pjonsson's review
3.0
I have quite enjoyed Faith Hunter’s Jane Yellowrock series so I had some hopes that I would like this one as well. Well, it is not at all a bad book. The writing is as good as one has come to expect from this author. Unfortunately I found the story to not really be my cup of tea.
The book introduces a new character in the Jane Yellowrock universe. Well, kind of new at least. She was briefly mentioned in one of the Yellowrock books. This new character is a bit of a hermit and woefully uneducated about life outside of her own little bubble.
I think this is were the story starts to disagree with me. Nell starts off being next to brainwashed by the church she was more or less born into. This church seems to be pretty much a parody of Christianity filled with a bunch of rasist and chauvinist assholes treating women like slaves good for nothing but house chores and giving birth. Unfortunately the entire book circles around these asswipes and it became way too much for me rather quickly.
Also, the main protagonist is not only pretty much the opposite of Jane Yellowrock. She does speak up for herself occasionally but, to me, there was a definite lack of spunk. Her powers is quite unique but I found them fairly uninteresting and, for lack of a better word, useless. At least when more offensive tactics were required. I guess it is just the first book so I would suppose both Nell and her powers might grow.
Obviously these are quite personal objections and other people may, and probably will, like the book a lot more. After all, the writing itself is very good and the accompanying characters, the werecats, are quite likable. I didn’t like LaFleur much in the Yellowrock series and do not like him much now either though.
I guess the bottom line for me is that it is a good book but it didn’t work that well for me. I might try having a go at the second one but I do not really feel like I am in a hurry to do so.
The book introduces a new character in the Jane Yellowrock universe. Well, kind of new at least. She was briefly mentioned in one of the Yellowrock books. This new character is a bit of a hermit and woefully uneducated about life outside of her own little bubble.
I think this is were the story starts to disagree with me. Nell starts off being next to brainwashed by the church she was more or less born into. This church seems to be pretty much a parody of Christianity filled with a bunch of rasist and chauvinist assholes treating women like slaves good for nothing but house chores and giving birth. Unfortunately the entire book circles around these asswipes and it became way too much for me rather quickly.
Also, the main protagonist is not only pretty much the opposite of Jane Yellowrock. She does speak up for herself occasionally but, to me, there was a definite lack of spunk. Her powers is quite unique but I found them fairly uninteresting and, for lack of a better word, useless. At least when more offensive tactics were required. I guess it is just the first book so I would suppose both Nell and her powers might grow.
Obviously these are quite personal objections and other people may, and probably will, like the book a lot more. After all, the writing itself is very good and the accompanying characters, the werecats, are quite likable. I didn’t like LaFleur much in the Yellowrock series and do not like him much now either though.
I guess the bottom line for me is that it is a good book but it didn’t work that well for me. I might try having a go at the second one but I do not really feel like I am in a hurry to do so.
sallyh_reads_and_paddles's review against another edition
1.0
I made it halfway. I can’t finish it. Main character jumps back and forth from being a strong female lead to a helpless country yokel.
mleetm's review against another edition
5.0
So satisfying
I loved every minute of this. There were twists and turns that I got once didn’t expect in a book. There was a wholesome feeling to the story, making me feel like this would be a great book to read as a preteen/teen. And I felt like the author managed to write so well about the characters and plot that what would have probably turned me off in other books (many references to an area I lived in for a while and my dad’s family still resides in) managed to still feel new. Seriously, she wrote about people who speak with heavy southern accents and unschooled grammar without making those same people sound ignorant at all. I usually am disgusted by attempts to capture that, and was surprisingly and happily shown the RIGHT way to do so.
I loved every minute of this. There were twists and turns that I got once didn’t expect in a book. There was a wholesome feeling to the story, making me feel like this would be a great book to read as a preteen/teen. And I felt like the author managed to write so well about the characters and plot that what would have probably turned me off in other books (many references to an area I lived in for a while and my dad’s family still resides in) managed to still feel new. Seriously, she wrote about people who speak with heavy southern accents and unschooled grammar without making those same people sound ignorant at all. I usually am disgusted by attempts to capture that, and was surprisingly and happily shown the RIGHT way to do so.
marimoose's review against another edition
4.0
Full review found at Story and Somnomancy.
Initial thoughts: A wood-fairy-thing woman who knows how to use a shotgun gets sucked into consulting for a paranormal investigative unit full of WERECATS and other non-humans. Um. YESTHANKYOUFORTHIS.
