Virals

By: Kathy Reichs

Narrated by: Cristin Milioti

“Sharp writing and a plot that throws real teens into a deadly adult world. . . . I loved it and I’m sure fans of Alex Rider will love it too.” ” —Anthony Horowitz, New York Times bestselling author

“Enormously inventive and entertaining.” —Los Angeles Times

Mysterious institute. Contagious virus. Unsolved murder.

Adventure is in Tory Brennan's blood. After all, she’s the grandniece of world-famous forensic anthropologist Temperance Brennan. Always up for a challenge, Tory and her science-geek friends spend their time exploring the marshlands of Loggerhead Island, home to the very off-limits Loggerhead Island Research Institute, where something strange is going on. After rescuing a stray wolfdog pup from a top-secret lab, Tory and her friends are exposed to a rare strain of canine parvovirus, changing them--and their DNA--forever. Now they are more than friends. They are a pack. They are Virals. And they're dangerous to the core. But are they unstoppable enough to catch a cold-blooded murderer?

Critic reviews

Praise for the Virals series:

“If you like the TV show Bones (I do) or Maximum Ride, you’ll love Virals.” —James Patterson

“Sharp writing and a plot that throws real teens into a deadly adult world. . . . I loved it and I’m sure fans of Alex Rider will love it too.” —Anthony Horowitz, New York Times bestselling author

“Enormously inventive and entertaining.” —Los Angeles Times on Virals

“Fast-paced thrills, cool science, and great characters will create a flood of fans waiting for the next installment.” —School Library Journal, starred review of Virals

“Reichs taps into the angst of teens . . . and wraps it all in an entertaining yarn of history, pirates and modern technology.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review of Seizure

“Great young adult series . . . will certainly appeal to a wide range of ages.” —Examiner.com on Code

“A twist at the end offers a new plot thread begging to be expanded. Fans will eagerly await the next installment.” —Booklist on Exposure

Sound Effects

I had to read this book for a class so I thought listening to it would be more enjoyable. Was I wrong. Bless her heart, but this woman’s southern ‘accent’ was just stereotypically horrible. Luckily it wasn’t needed very often.
And the sound effects that was used to represent when the pack ‘flared’ was just as horrible if not worse.

Good Story - But Sound Effects Hurt It

How could the performance have been better?

Sound effects in an audio book greatly diminish the experience. Every time they happened, it was just painful.

very disappointing

I really wanted to like this book. I enjoy reading YA fiction but this book seemed young and/or unpolished. I didn't feel like the characters had much depth. I was surprised and distracted by weird sound effects throughout the story. spoiler alert: I wasn't expecting the characters to develop wolf-like characteristics. it just seemed odd and out of place.

It was a delight

I really enjoyed taking a break from the usual Kathy Reichs fare for a teenage story. Absolutely “kid stuff”. With two thumbs up.
Some immaturity to the story line and interactions. But it’s nice to have some sweetness and innocence with a plain ole make believe story. Love the young adult mind to inhabit for a good story.

If only...

Kathy Reichs' adult books were as interesting! I hope she continues this young adult line of books, even writing more about the "Virals". I really enjoyed this book and it was nice to have a book that I could play with my kids in the car on our vacation. I have listened to this book at least 4 times!