Review: Terminal by Kathy Reichs & Brendan Reichs

Terminal (Virals #5)
by Kathy Reichs & Brendan Reichs

Genre: Fantasy, Paranormal, Suspense, Young Adult
Publication: Published March 26th, 2015 by Arrow (Young)
Format: Paperback, 400 pages
Source: Own
Connect: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

The Virals are back—but they’re not the only pack in town anymore. Terminal finds Tory Brennan—grandniece of the famous forensic anthropologist (star of the hit show Bones)—and the rest of the Morris Island gang tracking a pack of rogue Virals who call themselves the Trinity. The new pack was infected by a strain of supervirus created by Tory’s nemesis and sometimes-crush, Chance Clayborne, who accidentally infected himself, too.

These red-eyed Virals have openly challenged Tory’s pack for domination of Charleston, bringing on the attention of a shadowy government organization intent on learning the secret to their powers. Surviving it all is going to test the limits of the gang’s abilities.

Terminal is amazing! I can't say how much I love the Virals. At the end of the previous book, the Virals learned that Chance Claybourne was infected with the virus and there was a new pack in town. A pack called Trinity. Tory and the gang, along with Chance Claybourne have to find out about the new pack before they attract the attention of a government organization who were after their power.

Like every other Virals book, Terminal was packed with action and suspense. The Virals have to deal with the new pack and the secret organization. I am amazed with the friendship between the Virals and absolutely in love with the bits of romance between Tory/Ben/Chance. But, of course, Tory's choice was obvious from the beginning. 

Kathy Reichs & Brendan Reichs were very good authors. The storyline was amazing. The characters were great. I love how Tory and the Virals investigate things, with their curious nature. I just can't stop reading once I have this book in my hand. I wanted to know what will happen to the Virals and how will they escape from each danger they faced. I was heartbroken with the story towards the end, but, the authors got me excited again with the ending. Thankfully, there's a novella after this book. Hopefully, the writers will explain to us what happened to Tory and the Virals. I just need the novella in my hand, then, I can relax. Hopefully.

Virals will always be one of my favorite series of all time. It was sad to know that this is the final book for the Virals series, especially with how the story ends. I'm definitely going to miss the pack so much. 

If you haven't read the book and the series, I recommend that you will start now. It was amazing. If you like a kick-ass heroine who faced a lot of dangerous situations because of her curiosity nature, you will definitely enjoy this book.

Review: Exposure by Kathy Reichs

Exposure (Virals #4)
by Kathy Reichs & Brendan Reichs

Genre: Adventure, Fantasy, Mystery, Science Fiction, Young Adult
Publication: April 10th 2014 by Arrow
Format: Paperback, 432 pages
Source: Own
Connect to Kathy: Website | Twitter | Facebook

Tory Brennan - great niece of Dr Temperance Brennan - and the Virals return for their most terrifying adventure yet.

Morris Island has barely had a chance to return to normality after the high profile trial of the Gamemaster, when two local students seem to vanish into thin air.

Tory Brennan and the Virals pack, move quickly in their attempts to discover what has happened to their twin classmates. But the pack's canine powers are growing wilder, and it is becoming ever harder to conceal the secret which protects them.

When Tory and her friends find evidence of blood in the students' basement, they realise that the disappearance is no game.

But in order to save the twins, the Virals must risk the exposure of their powers, and in doing so put even their own lives in terrible danger.

I’m excited to see what the Virals are going to face this time. In Exposure, the Virals relationship has changed, since the last event with the Gamemaster, especially between Tory and Ben. It was fascinating to see how the Virals are going to get back together as a pack. 

I must admit that I wasn’t really intrigued by the case of the missing classmate at first. But, the writers did a great job in building the plot. I am excited to see the Virals back with another adventure and danger. Their powers are getting stronger and harder to control. I’m very happy to see Chance Claybourne. He made the story much more interesting. He just won’t stop until he finds out the Virals’ secret, to prove his sanity. 

I have to say that Kathy and Brendan Reichs did a really great job in writing this book. Exposure is packed with excitement! It was very hard to put down the book. I need to find out what happen to the Virals. I love Tory and the Virals. Hi and Shelton never disappoint to humor me. Exposure ended with a brilliant cliffhanger. I can’t wait to read the next book! 

