Review: Beastly Bones (A Jackaby Novel)

 

Beastly Bones: A Jackaby Novel by William Ritter

Book Description:   In 1892, New Fiddleham, New England, things are never quite what they seem, especially when Abigail Rook and her eccentric employer, R. F. Jackaby, are called upon to investigate the supernatural.

First, members of a particularly vicious species of shape-shifters disguise themselves as a litter of kittens. A day later, their owner is found murdered, with a single mysterious puncture wound to her neck. Then, in nearby Gad’s Valley, dinosaur bones from a recent dig go missing, and an unidentifiable beast attacks animals and people, leaving their mangled bodies behind. Policeman Charlie Cane, exiled from New Fiddleham to the valley, calls on Abigail for help, and soon Abigail and Jackaby are on the hunt for a thief, a monster, and a murderer.

Beastly Bones, the second installment in the series, delivers the same quirky humor and unforgettable characters as Jackaby, the book the Chicago Tribune called “Sherlock Holmes crossed with Buffy the Vampire Slayer.”

 

My Review: Can a second book be even better than the first? This one is. Shape-shifting kittens, dinosaur bones, animal attacks, a thief, monsters, and a murderer? I loved it all.

I listened to this one. I decided to go for the full experience since Nicola Barber reads this one too.  She’s just as fantastic as she was in the first one. I said it before and I’ll say it again. Nicola Barber is the perfect choice to be Abigail Rook.

There is a novella called The Map that happens between Jackaby and Beastly Bones it’s about Abigail’s birthday. Jackaby has a surprise for Abigail and I can promise you it is an adventure. The story features all the things I like best about R.F. Jackaby, the good and the bad. I wouldn’t say that you need to have read The Map before Beastly Bones but why wouldn’t you want to?

Where the first book was a whirlwind of Abigail discovering the supernatural world around her, I found this book to be more about the mystery. Abigail spent the first book being two steps behind Jackaby and putting her life in danger. In this book she’s still putting her life in danger but now she’s just one step behind (like everyone else). This opens up the story. It allows for the mystery to be center stage. And it’s a great mystery.

The setting shifts for this one too. Abigail and Jackaby in the country? They get into enough trouble in the city. Let’s just say that when all is said and done they leave a gigantic mess for a certain police officer.

While all of the shenanigans are going on in Gad’s Valley my favorite ghost is going through a transformation back in New Fiddleham. We get to find out more about her. I think she’s fascinating so I enjoyed that.

If you loved Jackaby, don’t hesitate to pick up Beastly Bones. In my humble opinion it’s even better than Jackaby.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Review: Never Mind My Thigh Gap

 

Never Mind My Thigh Gap by Bronte Huskinson and Sarah Newton

Book Description:

“One ordinary girl, one extraordinary moment”

There are three things everyone notices about Alice. 1. Her super-hot rugby boyfriend. 2. Her sophisticated, totally gorgeous best friend. 3. Her very noticeable 38-inch long legs.

Alice is tall — just under six feet to be exact — but her self-esteem couldn’t be smaller. When her relationship starts wavering, Alice’s perfectly beautiful best friend somehow convinces her to join a modelling competition, “for a confidence boost.” But Alice is just a normal girl; she loves ice cream too much, has an unhealthy addiction to American TV and lusts after the elusive thigh gap. She can’t even walk in heels, let alone in a bikini, but she finds herself joining Runway Models anyway.

The finale is only a few months away.

Will Alice catwalk her way to self-confidence or fail, proving everyone right?

People can surprise you.

*This book was provided by the author or publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.

My Review:  Sometimes a book can surprise you. This kind of book usually isn’t my thing. I like my teen angst and drama with a side of supernatural- fantasy- death and destruction. It’s also told in first person present which I can’t stand but once I began reading it was hard to stop because I wanted to see Alice succeed. I wanted her to realize she was more than she thought she was.

Alice is charming once you get to know her. I have never been in Alice’s shoes regarding appearance (she doesn’t think she’s as pretty as her friend) but I think we can all relate to her in one way or another. We all have things we are self conscious about. We all have issues that we need to overcome. I enjoyed watching Alice become empowered and take control of her destiny. And when she tells Oscar (you’re going to love him) to stop acting like his talent is nothing, I knew for sure she was changing.

I liked Alice’s mom. Early on in the book her mom tells tells her that she can’t let a boy control her and that she needs to do what makes her happy. I liked that she flat out said it. She didn’t give it a soft sell. She was direct and honest. I think it’s hard to be that direct and honest with another adult, I can’t imagine what it’s like to give advice to a child.

This book is for anyone who wants to be something more than they are. This is a beautiful story about proving that you can believe in yourself and the transformation that takes place once you do. Don’t allow the title to make you think this book is about thigh gaps. It’s about a great deal more.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Review: Jackaby by William Ritter

 

Jackaby by William Ritter

Book Description: Newly arrived in New Fiddleham, New England, 1892, and in need of a job, Abigail Rook meets R. F. Jackaby, an investigator of the unexplained with a keen eye for the extraordinary–including the ability to see supernatural beings. Abigail has a gift for noticing ordinary but important details, which makes her perfect for the position of Jackaby’s assistant. On her first day, Abigail finds herself in the midst of a thrilling case: A serial killer is on the loose. The police are convinced it’s an ordinary villain, but Jackaby is certain the foul deeds are the work of the kind of creature whose very existence the local authorities–with the exception of a handsome young detective named Charlie Cane–seem adamant to deny.

 

My Review:

1. This is my new favorite series.

2. William Ritter is my new favorite author.

3. Abigail Rook is my new favorite character. Her father, an archaeologist, tells her that field work is no place for a young lady. So what is a young lady to do? She leaves (or runs away from) her privileged upbringing, and steals her tuition to travel the world on her own. She’s utterly inspiring. She’s also smart, capable, and downright brave.

That probably tells you all you need to know regarding how I feel about this book.

I loved this book so much that I bought the audio version preformed by Nicola Barber. She is amazing. She added so much to this story. She is one of those narrators that can breathe a whole new kind of life into a book. I can’t imagine the voice of Abigail Rook sounding any other way now. If you read the book first and then listen to the audio you can fully appreciate how perfect of a choice Nicola Barber was for this series.

I liked all of the possibilities in this story. Abigail Rook is introduced to a completely different world that has been right under her nose. She is introduced to this world by R.F. Jackaby, her new boss, who has a house full of surprises. There is an unbelievable attic, a resident ghost and a special duck. This book is imaginative and magical.

I kept reading that this was Sherlock Holmes with monsters. I think the only thing they have in common is that the assistant is telling the story. Jackaby isn’t solving cases because he’s board and brilliant. He solves cases because he wants to learn and help. I’ll admit that he has a people problem but I think it has more to do with Jackaby being single minded and yet oblivious where people are concerned.

Don’t get me wrong I love the Sherlock Holmes stories. I’ve just always had this idea that Holmes wasn’t completely honest with Watson. Like he was putting on a show for him. It was like Watson only got to see one side of him and Holmes only shared what he wanted to share. It obviously wasn’t his drug addiction. Jackaby doesn’t divulge too much either but it comes from a different place. Abigail is new and Jackaby has good reason to be protective of his assistants. He honestly likes Abigail and believes that the way she sees the world is important. He doesn’t want her to get hurt, not that that stops her because she can be single minded too.

Consume this book anyway you want. It’s fantastic. If you love well written supernatural mysteries with unique characters then you will love this book as much as I did.

 

 

 

 

There is some mild violence. This is a murder mystery and a killer is on the loose.

 

 

 

 

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