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1. Skinwalker (2009)

The Jane Yellowrock series is written by Faith Hunter

Genre and Sub-Genres[]

Urban Fantasy / Noir UF

Brief Series Description or Overview[]

✥ Jane Yellowrock is a Cherokee Skinwalker-- one of the very last. She also shares her body with the soul of a mountain lion, Beast, as a result of accidental black magic when she was 5 years old. Jane stumbled naked out of the woods at age 12, with no language, no memory, and no family. Raised in a Christian children's home, she's now grown and is re-discovering her true self, going deeper than her love for motorcycles, weapons, and fine tea, her social awkwardness, and her job as a rogue vampire hunter. In this series, Jane works to unravel her past, understand her present, and make a future.

Lead's Species[]

  • A two-souled Cherokee Skinwalker.  

Primary Supe[]

  • Skinwalker, vampire, witch, were, and more.

What Sets it Apart[]

  • Alpha Female
  • Set in New Orleans
  • Dual Souls with Unique Magic
  • Weapons and Tea

Narrative Type and Narrators[]

  • First person narrative told by Jane Yellowrock and Beast (a mountain lion who shares Jane's body), co-protagonists.

Books in Series[]

The Jane Yellowrock / Skinwalker series:

  1. Skinwalker (2009)
  2. Blood Cross (2010)
  3. Mercy Blade (2011)
  4. Raven Cursed (2012)
  5. Death's Rival (2012)
  6. Blood Trade (2013)
  7. Black Arts (2014)
  8. Broken Soul (2014)
  9. Dark Heir (2015)
  10. Shadow Rites (2016)
  11. Cold Reign (2017)
  12. Dark Queen (2018)
  13. Shattered Bonds (2019)

Shorts Stories in Series[]

  • 0.1. "WeSa and the Lumber King" in Cat o' Nine Tales, Have Stakes Will Travel
  • 0.2. "The Early Years" in Cat o' Nine Tales, Cat Tales
  • 0.3. "Snafu" in Black Water
  • 0.4. "Cat Tats" in Cat o' Nine Tales, Cat Tales
  • 0.5. "Kits" in Cat o' Nine Tales, Cat Tales
  • 0.6. "Haints" in Cat o' Nine Tales, Have Stakes Will Travel
  • 0.7. "Signatures of the Dead" in Strange Brew, Cat o' Nine Tales, Have Stakes Will Travel (July 7, 2009) [Molly's PoV]
  • 1.5. "First Sight" in Cat o' Nine Tales
  • 3.1. "Easy Pickings" (2011) ~ Faith Hunter, C.E. Murphy [Joanne Walker-Jane Yellowrock crossover novella]
  • 3.2. "Blood, Fangs and Going Furry" in Cat o' Nine Tales, Cat Tales
  • 3.3. "Dance Master" in Cat o' Nine Tales
  • 4.1. "Cajun With Fangs" in Cat o' Nine Tales, Have Stakes Will Travel
  • 4.2. "Golden Delicious" in An Apple for the Creature anthology, Cat o' Nine Tales (Sept 4, 2012) [Rick's novella]
  • 6.1. "The Devil’s Left Boot" in Kicking It anthology (Dec 3, 2013)  (Twins Cia and Liz) (number is guessed)
  • 6.2. "Beneath a Bloody Moon" in Cat o' Nine Tales
  • 6.3. "Black Water" in Cat o' Nine Tales and Black Water
  • 7.5. "Off the Grid" in Black Water
  • 9.1. "Bound No More" in Blood in Her Veins
  • 9.2. "Cat Fight" in Blood in Her Veins

Anthologies[]

  • Blood in her Veins (2016), Faith Hunter
  • The Jane Yellowrock World Companion (2013), Faith Hunter
  • Black Water (2014), Faith Hunter
  • Cat O' Nine Tales (2013), Faith Hunter
  • Kicking It (2013), Faith Hunter (Editor), Kalayna Price (Editor)
  • Cat Tales (2011), Faith Hunter
  • Have Stakes Will Travel (2012), Faith Hunter
  • Strange Brew (2009), P.N. Elrod (Editor)

