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4.01 AVERAGE
4.01 AVERAGE
Ritter has done it again. Jackaby, #1 was absolutely amazing, #2 was a bit of a let down, but he's back with #3! Returning to many of the beloved characters of book #1 with perhaps the most interesting storyline of all of them; Ghostly Echoes did not disappoint. Can't wait for the fourth installment.
Oh my gosh, Ritter has out done himself! I love this series so much I actually took the audio book out of my car and listened to it inside of my house all evening instead of watching my pile of movies! I can't wait to go to the library and get the next one! If I could I would give this book 6 stars! Ugh, I love this series so much! As soon as I finish it I'm joining the Tumblr fandom!!!
Still really enjoying this series and looking forward to the next installment!
If you like Sherlock Holmes meets supernatural characters with a female Watson, this series is for you!
If you like Sherlock Holmes meets supernatural characters with a female Watson, this series is for you!
I really enjoyed this third installment in the Jackaby series. I loved getting to see Jackaby, Abigail, Jenny, and a few more characters again. I absolutely love this world and these characters. Each one of them adds so much to the story.
That being said this book was a little bit of a filler book. We definitely learned a lot and it set up the final installment, but it wasn't as much of a clear case to solve as the first two. The big question that comes up at the beginning of the book is definitely answered, but I definitely have more questions following this book than I normally do with this series. I'm also a little hesitant about how everything can be wrapped up in one final book, but we shall see.
That being said this book was a little bit of a filler book. We definitely learned a lot and it set up the final installment, but it wasn't as much of a clear case to solve as the first two. The big question that comes up at the beginning of the book is definitely answered, but I definitely have more questions following this book than I normally do with this series. I'm also a little hesitant about how everything can be wrapped up in one final book, but we shall see.
When a friend tells you to cancel your library hold because you cannot possibly wait that long and drives the book across the city to your front door, you know it's going to be good. I had worried this wouldn't quite measure up to the first two books, but I think it surpassed them. Ritter's prose is poignant and humorous at the same time, deeply profound in a way that knocks you off your feet and fulfills you all at once. The cast of characters is, as always, delightful: full of favorites old and new, and one favorite who is both new and very old at the same time.
Jenny has been practicing possessing Abigail in order to make it possible to leave the house. During their early sessions, Abigail discovers that while she is possessed, she is privy to some of Jenny’s memories. Jenny wants nothing more than to solve her own murder and she convinces the unusual Jackaby to open the cold case. Where to start? With the disappearance of Jenny’s fiancé, who hasn’t been seen since the night Jenny was killed. Is there a connection between a new murder and Jenny’s? How deep can a conspiracy get?
Ghostly Echoes is the third book in the Jackaby series. Abigail and Jackaby have developed an odd working relationship that becomes more obscure as additional cases are solved. Although everything takes place in nineteenth century New England, readers will have no problem following the cast of characters on their adventures. Readers who jump straight into this story will be able to enjoy it on its own merit, but those who have read the first two books will have a greater appreciation of developing bonds. A fun read that does not show any signs of an ending series.
Ghostly Echoes is the third book in the Jackaby series. Abigail and Jackaby have developed an odd working relationship that becomes more obscure as additional cases are solved. Although everything takes place in nineteenth century New England, readers will have no problem following the cast of characters on their adventures. Readers who jump straight into this story will be able to enjoy it on its own merit, but those who have read the first two books will have a greater appreciation of developing bonds. A fun read that does not show any signs of an ending series.
3.5 stars - Not as enjoyable as the first two installments, but I appreciate that Ritter seems to have a strong conception of the whole series so the plot threads are slowly coming together.
Well, that was . . . interesting. And also creepy. And . . . yeah. I think I shall just get on with the good and bad and hopefully by the end of that I'll have sorted out my thoughts.
The Good:
-The Characters, as always. Jackaby, Abigail, and Jenny are all wonderful as ever. The new characters we meet, well, they tend towards the creepy at times, but there's some in there who seem friendly enough. And Charlie reappeared, much to my surprise, towards the end of the book, which made me quite happy.
