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3.83 AVERAGE
3.83 AVERAGE
Usually I dislike the second book in series, but Beastly Bones was really good. I can't wait yo get a copy of Ghostly Echoes to continue Abigail and Jackaby's adventures!
Premise- (4/5) I really, really liked the first book in this series. It drew me in with fast-paced action and writing that I really enjoyed. So I was quite excited for book two! In Beastly Bones, Abigail Rook and her employer, R.F. Jackaby, are pursuing a case at a paleontological dig site in nearby Gad's Valley. Beastly Bones promised another interesting murder mystery with supernatural elements and characters that I loved. I was so, so ready!
Characters- (4/5) I love both Abigail and Jackaby, and their relationship is refreshing and so much fun to read. I was also excited to see Charlie again (we actually didn't get to see quite as much of him as I would've liked, but I was still glad he made an appearance). They were the main recurring characters from the first book, along with Jenny, whom I can't wait to learn about in the next book. As for our new secondary characters, I liked pretty much all of them. Lamb and Horner's rivalry was amusing, if occasionally a little over the top. It would've been nice to see more from Nellie, but I won't be devastated to see her go. I did really enjoy Hank Hudson's character. Who doesn't love your typically rough and tough mountain man with a heart of gold. (Sort of. Gold might be an exaggeration. But the man meant well.) The secondary characters were fun, but I'm not super disappointed to leave them in book two. As for Jackaby and Abigail, I enjoyed them just as much as I did in the first book. And I would love more Charlie!
Plot- (3.5/5) I thought the plot was the weakest part of this book. While the mystery pretty much wrapped up neatly (except for the carry-over into the next book), it didn't quite hold my interest the same way the first book did. Nonetheless, it was a very solid plot without any glaring holes, which I always think is an accomplishment in a mystery novel. It made sense, was pretty darn inventive *spoiler* (dragon bones being mistaken for dinosaur bones? I love it.), and I didn't take issue with any of it. It just wasn't quite as exciting as the plot of book one for me.
World- (4/5) One of the things I really like about the world Ritter has created is that he has scientific explanations for all relevant points when it comes to the supernatural creatures and mysteries, but I'm not swamped with information. He's left plenty of room to expand, and tends to explain enough for me to understand his world without being overwhelmed or losing interest in technical scientific explanations. Ritter seems to be an author whose world-building errs on the side of less rather than more, but it really works.
Writing- (5/5) I can't quite put my finger on why, but I love the writing of this series. I think a lot of it is the humor. Jackaby's interactions and Abigail's internal monologue (or rather her studious note-taking, I suppose) just have a lot of laugh out loud moments for me. I love their interactions, both with each other and with the rest of their world. And, as I discussed above, I really like the way Ritter does his world-building.
Overall- (4.1/5) I was really looking forward to reading Beastly Bones, and for the most part was not disappointed! While the plot wasn't as engaging as the first book's, I love Ritter's writing style, and that carried through the first and second books consistently. His characters are funny and endearing, and his world-building is just the right balance of enough explanation without overwhelming info dumps. Beastly Bones was a super-quick read, and I can't wait to get my hands on Ghostly Echoes!
Characters- (4/5) I love both Abigail and Jackaby, and their relationship is refreshing and so much fun to read. I was also excited to see Charlie again (we actually didn't get to see quite as much of him as I would've liked, but I was still glad he made an appearance). They were the main recurring characters from the first book, along with Jenny, whom I can't wait to learn about in the next book. As for our new secondary characters, I liked pretty much all of them. Lamb and Horner's rivalry was amusing, if occasionally a little over the top. It would've been nice to see more from Nellie, but I won't be devastated to see her go. I did really enjoy Hank Hudson's character. Who doesn't love your typically rough and tough mountain man with a heart of gold. (Sort of. Gold might be an exaggeration. But the man meant well.) The secondary characters were fun, but I'm not super disappointed to leave them in book two. As for Jackaby and Abigail, I enjoyed them just as much as I did in the first book. And I would love more Charlie!
Plot- (3.5/5) I thought the plot was the weakest part of this book. While the mystery pretty much wrapped up neatly (except for the carry-over into the next book), it didn't quite hold my interest the same way the first book did. Nonetheless, it was a very solid plot without any glaring holes, which I always think is an accomplishment in a mystery novel. It made sense, was pretty darn inventive *spoiler* (dragon bones being mistaken for dinosaur bones? I love it.), and I didn't take issue with any of it. It just wasn't quite as exciting as the plot of book one for me.