Initial thoughts: A wood-fairy-thing woman who knows how to use a shotgun gets sucked into consulting for a paranormal investigative unit full of WERECATS and other non-humans. Um. YESTHANKYOUFORTHIS.
ulrikedg's review against another edition
1.0
I was pretty sure this was a spin-off when I started listening, so I was prepared to miss some nuance from the world and for a bit of exposition to set the stage. Instead of giving readers the necessary information and moving on, the author goes on and on and on about what happened before the book started. Very little of it seems NECESSARY. The conversation between Nell and Rick covered most of the important bits, throw in a bit of internal dialog, and it's all covered. Or it should have been.
On top of the excruciatingly slow start, the lack of research is jarring. The author refers to "red deer" on the land (there are five deer species in North America: white-tailed deer, mule deer, caribou, elk, and moose). Any red deer in Tennessee are escapees from farms, a fact worth noting (imagine reading about hyena or kangaroos running wild in the US without any explanation).
Nell talks about being taught to shoot, and then uses the most abysmal and unsafe methods imaginable! I know tiny 12 year olds who learned to shoot shotguns. One was so light he literally slid back along the bench he was seated on the first time he fired. It didn't leave him with a "shoulder so bruised" he "couldn't use the arm for two weeks." Anyone familiar with a shotgun would know this! If you're that bruised, it's because you weren't holding the gun properly (pull it snuggly into your shoulder, don't give it extra room to "smack" into you). If it knocked you down, you need to lean into it. If you're worried about dislocating your shoulder, you definitely shouldn't brace your back against something solid! A 3" shell will recoil more than a 2.5" shell, but there's no indication the character is abnormally tiny, and no reason she shouldn't be able to shoot a shotgun if someone who knew anything about guns taught her.
Then there's the idea that a horny dude would over look a .32 S&W revolver in her bib overalls pocket when exposing her breasts. It weighs over a pound!
At the end of chapter 3, Nell decides to sleep with the .32 S&W in her pocket, and I realized she was TSTL. DNF
On top of the excruciatingly slow start, the lack of research is jarring. The author refers to "red deer" on the land (there are five deer species in North America: white-tailed deer, mule deer, caribou, elk, and moose). Any red deer in Tennessee are escapees from farms, a fact worth noting (imagine reading about hyena or kangaroos running wild in the US without any explanation).
Nell talks about being taught to shoot, and then uses the most abysmal and unsafe methods imaginable! I know tiny 12 year olds who learned to shoot shotguns. One was so light he literally slid back along the bench he was seated on the first time he fired. It didn't leave him with a "shoulder so bruised" he "couldn't use the arm for two weeks." Anyone familiar with a shotgun would know this! If you're that bruised, it's because you weren't holding the gun properly (pull it snuggly into your shoulder, don't give it extra room to "smack" into you). If it knocked you down, you need to lean into it. If you're worried about dislocating your shoulder, you definitely shouldn't brace your back against something solid! A 3" shell will recoil more than a 2.5" shell, but there's no indication the character is abnormally tiny, and no reason she shouldn't be able to shoot a shotgun if someone who knew anything about guns taught her.
Then there's the idea that a horny dude would over look a .32 S&W revolver in her bib overalls pocket when exposing her breasts. It weighs over a pound!
At the end of chapter 3, Nell decides to sleep with the .32 S&W in her pocket, and I realized she was TSTL. DNF
528's review against another edition
3.0
War iwie nicht in der richtigen Stimmung dafür und hab sehr viel überflogen.
Muss ihm nochmal eine Chance geben dann könnte ich es glaub ich sehr mögen.
Occam und fmc könnte was wirklich gutes werden.
Muss ihm nochmal eine Chance geben dann könnte ich es glaub ich sehr mögen.
Occam und fmc könnte was wirklich gutes werden.
ac223's review against another edition
4.0
This review can also be found at www.thepaperbackaddict.com
Soulwood is a great new spinoff series based in the same world as Hunter's Jane Yellowrock series. Nell was recently pulled into Jane's world when Jane asked for her help rescuing a missing Clan Glass vamp. The polygamist cult Nell escaped from and has been attempting to avoid since was responsible for the kidnapping and Jane needed access to their compound which sits adjacent Nell's land. After the rescue attempt, Jane went back to New Orleans leaving Nell to deal with the remaining members who weren't happy with her helping outsiders. In the last few months, things have gotten pretty intense, and are only getting worse, that is until Rick Lafleur and Paka show up. Jane was supposed to send help but they're late in coming, and when they do show up they need Nell's help too. Psyled is working a case that may involve the cult and they want Nell on their team.
