Waiting on Wednesday: Etched in Bone

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking The Spine and is a fun way to see what books other bloggers just can't wait to get their hands on!

ETCHED IN BONE

The Others #5

Anne Bishop

Urban Fantasy

Releases March 2017 from ROC

From Goodreads:

New York Times bestselling author Anne Bishop returns to her world of the Others, as humans struggle to survive in the shadow of shapeshifters and vampires far more powerful than themselves…

After a human uprising was brutally put down by the Elders—a primitive and lethal form of the Others—the few cities left under human control are far-flung. And the people within them now know to fear the no-man’s-land beyond their borders—and the darkness…

As some communities struggle to rebuild, Lakeside Courtyard has emerged relatively unscathed, though Simon Wolfgard, its wolf shifter leader, and blood prophet Meg Corbyn must work with the human pack to maintain the fragile peace. But all their efforts are threatened when Lieutenant Montgomery’s shady brother arrives, looking for a free ride and easy pickings.

With the humans on guard against one of their own, tensions rise, drawing the attention of the Elders, who are curious about the effect such an insignificant predator can have on a pack. But Meg knows the dangers, for she has seen in the cards how it will all end—with her standing beside a grave.

SIMON AND MEG YOU GUYS! They have fast become one of my favorite almost-couples, and I'm hoping this is the book where we finally get to see them together. *rubs hands together in gleeful anticipation* I have to admit that I don't love the sound of Montgomery's shady brother, he's clearly going to cause all sorts of problems, but the Others always handle their business so I know he'll get what's coming to him. Also? That last line terrifies me. I don't want to lose any of my beloved Others! *sobs just thinking about it*

Goodreads • Amazon    

Review: Marked in Flesh

MARKED IN FLESH
The Others #4
Anne Bishop
Urban Fantasy
416 pages
ROC
Available Now
Source: Bought

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
For centuries, the Others and humans have lived side by side in uneasy peace. But when humankind oversteps its bounds, the Others will have to decide how much humanity they’re willing to tolerate—both within themselves and within their community...

Since the Others allied themselves with the cassandra sangue, the fragile yet powerful human blood prophets who were being exploited by their own kind, the delicate dynamic between humans and Others changed. Some, like Simon Wolfgard, wolf shifter and leader of the Lakeside Courtyard, and blood prophet Meg Corbyn, see the new, closer companionship as beneficial—both personally and practically.

But not everyone is convinced. A group of radical humans is seeking to usurp land through a series of violent attacks on the Others. What they don’t realize is that there are older and more dangerous forces than shifters and vampires protecting the land that belongs to the Others—and those forces are willing to do whatever is necessary to protect what is theirs…

MY THOUGHTS
Marked in Flesh is a pivotal book in The Others series, finally giving us a terrifying taste of just what's out there in the wild country as the Humans First and Last Movement makes one mistake too many. In the previous books we've been treated to the more "civilized" species of Others, those who are able to interact with humans without causing them to go catatonic with fear, but with each new installment we've gotten fleeting glimpses of the Elders, and we can't help but let a vengeful smile crease our faces as they make their presence known.

The Humans First and Last Movement are at their most appalling in Marked in Flesh, the hatred and prejudice they spread all the more infuriating because it's in no way exaggerated despite its place in a piece of fiction, and we can't help but want to snarl as the Others do at their sense of superiority and entitlement. It's downright impossible to root for any side but that of the Others and the handful of humans who've formed relationships with them over time, and when extinction threatens we're simply unable to muster up any sympathy for those who merrily paved the way to their own destruction.

While this fourth book takes us outside of the Lakeside Courtyard more than any of the previous books, introducing us to yet another group of new characters residing in a town eventually linked character-wise to those we've visited in books past, Meg, Simon and the rest of Lakeside Courtyard are still at its heart. Some of the intimacy of the first two books is missing though, with beloved characters like Sam, Tess, the Crowgard and the ponies existing only on the periphery, but given the size of the events taking place as humanity begins to reap what its sown it's an understandable loss.

