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Soulwood #2
Curse on the Land
Set in the same world as Faith Hunter’s New York Times bestselling Jane Yellowrock novels, the second Soulwood novel tells the story of a woman whose power comes from deep within the earth...
Before Nell Ingram met skinwalker Jane Yellowrock, she had no one to rely on, finding strength only in in her arcane connection to the dark woods around her. But now she has friends in the newly-formed PsyLED team to keep her grounded—even if being part of the agency responsible for policing paranormals presents dangers of its own...
After training at the PsyLED academy, Nell returns home to her woods to find the land feeling sick and restless. And that sickness is spreading. With the help of her team, under the leadership of agent Rick LaFleur, Nell tries to determine the cause. But nothing can prepare them for the evil that awaits: an entity that feeds on death itself. And it wants more...
Before Nell Ingram met skinwalker Jane Yellowrock, she had no one to rely on, finding strength only in in her arcane connection to the dark woods around her. But now she has friends in the newly-formed PsyLED team to keep her grounded—even if being part of the agency responsible for policing paranormals presents dangers of its own...
After training at the PsyLED academy, Nell returns home to her woods to find the land feeling sick and restless. And that sickness is spreading. With the help of her team, under the leadership of agent Rick LaFleur, Nell tries to determine the cause. But nothing can prepare them for the evil that awaits: an entity that feeds on death itself. And it wants more...
328 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published November 1, 2016
567 people are currently reading
1709 people want to read
About the author
Faith Hunter
92 books5,717 followersFaith Hunter's Junkyard Cats novella series is available in Audible, eBook, and "ridiculously expensive" (her words) trade paperback books at this time.
Faith's Jane Yellowrock series is a dark urban fantasy. Jane is a full blooded Cherokee skinwalker and hunter of rogue-vampires in a world of weres, witches, vampires, and other supernats. 15 books and several compilations of shorts
The Soulwood series is a dark-urban fantasy / paranormal police procedural /para-thriller series featuring Nell Nicholson Ingram, an earth magic user and Special gent of PsyLED. 6 books
Her Rogue Mage novels—Bloodring, Seraphs, Host, and the RPG Rogue Mage—feature Thorn St. Croix, a stone mage in a post-apocalyptic alternate reality.
Faith is a full time writer who finally hired a housekeeper when the dust bunnies multiplied, She bakes homemade bread and loves to cook.
Faith researches in great detail, and tries most everything her characters do. Research led to her life’s passions – jewelry making, orchids, Japanese maples, bones, travel, white-water kayaking, and writing.
Faith loves orchids. Her favorite time of year is when several are blooming. Pictures can be seen at her FaceBook page. And yes, she collects bones and skulls. She has a fox, cat, dog, cow skull, goat, a boar skull, a deer skull, (that is, unfortunately, falling apart) and the jawbone of an ass. Her prize skull is a mountain lion (legally purchased from a US tannery) hit by a car in the wild.
Her latest love is Japanese maples, and she has managed to collect over thirty.
She and her husband RV, traveling to whitewater rivers to kayak all over the Southeast. Whitewater Kayaking is her very favorite sport, discovered when she was researching her (Gwen Hunter) mystery book, Rapid Descent. She took a lesson and—after a bout of panic attacks from fear of being upside down trapped in a boat—discovered she loved the sport.
Under other pen names, notably, Gwen Hunter, she writes action adventure, mysteries, and thrillers. As Gwen, she is a winner of the WH Smith Literary Award for Fresh Talent in 1995 in the UK, and won a Romantic Times Reviewers Choice Award in 2008. As Faith, her books have been on the New York Times and USA Today Bestseller lists, been nominated for various awards and won an Audie Award with Khristine Hvam, among other awards. Under all her pen names, she has more than 40 books, anthologies, and complications in print in 30 countries.
For more, including a list of her books, see www.faithhunter.net , www.gwenhunter.com . To keep up with her daily, join her fan pages at Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/official.fait... and see her website blog at
www.faithhunter.net
Faith's Jane Yellowrock series is a dark urban fantasy. Jane is a full blooded Cherokee skinwalker and hunter of rogue-vampires in a world of weres, witches, vampires, and other supernats. 15 books and several compilations of shorts
The Soulwood series is a dark-urban fantasy / paranormal police procedural /para-thriller series featuring Nell Nicholson Ingram, an earth magic user and Special gent of PsyLED. 6 books
Her Rogue Mage novels—Bloodring, Seraphs, Host, and the RPG Rogue Mage—feature Thorn St. Croix, a stone mage in a post-apocalyptic alternate reality.
Faith is a full time writer who finally hired a housekeeper when the dust bunnies multiplied, She bakes homemade bread and loves to cook.
Faith researches in great detail, and tries most everything her characters do. Research led to her life’s passions – jewelry making, orchids, Japanese maples, bones, travel, white-water kayaking, and writing.
Faith loves orchids. Her favorite time of year is when several are blooming. Pictures can be seen at her FaceBook page. And yes, she collects bones and skulls. She has a fox, cat, dog, cow skull, goat, a boar skull, a deer skull, (that is, unfortunately, falling apart) and the jawbone of an ass. Her prize skull is a mountain lion (legally purchased from a US tannery) hit by a car in the wild.
Her latest love is Japanese maples, and she has managed to collect over thirty.
She and her husband RV, traveling to whitewater rivers to kayak all over the Southeast. Whitewater Kayaking is her very favorite sport, discovered when she was researching her (Gwen Hunter) mystery book, Rapid Descent. She took a lesson and—after a bout of panic attacks from fear of being upside down trapped in a boat—discovered she loved the sport.
Under other pen names, notably, Gwen Hunter, she writes action adventure, mysteries, and thrillers. As Gwen, she is a winner of the WH Smith Literary Award for Fresh Talent in 1995 in the UK, and won a Romantic Times Reviewers Choice Award in 2008. As Faith, her books have been on the New York Times and USA Today Bestseller lists, been nominated for various awards and won an Audie Award with Khristine Hvam, among other awards. Under all her pen names, she has more than 40 books, anthologies, and complications in print in 30 countries.
For more, including a list of her books, see www.faithhunter.net , www.gwenhunter.com . To keep up with her daily, join her fan pages at Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/official.fait... and see her website blog at
www.faithhunter.net
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 470 reviews
November 30, 2017
Really, really good.
I must be honest, and friends who read my reviews know it’s true, I usually think less of a sequel than the original, and so on as the series goes along. A copy of a copy of a copy gets diluted and thin, the author having gone back to the well too often has lost something.
Faith Hunter, the best selling author of the wildly successful Jane Yellowrock series, began her Soulwood story with the first book - Blood of the Earth in 2016. Her follow-up later in 2016 may be better.
Curse on the Land begins a few months after Blood of the Earth ended, Nell Ingram having completed “Spook School” a training program for federal paranormal agents. Hunter’s world building, the same universe as the Yellowrock series (Soulwood is a spin off) describes where supernatural beings like witches and vampires, long existent, have finally come out of the closet and are integrating somewhat into human society.
What the reader discovers is that Blood of the Earth established the nexus with Yellowrock and set up Nell’s story. Curse on the Land, which provides more time and development for the characters in Nell’s team, and builds this storyline further, is the real beginning of the series. Blood of the Earth, then, is really more of a prequel.
To me, the most appealing element of Hunter’s writing here is her magic building. Nell has long known that she is something other than a normal human. Growing up she was called a green thumb as she seemed to have an unusual gift with growing things. This talent came to mean something more when she connected to her land, able to commune with it and feel though it. Hunter’s ability to convey a sense of otherworldliness is exceptional and borders on poetry or some kind of experimental literature that both defines and transcends the urban fantasy genre.
Hunter’s expansion into the lives and talents of both Nell and the other team members is also hypnotically entertaining and draws the reader further into her fantasy narrative. The reader discovers Nell’s talents and powers as she does, and with this development, so too does she learn more about the abilities of her team members. Hunter illustrates all this under the rubric of historical, mythic and legendary belief systems. Also – and I thought this was AWESOME – Hunter may have made a Lovecraftian connection.
I’m hooked. Ms. Hunter, please write another Soulwood book. Soon please.
*** A free copy of this book was provided in exchange for an honest review
I must be honest, and friends who read my reviews know it’s true, I usually think less of a sequel than the original, and so on as the series goes along. A copy of a copy of a copy gets diluted and thin, the author having gone back to the well too often has lost something.
Faith Hunter, the best selling author of the wildly successful Jane Yellowrock series, began her Soulwood story with the first book - Blood of the Earth in 2016. Her follow-up later in 2016 may be better.
Curse on the Land begins a few months after Blood of the Earth ended, Nell Ingram having completed “Spook School” a training program for federal paranormal agents. Hunter’s world building, the same universe as the Yellowrock series (Soulwood is a spin off) describes where supernatural beings like witches and vampires, long existent, have finally come out of the closet and are integrating somewhat into human society.
What the reader discovers is that Blood of the Earth established the nexus with Yellowrock and set up Nell’s story. Curse on the Land, which provides more time and development for the characters in Nell’s team, and builds this storyline further, is the real beginning of the series. Blood of the Earth, then, is really more of a prequel.
To me, the most appealing element of Hunter’s writing here is her magic building. Nell has long known that she is something other than a normal human. Growing up she was called a green thumb as she seemed to have an unusual gift with growing things. This talent came to mean something more when she connected to her land, able to commune with it and feel though it. Hunter’s ability to convey a sense of otherworldliness is exceptional and borders on poetry or some kind of experimental literature that both defines and transcends the urban fantasy genre.
Hunter’s expansion into the lives and talents of both Nell and the other team members is also hypnotically entertaining and draws the reader further into her fantasy narrative. The reader discovers Nell’s talents and powers as she does, and with this development, so too does she learn more about the abilities of her team members. Hunter illustrates all this under the rubric of historical, mythic and legendary belief systems. Also – and I thought this was AWESOME – Hunter may have made a Lovecraftian connection.
I’m hooked. Ms. Hunter, please write another Soulwood book. Soon please.
*** A free copy of this book was provided in exchange for an honest review
October 26, 2016
Different but boy does this author stretch my imagination!
I loved Nell in the first book and couldn't wait to see how she would progress now that she's undergone Spook Squad training! There's always been a capable , tough edge to Nell but boy has she needed it. Having escaped a lifestyle that felt more like a cult and less like a church Nell has weathered many a storm and feels comfortable and at ease with herself. Her magical connection to her land quite literally grounds her but as she returns home something isn't right. PsyLED have a new case though so there's no time for Nell to fully understand what's happening at home as strange things start happening in Knox County. What initially appears to be radioactive leaks pretty soon turns out to be magical workings that are running amok. Something has been created , a dangerous mutation as an experiment runs wild leaving an ever widening area of death rapidly spreading out . Is it an accident though or a deliberate act and will Nell and PsyLED find a way to contain it in time?
