I really enjoyed this book. It was one of those reads that once you got into the story you’re hooked and didn’t want to put it down. I was able to read it in two days.
Now the characters I really liked, they are so well written and have such a good depth to them. I really like how Wren was such a badass character and so strong! It’s a nice break from having strong males!
The world building In this book is heavy but is amazing and that is down to it building the story and explaining the lore and magic.
With the world building it did slow the plot down but that is down to it being the first book in the series and building the world. The plot did pick up about a third of the way into the book and that’s when the action started.

I enjoyed the authors writing style and felt it flowed nicely throughout the book.
I definitely recommend this book and can’t wait for the next in the series.

Thank you to Netgally, the Publisher and the author for an eARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

DNF at 16% - I had to put this book down. It was literally pure worldbuilding with very little dialogue, the main character has 0 personality so far and I just couldn’t get hooked due to constantly being info dumped with the world building.

When I read the synopsis of this book I said YES, I NEED TO READ IT. And luckily I followed my first impulse and applied.

Bonesmith takes us to a dark fantasy world, where plot twists are present, where the action is present and where you will never get bored. Although it has quite a few pages, I read it quite quickly because once I got the hang of reading I didn't want to put it down!

I liked the characters, I liked that he is counting from various perspectives and that in this way he could give us a broader panorama.

The fantasy style that Nicki Pau Preto creates in this book was super interesting to me and I had never read anything LIKE THIS. Which is why I was very intrigued. And we still have a lot to see!

I look forward to the sequel to see where Wren's story will take us.

Thanks Hodder & Stoughton for the ARC I read through NetGalley.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the free e-arc in exchange for an honest review!

The Bonesmith is an excellent example of perfectionism in storytelling. It is obvious from the get-go that Nicki Pau Preto loves this world and the characters in it so much and it makes for an intriguing and fantastical tale. The magic system is very intriguing, with the magic being tied to different types of materials that people can manipulate making it appealing and interesting to read about.

The first part of the book is very exposition heavy, which can feel as though you’re dragging your feet through the mud just to get to the story, but when the pacing finally kicks off, the story is excellent and fast paced and full of intrigue.

Wren is the kind of main character that is easy to love, she is fierce and brash and doesn’t take any shit, and I love her for it. Her arc within the story is well thought out and believable and it feels as though she goes through some real character development without it ever taking away from her fierceness, which is extremely refreshing to see in a book with a female MC.

The ‘unlikely allies’ trope is played excellently with Wren and Julian’s story. While it may start out seeming as though the book will play with the usual enemies to lovers trope, when the two get thrown into this world that they don’t know about and have to fight together to survive, it quickly turns to them becoming more reluctant allies and let me tell you, the slow burn!

The plot twists worked well with the story and helped propel the reader through the narrative and as things get revealed, you feel as though you are on the same path as Wren.

I look forward to see when Preto takes this with the next instalment and I will be waiting with excitement!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫/ 4.5 stars
Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an eARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!

Bonesmith is a story about Wren, who is sent to the Border Wall after failing the bonesmith trial. There she meets Leo, a third prince who gets kidnapped beyond the border. Together with Julien, an ironsmith, she journeys beyond the wall to get Leo back.

“Death is as certain as the dawn, and just as a new day will come, so too will the new dead rise.”

I have loved the books written by Nicki Pau Preto since Crown of Feathers and when learning of this book, it immediately became an anticipated release that I couldn’t wait to read!

I was taken away by the rich world created! So much details went into the different houses and their traits, powers etc. It felt really unique, fun and well thought-out. I would’ve liked to learn more about the history of the other houses and how many exactly there are.

The writing style was great and easy to follow along. While the pacing wasn’t the fastest, I do feel like it dragged a bit in the beginning and took me some time to really get into the story! It felt like the information at the beginning, which was quite a lot, might’ve been better spread throughout the story for better continuation of the pace. It is very much worth it to keep on reading though, because the story gets better and better!

The vibe and atmosphere created were really amazingly done! It was creepy in a way you expect with a book about ghosts and it delivered! Haunting but excited at the same time!

I was a fan of Wren! I liked how bold and brave she was! She was a bit to reckless in the beginning and didn’t really think about others, but she really grew so much during this book! That was really admirable! I also really liked Julian and his loyalty and moral compass! He is such an opposite to Wren, so that made for a very fun dynamic! Leo was a breath of fresh air!

