Actual rating: 3.5, rounded up to 4 because I do like books that are twisted

Welcome to the sequel to Not Even Bones. This book actually manages to be more fucked up then the first one!

We continue the journey of Nita's morals (or lack thereof) in this book; she definitely comes to terms with some shit in this book. However, she also is not very good at learning her lesson, which can be very frustrating after 300+ pages.

The author admits that she struggled to write this book, and, unfortunately, it definitely shows. The book is unevenly paced; Nita's emotions in regards to her father's death are all over the place. She angsts about it for like 5 pages and then forgets about him for like 5 chapters. There's a few other plot points that just disappear and reappear seemingly on a whim.

This book also seems to have middle child syndrome; at the end of the day, this is definitely a filler book. That being said, it was still a good book. It started off a little slow and while I'm still not sure if the plot actually went anywhere, it was an enjoyable read. Nita is a twisted protagonist and there's just not enough of those in YA lit. The diverse cast of characters and the continual questioning of morals and limits isn't something that you see every day.

Absolutely loved it! It has action jus like the first one. I loved reading about the characters falling for each other. Can't wait for the next one.

I was so excited when I saw that I got approved for Only Ashes Remain, given how much I loved Not Even Bones. I usually worry about sophomore titles,they sometimes don't live up to the expectations of greatness I have based on the author's debut. No need to fear for the dreaded "Sophmore Slump" with Only Ashes Remain though. This was action packed and as twisty as the first book. We get a bit more character development, which was appreciated.

Nita and Kovit are back, with a very interesting dynamic of what is morally good and evil. Another suspenseful read, with a roller coaster of PHEW! and OH NO! . Sets up for a book three, so be prepared for another cliffhanger.
Great for fans of Dexter.