Ok first and foremost I have to say that this book is completely different in tone to the previous Blood of the Earth. At times it felt less about Nell and the people in her life and more about magic, how it works and more importantly the consequences . I really enjoyed this story but it didn't seem to have the same 'feels' as the previous book. There is a lot of science in play and I'm not sure all readers will enjoy that. What surprised me most was the sheer depth that the author brings to light here and at one point I actually found myself doing an Internet search on Sponge Bob! Now that's something I never expected and that's what makes this authors stories so fascinating I think as you never quite know just where they will take you.
Ok no spoilers but it would be remiss of me not to mention Nells growth as a woman . I'm guessing I'm not alone in wanting to see her a lot less alone than she is. Please note I didn't say lonely because that's not how she feels to me. Self contained yes and devoted to her family who actually seem to be developing into warmer, much more fleshed out individuals. I never enjoy caricatures so seeing them become less one dimensional really added to this story . Nell isn't the only family member with a certain something extra though so do pay attention ! Speaking of attention those who enjoy the cheeky Texan Occam will be salivating as he starts getting all protective, let the oohing and aching commence ! Still our ' widderwoman ' Nell isn't about to jump into anything although she has definitely noticed that mighty fine male. However this wouldn't be a book set in the Jane Yellowrock universe if Rick didn't feature and boy have his sins come home to roost but you know what? I'm not entirely sure his punishment fits his crime but I know that's a contentious issue for many.
My final thoughts are this book took me on an amazing and very surprising journey as science and biology are not my strong point and yet I was gripped enough to keep reading. I did feel that this was very much a middle book and perhaps lacked emotional depth at times . Still it's very impressive and even though I'm not a fan of scientific gobbledegook I didn't want to put it down. This has been a hard review to write and I kept putting it off but I can honestly say I can't wait to find out what happens next and perhaps discover the truth behind Nells abilities.
This is a voluntary review of an Advance Reader Copy
I loved Nell in the first book and couldn't wait to see how she would progress now that she's undergone Spook Squad training! There's always been a capable , tough edge to Nell but boy has she needed it. Having escaped a lifestyle that felt more like a cult and less like a church Nell has weathered many a storm and feels comfortable and at ease with herself. Her magical connection to her land quite literally grounds her but as she returns home something isn't right. PsyLED have a new case though so there's no time for Nell to fully understand what's happening at home as strange things start happening in Knox County. What initially appears to be radioactive leaks pretty soon turns out to be magical workings that are running amok. Something has been created , a dangerous mutation as an experiment runs wild leaving an ever widening area of death rapidly spreading out . Is it an accident though or a deliberate act and will Nell and PsyLED find a way to contain it in time?
Ok first and foremost I have to say that this book is completely different in tone to the previous Blood of the Earth. At times it felt less about Nell and the people in her life and more about magic, how it works and more importantly the consequences . I really enjoyed this story but it didn't seem to have the same 'feels' as the previous book. There is a lot of science in play and I'm not sure all readers will enjoy that. What surprised me most was the sheer depth that the author brings to light here and at one point I actually found myself doing an Internet search on Sponge Bob! Now that's something I never expected and that's what makes this authors stories so fascinating I think as you never quite know just where they will take you.
Ok no spoilers but it would be remiss of me not to mention Nells growth as a woman . I'm guessing I'm not alone in wanting to see her a lot less alone than she is. Please note I didn't say lonely because that's not how she feels to me. Self contained yes and devoted to her family who actually seem to be developing into warmer, much more fleshed out individuals. I never enjoy caricatures so seeing them become less one dimensional really added to this story . Nell isn't the only family member with a certain something extra though so do pay attention ! Speaking of attention those who enjoy the cheeky Texan Occam will be salivating as he starts getting all protective, let the oohing and aching commence ! Still our ' widderwoman ' Nell isn't about to jump into anything although she has definitely noticed that mighty fine male. However this wouldn't be a book set in the Jane Yellowrock universe if Rick didn't feature and boy have his sins come home to roost but you know what? I'm not entirely sure his punishment fits his crime but I know that's a contentious issue for many.
My final thoughts are this book took me on an amazing and very surprising journey as science and biology are not my strong point and yet I was gripped enough to keep reading. I did feel that this was very much a middle book and perhaps lacked emotional depth at times . Still it's very impressive and even though I'm not a fan of scientific gobbledegook I didn't want to put it down. This has been a hard review to write and I kept putting it off but I can honestly say I can't wait to find out what happens next and perhaps discover the truth behind Nells abilities.
This is a voluntary review of an Advance Reader Copy
June 28, 2024
Reviewed by: Rabid Reads
When I found out that Faith Hunter, author of beloved JANE YELLOWROCK series, was writing a new urban fantasy series about fae in my backyard (Oak Ridge, TN), I whooped.
Literally. Out loud. At a convention. It was kind of embarrassing.
*whispers* I got over it.
And after the awesomeness that was this second installment, I even feel justified. Not that I'm surprised. B/c Faith Hunter.
BUT.
If you're familiar with my reviews of the aforementioned JANE YELLOWROCK series, you know my one reservation was that Rick Lafleur (the slimeball) is a significant character in this spin-off from Jane's world.
I loathe him. LOATHE. L-O-A-T-H-E.
I'm not sure, but he might even be the inspiration behind the creation of my hate-loathe-despise-and-abominate shelf on Goodreads.
But we were told that Rick doesn't get off unscathed, doesn't get to skip off into the sunset and live happily ever after, after he didthething (which elicited another vocal response, this time of RAGE--an author who can provoke such visceral responses speaks for herself, doesn't she?), and in CURSE ON THE LAND we finally see that promise come to fruition.
*is gleeful* *maybe even smirks*
And do I feel sorry for him in the aftermath? That would be a resounding NO.
Moving on from my Rick rant, SOULWOOD #2 has much more to offer than resolution to long harbored resentment of a member of Nell's supporting cast.
You: Like what?
Me: Things like Old Ones slumbering deep in the earth.
You: Old Ones?
Me: Ancient and powerful entities best left undisturbed . . .
Which of course is going to take some doing from Nell and her PsyLED cohorts.
Are they successful?
READ THE BOOK. *winks*
And that's not all. There's also Knoxville turning into an alien landscape of black slime mold and scary flowering outgrowths, revived Nazi plots, corporate espionage, escalation of individual's superpowers and the resulting abuse, lions and tigers and bears, oh my!
So, I repeat, READ THE BOOK. Highly recommended.
When I found out that Faith Hunter, author of beloved JANE YELLOWROCK series, was writing a new urban fantasy series about fae in my backyard (Oak Ridge, TN), I whooped.
Literally. Out loud. At a convention. It was kind of embarrassing.
*whispers* I got over it.
And after the awesomeness that was this second installment, I even feel justified. Not that I'm surprised. B/c Faith Hunter.
BUT.
If you're familiar with my reviews of the aforementioned JANE YELLOWROCK series, you know my one reservation was that Rick Lafleur (the slimeball) is a significant character in this spin-off from Jane's world.
I loathe him. LOATHE. L-O-A-T-H-E.
I'm not sure, but he might even be the inspiration behind the creation of my hate-loathe-despise-and-abominate shelf on Goodreads.
But we were told that Rick doesn't get off unscathed, doesn't get to skip off into the sunset and live happily ever after, after he didthething (which elicited another vocal response, this time of RAGE--an author who can provoke such visceral responses speaks for herself, doesn't she?), and in CURSE ON THE LAND we finally see that promise come to fruition.
*is gleeful* *maybe even smirks*
And do I feel sorry for him in the aftermath? That would be a resounding NO.
Moving on from my Rick rant, SOULWOOD #2 has much more to offer than resolution to long harbored resentment of a member of Nell's supporting cast.
You: Like what?
Me: Things like Old Ones slumbering deep in the earth.
You: Old Ones?
Me: Ancient and powerful entities best left undisturbed . . .
Which of course is going to take some doing from Nell and her PsyLED cohorts.
Are they successful?
READ THE BOOK. *winks*
And that's not all. There's also Knoxville turning into an alien landscape of black slime mold and scary flowering outgrowths, revived Nazi plots, corporate espionage, escalation of individual's superpowers and the resulting abuse, lions and tigers and bears, oh my!
So, I repeat, READ THE BOOK. Highly recommended.
October 30, 2025
Nell Ingram has decided to join the PsyLED team. Now back from training, she finds her land ill with the haunting presence of one she thought long dead and that presence has nefarious plans. Nell must stop this evil before it contaminates her land.
While Nell fights, the evil attacking her land, there is another presence and PsyLED has been called in. Something is effecting neighborhoods, pond life and other living creatures in the nearby woods. Being attuned to the land, Nell is the perfect person to root out this rogue spirit effecting not only the land but an ancient power that should not be woken.
Can’t wait to see what is developing with the PsyLED team and specifically with Occam and his devoted protectiveness. Jane’s ex, Rick, past choices have truly come back to bite him in the butt and he has found himself in a major pickle.
We still are left wondering about Nell, her abilities and what her family’s roll is in all this but it is sure to be one heck of ride to find out.
Amazing storytelling is what I’ve come to expect from Faith Hunter and that is just what she delivers in Cursed on the Land. Taking place in the Jane Yellowrock world, Soulwood is a fabulous series that is going to take its rightful place on my must read, pre-order shelf right along with all my other favorite reads.
White knuckle reading, page turner that you just didn’t want to put down, Cursed on the Land is sure to enchant any urban fantasy reader.
I received this ARC copy of Curse on the Land from Berkley Publishing Group - Roc in exchange for a honest review. This book is set for publication Novemeber 1, 2016.
My Rating: 5 Stars (Favorite)
While Nell fights, the evil attacking her land, there is another presence and PsyLED has been called in. Something is effecting neighborhoods, pond life and other living creatures in the nearby woods. Being attuned to the land, Nell is the perfect person to root out this rogue spirit effecting not only the land but an ancient power that should not be woken.
Can’t wait to see what is developing with the PsyLED team and specifically with Occam and his devoted protectiveness. Jane’s ex, Rick, past choices have truly come back to bite him in the butt and he has found himself in a major pickle.
We still are left wondering about Nell, her abilities and what her family’s roll is in all this but it is sure to be one heck of ride to find out.
Amazing storytelling is what I’ve come to expect from Faith Hunter and that is just what she delivers in Cursed on the Land. Taking place in the Jane Yellowrock world, Soulwood is a fabulous series that is going to take its rightful place on my must read, pre-order shelf right along with all my other favorite reads.
White knuckle reading, page turner that you just didn’t want to put down, Cursed on the Land is sure to enchant any urban fantasy reader.
I received this ARC copy of Curse on the Land from Berkley Publishing Group - Roc in exchange for a honest review. This book is set for publication Novemeber 1, 2016.
My Rating: 5 Stars (Favorite)
April 29, 2017
*** 4.75 ***
Another Buddy Read with the Wednesday UF group @ BB&B!
