From the publisher:
Collected together for the first time, this volume contains shorter works featuring heroines Jane Yellowrock and Nell Ingram, as well as a host of other characters from the Jane Yellowrock and Soulwood series. Faith Hunter is “an expert at creating worlds filled with intriguing supernatural elements and exciting scenarios”* and her skills are on full display in this collection. From a vampire-filled Halloween evening in New Orleans to the searing tale of how a certain were-leopard first got his spots, this collection has something for everyone, and each story is sure to put the super in supernatural.

With eighteen stories in all, Of Claws and Fangs will enrich and entertain—it’s a must-have for Faith Hunter’s readers and all lovers of fantasy.

Of Claws and Fangs was published May 3rd, 2022 by Ace.

My thoughts:

The stories may have been previously published, but not all of them are readily available elsewhere. Faith Hunter puts a note at the beginning of the collection about this as well as brief notes before each story explaining its origin and where it might fall in the timeline of things.

I thought all of the stories were excellent which is often unusual in a collection or anthology. While I enjoyed them all, the story "Bound into Darkness" stood out to me. It's a little longer than the rest, but it held me rapt. It's got Liz Everhart and Eli Younger as the main characters. It's told in alternating points of view between the two. There's plenty of action and magic. And there's loads of suspense.

Overall, I give this collection 5 out of 5 stars. I agree with the publisher that this is a must read for anyone who enjoys Faith Hunter's books. Other fans of urban fantasy might enjoy the book as well. It could serve as an introduction to Jane Yellowrock, Nell Ingram, and other characters and elements of their world.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. This did not affect my review.

I am a fan of Faith Hunter and as a rule, I will read anything she writes. But, it is only recently that I have been willing to give any short story collection a chance. I always felt like short stories were never enough, so I avoided them. Now, I have come around and enjoy them. All this being said, all of the stories in this collection were new to me, even the older ones. I admit that some were more interesting to me then others. But, they were all well written. I particularly enjoyed the Soulwood stories and the ones about the Everhearts.

Yeah, we have all the current shorts in this world bundled in another collection! I know that if there are more shorts published in the future, that it becomes a bit questionable that there'll be another bind up for them, but for now, all of them are either in this collection or Blood in Her Veins, so it's easy to read all the content of this world, that I enjoy so!

I've read a few of these before, like most of How Occam Got His Name (I missed out on the ending) but a lot of these were new to me, and I really enjoyed seeing more of this world! I do miss Leo, who starred in the first two, so it was really great to be in his head!

About half of this collection is about the Everhart family, they have a lot of family members, between Angie Baby, Molly, and Liz. I loved watching them deal with their powers, and the threats that they were facing! Those last two, with the demon, were so great, but they were all great!

Some stand outs were Of Cats and Cars, which has Beast hunting in a car with Edmund, I really loved that story. My Dark Knight, it was great, but so sad, but I think the theme is that I really enjoy Edmund's part of this series. Life's a Bitch and Then You Die, I loved getting this history of Beast that we didn't previously have, and she's such a pivotal part of the series! Bound in Darkness, I didn't like Liz at first because she had negative thoughts about Jane, and I care more about her, but the story was really great, and I loved what it added to the series!

There were some really great stories in here and I'm so glad that I read this anthology!

Of Claws and Fangs: Stories from the World of Jane Yellowrock and Soulwood by Faith Hunter is a collection of shorter works featuring heroines Jane Yellowrock and Nell Ingram, as well as a host of other characters from the Jane Yellowrock and Soulwood series. From a vampire-filled Halloween evening in New Orleans to the searing tale of how a certain were-leopard first got his spots, this collection has something for everyone, and each story is sure to put the super in supernatural. With eighteen stories in all, Of Claws and Fangs will enrich and entertain—it’s a must-have for Faith Hunter’s readers and all lovers of fantasy.

Of Claws and Fangs is a collection of vignettes, short stories, and a novella all from the world of Jane Yellowrock and Soulwood. Those that subscribe to the newsletter and follow Hunter online might have seen some of these stories previously, but most will be brand new to readers. I loved getting a look at some of the moments between the stories I have read and particularly moments from characters the generally do not get to have their thoughts shared. I loved that some of these stories tie the characters I felt I have come to know well, and those that always seem on the periphery, closer together in ways I never expected. This was a great collection and I think all fans of Hunter's work will enjoy it very much.

