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corrint's review
3.0
Toward the end, as the mystery was solved, the book took a hard turn toward horror. Typically, that wouldn't be a problem for me; I'm more of a horror fan than a mystery/suspense fan. But the author did not do as well with the horror aspects, and at times the events became unbelievable enough to seem almost absurd, and they completely broke my suspension of disbelief.
I also noticed a few strange grammatical/stylistic choices, such as the use of "lied" as the past tense of "lie" in the sense of "lie down," outside dialogue and not in keeping with the general narrative voice. They pulled me out of the story and made me focus on the language.
Overall, for me the book averages out to about a three, maybe a little less.
skyrtle's review
The premise of the book made me really sad and I didn’t realize that would be the case.
crystalcolwell's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
greyhart's review
3.0
Chipping off a star for yikes ocd portrayal and the way ssri work (they don't work even remotely like numbing agent that you can pop higher dosage to calm yourself they are not benzos if you gulp them in bunches you'll just get explosive diarrhea for days) real tired of narratives like this. BUT otherwise its a cozy mystery book.
n0rmann's review
4.0
Fun, well-told ghost story with some revenge and violence mixed in. Will definitely be reading the next two books in the series.
rock_n_reads's review
4.0
**Review originally posted on Kendall Reviews**
http://kendallreviews.com/book-review-island-of-bones-gaby-triana/
ISLAND OF BONES is a great story that blends mystery and suspense with elements of the supernatural. I was hooked on this one from the intro, which gave a glimpse into the protagonist’s family history, and set the stage for the engaging story that followed.
I spoke in another recent review about setting as a character, and I certainly felt that with this novel. This story is mainly set in Key West, Florida, and this adds to the whole vibe of the novel, as you can practically feel the surroundings along with the main character, Ellie. The isolation of the island setting adds to the mounting feelings of anxiety and dread that go along with her journey. Speaking of characters, I definitely clicked with the main character and also enjoyed learning more about her grandmother’s journey. It’s not hard to dislike the main antagonist, but it’s also easy to have some empathy for her situation as well at certain points in the story.
There’s a lot of history woven into this story, and while this can sometimes overwhelm me as a reader, that was not the case in this book. The author did an excellent job sharing the history of both the location and the protagonist’s family. This is done mostly through flashbacks or visions experienced by Ellie, as well as her encounters with ghostly visitors and her discovery of artifacts. At certain times she is able to see through the eyes of the spirits, and I loved how vivid these experiences were.
The pacing is also very well done. There’s an impending hurricane upon Ellie’s arrival to the island, and the physical storm builds along with the tension in the story, leading up to an unforgettable and memorable climax.
I enjoyed Ellie’s character and seeing her go through a transformation of sorts throughout the story. Ellie and her grandma are standouts as strong female characters, and there are strong themes of family, ancestral ties, and homecoming mixed into this story. A connection with the characters and feeling the heart of the story are both important to me. I found those aspects of the writing to be strong throughout this novel, and I’ve already added the other two books from the author’s Haunted Florida series to my TBR list. If you’re looking for a well-paced thriller with intrigue and a hint of magic, I’d recommend adding this to your shelf.
http://kendallreviews.com/book-review-island-of-bones-gaby-triana/
ISLAND OF BONES is a great story that blends mystery and suspense with elements of the supernatural. I was hooked on this one from the intro, which gave a glimpse into the protagonist’s family history, and set the stage for the engaging story that followed.
I spoke in another recent review about setting as a character, and I certainly felt that with this novel. This story is mainly set in Key West, Florida, and this adds to the whole vibe of the novel, as you can practically feel the surroundings along with the main character, Ellie. The isolation of the island setting adds to the mounting feelings of anxiety and dread that go along with her journey. Speaking of characters, I definitely clicked with the main character and also enjoyed learning more about her grandmother’s journey. It’s not hard to dislike the main antagonist, but it’s also easy to have some empathy for her situation as well at certain points in the story.
There’s a lot of history woven into this story, and while this can sometimes overwhelm me as a reader, that was not the case in this book. The author did an excellent job sharing the history of both the location and the protagonist’s family. This is done mostly through flashbacks or visions experienced by Ellie, as well as her encounters with ghostly visitors and her discovery of artifacts. At certain times she is able to see through the eyes of the spirits, and I loved how vivid these experiences were.
The pacing is also very well done. There’s an impending hurricane upon Ellie’s arrival to the island, and the physical storm builds along with the tension in the story, leading up to an unforgettable and memorable climax.
I enjoyed Ellie’s character and seeing her go through a transformation of sorts throughout the story. Ellie and her grandma are standouts as strong female characters, and there are strong themes of family, ancestral ties, and homecoming mixed into this story. A connection with the characters and feeling the heart of the story are both important to me. I found those aspects of the writing to be strong throughout this novel, and I’ve already added the other two books from the author’s Haunted Florida series to my TBR list. If you’re looking for a well-paced thriller with intrigue and a hint of magic, I’d recommend adding this to your shelf.
thederrylibrary's review
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
errantdreams's review
5.0
Gaby Triana’s Island of Bones (Haunted Florida) pulled me in so thoroughly that when I finished it I looked up, blinked a few times, and realized it was more than an hour past when I wanted to go to bed.
