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Junkyard Cats #4

Junkyard Roadhouse

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JUNKYARD ROADHOUSE - novella 4

Shining Smith stands on the brink of achieving her goals, and yet now she could lose everything.

The presidents of four motorcycle clubs are coming to claim blood sacrifice and to ink her with motorcycle club tats. Her new roadhouse and its charter have to meet their approval or the roadhouse has no future, and neither does Shining.

An injured kid shows up at Smith鈥檚 Junk and Scrap, but collapses before he can speak.

A note arrives containing a warning and a plea for help, addressed by someone who knows Shining鈥檚 most intimate secrets鈥攈er history, her plans, and the names of her friends. The sender claims his daughter has been kidnapped by Shining鈥檚 enemies. To keep her secrets, he wants Shining to get his daughter back.

In order to rescue the hostage and keep her junkyard, her roadhouse, her people, and the cats alive, Shining Smith will have to suffer, fight, and bargain her way out of danger. All without accidently transitioning anyone鈥攃reating an accidental thrall鈥攏o matter how much her nanobots want her to.

Lock and load. It鈥檚 going to be a bumpy ride.

147 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 2, 2024

143 people are currently reading
383 people want to read

About the author

Faith Hunter

94books5,686followers
Faith 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鈥擝loodring, Seraphs, Host, and the RPG Rogue Mage鈥攆eature 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鈥檚 passions 鈥� 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鈥攁fter a bout of panic attacks from fear of being upside down trapped in a boat鈥攄iscovered 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 , . To keep up with her daily, join her fan pages at Facebook: and see her website blog at

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5 stars
670 (61%)
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328 (30%)
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78 (7%)
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14 (1%)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 83 reviews
Profile Image for TJ.
3,122 reviews237 followers
July 3, 2024
Faith Hunter is one of my all-time favorite authors right up there with Ilona Andrews and Patricia Briggs, not only because she writes such unique and addicting characters and stories, but because the quality of each book she publishes is ALWAYS top-notch! Every single story is tightly written, complex, and with rich details and depth every.single.time. You can count on it.

The Junkyard Cats series is a completely unique UF that rides the line of dystopian with a touch of Sci-Fi while still keeping all mayhem right at the forefront. And what is even better is that even in this 鈥渘ovella鈥� the depth and character growth is not in anyway sacrificed to the action. It reads like a full-length novel in almost every aspect. Now that is a feat amazing!

The ONLY aspect that brought the stars from five to four is in Jagger (Shining鈥檚 Love interest). He has been a super interesting character to this point but I just can鈥檛 wrap my head around his actions in this story. Although kinda explained at the end, his choices to stay with the MC club rather than Shining, and 鈥減roving鈥� his loyalty by literally branding her among other things, soured me completely on him. I can hardly stand him now! I think this one small area falls victim to the shorter page count, as we never get to actually understand his actions enough to accept them. It is the only glitch in an otherwise riveting read.
Profile Image for Mike Finn.
1,462 reviews50 followers
July 18, 2024
That was fun. 'Junkyard Roadhouse' was my fourth visit with Shining Smith. following 'Junkyard Cats', 'Junkyard Bargain' and 'Junkyard War'. Her world gets richer with each visit that I make.

I love that Faith Hunter has turned her hand to Science Fiction and produced something complex and intriguing, with a strong woman at its heart, delivered at a pace that keeps the action pumping but allows time for plots and conspiracies to be considered and for me to love or hate the characters. I think only Faith Hunter could have come up with a scenario where the people most likely to save the world are in Motorcycle Clubs.

The two AIs in this are a hoot. They're original, amusing but still credible. The mutated junkyard cats remain the scariest thing in the story. They see people as either servants or protein and what they did to that attack dog would make even the toughest biker give them a wide berth.

