. Most of Jane people did not know of Jane shifting problems. Some knew secret. Beast liked secrets. All cats liked secrets.

[AlwaysV · Rating 5 out of 5]

True Dead was hands down one of the BEST UF books in 2021! I was totally blown away by this epic installment! It was so worth the two years wait! All the fast and furious actions were gripping and captivating! Every move during the battles was so vivid so crystal clear completed with special effects of sounds and smells! All of my senses were engaged to the max! True Dead would make a smash box office had some brilliant filmmakers turned it into an action movie!

Loved how complex this book was. All the connections among the obscure names through times should've driven me nuts and thrown me off, thankfully, Faith Hunter kindly added CLAN PELLISSIER ORIGINAL BLOOD-FAMILY HISTORICAL CHART to help out her readers. Jane Yellowrock's history was also complicated. But again, I felt like I was experiencing the events with Jane and Beast, instead of being told about what happened. So yeah, a brilliant action-packed book!

In short, I loved everything about this book. Dying to read the Finale!

As a romance lover, here's one of my favorite scenes:

He was sitting in a swivel chair, his beautiful hands curled on the arms. I took his left hand and pulled him upright and close.

"Dance with me, Consort," I murmured in his ear.

His arms went around me, pulling my own hands back behind me in a move from a tango.

"As My Queen commands. As my only love demands." He drew me close, and his free hand splayed across my spine, pulling me against his hips. He was aroused, pressing into my belly.

"Yes," I whispered.

As a UF lover, here's one of my favorite scenes:

I was sure I looked gruesome enough on my own, but this time I was preceded by a bloody Koun and a bloody diminutive blonde, dangling two heads by the hair in her left hand. Koun had assured me that the display was in keeping with vamp battle and war and would cause my enemies to quake. Blood was still dripping from the vamp heads . . .

Koun looked us all over, said "My Queen," and threw open the doors. He strode inside, Quint to his left.

She held up the two heads . . . Then she shouted, "Behold the trophies of the Dark Queen and quiver in fear! Behold her enemies!"

Well. That was a new one.

The gym went instantly and weirdly quiet.

[BookAddict ✒ La Crimson Femme · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the book I have been waiting for a long while. In this series, we have seen Jane grow from a lone ranger to a person responsible for a small company. At one point she becomes the de facto person in charge of all the security for the Master of the City, Leo. The last couple of books have languished a bit for me because, well, *spoiler alert*, Leo DIED! I keeled over and cried in shock with Leo passed away. How could this be? How could Ms. Hunter do this to a pivotal character? Why would she do this? Well, turns out there is method to her madness.

To read the rest of my review, click on the image below to see it on my website.

[Trisha · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was really enjoying this book but Jane kept making horrible decisions that turned out bad for her clan. It’s a constant theme in this series that Jane blames herself for everything bad that happens….. well this is the book that it is totally warranted. If more than 5 very powerful para creatures tell you to kill something , you have ample opportunity to kill it and you don’t everything that results is partially your fault.
I lost count on the times Jane said “holy crap”
The last 1/3 was solid with a good ending. There’s new players. I’ll be interested to see where it goes

[Ian · Rating 3 out of 5]

The problem with a series that runs this long is the only way to keep the story moving along is to add bigger villains, bigger explosions, bigger... bigger...
And eventually you end up with a giant death ray in outer space.

So True Dead was entertaining and I will continue with the series but it feels more like a habit than anything else at this stage. I think the Soulwood Series by the same author is what I'm really enjoying at the moment.

[Anniken Haga · Rating 3 out of 5]

This isn't a bad Jane book by any means. I enjoy that we get to see the somewhat more human side of her with the wedding, although I think the wedding might have made it better as an individual short story than as part of one of the main novels. Because of it, the first half of the book was a little wobbly, if interesting, but I wasn't sure where the book was going.

The last half was very action heavy, with a lot of fights and some vampire politics. I'm glad there wasn't too much politics, but I felt everything was kinda rushed through. I don't know. Something didn't feel quite right with this book. A little like with the last one, that surrounds Jane's inner life a lot. It's not bad, and I like that we get to see her human side, but there can be a bit too much of it, as well as a lot of back and forth.

