Raven Cursed

Jane Yellowrock, Book 4

By: Faith Hunter

Narrated by: Khristine Hvam

Length: 15 hrs and 9 mins

Publisher's summary

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: skinwalker Jane Yellowrock.

But when a group of local campers are attacked by something fanged, Jane goes from escort to investigator. Is it a rogue-vampire, shapechanger, or witch? Or something else magical? Unless she wants to face a very angry master vampire, she will have to work overtime to find the killer. It's a good thing she's worth every penny.

Listen to more Jane Yellowrock titles - if you dare.

©2012 Faith Hunter (P)2011 Audible, Inc.

Best one so far

Oh yeah this one really rocked. Loved the whole witches story line and we get to spend even more time with Beast which was great. Highly recommended.
I'm off to get book 5

Another great story with a talented narrator

Jane yellowrock travels back to her own stomping ground to complete another security contract job for the Vamps. But trouble follows her from New Orleans - witches, werewolves and a strange-looking green creature.

A situation which begins as a parley negotiation from a neighboring vampire becomes the Battleground for a conflict that began decades ago. Jane faces inner conflicts at the same time comma about her dual nature as a Cherokee shapeshifter in 21st century America. As a girl brought up in the Christian faith during her teenage years in a children's home , she is reconciling those beliefs with her own magical and ancient power, and memories from her family life many years earlier.

I am enjoying the storylines of Jane yellowrock.

this was my fourth book and I enjoyed it as much as the third nothing can beat the first 2 books. I plan on listening to the whole series.

Tough Chick

What made the experience of listening to Raven Cursed the most enjoyable?

I love Jane Yellowrock and Beast. There's lots of action with just enough romance. Khristine Hvam does a good job with "acting".

What did you like best about this story?

I love that the story and the characters can be strong without constant cursing. Jane's favorite word is "crap".

Which scene was your favorite?

I loved when it was implied that Big Evan was using the "f" word and Beast was disgusted that humans thought about sex at strange times.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

The cat that ate the canary.

Any additional comments?

Can't wait for the next installment!

Much better than book 3.

A lot better than book three. Not as many unresolved threads. Story is a bit unfocused, or rather focused on several different things. Redeemed by Hunter managing to tie things up at the end.

Tension is high, pace is a bit uneven, but action junkies will get what they want. Beast is great, almost upstaging Jane at times.

Hvam's narration is great.

"Blood Cross" is still my favorite in this series.

Final niggle: I wish that Hunter's editor had done her job! A lot of expletives in a high tension job like Jane's is a given. But PLEASE have her say something other than "crap".

Excellent

The story is outstanding and the narrator did a beautiful job bringing it to life

Loads of action

This book had everything I am coming to expect from this series; action, mystery, danger, more action, fast-paced heart-pounding action. I loved every second of it.

Jane is working security for the Vamps once again, but this time she is close to her home turf. Close to her adopted witch family. Of course, with Jane, nothing is ever simple, and nothing ever goes right. What should have been a straight forward parlay has turned into an epic FUBAR mess.

Yet, it all lands on her shoulders to figure out what is going on and how to fix it before it is too late.

I love Jane. She is such a complicated character, and I love that her life isn’t easy. It is messy and raw, and she makes mistakes. She feels so deeply for those she loves and even those she doesn’t.
She has my heart right now.

Jane and the NOLA Vamps in Asheville, NC

Jane, Derek and his men, Rick and Kemnebi and more travel to Asheville, NC for a parlay with the NC vamps. Jane's been contracted as head of security for this event. She spent weeks with Katie, vampire, madam of Katie's Ladies and owner of the house in which Jane stays in NOLA, extensively studying vampire protocol. And the vamps are deadly serious about their protocol. Everything is running smoothly . . . with one slight bump in the road. Katie is not the one getting off the airplane. It's Gregoire, accompanied by Brian and Brandon, his blood servants.

The major problems which Jane spends most of the book trying to solve are: 1. The two werewolves Jane left alive and who were in prison in NOLA have followed her to NC after their entire pack was slaughtered by Jane, Derek and his men. 2. Evil Evie, Molly's sister, Evangelina, is up to no good. We saw some of her bad witchy ways in "Mercy Blade." Now her bad has become downright evil resulting in disruptions of the parlay with a high ranking vamp of the Asheville, NC region. Leo, with Bruiser has his primo, rule and give Jane royal commands, proclamations and instructions from NOLA. Most of information Leo thinks Jane doesn't need to know, but ultimately tells her, comes too little too late and usually after disasters have already occurred.

Naturally we get to see Molly, Angie Baby and Little Evan again, but Big Evan is here, too, and is always near the boiling point of rage at Jane for putting his family in danger in the past. Even though Jane wasn't guilty of that, he believes she is because the lifestyle she has chosen is filled with danger. It's hard to reconcile his seething behavior with sweet Molly and the children.

This story is well told and kept my interest throughout. And I'm glad Rick is still mainly Rick. He's so adorable and so selfless. I mean, without even being asked, he rubs her feet! I'm not even going to mention what transpires in the privacy of Jane's hotel room. My, my, my.

Up to this point I haven't mentioned Khristine Hvam's narrating abilities. She's a really good narrator, being able to add distinction to each character's voice so the listener doesn't have to wonder who's talking to whom. However, as this book progresses she's able to take Beast's voice to a whole different level. Part of it is Faith Hunter's writing, but part of it is all Khristine Hvam's abilities. She gives Beast this attitude that carries over to each of the other books in this series. And it makes me like Beast more than ever. It's worth listening to this entire series simply to experience Beast.

Whereas it was surprising to see Jane et al in someplace other that NOLA, it seems only fitting to get away from the chaos at the end of "Mercy Blade." It was such a shock for me to see what Faith Hunter chose to do to Rick. I still think he and Jane deserve better. Her love for him shows strong as she flew him and Kemnebi to the woods outside Asheville for Rick's first full moon. I hope this is evidence that she never wants him out of her reach (or her thoughts) again.

The end of "Raven Cursed" leaves Jane's future up in the air. She's at yet another crossroads with her career as her contract has been fulfilled. She also feels completely abandoned by everyone, including Beast. Where IS she? And what will become of Jane's soul after these events? She has to be forever changed. Will her Christianity and her Cherokee heritage help her resolve the stain on her soul? Let's hope the answers await in "Death's Rival."

F A N T A S T I C ! !

I had not heard of Faith Hunter before of Khristine Hyam, but I am sure happy I played a hunch and purchased this book. I didn't know what I was getting, but from the very first, I was pleasantly surprised and stayed that way until the end when I thought "no no no - too soon to quit". Not your usual take on vampire stories and has no hidden romance stories. I loved the Cherokee side of her "Skin Walker" talant and the play of "The Beast" in the dialogue. I've become a fan and look forward for the next one.

Love the whole series of Jane Yellowrock

What did you love best about Raven Cursed?

I enjoyed delving more into Jane's history and building the relationships between characters from previous books in the series.

Which character – as performed by Khristine Hvam – was your favorite?

Jane is an amazing character, strong, funny, sexy, mysterious yet familiar and endearing.

Any additional comments?

I loved the whole series thus far. I can't wait to see what Jane will get herself into next.