We're sent reeling for nearly the entire second half of this story, the Elementals across Thasia teaming up with Ocean herself and the Elders to mete out much-deserved punishment, but Ms. Bishop wraps things up on a hopeful note with a small and beautiful moment between Meg and Simon. It hints that perhaps the romance we've all been waiting for is on the cusp of becoming reality, which of course makes the wait for the next book all the more painful. As has always been the case though, it will undoubtedly be one worth waiting for.

Rating: 4/5

Find Anne:

Website • Goodreads • Amazon

Review: Vision In Silver

VISION IN SILVER
The Others #3
Anne Bishop
Urban Fantasy
400 pages
Available Now
ROC/Penguin
Source: Bought

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
The Others freed the  cassandra sangue  to protect the blood prophets from exploitation, not realizing their actions would have dire consequences. Now the fragile seers are in greater danger than ever before—both from their own weaknesses and from those who seek to control their divinations for wicked purposes. In desperate need of answers, Simon Wolfgard, a shape-shifter leader among the Others, has no choice but to enlist blood prophet Meg Corbyn’s help, regardless of the risks she faces by aiding him.

Meg is still deep in the throes of her addiction to the euphoria she feels when she cuts and speaks prophecy. She knows each slice of her blade tempts death. But Others and humans alike need answers, and her visions may be Simon’s only hope of ending the conflict.

For the shadows of war are deepening across the Atlantik, and the prejudice of a fanatic faction is threatening to bring the battle right to Meg and Simon’s doorstep…

MY THOUGHTS
The third book in this utterly refreshing urban fantasy series is every bit as outstanding as the previous two, the tensions between the Others and humans escalating at an alarming rate, which in turn makes the fragile relationships formed within Lakeside Courtyard increasingly tenuous. 

There's something perversely fascinating about a series that can make you hate the species to which you belong, but Ms. Bishop does an amazing job of showing us the dark side of humanity as seen through the eyes of the Others, and it's nearly impossible not to side with them against the narrow-minded, ego-driven Homo Sapiens. The Humans First and Last movement, an organization whose sole goal is to rip control of all land and industry from the Others and install humans at the top of the socioeconomic pyramid (as they inexplicably feel is their right), makes for a deliciously nebulous villain, earning our hate thanks to their prejudice against the Others and those who support them even though the person leading their charge remains ever-elusive.

Meg and Simon's relationship, an oh-so delicate thing that continues to slowly build with each installment, is a highlight as always in Vision In Silver. Meg is perhaps at her most confused and unsure since she arrived at Lakeside Courtyard months ago in this book, struggling to process the world around her as all her time in captivity finally catches up to her, and she makes just as many missteps as she does steps forward, endearing her to us all the more as she single-handedly ensures the temporary survival of humans everywhere. Without Meg's sweet nature and drive to help all those in need whether through simple assistance and comfort or through her visions, the Others of the Courtyard would undoubtedly have already unleashed their impressive wrath on those who threaten them, and we can't help but fall in love with her for nothing more than being who she is.

Simon is just as adorably confused as Meg as they stumble forward, on edge thanks to the Humans First and Last movement and unclear on how to give or ask for the comfort they both need from one another. The anticipation of the moment when the two of them finally figure out they want to be more than friends is a driving force in these books, and all the romantics at heart are likely to hold their breath throughout wondering if this is the book where it might happen. Overall, another brilliant addition to this series!

Rating: 4.5/5

Find Anne:

Website • Goodreads • Amazon

Review: Murder of Crows

MURDER OF CROWS
The Others #2
Anne Bishop
Urban Fantasy
369 pages
ROC
Available Now
Source: Bought

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
After winning the trust of the terra indigene residing in the Lakeside Courtyard, Meg Corbyn has had trouble figuring out what it means to live among them. As a human, Meg should be barely tolerated prey, but her abilities as a cassandra sangue make her something more.

The appearance of two addictive drugs has sparked violence between the humans and the Others, resulting in the murders of both species in nearby cities. So when Meg has a dream about blood and black feathers in the snow, Simon Wolfgard—Lakeside's shape-shifting leader—wonders whether their blood prophet dreamed of a past attack or of a future threat.

As the urge to speak prophecies strikes Meg more frequently, trouble finds its way inside the Courtyard. Now the Others and the handful of humans residing there must work together to stop the man bent on reclaiming their blood prophet—and stop the danger that threatens to destroy them all.

