I enjoyed being pulled back into this world. It is always a ride and the characters are so well written. I enjoyed this book and the continuation of this story.

“This would be more enjoyable if we could eat a few of them.” Vlad shook his head. Even potential employees had to be considered nonedible.

If you have been following Caffeinated then you know I am a huge fan of the Others series by Anne Bishop. I own the series in all formats available (expect paperback) and must first listen to the narration performed by Alexandra Harris before rereading the hardcover edition. Obsessed? Maybe, but I love the world and characters Bishop has created. ETCHED IN BONE, the fifth novel and the last novel featuring the characters from Lakeside takes us back to the Courtyard as humans, and the others live side by side.

The uprising by the humans has ended, and some human towns and farms have been abandoned. Towns are being filled by Others with a mix of humans, and the Elders decide to observe Lakeside and their interactions with the humans and Not Food Meg. I loved being back in the Lakeside community despite the difficult times throughout Thaisia. ETCHED IN BONE focuses on the interaction between the humans and others as homes and jobs for the human pack are established. Cyrus James Montgomery, brother to Lieutenant Montgomery and his sister appears with his wife and two children. The tale that unfolds shares how the Others meter out justice as Bishop holds nothing back.

We see and hear a lot about the state of Thaisia after Namid’s claws, and teeth handled the uprising. Most of the land has been reclaimed leaving humans in smaller areas. There are food and gas shortages that even effect the Lakeside community. Ration cards have been distributed, and the Others are working hard to restore order. The Simple Life people are doing well as are most of the Intuits. We learn about progress being made, and even the Lakeside community aids the cause by interviewing humans for jobs on farms and cities being run similar to Lakeside. I loved all these little tidbits of information.

It was wonderful spending time within the Lakeside community. The interactions between the characters and the way Simon and the others handle situations as they arise kept me fully engaged. We learn more about the cassandra sangue and are rewarded with some answers. We learn what happens when one of their cuts is reopened. Meg is learning to use other methods, but does share some prophecy and finds herself in danger. One of my favorite parts of the story is a meal shared with the others and humans living within the Lakeside community. Montgomery's Mom is a force to reckoned with and made me smile. For those eager to see what develops between Meg and Simon, we are rewarded and I felt Bishop handled it beautifully.

While I was saddened to see our time at Lakeside come to a close, I was excited to learn that stories in this world will continue. LAKE SILENCE, the sixth book in the Others series will take us to the Jumble located on the shore of Lake Silence. Vicki and the town’s residents are facing a series of vicious murders in their community. I cannot wait to travel there!

If you haven't started this series, consider grabbing your earbuds. Alexandra Harris does a spectacular job of narrating. I love her pacing, tone and the unique voices she creates for each character.

ETCHED IN BONE was delightful from beginning to end and was the perfecting ending for the Lakeside community. I hope we still hear about these characters. Perhaps one of the Crows will be a penpal to a human in the Jumble community.

I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS SERIES IS OVER. MY HEART WILL NEVER ACCEPT IT.

This is one of those series that I want to never end. I have grown so attached to the characters in this series, and I am not ready to say goodbye!

Even though I am sad that this series is over, I thought this was a great way to end the series. The plot of this book was one of my favorite storylines from this series. There was a lot of mystery, action, conflict and intrigue that kept me glued to the pages. Everything moved at a believable and exciting pace. I never felt like there was a dull moment in this book.

There are so many characters in this series, and I have grown to love all of them. I liked how the author never forgot about a character and just wrote them out of the book. Each character was significant throughout the story. However, I wish Meg and Simon would have been more prominent in this book. Even though I love all of the characters, I am always greedy when it comes to Meg and Simon. I want to read about Meg and Simon 24/7.

The romance in this book KILLED me. I have shipped Meg and Simon since book one, and all of their romantic moments in this book that made me swoon and smile. THEY ARE PERFECT FOR EACH OTHER!!! I WILL SHIP THEM UNTIL THE DAY I DIE.

However, I wish there would have been more romantic moments between Meg and Simon. I was happy with the moments that were in this book, but I was hoping for a little bit more.

