Oh wow, this was such an amazing read! I love this series so much, and this installment, I'm not sure if it's the end of the series or not, Final seems pretty end of series to me. It was such a great adventure, and I loved everything that happened!

There was so much going on in this book! The threat of the final heir of the Sons of Darkness, well, his plot was nefarious, and it took a lot of effort to face off against him! There was many a battle scene, and I couldn't get enough!

The way things ended, with where we left these characters, it was heartwarming, and oh, so satisfying. I especially loved that last line, because they've been through so much, that that's what they're feeling, that was just an excellent ending!

If this is the end of the series, then it was a really great send off! But I'm glad that we still have the Soulwood series, Nell is a fantastic character, and it means we spend more time with these characters. Though I think I read in Faith Hunter's newsletter that she might be doing something with the kids of this world, which would be great to read!

This was such a great read, and I can't wait to read more by Faith Hunter!

A lovely goodbye to a dark and twisted UF series that has been a cornerstone of the genre. I love the world created.

I have been a fan of the Jane Yellowrock series for almost 10 years. After reading the first book I was hooked. This final book in the series was highly anticipated, with excitement and sadness. I think fans will greatly enjoy this conclusion to the series, as I did. I definitely recommend finishing up the series if you have gotten this far as plots are tied up quite neatly.

As far as the series itself, though, I admit by book 15 I missed a lot of what the first books had, which was more character interaction and mystery plot. But I understand the way they all eventually tied together for the final overarching plot in the later books, and I do think it was well done. I just found the original novels to be the most fun, whereas the later ones were a lot more action from beginning to end.

I am sad to see the series end but excited to eventually read the next Soulwood book and whatever new series Faith Hunter comes up with next!

Things are coming to a head for Jane, her family and friends. Powerful witches using death magic are working with the Heir to chain an angel and a demon in order to seize power over the paranormal, and human, worlds. If they succeed then all that Jane holds dear will be wiped from the earth. With attacks on every hand, human politicians refusing police aid and a possible traitor in their midst it will take all Jane’s skill and luck to free the angel and defeat the Heir.
Over fifteen books we have seen Jane grow from a lone vampire hunter to the Dark Queen of the vampires, from a loner to a person with family and friends, from a wanderer to a person with a home and roots. When it looked like book 12 was going to be the last of the series fans were a bit upset with the ending cliffhanger but luckily Ms Hunter got a contract for 3 more books and now we have a very satisfying conclusion to the series. I am sad there will be no more Jane Yellowrock books, glad she got a good conclusion and we can hope to see Jane and the others in her world show up in other works of Ms Hunter’s. The whole series is highly recommended.

From the publisher:

Jane Yellowrock is the queen of the vampires, and that makes her a target as she fights to maintain control and keep peace in the city of New Orleans. She has enemies at every turn, because vampires live forever, and they keep their grudges alive with them. That includes the Heir, the vampire sire of the Pellissier bloodline, which gave rise to Leo Pellissier himself—Jane’s old boss and the former master of the city.

With the Heir and all the forces of darkness he can muster arrayed against her, Jane will need all the help she can get. She’ll find it in her city, her friends, her found family, and, of course, the Beast inside of her.

My thoughts: This is definitely not the book to start reading the series with. It is, however, a good one for wrapping up the series. Loose ends are tied up. Character growth is evident for several characters through their thoughts and actions. And several characters get a version of their HEA.

I had two very minor problems with the book. One was that there were a few instances of Angie being like a deus ex machina. She provided vital information just when they needed it. I know this helped move the plot along, but sometimes it was too convenient. The other was the amount of detail given to the types of weapons used. This is easily scanned over though, and does not hold up the action.

I gave this book 5 out of 5 stars. It's well written. It does a good job resolving loose ends. The problems I did have with it were minor. And it's left open enough for the possibility of future short stories or novellas set in the same world.

If you've been reading this series, this book is a must read. If you haven't started it yet, but enjoy urban fantasy, start at the beginning. It's a good series.