-The plot intensifies. Ritter raised the stakes a bit in Beastly Bones, but that's nothing compared to what he does here. The consequences of this case get continually higher and higher, until by the end of the book- well, I can't say now. Spoilers! But suffice it to say that it's more than just a few people or even a town at risk now.
-Jenny does stuff. Ok, she already did stuff. But she does more stuff now. It's rather awesome.
-Much more actual mythology. Don't get me wrong- I loved the way Ritter blended real myths with his own creations in the last couple books. But it's also nice to know about the creatures that the characters are dealing with. Just saying.
-The humor. Dark as this story can get at times, there's still quite a bit to smile at here- mostly in the way of quips from one character or another, but also because Jackaby is still Jackaby and nothing if not eccentric.
The Bad:
-Creepiness intensifies. And I do mean intensifies, every bit as much as the plot does. Vampires, the titular echoes, occasional possession, the Other Side . . . yeah. It's not half as bad as the Lockwood and Co. series generally is, but still, this would make a rather good Halloween read.
-There's one bit- a minor bit, but significant enough- that was just . . . unnecessary, in my opinion, and I think it mostly exists for the sake of Political Correctness or something to that effect, but suffice it to say that I was not particularly pleased it was there. I'm quite grateful as well that it wasn't more significant. Spoilers, for those who wish them:
On the whole, Ghostly Echoes was an enjoyable and exciting book that provided answers to many questions while raising new ones and increasing the stakes to previously unreached levels. While a few certain elements did prevent me from giving it a full five stars, it was still an excellent continuation of the Jackaby series.
The Good:
-The Characters, as always. Jackaby, Abigail, and Jenny are all wonderful as ever. The new characters we meet, well, they tend towards the creepy at times, but there's some in there who seem friendly enough. And Charlie reappeared, much to my surprise, towards the end of the book, which made me quite happy.
-The plot intensifies. Ritter raised the stakes a bit in Beastly Bones, but that's nothing compared to what he does here. The consequences of this case get continually higher and higher, until by the end of the book- well, I can't say now. Spoilers! But suffice it to say that it's more than just a few people or even a town at risk now.
-Jenny does stuff. Ok, she already did stuff. But she does more stuff now. It's rather awesome.
-Much more actual mythology. Don't get me wrong- I loved the way Ritter blended real myths with his own creations in the last couple books. But it's also nice to know about the creatures that the characters are dealing with. Just saying.
-The humor. Dark as this story can get at times, there's still quite a bit to smile at here- mostly in the way of quips from one character or another, but also because Jackaby is still Jackaby and nothing if not eccentric.
The Bad:
-Creepiness intensifies. And I do mean intensifies, every bit as much as the plot does. Vampires, the titular echoes, occasional possession, the Other Side . . . yeah. It's not half as bad as the Lockwood and Co. series generally is, but still, this would make a rather good Halloween read.
-There's one bit- a minor bit, but significant enough- that was just . . . unnecessary, in my opinion, and I think it mostly exists for the sake of Political Correctness or something to that effect, but suffice it to say that I was not particularly pleased it was there. I'm quite grateful as well that it wasn't more significant. Spoilers, for those who wish them:
Spoiler
Partway through the first quarter of the book, Jackaby and Abigail rescue a woman . . . who, we discover, seems to be transgender, despite the fact that I'm pretty sure that wasn't a thing during the late 19th century. Jackaby then makes a mildly moralizing comment or two about how doctors can't tell a person who they are, and Abigail later picks up a similar thread in a second meeting with the person in question. On the whole, not terribly significant, but still bothersome, particularly as it caught me off-guard.On the whole, Ghostly Echoes was an enjoyable and exciting book that provided answers to many questions while raising new ones and increasing the stakes to previously unreached levels. While a few certain elements did prevent me from giving it a full five stars, it was still an excellent continuation of the Jackaby series.
I still don't love this one as much as the first two, but it's a good book. I enjoy the creepiness more now than I used to, and the Annwyn is pretty cool.
Original Review:
Well, that was . . . interesting. And also creepy. And . . . yeah. I think I shall just get on with the good and bad and hopefully by the end of that I'll have sorted out my thoughts.