Wow! This author keeps growing with every new book she writes and I am a fan! Being a Fantasy freak, I am very versatile when it comes to my enjoyment of all types of writing styles and thematics. I loved the mostly action and observation filled early Fantasy writing, I loved the increasingly more feminine involvement that exploded in the 90's and 2000's, and I even started taking for granted the more emotional, even angsty at times, streak which has become the thing in the 2010's... Since I have enjoyed all this wonderful variety, I am not devoted to either one of the styles. The way I got introduced to Faith Hunter was through Jane Yellowrock, a kick-ass Skinwalker, tough as nails with a heart of gold, charming and brassy, a warrior and protector, a woman all of us can strive to be like but could never actually be, because she is like Superman, an ideal superhero. Her books are full of action, battles, intrigues and power struggles. Apart from her tendency to blame herself for all that goes wrong, Jane's books are on the low angst side. This is not exactly same for Nell and her Soulwood books.
Nell is a very human, humble, honest, imperfect, not very powerful, vulnerable, easily hurt, fragile, but ultimately very brave and strong in spirit young woman who has had a very difficult and disturbing life. By being all those things Nell is already someone we can identify with, we can see ourselves in her. She is not a superhero, but she strives to be as strong and as good as she could possibly be. Her mysterious connection with her land and Soulwood gives her as much strength as ways to be hurt. It makes her even more vulnerable to the multitude of paranormal energies that surround her. We have no idea what in her genetic material makes her the way she is, but all of us speculate she could be partially Fae or wood nymph or dryad or something... Whatever she turns out to be, it does not define her. Nell is Nell and she will try to do the best for herself and others the way she understands it. And this is why I think our whole Wednesday group has fallen under her spell:)
"..."...though the church and I had parted ways, some things stay with a woman, like accent, hospitality, and a steady hand on the trigger...."
This book takes up a month after we left off with the last one, a month in which Nell had gone to train as a probational PsyLED agent. Now she is a part of Unit 18 and she loves her job. Nell is very consciences about her learning and absorbing everything about her new position. The team stumbles upon a very weird mass reaction to an apparent witch working (spell) gone array and it has taken a life of its own. However, it is affecting many innocent people randomly and in very devastating ways. I continue being impressed by the authors imagination and convincing way of writing all those unlikely scenarios in a very believable manner. Although Nell is the newby with least experience, she seems to be the one who is most attuned to the essence of the problem and the new entity which has become so dangerous to all who live in the Tennessee town. So, as much as she tries to stay out of the way of her co-workers, she always ends up being front and center. This puts all of them in danger, her in mortal peril, and the investigation off kilter. Nothing goes the way it should, including a little situation with Paka and Rick, which as much as the author attempts to make us more forgiving and gentle toward Ricky-bo and his cheating arrogant ways, only succeeds in making me very, very happy with the final result!!!! This is where the EVIL side of me comes up and I hope he does not get any further resolutions!!!!! Let him be the way he is at the end of the book, PLEASE, FAITH!!!!
I loved the way Nell used her "country-bumpkin" ways to her advantage when interrogating her refined suspects and laughed my but off at those moments. I love the way Faith Hunter uses humor to soften some of the hardest moments in the story and to me, that is a sign of brilliance when done right!!!
The plot is intricate, convoluted and far-reaching. It is fascinating and creepy, very well researched and presented. However, what makes the book as good as it is are the personal growth and relationships of many of the characters. Nell's family is a pleasure to read about, her co-workers are differently affected by the growth or change of their powers and interpersonal relationships, some for good, some not so much... Occam seems to be interested in Nell not only as a friend and it will be interesting to see where the author goes with that and how she deals with the were-taint thingy... Paka, I know many have less than favorable view of her, but I actually understand her, her role and feel bad for her, since she was put in this situation not of her own choosing as well... And Rick still got what he deserved!!! Tandy ... I had so much hope for him... we will see... And the witch is totally kick-ass and I like her more and more. Soul is one baaaaaaaaaddddd mamma and she steals every moment she is on page - I want more of her and for her!!!! And SAm gives me hope for the future of the church and the way women are treated in it.
This book is a wonderful addition to this series and to the world of JY! I loved it and I hope more people give it a chance! It is lyrical, more emotional than Jane Yellowrock, but it is done so well, you don't want it to end. SO what are you waiting for, go and READ IT!!!
Now I wish you All Happy Reading and may you always find what you Need in the pages of a good Book!!!
Another Buddy Read with the Wednesday UF group @ BB&B!
Wow! This author keeps growing with every new book she writes and I am a fan! Being a Fantasy freak, I am very versatile when it comes to my enjoyment of all types of writing styles and thematics. I loved the mostly action and observation filled early Fantasy writing, I loved the increasingly more feminine involvement that exploded in the 90's and 2000's, and I even started taking for granted the more emotional, even angsty at times, streak which has become the thing in the 2010's... Since I have enjoyed all this wonderful variety, I am not devoted to either one of the styles. The way I got introduced to Faith Hunter was through Jane Yellowrock, a kick-ass Skinwalker, tough as nails with a heart of gold, charming and brassy, a warrior and protector, a woman all of us can strive to be like but could never actually be, because she is like Superman, an ideal superhero. Her books are full of action, battles, intrigues and power struggles. Apart from her tendency to blame herself for all that goes wrong, Jane's books are on the low angst side. This is not exactly same for Nell and her Soulwood books.
Nell is a very human, humble, honest, imperfect, not very powerful, vulnerable, easily hurt, fragile, but ultimately very brave and strong in spirit young woman who has had a very difficult and disturbing life. By being all those things Nell is already someone we can identify with, we can see ourselves in her. She is not a superhero, but she strives to be as strong and as good as she could possibly be. Her mysterious connection with her land and Soulwood gives her as much strength as ways to be hurt. It makes her even more vulnerable to the multitude of paranormal energies that surround her. We have no idea what in her genetic material makes her the way she is, but all of us speculate she could be partially Fae or wood nymph or dryad or something... Whatever she turns out to be, it does not define her. Nell is Nell and she will try to do the best for herself and others the way she understands it. And this is why I think our whole Wednesday group has fallen under her spell:)
"..."...though the church and I had parted ways, some things stay with a woman, like accent, hospitality, and a steady hand on the trigger...."
This book takes up a month after we left off with the last one, a month in which Nell had gone to train as a probational PsyLED agent. Now she is a part of Unit 18 and she loves her job. Nell is very consciences about her learning and absorbing everything about her new position. The team stumbles upon a very weird mass reaction to an apparent witch working (spell) gone array and it has taken a life of its own. However, it is affecting many innocent people randomly and in very devastating ways. I continue being impressed by the authors imagination and convincing way of writing all those unlikely scenarios in a very believable manner. Although Nell is the newby with least experience, she seems to be the one who is most attuned to the essence of the problem and the new entity which has become so dangerous to all who live in the Tennessee town. So, as much as she tries to stay out of the way of her co-workers, she always ends up being front and center. This puts all of them in danger, her in mortal peril, and the investigation off kilter. Nothing goes the way it should, including a little situation with Paka and Rick, which as much as the author attempts to make us more forgiving and gentle toward Ricky-bo and his cheating arrogant ways, only succeeds in making me very, very happy with the final result!!!! This is where the EVIL side of me comes up and I hope he does not get any further resolutions!!!!! Let him be the way he is at the end of the book, PLEASE, FAITH!!!!
I loved the way Nell used her "country-bumpkin" ways to her advantage when interrogating her refined suspects and laughed my but off at those moments. I love the way Faith Hunter uses humor to soften some of the hardest moments in the story and to me, that is a sign of brilliance when done right!!!
The plot is intricate, convoluted and far-reaching. It is fascinating and creepy, very well researched and presented. However, what makes the book as good as it is are the personal growth and relationships of many of the characters. Nell's family is a pleasure to read about, her co-workers are differently affected by the growth or change of their powers and interpersonal relationships, some for good, some not so much... Occam seems to be interested in Nell not only as a friend and it will be interesting to see where the author goes with that and how she deals with the were-taint thingy... Paka, I know many have less than favorable view of her, but I actually understand her, her role and feel bad for her, since she was put in this situation not of her own choosing as well... And Rick still got what he deserved!!! Tandy ... I had so much hope for him... we will see... And the witch is totally kick-ass and I like her more and more. Soul is one baaaaaaaaaddddd mamma and she steals every moment she is on page - I want more of her and for her!!!! And SAm gives me hope for the future of the church and the way women are treated in it.
This book is a wonderful addition to this series and to the world of JY! I loved it and I hope more people give it a chance! It is lyrical, more emotional than Jane Yellowrock, but it is done so well, you don't want it to end. SO what are you waiting for, go and READ IT!!!
Now I wish you All Happy Reading and may you always find what you Need in the pages of a good Book!!!
September 29, 2016
Full review...
This one was different from the first book; kind of like an X Files with witches and the paranormal instead of aliens. Nell has just returned from Spook School training, and has come back a little more worldly after all her time spent away from her hermit-like existence. She is planning to take a bit of rest at Soulwood before returning to her work with PsyLED Unit 18. She has barely set foot on her land, however, when her unit leader Rick LaFleur calls her into a case that requires her unique talents.
What follows is a very interesting story, but it’s really hard to talk about without spoilers. There is a strange power in the land that is making animals and people do strange things, and get really ill with a deadly fungus type disease. When Nell attempts to commune with the land, there is a violent, powerful, and ancient underground entity which endangers her every time she attempts to get answers from the earth. There are magical tests on Infinity Power revived from WWII, corporate espionage, witches aiding in the tests with spells and then backstabbing each other. All that, and the underground entity/power that has been set free after the testing and spells.
Nell has changed a bit professionally, if not personally. She gets to interact with the FBI and local police at magical crime scenes, and shows her mettle as a PsyLED agent. She’s starting to grow and settle into her role as a paranormal crimes agent for Unit 18. She even gets to use her newly issued gun. The scenes where the unit comes together and works as a team was quite enjoyable; and the camaraderie and individual team member backgrounds were explored a bit.
The story was good; but there was an infodump near the beginning of PsyLED terms that threatened to derail my interest for a bit. I heard Psysitope and Psymeter 2.0 a couple dozen times, and all the talk about the various spook equipment. (Made me think of GhostBusters, lol). It went on just a bit too long for my tastes, I was ready for the action and storyline to get started. After all that was over, it settled into a nice tale, however. There are some intimations of a future relationship with teammate and WerePanther Occam; and a huge event surrounding Rick. RickyBo haters will be dredging up some sympathy after this. There are a few events from the first book which have come back to haunt Nell and must be dealt with. Oh, and PsyLED big boss Soul makes a few appearances here, and there is a pretty cool revelation about her.
I really enjoyed Curse on the Land, despite the slightly slow beginning. This series is obviously set in the same world as ‘Jane Yellowrock’; but is quite different in tone. Lots of action, weirdness, magic, and some violence and death; but as I said, in an X Files way, rather than vampires. “Soulwood” is shaping up nicely to be an excellent series.