World- (4/5) One of the things I really like about the world Ritter has created is that he has scientific explanations for all relevant points when it comes to the supernatural creatures and mysteries, but I'm not swamped with information. He's left plenty of room to expand, and tends to explain enough for me to understand his world without being overwhelmed or losing interest in technical scientific explanations. Ritter seems to be an author whose world-building errs on the side of less rather than more, but it really works.
Writing- (5/5) I can't quite put my finger on why, but I love the writing of this series. I think a lot of it is the humor. Jackaby's interactions and Abigail's internal monologue (or rather her studious note-taking, I suppose) just have a lot of laugh out loud moments for me. I love their interactions, both with each other and with the rest of their world. And, as I discussed above, I really like the way Ritter does his world-building.
Overall- (4.1/5) I was really looking forward to reading Beastly Bones, and for the most part was not disappointed! While the plot wasn't as engaging as the first book's, I love Ritter's writing style, and that carried through the first and second books consistently. His characters are funny and endearing, and his world-building is just the right balance of enough explanation without overwhelming info dumps. Beastly Bones was a super-quick read, and I can't wait to get my hands on Ghostly Echoes!
Abigail Rook and Jackaby are back! And mysterious bones are popping up and then disappearing, people are dying with mysterious puncture wounds...basically, there are mysteries everywhere, and Rook and Jackaby are on the case.
I actually enjoyed this book better than the first one. It felt like the characters were getting more developed in book one, and now there was more time to let them shine. I found myself sitting in Starbucks reading, and actually laughing out loud a few times at the droll commentary. I am already planning on getting book 3 immediately :)
I actually enjoyed this book better than the first one. It felt like the characters were getting more developed in book one, and now there was more time to let them shine. I found myself sitting in Starbucks reading, and actually laughing out loud a few times at the droll commentary. I am already planning on getting book 3 immediately :)
The dragons and kittens are the only thing that made this book for me. It was rather slow and boring, but the supernatural elements were fantastic and saved it in the end.
This book had some really beautiful writing and quotes that I've secreted away for later, but it didn't really start getting interesting for me until about midway. I think the biggest cause for that was the lack of dialog.
However, if this book is indeed like all other middle books, I know the end of the series will be fantastic!
However, if this book is indeed like all other middle books, I know the end of the series will be fantastic!
A very good sequel to a book I liked very much. I had forgotten a lot of the first book so it took me a while to get back into this book and remember who everyone was but once I did I was able to really fall into the story. I would definitely recommend this as a fun mystery and a good series in general. Probably going to read the third book sooner rather than later.
You can check out this review and more reviews on Read.Sleep.Repeat!
I received a copy of this book for review from the publisher. This does not influence my thoughts on the book or my review.
-SPOILER FREE FOR THE ENTIRE SERIES-
Ahhh how I love this series! I still firmly believe that Jackaby is a mix between Sherlock and Doctor Who. I can’t find a better comparison, gahhhh this series is awesome!
Okay, I’ll try to be coherent now. If you thought Jackaby was awesome, wait until you read Beastly Bones. My main concern with Jackaby was that the beginning was a bit slow. The great thing about a sequel, however, is that the backstory is already established and now you can savour all the crime-solving feels. In Beastly Bones, Jackaby and Abigail Rook are back for another adventure!
I really enjoyed the plot of Beastly Bones. It was definitely fast-paced and so fun! The mysteries themselves weren’t that easy to solve, and I liked that even when I thought I had everything figured out, there was another twist. I really loved the characters as well. Jackaby is still the right mix of the Tenth Doctor and Sherlock and Abigail is spunky and interesting in her own right. She doesn’t stand at the sidelines nor does she attempt to follow the stereotypical expectations that others expect of her. She’s tough, fights for what matters to her and doesn’t take crap from most people.
The only thing I wasn’t thrilled about was the romance. Not that I hated the love interest or anything, but I wanted it to progress faster! I understand that it’s a historical fiction and perhaps it wouldn’t as realistic for a romance to happen hastily, but damn it, I just wanted to push the characters together and yell KISS. My favourite part about the romance though is that it doesn’t involve Jackaby, as I hate the idea of anything romantically happening that isn’t a Johnlock situation.