The Good:
-The Characters, as always. Jackaby, Abigail, and Jenny are all wonderful as ever. The new characters we meet, well, they tend towards the creepy at times, but there's some in there who seem friendly enough. And Charlie reappeared, much to my surprise, towards the end of the book, which made me quite happy.
-The plot intensifies. Ritter raised the stakes a bit in Beastly Bones, but that's nothing compared to what he does here. The consequences of this case get continually higher and higher, until by the end of the book- well, I can't say now. Spoilers! But suffice it to say that it's more than just a few people or even a town at risk now.
-Jenny does stuff. Ok, she already did stuff. But she does more stuff now. It's rather awesome.
-Much more actual mythology. Don't get me wrong- I loved the way Ritter blended real myths with his own creations in the last couple books. But it's also nice to know about the creatures that the characters are dealing with. Just saying.
-The humor. Dark as this story can get at times, there's still quite a bit to smile at here- mostly in the way of quips from one character or another, but also because Jackaby is still Jackaby and nothing if not eccentric.
The Bad:
-Creepiness intensifies. And I do mean intensifies, every bit as much as the plot does. Vampires, the titular echoes, occasional possession, the Other Side . . . yeah. It's not half as bad as the Lockwood and Co. series generally is, but still, this would make a rather good Halloween read.
-There's one bit- a minor bit, but significant enough- that was just . . . unnecessary, in my opinion, and I think it mostly exists for the sake of Political Correctness or something to that effect, but suffice it to say that I was not particularly pleased it was there. I'm quite grateful as well that it wasn't more significant. Spoilers, for those who wish them:
On the whole, Ghostly Echoes was an enjoyable and exciting book that provided answers to many questions while raising new ones and increasing the stakes to previously unreached levels. While a few certain elements did prevent me from giving it a full five stars, it was still an excellent continuation of the Jackaby series.
Original Review:
Well, that was . . . interesting. And also creepy. And . . . yeah. I think I shall just get on with the good and bad and hopefully by the end of that I'll have sorted out my thoughts.
The Good:
-The Characters, as always. Jackaby, Abigail, and Jenny are all wonderful as ever. The new characters we meet, well, they tend towards the creepy at times, but there's some in there who seem friendly enough. And Charlie reappeared, much to my surprise, towards the end of the book, which made me quite happy.
-The plot intensifies. Ritter raised the stakes a bit in Beastly Bones, but that's nothing compared to what he does here. The consequences of this case get continually higher and higher, until by the end of the book- well, I can't say now. Spoilers! But suffice it to say that it's more than just a few people or even a town at risk now.
-Jenny does stuff. Ok, she already did stuff. But she does more stuff now. It's rather awesome.
-Much more actual mythology. Don't get me wrong- I loved the way Ritter blended real myths with his own creations in the last couple books. But it's also nice to know about the creatures that the characters are dealing with. Just saying.
-The humor. Dark as this story can get at times, there's still quite a bit to smile at here- mostly in the way of quips from one character or another, but also because Jackaby is still Jackaby and nothing if not eccentric.
The Bad:
-Creepiness intensifies. And I do mean intensifies, every bit as much as the plot does. Vampires, the titular echoes, occasional possession, the Other Side . . . yeah. It's not half as bad as the Lockwood and Co. series generally is, but still, this would make a rather good Halloween read.
-There's one bit- a minor bit, but significant enough- that was just . . . unnecessary, in my opinion, and I think it mostly exists for the sake of Political Correctness or something to that effect, but suffice it to say that I was not particularly pleased it was there. I'm quite grateful as well that it wasn't more significant. Spoilers, for those who wish them:
Spoiler
Partway through the first quarter of the book, Jackaby and Abigail rescue a woman . . . who, we discover, seems to be transgender, despite the fact that I'm pretty sure that wasn't a thing during the late 19th century. Jackaby then makes a mildly moralizing comment or two about how doctors can't tell a person who they are, and Abigail later picks up a similar thread in a second meeting with the person in question. On the whole, not terribly significant, but still bothersome, particularly as it caught me off-guard.On the whole, Ghostly Echoes was an enjoyable and exciting book that provided answers to many questions while raising new ones and increasing the stakes to previously unreached levels. While a few certain elements did prevent me from giving it a full five stars, it was still an excellent continuation of the Jackaby series.