It generally felt like the author wasn't quite sure how to write this into a full length novel. A small part of me thinks we could have skipped the first half of this book and then jumped right to what will happen in book 15, but then there'd have been a feeling of 'this came out of the blue' and general lack of foreshadowing, so I understand why this book had to be here.
That said, I felt like the whole grandmother story was VERY out of the blue.

So, yeah. Not a bad Jane book, but not the best either.

[Douglas Meeks · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read every book in this series and have never been disappointed but I have to say this one came close but for reasons that I can't talk about other than her loss of the power to shift at will seemed to get a bit cumbersome for the reader. The book while moving the story along in a superb fashion with the usual multitude of plots and surprises did seem to take a road never taken where it seemed everybody was suddenly less powerful. This added just a small bit of frustration to my enjoyment which is miles away from not loving the story but keeping up with all the characters was a small chore since I had to stop several times and remember who "Now who was this again" but this is still Jane Yellowrock and I still sense the end of the series coming and that makes me a bit sad but in all I wanted to give this 5 Stars but I felt that was more my love for the series than the actual enjoyment of this book. In the end they brushed over it quickly but it sounded a lot like the ending of Godfather 1 (and I loved it)

[Mike Finn · Rating 4 out of 5]

So here I am at the fourteenth Jane Yellowrock book and I'm still having a good time. That's quite an achievement by Faith Hunter.

Two years ago, the last novel, Shattered Bonds, went a long way to rebooting the series after the long story arc with Leo and the European vamps came to an end in Dark Queen, so I was keen to see where Jane would go next.

I was a little disappointed that the answer was New Orleans. I'd harboured a hope that Jane might go off and do something new, although I had no idea what. Still, you either trust an author or you don't, so I put my disappointment aside and waited to see where Faith Hunter took me and what she did to Jane in the process. She delivered an emotionally intense, action-packed novel that, despite being fifteen and a half hours long, I wolfed down in two days.

Yes, we did go back to New Orleans, where everything began but True Dead was a great example of the truth that you can never go back. You and the places you're in keep changing. One of the things I liked about the book was how Jane see the ghosts of her own past actions everywhere she goes. She's not haunted by them but she's not blind to them. As the book progresses, Jane's attention is mostly taken up by the realisation that being the Dark Queen means that when she puts herself at risk, she puts all her people at risk. If she dies, whoever kills her will not treat them well. It's quite an adjustment for her to make and I admired how Faith Hunter lets the realisation dawn upon her a little at a time.

Beast is one of my favourite characters in this series and I'm really enjoying the new I/we combination of Jane and Beast which allows them to work together and talk to each other while still keeping their separate identities. Beast has a simpler view of the world than Jane. Not a less intelligent one, but one that is driven by a certainty about who she is and what she wants that Jane has yet to acquire or acknowledge. One of the joys of the audiobook version of the novels is the voice that  Khristine Hvam gives to Beast. It perfectly catches the cadences of Beast's thoughts. Listening to her switch from Beast to Jane and back again in a single paragraph and never leaving me in any doubt about who is speaking is an object lesson in excellent narration.

Like its predecessors, True Dead is packed with fight scenes and I think that they're some of the best in the series. They seem more spontaneous and less set-piece in nature than the previous books. There are new fighters and new weapons and new vulnerabilities and they are all written with a here-and-now intensity that I find impossible to resist.

With every book, the understanding of the magic that drives the creatures in Jane's world deepens. Each time I'm impressed by how Faith Hunter makes magical concepts concrete, credible and easy to believe in without simplifying or loading me down with arcane explanations. In Jane's battles, I can see the magic striking as clearly as I can see the blades slicing through muscle and bone.

Faith Hunter is an expert at getting me to care about the characters rather than just seeing them as avatars in a video game. She takes the time to show how Jane lives when she isn't engaged in a battle and she shows me that it's these moments of peace and the people she shares them with that give her a reason to fight and which win her the loyalty of her people. In this novel, we get the rare opportunity of a wedding and we get a couple of funerals and Faith Hunter delivers the full impact of both the join of the union and the grief over the deaths.

