Thank you to Berkley/Ace/Daw and Netgalley for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.


I'd like to start with a cheer! I am SO glad that Anne Bishop was able to continue writing in the world of the Others. The first five books are stories surrounding Lakeside and involving Simon Wolfgard and Meg Corbyn, cassandra sangue. And they're fantastic. Book six, Lake Silence, picks up with a new set of characters in a new area of the world. This time, we're following a regular human, Vicki DeVine, who just happens to get thrust into the limelight in the small town she moved to in order to start over. Her abusive ex-husband left her some seemingly worthless property in the small town of Sproing as part of the divorce, and she has moved to the Jumble to fix up the cabins and get it ready for visitors. Little does she know, she's about to be embroiled in a battle for the future of the town between the Others and a shady group of sociopathic ambitious business people.


The cast of characters was great, but it did take some getting used to after five books of Lakeside and falling in love with that cast.


I won't spoil any more, but it's a great expansion of the world we've experienced for five prior books, and the characters are entertaining. A few of them felt a little like carbon copies of some of the first series' characters, but as they go along, they get more fleshed out.


All in all, I'm excited about reading more in this world, and can't wait for what comes next for Vicki and friends.

This latest offering in the world of the Others is a little bittersweet. The story of Meg and Simon has concluded (at least for now), so we're introduced to a new set of characters in the small village of Sproing.

I didn't find the plot to be surprising, but that's not where Bishop's strengths lie. It's in her characters, in the way she can bring them to life so effortlessly on the page. The world has changed since the Great Predation when the Elders passed judgment on the humans. Life goes on, and at least some humans have listened and heeded the warnings and do their best to live with the Others in peace - and others do not. Getting to know a new set of Sanguinati and shapeshifters - and the humans they are entangled with - was such a pleasure. I cannot wait to read more of their adventures!

"...they might have learned to mimic human behavior better than any other form of terra indigene, but they were, and always would be, predators. And human would always be their prey..."

The Urban Fantasy genre has a very special place in my heart, and it's very difficult for me to find new ones that keep me interested. I started The Others series immediately after the first book Written in Red released in March 2013. I completely fell in love with the world Anne Bishop created. Everything fit perfectly together and I just couldn't get enough of it. It had multiple POVs, but it didn't matter because it was the only way the series could be told. It gave a perfect view into how all the different beings thought and (re)acted. It immediately became one of my favorite UF series. I couldn't wait to get my hands on the next books. So when the author announced that book five: Etched in Bone, would conclude Meg and Simon's story arc I was very sad but all good things must come to an end.

When I saw that there would be a spin-off set in the same world I was over the moon. However, I did hope it would meet the epicness of the previous books. I shouldn't have doubted the author because it did meet every expectation I had for this book. I was sucked in right from the start and the new characters were all very intriguing and original. I felt a connection to them, and the mix between mystery and suspense was perfect. The main character, Vicki DeVine, is not someone you would usually find in the UF books, at least not as a main character. She has deep wounds that haven't healed yet, and it shows when she finds herself in very uncomfortable and horrible situations. She was a very refreshing and intriguing character. And all the side characters played a very important role as well. I especially LOVED Aggie Crowe–one of the shapeshifting Others.

The minds of the Others work in a completely different way, however they protect their own and have your back if they accept you into their circle. The Others were amazing and I loved how they handled things in this book. There was mystery, suspense, action, humor and so much more. I did not go into the plot because the blurb gives more than enough information. This book can be read as a stand-alone, however I would definitely recommend you read the previous books just to get an idea of the world Anne Bishop has created. Trust me, it is one of the most original and amazing worlds in the UF genre. So I really hope everyone (even readers who usually don't read Fantasy) give this series a chance.

Anne Bishop's writing is wonderful. This is book 6 in the Others series but can be read as a standalone. But in doing so would help you get a better idea at the world she has created. This book is so creepy it scared me so much, don't read this at night! This was a murder mystery tale, you see more and hear of the elders.