I liked the complicated family relationships this book had! There is little romance, but more than enough tension and chemistry between the characters! It makes for an interesting development and excitement to see where it will go in the sequel!

I did guess some of the twists and reveals beforehand, since it was foreshadowed in my opinion, but that didn’t make them any less exciting! It was more a “I was right!” feeling than a “yeah, I know that already” one haha.

Overall, Bonesmith is a hauntingly beautiful story in a unique world and with badass characters going on a rescue mission and trying not to kill each other! I can’t wait to read book 2!

I would like to thank the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for a review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

So, let me start off with saying this book was good. Really good. The story, the characters, THE PLOTTWISTS, everything.

Our main character is Wren, a bonesmith, as alluded to by the title. She's portrayed as a rule breaker from the start, and it works so well. The side characters are well thought out, and have their own motivations and backstories that are revealed more throughout the story. AND THE VILLAIN. Man, I did not see that coming.

The story is engaging from the start, even though it changes settings quickly. That new setting, however, is even more interesting than the one originally set up, and manages to sweep you into the story immediately. We follow Wren through the lands past the Breach in order to try and save the kidnapped prince, and there we meet more and more of the Undead. These Undead are creepy, I tell you!

Overall, this story was so engaging, and I could not see any of the plottwists coming. The book had me hooked until the very last page, and I already cannot wait for the sequel!

— 4 stars
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

"Ready your blade. Defeat the undead"

📖 | 464 pages
👤 | author Nicki Pau Preto
🏢 | publisher Hodderscape
📅 | release date 25 July 2023

What you can expect:

• 3rd person POV
• Book one in a duology
• Multiple POV
• Enemies-to-allies-to-lovers (built up, I hope so see more of the latter in book two)
• Slow-burn
• Unlikely allies
• Forced proximity
• Extensive world-building
• Unique magical system surrounding bones and necromancy

Trigger warnings include: death, dead bodies, kidnapping, blood and gore, death of a loved one mentioned, murder, ghosts | the undead

Bonesmith, book one in the House of the Dead duology, is a captivating and thrilling YA fantasy about a disgraced ghost-fighting warrior who must journey into a haunted wasteland to rescue a kidnapped prince. Author Nicki Pau Preto had me gripped within the first page with her writing and ability to set the scene. We are immediately thrust into the world of our main character, Wren, as she embarks on a brutal trial through the forest aptly named the Bonewood. Filled with dead and soulless bones. Undead and haunted bones. You name it. To succeed in passing the Bonewood trail would result in Wren serving for life as a valkyr (a ghost-fighting warrior) for the H0use of Bone. To act as a valkyr or a reapyr is a necessity in the world set up by the author, as without their life-threatening work ghosts would overrun the land and make it inhabitable for all other forms of life.

When we are introduced to our main character Wren, we are immediately left with the impression that she's bold and witty. She loves to break the rules and terrorise her teachers at the House of Bone. She's snarky, largely undisciplined and cares for little other than the approval of her father and grandmother who act as the head of her house. As a bastard-born Heir to her house Wren is loved by few and many would prefer to see her fail. After an unseen sabotage and betrayal leads to Wren failing her initiation as a Bonesmith, Wren is disgraced and dismissed into exile to act as a guard at the border wall which is a job most commonly appointed to the lowest of performing Bonesmiths. Feeling forced into a dull routine without the action and fighting that Wren thrives on, she quickly becomes bored with the day-to-day mundane routine she is living. Wren then becomes tasked with the responsibility to guard the second-born Prince during his visit to the border. Bonding and relating to Prince Leo is not something Wren could have ever predicted, however that is exactly what happens when they converse at night over their familial problems. Having much more to relate on than Wren could ever imagine an unlikely-friendship is formed... until Leo is then kidnapped by the their enemies, the Ironsmiths. Tragedy leads to confusion as one of the kidnappers is shot with an arrow by one of his own men. Having been attacked by his own men and left for dead, Julian is left to deal with the aftermath. However in need of answers and with Wren desperately needing to rescue Leo, Wren and Julian are forced to become tentative and unlikely allies who embark on the adventure to save Leo and discover the truth.

