Review: Wild Country by Anne Bishop

Wild Country
Anne Bishop
Publication date: March 5, 2019
Series: The World of the Others #2, The Others #7
Genres: Urban Fantasy, Adult
Source: Berkley Publishing and NetGalley

GOODREADS  |  AMAZON

There are ghost towns in the world—places where the humans were annihilated in retaliation for the slaughter of the shape-shifting Others.

One of those places is Bennett, a town at the northern end of the Elder Hills—a town surrounded by the wild country. Now efforts are being made to resettle Bennett as a community where humans and Others live and work together. A young female police officer has been hired as the deputy to a Wolfgard sheriff. A deadly type of Other wants to run a human-style saloon. And a couple with four foster children—one of whom is a blood prophet—hope to find acceptance.

But as they reopen the stores and the professional offices and start to make lives for themselves, the town of Bennett attracts the attention of other humans looking for profit. And the arrival of the Blackstone Clan, outlaws and gamblers all, will uncover secrets…or bury them. 

M Y   T H O U G H T S

The wait between last year’s Lake Silence and Wild Country was a long one but it was so worth it. This return to the world of The Others was everything I wanted. Unlike Lake Silence, where everything felt new from the location to the cast of characters, in Wild Country we return to the town of Bennett and plenty of familiar faces.

It’s only a matter of weeks after a war between humans and the terra indigene (beings that occupied the earth long before humans) and the town of Bennett is being resettled. This draws not only people looking to make a fresh start but also con artists and criminals. The town quickly becomes a mix of both humans and Others (shape shifting wolves, ravens, panthers and more) with vampire Tolya Sanguinati serving as the town leader. With feelings ranging from uneasy acceptance to outright hostility (from both sides), it’s only a matter of time before things reach a boiling point in Bennett. Some humans and Others have forged a tenuous alliance to avoid further bloodshed and loss of life (courtesy of the Elders who remain largely unseen). But there are those who seem determined to repeat the mistakes of the past and are on a collision course with another clash between humans and Others.

As always, one of my favorite aspects in this series is the interaction between the terra indigene and humans. It’s always interesting watching as they adapt to one another and it never fails to lead to some laugh out loud moments (and yes, some dangerous ones, too). In this case, Jana, a human police officer and her boss Virgil Wolfgard, the sheriff, have to learn to work side by side and trust one another. Jana wants a chance to prove herself as a female police officer and Virgil has to remember to not bite her when she yaps at him. While I enjoyed almost all the new characters introduced in Wild Country, it was these two that had me invested and they provided not only real character growth but also some comic relief and a few genuinely sweet moments.

It never fails to surprise me that in this amazing urban fantasy series so many humans remain convinced of their superiority and invincibility. Newsflash: in this stunningly original world that Bishop has created, humans are not at the top of the food chain. But there are always those whose hubris will be their downfall. The cruelty and senseless violence from some of the humans begs the question: who is actually the more humane – the humans who lie and cheat and kill? Or the Others, who put Pack above all, take care of their own, and have their own swift form of justice?

The timeline of Wild Country overlaps somewhat with Etched in Bone (the fifth and final book in the original series) so readers of the original series will recall certain events that took place, now seen from a different perspective. But even those new to the world of the Others will be able to fall right into this fast-paced story and enjoy the ride. 

4.5/5 STARS

Note: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. This does not impact my opinion of the book or the content of this review. I received no compensation and my review is voluntary.

WWW Wednesday #40 | February 13, 2019

WWW Wednesdays is a meme hosted by Taking on a World of Words.

Just answer three questions and share what you're reading.

WHAT ARE YOU CURRENTLY READING?

Wild Country (World of The Others #2, The Others #7)
by Anne Bishop

I am crazy excited to be back in the world of The Others! It still surprises me how into this series I am. I'm pretty much a straight-up contemporary romance kind of girl, but when I gave the first book (Written in Red) a try a couple years ago I. Was. Hooked. This latest entry actually overlaps in timeline with Etched in Bone so fans of the series will see plenty of familiar faces. I'm about 25% in and keep getting annoyed when real life forces me to put the book down. :)

WHAT DID YOU RECENTLY FINISH READING?