I thought this was a great way to end this series. The ending of this book left me wanting more, but I think that is because I never want to leave these characters. I want to read about Meg, Simon, and this world for the rest of my life! I know fans of this series will adore this book.

4.5 / 5 Fangs

*This ebook was given to me in exchange for an honest review. *

I loved the closing of this series. I thought everything came full circle in the best way, with Sam and Meg finally choosing what we've always wanted them to choose. The only critique I had was that I felt like the book ended abruptly. I know epilogues are a tricky thing, but this is a series I wouldn't minded reading a couple paragraphs in the future.

We also wrote a group review on Books & Beauty are my Bag. Link below.

Other than "OMG Simeg are so cute!" my biggest takeaway from Etched in Bone is that the politics in the series have become much more relatable. It's been there from the beginning but it's disguised enough that I think you could choose to ignore it until now. Things like the humans leasing the land from its original owners and therefore having an obligation not to abuse it are obviously about environmentalism. The Humans First and Last movement is about racism. (Those are both oversimplifications, though.) The last book was focused global politics and maybe you could even view Namid's teeth and claws as the nuclear option since whole cities are destroyed.

Going from that to crisis on a much more personal level gives Etched in Bone a slightly different feel. This book was about rulers who are out of touch with those they govern. It's a "Let them eat cake" situation. The others who have come from the wild to observe the Courtyard don't understand humans and their ignorance endangers the people. Maybe because it's on a more personal scale, I find it much harder to ignore the politics in this book.

I think setting Meg and Simon's relationship in this smaller, more intimate context makes sense. The big, global events in Marked in Flesh might have overshadowed their HEA. This way we also see the results of the climax from previous book. And it sets up the characters who are going to be in the spinoff series, which moves away from the Lakeside Courtyard.

It might be better to look at this book as a transition between story arcs, like Allegiance of Honor, rather than a series finale. The latter makes it seem like a really long epilogue showing the aftermath of events in Marked in Flesh, which is much less satisfying. (Goodreads also lists the next book as The Others #6, rather than first in a new series.)

I enjoyed Etched in Bone, especially Simeg, but wasn't blown away like I was with some of the earlier books in the series. It also gave me lots of food for thought, which is never a bad thing.

Review - Etched in Bone
Etched in Bone by Anne Bishop

* Read via NetGalley for review

Overall 3 gnomes out of 5 gnomes

4 out of 5 gnomes for characters
3 gnomes and a gnome hat for story
5 gnomes out of 5 for some superb character scenes especially Skippy
2 out of 5 for bad guy this round

I continue to adore the world of the Others. This was a good book with some great moments but kind of felt like a filler book overall. There weren’t as many surprises as there usually are and the villain didn’t really feel up to snuff.

If this is the last book focusing on Meg and the Courtyard then it was an okay but pretty weak ending. Like maybe they should have stopped at the last book kind of ending because that would have been a stronger ending.

Still I look forward to seeing what other characters Bishop sets up in this world next in book six. As Goodreads has the following for the description:

“Bishop’s new novel takes readers to a human village nestled in the terra indigene-controlled
Finger Lakes region of Northeast Thaisia. It stars divorcee Victoria “Vicki” DeVine, owner of
The Jumble — a small, self-sufficient community located on the shore of Lake Silence. Vicki
and the town’s residents soon find themselves caught up in a chilling mystery, after a series
of vicious murders rock the small community.”

Simon and Meg’s relationship has been a plus. Seeing Meg and the other blood prophets grow and change has been a highlight of the series. Not much is left unfinished but I found myself still wanting a lot of answers. I’m secretly hoping for short stories or whole books set in the other communities we’ve heard about in these books. Overall a series well worth checking out just for the world building and characters alone.

The Others have aggressively taken back control and the humans are just realizing that the allowances have come to an end. Some humans still don’t believe the likelihood that human-kind might be wiped from the face of the earth, but the brutal reality is a distinct possibility.

Meg must tread this fragile peace carefully but now it is not just the outside world but the court yard that is at risk.

