Anne Bishop

After the Elders reclaimed many human towns, Lakeside Courtyard emerged relatively unscathed. Simon Wolfgard, its wolf shifter leader, and prophet Meg Corbyn must still work with the human pack to maintain the peace. But their efforts are threatened when Lieutenant Montgomery's shady brother arrives. With the humans on guard against one of their own, tensions rise, drawing the attention of the Elders. But Meg knows the dangers, for she has seen in the cards how it will all end - with her standing beside a grave...

Etched in Bone

Vicky  Nuñez 

It's over!
The last Meg and Simon book in the Others series.
It was incredible and exciting, but I still feel so sadden that this is the last we will see of them. 
It was a roller coaster ride, but I'm happy to have read the series and I look forward to more books in this world.

Savannah Winchell

Celeste Richardson

Full review now posted!
Review originally published on Booknest.

Series Rating: 5/5 stars
Book Rating: 4.25/5 stars

Here ends my favorite Urban Fantasy series.

 While it thankfully didn’t end with a whimper, neither did it quite end with a bang. Etched in Bone ended with a cozy little slice-of-life scene, which was the perfect way to end the series. Because it’s the end of a series, this will be more of a review of the series as a whole than a review of this particular book.

A little bit about The Others Series by Anne Bishop:

If this version of our world we have shapeshifters and vampires and more otherworldly creatures, the basis of many UF series. But these shifters aren’t humans who can take on the form of an animal. No, these shifters can take on the form of man, but they are most definitely not human; their true shapes are closer to the animals they identify with, be they Wolf or Bear or Crow. The shifters are a branch of the terra indigene or Earth Natives that populate Bishop’s world, along with an unusual breed of vampires, Elementals, and other, older breeds, more terrifying by far. These Earth Natives, these 
  Others
, once viewed humans as nothing but meat. They maintain that view, but are now interested enough in human goods and services to indulge them. However, should humans step out of line, they’ll be back on the menu faster than they can beg forgiveness. 


  Things changed for the terra indigene when a lost girl stumbled into the Courtyard, a community of Others in the heart of a human city.
 This girl was something more than human, something that didn’t smell like prey, and yet wasn’t one of the Others. She was a cassandra sangue, a blood prophet, and could foretell the future whenever her skin was broken and her blood was shed. Her name was Meg, and revolutionary changes in the relationships between humans and Others followed in her wake. The Others of the Courtyard grew to love her, opening their hearts to certain humans in response. The Others outside of the Courtyard heard tales of Meg’s exploits and of the changes in their fellow terra indigene, and their fascination brought with it curiosity and questions. 
  The world would never be the same once Meg arrived on the scene.


Throughout this five book series, the stakes have been high. Whatever happened in the Courtyard would set a precedent for how the Others in the rest of the world handled humans. But these high stakes were generally encapsulated in smaller struggles within the Courtyard, and Etched in Bone was no exception. I often forgot that there was a bigger game at play here, instead focussing on the community drama unfolding within the Courtyard itself. This book wasn’t my favorite in the series, but I thought it was a solid ending to the series and didn’t feel at all let down. 
  Meg grows so much as a character from the first book to the last, and it was wonderful to see the culmination of that growth from a terrified girl into a woman who could save herself.


My very favorite thing about Bishop’s world, besides the idea of Wolf (and others) being a shifter’s true form instead of human, is the community feel. This is a slice-of-life fantasy with a big-world impact, and I feel like slice-of-life is something we don’t get enough of in any subgenre of fantasy. Going to work, the market, the library, a restaurant…that’s all important here. 
  Friendships and routine are incredibly central to the story.
 Not that there isn’t the occasional maiming and/or consumption of a bad guy and saving of the world just in the nick of time, because there is that. This series isn’t just fluff. There are stakes here, as mentioned earlier. But it shows life, and people actually living it, and that portrayal of real life amidst the fantastic is why this series will remain one of my favorites and will be reread again and again.

Vilde

Etched in Bone was simply a delight to read. As a friend of mine said, the main storyline of The Others is concluded, but since I adore this series and its characters so much, I would gladly read another book in the series (it's a comfort that Anne Bishop has another novel from the same universe coming, although, I will miss the characters from the Lakeside courtyard and the connected communities). Alexandra Harris is again magnificient as the narrator. I absolutely love the dynamic between the characters, especially the dialogue. It's just on point. I especially love the wolves' dialogue at times, they're just hilarious. And lastly, the narration of Thaisia, it's so vividly painted in my imagination. I'm really pleased about how Ethed in Bone was concluded (view spoiler)[although, I would love to read more about the development of the romantic relationship between Meg and Simon (hide spoiler)]

THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER! Anne Bishop returns to her world of the Others, as humans struggle to survive in the shadow of shapeshifters and vampires far more powerful than themselves... 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 now know to fear the no-man’s-land beyond their borders—and the darkness... As some communities struggle to rebuild, Lakeside Courtyard has emerged relatively unscathed, though Simon Wolfgard, its 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 all end—with her standing beside a grave...

Sarah Escorsa

Actual rating: 3.75648975789 stars.