Final Heir by Faith Hunter was published September 6th, 2022 by Ace Books.

I received a copy of the book from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Erica – ☆☆☆☆
FINAL HEIR is the fifteenth and final installment in the Jane Yellowrock series. It is absolutely necessary to read all fifteen installments. None of the novels can be read as a standalone. Even with rereading countless times, this complex storyline is often times confusing.

Bittersweet. While I was ravenous to discover what life Jane, Beast, Bruiser, and the rest of the cast would lead unto their Happily Ever Afters, I was still saddened to let the series go. The novels are at the top of my reread list, so I can easily recapture the emotions they made me feel by cracking them open again. As for the ending, it's easy to let my imagination wander to envision Jane and her sidekicks happily interacting with one another in their forever to come.

The Heir to the Sons of Darkness is in NOLA, seeking the Dark Queen crown that rests upon Jane's head. Not only is he the strongest vampire, the closest to the originators, but he is also Leo's master. Not only is he Leo's master, he's Leo's sire in more ways than one. This causes more than a few problems for Jane, especially with the fact that Leo is bound to her consort, she's taken over his territory and all that comes with it, meaning there are no secrets safe from Leo, and the Heir has a direct line into Leo's thoughts, no matter if the newly resurrected outclan priest is as loyal to Jane as she is to him.

Jane is still suffering from random shifting, unable to shift at critical times to save her own life. I'm not entirely sure this was ever answered for the reader. After rereading TRUE DEATH, then jumping straight into FINAL HEIR, I gathered that Jane's half form is her natural form now, with her human and cougar shapes being secondary. Other than Beast knowing the answer, I don't believe it was ever answered for Jane or us readers.

Angie's (Jane's? Beast's? Brute's?) angel has been trapped for eons by the Heir, a scattering of complex timelines connect into this time and place, with Jane the only hope for good to reign over evil. The vampires are weeping for their lost souls, the product of Judas Iscariot's betrayal (his sons were the Sons of Darkness). FINAL HEIR is the last showdown that started over two thousand years ago, the origin of many religions.

While I was eager to learn Jane's happily ever after, I wasn't only reading slowly because I wanted to enjoy the journey. I found FINAL HEIR extremely tedious to read and in no way a page-turner. While exciting in parts, there were so many battles that I became desensitized to their outcomes. Countless battles, scene after scene, the tapestry tied together by out of place mooning over Bruiser. While I love Bruiser and enjoy the connection he has with Jane, the random "my George" or "my Jane" from Leo felt more authentic than the nonstop narrative of Jane being dreamy over Bruiser during life in peril moments. Eli was forever hurt, since the previous novel. Continually at death's door, a major focus for Jane. This made for a bizarre pacing that had me putting the book down, and not just because I didn't want to get to the ending too soon.

Jane would be in one battle, while another raged, or left the battle she was currently in to run to another battle, their people scattered all over NOLA, harmed and on death's door... on every single page. Then the only downtime experienced was an info-dump of how all these complex threads tied together, with a peppering of Jane mooning over Bruiser/George, which was so out of place for Jane. It lessened their intense connection during interactions between them, most of them always and forever seeming as a final goodbye. I was desensitized to whether they'd be together or if Eli would survive yet another stupid "charge into battle" moment instead of allowing himself to heal. It was emotionally exploitive to the point that I was numbed after the first third.

The major storyline was a good one, the origin of vampires, along with their connection to angels and demons. The only issue I had was how complex this was written. I know the story like the back of my hand, but the bloodline, mythology, theology, and genealogy felt overly complex and overly explained, to where I felt as if I needed to take notes and be tested on it. Info-dumps that weren't easily digested by this reader, causing me to lose focus and interest.

Those issues aside, the Jane Yellowrock series will forever be at the top of my reread list, always the first recommendation given when one of my fellow readers is looking for Urban Fantasy. FINAL HEIR was a satisfying ending to a longstanding series. I cannot wait to see what Faith Hunter creates next.