Total book, what am I saying, complete series HANG OVER! Time and time again, Anne Bishop sucks us deep in with the amazing world building and I for one don't want to leave! Engaging, enthralling and everything you wish every read would be.

My full review will be posted closer to the publication date.

I received this ARC copy of Etched in Bone from Berkley Publishing Group - Roc in exchange for a honest and voluntary review. This book is set for publication March 7, 2017.

My Rating: 5 stars
Written by: Anne Bishop
Series: A Novel of the Others
Sequence in Series: Book 5
Hardcover: 416 pages
Publisher: Roc
Publication Date: March 7, 2017 TOMORROW
Language: English
ISBN-10: 045147449X
ISBN-13: 978-0451474490
Genre: Scifi | Fantasy

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/etche...
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Etched-Bone-No...
Itunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/etch...

Reviewed for:
http://tometender.blogspot.com

Perfection!
Etched in Bone - Anne Bishop

What do I saw about this book? It was mesmerizing, brilliantly written, eerily prophetic, but ultimately hopeful? Yes, it was all those things, but it was also much more. More than I can put into exact words, but I couldn't put it down.

ETCHED IN BONE is the fifth book in the Others series by Anne Bishop and it picks right up where the last one left off. We are considering how much human to keep at this point. Humans have reared their ugly heads once again and a few bigoted jerks are really messing things up for everyone else. Now there's fall out. People are having to start over and the Elders, the really scary Others, are trying to figure out if the humans that remain are worth keeping or not.

So their solution to the problem is to observe the Lakeside Courtyard where Meg, her human pack, Simon, and his Other pack live. They all seem to get along so the Elders want to know what traits they should be looking out for in other humans. Well, a monkey wrench gets thrown into the plan when a new human family comes to town.

This one was so good. There were so many moving parts. I loved the way the author is just able to bring all those moving parts together seamlessly. Even when I don't see how it could possibly be connected, the plot just weaves together in a way that I want to smack myself for ever doubting in the first place.

Meg is trying to adjust to not cutting herself and it has caused her some problems, but she's really coming into her own. But she and Simon's relationship was strained through this one. There's a shift there. They both know it but know exactly what to do about it.

This story wasn't pretty, in fact there were times it was down right brutal. But it was true to the story arc and to the characters. It couldn't have been any other way. And the ending. WOW, all I can say is that I'm going to die waiting another year to get the next book.

ETCHED IN BONE is a just altogether perfect. I love this series and this book was no exception. Anne Bishop does such an amazing job with this story and these characters. I'm hooked and there's no way I'm going to stop with this series now. I think we're just skimming the surface now. There's lot more we've got to uncover with Lakeside and the Others.

*Advanced Reader's Copy provided by NetGalley and Publisher in exchange for an honest review*

Another five star review for The Others series! Now is a perfect time to jump in because ETCHED IN BONE is the last book to focus on Meg Corban.

Meg is once again in danger and it comes in the form of Lieutenant Montgomery brother. This guy was a huge piece of work and it's clear from the moment he steps into the Lakeside Courtyard that he is trouble. He had no clue who he was messing with and he deserved everything that came his way in the end.

I really loved the progression of Meg and Simon's relationship. Things moved slowly for them, but it fits with both of their personalities and it wouldn't have seemed real for it to move any faster than it did.

One of the great things about this series is that it isn't only the main characters that drive it. The secondary characters are just as developed and integral to the storyline. The Elders continue to be surprised by the howling not wolf, the female pack integrates even further into the Courtyard and a few other characters throw us some surprises in ETCHED IN BONE.

I can't believe that there are five books in this series and I have absolutely loved them all. It is so rare to find a series like this and I am so sad that this is the last book to focus on Meg. I really hope that we aren't leaving the Lakeside Courtyard for good as I would miss everyone way too much and there is so much story left to be told about them. No matter what, I won't stop reading about this world until the author gives me a reason not to and I just don't see that happening.

* This book was provided free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

For those unfamiliar with the series:
I listened to the audiobook for Written in Red, the first book in this series, a year ago last month. I had purchased a second hand copy of of the actual book months prior but after it being recommended to me so many times I decided to get the audiobook so I could get to it sooner. I instantly fell in love with it and the unique world Anne Bishop has created for us.

