Blood on the Earth (A Soulwood Novel) by Faith Hunter

In the backwoods of east Tennessee there was a woman who only wanted to be left to herself.  Just when she thinks she has found peace away from a family and religious  situation that was less to her liking, she has the (mis)fortune to run into our favorite (or at least my favorite) vampire bounty hunter, Jane Yellowrock.  The aftermath of that meeting is what brings us to the beginning of Blood on the Earth by Faith Hunter.  It is the first in a series that not only comes from a good pedigree but shows promise in its own right.

Faith Hunter brings into what some may think of as the 'Deep South', east Tennessee.  Having never really spent much time east of Chattanooga myself, I give Ms. Hunter credit for accuracy.  It is certainly a modern look at the more rural living conditions of some areas.  The South seems to be a favored setting for many stories like these.  The diversity of culture and the mixing of so many of the same makes for a rich treasure trove of mythologies to choose from and Faith does that very well in all stories including this one.

The people we meet this time around are mostly new with the exceptions of Rick (Ricky Bo) Lafleur and Nell Ingram.  We met Rick and some of his entourage throughout the Jane Yellowrock series while it's not until Off the Grid that we  meet Nell.  While getting reacquainted with Nell, we meet more of her family, friends and neighbors.  While there are some of the typical archetypes for this kind of story, they don't come off as 'cookie-cutter' or caricatures.  They all bring something to the story in ways that feel unique.

I like Nell and believe this is a good start to what may be a great series.  I cannot say I fell in love with Nell the way I did with Jane in her first book but, there is potential.  There is some harsh language and mature situations in this book.  None seem gratuitous but, I would still keep this out of the hands of those under 15 earning it a PG13 from me.