Scan barcode
nelljustice's review against another edition
5.0
This is a urban fantasy, no sex, lots of blood, lots of magic, plenty of death (but no one we know) and a cameo from Nervous_Nellie_100Jane Yellowrock. There is no cliffhanger and maybe a tiny hint of romance. I listened to this book via audiobook.
Faith Hunter is one of my favorite authors. Khristine Hvam is one of my favorite narrators. Nell Ingram is now one of my favorite heroines. It took finishing this book before I was totally sold on Nell. I kept thinking that no one can be as good as Jane Yellowrock and while that is true, no one can now be as good as Nell Ingram. Both women are strong in their own way and talented in different areas. Nell is an incredible investigator and even though she does go "rodeo" as Ricky Bo calls it, she does know how to take one for the team. She uses her upbringing to her advantage and my favorite parts of the story is when she reverts to church-speak to gain confidences of witnesses.
Yes, Ricky Bo is still in this series. I know, I know. Ricky Bo is Nell's boss so where else would he be? Well, Rick badge plays more of a role than boss in this book. I got to see more about the agony that his were-taint is causing him. I nearly felt sorry for the man. Nearly. He still broke Jane's heart, but now I know how much he's really suffering and how scary and uncertain his existence really is.
Seriously, this was a really good book. Khristine Hvam is a top shelf narrator and even though she does narrate the Jane Yellowrock, she modulates her voice enough to distinguish between Jane and Nell. That, to me, is incredible talent. If you like Jane Yellowrock, please give this series a shot. I was skeptical at first, just because it featured Ricky Bo, but Nell outshines all the characters in the book and she's brilliant.
Faith Hunter is one of my favorite authors. Khristine Hvam is one of my favorite narrators. Nell Ingram is now one of my favorite heroines. It took finishing this book before I was totally sold on Nell. I kept thinking that no one can be as good as Jane Yellowrock and while that is true, no one can now be as good as Nell Ingram. Both women are strong in their own way and talented in different areas. Nell is an incredible investigator and even though she does go "rodeo" as Ricky Bo calls it, she does know how to take one for the team. She uses her upbringing to her advantage and my favorite parts of the story is when she reverts to church-speak to gain confidences of witnesses.
Yes, Ricky Bo is still in this series. I know, I know. Ricky Bo is Nell's boss so where else would he be? Well, Rick badge plays more of a role than boss in this book. I got to see more about the agony that his were-taint is causing him. I nearly felt sorry for the man. Nearly. He still broke Jane's heart, but now I know how much he's really suffering and how scary and uncertain his existence really is.
Seriously, this was a really good book. Khristine Hvam is a top shelf narrator and even though she does narrate the Jane Yellowrock, she modulates her voice enough to distinguish between Jane and Nell. That, to me, is incredible talent. If you like Jane Yellowrock, please give this series a shot. I was skeptical at first, just because it featured Ricky Bo, but Nell outshines all the characters in the book and she's brilliant.
saucyknits's review against another edition
3.0
Such a slog! I usually read a book in a day or so and this took me nearly 2 weeks, since it was so easy to put down. There are aspects of this that I like (some of the characters, Nell herself, etc), but this book just seemed rather repetitive (slime, more slime, still more slime, blah blah blah) + the author needs to spend time with a copy editor. The Jane Yellowstone books are much better.
hgranger's review against another edition
3.0
Things I liked:
- The police drama and interaction between the team members
- the (still unknown) different super natural that Nell is. It’s entertaining because it hasn’t been done a thousand times before
- Rick — the character; not his current (and past several books situation. FIX IT FOR HIM Faith!! He doesn’t deserve this.
- Nell’s relationship with her family
- it’s entertaining and the plot is pretty good
Things i disliked:
- the length of the book. Does she have a minimum word count??? Because there was so many repetitive phrases in there; like telling us Nell can’t dance, or giving us backstory multiple times IN THE SAME BOOK. Shorten it by tightening up. Makes for a much better read.
- along that same line, the repetitions of actions also make the plot move along at a glacial pace and doesn’t advance the story
- inconsistencies in writing. That always bugs me; an example is Nell’s description of Pea when they’re in the locker room and Nell mentions that Pea has opposable thumbs. A few pages later Nell notices “for the first time” that Pea has opposable thumbs.
- many instances of multiple sentences in the same paragraph beginning with “but”
- the amount of times something is at the top of Nell’s tongue/ right outside the grasp of her thoughts/ close but not quite in her conscious thought. (It’s a lot if you’re wondering)
- Tandy’s character development. Completely unprovoked and odd
- the fact that Nell won’t deal with Ephraim or whatever his name is. She keeps postponing it as if ignoring an evil entity under your land is like procrastinating cleaning out a closet.
- Rick not being with Jane. Ugh!! (Don’t get me started on how I feel about Bruiser 😡)
So all in all, an easy read for entertainment with some issues that could have been better.
- The police drama and interaction between the team members
- the (still unknown) different super natural that Nell is. It’s entertaining because it hasn’t been done a thousand times before
- Rick — the character; not his current (and past several books situation. FIX IT FOR HIM Faith!! He doesn’t deserve this.
- Nell’s relationship with her family
- it’s entertaining and the plot is pretty good
Things i disliked:
- the length of the book. Does she have a minimum word count??? Because there was so many repetitive phrases in there; like telling us Nell can’t dance, or giving us backstory multiple times IN THE SAME BOOK. Shorten it by tightening up. Makes for a much better read.
- along that same line, the repetitions of actions also make the plot move along at a glacial pace and doesn’t advance the story
- inconsistencies in writing. That always bugs me; an example is Nell’s description of Pea when they’re in the locker room and Nell mentions that Pea has opposable thumbs. A few pages later Nell notices “for the first time” that Pea has opposable thumbs.