"They didn't reflect one another, but rather, seemed to round each other out. Like puzzle pieces fitting together."

Something I really appreciated in this book is that we go on an adventure filled with growth and discovery with Wren. To me she was a fairly unlikely main character at the beginning of this book, however you really see her grow and mature which was a delight to read. Her banter and wit with Julian was hilarious to read. It's clear how resistant they are to work together despite their mutual goals, however it was encouraging to see the relationship progress as they soon discover that they're not so different. I don't want to say too much on the relationships between Wren, Julian and Leo as it could give too much away. However we truly go on a journey with these likely characters that stand out on their own. Something I would say is that whilst this book is very action-packed with the ghost-fighting scenes, the character plot is still very present throughout this book. Time and care is taken to craft fully-fledged characters that stir a wide-range of emotions.

Overall I thoroughly enjoyed this book. A fantastically written story filled with action, adventure and plot-twists that leave you shocked. This book begins with a slower-pace as you are being introduced to the lore of this world and the political setting is being explained, however the story very quickly picks up place and leaves you desperate for the next page. Bonesmith contains some of my favourite romance tropes: forced proximity, enemies-to-allies-to-lovers and slow-burn. There is also a found family element within this book that I really enjoyed. I'm very excited for the second (and final) instalment to this duology.

Thank you to NetGalley, Hodderscape and Nicki Pau Preto for the eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: 4.25/5

What can you find in this book?

A fierce heroine
A world inspired by A Song of Ice and Fire (complete with its own Wall!)
An alarming number of bones
Adventure
Tons of worldbuilding
Even more bones


Described as “Gideon the Ninth meets A Song of Ice and Fire”, I obviously had high expectations from this book, and it delivered in almost all aspects. The book follows Wren Graven, disgraced valkyr of the House of Bone, trying to regain the respect of her family by going on an almost suicidal mission.
When I saw the book compared to the Locked Tomb, I joked to my friend that Wren sounds like a straight Harrow, but after reading the book I’m convinced she’s definitely a straight Gideon (minus the unrelenting snark, unfortunately). Fierce, brash, relentless and sometimes stubborn, she makes for a compelling protagonist, and seeing the world created by the author through the eyes of a young but trained warrior makes for a nice change of pace from the usual ‘newbie/apprentice/trainee’ protagonist. When Julian was introduced, I was afraid this would be another stereotypical enemies to lovers but the book gives a nice spin on the ‘unlikely allies’ trope, and the chemistry between the two feels natural.

Now, for worldbuilding, I feel the general consensus among other reviewers is that it’s “too much infodump”. The lore is definitely stuffy, but another aspect in which Bonesmith is similar to Gideon the Ninth is the time spent introducing this lore, resulting in a slow start that, around the 45% mark, goes right into action. Some readers may still find the long breaks of exposition boring, but I believe that the magic system is well-crafted and interesting enough to keep the readers’ attention.

Overall this was a fun read with good pacing; I loved all the characters but the worldbuilding is the best part of the book. It is simply too intricate and beautifully woven to ignore.I highly recommend taking your time to read this book, as it is fully worth it!

Thank you to Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for providing an eARC to review!

I am OBSESSED with this book! It was an instant favorite for me and I was hooked from the first page. I love fantasy books with horror elements so I knew Bonesmith was right up my alley ever since I saw the cover. The world building and the magic system are original and refreshing, and the writing is excellent. The plot is character driven and I enjoyed every second of Wren and Julian's interaction (banter). At first I thought there was going to be a love triangle, but I'm glad that was not the case.

This book also gave me something to add to my bucket list: using a knight's armor's reflective surface to reapply eyeshadow and lipstick! If only I could find a knight in shining armor now...

I managed to read this book in a day and a half, which is nearly impossible because I have quite a busy schedule; but that only goes to show how good and easy to read Bonesmith is. I can't wait for the sequel!

First of all I would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for granting me a free e-arc in exchange for an honest review!

To be really honest, when I saw this was pitched as ‘’Gideon the Ninth meets Game of Thrones’’ I was a bit wary cause both of those exact books sadly aren’t my cup of tea.