Of Claws and Fangs is a must have for fans of Faith Hunter. For those that prefer to listen, the audiobook version is available, and extremely well done.

This anthology features a robust mix of stories from the world of Jane Yellowrock, and while I didn't love them all equally, I did really enjoy most. These are generally previously released works, but I hadn't read any of them, so they were all new to me.

"Candy From a Vampire" - a vignette from Leo's point of view. Don't expect a real story here. It's more like a scene, a snapshot, of the vampire on Halloween, as he hosts a party for the children of New Orleans. This is really too short for me to have an opinion on, but die-hard Leo fans might be excited to see him again here. This one was set after he met Jane, unlike "Make It Snappy" which was set a few years before. Here, we follow Leo as he is set up to be assassinated. Obviously, it didn't work, but there were some solid action sequences and several familiar faces, like George and Katie. It's been so long since I've seen the interplay between Leo and his people, it took me back. You can see so much of his character here, the arrogance, the charm, the decidedly inhumanness of him. Plus, there's a cool little twist at the end. I liked this one.

"It's Just a Date" takes place during the time Jane is Leo's enforcer. The plot centers on a triple date with Jane and Bruiser, Eli and Syl, and a first date for Jodi and Wrassler. I always enjoy time spent between Jane and George, but of course, the date doesn't go according to plan. There's magic and violence and a brief question of who is the intended target.

"Life's a Bitch and Then You Die" brings us closer to the current timeline. It's set just before Shattered Bonds, when Jane is spending most of her time in Beast form to stave off her cancer. I really liked it. We get a memory of Wesa and Cat as they are captured --maybe by a covert ops group--and caged along with other animals that may or may not be some kinds of shifter. This is the beginning of them calling themselves Beast. And it sets up a mystery I hope will play out in other books about who these men are and how they'll get taken down.

"Black Friday Shopping" hops over to Soulwood territory, which is A-okay with me. I am a fan of Nell and Occam too! This short follows them as they try to pinpoint the source of magic wreaking havoc at a WalMart on Black Friday. It was too short. "How Occam Got His Name" was meatier. This was his origin story, which was sad, but also really interesting. His dad really sucked.

“Shiloh and the Brick” takes place in the early days after Molly’s niece was turned into a vamp. It shows the push and pull as she fights with her family about her training and responsibilities. This was another showcase for Leo, showing how much he had in hand as master of the city. I didn’t think I would miss him, but these stories remind me of his weight as a character.

“Beast Hunts Vampires With Jane” is a Beast POV from the early days when Jane just killed vampires, before she was so wrapped up in the politics. She’s undercover at a dance club, luring her vampire prey. Short but fun.

We jump to Edmund’s POV for “Of Cats and Cars,” a story he shares with Beast. It’s set later in the series after Jane became Dark Queen, and I had a blast watching Ed and Beast bargain with each other over a hunt. I always enjoy Beast Perspective, but this is the first time I recall reading from Edmund’s. I enjoyed this one quite a bit.

“Jane Tracks Down Miz A” takes us with Jane as she discovers a missing blood servant may not be as dead as she thought. It’s pretty short, while "Anzu, Duba, Beast” is a little longer. It takes us along with Jane as she gives the Mercy Blade the hunt she promised him for his help in a previous book. The Duba in the title is the prey in the hunt, a bear-hyena were-hybrid that is wreaking havoc and needs to be put down--a pair of them actually. This is story is Jane's first shift into an Anzu and highlights the dynamics of her kind of weird relationship with Gee. Pretty good.

"Eighteen Sixty" is the both the title and the year the next story takes place. It's the first of two shorts told through the POV of Atayas Fire-Wind, Jane's brother. It definitely lacked the quality of the Jane stories that pulls me in. It just didn't have the same personality. I was bored. Though it did pique my interest that he mentioned his woman was an Everheart witch. Did I know this already? If so, I forgot. And it is kind of an interesting coincidence that he and Jane share a connection to that family. His other story, "Wolves Howling in the Night," was set about 20 years later, but still, obviously, way in the past. It’s definitely the more engaging of the two. Atayas and his “Everheart woman” enter a town to discover a woman had been sold to a brothel by her new husband. The plot follows their rescue of her and bringing justice to her attackers. I got so much more of a sense of Atayas's character here. And his relationship resonated. Now I am a bit more interested in him than I was before.