The Others books follow Meg Corbyn, a cassandra sangue (AKA blood prophet) who sees the future when her skin is cut, escapes the horror that most of her kind live in. They are basically used a prostitutes - nasty people pay for their future to be told to them and sex if they are willing to pay enough. The girls are kept very sheltered because exposure to too many things will overload them, so they are taught things a little at a time and only what they may need to know to give a prophecy. If they speak the prophecy they forget it immediately and experience a euphoria. If they do not speak it they remember it but experience an awful pain in place of the euphoria.

Meg finds sanctuary in the Lakeside Courtyard, a special community run by the terra indigene (they are the "Others:" werewolves, vampires, werecrows, elementals, and so much more). History has shown that humans and the terra indigene do not get along but Meg finds a place in the Courtyard and a special place in everyone's lives. For the first time in their history, she brings terra indigene and humans together to genuinely care for each other.

I think what I like most about this series is that it explores relationships in the most unlikely ways. It is similar to a squirrel and a goose falling in love with each other, but neither one knows anything about the customs of relationships so they're creating a new path for themselves. I don't want to give too much away, but read the books! They're great!

My review:
Etched in Bone was so exciting to read that half of the time I couldn't read fast enough and the other half I wanted to read so slowly that the book would never end. I feel like this is the first book in this series where we see how the relationship between the humans and terra indigene may pan out, and also a real glimpse at what everyday life in the Courtyard is like. The big upset comes from Monty's brother, Jimmy, rather than from within the courtyard or an organization against the Others.

One of the most interesting parts to me is Meg learning more about using the tarot cards to give prophecy rather than by cutting. She has inspired other cassandra sangue that she's in contact with to try to express them in other ways, such as by drawing.

There are several really funny parts that made me laugh out loud (cukkies, anyone?). So many of the characters are dear to me. I love the crows that are obsessed with shiny things, the pony elementals that are SO dangerous and powerful but love Meg because she gives them treats every afternoon, and Skippy, the little wolf who mentally "skips" and can't turn into his human form. And the fact that the wolves really love dog treats but everyone has to call them wolf cookies because they can't have anything to do with dogs. I really enjoy this unique world and seeing all of these interesting relationships play out. I believe that this is the last book with this story line, but there should be more in the same world just in a different part of the country.

Etched in Bone is the last book in a series that is ETCHED IN MY HEART! Anne Bishop created a world like none I have seen and populated it with creatures both terrible and wondrous. I have come to love these characters as each individual has a part to play in the increasingly fragile peace of the Lakeside Courtyard. This book picks up immediately where the Marked in Flesh left off. This book shows us the aftermath of destruction as humans and Others begin rebuilding in Thaisia, it shows us how fragile peace can be and how even a tiny seed of malice can grow and become an insidious evil. These books have quickly become all-time favorites of mine and Etched in Bone is a fitting end to the series. Despite a house with increasingly limited shelf space, I tell you know that this book is a keeper!

I always enjoy Anne Bishop's books but for whatever reason it took me until the 3rd book came out in this series to start reading this series. I do not know why I waited because it is now one of my favorites the characters are fascinating and its a fresh twist on what is a somewhat overdone storyline of shapeshifters. I never quite know where the story is headed but I enjoy it no matter what.

I am reviewing this book based on an ARC received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest opinion.

Etched in Bone marks the end of the Lakeside story. I heard the author is making a side series based in the same invented world, but it will involve new characters.

One of the discouragements about the third and fourth books was I thought the author spent far too much time outside the main Lakeside courtyard to explore around the world where the disasters were happening. While interesting and pertinent to the story and where the disaster was heading, I was more involved with staying with the series regulars I'd already grown attached to. The main story-line was resolved in the fourth book, so for this fifth we get to thankfully stay in Lakeside and see the progressions for the characters themselves. A big win there.

