Member Reviews
A bit rambly, I found Your Blood, My Bones to distinctly fall into the 'all vibes, no plot' camp as we follow Wyatt and her plan to burn down her family home at the start of the story. I'm still not entirely sure why she wanted to burn it down, or actually what the point of the overall story was, but I did enjoy the relationship between the three main characters - particularly Wyatt and Peter. Their chemistry was just the right level of angst that I want in my YA.
In fact I would have loved this as an adult romance, allowing it to lean into the polyamourous vibes even more. And the rather obvious Peter Pan references. Instead what starts off as a promising atmospheric read turns into some convoluted story with secondary characters I think I'm suppose to know about but who, from my perspective, have no backstory or development. Their sudden appearance just left me confused and detracted from Wyatt.
Some really good writing, and highly atmospheric. However the plot is severely lacking with some characters who added nothing to the story.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
If you’re a fan of dark, twisty romances with a side of supernatural drama, Your Blood, My Bones by Kelly Andrew is definitely worth checking out. I recently finished it and found it to be an engaging read that kept me hooked from start to finish.
The story kicks off with Wyatt Westlock inheriting a farmhouse that she’s determined to burn to the ground—until she stumbles upon Peter, a former friend now chained up in the basement. It turns out Peter’s been stuck in a nightmarish cycle of ritualistic deaths and rebirths on her family’s property. Yep, you read that right. The dude’s semi-immortal and has a serious vendetta: he needs to end the Westlock bloodline, which means Wyatt’s his next target.
The whole enemies-to-lovers trope is executed really well here. Wyatt and Peter’s dynamic is charged with tension, and watching their relationship evolve while they navigate the creepy, magical mess they’re stuck in makes for a thrilling read. There’s a lot of slow burn romance and dark magic intertwined, which I loved.
The book doesn’t just rely on its intriguing premise; it dives deep into themes of trust and betrayal, with plenty of twists and turns that kept me guessing. And while the romance is a major draw, the atmospheric writing and eerie setting add layers of suspense that make the story even more compelling.
Overall, I enjoyed Your Blood, My Bones a lot. It’s a solid 4/5 stars for me. If you’re into twisted, supernatural romances with a dark edge, definitely give this one a go.
Kelly Andrew does it again. Obsessed with the way this author writes, and although this one did not resonate quite as strongly with me as her debut, there is something so potent about Your Blood, My Bones, that it almost becomes overwhelming.
The setting, especially in the opening scenes, the characters, the strangled unsettling storyline. Kelly Andrew has solidified herself as an autobuy author for me.
It's reminiscent, to me, of that uncanny feeling while watching retro psychological thriller/horror type movies. And I mean that as a compliment.
Weird, unearthly at times, but still so patently grounded. A very easy 4 stars for me.
I love Kelly Andrew’s writing. She has this incredible way of telling a story and creating a creepy atmosphere that just sucks you right in. Your Blood, My Bones is no exception.
The writing was lyrical, but at the same time very unsettling. I mostly listened to this on audio, and I usually listen to audiobooks before bed. It wasn’t my brightest idea to listen to a horror book as a bedtime story, but the vibes were vibing.
Being stuck in a farmhouse surrounded by creepy cryptids and a boy who wants to kill you is now my worst fear.
There is one thing I find to be missing in Andrew’s books, more so with Your Blood My Bones than with The Whispering Dark, and that’s worldbuilding.
Both Your Blood My Bones and The Whispering Dark are set in the same world (there’s even a cameo from the characters in TWD), so some of the worldbuilding from The Whispering Dark carries over. But I don’t think it’s enough.
I’m more of a hard magic system, there are rules you need to follow, girlie. And while I get that cryptids and Eldritch beings don’t necessarily follow the rules, I always liked books and shows that brought some order to these things. Take Supernatural, for example. Ghosts hate salt and iron. Buffy the Vampire Slayer, where the answer to defeating the ancient evil could be found through some Scooby-sleuthing. I guess I want some of that in Andrew’s work, because she does such a good job at creating the atmosphere. Some additional worldbuilding would completely hook me.