The only points when I found myself a little restless while I read was when we dived deep into Vamp plots and motivations and revisited all the things I thought I'd learned from earlier books and altered their meaning to create a new, threatening pattern. I know some people like these parts of the books and I can see that they're necessary to sustain the long story arcs but they don't do very much for me. Once or twice, the events and relationships that were being revisited and the patterns that were being drawn were so complicated, I felt that I needed a flow chart to keep up with them. It was like watching Faith Hunter do origami with the pages of the previous thirteen novels to produce a flying dragon. The skill it takes is amazing. The outcome is elegant. But the bit in the middle isn't exciting.

Nevertheless, this was another good novel in the series. It had some clever twists in it. It introduced some new characters, my favourite being the deadly sociopath that becomes Jane's Lady-in-Waiting and bodyguard. It also sets up a new story arc that I'm already looking forward to following as the next few books come out.

[Graylark · Rating 2 out of 5]

- Too much time spent on intensely boring navel-gazing. I nearly stopped reading midway through because of this.
- This is the opposite of a stand-alone book. Everything in the plot hinges on so many convolutions that took place in previous books. There were also so many characters popping up, most of whom I couldn’t remember anymore.
- It felt like the author had an outline of some things that needed to happen in this book, and also connect the dots to explain things. She just took care of those and there didn't seem to be any kind of personal relationships growing or interactions happening really.

[Terri ♥ (aka Mrs. Christian Grey) · Rating 1 out of 5]

I DID NOT FINISH. This rating is to remind me why I won’t continue this series. It is not to bash the author. I do like her other series. The rating is for me only. Go forth and read this series if it interest you.

Reminder to me:

I don’t think I’ll finish this one. I never liked Jane but enjoyed the story I could get past it.

However, I keep throwing up in my mouth every time she gushes over her guy. Whatever his name is.

My grievance goes back to the beginning of the series when said guy held her down while Leo drank her blood without her permission. Let’s call it what it was, Leo blood raped her and Bruiser, that’s his name, helped.

There are those that say he was under Leo’s control. Yet, when he wanted to be with Jane he got out of Leo’s control so that excuse is crap.

Jane is a sanctimonious holier than thou individual. She got mad at Ricky Bo for looking at another woman without finding out why, giving him a chance to explain or finding out if he was spelled. But Bruiser who was complicit in her blood rape is the love of her life.

Sorry, I’m calling horse shit. Hypocrisy at its highest.

I was able to push past this in previous books because the story was more than the romance. This book seems to be the opposite. It’s too much of them and not enough story. I’ve stopped and started over several months. I just can’t anymore. I’m done.

[Darcy · Rating 4 out of 5]

There was a lot going on in this one, a lot of changes for Jane, a lot of things that will effect her for awhile. Amid all of the craziness that is Jane's life is one happy thing, Wrassler and Jodie's wedding. While there were a few hitches prior, the wedding was great! I did love learning about a new wedding custom, the hamburger event afterwards for certain guests. That Eli...always thinking on his feet and doing what he can to help Jane out.

The rest...well Jane learned some things, came to a few realizations and out maneuvered those that were after her. This one done in very decisive moves, moves other vamps won't be able to not acknowledge. Along the way her team took some bad hits to their personnel, hits that will be felt deeply for time to come. And at the the end, things are still a bit murky, but Jane is there to fight another day.

[Steph · Rating 4 out of 5]

“I love you. You are my love first, my queen second, and I will love you and serve you for long as there is breath in this body.”

Man, how do authors keep these intricate timelines straight? There was a lot of deep dive, vamp chess in this installment. Some sad moments, some touching moments, some badass battle scenes - all of which continue to keep this series on my must-buy list. Once again, I’m impatiently waiting for more.

[WycEd Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Check out our full post for TRUE DEAD on Wicked Reads.

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Erica – ☆☆☆☆☆
TRUE DEAD is the 14th installment in the Jane Yellowrock series. It absolutely cannot be read as a standalone or out of series order. Not only is the world building complex, crafted from SKINWALKER (Jane Yellowrock book one) onward but it's a continuing story arc throughout all the novels. Extreme confusion would be had for new readers. Start at SKINWALKER.

Eagerly anticipated and well worth the wait, I savored TRUE DEAD, thrilled to move forward in Jane Yellowrock's universe.

