Jenn's Review: Exposure

Share

Email

FacebookTwitterGoogle+PinterestLinkedInStumbleUponRedditGoogle BookmarksWordPressTumblrDeliciousDiggMySpaceYahoo BookmarksBeboMister-WongApp.netWaneloOrkutXINGBufferEvernoteWhatsAppMendeleyPocketVKPinboardSpringpadFlipboardArtoAIMYahoo MessengerPlurkDiasporaBlogger PostTypePad PostBox.netKindle ItBaiduNetlogCiteULikeJumptagsFunPInstapaperPhoneFavsXerpiNetvouzDiigoBibSonomyBlogMarksStartAidKhabbrMeneameYoolinkBookmarks.frTechnotizieNewsVineFriendFeedProtopage BookmarksBlinklistYiGGWebnewsSegnaloPushaYouMobSlashdotFarkAllvoicesJamespotTwiddlaLinkaGoGoNowPublicLiveJournalLinkatopiaBuddyMarksViadeoWistsSiteJotDZoneCare2 NewsBitty BrowserOdnoklassnikiMail.RuSymbaloo FeedsFolkdNewsTrustAmazon Wish ListPrintFriendlyTuentiEmailRediff MyPage

Google GmailYahoo MailOutlook.comAOL MailAny email    

By AddToAny

Share

Email

FacebookTwitterGoogle+PinterestLinkedInStumbleUponRedditGoogle BookmarksWordPressTumblrDeliciousDiggMySpaceYahoo BookmarksBeboMister-WongApp.netWaneloOrkutXINGBufferEvernoteWhatsAppMendeleyPocketVKPinboardSpringpadFlipboardArtoAIMYahoo MessengerPlurkDiasporaBlogger PostTypePad PostBox.netKindle ItBaiduNetlogCiteULikeJumptagsFunPInstapaperPhoneFavsXerpiNetvouzDiigoBibSonomyBlogMarksStartAidKhabbrMeneameYoolinkBookmarks.frTechnotizieNewsVineFriendFeedProtopage BookmarksBlinklistYiGGWebnewsSegnaloPushaYouMobSlashdotFarkAllvoicesJamespotTwiddlaLinkaGoGoNowPublicLiveJournalLinkatopiaBuddyMarksViadeoWistsSiteJotDZoneCare2 NewsBitty BrowserOdnoklassnikiMail.RuSymbaloo FeedsFolkdNewsTrustAmazon Wish ListPrintFriendlyTuentiEmailRediff MyPage

Google GmailYahoo MailOutlook.comAOL MailAny email    

By AddToAny

Author: Kathy Reichs and Brendan Reichs
Series: Virals #4
Publication Date: March 4, 2014
Publisher: Putnam Juvenile
Pages: 418
Obtained: purchased
Genre:  mystery
Rating: 4.75
Bottom Line: another fantastic adventure
Grab, Just get it at the library, or Remove from your TBR list? Grab!

Blurb: When twin classmates are abducted from Bolton Prep, Tory and the Virals decide there’s no one better equipped than them to investigate. But the gang has other problems to face. Their powers are growing wilder, and becoming harder to control. Chance Claybourne is investigating the disastrous medical experiment that twisted their DNA. The bonds that unite them are weakening, threatening the future of the pack itself.

The Virals must decipher the clues and track down a ruthless criminal before he strikes again, all while protecting their secret from prying eyes. And everyone seems to be watching.

Review:  This is one of those YA series that I always make time for... and since things were left rather precariously between the Virals at the end of Code, I couldn't help but pick it up as soon as it was released.

I was rather surprised to find that Exposure begins with a trial. The aftermath and legal fallout is something that often gets glossed over in novels, especially YA. It was a fantastic place to start though, as there are definite consequences from their last escapades and it really set the tone and the pace for what is to follow.

Getting beyond the trial, I must admit that I was a little disappointed with the storyline. It seemed uncharacteristically predictable; I had it all figured out and knew where everything was headed... or I thought I did. By now I should know that things are never what they seem in a Virals novel. I wasn't right on a single point --not one-- and I love when that happens. I was completely blown away.

