You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.83 AVERAGE
3.83 AVERAGE
A little bit Sherlock, a little bit Fantastic Beasts. This is sure to be an entertaining series for teens from middle school and older.
I hadn't actually planned on starting Beastly Bones so soon after finishing Jackaby, as my TBR is pretty full at the moment, but once I discovered that my library had the audiobook for it, I couldn't wait to dive back into the story with these characters that I've come to love so much!
I said it before in my review for Jackaby, but I'm going to say it again here. Abigail Rook is awesome. She's definitely my most favorite character in this book. I love her determination and persistence. And I really adore Jackaby as well. I love how wonderfully peculiar he is, and, he makes me laugh so much. I'm always looking forward to what he's going to get into next. While we are introduced to some interesting new characters in the story, all of my favorite secondary characters are along for the ride in this sequel as well, including Charlie, who is so super sweet. We didn't get to see much of Jenny and Douglas this time around, but I'm hoping we will see more of them in the next book.
I love that the storyline for this book was completely engrossing as well as entertaining. It definitely held my attention. I love the mystery and historical parts of the story just as much as I love the supernatural parts. It really makes for a great read. This story was a little different than the last book, but I still enjoyed it nonetheless.
Overall; Beastly Bones was an excellent follow up to Jackaby! I really enjoyed this book so much. Now that I've finished the first two books in the series so quickly, I can't wait to get started on book 3, Ghostly Echoes, which I'm hoping to start as soon as possible. And I'll be anxiously awaiting book 4's release in 2017!
Happy Reading!!
A worthy sequel in this increasingly fascinating series. Ritter continues to upend expectations with the way he blends the supernatural with history, and the characters continue to be completely absorbing and fun. The wit and humor just make for such a fun read, and the overarching questions being posed about Jackaby's work are intriguing and will certainly keep me invested in this series for the long run. Entirely unique, great for mystery fans as well as those who enjoy fantasy.
adventurous
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Better, more entertaining than the first.
I'm loving this series. I love the characters interactions.
Okay, no spoilers, just some squealing. I loved it. It's fast and quirky and fun like the original, and in this one I feel like he really caught his stride with the characters. There's a great rhythm of push and pull between Miss Rook and Jackaby, new terrifying creatures to meet and a thread starting to tie it together as a series. (But it still has a proper ending, series that scrimp on endings really tick me off! I keep telling myself I'm not a series person but then I fall into new ones...)
This review also appears on:
Okay, let's not pretend that this isn't just a complete adaptation of Sherlock. I mean, aside from the entire premise, Jackaby's signature hat is literally this:
But all things considered, I found myself liking this book a lot more than the first!
Sticking with the Sherlock analogy, this series' biggest fault is similar to the original ACD canon: the characters are interesting and the plot is fast-paced, but I never found myself caring about the world or characters. There's a very removed feel to it that you can be engrossed in what's happening, but it feels more like a tale that's being told than the first-person narrative that it is.
That being said, the book is a fun ride to take! Here's some major pluses it has going for it:
CREATIVITY. Ritter doesn't like to take the easy way out with his supernatural beasties. To paraphrase the first book a bit. "Bodies with bite marks drained of blood. Do you think it's a vampire?" "Oh Abigail, that would be so boring." Just like in Jackaby, the villain/creature of Beastly Bones is an imaginative creature of Ritter's own creation. Considering the mystery element isn't particularly convoluted, it helps keep suspense for the readers in that we literally don't know what is happening.
HUMOR. Witter has a fantastic wry sense of humor much like my own. Jackaby may be very Sherlockian in his anti-social nature, but he is constantly making jokes about how strange he and his world are. In case you haven't come across this tidbit around the internet:
BADASS FEMALE. Abigail is that rare kind of character that is a feminist before her time but not at all forced. Heck, she passes the Bechdel Test with most of her conversations with men and women alike being about things like her job, the crime at hand, and scientific writings. Really, I think it's her background in archeology that makes her such an interesting character. In Jackaby she was mostly just going along with Jackaby's adventures - albeit with a backbone and a good head on her shoulders - but in this book, she excels past everyone around her in knowledge of the subject at hand. To make this even better, the other characters aren't just sitting around saying "gosh darnit a girl that can think;" they just come to respect her and treat her as part of the action.
If you're looking for a quick read with some mystery, supernatural creatures, and an interesting cast, this is the book for you!
Okay, let's not pretend that this isn't just a complete adaptation of Sherlock. I mean, aside from the entire premise, Jackaby's signature hat is literally this:
But all things considered, I found myself liking this book a lot more than the first!
Sticking with the Sherlock analogy, this series' biggest fault is similar to the original ACD canon: the characters are interesting and the plot is fast-paced, but I never found myself caring about the world or characters. There's a very removed feel to it that you can be engrossed in what's happening, but it feels more like a tale that's being told than the first-person narrative that it is.
That being said, the book is a fun ride to take! Here's some major pluses it has going for it:
CREATIVITY. Ritter doesn't like to take the easy way out with his supernatural beasties. To paraphrase the first book a bit. "Bodies with bite marks drained of blood. Do you think it's a vampire?" "Oh Abigail, that would be so boring." Just like in Jackaby, the villain/creature of Beastly Bones is an imaginative creature of Ritter's own creation. Considering the mystery element isn't particularly convoluted, it helps keep suspense for the readers in that we literally don't know what is happening.
HUMOR. Witter has a fantastic wry sense of humor much like my own. Jackaby may be very Sherlockian in his anti-social nature, but he is constantly making jokes about how strange he and his world are. In case you haven't come across this tidbit around the internet:
BADASS FEMALE. Abigail is that rare kind of character that is a feminist before her time but not at all forced. Heck, she passes the Bechdel Test with most of her conversations with men and women alike being about things like her job, the crime at hand, and scientific writings. Really, I think it's her background in archeology that makes her such an interesting character. In Jackaby she was mostly just going along with Jackaby's adventures - albeit with a backbone and a good head on her shoulders - but in this book, she excels past everyone around her in knowledge of the subject at hand. To make this even better, the other characters aren't just sitting around saying "gosh darnit a girl that can think;" they just come to respect her and treat her as part of the action.
If you're looking for a quick read with some mystery, supernatural creatures, and an interesting cast, this is the book for you!
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes