Devil's Touch- A Review

Good morning, fellow bibliophiles! So I realized I have a little over 90 days to complete 60 books in order to meet my goodreads challenge. As I stated in prior entries, I apologize for bombarding you all with posts back-to-back. After this one, I'm going to begin a new series, so hopefully I'll give you a breather for a couple of days before posting another review.

Today's book is one I received through a friend of mine as an ARC. There's nothing more I love getting more than book mail, so I was excited to receive this on my doorstep. Unfortunately, when it arrived, I was eyeballs deep in the Outlander series, so this sat on my bookshelf for a few months while I finished some other books.

Devil's Touch by Tina Lindegaard is not what I expected it to be based on the brief description provided on the back cover. I thought I was approaching a quaint yellow house with white windows where the young sisters played outside on the swings, with a sinister feeling lurking around the corner. That's not quite what I got. Evy is a high end call girl, and her sister, Linda, is dead. They're not the innocent children depicted, but rather older, and with fate dealing them a bad hand.

Mystery surrounds Evy and every character linked to her. Perspectives shift, and there's always another layer being peeled away to reveal a surprise of sorts among our cast of players.

I'm not always on board with third person perspective because sometimes it has the tendency to lose me, and parts of this did. I did respect the author's style, it was something I've definitely never encountered before, but it wasn't always for me.

There are a lot of characters and numerous plots that wind up intertwining here and there, but there's also aspects of them that remain separate, so pay attention. I enjoyed the concept of leaving out mindless details, but I'd start to lose focus with the "he" and "she" interactions and no names given as to who was in the scene at the time. It kind of kept me from getting 110% immersed in the story and into the lives of the characters. I very much felt like the reader staring down at their thoughts and actions from the page above. It was just an element of removal for me. This can be either a good thing or bad.

Don't get me wrong, like I said, the story was entertaining. It had elements of thrill, murder, crime, and underworlds that aren't always happening out among the everyday folks. This is something I could see as a mini series or TV special on the Investigation Discovery Channel.. Which I'm slightly obsessed with... So, bravo to the author, on that front! Job well done!

My Final Rating: three out of five stars

 

Anything He Wants & Castaway- A Review

I'm honestly torn how I felt on this one... So.. Bear with me as I try not to ramble. Minor thing to start (I suppose, but major in my eyes), there were a few grammatical and proofreading errors. That was annoying. Also, the author used a lot of the same adjectives, adverbs, etc to set a scene and it got repetitive to the point I'd skim over things to keep going with the story. Lastly, there were a few names and ideas I read in this book that I've read in a gazillion others. I'm not sure who wro Hey all! Time to bring everyone another book review! I have been thinking... the next time I read a series, instead of posted about each book in an individual review, perhaps I wait and discuss each book in a compiled review of the whole series once it's done. Thoughts? For now, let's move on to the review. I spent my weekend with Anything He Wants & Castaway by Sara Fawkes. It was one of those two-books-in-one deals, and it has been sitting on my shelf for months, so I figured I'd get to it and kill two birds with one stone. Having finished it up last night, I'm honestly torn how I felt on this one... So.. bear with me as I try not to ramble and rant. Minor thing to start (I suppose, but actually major in my eyes), there were a few grammatical and proofreading errors. That was annoying. Also, the author used a lot of the same adjectives, adverbs, etc. to set a scene and it got repetitive to the point I'd skim over things to keep going with the story. Lastly, there were a few names and ideas I read in this book that I've read in a gazillion others. I'm not sure who wrote their books first, but I found some of the originality lacking. Been there, done that.. As you do. The main issue I had with this book? Here goes: so we meet Lucy and Jeremiah in an elevator when they're working in the same building. He seduces her on said elevator ride, so that's fine, totally grabbed my attention. Next thing I know, she's signing a contract to work for him, flying to Paris to enjoy the billionaire's lavish lifestyle, but basically occupies his bed and any other surface he so chooses. In the very very short time she works for him, I don't think she actually works doing an actual office-type task (maybe she answered a phone or something at one point but that's all I can remember). Shocker, Lucy falls head-over-heels for Jeremiah Bagillionare Hamilton instantly only to be rejected because he's closed off emotionally and incapable of love. This act drives her into the arms of Jeremiah's older (and much sweeter) brother, Lucas. He takes her hostage for negotiation purposes in his own enterprises and tons of action (and bedding) stems from it. I couldn't quite get on board with Lucy's looser habits. She seemed fine with it and tried to rationalize going between brothers, but I wasn't buying what she was selling. She seemed eager beaver to enjoy either one she could and who was willing to show her comfort for the moment. I also didn't quite understand where all the action came from and why it was necessary. These characters spend a LOT of this book dodging threats from assassins and terrorists, and while it's explained, it wasn't elaborated on enough for me to really get on board with the whole thing. At parts in this book, I really thought, "wtf am I reading right now?". Lastly, when we first meet Jeremiah, we realize he seems to be a bit into BDSM and the darker side of a relationship. Again, it's never quite pointed out or explained.. But then it disappears through the rest of the book only to pop up again in the pages of the bonus story as if it had been a quirk of his all along. The reason I'm giving the book three stars is because it was a quick read. It kept me entertained enough to turn the pages to get to the end and see how it all wraps up, so for that, I'm content enough with the story. It did its job of making me want to see how it would all end. My Final Rating: three out of five stars