MY THOUGHTS
I'm going to keep in the more casual vein for the reviews of this series because I'm having so much fun reading them that it's hard for me to write in the more structured way I usually do. I'm taking a short break after this book though, so I'll return to my more formal reviews next week before I gush over book three.

I dove straight into this book the minute I finished Written in Red, and it was everything I'd hoped it would be aside from one small drawback. A quick confession: I tend to obsess over certain characters when I read, especially characters between whom there is the potential for romance. Once my fixation is jump-started, it becomes all-consuming and I can hardly deal with any kind of interruption–in the real world or the fictional one–that tries to rob me of the my quality obsession time. This second book was the tiniest bit guilty of denying me a little extra Meg and Simon time, expanding the boundaries of the world outside the Courtyard's walls and into other towns where tensions between humans and the Others are rapidly rising. While logically I know this entire series couldn't be written within the confines of the Lakeside Courtyard, getting bounced around to a few new characters instead of staying tucked in a little closer to home with Simon and Meg did make me ever-so slightly twitchy.

That is an extremely specific and very minor complaint though, I just can't help but want all the Meg and Simon time possible. Their friendship progresses delightfully in this second book, though I know we're still a long way from developing any kind of physical relationship. The slow, slow, slow burn between them is a highlight for me, and all the small, casual touches and the confusion on both sides about certain aspects of their friendship brings a smile to my face every time they're together.

Some of my favorite Others – Tess, Sam, and the Elementals and their ponies – were sadly absent for most of this book as the focus shifted to the blood prophets still in captivity, but fantastic new characters were introduced (Skippy! Jean!) which kept me from missing them too much. Overall, this second installment further cemented my love for this series, and I will be continuing on my binge read with nothing short of the kind of fangirl joy that comes from discovering a series destined for a top spot on the shelf of favorites.

Rating: 4.5/5

Find Anne:

Website • Goodreads • Amazon

Review: Written In Red

WRITTEN IN RED
The Others #1
Anne Bishop
Urban Fantasy
433 pages
ROC
Available Now
Source: Bought

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
As a cassandra sangue, or blood prophet, Meg Corbyn can see the future when her skin is cut—a gift that feels more like a curse. Meg’s Controller keeps her enslaved so he can have full access to her visions. But when she escapes, the only safe place Meg can hide is at the Lakeside Courtyard—a business district operated by the Others.

Shape-shifter Simon Wolfgard is reluctant to hire the stranger who inquires about the Human Liaison job. First, he senses she’s keeping a secret, and second, she doesn’t smell like human prey. Yet a stronger instinct propels him to give Meg the job. And when he learns the truth about Meg and that she’s wanted by the government, he’ll have to decide if she’s worth the fight between humans and the Others that will surely follow.

MY THOUGHTS

This review is going to be a little less formal than my standard reviews (I can't help the formality usually, writing reviews brings me back to all my essay-writing classes in school!), mostly because I'm enormously late to The Others party and I kind of want to punch myself in the face a little for it.

For the past year I've been in a pretty impressive reading slump. I've picked up a few winners here and there, but by and large the desire to stay up late and give myself a book hangover has been missing. Written in Red broke me out of my slump in spectacular fashion, reminding me what it's like to invent reasons for taking a break from work throughout the day so I can sneak a chapter or two in, and keeping me up all hours of night just so I can find out what happens next.

While plot-wise this first book is largely Meg's day to day life in the Courtyard as she finds a place for herself among the others, there's absolutely nothing slow or boring about it thanks to a brilliant cast of characters from Ms. Bishop. The Others themselves fit their label to a T, their human skin exactly that – a thin veneer hiding something else entirely underneath. From the Crows obsessed with all things shiny to the sugar-obsessed Ponies to the Elementals with city-annihilating tempers, the inhabitants of this utterly refreshing paranormal world are a joy with whom to spend time.