This one was different from the first book; kind of like an X Files with witches and the paranormal instead of aliens. Nell has just returned from Spook School training, and has come back a little more worldly after all her time spent away from her hermit-like existence. She is planning to take a bit of rest at Soulwood before returning to her work with PsyLED Unit 18. She has barely set foot on her land, however, when her unit leader Rick LaFleur calls her into a case that requires her unique talents.
What follows is a very interesting story, but it’s really hard to talk about without spoilers. There is a strange power in the land that is making animals and people do strange things, and get really ill with a deadly fungus type disease. When Nell attempts to commune with the land, there is a violent, powerful, and ancient underground entity which endangers her every time she attempts to get answers from the earth. There are magical tests on Infinity Power revived from WWII, corporate espionage, witches aiding in the tests with spells and then backstabbing each other. All that, and the underground entity/power that has been set free after the testing and spells.
Nell has changed a bit professionally, if not personally. She gets to interact with the FBI and local police at magical crime scenes, and shows her mettle as a PsyLED agent. She’s starting to grow and settle into her role as a paranormal crimes agent for Unit 18. She even gets to use her newly issued gun. The scenes where the unit comes together and works as a team was quite enjoyable; and the camaraderie and individual team member backgrounds were explored a bit.
The story was good; but there was an infodump near the beginning of PsyLED terms that threatened to derail my interest for a bit. I heard Psysitope and Psymeter 2.0 a couple dozen times, and all the talk about the various spook equipment. (Made me think of GhostBusters, lol). It went on just a bit too long for my tastes, I was ready for the action and storyline to get started. After all that was over, it settled into a nice tale, however. There are some intimations of a future relationship with teammate and WerePanther Occam; and a huge event surrounding Rick. RickyBo haters will be dredging up some sympathy after this. There are a few events from the first book which have come back to haunt Nell and must be dealt with. Oh, and PsyLED big boss Soul makes a few appearances here, and there is a pretty cool revelation about her.
I really enjoyed Curse on the Land, despite the slightly slow beginning. This series is obviously set in the same world as ‘Jane Yellowrock’; but is quite different in tone. Lots of action, weirdness, magic, and some violence and death; but as I said, in an X Files way, rather than vampires. “Soulwood” is shaping up nicely to be an excellent series.
October 11, 2016
I hardly know where to start on this review, the book was captivating and held my interest from cover to cover. It was so full of stuff my mind is still reeling. You are gonna love the wrap-up in the end :)
Nell comes back from her PsyLED training and barely has time to walk in the door before things start to happen and this level of action keeps going. It does slowdown from time to time but usually it is just a short break before something else is going wrong.
So let me make a list:
Soulwood does not feel right and there is still an evil presence to deal with
Some problems are happening back at the church compound that could tie back to Nell
It is getting close to the full moon and the were panther members of the team seem to be getting less and less helpful and possibly even dangerous
Something is killing animals in a paranormal way and Nell’s “special” talents are required
Seems somebody might want her dead
Oh, the world as we know it might be in danger
Plus, somebody betrays one of the team and of course Nell has to fix it
I cannot give you the story since I don’t do spoilers but Nell is like those old Timex commercials “takes a lickin’ and keeps on tickin’” , heck, at this rate we need to put a medic on the team.
The best part is I loved it all and even though it kept me stressed out a good bit the ending was amazing with only a couple of threads to carry into the next book (I could have used another page or two on Rick)
Bottom line: Exceptional story, amazing characters, so many possible “bad guys” it was amazing to read as they whittled the number down to size. Throw in some subplots about Rick, the church, the very barest touch of romance (we know how long it took to get Jane a boyfriend, looks like the same here), save the world plots, and worry about her garden and every bit of it was done so well I never even thought about scanning ahead. Add to the fact that once again we have a heroine that is like no other, no copy cat/cloned/plagiarized heroine here, totally original and totally engrossing. 5 Stars
Nell comes back from her PsyLED training and barely has time to walk in the door before things start to happen and this level of action keeps going. It does slowdown from time to time but usually it is just a short break before something else is going wrong.
So let me make a list:
Soulwood does not feel right and there is still an evil presence to deal with
Some problems are happening back at the church compound that could tie back to Nell
It is getting close to the full moon and the were panther members of the team seem to be getting less and less helpful and possibly even dangerous
Something is killing animals in a paranormal way and Nell’s “special” talents are required
Seems somebody might want her dead
Oh, the world as we know it might be in danger
Plus, somebody betrays one of the team and of course Nell has to fix it
I cannot give you the story since I don’t do spoilers but Nell is like those old Timex commercials “takes a lickin’ and keeps on tickin’” , heck, at this rate we need to put a medic on the team.
The best part is I loved it all and even though it kept me stressed out a good bit the ending was amazing with only a couple of threads to carry into the next book (I could have used another page or two on Rick)
Bottom line: Exceptional story, amazing characters, so many possible “bad guys” it was amazing to read as they whittled the number down to size. Throw in some subplots about Rick, the church, the very barest touch of romance (we know how long it took to get Jane a boyfriend, looks like the same here), save the world plots, and worry about her garden and every bit of it was done so well I never even thought about scanning ahead. Add to the fact that once again we have a heroine that is like no other, no copy cat/cloned/plagiarized heroine here, totally original and totally engrossing. 5 Stars
April 27, 2017
Damn, this reread made it even harder to wait until December for book #3.
Faith, I *love* Jane, but Nell really is your greatest masterpiece.
Faith, I *love* Jane, but Nell really is your greatest masterpiece.
June 20, 2022
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.
April 28, 2017
4.25 Stars - 26/04/2017 Weekly UF buddy read with the awesome girls and boy over at BB&B.
This was my magic, simple and dark as it was: to read the land that I had claimed, and that had claimed me, to know what it needed. To heal it and be healed by it. And to feed the earth—though I seldom spoke of that part of my gift, that part that felt so good, yet was sinful by every human standard I knew.
Nell is back in Soulwood after being away for a month at Spook School, training to be a PsyLED agent. But she finds out soon that there’s a sickness in the land that’s spreading. And together with her fellow Unit Eighteen agents, Nell must find out the origin of the sickness before the evil infects everything.
I really love Nell and I love seeing how much she has grown from the first book. She’s starting to wear pants, where before she only ever wore skirts and dresses, and cutting her hair and both those things are big changes for a girl who grew up in a cult. I think Nell is incredibly brave and the way she sometimes ignores her orders because they go against everything she believes just makes me love her even more. And she learned so much about herself and her powers in this book, for which I’m very glad. It’s amazing the things she can do and I can’t wait to see just how much she can do with her magic. Also I'm so loving Nell's family, especially her brother Sam, and it's wonderful seeing how much they care about each other.
I love how Nell’s wood, Soulwood, seems like a second character in this book, the bond she has formed with it and the way she can communicate with it. And it was awesome and amazing the way Soulwood protected her!! Soulwood still has an “infection” because of what Nell did in the previous book and it was fascinating seeing how it affected Nell and her lands. I really hope Nell will develop her powers in a way that it could protect her and Soulwood from things like this.
I’ve loved most of Nell’s team since the first book (Rick is still an asshole that I hate) and I’m really enjoying the way Nell responds to Occam and his flirting. She deserves to experience a relationship and hopefully love that isn’t forced on her by her circumstances. Also I loved seeing how healthy Tandy has become, but he did something in this book that made me and Nell very angry with him and I’m not sure how I feel about him now. There were quite a few revelations which involved asshole Rick, and I still don’t feel sorry for him which probably doesn’t say good things about me. However I’m curious to see what will happen to him next
Faith Hunter outdid herself with the plot in this book. She’s very good at writing in-depth detail and I found the story-line with the evil infecting the land and some of its occupants very interesting and fascinating. My only complaint, and it’s a failing of mine and nothing that was wrong with the writing, was that there were times where I got lost in all the extensive plot detail. I can handle only so much detail at a time before my brain overloads :-(.
I’m really enjoying this series and I absolute love Nell. This book was a terrific addition to a wonderful and promising series. Also I'm a total sucker for a beautiful book cover and this one was SO gorgeous!!A definite must read for all UF fans.
September 12, 2017
I received this book as an ARC, and I could *not* put it down. While it's a follow up to Blood of the Earth (the first in the Soulwood series, a spinoff of the Jane Yellowrock books), I wouldn't say it's necessary to have read either in order to follow along.
Don't expect a shallowly framed, straight-line, urban fantasy "whodunnit" plot with this novel, sprinkled with paranormal this-n-that. What you get with this author and this novel is a well-developed plot, well-rounded characters, unexpected twists, and a premise meaty enough to completely draw you in. Hunter is exceptionally adept at making her characters accessible, real, and multi-dimensional, despite the fact that many of them are not human. It's one of my favorite things about her books, and Curse on the Land doesn't disappoint. I read a lot of paranormal fiction; I've enjoyed the Soulwood books so thoroughly that I have recommended them to other genre fans... many of whom are also authors. I cannot wait to see what happens next in the world of Nell Ingram, Faith Hunter's newest heroine.
Don't expect a shallowly framed, straight-line, urban fantasy "whodunnit" plot with this novel, sprinkled with paranormal this-n-that. What you get with this author and this novel is a well-developed plot, well-rounded characters, unexpected twists, and a premise meaty enough to completely draw you in. Hunter is exceptionally adept at making her characters accessible, real, and multi-dimensional, despite the fact that many of them are not human. It's one of my favorite things about her books, and Curse on the Land doesn't disappoint. I read a lot of paranormal fiction; I've enjoyed the Soulwood books so thoroughly that I have recommended them to other genre fans... many of whom are also authors. I cannot wait to see what happens next in the world of Nell Ingram, Faith Hunter's newest heroine.
November 9, 2016
I rather liked this book a lot. I know this is UF, but I'm getting impatient with the romance of Occam. And if he could date her, why couldn't Jane date Rick before the fiasco???? They didn't date for fear he'd spread the were taint to her but she wasn't human. But honestly I hope Occam and Nell can date. I hope RickyBo is healed. And I'm looking forward to the next installment. Things got a little confusing in this one, and there were certain things repeated too much. But overall, a really good read/listen.
November 8, 2016
If you've never picked up Faith Hunter, stop right here, go to Amazon or Book Depository or your local bookstore and BUY SOME FAITH. Seriously, you won't regret it.
In this second installment in the Soulwood series, Faith seamlessly blends her magical world with some crazy creepy real science, and it succeeds on every level. Plot twists galore, lots of character development, betrayal, and lots and lots of GOOP.
And in Nell, Faith has found an amazing voice. Nell is such a deep character, and I love seeing the world from her perspective. As much as I adore Jane, I feel this deeply rooted (PUN!) connection with Nell, and hope her series gets to stretch to the lengths of Jane's.
Please, do yourself a favor and pick up the Soulwood books. Reading the Jane series is recommended, but not required.
In this second installment in the Soulwood series, Faith seamlessly blends her magical world with some crazy creepy real science, and it succeeds on every level. Plot twists galore, lots of character development, betrayal, and lots and lots of GOOP.