Dark Wild Night (Wild Seasons #3)- A Review

Good morning, fellow readers. Bear with me this morning. I had a late night last night and an early start today. I'm trying not to think about my bed too much while I sit in my office until 5pm. The bright side to all of this? I got another book done! We all know I loved my journey with the entire Outlander series, but it put a big dent in my reading schedule. I'm currently taking part in the goodreads challenge and I set my goal to be 100 books by 2016. I'm only 34 books behind schedule! At the beginning of this week, it was 37, so time to keep on keeping on. Let's get to the review. 

If it's possible, Oliver Lore may have trampled right over the top of both Finn and Ansel. The bar on book boyfriends just keeps getting raised higher and higher, and with it, my standards in men become ridiculously impossible.

Lola, our main girl this go-round, was not my favorite, unfortunately. She was too wrapped up in her own head to notice that Oliver wasn't pushing her in their relationship. Unlike their friends, while they did get married in Vegas, they never ended up in a hotel room. They annulled their spontaneous nuptials, but remained the best of friends for months after their friends built lives as married couples. Obviously (spoiler), their friendship crosses into flirting, which puts them in this massive gray area. They realize how much they mean to each other and (cautiously) move things to another, more intense level. Lola is an artist, and completely crazed with a flourishing career. She gets too caught up with her maelstrom of a brain, which backfires on Oliver. When she believes Oliver is too good and finds herself becoming obsessed, she panics.

My heart absolutely shattered when Oliver confesses how he has come second to everyone and everything (lost his parents, and was raised by his grandparents) and he'd refuse to come second to her too because she's the only one he ever cared about enough to want to be first. The poor guy didn't do anything wrong except love and support her and still had his heart shattered when she began to panic. However, stories need conflict and drama, so I was forever holding my breath and waiting for the other shoe to fall.

I have a soft spot in my heart for a nerd, and maybe especially a hot, Australian nerd who runs a trendy comic book shop. Oliver is patient, sweet, feisty, and charming. Lola was lucky to find him and have him fall as hard as he did. It was refreshing to see the guy on the end of smitten kitten and see how a love story could unfold.

I hope to hear more from these two, because I know their story isn't over just yet.

My Final Rating: four out of five stars

 

Dirty Rowdy Thing (Wild Seasons #2)- A Review

Hello again! Since I just posted a slightly lengthy rant just moments ago, I'm going to keep this short and sweet. I just finished reading Dirty Rowdy Thing by Christina Lauren and needless to say, I have another book boyfriend. Shocker, I know.

While I did miss Ansel, Mia, and their magical escapades in the streets in Paris, I was prepared to meet the next pair of players, and booooooy.... Are they a pair! 

