*** Thank You Netgalley for the E-arc in exchange for an honest review.***


The story is about a corrupt pharmaceutical company that has been involved in some situations . It has some drugs that are being experimented on people. Charlotte was the result of one of their experiments which gave her super strength and regenerating power.There is a serial killer around the town that needs to be stopped. I didn't read the first in the series because I didn't know it was part of one, so it was a bit hard to follow. Which was a bit of a disadvantage. I was confused on some characters/references in the book that I think were introduced and explained in book one.This was an ok read for me and not really interested enough to go back and read the first in the series.

"Blood Echo: The Burning Girl, Book 2" by Christopher Rice is a gripping supernatural thriller that takes readers on an eerie and atmospheric journey. The story delves into the dark world of the paranormal and unfolds with surprising twists and turns. Rice's writing is evocative, building a sense of foreboding that keeps readers on edge. With its well-crafted suspense and haunting imagery, "Blood Echo" is a captivating read for fans of the supernatural genre.

I DNF'd this at 57% unfortunately, I found myself not wanting to pick it back up after putting it down and gravitating towards other books instead. There were no real issues with the book, it most likely is just right book, wrong time so I'm not ruling out picking this up again at a later date, but at this moment in time this was not the book for me.

Blood Echo is an addicting fast-paced thriller that you will not be able to put down. From the first page to the last the author constantly adds twists and turns that will keep you on the edge of your seat constantly trying to guess how it all will end. The item that stands out above all else in this story are its perfectly constructed characters; from the hardcore heroine and the school bully with a heart of gold to the morose serial killers and complex anti-villains, each one draws you in, involving you deeper and deeper in until you feel like you are part of the story itself. I highly recommend this book it was definitely a one sit read for me.

This was the second book in the series, and while it does a good job of reviewing the previous book, I DEFINITELY suggest reading the first book to give you the best introduction.

I have lived in Seattle, so I always enjoy reading books including or based here. It is nice to be able to picture exactly where things are happening.

This book is a wild ride full of twists and turns!

I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

Famous for reasons out of her control she had a secret. Something sinister lurks in the background and finding answers to stop a catastrophic event drives her further. Excellent story!

The second in the Burning Girl thriller series, this installment reintroduces several characters from "Bone Music". It had been a little too long between the two books for me, and remembering Charlotte (Charley's) story took me a while. It was a thrilling read, and kept me unsure what twist was coming next, but it definitely ought to be read after reading "Bone Music". It was enjoyable and I would recommend it!

Thrilling story with a plot that kept me turning the pages, really well written with great characters. Highly recommend to everyone who is a fan of this genre.

Another great book from Christopher Rice. He is the true talent of the Rice family. High suggest this for purchase by libraries.

“ Blood Echo” Is the second book in Christopher Rice’s “Burning Girl” series.
Charlotte Rowe was a baby when her mother was murdered by serial killers who took her to raise as their own. Her journey has led her to working with and being a test subject for a drug that gives her superhuman strength and an ability to rapidly recover from injuries.
It has been several months since Charley agreed to work with Graydon Pharmaceuticals and its wealthy owner Cole Graydon. They have joined forces to hunt down serial killers and bring them to justice..
She also has settled in Altamira with Luke Prescott who is still working for the police department but chafing at being left behind. This leads him to make a rash decision when a woman comes in bruises and battered but refuses to talk until they lock up her boyfriend.
Like the previous book this is hard to categorize- it could be called a sci-fi thriller or supernatural thriller. It could be read as a stand-alone but I went back and read the first one beforehand. I think there are parts of the backstory and small references that will be missed if you have not read Bone Music, but you won’t miss it.
It’s not quite as long at 355 pages but keeps your interest all the way through.
I really enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more about these characters.

Supergirl!

Corruption, serial killing, terrorism, megacorporations, action, and excitement--take a joyride with author Christopher Rice as his heroine and her cohort seek to maintain justice, freedom, and the American way. The writing is taut and sucks you along through twisted storylines, providing enough background information that I could follow the instant action despite not having already enjoyed book one of the series. At the end you are given a somewhat satisfying conclusion, including some additional background on the main characters, but definite hints at more mischief to come. Somewhat intense!

I love this series! I can never put his books downs! Keeps you on your toes and is shocking in many places.

Blood Echo is the second novel in the burning girl series. I do feel there is enough background information in this novel that one could pass on reading the first novel completely, but there are some finer details and background information that may be helpful, so it would probably benefit to read the first novel.