And in Nell, Faith has found an amazing voice. Nell is such a deep character, and I love seeing the world from her perspective. As much as I adore Jane, I feel this deeply rooted (PUN!) connection with Nell, and hope her series gets to stretch to the lengths of Jane's.
Please, do yourself a favor and pick up the Soulwood books. Reading the Jane series is recommended, but not required.
July 6, 2017
I gave this audiobook an A for the narration and B+ for the story at AudioGals.
Narrated by Khristine Hvam
If you’re looking for a highly original urban fantasy series, then search no further. Both the Soulwood Series and the series from which this series was spun-off from (the Jane Yellowrock Series) are must listens for lovers of this genre. I will say that this book had a slightly different feel than the first in the series ( Blood of the Earth ) which made my top-favorites list earlier this year. This book felt to me much busier, with the immediate suspense plot that is resolved in this book being very detailed and intense and requiring careful focus to details. It’s loaded with symbolism and keeps the listener guessing with lots of potential explanations for the unexplained supernatural phenomenon that is occurring and that Nell, as part of the PsyLED team, is tasked with solving. Therefore, this is not a book you’re going to want to listen to while doing other things (for example, I frequently listen to audiobooks while cooking or doing household chores). This is a book that requires dedicated focus, but if you dedicate the time, this book will reward you with a highly creative and suspense-filled supernatural journey.
The one area where I was not quite as fulfilled as I hoped to be, now that we are moving on to Book 2 in this series, was the romance. Whereas we get a strong feeling who Nell’s (the heroine’s) romantic love interest may be in this series, we don’t get much movement in starting a relationship. This is not completely atypical in an UF series, but as our focus is typically romance, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention it. My guess is that Faith Hunter is saving the romance elements so that it can build over the series. I just hope the next book has more development in this area.
Curse on the Land basically picks up where book 1 leaves off. Nell Ingram has completed her training at “spook” school and is now a full-fledged member of the PsyLED Unit 18 which is led by Rick LaFleur (who also is a character in the Jane Yellowrock Series). However, Nell doesn’t get a chance to celebrate her accomplishment and rest and relax when she returns home because Rick is ready to staff her on a new mission that could benefit from her “special abilities” (this new case involves an apparent evil source that is contaminating the land near where she lives, causing animals to act strangely and die).
We still don’t completely know what Nell is (from a supernatural perspective) but it’s clear that she has magical abilities tied to the land and is able to both read and influence and be influenced by it. Roots of trees literally grow around her when she communes with the land and it can actually be dangerous for her, so the whole team gets involved in watching and protecting her when she is using her own special abilities to assess the magic sources that are influencing the land. That said, her detecting abilities using these “special abilities” are far superior to any electronic gadgets that PsyLED has developed over the years which means that Rick needs her to continue communing with the land even if it’s dangerous.
One of the team members, Okum, seems extra concerned about her safety and begins to show signs that his feelings for her may transcend purely a working relationship. However, Nell being a widow and having previously only experienced relationships through the lens of the polygamist cult she grew up in makes her somewhat naïve in this area at detecting the interest of a man. Moreover, she still seems skittish at the thought of letting anyone into her life in that way.
Will Nell be able to find the evil magic source? Can her team keep her safe as the power gets stronger and stronger?
See the full review at AudioGals.
Narrated by Khristine Hvam
If you’re looking for a highly original urban fantasy series, then search no further. Both the Soulwood Series and the series from which this series was spun-off from (the Jane Yellowrock Series) are must listens for lovers of this genre. I will say that this book had a slightly different feel than the first in the series ( Blood of the Earth ) which made my top-favorites list earlier this year. This book felt to me much busier, with the immediate suspense plot that is resolved in this book being very detailed and intense and requiring careful focus to details. It’s loaded with symbolism and keeps the listener guessing with lots of potential explanations for the unexplained supernatural phenomenon that is occurring and that Nell, as part of the PsyLED team, is tasked with solving. Therefore, this is not a book you’re going to want to listen to while doing other things (for example, I frequently listen to audiobooks while cooking or doing household chores). This is a book that requires dedicated focus, but if you dedicate the time, this book will reward you with a highly creative and suspense-filled supernatural journey.
The one area where I was not quite as fulfilled as I hoped to be, now that we are moving on to Book 2 in this series, was the romance. Whereas we get a strong feeling who Nell’s (the heroine’s) romantic love interest may be in this series, we don’t get much movement in starting a relationship. This is not completely atypical in an UF series, but as our focus is typically romance, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention it. My guess is that Faith Hunter is saving the romance elements so that it can build over the series. I just hope the next book has more development in this area.
Curse on the Land basically picks up where book 1 leaves off. Nell Ingram has completed her training at “spook” school and is now a full-fledged member of the PsyLED Unit 18 which is led by Rick LaFleur (who also is a character in the Jane Yellowrock Series). However, Nell doesn’t get a chance to celebrate her accomplishment and rest and relax when she returns home because Rick is ready to staff her on a new mission that could benefit from her “special abilities” (this new case involves an apparent evil source that is contaminating the land near where she lives, causing animals to act strangely and die).
We still don’t completely know what Nell is (from a supernatural perspective) but it’s clear that she has magical abilities tied to the land and is able to both read and influence and be influenced by it. Roots of trees literally grow around her when she communes with the land and it can actually be dangerous for her, so the whole team gets involved in watching and protecting her when she is using her own special abilities to assess the magic sources that are influencing the land. That said, her detecting abilities using these “special abilities” are far superior to any electronic gadgets that PsyLED has developed over the years which means that Rick needs her to continue communing with the land even if it’s dangerous.
One of the team members, Okum, seems extra concerned about her safety and begins to show signs that his feelings for her may transcend purely a working relationship. However, Nell being a widow and having previously only experienced relationships through the lens of the polygamist cult she grew up in makes her somewhat naïve in this area at detecting the interest of a man. Moreover, she still seems skittish at the thought of letting anyone into her life in that way.
Will Nell be able to find the evil magic source? Can her team keep her safe as the power gets stronger and stronger?
See the full review at AudioGals.
December 24, 2016
Originally posted at Smexybooks-http://smexybooks.com/2016/11/review-...
Favorite Quote: “Hell’s road was an easy road to tread.”
Faith Hunter takes us back to Tennessee and her newest heroine, Nell Ingram, in the second installment of her epic and fascinating urban fantasy series, Soulwood. A spinoff of her best-selling Jane Yellowrock series, Soulwood deals with a new heroine and the psyLED agency run by the well established and often despised Rick LeFleur. In book one-Blood of the Earth-Hunter introduced us to Nell, simultaneously divulging her background while co-opting her into helping Rick and psy-LED to solve the mystery of a missing vampire. This leads her back to into the nightmare of her youth. Nell helps to save the day; reconnecting with her family and gaining a new one.
Curse On the Land picks up after Nell has completed her “Spook Squad” training. She is now a special agent with Unit 18 in the psyLED agency and they are slowly drawing her out of her self-imposed isolation. She has come home to Soulwood only to discover her land is sick and the sickness is spreading. Her tentative examination shows that something or someone is attempting to poison the land. Nell is unable to pursue this further because she is soon called back into work. Nell learns that other locations around the state are showing similar symptoms to what she felt on her land and her special affinity to the earth is needed. But the danger goes much deeper; affecting wildlife and people. As Nell and the team investigate, they are dragged into a conspiracy that spans generations and has opened the doorway for an entity that is alive…and very hungry.
“Fed by blood and death […] By war and battle and the life force soaking into the earth for eons. It has not been fed in many passages.”
Hunter lets her imagination roam free and wild in this installment. The action, suspense, and intrigue creates a convoluted storyline with multiple plotlines while low key humor and some ongoing subplots intertwine throughout to help to keep the story from becoming too clinical. Hunter does unload quite a large amount of information in the beginning and her heavy use of acronyms and technical terms did cause me to stumble a couple of times. This was present in book one also.
There is a small base of reality in the mix as Hunter touches on the misuse of the land, using magic and mythological legends to highlight the damage and consequences of our neglect, misuse, and attempts to subvert it. Nell’s gift is a much-needed resource to combat what is happening but it is also a curse as like calls to like. Nell finds herself repeatedly in danger as her communes with the earth brings her some very unwanted attention. I found the gist of the conflict and the reasons of those involved very interesting and imaginative.
The balance between Nell’s continuing evolution and the main conflict is well defined and blends together in a natural manner. Smooth switches from topic to topic merges with engaging narrative and the tidbits of personal information of the characters. While Nell is the main protagonist, Hunter doesn’t skip on the characterization of the secondary characters-be it her team members or various others who are only important to this storyline.
“George Orwell had said something about power not being a means to an end. He said that power was the end. “
Nell is slowly growing both professionally and personally; coming into herself. Hunter gives more clues to Nell’s gifts but there are still no concrete answers. The assumption is we will learn along with Nell as to what she really is. Joining the psyLED has opened a doorway for Nell beyond how she was raised. Though the teachings of the church are still strong in her, she is beginning to see that the outside world is not the enemy. Strong, curious, and intelligent, she wholeheartedly goes where angels fear to tread. This causes some problems but nothing that time won’t fix. Her humanity is a positive feature as the psyLED as a whole seems to be in danger of becoming too bureaucratic. Nell’s constant questions and intuitive need to nurture helps to remind the team that there are actual people involved and not everything can be covered up or hidden away.
“You remind me of Jane when she is in a snit.”
“I’m no skinwalker.”
“She told you what she is? Interesting. What are you?”
“You read the reports on me at Spook School. You know what I know.”
“No. This land sings of magic. It claims you are much more.”
The hint romance touched upon in Blood of the Earth is further remarked on but still little advancement. Werecat and team mate Occam remains an enigma to Nell with his flirting and need to protect and care for her. Having only experienced one physical relationship in her life with an older man as a means of survival, she has no experience with attraction, dating, and falling in love though she is beginning to respond to his actions. I loved their dialogue and the mischievous flirting.
“I need a shower and a good tick check. Not that I’m suggesting you do it for me.”
“Good thing. […] I’m not sure I’m the tick-checking kind of girl.”
“I’m pretty sure I can check myself for ticks. But you can wash my back if you like.”
“I thank you for the offer, but I’ll pass on the personal body servant interaction.”
Various subplots from book one are further explored. Nell has to answer for previous actions concerning her land and the church while fans will be SHOCKED and some reluctantly sympathetic concerning the twist Hunter adds to Ricky-Bo’s ongoing dilemma. Some familiar faces from the Yellowrock world make a visit to offer advice and warnings.
“What did you see?”
“I saw nothing.”
“Good. Keep it that way.”
Urban Fantasy fans will love Nell Ingram and her unique way of handling life and those around her. Fans of the Jane Yellowrock series will love the familiarity Hunter wraps around this world while appreciating the effort she goes to make sure this series is able to stand on its own merits.