Healed from a form of magical cancer, heavy is the head that wears the crown. Our Dark Queen, Jane is used to being the first to run into battle, used to being the cannon fodder for political monsters, a pawn maneuvered on the Southeast territory's game board. With Leo's death, with the crown choosing to rest upon Jane's head, she is the Dark Queen, and it's beyond difficult to switch gears from the underling to one of the most powerful, wealthy, and influential beings on the planet.

Based in North Carolina, Jane and company are prepared to journey back to NOLA for Wrassler and Jodi's upcoming nuptials. A large portion of the beginning, around the first third, the reader joins Jane as she tries to get her footing in North Carolina. Make no mistake, those pages are filled with action and the gamut of the human condition as Jane struggles. Not only is she having trouble adapting, her human form is a cost paid via the healing of the magical cancer. Jane's half form is becoming the natural skin she wears, taking a toll for her to try to maintain a human form for more than a few hours.

Where Faith Hunter shines is the connections she's created for Jane. The orphan has constructed a large, extended family of chosen confidantes who accept Jane for who she is, people willing to lay their lives down for her. They're frustrated with her, because Jane is the ultimate alpha predator, believing she needs to be between her loved ones and danger, when with her death it will bring destruction to all they know and hold dear. They're the fodder now, but they're too valuable emotionally for Jane to lose.

The familial connection, the romantic entanglement Jane has with her mate/consort, the camaraderie and laughter between them all, especially the uncanny thought process of Beast, this brings levity to a very deep and heavy novel, lessens the stress felt on every page, as the reader empathizes with Jane's plight.

The enemy of my enemy is my friend. No matter where Jane and company reside, the target is firmly resting upon her head. Greed and lust for power, the European vamps are in cahoots with a surprising faction of supes, which I will not name as that would spoil the reader's journey. Both factions seeking Jane's magical artifacts for their own gain.

Set to the backdrop of a NOLA wedding, Jane is in danger on every page. The title – True Dead – had fear in my heart for the entire time, many of Jane's nearest and dearest in peril. There are hard hitting deaths, surprisingly fitting twists, new positions created and held, and a slight cliffhanger as readers ravenously await what this new connection made means for Jane and another.

As always, the best parts of the novel feature Beast-speak. Beast is a separate entity in her own right, with her own emotions, desires, needs, and drive, and she pushes Jane sometimes for Jane's benefit and sometimes to her detriment.

I won't lie, I got majorly choked up when Jane stepped foot into the foyer at HQ. I won't explain, as I hope readers have a similar, shocked emotional reaction.

The twist... holy crap, Batman!

Have some tissues handy, tears from shock, grief, and emotional overload will undoubtedly fall.

On the negative side. I spent a large portion of the novel just rolling with it. Bear in mind, I just reread all 14 novels back-to-back in two weeks' time, the world building and events firmly in my mind. Some of the world building, the jumps in logic, the actions of enemies, I was totally lost on what was occurring. Maybe I'm head-blind after reading nonstop, but it felt as if Hunter managed to connect A to G, without leaving breadcrumbs from B to F for readers to follow. This left me confused, where I just had to take it as face-value and roll with it. Too much information dumped, where Hunter tried to explain a simple plot with a very complicated explanation, featuring hundreds of years’ worth of political maneuverings.

Now the wait begins anew, where I eagerly await what will happen next for Jane and Beast, along with all they call their own, targeted by their enemies both near and far.

Reviewers received a free copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

True Dead
3.5 Stars

Jane and her court, yes she is the Dark Queen, return to NOLA to deal with those who pose a threat to her city and her people.

While this is a significant improvement over the last book, there are still several problematic issues. These include Janes's repetitive "woe is me, I'm the vampire queen" musings, her missing-in-action kick-ass nature, and her excessive preoccupation with religion.

It is made very clear that Jane does not want to be the Dark Queen and yet, she has accepted the role and all its trappings - get over it already! Also, what happened to Jane's fighting skills? All of a sudden she is taking a back seat to the action and allowing others to fight her battles for her - not a fan!

Finally, some of the books in the series have contained overt Christian themes, but it is completely overdone here. There are entire paragraphs of Jane going to church, worrying about souls, redemption, heaven, etc. These are incongruous and come across as proselytizing, which I personally dislike.