Other Writings[]

Rogue Mage Series: UF

  1. Bloodring (2008)
  2. Seraphs (2008)
  3. Host (2009)

Rogue Mage Series | Faith Hunter

Soulwood Series: UF, Set in same world as Jane Yellowrock series

  1. Blood of the Earth (2016)
  2. Curse on the Land (2016)
  3. Flame in the Dark (2017)
  4. Circle of the Moon (2019)

Themes & Symbolism[]

The Jane Yellowrock series includes themes of freedom, responsibility, family, power, vengeance, and forgiveness. In addition, Jane works to mesh her Cherokee spirituality with her Christian religion, her need for connection with her fear of connection, and her two souls with each other.

World-Building[]

Setting[]

New Orleans, Louisiana

Other Places

  • Katie's Ladies: the oldest operating whore house in New Orleans; owned by Katherine Fontaneau.
  • Asheville, North Carolina
  • Pigeon River (#3)
  • New Orleans City Park
  • Brazil
  • Hartford, TN
  • Stirling Mountain
  • Paint Rock
  • Madison County
  • States: Tennessee, North Carolina, Louisiana, Mississippi

Supernatural Elements[]

Vampire-hunter-for-hire, Skinwalker, Vampires, Grindylow, Weres, witches, vampire witches, dark magic, Native American mythology, Cherokee shaman. 

Glossary:[]

  • Vampira Carta: the legal document vampires live by
  • Mithran: another term for vampire; what the vampires call themselves, after the Mithran society of Roman history.
  • Devoveo: the insanity or lack of control that takes over all new vampires; lasts for years
  • Naturaleza: vampires that believe they have a right, as predators, to hunt and kill humans
  • Sons of Darkness: The first vampires, cursed to live only at night and crave blood for their sins
  • Out-Clan: vampires not belonging to a certain clan; they act as historians, ambassadors, peacemakers
  • Long-Chained Ones: newly made vampires that do not come out of their temporary insanity for up to fifty years, they are kept chained and fed
  • Names for Vampires: vampire, vam pyre, sanguivore, damphyr, damphire, calmae, fledgling, elder, Mithran, childe, kindred, anarch, caitiff, and members of the camarilla, among others.
  • Vamp-Killer: A long steel blad with a deep blood groove and heavy silver plating for kiling vamps. If the steel doesn't behead them right away, the silver will give them blood poisoning.
  • Blood Cross: Wood from the cross of Christ with His blood on it. The slightest touch from it will cause a vampire to burn
  • Blood Servant: A human servant for vampires to feed on. They are given salaries and are assigned different tasks. Drinking vampire blood on a regular basis can extend their lives indefinitely and make them stronger and faster.
  • Blood Slave: A human passed around groups of vampires to feed on. They have almost no rights and often only stay because of an addiction to feeding vampires.

Organizations:[]

  • Party of African Weres (PAW): Formal organization of werecats
  • Yellowrock Securities: Jane's business
  • European Council: powerful and ruthless vampire witches
  • PsyLED- The Psychometry Law Enforcement Department of Homeland Security

World[]

✥ Jane actually has to think about scientific concepts when she shifts. She has to account for her mass in comparison with the animal she is taking the shape of. She also has to eat a lot of food to fuel her shifts, even raw meat in animal form.  ~ Goodreads | Danielle

Protagonist[]

✥ Jane Yellowrock, Skinwalker, knows little about her past. She knows only that she is Cherokee, can shift into the form of a Mountain Lion and other animals, and that she shares her consciousness with the soul of a Mountain Lion who calls herself Beast. Jane makes a living as a rogue vampire hunter, and is very good at it. Now she's in New Orleans, hired by the vampire "Master of the City" Leo Pellissier. ~ Goodreads | Danielle

Characters Chart[]

Characters What About
Jane Yellowrock vampire hunter, skinwalker, Cherokee descent 6-feet tall, hip-length straight black hair, amber eyes, sharp nose, golden brown skin, thin muscular build. Old Cherokee heritage.