Grade: B+
Favorite Quote: “Hell’s road was an easy road to tread.”
Faith Hunter takes us back to Tennessee and her newest heroine, Nell Ingram, in the second installment of her epic and fascinating urban fantasy series, Soulwood. A spinoff of her best-selling Jane Yellowrock series, Soulwood deals with a new heroine and the psyLED agency run by the well established and often despised Rick LeFleur. In book one-Blood of the Earth-Hunter introduced us to Nell, simultaneously divulging her background while co-opting her into helping Rick and psy-LED to solve the mystery of a missing vampire. This leads her back to into the nightmare of her youth. Nell helps to save the day; reconnecting with her family and gaining a new one.
Curse On the Land picks up after Nell has completed her “Spook Squad” training. She is now a special agent with Unit 18 in the psyLED agency and they are slowly drawing her out of her self-imposed isolation. She has come home to Soulwood only to discover her land is sick and the sickness is spreading. Her tentative examination shows that something or someone is attempting to poison the land. Nell is unable to pursue this further because she is soon called back into work. Nell learns that other locations around the state are showing similar symptoms to what she felt on her land and her special affinity to the earth is needed. But the danger goes much deeper; affecting wildlife and people. As Nell and the team investigate, they are dragged into a conspiracy that spans generations and has opened the doorway for an entity that is alive…and very hungry.
“Fed by blood and death […] By war and battle and the life force soaking into the earth for eons. It has not been fed in many passages.”
Hunter lets her imagination roam free and wild in this installment. The action, suspense, and intrigue creates a convoluted storyline with multiple plotlines while low key humor and some ongoing subplots intertwine throughout to help to keep the story from becoming too clinical. Hunter does unload quite a large amount of information in the beginning and her heavy use of acronyms and technical terms did cause me to stumble a couple of times. This was present in book one also.
There is a small base of reality in the mix as Hunter touches on the misuse of the land, using magic and mythological legends to highlight the damage and consequences of our neglect, misuse, and attempts to subvert it. Nell’s gift is a much-needed resource to combat what is happening but it is also a curse as like calls to like. Nell finds herself repeatedly in danger as her communes with the earth brings her some very unwanted attention. I found the gist of the conflict and the reasons of those involved very interesting and imaginative.
The balance between Nell’s continuing evolution and the main conflict is well defined and blends together in a natural manner. Smooth switches from topic to topic merges with engaging narrative and the tidbits of personal information of the characters. While Nell is the main protagonist, Hunter doesn’t skip on the characterization of the secondary characters-be it her team members or various others who are only important to this storyline.
“George Orwell had said something about power not being a means to an end. He said that power was the end. “
Nell is slowly growing both professionally and personally; coming into herself. Hunter gives more clues to Nell’s gifts but there are still no concrete answers. The assumption is we will learn along with Nell as to what she really is. Joining the psyLED has opened a doorway for Nell beyond how she was raised. Though the teachings of the church are still strong in her, she is beginning to see that the outside world is not the enemy. Strong, curious, and intelligent, she wholeheartedly goes where angels fear to tread. This causes some problems but nothing that time won’t fix. Her humanity is a positive feature as the psyLED as a whole seems to be in danger of becoming too bureaucratic. Nell’s constant questions and intuitive need to nurture helps to remind the team that there are actual people involved and not everything can be covered up or hidden away.
“You remind me of Jane when she is in a snit.”
“I’m no skinwalker.”
“She told you what she is? Interesting. What are you?”
“You read the reports on me at Spook School. You know what I know.”
“No. This land sings of magic. It claims you are much more.”
The hint romance touched upon in Blood of the Earth is further remarked on but still little advancement. Werecat and team mate Occam remains an enigma to Nell with his flirting and need to protect and care for her. Having only experienced one physical relationship in her life with an older man as a means of survival, she has no experience with attraction, dating, and falling in love though she is beginning to respond to his actions. I loved their dialogue and the mischievous flirting.
“I need a shower and a good tick check. Not that I’m suggesting you do it for me.”
“Good thing. […] I’m not sure I’m the tick-checking kind of girl.”
“I’m pretty sure I can check myself for ticks. But you can wash my back if you like.”
“I thank you for the offer, but I’ll pass on the personal body servant interaction.”
Various subplots from book one are further explored. Nell has to answer for previous actions concerning her land and the church while fans will be SHOCKED and some reluctantly sympathetic concerning the twist Hunter adds to Ricky-Bo’s ongoing dilemma. Some familiar faces from the Yellowrock world make a visit to offer advice and warnings.
“What did you see?”
“I saw nothing.”
“Good. Keep it that way.”
Urban Fantasy fans will love Nell Ingram and her unique way of handling life and those around her. Fans of the Jane Yellowrock series will love the familiarity Hunter wraps around this world while appreciating the effort she goes to make sure this series is able to stand on its own merits.
Grade: B+
November 10, 2016
Nell Ingram returns with her team of supernatural law enforcement officers. In this book they're on the hunt for a coven of witches that have cast a working that is going haywire and killing people.
So...
There is some good and some not so good.
The very best part of this book is Nell Ingram on her own land. When it's just her and her soulwood I loved it. When the story is small and measured it feels right. I would enjoy a book just about her weeding her garden.
What doesn't really work for me is the guns and gadgets. The law enforcement jargon. The glocks and the CSI. All of that really makes the story feel like a shake and bake romantic suspense. Throw in a car chase, a shoot out and search warrant and voila! There's your book.
It feels easy. And it also feels like an opportunity lost. An opportunity for something truly original.
It's good so 4 Stars. But it's good in the same way as a 100 other books.
So...
There is some good and some not so good.
The very best part of this book is Nell Ingram on her own land. When it's just her and her soulwood I loved it. When the story is small and measured it feels right. I would enjoy a book just about her weeding her garden.
What doesn't really work for me is the guns and gadgets. The law enforcement jargon. The glocks and the CSI. All of that really makes the story feel like a shake and bake romantic suspense. Throw in a car chase, a shoot out and search warrant and voila! There's your book.
It feels easy. And it also feels like an opportunity lost. An opportunity for something truly original.
It's good so 4 Stars. But it's good in the same way as a 100 other books.
October 4, 2016
In this second novel from the Soulwood series, Nell returns home from the PsyLED training center after learning the necessary skills to be a fully functioning member of her team under the leadership of Rick LaFleur. Her time in “Spook School” has also been a crash course on bringing Nell firmly into the world of popular culture. The action starts quickly as two major issues challenge Nell’s magic affinity with the earth. The first problem being on her own land with the malevolent dark spirit of Brother Ephraim still lurking below causing problems for Nell and perhaps, the church compound. As a newbie PsyLED agent, Nell expects only to be doing grunt work, but her insights, magical talents, and unique perspectives on the world are needed to help the team solve a complex and intricately detailed case. First animals, and then people behave strangely in Knox County before they start dying. After communicating with the land, Nell senses an ancient power, and a new potent force that could have devastating effects if not contained. Nell’s own magic has dark aspects that threaten to pull her under because of the yearning to “feed the earth…that part that felt so good, yet was sinful by every human standard I knew.” Ironically, though Nell seems to abhor vampires, her magic has some commonalities with its strong blood call.
Not surprisingly, witches are involved, good and bad ones, in a complicated and scientifically complex way. Adding to the fun, the full moon cycle affects the Weres Rick, Paka, and Occam during a critical part of the investigation. So once again much rests on Nell’s magical strength and abilities. Nell’s formerly quiet life has taken on a frantic pace to help solve this case before a catastrophic outcome. On the personal front, Occam’s interest in her might be more than just the comradery of a team member. Nell wants to live a life unrestricted now, but she is not quite sure what that will look like as her church upbringing still holds some sway. Interesting changes are also happening at God’s Cloud compound. Rick’s past sins and relationship with Paka catch up with him in a painful and dramatic way adding another level supernatural drama to the story.
Jane Yellowrock helped to set her life on a new course which Nell is not always sure she is grateful for, but there is little time to settle and reflect on with dangers at her job and doorstep: “I still wasn’t sure if I hated or loved Jane Yellowrock for all the changes in my life.” As Nell seems to be awakening to her powers, so does her land making stronger their symbiotic relationship. The threat to her property and a nearby one pushes her into the hot zone and keeps them all scrambling to contain a possible magical disaster. One of the things I like about Nell is her evolution from living a solitary rural life to becoming PsyLED Special Agent Nell Nicholson Ingram, albeit a “probie,” but one who soaks up knowledge like someone parched from the desert taking advantage of formerly unimagined opportunities to become a fully realized woman not restricted by any previous dogmas or rules. Nell shows that courage is not the absence of fear, but doing the difficult and scary thing anyway even while risking much. This new job is a big step out and quantum leap from Nell’s earlier life; however, it is one in which she can soar.
Not surprisingly, witches are involved, good and bad ones, in a complicated and scientifically complex way. Adding to the fun, the full moon cycle affects the Weres Rick, Paka, and Occam during a critical part of the investigation. So once again much rests on Nell’s magical strength and abilities. Nell’s formerly quiet life has taken on a frantic pace to help solve this case before a catastrophic outcome. On the personal front, Occam’s interest in her might be more than just the comradery of a team member. Nell wants to live a life unrestricted now, but she is not quite sure what that will look like as her church upbringing still holds some sway. Interesting changes are also happening at God’s Cloud compound. Rick’s past sins and relationship with Paka catch up with him in a painful and dramatic way adding another level supernatural drama to the story.
Jane Yellowrock helped to set her life on a new course which Nell is not always sure she is grateful for, but there is little time to settle and reflect on with dangers at her job and doorstep: “I still wasn’t sure if I hated or loved Jane Yellowrock for all the changes in my life.” As Nell seems to be awakening to her powers, so does her land making stronger their symbiotic relationship. The threat to her property and a nearby one pushes her into the hot zone and keeps them all scrambling to contain a possible magical disaster. One of the things I like about Nell is her evolution from living a solitary rural life to becoming PsyLED Special Agent Nell Nicholson Ingram, albeit a “probie,” but one who soaks up knowledge like someone parched from the desert taking advantage of formerly unimagined opportunities to become a fully realized woman not restricted by any previous dogmas or rules. Nell shows that courage is not the absence of fear, but doing the difficult and scary thing anyway even while risking much. This new job is a big step out and quantum leap from Nell’s earlier life; however, it is one in which she can soar.
May 18, 2017
Faith Hunter is such a talent. I really enjoy the characters she crafts and the fascinating supernatural situations they encounter. The Soulwood series is such a great compliment to the Jane Yellowrock books in that they share a world while still maintaining distinct identities. One of the things I like so much is Nell’s very unique character and perspective. She is so very different from Jane. Yet both series feature complex storylines, plenty of action, character development and just a subtle hint of romance.
