Review: The League of Skull & Bones by M.J Fletcher

The League of Skull & Bones

Author: MJ Fletcher

Series: The Grimm Chronicles

Pages: 272

Publisher: Self

Amazon

Release date: October 2013

Synopsis. (Goodreads)

Jess Grimm has the ability to travel to any dimension in the multiverse. There’s only one problem... it’s killing her. 

Jess is a in a race against time to find a device that can slow the progression of the power inside her, but she isn’t alone. Others want her power, and they don’t care how they get, or if she is dead or alive when they do.

The only person willing to help her is the mysterious Ronan Sparrow a member of the League of Skull & Bones, one of the very groups that want her power. But what does Ronan want in return? Can Jess trust him or will she find herself alone with enemies on all sides?

The League of Skull & Bones, Book 1 of The Grimm Chronicles

Review: 4 out of 5 stars

The Grimm Chronicles in a spin-off series to The Doorknob Society saga. This review may contain possible spoilers from the first series.

We first meet Jessica Grimm in MJ Fletcher’s The Doorknob Society saga and whilst I do feel this book can be read without reading the saga as enough background information is given I do think it would be beneficial to read his first books so that you do get the complete story to find out more about the other characters and what has happened to Jess to cause her to be the toughened, kick-butt character she now is.

Jess has gone through a drastic transformation, once popular and defined as the ‘pretty girl’ she is now covered in scars and tattoos; a result of Gremlin attacks she endured to save her cousin, she is also the holder of the Grimm family artifact which is a power she holds within herself and is slowly killing her; in this book we see her in search of a device which will hopefully help her but could also mean her demise.

Jess is hardened, fierce and snarky and whilst I appreciated the changes, the softness was all gone and it was now all business as she learns more about her growing powers and her destiny. I felt I was reading about a completely different character to who I had previously known and whilst I think it was a good thing; my heart broke for what she was going through and for the constant nightmares and struggles she now faces.

When Jess decides to join the League of Skull and Bones, a secretive group that carries out the Guilds more unsavoury business to get insider information, she is partnered with gorgeous,  British league operative Ronan Sparrow who I didn’t know from the onset whether he could be trusted or not; mainly because of a comment made by another character so he was a bit of a question mark; who I did adore though was Merric who was one big mystery, I am eager to learn more about him and have my fingers crossed we will have another love interest.

The League of Skull & Bones was a roller-coaster of a book! It was fast-paced and filled with wonderful action sequences and danger as we see Jess search for Nyla Foxglove, a villain written to perfection and targeting Jess and those closest to her – her sole purpose to take over the Guild; it was go go go and a thrilling adventure as we learn more about the artifact and Jess’s powers which she is slowly discovering more about, the twists and turns were aplenty.

We see a few characters make an appearance from The Doorknob Society, I still adore Slade and Edgar is fabulous as per norm but I was also saddened a few characters I have come to love were no shows; hopefully we’ll see them in upcoming installments.

Oh my gosh! Fletcher has written a doozy of an ending that literally has me needing the next book stat; I was left gaping and devastated by the turn of events which I won’t reveal to avoid spoilers but it was a twist I never saw coming.

Overall, despite a few minor flaws, The League of Skull & Bones is a wonderfully written, action-packed thrill ride which has left me more than eager to read the next installment.

Thank-you kindly to M.J Fletcher for providing me with a copy of The League of Skull & Bones to read and review.

 

About the author: MJ Fletcher was born in New Jersey and now lives by the beach with his very understanding wife and daughter. He has been writing since he first stapled pages together as a child and called them a book. He finally realized his ambitions when his comic book series Adam Zero The Last Man of Earth was published by Ronin Studios. His other comic book work includes Digital Webbing Presents and The Hero Initiative. His first novel The Doorknob Society released in 2012 was nominated for a Cybil award in the young adult category. He has continued writing the Doorknob Society Saga his rollicking steampunk adventure series as well as working on numerous other writing projects.