Review: Code by Kathy Reichs

Code (Virals #3)
by Kathy Reichs

Genre: Crime & Thriller, Fantasy, Paranormal, Sci-fi, Young Adult
Publication: January 2013
Format: Paperback, 416 pages
Source: Own
Connect: Website | Facebook | Twitter

Tory Brennan, great niece of Dr Temperance Brennan, and the Virals return for their most terrifying adventure yet.

Life appears peaceful on Loggerhead Island - rescued from financial disaster, the research institute is flourishing once more. But the tranquility is quickly shattered when Tory Brennan and her technophile gang discover a mysterious box buried in the ground.

A seemingly innocent treasure hunt soon turns into a nightmarish game of puzzles, as it becomes clear that one false move will lead to terrible, explosive consequences.

The clock is ticking. Can Tory and the Virals crack the code in time to save the city - and their own lives?

I enjoyed the first two books of the Virals series. But I can’t bring myself quickly enough to read the third book, probably because of the cover. The third book didn’t match the first two books. This wouldn’t be good for my collection.

In the third book, Tory and her friends return with their next adventure when they discovered a mysterious box on their treasure hunt. But this treasure hunt turned badly when their lives, the people around them were at stake. Now, Tory and the Virals have to crack the puzzle in time before somebody dies.

It was exciting to see the Virals back. I can’t wait to see what kind of adventure the Virals will face next. I have to say that I weren’t as interested in the puzzle that the Virals found at first. I thought that the book was a bit slow paced at the beginning. But Kathy Reichs was really good with the story building. I found myself wanting to know what it is about the game and who is it that wanted to kill the Virals. I wanted to know more about the Virals’ power. I was so excited when Chance made his appearance. I'm curious about what he knew about the Virals and how he will fit in the story.

Virals was definitely as exciting as the other books, although, probably slow paced as compared to the two. I enjoyed reading this one and I can’t wait to read the next book, Exposure!

Book Review: Seizure

Seizure (Virals #2)
by Kathy Reichs

Genre: Adventure, Crime-Thriller, Mystery, Paranormal, Science Fiction, Suspense, Young Adult
Publication: Published October 1st 2012 by Young Arrow
Format: Paperback, 491 pages
Website: viraltheseries
Author:  Website, Facebook, Twitter

The second novel in the Virals trilogy from #1 bestselling author and inspiration for the TV series Bones - Kathy Reichs!

Ever since Tory Brennan and her friends rescued Cooper, a kidnapped wolf pup with a rare strain of canine parvovirus, they've turned from regular kids into a crime-solving pack! But now the very place that brought them together - the Loggerhead Island Research Institute - is out of funding and will have to shut down. That is, unless the Virals can figure out a way to save it!

So when Tory learns of an old Charleston legend about a famous she-pirate, Anne Bonney, whose fortune was never found, she can't believe her luck - buried treasure is exactly what she needs to save the Institute on Loggerhead! Trouble is, she and her friends aren't the only ones looking for it. And this time, the Virals' special powers may not be enough to dig them out of trouble . . .

I love Virals! The combination of surprises, suspense, mysteries and adventure goes really well together. I remember how surprise I was after reading Virals since I didn’t expect that I would enjoy the book. Therefore, I am super excited to read Seizure, the sequel to Kathy Reichs’ Virals novels.

 Seizure picks up not long after Virals ended.  Tory and her friends were slowly learning about their powers after they contract a parvovirus in the first book. They learned that the University is shutting down the research facility where their fathers work. The Virals need to safe the research facilities or they’re going to separate from each other. To save the research facilities, they’re going to need a lot of money. This was when Tory learned about a certain pirate called Anne Bonney whose treasure was never found.

Reading Seizures reminds me a bit to Indiana Jones. The treasure hunting and adventures were absolutely heart-pounding. If it was made into a movie, I would totally watch it. Kathy Reichs is really good in writing mystery and suspense. The dialogue/conversation between Tory and her friends are better than the first book. And definitely funnier! I get to see how the Virals tried to figure out how to control their power and how their strength vary from each other’s. I love that there was lots of unexpected twists in the book. I love how I couldn’t predict who the bad guy in the book is.

I can’t wait to read the next book to the series: Code. There are lots of things to be discovered about the Virals and their powers. And I’m interested to know what/how Chance will fit in the later books as I have the feelings that he will make another appearance in later books.