Jane Yellowrock – along with Beast, a character unto herself – was the most intriguing, creative, and original Urban Fantasy heroines I've read to-date, with her origins, Native American ancestry, and her take-no-prisoners attitude. Jane was loyal and honorable to a fault, picking up randoms along to way to add to her found family. Utterly devoted to her people, selfless and self-sacrificing. It will be hard to let Jane go, but easily enough to reopen Skinwalker and experience it all from the beginning again and again.

I knew when I was reading this book that it was the final book in the series. That said, I wasn’t even sure how Faith Hunter would manage to wrap up these books. So many times the last book ends things in a less than epic fashion or fails to bring the various plot points to a satisfactory conclusion. That is not the case for Final Heir. The story is riveting and action packed. 

For Final Heir, Faith Hunter brings all her writing skills to bringing us a story that wraps up all the lingering elements to the series. Jane Yellowrock must battle with all her enemies even though she is exhausted and somehow keep all of her friends and family safe. While I won’t tell you how the story ends, I will tell you it ends with a bang and the novel is fast paced, action packed and filled with family. It also ties up the entire series in a way that fans will love. 

If you’ve loved the series and want to see how it all ends, I recommend you grab Final Heir and find out for yourself how Jane Yellowrock’s story ends. The story is riveting and action packed. I guarantee it will be a great read and you will love the ending.

I have been with this series since book 1 and loved them all. This one works hard at trying to tell a story while wrapping up as many loose threads as possible at the same time. Jane has now ascended to be the Dark Queen and it loads a ton of responsibility on her shoulders. I did find a bit of discontent with the way the relationship with Aggie One Feather was handled since I felt it did not jive with the previous books but that was probably the only major problem I had, any other complaints I may have had were down in the weeds. The story has a lot of action, a bit of naval gazing that has been a part of the last few books but all things considered this was a great ending but I do expect to see her make an appearance from time to time in her other books and maybe a short story so I feel it is not goodbye but "cya later" and 4 Stars only because of the complaint I mentioned above.

Final Heir is the fifteenth book in the Jane Yellowrock series by Faith Hunter. You do need to have read most, if not all, of the books in the series to appreciate and understand all of the references and moving parts that come together in this book.

Jane Yellowrock is the queen of the vampires, and that makes her a target as she fights to maintain control and keep peace in the city of New Orleans. She has enemies at every turn, because vampires live forever, and they keep their grudges alive with them. That includes the Heir, the vampire sire of the Pellissier bloodline, which gave rise to Leo Pellissier himself—Jane’s old boss and the former master of the city. With the Heir and all the forces of darkness he can muster arrayed against her, Jane will need all the help she can get. She’ll find it in her city, her friends, her found family, and, of course, the Beast inside of her.

Final Heir is exactly what I was looking for this far into the series. I feel like so many moments and loose ends were brought back together, and I will admit that even though I have kept up with this series, read most of the short stories related to it, and the spin offs, there were still moments when I had to stop and think about when or how something mentioned came about and how it might come into play here. There were so many characters and connections that Hunter manage to weave into this story, while still keeping character and plot development moving ahead.

Final Heir is the culmination of a fairly long series, and I think it hits on everything fans want and need to see to make them happy. This is a must read for fans of the series.

The Final Heir is the action-packed finale to the Jane Yellowrock series, and I am so sad that the saga is over. I want to go back and read it from the beginning! There were some chapters closed for Jane in this last book, some good closures and some sad. It seemed like the interaction between Jane and her mentor “in the smoke” at the beginning was super poignant, but then it didn’t feel resolved and I felt it like a gaping wound as I read.


The final heir to the Son of Darkness (Judas) is in Nola and intending to take on the Dark Queen and steal her power and city. So its here that we learn a lot more about the Sons of Darkness, how they came into being, how they connect to Hayyel (our mysterious angel), and some surprises about Leo and his bloodline. We revisit characters from throughout the series, including Ed, Gregoire, the imprisoned witches, and Jane’s family (both good and bad). Leo pops in and out, and is much changed and kinda creepy. He’s not the same sex-on-a-stick vampire from earlier books.