Leah on the Offbeat - Becky Albertalli

I finished Leah over the weekend and... *huge dramatic sigh* It's not exactly what I was expecting, nor exactly what I wanted. I will say that I was living for all the Simon+Blue scenes and they are just as precious as ever. Otherwise, I have feelings... and hopefully I'll get my review posted soon.

WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'LL READ NEXT?

     

There are so many things I want to jump into next and I don't know which one it will be. I really do want to get to Watching You (I know, I know, I've been saying that for weeks) and I also have an arc of a YA contemporary that I'm excited about (no cover for it yet). Lora Richardson is an amazing self-published author and I've raved about her Juniper Limits trilogy often. Her work deserves so much more attention than it gets. She just sent me an arc of her latest, Vanishing Summer, so that might be what I pick up next. And yet another option is an arc of I Want You Back by Lorelei James. I've never read anything by her before, but this one really caught my eye.

What are you currently reading?
I wanna know! :)

Top Ten Tuesday: Books That Surprised Me

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl.

This week's Top Ten Tuesday topic: 

Books That Surprised Me 
Is there a book you thought you’d love, but ended up hating? Was there a book you thought you’d hate but really loved? Major plot twist? Main character ends up with someone you weren’t expecting? Were you expecting a certain something from a certain author and they went completely rogue?


THE GOOD SURPRISE

A Court of Thorns and Roses - Sarah J. Maas

Sooo not my usual kind of read, but the synopsis of this one appealed to me (and that cover!) so I took a chance. Paid off big time!

The Edge of Jupiter - Lora Richardson

I'm usually wary (i.e. run away screaming) of unsolicited ARCs but this one was the exception to the rule. I loved it!

The Way I Used to Be - Amber Smith

I downloaded this one on audio without knowing much about it - and was surprised by what an impact it made on me. Unforgettable.

Unraveling Oliver - Liz Nugent

Psychological suspense? Something I never pick up. But I was totally captivated by this audio book. 

Royally Screwed - Emma Chase

I was in the mood for light and fluffy and got more than I bargained for. Yes, it was a lot of fun but I was surprised at how emotional it was!

Written in Red - Anne Bishop

Urban fantasy + Me? That's something that had never happened before. But The Others is now one of my favorite series.

THE NOT-SO-GOOD SURPRISE

Wintersong - S. Jae Jones

Inspired by Labyrinth? Has a Goblin King? Count me in! Unfortunately there was little evidence of Labyrinth, the Goblin King fell flat (sob!), and the story moved at a snails pace.

Up in Flames - Abbi Glines

I loved the Rosemary Beach series. Hardcore. But this last book in the series that I was so excited for? It was like a bad soap opera with even less substance. A slap in the face to the rest of the series.

Reason to Breathe - Rebecca Donovan

It's not that I didn't like this one. It just wasn't (at all) what I was expecting. I anticipated a new adult novel with dark themes; what I got was a YA story filled with high school drama (in addition to some darker themes).

A Thousand Boy Kisses - Tillie Cole

I knew I was going to love this one. I just knew it! Oh, how very wrong I was. It was sooo sappy and sooo overly emotional, every word practically screaming This Is A Sad Book Meant To Make You Cry! So schmaltzy that I practically gagged. I truly disliked it. 

Have you read any of these books?

Review: Lake Silence by Anne Bishop

Lake Silence by Anne Bishop

Series: The Others #6

Genres: Urban Fantasy

Release Date: March 6, 2018

Format: eARC

Source: NetGalley & Berkley Publishing

Find it here: GoodReads | Amazon

Human laws do not apply in the territory controlled by the Others–vampires, shapeshifters, and paranormal beings even more deadly. And this is a fact that humans should never, ever forget . . .

After her divorce, Vicki DeVine took over a rustic resort near Lake Silence, in a human town that is not human controlled. Towns like Vicki’s have no distance from the Others, the dominant predators that rule most of the land and all of the water throughout the world. And when a place has no boundaries, you never really know what’s out there watching you.