This episode moves the overall story arc forward by getting Shining Smith set up as the head of her own MC, running a Roadhouse that delivers services and provides neutral territory to the four main MCs. I wondered if that might make the story a little static, focusing on what happens in the Roadhouse and the Junkyard but Faith Hunter quickly gets Shining Smith involved in action in a neighbouring town. This action exposes the Dark Riders as more than opportunistic bandits, builds some new alliances and sets Shining Smith up for a larger scale conflict. I'm already keen to read the next book.

I like the novella format that Faith Hunter is using. It keeps the focus tight and the tension high. It's like watching a TV episode with a Three Act structure. The people, the problem and the context are introduced, the big fight happens, the consequences are worked through and the seeds of the next episode are sewn.

Junkyard Cats was originally conceived as an aubiobook only series. Now it's available in paperback and ebook but my strong preference is to settle down with the audiobook and let Khristine Hvam's narration light up the story for me.
Profile Image for Jeanny.
1,994 reviews167 followers
July 3, 2024
I distrust Mateo Jolie & now the bug ship.
Profile Image for 鈽曪笍Kimberly  (Caffeinated Reviewer).
3,407 reviews761 followers
August 19, 2024
Shining Smith is ready to open her Junkyard Roadhouse and become the leader of her own club. It involves approval from the presidents of the other motorcycle clubs and painful tattoos. I slipped right in and became caught up when an injured man arrives. Once they get him patched up, they discover his uncle sent him because his daughter has been kidnapped. The tale that unfolds was action-packed.

Hunter has created a gritty, dangerous world laid desolate after wars. Technology is both cool and scary as Shining is infected. Then we have cats that communicate with her, and motorcycle gangs vying for territory, product and power. It is not a place for weak of heart. For each tidbit we learn, I want to know more鈥� it鈥檚 addictive.

I love Shining and the motley crew she surrounds herself with from a lover to AI. All Shining and the others want is to live life on their terms. Each novella is well developed and contains a mission or situation while advancing the overall arc and relationships. I highly recommend listening in the order of their release.

Khristine Hvam does a stellar job of giving voice and personality to Shining, the cats, other characters and AI. She enhances my overall enjoyment of the tale. I couldn鈥檛 imagine not listening.

Fans of science fiction, post-apocalyptic worlds and well-developed characters need to grab this series.

Profile Image for Kathy Davie.
4,876 reviews728 followers
July 29, 2024
Fourth in the Junkyard Cats apocalyptic science fiction series and revolving around Shining Smith, a made-girl who runs a junkyard in the desert of West Virginia. It鈥檚 been six months since Junkyard War , 3.

My Take
Junkyard Cats is an interesting look at the needs of an apocalyptic world, from how Shining describes her world to the importance she places on various skills. One where ice and nuts are a sign of wealth and skin cancer is the primary cause of death.

Hmmm, one thing Shining doesn鈥檛 have to worry over is how to feed the cats. Ick.

We experience so much through Hunter鈥檚 use of first person protagonist point-of-view from Shining鈥檚 perspective 鈥� she sure did learn from Pops!

She sure has transformed that junkyard of hers with so many enterprises added from the roadhouse, the trading post, the clearing house-grocery store, and all those rental bunks. She鈥檚 so excited about it, and even better, she won鈥檛 be in hiding anymore. And she gets to set the rules. More fun is reading about all the security measures Shining is including 鈥� like those hitching posts, lol.

It鈥檚 sad that it took plagues to make children valuable.
鈥滸od loves you just as you are, but people never would.鈥�
Part of Shining鈥檚 challenge is her mutated self 鈥� a touch or her sweat can start the transition process in another living being.

Part of the drama is Shining being formally ousted from the OMWs and getting her new club鈥檚 colors and tats approved. Scarier is whether all those motorcycle clubs converging are coming to battle or make nice.

I love that the made-men fear those cats! Unfortunately, the cats aren鈥檛 too keen on all that inking and the men of those gangs.

There are plenty of traps in this story, and it鈥檚 fun to watch Shining recognize and then step around them. That payment she demands of Whip is a pip. And Shining discovers she has a friend!

Ooh, that question about events in that last battle towards the end sounds like an additional topic for book five, along with the names in those records Jolene acquired.