Next up, “Death of a Fashionista” is a Molly POV and it’s one of my favorite stories in the book. It takes place in a time Molly is really struggling with her death magics. Two powerful strangers appear at her home, looking for power, and it doesn’t go quite the way they planned. I love the Everheart-Trueblood family and the connection between Molly and Evan. They are so strong together! I hope we get more of them.

We stick with the family for “My Dark Knight,” though Angie takes the reins in this one. Someone is attacking the family home, and Angie must use her magic to protect herself and her little brother. Only, things get hairier when her magic crosses with her mother's and that of her angel. She has to call Edmund for help. I find their relationship interesting but I am always a little leery of the possibility that one day a grown-up Angie will end up with him. After reading the story, thankfully, that seems a little less likely. She is such a fun character. She is going to be an awesome lead for her own series one day.

“Bound into Darkness” is a full-fledged novella and follows Molly's sister Liz as she goes out on a mission-slash-date with Eli shortly after the events of Shattered Bonds. Someone has hired her to find a lost dog, deep in the woods, away from civilization. This was great. It had action, romance, demons, vamps, weres, and witchcraft all rolled into one. Admittedly, it was kind of romance-light but I enjoyed the banter and... the possibilities. I would totally read more from these two together.

Finally, we have "The Ties That Bind." I've got to admit, it took me a second to figure out who this story was about--the name Bedelia didn't ring a bell. But it's the Everheart matriarch --and Lincoln Shaddock! And this is tied directly to the story before this one. I loved the exploration (and revelations) from their past as they work together to take down the witches responsible for setting up Liz for the demon/were attack. A great story and a solid way to wrap up the anthology.

I think any fans of Jane Yellowrock will enjoy this collection as well.

I adores this collection from Faith Hunter. It provides new, interesting tidbits from the world of Jane Yellowrock and inspired me to re-read the whole series!

One of the things I like best about a collection of short stories is how diverse and insightful the stories can be. With Faith Hunter’s collection, you get a lot of extra insight into secondary characters and even if you don’t know all the characters that well, they are still engaging. I did find it helpful that I was familiar with her work already, especially the Jane Yellowrock series. Many of the characters were already known to me and I found it especially intriguing to get the inner thoughts of some of the multitude of characters from her worlds. 

One of the skills Faith Hunter brings to the table is that her characters and her stories resonate and engage you quickly, even more so with these short stories. They are full of interesting dynamics, compelling characters, and humor, all in just the right doses. Each story has a quick pace and heart that will keep you interested whether you know the characters or the world. 

While these stories in particular are most going to be enjoyed by fans of Faith Hunter’s writing and those familiar with her series, if you want a way to introduce yourself to her worlds and her characters this is a wonderful way to check them out. You get short stories with heart, that are diverse and insightful, and full of resonance. If you love Faith Hunter’s other work, you may find this a must read as it does give greater depth to her world and her characters.

A collection of mostly unpublished stories from the world of Jane Yellowrock helps to show more about Beast, Edmund, Leo, and the Everhart family. ARC from NetGalley.

This a collection of stories from the world of Jane Yellowrock (and a couple from Soulwood), I would not recommend for anyone who hasn’t read those series, but if you have, it is a must read. Although I have read several of these stories, I really enjoyed the ones I hadn’t read before. The stories from Leo’s POV and Occam’s origin story. As always, I enjoyed returning to the world of Jane Yellowrock.

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I started this, but it was very good! It’s a collection of short stories that are based on the author’s full length books. Unfortunately, I haven’t read any of her books yet, but these stories were so good that I’m going to start reading them!
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Of Claws and Fangs by Faith Hunter is a collection of her shorter books (Jane Yellowrock/Soulwood), some which were on her site. I am a big fan of all of Faith Hunter’s books, and I looked forward to reading these stories that I may have missed from her site, or I did not remember. Happy to say I loved reading these stories.

Of Claws and Fangs is a wonderful Faith Hunter anthology, especially for long time fans, bringing back many memories of those stories we read before, as well as some other stories I never read (which may have been on her blog). There are 18 short stories (one was fairly bigger) from her series, such as the awesome Jane Yellowrock series, and a few from her Soulwood series. Besides spending time with Jane, we got looks at many of our favorites; Nell, Eli and Alex, Edmund, Leo, Bruiser, Brute, Molly and Angie, and the Everhearts, just to name a few.