Anne Bishop is one of my favorite modern authors, and every book of hers I get to read is a delight. This one is no exception. More crowgard! An expansion of the world of the Terre Indigene! Town Politics! I could not put this one down, and it prompted me to go back and reread her series... which I'd only finished last year.

I LOVE this series. I was a little concerned/disappointed that this installment wouldn't be taking place in the Courtyard, but my concerns were laid to rest as soon as I started the book. I loved seeing how another "group" deals with the terra indigene. I did miss the characters of the Courtyard (I may be a little too emotionally invested.). I can't wait to see where the story goes next...just hate to wait.

First off, I am ECSTATIC for the continuation of the Others stories!
This starts out in another community than The Courtyard of previous novels. YEA! Vicki is the caretaker of The Jumble on Lake Silence. She received the property in a divorce settlement. Now, someone gas decided that it shouldn't go to her. But, the terra indigene that call Lake Silence home, like Ms Vicki. This started a tad slow but never lost my interest. We meet a lot of new characters in this story that I look forward to hearing more about. This author always grabs my attention

I read Bishop's Realms of the Blood and World of the Fae books but never got around to reading any of the books in the Others series, so the world of Lake Silence was a bit new to me. The book is a fine stand-alone novel but I think I would have probably benefitted by having been introduced into the world through the other (or should I say, Other) books first. It took me a bit to get into the book as a result but once I was in I couldn't put it down. What I love about the way Bishop writes is that she is not just a fantastic world-builder, but also a character builder. I cared about the characters deeply whether it was love or hate. And now that I'm done I want to go back and pick up all the books in the Others world.

The Others is one of my all-time favourite series, so as excited as I was to read this, I had to get over my disappointment that it wasn't my beloved characters. Once I did that though, I really enjoyed this book. It was fascinating to have a story entered on an ordinary human.

I didn't realize that this book would begin a new story set in Thasia and the world of the Others (well, at least I HOPE it is just the beginning, as I would love to read more about Vickie and Aggie), although it was pretty clear that Meg and Simon's story had come to a happy end in "Etched in Bone." The new story does not disappoint and is just as suspenseful. I just love the world of the Others where humans are not the most powerful species and, instead, are watched by "indigenes" forces that are benign and punishing at the same time, their reactions always dependent on the character of the humans they're dealing with. I truly hope that Bishop will continue the story of Vickie DeVine; not only do I want to know more about the Elders and Elementals, but I am also curious to know who will turn out to be her love interest. Julian? Officer Grimshaw? Possible even Ilya Sanguinati (THAT would be awesome!!)? Somebody altogether different?

Oh, I was worried about this one. When I realized that Bishop was going to take away the characters I’ve grown to love and start anew, though still in the world of The Others, I was kind of upset. I was like, “But it’s perfect. Why do you want to change it????” (Yes, I mentally used that many question marks.)

Well, having read the book, it’s all kind of wonderful. In fact, changing characters breathed new life into our world.

Your favorite types of others are all here and you get to meet some new ones – my favorite (no spoilers) is adorable with a bit of a…surprise. The book has a few references to the prior books – not enough to confuse a new reader, but just enough to remind loyal readers of the series that you’re still in the same world.

Vicki is wonderful. She’s so normal, but funny and brave. I loved her. And, this being an Others novel, don’t expect her to fall head first into some sort of insta-love or insta-love with anything. In fact, what I thought might be her ‘romantic moment’ ended up being something else entirely. Oh, I don’t doubt that some romance might occur with one particular guy, but I think it may take a few books.

The book is suspenseful, edgy, and, at times, violent. After all, we have Others, and Elders, and evil Humans (oh my).

If the next book were available today, I’d be reading it instead of writing this right now.

Wonderful!