Whew, even Jacopo knows he isn鈥檛 safe from Mina.

Hunter incorporates the biker culture and its language to create a dramatic story in which the good guys are up against the bad guys . . . and there are enough of those guys who are in the gray to keep all this action and bargaining interesting

The information bonanza Shining and Jolene got from Warhammer鈥檚 nest is a treasure trove and terrifying with all that it implies.

Junkyard will be the name of her club. And I gotta wonder, how do two AIs go on a honeymoon?

The Story
To make it official, Shining and Cupcake will have to be branded and tattooed while their 鈥済uests鈥� kick back in the roadhouse. And it seems not all of them can read Shining鈥檚 Rules of Entry when one of them kicks a cat.

Oops.

The Characters
The orange-eyed Shining 鈥淟ittle Girl鈥� Smith, a queen and made-woman, has finally opened her Junkyard Roadhouse, and it looks like an old-west saloon. Pops, Bill Smith, had been her father and the de facto leader of the OMW. 鈥淟ittle Mama鈥� her mother.

Mateo is a mish-mash of human and machine and the former commander of the USS SunStar. Jolene is the aware AI of the ship. Amos is in a relationship with the amazingly organized Cupcake, who is Shining鈥檚 number one thrall and soon to be vice-president and treasurer. Cupcake had been Red鈥檚 Old Lady in the original Hell鈥檚 Angels and the president鈥檚 communication and records specialist. Shining鈥檚 other thralls include the rescued Captain Evelyn Raymond ( Junkyard War ), who had been Mateo鈥檚 second-in-command, and Wanda and her son, Alex. Gomez is the alien Bug ship AI whose captain is dead/not dead in a lower level. The bouncer bot sounds sexy yet menacing.

Spy is one of Tuff鈥檚 descendants. Tuff is the current queen of the clowder, of Tuffs鈥� Destruction. Other warrior cats include Wide Stripe, Narrow Stripe, and Spot.

Logan Jagger is the OMW鈥檚 national enforcer (and a Hatfield on his maternal side). The current motorcycle clubs include the Outlaw Militia Warriors Motorcycle Club (OMW) where Roy 鈥淢cQuestion鈥� Gamble is the top man; Marconi (the regional president in Charleston) and Charles 鈥淐huck鈥� Whip are with Hell鈥檚 Angels; the augmented J鈥橰on 鈥淢ama-Killer鈥� Walker leads Black Sabbath; Tomika Alverez, the best tattoo artist east of the Mississippi, leads the Sisters of the Cross; and, Bengal is with the Boozefighters. Jacopo and Enrico Marconi are sons while Mina is Marconi鈥檚 psychopathic daughter. Weylon McClelland had been the inker of the OMW. 鈥淗ammer鈥� Davis is Whip鈥檚 NE. Not part of the alliance is Asheville鈥檚 Iron Order Rifles MC.

Logan is . . .
. . . a town that has been through a lot, and the Logan Wildcats Militia are offering an alliance. William Anderson 鈥淒evil Anse鈥� Hatfield is a descendant of those Hatfields. Martha is his wife. Eloise is their kidnapped daughter. The orphaned Andy Gaither Hatfield made the treacherous trip to the roadhouse. Will and Martha took him in when his parents, Benjamin and Shanna, died. Joey needs medical help. Beckett is Anse鈥檚 number two. Richard McCoy is the town mayor. More men include BillyBob, Claude, and Sawyer. The Freewill Baptist Church is critical. The Four Corners Mine used to be a going concern in Logan.

The commander of the Charlotte North Carolina Military Base has a crew of Rangers ready to go. The Hand of the Law are the police.

Clarisse Warhammer had taken over the Mara Salvatrucha Angels (MSA) but was killed in Junkyard War during the battle of Warhammer鈥檚 Nest.