If you are a fan of Faith Hunter, you need to read Of Claws and Fangs, as it was a terrific and entertaining to read. Below is a table of contents of the stories listed.

Candy From a Vampire
Make It Snappy
It’s Just a Date
Life’s a Bitch and Then You Die
Black Friday Shopping
How Occam Got His Name
Shiloh and the Brick
Beast Hunts Vampire with Jane
Of Cats and Cars
Beast Hunts Pie-bald
Jane Tracks Down Miz (never published)

From Anthos:
Anzu, Duba, Beast
Eighteen Sixty
Wolves Howling in the Nights
Death and the Fashionista
My Dark Knight
Bound Into Darkness
The Ties That Bind

I really enjoyed this collection of stories. They're each fairly short - great for a quick reading break. This does tie in to the novel series - think of it as a bunch of bonus stories that add a little depth. If you've kept up with the series, then you may have read these before (when they were published separately in other formats), but it was nice to have them all compiled in once place. If you're new to the series, and you're worried about spoilers, then you might want to read all the currently released novels first, but overall this was an excellent collection.

Yes, a million times yes! Fans of Faith Hunter absolutely need to make time on their calendars to read Of Claws and Fangs. This anthology collects over a dozen stories from all over the Jane Yellowrock Universe, and it was such a delight to read.
Included in this anthology, readers will find: Candy from a Vampire, Make It Snappy, It's Just a Date, Life's a Bitch and Then You Die, Black Friday Shopping, How Occam Got His Name, Shiloh and the Brick, Beast Hunts Vampire with Jane, Of Cats and Cars: A Story of Beast and Cows with Trees on Heads, Beast Hunts Pie-Bald Deer, Jane Tracks Down Miz A, Anzu, Duba, Beast, Eighteen Sixty, Wolves Howling in the Night, Death and Fashionista, My Dark Knight, Bound in Darkness, and The Ties that Bind. See below for individual reviews on each.

“Of Claws and Fangs is a fun hodgepodge of stories from many characters within non-linear timelines of the Yellowrock world, and the Soulwood world.”

Candy from a Vampire
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★
It's a Halloween story from Leo! Essentially, this is a story about Leo and Del trying to work out their well, working relationship. It's nice to see Jane's words having an effect on Leo.
“Halloween in the French Quarter of New Orleans had been changed forever when Marilyn Monroe had attempted to turn John Kennedy in the Oval Office and been staked for her trouble.”

Make It Snappy
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★
Okay, this one is going to hit readers hard. It's a Leo-centric story, showing both the best and the worst that this vampire has to offer – hence why it's going to hit hard. Yet it does a fantastic job of reminding readers about just how dimensional this character is.
“I shall do more than remember. I shall accomplish your request before the sun, ma cherie. Marcoise will no longer have the power to cause pain.”

It's Just a Date
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
I love it. Jane, Bruiser, Jodi, Wrassler, Eli, and Sylvia walk into a restaurant – and no, this isn't the beginning of some joke. Though it is the beginning of another witchy adventure, one that Jane has a talent for finding herself in the middle of. It starts off sweet and funny, but quickly turns tense.
“Jane Yellowrock, I swear by all I hold holy that I will shoot you if you say another word.”

Life's a Bitch and Then You Die
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
If you love Beast, then you're going to have to read this one! It features her perspective heavily, as this story is set during the time that Jane is sick and seeking a way to recover. But that's really only the foundation for this story, as it causes Beast to remember back to the early days of her and Jane.
“Would be better to hunt bison with Ed, in Ed car.”

Black Friday Shopping
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Nell! I love, love, love that Nell stories made it into the mix! This one is set in a Walmart of all places, as she and Occam try to get to the bottom of some weird curses that keep cropping up. I adored the twist and conclusion – it is very in keeping with this world.
“Nell, sugar. You never been in a Walmart?”

How Occam Got His Name
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★
This is probably one of the harder to read stories in the collection, and not because it's poorly written or anything like it. It's Occam's origin story, of a sort, and it weighs heavy on the hearts. Yet it is brilliantly done, making readers feel for this beloved character.
“I think this bobcat would eat us for dinner and still be hongry.”

