Blood of the Earth (Soulwood, #1) in Read, Reading, Planning to Read and More

Jul 31, 2015 Douglas Meeks rated it it was amazing

Well let me start off by saying that this is a spin-off from the Jane Yellowrock series and while it might help a small bit to read that series it is really not required to enjoy this one, especially since a lot of things we thought we knew prove to be false.

OK, this story revolves around Nell Ingram who is a bit magical, a bit homespun botanist, and a lot hermit who really does not care for people when this book starts. Nell is an incredibly complex character and so there is a lot of pages requ Well let me start off by saying that this is a spin-off from the Jane Yellowrock series and while it might help a small bit to read that series it is really not required to enjoy this one, especially since a lot of things we thought we knew prove to be false.

OK, this story revolves around Nell Ingram who is a bit magical, a bit homespun botanist, and a lot hermit who really does not care for people when this book starts. Nell is an incredibly complex character and so there is a lot of pages required to try to reveal to us (and to Nell) who Nell really is and some questions are not answered easily and some will be revealed as we go down the road in this series. We get enough information fed to us along to keep the reader interest high and it gets more intense as the book progresses.

Nell after being approached by the PsyLED team starts to reveal a natural ability for investigative thinking in addition to whatever magical powers she might possess (which are kind of murky and get a bit clearer as we go along but still very mysterious). She hopes it will also give her some measure of safety on her own land from the cult that watches her.

For the first book of a series this has a very complex multifaceted plot in addition to the plotline of just trying to figure out who/what Nell is and what she can actually do, something she does not have the answer for when this story starts.

The main story revolves around the religious cult that Nell escaped from many years ago and to solve this crime she will have to revisit her previous life and a lot of things will be revealed along the way. The story is amazing.

Bottom line: First books in a series are usually much lighter than this one because the author usually wants to hook you in quickly. This one starts slow and continues to build throughout the story and you are indeed hooked long term by the end of this book. The characters are good, the ones on the team that are not fleshed out here will be in subsequent books I am sure since Nell seems to be the central character, this is a team story and we only get depth from 2-3 of them for this story. So 5 Stars for a excellent first book in the series and an exceptional story that just grabs you a bit tighter the farther in you go. I am glad I don't have to wait too long for the next one Curse on the Land in Nov 2016 . ...more

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Jul 07, 2016 Marta Cox rated it it was amazing

Shelves: my-reviews, netgalley

This is Nells book yes I repeat Nell. Why do I say that you ask? Well there are lots of people who adore this authors Jane Yellowrock series who detest, loathe and absolutely despise a certain character who is featured here. Well don't look away, don't sigh but do enjoy the fact that that character does kind of get what's coming but to say more would spoil the fun, just ouch!!!!
So remember Nell the woman who escaped a cult but ended up living next door to it? There's just something magical about ...more

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May 16, 2015 LoveYourShelf (LAB☺) rated it really liked it

Shelves: ebook

I was a little weary to read this book even though I had not read the Jane Yellowrock novella that introduced Nell's character. I have read all the JY books but I don't usually bother with too many novellas. Well I am glad to say it was no problem whatsoever and the events are recapped just fine. This was a great book and I loved watching Nell on her journey to discover who she is and who she wants to be. I also liked the secondary characters and look forward to seeing more of Unit 18 in future ...more

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Oct 05, 2016 Josephine rated it liked it

Captivating and fast-paced storyline. Big down side: the repetitiveness. Yes, I get that Nell does not know what she is. Yes, I know her history with Jane Yellowrock has a heavy bearing on her current situation. Really, I get it. Let's move on already! This happens throughout the ENTIRE book. Also, the minute details of her herbal remedies get rather tiresome. Maybe for others who are fascinated with concocting their own medicines, but these recipes were a big SKIP for me. Hopefully, her next in ...more

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May 28, 2020 Haz rated it liked it

3.6 stars. welll let me start by saying what an interesting series this is! I mean the author is known for her unique stories ( i loveeee jane yellowrock) so maybe i expected something similar but this series was very different and interesting. It did start off very slow and i found it dragged on a bit but it was worth the read and kept me engaged as i found i couldnt put it down. On to the next book, coz i really need to know what will happen next!

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Aug 13, 2016 Melindeeloo rated it really liked it

Shelves: urban-fantasy, x2016-audio-challenge, anastja

I found parts of this difficult, there's people who want to do harm to heroine Nell in the early parts of the story. Nell is so alone at the start that it's good to see how she reshape her life by the end. I liked her a lot, she's not school smart but puts her brain to good use along with her intuition. I liked her Psyled team members too. I am looking forward to more of Nell. ...more

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Nov 17, 2016 Vicki Stiefel rated it it was amazing

A terrific novel by Faith Hunter, the launch of the new series, which is tangential to her Jane Yellowrock series. Same world, and a few characters cross over, including Rick. Marvelous new heroine who guides the book to a marvelous conclusion. Loved it!

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