Finn- the brooding, strong, silent, rugged Canadian vs Harlow- the daughter of two Hollywood powerhouses and total Cali girl. 

Also married in Vegas alongside their friends on that drunken blur of a trip, they get a quick annulment, and with good reason. 

These two looooove to butt heads (among other things) and wind up eyeballs deep in territory that is completely foreign to them. Finn has a family business at stake while Harlow masks her family's bad news by loving and solving everyone else's problems. Friends with benefits rapidly becomes something new, something unknown to the couple, and things get dicey.

I enjoyed watching them navigate and tiptoe around each other. I wasn't quite sure when they'd realize they're just what the other needs in life, but I had complete faith they'd get around to it eventually.. And boy, do they ever! 

Their friendship is comfortable, and their attraction absolutely sizzles. A blurb on the back cover mentioned blushing, and I have to agree. These two are quite steamy once they get right down to business. 
Just when everything finally points in their direction and with a bright future ahead of them, conflict arises (as it so often does, especially in these books). Harlow and Finn have to decide if they're going to join forces and conquer life as a team, or let the best thing that's ever happened to them walk away forever. 

I know book three will bring me to Oliver and Lola's story, but I'm interested to see the continued incorporation of both Finn and Harlow and also Ansel and Mia as these installments progress. 

My Final Rating: four out of five stars

A Bookish Rant, Let's Discuss!

Greetings, all! Tonight, I will be posting my latest review, but first, I will be doing something I wouldn't normally do, and going on a slight tangent. My apologies, but I appreciate you sticking with me, and also, I'd love to hear some of your opinions on the matter as well. 


As any blogger, writer, reader, reviewer will know, taking time out to form an opinion and share it with the world can be exhausting, especially if they're done at a rapid-fire rate. Don't get me wrong, I adore reading, so therefore, I adore discussing books of any sort with the rest of my many reading communities and bibliophiles even more. Here's where the frustration comes in. Again, my apologies. Bear with me for a few paragraphs.

This morning I received a comment via one of my social media accounts that, to me, was down right rude.  I won't delve into details, and I feel awful even bringing it up instead of shutting up and moving on, but it's been on my mind all day, and since I really enjoy what I do in bringing reviews to you all, it put me off instantly. 

Book "shaming", especially among fellow readers, is unacceptable, at least to me. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for a healthy debate and varying perspectives on plots, genres, characters, etc, but to outright make someone feel bad for the material they choose to enjoy is not fair. Am I alone on this? 

I understand that lately I've been reviewing numerous romance novels, but that should in no way discredit who I am as a reader. Everyone has their preference when it comes to books, as we do with almost anything we enjoy, so to publicly make someone feel down for their choices seems a bit of a low blow. Granted, I could just remain silent and not bring it up again, but I'm curious if others have felt this way in the literary community. 

On a personal note (and this will sound like bragging, but I PROMISE it's not. I'm just trying to plead my case and let you know who I am as a reader), I spent years at university with English as my field of study. I have two degrees majoring in English, and I'm also a member of the Sigma Tau Delta English Honors Society. I've spent countless hours and minutes dedicating myself to taking exams and writing thorough research papers on a variety of literary materials. I have a full shelf of all kinds of Norton Anthologies. I wrote my thesis (25 pages) on aspects of crime and corruption in F. Scott Fitzgerald's Gatsby. I've studied syllabi chuck full of James Joyce, Virginia Woolfe, Jane Austen, Herman Melville, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Edgar Allan Poe, Ernest Hemingway, Walt Whitman, Charles Dickens, Henry David Thoreau, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, John Steinbeck, Langston Hughes, Geoffrey Chaucer, William Shakespeare, and even the unknown poet of Beowulf (to name a few). I've thoroughly enjoyed aspects of American, World, and British literature as well as Romanticism, Transcendentalism, Journalism, Creative Writing, and the Structure and Origins of the English Language. 