As pack leader, Tory is growing more aware of the problems with their condition, making her more determined than ever to delve into the research.  Her inability to let go of her hurt and move on is complicating things, but she is attempting to rise above it.  However as concientious as she is when it comes to the health of her pack, Tory is equally reckless when it comes to plunging into investigations and jumping to conclusions.  Tory pushing the boundaries as a pack leader seems to be a reactionary reflex to everything that has led up to this point.  The pack is off balance, and the harder she tries to right it, the more off kilter it becomes. I have to remind myself that she's a teenage girl and even the most responsible of which can be impulsive and short sighted.

On top of everything else, Chance is getting more desperate to learn the Virals secret. In his slightly unhinged state, how far will he go?  We have witnessed his darker side before... 

I won't delve into the story anymore than I already have so as not to spoil things.  This is one of those series that I can't recommend strongly enough.  I feel close to these kids and I always feel like my time with them is too short.  I may just have to go back and re-read them while I wait for the next installment.

Google+

Julie's Review: Virals

Summary: Tory Brennan, niece of acclaimed forensic anthropologist Temperance Brennan (of the Bones novels and hit TV show), is the leader of a ragtag band of teenage "sci-philes" who live on a secluded island off the coast of South Carolina. When the group rescues a dog caged for medical testing on a nearby island, they are exposed to an experimental strain of canine parvovirus that changes their lives forever. As the friends discover their heightened senses and animal-quick reflexes, they must combine their scientific curiosity with their newfound physical gifts to solve a cold-case murder that has suddenly become very hot-if they can stay alive long enough to catch the killer's scent. Fortunately, they are now more than friends: They are a pack. They are Virals. ~powells.com

Review:  I don't read Sci-Fi or YA, so why would Virals? Kathy Reichs wrote it. Also, Jenn suggested it for my YA challenge this year. Being a fan of her Temperance Brennan series I knew that she would tone down the science in this but not dumb it down. Immediately I liked Tory. She's a bright 14 year old girl, who has some sass but isn't obnoxious. And while being smart and a bit nerdy, she's not awkward. What came to mind for me after finishing the novel, is that she's a modern day Nancy Drew. She gets herself in situations where I know I couldn't get out of and yet she does so with using her smarts.

Tory recently transplanted to South Carolina after her mother's death to live with a father who didn't know she even existed. This is how Tory is related to Tempe, she's her great-aunt, which is fantastic for Tory who already idolized her. Tory is a huge dog lover and when she discovers that one of the wolf dog pups is caged up on Loggerhead Island, she decides to free him and take him with her. This is where the one rash decision leads to many outcomes.

Tory and her band of brothers seem to stumble into trouble at every turn. Now it's not your typical teen trouble but maybe that kind of trouble might be easier to deal with.

While I might not think it's realistic, I let it go and just enjoyed the story. Ms. Reichs does a fantastic job of creating teen characters that aren't cartoonish. She does an excellent job of having two plots that end up melding together perfectly in the end. There were a couple twists that I didn't see coming and thoroughly enjoyed that I didn't.

For me, while I found the mysteries interesting, I really liked the dynamic between Tory, Hi, Ben and Shelton. I like that Tory is comfortable enough with herself to hang out with a bunch of guys and be at ease with them. They are her pack.

I will definitely continue with the series (Seizure & Code) since there is only a total of 3 right now. I also recommend them to my 12 year old sister and will be passing it on to a 13 year old boy as well.

Final Take: 4/5

Jenn's Review


Google+

Jenn's Review: Code

 Blurb:  The Virals are put to the ultimate test when they find a geocache containing an ornate puzzle box. Shelton decodes the cipher inside, only to find more tantalizing clues left by "The Gamemaster." A second, greater geocache is within reach—if the Virals are up to the challenge.

But the hunt takes a dark turn when Tory locates the other box—a fake bomb, along with a sinister proposal from The Gamemaster. Now, the real game has begun: another bomb is out there—a real one—and the clock is ticking.

Review:  It's been a while since I visited with the Virals on Loggerhead Island. Code has been sitting on my shelf for far too long. Things were pretty neatly wrapped up at the end of Seizure, so it was interesting to see where things were headed.