The bones of this story were good, but it was complex. So I did get a bit lost or confused in the story line sometimes, usually when Jane in her own head and thinking things through. Sometimes it seemed like an info-dump to tie the story together, and other times it seemed like being lost in thought with no clear consensus on what was occurring. So I don’t recommend this for late night reading as you will want full brain power to digest what’s occurring.

While I loved the wrap up to the story (particularly the last couple chapters), saying goodbye is bittersweet. But maybe it won’t be the end for Jane’s world and we will still get glimpses in Soulwood or other series. PS. I would LOVE LOVE LOVE to see a spinoff for Koun. The huge Celtic vamp warrior became one of my favorites over these last few books. Same goes for Ed. And Gregoire. And Gee di Mercy. LOL

Great final book in the series. Action packed and some loose ends tied up. I shall miss this series, but hope at some point we are able to hear about the characters again (short story etc.)

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I received a copy of this book for review from NetGalley. There is a lot to process about this book. In this, the last book of the series, Jane and her crew have to face the last of the Judas boys, and save the world one last time.
This book is a bit bittersweet. I'm sure the characters will pop up in the spin off series and novellas, and they certainly deserve a break, but I'm sorry to see them go. There is just enough suspense in the battle scenes that favorite side characters are not necessarily guaranteed to live, and there was a huge amount of action scenes. I had to take breaks to recover after a few, and it was genuinely difficult to stop reading and go to work.
This book is the cumulation of centuries of plotting, scheming, and planning by vampires, all thrown off by one tricky puma and her girl. I loved it, but it was a lot. Hug your cat, start the kettle, and go read this book.

You don't need the word "Final" in the title to let you know that this is the finale to the series, the epic plot with game changing ending will clue you in there. I imagine that fans of the series will be happy with this ending and the conclusion it provides.

I went into this book without reading any of the previous books. (Whoops.) Surprisingly, it's really not a bad place to start the series. Jane (our Protagonist) does a lot of reminiscing on the Simple Good Old Days, and contrasting that to where she is now. It's gotten me excited to go back and read the series from the beginning.

All of that reminiscing also gives this book a somewhat melancholic tone. Jane is at a point where she has a lot of responsibilities and duties to take care of, and she's not exactly enjoying that. There are some character moments where she's learning to accept her new lot in life, but I wouldn't exactly call those triumphant moments. She certainly has a character arc, and it's one of maturing into her responsibilities.

The plot is okay, but sometimes drags. The story doesn't always seem to know exactly what it's doing, or why it's going somewhere.

Here is my video review: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGDeZDm_wCc&feature=share&si=ELPmzJkDCLju2KnD5oyZMQ&t=1127

Thanks to Netgalley and Ace for a copy of this book to review. All opinions are my own.

I can’t believe I’m writing these words…. Final Heir, the 15th book in the Jane Yellowrock series, is the conclusion and final story in the series. After fourteen books, I knew that she was leading us toward the conclusion and yes, this one is it. My history with these novels started with the spin-off series, Soulwood. I was intrigued enough about one of the characters, Rick LaFleur, and wanted to know his back story so started listening to Jane Yellowrock’s books because I had a boatload of audible credits saved. If you find yourself in the same boat, Khristine Kvam narrates those books, as well as Soulwood, and she is uber talented and it’s worth the many hours of listening enjoyment. Anyhow, I wanted to know about Jane, Rick’s ex who is mentioned in Soulwood, and once I started that first novel I was hooked. Jane is everything I look for in an urban fantasy heroine. She is strong, unselfish, sassy, and carries an emotional depth that makes you want to dig deep and learn more. Did I mention I was hooked? LOL.

Final Heir brings back all of my favorite characters. Leo Pellissier ex-Master of the City of New Orleans, Edmund- Jane’s primo and the now King of Europe, Gregoiré- Leo’s love and Jane’s enforcer, Bruiser- Jane’s honey, as well as the whole Everheart gang of witches, her brother’s of choice Eli and Alex, etc. There are too many to name them all. As I was reading and all of these characters came together I knew that this was the final book. Each character had their own moment that meant something to Jane and I hope Faith because there are a couple of characters I’d love to see in future novels, although Faith may be more tired of these characters than her readers (Edmund and Angie anyone?).