Long-story-short, I am obsessed and passionate beyond words with all things literary, from both the reading and writing perspectives. I truly care 150% about what I've spent years at school learning, and even more so, networking with people across the globe about our shared adorations. I lose myself in many many many stories and a plethora of genres. Romance novels, for example (I use this genre because it seems to be the one I get the most criticism for reading), have their own niche and shouldn't be pegged with such negativity, nor should its readers. I'm not saying you have to LOVE a love story, but to immediately pass it off as a "sex book" with  zero substance and discredit the reader/reviewer is not the way to make your point and put someone in their place. Yes, these books have intimate scenes in them, and I'm not denying that, but they do also have a plot, a purpose, a story to tell, and characters with soul and spirit. They're the written version of a romantic movie or television show. The masses enjoy seeing it when it's on the screen, so please stop penalizing it when it's written on the page in front of you. I genuinely believe you can take away something from everything you read, so instead of letting negativity from a stranger go, I felt I had to say something and shed light on the overall situation. I know friends of mine have dealt with similar "shaming" situations, so I'd be really curious to see what you all think on this matter. 

All I ask is that we all attempt to respect each other and at least treat each other as adults when it comes to personal literary preference. If you don't care for my reviews or have no interest in the book I've chosen to discuss and share with you, don't read what I have to say. I won't be offended. I will, however, find it disrespectful when you take time out of your day to come to one of my pages and make me feel as if I lack intellect because I enjoy some of the books I do. Instead, I urge you to please move on to a book that sounds genuinely interesting to you and suits your style better. Don't make me (or anyone else for that matter) feel badly in the process. Nobody gains anything that way. I try to read a bit of everything and share it with you all, but honestly, romances are enjoyable and really easy to get through. After coming off of a big series or a large novel (as I just did with the Outlander series), I like to kick back with something a little lighter. Please don't make me feel guilty or silly in the process. 

On a more positive note, I thank those of you who have had kind words along the way and who make it worth while to keep going with my posts. Getting excited over a story is one thing, but to share a mutual love of the same story with people all over the world is something else entirely. That's honestly my favorite part out of reading and reviewing... getting to geek out and fan-girl with my fellow bibliophiles. I don't care what you read, the important thing is that you're reading. Don't you agree? 

Keep the noses in the books, people!

Sweet Filthy Boy (Wild Seasons #1)- A Review

Surprise, surprise, folks. I'm back again! What can I say? I had some down time at work and was able to binge-read my little heart out. I'm so glad, because I don't think I could have peeled myself away from this book boyfriend to save my life. The man in question is the one and only Sweet Filthy Boy brought to us by the fabulous duo of Christina Lauren. 

Ansel Guillaume. You're the kind of boy a girl dreams about. Truly. Sweet, caring, impulsive, fun, charismatic, I could go on. Mia couldn't seem to get enough of her across-the-bar stranger, and eventually, neither could I. 

When Mia Holland and her friends Lola and Harlow celebrate their college graduation in Las Vegas, what happens there winds up.... in the streets of Paris. 

I always admire the people who actually LIVE life, and do so a bit on the spontaneous side, so I really admired the path Mia and Ansel chose to take. Strangers who got drunkenly married in Vegas decided to live on a whim and see what would happen with their future instead of immediately chalking it up to a mistake. Granted, it's a story of lust, attraction, and love, so there's no un-written stranger danger involved, but I was obsessed with the antics of these two and had to live through them until the day I choose to make decisions the way they did. I secretly long for a day when I may meet someone and marry them on the spot. If only life were that silly. 

I semi-recently spent a weekend in Paris myself back in July, and reading this story made me wish I spent more time enjoying the nooks and crannies of one of the most beautiful cities in the world. While it was charming, it was overshadowed by a bigger excursion in London, so I didn't get to fully appreciate or spend enough time in the city of lights. Ansel and Mia make me want to return and discover something new (including an alluring French man S'il vous plaît). 

While I'm excited to get to book two in this series, I know Ansel and Mia will no longer be my key players as I move on (at least for now) so I'm sad to let them go, but I'm sure I'll meet up with them again soon! In the mean time, I have a new man to meet, and the crazy couple can get back to their impulsive bliss! 