Code was a return to everything I loved about the first book in the series, Virals.  I enjoyed Seizure, but I couldn't help feeling it was a little wild as plot lines go, even for a pack of genetically altered super hero kids. Code starts off on a whimsical jaunt and pulls you in to something dark and twisted so fast you aren't even sure how it happened.  Once into it, it was very hard to put down.

The mystery is killer and I must admit, I fell for the red herring in the book.  I love when I don't know the whodunnit of it all, and this one really threw me for a loop.  It was fast paced and thrilling.  I was shocked by the ending and a little disappointed in a few of the characters whom I've really grown to love over the series.  There were times when I wanted to shake them; I still feel like shaking some of them. (Tell tale sign that I love the book, when I'm talking about the characters like they're real.)

What I love about this series is that it's YA thrillers with some sci-fi on the side.  It's not too heavy, it's not gender specific, it's full of solid characters and fascinating mysteries.   I'd say Code is my favorite so far ~and there is an open ended little tag on the end of this book so I can't wait to see where the Virals are headed next.

Final Take:  4.75/5


  Google+

Jenn's Review: Seizure

 Summary:  Ever since Tory Brennan and her friends rescued Cooper, a kidnapped wolf pup with a rare strain of canine parvovirus, they've turned from regular kids into a crime-solving pack. But now the very place that brought them together - the Loggerhead Island Research Institute - is out of funding and will have to shut down. That is, unless the Virals can figure out a way to save it.

So when Tory learns of an old Charleston legend about a famous she-pirate, Anne Bonney, whose fortune was never found, she can't believe her luck - buried treasure is exactly what she needs to save the Institute on Loggerhead! Trouble is, she and her friends aren't the only ones looking for it. And this time, the Virals' special powers may not be enough to dig them out of trouble . . .  ~blurb


Review:  I love Kathy Reichs novels and I love paranormal YA, so the two things together?  Total no brainer.  Seizure is the second book in Reichs' new Virals series, and while the first one is my favorite, I also enjoyed Seizure.

Many of the reviews for Virals compared it to a modern day Nancy Drew (even I made the comparison (my review)), I think the similarities are far more prevalent here, from the cover to the topic to the plot formula. Not that that is a bad thing, (think of how many lives that series touched!) but it's a good starting point of comparison. Really, it's Goonies meets Nancy Drew with a sci-if twist. It definitely had an old school feel to it with good dose of Kathy Reichs typical quick wit. There are no huge plot twists in this one and even though searching for pirate treasure sounds a little hokey, it was still an entertaining, fast-paced read. At times I was frustrated when pockets of plot exposition slowed things down a little, but the Virals are so smart it's easy to forget they're kids in their early teens... and so is the target audience. With that in mind however, as a Mom I was concerned because Tory was far more reckless in this book. I understand her desperation, but she took some crazy risks, completely disobeyed her father, and broke several laws. While Shelton came off as whiney kill-joy at times, he really was the voice of reason that all the Virals ignored. At the same time I appreciate the fact that without Tory's aggressive impulsiveness, there would have been no story. Were they able to solve things a little too easily and was the tale a little tall? Sure, but it was done beautifully. I also appreciated the brief but relevant Temperance Brennan cameo.


As I mentioned when reviewing Virals, I think this story works for male or female readers (a theory I intend to test on Kids Just Reading soon) even though it's told from Tory's point of view. It helps too that there is no heavy romance foisted on these early teens. I love the concept of this series and I can't wait to see where Reichs and her son Brendan take this. They've made sure to start Tory off young so the series can age with her, which is good. Their isn't anything else out quite like Virals and I can't wait to read the next book in the series.

