Skin & Bones

The Ever Chace Chronicles #1

by Susan Harris

Being human in a world filled with supernatural creatures can give a girl a complex. Dr. Ever Chace wants nothing more than to be able to stand out in this crazy place she calls home. When she’s asked to consult on a case where teens are being brutalized, she relishes the chance to make a difference by helping to stop a monster. But when she’s teamed up to work alongside a sexy shifter, she ends up with more than she bargained for.

Derek Doyle has been a member of the Paranormal Investigations Team since the monsters first revealed themselves to the world. Considering he believes it takes a monster to catch a monster, he’s definitely in the right place. As a lone wolf not used to letting many people in, he isn’t prepared for the effect his new partner, consultant Dr. Ever Chace, has on him.

With a murderer on the loose, Ever and Derek will have to put their attraction aside while the hunt continues. Easier said than done… right?

Genres: Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance, Urban Fantasy, Shapeshifters, Vampires, Mystery

281 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 6, 2016

About the author

Susan Harris is a writer from Cork in Ireland. An avid reader, she quickly grew to love books in the supernatural/fantasy genre. When she is not writing or reading, she loves music, oriental cultures, tattoos, anything Disney and psychology. If she wasn't a writer she would love to be a FBI profiler or a PA for Dave Grohl or Jared Leto.

Reviews

[Mary Catherine Ruth]

Very good book

[Dianne · Rating 4 out of 5]

It takes a monster to catch a monster and Derek Doyle, wolf and paranormal investigator is determined to bring a murderer to justice. When he discovered he would have an expert consultant on the team, neither he nor his wolf were ready for human Dr. Ever Chase or what her presence would awaken.

SKIN AND BONES by Susan Harris is part mystery, all paranormal with the spice of a slow, smoldering romance thrown in.

Why are teens being murdered? What is the murderer after? Does he/she have ulterior motives? How has Ever’s involvement played right into the monster’s hands?

A good, solid read with a dark edge to it as two souls race against time to stop a killer while recognizing what they could be to each other and who they really are!

Series: The Ever Chase Chronicles - Book 1
Publisher: Crimson Tree Publishing (June 6, 2016)
Publication Date: June 6, 2016
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Print Length: 278 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For Reviews, Giveaways, Fabulous Book News, follow: http://tometender.blogspot.com

[Joan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was rather enjoying this as a fun paranormal story with Cops and Bad guys and so on. Derek was nicely fleshed out for the most part, but Ever was a mystery to me. 'Ever'

Is that pronounced 'Evva' as in 'Not Nevva' or Eeeeeva? what sort of name is Ever anyway, and who would ever want to call a child Ever?

I can imagine the poor kid getting bullied at school. 'Are you ever going to behave, Ever?
(apparently it IS a real name but it was a clunky choice I felt, especially with the surname 'Chace'

Ever Chaste. ;) Virgin until death ;)

However, I put aside my dislike of Ever Chaste and read on, only to find great wodges of the story set in italics. I am not the only person, surely, who struggles to read italics, especially when there are pages and pages of the darned font. Its not an easy style to read - so I didn't.

I did like the story. I just would have liked less insta-love and less italics. And a more considerate name for poor ol' Miss Every Chance.

And then. And then. :(

It ended in a cliff hanger. Rats.

(No. There aren't any rats in the story. I mean 'Rats! It ends in a cliff hanger!!)

2 stars. Simply because I really liked Derek. Had the story not ended with a cliffhanger (and it wasn't necessary anyway) I would have looked for the second book in the series.

[Iliyan Iliev · Rating 2 out of 5]

Poorly written. It's been a while since I was so annoyed by the writing in a book. Not sure I want to continue with the series.