This storyline continues to follow Charolette Rowe. Charolette was abducted from her mother, who was then murdered, and Charlotte was raised by the serial killer couple who took her. She earns the name burning girl because she was known to dispose of her adoptive parents victims belongings in the furnace. When she was finally rescued, her story became legend. Perhaps as a path to redemption, Charlotte, enters into a partnership with a sneaky billionaire who owns a pharmaceutical company, and his primary experimental drug gives Charlotte the power of a freight train. The only issue is that the drug doesn’t seem to be compatible with any other test subjects. Nevertheless, Charlotte, uses her powers to hunt predators, just like what her adoptive parents were. In her downtime she comes home to Altamira, to be with her boyfriend. Quiet little Altamira is about to be given a violent jolt; however, when a mega company with big plans to bore an access tunnel through the mountain to give the town easy access to the traffic of the big cities. It soon becomes apparent that the motivations of the leaders of the company have some very dark roots and Charolette finds herself needing to call on her special powers to save her friends and the town.

The story is fast paced and exciting. The principal of the story is intriguing, using drugs to make select individuals super human, like a real life super hero. It’s always refreshing to see a strong female protagonist. Novel supplied by Netgalley. Review posted to Goodreads, LibraryThing, and Amazon.

Blood Echo is the second novel in the Burning Girl series.

Raised by serial killers, Charlotte Rowe has been recruited by a secretive billion-dollar corporation, Graydon Industries. The company is experimenting with some futuristic drugs, going far beyond ones which will alleviate illness, and Charlotte is the result of one of their experiments.

Because this series is more a continuation of a storyline, rather than separate plots with the same main character, I highly recommend starting at the beginning of this series, with Bone Music.

Despite distrusting him, Charlotte has formed an alliance with company owner Cole Graydon, and agreed to continue taking Zypraxon, the drug which gives her super human abilities and the power to regenerate. Together, for very personal reasons, they commit to hunt down serial killers and other predators before they can harm innocent victims.

Blood Echo dives straight into the action, giving us insight into the psyche of a serial killer who is on the hunt of his next victim. Little does he know he’s the one being hunted. But when she uses a teensy bit too much force curtailing the bad guy, Charlotte is shocked at her own propensity for violence and wonders if she is any better than the monsters she pursues. There are some meaty issues to chew on here regarding vigilante justice, as well as our fragile illusion of privacy.

Taking some time off to reflect, Charlotte returns to her home town of Altamira, to spend some “down” time with her now boyfriend, Sheriff Luke Prescott. But when a threat follows her home, one involving a network of domestic terrorist with ties to her employer, she takes matters into her own hands to save the ones she loves.

The same core characters are back again for this sequel to Bone Music. Charlotte and Cole Graydon, now Charlotte’s boss, and Luke. There’s also Baily Prescott, Luke’s shadowy brother who has helped Charlotte in her recent career change, as well as Dylan (aka Noah Turlington, her ex-therapist, and Marty Cahill, the family friend who always has her back.

This is a complex story with several threads eventually merging together. The characters are more defined in this second book, notably Graydon, as we explore his past and his current motivations in more detail. I hated him in the first book; now his character is more nuanced, gray, and interesting. The same goes for Bailey, Luke’s tech wizard brother. His ending teaser alone will push me onto the wait list for the next book. Now, if Rice will just write these sort of nuances into Charlotte, she will be my true super hero.

But my main take-away from this thriller series is…the parts of it that currently have a science fiction slant may in the near future be scientific fact. Unsettling? Maybe. But Blood Echo gives us the opportunity to see that future in fiction before it’s actually at our doorstep. I’m looking forward to seeing how Christopher Rice resolves this ethical Pandora’s Box he has opened.

Thank you to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for the free ebook in exchange for an honest review.

Some of my most trusted bookstagram friends have been raving about Christopher Rice for awhile now so late last year I finally picked up the first book in this series, Bone Music. They all told me that not only is his writing amazing, but that this series in particular had a unique edge, and man were they right! Even though this falls under the general umbrella of a thriller there are some sci fi elements which, surprisingly didn’t bother me at all even though that genre is way out of my comfort zone. Just a heads up!