Haruto is a tattoo artist from Japan and is now based in Chattanooga. I think a morphon is a combination cellphone and tablet. I can imagine a lot of people could make good use of their very own Medical Battlefield Bay (MBB). Cataglyphis bicolor Fabricius ants swarm to kill. Alien Bugs had gone to war with Earth, to stop its foolishness. One-percenters are the top made-men of a club. Jollies are knockout gummies fro minor surgery. Devil鈥檚 Milk is a better medication. Harlan had been Shining鈥檚 best friend. 鈥�Fostering鈥� had been a euphemism for slave labor or the sex trade.

The Cover and Title
The cover is dark with blacks, browns, and golds brightened by a bit of electric blue. It鈥檚 a stormy sky above the single-story roadhouse with the short-haired Shining in front, one foot up on a crate, wearing weathered blue jeans, a dirty white tank top, and dusty boots with cats all around her. To her right is a bike, massive with highlights of bright blue; another bit of bright blue is the morphon on her right bicep. The title is at the top in gold while the author鈥檚 name is at the bottom, also in gold. Just above the author鈥檚 name, in white, is an info blurb.

The title is Shining鈥檚 achievement, the Junkyard Roadhouse.
Profile Image for Elentarri.
1,917 reviews53 followers
July 16, 2024
A lovely and entertaining addition to the Junkyard Cats series of novellas. Shining Smith gets to set up a Road House and rescue the damsel in distress, all while driving hard bargains and trying her hardest not to accidentally transition anyone into her thrall. There is also some murky business going on involving alien technology and clandestine, "government" (what's left of it) military operations. Jolene, Cupcake, Mateo, Jagger, and the cats all make an appearance.
Profile Image for Anna (Bobs Her Hair).
977 reviews207 followers
January 3, 2025
3.5

I love the Junkyard Cats dystopian sci-fi fantasy world. Shining Smith is such an interesting character with a compelling backstory. It seems as though there are many more adventures for Shining, but this adventure/obstacle fell a little flat for me. Shining is presented with an objective but there wasn't much emotion behind it. Then, "Junkyard Roadhouse" abruptly ends. I feel this book needed one or two more chapters.
Profile Image for Samaira.
57 reviews
July 21, 2024
I am so in love with this series!! The mix of sci-fi and urban fantasy is seamless. Faith Hunter being the fantastic writer she is, emerges you into her post-galaxic war ruined world. The story surrounds the now grown women, who as a little girl saved the world from being conquered by a robotic alien species. This is the 4th book in the series, and we are watching how Little Girl deals with the effects and life changing consequences she has as a result of entering the Mommabot to save the world. On a side note, I love the bevy of cats and all thier personalities! 5 stars all the way
Profile Image for Kristen Gilpin.
63 reviews8 followers
August 6, 2024
I don't know why I love this series, but I do. Motorcycles, tough women, dytopian future, anarchy, hacked tech, life at the brink, actual psychopaths, cats (not the same psychopaths, but yeah, them too)... and Jolene. I will just keep reading this series as long as more books come out. No notes.
Profile Image for Lenea Mcguire.
14 reviews1 follower
December 7, 2024
Lively and Entertaining

Shining and her post-war world keep me caught up every time I pick up a new book. One of my favorite series. Especially the cats! I can't wait to see what new battles Shining takes on, whether she gives in to her nanos needs, and I'm hoping that she gets the guy in the end. And the bikes. Love all the sexy bike modification talk.
Profile Image for Debrac2014.
2,243 reviews19 followers
July 6, 2024
I still get a kick from the cats! Wonder if Jolene and Gomez have anything to do with that signal!
Profile Image for Nat Mitchell.
14 reviews2 followers
July 2, 2024
Oh my!!!!

Eagerly awaited and did not disappoint! Thank you Faith Hunter for an enthralling read. You truly have a unique voice and yet, it's so completely plausible. Enjoyed every minute of it.
Profile Image for Marlene.
3,275 reviews226 followers
August 30, 2024
When I finished the previous audiobook in this utterly awesome, completely riveting, absolutely compelling series that began with Junkyard Cats four years ago, that story, Junkyard War, felt like a slam-bang ending.