BUT this book ended up surprising me in a very good way! The story took a hold of me from the very start and all I could do was hold on for the duration of the ride. It’s been a while since I’ve stayed up until 2AM to finish a book, but I was literally physically unable to put this one down. Whenever I even made an attempt to go to sleep but brain would just immediately drift back towards whatever scene I closed the book on and I just HAD to know what happened next. So a shoutout to the author for making me lose sleep I guess.

The unique world the story took place in was definitely one of the factors of my enjoyment. I can always appreciate a fleshed out world without fear of any type of info dump. The author really had a talent for explaining certain aspects of the world extremely well without giving my brain the impression of receiving too much information to actually process.

But the most important factor of my enjoyment will always be the characters. AND LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT THESE CHARACTERS!! First off we have Wren. I’m an absolute sucker for powerful women so I declared Wren my new fictional wife from the very beginning. I loved her so much and she can do no wrong in my opinion. I loved seeing her grow from this stubborn little girl to a badass powerful asf woman aaaah. Usually when I read a YA I always tend to pick a favorite male main character but I refuse to do so in this case. I won’t pick between my sweet and pretty golden prince Leo or the brave and handsome warrior Julian. There wasn’t any hint of a love triangle between these three either which I found really refreshing tbh! These three just gave me extreme found family vibes and I can’t wait to see how their bond will strengthen and be challenged over time.

My only regret with reading this arc is that I will have to wait longer for the damn sequel to come out. In the mean ime I’ll be waiting in a dark corner, clutching my Wren x Julian endgame banner

I finished this book in one night and I regret nothing. This is such a refreshing unique plot and I'm obsessed. The FMC is a badass with flaws and the MMC is scarred cinnamon roll. I did see the plot twist but was it really a plot twist if it happened 70ish percent into the book? Also the ending??? Fast paced, beautiful world building and phenomenal writing. I just beg when authors build a system of magic, magically beings and magically houses (royal houses too) that they have a little cheat sheet I can refer to as I get confused easily, especially during high action sequences :/

🔹 They didn't reflect one another, but rather, seemed to round each other out. Like puzzle pieces fitting together.🔹


First, I would like to thank netagalley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read the book in advance!

☠️ I found the world building and magic system very original and well described in great detail during the first eighty pages: in a nutshell there are various Houses of people with powers(the Smiths) for example: there are the IronSmiths who have the ability to manipulate iron, or the Bonesmiths who have the ability to manipulate bones. And precisely because of the complexity of the world-building I struggled to get into the story, however past the initial info dumping I loved everything!

☠️ To be honest I couldn't stand Wren initially: she was selfish, cocky, and arrogant..not for nothing she reminded me of Aielin from the eary ToG books. Then,however, as the story progressed her character grew and I came to adore her!
Julian, on the other hand, I loved him from the start : he is perpetually serious and reserved with a selfless and courageous soul. I loved seeing him use his powers during the journey with Wren and honestly I hope to have more chapters from his point of view because he is a character all to be discovered!
Leo on the other hand though he played a marginal role and still turned out to be a central character! He is charismatic and I loved his friendship with Wren: they are basically two sides of the same coin with the same need to be "seen" and understood.

☠️ Wren and Julian are each other's opposites: they went from being enemies to being reluctant allies that they gradually became. It was a well-constructed slow burn and those few moments there were I loved them.

💫 It was a more by character driven than plot driven story.There were several plot twists that I had seen coming early ,but that did not detract from the characters, the story and the originality of the world building . The dark atmospheres and the Gideon the Ninth vibes given by the presence of ghosts and necromancy are the elements that attracted me to this book and fortunately I was not disappointed! Now all I can do is recommend this read and wait for the sequel.💫

[ARC provided by NetGalley and Hodderscape. Thank you for the opportunity to read and review Bonesmith.]

Rating: 4.5/5

As an avid Game of Thrones fan currently suffering from content withdrawal, Bonesmith couldn’t have come at a better time. I’ve seen this book compared to some others as well but I can say with certainty that the GoT influence is strong, especially in regard to the white walkers beyond the wall. This paired with interesting characters and a dark plot steeped in magic and betrayal made this the perfect read for anyone who loves reading about spooky fantasy adventures.