Socially awkward vampire hunter, tea lover, motorcyclist, weapons hound who likes to dance.

Beast soul of a mountain lion Puma Concolor who shares Jane's body. Fur: tawny, gray, brown, tipped with black. Wants mate and kits. loves children; kneads her mental claws into Jane's soul to get her attention.
Brian Robere Brandon’s twin, Onorio guard at Clan Arceneau’s house; Smart, military; Born 1822, lean, narrow-waist, Broad-shoulders; Fed on vamp blood, so stronger than human;
Brandon Robere Brian’s twin, Onorio guard at Clan Arceneau’s house; Smart, military; Born 1822, Brandon has a small mole at his hairline, looks like Brian
"Leo", Leonard Eugène Zacharie Pellissier Vampire Master of Clan Pellissier, Master of the City of New Orleans and most of the Southeastern United States.
Rick "Ricky Bo" LaFleur Cop Human, then were-leopard unable to complete change from human. Early love interest of Jane.
"Bruiser", George Dumas Primo/Onorio Past service as Leo's Primo, now an unbound Honorio. Love interest of Jane.
Katie, Katherine Fontaneau Vampire Madam Leo's heir. Owns Katie's Ladies, the oldest operating whore house in New Orleans.
Molly Trueblood witch  Jane's best friend.
Grégoire vampire Leo's secundo and lover.
Big Evan witch Molly's husband.
Angie Baby witch Molly and Evan's first child.
Little Evan witch Molly and Evan's second child.
Girrard DiMercy #3 Mercy Blade Anzu. Storm God. Human form looks like Zorro.
Pea grindylow (aka Grundy) Enforcer of were law. Assigned to Rick and Brute.
Brute werewolf White wolf unable to change to human, affected by angel, bit the Son of Darkness.
Eli Younger human Jane's business partner and military expert. Part of Jane's chosen family.
Alex Younger human Jane's business partner and tech genius. Part of Jane's chosen family.

To expand the table, in Edit–Visual mode, right-press on a Row of the table (Control-press on a Mac)—choose add Row or Column. Or, in Source Mode: copy-paste rows.

FaithHunter4Small

Faith Hunter

Author[]

Faith Hunter

Bio: A native of Louisiana, Faith Hunter spent her early years on the bayous and rivers, learning survival skills and the womanly arts. She liked horses, dogs, fishing and crabbing much better than girly skills. Still does. In grade school, she fell in love with fantasy and sifi, reading five books a week. Faith now shares her life with her Renaissance Man and their dogs in a Enclave of their own. ~ Faith Hunter Full Bio: About | Faith Hunter ~ or ~  Goodreads | Faith Hunter

Cover Artist[]

Publishing Information[]

  1. Skinwalker: MM-Paperback, 320 pages, Pub: July 7-2009, ISBN-0451462807
  2. Blood Cross: MMP, 321 pages, Jan 5-2010, ISBN-0451463072
  3. Mercy Blad: MMP, 305 pages, Jan 4-2011, ISBN-0451463722
  4. Raven Cursed: MMP, 353 pages, Jan 3-2012, ISBN-0451464338
  5. Death's Rival: MMP, 310 pages, Oct 2-2012, ISBN-0451464850
  6. Blood Trade: MMP, 337 pages, Apr 2-2013, ISBN-0451465067
  7. Black Arts: MMP, 336 pages, Jan 7-2014, ISBN-0451465245
  8. Broken Soul: MMP, 329 pages, Oct 7-2014, ISBN-0451465954
  9. Dark Heir: MMP, 363 pages, Apr 7-2015, ISBN-0451465962
  10. Shadow Rites: MMP, 348 pages, Apr 5-2016, ISBN-0451465970 

Book Cover Blurbs[]

BOOK ONE—Skinwalker (2009): Jane Yellowrock is the last of her kind-a skinwalker of Cherokee descent who can turn into any creature she desires and hunts vampires for a living. But now she's been hired by Katherine Fontaneau, one of the oldest vampires in New Orleans and the madam of Katie's Ladies, to hunt a powerful rogue vampire who's killing other vamps. ~  Goodreads | Skinwalker (Jane Yellowrock, #1)