It’s 1951, and Leanne Drudge’s husband has been lost at sea in a boating accident while looking for sunken treasure. Her neighbors are all too happy to run her out of her house when she can’t make her mortgage payments, so she curses the house on her way out of town. In the present day, Ellie, Leanne’s 26-year-old granddaughter, just got broken up with by her boyfriend and her Nana has died. She decides to take some time off and take Leanne’s remains to spread them at the house she loved so much, Casa de los Cayos. She heads from Boston to Key West, Florida, and since she didn’t suss out a place to stay ahead of time, ends up staying in a dilapidated bed-and-breakfast run by a very sour woman, Syndia. It has a reputation for being haunted, and soon she starts hearing and seeing things. The property’s cat, Bacon, has developed quite an attachment to her, but Syndia clearly wants her gone.
First, the one and only thing in this book that bothered me: Ellie takes Zoloft for mental illness symptoms. Of course it turns out that with the drug in her system, she can’t fully hear and see the ghosts that come to her. This is written with some nuance, because she’s pretty clear on the fact that she needed that medication when she was younger and couldn’t handle it. But I still dislike plot lines in which a person discovers that their mental illness is actually a special ability and that they should just go off of a med without any oversight from a doctor (withdrawal symptoms can last for weeks).
That over with, I can gush about the rest of the book. The characters are wonderful. There’s more to Syndia than meets the eye. Nottie, a nurse taking care of Syndia’s mother, is only seen occasionally but is deftly given depth within those moments. Luis, a guide who gives “ghost tours,” is able to help Ellie fill in some of the blanks of what happened to her grandmother and grandfather. Ellie is having trouble adjusting to her ability to see ghosts, and she’s a nice blend of smartness, earnestness, and the occasional bit of snark.
There’s also a tropical storm headed for Key West, and Ellie feels she can’t leave yet, so she decides to stay. There are secrets for her to uncover, and soon she finds herself fighting for her life on multiple fronts. The writing is so bloody good. I was hooked from the start and could NOT put this book down. The pacing is masterful, gradually building up a riveting tension.
I would absolutely read more by this author! Since this book is labeled as “a Haunted Florida novel,” I have some hope she might write other books in this setting!
Original review posted on my blog: http://www.errantdreams.com/2020/06/review-island-of-bones-gaby-triana/
It’s 1951, and Leanne Drudge’s husband has been lost at sea in a boating accident while looking for sunken treasure. Her neighbors are all too happy to run her out of her house when she can’t make her mortgage payments, so she curses the house on her way out of town. In the present day, Ellie, Leanne’s 26-year-old granddaughter, just got broken up with by her boyfriend and her Nana has died. She decides to take some time off and take Leanne’s remains to spread them at the house she loved so much, Casa de los Cayos. She heads from Boston to Key West, Florida, and since she didn’t suss out a place to stay ahead of time, ends up staying in a dilapidated bed-and-breakfast run by a very sour woman, Syndia. It has a reputation for being haunted, and soon she starts hearing and seeing things. The property’s cat, Bacon, has developed quite an attachment to her, but Syndia clearly wants her gone.
First, the one and only thing in this book that bothered me: Ellie takes Zoloft for mental illness symptoms. Of course it turns out that with the drug in her system, she can’t fully hear and see the ghosts that come to her. This is written with some nuance, because she’s pretty clear on the fact that she needed that medication when she was younger and couldn’t handle it. But I still dislike plot lines in which a person discovers that their mental illness is actually a special ability and that they should just go off of a med without any oversight from a doctor (withdrawal symptoms can last for weeks).
That over with, I can gush about the rest of the book. The characters are wonderful. There’s more to Syndia than meets the eye. Nottie, a nurse taking care of Syndia’s mother, is only seen occasionally but is deftly given depth within those moments. Luis, a guide who gives “ghost tours,” is able to help Ellie fill in some of the blanks of what happened to her grandmother and grandfather. Ellie is having trouble adjusting to her ability to see ghosts, and she’s a nice blend of smartness, earnestness, and the occasional bit of snark.
There’s also a tropical storm headed for Key West, and Ellie feels she can’t leave yet, so she decides to stay. There are secrets for her to uncover, and soon she finds herself fighting for her life on multiple fronts. The writing is so bloody good. I was hooked from the start and could NOT put this book down. The pacing is masterful, gradually building up a riveting tension.
I would absolutely read more by this author! Since this book is labeled as “a Haunted Florida novel,” I have some hope she might write other books in this setting!
Original review posted on my blog: http://www.errantdreams.com/2020/06/review-island-of-bones-gaby-triana/