Ink and Bone

I'm not sure exactly what I expected when I started Ink and Bone, but the story blew me away. Lisa Unger created complex and believable characters, set in a realistic world. In Finley, Unger demonstrates the conflict in all of us. Finley is struggling to understand who she wants to be and how she fits in the world. On top of the normal coming of age, she is different. Not only is she different, she grew up in an environment that didn't foster or help her to learn her way. This kind of turmoil characterizes so many. She desperately wants to be "good", not understanding she already is. Her complicated relationship with Rainer is also well written and believable. Normally, I get frustrated with coming of age heroines, I just want to smack them and say grow up. I didn't get that feeling once with Unger's characters. I connected with them immediately. The additional supporting cast in this story was just as developed, thought out and believable. At some point you ache with Merri, hate Wolf, want to hug Jackson, and even feel sorry for Bobo. I have many more questions about The Hollows, and some theories I would love to test. I hope Unger revisits these characters. I want to see where Finley goes from here.

If you have read Lisa Unger’s books The Whispers ,The Burning Girl ,The Three Sisters all part of The Hollows series. Each one can be a stand-alone. INK AND BONE continues the story of 3 women in one family … all who have a gift. It started with Eloise, and her daughter, Amanda, and finally her grand-daughter, Finley. This is Finley’s story. She’s twenty years old and trying to understand her gift. She’s never been able to control it and the voices are with her always. Young girls have gone missing in The Hollows … never to be seen again. Merri Gleason is a mother slowly going out of her mind. Her daughter, Abbey, has been missing almost a year. She still believes that Abbey is alive and turns to Jones Cooper, a Private Investigator known to work with a psychic. Jones takes the case and goes to Eloise, the psychic he normally works with. But this time she refuses, stating this one belongs to Finley. Though untried, she knows that Finley can help. She’s stronger than anyone who has gone before her. As Finley digs and roots for answers, she sees the vision of many girls. She is forced to look into the town and uncover whatever secrets she can find… because more than one girl’s life depends on her. And when the final confrontation is right in front of her, it will become a fight for good and evil .. and a battle for lost souls. Because once in The Hollows, they don’t let you go again. I’ve been privileged to read the entire series, and INK AND BONE is the best. Finley is such a great character. The author spent a lot of time giving the reader Finley’s backstory. I most liked how at a very young age, the girl sleeping under her bed or the little boy playing with the choo-choo train were “normal” to her. Her mother, Amanda, although having a gift, had refused to use hers until it is practically gone. Amanda refuses to acknowledge her daughter’s visions and at one point has her seeing a psychiatrist. Her grand-mother, Eloise, has always embraced that side of her and supports Finley in helping her accept her gift. Lisa Unger is a fantastic story-teller. This is one that I picked up to read and just couldn’t put down. And the final confrontation filled me with gasps, wonderment, fear. A solid 5 reading! Many thanks to Lisa Unger / Touchstone / NetGalley who provided a digital copy in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

I am fairly new to Lisa Unger but her novels appeal to me. her writing skills take me on her journey. I love finding a new author who helps fill a void rather than just appease it. thanks.