And it kind of was. But as things turned out 鈥� thankfully, blissfully and painfully 鈥� it wasn鈥檛 the end of Shining鈥檚 story at all 鈥� merely the end of the beginning. Because Junkyard Roadhouse is clearly 鈥� and OMG this listener/reader is so, so glad 鈥� the opening of a whole new chapter in Shining Smith鈥檚 quest to keep her people safe 鈥� no matter how much of her world she has to take under her protection in order to make that happen.

It鈥檚 a much, MUCH bigger world than we saw in the first book in the series, Junkyard Cats. In that opening story, the world came to Shining in the junkyard she inherited from her 鈥楶ops鈥�. And it came to take her out and take over everything she had and everyone she had come to love 鈥� no matter how reluctantly.

But the enemy that came for her, Clarice Warhammer, is dead. Dead at the hands, and guns of Shining, her friends and allies, and the clowder of sentient battle-cats who are probably the true masters of Shining鈥檚 junkyard. Just ask them.

Shining鈥檚 reward for taking out Warhammer is three-fold. Warhammer and her nest have been eliminated 鈥� with extreme prejudice. So that鈥檚 one enemy in the ground. Shining took all of Warhammer鈥檚 intel as part of the spoils of war 鈥� a vast increase in Shining鈥檚 knowledge and insight into the world around her and the enemies that were backing Warhammer and will absolutely see Shining and her allies as a threat.

Because they absolutely are.

But first, Shining gets to collect her reward 鈥� a reward for which she has already paid in blood and will again. It鈥檚 not really a reward for herself 鈥� or at least she doesn鈥檛 see it that way. What she sees is the increased responsibility for keeping her people 鈥� whether two-legged or four 鈥� as safe and secure as she can make them.

So, with the posturing and permission of the motorcycle clubs that control the region, that were her allies in the battle with Warhammer, Shining Smith officially opens the Junkyard Roadhouse, a club chapter house that includes a restaurant and rooms to rent, trading post, and neutral ground 鈥� owned, operated and administered in all of its somewhat safe and mostly secure glory by Shining Smith herself and her own entirely independent motorcycle club.

It鈥檚 all hers 鈥� if she can manage to keep it.

After all, Warhammer was just the tip of a very dirty iceberg filled with powerful enemies 鈥� and Shining Smith is already in their sights. What none of them, not the military, not the Gov, not the Hand of the Law, recognize is that they are already in hers 鈥� and that hers are considerably more than they ever imagined.

Junkyard Roadhouse marks the beginning of THEIR end 鈥� they just don鈥檛 know it yet.

Escape Rating A: This is the story I felt compelled to finish last Friday, to the point where, as much as IMHO Khristine Hvam thoroughly embodies the voice of Shining Smith, I switched to the text 鈥� grateful that the text was already available for a change 鈥� in order to see how Shining got herself and her people out of the pickle she was in, turned it to her advantage, AND set the stage for the next book in the series.

Because Shining CLEARLY isn鈥檛 remotely done with the black ops of the military, their supporters in the Gov OR the corrupt Hands of the Law 鈥� all of which seem to be legion, planning something big and nefarious and aiming straight for her.

But that鈥檚 for later 鈥� and this reader is oh-so-happy that there will be a later, because Shining鈥檚 story could easily have ended with her victory at the end of Junkyard War.

Whether you experience this series in text or in the marvelous audio rendition, the series and whether or not you will like it rides or dies on the voice of its protagonist Shining Smith. If her blend of bravado and snark, her ability to take charge but her internal doubts about her ability to lead, her impostor syndrome combined with the utter certainty that if she doesn鈥檛 do it the job won鈥檛 get done 鈥� in other words, all the things that made 鈥楲ittle Girl鈥� survive the mamabot to become Shining Smith 鈥� if that voice and attitude trips your reading trigger you鈥檒l love Shining.