Final Take:  4/5

Julie's Review: Spider Bones

Summary: John Lowery was declared dead in 1968—the victim of a Huey crash in Vietnam, his body buried long ago in North Carolina. Four decades later, Temperance Brennan is called to the scene of a drowning in Hemmingford, Quebec. The victim appears to have died while in the midst of a bizarre sexual practice. The corpse is later identified as John Lowery. But how could Lowery have died twice, and how did an American soldier end up in Canada? Tempe sets off for the answer, exhuming Lowery’s grave in North Carolina and taking the remains to Hawaii for reanalysis—to the headquarters of JPAC, the U.S. military’s Joint POW/ MIA Accounting Command, which strives to recover Americans who have died in past conflicts. In Hawaii, Tempe is joined by her colleague and ex-lover Detective Andrew Ryan (how “ex” is he?) and by her daughter, who is recovering from her own tragic loss. Soon another set of remains is located, with Lowery’s dog tags tangled among them. Three bodies—all identified as Lowery. And then Tempe is contacted by Hadley Perry, Honolulu’s flamboyant medical examiner, who needs help identifying the remains of an adolescent boy found offshore. Was he the victim of a shark attack? Or something much more sinister? ~amazon.com

Review: I always order the new Kathy Reichs' novel when it comes out but then I end up getting behind again. So, I was thrilled when Spider Bones into the What's in a Name Challenge for 2012. I'm always sorry that I stay away from the books as soon as I pick one up. I love Tempe. I love how candid she is. She's not perfect, she's got her troubles but she's brilliant at her work.

Spider Bones is definitely jargon heavy, so if you don't like your "alphabet" when it comes to reading, then it's probably not going to be a pleasant read for you. I get so that I understand enough to keep track of what's going on but I don't feel the big need to keep a log of what it mean. Ms. Reichs does come back enough to it so you don't get lost.

While I didn't find this case itself as interesting as some others; what I found compelling was what our government does to try to find KIA/POW/MIAs from various wars. How even today we are still searching for men/women who served in World War I. What stunned me was how big these recovery teams are and how many people they do identify in a year!

Tempe travels from Montreal to North Carolina to Hawaii for the case. Her daughter Katy has received devastating news right before Tempe has to leave, so she encourages her to join her on the Hawaii leg of the trip. Eventually, Ryan and his daughter Lily join them as well since Ryan is assigned to the initial case out of Montreal.

What starts as a simple case of mistaken identity, escalates into something that spans decades, continents and years of scientific research. As with all of her books, Tempe gets herself into a situation which ends up with her life being in danger some how. I'm guessing this isn't really true to life in the realm of being a forensic anthropologist.

Things at the end of the novel still aren't resolved between her and Ryan. I can understand her trepidation about taking another chance on Ryan when she feels like he needs to focus on other things but I hope that it doesn't drag out for another 5 books.

I definitely have to catch up on her next novel Flash and Bones before yet another one comes out in August.

Final Take: 3.75/5

Jenn's Review

 

Jenn's Top Books of 2011

My goal for 2011 was to get back to reading about 60 books a year, the way I had before my daughter was born.  I accomplished 60 plus (still reading or I'd give you an exact count), partly thanks to owning an e-reader, I think.  I'm amazed by the number of really fantastic reads I've had this year.

I was going to do a top 10 list, but quite a few of these are series that deserve to be mentioned in their entirety.  So here goes, in no particular order:

• The Peach Keeper by Sarah Addison Allen - she writes amazing books full of food and magical realism; if any of the above sounds good, and you haven't read any of her novels, put one on your 'To be read' list for this year.  You won't be disappointed.
• The Trylle Trilogy by Amanda Hocking - if you're a fan of YA paranormal and you have yet to read anything by this self-publishing queen, check out this series.  Ms. Hocking recently signed with our friends at St. Martin's Press and these are all being re-released with new, gorgeous covers.   I might just have to re-purchase the set just for the fabulous cover art!
• The Millennium Trilogy by Stieg Larsson - if you can get past the first 80 pages of plot exposition in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, you won't be able to put this Swedish Noir series down for long.
• The Iron Fey series by Julie Kagawa - Now that I have the perspective of having finished the series, I will be re-reading these in their entirety the very first chance I get. Ms. Kagawa's fantasy world is fantastic and I will revisit it many times for years to come.
• The Book Thief by Markus Zusak - I don't usually like historical fiction but this book grabbed me and wouldn't let go.  It's a heart-breaking read that brings life in Nazi Germany to life for YA or adults.
• Flash and Bones by Kathy Reichs - This is the 14th book in the Temperance Brennan series and I really felt that it was a return to everything I love about Ms. Reichs' work -even though there was barely a mention about Tempe's love life, which I am seriously invested in...
• Lucy Valentine series by Heather Webber - so far there are three books in this series and I can't bring myself to read the last one because I don't want to come to the end of it. A little paranormal realism, a little romance, and a little mystery make these perfect warm, fuzzy reads.
• Shadow Falls series by C.C. Hunter - I think this YA paranormal series doesn't get the recognition it deserves.  I rarely find a book where I want to know more about every single character, but such is the case with this series.  
• The Love Goddess' Cooking School by Melissa Senate - one of those rare books where you can relate to every character.  I wanted to move into this marvelous food-lit book with it's touch of magical realism.
• Kill Chain by Meg Gardiner - Seriously, you have to read her books!  There are two series, and they really do need to be read in order so either start with China Lake (Evan Delaney) or The Dirty Secrets Club (Jo Beckett) -but start somewhere!