Despite these issues, the actual storyline is compelling with revelations, surprises and even traumas from beginning to end. The interactions between Jane and Beast as well as the other characters, Bruiser, Eli as well as the newbies, Thema and Quint, are wonderful.

In sum, this is a solid penultimate book and I am looking forward to the final installment. Hopefully it will meet expectations.

[Katrine Austin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall well written book, the first half had troubles keeping my attention, and other books could distract me from this one (hence the 4 stars). I get that this is her penultimate book for this Yellowrock series, so I want to see it through, simply to see how all the complex plot lines and characters end up. I would LOVE to see Yellowrock's half-form on the cover of the last novel, but in keeping with the whole series cover art I doubt this will happen. I've loved this series for the unique take on "skinwalker" and the weaving of Cherokee culture into the plot. Looking forward to #15 and final!

[Gator Girl Eaton · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ebook-own
SPOILERS: I chuckle at this title. Because the way the author is manipulating these magical items, the powers of Onorios and other paranormal characters and the rules of her world?!?!?!........ there's really no such thing as True Dead.
Leo is back. Thrice born. And even though I sound a little salty, I'm not unhappy about Leo's presence. He's never been my favorite because he was always controlling and I definitely didn't like the idea of some readers of Jane and Leo being "romantic. Hell to the nawh. (Apologies Jane for the minor curse word.) The way this story line is heading....his character is necessary. But honestly it was an odd handling of his appearance in the book. Sort of "ho hum". This is MAJOR to me and the author has him show up, act strange, unload some mysterious information and that's that for a while. Are you kidding me?!?! Leo. Is. Back!!!!!!
** I get it. Major stuff going on with Gramma, Ka, Shaun....yada yada blah blah blah. But LEO is freaking alive-ish. **

The Eli "death/revival". I don't have the words right now. Eye roll.
My frustration: towards the beginning of the book, Beast uses her speed to help Jane freaking pull a gun and kill someone. In the scene of Eli's near death, Jane had already pulled some amazing, unexplainable physical acts but because her weapon was in a little bit of a different area of her armor, she's too slow (?!?!) to block the attack which results in Dovic slicing into Eli's leg?.
And now Eli and Jane's heartbeats are in sync. Eye roll. We have no idea "what" Eli is now because of all the vamp blood and what Jane did with the Glob, her blood, etc. Eye roll.
I like Eli. I'm not upset that he's alive. It's just. I don't know.
I sort of feel like the author has made her villains so powerful that she has to then make the humans around Jane "more" so that it makes sense for them to be around.

When we are this many books in...I need the author to do a glossary of characters AT THE BEGINNING OF THE BOOK. There are so many characters and different types of paranormal creatures and magical abilities plus the magical items, that I would appreciate a source to reference.
There was a little something at the end, but it was mainly about the Pellisier bloodline.

*** Sigh ***
3 stars. Not the worst in the series. Not the best.
I like Leo's back. I like Koun. I'm like Jane in that I'm not quite sure how I feel about her lady-in-waiting, Quintel(???? I know I haven't spelled her name right.) She's creepy but Cool?
Still love Bruiser. I like Aya (biological brother), being more present in Jane's life.
I liked how the author has Jane reconnecting with her spiritual life. The conversation about the souls of the vampires is interesting to me.

My main frustration with this book is as a reader I'm getting the feeling like the "rules" of this world are being manipulated for some reason. Like things are being created out of thin air to serve a convenient purpose currently. I just don't get the feeling like this has been planned or mapped out from the beginning.

[drey · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you’ve been here before, you know I’m a huge fan of Faith Hunter’s Jane Yellowrock series – and I couldn’t wait to read True Dead. Jane/Beast faced some gnarly stuff in Dark Queen and Shattered Bonds, and her slow recovery is worrying EVERYONE. Especially with non-friendlies closing in, chafing against the audacity of a vamp killer wearing le breloque (instead of a vamp, of course).

There’s a lot of history in True Dead, including events that begat the events that started way, way back in Skinwalker (book 1) – and that’s only what Hunter has chosen to reveal to us. It makes one wonder what one might’ve missed by not doing a complete re-read prior to picking up True Dead. Or maybe it just makes one want to do a re-read now, to see if all the newly-revealed nuggets will lead to different perspectives on favorite or hated characters? (That’s a completely rhetorical question; a re-read is never a bad idea, whether its done before or after checking out the latest installment!)