As I said earlier this is the second book in a series and it is crucial to read both books. I did listen to the first book on audio and then flipped between the two for this one and the narration was great if you want that as an option. Anyway, do not start here and think you can get all caught up easily, there is imperative information in the first installment so do yourself a favor and start there.

I want to circle back to the sci fi angle I mentioned earlier, there is definitely some supernatural activity here but it was handled in the most believable way possible. Weird, I know, but even though things should seem far fetched it just all makes sense here and I didn’t actually feel like I was reading something out there or that I had to suspend disbelief at all. I think part of this is because the characterization is great, especially with Charlotte and while I feel like two books in we’ve taken a deep dive into who she is, I also get the sense that there is so much more to explore with her.

The pacing here is a little odd, it starts out fast and full of intensity and then things slow down a bit and then bam, you’re back to excitement and one hell of an ending. I’m a serious fan of the author now and really can’t wait for the next book, this is just a really cool concept and like nothing that I’ve read before.

Blood Echo in three words: Unusual, Complex and Dark

Excellent follow-up to Bone Music. Readers are treated to glimpses of the seedier side of this imaginative world that Christopher Rice has built. Charlotte is the ultimate weapon in the fight against serial killers and other dark sides of the world. In this new role, she's driven to a breaking point that could cost her those she has allowed to get close. Secrets are uncovered, lies are unraveled.

Charlotte Rowe was kidnapped and raised by serial killers who murdered her mother. Rescued at seven years old, and then exploited by her father to make money on her story.
She finally escapes her past and is living life on her own terms.
When she is used as a guinea pig for an experimental drug that she unwittingly takes, she is gifted with super powers while under the influence. She is the only one who has lived after taking the drug Zypraxon.
This book begins with her joining forces with the pharmaceutical company that makes the drug, to help them find and destroy the worst of civilizations vile criminal offenders.
After her first mission, she is shocked at her own propensity for violence.
She needs time to clear her head and work on her new romance with sheriff's deputy Luke Prescott.
But she gets wind of a terrorist plot involving developers in their small town of Altamira, California.
Cole Graydon, her boss and CEO, thinks she is overreacting, but soon the threats reach epic proportions.
And once her powers are triggered by the drug, there will be no stopping her...
This book has a bit of everything! Excellent characters, action, romance and some supernatural elements.
A great follow up to Bone Music, looking forward to book 3 to see where all this craziness goes!
Definitely read these books in order, I don't recommend it as a stand alone, you miss too much of the story otherwise.
Thank you to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for the free ebook in exchange for an honest review.

From my blog: Always With a Book:

Last year I read the first book in this series, which happened to be the first book I've ever read by Christopher Rice. I don't tend to read much science fiction and even though this series delves a little bit into it, I can handle it. And let me just tell you, going out of your comfort zone every once in a while is good...and I'm so glad I gave this series a chance, because I really like it!

I just want to start off by saying I really think you need to read this series in order. Too much of what happens in this book builds on what happened in the previous book. I don't think you could read book 2 and then go back and enjoy book 1, Bone Music, without having it all spoiled. It's not just a case of character development here. There is a lot of plot development going on as well. Trust me when I say it really behooves you to start at book 1 and read it in order!

That being said, this book picks up shortly after the previous book leaves off. Yes, we do get some backstory here and there, which is good because if you are like me, it's been a while since I've read Bone Music and I liked the "refresher" but it was just enough to remind me of what happened - it did not go into verbose details of the story.

I loved the way this book was an equal mix of action and character development. At times it moves fast and then it slows down to help us understand the characters involved. The beginning and the ending are action-packed and move at lightning speed, and then the middle is much more slower, giving you time to digest what you are reading. This is where we learn more about some of the secondary characters that are quite integral to the story - Cole Graydon, Dylan, and Bailey to name a few.

I loved the introspection we get from the characters, particularly from Charlotte. Yes, she is given a drug that allows her to have superman-like powers and she only uses those powers to go after bad guys, but when she is under the influence of this drug, she can literally rip a person from limb to limb. Her issue is that when she is going after the bad guys and exerts her superhuman power on them to capture them, and potentially hurts or possibly kills them, is she any better than they are? This is what she mulls over in her head. We also see a few other characters mull over some of their actions and this is not something we typically see in thrillers...and I love this!

This book is not your typical thriller series and I think that is why I am enjoying it so much. It does have that supernatural/science-fiction slant to it, but I think the way technology and science are moving forward it is possible that one day...we just might get there, however scary that thought is and that is why I can wrap my head around this book and series. Do I want this to come to fruition - oh my goodness, no way! But, I can see it maybe happening one day in the future. I am definitely looking forward to seeing where this series heads next!!!