It must be noted that Jane’s position as Dark Queen puts her in the rear of battles more than at the front of them, something that she may have gotten a little used to as she was fighting cancer a couple of books back, yet sitting on the sidelines isn’t something that comes naturally. Never fear though, the penultimate scene is all Jane in her bad-a@@ glory and I relished every moment. Speaking of moments, I had a few favorites in this novel; Bruiser and Jane having loving moments together, Jane and Eli’s connection both emotionally and spiritually, but the moment that struck me the most was a scene where Edmund, now the King of Europe portrays a moment from his past by braiding Jane’s hair before a ceremony. Those two characters have come a long way and their connection in that moment made me tear up, as I’m doing as I write it down in this review as well. To me, that moment brought the two of them full circle. It was fabulous. Thanks Faith, for bringing us with you.

Needless to say, I totally enjoyed this finale. There were more sweet than bitter-sweet moments and I got to see my girl nail the biggest fang-head of them all. It was fabulous!

I came across a review and interview with Faith Hunter where she confirms that this is the last novel and I thought I’d share that review/interview on my blog. I enjoyed it so much. Also, please note an excerpt from the first chapter below the cover picture. Enjoy!

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

I received a copy of this ARC through NetGalley and the publisher for my honest review and it is honest!

This review was originally posted on <a href="https://booksofmyheart.net/2022/09/06/final-heir-by-faith-hunter/" target="_blank"> Books of My Heart</a>
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<i>Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.</i>

4.5 hearts

Now we come to the final book in the <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/series/161451-jane-yellowrock" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em><strong>Jane Yellowrock series.</strong></em></a>  The style of <strong>Final Heir</strong> felt very different to me. As usual, the point of view is Jane's with her thoughts and where she is and what she sees.  Because she is now often in a more political role, directing things, and being protected, we don't see many of the battles and only wait to hear what happened and who might be hurt or dead.

I understood the Younger's protecting Jane when she was fighting the cancer but it seems strange. Is it because she has lost many of the skills she had before when she was better able to shift or time walk?  She is more human now in some ways.  She hasn't learned to draw on her powers from the crown or Glob or Dark Queen or even those skinwalker powers.   It feels weird how little fighting she does, leaving other humans like Eli, her Consort, Bruiser, and the vamps and witches to do the fighting.

So much of the time, I felt like I was waiting for the attack, the battle.  It was clear Jane didn't know enough, about the attackers, about what they wanted, about her own powers.  There was only a very slow, meandering to get that information.  On the other hand, the invaders seemed to know a lot.

The handling of the last book aspects were excellent.  There was a bit of an old home week feel as we saw some characters we hadn't seen all the time.  I really enjoyed having more witches around, especially Molly with her family including Angie Baby.  It was awesome having Gregoire and Edmond back from Europe also.  I enjoyed seeing Leo with his struggle and his new role. Reach came into things just a little.  Deon and his food were a joy.

There were also more emotional scenes in Jane's mind where she cared for certain people or characters so deeply.  There were many more sex scenes and connected moments with Bruiser.  The Youngers really shone in their skills and their outstanding support of Jane. Angie Baby had so many key parts in the story. Leo and Brute were others with big roles in how things played out.

I was surprised by how little Beast was part of the story, maybe because she was so strongly in <strong>True Dead</strong>.  I also expected more of Gee and her brother, Ayatas.  The last time she saw Aggie was shocking after I thought they were so close as she healed. The arcencials were not very helpful or prominent.

As an urban fantasy story, these books need to be read in order. Even when read in order, they are complex with many details and characters to follow throughout fifteen books.  If you haven't read them, much of this won't make much sense to you.  It's been a great journey and I like where it has arrived.  Thank you, Faith Hunter.