There’s also a lot of action in True Dead, and sometimes you wonder “well, how the heck are Jane/Beast supposed to do anything when they’re so busy dealing with plots and more plots and all that jazz?” But Jane goes on as she always does – one step at a time, even if sometimes she has to go backwards in order to move forward again.

Every book in this series brings out more about Jane, her background, her powers, and so on. True Dead is almost brutal in all the stuff it dumps on her, and I’m amazed that she’s managed to cope as well as she has. Not perfectly by any means, but I’d be curled in a ball and she’s gearing up to take on more baddies. And the surprises – oh my the surprises. I’d need more than tea to deal with some of what Hunter dishes out. As it is, Jane’s growth as a person from Skinwalker to True Dead is what I love about this series. She’s not just a skinwalker, not just a vamp-killer, not just. She’s gained perspective and insight, and the more she learns the more she understands how her choices have consequences. Even if they didn’t seem like a choice in the first place.

I looked forward to True Dead for so long that it’s almost anticlimactic when you’re done with the book. Then you have to re-read right away in case you missed something. Then you do a series re-read in case you missed anything else. And you rue the day you finished this book, because now you’ve got another long wait before the next one.

Definitely add this series (and book) to your TBR if you haven’t yet.

drey’s rating: Excellent!

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another amazing book by Faith Hunter. Jane and crew are back in NOLA and back to what they do best, hunting down the bad guys. There are many surprise twist and turns in this book especially one that will have long time fans very excited. I won't spoil it, but I am looking forward to what this might mean for future books. Even though Jane was healed of the cancer in the last book she is still having a hard time with her shifting but as usual is too deep in trouble and trying to keep everyone alive to address it. We get a closer look at the new dynamics since Jane became the Dark Queen and how everyone it having to adjust. If you are looking for everything to be tied up nice and neat by the end you will be disappointed as the book ended on a huge cliff hanger. I am waiting with bated breath for the next book and what it might bring.


I received this arc from netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

True Dead is the fourteenth book in the Jane Yellowrock series by Faith Hunter. This series just keeps getting better and better. In this one, Jane has been recovering from magically induced cancer in the mountains of North Carolina. After an attack on her mountain home, it soon becomes apparent that she must return to New Orleans and resume her unwanted duties as the Dark Queen. When she returns she finds plots from various dissatisfied paranormal groups who want her replaced as the Dark Queen and the leader of the NOLA vampires. Jane must delve deeply into the motives and past of the various groups aligned against her, all the while planning a huge wedding between her friends, Wrassler and Jodie. This one is action-packed with the usual high body and weapon count. This book has many twists and turns and keeps your attention riveted to the page for the entire novel. Another must-read in this marvelous series by Faith Hunter.

[Jen Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've struggled for a while with keeping straight the vast cast of characters in this series. The same goes for its dense storytelling and complicated history. So I thought maybe it might be easier if I saved a few of these books up and read them back to back. It did help to some degree. The events of Shattered Bonds were super fresh in my mind, which meant all of Jane's health struggles and the rising power of Beast over their form flowed right into this story. On top of that, I read Of Claws and Fangs which ramped me up for more of Atayas, who I was never really interested in before. But man, I still didn't remember who all the players were, particularly when it came to the intricate backstories of the villains.

All that said, the book was good. These books are always good. When I don't remember something, I just go with it. The narrative usually weaves in enough explainers for me to get by. Heck, this one even had a breakdown of events buried inside like a little meta readers guide. What you really need to know, though, is that Jane and the gang are going back to New Orleans for Wrassler's and Jodi's wedding --and of course-- to meet the latest threat looking to take down the Dark Queen.

Most of my faves were there. Bruiser, who I adore. Eli and Alex. Brute. I really found myself digging new characters, Koun, Thelma, and Quint. And there were some surprise appearances from old characters whose names I won't spoil here. I did miss Molly, Evan, and Angie in this one... not to mention Edmund. But to be fair, there are a lot of moving parts already.

There's plenty of action... machinations... and magic. I loved watching Jane explore her powers as Dark Queen and her family skinwalking history with her brother. It's awesome to see her interact with the NOLA vamps and crew and the way they love her. It always seems to surprise Jane when she realizes she matters to people. That stuff is gold.