Vicki was hoping to find a new career and a new life. But when her lodger, Aggie Crowe–one of the shapeshifting Others–discovers a dead body, Vicki finds trouble instead. The detectives want to pin the man’s death on her, despite the evidence that nothing human could have killed the victim. As Vicki and her friends search for answers, things get dangerous–and it’ll take everything they have to stay alive.

I have been eagerly awaiting this latest installment in The Others series and I'm happy to say that it did not disappoint!

In Lake Silence, Bishop leaves the Lakeside Courtyard and the residents I've come to know and love and sets this latest tale in the small village of Sproing. Human inhabited... but not human controlled. Surrounded by the Wild Country, where The Others have free rein, Sproing is now home to Vicki DeVine. Hoping to turn the property she received in her divorce settlement into a successful business, things take a turn when her lodger finds a dead body. And things certainly take off from there.

There's all new cast of characters in Lake Silence and Bishop spun her magic and made each one unique, quirky and full of personality. From Vicki, still struggling after years in an emotionally abusive marriage, to Wayne Grimshaw, the cop called in from a neighboring town who is quickly embroiled in the apparent murder, to Julian Farrow, a former cop now running a small bookshop and who has an uncanny sense about the area around him. There's the charming and almost childlike Aggie Crowgard, Vicki's lodger who quickly becomes an important part of the story and whose constant search for "shiny" was always amusing. 

And let's not forget The Others. Those seen - like Aggie, and like Ilya Sanguinati, Vicki's vampire attorney - and those unseen. Those that live in the wild, those that are heard or felt or even sensed. Bishop has a way of imparting just how lethal The Others truly are without ever making them the "bad guys." In fact, with their strong sense of right and wrong, their swift justice, and their loyalty to those who deserve it, it is most often the humans who show a lack of humanity and are doing the most harm.

I was thoroughly invested in Lake Silence. From the characters, to the mystery, to the world building, Bishop totally captured my imagination and kept me glued to my Kindle as the story unfolded. While Lake Silence can easily be read as a stand-alone, I highly recommend grabbing the previous books and immersing yourself fully in the world of The Others. Meanwhile, I'll be ready and waiting for the next book in this addictive series!

4/5 STARS

Do you enjoy urban fantasy?

TOP 10 BOOKS OF 2017

I love all the Top 10/Best-Of lists that come with the end of each year. Whether it’s done in categories or just best overall, reading posts with everyone’s favorites makes me positively giddy. But when it comes to choosing my own favorites… gah! I actually love going through everything I read in the past year (thank you, GoodReads, for making that so easy to do!), but narrowing it down to the Top 10, the cream of the crop… it’s tough. There are so many in the “you almost made it” category. And for that reason I’ll be starting with a few (okay, nine) Honorable Mentions. And it’s not cheating because it’s my list and I can make the rules. :)

A List of Cages – Robin Roe

Tell Me Three Things – Julie Buxbaum

Goodnight, Nic – Marley Jacobs

The Sea of Tranquility – Katja Millay

Letters to the Lost – Brigid Kemmerer

Making Faces – Amy Harmon

Bossman – Vi Keeland

We Now Return to Regular Life – Martin Wilson

Unraveling Oliver – Liz Nugent

And now to my Top 10 of 2017. To be honest, 2017 was not the most stellar reading year for me. I started off strong – January alone had two books that made it into my Top 10 – but a most unwelcome reading slump hit in October and decided to make itself at home and stay a while. (To give you an idea, I read only four books in October, just three in November, and have managed only one this month.) Here’s hoping for a much better 2018!

Note: These aren’t necessarily 2017 releases (only six were released in 2017), just my top picks from what I read in 2017.

#10 SUGAR & GOLD – EMMA SCOTT

This beautiful romance with a slight paranormal twist captured my heart. I fell in love with Nikolai and Fiona from the very beginning and wished and hoped for their happy ending. Emma Scott delivered some twists I never saw coming, managed to elicit both smiles and tears, and had me not wanting to put the book down. I’ll definitely be reading more from this author.