BOOK TWO—Blood Cross (2010): Jane Yellowrock is back on the prowl against the children of the night... The vampire council has hired skinwalker Jane Yellowrock to hunt and kill one of their own who has broken sacred ancient rules—but Jane quickly realizes that in a community that is thousands of years old, loyalties run deep... With the help of her witch best friend and local vigilantes, Jane finds herself caught between bitter rivalries—and closer than ever to the secret origin of the entire vampire race. But in a city of old grudges and dark magic, Jane will have to fight to protect both sides, even if no one will protect her. ~ Goodreads | Blood Cross (Jane Yellowrock, #2) by Faith Hunter

BOOK THREE—Mercy Blade (2011): Jane, a shapeshifting vampire-hunter-for-hire, crosses paths with a stranger who has arrived in New Orleans, enlisted to hunt vampires who have gone insane-or so he says...  ~ Goodreads | Mercy Blade (Jane Yellowrock, #3) by Faith Hunter

✦ Back Cover: Jane Yellowrock is a shape-shifting skinwalker—and a rogue-vampire hunter for hire. But lately she's found herself taking blood money from the very vamps she used to hunt. Things are heating up in the Big Easy. Weres have announced their existence to the world, and revived the bitter tensions that run between them and their old enemies—vampires. As a trusted employee of Leo Pellissier, Blood Master of the City, Jane finds herself caught in the crossfire. When Jane is attacked by a pack of marauding werewolves, she is thankful for the help of a mysterious stranger named Girrard. He explains that he used to be Leo's 'Mercy Blade,' a sacred position charged with killing young vampires who have gone insane. What Jane doesn't know is why this powerful assassin left New Orleans. And more troubling, why he's now returned. It's definitely not to make Jane's life easier. ~ Mercy Blade ~ Shelfari

BOOK FOUR—Raven Cursed (2012): The vampires of Asheville, North Carolina, want to establish their own clan, but since they owe loyalty to the Master Vampire of New Orleans they must work out the terms with him. To come up with an equitable solution, he sends an envoy with the best bodyguard blood money can buy: Jane Yellowrock. But when a group of local campers are attacked by something fanged, Jane goes from escort to investigator. Unless she wants to face a very angry mast vampire, she will have to work overtime to find the killer. It's a good thing she's worth every penny. ~ Goodreads | Raven Cursed (Jane Yellowrock, #4)

BOOK FIVE—Death's Rival (2012): Jane Yellowrock is a shapeshifting skinwalker you don’t want to cross—especially if you’re one of the undead… For a vampire killer like Jane, having Leo Pellisier as a boss took some getting used to. But now, someone is out to take his place as Master Vampire of the city of New Orleans, and is not afraid to go through Jane to do it. After an attack that’s tantamount to a war declaration, Leo knows his rival is both powerful and vicious, but Leo’s not about to run scared. After all, he has Jane. But then, a plague strikes, one that takes down vampires and makes their masters easy prey. Now, to uncover the identity of the vamp who wants Leo’s territory, and to find the cause of the vamp-plague, Jane will have to go to extremes…and maybe even to war. ~ Goodreads | Death's Rival (Jane Yellowrock, #5) by Faith Hunter

BOOK SIX—Blood Trade (2013): Jane Yellowrock is a shape-shifting skinwalker who’s always up for a fight—even if it means putting her life on the line... The Master of Natchez, Mississippi has a nasty problem on his hands. Rogue vampires—those who follow the Naturaleza and believe that humans should be nothing more than prey to be hunted—are terrorizing his city. Luckily, he knows the perfect skinwalker to call in to take back the streets. But what he doesn’t tell Jane is that there’s something different about these vamps. Something that makes them harder to kill—even for a pro like Jane. Now, her simple job has turned into a fight to stay alive…and to protect the desperately ill child left in her care. ~ Goodreads | Blood Trade (Jane Yellowrock, #6)