I'm looking at my towering To Be Read pile and I see a few more books from the authors above along with many new ones.  I'm excited for a new year of reading - aren't you?

Jenn's Review: Flash and Bones

Summary: Just as 200,000 fans are pouring into town for Race Week, a body is found in a barrel of asphalt next to the Charlotte Motor Speedway. The next day, a NASCAR crew member comes to Temperance Brennan’s office at the Mecklenburg County Medical Examiner to share a devastating story. Twelve years earlier, Wayne Gamble’s sister, Cindi, then a high school senior and aspiring racer, disappeared along with her boyfriend, Cale Lovette. Lovette kept company with a group of right-wing extremists known as the Patriot Posse. Could the body be Cindi’s? Or Cale’s?

At the time of their disappearance, the FBI joined the investigation, only to terminate it weeks later. Was there a cover-up? As Tempe juggles multiple theories, the discovery of a strange, deadly substance in the barrel alongside the body throws everything into question. Then an employee of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention goes missing during Race Week. Tempe can’t overlook the coincidence. Was this man using his lab chemicals for murder? Or is the explanation even more sinister? What other secrets lurk behind the festive veneer of Race Week? 

Review:  Oh, how I've missed Temperance Brennan!  Though usually a serious lack of Andrew Ryan bothers me, it didn't seem as upsetting in this novel.  Perhaps because Kathy Reichs has returned to basics, a solid case with plenty of suspects, and lots of unanswered questions.

I have absolutely no interest in racing but as usual, Ms. Reichs kept me completely engaged with the subject and taught me a few things as well.  She balanced the racing with racism -an entire fringe racist group that may or may not have been involved in the death of the recently discovered victim, or the cold case disappearances. Oddly, I didn't find myself pushing to solve the case but found myself enjoying the discoveries as they came.  Though I did figure out the culprit before Tempe and Slidell, it was only by a few chapters.

As I mentioned at the beginning of my review, the only thing absent was any forward momentum in Tempe's love life -though some doors may be closing and some windows may be opening. Right now, Tempe doesn't really have time for romance, but I hope she'll make time for it.  (Obviously, I'm rooting for Andrew Ryan -I always have and I always will.)  And here I go, referencing Tempe as a real person not a character, but Kathy Reichs writes her so well, Temperance Brennan feels like an old friend to me.

I was really looking forward to a solid forensic mystery and Flash and Bones didn't disappoint.  Kathy Reichs seldom does.  Julie and I both highly recommend this series... or if you're looking for something a little lighter, try Kathy Reichs' new paranormal YA series.*

Final Take:  5.0/5

*I'll be reviewing newly released Seizure, the second book in the Virals series, before the end of the month.

Giveaway: Teen Book Festival

Gift Pack #1

I had such a marvelous time at the Teen Book Festival, that I brought a little piece of it home for you!  There are two YA giveaway packages and both come with bookmarks and other swag from the convention.  (There was a beautiful Hex Hall tote bag that I really wanted to snag, but it was for teens only...)