Another thing that bugged me was that Wyatt’s power is never explained, and she goes from not knowing how to use it to using it very quickly. There was no explanation for her father’s magic, the wards, or the cryptids lurking on the farm. I was optimistic when there was mention of her father’s diary, but it’s never utilised.
As Plumbella would say, I am a whore for lore. GIVE ME THE LORE.
I would let James be my sleep-paralysis demon
I really enjoyed the dynamics between Wyatt, Peter, and James. Their friendship runs deep and I liked how it was explored.
My favourite is James (though that might just be the British accent), and I hope we get a future book following him.
My least favourite was unfortunately Wyatt. She doesn’t actively participate in this book at all, she’s just sort of there for the most part. I didn’t feel like she made any compelling discoveries or decisions. Peter is more of a driving force where the plot is concerned, and this is more his book than hers.
Hopefully, we’ll see some more of her in the next book (if we do get a continuation of James’ story).
this book has THE VIBES! Very dark and eerie, quite the hook to start with, but my goodness it was soooo slow to start with. It has Supernatural elements, mystery, romance, and horror!!!!but the but is our main character who felt a lot more like a child in ways than an 18 y old. I still don't understand the magical powers and figured out the twists very early on!
I haven’t stopped thinking about Kelly Andrew’s latest offering. Your Bones, My Blood was one of my most anticipated 2024 releases, and boy, did it live up to the hype.
This isn’t a follow up to Andrew’s The Whispering Dark but there is a connection - you could read either one but I recommend The Whispering Dark first as a jumping off point into her writing style and complex characters.
This book. Oh, this BOOK.
Wyatt returns to her childhood home following her father’s death to find Peter, the boy she spent much of her childhood summers with, chained up in the basement and left for dead.
I feel like I can’t give more than that as a premise because it felt so good when I dove in blind.
There is a little more of a horror aspect to this urban fantasy than I was expecting, but it’s not too much. I’m not a horror gal by any means, but Andrew’s ability to weave horror with folklore/myth and romance is truly spectacular.
Read this if you love reading
🌿Childhood nostalgia
✨Magical family secrets
🌿Forbidden love
✨Dark Peter Pan undertones
🌿Necromancy / Shapeshifting
✨Witches, Demons, Clairvoyants
🌿Blood magic
✨YEARNING
This isn’t even half of what I loved about this book, but sometimes less is more, and I want you to enjoy this book as much as I did 🥹
I sincerely hope we see these characters again in some shape or form in another Kelly Andrew book - a gal can dream 🖤
This scratched such an itch and I loved it! Was fully not expecting to love this half as much as I did, especially after struggling to get into it in the first 50 pages. But when I sat down to read it on a train ride, I'd read over 100 pages in an hour, I was so completely sucked in. You've got supernatural elements, horror, a bit of romance... It was really reminding me of My Throat an Open Grave which I read recently and adored; very different plots, but similar vibes!
There were so many moments throughout this book that I had full-body chills - when things were being revealed or even just hinted at, that I was not prepared for at all! I thought the writing was brilliant, and I desperately want to read the author's first book now. The characters and the setting felt incredibly real, I feel like it would be so easy to stumble across Willow Heath and into the lives of Wyatt and Peter. The horror was so creepy and visceral, subtle but very real too.
The ending was totally unexpected, and very bittersweet; perfectly suited for the story though. I would highly recommend!
This. Book. Was absolutely phenomenal. I'm once again blown away by Kelly's writing- I'm trying to articulate this in a way that gives enough credit to it but alas, I am not a writer so this review is going to hinge on hopes and dreams and vibes.
A gorgeous atmospheric story with dark fantastical themes.
I adored the creepiness of the plot and the links between Wyatt, James and Peter.