- many instances of multiple sentences in the same paragraph beginning with “but”
- the amount of times something is at the top of Nell’s tongue/ right outside the grasp of her thoughts/ close but not quite in her conscious thought. (It’s a lot if you’re wondering)
- Tandy’s character development. Completely unprovoked and odd
- the fact that Nell won’t deal with Ephraim or whatever his name is. She keeps postponing it as if ignoring an evil entity under your land is like procrastinating cleaning out a closet.
- Rick not being with Jane. Ugh!! (Don’t get me started on how I feel about Bruiser 😡)
So all in all, an easy read for entertainment with some issues that could have been better.
laurenjodi's review against another edition
4.0
Curse on the Land
4 Stars
Now a fully fledged PsyLED agent, Nell Ingram returns home to discover a malevolent sickness in her woods. Before she can determine its scope, Nell is called in to help investigate a strange paranormal contagion infecting first wildlife and then humans.
Although this second installment is enjoyable with several intriguing revelations and some solid character development, the writing is distractingly repetitious and the mystery is confusing.
The police procedural plot is poorly paced with long, overly convoluted and bizarre descriptions of magical technobabble and villains with competing agendas. Fortunately, the ongoing characterization makes it easier to wade through the flotsam.
Nell is a wonderful heroine whose ability to "read the earth" is original and intriguing. Nell is gaining in confidence as she emerges from the isolation of her rigid church upbringing, and the fact that she is able to use the lessons of her childhood and her "church mannerisms" to aid in her investigations is an extra bonus.
The real highlights of the book include the hints at a romance between Nell and Occam, who are so cute as they pussyfoot around one another, as well as the surprising truths behind Rick and Paca's relationship. While it is good to finally have some closure in this regard, one issue that grates is Hunter's tendency toward making excuses for Rick's prior actions in an attempt to rehabilitate his character. It would have been better if he had taken responsibility for the situation that his own ego created.
In sum, although Curse on the Land is not as tightly written as the Jane Yellowrock books, there is incredible potential in the ongoing storylines and the engaging characters. Hopefully, Hunter will soon get into her groove with this spin-off.
4 Stars
Now a fully fledged PsyLED agent, Nell Ingram returns home to discover a malevolent sickness in her woods. Before she can determine its scope, Nell is called in to help investigate a strange paranormal contagion infecting first wildlife and then humans.
Although this second installment is enjoyable with several intriguing revelations and some solid character development, the writing is distractingly repetitious and the mystery is confusing.
The police procedural plot is poorly paced with long, overly convoluted and bizarre descriptions of magical technobabble and villains with competing agendas. Fortunately, the ongoing characterization makes it easier to wade through the flotsam.
Nell is a wonderful heroine whose ability to "read the earth" is original and intriguing. Nell is gaining in confidence as she emerges from the isolation of her rigid church upbringing, and the fact that she is able to use the lessons of her childhood and her "church mannerisms" to aid in her investigations is an extra bonus.
The real highlights of the book include the hints at a romance between Nell and Occam, who are so cute as they pussyfoot around one another, as well as the surprising truths behind Rick and Paca's relationship. While it is good to finally have some closure in this regard, one issue that grates is Hunter's tendency toward making excuses for Rick's prior actions in an attempt to rehabilitate his character. It would have been better if he had taken responsibility for the situation that his own ego created.
In sum, although Curse on the Land is not as tightly written as the Jane Yellowrock books, there is incredible potential in the ongoing storylines and the engaging characters. Hopefully, Hunter will soon get into her groove with this spin-off.
lyndz_'s review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-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
5.0
ac223's review against another edition
3.0
This review can also be found at www.thepaperbackaddict.com
Curse on the land is book two in the Soulwood series, which is a spinoff of the Jane Yellowrock series. I'm not sure if my mind was just preoccupied lately, or if book two didn't live up to my expectations. It took me days to finish this book and I almost had to force myself to get through it. I hate that because book one of the Soulwood series was a solid four, and the JY series is one of my favorites.
Nell is back from the Academy, and working under probation as Unit 18's newest member. As the newest member of this government agency she now has access to information, she hadn't been privy to as only a consultant. Their newest assignment is determining what or who caused the disturbance to the land, animals and people surrounding three key areas. It feels like magic but something is off about it, and Nell's unique tie to the land will be crucial in finding the answers to these questions.
Occam, loving this guy! He is smitten with Nell, and luckily he knows to take it slow so he doesn't scare her off! The facts about the relationship between Rick and Paka come to light, and everyone is left reeling from betrayal. Soul is more present in the last half of the book and she is a good addition if only part time.
Curse on the land is book two in the Soulwood series, which is a spinoff of the Jane Yellowrock series. I'm not sure if my mind was just preoccupied lately, or if book two didn't live up to my expectations. It took me days to finish this book and I almost had to force myself to get through it. I hate that because book one of the Soulwood series was a solid four, and the JY series is one of my favorites.
Nell is back from the Academy, and working under probation as Unit 18's newest member. As the newest member of this government agency she now has access to information, she hadn't been privy to as only a consultant. Their newest assignment is determining what or who caused the disturbance to the land, animals and people surrounding three key areas. It feels like magic but something is off about it, and Nell's unique tie to the land will be crucial in finding the answers to these questions.
Occam, loving this guy! He is smitten with Nell, and luckily he knows to take it slow so he doesn't scare her off! The facts about the relationship between Rick and Paka come to light, and everyone is left reeling from betrayal. Soul is more present in the last half of the book and she is a good addition if only part time.
peppermintbat's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-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
4.25
cris3ma's review against another edition
dark
tense
medium-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
3.75