Bonesmith follows ghost-fighting warrior Wren as she tries to secure her place in the House of Bone. When sabotage causes her to fail the qualifying trial that would have solidified her position as a Valkyr, she is banished to the Border Wall, the last line of defence against the wasteland where the dead roam. In an effort to reclaim her family’s respect, Wren jumps at the opportunity to save a prince from the House of Gold who has been kidnapped and taken beyond the Border Wall and to do this she forms a reluctant alliance with Julian, an ironsmith from the exiled House of Iron. As they venture into dangerous territory, they must overcome their differences and work together or a dark alliance that is brewing between the living and the undead may rekindle an old, dangerous evil.

Despite being on the chunkier side, I found this book to be a very quick read. The pacing worked well for me and it was easy to get sucked into the plot as the story is quite character driven. I also really enjoyed the detailed exposition as I found the world and the different types of magic within it genuinely fascinating. I loved the idea of different ‘smiths’ who could all control a material including bone, iron and gold to name a few. Each house is rich with their own traditions and you get a real sense of individuality from the characters that hail from them.

With character driven books, it’s obviously important to have a good selection of personalities to lead the story and I think Bonesmith really delivers on that. We have a core group of three characters that all come from a different House: Wren from the House of Bone, Julian from the House of Iron, and Leo from the House of Gold. This gives us an excellent cross section of the world as each of these Houses are perceived in very different ways and so the characters have a very different approach to handling different situations. Their motivations are believable and the character development they go through is handled very well. I also enjoyed the varied POVs that gave important insights into certain parts of the story – although the bulk of the story is led by Wren, we also get some Leo and Julian focused chapters that fills in gaps and helps tie the plot together.

There’s also a dash of romance in this book and I really appreciated that this element wasn’t overwhelming. The development of it felt very natural and I’m excited to see how this will progress in the next book. There’s a definite enemies to lovers vibe which will always be a winner for me, but my favourite part of the romance was the forced proximity between the main duo because, although capable on their own, they very much needed each other’s skillset to survive the wastelands and this allowed them to form a deeper appreciation and understanding of one another.

Overall, I really enjoyed Bonesmith and cannot wait to read the sequel. I’d recommend this to anyone looking for a dark young adult fantasy packed with deadly magic and a rich, atmospheric world.

Wow is all I can say.

This book might be a new favourite of the year, because it started with such a bang, my jaw was on the floor! The writing was exquisite, and I question my sanity because I've had the author's previous books on my shelf for a while!

This book was so fierce and intriiguing. It grabs you by the throat and refuses to let go until the final page- a true wonder! I loved the main character and her motivations for becoming a champion. The world is so intense, with the brutal training of become a reaper or protector of the reapers. It felt like I was on a wild ride and the plot only picked up as the story progressed. Immensely enjoyable- this one is going to be popular!

Highly recommend to fans of six of crows and gideon the ninth!

"Bonesmith" by Nicki Pau Preto is a dark and captivating young adult fantasy that weaves together elements of ghost-fighting, political intrigue, and alliances among enemies. Set in a world where the dead linger as violent and unpredictable ghosts, the story follows Wren, a bonesmith aspiring to become a valkyr—a skilled ghost-fighting warrior.

The novel introduces readers to a complex world filled with unique elements, including the Dominions, the Border Wall, and the Breach—a wasteland inhabited by vicious ghosts. While the world-building is imaginative and intriguing, the pacing of the story is a point of contention for some readers. The reviewer expresses frustration with the slow revelation of information and world discovery, which hinders their enjoyment of the book in the initial 60% of the story.

However, the last 40% of "Bonesmith" proves to be highly satisfying, as the answers to mysteries start falling into place. The characters' backgrounds, motivations, and magical abilities become clearer, and the world begins to make sense. The reviewer appreciates the "Aha!" moments and the sense of discovery that comes with these revelations.

Despite the pacing issues, the novel's strength lies in its world-building and the promise of more captivating discoveries to come in subsequent books in the series. The reviewer acknowledges that the last 40% of the book redeemed the reading experience and piqued their interest in the potential of future installments.

"Bonesmith" offers a compelling blend of fantasy elements, political machinations, and intriguing character dynamics. While some readers may find the pacing initially slow, the overall storytelling and world-building hold promise for an engaging series that will keep readers eagerly awaiting the next installment.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this book.

The only thing I didn't like about this book is that it is a summer release and because I was lucky enough to get an ARC, I had to read it in summer and not in spooky season which would be the perfect time! But on the bright side, it means that I can tell everyone else to please add it to their spooky season TBRs!!