An incredibly enjoyable read with a creepy house, immortal boy, a girl with rotting magic and a horrific ritual.
challengers x blair witch project ???
I really enjoyed this - it's such an immersive story. The writing is gorgeous, the horror is horrifying, the plot is THICK and the characters are good. I couldn't put it down for most of it!! I loved the relationship between James, Peter and Wyatt, it felt so fresh and messy and interesting.
My only gripe is that the plot/backstory got a little too convoluted at times and the pacing felt a little off in the second half. It didn't effect my enjoyment too much, except that I slowed down and wasn't as glued to my kindle as before.
I was obsessed with this book, I couldn’t put it down at all ! I thought the friendship between the characters was wonderful, the romance was slow burn and I adore that, it’s my favourite, but then you add rivals to lovers and I didn’t like it, I was addicted, absolutely brilliant! Your Blood, My Bones has everything you’ll want, curses, creepiness, romance, friendship, magic, and so much emotion, trust me bring tissues !
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Kelly Andrew is one of my favorite modern fantasy writers. This story had everything: relationships, family curses, angst, cults, and more. The book was filled with such stunningly described visuals, I felt deeply immersed in the world. I can't wait to read more by her!
Heading back to the farmhouse where she spent her summers, Wyatt is planning to burn the place and her memories of her father’s neglect to the ground with it. She is not expecting to find, Peter, one of her childhood friends, locked up in the basement. Her desire to leave the past behind in one large, fiery gesture is put on hold as she learns there was a lot more happening every summer while she, Peter and their friend James hung out. The place has a history, her family has a legacy, and it’s now hers, and it’s a bloody one that Wyatt can’t avoid.
Your Blood, My Bones by Kelly Andrew grew on me as I read it. It’s set in the same world as The Whispering Dark, but it is a lot darker in tone and content, and I wasn’t expecting it. That isn’t to say it’s a bad thing, far from it, it just took me a minute to get my footing when I first started reading it. Andrew has such a unique way with words, and her descriptions are out of this world. Every time I read something by her, it’s a complete experience in itself.
In Your Blood, My Bones she has spun a wonderfully dark story filled with cryptids, plant magic and friendship tinged with trauma and grief. It took me a ridiculously long time to recognise that a certain name being dropped was THAT person from The Whispering Dark until it was right in my face. I loved the way that Andrew linked the two books, and that her next book is also set in the same world.
This is one of those books that you need to experience rather than read about. If you enjoy gothic horror, unique world-building, dark magic and found family friendships then this is for you!
Kelly Andrew’s debut, ‘The Whispering Dark’, was the first episode of season four of our podcast, ‘The Dark Academicals’, and was one of my favourite books of 2023. It was delicious dark and addictive, with a romance that felt like an elevated version of the ones that captured me in the heights of paranormal romance YA and I couldn’t get enough of it.
As soon as I heard that ‘Your Blood, My Bones’ would be coming out this Spring, I knew I needed it - I didn’t even check the synopsis. But when I finally did, I was even more sold.
Wyatt Westlock has one plan for the farmhouse she's just inherited -- to burn it to the ground. But during her final walkthrough of her childhood home, she makes a shocking discovery in the basement -- Peter, the boy she once considered her best friend, strung up in chains and left for dead.
Unbeknownst to Wyatt, Peter has suffered hundreds of ritualistic deaths on her family's property. Semi-immortal, Peter never remains dead for long, but he can't really live, either. Not while he's bound to the farm, locked in a cycle of grisly deaths and painful rebirths. There's only one way for him to break free. He needs to end the Westlock line.
He needs to kill Wyatt.
With Wyatt's parents gone, the spells protecting the property have begun to unravel, and dark, ancient forces gather in the nearby forest. The only way for Wyatt to repair the wards is to work with Peter -- the one person who knows how to harness her volatile magic. But how can she trust a boy who's sworn an oath to destroy her? When the past turns up to haunt them in the most unexpected way, they are forced to rely on one another to survive, or else tear each other apart.