As her friends and especially her enemies would attest, however, Shining Smith is a bit of an acquired taste 鈥� and there are parts of her world that are depressing as hell. The conditions that she has survived certainly depress the hell out of her frequently and often. She just puts on her 鈥榖ig girl panties鈥�, gets on her bike and rides out to meet those conditions whenever and wherever necessary and that鈥檚 what I love about her and her story.

This particular entry in the series is a bit of a bridge between those initial three books and what鈥檚 coming next 鈥� and it starts with an excruciating rebirth that sometimes felt like it got lingered over a bit too long. Your mileage may vary but the change from Shining Smith, member of the OMW to Shining Smith, president of the independent Junkyard Roadhouse motorcycle club is both bloody and painful to the point where if I hadn鈥檛 already been all in on this series I might have turned off 鈥� or at least switched to text which wouldn鈥檛 have been quite so鈥� visceral.

Meaning that this is not the place to start your experience of Shining鈥檚 truly fucked up future Earth. Start with Junkyard Cats 鈥� you鈥檒l be glad you did. I was then, I am now and I can鈥檛 wait for more.

One final note on the audio, well, sorta/kinda on the audio. I鈥檝e enjoyed Shining鈥檚 voice so much, especially as portrayed by Khristine Hvam, that I can鈥檛 believe it鈥檚 taken me this long to check out whether she is also the voice of Jane Yellowrock in the author鈥檚 signature series of the same name. She is, which just threw 15 more books, and counting, onto the top of my TBL (that鈥檚 To Be Listened) pile. Which I absolutely did not need but am still incredibly happy about because it will give me something (else) to dive into while I wait for Shining鈥檚 next adventure/confrontation/full-scale war.

Originally published at
Profile Image for Jen (That's What I'm Talking About).
1,649 reviews306 followers
October 12, 2024
Junkyard Roadhouse is the fourth book in Hunter鈥檚 exciting Shining Smith futuristic sci-fi series. The book, set a few to several months after the war with Clarisse Warhammer, marks a new start and the beginning of another story arc. Shining is moving forward with her own sanctioned MC and a neutral ground roadhouse. In a passing thought, readers learn that when Clarisse was killed, Shining (and her AI Jolene) discovered a trove of intel indicating a massive conspiracy that spans government, military, and other MCs. We witness a bit of this in the primary plot of Junkyard Roadhouse.

Overall, I continue to enjoy this series for both the interesting storylines and the unique and fascinating characters. Junkyard Roadhouse is a great addition, transitioning the original trilogy into a larger conspiracy with global implications. There are additional characters, new bad guys, and more to fight for. Shining is coerced into help a neighboring militia save a kidnapped girl; however, it鈥檚 something I think she would have done anyhow. I love that Shining is tough but has a moral compass. While this plotline is self-contained to the book, it is just the tip of the iceberg when dealing with the new foe. I am excited to find out the extent of the mysterious dark riders and what is their ultimate end game.

The book also opens up some threads that felt unfinished, like the emaciated coal miners, Mina鈥檚 mental state, and what her boyfriend Jaeger is really up to. I hope these threads are also picked up in subsequent stories.

Narration: Junkyard Roadhouse is shared via the first person POV of Shining. Ms. Hvam鈥檚 voice for the narrator/Shining is on the deeper side of average female and has a gravely component at times. She alters the voice for dialogue, using distinct accents and dialects for each character. I especially enjoyed the southern accent of Jolene, and the metallic/robotic accent of Mateo. She also does an amazing job voicing a young child, sounding authentic. I like how she portrays Shining. She鈥檚 got an edge and you can hear it in her voice鈥� it鈥檚 not soft and comforting. It鈥檚 got grit. You can also hear exasperation with the situation in her non-spoken verbal cues. She brings Shining and the world to life.

My Ratings:
Story: B+
Narration: A
Profile Image for Marsha.
3,049 reviews55 followers
September 1, 2024
I just love the Junkyard Cats series and this new installment, 鈥淛unkyard Roadhouse鈥� while short reads like a dream.