Despite all bleak predictions, ominous forebodings, very dark omens and sinister threats of impending doom courtesy of my so-called beloved friends, I did not:

a) DNF the fish out of this book.
b) Feed it to my murderous children for breakfast.
c) Kill it with fire.
d) a + b + c + d.
e) All of the above.

Which clearly indicates that my evil twin has officially hacked my Goodreads account. I mean, how else would you explain my most discombobulating ratings for books in this series? 



Right. This might be a possibility, too, but it’s not very kind of you to mention it, is it now?

Anyhoo and stuff, enjoyed this installment not nearly but almost quite as much as the previous ones in the series I have, and  foiled again my evil nemeses have been proved wrong my so-called beloved friends once again I have, so yay and stuff.

It seems that people’s main grievance about this installment is that it is boring and dull and that the author rehashes a lot and that there is no actual plot and that nothing happens. NEWSFLASH! This is The Others! Anyone who’s survived read the first four books in the series should know they ALL are boring and dull and that the author rehashes a lot and that there is no actual plot and that nothing happens (well not until the 98% mark anyway)! That’s part of the disconcertingly bewildering charm of the series and stuff. Okay, I have to admit that Bishop really excels at the Nothing Happens Thing (NHT™) here and that 
  NOTHING
 happens. The author apparently decided to outdo herself in this last instalment and, oh my shrimp, did she make an amazing job of it! 



That’s Judge Bart—Simon’s cousin thrice removed—commending Bishop on her astonishing accomplishment, in case you were wondering.

The other issue reviewers have with this book is the romance. Or lack thereof. Which I personally found slightly glorious, but which most of my Friends of Despicable Book Taste (FoDBT™) found quite appalling, particularly revolting, and generally most infuriating. Why they would rather read about silly lovey dovey crap rather than human intestines as tree ornaments is and forever shall remain one of the greatest mysteries of the universe, if you ask me. Yes, it’s true, all the action we get between Meg and Simon is one pathetically miserable kiss. But. Considering he’s a serial sniffer and licker who enjoys munching on humans and she acts like a naïve-as-fish often-brainless 10 year old most of the time, getting them to smooch was quite the achievement, methinks. Not to mention that tongues were shockingly involved! Now if that isn’t outrageously outré behaviour, I don’t know what is. 



To summarize. Grievance #1 + Issue #2 = all those who think this installment was a let-down and a disappointment and a blow and the most unsatisfying series ending in the history of most unsatisfying series endings read it very wrong. Obviously. And failed to notice the luscious scrumptiousness of teakettle-wielding exploding fluffballs, bunnies with teeth, edible vs. nonedible employees, chattering human squirrels, slightly bipolar amused Elders, sweet blood howling-growling not-Wolves, dead turkeys, human backbone cleaning, female pack invasions, and last but certainly not least special meat snacks.



➽ Nefarious Last Words (NLW™): 
  “Trespassers Will Be Eaten.”
 Need I say more? Didn’t think so.

• Book 1: Written in Red ★★★★
• Book 2: Murder of Crows ★★★★
• Book 3: Vision in Silver ★★★★
• Book 4: Marked in Flesh ★★★★



[Pre-review nonsense]

Yeah, I liked this one, too. Something must be really really really really 
  
    REALLY
  
 wrong with me. 



My thoughts exactly.

➽ Full review to come and stuff.

Megan Williams

5 "How Do I Not Fall In Love?" Stars

Anne Bishop is seriously one of my favorite authors of all time. And I do not say this lightly for I literally have thousands of books on both my nook and kindle... so I have a lot of authors to choose from when it comes to favorites. But Bishop definitely takes the cake when it comes to Fantasy Romance novels. 

My first series with Bishop was the Daughter of Blood Series and I was really doubtful that anything could be better than that or even come close...

and yet this series has totally dropped out of the sky, landed in my lap, and takes my mind on this whirlwind journey in a whole new world where everyone is a threat and yet just as relatable and lovable as ever. The Others Series is a MUST read for anyone who loves fantasy novels, or is even just interested in them. 

Etched in Bone is the fifth book in the Others Series, and man does it not disappoint. So far in this series a lot has gone down... I mean what else does Meg have to go through to get her happily ever after without the world falling to pieces around her feet. I became invested in these characters from the very first page and in each book they have grown even more complex and enriching and just simply amazing all around. There's so much detail and thought put into this book that it's hard not to get swept away with the words. 

The thing I love most about Anne Bishop's writing style is her ability to bring thought provoking questions into her novels. You think this is just a simple fantasy read and suddenly a moral issue is raised and you realize just how much these characters relate to our own world. There hasn't been a book yet where I haven't found myself contemplating just what drives human nature towards the evil and corruption seen daily both in this world and within our own because Bishop makes it understandable through her words and gives a whole new light to the issues often ignored. 
Simply amazing.

On a lighter note, Etched In Bone was everything I wanted and didn't know I needed all wrapped into one pretty package that fit between my hands. This novel follows the after affects of an almost end of the world situation and its interesting seeing how all of the characters introduced so far fit into this new definition of society created by the Elders. There's definitely a shift in mentality focused on recuperating losses and trying to balance out the order in the cities that were still left across the nation. And yet not only is the Lakeside Courtyard dealing with these differences, but also the threats that come from humans in their packs as their pasts come back to haunt the lovely Meg and therefore humans in general. 