Nell’s gift is in reading the land, so I imagine that all of the books will be tied to that somehow. Her communion with her woods features prominently here, but she’s also stretching her gift to investigate a problem tied to land nearby. It’s not as sexy as, say, being a vampire or a shifter. But it’s part of what makes Nell who she is. She is earthy and I don’t think that will ever change. But what’s cool here is that she is also adapting. In many ways, she thinks in the context of her church background, but she is learning so much about the “real world.” I am really enjoying her evolution.
The secondary cast of characters is also strong here. Particularly, I enjoyed the dynamic with Occam. It’s a slow burn, but I’m loving every minute of it. We’re also treated to some quality story threads with Soul and Tandy. But the biggest developments are on the Rick and Paka front. Don’t worry, I’m not spoiling. But I will say that Rick has always been a divisive character in the Jane Yellowrock series. (I may have called him Rick the Dick once or twice), but he is so much more sympathetic when he is not viewed through the lens of his actions toward Jane. That’s true, especially, here. Hunter gives us so much context and answers questions I didn’t even know I had. Really good stuff.
My only complaint is that sometimes we got too far in the details of technology and magic. We spent a lot of time learning how the equipment worked and even more time learning about how the magic was playing out in the story. Perhaps the worst (for me) was in the backstory that built up our villains and the magical workings that inspired them. I know this was all important as it gave us the “why” of their evil deeds, but I struggled to understand it all and I found myself skimming.
That aside, this is a good read. There are ties to the first book as far as consequences to Nell’s actions and her family in the church. There are characters I care about… and they’re growing, which is awesome. I’m looking forward to see where Hunter will take them next.
Rating: B
*ARC provided by publisher
Nell’s gift is in reading the land, so I imagine that all of the books will be tied to that somehow. Her communion with her woods features prominently here, but she’s also stretching her gift to investigate a problem tied to land nearby. It’s not as sexy as, say, being a vampire or a shifter. But it’s part of what makes Nell who she is. She is earthy and I don’t think that will ever change. But what’s cool here is that she is also adapting. In many ways, she thinks in the context of her church background, but she is learning so much about the “real world.” I am really enjoying her evolution.
The secondary cast of characters is also strong here. Particularly, I enjoyed the dynamic with Occam. It’s a slow burn, but I’m loving every minute of it. We’re also treated to some quality story threads with Soul and Tandy. But the biggest developments are on the Rick and Paka front. Don’t worry, I’m not spoiling. But I will say that Rick has always been a divisive character in the Jane Yellowrock series. (I may have called him Rick the Dick once or twice), but he is so much more sympathetic when he is not viewed through the lens of his actions toward Jane. That’s true, especially, here. Hunter gives us so much context and answers questions I didn’t even know I had. Really good stuff.
My only complaint is that sometimes we got too far in the details of technology and magic. We spent a lot of time learning how the equipment worked and even more time learning about how the magic was playing out in the story. Perhaps the worst (for me) was in the backstory that built up our villains and the magical workings that inspired them. I know this was all important as it gave us the “why” of their evil deeds, but I struggled to understand it all and I found myself skimming.
That aside, this is a good read. There are ties to the first book as far as consequences to Nell’s actions and her family in the church. There are characters I care about… and they’re growing, which is awesome. I’m looking forward to see where Hunter will take them next.
Rating: B
*ARC provided by publisher
November 19, 2016
*Source* Publisher
*Genre* Urban Fantasy
*Rating* 4
*My Thoughts*
Curse on the Land is the second installment in author Faith Hunter's Soulwood series. Nell Ingram returns to her Soulwood home having completed much of her training and earning a special circumstances waiver. As a newly minted Psychometry Law Enforcement Agent in probationary status, Nell has little time to relax and catch up with her family, before she is pulled back to work dealing with several different issues in and around her hometown.
*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*
http://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/201...
*Published* November 1st 2016 by Roc
*Genre* Urban Fantasy
*Rating* 4
*My Thoughts*
Curse on the Land is the second installment in author Faith Hunter's Soulwood series. Nell Ingram returns to her Soulwood home having completed much of her training and earning a special circumstances waiver. As a newly minted Psychometry Law Enforcement Agent in probationary status, Nell has little time to relax and catch up with her family, before she is pulled back to work dealing with several different issues in and around her hometown.
*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*
http://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/201...
*Published* November 1st 2016 by Roc
April 29, 2017
Buddy read with the Wednesday UF Group of BB&B.
It's not fair that there are only two published books in this series. I need more! And I need it now!
Nell Ingram has become one of my favourite characters in record time and I enjoyed the hell out of this instalment. The Nell that returns from Spook School at the beginning is a very different Nell from the one we left in the previous book and changes throughout the story. And the more she grows, both as a person and as a member of Unit 18, the more I like her. She's smart and strong in her own way, has a moral compass that points true north no matter the situation. There was a situation that showed she won't compromise her beliefs for her job and even when she passively allowed a co-worker to the decision sat heavily on her and was made only because the consequences of not allowing it would have been devastating. Nell's powers and abilities have also grown and I believe she's a lot more to grow before she reaches her true potential. She's loyal to a fault and would put herself at risk instead of doing harm to her friends. And the members of Unit 18 have become true friends of Nell's :)
It seems that will be the love interest in this series and I definitely approve. He shows a lot of affection and protectiveness and I hope she can grow to trust him enough over time to let him in. And that he will earn that trust. Before I started the series I feared that Rick will somehow become the LI but thankfully it seems unlikely.
Talking about Rick one of the things that annoyed me most in this book has to do with him even if it's a bit indirect. Now that this is out of the way maybe just maybe Rick can grow into someone likable or at least less of an a-hole. But that will have to wait until December. I have to make it just a few more months. Damn I hate to wait!
It's not fair that there are only two published books in this series. I need more! And I need it now!
Nell Ingram has become one of my favourite characters in record time and I enjoyed the hell out of this instalment. The Nell that returns from Spook School at the beginning is a very different Nell from the one we left in the previous book and changes throughout the story. And the more she grows, both as a person and as a member of Unit 18, the more I like her. She's smart and strong in her own way, has a moral compass that points true north no matter the situation. There was a situation that showed she won't compromise her beliefs for her job and even when she passively allowed a co-worker to the decision sat heavily on her and was made only because the consequences of not allowing it would have been devastating. Nell's powers and abilities have also grown and I believe she's a lot more to grow before she reaches her true potential. She's loyal to a fault and would put herself at risk instead of doing harm to her friends. And the members of Unit 18 have become true friends of Nell's :)
It seems that will be the love interest in this series and I definitely approve. He shows a lot of affection and protectiveness and I hope she can grow to trust him enough over time to let him in. And that he will earn that trust. Before I started the series I feared that Rick will somehow become the LI but thankfully it seems unlikely.
Talking about Rick one of the things that annoyed me most in this book has to do with him even if it's a bit indirect. Now that this is out of the way maybe just maybe Rick can grow into someone likable or at least less of an a-hole. But that will have to wait until December. I have to make it just a few more months. Damn I hate to wait!
October 27, 2016
“feed the earth…that part that felt so good, yet was sinful by every human standard I knew.”
Whoa, this book was a lot more complicated than the first one. I felt like I had to keep my eyes and ears open to avoid missing an important detail. As with Mrs. Hunter's other series, Jane Yellowrock, there is no downtime once the action starts.
Curse of the Land begins with Nell coming back home after a month away for PsyLED training better known as Spook School. Immediately after, her Unit 18 boss, Rick LaFleur, is calling her and requesting her help with their new case where her gift is needed.
Just before he calls, Nell realizes she has a problem with Soulwood. The death of Brother Ephraim is causing his dark entity to expand around her land. She's not sure how he's doing it but she knows she has to stop him. One thing she is sure of is that she doesn't want to involve her team - yet. Her land, her responsibility.
Going back to the case, someone is responsible for unleashing a magical working. At the beginning, it seemed to only affect animals but soon after human lives are at risk too. The team has to find out who's responsible for it and they need a way to stop it permanently before something even more dangerous is let loose.
I have to say that this story went into a lot more biology and magic that what I was expecting. It shows that the author took a lot of time with the details. Nothing felt loose from the storyline. It was knitted in a perfect unit.
So let me tell you my favorite things:
#1- Nell. She is a tough heroine. I can see why Jane can be friends with her. Even though Nell has some leftover fears from her time in the Church of Gods, she is evolving. She's adapting to her new life, to her team, and to her powers. One thing she needs to work on is her ability to throw herself into danger without worrying about her safety first.
#2 -Occam. I'm liking him more and more. I'm glad he's in the romantic lead so far. He has shown his protective side for her without undermining her decisions.
#3 - Nell's family. Just from a few interactions between Nell and Sam, I can tell he's a good guy. Mud, who has the same power as Jane, is a sweetheart. It's going to be very interesting when Nell decides to have the conversation with her family about her gift.
There were also things I learned. Nell was able to discover what creature Soul is. And of course, there is a big reveal about Rick. One thing I'm hoping is for Rick to keep his paws far away from Jane Yellowrock (Team Bruiser here).
Altogether, Soulwood is shaping to become a great series in the UF genre.
Cliffhanger: No
4/5 Fangs
A complimentary copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
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February 10, 2017
I finally finished reading this book! If you read my reviews, you know what a huge fan I am of Faith Hunter and her "skinwalker" series. Well, I wish I could say the same for this series. To begin, Nell, is no Jane Yellowrock and her ability to "read" the Earth is pretty boring compared to "Beast". With that said, the whole PSYled storyline and jargon is just kind of boring. It did pick up near the end and left me curious about Ricky Bo's future and the Nell and Occam thing. At this point, I'm just glad I finished it and hopefully the next one in the series will be a lot more exciting!
May 7, 2017
A bit too much mumbo jumbo to be fully comfortable :), but otherwise a great new UF.
And no, sorry, I wasn't surprised at the end, as Paka has never been written off as something different. It was no surprise, quite the contrary. And no I didn't feel sorry for RickyBo.
On Jane's series.
I am not angry with Rick because of Paka, but because he entered a relationship without any intention to be part of it. He could have been undercover without fucking his way through. But also because he never showed any remorse (both for the cheating and betrayal) nor he did anything to show he was sorry nor tried to get out of Paka's thumb. (And with this ending this is even more glaring.) Bruiser was compelled to betray Jane, and he did get some kind of revenge.
So, glad to get rid of Paka, but I wasn't moved. Yes he suffers, but he made his bed. And at the end he survives and gets help. Good, happy this has ended.
I loved Nell, she's 23, but reads way older as she should with her life. It was nice to see her adjustment to normal life. And I'm curious about her family. I'm on the fence with the PSILED as I'm not sure it's on the side of the good side, even if this series seems to point to yes.
And no, sorry, I wasn't surprised at the end, as Paka has never been written off as something different. It was no surprise, quite the contrary. And no I didn't feel sorry for RickyBo.
On Jane's series.
I am not angry with Rick because of Paka, but because he entered a relationship without any intention to be part of it. He could have been undercover without fucking his way through. But also because he never showed any remorse (both for the cheating and betrayal) nor he did anything to show he was sorry nor tried to get out of Paka's thumb. (And with this ending this is even more glaring.) Bruiser was compelled to betray Jane, and he did get some kind of revenge.