This time Shining Smith has remote junkyard to include a roadhouse and safe haven for the bikers she is now set to be their leader. Of course, there are always one or two fools out there who just have to test the mettle of 鈥渢he little girl,鈥� a title Shining embracing with a vengeance. Well, they won鈥檛 be testing anyone else because Shining and her family make sure that they will RIP.

Before her guests arrive, an injured boy stumbles into her compound asking for her assistance. This time Shining will need to really watch her back as well as that of her crew as well. It鈥檚 a great responsibility when you grow to love and respect the people who put their faith and trust in you. Well, let me tell you the cats are also on high alert and are not about to let anyone mess with Shining especially when they are hungry. Any excuse for a meat meal is fine with them.

I really enjoyed this installment. There are a few secrets revealed and it also concludes with providing Shining with several new missions in life. This 鈥渓ittle girl鈥� thinks big and the whole planet is about to know it!
Profile Image for Barbara.
1,264 reviews55 followers
July 9, 2024
Shining Smith is getting ready to open her Junkyard Roadhouse and head her own club, after the approval of the presidents of four motorcycle clubs. This entails painful blood sacrifice and tattoos of her club logo and colors. An injured kid shows up and they have to medically treat him before they can find out why he鈥檚 there. When they finally speak to him, they鈥檙e given a note from his uncle, who claims his daughter has been kidnapped by dark riders. Shining will have to lead her people on a mission to retrieve some items that were taken, rescue the girl, and defeat the enemy, while hopefully making new allies for the future and making sure her secrets are kept. With ruthless fighters on her side, two powerful AI鈥檚 providing intel, and bloody battles to get through, Shining and her junkyard cats won鈥檛 stop until they get what they want, freedom to live life on their terms. This is the 4th novella in this series, and I can鈥檛 wait for more. I just wish they were longer and they came sooner, because this one was finished too quickly and now I have to wait a while for the next one to enjoy.
Profile Image for Cynthia Armistead Newman.
359 reviews26 followers
July 14, 2024
This is book four of the Junkyard Cats series. Every book has left me wanting more. I do understand that these are novellas rather than novels, but darn it, this one felt far too short! It must be time to go back and re-read/re-listen to the earlier volumes.

I enjoy every update on Shining Smith and her companions, particularly the cats. Jagger (I thought it was Jaeger until I read the ebook) is okay, but the cats are more intriguing. The cats shine as the absolute heroes of one scene early on in the book, which is wonderful.

I was a fan before this series began, or I wouldn't have taken a chance on it. The first volume, , was only available as an audiobook at first. I don't generally listen to fiction, but I like Hunter's work so much that I bought it anyway. I'm so glad that I did!

For the first time, I used the feature to read the Kindle version of the book and listen to the Audible version. That worked very well!

's narration adds so much to this series. I can hear Shining, in particular, but she does a great job with all the other characters, too.
Profile Image for Witch-at-Heart .
1,533 reviews20 followers
July 20, 2024
Junkyard Road house is an excellent book it shows how well she has developed her nest to be independent as possible with free will and thought. At times Shining finds this disturbing and wonders what else her thralls hide from her but at the same time she refuses to have mindless slaves. I truly enjoy seeing the evolution of her friends and what they can do as a team. I am very curious about her live interest who seems the most un-thrilled of the bunch and I wish they could be together as they had hoped. I鈥檓 excited to see what comes next in the story as the bar and safe haven for all gets off to its beginning. I feel like it is a fantastic beginning for a hopefully brighter future and yet I feel trouble brewing on the horizon which will most definitely make for an excellent and enjoyable next edition. I can鈥檛 wait and if you haven鈥檛 already started the series I highly recommend it!
21 reviews
March 15, 2025
Junkyard Roadhouse a wild entertaining ride

The descriptive and in-depth characterization, combined with fast pacing, made this a novella I had trouble putting down before the end. The plot is interesting and grows the world, presenting threats on a larger scale.