Gift Pack #1:
 - An autographed paperback copy of Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins
 - A paperback copy of Blue Bloods by Melissa de la Cruz
 - A Secrets & Shadows bookplate autographed by Shannon Delany
 -Various bookmarks, some autographed and some not

Gift Pack #2:
 - An autographed paperback copy of Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy (Book 3 in the Gallagher Girls series) by Ally Carter

 - An ARC paperback copy of Virals by Kathy Reichs

 - A Secrets & Shadows bookplate autographed by Shannon Delany

 -Various bookmarks some autographed and some not

Gift Pack #2

This giveaway is open internationally.  There will be two (2) winners.You may choose to enter for both packages, or only one, but please, one entry per person.  Just fill out the form below before midnight EST on May 23, 2011.

Good luck!


As always, Girls Just Reading uses Random.org to select our winners.

Jenn's List: Top Books of 2010

As 2010 draws to a close, the time has come for us girls to tell you our favorite books of the year.  As I look over my read list, I'm pleased to see I've been reading more this year ~not as much as when I had a lunch hour before I became a stay-at-home-mom, but steadily increasing as my daughter is older and more independent.


ASLEEP by Wendy Raven McNair:  This is the first book in a trilogy by a self-published author and it's an amazing series so far.  It's YA super hero story with a strong, female, African-American hero.  (Review) AWAKE, the second book in the trilogy, is also tops on my list. (Review) Again I cannot recommend this series enough.  You really must read it!

The Liar's Lullaby by Meg Gardiner:  This is the third book in her Jo Beckett series. In this installment, forensic psychiatrist Jo Beckett is called on to do a psychological autopsy of a country singing diva to determine murder, suicide, or conspiracy.  (Review)  If you love thrillers, you must try her books.  (China Lake is the first book in her Evan Delaney series and The Dirty Secrets Club is the first book in the Jo Beckett series.)

This Must Be The Place by Kate Racculia: A sixteen-year-old, un-mailed postcard launches a story of uncovering, recovery, and self-discovery in this debut novel.  I don't usually read contemporary fiction, but I loved this one! (Review)

Columbine by Dave Cullen:  This was my non-fiction read of the year.  It's an incredible case study of an horrific event that changed the face of education. (Review)

The Girl Who Chased The Moon by Sarah Addison Allen:  A little food and a little magic, there is really no one who compares to Sarah Addison Allen. (Review) All her books are hard-cover-must-haves for me and I anxiously await her March 2011 book, The Peach Keeper.  

Ice Cold by Tess Gerritsen: This is in the middle of the Rizzoli & Isles series, that the new TNT show is based on. I loved this book and the TV show, so I think I'm going to have to go back and read this thriller series from the beginning! (Review)

Virals by Kathy Reichs: This is forensic anthropologist Reichs' new YA series. It's an updated Nancy Drew with a paranormal twist. If you like her books but find them a little heavy, this is like reading Reichs-lite! (Review)

Infinite Days by Rebecca Maizel: I was a little "vamped" out, but this book made me fall in love with vampires all over again. I can't wait for the next book in the series due out in June 2011! (Review)

In the Woods by Tana French: This was a great case study in how are experiences impact our per eption and shape our future. I adored the rich detail and will be reading more from French this year, I hope.  (Review)

The Icing on the Cupcake by Jennifer Ross: I don't often enjoy a book where the protagonist starts off as unlikeable, but this was so well done, that I couldn't help but learn to love her as Ansley found her way in the world.  (Review)

I am excited about a new year of reading (yes, I'm nerdy, but we knew that,) and I hope that Roof Beam Reader's 2011 TBR Challenge will help me get to more books this year.

Wishing you a happy, healthy New Year filled with good books.
Happy Reading!