[Carly Odonoghue · Rating 5 out of 5]

Skin and Bones is the first book I've read by Susan Harris and I'm excited to know that it's only the first book in The Ever Chase Chronicles.
This book is about Derek Doyle who is a lone wolf is a member of the Paranormal Investigation Team in Cork, Ireland. He needs to track down a serial killer and fast. So with the help of consultant Dr Ever Chace they embark on a journey that'll be filled with suspense, drama, inner conflict and a unexpected discovery.
I enjoyed everything about this book but there's two things that really stands out for me. 1. I loved the way it's set in Cork City, my hometown so I knew every single place mentioned. This really heightened the reading experience for me and I don't think I'll be able to see buildings without thinking if there really is paranormal investigation s going on in them.
2. The Norse mythology. This for me is what was extremely clever in Skin and Bones. I love the way Ms Harris combines the myths with the story and makes it her own. I really hope the next book will have more of the Norse mythology because I, for one, loved it and I didn't want it to end.
The characters are well developed and easy to relate to and love. Derek s and Evers chemistry is apparently from the start. I loved how Ever is a strong female character while Derek struggles with his inner wolf.
The story is unique with a well written plot that doesn't lull at any point. The writing is clear, concise and engaging but be warned, it does leave you hanging on a cliffhanger.
Susan Harris will captivate you with this supernatural tale that will definitely leave you wanting more. Definitely deserves 5 stars from me.

[Kathryn the Great · Rating 3 out of 5]

Skin and Bones is a supernatural murder mystery. I hesitate to call it a romance though. There is definitely chemistry between the main characters, but it never goes very far, at least not in this book.
I love that it is more of an ensemble cast and that we get to know the team as the friends and family they have become. It's a decent story that keeps you guessing.
It takes place in Ireland, but I never really got a sense of place. It could have been Cleveland.
Although the dream sequences provided very important back story, I feel like they could have been shorter without hurting the story. Ever stated, at one point, that they felt more like memories than dreams. Why did she never pursue that train of thought? She had always wanted to fit into the supernatural community somehow and she didn't know her birth parents... and yet she never considered the possibility she may have some latent powers. She preferred to think she might be bipolar or schizophrenic? Not buying it.
Then, even at the end of the book, when Ever and Derek are a bonded pair... why is there still this hesitation to be together? After the case closed, it took them three weeks to even pencil in a first date. That doesn't scream intense attraction. And haven't they had lifetimes together? She may not know what his favorite color is or what he likes for breakfast, but she knows his heart. The rest will come. It just seems overly coy.
Then there is the massive cliffhanger at the end. I get that it's a setup for the next book, but just why?

[Moondance · Rating 2 out of 5]

The day was just another ordinary day, dull and overcast, the grey clouds threatening to unleash a torrent of rain down amongst those who meandered about.

Teenagers are being brutally murdered and the Paranormal Investigations Team is tasked to find the killer. The team consists of a werewolf, a warlock, a couple of vampires and a human. Derek, the werewolf, is assigned to work with a professor of paranormal studies, Ever. Ever has spent her life believing that she is human although her adoptive parents are a powerful witch and a Druid.

This is an interesting start of a new series. I enjoyed getting to know the characters. The setting is Ireland which was a refreshing change. There is an introduction of a lot of Norse mythology at the end of the book that was a little confusing.

The story was presented well and the murderer's reasoning for committing the crimes was rather sad when you realize his delusions. I in no way sympathize with him because he was truly a monster but in his convoluted mind he had found the answer to his personal problem.

Derek and Ever are destined to be a pair. They dance around their attraction in a fairly old fashion manner. I suppose the fact that Derek is hundred years old has something to do with that.

I'm not sure that I will continue with the series right now. It did end in a cliffhanger so I may revisit it at some time. Just an OK read for me.

[Noone · Rating 2 out of 5]

The first thing that comes to mind is unoriginal and clichée. I think the only thing that is original about this is the main POV being male despite the strong PNR leaning.

This book tries to be a traditional PNR with the MINES, a UF story like Dresden Files and a strong FMC driven story like Kate Daniels or Mercy Thompson all at once.
But as you might expect there just wasn't enough space in one novel to accomplish any of it properly. So everything just ended up being heavy-handed and rushed.

The writing isn't bad per se but there are a few confusing and unannounced POV shifts.

I dropped this book in chapter 9 not because there was some particular flaw but because I just lost interest. Someone just ended up in an iminently life threatening situation and I couldn't care less so I decided to give up.

[Melanie's · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic start to a new series from Susan Harris! Imagine a paranormal Criminal Minds type set up and that pretty much sums this up. Action packed with some amazing twists the story kept me turning pages until I got to the end... and now I want more! Definitely add this one to you TBR list! V""V

[Melody · Rating 1 out of 5]

My need for escapism certainly bit me in the butt this time.