So, glad to get rid of Paka, but I wasn't moved. Yes he suffers, but he made his bed. And at the end he survives and gets help. Good, happy this has ended.
I loved Nell, she's 23, but reads way older as she should with her life. It was nice to see her adjustment to normal life. And I'm curious about her family. I'm on the fence with the PSILED as I'm not sure it's on the side of the good side, even if this series seems to point to yes.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 31, 2018
Curse on the Land (Soulwood #2 ) is a mystery, with lots of paranormal beings. Nell’s delightful unit at PsyLED (Psychometry Law Enforcement Division of Homeland Security, wow, what a mouthful) consists of wereleopards, a moon witch, an empath, a human, and Nell (whatever she is). Nell is an endearing character, with uncertainties, but smart and full of wisdom.
“What are you?”
“You read the reports on me at Spook School. You know what I know.”
“No. This land sings with magic. It claims you are much more.”[]
“Don’t know what I am.”
“The land says you’re ancient. The land speaks of old times and primeval ways.”
“I’m twenty-three. Not so antiquated. Aunts and sister-wives were present when I was born.“
“What are you?”
“You read the reports on me at Spook School. You know what I know.”
“No. This land sings with magic. It claims you are much more.”[]
“Don’t know what I am.”
“The land says you’re ancient. The land speaks of old times and primeval ways.”
“I’m twenty-three. Not so antiquated. Aunts and sister-wives were present when I was born.“
December 26, 2017
While I love the character of Nell and her friends (especially Occum!) on the PsyLED team, the subject matter of this story just didn’t do anything for me. All the information on fungi, slime-mold et all, along with the scientific ins-and-outs of moving energies, might be incredibly interesting to physics aficionados and biological science lovers - but, for those like myself who understand it but have no real interest in everything about it, this book may get rather dull at times.
I kept reading because I wanted to see how the characters grew. That part is always worth the time and any effort it took to get through the rest!
I kept reading because I wanted to see how the characters grew. That part is always worth the time and any effort it took to get through the rest!
December 18, 2017
I enjoyed this one more than the first. Plenty of references to Nell's background but it didn't feel like it had been flogged to death. Still plenty of mystery in the long arc without feeling unfinished, and the character is growing with leaps and bounds. Combined with a book arc mystery that was engaging and action packed the book was an enjoyable read that I blazed through and left me looking forward to the next.
Still enjoying Rick's comeuppance more than feeling any kind of sympathy.
Still enjoying Rick's comeuppance more than feeling any kind of sympathy.
December 9, 2016
Being stuck in a reading slump sucks. Specially when so many good titles were released this year and I have them, right there, and don’t feel the pull to grab them. When I first got approved for Curse on the Land on NetGalley, I didn’t just think *happy dances* No. I literally started dancing… and jumping up and down on my tiptoes… and did some geekly sounds and moves… And before someone asks, there are no photos or videos… so… it may or may not be true *winks* … And then the book stayed there… untouched… making me feel guilty for not being able to read it… until now. And I simply loved it. To pieces. Remember me saying book #1 was the best read of the year? Well.. it was… till now. Curse on the Land takes the cherry on top of the cake.
Reasons you should read Curse on the Land:
1. You want to try a Faith Hunter’s book but are intimidated by the amount of books on the Jane Yellowrock’s series. (I do recommend read Soulwood #1 first though, because the series needs to be read in order). Also, reading this one may cause the desire to read Jane. Specially with one little development that will have you want to know what happen to get there.
2. You are a Urban Fantasy fan – yes, if you don’t like paranormal elements, this is not the series for you. But if you do, what are you doing there reading this instead of rushing to the bookstore/library?
3
. You like your main characters to be strong and independent under a layer of sweetness and calm. You know, the time that doesn’t scream bad ass but still have sass and can surprise you to the core. Yes, Nell needs to be saved from time to time. But, in her case it’s on purpose. She lived her live oppressed and trusts no one. Now, she’s learned that she will never be alone again, and has friends and people she can depend on. Her journey is so enjoyable to read that my heart was breaking to know it would be a trilogy only. Good thing that little detail is now on the verge of changing. Because Nell is a force to recon with
4. You like to see cult raised members to break free and set a live for themselves. There’s two things I love about this: One, seeing Nell finding a place on the world, and learn a new life full of possibilities after all she has been through. And two: Her relationship with her family, that still abide by the cult’s rules. They understand each other, and they respect their choices without trying to convince the other party they’re wrong and that they should change. I also liked to see Sam. He’s a mix. he belongs to the cult, but he agreed on some outside rules, and make both work. AMAZING.
5. You like to see sweet characters go dark. And doubts raised.
6. You like stabbing and betrayal. Read this book. You will love it.
7. And finally, you like romance but despise insta-lust. The romantic hints are so sweet. Also, I want a Occam for myself. I’ll even rub his belly when he goes all furry on full moon… assuming I don’t become dinner, that is.
Reasons you should read Curse on the Land:
1. You want to try a Faith Hunter’s book but are intimidated by the amount of books on the Jane Yellowrock’s series. (I do recommend read Soulwood #1 first though, because the series needs to be read in order). Also, reading this one may cause the desire to read Jane. Specially with one little development that will have you want to know what happen to get there.
2. You are a Urban Fantasy fan – yes, if you don’t like paranormal elements, this is not the series for you. But if you do, what are you doing there reading this instead of rushing to the bookstore/library?
3
. You like your main characters to be strong and independent under a layer of sweetness and calm. You know, the time that doesn’t scream bad ass but still have sass and can surprise you to the core. Yes, Nell needs to be saved from time to time. But, in her case it’s on purpose. She lived her live oppressed and trusts no one. Now, she’s learned that she will never be alone again, and has friends and people she can depend on. Her journey is so enjoyable to read that my heart was breaking to know it would be a trilogy only. Good thing that little detail is now on the verge of changing. Because Nell is a force to recon with
4. You like to see cult raised members to break free and set a live for themselves. There’s two things I love about this: One, seeing Nell finding a place on the world, and learn a new life full of possibilities after all she has been through. And two: Her relationship with her family, that still abide by the cult’s rules. They understand each other, and they respect their choices without trying to convince the other party they’re wrong and that they should change. I also liked to see Sam. He’s a mix. he belongs to the cult, but he agreed on some outside rules, and make both work. AMAZING.
5. You like to see sweet characters go dark. And doubts raised.
6. You like stabbing and betrayal. Read this book. You will love it.
7. And finally, you like romance but despise insta-lust. The romantic hints are so sweet. Also, I want a Occam for myself. I’ll even rub his belly when he goes all furry on full moon… assuming I don’t become dinner, that is.
October 20, 2016
My review on the blog tour at The Book Nympho::
http://thebooknympho.com/2016/10/blog...
The Soulwood series is a spin-off series from the Jane Yellowrock series by (the awesome) Faith Hunter. It may not be necessary to read Jane to read Nell but why wouldn't you? They are both excellent stories. The introduction to Nell is in a short story Off the Grid and then the first in the series is Blood of the Earth which I reviewed here .
Curse on the Land had three things I wanted and needed. First, it had Soul, who I missed in the first book. Second, it had more depth and development of what is going on with Rick LaFleur. I really enjoyed both these tremendously. It gave more insight into PsyLED. Ricky Bo has some major events. Character development makes for amazing books and this happened. We learn more about the whole team.
Third, I was eager to see how Nell grew and developed into a regular member of the PsyLED team. Nell went to spook school and gets her first case. The case is suited to her individual talents. Nell builds her relationship and works with different members of the unit. She surprises me with how she takes off on her own agenda, and scares me. With her upbringing, I expected her to work more easily with a group and follow orders better. I understand she is independent now which is fine for her personal life choices. BUT this is her work team and her decisions affect them all.
This is a unique world all its own and there is much more for us to learn about the people and the world. It's wonderful to see Nell able to interact and even work with her family now. I'm excited to go on with Nell and her team.
http://thebooknympho.com/2016/10/blog...
The Soulwood series is a spin-off series from the Jane Yellowrock series by (the awesome) Faith Hunter. It may not be necessary to read Jane to read Nell but why wouldn't you? They are both excellent stories. The introduction to Nell is in a short story Off the Grid and then the first in the series is Blood of the Earth which I reviewed here .
Curse on the Land had three things I wanted and needed. First, it had Soul, who I missed in the first book. Second, it had more depth and development of what is going on with Rick LaFleur. I really enjoyed both these tremendously. It gave more insight into PsyLED. Ricky Bo has some major events. Character development makes for amazing books and this happened. We learn more about the whole team.
Third, I was eager to see how Nell grew and developed into a regular member of the PsyLED team. Nell went to spook school and gets her first case. The case is suited to her individual talents. Nell builds her relationship and works with different members of the unit. She surprises me with how she takes off on her own agenda, and scares me. With her upbringing, I expected her to work more easily with a group and follow orders better. I understand she is independent now which is fine for her personal life choices. BUT this is her work team and her decisions affect them all.
This is a unique world all its own and there is much more for us to learn about the people and the world. It's wonderful to see Nell able to interact and even work with her family now. I'm excited to go on with Nell and her team.
June 16, 2017
The second in a series and you really do need to read the first before this one as there is a lot of carry-over.
If you read the first, you know, more or less, what you'll find here. The story of this one is a bit less cohesive and dragged a bit. That said, I really like Nell and love seeing her work out her forays into the broader world beyond the community of her childhood. And doing so without having to destroy her relationships or nuke her past is outstanding. It'd be easy to vilify God's Cloud and Hunter does an outstanding job of depicting the ongoing relationship with Nell's family sympathetically without any hint of preaching or didacticism.
And the slow-burn romance as Nell works her first tentative steps into non-church relationships is a lot of fun.
And I think I'll leave it at that. This is one of those series where if you liked the first, you'll almost certainly enjoy this one as well.
If you read the first, you know, more or less, what you'll find here. The story of this one is a bit less cohesive and dragged a bit. That said, I really like Nell and love seeing her work out her forays into the broader world beyond the community of her childhood. And doing so without having to destroy her relationships or nuke her past is outstanding. It'd be easy to vilify God's Cloud and Hunter does an outstanding job of depicting the ongoing relationship with Nell's family sympathetically without any hint of preaching or didacticism.
And the slow-burn romance as Nell works her first tentative steps into non-church relationships is a lot of fun.
And I think I'll leave it at that. This is one of those series where if you liked the first, you'll almost certainly enjoy this one as well.
November 11, 2016
Wow. I think I may be over faith hunter. like some details, but this has tons of useless pseudoscience details, little character development, and a plodding plot. I have found myself skipping pages & still not missing anything. Nell is a blah lead. Even the maybe romance with occam (he's just not sexy & frankly neither is nell) is just to boring for me to care. Disappointed. I love Jane yellowrock - this series just ain't doing it for me.
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