Actual rating: 4.5 stars
I received an eARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Review originally posted on my blog, Turning Pages.
Ghostly Echoes is a dark, intense, and witty book. I had lots of fun reading it, and I wanted more as soon as I was done. Each story in this series is funny, engaging, interesting, dark and more. The characters are fantastic and the world Ritter created is fascinating. Of course, when I saw Ghostly Echoes on NetGalley I got really excited. It’s been one of my favourite series lately. The books are very much my cup of tea.
The tone of this book is, I’d say, darker than the last one. In this, we learn more about Jenny’s murder, and we see her struggle with the trauma of her death. We also get to see more into the dark character we’ve previously only seen hints of. And we also start to delve into Jackaby’s past a bit more. This means the tone of the book is rather sad at times given what’s revealed. But it was great to finally, finally get some of the answers we’d been asking since the first book. Of course, we’re left with questions at the end of the book, but I hope everything is answered in the next one.
Abigail is my favourite character in the book, and I wish she was given some more character development in this instalment. In Beastly Bones, we see her begin to question what she was taught about her “role” as a woman, and what her life is expected to be. In this book, we see her go against Jackaby’s wishes in order to help Jenny. We also see some more of her budding romance with Charlie. Hopefully in the last book we get to see that relationship explored much more and have her character arc be more pronounced. I think as the narrator and an integral character she deserves to have the page time for her own character arc to be focused on a bit more. Also, the romance between her and Charlie is oh so sweet. I love them together. So much.
Of course, Jackaby is a great character. He’s witty, smart, and we see some more of his vulnerable side as he faces great danger. He never fails to say something so bluntly that it’s so funny. I like that we learn about his past, and I hope we learn more. I feel like he’s previously been a mystery himself. But of course we can still clearly see he cares greatly for Jenny and Abigail and even Charlie, and that he’d do anything he could to protect them.
This series is one of my favourite, and Ghostly Echoes is an enjoyable read. The series has fascinating, complex characters and I want to read more about them. The mystery is dark and intriguing, and the paranormal and fantasy creatures are awesome. I look forward to reading the 4th and final book in the series.
I received an eARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Review originally posted on my blog, Turning Pages.
Ghostly Echoes is a dark, intense, and witty book. I had lots of fun reading it, and I wanted more as soon as I was done. Each story in this series is funny, engaging, interesting, dark and more. The characters are fantastic and the world Ritter created is fascinating. Of course, when I saw Ghostly Echoes on NetGalley I got really excited. It’s been one of my favourite series lately. The books are very much my cup of tea.
The tone of this book is, I’d say, darker than the last one. In this, we learn more about Jenny’s murder, and we see her struggle with the trauma of her death. We also get to see more into the dark character we’ve previously only seen hints of. And we also start to delve into Jackaby’s past a bit more. This means the tone of the book is rather sad at times given what’s revealed. But it was great to finally, finally get some of the answers we’d been asking since the first book. Of course, we’re left with questions at the end of the book, but I hope everything is answered in the next one.
Abigail is my favourite character in the book, and I wish she was given some more character development in this instalment. In Beastly Bones, we see her begin to question what she was taught about her “role” as a woman, and what her life is expected to be. In this book, we see her go against Jackaby’s wishes in order to help Jenny. We also see some more of her budding romance with Charlie. Hopefully in the last book we get to see that relationship explored much more and have her character arc be more pronounced. I think as the narrator and an integral character she deserves to have the page time for her own character arc to be focused on a bit more. Also, the romance between her and Charlie is oh so sweet. I love them together. So much.
Of course, Jackaby is a great character. He’s witty, smart, and we see some more of his vulnerable side as he faces great danger. He never fails to say something so bluntly that it’s so funny. I like that we learn about his past, and I hope we learn more. I feel like he’s previously been a mystery himself. But of course we can still clearly see he cares greatly for Jenny and Abigail and even Charlie, and that he’d do anything he could to protect them.
This series is one of my favourite, and Ghostly Echoes is an enjoyable read. The series has fascinating, complex characters and I want to read more about them. The mystery is dark and intriguing, and the paranormal and fantasy creatures are awesome. I look forward to reading the 4th and final book in the series.