The ending was great and sets up the final book in the series, which I am jumping into now. I'll be sad to see these characters go, but it's been a great ride.

*ARC provided by publisher

[Kristine · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.75 stars 🌟

It is hard to believe that this is only the 14th book in this series. I'm not really sure how else to say that because there are certain series where there can be 20 or 30 books (John Sandford, J.D. Robb) and they are still excellent after all this time, and it is hard to believe that so many books have been written. This, I think, is the opposite. SO much has happened in a short amount of time that it is hard to believe that we are ONLY on book 14. I don't know if that will make sense to anyone else other than me, but that's what I'm feeling now.

So, Jane is now the Dark Queen. Things have been CRAZY in her life for the last several books, but don't for one minute think that they can not get crazier. She is cured of her cancer, but now she is having problems controlling her shifts...or is she? Beast is being a sneaky one and I think she has more abilities than she has been willing to let on about. Interesting......

Things happen in the opening of this book and Jane has to come back to New Orleans. Wrassler is getting married so there is that. But, things are also happening around Jane that are disconcerting. She has her supporters, but there is also an entire faction that want her dead and will stop at nothing to have it happen.

Without going into spoilers, let me just say that this is a book that you have to hold on for. Things are happening at a very fast pace and you are not really sure who is on what side.

The things that I enjoy the most about this series is the relationships between those closest to Jane. I LOVE the brothers - Eli and Alex. I ADORE Bruiser. Then, there is the whole NOLA contingent. And Beast...that sneaky cat...she knows more than she has been letting on.

Things happen in this story. People surprise us by appearing. Things are happening quickly.

All I can say is hold on....things are getting interesting....

[Ralph Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley.com, Berkeley Publishing Group, and the author, for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book.

*** Spoilers Ahead***

This is book fourteen in the Jane Yellowrock series, so if you feel lost reading this, just remember there was much that happened before.

So the tale picks up with Jane still having shifting issues, which is causing stress not only to Jane, but to her clan followers. An attack in the clan territory emphasizes this, plus stresses the issue, because in two weeks, they are returning to NOLA for a wedding. But that return to NOLA, Jane has to BE her titles: Leader of Clan Yellowrock, Master of the City New Orleans, and Dark Queen of the Mithrans. In NOLA they discover a new enemy that is coming against them, and it involves Jane's true Native American, Skinwalker family. Because she is the Queen, it is her duty to find the enemy and wipe it out. Oh, did I forget to mention Leo is back?

May have some spoilers ahead.....

I have really enjoyed this series, and was so happy to get an ARC of this one. I was beginning to wonder if there was going to be any other Yellowrock books, and now know that there is room for the story to continue at least for another book after this one. Plus, I think I might have read somewhere that there may be a second conglomeration book with CE Murphy as well. But back to topic....

Janes character has changed so much through the storyline of fourteen books. Being solely responsible for so long is hard to change, but she is learning now that is has to happen. With a seeming lack of control on the her/Beast changes, whether to/from human/Beast/half-beast it comes randomly with different effects: pain, quickness of change, etc. Her clan, and personal guards have to learn to let her know details of missions/plans to keep her safe otherwise Jane goes nutso and charges right in, putting herself at danger (sense she cannot shift on will, cannot heal herself quickly).

I don't believe there was much world-building going on in this tale. NOLA had been pretty well set-up in previous books, though this time having the higher titles, obviously more money , meant more properties around the town were owned by Jane. There was more background built up on the Mithrans, as they uncover information of 'The Rule of Three' and I look forward to much more of that being shown in the next novel. Also, this Heir, name being revealed, but what level of power are we talking about? With Leo now a second-born, outclan priest, he has gained more power, but he was powerful before - and this Heir being of that line, could they have even more power? Things to make one anxiously await the next book.

Overall, I truly enjoyed this one. This series has been one I have read for the past couple years, having binged through half the series or more to catch up. I like Faith Hunter's writing style, and the way she tells her tale. I am not a romance reader, and the author keeps it at a minimum, with an absence of explicit details (thank you!) that even older YA would enjoy to read. Looking forward to the next book in the series!

#NetGalley #TrueDead