I LOVED it. It was so dark and spooky, I love horror and don't get creeped out easily but some of these scenes definitely made a shiver run down my spine when I was reading late at night (so if you're more easily spooked, maybe make this a daytime read lol).

It's pitched as Gideon the Ninth meets Game of Thrones White Walkers and while the influence of the latter was definitely visible, it was very much it own story and the worldbuilding and magic was centered around ghosts, zombies, and the bonesmiths / necromancers keeping them at bay.

I was surprised at how rounded everything was, I think there was a slight danger of the book falling too much into the horror genre and not being enough of a fantasy novel, but because the horror elements were so central to the story, it ended up being what it was supposed to be: a spooky YA fantasy.
It was so cool how political intrigues were woven into the stories and interlaced with the undead.

Wren, our FMC, is such a badass, I loved her. A classic outcast and underdog type of character who ends up proving herself and her powers and chooses to fight instead of cowering from the dangers. Both MMCs complemented her nicely, and I can't wait to see how their relationship dynamics change in the sequel. So far, it's not really a love triangle, but who knows what happens next!

The writing was great and the book was incredibly atmospheric, it really did feel as if you were in the middle of a haunted forest.

Overall, I had high hopes for this one and it ended up being exactly what I hoped it would be and more. I highly recommend this one!

Bonesmith is a book that surpassed my expectations and became a new favorite book of mine. There was never a dull moment, and it kept my attention the whole way through. I just couldn’t put it down until I’ve reached the end.

The main focus of the book is on the people called “Bonesmiths”, individuals with the ability to harness magic from bones and fight undead spirits that threaten their world. Their job is essentially to keep the undead dead and the living alive. Since the main character Wren is a bonesmith, and the story has a strong focus on the undead and bones, this is darker YA fantasy. But what else is to expect from bone and necromancy-adjacent magic. But there are more magic users than just the Bonesmiths. Like the Ironsmiths who can control Iron, and also Stonesmiths, Goldsmiths and Ghostsmiths. Each group has their own special abilities and magical material. These different groups made the backbone of the lore, and what an interesting lore it is! The magic-system was so unique, and had me hooked from the start! Not to mention that the world-building is exquisite, very fleshed-out, and I love that the book includes a map of the world so the reader can keep track of all the interesting places the characters travel to.

The plot is very character driven, so let's talk about the characters. The first main character, the Bonesmith Wren, is bold, brash and slightly arrogant - in a very entertaining way. She’s also witty, imperfect and very determined. She’s trouble, but very charming trouble. Then there's Julian, the stoic Ironsmith who is used to carrying the world on his shoulders, but has a softer side underneath. I really loved the two of them, their banter and the way they slowly grew to trust each other on their journey. Not to mention that this book promised enemies to lovers, and it was delivered. A very slow-burned one, which is my favorite kind! The third important character of this book, and the last one of this strange trio, is Prince Leo. The guy who got kidnapped and the reason Wren and Julian have entered into their uneasy pact. At first I thought he was just a damsel in distress character, but we get a few chapters from his pov and he’s just delightfully mischievous and resourceful. Not to mention that apart from being a breath of fresh air in the story, his parts offer a great insight into the bigger plot. I loved it, and I loved all three of them. I especially enjoyed how they grow and change over the course of the story. They experience things and learn new things, and have to align themselves with this new information. It was great to see!

This book was a really fast read, which is impressive since it’s quite a chonky book at 464 pages. But the story was easy to follow along with, and the characters were just so delightful. The only thing I didn’t love was the long chapters, but that’s a very personal thing since I’m a short chapter kind of gal. Fair to say I’m super excited for the sequel!

In this book we meet Wren, a bonesmith and the daughter of House of Bone’s leader. Born out of wedlock after her father’s quick fling with a woman during the war, Wren has a hard time earning the respect she deserves from her family. Her only chance is to become a valkyr—a ghost-fighting warrior. But things get out of hand when Wren is sabotaged, causing her to fail the qualifying trial. Banished from her home, Wren is lost for hope. But when a prince from the House of Gold gets kidnapped, she sees her chance for redemption. Her quest to save the prince, however, turns out to reveal secrets that may change everything Wren has ever thought to know. 