*ARC Provided by Net Galley

It is no surprise that Anne Bishop writes, what continues to be the most unique Urban Fantasy series to date. What is surprising is that there was no mention of Simone and Meg. I won't lie. I'm a little disappointed. I, much like many others, have been anxiously waiting to see what has become of our favorite blood prophet and I was initially disappointed when I realized that not only do we not see prior main characters in Lake Silence, but our new main character, is entirely human.
It took me by surprise.
Anne Bishop's ability to suck me into the story regardless of that fact, did not.
What I have learned when picking up a Bishop book is to leave all of my expectations at the door, because she will blow them all out of the water and Lake Silence was no exception.
Lake Silence had all of the brilliant world-building and character development that I have come to love and expect in an Anne Bishop book and I thoroughly enjoyed Lake Silence and look forward to hopefully seeing more of Vicki DeVine in future books because she has captured my heart just as much as Meg and Simone have and I think Vicki deserves her own happily ever after with a special someone as well.

Lake Silence by Anne Bishop is the 6th in the Others series. Different location, different characters, but with connections to the characters in earlier books and set in the same world. I was thrilled to find that the world of the Others was not finished with the Lakeside Courtyard.

However, Lake Silence is only vaguely attached to the characters I loved in the previous books. New story, new characters, same world with many of the same problems. If you haven't read the other books, I wouldn't begin with this one as Bishop makes little background of the world available.

Nevertheless, as a committed fan of the series, I was delighted to immerse myself in the little village in terra indigine controlled territory. Lake Silence is not as dark (although there is a great deal of violence) and has more humorous incidents than in the previous books.

From the description: Set in the country of Thaisia, a present-day alternate North America, the strange and beautiful world of The Others is one where humans live alongside shapeshifters, vampires and a host of beings even more deadly known as the terra indigene. The first five books of The Others have focused on the inhabitants of the Lakeside Courtyard — a private terra indigene communitywhose residents are tasked with keeping watch over the humans in the city.

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.

I loved Vicky and her supporters, including Officer Wayne Grimshaw, the highway patrol officer sent to investigate the first murder; Julian Farrow, the owner of the local bookstore, whose back story is briefly covered; Ineke Xavier, who runs the local boardinghouse; and various Others, including Ilya Sanguinati and Agatha Crowgard. There are many new characters introduced, and I expect they will all continue to have their characters deepen and expand in succeeding books.

Is the book as good as the first five in the series? It diverges from the the Lakeside Courtyard and does not have the personal "histories" that the first books have established. The Lake Silence community is just getting started, but I thoroughly enjoyed meeting all of the new folks and getting a feel for the area (humans, terra indigine, Elementals) that develop a different branch of the world of the Others.

Read in Jan.; blog review scheduled for Feb. 19

NetGalley/Berkley Publishing

Fantasy/Alternate Reality. March 6, 2018. Print length: 416 pages.

Lake Silence was great. I love Anne Bishop and was a little disappointed when I heard that Simon and Meg's story would end at book 5. I was skeptical that this new setting and new characters would not have the same charm as The Lakeside Courtyard. I was wrong.

Lake Silence still manages to envoke the feelings that I felt when I first picked up Written in Red. While we do meet several familiar types of Others, there are newer forms.

While I didn't quite feel as sympathetic towards Vicki as I did Meg, I did think she was an interesting character that still has a lot of room to grow. I'd like to see Bishop delve into POVs of the Others, especially, vampires like Ilya Sanguinati. What does a relationship between vampires look like in this world? Are there baby vampires? I loved Officer Grimshaw... he definitely has that reluctant-officer-Hopper vibe!


You get to see some new elementals, some ponies, and many other surprises while Vicki and her friends try to save the town of Sproing. If you're a fan of the previous novels, I think this will give you an Others series fix, though, I think this could be read as a stand-alone if you're wanting to start a series.

Ever since I binge read The Others series last year I have been a HUGE fan of Anne Bishop. I don't think it's a secret that I love urban fantasy/fantasy. With authors like Ilona Andrews and Nalini Singh, Patricia Briggs and now Anne Bishop, I've picked the best authors that are available in this genre.
Lake Silence, the 6th book of The Others series, a novel set in the same world as book 1-5, tells the story about Vicki a divorcee, struggling to bring back a rustic resort that has been given to her as part of her divorce settlement.
At this point, I have to acknowledge that whatever Anne Bishop writes, I'm going to read it. Lake Silence just cemented that by getting me out of my reading slump and keeping me engrossed and absorbed for an entire day. Yes, this novel was a one-sitting kind of read.
No disturbances, no interruption - I was in HEAVEN!!!