Nell is so naive about the world around her having been raising in such isolation. I love the simple joys she finds in things most people consider so normal. She doesn't know what she is or what kind of powers she holds but the coming months will give her plenty of opportunity to test those things out. I never liked Paka much for the role she played in Rick's leaving Jane, but she did grow on me a bit in this book. Even better was Occam, the other were-leopard who just happens to be from Texas and seems to be awfully smitten with Nell!! The other team member I find completely endearing is Tandy, the empath in unit 18. He's basically a human lie detector but he's very sensitive to the emotions of those around him and Nell is very kind to him.
Soulwood is a great new spinoff series based in the same world as Hunter's Jane Yellowrock series. Nell was recently pulled into Jane's world when Jane asked for her help rescuing a missing Clan Glass vamp. The polygamist cult Nell escaped from and has been attempting to avoid since was responsible for the kidnapping and Jane needed access to their compound which sits adjacent Nell's land. After the rescue attempt, Jane went back to New Orleans leaving Nell to deal with the remaining members who weren't happy with her helping outsiders. In the last few months, things have gotten pretty intense, and are only getting worse, that is until Rick Lafleur and Paka show up. Jane was supposed to send help but they're late in coming, and when they do show up they need Nell's help too. Psyled is working a case that may involve the cult and they want Nell on their team.
Nell is so naive about the world around her having been raising in such isolation. I love the simple joys she finds in things most people consider so normal. She doesn't know what she is or what kind of powers she holds but the coming months will give her plenty of opportunity to test those things out. I never liked Paka much for the role she played in Rick's leaving Jane, but she did grow on me a bit in this book. Even better was Occam, the other were-leopard who just happens to be from Texas and seems to be awfully smitten with Nell!! The other team member I find completely endearing is Tandy, the empath in unit 18. He's basically a human lie detector but he's very sensitive to the emotions of those around him and Nell is very kind to him.
cris3ma's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
chllybrd's review against another edition
5.0
BLOOD OF THE EARTH might be set in the same world as the Jane Yellowrock series, but it is a whole different story. I could not put down BLOOD OF THE EARTH and when it was over, I desperately wanted more.
I had not read OFF THE GRID before jumping into BLOOD OF THE EARTH, so I had no idea who Nell was before jumping in. I didn't feel like I missed anything, but if I could go back, I would read it just to get to know Nell a little better before jumping into her part of the world because I loved her and wanted more. Nell is nothing like Jane Yellowrock, but she is just as kick ass in her own way. For someone that has been so sheltered she still have a great understanding of how things in the world worked and her reasoning skills made her an essential part of the PsyLED team she found herself thrust into helping.
Even though I think Nell is awesome, the secondary characters definitely helped to make BLOOD OF THE EARTH more of a success for me. I really liked how the PsyLED team just came into Nell's life and started treating her like part of the team and one of their own—even if she didn't particularly want any of them in her life in the beginning. I just loved how different each of them were, but how close they were to each other. I should also mention that I actually didn't hate Rick in BLOOD OF THE EARTH. I still have some big issues with him, but I don't despise him as much and even understand him a little better.
I will absolutely be continuing with the Soulwood series. In fact, I can not wait to get my hands on book two. Thankfully I wont have to wait too long, CURSE ON THE LAND is set to release November 1, 2016.
* This book was provided free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I had not read OFF THE GRID before jumping into BLOOD OF THE EARTH, so I had no idea who Nell was before jumping in. I didn't feel like I missed anything, but if I could go back, I would read it just to get to know Nell a little better before jumping into her part of the world because I loved her and wanted more. Nell is nothing like Jane Yellowrock, but she is just as kick ass in her own way. For someone that has been so sheltered she still have a great understanding of how things in the world worked and her reasoning skills made her an essential part of the PsyLED team she found herself thrust into helping.
Even though I think Nell is awesome, the secondary characters definitely helped to make BLOOD OF THE EARTH more of a success for me. I really liked how the PsyLED team just came into Nell's life and started treating her like part of the team and one of their own—even if she didn't particularly want any of them in her life in the beginning. I just loved how different each of them were, but how close they were to each other. I should also mention that I actually didn't hate Rick in BLOOD OF THE EARTH. I still have some big issues with him, but I don't despise him as much and even understand him a little better.
I will absolutely be continuing with the Soulwood series. In fact, I can not wait to get my hands on book two. Thankfully I wont have to wait too long, CURSE ON THE LAND is set to release November 1, 2016.
* This book was provided free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.