I like the basic premise - team of paranormal investigators catches serial killers. But an inane ‘surprise twist’ subplot and a ridiculous cliffhanger ending really ruined this for me.

I’m completely mystified by its inordinately high ratings.

[Tamar Elmensdorp-lijzenga · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome read. Werewolves, vampires, even Gods and all other sort of supernaturals you can think of. All wrapped in a thrilling crime story, with a bit of romance and a lot of mystery to spice things up.
And the best part ... there will be more. Can’t wait to read the next part.

[Maggie · Rating 2 out of 5]

A simply horrid cliffhanger is tacked onto the last page and a half of this book. Already wasn’t a star - all the PNR tropes but somehow a tad tedious.

[Dena · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good

Really enjoyed this story. I thought I reviewed this awhile ago since I finished it earlier in July. Oh well it’s been a busy summer. I like the characters they bring this story to life. Derek was an intense character because of his baggage and I think the girl will be good for him.

[Marta Cox · Rating 4 out of 5]

First in series and very interesting. It does end on a cliff hanger though so I give fair warning. Actually this turned out to have two consecutive storylines running through it, firstly a serial killer but perhaps more importantly a heroine with a very important job to do in the world. If you love Norse mythology than this new take might appeal to you.

[Doris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Doyle is a paranormal investigator that has to take a few days break during the full moon. He is on the hunt for a serial killer that is targeting paranormal children. Along the way he meets Dr. Ever Chace, and his world is thrown in a tailspin.
Dr. Chace is renowned for her own work in the educational and consulting world. She teams up with Doyle's unit and nothing seems to be able to stand in their way.
The draw between Doyle and Ever is apparent right from the beginning and I love to see that Doyle struggles with it. It's always the female counterpart that usually has the drawbacks. I relate to Doyle in regard to his fear of the unknown.
I love how tender the tough guy really is!
The ONLY reason I give this book 4 stars and not 5... the ending!
A phenomenal story until the very end, and then we are left with a rushed and out of place cliffhanger.
I love a good cliffhanger, but this one seems to be forced and not well placed.
I still loved the story, the climax with the unit and bad are are expertly written. You can tell that the author put some time into these twists and turns!
~Dowie

[Jenny Zimmerman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read my full review at http://blackwords-whitepages1977.blog...


Wow, what an amazing story with a phenomenal twist. I love how the author spun this story. She created a world unlike any I have ever read before. The characters were amazing and I felt as if I could connect with Ever. She is a powerful character that I wish to read more about. The story-line just blew me away and the more I read the more I was sucked into this remarkable world. I highly recommend this story all adults to read.

Crimson Tree Publishing provided me with a digital ARC copy of the book for review purposes only as part of the Clean Teen Publishing Elite Reviewers team. No remuneration was exchanged.

[Gardavson · Rating 2 out of 5]

B

Hmm. Alas I found the writing and phrasing to be very tired. The beginning in particular was full of phrasing I'd read a million times before, how the wolf did this or that in response to the heroines presence for instance. I found it quite inconsistent, the hero's relationship with his wolf. Mostly it read like separate entities but then Derek would growl or feel things because of the moon phase, but it was Derek doing and feeling those things, not his wolf, not as a pressure from his wolf's feelings or actions. I found it hard to believe that in 8 years the cops at the precinct had never seen his wolf yet he pranced right in with the female lead and had to be protected from being shot by them. It was just too clunky for me.

[Yara · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was totally awesome!!!! It had a steady clip to it, descriptive three dimensional characters, and thrilling action. Derek and Ever were great. Derek fights with his inner wolf, referring to his wolf as separate, and Ever fights to fit in a world of supes when she's a human, or is she? The cliff hanger ending made me scream in frustration since this book just came out so I'll need to wait for the next installment. Will definitely keep my eyes peeled for it!

[Laura Hernandez · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a really good paranormal read full of action and many twists and turns. A great beginning for a new series.