Book Review: Virals

Virals (Virals #1)

by Kathy Reichs

Genre: Crime-Thriller, Mystery, Sci-fi, Suspense, Young-adult

Publication: First Published November 2010

Format: Paperback, 454 pages

Website: viraltheseries

Kathy Reichs is the author of Temperance Brennan series that have been adapted into the TV show, Bones. I’ve read the first book, Déjà Dead last month, and didn’t like it as much because it’s a bit heavy to my liking. And for that, I have little expectation for Virals.

Tory Brennan is fourteen years old. She’s smart, fearless, pretty, and she a dog lover. Her curiosity was influenced by her aunt, Temperance Brennan. She lives quietly with her father, Kit after her mother died. She had a group of nerdy and techie guy friends, Hiram, Ben and Shelton.

It started when they found an old military dog tag. Tory and her friends sneaked into the lab (where her father work) to use a machine to clean the tag. It was then when they found a wolfdog, infected with a parvovirus trapped into a secret lab. Determined that the wolfdog was trapped for an illegal research, they decided to kidnap it. It’s not like the parvovirus could infect human. But, what they didn’t know is that the dog was infected with a new parvovirus. And the virus is transmitted to them. The four of them; Tory, Hi, Ben and Shelton have to solve a mystery when the dog tag led them to the discovery of human bones, while fighting the new virus infecting their body.

Like I’ve said, I’ve little expectation for Kathy Reichs’ Virals. I thought that this book will be about a crime solving teenagers, more difficult science terms and nothing more. I was wrong. It was more than that. Kathy Reichs’ added in a bit of twist with the parvovirus which infected those kids. The virus turned the kids into something else – virals. I was really surprised when I actually like the book. A lot! There were a lot of surprises, suspense, mysteries and bits of romance which makes me wanting to read more and more. I couldn’t stop myself. I couldn’t put the book down. Yes. It was that good.

I totally recommend you to read this book. Especially if you’re a mystery lover. There’s a lot of unexpected twist and suspense up till the last chapter. You’ll love it.

Book Cover’s Description

Fourteen-year-old Tory Brennan is as fascinated by bones and dead bodies as her famous aunt, acclaimed forensic anthropologist, Tempe Brennan. However living on a secluded island off Charleston in South Carolina there is not much opportunity to put her knowledge to the test. Until her and her ragbag group of technophile friends stumble across a shallow grave containing the remains of a girl who has been missing for over thirty years. With the cold-case murder suddenly hot, Tory realizes that they are involved in something fatally dangerous. And when they rescue a sick dog from laboratory on the same island, it becomes evident that somehow the two events are linked.

On the run from forces they don’t understand, they have only each other to fall back on. Until they succumb to a mysterious infection that heightens their senses and hones their instinct to impossible levels. It’s becoming clear that the island is home to a secret that has driven men to kill once. And will drive them to kill again… 

Book Review: Déjà Dead

Déjà Dead (Temperance Brennan #1)

by Kathy Reichs

Genre: Mystery, Crime, Thriller, Adult

Publication: Published 1998 (Reissued in 2011) 

Format: Paperback, 509 pages

I was excited to read this book by Kathy Reichs when I heard that Temperance Brennan from Bones Series was loosely based on Kathy Reichs’s characters. Unfortunately, the book and the series were totally different. This book is nothing like the show. The only similarities that I could find were that the character both had the same name and profession – a forensic anthropology.

Déjà Dead are among of the books which I have to read slowly. I couldn’t read it in one sitting as the content was a bit heavy for my liking. The book was written in Temperance Brennan’s point of view. I always enjoy reading books written in the first person narration because I get to connect with the characters. But I couldn’t with Temperance Brennan. The character’s narration was a bit complicated. Sometimes, I had to read the sentence twice to understand what was happening. The scientific terms used makes me feels like I’m watching CSI. While the series had moments of fun and laughter, I thought that the book is a bit too serious.

Book Cover’s Description

The meticulously dismembered body of a woman is discovered in the grounds of an abandoned monastery. 

'Too decomposed for standard autopsy. Request anthropologic expertise.' 

Enter Dr Temperance Brennan, Director of Forensic Anthropology for the province of Quebec, who has been researching recent disappearances in the city. 

Despite the deep cynicism of Detective Claudel who heads the investigation, Brennan is convinced that a serial killer is at work. Her forensic expertise finally convinces Claudel, but only after the body count has risen...

Tempe takes matters into her own hands, but her determined probing places those closest to her in mortal danger. Can Tempe make her crucial breakthrough before the killer strikes again?