Shiloh and the Brick
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
I wish I could rate this story higher than five stars, because it is freaking brilliant. I have always loved the vamp politics (and all other forms of politics) in this series, and I feel like this short captures the nature of it perfectly. More, please!
“The Charlotte coven accepted you as a student for six weeks and assured us of your safety. You. Need. Training.”

Beast Hunts Vampire with Jane
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★
Another short story from Beast's point of view. The title says a lot for this one, but it is still a lot of fun to read – with a few surprises along the way, of course.
“Nope. This is a false hunt. Like leading predators away from your den to protect your kits. Acting weak.”

Of Cats and Cars: A Story of Beast and Cows with Trees on Heads
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
I distinctly remember when this short came out – and just how excitedly the fandom had waited for it. It lived up to the expectation then, and it did so again now. Definitely worth the re-read.
“There is no way beneath heaven's sun that I will allow...that...cat creature to hunt from my car.”

Beast Hunts Pie-Bald Deer
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★
The sense of humor in this one is absolutely precious! It's another Beast-centric story, but it is also pretty tongue-in-cheek at times. I love it.
“Beast chuffed quietly, thinking of picture of Reader Humans rolling down long hill. Is funny.”

Jane Tracks Down Miz A
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Ow. My heart. Readers beware, this one is going to hit you right in the feels – much like it did for Jane, come to think of it.
“I was feeling guilty enough to go into a grocery store and buy flowers, which I had never done before, but there was a first time for everything.”

Anzu, Duba, Beast
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Ever wanted to read a story of Jane and GeDiMercy (aka the Mercy Blade) going hunting? If so, look no further. This story is everything we could have hoped for, and arguably a little bit more.
“Bad place, Beast thought at me. Do not go in.”

Eighteen Sixty
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
I was not expecting to see a story from Ayatas' perspective in this collection, though I should have! It's more backstory for Ayatas, which is going a long way in explaining his perspective within this world.
“Jaguar claws were better for what he had planned this night.”

Wolves Howling in the Night
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
This is the second Ayatas story in this anthology, and I really loved it. It's set long before Ayatas and Jane are reunited, though there will be a familiar name thrown into the mix. Worth the read.
“Son of a witch on a switch.”

Death and Fashionista
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★
Time for Molly to take the lead! This one is all about Molly and her death magics – reminding us just how much of a struggle it was for her to cope with all of that.
“But I was paying attention to one thing only – the forest I had killed.”

My Dark Knight
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★
Aww, Angie baby is the sweetest. This story is from her perspective, mostly. Her family is under attack, and the first person she thinks to call if Edmund. Sweet, but with a heavy dose of danger for good measure.
“It sings like a wolfie and a bird and the bells in the church.”

Bound in Darkness
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
This short is set sometime between Shattered Bonds and True Dead, and focuses on Eli and Liz Everhart. This one was included in another anthology recently, but I still loved reading it again. It's one of my favorites.
“He'd been there for her while she recuperated, then he'd pulled back.”

The Ties that Bind
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Last, but not least, we have The Ties that Bind. An appropriate conclusion to this anthology. This time Bedelia Everhart takes centerstage, and boy does this story have interesting implications for some of the Everhart sisters. I love it.
“A frisson of danger climbed up her spine on hooked spider feet.”

Of Claws and Fangs, Stories from the World of Jane Yellowrock and Soulwood by Faith Hunter is a short-story compilation featuring stories mostly set in the Jane Yellowrock universe and the sister series, Soulwood. While this is a collection of short stories, I would suggest being current on both series to avoid spoilers, as the stories span the timeframe from predating the debut novel to the most current release. I cannot wait to see what other projects Faith Hunter has in store for us.

If you like vampires, shape-shifters, and witches, I highly recommend this book.
Thank you to Berkley Publishing and Netgalley for the #gifted e-arc.

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Erica – ☆☆☆☆☆
OF CLAWS AND FANGS is a short-story compilation from Faith Hunter, featuring stories mostly set in the Jane Yellowrock universe, as well as the sister series, Soulwood.

While this is a collection of short stories, I would suggest being current on both series to avoid spoilers, as the stories span the timeframe from predating the debut novel to the most current release.

Since I'm not one to hunt down short stories in a massive series, these were all new-to-me, even though they were previously released in newsletters and websites, most of them taken down after a short period of time. Even if you've read some, you may have missed others.