#9 WRITTEN IN RED – ANNE BISHOP

I downloaded the audio version of Written in Red on a whim and was instantly transported into another world, where The Others – shapeshifters, vampires and more – rule. I was hooked from the very start and proceeded to enjoy all five books in the series. Bishop created characters that managed to feel real, despite this being urban fantasy, and I am completely invested in their story. A perfect example that taking a chance of something outside your reading comfort zone can deliver a new favorite.

#8 TRUST – KYLIE SCOTT

Having never read any of Kylie Scott’s adult/new adult novels, I had no idea what to expect when I picked up an ARC of her young adult release. I was totally onboard with Trust from the explosive beginning. With Edie as a main character that was 100% realistic and John as an anti-hero turned hero, a gripping storyline, and truly positive portrayal of a mother-daughter relationship, Trust seemed to contain everything I love in a YA contemporary and delivered it with a cherry on top.

#7 WHO DO YOU LOVE – JENNIFER WEINER

Jennifer Weiner delivered a story that spanned 30 years and still managed to have me wanting more. This was so much more than a second chance romance, but more a tale of two people who overcome their own pasts and oh-so-relatable flaws. Who Do You Love showed in heartbreaking detail what happens when love isn’t always enough. Rachel and Andy’s story was absolutely precious and pulled at every heartstring.

#6 THE UPSIDE OF UNREQUITED – BECKY ALBERTALLI
After the sheer epic-ness of Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda, I admit I was nervous about what Becky Albertalli would serve up next. I shouldn't have worried because in Molly Peskin-Suso Alberrtalli created a protagonist so relatable that I felt like I was seventeen all over again. Add in a precious little cupcake of a love interest ( I ♥ Reid) and it was obvious that Albertalli had struck gold again.

#5 UNTIL IT FADES – K.A. TUCKER
K.A. Tucker took a foray into straight-up romance this year and all I can say is: I want more. Filled with a strong but vulnerable heroine, a swoony and sweet hockey star, an adorable five year old little girl (who wasn't overly precocious and actually sounded like a five year old), and a rich cast of secondary characters, I let myself drown in the feel-good romance and loved every minute.

#4 A COURT OF WINGS AND RUIN – SARAH J MAAS
For someone who isn't a fantasy reader, I fell hard and fast for the ACOTAR series and have anxiously waited for each new release. And A Court of Wings and Ruin did not disappoint. Maybe it didn't quite reach the perfection of ACOMAF, but it still delivered the characters I love, the villains I love to hate, the action and adventure, the surprises, the laughs, the emotion. It was an incredible ride and I loved it.

#3 FAR FROM THE TREE – ROBIN BENWAY
I should have kept track of how many times I was moved to tears while reading Far from the Tree (hint: it was a lot) because Robin Benway probably owes me a box of Kleenex. This story of three teenagers who discover they are biological siblings and the relationships that follow grabbed me by the heart and didn't let go. Grace and Maya and Joaquin came alive for me and I finished their story feeling so happy I'd met them.

#2 ALL THE UGLY AND WONDERFUL THINGS – BRYN GREENWOOD
Equal parts fascinating, disturbing, thought-provoking and heartbreaking, this novel delved into the hearts and minds of characters unlike any I'd read about before. Following Wavy Quinn, the daughter of a meth dealer father and an unstable addict mother, All the Ugly and Wonderful things tells the story of a lonely girl and a lonely man. It tells a story of creating family where there is none. And it tells a story of love, of human agency, and of ultimate acceptance. Truly unforgettable.

#1 FROM SAND AND ASH – AMY HARMON
My first read of 2017 is my favorite read of 2017. I was already a fan of Amy Harmon when I picked this one up but she outdid herself with this novel set in WW II-era Italy. Her writing was so immersive that I felt as if I was living the story. Eva (an Italian Jew) and Angelo (an American Catholic) were lifelong friends whose differences, which seemed not to matter as children, suddenly meant everything now that war was on their doorstep. From Sand and Ash was often difficult to read, showcasing a cruelty that was beyond belief, but it was also a beautiful depiction of love, faith, endurance and hope. This book is the perfect example of why I read.

Have you read any of these?

What's your favorite book of 2017?