Ready for a stroll in a haunted forest filled with bones and walking revenants? Yeah? If you're a bit patient, Bonesmith will deliver.

But first, you need to know two things:
- One: the beginning is VERY exposition heavy and full of infodump about the most little things, and wow, was it rough.
- Two: yes, the initial struggle was ultimately worth it, in my opinion.

I won’t go into too much details about the plot because I genuinely believe not knowing will make for a better reading experience, but here’s what you can expect from it:
✔ one of my favorite trope: unlikely allies going in an adventure!!!! The characters dynamics are very enjoyable overall, and we even get a smudge of enemies-to-lovers romance (but barely, which makes it a hundred times better, right??)
✔ a fierce and brash main character who will go through a great and believable character development (without losing her badass edge, obviously)
✔ a decent pacing overall: somewhat sluggish at first, but once the story really started (around 20-25%, I’d say), the pacing got way faster and from then on I enjoyed myself.
✔ I might not have liked the exposition heavy way it was first introduced, but the world and magic system are actually very cool and interesting, with different kinds of magic (tied to materials such as bones, iron, gold, copper…), an old war where everything might not be as easy as History books made it seem (of course), family secrets and also ghosts!! walking deads!!! betrayals!!

All in all not a perfect novel, but this series has potential and now that the exposition is behind me, I’ll happily read the sequel.

Bonesmith has a really cool setting and basically everything a darker fantasy novel needs. The worldbuilding is excellent and the magic system real unique. There's trials and mystery and Princes and people not being what they seem to be.
You have different magically abled people in this world, like the Bonesmiths, the Ironsmiths and - more complex - the Ghostsmiths. Wren is a Bonesmith and trained to be one half of a duo to keep ghosts from overrunning the land. However, she ends up at the Wall (massive Game of Thrones vibes) - an oversized construct to keep the Undead out. Circumstances make her go beyond the wall where she meets an Ironsmith slash foe slash attractive guy.
It's from there in out that I started to lose interest. The story loses its focus, the characters are not engaging enough to have kept me interested. And the mysteries are not fascinating enough to make this a pageturner.
Sadly, this story wasn't for me, even though I was very intrigued during the first part of the book.
Would have loved to love it more.

3/5 stars

Thank you @netgalley and @hodderbooks for the eARC!

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

First off, this cover?? Absolutely stunning immaculate constantly raising the bar!

Unfortunately, though, the book itself felt like it was kind of just going through the motions of a stock-standard YA fantasy. The plot does get moving pretty quickly (though not without some serious infodumping at the beginning that I don't think was super necessary) but then it's kind of your classic 'girl with a mysterious lack of magic who over-compensates by being violent and abrasive goes on an adventure with hot (but troubled and sad) dude with many secrets'. The romance didn't quite deliver on 'enemies-to-lovers', any problems are solved pretty quickly/easily, and the overall plot felt pretty predictable.

There were some interesting moments, and the setting and bone magic were neat, but unfortunately there wasn't quite enough for me in the plot or the characters to keep me engaged or leave me wanting more. The beginning reminded me a bit of Cruel Prince, but it doesn't really stick in that vein for long, and I'm unsure what else I would compare it to. I would recommend it to newer readers looking for horror-adjacent YA fantasy, but it wasn't a stand-out for me.

One of the best ya books I’ve read in a while! I am a sucker for an enemies to lovers backdrop but the book on a whole just absolutely delivers. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for early access to this book in exchange for my honest review.

This is a hard one to rate. When I saw that it was billed as 'Gideon the Ninth' meets 'The Cruel Prince' I was sold because those are two of my favourite books of all time so I thought this would be right up my street.

And this book is incredibly, impossibly cool. Great weapons and a fantastic magic system based on affinity to certain materials. The main character is a Bonesmith, artisans with an affinity for bones as a material and also to sense and fight ghosts so that they can be dispatched to the other side. Ghosts in this are largely malevolent and can harm humans, so this profession is a highly trained one and has high status in their society. Wren, as an heir to her house however, is a bastard and not a loved one at that and when she is sabotaged at her initiation into being a Bonesmith, she is sent in exile to the borders to act as a guard. She thinks her life is over but then she is tasked with guarding a second-born prince who happens to get kidnapped by the nation over the border and she embarks on a quest to save him...

I do think though that comparing this YA novel to Gideon the ninth and The Cruel Prince is going to hinder it, rather than help it. Both Wren and Gideon are necromancers, yes, but that is where the similarities end. There is no queer representation in this book, not that its a problem per se, but as a character she's just not as dynamic or as irreverent. And I presume The Cruel Prince similarities is that the romance in it is billed as 'enemies-to-lovers' as a secondary plot point amongst all the politics, but the romance in this one is more 'unlikely-allies-to-almost-instant-attraction'. And this is where it fell as bit flat for me. Although this is overall a good solid fantasy book, the plot could have proceeded nicely without the romance at all and it felt a little shoe-horned in to attract a certain demographic. As it is YA, the physical scenes are almost non-existent but also so really is the angst and the longing, there quite simply isn't really time between fighting all the undead and the one miscommunication was tied up very quickly and easily. The characters and their motivations are reasonably well fleshed out, but the love interest was quite boring if I'm honest and I'd have preferred her with a secondary character, so I'm hoping for a love triangle in the sequel.