~Jenn

Julie's Review: 206 Bones

Summary: At the start of bestseller Reichs's outstanding 12th thriller to feature Dr. Temperance Brennan (after Devil Bones), Brennan finds herself bound and injured in an underground tomb. In flashbacks, Reichs fills in the how and why of the forensic anthropologist's deadly predicament. When Brennan and Andrew Ryan of the Sûreté du Québec arrive in Chicago on business, she's accused of botching the autopsy of Rose Jurmain, a Canadian heiress. Knowing only that an anonymous caller instigated the investigation, Brennan is determined to uncover who's out to sabotage her. Back in her Montreal lab, Brennan soon realizes that not only is Jurmain's death possibly linked to the brutal murders of other elderly women but that whoever is out to tarnish her reputation refuses to back off. With her usual blend of cutting-edge forensic science and a stubborn, compelling heroine, Reichs manages to juggle several story lines without losing an ounce of momentum. ~amazon.com

Review: It's been a while since I've visited with Tempe Brennan and I missed her. While 206 Bones is a solid installment in the series, it's definitely not the strongest. I found this case to be particularly disturbing as it involved the murder of elderly ladies. Yet, while I found it disturbing it wasn't my focus for this novel or Ms. Reichs'. The real focus was the other plot; who buried Tempe alive and trying to kill her? Is it some disgruntled criminal who's been released? Where is she? Notice one of my questions, isn't will she live? Yeah, that's pretty much a given. I seriously doubt that Ms. Reichs would end the series with Tempe buried alive.

Now, Jenn said she had it figured out pretty early who the culprit was that accosted Tempe. I will admit, it took me a little while to put the puzzle pieces together. Once I did, it all made sense.

I'm happy to see that if Andrew Ryan (aka Ryan) and Tempe aren't together, they are at least on speaking terms besides talking about cases. I do like that Tempe isn't waiting for Ryan to come around and is still dating Charlie Hunt, albeit very casually.

I also missed LaManche in this book. I think Tempe and him work well together.

While this isn't the best in the series, it does move the characters forward instead of at a standstill.

I'm looking forward to the next in the series, Spider Bones.

Final Take: 3.5/5

Jenn's Review: 206 Bones

Jenn's Review: Spider Bones

Summary:  John Lowery was declared dead in 1968—the victim of a Huey crash in Vietnam, his body buried long ago in North Carolina. Four decades later, Temperance Brennan is called to the scene of a drowning in Hemmingford, Quebec. The victim appears to have died while in the midst of a bizarre sexual practice. The corpse is later identified as John Lowery. But how could Lowery have died twice, and how did an American soldier end up in Canada?

Tempe sets off for the answer, exhuming Lowery’s grave in North Carolina and taking the remains to Hawaii for reanalysis—to the headquarters of JPAC, the U.S. military’s Joint POW/ MIA Accounting Command, which strives to recover Americans who have died in past conflicts. In Hawaii, Tempe is joined by her colleague and ex-lover Detective Andrew Ryan (how “ex” is he?) and by her daughter, who is recovering from her own tragic loss. Soon another set of remains is located, with Lowery’s dog tags tangled among them. Three bodies—all identified as Lowery.

And then Tempe is contacted by Hadley Perry, Honolulu’s flamboyant medical examiner, who needs help identifying the remains of an adolescent boy found offshore. Was he the victim of a shark attack? Or something much more sinister?

Review:  How can one man be dead in three different places spanning four decades?  The investigation takes Tempe from Montreal to Hawaii to delve into the past surrounding the remains.  I really feel like Kathy Reichs has returned to her forensic roots with this one.  True, it's not as much of a thriller as some of her books, but I didn't mind at all.  I found her last novel, 206 Bones, almost a little too sensational (my review). 

There is lots of personal drama going on for both Tempe and Ryan, who are trying to help their respective daughters deal with their own sagas, while balancing work and avoiding the elephant in the room also known as their personal lives.  While the main case isn't pressing, I found it engrossing ~so much so that the secondary case seemed to encroach on and detract from the story a little.  It is, however, realistic that a visiting forensic anthropologist would be consulted and be working on more than one case at a time.  I think I was also feeling Tempe's frustration with the second intrusive case. 

Some of the criticism of this book deals with her topic, JPAC, and I don't think it's deserved. Yes, Reichs goes into detail and explains thoroughly.  It's one of the things I love about her writing.  But if you're at all familiar with Reichs' writing, you know that she tends to pick a subject and use it as a base for which to write her mysteries around.  Sometimes it's one I find fascinating, like Devil Bones, other times it's one that fails to capture me, like Bones to Ash, but what it really comes down to is personal taste.  One thing to be sure of is that Reichs never sacrifices the integrity of the investigation or the science.  So even when it's not a topic of my interest, I know that the story surrounding it will be concrete.