My Final Rating: four out of five stars

Priest- A Review

Here we go again. Please don't kill me for yet another review. Now that I'm not conquering 900+ page books (for now), I'm going through new stories rather readily, so hopefully the reviews will come to you a bit quicker. I hope you stick with me through the books coming your way. Fingers crossed I stay on track.

Tonight's book is one that has been on my iBooks since June. It's Priest by Sierra Simone. I've been waiting to read this book since it came out, but I was so stuck in Outlander mode that I've just now gotten around to it. Warning: DO NOT READ if you are easily offended by descriptive sex scenes or fetish/taboo concepts. Priest is one of those stories that just goes there. You either have to be prepared for the ride, or just skip it to move on to something else. If you're willing to walk into a story with an open mind and take an adventure, do yourselves a favor and give this a go. Yes, it's pretty gritty and dirty, but there is more to the story. I promise you.

Taboo, erotic, spiritual, holy, sexy, controversial. These are just a few thoughts I had going through my head as I flipped through the pages. Needless to say, I could not put this book down. My eyes are burning a bit, but this was so worth it. Priest may very well be the sexiest book I've ever read. Father Bell wins the prize for filthiest mouth.

Poppy Danforth, the wasp-y daughter of privilege is in a new town and starting over after some unfortunate events came her way. In an attempt to re-gain some control of her life, she finds confession, a new religion, and a very handsome (and sympathetic) priest. Father Bell has been dealing with his own demons for years, and while a very generous and giving soul who cares immensely about his parishioners, he is beyond temped by Poppy.

As someone who was raised Catholic, this was not a story I was fully prepared to read. I saw the spoilers on social media and knew I was beyond excited to have this book arrive on my ibooks app. The church proceedings and the priesthood has always been boring to me, and I'm not a Catholic who attends mass regularly. It's not something I personally put all of my faith into anymore, but Father Bell did make me see things with fresh eyes.

Don't get me wrong, there is a LOT of sexy scenes in this book (shocker: the priest gives in to his temptress.. that's the point of the story for most of it), but there was also more. Bell, and even Danforth, believe in their God. They believe there's more to life than money and materialism. They both want to find purpose in giving to others, in helping for a greater good. They give into their baser animal instincts while Bell is still with the priesthood (enter the "taboo), but more comes of it. Poppy and Tyler learn from each other on life and love. They both enjoy languages, academics, literature, missionary work, travel, and the spirituality they seem to be teaching each other as the days go by.

There's conflict and confrontation. Poppy's past comes back to haunt her, and Father Bell is consumed constantly with his guilt for breaking his vows and wondering what God's greater plan is for his mortal soul.

I loved seeing Bell as a normal person. Yes, he did his priestly duties, but I liked reading about him sitting home alone eating his Cup of Noodles and watching Netflix while trolling The Walking Dead forums. I've never thought of priests as your average Joe, so reading about one dealing with the every day aspect of life was refreshing and reminded me of how human he was and why he struggled so much with his affections for Poppy.

It was heart-wrenching, but the climactic events of the book made the journey very real. Love doesn't come without struggle, and these two prove it time and again. I really respected them for the emotional and spiritual journey they went on, together and apart. They piqued my interest in religion again, so, bravo, Simone.

My Final Rating: five of five stars

Do Not Disturb (Deanna Madden #2)- A Review

Hello, all!! I know, I know. Another review in roughly a twenty-four hour period. What can I say? Today was a slow day at the office so I was able to binge read. The book stepping up to the plate this evening? Do Not Disturb by A. R. Torre. I'm not even going to waste time with some random jibber-jabber, but instead, get right into process and review. 

I was worried that just coming off of the Outlander series, I wouldn't be interested in something new, something less powerful in a story. I figured the escapades of Claire and Jamie Fraser would be too tough of an act to follow. After spending months with an extremely involved series, and then immediately jumping into something new could cause a lack of commitment or enthusiasm for the current text, and I really didn't want that experience. Needless to say, I'm glad I chose this book. I was a massive fan of 6E so I just had an underlying feeling that its sequel wouldn't disappoint either regardless of my previous reading situation/book depression. 