Meg's relationship with Wolf and Courtyard leader Simon is just one of the many fascinating friendships established in this first installment, the potential for romance between them there but buried beneath layers and layers of things they both need to learn about one another as well as themselves. Watching as they attempt to figure one another is out is surely going to be a highlight of this series overall, and I can't wait to start book two (already loaded on my Kindle) and see how Meg's connections to all the extraordinary Others in the Courtyard continue to strengthen and grow.

Rating: 5/5

Find Anne:

Website • Goodreads • Amazon

Top 10 Tuesday: 2016 Resolutions

A huge thanks to The Broke and the Bookish for hosting each week!

This will be the first time I've actually made New Year's resolutions, bookish or otherwise, so we'll see if I'm able to stick to them. I'm notoriously bad at following through with things like this, it's why I don't ever join reading challenges - for some reason the mere setting of goals makes something in me revolt and I end up failing (which is weird, because I can't function at work without a to-do list for each day). Also, I'm currently battling the flu, so I'm only going to do a top 3 list (look, I've failed already! *pats self on back*). Wish me luck everyone!

2016 BOOKISH/BLOGGING GOALS

• Give myself a break. This sounds like a strange resolution to make, but I'm in my 6th year of blogging and I still put a lot of pressure on myself to maintain a certain blogging schedule. I did have to drop back to 2 reviews a week from 3 last year as work has been steadily increasing (yay!), but I'm still feeling a little bogged down by everything I try and do to keep up my presence in the blogging community. My goal then for 2016 is to not give myself such a hard time if I can only post 4 times a week instead of 5, or if I have to skip a day of commenting (so sorry everyone!) for blogger mental health purposes:)

• Get to a few of the books I've been meaning to read FOREVER. Including, but not limited to:

• The Others series by Anne Bishop (I've heard so many amazing things about Written in Red!) 
• Uprooted by Naomi Novik (Um. Dragons. SOLD!)
• The Red Rising trilogy by Pierce Brown (Why haven't I gotten to these yet?) 

•  Attend more bookish events. I'd been pretty good about this up until last year when I just couldn't motivate myself to attend anything book-related aside from BEA. Here in Ohio we get a good number of authors coming through (though most go to Cincinnati or Dayton instead of Columbus, so it's about a 1-2 hour drive each way), and last year I missed out on some outstanding events. I'm going to start at a reasonable number and say I need to go to at least 3.

I have joined a book club for the very first time with a few of my blogger friends (thank you Nick!), and we'll be reading our first book this month so I'm excited. Yay for trying new things in 2016!

If you've set any bookish goals for yourself in 2016, I'd love for you to share them in the comments!

Cathy Reviews: Vision in Silver + The Diabolical Miss Hyde

My mother in law Cathy is back today to share a few of her recent reviews :-) She's been on a bit of a roll lately, and I'm so grateful to her for picking up a little of my reviewing slack!

VISION IN SILVER
The Others #3
Anne Bishop
Urban Fantasy
416 pages
Penguin
Available Now
Source: Finished copy from publisher for review

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
The Others freed the  cassandra sangue  to protect the blood prophets from exploitation, not realizing their actions would have dire consequences. Now the fragile seers are in greater danger than ever before—both from their own weaknesses and from those who seek to control their divinations for wicked purposes. In desperate need of answers, Simon Wolfgard, a shape-shifter leader among the Others, has no choice but to enlist blood prophet Meg Corbyn’s help, regardless of the risks she faces by aiding him.

Meg is still deep in the throes of her addiction to the euphoria she feels when she cuts and speaks prophecy. She knows each slice of her blade tempts death. But Others and humans alike need answers, and her visions may be Simon’s only hope of ending the conflict.

For the shadows of war are deepening across the Atlantik, and the prejudice of a fanatic faction is threatening to bring the battle right to Meg and Simon’s doorstep…

CATHY'S THOUGHTS
Vision in Silver is the third installment by Anne Bishop in the Others series. I've had this book on my wish list for months waiting to journey back to Lakeside Courtyard. At the end of book two, there was a heightened animosity between the Others and the humans. Simon Wolfgard, with a select group of Others and humans, had rescued several blood prophets and now they are trying to figure out exactly how to reintroduce them safely back into the world. Meg Corbyn, a blood prophet living in Lakeside, tries to make a manual that will help assimilate the newly released blood prophets while she still is trying to figure out her new life. 