If you haven't read the rest of the series, some of the personal interactions may seem like filler, but it is an intricate advance in the overall story arch.  I must say I wish there had been a little more movement for Tempe along the romantic front, but again, that's me being invested in her as a character.

This is a solid addition to the Temperance Brennan series... and now I must go back to waiting hungrily for the next installment. 

Final Take:  4.0/5

Jenn's Review: Virals

Summary: Tory Brennan, niece of acclaimed forensic anthropologist Temperance Brennan (of the Bones novels and hit TV show), is the leader of a ragtag band of teenage "sci-philes" who live on a secluded island off the coast of Charleston, South Carolina. When the group rescues a dog caged for medical testing on a nearby island, they are exposed to an experimental strain of canine parvovirus that changes their lives forever.

As Tory and her friends discover their heightened senses and animal-quick reflexes, they must combine their scientific curiosity with their newfound physical gifts to solve a cold-case murder that has suddenly become very hot –if they can stay alive long enough to catch the killer's scent.

Fortunately, they are now more than friends: they're a pack. They are Virals.

Review: I was thoroughly jealous when I saw that Alison at Alison's Book Marks was reading an ARC of the new Kathy Reichs YA book due out in November. And I was positively thrilled when she said she had an extra copy that she was willing to send to me. I know some eyebrows went up among my reading friends when it was announced that Kathy Reichs was writing a YA novel –especially those who didn't make it through the dense writing of Déja Dead. But Reich's writing style has evolved over the past ten years into something that is highly accessible. I had no doubt this would be the start of a fantastic YA series – and it is.

Tory Brennan is actually Tempe's great-niece. Remember Kit her screwball nephew from Deadly Decisions? Well, he's all grown up. Kit's a marine biologist who works for the University of Charleston, and he's just discovered he has a daughter. Tory is smart but naive and not only does she takes after Tempe, she idolizes her – which is how the trouble starts.

Hanging around on the monkey habitat/research island where their parents work (similar to the one mentioned in Death Du Jours, but this island carries a different name), the teens get bombarded by an angry monkey. Tory realizes that the object the monkey has hurled at her are heavily crusted dog tags and she starts wondering who they belong to and how the tags ended up there. She convinces the gang to break into one of the research labs so that she can clean the tags with a sonicator so they are legible... perhaps they can return them to their owner. This one decision starts a cataclysm of events.

Though it took some time for Reichs to set the exposition, it was worth it – and she gives young readers a prologue straight from one of the action sequences to hook them. While the reader is aware that the teens have become infected, Tory and her friends have to discover it on their own. This revelation culminates with some extraordinary sensory perception and physical capabilities, if only the Virals could control when and where it happens – as it is they're already outsiders at the prep school they attend due to their academic prowess and more modest means.

Once the action starts, Reichs doesn't let up. The teens try to go to the authorities but the local cops opinion is that "academics and their kids are prone to exaggeration". With the adults being uncooperative, the Virals decide to investigate for themselves, both the dog tags, and their mysterious illness with the crazy symptoms.

I think any analogy of Viralsas a modern day Nancy Drew story is a bit of an oversimplification. I grew up on Nancy Drew; this is so much better. The characters are more balanced, and far better developed. The plot is tight and the action intense and realistic. Though the story centers on Tory, she couldn't manage with out her friends, each of whom has expertise in different scientific areas. There's lots of action an plenty of mystery. As her friends are all guys, I think the story lends itself equally to teenagers of either sex.

This is classic spell-binding Reichs writing with a new sci-fi twist thrown in. She adapted her style and the science to be accessible to teens without reducing it to condescension. And while I referenced the ways in which this book ties into her adult series, none of that information is pertinent to the new reader (though it was amusing to me to see Kit attempt to be the authoritative parent after all the hell he raised as a teen). Virals is an excellent beginning to a series and I can't wait to see were it goes from here! I urge you to pick this up when it debuts in the fall* even if you don't normally read YA books.

Final Take: 4.5/5

* Viralswill be released November 2, 2010