The sequel to The Girl in 6E has been sitting on my shelf for months, so I'm thrilled I finally got to it. I was a fan of Torre's Innocence trilogy back in the day, so I'm enjoying a new, edgier side of her work. 

Deanna Madden is a complex creature, but she reminds me very much of a female Dexter. Twisted emotions, but at her core, a good person with an understanding of right and wrong. She may have yet to realize that, but in two books now, she has killed, but with more than enough justified reason. Despite her tragic past, her flaws, and the blinders blocking her from what she's capable of feeling within, she doesn't deserve to be locked away in her 900 square foot apartment and shut up from the joys of the outside world. Understandably, she's treading carefully, but is finally letting some walls come down. 

Despite the overall ominous and macabre feel, I'm ecstatic that there was her own version of a happy (and sexy might I add) ending to this installment. Enjoy Jeremy, girl! You deserve him... plus, he's a good egg! 

Needless to say, I can't wait for book three to come out. I'll be chomping at the bit until November!!

That's all for now. Until next time, fellow bibliophiles! 


My Final Rating: five out of five stars

Written In My Own Heart's Blood (Outlander #8)- A Review

Good morning, all! Well, it's that time. At 1am, I finally finished the latest book in my incredible journey with the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon. I have no words. Let's just say I fell asleep with tears in my eyes.

Until book nine is released (which is awhile off yet, I'm sure), I have to part with these characters, and it's absolutely bittersweet. I adored my journey with Claire and Jamie and I can't even begin to explain how much Diana's work has impacted my life. I'm so thankful that an ancient episode of Doctor Who inspired her to write a novel. Although she saw it as practice to learn how to write, what she created was something astounding. Twenty plus years after the release of book one, it has grown into such a phenomenon and it knocks me off my feet to know how many people have been touched by this series.

In the beginning, I was wary of taking these books on. They were daunting to tackle, (the shortest being the first book at about 600ish pages) and not every review I read before I picked up a copy was one of praise. People talked of cheesy love-making, poor one-liners, and an abusive husband, blah blah. With all do respect, what book were you reading? Were you paying attention to the plot and the story on a larger scale? The love scenes were gorgeous and the relationship Claire and Jamie have is one of the greatest love stories I've ever read (and I've read a LOT of them). There is one scene alllllllllll the way back in book one that people saw as controversial between the couple (a spanking punishment.. or "tan the hide" as they'd say) after Jamie rescues Claire from the claws of the relentless Black Jack Randall. For the time, and for the situation they were in, what Jamie did was absolutely acceptable. That was the norm for the time, and, let's keep in mind that he's 23 at the time, and a newlywed. He's not the most keen when it comes to handling a female. Her actions put her life as well as Jamie and the rest of the Mackenzie clan at great risk. He had no choice but to discipline her in the only way he knew how.

I digress.. and will end my mini-rant there. Outlander haters don't know what they're missing. Let's move on and discuss book eight. Written In My Own Heart's Blood finds us back in America in the middle of a Revolution. Jamie is gone, drowned in a shipwreck, and Claire is grief-stricken and finding herself suddenly married to one of Jamie's most trusted friends. When Jamie returns from the grave, will things be the same? Do he and Claire have obstacles to overcome? Of course they do, and that's what makes this book so real. Their lives and their story doesn't consist of constant fluff and perfection. It's raw, gritty, and immensely powerful. I can't properly put into words what it has meant to me to meet these two. Claire in 1945, then again in 1743 where her and Jamie meet for the first time. They were only in their twenties when I began with them,  so to then follow them through 1778/9 and beyond into the golden years makes me quite emotional. They've become aunt and uncle, grandmere and grandpere, da, grannie Claire, etc. Witnessing them with an expanding extended family is a moving thing. I honestly did feel like a member of the family, silently witnessing everything from close by.