With the promise of potential Eldritch-style horror, a slightly darker and aged up story than ‘The Whispering Dark’, and dark, ritualistic magic, I could not be more excited.
‘Your Blood, My Bones’s is very dark and twisty with a really mysterious start. It took me a little while to settle into the story and figure out the dynamics of Wyatt, her family and her connection to Peter/Pedyr, but once I was in, I was in. The tension and the atmosphere was something that I specifically loved in Kelly Andrew’s debut, but she took it up several notches here and I felt everything: the tension, the fear, the betrayal, the grief, the loss. Everything that the characters felt was only heightened by the threat of the surrounding forests and Wyatt’s property and the boundary wards started to flicker and Wyatt couldn’t get a grip on who and what to trust.
This is pitched as slow burn, and it’s the slowest burn - which isn’t a criticism in the slightest. It really adds to the conflict and tension as Wyatt and Peter navigate their past and the secrets being unveiled in their present, as well as their feelings for each other in an impossible situation. Slow burn done well is far superior to a quick fire romance, for me.
I’m not sure if this counts as a spoiler or not, but Colton and Lane from ‘The Whispering Dark’ made an appearance! I actually did a happy gasp out loud, I was so pleased to see them. I won’t give you any more information about the connection between the novels or characters in case you do view that as a spoiler, but it brought me JOY so I had to mention it.
‘Your Blood, My Bones’ is dark, twisty, tense and brimming with atmosphere. It’s a perfect read for those wanting a YA/NA fantasy horror with minimal romance, but all of the tension and emotion of a full-blown romance.
I didn’t love ‘Your Blood, My Bones’ in the same soul-deep way that I do ‘The Whispering Dark’, but Kelly Andrew remains an auto-buy author for me and I cannot wait to see what she does next.
Thank you to Gollancz and NetGalley for the review copy.
Written by Sophie
I really liked Your Blood, My Bones. It was a great read that I actually managed to finish in one day due to not being able to put it down!
This was also the first book I've read by Kelly Andrew, though I also own The Whispering Dark, which I'm now really excited to read.
Your Blood, My Bones has a slow-burn romance, curses, immortality, creepy eldritch creatures, magic, and so much more!
I really liked the friendship between Wyatt, Peter, and James, and they were all great characters.
The romance was a friend's rivals to lovers, and sadly, I didn't love it...
That's mainly due to my own problem of not overly enjoying the friends to lovers dynamic, I did grow to like the romance by the end, though!
They were a couple twists in the story that surprised me as well as some really well-done creepy scenes that I enjoyed.
The book also made me cry so much at the end, so be warned!
It's not often a book that makes me cry, so that's definitely an accomplishment!
Your Blood, My Bones was a fun read that I really liked and that I would definitely recommend checking out!
Thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for a review.
Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher Orion/Gollancz for the digital ARC, it has not affected my honest review.
TW: death, horror, blood, injury, torture, violence, bugs, fungi, cults, implied sexual assault
Years ago Wyatt Westlock was sent away from the place she called home- and the beloved friends she’d made there, intelligent and vibrant James and quiet, severe Peter. After her father’s death Wyatt inherits the farm at Willow Heath and returns after five years, intent on burning down every memory of her past. Walking through it she makes a horrifying discovery in the basement- Peter shackled in chains, left for dead and a prisoner of a cult that has operated for years that Wyatt’s family was part of. Unknown to Wyatt, who remembers their childhood together as peaceful and joyful, Peter is immortal but capable of dying and used for decades as a human sacrifice. He can’t leave without committing a terrible crime in return: by ending the Westlock line for good and killing Wyatt, no matter their past. As the spells defending the property from the dark forces in the forest begin to fail, Wyatt is forced to release Peter and turn to him for aid in connecting to the magic she’s hidden from for years. Wyatt knows that Peter will kill her for freedom but after ghosts begin emerging around the property and it starts to rot from within, she has no other choice- especially after James returns to warn her against trusting in Peter. As the past digs its claws even deeper into the three of them, and Wyatt is forced to reconcile the reality of her past with the horror around her, things take an even more unsettling and disturbing turn to an epic, tragic conclusion.
