The Virals by Kathy Reichs

I started reading this book, due to my addiction with this author, she lives a double life as a forensic anthropologist, and writes books and a show in her spare time, this one, being her first for young adults. I'd never read another book by her, however I watched her show that she writes, I'm sure you've seen it on Fox, it's called "Bones." It's about this forensic anthropologist who works with her everyday surroundings and just manages to live day in and day out, when she's madly in love with her coworker of an FBI agent.

But anyway, enough about the show, onto the book. This book is actually the beginning of a trilogy. I found that this book was a combination of several genres. It was a little bit sci-fi, and a little of a mystery. Now trying not to tell you the entire plot line, I'll tell you a little bit about what it's about.

The Virals is a book about four children who live on a deserted island. The main character, Tory Brennan, is fourteen years old. Tory has always been one for adventures, and with a Forensic
Anthropologist as an aunt, and a Marine Biologist as a father, I'm sure that's not too hard to find. Tory's mother died as she was a little girl. She then had to go live on Loggerhead Island with her father whom she's never known in her life. Loggerhead Island, is where she befriends three other children around the same age, who all happen to be major lovers of science and adventure; Which later on in the book, seems to get them in a little bit of trouble.

After making friends with a stray wolfdog, an animal crossbred as half wolfe, half dog, the children end up finding some things out that changed their lives forever. They steal the wolfdog from a secret lab, thinking the lab was going to do testing on it, however it was them they were protecting. The wolfdog contained a serious strand of parvovirus, that is very infectious to humans, and will change their DNA forever.

Along with this adventure, there's one more thing to add to this plot twist. The children find a dead body on a neighboring island, and choose to keep it quiet from the officials, now with the help of no one, they must solve this nearly 40 year old murder, and find the killer which may just be after them as well. The only thing they have going for them, is their dog like senses, which assist in finding evidence in the case, as well as the murderer.

This book is definitely one I would reccomend. It's a suspenseful story, with a little bit of a twist. The story as well, is one that keeps the reader engaged right from the get go. As the plot unwinds the reader may find his or herself dropping their chin from time to time, and maybe even feeling a little frightened because with the Virals, you never know what's going to happen at any given time. As for the author, she is well written, and definitely knows what she is talking about with a world full of crime around her. You can most certainly bet I'll be reading more from her in the future... Happy Reading : )