BOOK SEVEN—Black Arts (2014): Jane Yellowrock is a shape-shifting skinwalker who always takes care of her own—no matter the cost... When Evan Trueblood blows into town looking for his wife, Molly, he’s convinced that she came to see her best friend, Jane. But it seems like the witch made it to New Orleans and then disappeared without a trace. Jane is ready to do whatever it takes to find her friend. Her desperate search leads her deep into a web of black magic and betrayal and into the dark history between vampires and witches. But the closer she draws to Molly, the closer she draws to a new enemy—one who is stranger and more powerful than any she has ever faced.( ~ Goodreads | Black Arts (Jane Yellowrock, #7)

BOOK EIGHT—Broken Soul (2014): Jane Yellowrock is a vampire killer for hire—but other creatures of the night still need to watch their backs.... When the Master of the city of New Orleans asks Jane to improve security for a future visit from a delegation of European vampires, she names an exorbitant price—and Leo is willing to pay. That’s because the European vamps want Leo’s territory, and he knows that he needs Jane to prevent a total bloodbath. Leo, however, doesn’t mention how this new job will change Jane’s life or the danger it will bring her and her team. Jane has more to worry about than some greedy vampires. There’s a vicious creature stalking the streets of New Orleans, and its agenda seems to be ripping Leo and her to pieces. Now Jane just has to figure out how to kill something she can’t even see ~ Broken Soul (Jane Yellowrock, #8)

BOOK NINE—Dark Heir (2015): Shapeshifting skinwalker Jane Yellowrock is the best in the business when it comes to slaying vampires. But her latest fanged foe may be above her pay grade… For centuries, the extremely powerful and ruthless vampire witches of the European Council have wandered the Earth, controlling governments, fostering war, creating political conflict, and often leaving absolute destruction in their wake. One of the strongest of them is set to create some havoc in the city of New Orleans, and it’s definitely personal. Jane is tasked with tracking him down. With the help of a tech wiz and an ex-Army ranger, her partners in Yellowrock Securities, she’ll have to put everything on the line, and hope it’s enough. Things are about to get real hard in the Big Easy. ~ Goodreads | Dark Heir (Jane Yellowrock, #9) by Faith Hunter

BOOK TEN--Shadow Rites (2016): Slaying vampires is child’s play for skinwalker Jane Yellowrock. But handling the complicated politics of New Orleans’ supernatural players is another story... Jane is keeping the peace between visiting groups of witches and vamps in the city, but then trouble comes knocking on her doorstep. When her house is magically attacked, the wild chase to find her assailants unearths a mystery that has literally been buried deep. A missing master vampire, presumed long deceased, is found chained in a pit...undead, raving mad, and in the company of two human bodies. Now it’s up to Jane to find out who kept the vampire hidden for so long and why, because the incident could tip already high supernatural tensions to an all-out arcane war. ~ [1]

BOOK ELEVEN--Shadow Rites (2017): Jane Yellowrock is a shape-shifting skinwalker…and the woman rogue vampires fear most. Jane walks softly and carries a big stake to keep the peace in New Orleans, all part of her job as official enforcer to Leo Pellisier, Master of the City. But Leo’s reign is being threatened by a visit from a delegation of ancient European vampires seeking to expand their dominions.

But there’s another danger to the city. When she hears reports of revenant vampires, loose in NOLA and out for blood, Jane goes to put them down—and discovers there’s something unusual about these revenants. They never should have risen.

Jane must test her strength against a deadly, unnatural magic beyond human understanding, and a ruthless cadre of near-immortals whose thirst for power knows no bounds… ~ [2]

First Sentences[]

