Book Review: Bones to Ashes by Kathy Reichs

 

Synopsis (from Goodreads):  Temperance Brennan, like her creator Kathy Reichs, is a brilliant, sexy forensic anthropologist called on to solve the toughest cases. But for Tempe, the discovery of a young girl's skeleton in Acadia, Canada, is more than just another assignment. Evangeline, Tempe's childhood best friend, was also from Acadia. Named for the character in the Longfellow poem, Evangeline was the most exotic person in Tempe's eight-year-old world. When Evangeline disappeared, Tempe was warned not to search for her, that the girl was "dangerous."Thirty years later, flooded with memories, Tempe cannot help wondering if this skeleton could be the friend she lost so many years ago. And what is the meaning of the strange skeletal lesions found on the bones of the young girl?

Meanwhile, Tempe's beau, Ryan, investigates a series of cold cases. Three girls dead. Four missing. Could the New Brunswick skeleton be part of the pattern? As Tempe draws on the latest advances in forensic anthropology to penetrate the past, Ryan hunts down a serial predator.

My Thoughts: I have enjoyed all of Kathy Reichs "Bones" books and this one is no exception.  I can always count on these books if I am in a reading slump.

This book starts out with some of Tempe's childhood history.  You learn a little about Tempe's family, the death of her brother and father and her good friend, Evangeline.  Tempe hasn't really thought of Evangeline in awhile.  Evangeline disappeared with her sister when Tempe was young.  When a detective brings Tempe a skeleton of a young girl, Tempe wonders if it might be Evangeline's (there are some clues that lead her to think of Evangeline).  

In the meantime, Tempe is also helping Ryan with some missing girls/dead girls cases.  This part of the book was very disturbing to me, in particular, one somewhat graphic scene, that I had to actually just skim past.  I have an 8-year daughter so that part was tough for me to read.  Somehow, Ryan's case ties into Tempe's friend's case and through that, Tempe is able to find out what has happened to Evangeline and her sister.  

This book was very fast paced and kept me on my toes.  This book dealt with Leprosy, which was interesting to me to read about since I knew very little about it.  It seems a little strange to me that the family (who has money) would not seek medical care but I also know people who are very wary about hospitals and the government in general so I can see it happening.

If you like Kathy Reich's books, you won't be disappointed in this one.

 

Book Review: Origins (Lux #4) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Synopsis (from Goodreads):  Daemon will do anything to get Katy back.

After the successful but disastrous raid on Mount Weather, he’s facing the impossible. Katy is gone. Taken. Everything becomes about finding her. Taking out anyone who stands in his way? Done. Burning down the whole world to save her? Gladly. Exposing his alien race to the world? With pleasure.

All Katy can do is survive.

Surrounded by enemies, the only way she can come out of this is to adapt. After all, there are sides of Daedalus that don’t seem entirely crazy, but the group’s goals are frightening and the truths they speak even more disturbing. Who are the real bad guys? Daedalus? Mankind? Or the Luxen?

Together, they can face anything.

But the most dangerous foe has been there all along, and when the truths are exposed and the lies come crumbling down, which side will Daemon and Katy be standing on?

And will they even be together?

My Thoughts:  

If you haven't read this series then don't read this review.  It has some spoilers in it from the last book that you just don't want to know about yet.  

So, after the rescue mission for Beth went horribly wrong, Katy is now in the hands of Daedalus and Daemon is livid!  The book begins with Daemon's point of view which was awesome.  Daemon has decided that nothing will stop him from rescuing Katy.  After knowing what they did to Dawson and Beth, can you blame him for that?

While Daemon is in the process of his rescue mission, we switch to Katy's point of view.  Katy is being held at Daedalus and is not having a pleasant time.  There are things that happen that make cheer though (sorry...no spoilers for this book) but I wasn't quite sure why Katy felt the need to hide what she did from Daemon.  

Things start out in this book with a bang and they don't stop.  The whole book is a roller coaster ride of emotions and so much action.  I loved the fact that it had alternating POVs (Katy's and Daemon's).  Katy and Daemon's relationship grows in many ways in this book.  They have been through so much together and I loved the spontaneous moves they made.  

There are some serious surprises in this book as well.  I could not believe what happened with Matthew but figured out what was going on with Beth and Dawson almost right away.  I really enjoyed getting to know Archer and Luc better and I hope that Dee gets some much needed romance in the next book.

The end of the book isn't as much of a cliff hanger as Opal but it leaves you with only about a million questions.  My goal was to space out the reading of this series so that Opposition was out by the time I finished Origins but once I started, I couldn't stop.  So now I have to wait.  I have a feeling it will definitely be worth the wait though!