{I received an eARC via Clean Teen Publishing Elite Reviewers which I am a member of. I made no guarantee of a favorable review and the opinions expressed here are unbiased and my own. }

[InD'tale Magazine · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Skin and Bones” is a good book. Ms. Harris’ prose is easy to read and she composes a believable world full of many types of supernatural creatures living along-side humans.

Read full review in the 2016 October issue of InD'tale Magazine.

[Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good book can't wait for the next one

[Kristine · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

This was another "new to me" author. I seem to be on quite the kick. I actually found this book because I was looking for something else (I was in the mood for a shifter book) and saw this one and decided it sounded interesting. I ended up buying both versions (ebook and audio) and alternated between reading and listening. The narrator was Roger Clark and I think he actually did a pretty good job with the narration.

The premise is pretty simple. The world now knows about Supes and there is now a special team within the police force in Cork called the P.I.T. (I think it stands for Paranormal Investigative Team...but don't quote me.)

What caught my eye on this one was that while the main male MC is a bitten wolf - Dereck - there is also a female MC introduced who is supposedly "human". Or is she? We begin to see flashbacks and realize that there is a history with her in another life and she is not what she seems. In the middle of all of this there is a murderer targeting young teen supes on the verge of maturing and developing their powers and that has the team working hard to solve the case and stop the killings.

What I liked about the book was the character development of the members of the PIT Team. There are 2 Vampires, a Warlock, 3 Shifters and a human (she is their computer expert), and then there is Ever who comes in to be the Profiler (she is the other supposed Human that I mentioned earlier). I liked each of the team and we learned enough about each of them to be able to begin to become invested in each of their stories. It does seem as if the author WAS setting up future storylines with them all.

What kept this from a higher rating was that it felt like this may be a fairly new writer (I do not know anything about this so I could be completely wrong). The pacing was off at times. The storyline would be flowing very well and then there would be a "flashback" that broke up the flow and kind of pulled the reader out. The flashbacks were necessary to the story, but they were not inserted as seamlessly as they could have been, in the places or times that the impact could have been the most successful.

But that is being picky because I DID like the story. There seems to be quite a bit of potential and if this is a new author, I have found that the books usually get better as they go on. I looked her up and there are (I think) 8 books in this series. And thankfully, it is a completed series.

So, I felt like I found a hidden gem today and am looking forward to continuing on with this series.

[CK · Rating 4 out of 5]

Susan Harris, an author from Cork, presents a paranormal murder mystery set in Cork… that has so little Irish culture, slang, or cadence, it makes one forget it’s supposed to be Irish.

Aside from that, this first-in-a-series is a solid first entry to a promising saga.

A group of paranormal police are trying to find a serial killer before another child dies. They’ll have to get a specialised consultant to help out on this one, & sending out the group’s werewolf to pick up Dr. Chace sets in motion a slew of events that will affect everyone in Cork’s Paranormal Investigative Team.

Were there People of Colour? No, not explicitly. I hope to see some as the series progresses.

Were there Queer characters? Yes! What’s more, some of those Queer characters were put forward as “fated mates” - so cool! We don’t know if any of the main characters are GLITTFAB yet, but there’s plenty of room yet to learn about them.

Were there Disabled characters? Yes. Paranormal creatures are often used as a substitute for Disability, & these characters are no different. Whether it’s sunlight sensitivity, dietary restrictions, anger issues, debilitating pain, or being turned into a wolf three nights a month, the downsides to being paranormal are debilitating.

Would I read this again? Yes! I loved the pacing, the way the characters interacted, & the cool twists. It’ll be good to read it again & see what I see differently, knowing the outcomes!

Would I recommend this? To lovers of murder mysteries, absolutely. To lovers of action, who aren’t big on romance but like a good Suggestion, definitely. I wouldn’t recommend this to someone who wanted to feel enveloped in Cork culture, nor to someone who has trauma relating to the description of blood, torture, kidnapping, or murder (especially of children).

[Laura Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m not one for the insta-love thing but I actually had a good experience with it in this book. I felt insta-love for Derek and Ever and didn’t mind at all that they felt an instant connection to each other. Let me explain. It’s not a focal point in the book and later in the story you’ll find out more about why that happened.

Derek is called in for cases that have a paranormal element to them. When something starts killing teens, he’s lead on the case.