As the main character, Meg has progressed a lot. We don't get any frantic cutting moments thankfully, and the author has dialed back from her existence tying into the other blood prophets. They're mentioned some but we don't get any more points of views though them. Anne's picture is helpful and Jean's letter wanted, but it's all about Meg, the police and Lakeside again.

Even though Lakeside is the focus, we have new elders to contend with while they're still evaluating what should happen with surviving humans. A horrendous man, Jimmy, is given permission to stay in town and stir trouble. Honestly he's a little unrealistic - sure, he's a bad seed all the way, but almost a carbon cut-out of one. The man has no redeeming qualities whatsoever, really. We're in his demented head a few times too. Thankfully Jimmy gives the plot conflict but he isn't the main focus. It would be cool to say that was Anne and Simon's relationship, but we all know romance isn't the main focus of these stories, so we get what we get. Some readers may not get everything they want on that front with detailed moments, but we do get a very satisfying ending and outcome as expected.

The world-building for The Others is detailed and dark, but it's the characters I really love. Humor comes through Vlad's interaction with the human pack and bookstore, Simon's misunderstandings as he can't figure people out, (the beginning play chase scene on the bike was SO funny), and the town's small nuances that make them so memorable. Tess is around but she plays a smaller role this time. We see a bit more of Nyx but I missed Erebus - would have loved hearing his thoughts more on the Wolfguard and Meg. Skippy has a major breakthrough - love Skippy. Grrr bear and children abound. I'll miss Winter, my favorite of the elemental seasons. The crows again play an important part of the story, and again it's interesting how they work together to find and protect those they consider valuable.

Overall the plot is a bit milder this time but of that I'm actually glad because I was rearing up for more character-driven moments. I just love this community and how protective they are of "our Meg", how they come together into a working relationship despite how different they are from each other. It's both adorable and twisted. Such a dark series that came to the best conclusion it could. A lot of series end with the last book wrapping up the overall arching plotline - I'm so happy the author this time did that in book four, and spent the last book showing the outcome for all the main characters in such an extended resolution.

Awesome.

How much "human" does a terra indigene need to retain in order to fit in? That's the question Simon Wolfgard is tasked with by the Elders.  On a more personal note he needs to figure out how much human Meg needs him to be in order to foster a strong long lasting relationship between them.
With her skillful pen and masterful writing, Ms. Bishop brings alive the good, bad and ugly in human behaviors. Each progressive book in the series pulls a reader deeper and deeper into this fascinating world of the others.  After reading these books, you'll never view the world around you in the same way as you did before you opened the first page of a book in the series.
Meg Corbyn's arrival at the Lakeside courtyard with her desire to make a difference has created an atmosphere where different species of terra indigene and humans all co-exist as a community. While the need to cut remains strong in Meg she has become a trail blazer; a beacon for others of her own kind seeking alternate methods of releasing prophecy.  Her relationship with Simon has a future as depicted by a prophecy card with a picture of a big moon and a heart with a couple kissing.  Unfortunately before they can get to making it come true they'll both but more particularly Meg have to survive trials that will challenge her in ways she hasn't been challenged in a long time.
All seems to be going well at the courtyard in the aftermath of the culling of the herds. two elders have come to observe and report on the functioning of the courtyard and the spirit of cooperation and camaraderie between the various species.   The arrival of Lieutenant Montgomery's brother is marked by an explosion; a silent one as depicted on the prophecy card that Meg pulls.   Simon can feel his hackles rise and the atmosphere in the courtyard changes but where he would have refused courtyard hospitality he's forced by the elders to invite Jimmy Cyrus into the human pack so the elders can observe how a predator like Jimmy can disrupt a well functioning unit.

I enjoyed all the excitement of the thanksgiving like feast that the humans prepare and invite the key terra indigene from the courtyard to participate in. In true Ms. Bishop fashion she adds the Skippy element as a young wolf desperate to fit in tries his best to turn human and is in turn welcomed to the table despite his difference. Makes a reader wonder how a firm, compassionate, commanding woman like Twyla ended up with no good Jimmy Cyrus as a son. My other personal favorite tidbit in the book is courting tips for Simon as the others in the courtyard watch the blossoming relationship between him and Meg. How does a wolf reconcile looking his lady love in the eyes after consuming a human heart? Is a gift of meat from a courting wolf akin to a bouquet of flowers from a human suitor? I enjoyed these light moments in the book which balanced out the dark and ugly which goes along with dysfunctional human behavior. The Elders definitely learned a lot from the experiment that they conducted repercussions from which will be far reaching.
I can't wait to see where the author will take the series next.