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<h3><strong>Q&A with Faith:</strong></h3>
<strong>When is Queenie gonna teach Leo a lesson? He needs a good kick in the ass. </strong>

<b>Jane </b><span style="font-weight: 400;">– Leo is … Leo is a nutcase psycho, with about as much empathy as a pile of bricks. When I first met him, I figured if I kicked his ass, he would never learn anything, he’d just come back kicking harder. I figured I’d have to be the splinter in his toe, not the blade in his side. I’d have to needle him, not stab him. Unfortunately, Leo outsmarted me and gave me Edmund. And then made me a blood clan leader. Then … Well, it’s possible that he made me the Dark Queen. I mean, it’s possible that Leo knew that </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">le breloque </span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">was in South Louisiana and that</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">I’d be drawn there. He was drinking the blood of the Son of Darkness, after that son had been bitten by an arcenciel. So… I think it’s possible that instead of me kicking his ass, Leo maneuvered me into a position of power, one that left me no choice but to take over. A nutcase psycho, with about as much empathy as a pile of bricks, but really, </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">really </span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">smart. </span>

<strong>What do you think Angie baby and Edmund’s pledge to each other is going to mean to you? </strong>

<b>Jane </b><span style="font-weight: 400;">– nothing but trouble. Like TROUBLE. So far, on the surface, she seems to be accepting that she can’t marry him, but I can’t trust her. She’s adorable, but let’s be honest here. She will find a way to get what she wants eventually. And I’d hate to be in Molly and Evans shoes when she tries for Edmund someday. Worse? I’d hate to be in Edmund’s. (rolls eyes)</span>

<strong>Can you read the Jane Yellowrock and the Soulwood series as separate entities or do you have to follow a timeline? </strong>

<b>Faith </b><span style="font-weight: 400;">– You can, but you miss lots of good stuff. I was about eight or nine books in to the Jane Yellowrock series when I began to consider a spin off. With a spinoff there is always a common backstory that overlaps, and that overlapping grows organically. What I didn’t expect to happen was the lingering coinciding that came from Rick LaFleur’s presence in both series. I could have taken the easy path of just killing him off, but he was interesting. Dark. So, instead, I moved him into Nell’s life, let him become one of the reasons Nell has multiple stories to tell, and gave Jane a different love. So yes. You can read either series alone or together and with or without the novellas and shorts in BLOOD IN HER VEINS and OF CLAWS AND FANGS. </span>


<strong>Jane’s character seems to be more intense than Nell Ingram’s even though they both have struggled with dark incidents in their pasts. Do you have more of an affinity with Jane or Nell? Which character has been more fun to write? </strong>

<b>Faith </b><span style="font-weight: 400;">– I don’t like or dislike either Jane or Nell more than the other. Both are fabulous to work with for entirely different reasons. Jane is harder to write simply because there is so much backstory in her life. The Jane Yellowrock series will finish at 15 books, the last FINAL HEIR. To keep Jane fresh, I’ve had to write in some major changes and obstacles to overcome, and her challenges are always more physically dangerous and physically difficult than Nell’s will ever be. </span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">That said, Nell has to overcome so many social and emotional problems that Jane never will, because Nell was raised in (and escaped from) a polygamous cult. Her place in the real world is uncertain, and because she started out as the only one of her kind, Nell is stumbling along in the dark, finding her way. When put in context, with Nell as a law enforcement officer, there is a layer of internal conflict that Jane will never face. </span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">Sooo... Like a good parent, I didn’t answer to say which of my children I prefer. (gives cheeky grin)</span>

&nbsp;
<b>Excerpt:</b>
<blockquote>Talking to a werewolf in wolf form was difficult. At the house, we had a soundboard that Beast could tap on to communicate. It was new and it made our lives so much easier, but out in the wild we were still stuck with the Q and A, yes and no, method of communicating, a series of questions to which Brute could respond with a no head- shake or a yes nod.

“Brute. Is there trouble?” Brute nodded.