These books have been truly awesome! I cannot wait for the next book and to see what happens next with Noah. That man scared me. Hopefully, Cole will continue to let others see his true self.

My review for the first book in The Burning Girl series, Bone Music, had me feeling just so-so for the book. I was hoping book two in the series would change me mind, after all, I enjoy Sci-Fi, Thrillers, and Serial Killers, so this series should be right in my sweet spot.
Alas, it wasn’t.

My husband and I will lament how often times when we watch a series with a strong female protagonist, that character is often the one we end up liking the least by the end of the series. Buffy the Vampire Slayer is always the first one to come to mind, although there has been many more.

We started discussing this and what we came up with was the whininess of the main, there always needing to be a love interest to protect her, and we realized the characters we didn’t like tended to be written by men. I imagine there are female protagonists out there written by men that we wouldn’t end up disliking in a long series, but we haven’t found them yet. If you know of any, please tell me in the comments below.

With Charlotte, I thought this problem would be solved. A woman who can literally tear apart people with her hands. A loner who didn’t have people in her life. Someone who took care of herself for years, and knew about the cruelness of the world.

But she already fell into the typical strong female protagonist archetype in book one. So why would I read the second book? Because I had hope, that four letter word that has crushed so many.

So onto the good in regards to this book, before we get back to the bad. Christopher Rice does dialogue very well. He is able to have people talk like people do, and includes witty or humorous banter when the situation calls for it. And his action scenes are done well. The ones that were in the book had me turning the pages quickly.

And the way he expanded some of the smaller characters in this book was great. After finishing, Cole is the character that I am rooting for. The grey world this man lives in makes me want to know more. And what Rice wrote about what happened to Cole when he was younger, including how his dad handled the situation, and then how Cole handles a situation when he’s older in a similar fashion, was a fantastic look into Cole’s character, and masterful writing by Rice.

If Rice would write these sort of revelations about Charley, my outlook on her would change. And if Rice was able to write the situation that happened to Cole when he was a boy, in regards to a female, and to write it as well, I would be very impressed.

Rice also started writing more in depth about Dylan in the first book, but then he is completely sidelined in this one. And Bailey, the hacker, played a bigger role, but I want more. Even the new security officer, Scott, was more interesting to me than Charley and Luke this book.

So kill off Charley and Luke while they are having a lover’s spat, and give me a book with Cole, Dylan, Bailey, and Scott!

Now onto the reasons why this book only received three stars from me. The hook to this series is that it’s supposed to be about serial killers. The serial killer storyline was done by page 73. There are over 300 pages left before the book is over. One could argue that Charley was made to kill bad people, and domestic terrorists (the plot of most of the book) are bad people, so Rice has filled his obligation. I will agree to that, but I will also say, I was hooked by serial killers, so I best be getting enough serial killer action to appease me. And I was not appeased.

Then there’s the whole wishy-washy thinking of Charley, in regards to using her powers and the love of her life, Luke, even though he was horrible to her in high school, and she forgave him. In this day and age, that should not be the trope of a strong female anymore. Rice is so well known that he should be using his writing powers for good, and changing the face of the female protagonist.

Charley doesn’t have to use her powers, but since she is, make her a badass. Don’t make her constantly be questioning her actions.

No woman has to have a love interest. She could be celibate, that’s a trope not used often. She could be satisfied with self love and sex toys. Or she could just have one night stands. Woman do not need to have a partner to be interesting.
But if she does have a love interest, make them have great communication skills. Let the world know that relationships work so much better if you communicate. Not pout when someone leaves you behind to go rid the world of evil. Have them tell her everyday that no matter what she does to an evil person, they will not love her any less.

And if you are going to have a group of people around Charley for support, make sure they support her, 100%, all the time. Sure they can worry about her, and they should, since it’s what people do. But don’t be trying to stop her from going to investigate. Charley is a badass. Charley wants to stop evil. Charley is a smart woman, and knows her death could be a consequence (although we have the Sci-Fi angle going on, so will that really happen….)

After all that, will I read the next book in the series? I would like to say no, but the way Rice ended it, I need to see what happens next. And that, to me, just proves he’s a good writer, that could do great things in regards to bringing the strong female protagonist into the present.