Etched in Bone by Anne Bishop

Title: Etched in Bone (A Novel of The Others 5)
Author: Anne Bishop
Genre: Paranormal Romance, Urban Fantasy
Publisher: ROC (9th March2017)
Blurb:

New York Times bestselling author Anne Bishop returns to the world of the Others, as humans struggle to survive in the shadow of shape-shifters and vampires far more powerful than they are . . .

After a human uprising was brutally put down by the Elders – a primitive and lethal form of the Others – the few cities left under human control are far-flung. And the people within them noew know to fear both the no-man’s-land beyond their borders and the darkness . . .

As some communities struggle to rebuild, Lakeside Courtyard has emerged relativelt unscathed, though Simon Wolfguard, it’s wolf-shifter leader, and blood prophet Meg Corbyn must work with the human pack to maintain the fragile peace. But all their efforts are threatened when Lieutenant Montgomery’s shady brother arrives, looking for a free ride and easy pickings.

With the humans on guard against one of their own, tensions rise, drawing the attention of the Elders, who are curious about the effect such an insignificant predator can  have on a pack. But Meg knows the dangers, for she has seen in the cards how it will end: with her standing beside a grave . . .

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4 stars)
Review:

ETCHED IN BONE is the fifth book in Anne Bishop’s brilliant The Others series. This book continues the story of Meg Corbyn and the inhabitants of the Lakeside Courtyard after the events of the previous four books. With the others having taken action against the humans who threatened them, the humans who survived their anger are still struggling to find the balance that may guarantee their survival. The Lakeside Courtyard may have escaped this turbulence relatively unscathed, but all the residents are aware of how fragile the peace is. When Lieutenant Montgomery’s brother turns up, the Courtyard is thrown into chaos.

I have really enjoyed reading Bishop’s The Others series. I think the world building is well done, and the characters are interesting, and the plots are entertaining; and thankfully ETCHED IN BONE is no different. If you’ve enjoyed the previous books in the series, then you will definitely enjoy this one too. Bishop has found a formula that works, and she sticks with it. Once I’d read this book I discovered that this could be the last book in the series that focuses on Meg – although not the last book. If that is true, and I honestly don’t know if it is or just speculation, then I think Bishop ends the story of Meg and the Lakeside Courtyard really well. I’ll also be a little disappointed, because I’ve enjoyed following the stories but curious to see where Bishop goes next.

One thing I will say about ETCHED IN BONE is it deals with topics that have only been hinted about in previous books – so, trigger warnings for abuse, child abuse and sexual abuse. If you have triggers and they stray into those areas (or they’re just topics you want to avoid) and you’re reading this series then I would be wary picking up this book. Having said that, I think Bishop handles these topics sensitively and they are dealt with properly in the narrative. I don’t think Bishop uses them gratuitously, though they are plot devises but they also aren’t the main focus of the story.

ETCHED IN BONE is one of the books I was really looking forward to reading in 2017, and I can honestly say that it lived up to my expectations. I really enjoyed getting back into the world of The Others, and finding out what Meg and her friends at the Lakeside Courtyard were up to. It was really lovely to see how far Meg has come from her first appearance in WRITTEN IN RED. It was interesting to see how far the world had changed from that first book. I also really enjoyed that the conflict in this book was much closer to home than it had been in the previous books in the series, and seeing how that changed (or didn’t) the dynamics within the community. Bishop answered a lot of my questions in this book, though there are certainly some that still remain unanswered. It is just a darn good read.