  1. Skinwalker: I wheeled my bike down Decatur Street and eased deeper into the French Quarter, the bike's engine purring.
  2. Blood Cross: Molly and the kids and I were eating lunch when the lightning hit.
  3. Mercy Blade: I rolled over, taking most of the covers with me as I stretched.
  4. Raven Cursed: I rode into Asheville, North Carolina, for all the wrong reasons, from the wrong direction, on a borrowed bike, with no weapons, ready to work for the vamps again.
  5. Death's Rival: "Vamps don't get sick," I said.
  6. Blood Trade: I threw my leg over Bitza and slammed my weight down on the kick start.
  7. Black Arts: The crash shook the house, sounding as though the front wall had exploded.
  8. Broken Soul: Visiting the Master of the City of New Orleans was always challenging, but it was worse when he was in a mood.
  9. Dark Heir: I stood against the wall, nursing a busted knuckle, watching my sensei try to recover.
  10. Shadow Rites: The prickly sensation crawled over my left fingertips, up my fingers, and snuggled into my palm like the fist of a child.
  11. Cold Reign: You touch my Bruiser and I’ll take your head so fast you’ll still be blinking as you fall in two. Anything happens to my Bruiser by an outside force or person, and I’ll take your head. My Bruiser disappears, and I’ll take your head. He stubs his toe and I’ll make you pay. Are we clear?.
  12. Dark Queen: I had been in my bed for all of one hour, and though the scent of Bruiser from the sheets and from his boxing gloves tied to my bedpost usually filled my head with calm, today his personal aromatherapy wasn’t working
  13. Shattered Bonds: Beast pawpawpawed, slow, across ridge of rock over creek. Silent. Good predator.

~ Shelfari

Quotes[]

Read Alikes (similar elements)[]

Shifters:

Hunters:

See Category links at bottom of page

Awards[]

Trivia[]

~ ranked #11 on Goodreads | Best Urban Fantasy SERIES (330 books)

LISTS:

Special Lists: 

Reading Order[]

  • 0.1. "WeSa and the Lumber King" in Cat o' Nine Tales, Have Stakes Will Travel
  • 0.2. "The Early Years" in Cat o' Nine Tales, Cat Tales
  • 0.3. "Cat Tats" in Cat o' Nine Tales, Cat Tales
  • 0.4. "Kits" in Cat o' Nine Tales, Cat Tales
  • 0.5. "Haints" in Cat o' Nine Tales, Have Stakes Will Travel
  • 0.6. "Signatures of the Dead" in Strange Brew, Cat o' Nine Tales, Have Stakes Will Travel (July 7, 2009) [Molly's PoV]
  • 1. Skinwalker (2009)
  • 1.5. "First Sight" in Cat o' Nine Tales
  • 2. Blood Cross (2010)
  • 3. Mercy Blade (2011)
  • 3.2. "Blood, Fangs and Going Furry" in Cat o' Nine Tales, Cat Tales
  • 3.3. "Dance Master" in Cat o' Nine Tales
  • 3.5. "Cat Tales" (2011)  eBook-short (four Jane-world stories)
  • 4. Raven Cursed (2012)
  • 4.1. "Cajun With Fangs" in Cat o' Nine Tales, Have Stakes Will Travel
  • 4.2. "Golden Delicious" in An Apple for the Creature anthology, Cat o' Nine Tales (Sept 4, 2012) [Rick's novella]
  • 4.5. Have Stakes Will Travel collection (2012) eBook-collection (Four Jane Yellowrock world stories)
  • 5. Death's Rival (2012)
  • 6. Blood Trade (April 2, 2013)
  • 6.1. "The Devil’s Left Boot" in Kicking It anthology (Dec 3, 2013)  (Twins Cia and Liz) (number is guessed)
  • 6.2. "Beneath a Bloody Moon" in Cat o' Nine Tales
  • 6.3. "Black Water" in Cat o' Nine Tales and Black Water
  • 6.?. "Snafu" in Black Water
  • 6.?. "Off the Grid" in Black Water
  • 6.5. "Easy Pickings (2011) eBook ~ Faith Hunter, C.E. Murphy [Joanne Walker-Jane Yellowrock crossover]
  • 7. Black Arts (2014)
  • 8. Broken Soul (2014)
  • 9. Dark Heir (2015)
  • 10. Shadow Rites (2016)
  • 11. Cold Reign (2017)
  • The Jane Yellowrock World Companion (Dec 17, 2013)

Notes[]

See Also[]

See Category links at bottom of page

External References[]

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