Some early reviewers have complained about the amount of expository dialogue taking them out of the narrative, to a certain degree I agree it was a bit clunky at times but because I was invested in the world building, I actually enjoyed it.

In summary, I enjoyed it, it was a fun read with spooky vibes and I would recommend it to others who want a YA fantasy on the gothic side, but I wouldn't say it was one of my favourite reads of this year. I am however, invested enough to want to read the sequel.

3.5 stars.

Wren is a bonesmith, who's magic is tied to the bones of the dead. Her people are supposed to help spirits pass on, but when her final test goes wrong and she finds herself exiled, she discovers that not everything she's been taught is true ...

Bonesmith has some really phenomenal world building. A bit slow to start, once we were exiled with Wren things really started to get good, with characters I adored and a magic system that really brought the whole book to life. I cannot wait for the sequel!

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Bonesmith is a new YA dark fantasy following a reckless girl name Wren whom take her lesson at special school to learn about fighting art and magic to fight ghost and undead. She give me the same cocky, strong, reckless, badass vibes as Rose from The Vampire Academy. Actually the story take setting in a eerie Dominion after epic war. The world rich with witches, ghosts, old bones and undead magics.

" Ready your blade. Defeat the Undead."

This is the type book that stand right in the middle. Very interesting premises, annoying characters but their arc journey is intriguing me. I appreciate their efforts to become better person in the end of story. The storytelling style is okay, but the over description and explanation about worldbuilding and all those details kinda make me choked. I prefer all of those given partially and infuse slowly between the plot to make readers adjust into the new world and understand easier. The plot is starting generic but become intense and interesting at half part of book. The adventure is interesting with alot action packed scene. The romance seed is there but need extra time to grow. I willing to see good progress and Wren and Julian's journey at 2nd installment.

Thank you Netgalley and Hodderscape from Hodder and Stoughton for provided my copy. My thoughts and opinions always become my own. Publish at 25 July 2023.

Thanks to Hodderscape, Nicki Pau Preto and Netgalley for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!

I enjoyed this book, even though the pacing was slower than I wanted it to be. I think the premise is good, but I don't know if I would continue with the series.

WHAT A FANTASY.

Packed full of everything that I adore from snarky girls to brooding boys to bone magic to gashes carved into the earth with eerie magic seeping out of them. It's a brilliant, expansive story, and the political intrigue combines spectacularly with the dark magic and world slowly peeling itself open to reveal its secrets. Also there's weapons made of bones and sword that's also a whip? This book endeavors to make everything it does cool as hell, and it succeeds.

I was first drawn to this book based on the beautiful cover. But when I saw it compared to Ninth House and Game of Thrones I was completely sold. I had high expectations for this book, and they were definitely met. Without being spoilery, if you're drawn to the cover and the premise as I was, go for it!

I think my students are going to love this!! An action packed fantasy adventure that, despite struggling with pacing in some parts, was a highly enjoyable read.

"Bonesmith" by Nicki Pau Preto is a captivating and immersive read that left me thoroughly impressed. The author skillfully maintains a strong and engaging pace throughout the book, making it difficult to put down. The plot is refreshingly unique and brimming with intriguing twists and turns that kept me eagerly turning the pages.

One of the standout features of "Bonesmith" is the meticulous attention to world building. Preto has crafted a richly imagined universe that feels both vibrant and believable. The intricacies and details woven into the setting enhance the overall reading experience, transporting readers into a realm that is truly mesmerizing.

The book's gripping nature is another aspect that held me spellbound. Every scene is infused with tension, keeping me on the edge of my seat and desperate to uncover what would happen next. The author's ability to create a sense of anticipation and urgency is commendable.

Moreover, the protagonist of "Bonesmith" is a character of remarkable depth and relatability. The journey they undertake is emotionally charged and beautifully depicted. It was easy to empathize with their struggles, and their growth throughout the story felt genuine and satisfying.

Overall, "Bonesmith" is a remarkable book that excels in its pacing, plot, world building, and character development. It is a gripping and detailed tale that will leave readers enthralled from beginning to end. I highly recommend it to anyone seeking a captivating and immersive reading experience.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this eARC of 'Bonesmith' by Nicki Pau Preto.

Sadly, 'Bonesmith' wasn't my cup of tea. I don't know why, but it just wasn't my type of book. The cover is absolutely gorgeous though so I would be excited to find out what they do with the sequel.