The heading of each story explains its origin (where it was posted and how it fits into the overall series). Whether you've had the opportunity to read them or not, I appreciate them all being in one handy location, easily accessed to get a hit of my favorite characters in one of my all-time favorite series.

I thoroughly enjoyed picking up the collection, where I immersed myself in the point-of-view of Jane's cohorts, being inside their thoughts for the first time. Each story is of variable length, where if you have five to ten minutes to spare, it's an excellent way to de-stress and relax while being entertained.

Of all the stories, OF CATS AND CARS was my favorite. It was also one of the longest stories. Nothing is as enjoyable as Beast, especially a trixsy Beast in love with Edmund. This is set in the timeframe when Jane is ill, where she was in beast-form more often than not, but Jane was deep healing in the background, allowing Beast free-reign.

Beast wanted to hunt cows with trees on their heads in a car with no head, and Jane allowed the bargain. Poor Edmund's Maserati. Watching Beast be flirty and manipulative with such a powerful man, a man she sees as her mate, even though Jane sees Edmund as her subordinate. Delightful, adorable, and laugh out loud hilarious, I will be rereading this short many times to come.

Leo, Master of the City of New Orleans (along with a good paragraph of other titles) was predominant is many of the stories, sure to please fans. We see things predating Jane, events which were mentioned or glossed over in previous installments. Being inside Leo's head was exciting and refreshing.

Other notable mentions were cameos from the Everhart witches, along with Leo, Beast, Edmund, and others. The connection Jane has fostered with her made family and friends is one of the highlights of the series, and these shorts showcase her nearest and dearest, filled with humor, emotion, and action & adventure, set to the backdrop of the Jane Yellowrock universe.

While I am sad that the Jane Yellowrock series will be coming to a close with the next novel, I cannot wait to see what other projects Faith Hunter has in store for us. This series is on my reread list, and I'm happy to add OF CLAWS AND FANGS to the collection.

There were quite a few stories in this book, but my favorites were two stories. Of Cats and Cars finally gives us the story of Beast’s need to hunt from Edward’s Maserati. ‘Beast is the best hunter’ is a sentence that shows up in a lot of Jane’s novels and Beast is always trying to get Jane to talk Edward into allowing her to hunt cows with tree’s on their heads from his speedy car. Edward is, of course, not about to let the big cat near his leather seats and instead bargains with Beast to hunt on a trip in Texas out of the back of a Hummer. This was a fun story and allowed the reader to see a different less stilted side to Edward. I really enjoyed this look into his head.

The second story I really enjoyed was the novella Bound into Darkness. We have seen many different sides to Eli, but always through Jane’s eyes. This man, her chosen brother, has been in a couple of relationships in the series but the most recent attraction is between he and Liz Everheart. Liz has been hired to find a lost dog and asks Eli if he’d hike into the North Carolina wilderness with her. She’s tired of him retreating and thinks this day and night will either bring them together or drive them apart. Little does she know that she’s been sent on a trip from which she may not return alive. Luckily she’s got Eli at her back. This was an action-packed, fun, adventure and read like a full length novel. I truly enjoyed this one!

There were quite a few great short stories in this compilation and I only mention the two above as being my favorites. If you’re a Leo fan, you’ll read a couple of stories that may help you understand him better, or if you love the Everhearts and Angie baby, you have one or two stories that will give you a fix until the next novel comes out. There’s something in this book for everyone!

❤️❤️❤️❤️

I received a copy of this novel through NetGalley for my honest review and it was honest!

This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
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WHAT'S OF CLAWS AND FANGS ABOUT?
It's a collection of 18 shorter works in the Jane Yellowrock/Soulwood universe—one novella, a couple of very short vignettes, and several short stories.

This is the second collection of such works (and I really should get that first one, I'm not sure how I've managed to miss it), and brings in material from a variety of collections and some things published online and brings them all together in one handy volume—which is great, most readers are like me and we're not going to be able to get all these various collections, but you put them in a book like this, and we're going to have a good time.

I briefly considered giving a sentence or two about each piece, instead, I'm going to focus on just a few:

JANE TRACKS DOWN MIZ A
This is the sole bit of new material for the book—it's described as a "short-short story." It's a little longer than a vignette, but not quite a short story. It was originally written for someone who won a charity auction, and Hunter re-worked it for this collection. I wasn't sure what to think of it originally, but by the time it was over I wanted it to keep going.