The Others is one of my favorite series of all time. I have talked extensively about this in all of my previous reviews. I know this is dramatic, but every year I practically make myself sick with anticipation each time another installment is released. And this is the last one, so what will I do with myself now?! *insert sobbing* Thank goodness this is a series end to get excited about.

For those of you who have read the previous four books and are eagerly anticipating this finale, I don't think there's anything I can say besides READ THIS and enjoy the conclusion of Meg and Simon and their courtyard's story (at least for now - I know there will be more books in this world, I don't know if we'll see these characters again, though I can hope).

For those of you who are new to this series, I cannot recommend these books enough. From the complex characters to the world that expands further and further in each installment, to the small details about Meg's daily life that are a part of each book, this word building is some of the most intense and immersive I've ever experienced. The best advice I can give as you start is - this series is one to be savored. As someone who is typically very goal oriented, who likes to Get To The End, the wonder of this series is in its rich details. Don't miss them by becoming anxious to get to the next part of the story.

All the things I love about this series are present again in this book. The Others' world comes to life in vivid color and detail, and each time I step back into it, I feel like I'm returning to a familiar, comfortable place. Albeit one that's vicious and dangerous in a way that reminds humans to always stay alert, because they are nowhere near the top of the food chain. I could spend forever reading about Meg and Simon and Sam and Henry and Vlad and Tess and and and - all of whom I've gotten to know intimately through five books. Another thing I've loved about this series is that large scale, world changing events are happening, but the story remains centered though the eyes of this one courtyard, it's inhabitants and the few humans they've come to trust and work with along the way. Meg has been the catalyst for everything from the beginning and she is again at the center of this tale.

Etched in Bone is in many ways about rebuilding and finding a balance of peace after the climaxes of other books. But we've seen all along that threats, even on a relatively small scale, can have very real and very lasting consequences, and these characters must once again do what they do best and come together to face a danger that threatens their Meg. Although this book features a very specific, individualized danger, in this story we get to see what can be accomplished when humans and Others work together to solve a problem.

This series begins and ends with Meg and also Simon. These books have the slowest of slowest burn romances, but I've loved every second of it. Although greedy me wishes it had come with an epilogue, romance fans will not be disappointed in this final installment of Simon and Meg's journey, which began when a cold, frightened girl stumbled into a bookshop on a winter night.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Love Triangle Factor: None
Cliffhanger Scale: Series End/solid conclusion :)

3.5 of 5 stars

So, another one of my favorite urban fantasy series has come to a close. Finding out that Anne Bishop will soon be following up with a spinoff series did soften the blow somewhat, but I won’t lie; when I picked up this final chapter of The Others starring Meg Corbyn and Co., my heart was filled with excitement but also a lot of bittersweet feelings. I’m definitely going to miss spending time in Lakeside Courtyard and reading about its colorful residents.

Since Etched in Bone is the fifth and final installment of the series though, please beware this review may contain spoilers for the previous books. Marked in Flesh saw the Humans First and Last movement violently crushed by the Elders, and the repercussions of that event have been widely and deeply felt across the land. Pro-human groups have lost much of their power, and many of their remaining cities are now cut off from resources and protection. The thriving community of Lakeside Courtyard, having emerged from the Elders’ wrath largely unscathed, now finds itself in the position to offer help to those in need. Its wolf-shifter leader Simon Wolfgard is seen as one the more sympathetic Others, and word soon spreads that they are offering jobs and shelter to human refugees who are willing to work hard and won’t cause trouble.