There was definitely an advancement in relationships across the board with this novel. The human pack of the Courtyard in Lakeside continuously grew closer to the Others and yet this trust still holds precariously near the edge as other dangerous factors (humans) come into play. Another relationship that develops is the one between Meg and Simon. *gasp* Their relationship in the last few books has been roughly defined at best and in this book the Elders presence kind of forces a new definition between Meg and Simon and I'll just say that it gets interesting ;).

Overall, this book was so amazing, invigorating, and entertaining! I've loved the characters from the start and this book just really adds to the ongoing complexity of the story as a whole. I would definitely recommend this series to anyone... and I mean anyone at all. Even if you don't think you like fantasy, you should try this book before making any judgements because Anne Bishop is a magician with the written word. I am so thankful that I got to read this novel and I have my fingers crossed that the story continues with another one... (or maybe even a snippet of Simon and Meg in the future?)

Nickie Mohler

After the attacks from Humans First and Last, Lakeside and other communities are trying to get back to a normal life. Easier said than done, with the question "How much human will the terra indigene keep?" hanging over their heads. To find an answer to that question, two of the elders have been sent to Lakeside to observe the interactions between the humans and the Others. Also arriving in Lakeside, Lt. Montgomery's brother Cyrus. The elders will see how one evil human can disrupt or destroy the lives of many. This deserves a lot more than 5 stars!! It is amazing!! I really hope Anne decides to write more of these, because this is one of the best series of all time. I will be really sad if it is ending. I highly recommend this to everyone!!!

Judy Hudgins

Ciska van Bokhorst

Gelukkig.... alleen maar over de personen van het stadspark. Geen scala aan extra personages. Gewoon de oude vertrouwde personen. Tevreden over de afloop; ja redelijk. Maar dat het volgende boek niet eens over het stadspark gaat.... nee daar niet blij mee. I want more Meg, Simon, Sam, Skippy ect...

Southern Today Gone Tomorrow

This is one of my favorite series, and this book did not disappoint! So, down to business.

The 5th, and potentially last, book in Anne Bishop’s The Other series follows Monty, the liaison for the police department and The Other, as his dirty brother comes to town expecting to live off of The Others, Meg continuing to find out how to deal with her life-threatening visions, and Simon trying to figure out if friendship is enough for him.

The Others have taken over and retaliated against the humans in Thiasia, and the elders are watching Lakeside to determine how much human they should keep. The elders are ancient and terrifying creatures.

This book is wonderful and feels like more than one book with all the activity that goes on! That being said, this is the 5th book in a series, possibly the finale (which I will get to) and SHOULD NOT BE THE FIRST READ. Go read these in order. At some point this week I will do an article about this whole series that I own on my nook and may buy in print to have for easy comparison. (Clearly, I have a problem.)

Sinead Heffernan

It's been a while since a series has sucked me in this much. Even though there are other books in this series I'm sad to see the end of Meg and Simons story. But the last book did not dissapoint

Katerina Thorson

4/5
BOOKSTAGRAM

Wow...what a ride this series was. Since there are still somethings I didn't like about this book, but I already covered in my past reviews with the other books in this series. I am just going to list out what I really loved about this series and in particular this book.

1.The wrapping up of the plot
There was so much that was wrapped up in this book that my mind is still trying to comprehend what just happened. It was such a fast paced plot in this book. We were given so much more background history on the Elders, the land that they lived, and wrapping up the dramatic events of the town. I was simply blown away.

2.That slow burn romance
Oh my god guys...I have never read a book that had such a realistic romance. Are all Adult Fantasy/fiction books this realistic when it comes to their relationships? Because if so count me in. I absolutely loved how slow the romance part of Meg and Simon's relationship was. Yes sometimes it got annoying but guess what it was REAL. Meg not only has never had good contact with any man in general. She in her own way is still innocent and can sometimes be childlike. So a slow burn relationship was necessary. I also loved how Simon dealt with her character type and that she needed a protector and not a human man. 

3.Character wrap-ups
Anne Bishop did such an amazing job when it came to wrapping up character plots in this story. I especially loved the background history into CJ Montgomery and his horrible older brother. I mean it's pretty amazing. While she did introduce a few new characters into this last book of this part of the series, she did an amazing job at quickly wrapping up their character plot. While we aren't given a full in depth description about these new characters, we know enough to either like them or hate them. 

4.Overall series dynamics
Honestly, this book was slow in some areas with a lot of day to day lifestyle. However, with what this series is about and how it is written...this writing style really works out well. And how the author wrapped up each book with the drama and then tied it into the next book - absolutely brilliant. I loved this series enough that I went and bought my own copy of all the books. That says something right? 

Anne Bishop delivered a realistic fantasy with a slow burn romance so perfectly that my heart exploded every time I picked up the book. I definitely recommend picking up this series and this book if you have the time.

Etched in Bone

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