I raced through this book, reading over three-quarters in one sitting. This is disturbing and dark, woven with beautiful prose and engrossing, complicated characters from the first page. Wyatt is an incredible main character, her journey from realising that so much of her past was a lie to embracing her powers despite the trauma behind them. By comparison, Peter is completely broken, a huge contradiction but incredibly brave even as the evil in the forest calls to him with reminders of his brief lives. I read this author’s first book, “The Whispering Dark”, and enjoyed it (there’s an enjoyable cameo from those characters here which made me so happy); Your Blood, My Bones” is just incredible on a brand new level. The tension and atmosphere of the setting are so powerful. After all, they’re trapped inside Willow Heath for nearly the whole book, and you feel unnerved even as you can’t put the book down because you need to know what will happen next. “Your Blood, My Bones” is devastating and horrifying, a combination of horror and deep love that shouldn’t work but does as people have to leave behind their past selves to try and make it into the future.
Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC.
What a great book! With gothic atmosphere, witches, immortals and love (that shouldn't work, but does!). We even got some throwback to Kelly Andrews previous book! My only wish was that the characters weren't 18 - for the most part I thought they were in their 20s, until prom was mentioned.
Really enjoyed this book and I can't wait to pick up other books by the author. Really wonderful and fast paced.
This ended up being a book for the vibes: it’s dramatic and often creepy, with end-of-the-world heartbreak and heartstrings pulled as taut as narrative would allow. This is by no means a bad thing in and of itself, and if someone is looking for just the vibes and fairly unhealthy levels of codependency, this story will probably work for them.
For me, this fell short on several fronts. The first and the most important one is the magic system. I feel like the author skirted around it (or just didn’t explain her idea sufficiently) and so it ended up being too vague to make sense, to an extent affecting the pacing too. The more the plot progressed, the more questions I had and the fewer answers were provided, which for me doesn’t spell ideal reading experience.
The second most important thing would be the writing. For the most part, the overwrought sentences serve their purpose and create the intended atmosphere, but closer to the end it definitely felt like I read one too many metaphors for someone’s soul figuratively leaving their body, and the inventive adjectives started to grate on me.
As for the characters, I thought they were at their most interesting in flashbacks, and if I had to pick a favorite, it would be James - ironic, since he had less screen time and almost no internal monologue than the two leads, but I guess that just indicates that the book might’ve benefitted from cutting some of that out. With that and a clearer magic system, it would’ve been a more enjoyable read for me than it ended up being.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an early review copy.
Though it brims with natural horror, mysterious forests, generational curses and beasts marauding as men, at its heart this is a story about the formative years of childhood, friends who feel like family and tragic first love. It's the tale of an almost-immortal boy, cursed to die again and again as his bones are ground into dust to raise wards against the dark, and of a girl, whose magic-filled blood can fight off monsters. Each of them must kill the other to save the world from evil, but as a strange, magnetic bond between them grows, it becomes increasingly impossible for them to do so.
Kelly Andrew has a way with words. I lost track of how many quotes I highlighted. Each chapter is filled with brilliantly apt and unique metaphors, a deep knowledge of plant life and enough suspense and claustrophobia to keep your heart beating fast. This won't be the last book of hers I pick up!
The central three characters are well-written too. Within their found family, they notice and point out each other's flaws, rant and rage at one another and rarely reveal their most important secrets, yet they still fiercely love and protect each other, their years of history binding them together like three interwoven trees. I love how platonic love is explored alongside romantic love, acknowledging how life-defining friendships can be.
Pick this up if you love a nostalgic scary story with interesting magic, characters to root for and beautiful prose.