It was daylight or near enough, so that meant the trouble was not likely a vamp. “Is one of my humans in trouble?”

Head shake.

I asked my way through the list: witch, were-creature, cops, ICE (who had, lately, gone after vamps because the long-lived ones didn’t believe in documentation), para-haters, PsyLED—the Psychometric Division of Homeland Security—and half a dozen others before Brute made a disgusted chuffing sound and stared at the sweathouse. I turned to see Aggie, standing in the open doorway, her right side hidden, probably carrying the knife. “One of the tribal people?”

Head shake. He looked from Aggie to the firepit, now with only a few glowing coals left.

“Oh,” I said, feeling stupid. “You know something about the angel?”

Brute nodded. “What is it?”

He turned and disappeared into the gray light. “Crap,” I sighed out. “Not a yes/no question.” I looked at Aggie. “He doesn’t usually run away when I mess up.”

Aggie frowned and turned her back on me, picking up a leather scabbard and sheathing the blade. Her shoulders were hunched, her head down. I didn’t know if her posture was angry, exhausted, shamed at drawing a weapon, or something worse.

“Aggie?”

She shook her head, the motion weary, and asked, “Could your vision be in a graveyard? You’ve fought battles there before, and blood drinkers frequent them.”

I frowned, thinking. Watching her move, the stress and uncertainty in her jerky movements. Fear, again. She was afraid and I didn’t understand.

She turned to face me, the scabbard nowhere in sight. “A church?” she asked. “A cathedral?”</blockquote>
&nbsp;

Final Heir (Jane Yellowrock #15)
by Faith Hunter
I have loved absolutely every book in this series and this final adventure does not disappoint. The action and suspense are non-stop as Jane is reunited with all of her allies to defeat the last Heir to the Son of Darkness. While I will miss this story and all of the characters, the finale was satisfying. In fact, at the end, it feels as though Jane, Bruiser, Eli, and Alex (and all the rest) have earned a vacation. I can't wait to read this series all over again.

So, on the whole I loved this series but it did perhaps go on a few books longer than I would have preferred. It was an enjoyable series though watching Jane go from bounty hunting nobody to a powerful leader. I don’t except an urban fantasy series to go anywhere other than power creep so I do enjoy a likable main character with good sidekicks. If you’re the sort who waits for a series to end before you start it as some are this one is a solid choice if you want the tough magical chick kicks butt story. Four stars for overall series quality but maybe just 3 point something for this book alone.

A satisfying end to one of my favorite series.

I hate saying goodbye to Jane but I hope she'll pop up from time to time in the Soulwood series and hopefully a spinoff with the Everhart witches because after reading all the short stories there are a ton of plot bunnies I need to know more about. (Please Faith give us a series about the Everhart sisters, Angie Baby, and the Everhart witch who had a relationship with a certain male Cherokee shapeshifter. I really need to know more about certain witches and their vampire daddy- and what happens when they find out!)

Final Heir is jam-packed with violence, drama, and Jane reminiscing about where things began and what her life has become.

I have fallen in love with these characters and hate saying goodbye but I know everything must come to an end eventually. Jane is tired of it all and wants to live a more peaceful life. And damn has she earned it.

I'm glad it was not an "everyone's dead the end" ending like so many paranormal/fantasy series like to do. This leaves things open for a return to the series (Like Kim Harrison did with The Hollows) or even just touching base and having characters appear in future books since she still writes the Soulwood series set in the same world.

The ending was satisfying and hopeful.

Final Heir is the Fifteenth installment in author Faith Hunter's Jane Yellowrock series. I will be as fair as I can in my review since this is a culmination of an entire series and events that have been prophesied by Leo to happen thanks to Jane's arrival in New Orleans, and her collection of powerful magical artifacts like the crown that chose Jane to be the Dark Queen. Readers of this series were left with a dire warning that Jane will have to put her life on the line in order to defeat one of the more dangerous adversaries she's ever had to face.