Anne Bishop has the skill and talent to write amazingly vibrant and colorful characters, a story arc that begs for more, and a world that enchants with possibilities and fascinating creatures. This world has me thrilled and coming back for more. I don't know if Lake Silence is a standalone or the beginning of a new arc - all I know is that I can't get enough of it.
Vicki was like you and me.

A regular person, who made a mistake by marrying someone that clearly wasn't the right choice. But the choices she took after her divorce was what made all the difference. She was open minded, engaging, friendly and non judgmental. She gave a crap if the people she came into contact with were human or not. That alone separated her from the rest of the towns inhabitants. And it was noted.
Her friendly demeanor, hard working and at times artless personality made her the perfect liaison between humans and terra indigene. Of course as it always works with Anne Bishop novels, Vicki didn't really have a say in it. The terra indigene picked her as their middlewoman - and that's that.
The interactions between Vicki, the rest of the human cast and the terra indigene was hilarious, heart-warming and a signature of the author's charm and ingenuity. This kind of storytelling is only available in a Anne Bishop novel. Where characters move you, enchant you and have you come back year after year.
If you love an enchanting story, where the interactions between the different species is the heart and soul of the plot. A novel that spellbinds you with characters that do the right thing even though it might get them killed. A world that has bigger and badder things hiding in the woods, watching and just waiting for you to step off the path. Where you live by the will and benevolence of a power that's as fierce and powerful as chilling. A world that excels in bringing people, that are willing to work on a better life, together and charm your pants off.
I could go on and on about this book, series and author.

To sum it up, I would love for you to try it out.
The authors quality of writing is exceptional and her storytelling out of this world good. You'll fall in love with her characters from the very first page. It's a tale of monsters, good and evil, greed, hope and perseverance - what's not to love about that?


This review will be live on the blog on February 20th - link won't be live until then

Amazing.

Vicki got The Jumble in the divorce. What no one realized is that The Jumble, a main house and a few "rustic" cabins on the shores of Lake Silence, is intrinsic to the survival of the town of Sproinger. Without The Jumble, there's no human liaison; no place for The Others to learn what it means to be human; no reason for The Others to tolerate the humans living in Sproinger.

When Vicki's ex-husband decides he needs the land back to build a fancy resort, he doesn't take this into account. Picking a fight with Vicki is no longer just spousal abuse. Now he's picking a fight with beings far older, and far more powerful, than the woman he spent years tormenting.

Bishop has moved readers from Lakeside to Lake Silence, introducing new characters and a new town, but the magic of The Others' world is intact. The plot pulled me in immediately, and the pace of the story kept me glued to the page. I raced through this novel, and I cannot wait to read the next one.

I love Meg, Simon and the Courtyard at Lakeside and was both sad and glad when book five came out. Glad as Meg and Simon's story came to a nice ending and sad because there would be no more. Then Anne Bishop said she would continue to write stories set in the Other's universe. Lake Silence is the next story in the series. It will not come out for two more months so no spoilers. It is different and has a different tone from the first five. There are mentions of Lakeside and some of the characters who reside there but only mentions. The characters in this story and the setting in the story are all new. The main character is female and she is backed up with some really interesting characters; some who support her and some who are out to get her. The action moves smoothly, the backstory is woven into the story line and the plot well thought out. The others are varied and dangerous to the humans who do not listen. A interesting addition to the Other series.

I received a free copy of the book in return for an honest review.

Love, love, love this world and this new installment! Absolutely could not put this down. The tension between the humans and the Others was so good. The new main character is great, very likable. Excellent mystery, world-building and backstory. Can not wait to see where this takes us.

I was originally skeptical about whether or not Bishop would be able to create an equally engaging world inside her pre-existing world of the Others. I was pleasantly surprised by Lake Silence, and I may actually like these characters better than I did the original characters from the Lakeside Courtyard.