Everything seems to be running smoothly, until the arrival of Cyrus James “Jimmy” Montgomery. Against his better instincts, Simon decides to let Jimmy stay in part because he is the brother of Lieutenant Montgomery, a well-respected man in Lakeside Courtyard, but also because Jimmy is the brother and son of two other current residents. That decision to show compassion ultimately turns out to be a huge mistake, for Jimmy is a con artist, seeing this opportunity not as the blessing it is but as an easy meal ticket and a way to scam money. Not realizing that the Terra Indigene reserve the worst kinds of punishment for his sort, Jimmy continues to emotionally blackmail his sister and abuse his privileges at Lakeside Courtyard, until it’s only a matter of time before he takes things too far.

I’m going to be honest here. I thought Etched in Bone ended up being another fantastic installment, but as an ending, it was somewhat disappointing. I think Bishop might have overplayed her hand when it came to the resolution of the HPL storyline in the previous book, because let’s face it, anything coming up on the heels of that epic conclusion in Marked in Flesh would be hard-pressed to rival that that act. And indeed, the conflict in Etched in Bone felt rather tame in comparison. For example, if this had been just another book in the series, I think Jimmy Montgomery would have made a pretty decent villain. For a series conclusion though? A small bit conman felt too low-key and insignificant to be the story’s main focal point, especially since we’d just seen the likes of Nicholas Scratch, leader of the Thaisian HFL who had the power of an entire movement behind him.

Then, there’s Simon and Meg. I’ve never made it a secret how I feel about these two. Their romance, if you could even call it that, has always weirded me out. I don’t care much for Meg either, and my enjoyment for this series has always been carried by my love for some of the other characters. Other than being able to tell the future by cutting herself (which the Others actually want her to stop doing), Meg brings absolutely no valuable skills to Lakeside Courtyard, and yet the Others all bend over backwards to treat this helpless little woman-child like a queen. To me, Simon’s attraction to Meg has always felt more like a loyal guard dog’s devotion to his master, like she’s something fragile to be protected and kept safe because she’s too weak to look after herself, and in turn she treats the wolf-shifter like he’s her big fuzzy pet. Bishop had this one last chance to finally set their relationship on the right course, and I was a little surprised that she didn’t take it. Simon still bends to “his Meg’s” every whim, while she continues to be portrayed a meek character who requires constant sheltering and protection.

Bottom line, Etched in Bone would have worked perfectly fine as a middle book of a series, but as a series conclusion, I felt it left something to be desired. But while my review probably goes against the grain of the overwhelmingly positive response this book has been getting, I just want to say I still adore The Others, and if nothing else, this was a satisfying and happy ending for everyone involved. I’m beyond excited that Bishop will continue to write stories set in Thaisia because I’ve enjoyed every moment I’ve spent in this world, and even though this novel didn’t exactly end with the bang I’d wanted, it was nonetheless a very good book and a must-read for fans.

Here is a series that I adore and I was really impatient to be able to immerse myself in a new Meg Corbyn volume. I did not realize that it was the last novel in the series while waiting for the spin off but it does not change my feeling about it. I wondered how this volume was going to be staged when we see that the previous one was divided between the different cassandra sangue. But then, we finally return to the original format by mainly following Meg & Simon, which was really very pleasant.

Peace gradually returns after the extermination of the movement against the Others. But the fear inspired by this attack and its repercussions are in everyone’s minds. A question remains « how many humans will they keep? » … while the Elders monitor the Lakeside Courtyard to try to understand the best way to handle future conflicts and newly available cities … But That’s when CJ, the detested brother of Monty arrives in town to enjoy the benefits of the Lakeside Courtyard, the troubles begin again and will only intensify from there. Indeed, after deceiving his sister who only wants the love of her brother, CJ is determined to make money on the back of these monsters. You will tell me that Simon or any other inhabitant has only to ask for him to leave the city, and yet despite his desire, the Elders have decided that they want to understand why humans do not want the presence of one of theirs and they therefore want to understand how they can differentiate the good persons from the bad ones to avoid killing everyone. And yet it is very difficult to accept when Meg’s security is compromised by this unscrupulous man who does not accept to be restricted and tries to take advantage of any situations, even if illegal ones. Yes, this volume revolves around this new arrival, the involvement of new humans in the community, the repopulation of certain cities, and of course Meg and Simon.