Jane is the Dark Queen of the vampires, and she always has to fight the evil villains, as she has many enemies that target her. In the final installment of the series, Jane and her allies must face another of the Sons of Darkness, who is the Heir (from Pellissier bloodline), determined to kill her, and take over all of New Orleans while binding an Angel and a Demon. With Mainet Pellissier holding all the cards, Jane and people will need to stand or fall and watch the world be taken over by darkness. Not only is he the strongest vampire, the closest to the originators, but he is also Leo's master. Not only is he Leo's master, he's Leo's sire in more ways than one. This causes more than a few problems for Jane and her vampires.

When a surprise attack on a Null Prison in New Orleans happens, Jane and her team must join the battle when the Heir brings his evil witches to destroy the Null house, which holds the heart of the last Heir, and they will stop at nothing to get it. I have to say that although Jane is the main character in this book, it seemed as though the author was preparing readers for a possible spin-off featuring Angie Everhart who may be the most powerful witch with her connection to Edmund, as well as her connection to the Angel Hayyel whom we haven't heard from in a long time. With Jane afraid of peeking into the future, it is Angie who seems to be able to see things that will happen unless Jane gets ahead of her enemies.

Final Heir was a fantastic finale to the Jane Yellowrock series but I hope she doesn't abandon this world. I hope she continues to write and maybe in the future, she will have some quest appearances by Jane and Bruiser. I love Jane and Bruiser and how far they've come as a couple. I love Edmond as well. If Bruiser wasn't in the picture, Jane and he would be a fantastic fighting force. I loved when Jane finally came into her Dark Queen powers after fighting Gregoire. I am glad that readers get a resolution as to what really happened to Hayyel as well as Leo's final part he plays in Jane's final battle.

There comes a time for every series when we must say goodbye. For Jane Yellowrock‘s series, that time has come. The fifteenth novel in the series, Final Heir, is appropriately titled, as this is the final novel in the series.

Jane has come a long way from her vampire hunting days. Now she is the Dark Queen – queen to the vampires and their only hope for stopping the war that seems to always be on the cusp of occurring.

The last few years have been a struggle as Jane fights to protect her friends, family, and all of New Orleans. Now she and her allies must stand up one more time, as an ancient enemy is about to make his final moves against her.

It’s always difficult to say goodbye to a series, especially one that has run so long as Jane Yellowrock. Yet I do firmly believe that Final Heir is the conclusion we’ve been waiting for.

But I should probably take a few steps back before discussing the ending to this delightful and deadly series. Jane has changed SO much over the years. Those changes were dispersed throughout fifteen novels, so much of those changes felt subtle, making it difficult to track the progress over time. However, I feel like Final Heir did an excellent job of reminding readers of Jane’s origins – and therefore putting everything into perspective.

That makes Final Heir a powerfully introspective novel. Her character is well aware of the battles she’s survived and how much they have changed her. Looking into her past allows us to get the chance to give her a proper goodbye, in a way.

Admittedly, this level of introspection did result in a slightly slower pace than is perhaps typical for the series. It added weight to the words (and ensuing events), which I think balances out the pacing concerns, but it is still worth mentioning.

Likewise, it is worth mentioning just how emotional this novel is. Faith Hunter’s words will cut long-term fans to the core, forcing us to feel each shift, loss, and decision as it comes to pass. It is an intense read, though it does have spots of humor sprinkled throughout. Angie-baby and Beast getting most of the credit there, as far as I’m concerned.

As always, I fangirled all over the place regarding vamp/paranormal politics, especially as they clashed with city politics. This was one of several highlights found within Final Heir, so if this is your jam, you’re in luck.

As for the conclusion of this series? I have strong opinions about it. I expect any fan will also have strong opinions about it. After all, it’s the end of an era. I’m still very much processing everything that has happened – and that’s a good thing. I will say that the ending is very much in keeping with the storytelling up to this point, and I legitimately enjoyed seeing it all come together.

Okay, the fact that we are still getting more Soulwood novels is definitely helping to reduce the feeling of loss. We may be saying goodbye to a series, but we’re not saying goodbye to this world!