This book was a nice surprise. I didn’t know much about it going in, but I found the reading experience enjoyable. 

It’s a fast paced and action-filled story with an interesting world that I loved getting immersed in. The plot keeps a steady pace forward, making it fun to keep reading. There were rarely any dull moments.  The characters are okay, a bit flat perhaps, sort of cardboard-cutout, standard YA characters. They were rather predictable, but I found the plot enjoyable enough that I didn’t really mind it. It’s meant to be an “enemies to lovers“ kind of situation, but I couldn’t really buy into the whole romance aspect of the book. There wasn’t enough “enemy” here and there was just a little banter and then love without tension. Wish that part would have been done a little better. 

The plot was good, but as with the characters, it was a little too predictable. Which is why this ends up being a four instead of five star review. I knew from the start where this would end up and what every twist presented would be. I still found the world interesting, and the concept of the Smiths and the magic was so fun to read about that I wanted more. 

The writing is easy and fast to get through, and there’s a lot of exposition and explanations that perhaps could have been cut or at least trimmed. It felt a little too obvious at times what would happen and certain things that was explained felt more like the author telling things to the reader than it being from the POV of Wren. Wren wouldn’t know or care about some of the things that was explained in detailed to the reader. 

I also struggled a little with the sudden inclusion of other character’s POV. There wasn’t a lot of them, but suddenly in the middle of the book we get a chapter from Leo, the Gold Prince. But there’s really nothing that tells the reader that this is his chapter at that point, which makes it hard to keep up. A bit farther in, there’s also some chapters from the other male companion, Julian, also without anything clarifying at the beginning that we’re swapping POV’s. In some instances when we swap back to Wren’s POV again, there’s inconsistencies in the POV and some “headhopping” within the paragraphs. Things like that annoy me a little more than they should perhaps, but still, they made me have to stop reading and go back to check whose POV I was actually reading. And I hate having to stop and re-read things since that breaks the flow and immersive feeling of being in this world with the characters.

But all in all, this was a good read, and a solid 4/5 stars. I can highly recommend this to anyone who likes fantasy that’s on the darker side.

Bonesmith is a gem among YA epic fantasy novels! I loved it and I just need more of it!

The reason why I enjoyed it so much is that it's a still complex and very well though-out story with wonderfully crafted world and magic system. The story has political intrigues, mysteries and secrets to be revealed. The magic system with different branches of smiths is built and explained in a quite original way, too. The magic brings a lot of complexity to the world and is a crucial part of the story. All of these make an interesting epic fantasy for me. Also, the necromancy and ghosts gave it a sinister atmosphere that I enjoyed. On the other hand, it's written simply but immersively. The plot development is very fast-paced, that's why the book sucked me in immediately and I could stop only when I actually finished reading it.

As it's an YA fantasy, there is romance, too. Even though I usually find any romance annoying and distracting, it isn't the case for Bonesmith. A huge part of it is that I loved the main characters a lot. The tension between them was gradually built and even though it's enemies to lovers, it wasn't toxic at all. Their personalities matched and were my jam. And another reason is the romance is truly only a subplot, and the main focus is the actual story, politics, magic, worldbuilding and character development.

So if you like YA epic fantasy done right, this is a perfect read for you!

I loved it, I was hooked, and the only regret I had that it makes it a 4.5/5 instead of a 5/5 is that at some point, when she's exiled at the beginning, I was wondering when the story will pick up, why it went to a very slow pacing suddenly.

But we dive straight into the story and discover little by little this world and how everything works, all about the smiths but also different Houses and its politics. It was really interesting to learn about and follow.

I loved Wren, seeing how she stays both the same but subtly change from what she learns and feels during this journey. I loved Julian, as well as the dynamics between them both : we can clearly says their relationship is more of a ennemies to allies to lovers to walking-on-shells, and it was actually very well done. Leo was a very interesting and funny character especially with his friendship with Wren.

We sometimes get Leo's POV and it was cool to get to see his side of the story, as well as a couple of Julian, but it's mostly Wren's (everything in 3rd POV).

I loved everything that happened in this book, all the plot twists and things we learn about, even if there were some stuff I guessed. We can think this book 1 is more of an introduction, but I actually feel like we got way too many things happening and plot twists that it's very full but also opens a lot to the book 2, so I can't wait to read it!