War brings on its share of issues. The family is constantly on the move and have their eyes wide open at all times. Claire is caught in a crossfire during battle, Fergus and his family have to escape a fire in their print shop that will forever altar them, Ian has to protect his aging companion, Rollo, and his new wife, Rachel, and Brianna and Roger have to navigate Jem and Mandy between the 1700s and 1980 with threats on their family's future.

It astounds me the places this book has brought me. I learned more about world and American history than I thought I would, I took lessons from Jamie and Claire about life and love, I got a taste of battle, and the thrill of parallel universes and time-travel. It truly is a symphony of events that wind up making this story utter magic. Hats off to Mrs. Gabaldon for her thorough and extensive research in order to bring this world to life. I am forever grateful.

I'm devastated that my time with this amazing family is done (for a little while). I'm almost scared to move onto another book or series because Outlander has become such a part of my day-to-day life, and they made my life just a bit more thrilling. I think at some point, I'll be visiting the Lord John Grey spin-off series in order to cure my Droughtlander. I'm sure I'll be in a mild state of depression until season two picks up on Starz and book nine is released.

Please do yourselves a favor, and do not let this series slip through the cracks of your ever-expanding TBR. Go as soon as you can to your local bookshop and pick up this whole series. If you have tried to read this series and couldn't get through it, give it another chance. You will not regret it, I promise you.

My Final Rating: Five of Five Stars

 

An Echo In The Bone (Outlander #7)- A Review

Good evening, all and happy Labor Day to those who are celebrating! 

Like any hardcore bibliophile, I spent the holiday and day off of work buckling down to finish book seven in the Outlander series. I closed the book a couple of hours ago and had to let you all know what I thought! 

This series has just fully engulfed me. Sometimes I wonder how this story can continue on after so long, but it's going strong and I'm not bored at all! Without further ado, let's discuss An Echo In The Bone by Diana Gabaldon! 

Now, don't get me wrong, there are lulls in the book as you explore the story, but there has to be and here's why. There can't be action and romance filling the pages to the brim. There has to be an element of the mundane and everyday routine as well, otherwise it seems like the author is trying too hard to create something out-of-this-world. Having periods of normalcy folded within the pages makes it much more realistic and relatable when something big does happen.. and boy, does it! 

At first, I wasn't particularly fond of the sudden changes in perspective that came with this story, but I knew Diana had a purpose in doing so. By including the POV chapters from John Grey and his stepson, William, as well as Claire with Jamie, and Brianna with Roger, it all tied the piece together nicely the further I went into the story. There is a method to the madness. 

When we meet the characters in this story, we see that the American Revolution is bringing most of the them close... almost too close, and it leaves your heart in your throat to discover if their eventual paths crossing will be a good or a bad thing. 

Brianna and Roger are back in the 20th century with their children and are staying close to Bri's parents through letters that were left to them in their inherited home. Claire and Jamie are trying to leave the war-torn colonies to be bound back to Scotland with Jamie's nephew Ian, but they keep having encounters with troops and also Lord John Grey, a part of Jamie's past that has very much become their present. With Grey comes William, the estranged and illegitimate son of Colonel Fraser. 

It's quite hard to review these books without giving away too many spoilers. I know they've been available publicly for years, but for the sake of my friends who are reading this as I do, (and are in various stages of the process) I'm going to keep this short and sweet rather than take all the excitement out of your experience and relationship with these characters. All I will say, if you've been debating on picking up this series for any reason, hesitate no more and go grab them as soon as you can! They're phenomenal! 

Tomorrow morning, I head into book eight, the final book in the series, (at least until book nine is released.. which, I'm sure, is a long way off still) and I do so with a mixture of pride and sadness. I'm proud I got through these monster installments while also having the sense of dread that all this time spent with with the Frasers and friends is coming to a close after we've spent the last few months together. I'll have to move on to a new book and new characters to meet. I haven't had a series quite take over my life the way this one has, but I'm glad it did. I can't wait to see what book eight has in store!

My Final Rating: five of five stars