I spent once again a great time with the story, the characters evolve as well as their relationships. We discover some new interactions with the Elders and we wait to see what will happen exactly now. I was carried away by the story and the characters as for each novel and although I am a little sad to conclude my story with Meg and Simon, the author presents us a beautiful touching ending. I still have some questions, notably about the evolution of the relationship between Simon and Meg, about the decisions of the elders, but also about all the other prophets who adapt little by little to their new life. Yes, there are still many tracks to follow and I really wonder what we will discover later. In any case, it was a brilliant novel, impossible to put down before finishing it, a new very good story that will delight the fans of the series.

I fell so in love with the first book in this series - and of course with Megan Simon and The Others. It was a must read series for me.

TBH, I've been less then thrilled with the last two books, feeling like things were dragging out and that there was less and less of The Courtyard and Others that I had loved so much. But I was still in love with Meg & Simon and the upcoming epic battle so I persevered.

This is the conclusion of the Others series that feature Meg (there's a spinoff series) and I was once again disappointed.

Bishop added new characters that don't really mean much and Monty's asshole brother that was wholly unnecessary to get the plot where she was trying to go. <spoiler>There were far more sinister forces that could have put Meg in danger and lead to the same place without making this convoluted family drama</spoiler>.

So much of this series hinges on you being torn between the humans trying to maintain their brand of civility and modern trappings while coexisting with the Others more wild ways and terrifying brand of enforcment.

My problem is I don't care one iota about the humans other than Meg and a few of her friends. They are whiny and demanding. There is no need to keep them around. All they do is put a strain on the Courtyard and then ask for more.

On a more technical note - there were long, boring chapters about how to help the humans share washer/dryer time, how to get the fussy humans more beef, the benefits of yogurt. I just can't bring myself to care about these mundane things.

You have this rich world that Bishop built, with wonderfully complex characters and the blood prophets and we're discussing laundry and cheese?

I know everyone is a huge fan of this series and I suppose this review only applies if you had problems with the last few books like I did. If you didn't then you will love this one as well.

As for Simon and Meg <spoiler>You will get a nice, if rushed conclusion</spoiler>

This is the fifth and final book in The Others series by Bishop. Bishop said in her blog that there are plans for future books set in this world, but that this book ties up the storyline involving Meg and the Lakeside Courtyard. Although the story takes a bit to get going; this book did a wonderful job of tying up the series. It ended up being an amazing conclusion to all the elemental events that started happening in the last book.

As I mentioned it took me a bit to get back into the story. In the last couple books the story has gotten so broad, spanned so many areas, and added so many characters that it took me some time to get my head around it all when I started reading this book. However, once the story started focusing a bit more on the Courtyard and the people there I got sucked right back into it.

This book does jump around quite a bit and there are multiple storylines going on. There is the broad storyline about the Elders and their decision on which humans should live and which shouldn’t. Then there is the more localized storyline about Montgomery’s brother coming to Lakeside and causing a boatload of trouble. Of course in between all of this is the story about the blood prophets and how those girls are recovering. The storylines end up coming together well in the end; but much of the book feels a bit scattered.


We meet some new characters in this book which was fun. We also get to see a lot more of the Elders and the Elementals; these creatures are fascinating. Meg goes through a lot in this book, as do all the residents of Lakeside Courtyard.

I love how detailed, unique, and filled out the world in this series is. That is one of the main reasons I kept reading this series; because I loved the world-building so much.

Things are tied up very nicely in the end. I would have liked to see a bit more happen between Simon and Meg; maybe we can get a novella or something about their life after all these events and how it progresses.

Overall this was a wonderful conclusion to this series and was very well done. The story does start out a bit slow and at times seems a bit scattered because it jumps around so much. However, once I got back into the story (after the first 25% or so) I was completely sucked in and engaged in this world again. I would recommend this series to those who enjoy fantasy written in an urban fantasy tone that has intricate world-building and engaging characters. I look forward to seeing what future stories Bishop sets in this world!