Overall, Beastly Bones was a great sequel to a very unique series. I highly recommend this series to both fans of BBC, and to fans of awesome mysteries!
I received a copy of this book for review from the publisher. This does not influence my thoughts on the book or my review.
-SPOILER FREE FOR THE ENTIRE SERIES-
Ahhh how I love this series! I still firmly believe that Jackaby is a mix between Sherlock and Doctor Who. I can’t find a better comparison, gahhhh this series is awesome!
Okay, I’ll try to be coherent now. If you thought Jackaby was awesome, wait until you read Beastly Bones. My main concern with Jackaby was that the beginning was a bit slow. The great thing about a sequel, however, is that the backstory is already established and now you can savour all the crime-solving feels. In Beastly Bones, Jackaby and Abigail Rook are back for another adventure!
I really enjoyed the plot of Beastly Bones. It was definitely fast-paced and so fun! The mysteries themselves weren’t that easy to solve, and I liked that even when I thought I had everything figured out, there was another twist. I really loved the characters as well. Jackaby is still the right mix of the Tenth Doctor and Sherlock and Abigail is spunky and interesting in her own right. She doesn’t stand at the sidelines nor does she attempt to follow the stereotypical expectations that others expect of her. She’s tough, fights for what matters to her and doesn’t take crap from most people.
The only thing I wasn’t thrilled about was the romance. Not that I hated the love interest or anything, but I wanted it to progress faster! I understand that it’s a historical fiction and perhaps it wouldn’t as realistic for a romance to happen hastily, but damn it, I just wanted to push the characters together and yell KISS. My favourite part about the romance though is that it doesn’t involve Jackaby, as I hate the idea of anything romantically happening that isn’t a Johnlock situation.
Overall, Beastly Bones was a great sequel to a very unique series. I highly recommend this series to both fans of BBC, and to fans of awesome mysteries!
I received this free from the publishers via NetGalley
Once again, Abigail Rook and her employer Jackaby have been called upon to investigate a supernatural and weird case – their specialty. From shapeshifting kittens to a large beast, they really do have their hands full this time.
I think this series is just full of fun and adventure. Looking for something light-hearted? Read this. Looking for something fun? Read this. Looking for a mix of mystery only seen on Sherlock and Doctor Who? Read this. We revisit our favourite characters, Jackaby, Abigail, Jenny, plus many others. For those that loved Jackaby, well it is an obvious choice to pick this up, for those that haven’t read Jackaby, then I highly suggest you do.
I didn’t enjoy this as much as the first one, hence the lower rating (I rated Jackaby 4.5), and I can’t really put my finger on it. Abigail’s and Jackaby’s witty back-and-forth was still entertaining, but not as entertaining as the first. The story was fun and original, filled with adventure and mystery. I wouldn’t go into this if you are looking for something serious, while it has serious elements in it, it is a fun, light-hearted and easy read.
I liked the romance and again, like the first in the series, I liked that it didn’t take too much away from the main plot and that Abigail realised she can have both – the work and the romance.
Overall, this is a series that I would definitely recommend!
P.S I really love these covers, they are so beautiful.
Once again, Abigail Rook and her employer Jackaby have been called upon to investigate a supernatural and weird case – their specialty. From shapeshifting kittens to a large beast, they really do have their hands full this time.
I think this series is just full of fun and adventure. Looking for something light-hearted? Read this. Looking for something fun? Read this. Looking for a mix of mystery only seen on Sherlock and Doctor Who? Read this. We revisit our favourite characters, Jackaby, Abigail, Jenny, plus many others. For those that loved Jackaby, well it is an obvious choice to pick this up, for those that haven’t read Jackaby, then I highly suggest you do.
I didn’t enjoy this as much as the first one, hence the lower rating (I rated Jackaby 4.5), and I can’t really put my finger on it. Abigail’s and Jackaby’s witty back-and-forth was still entertaining, but not as entertaining as the first. The story was fun and original, filled with adventure and mystery. I wouldn’t go into this if you are looking for something serious, while it has serious elements in it, it is a fun, light-hearted and easy read.
I liked the romance and again, like the first in the series, I liked that it didn’t take too much away from the main plot and that Abigail realised she can have both – the work and the romance.
Overall, this is a series that I would definitely recommend!
P.S I really love these covers, they are so beautiful.