I do wish the pacing had been slower in places. Sometimes, it feels there is too much coming at you without more context. I also wish there was more page time and characterization for some characters, such as Mina and Devil Anse. I think any problems might have been fixed if it was a full length novel instead of a novella. We'll worth the read as is though.
9 reviews
July 2, 2024
junkyard roadhouse

Anything by Faith Hunter is quality writing. The stories are well thought out with depth of character and world building. I have read all of her books and look forward to more.
The only con is how quickly I read each new one and have to wait for the next.
I鈥檓 a woman in my 70鈥檚 who has been in love with science fiction and fantasy since I was a preteen. At times it was awkward to be seen reading this genre as a girl. Thank goodness times have changed and such quality writing is readily available today!
Profile Image for Cynthia Dalton.
314 reviews2 followers
July 5, 2024
The Adventures continue.

Shining Smith has opened a neutral Roadhouse in this fourth book set in post apocalyptic West Virginia. But, of course, things don't go as planned. The Black Riders, a paramilitary group, has been raiding unprotected communities for tech and sex slaves, and captured the daughter of the leader of an improving town, whose leader has tech stolen from Shining's property.

Shining trades help for the missing tech and defends the town from the Black Raiders after rescuing the girl.

Excellent writing as expected from Faith Hunter.
Profile Image for Valerie.
681 reviews2 followers
July 14, 2024
Good story, and great edition to the series. If you have not read the others, you might prefer to do so. Although the author does give you some background, to be honest, I did not feel it was enough for someone who was not familiar with the other books. If you are a fan of this series, or this author, I highly recommend. And, if you have not read the other books in the Junkyard series鈥 recommend them as well. Good series, and again, a great edition to it.
Profile Image for Gerald Sessions.
1,231 reviews6 followers
December 15, 2024
bugs?

The information they got from the killing of Warhammer prove that the government was using agents with a plan to take over the US. The dark riders are fighting in this book or a part of that plot..

They were successful and saving the girl saving the town getting rid of a lot of spies and killing a lot of bad guys .

They have two do trading partners and shining his head of her own gang called the roadhouse which is neutral territory for a all biker gangs
Profile Image for Darcy.
13.8k reviews524 followers
July 2, 2024
In this one Shining seems to go from one fight to another. It's iffy as things are going down, but each time she manages to come out ahead in so many ways. Through it all, Shining is careful to not add to her group and at the end tears someone a new one for making decisions with her in mind that aren't solely theirs. The last bit so much fun to see.
42 reviews
July 2, 2024
Keeps the standard high

This book has drawn my attention all day, even when I have been dealing with other things. An excellent read and maintains the series standard at very high. If you haven't started with the first book, Junkyard Cats, get it and read it. This is a series that I will reread many times.
Profile Image for Betty Morgan.
12 reviews
July 5, 2024
an exciting read

As usual, Faith Hunter gives us an exciting adventure. This time featuring sentient cats and all sorts of future tech along with Harleys. Shining has her roadhouse but trouble down the road draws her in to investigate and she finds new allies and bad guys. Hopefully this series will continue
168 reviews
July 7, 2024
Faith Hunter writes a great, detailed -out there- story! Love them all!

This story combines re-start of the world, competition of the fiercest, odd abilities and creatures with believability and intrigue. Then a little possible romance creeps in there. I love the oddities and special abilities shown in here. I want them too, lol. The creatures? Come talk to me鈥︷煡扳潳锔忦煒煒�
4 reviews
July 11, 2024
another winner from Faith Hunter.

I actually stopped reading midway because I didn鈥檛 want my enjoyment of it to come to an end, but of course I couldn鈥檛 stay away. Shining Smith is a smart, tough, believable protagonist and the people around her are enjoyable characters. You have to read the entire Junkyard Cats series. It is simply a must. Be sure to read them in order.
77 reviews
July 17, 2024
Fast paced Exciting post apocalypse Adventure

Like Girl of is a product of post apocalypse America. Learned to Survive in a hard world. But she has a strong sense of right and wrong and is extremely loyal..
Yet another can't put the book down until the end installment
Strongly suggest read the series in order for the greatest enjoyment. You
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