Dr. Ever Chase, though human, becomes involved n the investigation as a consultant. Soon enough it becomes apparent the killer wants her involved for reasons he hasn’t revealed.

As the two work together their attraction to each other grows. But they’ll have to wait to explore it later as more teens fall victim and they draw closer to the killer.

While I really like Derek and Ever, there are many other characters that stand out. You know how it is in shows like Criminal Minds and CSI? They have a team that’s been working closely together for some time and they become like a small family. Their personal lives bleed over into work and nothing is secret. The author included that in her story and all of players added flavor and intrigue.

I liked where this story went and it wasn’t easy to figure out who the bad guy was. And I had no clue why he was killing the teens until the connection was shown to me. The why is a key connection to Ever and ramps up the suspense nicely.

Drama, snarky humor, a light sizzle of romance, and a nasty villain. All the ingredients I like in a paranormal romance mystery. If that sounds good to you, I hope you give this a read. You’ll have fun.

[Ka'Lynn Paz · Rating 3 out of 5]

To say this book was good....is being generous. Don't get me wrong I have read complete trash before especially when it comes to werewolf stories. And compared to those books this one is very average. Good even. Just not the best.

To say this book is a clash of everything is an understatement, you got humans, vampires, werewolves, bear shifters, some form of fairy creature and many other creatures in this paranormal read but, what really shocked me was the Norse /Viking Gods. Yeah you read that right. Freaking Odin and Loki are in this story and mentions of Ragnarok and other lore. I kept waiting for Thor to pop but he didn't make an appearance. So to say I was surprised with all the lore and paranormal developments is not surprising.

Now what's even more shocking as that even with all the mash ups happening this story was so predictable and completely naive at times. At times I found our grown adult characters making simple jumps that were basically already concluded from other characters.

Briefly let me paraphrase one moment when this was painfully clear: "Donny says he is killing them and taking there powers, making himself stronger through there blood and marrow" " what if he is drinking the blood and marrow to gain there powers!" These are like three pages from each other and the redundance is just poor writing.

Overall this book is something I would suggest to a young teen, someone 12-16 years old. I don't think someone older would enjoy the whole insta love plot and the childish developments that are made to solving and capturing the murderer.
Anyway as always Enjoy!

[Exiguous · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brlliant! My issues aren't worth a knock on stars!!

This plot and story are brilliant! I mean it! Yes, I got a free book, and I want to thank you for doing so! Miss Harris!

Sometimes, it's hard to take a leap of faith when you read a book synopsis. So, it sounded cool and don't read too many reviews or they can ruin it!

Overall, you will love the characters. Harris manages to do a phenomenal job entwinging a sort of origin short on each character so you actually get to know them all a little. I haven't read anything lately that actually filled out each character with this level of skill! This is why I didn't downgrade stars, by the way.

There are times when I hate Twilight... the one issue that popped up for me was when Donnie's power was revealed. Add to that Melanie's super control. It's just too similar to Edward and Bella to me and didn't go too well in my head. Now, I mean no disrespect to Meyer's books either. Nor to Harris writing it. I just wish it hadn't been these two things. Though, honestly, if you are to keep a character in the story, you can't have them bloodlusting for years now. Can you?

There were some moments that I got confused about who was answering or speaking. There were too many "voices," so to speak. I had to decide if it was worth going back to read or not. Mostly, it didn't matter so much to me at the time. Reflecting on that now maybe I should have...

I say take a chance since it's free!! You'll thank her, as I did, at the start! If you enjoy character driven stories with a fantastic plot, this is for you.

Happy reading!

[Stillgrowing · Rating 2 out of 5]

I actually liked this book. The story was great. I started it one day and finished it the very next.

The main character’s story was slowly revealed but the pace was perfect. There wasn’t a point where I was annoyed and said, “Come on already!”, as the action in the present was just as interesting. Sometimes I read a book and the flash back bits seem ill-timed or distracting or even too long. Not so in this book; they were just right.

Even smaller characters were compelling and I was curious to find out what their back stories were. What is going to happen to Melanie? What about her friendship with Ricky? What about Cait; What exactly is her story? What’s with her and Donnie anyway? Tom the lovable bear - how did he end up starting the unit?