BOUND INTO DARKNESS
This novella is the longest piece in the book, and as such, seems like it should get a little more attention than the rest. The story centers on Eli and Molly's sister Liz Everheart. Several other characters get involved by the end, but it's primarily about these two and one of the worst dates (that really wasn't a date) in history. There were plenty of good character moments, a few good supernatural baddies, and a lot of Eli doing his thing.

The nicest touch, if you ask me, was the short story that followed it in this collection. It ties into the novella, talking about something that happens behind the scenes. It doesn't really alter your understanding of the novella, it just adds a little color. I really liked it—not just because of the added color, but the story was nice, too. I didn't realize I wanted to know more about Lincoln Shaddock, but I was wrong.

OTHER HIGHLIGHTS
I'm a big Soulwood fan, so I was pleased to run into two stories from that series here. There's a cute story about Nell's early days with PsyLED and Black Friday, which is followed by Occam's origin story.

There's a great story where Angie Baby gets to shine. I've been thinking it for a while, but this story ("My Dark Knight") confirms it for me—I need a stand-alone novel featuring her, either at her current age or as a young adult. She's possibly the most interesting character in this series that features several interesting characters.

Of course, there's plenty of good material featuring Jane and Beast—it's pretty much a requirement. My one note on "Life's a Bitch and Then You Die" was that it would justify the book's purchase price by itself. Then I read "Of Cats and Cars" (I posted an excerpt from that earlier today), "Anzu, Duba, Beast" and "Shiloh and the Brick"—I think I'd have said the same about any of them.

LOWLIGHTS?
Really, there weren't any—not many collections like this can say that.

For me, the collection started off rough—but I'm going to be in the distinct minority on this. The first vignette and the story that followed focused on Leo Pellissier, and he's really never been my cup of tea. I can enjoy him as an antagonist to Jane, and even a benefactor, but that's it—as a secondary character, basically. But even then, I thought the story, "Make it Snappy," ended well, with a nice reveal at the end.

SO, WHAT DID I THINK ABOUT OF CLAWS AND FANGS? I had more fun with this than I expected. I expected to have a good time with it, don't get me wrong, but with short story collections, I try to go in with low expectations (and usually have those met). Like I said above, there's not a bad one in the batch—sure, there were a few I could've liked more, but none of the stories were disappointing or dull.

For readers of Jane Yellowrock and Soulwood, this is a must. You'll enjoy the time with your favorites, get a new perspective on a handful of them, and will be exposed to a variety of adventures that wouldn't fit into a novel.

There's nothing to complain about here, and plenty to enjoy—go get your paws on Of Claws and Fangs.


My thanks to Let's Talk! Promotions for the invitation to participate in this tour and the materials (including the book via NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group) they provided.

I received a copy of this book for review from NetGalley. This collection has very few brand new pieces, but is instead a mix of old and new-to-this-format stories. Some of these are from other anthologies, and the rest are either from serialized newsletters or were one-offs used as prizes. This is a good mix of stories and perspectives, and there are a lot to choose from. This anthology will keep you going for ages, especially if you dole them out to yourself as prizes. I would definitely recommend this only to someone already a fan of the series, because these little bites would not give you enough context. This is a lot of fun, and it just makes me more impatient for the next Jane Yellowrock book.

Of Claws and Fangs has a little something for pretty much every urban fantasy fan. Eighteen short stories of various Faith Hunter characters and many of them answer questions posed by fans of her series. Now is when I admit that this collection was my introduction to this author. I know, I know, I'm not sure how I've missed her, but now that I've met a few of her characters, I'll have to do some catching up. As a newbie to Hunter's work, I wasn't sure how reading this collection would go, especially with so many beloved characters starring in these stories, and what I found was a bit of a combination. What I mean by that is I got a good representation of the author's writing style, which I liked, and I now have an idea of her characters and the worlds they inhabit. I liked every story, some more than others, but they're all good. That said, I do have some questions that I feel like a regular reader of Faith Hunter's books wouldn't have. Even with that in mind, I'd still recommend this book. The stories are fast-paced and entertaining, and they left me wanting more of these intriguing characters. And I can't forget to mention that cover. It's fabulous! It caught my eye, so even before I knew anything about what was inside, I wanted to know more.