Ms. Bishop seamlessly manages to blend two major plotlines. The larger plot deals with the deteriorating relations between the Others and humans. A human group, NHL, is using propaganda and violent attacks to prove that they are superior to the Others. And the Others are trying to remember that not all humans are meat!!!!! It's a little terrifying thinking about it that way, but Ms. Bishop stays true to the animalistic nature of her characters and I find that engaging and commendable. 

The plotline that I love best is life in Lakeside Courtyard. Since Meg has come to live there with the Others, you can see such big changes from everyone. Simon, the Alpha wolf leader, tries to make life better for Meg by allowing more humans to live in the Courtyard. This is contrary to his innate nature. Ms. Bishop writes these characters so well that we feel their struggles and triumphs. I suppose one could make all kinds of analogies to our own world and the discrimination present today, but I just enjoy being immersed in the world that Ms. Bishop has created. She leaves me wanting to see how the different groups will grow together and create a new reality. 

What I enjoy most is the budding romance between Simon and Meg, though neither of them know it's a romance. They are the true center of this world and we feel that if whatever happens between them can occur, then there is hope for the rest of the world.
 
I can't wait for the next book. This series is so well done and is well worth the read. I am so glad that Jenny gave me the first book to review and put this series on my radar.

Rating: 4.5/5

Find Anne:

Website • Goodreads • Amazon

THE DIABOLICAL MISS HYDE
Electric Empire #1
Viola Carr
Fantasy/Steampunk
464 pages
Harper Voyager
Available Now
Source: Finished copy from publisher for review

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
Magic, mystery, and romance mix in this edgy retelling of the classic The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde-in which Dr. Eliza Jekyll is the daughter of the infamous Henry

In an electric-powered Victorian London, Dr. Eliza Jekyll is a crime scene investigator, hunting killers with inventive new technological gadgets. Now, a new killer is splattering London with blood, drugging beautiful women and slicing off their limbs. Catching "the Chopper" could make Eliza's career--or get her burned. Because Eliza has a dark secret. A seductive second self, set free by her father's forbidden magical elixir: wild, impulsive Lizzie Hyde.

When the Royal Society sends their enforcer, the mercurial Captain Lafayette, to prove she's a sorceress, Eliza must resist the elixir with all her power. But as the Chopper case draws her into London's luminous, magical underworld, Eliza will need all the help she can get. Even if it means getting close to Lafayette, who harbors an evil curse of his own.

Even if it means risking everything and setting vengeful Lizzie free . . .

CATHY'S THOUGHTS
Given the title of Viola Carr's new book, The Diabolical Miss Hyde, it's safe to assume that it's based on the classic tale of Jekyll and Hyde, but Ms. Carr shakes things up and puts a new spin on the tale. It is still set in Victorian London, but with a steampunk and mystical edge. Our protagonist Eliza is a female doctor and crime scene investigator keeping tabs on a serial killer loose in London. This is where Lizzie Hyde comes to help the investigation. Eliza is the prim and proper doctor whereas Lizzie is rough, wild and fearless. At the start of the story, Eliza tries to suppress Lizzie but as the plot thickens, they need to learn to work together. The telling of the story is well done and exciting because we hear and see everything from two points of view. Eliza and Lizzie both have a voice in their tale and because they're so different, we get very vivid accounts of their lives and struggles.
 
This book definitely has something for everyone–magical beings, mystery, murder, and even romantic undertones. There is a complicated plot and it is best to pay close attention to every detail. Everything has multiple meanings and the most intriguing things happen in the shadows. I found a line in the book to describe things beautifully: "A punctilious killer. A suspicious Royal investigator. A cunning lunatic. Each with the power to ruin her." That drew me into the story and I was eager to see where it would take me. We easily become invested in their lives and I was happy to find out that this is just the first in the series. I will get to see Eliza and Lizzie again as they continue to solve crimes and try to figure out a way to coexist.
                                                          
Rating: 3.5/5

Find Viola:

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This book was sent to me by the publisher free of charge for the purpose of a review. 

I received no other compensation and the above is my (or in this case, Cathy's) honest opinion.