So why only two stars? I have to admit that I am picky when it comes to errors in a book and this one had too many for my liking. In my mind I feel that any editor worth their salt would be able to at least find spelling errors. That on top of errors like on one page it says that only one character calls her Cait, no one else ever does, and then, two pages later someone different calls her Cait; Or how about when one character leans in to another’s neck and instead of a kiss, presses a kick to her neck? I just get too irritated and it distracts me from the story.

So if you’re not nerdy and picky like me, definitely pick this book up and read it because it is good. However, if you cannot abide errors you might want to pass it by.

[Autumn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Bumpy and inconsistent

*Spoilers*
Well, just a little.
The first thing I noticed when I picked up this book is the spacing between paragraphs. There’s one between Every. Single. Paragraph. It’s annoying AF and gives the whole book a weird look. And a “stuffed book” feel so that the author gets more “pages” out of her KU upload (because really it’s not that long of a book). So that’s not cool. That alone will put an author on my “Never To Read” list.
The second thing I noticed about this book is just the general corniness. Agent Derek Doyle is an agent with the Paranormal Investigative Team (or P.I.T.). He’s a werewolf that allegedly lives in a world where people are still prejudiced against his kind and scared of him. This doesn’t really never becomes an issue until the end. But anyways, he falls in insta-love (barf) with Dr. Ever Chace who...


*spoiler*

...is his mate.

Shocking, I know. Some stuff happens and then the next thing you know the story kinda flips to another side character and focuses on her for a while and we kinda forget about poor Dr. Ever Chace. Why? No clue. It was very odd. Then we are back to the main characters who catch the bad guy (like, super quick) and the book ends on a “cliffhanger” that comes out of left field. Like the author needed a reason to make you pick up book 2. It was very sudden, out of character and really felt random but not in a “adds to the mystery” kinda way.

Anyways, I won’t be reading Book 2

[Lillian Cummings · Rating 3 out of 5]

Derek Doyle feels the moon pulling on his skin the wolf wants out but right now he needs to find out who is killing young girls. He knows that he & his team need to work quickly to find the person that is killing these young supernatural girls but why them? Derek knows that he needs to find answers quickly so when his boss sends him to go and fetch a lecturer he has no idea that everything is about to change. Ever is like no one that he has ever met and he works with other supernaturals every day. Firstly Ever is completely human and she can settle his wolf. His wolf calls her his mate and he isný too happy about that. He doesn't want to watch another person that he cares about die but maybe this could be fun. Ever knows that this case will be hard on her but she is hoping that they can find the killer before even more girls are killed. But she has been having awful dreams and she has no idea what they mean so when a member of the team is taken all bets are off. Derek doesn't know how he is going to be able to keep his friend Ricky the warlock from losing everything if they can't find the girl. Will they be able to find her in time? The killer is playing with them and he is going after the big prize Ever is what he needs but will they see it too late? Will Derek be able to find Ever before it is too late or will she be able to find her true power all by herself? A great read.

[NL Clarke · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

This is a supernatural detective/mystery/suspense thriller with a good romance woven throughout. There’s nothing too much bad to say at the start – the novel promises engaging and evolving characters, it had a well-developed and intriguing plot with good twists and turns, and it features a smart, narrative style/dialog. The romance was written well, too, but X-rated erotica fans will find that to be absent in this first book of the series. (I didn’t have a problem with that fact, however, as I much prefer good characters and plot, mature dialog, etc. to steamy and graphic sex scenes.)

That said, the reasons I’m not giving the novel a 5-star rating are threefold:

1) I am not a fan of back story and/or major plot revelations done through dream and/or “loss-of-consciousness” sequences (my “problem,” not the author’s);
2) There were a few really cringe-worthy bad edits, especially toward the end; and
3) I don’t like a cliffhanger ending, especially like the one here that made my heart drop to my feet (and, again, this is my “problem,” not the author’s).

Still, I’m curious enough that I wouldn’t hesitate to dive in to Book 2 if it were offered under Kindle Unlimited or were available, as this first novel was, for $0.00. Unfortunately, I’m a woman on a limited discretionary budget, so paying to continue the series is a no-go for me. Big sigh…